Local News

The La Porte County Health Department is informing the public that children aged 5-11 can now receive a booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The booster can be administered 5 months after receiving the second dose of vaccine. Children aged 5-11 who are severely immunocompromised should receive a booster 3 months after their second dose of vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is currently the only vaccine available to children aged 5-17. The La Porte County Health Department COVID vaccine clinic is located at 901 Lincolnway in La Porte. The current hours of operation are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Walk-ins

Governor Eric Holcomb announced he will be discussing Indiana’s investment in advanced manufacturing at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland on Monday.   “Davos 2022 facilitates conversations between global thinkers, international dignitaries, government and business leaders to share their visions for the year ahead,” Gov. Holcomb said. “I’m proud to represent Indiana on a world stage to discuss all the innovative ways Hoosiers can be part of the solution regarding the myriad of challenges facing our state and world today.” Holcomb will deliver remarks at the The Augmented Manufacturing Experience panel which feature panelists Sharan Burrow, Belgium General

A Statewide Silver Alert has been declared for a missing Merrillville teen.  The Merrillville Police Department is investigating the disappearance of 17-year-old Amari McDade, described as a black female, 5 feet 3 inches tall, 140 pounds, black hair with brown eyes, and last seen wearing a burgundy jacket, black pants, and black shoes. McDade is missing from Merrillville and was last seen on Thursday, May 19, at 11:46 a.m. She is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.  Police say if you have any information on Amari McDade, to contact the Merrillville Police Department at 219-660-0001

Michigan City's Washington Park Zoo said on Friday that there has not been a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) within 100 miles of the zoo in the past 30 days, which means they can start reducing quarantine measures for some of their bird areas. Parrots, upper aviary, Red Barn birds, and some raptors are now back in their exhibit outdoors. The zoo said its island ducks, parakeet aviary, and many of the raptors will be staying in their holding areas for a bit longer, as the zoo continues to monitor reports from the surrounding area and carry on

Michigan City Area Schools’ Superintendent Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins, received the Lifetime Achievement Award Friday from the Michigan City chapter of the Indiana Black Expo at its annual awards luncheon. Also honored were MCHS students Jaden Smallwood and O'Marion Hatch, who were recipients of $1,000 IBE scholarships, and MCHS 2005 alum William Walker, who received the "I" Rise Award. Former MCAS employee and community pillar, Arthur Payne received the Community Spirit Award, and introduced Eason-Watkins at the luncheon.  

An motorcyclist died Thursday afternoon in Rolling Prairie after a crash. Thursday at 4:20 p.m., a deputy was near the intersection of U.S. 20 and Michigan Street when suddenly, they heard sounds associated with a crash at the intersection. The deputy located a crash scene involving a sport utility vehicle and a motorcycle. The initial crash investigation completed by deputies determined a 2018 Subaru SUV, had been traveling eastbound on U.S. 20. The SUV was stopped in the eastbound passing lane and yielding to westbound U.S. 20 traffic when his vehicle was struck from behind. A 2012 Triumph Tiger motorcycle,

Eight K-9 teams that completed the DNR Division of Law Enforcement’s nine-week K-9 Resource Protection program were recognized during a graduation ceremony held Friday on the south lawn of the Indiana Statehouse. Graduating teams came from the states of Indiana, Virginia, Kansas, and Washington, as well as from the African country of Zambia. The two participants from Africa are handlers for the Zambia Department of National Parks and Wildlife. Both handlers have countrywide wildlife authority in Zambia. The new teams will focus on detecting bush meat, elephant ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales, firearms, and ammunition. Indiana’s K-9 program started in

State Road 212 in La Porte County will be closed on or after Monday, May 23 through late June.  State Road 212 will first be closed between Warnke Road and Pueblo Street, and when work in that location is completed, the closure will be between Fryer Road and Tryon Road. The official detour will follow U.S. 20, I-94 and U.S. 12. The closure will impact the detour for the current U.S. 12 closure where NICTD is working on the South Shore Double Track project. The closure for U.S. 12, which is expected to be in place through May 26, will

The La Porte Police Department announced Thursday that after a year of going over the logistics and purchasing of the equipment, they are reinstituting the Emergency Response Team (ERT). The department says that it's been nearly 15 years since they’ve had a trained and deployable ERT. This was a collaborative effort with Mayor Tom Dermody, Chief Paul Brettin, Sgt. Justin Dyer, and Specialist Adam Jaskowiak.  This week, the selected members that were chosen after a rigorous tryout are being trained and instructed by Bruce Weiler of Shadow House Tactical.  The team is made up of eight LPPD Officers and one

La Porte County Career and Technical Education students were recognized Thursday during a “CTE Signing Day” event. The ceremony celebrated career tech students who are making commitments to join trade unions or directly entering the workforce following their education at the A.K. Smith Career Center. “We are so proud of these students, their hard work and dedication, and their commitment to the next step in their lives – whether that next step is starting a trade apprenticeship, beginning their career with a local businesses, or joining the military,” said Delincia Smith, Director of La Porte County Career and Technical Education.

All La Porte County educators are encouraged to attend this year’s virtual Summer Technology Conference on June 3, to gain practical, “use it in classroom tomorrow” technology solutions to classroom needs.   To register, visit https://bit.ly/3wjCBQk by May 27. The conference is led by the La Porte County Public Library and Unity Foundation of La Porte County.  This year’s conference again features Matt Miller, author of Ditch that Textbook and Tech Like a Pirate, who will be presenting new content applicable to teachers of all grade levels and subjects and regardless of whether they attended last year. In 2021, over 200

Horizon bank is welcoming Julia Harris-Diaz as a Bilingual Branch Manager of their La Porte office located at 301 Boyd Blvd. Harris is fluent in Spanish. She will oversee the daily retail operations along with managing sales and service of the branch. Harris has 14 years of banking experience. She was in the previous positions of teller, customer service representative, supervisor of the Wolves Student branch located at Michigan City High School and Assistant Branch Manager. Harris is a Member of the Diversity and Inclusion Advisor Resource Group at Horizon Bank; is a graduate of Leadership LaPorte County and member

A fatal crash occurred Wednesday night on I-80 according to the Indiana State Police.  At approximately 11:00 p.m., police responded to a two-vehicle crash between a semi tractor-trailer and a passenger car that had occurred on Interstate 80 at the 15.3 mile-marker in the eastbound lanes. The 15.3 mile-marker is just east of the Ripley Street exit. The crash resulted in both vehicles catching on fire and claimed the life of one individual. Preliminary crash investigation by Trooper William Carlson determined that the Chevrolet was stationary in the roadway for an unknown reason when it was struck by the semi

The Valparaiso and Portage Police Departments  announced Wednesday that they were the recipients of a donation of four Phillips brand, FRX model automated external defibrillators (AEDs).  The AEDs were purchased from Lakeshore CPR & Safety Training at a special price and donated by the Northwest Indiana Dental Society.  The life-saving equipment will be assigned to officers of each department’s respective patrol divisions.  The Valparaiso Police Department stated that, “having this equipment at the ready in police vehicles already dispersed throughout our cities will allow first responders to arrive at scenes more rapidly, where such equipment is needed.  During these heart

A man is facing charges, including false informing, after a vehicle accident in La Porte.  On Tuesday officers were dispatched to the intersection of Boston Street and Brighton Street for a vehicle accident.  After arriving, officers were informed by a witness that a male driver involved in the accident fled on foot down Brighton Street to a specific address.   During the investigation the suspected male driver was identified as Robert Kampf and the passenger of the vehicle was identified as Robert's grandmother, Shirley Kampf by several witnesses.  Robert returned to the scene of the accident. Robert denied to officers he

The Michigan City Police Department says it is continuing extra VCR patrols to proactively to combat a recent uptick in gun violence in Michigan City. While out conducting patrols officers seized two handguns, drugs, and made two arrests during recent traffic stops. On Sunday, May 15, at approximately 11:30 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop for a moving violation in the area of Oak Street and Belden Avenue. A K9 Officer and his K9 assisted the other officer with a free air sniff and the K9 made a positive alert for the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. As

The following is from the U.S. Small Business Administration regarding working capital loans due to economic Losses from 2021 frost and freeze: “The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations that June 20 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans in Michigan due to frost and freeze from April 2 through June 25, 2021. Low-interest disaster loans are available in the counties of Allegan, Alpena, Barry, Berrien, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Kalamazoo, Kent, Mackinac, Montmorency, Muskegon, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Saint Joseph

Three Felony arrests were recently made during recent Violent Crime Reduction (VCR) patrols in response to the recent increase in gun violence in Michigan City. Police Chief Dion Campbell has immediately implemented Violent Crime Reduction (VCR) patrols to proactively combat this violence in Michigan City. Three officers made the arrests of the three separate individuals on Thursday, May 12, while working VCR Patrols. At around 10:30 p.m., a vehicle was observed driving at excessive speeds and a traffic stop was conducted. The driver, identified as 31-year-old Nicholus Wilke of Michigan City, was found to have outstanding warrants out of Porter

The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra (LCSO) has announced the 2022 Hoosier Star finalists. Youth: Lauren Eggleston, South Bend Savannah Holley, Michigan City Luke Housman, Rensselaer Krishaa Motycka, Terre Haute Addison Stout, Fort Wayne Adult: Laurel Blankenship, La Porte Maddy Haskell, Lake Station Jessica Johnson, Michigan City Shania Povlock, La Porte Julia Thorn, Crown Point These 10 individuals will compete, in their respective divisions, for the title of Hoosier Star. The 1st place Adult and Youth winners will receive a $1,000 prize. The 2nd place Adult and Youth winners will receive a $500 prize. Each finalist will sing a song