Local News

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will host its spring commencement exercises outdoors on Saturday, May 14 at the Hammond campus. A total of 976 candidates, representing PNW’s five colleges, are eligible to receive degrees during commencement. This number includes 856 earning baccalaureate degrees and 120 earning master’s degrees. PNW’s ceremony will take place south of the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building, 2229 173rd Street. The commencement program is scheduled to start at noon. In case of severe weather, the back-up date is Sunday, May 15. The keynote speaker will be Alfredo “Al” Sori, a 1989 graduate of Purdue Northwest who

The City of La Porte's Taco Fest has been postponed due to Friday's forecast, according to City Events & Civic Director Brett Binversie.  "With chilly temperatures and a 100 percent chance of rain in the forecast, we feel it is best to reschedule Friday night's festivities," Binversie said. "We want Taco Fest to be a fun, positive experience for visitors and vendors alike, and it just doesn't seem that the weather would permit that. Though disappointed about the delay, we are excited that we were able to find a new date that we are hopeful will work for everyone.   The

The Gabis Arboretum Railway Garden has opened for the season and will remain open from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October. The Gabis Arboretum Railway Garden spans two-acres and tells stories of American railroads in the context of a display garden. Miniature G-gauge model trains run throughout the exhibit alongside ten dioramas depicting American history. The entire exhibit is made possible by volunteers. The Railway Garden showcases plants that are not often seen in the Midwest. Due to the various elevation changes throughout the exhibit, various “microclimates” are created allowing unique plants to thrive. 

The primary election took place Tuesday in LaPorte County. In general across the county voter turnout was 16.32% with a public count of 12,793. Out of that number 10,320 voted on election day; 329 by paper absentee; and 2,144 by walk-in absentee. The following documents are from the LaPorte County Primary Election Summary Report for 2022:

Construction work near Cedar and Lafayette Streets continues in Michigan City, the South Shore Line announced earlier this week. The South Shore Line says that the new sets of tracks in this area are designed to remove the track curve that previously existed. "Straightening the approach in and out of the future 11th Street Station platforms will help with speed and efficiency of the South Shore Line’s operational train movements", the South Shore Line said.  

A Chesterton police officer and the Chesterton Street Commissioner, John Schnadenberg rescued a passenger from a water-filled ditch on Tuesday, according to a post made on the Town of Chesterton Facebook page.  According to the post, Schnadenberg was pulling onto Ind. 49 at around 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, when he heard over his radio a report of a car, which had just left the northbound lanes of Ind. 49, had entered a ditch in front of the CVS, and was filling with water. On his arrival Schnadenberg discovered that, the car was submerged up to the top of its

The following is an update from NICTD on the South Shore Line (NICTD) Double Track NWI Project construction that is ongoing:  GARY- MILLER STATION AREA All buildings have been demolished for the construction of the station and parking lots in Miller. New sewer work has begun in both the west and east parking lots. Parking is available but temporarily restricted while work near Miller Station progresses. Vehicular and pedestrian access from Melton Road (US 20) will be closed, the driveway from Old US 12/Dunes Highway will remain open. Construction activities may be taking place on the shoulder of Dunes Hwy. Upcoming

An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor has begun a $31.99 million concrete pavement restoration project on I-80/94 between the Illinois State Line and State Road 912. Mobile operations are currently taking place on the shoulders of I-80/94 between mile marker 0 and 7 during the daytime hours of approximately 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Work includes cleaning the shoulders and inspecting and repairing storm drains to prepare for shifted traffic during construction. These daily shoulder closures are scheduled to continue through May 11. Starting on or after Thursday, May 12, overnight lane closures will be utilized on westbound I-80/94. Alternating lane

Two Illinois men were arrested Monday after leading Lake County Sheriff’s Department officers on a pursuit.  At around 11 a.m., officers observed an occupant in a Ford Fusion throw a bottle out of the vehicle near 25th and Grant Street in Gary, police said.  Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled onto  I-80/94 westbound at Grant Street. Officers attempted to box the fleeing vehicle in and reduce its speed, but the car collided with a civilian vehicle and a police patrol SUV. The suspect vehicle came to a stop “just across the Illinois state line.” Officers

Valparaiso University gave an update Monday regarding the fire that occurred on Friday at the Art-Psychology building.  “As you know, Valpo suffered a great loss this weekend. The damage to the Art-Psychology building is extensive, but we are thankful and blessed that no one was injured in the fire and want to express gratitude to those who helped evacuate the building.”  The university announced that the Art-Psychology building is permanently closed.  Additionally the university announced that Dickmeyer and Kroencke Hall are closed until further notice. Anyone needing access to either building should contact VUPD.  Valparaiso University additionally stated on their

The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development team is celebrating a recent recognition by the Small Business Administration after receiving the SBDC Excellence & Innovation Center Award. “National Small Business Week is the first week of May. At the SBA, we think every day is Small Business Week,” said SBA Indiana District Director Stacey Poynter at the Financial Literacy Roundtable, which included the award presentation. The award is given to small business development centers “for providing valuable guidance and assistance to entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and advancing program delivery and management using innovative programming and methods.” “Our team is humbled to

The following is a press release from Franciscan Health:  When Franciscan Health Michigan City’s Family Birth Center encountered a rare, life-threatening childbirth condition, expertise and teamwork combined to save the life of a Michigan City mother and her baby. Teresa Gomez came to Franciscan Health Michigan City on Jan. 31, 2022, to give birth to her seventh child. However, this labor was different from any she had before. She developed an amniotic fluid embolism, a serious condition that occurs when amniotic fluid enters the mother’s bloodstream. It’s a condition with high mortality risk for mother and infant. “I couldn’t breathe,

Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) newest structure, a steel bell tower at its Hammond campus, rang its first official chimes this past Friday during a ribbon-cutting and celebration. PNW additionally premiered its fight song, “Onward PNW,” and alma mater song, “In the Heart of the Calumet,” via the bell tower’s chimes and in-person singing. PNW administrators, students, faculty and staff members, and public officials came together at the site of the bell tower, near Lawshe Hall and the Nils K. Nelson Bioscience Innovation Building on the Hammond campus, to celebrate completion of the structure’s construction, which began in November 2021. “This

Those caring for an aging parent or spouse will have the opportunity to tour centers devoted to Franciscan Senior Health and Wellness programs and collect information from senior service providers at open houses in Dyer on May 10 and Michigan City on May 24. The open houses will highlight Franciscan’s Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a community-based healthcare program created for people 55 or older who have chronic care needs and prefer to continue living independently in their home environment. It was created as a one-stop shop for the seniors’ healthcare needs, from doctor’s appointments and medication

A former Valparaiso man has been arrested for child molesting, the La Porte County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday. On September 18, 2021, Deputy Scott Lanoue responded to a residence located in rural Springfield Township regarding a sex offense involving a juvenile. A follow-up investigation was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, with Detective Gabe Struss as the lead investigator. The investigation identified 30 year-old Alexander E. Perez formerly of Valparaiso, Indiana. On October 19, 2021, Detective Struss presented the findings of his investigation to La Porte County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth Boehm. The following day, an arrest warrant was issued

The Fraternal Order of Police Associate Lodge 125 on Friday presented a check for $3000 to the Lake County Animal Adoption & Control Center. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department says the funds will go a long way toward helping them care for and find forever homes for unwanted and neglected pets.  The F.O.P. Associate Lodge primarily raises funds to support the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and its animal shelter.

NICTD will be closing Franklin Street at 11th Street beginning Monday May 2 for a period of 30 days for track removal and replacement for the Double Track Project. Due to the closure the bus routes will follow the below detour: “Routes #1 and #3 will detour southbound, from Washington Street to Green Street and resume the regular route on Franklin Street and Green Street. Northbound Franklin Street to Green Street to Washington Street to 9th Street to Pine Street and resume the regular route. Due to time constraints Route #2 will not be crossing 11th Street. Route #2 will

The City of Valparaiso announced on Friday that Silhavy Road is now open for traffic. The city said that while the weather prolonged the railroad project, the extended closure helped to speed up the resurfacing work.  Final paving and surface markings will take place over the next weeks, with the roadway remaining open for traffic.  

La Porte’s Robert Martin, students at Michigan City’s Barker Middle School and Crown Point’s Christian School know the ‘secret’ of innovation. Like every creative genus, these students dream, probe, experiment, risk, ask, observe, persevere, challenge and imagine. The Center for Creative Solutions honored them during April’s World Creativity and Innovation Week. Underwritten by the Morgan Family Foundation, they received Student Innovation awards. For the first time, two schools, Barker Middle and Crown Point Christian, were honored with monetary prizes. Robert Martin is a La Porte High School junior, and an aspiring architect and entrepreneur. “Robert knows no stranger. His determination