Local News

Press Release, MAAC Foundation: VALPARAISO, IN - In partnership with the Northwest Indiana District 1 Firefighter Training Council, the MAAC Foundation is proud to announce the graduation of its 11th Fire Academy. This ceremony will be held on Friday, June 28, 2024, at 6:00 P.M. CST, at the MAAC Foundation First Responders Training Campus in the Heroes’ Hangout Building. The 8 graduates representing the Portage, Lake Hills, Ogden Dunes, Whiting, and Hobart Fire Departments have completed a rigorous 11-week training program that included instruction in fire suppression, hazmat operations, and technical rescue, along with other firefighting skills. They have also

A Michigan City Man is facing charges of possession of child pornography, according to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office. On June 20, 2024, deputies arrested 39-year-old Steffano Alan Guess on two felony counts. Guess was taken into custody after a warrant was issued for his arrest. The warrant and arrest were the result of an investigation which was initiated when the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a Cyber Tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the activities on a Synchronoss Technologies account.  Synchronoss is the cloud-based storage provider for

Press Release, Duneland Chamber: Start your Saturdays by connecting Mind and Body in Thomas Centennial Park Enhance your Saturday mornings this summer by participating in Yoga in the Park, held every Saturday from June through August. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a beginner, instructor Maureen Duffy welcomes all levels to join from 9am to 10am in the serene setting of Thomas Centennial Park. Sponsored by Duneland Pottery, these sessions offer a perfect start to your weekend. David Arreola, owner of Duneland Pottery, shared his enthusiasm: "I was excited to sponsor this event because yoga practice and pottery require the

Franciscan Health Dyer is hosting a free suicide-prevention course aimed at helping save lives. The entry level question, persuade and refer or QPR Suicide Prevention Course is based on curriculum developed by the QPR Institute. The course aims to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with one suicide taking place every 11 minutes. The suicide rate reached its highest point since 1941 in 2022, with nearly 50,000 Americans taking

A mobile food distribution, hosted by Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, will take place Monday, July 1st, from 10:00 am - 12:00 noon at the PNW Campus, 1401 US Hwy 421, in Westville. "Thanks to a generous donation from CVS, perishable and dry goods will be offered, FREE of charge. All items are pre-boxed/bagged. First come, first served while supplies last, up to 200 households. One box per household. This event is for those in need of food assistance. Must be present! This is a drive-thru distribution. Please remain in your vehicle, and pop open your trunk to receive grocery

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. - Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will conduct seal coating operations resulting in a road closure on U.S. 6 beginning on or after Monday, July 1. U.S. 6 will be closed between U.S. 421 and State Road 39 for approximately three days. The detour will follow the already established detour for the U.S. 6 and U.S. 421 roundabout project: State Road 39, U.S. 30, State Road 49 and State Road 2. Through traffic should utilize the detour or seek an alternate route. Local traffic should exercise caution and follow traffic directions carefully in the area where

The Valparaiso Police Department and Porter County Sheriff’s Department responded to a disturbance in the 1100 block of Morthland Dr. at approximately 1:50 p.m. Tuesday. “Reports indicated the disturbance involved multiple subjects within the residence, with one person possibly being armed with a firearm,” the Valparaiso Police Department said on its Facebook page.  “Upon arrival, police were able to contact the individuals within the residence who willingly exited to speak with officers.  There is no threat to public safety, and no one was injured during this incident.  The investigation remains open and ongoing.  Thank you for your cooperation and continued

*** UPDATE - the traffic shift with overnight lane and ramp closures for eastbound I-94 is postponed to July 8. *** Westbound I-94: Overnight lane closures on/around Monday, June 24 lead to new traffic configuration the morning of Tuesday, June 25, with work zone on the left, four lanes of traffic on the right. Eastbound I-94: overnight lane & ramp closures on/around Tuesday, June 25. Temporary ramp closures from approx 8pm June 25 to 6am June 26: NB & SB Calumet Ave to EB I-94, all entrance & exit ramps at Indy Blvd & EB I-94, and EB I-94 to

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — The Purdue University Northwest (PNW) 2024 spring semester Dean’s List recognizes 1,636 undergraduate students for their academic achievements. Qualifying students sustained an overall grade point average of at least 3.5 and a semester grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Domestic students from 23 different U.S. states were recognized on the spring semester Dean’s List. PNW international students from 31 different countries were also represented.

Several local organizations have announced a community-wide school supply drive, which runs through August 7. Supplies collected during the drive will be distributed to area students who are in need of materials to start the school year. Many area businesses have set up collection bins to accept donations from their employees and the general public. Collection sites are located at Al’s Supermarket (Franklin Street and Karwick locations), First Trust Credit Union, the Michigan City Area Schools’ Administration Building, Members Advantage Credit Union, Peepers Reading Glasses, Reins of Life (Michigan City location), Restore Dental Arts, the Salvation Army of Michigan City,

News release, Purdue Extension La Porte County: La Porte County has 45 ten year 4-H members for 2024.  They were honored with a recognition evening on Monday, June 17th at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds.  Thank you to Paul Marsh Nationwide Insurance Agency, Kankakee Valley REMC, Thode Floral, LaPorte County Farm Bureau, LaPorte County Agricultural Association and LaPorte County 4-H Council for making the event possible.   Emma Bennett, Clinton Climbers 4-H Club, parents Kelli & Chris Bennett Jacob Bennett, LaPorte City Firestars 4-H Club, parents Melissa Bennett Madison Bicker, Wagonmasters 4-H Club, parent Amanda Bicker Ayden Bladecki, Wagonmasters 4-H Club,

Press Release, Franciscan Health: VALPARAISO, Indiana -- Family medicine nurse practitioner Jennifer Milchak is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Valparaiso. Jennifer Milchak, NP, is board-certified and earned her master of science degree as a nurse practitioner from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion. She earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing from Purdue University Northwest in Hammond. In addition to family medicine, Milchak’s clinical interests include physicals, well exams, pediatrics, newborns, adolescents, ADD, ADHD, preventative healthcare, screenings, patient education and women’s health. Milchak is accepting new patients at the Franciscan Physician Network

To accommodate passengers attending the Rolling Stones concert taking place at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 27, and Sunday, June 30, at Soldier Field, the South Shore Line plans to stop select trains at Metra’s 18th Street Station, which connects passengers directly to the Soldier Field entrance via a pedestrian walkway. As 18th St. Station is not a regularly scheduled stop, SSL passengers utilizing 18th St. for this event should purchase tickets for Museum Campus/11th Street. The following trains will serve 18th St. Station on June 27 and June 30 (Please click here for a full list of station stop times):

To enhance safety for motorists and pedestrians, the City of Valparaiso will be stepping up enforcement efforts for traffic violations that lead to accidents, particularly speeding. “We simply want to remind motorists of speed limits and safe driving habits so pedestrians can comfortably share the roadways with vehicles,” said Mayor Jon Costas. “There are essentially three E’s in traffic management – education, engineering and enforcement,” said Mayor Jon Costas. The Valparaiso Police Department has historically focused on education, issuing verbal or written warnings to remind motorists of speeds and safety concerns. Engineering – adding signage and traffic calming features like

Press Release, Porter County Health Department: The Porter County Health Department is excited to announce the launch of the Porter County Find Help website, a custom resource page for Porter County, now live at https://portercounty.findhelp.com. Since it began in 2010, Find Help has provided a free platform where individuals can access free or reduced-cost resources based on location and categories, such as food, housing, healthcare, transportation, education, employment, legal services and more. Sam Burgett, Social Worker with the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, started this initiative alongside the Community Resource Network (CRN) she founded while at the Valparaiso Police Department. For

Press Release, Indiana Builders Association: The Indiana Finance Authority unveiled the recipients of the loans from the first round of the Residential Infrastructure Fund (RIF). 11 Indiana communities were approved to receive $51 million in loans to finance infrastructure projects that support residential housing development. Communities were selected based on the need for additional housing inventory to accommodate local job growth. The recipients are included below:   Applicant                          Site Name                                           County              

On Sunday, June 23, 2024, at approximately 6:44 p.m. Porter Police were made aware of a possible drowning at Porter Beach. Porter Police Lieutenant J. Holaway arrived on scene and immediately noticed a life ring (water rescue device) missing from the post where it is normally stored. Beachgoers informed him it was being utilized to rescue multiple juveniles in the water and directed him to the location. A group of friends advised officers they observed a juvenile female struggling in the water. Visitors of the beach banded together and pulled her to shore. While doing so, they observed another juvenile

Franciscan Health Michigan City staff members were recently honored with the hospitals’ annual awards. Emergency department nurse LeAnn Collins received the St. Camillus Award, emergency medicine physician Dr. Christina Foreman received the St. Luke Award and environmental services associate Frank Serrano received the St. Joseph Award.   Each year, Franciscan Health Michigan City awards the St. Luke Award to honor a physician and the St. Camillus Award to honor a registered nurse. The winner of the St. Luke award, named for the patron saint of physicians and surgeons, is nominated by and voted upon by the nursing staff. The St.

With summer now officially here, Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department would like to remind residents and visitors to have a fire safe summer. Whether you plan to use a grill for a grand barbecue or enjoy a refreshing swim or other outdoor activities. A cautious reminder to keep safety at the forefront when planning these activities is important to prevent serious injuries or death. According to the National Fire Protection Association, grilling-related fires peak in July (16%). Gas grills were involved in an average of 8,900 home fire per year, with leaks or breaks being the primary issue found. Charcoal

Press Release, Franciscan Health: MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana – Franciscan Health Michigan City is presenting the latest installment in its free, faith-based church diabetes initiative, Fan Out Diabetes. Franciscan Health Michigan City’s Fan Out Diabetes program is a faith-based diabetes initiative that pairs minority LaPorte County church congregations with the healthcare system and community organizations to bring two-day diabetes education, prevention and detection mini workshops – free of charge – to the church after Sunday services. The events feature education, screenings, insurance enrollment assistance and more. The next sessions will take place at 12:30 p.m. Central on July 14 and Aug.