Local News

BURN BAN EXTENDED-LaPorte Co Alert: Due to elevated fire risk hazards from abnormally dry weather conditions, a burn ban is in effect for LaPorte County through 11-06-24. BURN BAN EXTENDED through 11/06/24 EXECUTIVE ORDER LA PORTE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners of La Porte County, Indiana find that the county is in a prolonged period of drought; and WHEREAS, the effect of the lack of rainfall has dried vegetation to the point it may easily combust and has thus become a fire hazard; NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Commissioners of La Porte County, Indiana, pursuant to

On October 20, 2024, at approximately 7:37am, the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call reference the body of an adult male in the harbor waterway near 1 Heisman Harbor Road. Uniform Patrol Shift 1 Officers, Victor Sanchez, Makiyah Smallwood, Ryan Koontz and Angelo Davenport responded to the scene as did the Michigan City Fire Department, LaPorte County EMS, LaPorte County Coroner and the United States Coast Guard. The body was recovered from the waterway and identified as being 42 year old, Jimmy Godoy, of Cicero, Illinois. Mr. Godoy came to Michigan City, with family members, on October

Milling (surface removal) of E. Barker Avenue between Dewey Street and Roeske Avenue will commence  Tuesday, Oct. 22, with paving set to begin on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Also on Wednesday, milling will commence on Franklin Street between 10th and 4th streets, with parking areas to be completed first. Milling of the main street will begin on Friday, Oct. 25. All road construction is weather permitting. Updates will be provided as they become availab

The Michigan City Street Department will conduct its annual fall leaf pickup beginning Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, and lasting through Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. For easy leaf pick-up, residents are asked to abide by the following guidelines: • Plastic bags are prohibited. Use only paper yard bags or 32-gallon trash cans, which can be purchased from area merchants. • Keep leaf piles free of branches, rocks, and other debris. • Leaf piles should be loose and placed near the curb, away from sewer drains, utility equipment, and fire hydrants. • Toters are not permitted for leaf collection. • The Street

MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana – Pediatrician Adam Sergiwa, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Michigan City. Dr. Sergiwa is board-certified in pediatric medicine. He attended medical school at Al-Arab Medical University in Benghazi, Libya. He completed his residency at Columbia University at St. Luke Roosevelt Hospital in New York. His clinical interests include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), school health, coronary pediatric diseases and newborn, infant and young adult care. Dr. Sergiwa is accepting patients at Franciscan Physician Network Pediatric Health Center at 9856 West 400 North in Michigan City. In addition to English,

Mobile Food Distribution on Wednesday October 23, 2024-see below for all of the details. PLEASE SHARE with those in need. #wims #nwi #localradio #makingadifference Food Bank of Northwest Indiana Grace Learning Center @Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc.

Canadian National Railway will close their grade crossing on U.S. 12/20/5th Ave between State Road 912/Cline Ave and Colfax St on or after Monday, October 21. U.S. 20 will be closed at the railroad crossing for approximately six days while Canadian National rebuilds their crossing. Motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour will follow State Road 912/Cline Ave, I-94 and State Road 53/Broadway.

Wear from hiking traffic, downed trees, and the elements has taken a toll on the extensive network of boardwalks that meander through Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve’s wooded wetlands.In response to these challenges, Shirley Heinze Land Trust is proud to announce that a grant from the Health Foundation of La Porte has been awarded to repair and replace 400 feet of boardwalk. The project will improve trail conditions and make outdoor recreation, hiking, and nature experiences more accessible. Community members are invited to make a difference for a yearlong series of volunteer workdays, that have begun on Saturday, October 5th. Michigan

Program helps nursing home-eligible seniors age in place  Franciscan Health is hosting two Senior Health & Wellness Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) open houses this fall aimed at assisting seniors, their families and caregivers in learning how the program can help enhance their quality of life. PACE is a national, community-based healthcare program created for people 55 and older who are eligible for nursing-home level care but prefer to remain in their own familiar surroundings. The PACE model of care is centered around the belief that the well-being of seniors with chronic care needs and their families are better

Michigan City Chamber of Commerce Hosts 2nd Annual Tree Decorating Contest WHAT: The Michigan City Chamber is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Tree Decorating Contest! This festive event invites local businesses to showcase their creativity and holiday spirit by decorating a tree at their business. Participants will compete not just for bragging rights, but the chamber will also donate to the local non-profit of choice of the winning business. WHEN: Submissions Open: 11/1/24 Voting Opens: 11/22/24 Voting Ends: 12/19/24 Winner Announced: 12/20/24 WHERE: Michigan City Businesses Michigan City, IN DETAILS: To register, email Katie Swistek at kswistek@mcachamber.com or CLICK

The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce (chamber) announced Dave Sisk as the Ambassador of the Quarter for the Third Quarter of 2024. Sisk remarked: “It’s always a pleasure to work with the Chamber and local businesses. The opportunities for business leaders and their employees to work with the Chamber and United Way go hand in hand.” The Ambassador of the Quarter is given to an individual who has shown dedication to the mission of the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce by regularly attending chamber events, connecting with members through emails, calls, and in-person meetings, and referring non-members for membership.  

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) has opened its annual callout for nominations of impactful university alumni to be recognized and inducted into the PNW Alumni Hall of Fame. The PNW Alumni Hall of Fame honors distinguished graduates from across the 78-year history of the university’s campuses. PNW seeks nominations of alumni who are high-achieving leaders in their fields, involved members of their community and who have engaged with PNW well beyond their time as students. “In our fourth year recognizing the amazing accomplishments of our alumni, we are proud to expand the opportunity to honor standout nominees

Thursday morning, at 9:21 AM, deputies responded to the 4500 east block of CR 800 North reference a vehicle being off the roadway near some trees. The initial on-scene investigation completed by Deputy Justin Phillips and assisting deputies determined the following had occurred. A green 2012 Chevrolet pickup truck was traveling east on CR 800 North. The pickup truck traveled left of center, across the westbound lane, and left the north side of the roadway. After leaving the roadway, the pickup truck crashed into a tree, rolled over, and collided with more trees before coming to a stop. The driver,

Wabash Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison For Firearm Offense  SOUTH BEND – Roy Skeens, 40 years old, of Wabash, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 2-day jury trial in July of 2024, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Skeens was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in November 2020, Skeens possessed a handgun while at a home in Wabash County. Specifically, police were

CHESTERTON, Ind.  – South Shore Line is pleased to announce the new Hammond Gateway Station will open and become operational for train service effective Friday, October 18th, 2024. Beginning October 18th, passengers previously utilizing the Hammond Station will begin boarding and detraining all South Shore Line trains out of Hammond Gateway, located at 4530 Sheffield Ave. Please see the attached map for clarification. “As of October 18th, the former Hammond Station at 4531 Hohman Ave. will be permanently closed,” said Amber Kettring, Customer Service & Communications Manager of South Shore Line. “In the future, the Hammond Station parking lot on

The City of La Porte, La Lumiere School and Visit Michigan City La Porte held a press event on Wednesday at the La Porte Civic Auditorium to announce a new three-year contract and details for the La Porte Invitational. Held since 2022, the La Porte Invitational has become one of the top high school basketball events in the nation, annually hosting ranked teams and highly recruited players from around the country. The La Porte Invitational, featuring matchups from EYBL Scholastic, the nation's premier high school basketball conference, is scheduled for January 9-11 at the La Porte Civic Auditorium. Games will

Stop by and enjoy great food, drinks, music and a family friendly atmosphere. For more information call 219-217-2337 or visit burnembrewing.com.

CHESTERTON, Indiana – Board-certified Interventional Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Physician Mohammad Arfeen, DO, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Chesterton. Dr. Arfeen attended medical school at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pa. and completed his residency in internal medicine at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields. Dr. Arfeen’s fellowship in gastroenterology was completed at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields and his fellowship in interventional gastroenterology was completed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Arfeen’s clinical interests include advanced and therapeutic endoscopy, third space endoscopy, complex tissue resection, hepatobiliary and pancreatobiliary

Michigan City Chamber Music Festival (MCCMF) presents Wesley Baldwin, cello,  in concert The Michigan City Chamber Music Festival (MCCMF) is proud to present “Musical Meditations of the Season: Wesley Baldwin, cello, in concert,” Wednesday, December 4, 7:00 p.m., central. The performance will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 600 Franklin Street, Michigan City, IN. Admission is FREE. This will be a beautiful concert from world renowned cellist, Wesley Baldwin, known well to local audiences from his performances with the Michigan city chamber, music festival. Traditional solo cello works by Johann Sebastian Bach, and others will be included along with other

Chesterton, IN – The Duneland Exchange Club (DXC), in partnership with Dunebrook, continues to make strides in protecting children through its Body Safety Program. Since 2008, the DXC has contracted with Dunebrook to present this crucial program to kindergarten through 5th grade students within the Duneland area schools. This program has proven essential in helping educate children on how to protect their bodies and access help if something has happened to them or someone they know. According to the Child Molestation Research & Prevention Institute, 95% of child maltreatment is preventable through education. The Body Safety Program aims to empower children