Local News

Leadership LaPorte County is teaming up with the Unity Foundation to provide an affordable opportunity for interested La Porte county residents to visit the State Capitol in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 26th . This trip is ideal for individuals who have business with our State officials, are aspiring to run for office, or have never visited the state legislature. It is is an opportunity to see legislation in action and to meet with La Porte County legislators.The trip isoffered as part of the Leadership La Porte County 35th class. A few seats are available for community residents on a first-

Ivy Tech Community College is selling its former campus in Gary to 21st Century Charter School. The charter school is buying the two buildings and land, which had served as the college’s Gary campus. Recently the college moved its Gary operations to the Arts & Sciences Building, which it shares with Indiana University Northwest.

Governor Eric Holcomb will attend the annual National Governors Association Winter Meeting in Washington D.C., Feb. 22 through 25. While there, he and other governors will meet with the president and vice president. Gov. Holcomb also will meet with business leaders that hire Hoosiers and representatives from two of Indiana’s largest trading partners – Canada and Japan. On Monday, Gov. Holcomb will participate in a workforce development panel at the 4th Annual Invest in America Summit hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The governor will highlight Indiana’s innovative work and why it makes our state a premier place to

Thursday morning dozens of officials converged on the Michigan City Police Department to hear a presentation delivered by Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter, Noblesville Police Chief Kevin Jowitt and Noblesville Police Assistant Chief Scott Kirby. In front of a capacity filled room of nearly 50 people, the trio delivered a two hour presentation surrounding the May 25th, 2018 shooting tragedy at Noblesville West Middle School. The presentation contained valuable information for those in attendance. Following the presentation, Superintendent Carter, Chief Jowitt and Assistant Chief Kirby fielded questions from the attendees. Those in attendance included school officials from the La

In partnership with the College Board and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE), the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced Thursday another year of increases in the number of Advanced Placement (AP) exams offered, taken, and passed. For the 2017-2018 school year, Indiana reported the following increases:For the 2018 graduating class, 25,892 Indiana public school students took an AP exam, compared to 24,659 in the class of 2017.Since 2008, the percentage of Indiana public school graduates taking an AP exam during high school increased from 20.0 percent to 38.9 percent.In the past 10 years, the number of Indiana public

Members of the La Porte County Fugitive Apprehension Street Team (FAST), along with the U.S. Marshal Service, announce the arrest of last week’s wanted felon, Cordaroll D. Hicks. On Tuesday, just four days after the announcement that Hicks was being sought, he was taken into custody. Hicks was arrested within the City limits of Michigan City. Hicks remains housed in the La Porte County Jail on a $10,005 cash bond through Superior Court I and a hold for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. The FAST Team and Marshal’s Office located Hicks by acting on several leads received from the public

Mayor Ron Meer is proud to announce the City of Michigan City’s recent inclusion in the State of Indiana’s Lead-based paint remediation program which is sponsored by Medicaid and administered through the Indiana State Department of Health. Home owners, Landlords, and Renters who live in a home, or own a home, built before 1978 can receive a free home inspection to determine if the residents are being exposed to lead-based paint hazards. Homes providing child care are also eligible for this service. If lead-based paint exists, this program will also pay for removal of the lead hazard. To be eligible

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that a bridge deck replacement project is set to begin March 4 on U.S. 35 in the City of LaPorte. The bridge, which is adjacent to the courthouse in downtown LaPorte and just north of State Road 2 (Lincoln Way), will maintain one lane of traffic in each direction for the duration of the project. During the first phase, traffic will use the southbound side of the bridge while crews work on the northbound side. The eight-span bridge is approximately 1,100 feet long. The $9.3 million project is set to finish by the

U.S. Supreme Court lets stand decision by Indiana Supreme Court After the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a case involving access to Lake Michigan’s beaches, Attorney General Curtis Hill expressed satisfaction that the ability of the general public to enjoy the natural beauty of Indiana’s shoreline remains protected. In February of 2018, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled that the State of Indiana under existing law possessed “public trust title” to the bed of Lake Michigan up to the ordinary high water mark (OHWM). The ruling rejected challenges by former owners of beachfront land who claimed the state’s

State Rep. Ed Soliday’s (R-Valparaiso) legislation incentivizing data centers to locate in Indiana recently advanced out of the House of Representatives. Data centers house servers that collect, store and process large amounts of data. According to Soliday, data centers can lead to significant economic growth through job creation and development of other data-dependent industries. Under this legislation, cities and counties may offer property tax exemptions and the state may offer sales tax exemptions to data centers planning to invest at least $25 million.

Michigan City Marquette Blazer fans can get their final glimpse of the Lady Blazer basketball team Friday morning before they hit the hardwood Saturday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Principal Allyson Headd has called an all-school assembly for Friday morning at 8:45 am inside the Scholl Center. Students are to report to their first-hour class for attendance before being dismissed to the gymnasium. The team is scheduled to depart from campus at approximately 9:15 am with Michigan City Police and Fire Department officials escorting the bus out of town. Marquette is slated to face Vincennes Rivet for the Class

Franciscan Health Michigan City and the Franciscan Health Foundation saluted Horizon Bank and NIPSCO last week for their generous gifts to two community spaces at the new hospital.Horizon Bank’s $25,000 gift went to support the Blessed Maria Theresia Bonzel Community Room, a meeting space on the hospital’s first floor. NIPSCO’s $25,000 gift supports the Dunes Café, the hospital’s dining area. Violet Sistovaris, executive vice president and president for NIPSCO, said when the organization was thinking about how they could enhance the Dunes Café, they tapped a talented NIPSCO employee, Ishmael Muhammad Nieves. He worked with students at the Lubeznik Center

A semi crashed on I-80/94 early Wednesday morning, then caught fire destroying its tractor and damaging its trailer. Preliminary investigation by Sergeant Dwayne Dillahunty revealed at approximately 1:25 a.m., a Kenworth tractor pulling a loaded low boy trailer (industrial washer), and driven by a 61 year old Arizona man, was eastbound on I-80/94 when he entered the far right merge lane to I-80/90 (Indiana Toll Road). The semi ran off the roadway and struck the impact attenuator. The impact resulted in the tractor catching fire that totally destroyed the tractor and the front end of the trailer sustained damage.  The

On Tuesday, FEMA announced the application period is now open for the 2019 National Youth Preparedness Council. This program brings teens together from across the country who are interested in community preparedness. Council members are selected based on their dedication to public service, their efforts in making a difference in their communities and their potential to expand their impact as national leaders for emergency preparedness. Students in 8th through 11th grade are eligible to apply. Youth interested in applying to the Council must submit a completed application form, provide two letters of recommendation, and academic records. All applications and supporting

South Shore Line will be offering 10% discounts on monthly passes during the month of March.During the polar vortex, South Shore Line services were suspended for several days due to the extreme temperatures. Crews ran tests throughout the day and night during this time to determine whether rail lines were safe. Unfortunately, the record-breaking temperatures caused problems ranging from downed electrical lines on South Shore Line’s tracks to damage on Metra Electric District tracks that the SSL runs on in Illinois, resulting in cancelled service on both train lines. Metra and South Shore Line crews worked around the clock to

Mayor Ron Meer is proud to announce the City of Michigan City’s recent inclusion in the State of Indiana’s Lead-based paint remediation program which is sponsored by Medicaid and administered through the Indiana State Department of Health. Home owners, Landlords, and Renters who live in a home, or own a home, built before 1978 can receive a free home inspection to determine if the residents are being exposed to lead-based paint hazards. Homes providing child care are also eligible for this service. If lead-based paint exists, this program will also pay for removal of the lead hazard. To be eligible

Starting on Monday, March 4, 2019, the first phase of reconstruction will begin on the U.S. Hwy 35 (Simcox) overpass in La Porte. During this time, northbound travel lanes will be closed. North bound traffic will be diverted over to the south bound lanes. Travel lanes will be 10 ft. wide, and will still be accessible to semi and larger truck traffic. The bridge will remain open to pedestrians. Motorists and pedestrians should prepare themselves for increased traffic congestion and traffic delays in the downtown area and along U.S Hwy 35, (Indiana and Pine Lake avenues), especially during peak traffic

Two men from Wisconsin were arrested late last night when they were stopped on the Indiana Toll Road for traffic violations.Preliminary investigation by Troopers Ala’a Hamed and Logan Hensley revealed that just after 11:30 p.m., Monday, while driving westbound on the Indiana Toll Road at the 5.3 mile marker, they noticed a pick-up in the left lane going at a slow rate of speed in a posted 70 mile per hour zone, weaving from side to side, and making multiple unsafe lane movements. The pick-up which had a Wisconsin plate on it had been expired since June 2018. Hamed and

Porter County is accepting applications for the full time position of Office Manager / Chief Deputy - Registrar (Health Department). The incumbent serves as Office Manager/Chief Deputy-Registrar in the Health Department and as direct supervisor of the Nursing Secretary/Vital Records Team Leader as well as maintaining all the accounting and bookkeeping operations for the department. To view the complete job description and to download an application visit: www.porterco.org/jobs.aspx?jobID=177

NIPSCO  is accepting  applications for its environmental action grant to support local non profit organizations with environmental initiatives. In its fourth year, NIPSCO’s Environmental Action Grant aims to provide funding for restoration and education projects throughout northern Indiana.Grants  are available  in the amount of $500  to $5,000 for organizations  seeking funds for environmental restoration  projects and education pro grams.  Applications  will be accepted  through April 5, 2019,  with grant awards announced the week of Earth Day, April 22.Nonprofit organizations  with an environmental restoration  or education project  are invited  to submit a grant request through NIPSCO’s online request portal at NIPSCO.com/Community.  To learn about what