Local News

The Valparaiso Police Department announced the promotion of five individuals from within their ranks. Effective immediately, Jon Watson and Cassidy Schafer have been promoted to Lieutenant, while Ryan Sobierajski, Peter Castillo, and Kaci Morris have been promoted to Sergeant. Jon Watson is a seven-year veteran, who has served in various roles within the Valparaiso Police Department, including as part of the Porter County Highway Interdiction Team. Jon has also served VPD as an Accident Reconstructionist and Field Training Officer (FTO), acting as the Coordinator of the FTO program for the last few years. Jon is a 2011 graduate of Chesterton

To accommodate South Shore Line passengers attending the Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting taking place Feb. 23-25 at McCormick Place, the South Shore Line will be offering select weekday train stops at McCormick Place Station on Thursday, Feb. 23, and Friday, Feb. 24. In addition to regular SSL weekend service to McCormick Place, the following weekday trains will make special flag stops at McCormick Place on Feb. 23-24: Note: Eastbound Trains 109, 113, 119, 121, 123 terminate at Carroll Ave.; Train 209 terminates at Gary Metro Center; Trains 9, 17 & 19 terminate at South Bend. All weekend trains except

La Porte Community Schools, School Board President Jim Arnold and Vice President Ryan Seaburg attended the Indiana School Boards Association’s fifth annual State House Day in Indianapolis on Tuesday. The gathering featured  briefings on the status of current K-12 education bills, discussions with legislative leaders and bill authors, and an opportunity for school board members to engage with their local representatives and senators. The event opened with ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin and ISBA General Counsel Lisa Tanselle providing an update on bills affecting the education community and an overview of ISBA’s advocacy efforts and focus. ISBA President Tom Simpson

The City of Valparaiso announced that South Campbell Road will be closed between Boundary Street and Brown Street from Feb. 27 through July 14 for road reconstruction, including new sewer, water main and sidewalk. A bike trail will also be added to promote growth and pedestrian access to the Downtown Barrel District. Detours will be posted. Truck traffic is directed east to Sturdy Road due to the low clearance at the Washington Street viaduct.

The Indiana Department of Transportation is altering motorists of alternating overnight lane closures on eastbound and westbound I-94 in Lake County through March 1. Overnight work hours are approximately 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. The work is to set up phase one of continued concrete restoration work. The work zone during phase one will be the inside shoulders and left lane, with the outside right shoulder used for an additional travel lane.

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. --A man was arrested for impaired driving after the semi he was driving carrying 40,000 pounds of mail overturned on I-65. Photo courtesy: Indiana State Police Early Monday at around 12:15 a.m., dispatch received a call of a semi crash on I-65, southbound lanes at the 246.2 mile-marker.  This is one mile south of the Crown Point exit. Preliminary investigation shows that the Volvo truck drove off the roadway and overturned, resulting in the trailer breaking open and the contents falling out.  The trailer was loaded with 40,000 lbs. of U.S. Mail. Further investigation resulted

HAMMOND, Ind.-- A man died early Monday after a crash on I-94 in Lake County, according to Indiana State Police. At around 2:00 a.m., troopers were dispatched to I-80/94 at the Indianapolis Boulevard exit ramp for a single vehicle crash. A trooper arrived at the crash scene and observed a Chevrolet Impala that had exited eastbound I-80 onto northbound Indianapolis Boulevard and rolled, coming to a rest on its roof in the ditch. The driver had been ejected from the vehicle and was pinned underneath the Impala.  A passenger, who was wearing a seatbelt, was able to be removed from

The Franciscan Physician Network Center for Midwifery is now open in Crown Point, expanding Franciscan Health Crown Point’s offerings to meet the healthcare needs of women of all ages. “Franciscan Health Crown Point has consistently built and broadened our services to meet the needs of the community by advancing technology such as our robotics program, broadening our expertise as evidenced with our partnership with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital for neonatal intensive care services, and now, expanding our choices for women’s services through our midwifery center,” Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Daniel McCormick, MD, said. Women's

The Valparaiso Police Department announced the recent retirement of Patrol Lieutenant Phil Spence. Phil has served with the City of Valparaiso for nearly 30 years, beginning his career with VPD in 1993 as a “Special Officer” and becoming a dispatcher in 1994, before being sworn-in as a Probationary Patrolman on February 16, 1995.  Phil attained his first promotion, to Sergeant, in 2005 and was again promoted in 2017, to Lieutenant. During his career, Phil remained a valuable member and leader within the Patrol Division.  Phil served many roles within the Valparaiso Police Department, including as a Hit and Run Investigator,

A Michigan City man is facing charges including attempted murder after making a 911 call for help and then firing shots at officers on their arrival. On Friday, at 5:25 a.m., dispatch received a 911 call from the 1500 block of E. Barker Avenue in Michigan City. The male caller asked for help but provided no other details. Three officers responded to the Barker Avenue residence to conduct a welfare check on the caller. The officers attempted to get the caller to come to the door by knocking and announcing their presence. While doing so, movement could be heard inside

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after a Highland police officer shot an alleged shoplifter. On Friday at around 1:54 p.m., Highland Police were dispatched to Kohl’s, at 10353 Indianapolis Blvd., for a report of a male suspect who was allegedly shoplifting in the store and the male had allegedly been observed shoplifting from Kohl’s in two past incidents. Officers made contact with the male suspect in the parking lot near a Ford Escape. An altercation ensued between an officer and the driver and another officer fired shots into the vehicle. The suspect was struck in the arm. The

Kyra Krachinski, a senior at Michigan City High School, has been selected for the Indiana All-State Honor Band – the first musician in the history of MCHS to be chosen for this prestigious honor, selected from among hundreds of students across the state who auditioned. All-State Honor Band musicians are selected based on a recorded audition of advanced-level musical pieces. Krachinski’s audition was held in January at Valparaiso High School for a panel of judges who determined the Indiana All-State Honor Band in a blind selection – not knowing the school affiliation of students auditioning. Those students from across the

The first African American judicial officer in LaPorte County will be appointed this April. Thomas Alevizos, Judge of the LaPorte Circuit Court, announced that on April 21, he will be appointing and swearing in Erika C. Stallworth as the first African American Judicial Officer in LaPorte County, Indiana. Stallworth will be assuming the duties of Juvenile Magistrate upon the retirement of W. Jonathan Forker, who has served in the capacity of both Magistrate and Juvenile Magistrate since January of 2011. She is currently the Executive Director of the LaPorte County Juvenile Services Center (JSC), a 24-bed emergency shelter care and

City of Michigan City offices will be closed in observance of Presidents Day on Monday, Feb. 20. There will be no interruption in Refuse services as they will be operating their normal pickup schedule. Transit will also be operating their regular schedule with no interruptions. The city is reminding citizens of the Complementary Paratransit Service (Dial A Ride) for passengers with scheduled medical treatment appointments.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – The parents of a 3-year-old girl with autism who died in May have been charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. eOn the morning of May 12, 2022 the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call in reference to a 3 year old autistic child, Ivey Allen, who had wandered away from her residence in the 400 block of Long Beach Lane, and was missing. A search for Ivy began immediately following the call. The Michigan City Police Department Uniformed Patrol Division, Investigative Division, Traffic Division, Michigan City Fire Department, Long Beach

The City of La Porte Police Department says its Detective Bureau has made an arrest on a suspect responsible for four burglaries between August 2022 and February 2023. The victims of the burglaries were the La Porte Pantry and the Glass House Smoke Shop. Both businesses were victimized twice by the same suspect. Detectives worked together with the cases to build enough probable cause against the suspect to apply burglary charges. The suspect’s identity will not be released due to the suspect being a juvenile.

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon B. Israel Yahuaca, MD is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Michigan City and Chesterton. Dr. Yahuaca completed his training at University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria, Ill. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Mo. Dr. Yahuaca’s fellowship training was in shoulder and elbow surgery at Florida Orthopedic Institute in Tampa, Fla. His clinical interests are complex shoulder and elbow issues, shoulder replacement, arthroscopic shoulder surgery, upper extremity trauma, sports injuries and elbow replacement. Dr. Yahuaca is

As part of their investment with the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce (Chamber), Horizon Bank recently gifted a full year chamber membership to the Michigan City Black Business Association (MCBBA). During a recent chamber networking event, Horizon Bank representative, Bill Gertner, was able to present the membership to Denice Shipp Glenn, President, and founder of the MCBBA. (Photo provided) MCBBA was founded to empower and provide a voice for the invisible, overlooked, and undervalued black business community. As a membership-based association, they do this through business promotion, business resources, and networking. MCBBA meets monthly every third Monday at Emmet D.

Judicial officers around the state will have the authority to allow news media into their courtrooms to record, photograph, and broadcast court proceedings that are not confidential, beginning on May 1. Rule 2.17 of the Code of Judicial Conduct has long prohibited broadcasting, recording, or taking photographs of court proceedings and areas adjacent to courtrooms without prior approval by the Indiana Supreme Court. An order amending Rule 2.17, effective May 1, 2023, gives the discretion to allow cameras to the local judges. “This is the culmination of years of work and pilot projects with discussion and evaluation,” said Chief Justice

Eighth-grade students from Michigan City and beyond are invited to attend Michigan City High School’s annual Wolfpack Roundup. This informational session will be held on Friday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium at Michigan City High School, 8466 W. Pahs Road. “Wolfpack Roundup is an opportunity for students and their families to take a tour, meet school counselors and administrators, and hear more about classes, extracurriculars, dual credit, and much more,” said MCHS Principal Kyle Dean. The Roundup is open to families of all current eighth-grade students – those who attend Michigan City Area Schools, as well as