America Today Staff 
Police have arrested the Ohio man accused of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulting her and another individual early Thursday morning. Austin Michael Harper, 30, of Ironton, Ohio, was taken into custody around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the Kenova Police Department. “Thanks to information provided by a number of our great citizens, we … Read more
Lawmakers remain divided on how quickly to move legislation intended to assist Hancock County Schools as the district works through a fiscal crisis. House members acted quickly to advance House Bill 4574, which would establish a condition-based emergency funding system for county school districts facing financial distress. Senate leaders, however, say there is no immediate … Read more
Deputies arrested an Ohio man on Thursday in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a six-year-old child. Gilliland was charged with seven counts of rape, authorities said in a press release from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office. According to deputies, the child’s mother contacted the Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday and reported that her child … Read more
Thomas William Webber, III, 34, of Valparaiso, faces multiple misdemeanor charges in Porter County after police say he drove a vehicle off the roadway and into a residence. According to court documents, on January 4 around 6:49 p.m., Webber drove his vehicle off the road and crashed into a home at 384 Pinewood Drive in … Read more
Shantay Monique Shanks, 47, faces two felony theft charges after Gary Police identified her on surveillance video using credit and debit cards taken from wallets that truck drivers reported missing while they slept inside their semi cabs at Burr Street truck stops. According to probable cause affidavits, on September 21 into the early morning of … Read more
The Lake County Council has unanimously approved an Economic Revitalization Area for a new John Deere distribution center planned southwest of Interstate 65 and Indiana 2. The approval, announced during a special Thursday meeting, clears the way for a 1.2-million-square-foot facility expected to generate $7.2 million in new property tax revenue for Lake County over … Read more
Melissa Danielle Vieyra, 30, of Griffith, is facing a felony theft charge after an investigation at a Hammond medical clinic allegedly revealed she removed prescription medications from the pharmacy over a two-month period while working as a pharmacy technician. According to a probable cause affidavit, the incidents took place between October 13, 2025, and December … Read more
Dariel Edwin Dodd Jr., 26, of Merrillville, is facing several felony and misdemeanor charges after investigators recorded two cocaine transactions earlier this month and later carried out a search warrant at his apartment, where marijuana, digital scales, packaging materials, and a device used to convert a firearm into a fully automatic weapon were found. According … Read more
Leonel Alcides Erazo, 50, of East Chicago, faces several felony and misdemeanor charges after East Chicago Police allege he led officers on an extended vehicle chase through city streets, crashed into a parked vehicle with an occupant inside, ran from police on foot, and was later found with cocaine and marijuana while under the influence. … Read more
Fourteen individuals were arrested following a law enforcement operation aimed at addressing illegal lodging, squatting, and active arrest warrants in the Kern River Valley, according to the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. The targeted enforcement action took place on January 27, 2026, as part of an ongoing effort to protect public safety and enforce state laws … Read more