Local News

The Town of Chesterton announced on their Facebook page that Spring Cleanup Week will be observed, as always, during the third week of April: Monday through Friday, April 14-18. The Town of Chesterton says both leaves and brush will be collected, although residents must separate the two into different piles, and those two piles must be left at curbside. Leaf vacs are too large to operate easily or safely in alleys. Assistant Street Commissioner Dan Moy told the Town Council said, “Don’t wait until the last moment to rake but get started early. My recommendation is to do it before

LAKE & PORTER COUNTIES, Ind. - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors LP will have lane closures on U.S. 12 between U.S. 12/20 and State Road 249 beginning on or after Monday, April 14. U.S. 12 will have alternating lane closures for a resurfacing project through mid-July. Flaggers will direct traffic in the area where work is occurring. INDOT encourages drivers to consider safety for all by slowing down, using extra caution and driving distraction-free when travelling in and around all work zones.

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) announced following a national search that Richard Sévère will join the university as dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS), effective July 1, 2025. Sévère most recently served as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Valparaiso University. As associate dean, his accomplishments included oversight and leadership of the College of Arts and Sciences’ 17 departments, management of the college’s budget and growth of research opportunities for faculty members in the college. Sévère held earlier leadership appointments as chair and faculty member in the department of English and

Michigan City, IN - The 2025 XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix will run from July 28 to August 3, featuring many new and exciting additions designed to make the event bigger and better than ever. “We have commitments from each race class, and we’re expecting a record number of race teams attending this year’s race,” said Jack Arnett, CEO of the LaPorte County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We had to expand our pit area to make room for the additional boats—attendees will see a whole new and exciting layout this year.” “VIP tickets went on sale April 1st, and we

The Michigan City Police Department gave the following update on last Friday's officer involved shooting: The Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division has completed their interview with the Michigan City Police Officer involved in the April 4, 2025 shooting of an armed suspect. The Officer who fired his weapon during this incident was Sgt. Michael Oberle. Sgt. Oberle is a fifteen (15) year veteran of this agency. Sgt. Oberle is currently on mandatory administrative leave, with pay, per department policy. The Michigan City Police Department would like to thank the Indiana State Police and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - INDOT is hosting a public information meeting on Thursday, April 24 regarding proposed improvements to the intersection of State Road 2 and Larrison Boulevard/Strawberry Road. The proposed project would convert the existing intersection with stop signs to an interchange. The project goal is to make the intersection more efficient and safer for motorists in anticipation of increased traffic in the area. The project also includes the widening of Larrison Boulevard and Strawberry Road in the interchange, plus the construction of new bridges necessary for the overpass. Additional design elements may be added as the project develops.

Congressman Frank J. Mrvan announced his Community Conversations to be held throughout Indiana’s First Congressional District on Thursday, April 24, 2025. Congressman Mrvan stated, “I invite residents to attend one of my Community Conversations that I will be holding on April 24, 2025.  I believe these opportunities allow me to hear directly from constituents and better represent our collective interests in our nation’s capital.  Additionally, I will provide a brief update on the 119th Session of Congress and my work on the House Appropriations Committee.” Thursday – April 24, 2025 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. – Michigan City - City

Press Release, Franciscan Health: Agreement gives city employees access to multiple healthcare services LA PORTE, Ind. – The City of La Porte’s Board of Public Works and Safety on Tuesday approved a partnership with Franciscan’s HEALTHeACCESS to give city employees and their families access to a variety of healthcare services with no out-of-pocket costs. “The care and wellbeing of our employees is a top priority for our team,” La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody said. “In the ever-changing world of healthcare, it is important to identify dependable partners. I believe we’ve found that in Franciscan with their HEALTHeACCESS program and I

Registration is now open for the Franciscan Health Produce Prescription Program in Olympia Fields, Ill., Crown Point, Ind. and Michigan City, Ind., which aims to assist with chronic disease management. Upon successful completion of the free, four-week program, participants will receive produce vouchers for fresh produce every month for six months. Participants must have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, heart disease or cancer and have moderate to high food insecurity as determined by a screening process and complete a four-week Cooking Matters course. They need not be patients within the Franciscan Health system to participate. The program will meet

Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch announces the return of the Michigan City Easter Egg Hunt, to be held on Saturday, April 19, 2025, in Fedder’s Alley at Washington Park for the youth of Michigan City.     “The Easter Egg Hunt is a joyful tradition that brings families together and reminds us of the power of community,” said Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “We’re proud to host this event each year and grateful for the many partners and volunteers who help create a safe, fun, and inclusive experience for all our children.”   “This is a great event for our community and

Michigan City is offering a Tire Amnesty Day on Saturday, April 19. Local residents (verifiable via driver's license or state ID) can bring up to FIVE tires to the Michigan City Sanitary District, 1100 E. 8th St., between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. that day to scrap them free of charge. Some exclusions apply (see attached image). Call 219-874-7799 for more information. • Michigan City residents only. Must bring your driver’s license for verification. • Up to five (5) tires per person. • Car, SUV, and Light Truck tires ONLY. • NO rims. Tires with rims will NOT be accepted.

DYER, Ind. – Franciscan Health’s Volunteer Advocates for Seniors and Incapacitated Adults (VASIA) program is hosting free training sessions this spring for those interested in becoming court-appointed guardians. The Lake County courts collaborate with Franciscan Health to provide trained, supervised volunteers to serve as court-appointed agents to assist elderly and incapacitated adults. The program, now in its 23rd year, partners with programs serving elderly and incapacitated adults across Lake County to develop a continuum of elder law advocacy and guardianship services. Volunteers are vetted through an application screening process. Once approved, volunteers must complete 30 hours of initial training and

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) has confirmed five additional cases of measles in Indiana, bringing the total to six in 2025. The newly reported cases are three minors and two adults in Allen County. The initial case was reported earlier this week. All six cases are connected to each other but at this time there are no known links to outbreaks in other states. The four minors were unvaccinated and the adults’ vaccination status is unclear. All are recovering well. State and local public health officials are working together on the investigation to contact those with known exposure to

Here is the latest from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. about an officer involved shooting that happened this morning involving a 1 year old The Lake County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened in Gary this morning. The suspect in an armed hostage situation exited an apartment holding a 1-year-old boy and waving a gun. The suspect was then fatally wounded. At approximately 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 8th, police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department responded to an apartment in the 2200 block of Carolina Street to assist Gary police with

On February 3, Deputy Xavier Biggerstaff responded to Franciscan Health – Michigan City Campus regarding a case of child abuse / neglect involving a 7-week-old infant who was being treated for injuries. Upon gathering the initial information, Deputy Biggerstaff learned the infant was awaiting transport to a regional children’s hospital due to the severity of the injuries. The following day, Detective Derrick Deck was assigned the case for further investigation. The infant’s parents, Kaitlyn M. WEISSERT (23) and Kyle A. HOLLIHAN (26), both of Michigan City, were identified as suspects of causing injuries to their child. Detective Deck’s investigation findings

The City of La Porte announced Monday that world-famous pop star Jesse McCartney will headline this summer’s LakeFest, according to Park Superintendent and LakeFest Committee Chair Mark Schreiber. The “Beautiful Soul” and “Leavin’” performer will play a free live show on Saturday, July 26, at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in Fox Park. McCartney will be preceded by the Midwest’s premiere 2000s cover band Y2K, as well as a fireworks show over Clear Lake. McCartney’s career has included three Top 15 albums in the Billboard Top 200, with his most recognizable single “Leavin’” cracking the Top 10 list of Billboard’s

An argument lead to gunfire Tuesday morning in Valparaiso, resulting in two arrests according to the Valparaiso police department. Tuesday morning, Valparaiso Police responded to the area of Garfield Avenue and Union Street in reference to a disturbance between two men. The argument began after a man was discovered sleeping in a vehicle that did not belong to him. During the altercation, one subject fired a weapon at the other, resulting in no serious injuries to either party. Both parties were transported to the Valparaiso Police Department, where they spoke with investigators. A 61-year old Hobart man was arrested on

The City of Valparaiso will be hosting a Neighborhood Workshop – an opportunity for neighborhood representatives to connect, learn from each other and become familiar with neighborhood services. The workshop will take place on April 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at City Hall. The April agenda includes a welcome from Mayor Costas, update on the Valpo Parks rePLAY initiative, discussion of a New Neighbor Guide and more. RSVP at MClifton@valpo.us.  

Press Release, Humane Indiana: Chesterton, IN — Humane Indiana Wildlife is proud to announce a special collaboration with Kristina Knowski, acclaimed watercolorist and owner of Ancillaerie in Chesterton. Known for her evocative depictions of birds and meticulous attention to detail, Kristina was selected as the commissioned artist for the “All Along the South Shore” poster series, an ongoing project of the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. The latest poster in the series, sponsored by Commissioner Jim Biggs, features Freya, a great-horned owl from Humane Indiana Wildlife, captured in Kristina’s signature style that blends artistic precision with an emotional narrative. As an avid birder

Third Annual Ivy Tech Day on Tuesday April 8 to Unite NWI Alumni and Community in Support of Student Success Valparaiso, IN – A day can mean everything for a student with dreams of a great career. That’s what Ivy Tech is all about, and the third annual Ivy Tech Day will help more than 200,000 students across 19 campuses, including more than 11,000 enrolled at Ivy Tech Valparaiso prepare for careers that will impact Indiana communities for years to come. Our day of giving will kick off at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, April 8. For 24 hours, you can