Local News

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration on Thursday received approval from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to continue its practice of extending postpartum coverage for Hoosiers receiving Medicaid during pregnancy from 60 days to one year. Indiana has been providing this extended coverage since April; Thursday’s federal announcement will allow it to continue. Previously, postpartum Medicaid coverage ended after 60 days. In May, Indiana’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning asked CMS for approval to extend the postpartum coverage period for traditional Medicaid, Healthy Indiana Plan Maternity and Hoosier Healthwise members. This will apply to all

Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) fall 2022 enrollment figures show positive trends of first-time freshman enrollment and increasing diversity at the university. PNW’s undergraduate student population now is comprised of more than 25% Hispanic students and 56% first-generation college students. Fall enrollment data show 91% of undergraduates are full-time students, with 81% who are age 25 or younger. PNW Chancellor Thomas L. Keon said this fall they welcomed one of thier largest classes of first-time college students. PNW enrolled 1,292 first-time freshmen for 2022-23, up by 225 compared with fall 2021 and also representing an increase from the pre-pandemic year of

As part of the Double Track project, in Michigan City on 11th Street, a barrier wall is being installed south of the tracks. The wall will separate 11th Street, which will permanently convert to one-way eastbound traffic after construction, from the tracks. NICTD says this will enhance safety. Michigan City is funding the effort to create a more decorative brick pattern, and will soon select a final stain color as well.  

RUSH and Franciscan Alliance, Inc., are partnering to jointly develop and provide clinical services to improve the availability of health care to patients in Northwest Indiana. The partnership includes RUSH (Rush University System for Health) and Franciscan Health hospitals in Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond, Michigan City and Munster. Patients now have streamlined access to subspecialty care offered by RUSH providers, while staying connected and receiving many services in their own communities. The agreement establishes coordinated care between RUSH and Franciscan, with direct collaboration between providers to ensure that patients receive the highest-quality care in the most cost-effective way possible, while

Nearly a dozen Fire Science students in the La Porte County Career and Technical Education program will be certified in CPR, thanks to instruction by local firefighters. Three firefighters from the Michigan City Fire Department spent Tuesday morning at the A.K. Smith Career Center teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to students who are learning the basics of firefighting. Training included proper chest compression techniques, how to use AEDs (automated external defibrillators) and bag-mask devices, as well as the difference between performing these measures on adults, children, and infants. “This is a skill that is required for any career in the health

The intersection of State Road 2 and U.S. 6 in LaPorte County will be closed for ongoing roundabout construction on or after Sept. 14. It is expected to reopen by the first week of October. To access both S.R. 2 and U.S. 6 during the closure, drivers should use the approved detour of U.S. 421, U.S. 30 and State Road 49, or seek an alternate route.

An interventional cardiologist has joined the Franciscan Physician Network at the Franciscan Health Heart Center Michigan City. Kamel Sadat, MD, received his training at INESSM Algiers, Algeria. His residency was at St. Joseph Hospital, University of Illinois at Chicago and his fellowships were at West Virginia University, the University of Birmingham at Alabama, the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and Houston Methodist Hospital. His clinical interests include advanced heart failure, ventricular assisted devices, heart transplant, advanced cardiac imaging, complex stenting, coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease and structural heart disease. The Franciscan Health Heart Center Michigan City is located

In August, NIPSCO employees were honored to participate at volunteer events across northern Indiana and make a difference through the company’s 12th annual Charity of Choice campaign. Charity of Choice is NIPSCO's annual employee-driven, company-wide effort focused on meeting the needs of a variety of nonprofit groups throughout NIPSCO’s service area. In partnership with the NiSource Charitable Foundation and Besa, an organization that helps connect people and companies with nonprofits, 126 NIPSCO team members volunteered nearly 500 service hours across 26 projects for local organizations. Organizations NIPSCO supported in the month of August include: • Family Services Association of Howard

This past week, the Valparaiso Police Department hosted a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) Physical Security Assessment Training. The 3-day program helps train officers in how to conduct physical security assessments of schools, houses of worship, and other critical infrastructure. Nine communities joined the Valparaiso Police Department in learning more to keep their cities safer.  

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is informing the public about light pollution disrupting songbird migration. The DNR says that, "As the sun sets, songbirds are lifting off and flying over us, navigating by the moon and stars on their south-bound migration. They need your help." Artificial lights disorient the birds, and the DNR says millions of birds that get trapped in the bright lights around urban areas each year won’t make it out alive. You can help by turning out unnecessary lights at night and by encouraging local government and building managers to follow proven methods of reducing light

There will be lane closures on U.S. 41 in Highland for bridge construction next week. Crews will be working on the bridge by the water tower over the railroad tracks starting on or after September 13, with work expected to be complete by the end of the week. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change. During the work, crews will first shut down the east side of the bridge and one lane of traffic in each direction will use the west side. Once the east side is complete, traffic will then have one lane open in each

Michigan City High School students recently learned about digital safety at a presentation with Cathie Bledsoe of the Indiana State Police. During the presentation at MCHS, Bledsoe told students, “When I look around this room, I see potential victims, and potential predators.” Bledsoe is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force of the Indiana State Police, and was visiting MCHS as part of a proactive approach to discuss digital safety. She is a former computer teacher who now uses her tech knowledge to fight against online solicitation, human trafficking, and other crimes targeting children. To demonstrate how

Two La Porte County Sheriff's office deputies are being praised for performing life saving actions recently. On Sept. 1, at 10:51 PM, Deputy Austin Wells responded to a motor vehicle crash located in the 3100 block of Monroe Street. He arrived to find that a single vehicle had crashed into the front of the residence. The vehicle had completely entered the residence. Deputy Wells entered the residence to check the welfare of the occupants and the status of the driver. He learned the residents had already exited, but the driver was trapped inside the vehicle. As Deputy Wells approached the

A La Porte County fugitive was arrested in Florida after being wanted since March of last year. On October 7, 2019, an arrest warrant was issued for 55-year-old Timothy Bailey for a Security Fraud offense that occurred in November of 2018. The warrant was served on March 24, 2020. Bailey was released from the La Porte County Jail (LCJ) and placed on GPS monitoring on May 14, 2020. On March 11, 2021, Bailey was sentenced to five years in the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) for two counts of Security Fraud. Bailey was ordered by the court to surrender himself

Charges have been filed against a man in connection with the Sept. 1, stabbing death of Denis J. Earley and the injuries to John P. Earley. With the assistance of the La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, 42-year-old Kyle K. Earley of Michiana Shores, was charged with murder and attempted murder. Earley is the son of John Earley and the nephew of Denis Earley. Earley remains housed in the La Porte County Jail. He is being held on a $1 million cash-only bond. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information associated with the incident is encouraged to contact lead Detective

Franciscan Health has updated information on an upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinic taking place Sept. 9. The following is the the updated information: Franciscan Health Michigan City is hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in an effort to increase education and vaccination rates in underserved communities. The clinic will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Pleasant Hill Ministries, 715 E. 10th St. Pfizer first and second vaccines will be available for ages 5 and older. Per updated U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines issued Aug. 31, the new Pfizer bivalent booster shot, which targets the prevalent

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced lane and ramp closures for I-80/94 as the ongoing construction moves into a new phase. Lane closures are scheduled to take place in the eastbound lanes of I-80/94 on September 9 to allow for crews to get those lanes into the new construction phase. Those lane closures are all scheduled to be wrapped up by Sept. 11. The north and southbound Calumet Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard on-ramps to eastbound I-80/94 are scheduled to close on September 9. Construction is expected to wrap up by September 23. The north and southbound Kennedy Avenue on-ramps

Franciscan Health Michigan City behavioral health professionals are urging people to talk to those potentially in crisis and to utilize available resources in an effort to help prevent suicides. “You’re never alone,” said Heidi Darrah, director of behavioral health at the Franciscan Health Michigan City Legacy Campus. “Help is always available.” The issue is being highlighted ahead of National Suicide Prevention Week. The Sept. 4-10 event, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, aims to create awareness and help people learn how they can play a role in saving lives. Experts encourage anyone who thinks a friend or loved

One person is dead and another person is injured after a stabbing in rural Michiana Shores, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. Just before 9:30 a.m. Friday, a La Porte County Sheriff’s deputy was called to a residence in the 300 block of Groveland Trail to assist Long Beach Police with an unknown problem. The deputy met with Long Beach Police Chief Marshal Mark Swistek who advised two subjects had been stabbed. A person associated with the incident had already been detained by Chief Marshal Swistek. One of the victims was identified as 64 year-old Denis J. Earley.

A Portage man led police on a pursuit Wednesday, going airborne and crashing a stolen vehicle before being arrested. Portage police say that at around 10:16 p.m. the dispatch center Center received a call from a citizen reporting that a possible auto theft had just occurred at the Car-X Tire and Auto on U.S. Highway 6. The caller told the dispatch center that the suspect vehicle was a red pickup truck last seen traveling eastbound on US Highway 6. A Portage Police Officer observed a vehicle matching the description traveling northbound on McCool Road near Squirrel Creek Avenue a few