Local News

Attorney General Curtis Hill announced this week that a U.S. district court judge has signed a consent judgment negotiated between 16 state attorneys general and a Fort Wayne web-based electronic health records company that allegedly sustained a data breach compromising the data of more than 3.9 million people. In December of 2018, Indiana led a multistate lawsuit against the company – Medical Informatics Engineering Inc. and NoMoreClipboard LLC (collectively “MIE”). This case was the nation’s first-ever multistate lawsuit involving a HIPAA-related data breach. With the signing of the consent judgment, the 16 States will receive $900,000 in payments due to

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) announced the introduction of the Stop for School Buses Act of 2019 (S. 1254). Last year, in Rochester, Indiana, a driver struck and killed three young siblings and injured a fourth student while they were boarding a school bus. This bipartisan legislation requires a comprehensive evaluation of methods to prevent the dangerous and illegal passing of school buses at loading zones. U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives last month. The bipartisan Stop for School Buses Actwould require the National Highway Transportation Safety (NHTSA) to review and report

Join United Way of La Porte County on June 27, 2019 from 6-8 PM at the Pottawattomie Country Club for their annual Power of the Purse dinner and silent auction of new and gently used purses. Your support will help continue the fight to end generational poverty in LaPorte County. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/464603767644248/

Join Barker Mansion in the mansion garden this Saturday morning for a talk on the life of renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen and the work he did for the Barkers in 1909. Jensen was a prominent landscape architect at the turn of the century who designed much of the Chicago Parks West system including Humboldt Park. In the early 1900s, Jensen was instrumental in the fight to save the Indiana Dunes. In his private practice, he also designed gardens for many of Frank Lloyd Wright's homes as well as the Henry Ford estate, and in 1909 he also designed the Barker Mansion

The 2019 Jan Nona Environmental Stewardship Award has been awarded to Daisy Lee, an Environmental Science teacher at Krueger Middle School.  As Director of the Krueger Environmental Learning Center (KELC), Lee has helped students gain hands-on experience with planting trees, preparing walking trails, and collecting soil samples from nearby streams.  KELC has also helped Krueger Middle School reduce their waste from an average of 11 bags per day down to 2 with their compost/recycling program. Lee is helping our future community leaders learn and understand more about our environment and how they can have a hand in helping protect it.

Los Lobos will be the 2019 Prairie Magic Music Festival headliner. The Prairie Magic Music Festival, held each August at Sunset Hill Farm County Park, is a celebration of Rock, Blues, and Americana music. Working with long time Porter County Memorial Opera House collaborator Rob Harkel of Brightside Music, the department has grown the festival to attract high quality, national-headlining acts, alongside local favorites as opening acts. The department and Park Board work to increase the number of quality performances at the Sunset Hill Farm County Park amphitheater. This year’s headliner is sure to attract visitors from far beyond Porter

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources confirmed more than 70 Walmart stores and 18 Rural King stores in the state have received rhododendron plants infected with sudden oak death (SOD), a fungal pathogen that kills oak trees. Shipments containing infested material were sent to nine other states as well.Workers from the Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology have been visiting stores across Indiana to destroy any stock that has been found infested and quarantine any stock that is symptomatic. The DNR has destroyed approximately 1,500 infested rhododendron so far and pulled another 1,500 from stores. The DNR has also ordered

Governor Holcomb would like to remind residents that new resources are available for Indiana employers dealing with drug use in the workplace. Attacking the drug crisis, promoting recovery, and building a skilled and ready workforce are priorities for Indiana. That's why Governor Eric J. Holcomb included establishing workforce recovery guidelines to equip employers and employees impacted by substance use in his 2018 Next Level Agenda. He signed HEA 1007, authorizing Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) to create best practice guidelines for employers and implement a second-chance program for applicants and current employees who are qualified for work but

DNR grants totaling $632,880 will be used to fight aquatic invasive plants in Indiana’s lakes.The grants were awarded by DNR director Cameron F. Clark through the Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program in the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife.The 42 projects involve 62 lakes and one river in 15 counties. The applications were submitted by local sponsors who share at least 20 percent of the total cost.(For a list of 2019-2020 grant awardees, visit wildlife.IN.gov/3304.htm.)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given another approval for a drug from Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co. The approval for Cyramza is for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of liver cancer.The approval is the fifth for Cyramza and the FDA has also removed the boxed warning from the drug's labeling. The treatment, which is administered through an injection, is given to patients who have reached a particular biomarker and have been treated with another drug, sorafenib.

Join Barker Mansion for their monthly lecture series on the social history of the age, with craft beer served by Zorn Brew Works. This month's speaker will be Matt Kubik! Tickets are free to the public and beer from Zorn Brewery will be for sale for $4/pour. Visit https://www.barkermansion.com/ for more information

Effective on July 1st a new Indiana law (S.E.A. 333, P.L. 224) establishes a procedure authorizing licensed medical personnel to obtain a body fluid sample or to retrieve contraband from the body cavity of an individual as part of a criminal investigation, and, grants, with certain exceptions, immunity to medical personnel. Provides a method for certain emergency medical services providers and law enforcement officers who have been exposed to blood or body fluids to obtain the results of a test for a dangerous communicable disease. Establishes a procedure for a court to issue an emergency ex parte order for a

The Indiana DNR confirmed that it has intercepted plants containing a fungal pathogen that kills oak trees, sudden oak death (SOD), for the first time in about 10 years. Inspectors from the DNR Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology detected SOD (Phytophthora ramorum) in several varieties of rhododendrons being sold in Columbus, Noblesville, South Bend, Sullivan and Tippecanoe. SOD has killed large tracts of oaks on the West Coast. SOD has not been established in the Midwest, to date. SOD can kill standing oak trees, which could happen if SOD-positive rhododendrons were planted within about 6 feet of a standing

The Valparaiso Police Department will be hosting the North American Police Work Dog Association (N.A.P.W.D.A) National Seminar. The seminar will include police canine teams, as well as certified Master Trainers and Trainers from across the country. There will be approximately 150 police personnel in the City of Valparaiso during the week of June 9th—June 13th. The week will include training and certifications for all canine teams. The topics covered will include narcotics detection, explosive detection, cadaver, tracking, building search, area search, aggression control, and search and rescue.Along with the basic training skills, there will be venues set up for scenario

Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to artists to scientists to crafters, Maker Faire is a venue for these “makers” to show hobbies, experiments, projects. South Shore Mini Maker Faire takes place on June 22, from 11:00am – 5:00pm in scenic Charles R. Westcott Park – in the heart of the Uptown Arts District of Michigan City, IN. The address is 400 East Michigan Blvd. The event is free to attend! For more information, visit https://southshore.makerfaire.com/

The City of Michigan City will spend the summer collecting information about community-wide greenhouse gas emissions as one of thirteen communities selected to be a part of Indiana University’s first Resilience Cohort. Findings from the community-wide greenhouse gas inventory will be used to help residents and local officials understand Michigan City’s current emissions profile and to help city government employees create an action plan to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency and improve air quality. Findings from the local government operations inventory will be used to help city employees identify greenhouse gas reduction strategies for municipal activities. Mayor Ron Meer said

The 2nd annual Swale Music Fest –– held in beautiful Charles R. Westcott park of Michigan City’s Uptown Arts District –– is the perfect way to kick off summer. A motley of beer from Burn ‘Em Brewing, Shoreline Brewery, and Zorn Brew Works Co. will be on tap for those over 21 to enjoy. Hungry? Grab a bite from Miller Pizza By The Beach, Smokey G’s BBQ, Pachamama Street Food, and Dagger Mountain Roastery. Online tickets are $15 (after fee) for general admission, free for children ages 12 & under when accompanied by an adult. Tickets will be $20 at the gate, so grab them today! For

Attorney General Curtis Hill joined 46 other attorneys general across the country this week to ask Congress for the third time to amend the Communications Decency Act in order to make sure state and local authorities are able to protect citizens online and take appropriate action against criminal acts. The Communication Decency Act of 1996 (CDA) was designed to encourage the growth of the internet by promoting free expression, particularly on online message boards. The Act was intended to allow companies that sponsor message boards to remain immune to repercussions from inappropriate posts, but, due to a misinterpretation of Section

The City of Michigan City is announcing that mosquito adulticiding (spraying for adult mosquito control) is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5th or Thursday, June 7th (weather determining and permitting.) When spraying occurs, it will commence at dusk and continue through the night until finished. The city asks the public to be alert when they see trucks with flashing lights and a spraying ULV machine, and to please give them plenty of room.The public can help the City by policing their yard and home for these type of items:-Get rid of old tires, tin cans, buckets, drums, bottles or any water

Join United Way of La Porte County on June 27, 2019 from 6-8 PM at the Pottawattomie Country Club for their annual Power of the Purse dinner and silent auction of new and gently used purses. Your support will help continue the fight to end generational poverty in LaPorte County. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/464603767644248/