Local News

The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is entering its 50th Anniversary with the 2022-23 season. Concerts include: August 21 – Friendship Botanic Gardens September 17 – 17th Annual Hoosier Star! September 24 – Sharing Meadows (40th Anniversary) October 12 – 34th Annual Drayton Family Children’s Educational Concerts November 5 – “Americana!” December 10 – 28th Annual Holiday at the Pops February 11, 2023 – “Side by Side” with the La Porte High School Orchestra and Wind Ensemble March 12, 2023 – “Pictures at an Exhibition” April 22, 2023 – Purdue Varsity Glee Club and special guest yet to be announced

The Indiana Region of the American Red Cross is deploying eight volunteers to eastern Kentucky to assist with recovery efforts after significant flooding earlier this week. Additional volunteers may deploy from the region in the coming days as Red Cross teams continue to identify needs across eastern Kentucky. The volunteers will assist with mental health services, feeding assistance, shelter support and more. How to help: Visit redcross.org, call 800 RED-CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from these disasters. This

The Indiana Department of Health announced Friday that a total of 45 monkeypox cases have been reported across the state from June 18 - July 28, including 2 pediatric cases. Due to limited vaccine supply, vaccines are initially being prioritized for close contacts of positive cases to prevent severe disease. The Indiana Department of Health says person-to-person transmission is possible either through skin-to-skin contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores or contaminated items, such as bedding or clothing, or through exposure to respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact. Read more at https://go.usa.gov/xSEYA Learn more at monkeypox.health.IN.gov

In order to accommodate construction related to the Double Track NWI project, the South Shore Line will bus weekday passengers to stations between Carroll Avenue and Gary/Chicago Airport (Clark Road), effective Monday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Aug. 5. The Gary busing is in addition to ongoing busing between Carroll Avenue and Dune Park stations. Buses will arrive and depart with passengers to match the SSL’s published train schedule between Carroll Avenue and Gary/Chicago Airport, and will make all scheduled intermediate station stops. Loop bus service continues to be provided to Michigan City 11th Street (bus stop located at 920 Franklin

Incoming seniors at Michigan City High School are already looking ahead to post-graduation plans. Nearly 40 students attended a “Senior Boot Camp” event on Friday at MCHS, preparing for their final high school year. Aaron Garrett, K-12 College and Career Coordinator for MCAS, organized the event as a way to ensure that seniors are set up for success. “This goal of our Senior Boot Camp is to help high school seniors get a jump start on their future,” Garrett said. “At Michigan City Area Schools, we focus on college and career readiness beginning at the elementary level, so our hope

Northwest Health – La Porte honored two caregivers in July. Chelsey Clark, RN is the recipient of the DAISY award for exceptional nursing and Ashley Hall, nursing assistant, is the recipient of the PETALS award for outstanding support professionals. “Clark, an intensive care nurse, was nominated by her patient’s spouse who said that Clark was wonderful to her husband and not only cared for him, but her entire family during his stay,” Northwest Health said. Hall was nominated by a patient who shared that Hall was attentive to her many needs and played a vital role in saving her life.

The Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City will close for five days from Sept. 19 – 23, and will be inaccessible to the public during that time. Zoo staff will be making minor repairs and performing maintenance activities in the zoo’s Jungle Building. Some of the tasks require removing the animals from their viewing habitats into holding areas. The Zoo stated, “Zoo management feels that the staff needs to focus on these tasks at hand and closing to the general public is the most efficient and safe way to accomplish their goals.” Construction work to expand the African Lion and

The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is offering student apprenticeships. The organization says that one of the best ways to inspire and to teach young talented musicians is to give them the chance to perform side-by-side with seasoned musicians – both in rehearsals and at actual performance. The Student Apprentice Program offers just such an opportunity. Young students from the area may audition for a seat in the orchestra; those selected will be paid a small stipend. 2022 - 23 Season Student Apprentice Auditions The LCSO is inviting advanced high school musicians to audition for the opportunity to play side-by-side

La Porte LakeFest weekend starts tonight with the Downtown Market on Monroe Street (between Lincolnway and Washington Street). The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday with vendors, food trucks and beverage options. Then there will be a street dance, featuring Middle of the Road. There will also be a Country concert performed by Clayton Anderson at Stone Lake Beach. The free concert begins with opening act, Jasmine Tabor, at 7 p.m. There will be a comedy show performed by Brent Terhune at 7:30 p.m. in Fox Park. For more information and the complete schedule, visit www.laportelakefest.com.

A woman who was seconds from collapsing while holding her 4-month-old on Wednesday was kept from falling by a quick-thinking Lake County Sheriff’s Department police officer. The potentially dangerous situation unfolded  after members of the warrant unit had lunch on Wicker Avenue in St. John. Police said the woman was apparently feeling lightheaded and confused but managed to mumble that she needed help holding the infant in her child seat carrier and that it was too heavy for her. Lieutenant Michael Hamady immediately recognized the signs of distress and was able to grab the baby carrier and keep the woman

Thursday, the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced it has awarded $2,904,102 to 413 nonprofits to fund arts projects and organizations around the state through the Arts Organization Support and Arts Project Support grant programs. During its June 10 Quarterly Business Meeting, the Commission approved the funding recommendations for the two grant programs. Applications were reviewed by 85 Hoosiers from around the state with expertise in arts, community development, and finance. One example of an arts organization receiving support is Beachfront Dance School located in Lake County receiving Arts Organization Support Funding. Beachfront Dance School is a not for profit organization

Chairman and CEO of Horizon Bank, Craig M Dwight, received the Michigan City Economic Development Lifetime Achievement Award at the EDCMC Silver Anniversary Gala on July 21. The award celebrates the outstanding leadership Dwight has demonstrated to LaPorte County over the course of his career. Horizon says he has been a visionary and mentor to many in the community and has left his imprint on Michigan City economic growth forever. Dwight became President of Horizon in 1998 and Chairman and CEO in 2003. He has since worked to enhance the economic development and prosperity of the Michigan City community. Throughout

An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor will move into phase two of the bridge replacement project on the U.S. 20/31 bypass (referred to as U.S. 20) over U.S. 31 on or after Wednesday, August 3. During phase two, the westbound U.S. 20 bridge will be completely closed to traffic for bridge demolition and reconstruction work. The newly constructed bridge on eastbound U.S. 20 will be converted to two-way traffic, and westbound traffic will use the crossovers to cross the median and utilize the eastbound inside lane through the work zone. Motorists should be prepared for changing traffic patterns in this

The Valparaiso Police Department, in conjunction with the Valparaiso Community Schools and the Valparaiso Fire Department, has informed the public of training that continues to take place at Heavilin Elementary School (2450 Heavilin Road) on Thursday and Friday. The safety drills will be conducted on each of these days from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Valparaiso Police Department says there will be an abundance of police vehicles and fire apparatus in the area throughout the day, with police and fire training activities occurring within the school. Police are telling the public to not be alarmed, as emergency services are

The City of Valparaiso is sharing an aggressive schedule of infrastructure projects this season, working strategically to maximize the miles and lifespan for surfaces citywide. Paving Projects: Following up on last year’s projects which resurfaced some of the city’s most traveled roadways of Calumet Avenue, Roosevelt Road and Morgan Boulevard, this year’s program will enhance the surfaces of nearly seven miles throughout the city and neighborhoods. This work, on 14 roadways, will provide structural resurfacing, which extends the life of a roadway. Roads are selected for resurfacing based on a combination of factors, including overall wear, safety and traffic level

Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) received a decision from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to adjust its natural gas rates, effective Sept. 1, 2022. The utility, which has been Indiana’s lowest cost natural gas provider on average over the last ten years, will phase in the newly approved rates over a two-step process expected in Sept. 2022 and March 2023 – with the majority of the increase occurring in Sept.*  “Customers expect service that is dependable and rates at the lowest cost possible,” said Mike Hooper, NIPSCO’s President and Chief Operating Officer. “This balanced outcome demonstrates a

Patients seeking surgical treatment for obesity and its related conditions have a high-quality choice for receiving care at a nationally accredited program that meets the highest standards for patient safety and quality in the greater Michigan City area. Thomas Shin, MD, FACS, medical director of the Bariatric Program at Franciscan Health Michigan City, announced Wednesday that its bariatric surgery center has been accredited as a Comprehensive Center by the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP®), a joint Quality Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

LAKE, JASPER, PORTER & LAPORTE COUNTIES, Ind. - The Indiana Department of Transportation announces overnight rolling lane closures on I-94 and I-65 for approximately three weeks beginning on or after Sunday, July 31 for pavement marking and crack sealing operations. INDOT contractor Traffic Control Specialists Inc will conduct overnight mobile operations on I-65 in Lake and Jasper Counties. Slow moving maintenance vehicles will be refurbishing raised pavement markings on several sections of I-65 from mile marker 201 (near U.S. 24/Remington) north to 262 (north of I-94 near the Indiana Toll Road). Work will be conducted during the overnight hours of

The La Porte Park and Recreation Department announced closures or restrictions at Soldiers Memorial Park for this weekend's La Porte LakeFest.  Stone Lake and the adjoining launches and docks will be closed from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for the running of the La Porte LakeFest AquaX Grand Prix. Watercraft leaving the launches or docks must do so before 9 a.m. and will not regain access to the lake until after 5 p.m. While still accessible to the public, Stone Lake Beach will be limited to LakeFest events from 6 p.m. Friday until 4 p.m. Sunday. Grangemouth Road

For the second year, Franciscan Health Michigan City is partnering with local churches to educate their parishioners on diabetes prevention and detection, targeting a health issue more likely to impact those in the African American and Hispanic communities. The free “Fan Out Diabetes” program is offered in two companion sessions following Sunday church services. At the first session, diabetes educators will provide a presentation on diabetes with information on healthy eating and exercise tips. Free screenings will be offered, along with insurance enrollment assistance and healthy snacks and giveaways. Guests are asked to also attend a second session where the