Local News

In response to ongoing train service adjustments, the South Shore Line announces it will extend its “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” monthly ticket promotion for November 2024. All monthly tickets purchased for the month of November 2024 will remain valid for December 2024. Passengers purchasing a paper November monthly ticket should plan to keep that ticket and use it through December, and passengers purchasing a digital November monthly ticket via the mobile app will see a December ticket uploaded to their accounts prior to Dec. 1. For passengers who receive tickets through an employer benefit program such as Wage Works/Health Equity

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. - An INDOT contractor will close State Road 149 between County Road 875 North/Robbins Road and County Road 925 North on or after Monday, Oct. 14. State Road 149 will be closed for approximately five days for tree clearing to allow for utility relocations ahead of a 2025 construction project. This area of State Road 149 will close again in the spring of 2025 for an intersection improvement project at State Road 149 and Robbins Road. Motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour for this closure will follow U.S. 20, State Road 49 and U.S. 6.

Chesterton, IN – The Duneland Chamber of Commerce invites the community to the grand opening of Amata Management’s new location at the Coffee Creek Professional Center, 501 Allen Court, on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 4:00 p.m. Amata Management offers a comprehensive suite of services tailored to professionals seeking a streamlined, full-service solution. With flexible office spaces, top-notch administrative support, and state-of-the-art conferencing facilities, Amata caters to businesses looking to focus on their core activities while enhancing productivity. The Coffee Creek location provides easy access to Northern Indiana and Chicago courtrooms, making it an ideal choice for law firms and other

PORTER and LA PORTE COUNTIES, Ind. - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors North Inc will have overnight lane closures on I-94 between mile marker 31 to 36 (east and west of the U.S. 421 exit) beginning on or after Sunday, Oct. 13. Crews will be conducting pavement patching during the overnight hours of approximately 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for up to six nights a week (nightly Sunday evening through Saturday morning) over a period of two weeks. I-94 will be reduced to one lane in the area where work is occurring, and work will begin in the

The Porter County Sheriff's Office is seeking the public's assistance for help locating a missing subject. Gary Cunningham is described as 70 years of age, approximately 5'6", 140 pounds, with white hair. Police say Cunningham was last seen on Sept. 12, 2024 at the Portage Wal-Mart. Cunningham was last observed wearing a light colored button up t-shirt and blue jeans. It is believed that Cunningham may have last been riding a bicycle and frequents the South Haven and Portage area. Anyone with information about Cunningham's whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Nathan Graf at 219-477-3144.

Press Release, Health Foundation of La Porte: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a life-threatening emergency that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating. SCA strikes people of all ages who may seem to be healthy, even children and teens. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, SCA is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., affecting more than 350,000 people each year—with only 1 in every 10 victims surviving. October is SCA Awareness Month, and Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has partnered with several local organizations to spread awareness about SCA and the life-saving measures in place in

Press release, Marquette Catholic High School: Annual Fall Benefit Set for November 1st at Trinity Hall in Chesterton; Early Pricing Available through October 18th Since 1886, Marquette/St. Mary's has provided students with the knowledge, resources, and faith formation to achieve their personal and professional ambitions. Odds are you know someone who has thrived thanks to a Marquette education - a family member, a friend, or a civic leader. Those opportunities often exist because someone before them made a sacrifice.   This November 1st, you can show your gratitude for those contributions and pay it forward by attending "A Toast to Marquette" at Trinity Hall in Chesterton.

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. — A motorist lost his life in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of U.S. 20 and County Road 375 East in Pine Township on Wednesday afternoon, the Porter County Sheriff’s Police is reporting. Just before 3 p.m. the male driver of a 2010 Buick was southbound on County Road 375 East when he failed to yield right-of-way and pulled into the path of a 2019 Hyundai westbound in the inside lane of U.S. 20, according to police. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said. No information on the status of the Hyundai’s female

In order to accommodate construction at the current Hammond Station, the South Shore Line will temporarily bus overnight train passengers between 9 p.m. – 4 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 11 and from Sunday, Oct. 13 through early Friday morning, Oct. 18. There will be no busing on Saturday, Oct. 12. The busing will be in effect between Hegewisch, Hammond, and East Chicago stations, and will last until train service is shifted to the new Hammond Gateway Station (located at 4530 Sheffield Ave.) on Oct. 18, 2024. Busing substitution in effect overnight Oct. 11, beginning at 7 p.m.: Weekday EB Trains 131,

Press release, City of Valparaiso: The City of Valparaiso has opened its new Valpo Transit Center, located at 252 S. Campbell, adjacent to Journeyman Distillery. The new facility includes a waiting area and lobby, as well as restrooms and ticket sales/information. “The Transit Center will be the focal point for our Transit Oriented District. The City of Valparaiso is committed to providing transit within our city, to Chicago and beyond, connecting our residents to each other and the greater region,” said Mayor Jon Costas. The Valpo Transit Center was completed through a public-private partnership, with support from Journeyman Distillery and

Press release, Duneland Chamber of Commerce: Chesterton, IN – The Duneland Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce a $1,000 donation to the Duneland Garden Club in recognition of their outstanding efforts to beautify our downtown area. The Garden Club has been instrumental in planting vibrant flowers, lush bushes, and other greenery, transforming our community spaces into welcoming and picturesque environments. The Duneland Garden Club, composed of dedicated members, has been actively involved in enhancing the aesthetics of our town, contributing countless hours of service and passion to their gardening projects. Pictured left to right Janet Williams, Maura Mundell, Theresa

MERRILLVILLE — Unexpected capital expenses can put a strain on any budget, but thanks to the assistance of U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, the Merrillville Police Department secured nearly $1 million in federal Community Project Funding to upgrade vital radio equipment. Police Chief Kosta Nuses said the department’s former radios were well past their service life, and repair bills were becoming costly. He said the department began pricing new radios after learning the devices would become obsolete as Lake County Emergency Communications would eventually be operating on a different frequency. “This is where the panic kicked in,” Nuses said. “We quickly

Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) LCC announced today that natural gas residential customers can expect an increase in their winter heating bills this season compared to last year. Based on current market projections and assuming normal winter weather, bills for natural gas residential customers are estimated to be 15 percent higher in contrast to cost at this same period in 2023, and 17 percent lower compared to the recent peak experienced in 2022. Each year, NIPSCO and other Indiana energy companies provide a forecast for home heating bills during the upcoming winter months. Projections are based on market forecasts,

MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana – Primary Care and Sports Medicine Physician Thomas Schmittdiel, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Michigan City and La Porte. Dr. Schmittdiel attended medical school at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Mo. and completed his residency Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. Dr. Schmittdiel’s fellowship in sports medicine was completed at Ascension Resurrection in Chicago. His clinical interests include concussion management, non-operative fracture care, musculoskeletal injury, evaluation, treatment and ultrasound-guided joint injections. Dr. Schmittdiel is accepting patients at Franciscan Physician Network Coolspring

The LaPorte County Drug Task Force (LCDTF), an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, announced the arrest of 47-year-old La Porte resident, Thomas Newgene Gill Anderson, for dealing in a narcotic drug as a Level 2 Felony. In the months leading to his arrest, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force began receiving community complaints and tips regarding Mr. Anderson distributing illegal drugs within La Porte. On Oct. 9, after months of investigative work and with the assistance of La Porte Police Department’s Emergency Response Team (ERT), a search warrant was executed at 912 Ridge Street, where Anderson was taken into custody. The LaPorte

Governor Eric J. Holcomb activated the Indiana National Guard to aid with hurricane relief efforts in Florida and help with route clearance, shelter management, supply distribution, and command and control. “Whether we’re aiding North Carolina recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene, or assisting Floridians in the wake of Hurricane Milton, time and time again, when devastation strikes, Hoosiers of all backgrounds answer the call in helping those in desperate need," said Gov. Holcomb. "Indiana’s finest who serve in the National Guard, chief among them, will continue to provide critical help on the ground and air while we back here at home

Local first-responders will be conducting a joint exercise involving simulated aircraft crash this Saturday in Valparaiso. The following is a statement from the Town of Chesterton Facebook page regarding the exercise: "On Saturday, Oct. 12, local first-responders will be conducting a joint exercise within the confines of the Montdale Industrial Park in Valparaiso. "The purpose of this Emergency Preparedness Exercise, organized by the Porter County Local Emergency Planning Committee and both state and federally mandated: To evaluate sections of the Porter County Emergency Operations Plan. "PLEASE NOTE: This will be a full scale exercise, emergency equipment will be seen operating

Portage Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect from a case where several electric bicycles were stolen in Camelot Manor. Police provided a photo of the suspect on their Facebook page. Police are asking the public to email or call Detective Bryan Slatton with any information. Contact information: Bryan Slatton #145 | Detective Portage Police Department 6260 Central Ave. Portage, IN. 46368 (219) 762-3122 Ext. 5709 Email:  bslatton@portage-in.com  

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is hosting a free Family Day on Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 1 to 3 p.m. (Central), and all families are invited to attend. This free, drop-in event allows children and adults to use various materials to design their own hero or villain masks, as well as a kid-friendly scavenger hunt through LCA’s three galleries in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Family Days are particularly engaging for school-age children and their parents or caregivers, but all ages are welcome. Free snacks will be provided, and no advance registration is required.

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Professor of Physics Neeti Parashar has been elected as a 2024 Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS). Parashar is recognized with the prestigious distinction from APS “for outstanding mentorship, teaching and leadership over two decades by creating and providing groundbreaking research and educational opportunities for minority students and young physicists from many nations, and for wide ranging contributions to the Compact Muon Solenoid program and its pixel detector at the Large Hadron Collider.” “This is one of the highest honors a U.S. physicist can earn, so it’s very gratifying to