Local News

Lubeznik Arts Festival (LAF), one of Michigan City’s summer highlights, is fast approaching. The 2019 festival will take place on Saturday, August 17 and Sunday, August 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the grounds of Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA). Here’s a sneak peak at some of this year’s festival highlights. Thanks to a generous grant by the Michigan City Public Art Committee (MAC), veterans will once again receive free admission to LAF in 2019. Qualifying individuals may either identify themselves at the festival gates or stop by LCA ahead of time to pick up a special

A Purdue Extension Master Gardener training program will be offered in La Porte County beginning Thursday, September 5th, and continuing until December 19 on Thursday evenings from 6 to 9 p.m. Central Time. The classes will be held at the Purdue Extension – La Porte County office on State Road 2 near the county fairgrounds in La Porte. The purpose of the Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program is to teach people more about growing plants and to more effectively share information related to plants with others. Its specific aim is to provide information and technical assistance in the areas of

The La Porte Police Department is joining about 230 law-enforcement agencies across Indiana and thousands nationwide in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization. From mid-August through Labor Day, police will be working overtime to arrest impaired drivers. Expect to see increased sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols. Overtime patrols are supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). To assist with traffic enforcement, ICJI recently provided Indiana police agencies with: 2,600 portable breath tests to evaluate alcohol impairment in drivers, 1,000 RADAR and LIDAR speed-measurement devices, and Android tablets for 248 highly trained

Governor Holcomb ceremonially signed HEA 1010 outside the Indiana Farmers Coliseum at the Indiana State Fair on Monday.HEA 1010 exempts military retirement income or survivor’s benefits from income tax.

With the start of a new school year just around the corner, The Salvation Army of Michigan City would like to remind families with school-aged children that a School Uniform Exchange program is available for parents in need.This program offers gently-used clothing that fits the guidelines of the “Dress for Success” dress code for families who are financially unable to purchase clothing in the appropriate size for their children. Parents can bring in school uniforms that no longer fit their children and exchange it for the correct size, according to the Salvation Army.While this program operates throughout the school year,

Tonight is National Night Out and in Portage specifically from 5pm-9pm at Founders Square park. Police will have squad cars, SWAT equipment and Fire equipment on display. K-9's will be there as well. There will also be free popcorn and hotdogs.

The Porter County Sheriff’s Office is currently accepting applications for Probationary Patrol Officer. Pre-Employment Applications may be picked up at the Porter County Sheriff’s Office Monday through Friday between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. and are also available on the Sheriff’s Office website: www.portercountysheriff.com. Pre-Employment Applications must be returned in person or by mail to the Sheriff’s Office by 4:00 PM on Monday, September 9th. (A complete application packet will be issued to those that successfully complete this first phase).Questions can be directed to Cpl. Benjamin McFalls at 477-3102 or email to: pio@porterco-ps.org .

The Porter County Sheriff’s Office is currently accepting applications for Probationary Patrol Officer. Pre-Employment Applications may be picked up at the Porter County Sheriff’s Office Monday through Friday between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. and are also available on the Sheriff’s Office website: www.portercountysheriff.com. Pre-Employment Applications must be returned in person or by mail to the Sheriff’s Office by 4:00 PM on Monday, September 9th. (A complete application packet will be issued to those that successfully complete this first phase). Questions can be directed to Cpl. Benjamin McFalls at 477-3102 or email to: pio@porterco-ps.org .

Horizon Bancorp, Inc. rang the NASDAQ Opening Bell in Times Square, New York yesterday. Craig Dwight, Horizon’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, along with current and past executive leadership participated in the opening bell ringing ceremony. The ceremony celebrated 146 years in business and reaching over $5 billion in total bank assets by the end of the second quarter of this year – a new milestone for the company. In addition, Horizon’s trust department exceeded $2.5 billion in assets under management. The $5 billion milestone for the company represents a double digit compounded annual growth rate of 12.63% from assets

The Valparaiso Police are investigating the report of several vehicles being damaged due to fire, at 105 Bush St., on August 4th. Officers responded to the location at 12:20 a.m. locating several fires having been ignited within vehicles. The Valparaiso Fire Department also responded to assist in extinguishing the fires. In total, nine vehicles sustained damage as a result of the multiple fires. The estimated loss due to the damage is $20,000—$30,000, among various victims. If you have any information as to who is responsible for this incident, please contact the Valparaiso Police Department at 219-462-2135. Information can also be

The Michigan City Commission for Women is holding its annual retreat/workshop this Saturday, August 10th at the Barker Mansion. This will take the place of the regularly scheduled August 15th meeting, so there will be no meeting on August 15th.

An SUV that was on a Michigan City drawbridge when it began to rise was partially crushed between the rising part of the bridge and the pavement. An Ohio couple that was inside the SUV was not hurt. The incident happened Friday afternoon on the south side of the Franklin Street bridge, which was stuck upright for about two hours while first responders tried to figure out how to remove the car. All passengers were out of the vehicle with no injuries and it was determined that there was no fire. Several agencies were called to check on the integrity

Indiana State Police investigated a roll over crash on Saturday night. The crash occurred on I-65 at the 241 mile marker, which is just north of the Lowell exit. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Clay Mcbride revealed that for unknown reasons a 2001 silver Lexus, being driven by 18 year old Ariel Enzian of Hammond, overturned and went off into the center median. The crash threw a debris field across all lanes of I-65 northbound and southbound, prompting all lanes to be closed temporarily for clean up. The driver Ariel Enzian and passenger 18 year old Dylan Boots of Morocco, Indiana

Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the tragedies in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. Flags should be flown at half-staff from now until sunset on Thursday, August 8. Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents across the state to lower their flags to half-staff.

In its 11th year, thousands of spectators attended all of the weekend events in Washington park including the Great Lakes Grand Prix that featured many of the world’s fastest and most powerful offshore power boats and new this year included the exciting addition of P1 boats and AquaX jet ski racing. Other events included the boat parade, block party and Taste of Michigan City. TEAM WIMS/WHFB radio was broadcasting live all weekend covering the races and festivities. Powerboat racing Saturday and Sunday with more than 60 racing teams. A day after the ribbon cutting to celebrate the start of the

Police Regional Dispatch Center in Lowell began to receive multiple 911 calls of someone throwing rocks off of the Harrison St. overpass onto I-80/94. One vehicle sustained extensive damage as a result of the thrown rocks. Master Trooper Dwayne Halliburton was dispatched to the scene to take a criminal incident report from a victim. The Gary Police Department also responded to Harrison St. and to the last known location of the suspects. The Gary Police Department located two juveniles that matched the description of the rock throwers. Subsequent investigation by M/Trp. Haliburton and the Gary Police Department resulted in the

Porter County is now accepting applications for the position of Truck Driver / Laborer. The incumbent serves as Truck Driver/Laborer for the Highway Department, responsible for operating various trucks, tools and equipment in clearing and maintaining county roads and right-of-ways. Serves on 24-hour call as needed. For a complete job description and to download an application visit: www.porterco.org/jobs

Last week, U.S. Senator Mike Braun offered an amendment to America’s Highway Infrastructure Act which strengthens the Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements to use “made-in-America” products in taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects. According to a statement from Braun’s office, “Buy America requirements have been applied for decades to most federal transportation projects, but some projects that receive federal Department of Transportation (DOT) discretionary dollars are not subject to Buy America.  To ensure that the economic benefits of taxpayer spending go to American workers and businesses, Buy America should apply to American-made iron, steel, and manufactured products in all DOT funded infrastructure projects. The

Attorney General Curtis Hill is warning Hoosier consumers to beware of scams perpetrated by online posers in the wake of a recent Equifax settlement following the company’s 2017 announcement of a data breach affecting approximately 147 million people.Scammers have been setting up fraudulent websites that imitate the appearance of an authentic site created to enable people affected by the breach to file claims.The website www.equifaxbreachsettlement.com is authentic. (See the Federal Trade Commission’s recent post about this website.)Would-be scammers, however, have begun setting up imposter websites – misspelling “breach” as “breech” in one URL, for example, and misspelling “settlement” in other web addresses.Online

The regular monthly meeting of the Michigan City Human Rights Commission will be held on Tuesday, August 6, at 4:30p.m. In the West Conference Room, City Hall, 100 E. MichiganBoulevard. This meeting is open to the public.