Local News

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and La Porte County DUI Task Force are announcing increased enforcement and patrols around prom and post-prom sites this spring. Police say the goal is to deter alcohol use and eliminate alcohol related crashes among La Porte County High School prom attendees. Proms in La Porte County will begin May 7 and conclude June 2. Between these dates, La Porte, New Prairie, Michigan City, Westville, La Lumiere, Marquette, La Crosse and South Central schools will all conduct prom events.  Deputies will saturate the areas around each prom and post-prom site to deter potential alcohol

Northwest Health has welcomed cardiologist Hector Marchand Sr., M.D. back to Northwest Medical Group. Dr. Marchand, Sr. has joined Northwest Medical Group – Cardiology after practicing for many years in Valparaiso. Marchand is an experienced cardiologist proficient in treating all forms of heart disease. He also has an interest in preventive cardiology. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and completed his fellowship in cardiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is accepting new patients at his office in Northwest Medical Group – Cardiology, 1331 State Street, La Porte. He accepts most insurance including Medicare

Residents are invited to enjoy breakfast with their local firefighters this Saturday, according to La Porte Fire Chief Andy Snyder. The City of La Porte Fire Department is hosting a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday at Fire Station 1. Tickets include all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage and eggs, as well as an entry into their $100 cash giveaway. The department will also be selling $1 raffle tickets for a wide variety of prizes donated by local businesses, including memberships, concert tickets and gift baskets. Snyder said all proceeds from the breakfast and raffle will benefit the Arnold J.

Avian influenza has been confirmed in two wild raptor species in Indiana, according to the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW). Diagnostic testing on the raptors was done at Purdue’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, where the birds tested positive with the (HP) H5N1 strain that is circulating in North America. The individual raptors that tested positive were one bald eagle each from Starke and Miami counties, and a red-tailed hawk from Johnson County. Since the beginning of the year, avian influenza has been detected in raptors in multiple states. In light of spring turkey hunting season, which started Wednesday,

Lane closures are scheduled for Burr Street in Lake County starting on or after May 2. Burr Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 25th Ave to 29th Avenue for a bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project through late August. During phase one, the inside lanes will be closed in both directions. Traffic on I-80/94 will not be impacted, but the ramps at the I-80/94 and Burr St interchange will have lane tapers and restrictions to help with traffic flow into the work zone.  

Two juveniles from Illinois were arrested after leading the Lake County and Highland police officers on a pursuit Wednesday, police say. Sometime around 9 a.m. a license plate scan alerted the Lake County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department to a stolen 2013 Hyundai sedan traveling near Cline Avenue. When Lake County officers located the Hyundai and attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled. Officers pursued the vehicle through Highland, where the two occupants bailed out of the stolen vehicle and fled on foot near the 3700 block of Highway Avenue. Officers pursued the two suspects on foot, and both were apprehended by

The City of Portage has lowered the speed limit on Willowcreek Road/Crisman Road between the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road and Old Porter Road to 30 mph due to construction. Work has been ongoing for just over two weeks and progress is being made on concrete work including sidewalks and curbs. Once the concrete work is completed, they will begin milling and repaving the roadway. The city says that there have been some reports of excess speed through the construction area. The City of Portage stated, “Please slow down. Please be mindful of the construction workers. Be safe to

The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Corps (MCJROTC) continues to support the community and MCHS as the school year progresses to final exams.  The cadets supported the Michigan City Easter Egg Hunt at the Friendship Gardens, the MCHS track meets, and the dedication of the MCHS track to former Rogers High School teacher and Olympic gold medalist Barbara Jones Slater. Besides providing support, the MCJROTC is preparing for numerous summer activities.  After a two year hiatus due to the pandemic, the cadets will return to their Leadership Camp at the St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is sponsoring the 22nd nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative this Saturday.  The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs. Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.  This program is for liquid and pill medications.  Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be taken.  Needles, new or used, will not be accepted for disposal.  This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. Indiana

A bridge deck overlay project will reduce I-94 to two lanes in each direction over Willow Creek and the CSX Railroad, which is between the State Road 51/U.S. 6 and State Road 249 exits, on or after Sunday, May 1.  The Indiana Department of Transportation says there will be alternating lane and shoulder closures so motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns in the area. Work will be ongoing for approximately three weeks.

The Michigan City Police Department on Tuesday congratulated Sergeant Darren Kaplan on his retirement from the Michigan City Police Department.  Kaplan was hired in November of 1991, and served the citizens of Michigan City for 31 years. During his 31 years of service, Kaplan was awarded two Life-Saving Awards, one Exceptional Service Award, and four Letters of Commendation.   Over the course of his career, Kaplan served the Department as a Patrolman on the afternoon shift, DARE/GREAT Instructor, Detective, School Liaison Officer, Traffic Division and as a Shift Supervisor on midnights and day Shift.   The Michigan City Police Department also thanked

The following is a press release from the City of Michigan City regarding Mayor Duane Parry filing charges to remove four Michigan City Housing Authority Commissioners: Mayor Duane Parry, the Appointing Authority of the Michigan City Housing Authority, served four MCHA Commissioners today with charges for their removal as Commissioners on the MCHA Board. The Michigan City Housing Authority works to provide housing stability for the families they serve while assisting the community with implementing long-term goals for affordable housing. The MCHA Board of Commissioners is the governing body of the agency and is responsible for the oversight of its

The following is an update from the South Shore Line on Double Track NWI Project construction: 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. NIPSCO will have periodic lane closures

Franciscan Health announced on Tuesday that it has received funds to support healthcare-related programs for non-profit, health and human service organizations in at-risk communities. The funds will be allocated through Franciscan’s Social Impact Partnership Program (SIPP). "SIPP funding applications will be accepted from May 4 through May 31. Partner agencies will be announced mid-July. Organizations may apply for up to $9,750 in monetary support. Organizations may complete an application located at www.franciscanhealth.org/communityhealth." “Qualified non-profit agencies must benefit vulnerable populations in communities served by Franciscan Health with a preference toward areas with high Area Deprivation Index scores identified on BroadStreet, a

The Leadership Institute at Purdue Northwest has opened applications for the 2022-23 Leadership Northwest Indiana (LNI) program. The program will include in-person sessions of instruction and activities, a 360-leadership assessment and custom one-on-one coaching. LNI provides evidenced-based learning experiences to strengthen leadership skills and give strategies to be a better leader in the community, workplace and at home. The program begins in September 2022 and runs through May 2023. Participants will meet for eight monthly, half-day in-person session on Purdue Northwest’s Westville campus (1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, IN). PNW says, “Leadership Northwest Indiana is well-regarded as a great place

NIPSCO announced Tuesday that it has partnered with the Urban League of Northwest Indiana for a fourth consecutive year to host the 2022 NIPSCO Energy Ambassador (NEA) Program. In support of the college and career readiness program, NIPSCO presented $60,000 to Urban League of NWI president Dr. Vanessa Allen-McCloud. The program, slated to begin in June, will consist of virtual workshops and activities geared towards educating and encouraging professions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). In addition, the rising Junior and Senior-level high schoolers will learn from NIPSCO leaders who volunteer their time to educate students about gas and

The Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) announced Tuesday that it was once again awarded with a grant from The Dale E. Landsman Art Foundation which supports LCA’s Teen Arts Council (TAC). This time LCA generously received a three-year grant to help plan for the future of TAC. In 2017, LCA founded TAC hoping it would become an inclusive and experiential program for young creative leaders across the region and offer exceptional opportunities for a diverse group of high school students interested in deepening their understanding of the art world as well as themselves.  The program is free thanks to

Nearly 22,000 trout are being stocked by the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife in 16 different streams across Indiana for inland trout season, which starts at 6 a.m. local time on Saturday, April 30. The stocked trout come from Curtis Creek Trout Rearing Station in LaGrange County and average roughly 11 inches in length. To find a stocked stream near you, see the second page of the trout stocking plan at bit.ly/36XmSgi. Trout will bite on a variety of artificial baits such as spinners and flies, but natural baits such as worms and bee moths tend to be the

The City of Valparaiso announced Monday that Harry Peterson has been sworn in on the Valparaiso City Council, as an at-large member. Peterson was chosen by a unanimous Republican caucus to replace George Douglas who resigned on April 1 to accept the position of Development Director for the City of Valparaiso. Douglas was elected to the City Council in 2020 and had served as City Council President. Councilman Casey Schmidt has been named the new City Council President, elected at the council’s April 11 meeting. Peterson serves as Deputy Prosecuting Attorney for the Porter County Prosecutor’s office. He was appointed