Local News

Back for the fourth year, Michigan City’s Barker Mansion is hosting Blackout Tours this month. The tours offer a different look at the mansion: one viewed in near darkness. During the event, tea lights and glow stick necklaces, worn by guests, are the only sources of illumination. Guests are led through the mansion by staff who tell stories of unusual and eerie historic happenings, taking place both at the mansion and throughout Northwest Indiana. The tours were conceived by Heritage Interpreter TJ Kalin in 2016, now serving as Assistant Director. The idea came to him as he realized that many

Fall is an important time for the millions of Hoosiers with health insurance. Not only does the Medicare Annual Enrollment period start today (10/15), but many employers are setting aside a two-week period for workers to choose their health-care coverage for 2020. Vice President of UnitedHealthcare in Indiana John Lurker emphasizes the importance of reviewing plan options, and taking into account any changes in your own health. Lurker says any expected future health events such as having a baby or surgery should be considered as it could impact the total cost of a plan, and not just the monthly premium.

St. Joseph County-On October 13, 2019, at approximately 2:17 a.m., the South Bend Police Department was dispatched to a car v. pedestrian crash on South Bend Avenue just southwest of the intersection with Edison. A vehicle believed, based on witness statements, to possibly be a dark in color larger SUV struck the pedestrian as she crossed South Bend Avenue eastbound. The vehicle was traveling southwest on South Bend Avenue, and did not stop after striking the pedestrian.  The pedestrian has been identified as Hannah Kathleen Turgeon, 27, of Denver, CO. She was transported to Memorial Hospital, where she was subsequently

Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb has declared the week of October 13-19, 2019 be recognized as Indiana Move Over Week.  In 1999 Indiana was the first state in the nation to pass such a law requiring motorists to move to an adjacent traffic lane, or reduce their speed by 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit if unable to change lanes safely when driving by an emergency vehicle stopped along the side of the road, such as a police car, fire truck or ambulance.  Over the years, Indiana's law has expanded to include stationary towing/recovery, utility service, solid

The Indiana State Police is mourning the loss of one of its own after a single vehicle crash late last night on Old State Road 25 near Stair Road. The crash claimed the life of Trooper Peter R. Stephan, 27, Lafayette, IN, who served with the Indiana State Police Department for four years. The preliminary investigation by Indiana State Police Sergeant Rick Brown indicates at approximately 10:25 p.m., Trooper Stephan was traveling northbound on Old State Road 25, south of Stair Road, when his 2018 Dodge Charger police car entered a curve. For an undetermined reason, the Dodge left the

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed to Indiana health officials that a Hoosier in Elkhart County contracted eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, a rare virus transmitted by mosquitoes. The patient died as a result of the infection. This is the first human case in Indiana since 1998 and only the fourth reported since 1964. The CDC says approximately 5 to 10 human cases of EEE are reported nationwide each year, typically from late spring through early fall. Nearly one-third of human cases are fatal. “It’s hard to imagine losing a loved one because of a mosquito bite,

To accommodate an expected increase in passengers for the Chicago Marathon weekend taking place Oct. 11-13, 2019, the South Shore Line will implement the following service update FRIDAY, OCT. 11: The following South Shore Line trains will make flag stops at McCormick Place for the Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo and packet pick-up being held Oct. 11: Westbound (inbound) Train #14, 216, 116, 218, 18, 118, 220, 20 and eastbound (outbound) Train #109, 209, 17, 119, 19, 121, 123. SATURDAY-SUNDAY, OCT. 12-13: All weekend trains except #601 serve McCormick Place as a flag stop. If you’d like to to

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK: Indiana Dunes National Park and Indiana Dunes Tourism (IDT) have partnered to offer Drop-In Volunteering, a no-hassle volunteer option for those looking to help out at the Indiana Dunes. Opportunities will be available nearly every day of the week and will include stewardship, restoration, park clean-up and more.  Drop-in volunteering opportunities include 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday, October 19 (third Saturday of every month), at the Park Connection Office (Chellberg Farm parking lot) and 8:30 am to 4:00 pm during weekdays throughout the year at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center (1215 North State Road 49).

Yesterday, authorities announced that additional fetal remains were located in a vehicle (belonging to Dr. Klopfer) in Illinois. In order to dispel concerns or rumors concerning St. Joseph County, this Office advises that no fetal remains have been found in St. Joseph County. All buildings, properties, and vehicles affiliated with the Women’s Pavilion or Dr. Kloper have been searched. The Indiana Office of the Attorney General, in the furtherance of its ongoing investigation, has continued its presence off and on at the Women’s Pavilion. However, no fetal remains have been recovered in St. Joseph County. This matter remains an Attorney

For the third year, Franciscan Health is recognizing Diaper Insecurity during October by hosting its annual Diaper Drive to benefit families in need throughout Northwest Indiana and the South Suburbs. Due to the generosity and support of Franciscan Health employees as well as community organizations and residents, the drive continues to expand. Last year’s effort collected 20,000 diapers, distributing them to local organizations and helping more than 1,000 families in Northwest Indiana. Collection sites span every Northern Indiana and Illinois Franciscan Health hospital campus: Crown Point, Dyer, Hammond, Michigan City, Munster, and Olympia Fields. Drop-off sites are also spread throughout

La Porte County Sheriff John T. Boyd announced the recent hiring of a Merit (Patrol) Deputy.Twenty-six year old Deputy Austin R. Epple was born in Indianapolis. He is a 2012 graduate of La Porte High School. Deputy Epple continued his education by attending Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa and was a member of the football team. During the summer of 2016, he completed a college accredited internship with the Sheriff’s Office. In December of 2017, Deputy Epple graduated from Loras with a Bachelor of Arts degree while majoring in Criminal Justice.On August 2, 2018, Deputy Epple began his employment with

To accommodate passengers attending the Notre Dame vs. USC Football game at 7:30p ET on Oct. 12, 2019, South Bend Transpo will offer FREE shuttle bus service between the South Bend International Airport and Notre Dame Stadium for select South Shore Line trains. Two trains will carry eastbound passengers to the South Bend Airport prior to kick-off: Train #503 will arrive at 12:10p ET and Train #505 at 5:06p ET. Arriving South Shore Line passengers may then board a Transpo bus near the South Shore train platform at the Airport for the trip to the stadium. Passengers will be dropped

The Indiana State Police is currently accepting applications for the position of Program Director I for the Missing Children Clearinghouse. The deadline to apply is Friday, October 11, 2019. The successful applicant will serve as a civilian employee for the Indiana State Police whose primary responsibility is to direct and administer the Missing Children Clearinghouse programs. To qualify for the position each applicant must be a high school graduate or possess the equivalent GED. Must have an Associate’s Degree OR five years management experience in a sensitive data driven field. Must obtain and maintain IDACS Operator and Coordinator certifications within

The public is invited to meet some of the new physicians in the Michigan City and La Porte communities. On October 22, La Porte Hospital is hosting a free “Meet the Doc” event at Bistro on the Greens, 229 W. Johnson Road in La Porte. Stop by between 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. The public will have the opportunity to chat with the following providers: Dr. Tawny Avila, Family Medicine, La Porte; Dr. Tia Dorn, Family Practice, Michigan City; Dr. Teresa Sharma, Family Medicine, La Porte; Dr. Maribonn Tiangson, Internal Medicine, Michigan City; Dr. Blake Hood, General Surgeon, La Porte and

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is partnering with the Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) in Northwest Indiana to host a virtual job fair on Oct. 29. The webinar will run from 10-11 a.m. CDT and will bring four area employers together to discuss their job opportunities. They are: Chartwells in Munster; Wynright Corp. in Hobart; Discover Books in Hammond; and AvPorts Management at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. CWI oversees nine WorkOne centers in seven counties: Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke. To register, visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1551241982850630668

NIPSCO natural gas residential customers can expect their overall bills during this year’s winter heating season to be less when compared to last year, based on the continued low cost of natural gas and assuming normal weather and usage. Over the course of the upcoming five-month winter heating season — Nov. 1 to March 31 — NIPSCO’s average natural gas residential customers using the system average of 625 therms total could expect to pay approximately $404 in total. In comparison, last year’s average bill for the same five months, had weather been normal, would have been $441. More information about

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb today announced Judge Gina L. Jones as his appointment to the Lake County Superior Court to succeed Judge John R. Pera who retired in June. Jones currently serves as a judge for the Merrillville Town Court, a position she has held for the past eight years. She also maintains a private practice. Prior to this, Jones served in the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, where from 2003 through 2010 she served as Executive Director of the Child Support Division.    Jones, a native of Gary, earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and her law degree from Valparaiso

The workshop will be presented on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at Michigan City City Hall, in the EOC, Lower Level. Registration begins at 5:30 pm and the workshop program will be from 6:00 - 7:30 pm.  It is limited to 40 participants.  To reserve your seat in this class, please contact the MCCEC  by email at mccec@emichigancity.com or by telephone at 219-873-1402.  Please include your name, phone number, address and organization with your reservation. The 2020/2021 Michigan City Community Enrichment Corporation grant application is only available on line at mccec.com. The deadline for submitting grants for this grant cycle is

For years, spinal surgeon Dr. Nitin Khanna, MD, has used minimally invasive spine surgery techniques to provide pain relief to his patients in Northwest Indiana. His expertise has led to him having his research published, writing a textbook chapter and teaching courses to surgeons around the U.S. Now, Dr. Khanna and Franciscan Health have been tapped to participate in a national study on the long-term prognosis for patients who undergo micro decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is a common problem that arises as people age. The spinal canal can narrow or compress, pinching the nerves and leading

October is breast cancer awareness month and early detection of breast cancer increases the overall chances of survival. Although mammograms cannot prevent breast cancer, they can save lives by detecting breast cancer early and preventing the need for more invasive treatments.?In years 2010-2014, the breast cancer incidence rate in La Porte County was 116.5 cases per 100,000 females while in 2011-2015 the incidence rate was 112.3. (Ten 2030) The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has established, with a grant from the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust (IBCAT), the Breast Cancer Project. The Breast Cancer Project?is an established comprehensive effort