Local News

Matt Zurbriggen has been named Utilities Director for Valparaiso City Services, announced Mayor Jon Costas. "Matt has the diverse skill set and community commitment needed to continue building our extraordinary Valparaiso City Services. His leadership is part of a considered succession plan, learning from Steve Poulos who has led VCS in a variety of roles for three decades," said Costas. Poulos began as Valpo's City Administrator  May 1. Zurbriggen has served as deputy director for Valparaiso City Services since 2023. He formerly served as Deputy Engineering Director for the City of Valparaiso and has more than 10 years of engineering

The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED) released statistics from this past April. The CVED is responsible for enforcing both state and federal regulations on all commercial motor vehicles (CMV). Major tasks include conducting Safety Inspections, New Entrant Safety Audits, and Compliance Reviews to ensure compliance with equipment and hours-of-service regulations. The CVED is also tasked with enforcing Indiana’s size and weight laws and ensuring that commercial carriers are properly registered and paying their fair share of fuel tax dollars. Additionally, they assist in the investigation of commercial vehicle crashes (post-crash inspections) and manage the annual school bus

Today A 30 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.   Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.   Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.   Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.   Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

The City of Michigan City announced vegetation enforcement is underway. "Keeping Michigan City clean is a community effort that requires everyone to do their part," the City said on its Facebook page.  "City Code dictates grass, weeds, and other vegetation must be under 6 inches tall. As we move further into the spring season, Vector Control has begun addressing overgrowth." The City gave the following points that residents should know: - At properties where the grass exceeds 6 inches, property owners will be issued a notice granting 5 days to bring the yard into compliance. - If the property is

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City’s free FIT-Together program, a family-centered approach to health and wellness, is back and open for registration. The unique, eight-week fitness program is intended for households with children between the ages of 8 and 15. FIT-Together addresses the well-being of every participating family member, including children, siblings, parents and parental figures. Attendees will learn the seven Cs of family resilience, including control, competence, coping, confidence, connection, character and contribution. Individual and family-centered physical activities and tips to maintain a healthy, active life with Trainer Ron Gaston are included along with cooking, meal prep

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) and the NiSource Charitable Foundation have announced that 25 local nonprofit organizations have been chosen to receive a 2026 Environmental Action Grant. This annual program supports local environmental restoration and education projects and programs by providing a grant of up to $5,000 to each recipient. The organizations were chosen through a competitive process during which nonprofits submitted applications for specific community-based environmental projects that were reviewed and scored by a selection committee. In the program’s 11-year history in Indiana, NIPSCO has awarded more than $ $824,000 to support nearly 200 projects. “This is an exciting and forward-thinking

In recognition of National Hepatitis Awareness Month, Porter County Health Department is offering free Hepatitis C testing at our Valparaiso location throughout the entire month of May. Testing is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Walk-ins are welcome, no appointment needed. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hepatitis C testing is recommended for all adults aged 18 and older at least once in their lifetime, and during each pregnancy," the Porter County Health Department said on their Facebook. "More frequent testing is recommended for people with risk factors, including": • Current or

An update on an accident Tuesday afternoon from the La Porte County Sheriff's Office on Westbound US 30 East of State Road 39 involving 5 vehicles. See below for details. PHOTO and STORY CREDIT: La Porte County Sheriff's Office-see below and FOLLOW their FACEBOOK page for the latest WB US 30, east of SR 39 May 5 5PM A multi-vehicle SBI crash restricted traffic flow for several hours on Tuesday afternoon. A total of five vehicles were involved, four of which were CMVs. The crash occurred in the WB driving lane. Deputies determined two CMVs and a passenger vehicle were

Incredible work by the Rensselaer Vol. Fire Department and crew on an early morning Truck Fire. Stay away on I-65 at 214MM northbound. Clean up continues. Expect traffic back-ups and re-routes as well. Follow their FACEBOOK page for the latest. #wims PHOTO and STORY UPDATE to the Rensselaer Vol. Fire Department-thank you. TRAFFIC ALERT - I-65 NB in Jasper County from INDOT NORTHWEST-Follow their FACEBOOK page for updated information All lanes of I-65 northbound are closed at mile marker 213 (north of U.S. 231) due to cleanup from an early morning semi fire. INDOT will need to assess the pavement

Today A 40 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 56.   Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.   Friday A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.   Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.   Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Aristotle, Thomas Edison, Walt Whitman, Nickla Tesla, Charles Darwin, Henry David Thoreau, Albert Einstein, and other geniuses all knew a secret about solving complex problems. Their best ideas, they claimed, came while being active in nature. Today and every day, Hoosiers can improve their own lives with that wisdom. Ride a bike outside! May is a perfect time to start, according to Margaret Barawskas, Executive Director of Bicycle Indiana. May is National Biking Month and May 15, 2026, is “National Ride Your Bike to Work Day.” The yearly celebration is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclist, a national cycling

MICHIGAN CITY, IN – Letter carriers across the country will be picking up more than mail on Saturday, May 9. This weekend marks the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, an event organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers. Residents are encouraged to leave donations of non-perishable food items by their mailboxes on Saturday, May 9 to be collected by the letter carriers. The Salvation Army of Michigan City is pleased to be the local recipient of donations made in Michigan City, filling the shelves of its food pantry with the items given so generously by the community. Currently,

Michigan City Fire Department’s Public Information Office Tia Eckwood is sharing a recent house fire story that highlights the importance of early escape and the limits of fire blankets. According to Eckwood, the fire was on Gladys Street at approximately 7 a.m. on April 23. Eckwood stated gave the following information below: According to the resident, she was sleeping when she heard a popping sound and then noticed flames coming from an ottoman inside the home. In an attempt to extinguish the fire, she retrieved a fire blanket and tried to smother the flames. Despite her efforts, the fire spread

“PLANT SMART, DO YOUR PART! Pollinator Garden Planting Workshop” will provide a hands-on experience in which participants will practice planting a native plant or more, take it home with you, then transfer them to your yard, school, business, or organization (with permission of course). Leslie Shad, former National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Board Member, and Kathy Sipple, founder of NWI Region Resilience, have decades of experience between them in recommending native plants and in designing pollinator gardens which they'll share with you. Help us certify with NWF to become the first city, county, and state ever via the Hoosier Habitats Challenge!

Ted Turner, the media maverick and philanthropist who founded CNN, a pioneering 24-hour network that revolutionized television news, died peacefully Wednesday, surrounded by his family, according to a news release from Turner Enterprises. He was 87. The Ohio-born Atlanta businessman, nicknamed “The Mouth of the South” for his outspoken nature, built a media empire that encompassed cable’s first superstation and popular channels for movies and cartoons, plus professional sports teams like the Atlanta Braves. Turner was also an internationally known yachtsman; a philanthropist who founded the United Nations Foundation; an activist who sought the worldwide elimination of nuclear weapons; and

Today Partly sunny, with a high near 54. North wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 56. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph. Thursday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. South southwest wind around 5 mph. Friday A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Southwest

Press Release by Office of Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch: $400,000 contribution closes final funding gap for transformational $5 million community investment MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. — Google announced Tuesday during the Michigan City Common Council meeting that it will provide the final $400,000 needed to fully fund the highly anticipated Fedder’s Alley All-Inclusive Playground and Fitness Park project, officially completing fundraising efforts for the transformational $5 million initiative. The project, first publicly announced in September 2024, has been years in the making and represents one of the most ambitious quality-of-life investments in Michigan City history. Designed to be fully inclusive and

Valparaiso, IN – Ivy Tech Community College’s will honor 1,700 graduates at the annual commencement ceremony on Thursday May 7, 2026 at 6pm CT. The ceremony will take place at the Valparaiso University Athletics Recreation Center located at 1009 Union Street, Valparaiso, IN.   Students earned over 2,000 degrees and certificates during the 2025-2026 academic year. Commencement ceremony will highlight distinct honors and awards to Distinguished Graduates and Alumnus of Ivy Tech. Ceremony will also feature keynote speaker Lisa Daugherty, President & CEO of Center of Workforce Innovations.   “We are incredibly excited and proud of all of our students

South Bend Man Sentenced to 94 Months in Prison For Possession of Child Pornography and Aggravated Identity Theft Paul R. McDowell, Jr., 29 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access of a computer, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.   McDowell was sentenced to 94 months of prison followed by 5 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $66,000 in restitution.   “The Defendant was a hacker-for-hire and would hijack the online social media