Local News

SOUTH BEND – Rachael Robinson, 37 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to a federal felony for wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Robinson was ordered to pay $55, 280.47 in restitution to the victims of the offense. According to documents in the case, in February and April 2021, Robinson submitted two fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief funds for a business that did not exist. The PPP program was designed to approve loans to small businesses for job retention

Oasis whipped through Chicago like a hurricane Thursday night, launching their first U.S. show in more than 15 years in front of a sold-out Soldier Field. The Manchester mayhem did not disappoint. Formed in 1991, Oasis has always been as famous for their anthems as for the fiery feuds between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. Fans weren’t entirely sure this reunion would even happen, but finger-crossing and prayers were answered when the band took the stage together, arms raised in solidarity. They wasted no time, tearing into “Hello,” “Acquiesce,” and “Morning Glory” before powering through an ambitious 23-song set with

In Porter County State Road 8 will be closed between County Road 300 East and County Road 450 East on or after Tuesday, September 2. State Road 8 will be closed through mid-October for a bridge deck overlay project over Crooked Creek. Motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour will follow State Road 49, U.S. 30 and U.S. 421.

IT'S TIME TO RAISE YOUR GLASS BECAUSE OKTOBERFEST IS BACK! CHECK OUT TODAY'S SCHEDULE FOR DAY 2! EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Enjoy Over 50 Live Acts Across Three Stages Multiple Beer Gardens A Wide Variety of Food Vendors Art, Craft, & Merchandise Vendors FREE ADMISSION Oktoberfest Event Sponsor Shoutout: •Michigan City Special Events • Arnett Construction and Roofing • Chesterton Physical Therapy • NIPSCO • Arby’s of Michigan City

MICHIGAN CITY – City Hall and the Department of Water Works will be closed to the public on Monday, Sept. 1 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The Transit and Refuse departments also will be non-operational that day. Regular bus service and routes will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Local residents and businesses whose normal trash and compost pickup day is Monday are asked to set their bins out before 7 a.m. on Tuesday. The city says all others should set their bins out before 7 a.m. on your normal pickup day. The Refuse Department will double up on

MICHIGAN CITY, IN—Unity Foundation of La Porte County invites Michigan City area educators to apply for grants to make learning and teaching more fun and impactful. Unity Foundation manages three grant programs for Michigan City teachers, each established by caring donors who believed in teachers as the critical factor for learning. Together, the programs have invested in more than 1,000 educators at Michigan City public and private schools for projects of their own design since the mid-1990s. These grants of $400 to $500 each aim to support teachers as they find innovative ways to make learning possible for students. Teachers

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health’s Prenatal Assistance Program recently received a donation of 247,968 Huggies diapers from the National Diaper Bank Network. The National Diaper Bank Network works in partnership with its network of diaper banks – including those at Franciscan Health -- allied programs, donors, sponsors and elected officials to end diaper need and period poverty in the United States. “This incredible gift from the National Diaper Bank Network and Huggies helps us extend our reach and ensure that more children in Northwest Indiana have the essentials they need to thrive,” said Tristan Kirby, Franciscan Alliance community health

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites community members to attend insightful and engaging lectures led by university faculty members during fall 2025 - without the pressure of tests or grades. PNW hosts Friday University from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 at the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, Ind. Programs are open to the public and registration can be completed at pnw.edu/friday-university. Program schedules will include three sessions - morning, midmorning and afternoon. Registrants can choose between three different topics per timeslot, allowing them

The Ogden Dunes Police Department announced on Thursday that due to an accident at the County Line Road crossing, the railroad crossing at Hillcrest Road and U.S. 12 will remain closed throughout the weekend. The department says the railroad team is working diligently to reopen the crossing as quickly as possible. However, because of the accident, paving cannot be completed until next week. Additional signage is being installed to direct drivers through the detour. There is a detour sign at 249 and the US Steel Bridge that specifically states, "Detour to the Town of Ogden Dunes."

IT'S TIME TO RAISE YOUR GLASS BECAUSE OKTOBERFEST IS BACK! CHECK OUT TODAY'S SCHEDULE FOR DAY 1! EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: Enjoy Over 50 Live Acts Across Three Stages Multiple Beer Gardens A Wide Variety of Food Vendors Art, Craft, & Merchandise Vendors FREE ADMISSION Oktoberfest Event Sponsor Shoutout: •Michigan City Special Events • Arnett Construction and Roofing • Chesterton Physical Therapy • NIPSCO • Arby’s of Michigan City

Earlier this week the Chesterton Fire Department welcomed Probationary Firefighter Gavin Hofkamp. Gavin is a 21-year-old graduate of Highland High School and a resident of Lake County IN. Gavin has prior Fire and EMS experience. 

The City of Michigan City is aware of a video circulating online showing a traffic stop that occurred in February 2024. The interaction did not result in an arrest, only a written warning. No constitutional rights were violated and no complaints were filed; but outside groups are now circulating the video and misrepresenting the situation. I want to be clear: I fully support the men and women of the Michigan City Police Department, who work tirelessly each day to keep our community safe. At the same time, I recognize that moments such as this - regardless of how or when

The following is a statement posted to the Michigan City Police Department Facebook Page Wednesday night: STATEMENT REFERENCE YOUTUBE VIDEO The Michigan City Police Department is aware of a video currently circulating on YouTube and other social media platforms that depicts an interaction involving our officers during a traffic stop. We are currently looking into the matter and are committed to addressing the situation with transparency and professionalism. As this is a personnel matter, we are unable to provide any further comment until a thorough review has been completed. We appreciate your understanding.

Valparaiso City Services (VCS) is inviting the community to participate in one of five upcoming focus group sessions designed to gather input about recycling in Valparaiso. Both recyclers and non-recyclers are encouraged to attend and share their experiences, opinions and ideas. The focus group discussions will help the City of Valparaiso to better understand how residents view the current recycling program, identify community needs and determine the future direction of recycling in Valparaiso. Each session will last approximately 75 minutes and will be held at the Valparaiso City Services Business Office, 205 Billings St. (where water bills are paid). Focus

Please be advised the office of the Solid Waste District of La Porte County and the Compost Site, will be closed Monday, September 1, 2025 in observance of Labor Day. The Compost Site will be open Saturday, August 30, 2025. There will be a One Day Delay in the recycling pickup schedule during the week of September 1st through Saturday, September 6th. The office will reopen Tuesday, September 2nd at 8:00 a.m.

Brown Street between Central Avenue and Independence Avenue will be closed to all traffic today Aug. 28 and again on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 4 and 5 for asphalt crack sealing. See the Portage Police Department Facebook page for any updates.

Michigan City, IN – The City of Michigan City will host its First Annual Opioid Awareness Walk on Thursday, August 28, 2025, as part of its ongoing commitment to combating the opioid epidemic and supporting residents impacted by addiction. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the Awareness Walk starting from City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd. Immediately following, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., participants may visit the lower level of City Hall, where service providers will be available to share resources; and free Narcan training will be offered to equip community members with lifesaving overdose reversal tools. “Opioid addiction continues

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department says they are working on something special and they need the community's help. They're seeking contact info for all the active neighborhood associations and HOAs in town. They already have Elston Grove, Eastport, and Westside contacts on our list. The department said they know there are others out there, they just don't know who to contact. the department said if you know, please tag them in the comments of their post on Facebook or have them contact Kelley Smith in the Mayor's Office at kelley@emichigancity.com.

VALPARAISO, Indiana —August 2025 —The Indiana Department of Health detected a pool of mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile Virus in Porter County. Residents should take precautions when going outside. Taking precautions such as: practicing bite prevention using an EPA-registered insect repellant, wearing long sleeves, eliminating standing water around the home, and avoid going outside during peak feeding at dusk and dawn. Container as small as a bottle cap can become a mosquito breeding site, so residents should take the following steps: • Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots or other containers that can hold stagnant water; •

As part of an initiative to earn Porter County a Heart Safe Community designation, the Porter County Health Department has purchased and installed an automated external defibrillator (AED) outside the Duneland Chamber of Commerce’s building, at 220 Broadway on the far west end of Thomas Centennial Park, the Town of Chesterton is reporting. Heart Safe is a designation awarded by Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory), named in honor of Adam Lemel, a high school student who tragically lost his life to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Project ADAM is dedicated to raising awareness and providing communities with the necessary tools