Local News

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. - Dunebrook, Inc. is pleased to announce Kimberly D. Smith, MSW, as its new Executive Director. Smith brings more than 30 years of nonprofit experience and more than 25 years of leadership experience serving children, families, and communities throughout Northwest Indiana.   “We are very excited to have Kim leading Dunebrook,” said Dunebrook Board President Sarah Konieczny. “Her experience, leadership, and commitment to children and families really stood out to us. She knows Northwest Indiana and understands the importance of strong community partnerships. We are confident she will be a great leader for Dunebrook and help us

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City is now offering shoulder replacement surgeries using the new Stryker Mako robotic-arm-assisted surgery system. Mako SmartRobotics expanded its technology into shoulder replacement with the limited-market launch of Mako Shoulder in 2025 and a full commercial launch in early 2026. Franciscan Health Michigan City is the first hospital in Northwest Indiana to use the new Stryker Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery system to perform shoulder replacement surgeries. “Patients and their families no longer have to travel to large cities and endure additional stress and expense to receive the latest in state-of-the-art advanced surgical procedures,”

Good afternoon, Michigan City. This morning I joined a coordination call with NIPSCO leadership, area mayors, and local officials to get a direct update on power restoration across our region. Here is what I can share with you: What Happened This storm was a derecho, essentially an inland hurricane, with sustained winds over 100 mph. NIPSCO's own team, many of whom have worked hurricanes across the South, said the damage rivals what they have seen in major hurricane restoration. At the peak, more than 400,000 customers across NIPSCO's territory lost power. LaPorte, Lake, and Porter counties took the brunt of

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind around 5 mph.   Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 60.   Thursday Sunny, with a high near 76.   Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 59.   Friday Sunny, with a high near 77.   Friday Night A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 40%.   Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is hosting their free First Friday program with special guest Joe Rauen, an artist and musician who makes working musical instruments from household items, on September 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. (Central). After graduating from the Berklee College of Music Joe Rauen set out to find a way to combine his love for music and for visual art into a single practice. Rauen began experimenting with making playable musical instruments from everyday items. His "unlikely musical objects" include instruments made from shovels, suitcases, plumbing, sports equipment, old toys, and

In Lake County, the ramp from northbound State Road 912/Cline Ave to westbound I-94 remains closed through approximately September 20. The ramp from eastbound I-94 to northbound State Road 912 is closed through the end of August. Detour: take eastbound I-94 and then utilize the Burr St interchange to turn around to access westbound I-94 or northbound State Road 912. All other ramps at I-94 and State Road 912 are now open.

As the weather starts to turn cooler and nights become longer, we’re embracing the season with our 5th Annual Vino al Fresco! Enjoy wine tastings from a variety of local wineries. Your ticket includes entry, unlimited tastings, live music and commemorative glass. • Check-In for the event will take place at the entrance to Thomas Centennial Park on Broadway. This Saturday 8/22 at 5pm. • Please bring a printed copy of your email confirmation or show it on your mobile device. • This is a standing wine tasting event that takes place in Thomas Centennial Park. Limited seating will be

Patricia May Caddo October 20, 1941 - August 13, 2026 Patricia M. Caddo of Michigan City, Indiana, passed away Thursday, August 13, 2026. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at Ott/Haverstock Funeral Chapel, 418 Washington Street, Michigan City, Indiana. Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral chapel. To sign a guest book and leave condolences online, visit our website at www.otthaverstock.com.

FROM THE ZZTOP FACEBOOK page “Today, Elwood and I lost a great friend and collaborator, and the world lost one of the most naturally innovative drummers and a great and true son of Texas. His signature backbeat was key to keeping ZZ on top.” - Billy F Gibbons Following Frank’s passing, ZZ Top has canceled its upcoming shows in Salt Lake City and Colorado Springs. The band will resume its current The Big One! Tour this weekend with two dates in at Austin City Limits, one of Frank’s favorite venues and in a city that had been something of a

In Porter County this past Sunday a group from Laborers Local 81 of Valparaiso began the chainsaw-intensive work of tree-clearing along  the 3.1-mile stretch of the Prairie Duneland Trail in the Town of Chesterton, the town reported on Facebook. This stretch of trail runs from South 15th Street to the pedestrian bridge over Ind. 149. As of Monday afternoon, the Prairie Duneland Trail remains closed to the public until further notice, according to the Town of Chesterton.   Photo credit: Town of Chesterton

INDIANAPOLIS – On Monday, and the Indiana congressional delegation sent a letter to President Donald Trump in support of Governor Mike Braun’s August 6, 2026, request for a major disaster declaration following severe storms that impacted Indiana during the period of June 6-26, 2026. Hoosiers were still working to recover from the June storms when last week’s severe weather brought another round of flooding, tornadoes, and widespread damage across the state. The letter also references the emergency declaration already approved for the August storms and the delegation’s support for additional federal assistance as damage assessments continue and further disaster requests

On August 17th at approximately 1:50 P.M., the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a juvenile struggling in Lake Michigan near the area of Lake Shore Drive and Shawmut Drive. First responders from the Michigan City Police Department, Michigan City Fire Department, United States Coast Guard, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and lifeguards from Washington Park responded to assist the juvenile in distress. First responders searched for the juvenile and requested assistance from the Lake County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit. The juvenile was eventually removed from the water by first responders and provided life saving measures.

Today A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.   Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.   Wednesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then a slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. Chance of precipitation is 40%.   Wednesday

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Due to the significant storm response currently underway across northern Indiana, NIPSCO has made the decision to cancel the Community Customer Care Center events scheduled for Aug. 18 in Merrillville and Aug. 19 in La Porte. This decision allows our teams to remain focused on storm response activities and supporting customers impacted by this historic weather event. We appreciate the community's understanding and apologize for any inconvenience. Customers seeking information about billing, energy assistance, energy efficiency resources or other customer support services can visit NIPSCO.com/ConnectingYou. NIPSCO remains committed to providing opportunities for customers to connect directly with

On August 14th, at approximately 11:17 P.M., Michigan City Police Officers observed a vehicle traveling the wrong direction on West 11th Street from Washington Street. An officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop due to the motorist traveling the wrong way down a one-way street, however the motorist accelerated and refused to stop. The officer initiated a vehicle pursuit and followed the vehicle before it crashed into a guardrail along the South Shore Railroad at the intersection of West 11th Street and Ohio Street. The crash resulted in the driver and three passengers being injured. Officers provided life saving measures

INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Mike Braun provided an update from the State Emergency Operations Center today about the state’s emergency response, recovery efforts and federal emergency disaster declaration. “We are coming up on a week since the first round of severe weather hit our state, and my prayers remain with the families who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses and so much more,” said Gov. Braun. “As floodwaters recede in parts of the state, I will continue urgently deploying every available resource to help Hoosiers recover and make Indiana whole again.” At the Governor’s direction, all of Indiana’s public safety agencies including

NIPSCO released the following to social media on Monday about storm scammers: "During the ongoing storm restoration, we want to remind customers to beware of scammers that may try to target you by impersonating a NIPSCO employee or contractor. If you are unsure about a person claiming to be a representative from our company: - Ask for ID – Our employees and contractors wear their IDs visibly - Look for the logo – Our employees wear white hard hats with the NIPSCO logo and drive vehicles with the NIPSCO logo displayed on both the driver and passenger doors - Call

On August 14th, at approximately 8:06 P.M., the LaPorte County E-911 Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a pedestrian that was struck by a pickup truck in the parking lot of Ramada Inn, located at 5820 Franklin Street. Officers from Uniform Patrol Shift 2 responded to the scene where they located a pedestrian suffering from life threatening injuries. The pedestrian was transported by LaPorte County EMS to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City and then flown to a regional hospital by MedFlight for advanced medical treatment. A black colored pickup truck left the scene after making impact with

Details of the event:  Date: Monday, August 17, 2026 Location: La Porte Civic Auditorium, 1001 Ridge Street, La Porte, IN 46350 Event Time: Noon – 6:00 pm Meals served: Noon and 4:30 pm On Site: NiSource Mobile Command Unit Food Truck – serving 500 meals x 2 Snacks, resources Charging Stations Salvation Army  - La Porte County  - sharing resources Activities: Providing Water Wi-Fi Charging Stations Resource Connections Answering questions about Storm Response – Restoration Process NIPSCO Team Members on Site: Public Affairs, Customer Service

Longtime Coolspring Fire Chief Mick Pawlik was recognized by Indiana Governor Mike Braun on Sunday. Mick received the Circle of Corydon, the second highest honor a citizen can receive in the Hoosier state. Mick has served more than 30 years as the Chief of the department, the busiest volunteer fire department in La Porte County. He recently stepped down as chief however remains an active member of the department. State Representative Jim Pressel brought the chief’s  hard work and dedication to attention of the Governor who issued the award. State Representative Randy Novak and State Senator Mike Bohacek attended the