Donald Spann

A longtime Merrillville town council member has died. Donald Spann passed away suddenly Friday at his home, according to a town press release. He was 71. Spann represented Ward 1 for more than a decade, but was not seeking reelection this year.

The head of the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police is calling for a Merrillville Town Council member to apologize, after a discussion on license plate readers apparently led to disparaging remarks about police. Council member Donald Spann said, "We hate cops," during the January 11 council meeting.