The Times from Munster, Indiana • 27

Meet Hammond's mayor Meet Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. during Mayor's Night Out from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at St. John Bosco School cafeteria, 1231 171st Hammond. More local news, A13 LK LATEST NEWS: nwi.com into money for leisure activities, including gambling GET THE Gas prices cut By Times Staff and Wire Reports Indiana's riverboat casinos are feeling the sinking effects of an economic downturn, and Northwest Indiana's casinos are not immune.

During the months between September and April, gambling revenues at the state's 11 casinos declined for the first time in 13 years of riverboat wagering. The state's casino industry has never experienced more than two consecutive months of year-over-year declines, The Courier-Journal of Louisville, reported in a Monday story. J- away from the boats. "It's not just a question of cutting back. It becomes a question of cutting out," Feigenbaum said.

In the face of forbidding eco-' nomic news, several Northwest Indiana casinos are continuing expansion projects. Hammond's Horseshoe Casino and the Blue Chip Casino Hotel in Michigan City are both expanding. Feigenbaum noted that expansion plans were formulated in different financial times, and the casinos have already dumped money into those projects. The Blue Chip's fortunes have JEFFREY FURTICELLA PHOTOS THE TIMES in brief times staff reports point Former county officer's trial to be rescheduled The jury trial for former Lake County police officer Robert Porras was canceled Monday morning and will be rescheduled early next month. Porras, who was a seven-year veteran of the department, was scheduled to go on trial Monday on a felony fraud charge.

He resigned from the Lake County force earlier this year. Porras was charged with fraud after he used his role as treasurer of the Southlake Pop Warner Football and Little League baseball organizations to divert money for his personal use, court records state. According to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Porras used the proceeds to buy his girlfriend a $12,000 diamond ring, tickets to two Purdue vs. Notre Dame football games and vacations to Cancun. Porras' case is set for a status hearing July 23.

CROWN POINT Trial begins for teen accused of homicide A Lake Criminal Court jury heard opening arguments Monday in the trial of 16-year-old Victor Hernandez. The Hammond teen was charged with murder, murder in the perpetration of a robbery, robbery, burglary, two counts each of attempted criminal confinement and attempted carjacking, and a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to an animal in the 2007 slaying of a Griffith man. Kenneth Zamarron, 16, of Hammond, also was charged with the death of 58-year-old Gregory Grudzien. Grudzien went to the home of a longtime friend and business partner in the 7500 block of Olcott Avenue to take the woman's dog for a walk, and he interrupted the teenagers as they were burglarizing the house, Hammond police said. Grudzien was found by police beaten and stabbed to death near the curb in front of the residence, and the dog was found dead inside.

Hernandez and Zamarron fled and unsuccessfully attempted to carjack two vehicles within blocks of the crime scene before being apprehended, police said. The trial is expected to continue throughout this week. MERRILLVILLE IDEM open house, art contest slated for today The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is hosting an open house and art contest this afternoon in Merrillville to commemorate the opening of its new regional office at 8380 Louisiana St. The IDEM office will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. Attendees will be invited to help judge environmentally themed posters submitted by children ages 9 to 14.

The winning entries will be framed and hung in the office. "We designed the contest as a way for children to explore how their actions impact the environment around them," IDEM regional manager Hala Kuss said Monday in a statement. For more information about the open house qj poster contest call (219) 757-0265. MERRILLVILLE Electronics stolen from home on 56th Avenue Police said there are no suspects in weekend burglary at a home in the 1100 block of East 56th Avenue. Police said the incident occurred sometime between 11 a.m.

Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday, and a Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, video games and DVDs were taken from the home. Police said burglars broke a window to gain entrance to the home. H0BART Gary resident accused of cashing bad checks Scott Charles Stelow, 39, of Gary, was charged with two counts of check fraud on Friday through Lake Superior Court. According to court documents, an employee and the owner at the End Zone I TUESDAY JUNE 24 2008 PAGE A4 been affected by new competition, the economy and project construction, said David Strow, spokesman for Boyd Gaming, the casino's parent company.

Still, the company is moving "full-steam" on the expansion, Strow said. "We remain as optimistic as ever on the long-term prospects for Blue Chip," he said. Former casinogoer Nancy Mcintosh, 61, of Okolona, frequented Caesars Indiana until losing her job nearly two years ago. She put the brakes on her casino visits. "I used to go every week, but those days are over," Mcintosh MERRILLVILLE Man accused of hitting girlfriend several times Police said a 24-year-old Merrillville man battered his ex-girlfriend Friday at his apartment in the 5800 block of Grant Street.

Merrillville police Operations Cmdr. Lance Huish said Towand Chantell McCastle forced the victim to the floor and struck her several times. The victim suffered head and shoulder injuries, Huish said, but refused medical treatment. Huish said police are not sure what provoked the dispute. McCastle was charged with battery in Merrillville Town Court, Huish said.

CROWN POINT Donations from picnic to benefit cancer foundation Crown Point will host a citywide picnic from 2 to 10 p.m. July 5 at the Lake County Fairgrounds. The event will include hamburgers, hot dogs and a hog roast. Kids can jump around in a bouncy castle with a 15-foot slide. There is no cost to attend, but donations will be accepted.

All proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. For more information, call (219) 662-3290 or e-mail Jennifer Bzdil at jbzdilcrownpoint.rn.gov. PORTAGE Restaurant's reopening still uncertain after fire From the outside, no one could tell an early morning fire Saturday had destroyed the interior of the popular HotorNot restaurant. But inside, said head chef Jim Fassinger, it is a different story.

"It is a total loss inside," Fassinger said Monday, speaking on behalf of owner Judy Joll. Fassinger said kitchen appliances such as microwaves were melted together into clumps. The food was destroyed, as were high-end wines and beer from about 50 microbreweries served from the restaurant at the corner of Mulberry Avenue and Willowdale Road. Plans now, Fassinger said, are to restore the restaurant. "Judy has no quit in her.

She is determined to overcome this," said Fassinger, adding they were working with the insurance company Monday to determine the financial loss. The fire started about 8 a.m. Saturday in the kitchen. It was extinguished in about a half-hour. NWI DELEGATES TO DNC CLINTON DELEGATES Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr.

East Chicago Mayor George Pabey Bonnie Reese, D-Wheatfield, 1st District chairwoman State Central Committee E.C. Councilwoman Myrna Maldonado OBAMA DELEGATES Gary Mayor Rudy Clay State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary State Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster Karen Freeman-Wilson, of Gary Sol 0 till ins eason Revenues also declined during the first five months of this year by about $54 million, or 5 percent from the same period a year ago, according to Indiana Gaming Commission reports.

Admissions also dropped during the period by nearly 7 percent. Northwest Indiana's casinos face same unforgiving economic picture that troubles gaming statewide, said Ed Feigenbaum, an Indiana gaming expert. Industry experts and gamblers say the weak economy, soaring gasoline prices and rampant job layoffs are pushing many to wager less or stay National Convention. They won delegate slots amid fierce competition Saturday at the state party convention in Indianapolis. "We are thrilled to have such a strong group of individuals represent Indiana in Denver this August," Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker said Monday in a statement.

"This diverse and dedicated group will give voice to the 1.2 million Hoosiers who cast a ballot for change in our May primary." The 72 pledged delegates are assigned to either Hillary Clinton on Barack Obama based on the Players in Crown Point take advantage of cool 'summer night at Solon Robinson Park ABOVE: Basketball players take advantage of a cool summer night Monday by playing a pickup game at Solon Robinson Park in Crown Point. RIGHT: Jaime Roman and Aaron Bensinger watch a loose ball fly out of bounds. i 'V- ft 1 .4, i iiVilCi fc- Local Democrats will head to Denver 9 NYI delegates chosen to attend national convention BY PATRICK GUINANE pguinanenwitimes.com 317.637.9078 INDIANAPOLIS Northwest Indiana will dispatch more than a half-dozen Democrats to the party's national convention this August in Denver. Three mayors, a trio of region legislators, a former city leader and East Chicago Councilwoman Myrna Maldonado will represent the region at the Democratic results of Indiana's May 6 Democratic presidential primary. Clinton's narrow victory in the Hoosier state earned her 38 delegates to 34 for Obama, who now is the party's presumptive nominee.

Indiana also will send 13 superdelegates to Denver, including former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick and U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind. Parker on Saturday named former Indiana Secretary of State Joe Hogsett, co-chair of Hoosiers for Hillary, the state's 13th superdelegate. The post previously had been up for grabs, per party rules.

reported to police two different occasions when a man identified as Stelow cashed checks with them that later indicated insufficient funds in the accounts. The owner later received a phone advised him the same individual had cashed bogus checks at that business, according to police Detective David I Moore..