Local News

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) applauded the announcement that $354.6 million in Federal funding will allow construction to begin on the state’s largest public transit investment in Indiana history – expanding commuter rail service from the West Lake Corridor to Chicago. The project expands the South Shore Line with a new eight-mile line extending from Hammond on the north to Dyer on the south. The project includes four new stations: a Gateway station in north Hammond, a station at 173rd street in Hammond, a station at Ridge Road in Munster and a station at the border of Munster and Dyer

On October 15th, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) led a multi-agency county-wide compliance check of all Sexually Violent Predators (SVP) and Offenders Against Children (OAC). The sex offender compliancy check, Operation Scare and Beware, targeted 104 SVP and OAC offenders in preparation for upcoming Halloween trick-or-treat activities that will be taking place in communities throughout La Porte County. Two (2) offenders, Ladonna M. LOWHORN (39 YOA) and Jose F. THOMAS (47 YOA), were found to be non-compliant. Detective Gabe Struss immediately launched investigations to seek arrest warrants for the registry violations of LOWHORN and THOMAS and to determine

The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest (PNW) has announced the 2020 winners of its Innovators Awards. Recipients will be inducted into the Society during a virtual event to be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19. “Originally launched in 2005, our induction ceremony celebrates the spirit of creativity and ingenuity that lights up the communities throughout Northwest Indiana,” said Sheila Matias, executive director of the Society of Innovators and Leadership Institute at Purdue Northwest. “We are thrilled to be able to induct 28 individuals and team members into the Society as members of our class

Dear MCAS Families:As you are aware, Laporte County is currently at an “Orange” level status for COVID spread. Orange gives MCAS flexibility in operations, allowing us to make a decision about our operations based on a variety of factors.At Orange, MCAS could operate in-person, all online, or in a hybrid model.We want to clarify (1) what the hybrid option will look like for students and (2) our decision-making timeline for operations.If we move to a “Hybrid” operation status:* All In-Person students will attend ONLINE Monday and Friday, and in-person on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The school day will follow the

Over the past several days, MCPD has responded to several calls of subjects driving around shooting vehicles and persons with paintballs from a paintball gun. Although these pranksters may think that this is just good fun, this type of behavior can be very dangerous as was the case Friday afternoon. A 40 - year - old male was pumping gas at the BP Gas Station located at 1204 Franklin Street when he heard a popping sound and immediately felt stings on his body from an unknown projectile. The male subject then saw someone out of the passenger side window of

Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced that Indiana has received approval to continue its successful alternative to traditional Medicaid expansion—the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP)—for ten more years. This allows the state to continue health coverage for more than 572,000 low-income adult Hoosiers.Additionally, the approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services grants five-year extensions of some of the newer components of Indiana’s HIP program that have provided treatment for substance use disorder and serious mental illness for 88,000 Hoosiers across all Medicaid programs.HIP is a platform for certainty during the pandemic. Members continue coverage during a public health emergency

With cases of COVID-19 growing in recent weeks, Franciscan Health Michigan City is taking steps to limit potential spread of the virus with new visitor restrictions. Adult visitors will be allowed under specific circumstances. The hospital will continue screening all visitors to determine if they are at risk for COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. Those who do not pass screenings will not be permitted to enter the hospital. All visitors will be required to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and practice good hand hygiene. Visitors must be 18 or older. -Inpatients and critical care inpatients: Non-COVID-19 patients may have

On October 24, 2020, at 7:44 AM, deputies were summoned to CR 675 North, west of SR 39, rural Springfield Township, reference a single motor vehicle crash. Shortly thereafter, Deputy Austin Epple arrived and confirmed the driver was deceased.The crash investigation determined a silver 2004 Volkswagen had been traveling west on CR 675 North. For an unknown reason, the vehicle drove left of center and began to travel off the south side of the roadway. For approximately 75 feet, the vehicle continued to partially travel off the roadway before eventually colliding with a concrete culvert. After striking the culvert, the

The new hospital in La Porte, Northwest Health – La Porte, is now open and treating patients. The hospital, was designed with quality of care and convenience for patients as the top priority. On Saturday, October 24, Northwest Health – La Porte opened at 1331 State Street in downtown La Porte. That event marked the culmination of years of planning and a vision of creating a healing environment that will serve La Porte County and surrounding areas for decades to come. The four story, 200,000-square foot hospital with all private patient rooms sits one block from the older La Porte

Sunday morning at approximately 7:45 a.m., the Indiana State Police Toll Road District received reports of a single vehicle crash westbound I-90 at the 7.1 mile-marker.  Preliminary investigation by Trooper Dustin Eggert revealed that a red 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier was westbound on I-90 (Toll Road) when for unknown reasons the vehicle left the roadway and struck the center median wall.  After striking the wall, the vehicle crossed all westbound lanes, striking the guardrail where it then became airborne.  The vehicle overturned and came to rest in trees located north of the interstate.  At some point while the vehicle was overturning,

UNDER STATE LAW TO FIGHT FURTHER VIRUS SPREAD Concerned about rising Covid positivity rates, increased hospitalizations and nearing the 50 Covid death mark in LaPorte County, Dr. Sandra Deausy today announced a series of measures she’s dubbed “Project Vigilant” using her authority under state law to fight further spread of the Covid-19 virus. (Indiana Code Section 16-20-1-24 provides that local health officers may “forbid public gatherings when considered necessary to prevent and stop epidemics.”  Indiana Code Section 16-20-1-25 also allows a health officer to “abate” any condition that may “transmit, generate or promote disease” including the authority to seek a

More than 36,000 Coho salmon were recently stocked in multiple rivers and streams in northern Indiana last week. Bodine State Fish Hatchery released Coho salmon into the Little Calumet River and Trail Creek. A total of 14,000 fish were stocked into the East Branch of the Little Calumet. About 22,000 fish were planted into Trail Creek. These fish were approximately 7.2 inches long. Mixsawbah State Fish Hatchery plans to stock approximately 16,500 Coho salmon into the Little Calumet and 8,500 into Trail Creek on Oct. 29th. Fish stocked will be around 6.5 inches long. When finished, each Lake Michigan tributary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved the Indiana State Hemp Plan for commercially growing and processing hemp. In Indiana, hemp processing and production are regulated through the Office of the Indiana State Chemist (OISC). The approved hemp plan takes OISC’s pilot hemp program and transitions it to a commercial hemp production program. Previously, hemp growers needed a research proposal and to be associated with a university researcher to apply for a license. Under this newly approved plan, farmers will not need a research component to be licensed. For the 2021 growing season, applications will open in November 2020. Applications

More than 1 million Hoosiers have requested an absentee ballot or voted early in the 2020 General Election, according to Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson. As of Thursday, 553,270 absentee by-mail ballots have been requested across the state, and 477,217 voters have voted at an early voting location, with a total of 1,042,319 ballots requested or submitted. In the 2020 Primary Election, a total of 640,225 Hoosiers voted absentee in-person or by-mail.  In 2016, during the entire period of absentee voting for both in-person and by-mail, 977,239 ballots were submitted. The increased volume of absentee ballots means that final

NIPSCO says it has seen a recent uptick in customer reports of scammers calling homes and businesses posing as NIPSCO employees. As the holiday season approaches, NIPSCO expects scam attempts to continue to rise—an issue impacting many energy companies around the U.S. Recent and common reports from NIPSCO residential and business customers state that they have received calls and texts from people claiming to be NIPSCO employees and demanding payment to avoid their service being disconnected. However, the company wants to emphasize that NIPSCO does not call and demand immediate payment via a prepaid card. If customers are unsure of

.On May 31st, 2020, the City of Michigan City experienced a gathering of over 1000 people in front of the Michigan City Police Department to protest social injustice issues stemming from the death of George Floyd. A protest of this magnitude had never occurred in Michigan City and the potential for violence and extensive property damage was high. Across the country, similar protests occurred which resulted in officers and civilians sustaining various injuries, including death, along with substantial property damage. The protest in Michigan City ended with one assault on an officer and no injuries to civilians. Property damage was

Dear Business Owner _________________ Recently,  a number of complaints have been lodged with the LaPorte County Health Department about  lax adherence to the county and state mask mandate in certain businesses in our county. The widely respected Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts that if 95% of Americans just wore masks (the level in Singapore) then nearly 100,000 lives could be saved between October 1, 2020 and the end of the year.  A review of 172 studies in the respected British Medical Journal The Lancet found that face masks significantly reduce virus transmission. This is a nominal request to make of you, your employees and your customers.   While

Congratulations to 34 year veteran Sgt. Ken Havlin for being selected recipient of the Exchange Club “Public Service and Safety Award!” Exchange Club Committee members chose Sgt. Havlin after reviewing a nomination letter from Captain Mark Swistek which highlighted a stellar career of Public Service! We celebrate Sgt. Havlin’s achievement and send a big thank you to the Exchange Club for supporting the Michigan City Police Department!!

Angela Rose, Director of Downtown La Porte, Indiana, has announced her resignation and acceptance of a position with the City of South Bend. Rose made the announcement to the Executive Director of LEAP, Bert Cook, on Thursday, October 8th. “Angela Rose did a tremendous job representing the interests of Downtown La Porte during her time here. She was an integral part of the LEAP Team and will be sorely missed. We wish her the best of luck in her new position and have no doubt she will do great things for the City of South Bend,” said Bert Cook, Executive

Councilwoman for the 5th Ward Sarah Brown will be stepping down from her position in the coming weeks, according to City of La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody. Brown, who was elected in 2019 and has served in the seat since January of this year, will resign effective November 5. “Due to unforeseen circumstances I am announcing my resignation from the La Porte City Council," Brown said. "My family and I are moving within LaPorte; however, we will reside outside the 5th Ward so I will no longer meet the requirements of the position. I want to thank everyone for their