Local News

Press release, Franciscan Health: Franciscan Health Family Birth Center Dyer is aiming to improve maternal health outcomes with its new “I Gave Birth” initiative, which uses bracelets to help identify post-partum women. The program first launched in 2021 at the University of North Carolina Collaborative for Infant and Maternal Health. Other hospitals across the country have developed their own programs based on that model, including Franciscan Health Dyer. Post-partum care is of particular concern in Indiana, which has one of the top 10 worst maternal mortality rates in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Locally,

Join Purdue University Northwest for a Poetry Slam to celebrate black history, joy, love, freedom, equality, community, and to honor Bob Marley’s dedication to spreading love, compassion, and freedom through his music and poetic lyrics. Poems read should reflect these ideas! Email kvasilk@pnw.edu by Feb. 20th to read at event and be considered for prizes. Open to students, faculty, staff, and community members. There will be food, prizes, and giveways! February 21st, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Westville Campus , LSF 144 4:30 -5 p.m. Opening remarks and food 5-6 p.m. Scheduled Readings 6-6:30 Opem Mic Questions? Contact kvasilk@pnw.edu

Priorities and evaluation criteria for the federally funded Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant applications administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology (DHPA) are available for public review, with comments due by April 8. These priorities are reviewed annually and established within the parameters of the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund Grant Manual. They represent the types of projects the DHPA views as important to its mission to identify, document, investigate, preserve, and interpret cultural resources in Indiana. To review the HPF grant guidelines and priorities for fiscal year 2025, go to:

The Presidential Primary will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at New Buffalo City Hall, 224 W. Buffalo St. New Buffalo, MI 49117. The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. The Early Voting Site is located at 1205 N. Main Street, Niles, Michigan 49022. The hours of operation are 8:30am to 4:30pm daily through Sunday, February 25, 2024 with the exception of Wednesday, Feb. 21 when the hours of operation are 11:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. Below, is the link to show you what is on the ballot. https://loom.ly/oPUoKUE

Hoosier heroes step up to the plate to serve, protect and take care of Indiana every day. Now through Feb. 24 honors a group of heroes who work year-round to ensure your county is ready to respond to a crisis. Counties throughout Indiana have emergency management offices that take steps to reduce their communities' vulnerability to hazards and to help cope with disasters. These Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) work with other public safety partners and organizations to prepare for, mitigate, respond to and recover from emergencies. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security joins Gov. Eric J. Holcomb in recognizing the

The Michiana Humane Society is thrilled to announce our 4th Annual Cabin Fever Pawction, an online auction to support the care of our beloved shelter pets. The Cabin Fever Pawction is more than an auction; it's a testament to our community's compassionate spirit and a critical source of support for our shelter pets. Taking place from March 4th to 10th, 2024, the auction showcases a diverse array of unique experiences, items, and services. A preview of the items will be viewable starting March 1st. Dog Grooming Wine Tasting Tour   Auction items include one-of-a-kind experiences, vacation getaways, pet-friendly and kid-friendly

To accommodate passengers attending the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting taking place Feb. 22-24 at McCormick Place, the South Shore Line will be offering select weekday train stops at McCormick Place Station on Thursday, Feb. 22, and Friday, Feb. 23. In addition to regular SSL weekend service to McCormick Place, the following weekday trains will make special flag stops at McCormick Place on Feb. 22-23: All weekend trains except Train 601 utilize McCormick Place as a flag stop. While riding the train, please notify the conductor that you want to exit at McCormick Place. When waiting to catch an outbound

The City of Valparaiso has once again been named a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community by The League of American Bicyclists, announced Parks Director Kevin Nuppnau. Valparaiso joins just 14 other communities in the State of Indiana to be recognized, renewing the recognition originally awarded in 2019. “We truly are a fit city and one committed to the mission of the League of American Bicyclists of creating safer roads, stronger communities and a Bicycle Friendly America,” said Mayor Jon Costas. “With 23 miles of pathways, 14 off-road trails, plus miles of bike lanes and a BikeShare service, we work to make

A 19-year-old man has been arrested after a structure fire in Porter, according to a joint press release by Porter Police and Porter Fire. Early Friday, just before 1:05 a.m. Porter Police and Fire responded to a report of an abandoned structure on fire at Wabash Avenue and Johnson Beach Road. It was discovered that a small, abandoned house located behind the old Johnson Inn was engulfed in flames. Porter Fire struck a first alarm and initiated a defensive attack. Some neighboring homes were evacuated out of an abundance of caution due to the heavy fire conditions that were compounded

An Illinois man was hospitalized Friday with life-threatening injuries after colliding head-on with another vehicle during a police pursuit on the Indiana Toll Road. Just before 2:10 p.m. police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department began pursuing the driver of a sedan for traffic violations.  The pursuit started on northbound I-65 and continued onto the Indiana Toll Road heading west.  At the state line, officers attempted a maneuver to safely stop the vehicle, but the driver managed to get away.  He began driving the wrong way on the Toll Road into oncoming traffic, eventually striking another passenger car head-on.

The Duneland Chamber of Commerce will host its Corkscrew & Brew event on Saturday, March 16, from 12 pm to 4 pm. Set in Chesterton’s beautiful Thomas Centennial Park, the 9th Annual Corkscrew & Brew will gather local wineries and breweries for this springtime tasting. This event is a fundraiser for the Duneland Chamber of Commerce. Corkscrew & Brew will feature tastings from over twenty wineries and breweries. Live music by the Jason Martin Trio will be playing in the park. Food will be available for purchase from Frankie’s Bangers and Leroy’s “Hot Stuff” Homemade Mexican Food. We also encourage

City Hall of Michigan City will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, in observance of Presidents Day. The Michigan City Refuse Department will run its normal routes throughout the week. They anticipate there will be no delay in trash pick-up.

ITR Concession Co. LLC (ITRCC), the maintainer and operator of the Indiana Toll Road, announced on Friday the successful completion of a project to construct solar energy systems at 14 locations across the Toll Road. The project was advanced in collaboration with Solscient Energy, a turn-key provider of solar energy generation solutions based in Toledo, Ohio. The project known as Project Soleil is designed to generate enough solar energy to service over one-third of the Toll Road’s electricity needs and is expected to reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 900 metric tons. In October 2021, ITRCC first committed to a

Porter-Starke Services will be offering a six-lesson program this spring on ways for seniors to stay healthy and engaged, according to the Town of Chesterton Facebook page. It’s called the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) and it will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. every Friday beginning March 1 through April 5, at the First Christian Church, 1507 Glendale Blvd., Valparaiso. Meet new people as you acquire the skills to enjoy fully your Golden Years: *Learn about the aging process and how to make healthy lifestyle choices. *Celebrate this exciting stage of life and its benefits. *Discuss risk

There will be a Mobile Food Distribution event sponsored by the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and facilitated by CCH on Monday, Feb. 19. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds in La Porte. There will be non-perishables, fresh vegetables, bread, eggs and more. Additional detail can be found on the flyer for the event.

News release, Purdue University Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Financial aid professionals will be available at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses during the College Goal Sunday programs on Feb. 25. The free event will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. CST and will help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid. College Goal Sunday programs provide assistance to students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and federal loans at most colleges, universities and

On Feb. 14, after a 3 day trial in LaPorte Circuit Court, Curtis Adams was found guilty on all four counts for crimes against children. Adams was found guilty of two counts of child molesting (Level 1 Felony), and two counts of child seduction (Level 3 Felony). Sentencing will be held on Friday, Feb. 16 . Adams faces a possible 20 to 40 year sentence for each Level 1 Felony, and a 3 to 16 year sentence for each Level 3 Felony. LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said: "After a rigorous trial, Mr. Adams was found Guilty by a jury.

The following is a statement from Angie Henzman, Chair LaPorte County Democratic Party: "The LaPorte County Democratic Party would like to officially congratulate Tim Bietry who was sworn in as the Councilman for Michigan City’s 4th Ward Common Council on Tuesday! Mr. Bietry was elected by a Caucus of the 4th Ward Democratic Precinct Chairs. The Caucus was necessary following the official resignation of Sean Fitzpatrick, the previous 4th Ward Councilman. We would like to thank Councilman Fitzpatrick for his many years of dedicated service to Michigan City and its citizens and welcome Mr. Bietry back to the Michigan City

Local 4600 of the International Association of Fire Fighters—representing the career firefighters of the Chesterton Fire Department—will host a Easter Egg Hunt, at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at Dogwood Park. The department says it has 4,000 Easter eggs on order. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand for photos with your little ones. Free entry for all, with age-appropriate hunts for the following groups: 1-3, 4-6, 7-10, and 11+. The Easter Egg Hunt will be held on the east side of Dogwood Park by the playground. For special accommodations, please contact Chet at cholt@chestertonfire.org

In the latest “City Talk” Newsletter the City of Valparaiso announced they are launching a program to complete a full inventory of the city’s water service lines, including those in residences. The inventory is required by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) as part of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2021 revision of the Lead and Copper rule. How to Report YOUR Residence: To compile the required information, residents are asked to participate in either of two ways: Inspect your service line in a simple test and submit the information online. OR Allow an authorized door knocker to