Local News

December 31, 2020 On behalf of the LaPorte County Health Department COVID-19 team, the Board of Health, in collaboration with the Laporte County Commissioners, we want to take a moment to inform the public of changes that have occurred with our COVID-19 County Metrics. Unfortunately, as of December 29, 2020, LaPorte County status shifted from Orange to Red. Consistent with the Governor’s executive order 20-50 dated 12/10/2020 on restrictions; the size of social gatherings will be limited by the color metric of the county Red-25 people. When a county is in the Red metric, these requirements remain in effect until

Pandemic EBT continues to nourish children during COVID-19 National Emergency The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved Indiana to continue providing Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits for school-aged children through the entire 2020-2021 school year. P-EBT provides the value of school breakfast and lunch to families of children who would otherwise receive free and reduced-price school meals, if not for COVID-related school closures.  Indiana children are eligible to receive P-EBT as a supplement on their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT accounts – for current SNAP households – or as a new benefit – for other eligible households – to

Thursday, Dec. 31: Regular weekday schedule in effect on New Year's Eve. Alcohol is prohibited after 7pm; glass bottles are prohibited at all times. Friday, Jan. 1: Weekend/holiday schedule in effect on New Year's Day. Ticket Office Schedule: If ticket office is closed please purchase from ticket vending machine (credit or debit only), our mobile app or onboard the train (cash only). Thursday/Friday, Dec. 31-Jan. 1: All ticket offices will be closed except Millennium Station. NICTD administrative offices in Chesterton and Michigan City will be closed.

Three deer hunting seasons are open in January, but two are closing soon. Archery and special antlerless firearms seasons close Jan. 3. Reduction zone season runs until Jan. 31. Also, All 2020 annual hunting and fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2021. The 2021 annual licenses will go on sale starting Jan. 1, but are not valid until April 1.

Last week, City Controller Yvonne Hoffmaster, while reviewing records, discovered that the City's vendor, who handles the City's prescription drug reimbursement for the City, had not posted the scheduled December deposit of approximately $175,000 into the City's bank account.Taking immediate action, Controller Hoffmaster contacted the vendor to inquire as to the status of the deposit, only to discover that the vendor had processed fraudulent documents submitted to the vendor electronically by an unknown individual, who had forged Controller Hoffmaster’s signature and changed the electronic deposit intended for Michigan City to a different bank account in another state.City Controller Hoffmaster immediately

We are very sad to announce,Dawn Wells, best known for playing the girl-next-door castaway Mary Ann on the iconic CBS comedy series Gilligan’s Island, died this morning in Los Angeles of complications due to Covid-19. She was 82.Wells, who was Miss Nevada in the 1959 Miss America pageant, beat out 350 actresses for the role of Mary Ann Summers. She also appeared in more 150 series and several movies during her career as well as on Broadway. LOS ANGELES - JULY 15: Dawn Wells portrays Mary Ann Summers in the CBS television program "Gilligan's Island." Image dated: July 15, 1965

Games involving Michigan City High School over the next three dayswill be livestreamed on the internet!games will be on www.ihsaatv.org for a fee of $9.95 per broadcast.Monday, December 28 SB Clay v Michigan City (boys) will be broadcast.Tuesday, December 28 Lake Station Edison v Michigan City (girls) will be broadcast.Games Wednesday, December 30th involving Michigan City will be broadcast, as well.

On December 26, at 5:05 PM, Deputy Alex Pishkur joined in on a motor vehicle pursuit at the intersection of SR 39 and Pine Lake Avenue.  The pursuit of the vehicle had been initiated by officers from the La Porte Police Department after it failed to yield for a traffic stop.  In the 4900 north block of US 35, Deputy Pishkur took over the pursuit of the vehicle.  The fleeing vehicle avoided a set of tire deflation devices (TDD’s) at the intersection of US 35 and US 20.   The vehicle traveled westbound on US 20 and merged onto westbound I-94.  The vehicle avoided another

On December 26, at 10:45 AM, Sergeant Andrew Hahn was stationary in the median of SR 2 in the 3500 east block monitoring traffic.  He observed a red pickup truck traveling westbound on SR 2 that appeared to be occupied by a male driver and female passenger.  As the truck passed, Sergeant Hahn noticed the driver appeared to keep his face obstructed in what seemed to be an attempt to conceal his identity.  While traveling behind the truck, Sergeant Hahn completed a registration check on the license plate that was affixed to the truck.  He received an alert on the computer return advising the

Troopers from the Lowell Post were investigating a crash on I-80/94 WB on the overpass at Indianapolis Blvd.  As the troopers were investigating, Trooper Davonne Barlow, a 9-year veteran, parked his fully marked police car on the left shoulder against the concrete median barrier.  Trooper Barlow was acting as a “secondary unit”.  Troopers commonly do this to provide emergency lighting support, warning drivers of the crash ahead.  As he was parked and sitting in his car, with his seatbelt fastened, his car was rear-ended by an SUV.  Preliminary investigation by Trooper Brant Goubeaux shows that a black 2001 BMW swerved as it approached the scene.  The

Friday, Jan. 1: Weekend/holiday schedules in effect on New Year's Day.Thursday, Dec. 31: Regular weekday schedule in effect on New Year's Eve. Alcohol is prohibited after 7pm; glass bottles are prohibited at all times. Ticket Office Schedule: If ticket office is closed please purchase from ticket vending machine (credit or debit only), our mobile app or onboard the train (cash only). Thursday/Friday, Dec. 31-Jan. 1: All ticket offices will be closed except Millennium Station. NICTD administrative offices in Chesterton and Michigan City will be closed

A gift to the Franciscan Health Foundation’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Fund from the Michigan City Rotary Club will help the hospital to remotely monitor discharged patients, assisting their recovery.The $5,070 donation will cover the cost of 200 pulse oximeters, which will be part of COVID kits sent home with patients who are discharged from the hospital. The kits allow physicians to remotely monitor the vital signs of patients, ensuring that they’re recovering well at home or providing a signal that additional treatment may be needed.“This (gift) will help us advance our remote patient monitoring efforts greatly,” said Franciscan Health

Since 2018, United Way of Porter County, Meijer, Porter County School Districts and local law enforcement have been hosting holiday shopping excursions for students in need. Thanks to a Meijer $3,000 grant this year, Duneland School District and Hebron School District with the Hebron Police Department were able to shop on behalf of students and their families. Lists of children’s names and what they wanted for Christmas were provided. Toys and gadgets were common items, but some also asked for essentials like personal hygiene products, clothing, and shoes. There were four excursions – three for Duneland Schools and one for

Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) is a nonprofit, independent, private foundation dedicated to empowering our residents to live healthy and well in and around La Porte to achieve our vision of becoming one of Indiana’s top 10 healthiest communities by 2030. Initially funded in March 2016 from the proceeds of the sale of La Porte Hospital, HFL has contributed more than $17 million to projects and initiatives that help community members live healthy and well in La Porte County since 2017.While 2020 has been a difficult year, HFL continued to focus on its mission to empower our residents to

Reese Attar , Michigan City High School and Jillian Maudlin from La Porte High School have been selected as 2021 La Porte County Lilly Endowment Community Scholars . “ Unity’s review committee noted Reese and Jillian’s incredible academic achievements, service to others and innovative leadership roles throughout their high school careers ,” said Shannon Walker, Unity Foundation Vice President. Reese Attar will graduate from Michigan City High School with an academic honors diploma , having taken advanced placement , dual credit and honors courses. She has shown strong work ethic through her extracurricular, work and volunteer activities. Reese has been

City of La Porte Police Chief Paul Brettin welcomes new officer Cody Benson of Rolling Prairie Dec 22nd, in La Porte. Benson will attend the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in January.

Franciscan Health is bringing genetic counseling services to Michigan City, providing help for individuals and families who may be at a high risk for a hereditary cancer condition. Licensed and certified Genetic Counselor Malavika Praseed McGrail, MS, CGC, LGC, will provide telehealth clinic services for patients at Franciscan Health Woodland Cancer Center, 8955 W. 400 North. Genetic counseling is typically recommended for people who have a personal or family history that suggests a hereditary cancer. This includes cancer at a young age, rare cancers, relatives with a known hereditary cancer gene mutation, two or more relatives on the same side

A federal advisory panel recommended Sunday that both the nation’s oldest, most vulnerable people and front-line essential workers be offered the next place in line for Covid-19 vaccines, hoping to use limited vaccine supplies in early 2021 both to reduce hospitalizations and deaths and slow transmission of the virus.This next group would include people ages 75 and older, whose hospitalization and death rates are the highest of all age groups. It would also include teachers, factory workers, police and firefighters, grocery store workers and others who are considered essential to the functioning of the economy and at high risk of

Passengers are advised of upcoming holiday train schedules: Thursday, Dec. 24: Regular weekday schedule in effect on Christmas Eve. Friday, Dec. 25 and Friday, Jan. 1: Weekend/holiday schedules in effect on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.Thursday, Dec. 31: Regular weekday schedule in effect on New Year's Eve. Alcohol is prohibited after 7pm; glass bottles are prohibited at all times. Ticket Office Schedule: If ticket office is closed please purchase from ticket vending machine (credit or debit only), our mobile app or onboard the train (cash only). Thursday/Friday, Dec. 24-25 and Dec. 31-Jan. 1: All ticket offices will be closed except Millennium Station. NICTD administrative

Excitement was in the air as needles went into arms, marking the first of the COVID-19 vaccines delivered at Franciscan Health hospitals in Crown Point, Hammond and Michigan City on Friday morning.Physicians, nurses and support staff who have been on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus pandemic during this past year were first in line to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the first approved by the Food and Drug Administration under an Emergency Use Authorization.Franciscan Health Michigan City Vice President of Clinical Support Services Jill Nygren said colleagues told her they couldn’t sleep last night, knowing that