Local News

Washington Park Zoo is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Willow, beloved 16-yearold cougar. Willow was more than just a resident; she was a remarkable ambassador for her species and touched the lives of everyone who visited the zoo. Her presence will be greatly missed by staff, volunteers, and guests alike. Since arriving as a cub from an Illinois zoological facility, Willow became a treasured member of the zoo family. She spent most of her life with another female cougar, Baby, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 19 years old. Willow would have been turning 17

Today A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 60%.   Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 60%.   Thursday A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.   Thursday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55.   Friday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 71.

A suspect is in custody after a shooting and a crash that left a woman critically injured in La Porte. On Monday, just after 4 p.m., officers with the La Porte Police Department responded to a report of shots fired in the area of Al’s Supermarket on the East side of La Porte. It was determined that a suspect fired a round at four individuals before fleeing the scene in a vehicle. The suspect vehicle traveled through several areas of the city, including Ridge Street, Philadelphia Street, and Ohio Street corridors. During the incident, the suspect fired additional rounds from

Michigan City Police say they have made an arrest in connection to a fatal motorcycle crash. On April 12, at 7:00 p.m., the LaPorte County E-911 Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a serious bodily injury crash involving a motorcycle and van at the intersection of Franklin Street and Westwind Drive. Officers from Uniform Patrol Shift 2 and the Traffic Division responded to the scene where they located a motorcyclist suffering from life threatening injuries. The motorcyclist identified as 23-year La Crosse, Indiana resident Matthew Castellanos was transported by LaPorte County EMS to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan

The City of Portage announced that on Thursday April 16 the two west lanes of southbound Willowcreek Road will be closed as Deboer Egolf Corporation installs sanitary structures for a new laundromat development. Crews plan to begin work during the early morning hours to minimize disruption during peak traffic times. This project was previously scheduled for Wednesday but was delayed due to the weather forecast. See the map for more details.

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Eight Purdue University Northwest (PNW) faculty members received approval today (April 10) by the Purdue University Board of Trustees for academic promotions starting in the 2026-27 academic year. The faculty members’ promotions are effective Aug. 17, 2026. Academic tenure is acquired on promotion to the rank of associate professor. Candidates promoted to this level have demonstrated a record of accomplishment as a faculty member and show promise of continued professional growth and recognition. Faculty members promoted to the rank of professor have achieved a significant record in learning, discovery and engagement. PNW faculty members promoted

Today Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 70%.   Tonight Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 80%.   Wednesday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City is again partnering with Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch, the City of Michigan City and the National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention for a free initiative in May and June aimed at helping residents get moving to improve their overall health and well-being. Move with the Mayor is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 14 at Gardena Park, 800 Gardena St; 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 at Pullman Field, 550 W. 4th St.; 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 28 at Hansen Park, 100 E. St.; 6

In Porter and La Porte counties, there will be overnight lane closures on I-94 between mile marker 30 and 36 (east and west of U.S. 421) beginning on or after Wednesday, April 15 to set up a new traffic configuration. Overnight lane closures will occur on eastbound and westbound I-94 over the course of two evenings during the hours of 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. These lane closures are weather dependent and therefore could be delayed. Starting on or after the morning of April 17, the right shoulder and driving lane of westbound I-94 will be closed for resurfacing with travel

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) researchers have earned over $70 million in research and development funds since 2021, a major achievement that has helped the university earn the Research Colleges and Universities designation from the American Council for Education (ACE) and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Carnegie Foundation). PNW is the only university or college located in Northwest Indiana to earn this designation, reflecting the university’s expanding research initiatives that positively impact regional growth and quality of life. ACE and the Carnegie Foundation’s Research and Colleges University designation was introduced in 2025 to recognize

Last week, the Indiana State Police released statistics from their Enforcement Bureau for March 2026. The Enforcement Bureau of the Indiana State Police oversees the traffic enforcement efforts of the Troopers assigned to the 14 State Police Districts throughout Indiana. Troopers throughout Indiana documented the following statistics for March 2026: Traffic Stops - 41,223 17,846 traffic citations 33,332 traffic warnings 427 drunk driving arrests 1,851 criminal arrests (traffic related) 1,250 criminal arrests (non-traffic related) 1,364 seatbelt citations 165 distracted driving citations Crashes Investigated – 1,292 Personal injury crashes – 196 Fatal crashes - 5 "Troopers often happen upon or are

SBA Disaster Assistance Now Available to Indiana Counties Impacted by Recent Severe Storms   On April 9, 2026, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a disaster declaration for several Indiana counties impacted by recent severe storms that occurred March 10-11, 2026. This declaration allows eligible residents and business owners to apply for low interest business physical disaster loans, economic injury disaster loans and home disaster loans.   The Indiana counties of Jasper and Newton, and the contiguous counties of Benton, LaPorte, Lake, Porter, Pulaski, Starke and White are now eligible for SBA assistance. At this time, damage occurring outside

The latest from the Indiana State Police-Lowell Post about Reckless Motorcyclist That Crashes Following Brief Attempt to Flee Trooper on I-80-see below for the release and details Reckless Motorcyclist Crashes Following Brief Attempt to Flee Trooper on I‑80 Lake County – On Friday, April 10, 2026, at approximately 5:55 p.m., an Indiana State Trooper observed a sport motorcycle traveling at 95 mph in a posted 55 mph construction zone on I‑80 eastbound near the 8.7 mile-marker which is near the Grant St. exit. The trooper attempted to stop the motorcycle; however, the driver accelerated to speeds estimated at more than

Today A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 77.   Tonight A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62.   Tuesday Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75.   Tuesday Night Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.   Wednesday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

In Portage, Central Avenue will close to through-traffic between Poplar Street and Willowdale Road on Tuesday, April 14. The closure will remain in effect through Friday, April 17. The reason for the closure is the slip-lining of utility lines. The detour will follow Willowdale Road, Mulberry Ave., and Mannier Street.

News Release, Purdue University Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites the community to join in changing students’ lives by making a gift on Wednesday, April 29 during PNW Day of Giving. PNW Day of Giving is the university’s largest and most successful campaign that benefits student scholarships, academic and athletic programs, and other university resources that enhance PNW students’ experiences. The fundraiser runs for 24 hours. Supporters are encouraged to visit dayofgiving.pnw.edu on April 29 to make a gift of their choice to PNW. Supporters’ generous contributions help change students’ lives by relieving financial burdens,

Lake Hills Elementary in Michigan City  is inviting local businesses and organizations to host a free, interactive table at STEM Family Night on May 7 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. “We are looking for local businesses, organizations, and community members to host a free, interactive table at our STEM Family Night on Thursday, May 7, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Lake Hills Elementary School,” Lake Hills said on their Facebook page. “This is a great opportunity to connect with students and families while showcasing your work through hands-on STEM experiences. Whether you lead simple experiments, demonstrate technology, or share

New Payor Scorecard reveals $717M in unpaid care, exposing the hidden cost of insurance for Hoosiers   A new Payor Scorecard, analyzing data from 70 Indiana hospitals, shows hospitals delivered more than $717 million in care in 2025 that went unpaid as insurers delayed or denied payments—while continuing to raise premiums and out-of-pocket costs for Hoosiers.   The Indiana Hospital Association (IHA) estimates that if all Indiana hospitals were included in the dataset, total unpaid care would exceed $1.6 billion statewide. The findings reveal a widening gap between what insurers collect from patients and employers, and what hospitals are ultimately

On April 11th at 4:38 PM, the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a person who was shot in the parking lot of McDonald’s, located at 2404 East Michigan Boulevard. Officers from Uniform Patrol Shift 2 responded to the scene and located a juvenile suffering from a gunshot wound to the left leg. Officers provided medical treatment to the juvenile before LaPorte County EMS transported them to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City with a non-life-threatening injury. Investigators processed the scene for evidence and interviewed multiple witnesses. A preliminary investigation revealed the shooting occurred during a

Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76.   Tonight A chance of showers after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.   Monday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75.   Monday Night Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.   Tuesday Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.