HIGHLAND

Surveyor candidate holds fundraiser Tuesday night

John E. Garcia, a Democratic candidate for Lake County surveyor, announced he will kick off his campaign with a fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the clubhouse at the Wicker Park Social Center, 2000 Ridge Road, Highland. Admission and donation is $100.

CROWN POINT

Lake County GOP details its 2007 contributions

The Lake County Republican Central Committee provided financial support of more than $133,000 in 2007 to promote the party and its candidates, its latest campaign finance report states.

The party provided printing services worth thousands of dollars for the Hammond, Griffith, Highland, Dyer, Lowell and Cedar Lake community organizations and for several individual candidates in St. John, Merrillville, Lake Station , Hobart, Schererville and Gary.

CROWN POINT

Lake County Council meets at two new times in April

Lake County Council President Christine Cid announced the council will meet at 3 p.m. April 8 to conduct its regular business and 6 p.m. April 8 to receive public comment on a proposed subdivision on 37.5 acres of farmland near the intersection of 93rd Street and Cline Avenue in unincorporated St. John Township.

The subdivision, proposed by developer Sophia Panagakis, has drawn opposition from St. John Township residents bordering the site who complain about its effect on their homes.

CROWN POINT

Gary man found guilty for drunken driving deaths

Veltor Cotton Jr., 35, of Gary, has been convicted in Lake Criminal Court for the 2005 deaths of two Gary residents in a drunken driving incident.

Cotton was convicted of two counts of causing death while operating a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of at least .15 and two counts of reckless homicide. The jury deliberated for two hours before reaching its verdict recently.

Cotton hit the vehicle in which 58-year-old Alex Edwards and 53-year-old Anibal Macklin were traveling on Aug. 20, 2005. Cotton's van was traveling at nearly 100 mph, police said.

Lake Superior Court Judge Salvador Vasquez is scheduled to sentence Cotton on April 9. He faces a maximum term of 40 years in prison.