Local News

Choral music students from several Michigan City Area Schools took part in the District Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contests on Saturday, January 27, at Valparaiso High School, with many receiving gold and silver ratings. Twenty-one students from the MCHS Choral Department participated – and seven of them will move on to the ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble Competition at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis later this month (February 17). Those students are Madison Gresham, Paige Merrill, Madelyn Parry, Younha Seppyes, Brooklyn Wade, Naomi Williams, and Alyssa Workman. At the contest on January 27, MCHS

The City of Michigan City in partnership with Flaherty & Collins (developer for the 11th Street Train Station along the South Shore Line’s Double-Track NWI Project) is hosting a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Vendor Open House on Feb. 15. Construction-related DBEs with the capacity to work on this project are invited to attend the open house to share their companies’ core competencies and services, and to connect with prime contractors and project partners from the Michigan City Redevelopment Commission and Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD). Check out it 10 a.m. until noon on February 15th at 1108 Franklin St. (the

UPDATE-LaPorte County- The Indiana State Police Lowell Post has additional information to release regarding the fatal crash that our agency was requested to investigate in LaPorte County. The Indiana State Police was requested to investigate a fatal crash that involved a LaPorte County police car. The investigation showed that a suspect had been handcuffed and secured in the front passenger seat of a 2021 Ford Explorer police car assigned to Deputy David Grimberg. It was determined that the suspect was able to manipulate the handcuffs, unbuckled the seatbelt, took possession of the police car, and drove away from the scene in

The BP Whiting refinery experienced an operational issue Thursday due to a power outage which caused workers to be evacuated and roads to be shut down. There was a flaring of excess gasses to relieve pressure on the system according to Lake County Officials.   The Lake County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency posted the following statement on their Facebook page: "The BP Whiting refinery has experienced an operational issue due to a power outage at the plant and is flaring excess gasses to relieve pressure on the system. Atmospheric readings are being taken around the plant and are

The following is a statement for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) regarding the BP Whiting refinery experiencing an operational issue on Thursday: "NIPSCO’s electric system is not associated with today’s event at the BP facility in Whiting, Ind. BP maintains its own infrastructure to support the electric needs of its facilities. NIPSCO’s electric system was not interrupted during this event and is continuing to perform normally."

The Leadership Institute and the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest (PNW) have announced the 2024 Northwest Indiana Women on the Rise honorees. The annual Northwest Indiana Women on the Rise list includes leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who are making an impact across Northwest Indiana. These are the women shaping business and encouraging economic growth in our region’s communities. They achieved success in 2023 and are bringing that dynamic momentum with them into the new year. To view the full list of 2024 Women on the Rise honorees, visit pnw.edu/soi. "Celebrating women and their powerful accomplishments is a way to call

Thursday morning, the Indiana State Police Lowell Post was contacted by LaPorte County Sheriff Ron Heeg to assist in investigating a crash that resulted in a fatality. The Indiana State Police Police say the investigation involved a LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The identity of the deceased will be released Friday (Feb. 2). Indiana State Police say additional information about the facts of the crash, as well as information as to what led up to the crash may also be released by the Indiana State Police and the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office once all witnesses have been interviewed and the

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), in partnership with the Indiana State Library, announced today that INverse, the state poetry archive, is accepting entries. INverse, an initiative of former Indiana Poet Laureate Adrian Matejka, celebrates and preserves the diverse range of Indiana poetry for future generations of Indiana writers and readers. The works of 57 poets were added to the poetry archive in October 2023. “We are excited to once again open the INverse archives to entries,” said Miah Michaelsen, IAC Executive Director. “INverse is celebration of Indiana’s creative voices, the wonderful literary talent of our state, and the preservation of

Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced Wednesday the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is awarding another $6.9 million in employer-sponsored child care grants to an additional 22 businesses, community groups and school corporations, bringing the total invested to $25 million. The initiative, part of Gov. Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, is mobilizing employers and communities to create or expand child care offerings that address the needs of working Hoosiers. “By having more child care options, Hoosiers are provided the flexibility to enter and stay in the workforce and attain a better quality of

MICHIGAN CITY – The new mayor issued her first proclamation last week, honoring the life and legacy of late historian Allen Williams. “Mr. Williams has been a figurehead as a historian for the African American community in Michigan City and La Porte County,” Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch said. “His Black History Month exhibit shows the tremendous impact he had on this community in providing that resource to not just students but adults as well.” Williams spent decades curating a vast collection of news articles, books, movies, art, clothing, tools, historical artifacts and more, which he fashioned into an immersive and

The  Rotary Club of Michigan City is seeking nominations for the 2023 Paul J. Alinsky Award. This award is presented in honor of Paul Alinsky, a past President of the Rotary Club, past Chairman of the Board for the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, and founder of Sentinel Alarm Company. Paul passed away in 1997 and the award was created to keep his memory alive. It is presented annually to a person from the Michigan City community who exhibits dedication to community service, as well as excellence, passion, and innovation in their vocation or career. These are the areas where

Press release, Boys and Girls Club: Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County (BGCLPC) will be celebrating the official launch of their newest club at Hailmann Elementary School, 1001 Ohio Street, La Porte, on February 5th starting at 9:30 a.m. The event will be held in the cafeteria with the ribbon being cut at 10:00 a.m. Founded as Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City in 1996, the organization has since been partnering with local schools and families to ensure a Great Future is within reach of every child in our community. The organization’s name was officially changed to

Michigan City High School senior Jess Buetow has been named a Commended Student in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. MCHS Principal Kyle Dean presented him with a Letter of Commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation yesterday. This school year, approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2024 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 of more than 1.5 million students who entered the 2024 competition by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test

To accommodate passengers attending the Chicago Auto Show, the South Shore Line will be offering select weekday train stops at McCormick Place Station and Extra Saturday service, in addition to existing weekend service to McCormick Place. SATURDAY EXTRA TRAINS: An eastbound Extra train will operate on Saturday, Feb. 10, and Saturday, Feb. 17. The Extra will depart McCormick Place at 4:52 p.m., run non-stop to Hegewisch and make all local stops terminating at Gary Metro Center. The following weekday trains will make flag stops at McCormick Place Feb. 12-16 and Feb. 19 (please note on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 19, the SSL

The Salvation Army of Michigan City will launch a new 12-week session of “Bridges Out of Poverty: Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’ By World” beginning on Wednesday, February 7. Classes will take place every Wednesday at The Salvation Army, 1201 Franklin Street, at 5:00 pm. This will be the fifth series of Bridges hosted by The Salvation Army, a program that Major Becky Simmons feels is needed in the Michigan City community as a way of helping residents identify and overcome barriers. “This class is ideal for anyone who wants to make a change in their life,” said Simmons, who

The Jasper County Board of Commissioners and the County Highway Department have enacted the frost law ordinance until further notice. The ordinance is used to minimize damage to county roadways. It is requested that any vehicle over 16,000 lbs. declared gross weight refrain from operating on county roadways during this period.

Press release, Economic Development Corporation Michigan City: MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – The allure of Michigan City, real estate and construction news and the latest on the 11th Street station renovations will be the core of the 2024 Power Breakfast. The Economic Development Corporation Michigan City panel discussion and breakfast will be from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Wednesday March 27 at Uptown Social, 907 Franklin St. The program begins at 8 a.m. A limited number of individual tickets are available online at https://ow.ly/RNUF50Qvu0N for $35. The Power Panel includes David Flaherty, CEO of Flaherty & Collins, South Shore station mixed-use project

CROWN POINT, Ind. – Franciscan Health Crown Point is celebrating the first and last babies born at its Family Birth Center following Sunday’s move to the new hospital. Joey Lee Krygsheld was the last baby born at the now-former Franciscan Health Crown Point Hospital’s Family Birth Center at 1201 S. Main St. to parents Caitlin and Joel Krygsheld of Cedar Lake. He was born at 4:41 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 28, just hours before the patient moves to the new hospital began, weighing 8 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 20 inches long. Oaklynn Elizabeth Williamson was the first baby born

The MCHS Computer Science Honor Society is hosting its first Tech Support event on Saturday, Feb. 24, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Michigan City High School. This event is free and open to the public. Go to www.educateMC.net/AlphaBytes to sign up today. Bring your devices for fixing or to donate to families in need.

The Town of Chesterton says the alley between 11th and 12th streets to the east and west, and between West Indiana Avenue and West Morgan Avenue to the north and south, has been closed to traffic, after a sanitary sewer sinkhole was discovered Monday. The Chesterton Utility’s Collection Crew was on site Monday with the Vactor truck to keep the sewer main pumped down. Utility Superintendent Dave Ryan was hopeful a contractor would be able to begin repairs on the sewer main tomorrow or Wednesday, Jan. 31. “Sink holes are formed in sanitary or storm water sewer lines when a