Local News

Ice skating returns to Downtown La Porte Thanksgiving weekend. "Enjoy this fun, healthy activity with family and friends, with skating times scheduled on weekends and over holiday break from November 28 through January 25," City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department said on their Facebook page. Watch for specials including FREE SKATE FRIDAYS and BOGO (Buy One Get One) SKATE SUNDAYS. Group outings and skating lessons also available. Want to sponsor a skate or bring out a group? Call 219-326-9600 for more information. To reserve your skate time for November 28-30, visit www.laporteparkandrec.com. For FREE SKATE FRIDAY on November

The American Red Cross will be at Portage City Hall for our last blood drive of 2025. Registration is easy, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter CityofPortage. Give blood 12/8 -12/18 and get a $15 Amazon Gift Card by email.

The Portage Youth Commission is hosting a Food Drive to support the local food bank. The drive runs until December 12. All nonperishable donations can be dropped off in the Portage City Hall Lobby during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm (excluding holidays).

The Porter County Health Department announced there will be a blood drive Nov. 26 at the Porter County Administration Center. See the flyer for more details.

Event Welcomes High School Students, Recent Graduates, and Young Adults to Explore Careers in the Trades VALPARAISO, IN — The Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) and the Construction Advancement Foundation (CAF) are making final preparations for the 3rd Annual Porter County Construction & Skilled Trades Day on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, Indiana. Started by CWI and CAF in 2017, Construction & Skilled Trades Day connects Northwest Indiana youth with hands-on experiences in the building trades. Hosted in partnership with Indiana Plan, Northwest Indiana Workforce Board, READY NWI, NextGen NWI, and We Build

Michigan City Festival of Lights Parade registration is open. Michigan City Special Events stated the following on their Facebook page: "The Michigan City Festival of Lights Parade is just around the corner! Registration is open and participation is FREE! Show off your Christmas spirit and be a part of the festivities! Simply fill out the registration and be a part of the fun! https://michigancityin.gov/.../michigan-city-special.../"

JOIN US FOR PANCAKE BREAKFAST  WITH MRS. CLAUS& BUDDY THE ELF! The Chesterton-Porter Rotary Club will host a “PANCAKE BREAKFAST WITH MRS. CLAUS” on Saturday, November 29th at George’s Gyros, 325 N. Calumet Ave. in Chesterton from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. Come and enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage and meet Mrs. Claus and Buddy the Elf, and have photos taken with them! Mrs. Claus will let everyone know when Santa will be arriving during the Annual Hometown Holiday Parade later in the day. Both dine in and carry out meals are available. Guests are asked to bring canned goods or boxed

Kabelin Ace Hardware Joins Houchens Food Group – Keeping a Local Legacy Strong Through Employee Ownership A fifth-generation family business takes the next step to secure its future and gives employees the opportunity to share in the company’s success. November 14, 2025 (La Porte, IN) – Kabelin Ace Hardware, a local, family-owned hardware store that has served Northwest Indiana for more than 100 years, announced today that it has joined Houchens Food Group – one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the country. All 150+ employees will be retained in the transition, and Kabelin’s will continue to operate under

TURKEY GIVEAWAY at the Marquette Mall in Michigan City this Saturday November 15th right outside of Carson Pirie Scott- PLEASE ENTER THROUGH THE NORTH ENTRANCE OF THE MALL ON ST. JOHN ROAD-ARRIVE EARLY. REMINDER. TURKEY GIVEAWAY EVENT. This Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 9 am to 10:30 am Central time, Food Bank of Northern Indiana will provide assorted food items offered free of charge. All items are pre-boxed and pre-bagged. First come, first served, while supplies last for those in need of food assistance. One box/turkey per household, 500 HOUSEHOLDS to be served. Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc. will

Indiana families can now access tutoring grants through Indiana Learns, a statewide initiative that helps qualifying students strengthen their skills in English/language arts (ELA) and math. Enrollment is open through Friday, December 19, and families can begin scheduling tutoring sessions immediately. “As a state, we continue to make progress in both reading and math. Indiana Learns is just one example of our commitment to keeping our foot on the gas pedal and improving outcomes for students,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Indiana Learns specifically focuses on our most struggling students and provides them the opportunity to receive

The City of La Porte announced that "Letters from Santa" registration forms are available until Dec. 1. The city said the following on their Facebook page: "We've been rehired as special helpers for the holiday season! Santa's helpers are tasked with one of the most magical jobs at the North Pole - getting Santa's letters to the children on the nice list all around the world. We are determined to be the very best helpers of them all. Complete the form and your little one will find a very special parcel addressed just for them in the mailbox this holiday

Wednesday morning, the Indiana State Police (ISP) issued the 20 members of the 87th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy their first patrol vehicles. During the event, ISP  unveiled the new look that their patrol vehicles will be displaying going forward.  The 20 Probationary Troopers, all of whom just successfully completed their field training, received the very first of these new look Durangos. “As these new Troopers begin their service, they carry forward a proud tradition of protecting Hoosiers with integrity and courage. The new patrol vehicles are a fitting way to mark this next chapter—honoring our history while equipping the

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Mitch Roob Wednesday announced the recommendations of the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Working Group, convened earlier this year to address the rapid growth and sustainability challenges of Medicaid-funded ABA therapy. ABA therapy is a widely used, evidence-based treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For many Hoosier families, it has been life-changing—helping children develop essential skills, reduce barriers, and increase independence. But while the therapy’s value is clear, the way Indiana’s Medicaid program has managed it since coverage began in 2015 has created serious challenges. “When Medicaid coverage for

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. — The Indiana State Police  says they seized 11 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop during the recent snowstorm on Monday in Porter County. A trooper was on S.R. 49 when he observed a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling at a high rate of speed despite snow and ice-covered roads. The area where this occurred is also a construction zone. After initially failing to stop, the driver finally pulled over on the ramp to U.S. 30. The driver, 35-year-old Daniel Aguilar Ramirez of Knox, IN, presented a California driver’s license to troopers. During the traffic stop,

The Salvation Army has partnered with Farmed & Forged Market for the Giving Market on Saturday, November 22. Families in need (with an EBT card): Stop by to receive a free "Feed a Family Box" of locally sourced food (while supplies last). Community members: Come shop the market, support local vendors, and help feed your neighbors this holiday season. Donations raised will help restock our food pantry and provide meals for families in Michigan City. Check out the event page for more details, or click here to donate: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/feed-a-family-4

Press Release, Michigan City Police: BERRIEN COUNTY, MICH. The Michigan State Police (MSP) Niles Post, in partnership with the DNA Doe Project, has identified the woman known for decades as “New Buffalo Jane Doe” as 71-year-old Dorothy Glanton of Chicago, Illinois. Glanton was reported missing after leaving her Chicago home on December 9, 1987. On April 8, 1988, her remains were recovered along the shoreline of Lake Michigan near New Buffalo. Despite extensive investigative efforts at the time, her identity could not be determined. In 2023, MSP investigators reopened the case and enlisted assistance from the DNA Doe Project, a

The Indiana Department of Health gave the following update on Wednesday: Update on ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula: Parents and caregivers should stop using any ByHeart infant formula products immediately. - If your child consumed ByHeart formula and is experiencing symptoms (poor feeding, loss of head control, difficulty swallowing, decreased facial expression) seek immediate medical attention - If your child consumed ByHeart formula and is not currently showing symptoms, continue monitoring them and seek medical attention if symptoms develop

The DNR is reminding hunters that firearms deer season starts on November 15 and the DNR has a new license system. DNR is urging hunters to log in to the new system, verify their personal information, and purchase early. The DNR says if you’re planning to hunt deer firearms season, logging on now leaves plenty of time to contact DNR or visit a retailer if you encounter issues. DNR anticipates heavy traffic to the system on November 14 and 15, so help us help you get into the field. • Purchase Your License: gooutdoorsin.com/login • Help & Support: gooutdoorsin.com/help-support For

Northwest Indiana- The Indiana State Police Lowell Post and Regional Dispatch Center were nonstop yesterday on I-65 and I-80/94 during the Lake Effect Winter Storms. Between the overnight storm, and then the storm that hit the region just before noon, troopers responded to hundreds of calls for assistance consisting of crashes, slide-offs, flat tires, vehicles out of gas, dead batteries, and trucks that were just stuck and unable to gain traction on the ice-covered roads. Semis had a particularly rough go of it as dozens of trucks throughout the storms became disabled in the middle of the interstate when their

Press Release, Michigan City Police Department: On November 3rd, the Michigan City Police Department initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint of an adult male having sexual encounters with a child. Detective Corporal Adam Brinkman began working with the Indiana Department of Child Services and learned during his investigation that 66-year-old Michigan City resident, Billy Cannon reportedly had multiple sexual encounters with a child that was known to him. Detectives from the Investigative Division executed a search warrant at Cannon’s residence on November 7th where they took him into custody and located evidence to corroborate the allegations made by the