Your visit to the zoo may look different, but please know that these new policies and procedures are there to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. The health and safety of our guests, employees, volunteers, and the animals in our care remain our top priority and we thank you for helping us with these efforts. We take health and safety very seriously, and we have based our precaution policies on the CDC and the recommended zoological association guidelines that are being instituted across the country.  We ask that all of our visitors follow these policies to ensure

Minority Health Partners Of La Porte County is teaming up with Healthlinc for COVID vaccine distribution at holdcraft performing arts center, which is the old Elston Middle School auditorium outside the entrance next to YMCA. This event will take place on Wednesday, March 31st from 2pm-6pm. Anyone age 18 or older living in public housing, low income based/section 8 housing, homeless, migrant workers, or those who speak english as a second language (federal COVID-19 vaccination plan eligibility)  Vaccine availability is limited, please register. By calling 219-872-6200 ext. 3730 .   

On Tuesday, Valparaiso Fire Department’s Tim Stites and Scott Arnold gave out COVID vaccinations through the Homebound Hoosiers program. The program provides in-home vaccinations to those unable to travel to vaccine sites. To see if you qualify, call Porter County Aging & Community Services at 219-464-9736 and select 1 (Energy Assistance) or 5 (Emergency Assistance).

Roadwork that was scheduled for this week on SR 49 in Porter County has been postponed and will now occur on Monday, March 29th. State Road 49 will be reduced to two lanes between I-94 and Indian Boundary Rd. The lane closures are expected to be put up and taken down in one day.

A La Porte County fugitive announced a fugitive was arrested in Arkansas Monday. On March 11th, 53 year old Timothy J. Bailey, who was not in custody, appeared in person in La Porte court . During the hearing, Bailey was sentenced to five years, fully executed, in the Indiana Department of Correction, for Theft. Bailey was ordered to self-surrender at the La Porte County Jail (LCJ) by March 12th.   Bailey failed to report to the LCJ as ordered by the court.  As a result, an arrest warrant was issued for Bailey for Failure to Appear, for the original offenses of

In La Porte, U.S. 35 will be closed between State Road 2 and Washington St on Saturday, March 27th from approximately 7am-5pm. The overpass will be closed while NIPSCO upgrades the wires above the highway. Motorists should seek an alternate route. The right northbound lane is expected to be closed in this location on Monday, March 29th during the hours of 7am-5pm as well.

Tuesday, Governor Eric J. Holcomb  delivered a statewide address to lay out the road ahead for Hoosiers in the fight against COVID-19. “As we continue to isolate if you test positive, quarantine if you’re a close contact, and get vaccinated when you’re eligible, the light at the end of the tunnel becomes brighter and brighter,” Gov. Holcomb said. “It’s up to each and every one of us to do our part to stay on our course.” Indiana’s current cases, positivity rate, hospitalizations, and deaths have all dropped drastically since mid-January and nearly a million Hoosiers are fully vaccinated. The state

Michigan City Area Schools has announced a new partnership with the national nonprofit DonorsChoose to help teachers tap into a network of 4.7 million donors to support classroom projects and more seamlessly align with district strategy and operations. To date, teachers in Michigan City Area Schools have raised $286,275 and completed over 657 projects on DonorsChoose. These projects vary from books to laptops and other tools to enhance the learning environment and support student success. As one of the 120+ members of the DonorsChoose District Partnership Program, Michigan City Area Schools will be able to fully support teachers in the

La Porte County Deputies responded to an aircraft incident Monday. At 12:45 PM, deputies from the LaPorte County Sheriff's office were dispatched to the area of US 421 and CR 1100 South, rural Clinton Township, in reference to an airplane that went down in the area. Deputies arrived minutes later and located an airplane in a field on the northeast corner of US 421 and CR 1100 South. The airplane was located approximately 300 yards east of US 421. The deputies met with the pilot and passenger, both of whom were uninjured. The pilot of the 1965 Piper Twin Comanche

In Lake County, the ramp from Gary Rd to northbound Cline Ave/State Road 912 will be closed beginning Monday, March 29. A full road closure is required for the duration of the project to allow sufficient room for the various construction activities and for the safety of workers and motorists. The ramp is expected to reopen in mid-July, 2021. Drivers should seek an alternate route. The official detour is to go south on U.S. 12/State Road 912 and use the ramps at U.S. 20 to exit and re-enter to go north.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team at Franciscan Health created a remote patient monitoring program that used telehealth technology to allow patients with coronavirus to recover in the comfort of their home. Franciscan Health Crown Point Vice President of Medical Affairs Erik Mikaitis, MD, said, “Our number one priority in this work was to keep our patients safe by providing them with additional support. This program gave them a way to self-monitor symptoms and provided a robust follow-up process with our physicians.” Patients selected for the program are given a kit to monitor their health, along with

On March 21, 2021 at approximately 9:00 p.m., Trooper Connor Davidson responded to a crash on I-80/94 eastbound at the 4.5 mile-marker. This is just west of the Cline Ave. exit ramp. Preliminary investigation shows that an unknown black SUV was driving recklessly and may have struck a gold 2007 Chevrolet Suburban. The Suburban then ran off the right side of the road when it struck the guard rail, rolled over, and struck the overhead signpost. This impact caused the large sign to collapse, falling onto the roadway and blocking the right three lanes. The sign partially fell onto another

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) hosted a military drill competition at MCHS on March 20, 2021. 6 schools from Chicago, Zion and Romeoville Illinois along with Ben Davis (Indianapolis), Portage and MCHS competed. Cadet Captain Jessica Wilhelm commanded the Armed, Unarmed and Inspection platoons, earning 3rd place in each category. Cadet First Lieutenant Declan Rice commanded the B Color Guard to another third place finish. The meet was sponsored by the Michigan City chapter of the Marine Corps League. “With all of the restrictions we

This FREE program is open to kids ages 1 – 12 The program is simple and provides a wide range of opportunities to explore some of the parks that Michigan City has to offer that you may not be aware of. To get started, you will need to pick up your “passport” from the Michigan City Park Department. Within the passport, there are nine locations listed for kids and their parents to visit. Seven of the locations are parks: Gardena, Hansen, Winding Creek Cove, Joe Hawkins, Pullman, Oak Hills, and Water Tower Park. At these locations, kids are asked to

Phil Duracz of Chesterton broke the state record for whitefish while fishing on Lake Michigan near Portage on March 6th. Duracz’s catch weighed 9.34 pounds, besting the previous record from 2019 by 1.65 pounds. Lake whitefish state records are the most frequently broken in Indiana in the past decade. This is the eighth time the record has fallen since 2012. Prized as excellent table fare, whitefish are becoming more sought after by Indiana’s Lake Michigan anglers. They can be caught near shore from November to April, typically when water temperatures are below 50 degrees. “Whitefish are usually caught by pier

The La Porte Police Department is ramping up enforcement this spring to protect students going to and from school. Over the next couple of months, officers will be positioned along bus stops and routes watching for stop-arm violations and unsafe driving behavior. The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the state’s Stop Arm Violation Enforcement (SAVE) program, which was developed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute in 2019. “Disregarding a school bus stop arm is a very dangerous and serious offense,” said Chief Paul Brettin. “We want students to arrive to school and return

Don't miss Michigan City Area Schools’ "Kindergarten Q&A" on Tuesday, March 23 at 4:00pm - streaming live at https://educateMC.net/kinderchat .Special guests will include Springfield Principal Lisa Emshwiller, Marsh Kindergarten Teacher Susan Shell, Edgewood Nurse Brandi Morlan, Coolspring Secretary Kathy Schroll, and MCAS Director of Transportation Sue Harrison. Submit your questions in advance at https://educateMC.net/qa or during the live stream.

Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Dunes Tourism, and Friends of the Indiana Dunes announce the launch of the "Diana Dunes Dare," the newest, all-season, self-guided hiking challenge at the Indiana Dunes National Park. A virtual event on Thursday, March 25th at 2:00 pm will celebrate "Diana of the Dunes" and the hiking challenge and dune named in her honor.   The Diana Dunes Dare follows the existing West Beach Dune Succession Trail route. It tells the story of Alice Mabel Gray, also known as "Diana of the Dunes.” Christine Livingston, Assistant Director at Indiana Dunes Tourism, and Kimberly Swift, Chief

On March 18th, 2021 at approximately 11:03 P.M. is when the LaPorte County E-911 Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a person who was shot in the 200 block of Thurman Avenue. Numerous officers from Uniform Patrol Shift 3 responded to the scene and located a 33-year-old Michigan City resident inside his house with a gunshot wound to the rib cage area. Responding officers provided the shooting victim with life saving measures before LaPorte County EMS arrived at the scene and transported him to Franciscan Health Michigan City Hospital for further medical treatment. Detectives from the Investigative Division

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK: The National Park Service is planning four prescribed fires this spring at Indiana Dunes National Park. Approximately 976 acres are expected to be burned. Fire is used as a tool for the park's long-term restoration and hazard fuel reduction efforts. Clear management goals and objectives have been established for each burn unit. Before burning, a designated set of conditions must exist including ideal wind speed and direction, and relative humidity. Weather conditions will be monitored throughout the duration of the burn to ensure the fire is completed safely. In the east half of the park, a prescribed fire is planned around the