Local News

A local 9-year-old is using her entrepreneurial skills to help bring comfort to other children coping with anxiety disorders. When Dahlia Garza developed anxiety issues and panic attacks last year, she began seeing Franciscan Health therapist Cathy Cinko, who gave her coping skills to help her through difficult times. Dahlia researched childhood anxiety and discovered that more than 4 million children suffer with anxiety disorders. “Ms. Cathy really helped me, so I want to help her help other kids,” Dahlia said. To provide that help, she decided to do what she does best. Dahlia operates a small crafting business, DK

The Excel Center, a free public high school for adults, is currently accepting Enrollment Applications for Term 2 of the 2021-2022 School Year.  Classes begin September 28th at Excel’s Elkhart, Gary, Hammond and South Bend locations.  Applications are accepted at any time throughout each term and new students are integrated into the schedule. Those interested can apply online at: www.ExcelCenterHS.org.  The application is free and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.  New students are encouraged to contact The Excel Center for more information and assistance completing their application.  Visitors are welcome at the South Bend, Hammond and Gary locations from 8:30

La Porte Police Department is ramping up enforcement this fall to protect students going to and from school. The month of September, officers with the La Porte Police Department will be conducting extra patrols looking for Aggressive Driving behaviors and School Bus Stop Arm Violations.   In Indiana, it’s against the law for motorists to pass a bus that’s stopped and has its red lights flashing and stop-arm extended. This applies to all roads, with one exception. Motorists who are on a highway that is divided by a barrier, such as a cable barrier, concrete wall or grassy median, are required

The City of Michigan City has announced the opening of the Singing Sands Trail. The official ribbon cutting Oct. 2, at 11 a.m. at City Hall. The trail is Michigan City’s segment of the regional Marquette Greenway Trail that connects Chicago area trails to trails in southwest Michigan. The non-motorized trail is open to the public year-round and follows ADA and Recreational Trails guidelines. The west end of the trail connects to the Calumet Trail at the Porter/LaPorte County line on Highway 12. Heading east you will encounter views overlooking an Indiana Dunes National Park wetland where you can observe

The City of Portage’s Redevelopment Commission has approved moving forward with the purchase of the former Portage Little League fields. The 7.84-acre complex is located in the city's downtown, north of Central Avenue and just west of Founders Square. The city says the property became available after the Portage Little League disbanded earlier this year and the property reverted to the ownership of Indiana Little League District 1. The city also says the commission will move forward with the due diligence phase of the purchase. The cost of the property is $750,000 and is being funded through the Redevelopment Commission's

Valparaiso Mayor Matt Murphy and Police Chief Jeff Balon recently shared details about a new Golf Cart Ordinance. To see the map of streets for golf carts, visit tinyurl.com/ValpoCartMap and the full ordinance is available at tinyurl.com/ValpoCarts. A video about the ordinance with Murphy and Balon has been posted to the Valpo Now Facebook page. To register a golf cart, call the Valparaiso Police Department from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Concrete restoration work on State Road 55 north of State Road 2 will be switching to the southbound side on or around Tuesday, September 7. Currently, northbound State Road 55 is closed to all traffic between 141st Avenue and 169th Avenue through Friday. Motorists wishing to go north from State Road 2 should continue to seek an alternate route. Local traffic seeking to access businesses or homes on State Road 55 in the closed section will need to come from the north and utilize southbound State Road 55 to get to their destination. Under no circumstances should motorists drive north

The Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City has announced that some attractions are temporarily closed due to LaPorte County being designated orange by the Indiana Department of Health The following attractions are temporarily closed to promote social distancing and community safety: -Observation Tower -Safari Train -Wings of Wonder Aviary The Peacock Café is also closed, but the Coop Snack Shack is open near the Red Barn from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm daily for grab-and-go snacks. The Health Department is also recommending wearing a mask in all public indoor settings if you are in an area of substantial or high

More than 70 rural and volunteer fire departments from 46 counties have been awarded more than $319,000 in Volunteer Fire Assistance grants, DNR Director Dan Bortner announced Thursday. The awards will be used for training, installation of dry hydrants, or to purchase necessary firefighting equipment and gear to combat wildland fires. The grants are administered by the DNR Division of Forestry and made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. Recipients were selected based on population density, acres of public wildlands protected, and wildland fire reporting to DNR Fire Control Headquarters. As in past years, emphasis was given

Humane Society of the United States honors Indiana state trooper who rescued abandoned dog   The Humane Society of the United States honored Indiana state police trooper Allison Marlowe with a 2021 Humane Law Enforcement Award for her rescue of an abandoned dog from a dangerous situation on I-65. The Humane Society says that on Aug. 1, witnesses reported to police that a dog had been dumped out of a van on the side of of a busy road and was seen running in and out of traffic. Indiana State Police say that the busy road was I-65. Working with

When Visit Indiana launched its summer road trips website, VisitIndiana.com visitors had a chance to decide on their favorite summer spot. The Indiana Destination Development Corporation compiled 50 of the top summer activities across the state for voters to consider, and The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo earned the top spot. The Indianapolis Zoo came in second, followed by Washington Park in Michigan City, which is home to Washington Park Zoo and the East Lighthouse. "There are so many beautiful places to explore in the Hoosier State, including our wonderful zoos," said Lt Gov. Suzanne Crouch. "This is the perfect time of year to get out and explore

The Indiana State Department of Health updated their weekly COVID-19 advisory map Wednesday. In our area, LaPorte, Lake, Starke and St. Joseph counties are in the orange level. Porter County is at the yellow level. The positivity change is up in all of these local counties other than Lake County. Additional information, can be found online at the ISDH COVID-19 dashboard. 

Eighteen organizations will receive grants from NIPSCO to help fund their safety education and training projects throughout Northern Indiana. This year, NIPSCO has granted a total of $63,000. Over the past four years since this grant program was initiated, a total of 62 projects were funded, totaling $213,000 in grant donations that positively impact safety education and programming within the NIPSCO’s service territory. This year’s recipients include: -American Red Cross - Northeast Chapter , Disaster Preparedness & Relief, serving Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Miami, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley Counties in NIPSCO service area -American Red Cross

Music director of the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, Carolyn Watson, has been nominated for one of Australia’s prestigious “Advance Awards”.  The 2021 Advance Awards are presented in categories such as the arts, emerging leaders, education and  research, life sciences, technology and social impact.  Now in its 10th year, the Advance Awards celebrate the works of Australians who are making an extraordinary impact on the global stage. The 2021 Advance Awards will be presented on September 8 during a virtual ceremony emanating from Australia. More information about the 2021 Advance Awards and Dr. Watson's nomination can be found  at www.advance.org

To show appreciation for their service to the community, the South Shore Line is inviting all nurses and active-duty first responders to ride the train free of charge Saturday, Sept. 11, through Wednesday, Sept. 15, on all Westbound weekday and weekend trains.  To participate, all nurses must present ticket collectors with valid IDs, and all first responders must present ticket collectors with active-duty identification. All active-duty police officers, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers and emergency medical technicians are welcome. Additionally, the South Shore Line is offering free Eastbound weekday rides Wednesday, September 1, through Sunday, Oct. 31 to all riders. Nurses and

There will be overnight lane closures on eastbound I-80/94 between mile marker 2.2 to 5.4 from approximately 8 p.m. tonight (Wednesday), until 5 a.m. on Thursday.  One right lane will be closed beginning at 8 p.m., and two right lanes will be closed after 10 p.m.  These lane closures will be in place to change the current work zone lane configuration on I-80/94 at State Road 912/Cline Ave. Starting Thursday morning, the four lanes of eastbound traffic will be shifted to the left with construction work occurring on the right. The furthest left lane will continue to utilize the chute

Franciscan Health Michigan City will participate in a new Safety PIN (Protecting Indiana’s Newborns) grant provided by the Indiana Department of Health to lower infant mortality in Northern Indiana. Beacon Health System is the primary grant holder for the Region 2 collaborative. Along with Franciscan Health Michigan City, St. Joseph Health System, Elkhart County Department of Health and the St. Joseph County Department of Health will share funds from the grant of just over $1 million. Region 2 includes LaPorte, St. Joseph, Elkhart and Marshall counties. Franciscan Health Michigan City’s efforts will center on its Prenatal Assistance Program, which will