Local News

The National Park Service has created an audio version of Indiana Dunes National Park’s official map and guide, making it accessible to visitors who have visual impairments and cannot read the printed version. The audio description can be accessed by visiting the Audio Described Brochure webpage on the park’s website, or by downloading the UniDescription mobile app on both Apple and Android devices. Audio files of the park’s brochure are available for download as well. The apps provide park brochures in acoustic media, designed for people who are blind, visually impaired, print dyslexic, or who prefer learning through sound. The

The Valparaiso Police Department and the Porter County Sheriff's Office have partnered together and invite the public to a 'Cover the Cruiser' event benefiting Indiana Special Olympics on Saturday, Dec. 4, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. They will be on the south side of the Valparaiso Courthouse on Indiana Avenue.  By making a donation, (cash or via QR code), participants will receive an icon to personalize and tape to one of the two cruisers.  All proceeds go to support Special Olympics sports, health, and community programs right here in Indiana. Special Olympics Indiana has grown to more than 18,000

The Indiana State Department of health updated their weekly COVID county advisory level map last Wednesday.  La Porte and Porter counties remain with a score of 2.5, in the orange level.  Lake County has moved up from a score of 1.5, in the yellow level to a score of 2, in the orange level. St. Joseph, Starke, Jasper and Newton counties all moved up from a score of 2, in the orange level to a score of 2.5 in the orange level.  In the past week positivity has risen in all of the counties mentioned.

The City of Valparaiso is reminding residents that due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Thursday’s trash and recycle will be picked up on Friday, Nov. 26 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Valparaiso City Services offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 25 and Friday, Nov. 26, resuming regular hours on Monday, Nov. 29. You may call 1-844-296-6810 in the event of an emergency.

The Michigan City Festival of Lights Celebration will take place on Dec. 4 from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. at the Senior Center in Washington Park. There will be a cash bar, live music by Pointing Fingers Band , and a chili challenge where Michigan City Police and Fire Departments will face off, as well as a “Service Club Showdown.” A five dollar donation to Meals on Wheels is needed to sample the chili and vote. The admission fee to enter the celebration at the Senior center is one unwrapped toy donation. Also on Dec. 4 will be the Snowflake Parade at

The day before Thanksgiving is typically the largest traffic volume day of the year, the Indiana State Police-Lowell Post says.  The Indiana State Police and the Indiana Department of Transportation: Northwest are encouraging everyone to use extra caution while traveling to your Thanksgiving Day destinations. State police will have extra patrols out to assist motorists and if needed, stop those who choose to drive in a dangerous manner. Indiana State Police emphasized to the public to wear seat belts, don't tailgate, drive the speed limit and be patient.   

Eighth-grade students from Michigan City and beyond are invited to attend Michigan City High School’s annual Wolf Pack Roundup. This informational session will be held on Thursday, Dec. 2 at 5:00 p.m. at Michigan City High School, 8466 W. Pahs Road. Wolf Pack Roundup is an opportunity for students and their families to take a tour, meet school counselors and administrators; hear more about classes, extracurriculars, dual credit, and much more. The event will also feature an Athletics Open House so that students can meet coaches and learn more about playing sports in high school. The Roundup is open to

A La Porte County Sheriff’s deputy was nearly shot after intervening in a fight outside of a residence, according to police.  During the afternoon of Nov. 17, Sergeant Jon Burger was off-duty and located near a residence along Dogwood Drive in rural Center Township. He heard loud music coming from the area of the residence, observed the occupants of a passenger vehicle exit and saw a subject emerge from the home. Soon after, two males began to physically fight in the lawn of the residence. Sergeant Burger proceeded to the residence and identified himself as a Sheriff’s Deputy. By then,

Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business, the Agricultural Retailers Association and Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business will partner again to present the 2022 ARA Management Academy on Jan. 25-27. The program will be held at ASU in Tempe, Arizona. The ARA Management Academy provides valuable take-home tools for management practices to agribusiness professionals through interactive exercises, faculty-led presentations and group collaboration. During the academy, managers and leaders within agronomic organizations and those who expect to have more management responsibilities in the future enhance their skills and management capabilities while networking with industry peers. "While we have created some great remote learning experiences

Detectives with the Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division and the Chesterton Police Department Monday afternoon formally filed charges that stemmed from a weekend pursuit that resulted in the serious injuries sustained by Porter Police Corporal Scott Cornelison.  Twenty-nine-year-old Samuel A. Kuhl from Kalamazoo, Mich. has been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, carrying a handgun without a license, resisting law enforcement,, resisting law enforcement and false informing Twenty-five-year-old Aries E. Atlas from Kalamazoo, Mich. has been charged with two counts of resisting law enforcement with a vehicle, two counts of leaving the scene

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many Americans are beginning to mark the start of a busy holiday season. This year, the American Red Cross is heading into the holidays with its lowest blood supply in more than a decade at this time of year and asks those who are eligible to give blood to help ensure patients can enjoy all this season has to offer. As a thank-you, all those who come to give Nov. 29-Dec. 16 will be automatically entered for a chance to win a private screening of the epic new film The Matrix Resurrections for the

Injury Attorney Kenneth J. Allen and the Allen Law Group donated Thanksgiving Day meals to 1,200 Northwest Indiana households, a tradition they have held for decades. Meals were distributed on Sunday, November 21 to families, individuals and area nonprofits. The event was coordinated by United Way of Northwest Indiana staff with assistance from more than 80 volunteers. “Thanksgiving should be a joyous time for everyone. But sometimes good people face real hardship, especially during these difficult times,” said Injury Attorney Kenneth J. Allen. “We’re blessed to be in a position to lend a helping hand so that vulnerable families can

While most Michigan City High School (MCHS) students were sleeping off the tough semi-state playoff football loss to Zionsville and starting their Thanksgiving break, the cadets of the MCHS Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) were up early on Saturday morning, November 20th, to assist Michigan City chapter of the Marine Corps League with the Salvation Army’s bell-ringing campaign. “Our cadets realize how many people the Salvation Army helps throughout LaPorte County, to include many MCHS students,” said Senior Marine Instructor Major Tom McGrath. “These are the same cadets who are at the school daily at 5:45 am for military drill team practice. They also

Firefighters help crack eggs for science A record six teams survived the annual Egg Crash Challenge at Barker Middle School this year! Amy Hamann, STEM teacher at Barker, organizes this activity each year and invites schools and local businesses to design and create a device that will allow a raw egg to survive a fall from several feet high without cracking. But they were only allowed to use certain materials: 3 file folders, 4 bendy straws, 30cm of masking tape, 60cm of string, 3 sheets of paper, 2 rubber bands, and a plastic bag. Twenty-six teams survived preliminary rounds to compete in the finals,

La Porte Police announced Friday that items were recovered during an arrest on Nov. 11. The items are believed to be stolen from vehicles that were parked at or near Walmart in La Porte on Nov. 11, before noon. Police say if you have any property missing from your vehicle and it was parked at or near Walmart at that time, to contact Sergeant Matthew Drangmeister at 219-362-9446 x 209 to describe your property to see if LPPD has it. They ask to not describe the stolen property on Facebook.