Local News

The South Shore Line says with the continued increase in travelers and commuters returning to activities and work in Chicago, an extension of its current Weekday Eastbound Free Ride promotion. With this extension, weekday (Monday through Friday) eastbound trips will continue to be free throughout the months of November and December 2021. The eastbound free rides initially began Sept. 1, excluding weekends, and will now last through Dec. 31, 2021. Passengers should simply board applicable weekday eastbound trains with no ticket purchase necessary. Please do not activate mobile tickets for weekday eastbound trips. Passengers are responsible for paying all applicable

In the final week leading up to the third annual Bolt for the Heart Family Run/Walk, dubbed “Hallowrun,” organizers are focused on providing as many automatic external defibrillators for local law enforcement vehicles as possible. Bolt for the Heart President Pierre Twer said the event is seeing “phenomenal growth,” and more than 25 individuals and companies have donated AEDs through the group’s Hometown Heroes donation program. Through other fundraising and sponsorships through the event, Twer anticipates at least 50 AEDs will be provided. This year’s race is set for 9AM, Saturday, Oct. 30, at Washington Park in Michigan City. One

In Lake County, the left lanes and shoulders of eastbound and westbound I-80/94 will be closed at Calumet Ave/U.S. 41 overnight Wednesday, Oct. 27 to early Thursday, Oct. 28. The closures are for bridge work at the interchange.

Parcel Port will be holding a grand re-opening to celebrate new ownership by Jami Arnold on Nov. 4 at 717 Michigan Avenue, Room 1 in La Porte. To celebrate, the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership will conduct a ribbon cutting ceremony including speeches from Bert Cook, Executive Director of LEAP, Mayor Tom Dermody, and Jami Arnold, Owner and Operator of Parcel Port. The event will take place from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. CST with the ribbon cutting officially taking place at 4:45 p.m. CST. Patrick’s Grille will be catering, and attendees will receive a goodie bag. The community is

The Michigan City Street Department Superintendent Shong Smith has announced that there will be a delay in starting leaf pickup due to the leaves still on the trees in most areas. All residents are encouraged to rake, blow, and/or place their leaves near the street curb along the front of their property. The City says that if residents have branches, they will be picked up along with your leaf piles. The City is asking residents to keep branches separated from leaves. Leaves will not be picked up in alleyways. During the leaf schedule the street department will not be taking

The National Hockey League announced Tuesday that "the Chicago Blackhawks have been fined $2 Million for the organization’s inadequate internal procedures and insufficient and untimely response in the handling of matters related to former video coach Brad Aldrich’s employment with the Club and ultimate departure in 2010. The League and the Blackhawks have decided that $1 Million of the fine money will be dedicated to fund local organizations in and around the Chicago community that provide counseling and training for, and support and assistance to, survivors of sexual and other forms of abuse." Additionally, Blackhawks General Manager Stan Bowman stepped

Parents, friends, teachers, and other supporters filled the Michigan City High School auditorium on Monday, October 25, as 45 juniors and seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society. NHS President Declan Rice led the induction ceremony, which featured remarks from MCHS Co-Principal Kyle Dean, Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins, and NHS sponsor Judy Kovalcik. The focus of the evening was the four qualities of NHS: scholarship, service, character, and leadership. Jocelyn Romero-Gonzales highlighted scholarship, saying, this is “an appreciation of knowledge, searching for the truth ... asking questions, not just when we don’t understand, but also when we do understand but

Although commonly thought of as a respiratory illness, COVID-19 can affect multiple organs, including the heart and vascular system, according to cardiologists with Northwest Medical Group Mild COVID-19 illness is typically recognized by upper respiratory tract symptoms, loss of taste and smell and gastrointestinal symptoms. Moderate illness occurs in about 15 percent of people who may have fever, shortness of breath, cough and lower respiratory tract infection. Severe illness occurs in about five percent of people who develop severe pneumonia, respiratory failure, sepsis and shock. “COVID-19 does cause severe illness and death in younger and otherwise healthy people; however, advanced age, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus and

Neuro Vigor, a Purdue University-affiliated biotechnology company developing drugs that neutralize reactive aldehydes, announced Tuesday (Oct. 26) a collaboration agreement with the University of Western Australia to jointly develop proprietary drugs to initially target neurodegenerative diseases and pain in spinal cord injury, or SCI. Reactive aldehydes are highly toxic molecules released by cells in response to external or internal stress and trauma. They increase significantly in inflammatory, neurotraumatic and neurodegenerative disease states, damaging tissue at the cellular and molecular levels, perpetuating a destructive cycle of inflammation and oxidative stress. “This agreement jump-starts the science and technology needed to bring relief to patients

Unity Foundation of La Porte County is pleased to recognize eleven local high school seniors as La Porte County finalists for the prestigious Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. Two of the finalists will be selected as 2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholars. They will receive a full-tuition scholarship to pursue a baccalaureate degree at any accredited public or private Indiana college or university and an annual $900 book stipend. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program has provided approximately $5 million in tuition and book stipends to 68 La Porte County students since 1998. “Each year our review committee remarks on the high quality and extraordinary achievements

Financial aid professionals will be on site at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses to help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid during free College Goal Sunday programs Sunday, Nov. 7 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. CST. PNW’s Hammond campus program will be hosted in the library on the second floor of the Student Union and Library Building, 2233 173rd Street, Hammond. The Westville campus program will be in Room 219 of the Technology Building, 200 Central Drive, Westville. FAFSA essential for financial aid consideration Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Breast cancer survivor Channelle Glover describes herself as someone who is “all about fun, all about life, all about community,” and that didn’t change when she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 36. Glover, who was a guest speaker at a recent J.A.G. Program (Jobs for America’s Graduates) initiation and installment ceremony at Michigan City High School, instead said she was encouraged by her diagnosis to learn all she could as a way of overcoming the setback. The J.A.G. ceremony was held to recognize students and officers of the program, including MCHS senior Amya Higgins, who will serve as president this school year. Because

Police have announced that 2 arrests have been made involving hand-pressed fentanyl.  The LaPorte County Drug Task Force, The Fugitive Apprehension Street Team (FAST), and La Porte Street Crimes Unit made two arrests as the result of residential search warrants that were executed in the City of La Porte. Taken into custody were 20-year old Jaime Torres, and 20-year-old Pedro Burgos. Following an investigation by members of The LaPorte County Drug Task Force, search warrants were obtained for 800 block of Kingsport Ave. and 100 block of Glover Ct., homes of Jaime Torres and Pedro Burgos. As a result of

Students studying Health Sciences at the A. K. Smith Career Center in Michigan City are getting first-hand exposure to a wide variety of medical career paths, thanks to a new partnership between Franciscan Health and Michigan City Area Schools. Through the partnership, Health Science II students will visit Franciscan three days a week for six weeks during each grading period, rotating among numerous departments for observation alongside Franciscan nurses, physicians, and specialists. This experience will give them exposure to areas of the hospital such as Outpatient Surgery, Radiology, Pharmacy, Cardiac Rehab, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Wound Care, Physical Therapy, and Pulmonary Care. 

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has concluded the Coolspring Township death investigation that began on Oct. 19 and has been determined to be death by suicide. Deputies and investigators from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office were summoned to a mobile home, located in Weatherstone Village in rural Coolspring Township, in reference to a report of a deceased person.  The home was located in the 3000 block of Edgebrook.  Upon entering the home deputies and paramedics from the La Porte County Emergency Medical Service located a male who was not responsive and deceased. The La Porte County Coroner’s Office

Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) has received two Power for Good grants from Unity Foundation of La Porte County to help support their Student Learning Tours and Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) initiatives. Student Learning Tours bring a diverse group of nearly 1,800 students annually to LCA for educational tours and onsite artmaking. Many of the participating students have never previously visited a museum or gallery, but 85.5% express interest in visiting another cultural institution after completing the program. In the 2021-2022 school year, tours are being offered both virtually and in-person. When held virtually, a high-quality video tour with a lesson