Latest news with #McEuen
Chicago Tribune
12-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Rental company files complaint against Gary Sanitary District
A Griffith-based company has filed a lawsuit against the Gary Sanitary District, challenging the organization's threats to record liens against some real estate. A Wednesday news release from Portage attorney Patrick McEuen announced that he has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Cavender Properties. The lawsuit says GSD has recorded or threatened to record a lien against properties without complying with notice requirements of Indiana law. 'So far, I have about 20 or more individuals and companies asking to be included in the class,' McEuen said in the news release. 'The court could certify a class of any and all landlords, because thus far, none of the class members received the appropriate notice to permit GSD to record a lien. Indiana law is quite specific. GSD has a (20) day window to notify a landlord of a tenant's delinquency, and the window opens when the bill goes (60) days delinquent.' The lawsuit also asks GSD to provide all documentation that the agency believes meets the notice required by Indiana code. A property lien is a legal claim by a creditor to recover an unpaid debt or obligation, according to the National Association of Realtors. The lawsuit was filed in Lake Superior Court, according to online court records. The complaint includes four counts: action for declaratory relief, cloud on title and quiet title action, preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order. The restraining order, if ordered, will stop GSD from 'unlawfully attempting to collect fees' or recording a lien against a property without compliance in the notice requirements, according to the filed complaint. A GSD representative declined to comment Thursday morning, saying in an email that the organization will comment once formal notice of the lawsuit is received. In May, multiple landlords spoke against potential liens on their properties at a GSD meeting. Executive Director Ragen Hatcher previously said an Indiana State Board of Accounts audit found the department has a 'number of outstanding bills.' Per state law, GSD has three years to either put liens on properties or make owners aware of the liens, according to Post-Tribune archives. In April, GSD sent lien notices for 2022 and sent 2023 lien notices in May. At the time, Hatcher said 2024 notices would be sent either at the end of June or beginning of July. Gary landlords expressed worries that liens will be charged to property owners rather than renters who haven't paid bills. Local attorney Darnail Lyles said at the meeting that lien notices should be given in a way that allows property owners to get money from renters who aren't paying bills.
Chicago Tribune
05-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Fight continues to save Main Street Station in Hobart from wrecking ball
The owner of a long-shuttered, 151-year-old building deemed unsafe by the city of Hobart and scheduled for demolition is making one last-ditch effort to save it so he can reestablish his bar. In an email Jimmie Batalis' Portage-based attorney sent to the Post-Tribune, Patrick McEuen said he and Batalis filed an appeal with Hobart Building Official Steve McDermott asking him to rescind the July 5, 2023, demolition order imposed by the city. The Hobart Board of Public Works and Safety at its February 19 meeting awarded a $40,631 contract to C. Lee Construction Services of Gary to complete the demolition within the next month or two. McEuen, on behalf of Batalis, asked McDermott 'to modify the demolition order dated July 5, 2023, to permit John Cantu an opportunity to present plans to renovate the building.' McEuen also sent a purchase agreement, apparently signed by Cantu, that said, 'John Cantu has agreed to purchase Main Street Station 235 Main Street Hobart IN 46342 for $100,000 on contingency of the building not being demolished by the City of Hobart.' 'Jimmie Batalis understands that Mr. Cantu will pursue a restaurant/bar operation, and my (sic) intend to renovate the single-family apartment dwelling upstairs,' the appeal said. McEuen also attached a 2022 opinion from Porter-based James F. Gianni & Associates engineer Mark Stern that said, 'It is our opinion that the building is structurally sound and capable of sustaining code-compliant structural loads required for a retail/mercantile operation on the first floor and a single-family residential apartment on the second floor.' That letter was submitted to the Lake County Superior Court's Civil Division during hearings on the matter. 'We have based this opinion on our observations made at time of inspection; specifically, that no distress of structural members was observed,' Stern's letter said. 'The frustrating part about it is that the City never heard evidence in July 2023 to confirm the claim of the former Building Commissioner, Mr. McDermott, that the building is unsafe,' McEuen said in an email. 'We have an engineer's report to refute the claims of the former Building Commissioner showing the building is structurally sound. Privately, every politician from the Mayor on down admits the building is not unsafe, but either they have an insider who wants it, or they just don't want Jimmie Batalis to own it. 'The city is so hell-bent on tearing down a perfect historical building, they are acting as if the Petition does not exist. In fact, an asbestos inspector went through the building on Monday, June 30, and made sure to tell Mr. Batalis he did not feel unsafe in the building at all. So, we are left with a city fighting a person, Jimmie Batalis, not a city fighting for the safety of its citizens or the appearance of its downtown. With the eyesore on Main Street known as the former Bright Spot, the city has other problems more important than tearing down an iconic building at taxpayer expense.' Hobart City Attorney Heather McCarthy issued a statement on behalf of the city, reiterating the city has held multiple talks with Batalis about renovating or rebuilding on the property because Batalis – not the city – owns it. 'Beginning in June of 2022, the investigation began regarding complaints that the building was unsafe,' the City's statement said. 'The City provided over a year for the owner to address the ongoing issues with the building prior to issuing the initial demolition order. 'The initial Demolition Order of the Unsafe Building Hearing Authority was issued July 5, 2023. Additionally, the Lake County Superior Court granted two orders for the City to proceed with the demolition. 'The majority of building owners bring their buildings into compliance after being notified of an investigation. In this case, despite the owner being represented by multiple attorneys and the Unsafe Building Hearing Authority granting numerous hearings and opportunities, the building was never brought into compliance.' Batalis, who was paroled in December 2023 after serving 16.5 years of a 57-year sentence for the May 2003 murder of 28-year-old Jason Nosker, said previously he believes the city is against his plans because he is a convicted felon. Nosker was the boyfriend of Batalis' ex-girlfriend, and they were threatened repeatedly by Batalis before he shot into their bedroom window while they were asleep, according to court records. Nosker was paralyzed from the waist down before dying of his injuries. Batalis' sentence was handed down before the state of Indiana required those with high-level felonies and murder convictions to serve at least 75% of their sentence. Batalis said the property went into probate after his father and brother died while he was in prison, and the unsafe building issues started during that time. 'They (city officials) are coming up with every little excuse to tear the building down because they don't want me there,' Batalis said. Lake Superior Court Civil Judge Stephen Scheele on March 8 ruled in favor of the city of Hobart, the Hobart Board of Works and former Hobart Building Official Karen Hansen against Batalis and his business partner, Harold Killian, the Post-Tribune previously reported. In the building case, Scheele found 'no genuine issue as to the fact that Plaintiffs failed to file a timely complaint for judicial review as required by the Indiana Unsafe Building Law,' the city 'is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on Count I of Plaintiffs' Complaint for Judicial Review,' the judge wrote. The court also found that the city 'did not violate Plaintiffs' procedural or substantive due process rights,' he wrote in the judgment. Batalis and Killian previously offered to put $60,000 into renovating the building, but Huddlestun said that isn't enough to make the building habitable. The Board of Works originally set 235 Main St. for condemnation at its July 5, 2023, meeting after at least a year of trying to get the owner's representatives to repair it, the Post-Tribune previously reported. During that meeting, a local contractor appeared before the board with attorney Dana Rifai, who said Batalis had given him limited power of attorney to act on his behalf while he was in prison. Since the contractor's company wasn't licensed with the city to do work at the time, he told the board he reached out to Tak Construction, which is licensed to work in Hobart, to do the work with him acting as the project manager — a move the board immediately shot down, the Post-Tribune reported. The contractor then said he had a copy of a report that says the building is structurally sound, a point which Hansen disputed, the Post-Tribune reported. The building's east wall needs to be replaced, plus the owners failed to maintain it, she said at the time. Additionally, the owners did have a Hobart-licensed contractor lined up to do the work at one point, but that contractor claims they never got a deposit from the owner, Hansen said. Former Hobart Fire Chief Randy Smith added that there have been two fires at the building, and as it stands now, he would not allow his firefighters to enter the building if there were a third, the Post-Tribune reported. The Lake Superior Court Civil Division on May 23 denied Batalis' motion for summary judgment, a temporary restraining order and for hearing on preliminary injunction saying, among other things, that the Indiana Unsafe Building Law grants the City 'all requisite authority to enforce and carry out its July 2023 demolition order, according to the ruling.'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas Fugitive Wanted For Capital Murder Captured After Month-Long Manhunt
Trevor McEuen, a 32-year-old capital murder suspect on Texas' 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, was arrested early Monday in Van Zandt County after a month-long manhunt, the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office announced. McEuen, who skipped a May 5 court appearance for the 2023 killing of Aaron Martinez, 35, in Forney, was taken into custody without incident following an hours-long SWAT standoff at his grandparent's home, where he was allegedly hiding under the house. 'His grandmother is in her 90s. From what I'm hearing, he was hiding under the house and was hiding from her as well,' said McEuen's attorney, Abigail Spain, per CBS 11. 'So, I am hopeful that they would not be facing any charges for this. I don't believe that they were aiding and abetting.' The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office posted a photo on social media showing McEuen, barefoot and mud-covered, in a police vehicle. Authorities located him through weeks of investigative work and surveillance, with assistance from the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. 'This arrest is the result of relentless and coordinated efforts by law enforcement personnel who worked around the clock to ensure that this dangerous individual was brought back into custody,' Sheriff Bryan Beavers said. 'The safety of our community was at stake, and we are proud of the partnership and professionalism displayed by every agency involved.' McEuen faces charges including capital murder by terror threat, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson, bail jumping, and failure to appear. He is held in Kaufman County Jail, with no bond amount listed as of Monday afternoon. Authorities are investigating whether anyone knowingly aided McEuen while he was a fugitive. Martinez's family told CBS News Texas that McEuen had previously threatened Martinez, fired at his property, and made racially charged remarks, though Martinez did not pursue charges at the time. McEuen allegedly shot Martinez multiple times on May 1, 2023, and admitted to the murder after a SWAT standoff. Initially arrested that month, McEuen was released on a $1 million bond in September 2024 but violated conditions by posting photos of Martinez and his relatives on Instagram. Released again on a $2 million bond in December, he cut off his ankle monitor at 5:33 a.m. on May 5, 2025, and allegedly set a house on fire before fleeing. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to McEuen's arrest, but the Texas DPS said the reward would not be paid. A news conference on the arrest is expected, though details about the standoff's duration remain undisclosed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Texas murder suspect Trevor McEuen caught after weeks on the run
A Texas capital murder suspect who was out on bond and failed to appear in court was captured Monday after a weeks-long manhunt for the fugitive. "Early this morning, fugitive Trevor McEuen was taken into custody," Kaufman County Sheriff's Office wrote on Facebook Monday, sharing a photo of a muddied and barefoot McEuen handcuffed in the backseat of a law enforcement vehicle. McEuen had been on the run since early May, when he allegedly cut off his ankle monitor and fled the day his trial was scheduled to start in connection with the 2023 shooting of his neighbor, rancher and horse trainer Aaron Martinez. Manhunt For Texas Murder Suspect Trevor Mceuen Enrages Officials Demanding Stricter Bail: 'They Will Walk' McEuen allegedly admitted to shooting and killing 35-year-old Martinez as the rancher sat in his truck outside his home. McEuen was held on $2 million bond. A judge declined to reduce that bond amount last May, and McEuen ultimately posted bond and was released in September with an ankle monitor, FOX 4 reported. He was taken back into custody after allegedly violating the terms of his release, but McEuen posted $2 million bond again in December and was released a second time. Read On The Fox News App He is facing charges of capital murder by terror threat, murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The Texas Department of Public Safety issued an additional warrant against McEuen on May 6 for arson of a habitation, according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram. When he cut off his ankle monitor, McEuen allegedly set fire to the home where he was staying in Van Zandt County before officers arrived. Texas Manhunt Underway For Suspect Who Removed Ankle Monitor Gov. Greg Abbott has since cited the case when pushing for bail reform, including a state constitutional amendment that would require Texas judges to automatically deny bail for violent crimes, including murder. On May 15, Abbott said the award for information leading to McEuen's capture increased to $30,000, as he urged Texans to submit an anonymous tip to "help law enforcement apprehend this heinous criminal." The Republican governor said McEuen "is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system." The sheriff's office promised additional details about the circumstances of the arrest would be released later Monday morning. Fox News Digital's Audrey Conklin contributed to this article source: Texas murder suspect Trevor McEuen caught after weeks on the run
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Yahoo
Reward climbs to $30K for North Texas murder suspect, fugitive
The Brief Capital murder suspect Trevor McEuen has been added to the state's most wanted fugitive list. McEuen removed his ankle monitor and failed to show pu for his murder trail earlier this month. A total of $30,000 in reward money has been put up for information leading to his arrest. VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas - The reward for information leading to the capture of a capital murder suspect who removed his ankle monitor and did not show up for his murder trial earlier this month has increased to $30,000, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday. Abbott also announced 32-year-old Trevor McEuen had been added to the state's most wanted list. The Public Safety Office added $10,000 to the reward on Thursday to bring the total reward for McEuen's arrest to $30,000, with the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office and Kaufman County Crime Stoppers each offering a $10,000 reward. What they're saying "Trevor McEuen is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system," Abbott said. "A violent criminal like McEuen charged with capital murder should never be released on our streets. That's why I made bail reform an emergency item that must pass this legislative session. I urge all Texans with information on McEuen to call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit an anonymous tip online to help law enforcement apprehend this heinous criminal. Working together, we will bring fugitives like Trevor McEuen to justice." What you can do In order to be eligible for the cash reward, tipsters should either call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-8477 or by submitting an online tip through the Texas Department of Public Safety. The backstory McEuen was scheduled to appear in court on May 5, 2025, for the start of his capital murder trial, but instead cut off his ankle monitor and disappeared in Van Zandt County. McEuen is facing charges of capital murder, four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and murder. According to the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office, McEuen was staying with relatives in nearby Van Zandt County while awaiting trial. He removed his court-ordered ankle monitor at 5:33 a.m. on Monday and allegedly set the house on fire before officers arrived. McEuen is accused of shooting and killing his neighbor, Aaron Martinez, on Neal Road in Forney on May 1, 2023. Investigators said he shot 35-year-old Martinez multiple times and then admitted to the murder after a SWAT standoff. Last May, a judge refused to reduce McEuen's $2 million bond. In September, he posted that bond and was released from jail. Then a week later, he violated his terms. McEuen was released again after posting another $2 million bond in December. The Source Reward information for Trevor McEuen's arrest comes from Gov. Greg Abbott's office. Background information on McEuen's trial comes from the Van Zandt County Sheriff's Office and previous FOX 4 reporting.
