Local News

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

Road crews are removing the center median on the U.S. 12 bridge over Trail Creek in Michigan City. One lane will flow in each direction between Michigan Boulevard and Blue Chip Casino, with work anticipated to wrap up by the end of October. This work is being done in advance of a bridge deck replacement project -- which is slated to start in spring of 2020 – in order to build the traffic crossover once construction starts.

Just after midnight on October 5th, the St. Joseph County Police Department (SJCPD) responded to an address on Osborne Trail in Walkerton about a suspicious person. An officer arrived and discovered a male, later identified as 46 year old Thomas Grzywinski of Hammond, and observed a vehicle 75-100 feet off the road to the north in a sort of wooded swampy area. It appeared that the vehicle lost control on a curve and left the roadway, rolling multiple times. Walkerton Police brought out their K-9, and officers discovered the body of a female, identified as 42 year old Christie Ann

The Greater Michigan City Drifters is a 501c3 organization comprised of predominantly African American civic minded women focused on the youth and elderly in the Michigan City area.  The organization is bringing back this program for a second year in a row due to the overwhelming and positive response from the students.  The program will be presented to all 7th and 8th grade students in the Michigan City Area School System with the help from our local partners:  The Unity Foundation, Michigan City Area Schools, NIPSCO, Harbor Trust and I&D Squared Consulting.                    What:             Student Seminar – Open to the

J oin us at Chesterton’s European Market every Saturday through the end of October in historic downtown Chesterton. From 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, visit us at Broadway and Third Street, next to Thomas Centennial Park. We’re located two miles south of the Indiana Dunes at Lake Michigan, and our Market is easily accessible from Interstate 94 to exit 26A or via the 80/90 Toll Road to exit 31. For more information call 219-926-5513 or visit dunelandchamber.org

Friday morning at approximately 7:25 a.m., a Pensacola, Florida man was killed in a single vehicle crash on I-65 at the 230-mile marker.  Preliminary investigation shows that a Ford Expedition, driven by 62 year old Francisca M. Brown, from Pensacola, FL was northbound on I-65 at the 230-mile marker.  For unknown reasons, the vehicle left the right shoulder of the roadway and drove into the ditch embankment. The vehicle continued to travel in the grass up the overpass where it drove underneath the S.R. 10 bridge, striking the lower portion of the bridge causing severe damage to the roof.  The

State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) was recently selected to serve as chair of the House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee. Pressel was vice chair of the committee during the 2019 legislative session, and has served as a member of the committee since first taking office in 2017.Pressel will continue serving on the House Elections and Apportionment Committee, the House Roads and Transportation Committee, and the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee. Standing committees meet during the legislative session, which convenes each year in January. Committee hearings, which typically occur at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, can be viewed live online

A crash killed three males early Friday on Grant Street near I-80/94 in Lake County. Before the crash, Lake County officers had conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle with three occupants near Ridge Road and Grant Street. But while officers were talking to the occupants, the car left the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers attempted to follow the car on Grant Street, but lost sight of it at the I-80/94 overpass. When officers arrived at the overpass, they observed the car had hit a semi tractor trailer. Two of the occupants of the car died at the

Michigan City, IN – Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer, Police Chief Mark Swistek and Fire Chief Randy Novak ask that each neighborhood work with the City for the safety of our children and hold Trick-or-Treating during these designated hours: Thursday, October 31, 2019 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Participating residents are asked to turn on their porch lights during this time.  Extra police patrols will be utilized during this event throughout the City. Have A Safe & Scary Halloween!!

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has been awarded a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the reach, quality, effectiveness and sustainability of asthma control services and help reduce the burden asthma places on Hoosiers. ISDH will receive $625,000 each year to align with the CDC’s Controlling Childhood Asthma-Reducing Emergencies initiative, which aims to improve childhood asthma outcomes.The five-year grant will allow ISDH to strengthen existing organizational infrastructure to expand the reach of services through six EXHALE strategies:Education on asthma self-management;  extinguish smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke;  Home visits for trigger reaction and asthma

Northwest Indiana senior citizens will have the chance to get free health screenings and talk with vendors providing senior services at Franciscan Health’s Senior Health and Wellness Fair. The fair will be 1-3:30PM on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Villa Cesare, 900 Eagle Ridge Drive in Schererville. While the event is free, registration is required by calling (800) 931-3322. Dr. Cathleen McGovern and Dr. Christopher McIntire will present “Advanced Care Planning and Advanced Directives: Let’s Get Talking.” Free screenings will include glucose, bone density, body fat analysis, fall risk and spirometry. Refreshments and giveaways will also be available for participants.

To accommodate passengers attending the Notre Dame vs. Bowling Green football game at 3:30p ET on Oct. 5, 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. Train #503 will carry eastbound passengers to the South Bend Airport prior to kick-off, arriving at 12:10p ET. Those 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 off near the Eck Visitors Center/Bookstore on campus. For the

With the official deer archery season starting tomorrow, Indiana Conservation Officers are offering safety tips to help keep Hoosier deer hunters safe. The various deer hunting seasons run through Jan. 31, 2020. It is estimated that more than 300,000 people will participate in some form of deer hunting in Indiana during that span. Such a large number makes safety more even more important. The most common injuries during deer seasons are accidents involving tree stands and elevated platforms. Follow the safety tips listed below when hunting from an elevated position: Before the hunt: Read and understand the tree stand manufacturer’s

LaPORTE COUNTY – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that U.S. 421 will close Monday, Oct. 7, in LaPorte County for approximately one week as part of a resurfacing project. The road will close at the railroad bridge in Otis, between I-94 and the Indiana toll Road. State road detours must use state-maintained roads only. Southbound motorists on U.S. 421 will detour west on I-94, south on SR 49 and east on U.S. 6 back to U.S. 421. Northbound motorists on U.S. 421 will detour west on U.S. 6, north on SR 49 and east on I-94 back to

2ND UPDATE! Crown Point-The four suspects, Naja Wilder and three juveniles involved in the I-80/94 shooting that occurred Friday, September 27th, 2019 shooting were each formally charged by the Lake County Prosecutor’s office today with four counts of Attempted Murder and three counts of Criminal Recklessness.  Additional charges are expected. See earlier releases below: Gary, Lake County-The vehicle and occupants involved in the shooting yesterday evening have been located and arrested.  At approximately 11:49 p.m., yesterday, Friday, September 27, 2019, the Indiana State Police received a tip about the vehicle that was purportedly involved in the shooting and the location of

Michigan City Transit Transit Triangle Detour La Porte County Commuters Service Michigan City – City of La Porte – PNW Effective October 7, 2019 thru October 14, 2019. Due to the road construction and the closure of US 421, between I-94 and State Road 2, the Transit Triangle commuter service will be detoured. The Transit Triangle commuter routes will travel County Line Rd. The Black and Gold Lines of the Transit Tringle Commuter Service will be unable to access Purdue Northwestern University, Westville Campus as scheduled. In order to provide service to PNW Campus, we will be shuttling passengers between

During a ceremony held at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville on Sept. 26, Sister Marlene received the title of Influential Woman in the healthcare category. Sister Marlene grew up in Schererville and entered the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration in 1964. She attended the St. Alexis School of Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated in 1972. She worked in various hospitals within Franciscan until 1994, when she was asked to leave nursing and take on the responsibilities of mission leader. “My first answer was ‘no’ – I loved nursing, I love caring for patients and hopefully making a

Multiple fire departments were called to respond to a residential fire in the 700 block of 50 West in rural Liberty Township shortly before 5pm on Saturday. Deputy Fire Chief Brandon Cotton of South Haven arrived on scene with smoke showing. Deputy Chief Cotton reported the structure appearing to be vacant with flames in the rear of the structure. Firefighters made an attack on the fire and was able to quickly extinguish the fire. The fire was contained to the rear of the structure. Fire Investigators on scene determined the cause of the fire to be a lightning strike. Assisting

UPDATE! Gary, Lake County-The vehicle and occupants involved in the shooting yesterday evening have been located and arrested.  At approximately 11:49 p.m., yesterday, Friday, September 27, 2019, the Indiana State Police received a tip about the vehicle that was purportedly involved in the shooting and the location of the occupants that were inside.  This led us to an apartment complex in Gary and the impending arrest of four males and the recovery of four weapons.  It was learned that the vehicle that was involved in the shooting had been carjacked, earlier on Friday, in Illinois by gunpoint, a gold 2017