Local News

Hunters can now take more Canada geese as a result of a recent increase in bag limits.   The daily bag limit for dark geese (Canada geese, white-fronted geese, and brant) is now five in aggregate for the entire season. This means that hunters can harvest any combination of the three species as long as the total does not exceed five. Previously, a daily bag limit of dark geese could only include up to three Canada geese, except during September. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow and Ross’s geese) remains 20.   “Canada goose populations in the Mississippi

Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced that Indiana will end its participation in all federally funded pandemic unemployment insurance programs effective June 19, 2021. The programs that will end are: Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), which provides a $300 weekly add-on to recipients of unemployment insurance Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), which provides recipients extended benefits after their traditional 26 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits have been exhausted Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides benefits to individuals who do not normally qualify for unemployment benefits, such as self-employed, gig workers, and independent contractors Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), which provides

On any given day, more than 90 percent of motorists can be found wearing their seat belts. Unfortunately, the small percentage of people who choose not to buckle up make up a disproportionate amount of the fatalities that occur every year on Indiana roads. It’s a concern that the La Porte Police Department is working to address this spring by participating in the national Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign. From May 17 to June 6, officers will be out in greater numbers seeking to educate motorists about the importance of wearing a seat belt. The high-visibility patrols are paid

LaPorte County Adult Education administrators and staff will hold an informational open house at the former Boston Middle School (Educational Services Center, 1000 Harrison Street, LaPorte) on May 20. They are pleased to be opening this location as a satellite site for Adult Ed classes and HSE (formerly GED) testing. Classes are held at this location on Thursday evenings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHAT: Open House for New Adult Education Program Satellite Site WHERE: Former Boston Middle School – Educational Services Center, 1000 Harrison St, La Porte, IN 46350 WHEN: 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2021 WHO:

After just over a year, La Porte City Hall will once again open its doors to the public, according to Mayor Tom Dermody. Beginning June 1, following discussions with City Council members and the city department heads, residents will be permitted to enter as long as they wear a mask. The building closed to the public in March of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic began to ramp up. Dermody said it remained closed for the last several months to protect both residents and city employees. However, now that the vaccine is more widely available, he said he feels comfortable allowing

Indiana health officials are urging Hoosiers to protect themselves from tick bites while outdoors as warmer weather increases tick activity. Indiana Department of Health entomologists have found the black-legged tick, which can carry pathogens that cause Lyme disease, babesiosis and other diseases, in all but three Indiana counties. Lyme disease bacteria have been detected in adult and immature black-legged ticks in many Indiana counties, especially in the northwest and west central parts of the state, where the largest numbers of human Lyme disease cases are reported. In July 2020, a babesiosis case with strong evidence of local tick-borne transmission was

The Indiana Department of Health announced today that Hoosiers age 12 and older can begin receiving a free COVID-19 vaccine at 8 a.m. Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended the use of the Pfizer vaccine for this new age group on Wednesday following the FDA’s expansion of the vaccine’s Emergency Use Authorization. The Pfizer vaccine is the only one of the three COVID-19 vaccines that is currently approved for use in individuals younger than age 18. “The Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 and was well tolerated

Anyone interested in becoming an Indiana Conservation Officer is encouraged to attend a recruiting event that DNR Law Enforcement’s District 1 will host on Saturday, May 22, at Potato Creek State Park and Tuesday, May 25, at Salamonie Interpretive Center. Beginning at 7 p.m. at both locations on both days, officers will be on site to cover material regarding the hiring process for Indiana Conservation Officers and answer questions from interested candidates. The address for Potato Creek State Park is 25601 IN-4 in North Liberty. Salamonie Interpretive Center is located at 3691 New Holland Road in Andrews. District 1 includes

Dr. Deausy was disappointed to learn of the of Indiana Legislator’s decision to override Governor Holcomb’s veto of Senate Enrolled Act No. 005. Dr. Deausy feels this is a dangerous move which will prevent local health departments from responding to health emergencies. Local health officers and their departments must often make immediate, urgent, and complex decisions to protect public health. This bill ultimately limits the ability of the health officers to make timely decisions during a public health emergency such as the coronavirus pandemic. SEA No. 005 has voided Dr. Deausy’s Third Amended Health Order dated April 30th, 2021, which

On May 11, Gov. Eric Holcomb reinstated work-search activities requiring that unemployment insurance claimants actively seek employment and be available for work. To be eligible for unemployment benefits, claimants must attempt to secure full-time work in each week they claim benefits. That requirement was suspended during the pandemic. More information about the weekly work searches can be found at: www.in.gov/dwd/indiana-unemployment/individuals/work-search/. With recent changes to the state’s unemployment insurance program, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development is reminding Hoosiers of the many resources available to assist with training and employment opportunities. Based on the most recent data, Indiana employers have posted more