Local News

The Youth of the Year Scholarship was started by the Portage Y's founder and first board president, Russell A. Willis. The award is granted yearly to an outstanding person displaying several leadership qualities. This award is a $1,000 scholarship payable upon the student’s graduation from high school and acceptance to and enrollment in, a two or four-year degree program, a vocational training program and/or other continuing education or training program approved by the Portage Township YMCA. The award is paid directly to the educational or training institution on behalf of the winner. Applications are being accepted from now through April

The Valparaiso police announced the promotion of Patrick Yokovich to the rank of Patrol Sergeant. Yokovich is an 11-year veteran of the department, spending his career as part of the Patrol Division. Patrick is a 2004 graduate of Valparaiso High School and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business from Franklin College in 2008. Patrick is actively involved in training for the department, having served as a Defensive Tactics Instructor, a Field Training Officer, and is the current Coordinator of the Junior Police Academy.

The Michigan City Fire Department has recently received the improved Insurance Services Office (ISO) rating of a Class 2 from a Class 3. This rating has been achieved by less than 1/4 of 1% of Fire Departments Nationwide and is one of only 17 in Indiana. The ISO currently evaluates over 50,000 Fire Departments Nationwide with only 1,597 earning the Class 2 Rating. The new Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating will become effective July 1st, and the improved Insurance Service Office rating will help some homeowners see a lowering of insurance rates, the department announced. Fire Departments across the Nation

The Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced that 35 Hoosier artists have been selected to participate in the second annual On-Ramp accelerator program for early career creative entrepreneurs. The creative entrepreneurs chosen for the 2019 On-Ramp program represent all corners of the state and a variety of creative disciplines. To learn more about them and their careers, visit: https://www.in.gov/arts/3143.htm. The 35 participants are preparing to expand their creative work with an entrepreneurial approach. A three-day course workshop, will be held May 10 - 12th in Nashville, Indiana focusing on developing business skills, career goals, and community engagement learning. Those completing the

Indiana State Police (ISP) Superintendent Douglas Carter proudly presented Indiana’s highest honor the “Sagamore of the Wabash” award to Paul Fotia. Fotia is a retired ISP Sergeant and currently the ISP Lowell Regional Laboratory Manager. The Sagamore of the Wabash award honors those who have made a significant contribution to the Hoosier state and it is the highest honor the Governor of Indiana can bestow, Several co-workers, family, active law enforcement, and the Indiana State Police Board were on hand to witness this honor at the Lowell Post, Monday. In addition to the Sagamore of the Wabash award Paul was

From the Porter County Sheriff:“The Porter County Sheriff's Office is spearheading a much needed fundraising effort to offset the surgery costs for one of our Officer's daughter's medical expenses. Valparaiso High School sophomore Ashley Young, daughter of Bill and Michelle Young, has been fighting a rare progressive disease called Idiopathic Condylar Resportion, ICR. Ashley needs our help now!ICR affects less than 1% of the population. It is a gradual dissolving of the jaw hinges making it difficult to eat, speak and unable to fully close the mouth. Total jaw reconstruction is now required, if left untreated this rare condition could

Franciscan Health is recognizing the pain that families go through in the loss of a pregnancy or newborn and provides services to those seeking care and comfort.Twice a year, a memorial service is held to remember these children. The public is invited to take part in “Remembering Our Babies,” Franciscan Health’s next memorial service, at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery, 1015 Greenwood Ave. in Michigan City.This memorial service is held in accordance with Franciscan Health Michigan City’s faith and commitment, including the unborn child, their parents and families.For more information about the memorial service and

This week ISP will be doing special enforcement projects statewide targeting the Slow Down and Move Over Law. The State Police will be coordinating this effort with six other state police agencies.This will be in conjunction with distracted driving enforcement.

A vehicle crash claimed the life of the driver early yesterday morning on east bound I-80/94 just east of Cline Avenue. Investigation revealed at approximately just after 3:30 am, Monday a Buick, driven by 38 year old Robert Horton III, of Gary, was eastbound on I-80/94 just east of Cline Avenue when for unknown reasons the Buick went off the roadway. The car hit the sound barrier wall on the south side for approximately 100 yards before hitting the Burr Street exit sign. This caused the front wheels of the car to come off and hit a light pole which

The Valparaiso Police released the following statement regarding a recent threat made: “The Valparaiso Police Department is investigating an alleged threat made by a 14-year-old male against another student, both attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School. The threat was discovered by the 14 year-old student’s parents, who reported it to police. The threat reported has not been substantiated at this time; however, police continue to investigate the reported threat. The student will not be attending school until further notice, as the Valparaiso Community Schools and the Valparaiso Police Department work in conjunction to investigate the incident. The threat was isolated to

U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) this week introduced bipartisan legislation to improve student safety by examining ways to prevent dangerous, illegal passing of school buses when children are present. The bipartisan Stop for School Buses Act (H.R. 2218) would improve efforts to prevent illegal passing by directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to conduct a comprehensive review of existing laws and programs, recommend best practices, and create a nationwide public safety campaign.Walorski announced the bill Thursday at the Rochester School Corporation following a demonstration of recently installed school bus cameras, which engage when the stop

This week ISP will be doing special enforcement projects statewide targeting the Slow Down and Move Over Law. The State Police will be coordinating this effort with six other state police agencies.This will be in conjunction with distracted driving enforcement.

U.S. Senators Todd Young (Ind.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) cosponsored a resolution last week designating April as Financial Literacy Month. The resolution aims to highlight the importance of learning and maintaining healthy financial habits. According to a 2017 report by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), approximately 25 percent of households in the United States are unbanked or underbanked and have limited or no access to savings, lending, and other basic financial services. Financial literacy empowers individuals to make wise financial decisions and reduces the difficulty of making decisions in an increasingly complex economy.

The South Shore Line will operate a regular weekday train schedule on Good Friday, April 19, 2019. All ticket offices will observe regular weekday hours on Good Friday, and regular weekend hours on Easter Sunday, April 21st.

After the first week of early voting, the Michigan City Mayor’s Office and the Michigan City Police Department have received numerous complaints from residents of voter intimidation and voter harassment at the Michigan City Courthouse.In addition, on April 10, 2019, an individual entered the Michigan City Courthouse, walked past uniformed Sheriff’s Deputies at what is supposed to be a secured entrance, and sat down in the direct vicinity of where voting was taking place and actively campaigned.If you have witnessed or have been subjected to voter intimidation while early voting at the Michigan City Courthouse, you are encouraged to contact

Sheriff John T. Boyd announced the promotion of two deputies within the ranks of the Merit Division, effective April 10th, 2019. Andrew S. Hynek has been promoted to the rank of Captain. Captain Hynek is a 1997 graduate of New Prairie High School. In 2005, he graduated from Indiana University-South Bend, with an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. James D. Arnold has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He is a 1996 graduate of La Porte High School. Sergeant Arnold is now assigned to the Midnight Shift of the Patrol Division. With this assignment, he will serve as a

Gov. Eric Holcomb has proclaimed this week, April 8-12, as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Indiana, an important reminder for Hoosiers to watch for potentially devastating pests.Ornamental pear trees, most commonly known as Bradford pears, have been a popular landscaping tree in Indiana for decades.So popular that they are crowding out native Indiana trees.For that reason, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources encourages homeowners and landscapers to avoid planting such trees and to replace them when possible. If you are looking for an alternative flowering tree for Indiana, serviceberry trees, which have similar white blooms in the spring and fruits

As part of a joint ‘Move Over Law’ traffic enforcement project Indiana will be working with ‘Six State Trooper’ law enforcement partners in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia during the week of April 14th through the 20th. During this time motorists can expect to see additional patrols looking for distracted driving violations which often lead to motorists failing to move over when they approach an emergency vehicle stopped roadside or at a crash scene. Some violations associated with Driving While Distracted include speeding, following too close, drifting from lane to lane and failing to signal turns or lane

U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) and Julia Brownley (D-Calif.) this week introduced bipartisan legislation to improve student safety by examining ways to prevent dangerous, illegal passing of school buses when children are present. The bipartisan Stop for School Buses Act (H.R. 2218) would improve efforts to prevent illegal passing by directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to conduct a comprehensive review of existing laws and programs, recommend best practices, and create a nationwide public safety campaign. Walorski announced the bill Thursday at the Rochester School Corporation following a demonstration of recently installed school bus cameras, which engage when the

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that State Road 10 is closing today in Newton County for a culvert replacement. The road will be closed about a half-mile west of State Road 55 until the end of April.