Local News

Recent arrests serve as reminder to Hoosiers to be alert to signs of human trafficking  The recent arrests in Indianapolis of five people allegedly involved in a sex-trafficking ring should serve as a reminder to all Hoosiers to stay alert to signs of human trafficking, Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “Human trafficking is the evil exploitation of human victims for the sake of criminal predators’ profits,” Attorney General Rokita said. “It’s a modern form of slavery that thrives in the shadows. With the help of Hoosiers statewide acting as eyes and ears, though, we can expose this crime, bring perpetrators to justice and save people’s lives.” Attorney General Rokita also expressed his gratitude for the work of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for

Patty Mershon-Schaefer Donates to Lubeznik Center for the Arts' Permanent Collection   MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) has accepted a painting by founding member Patty Mershon-Schaefer into its permanent collection.   Schaefer, who turned 100 this year, celebrated the milestone with 60 friends and family at LCA, alongside an exhibition of her work. In the 1970s, she was among a small group of artists who believed Michigan City needed a dedicated space for art classes and exhibitions. Their vision became the John G. Blank Art Center on 8th Street, which later evolved into LCA in

MUNSTER, Ind. -- Franciscan Health Munster is presenting a free suicide prevention course aimed at saving lives. The entry-level question, persuade and refer, or QPR Suicide Prevention Course, is based on a curriculum developed by the QPR Institute. The course aims to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, with one suicide taking place every 11 minutes. According to the QPR Institute, just as people trained in CPR and

Today A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.   Tonight A chance of rain, with thunderstorms also possible after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 40%.   Friday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Chance of precipitation is 60%.   Friday Night Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Chance of precipitation is 70%.   Saturday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54.

April 16, 2026 from 6-9pm CT at Blue Chip Casino, Resort, & Spa! Each year Women United of La Porte County hosts Power of the Purse, an exciting designer purse raffle event that brings local women leaders (and men too!) together to have fun, network and support the financial stability impact work of United Way of La Porte County.   A fabulous buffet dinner will be included with each ticket and drink tickets for each guest (depending on sponsorship level, otherwise a cash bar), specialty drinks, and of course ticket raffle opportunities will be available. Dress is business casual. Let’s have fun!   DINNER BUFFET INCLUDES: Freshly baked

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Rieth-Riley Construction will resume auxiliary two-way left turn lane construction on U.S. 20 between I-94 and State Road 2 on or after Monday, March 9.   Tree clearing activities are currently being conducted between State Road 39 and C.R. 250 E with intermittent lane closures in the area through Friday, March 6. Auxiliary lane construction will resume in this section around mid-May and will be ongoing through late fall. During that time, U.S. 20 will be reduced to one lane in each direction.   Starting on or after Monday, March

Builders Assn of LaPorte County B.A.L.C EVENT this weekend at Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa in Michigan City. Stop by this FREE, FAMILY Friendly Event Saturday 3/7 and Sunday 3/8. Join a list of wonderful vendors including Arnett Construction & Roofing -TEAM WIMS LIVE Saturday 3/7 between 9a-11a Arnett Construction & Roofing will be part of the upcoming Home & Lifestyle Expo at Blue Chip Casino & Event Center, and we’d love for you to stop by and see us next weekend. Come explore the show, meet local vendors, gather ideas for your home or business, and talk with our

Bowl for the Cure marks 25 years of raising funds for Franciscan Health breast cancer patients MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – A record number of nearly 200 bowlers clad in pink recently gathered at Olympia Lanes in Michigan City to celebrate 25 years of support for Franciscan Health Michigan City breast cancer patients. The Michigan City United States Bowling Congress Bowling Association, which sponsors the event, has raised more than $130,000 in the last 18 years alone. Cheryl Hale, chairwoman of Bowl for the Cure, said she hoped this year’s event would add another $20,000. “This is dear to me,” said

Lou Holtz, legendary former Notre Dame head football coach, has died at 89. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans

I-65 to have overnight lane closures in Lake County starting at 8pm on Thursday   Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Superior Construction Co Inc will conduct overnight lane closures on I-65 between U.S. 30 and I-94 for permanent pavement marking work after construction in the area in 2025.   Overnight lane closures will first occur from approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, March 5 to 5 a.m. Friday, March 6 to remove temporary pavement markings that were in place for road construction operations. The two right lanes will be closed in each direction.   Permanent pavement markings will then be painted over

Today A chance of rain, with thunderstorms also possible after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 50%.   Tonight Rain likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 60%.   Thursday Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Chance of precipitation is 60%.   Thursday Night A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. FridayRain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 57.

In partnership with the La Porte Community School Corporation, the City of La Porte today shared they have approved an updated tax agreement for Microsoft’s datacenter project in La Porte, according to Mayor Tom Dermody. This comes after Microsoft President and Vice Chair Brad Smith announced in January that the global tech company will no longer seek local property tax abatements or breaks for its new datacenter projects. Despite the completion and approval of the previous agreement, Microsoft has worked with City officials in recent weeks to create a solution that ensures Microsoft pays its full and fair share of

NIPSCO Offers Winter Bill Support Through March 31 Measures include waived late and reconnect fees and paused disconnections for nonpayment   MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Winter energy bills can put real pressure on household budgets, and the recent extreme weather has been especially challenging for many. To help residential customers manage their bills and stay connected, Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) is offering temporary support measures through March 31.   The temporary measures include: • Waived late fees and reconnect fees • Paused service disconnections for nonpayment • Reduced reconnect deposits for gas customers “These temporary support measures complement

MCHS students compete in annual statewide Japanese Olympiad   RICHMOND, IN – 12 Michigan City High School students competed at the 2026 Japanese Olympiad of Indiana (JOI) Competition on Saturday, February 21, at Earlham College. Over 100 students from 10 schools, including Bloomington North High School, Jefferson High School, Chesterton High School, Carroll High School, Highland High School, Wabash High School, Columbus North High School, Muncie Central High School, and Penn High School, participated in the day-long academic tournament.   Competing students are grouped into levels based on their years of experience with the language, and are judged by a

Michigan City - Instrumental music students from several Michigan City Area Schools took part in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo and Ensemble Festival on February 7 at Kankakee Valley Middle School. MCHS students took home 26 Golds, 5 Silvers, and 1 Bronze across Group III and I. MCAS middle schoolers took home a combined 31 gold medals in Group V and IV. During the contest, the following MCHS students received gold for their solos: Lia Black (Violin), Katie Branch (Trombone), Andrew Deleon (Trumpet), Eli David (Trumpet), Luke Hamilton (Mallet & Piano), Levi Kelly (Clarinet), Arianna Lemons (Alto

Today A chance of freezing rain before 8am, then a slight chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 41. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Calm wind. Wednesday A 20 percent chance of rain after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. East wind around 5 mph. Wednesday Night Rain likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch

The La Porte County Family YMCA Celebrates their Impact at the Annual State of the Y Last Thursday, a number of "Community Pillars" gathered at the The Great Hall Events & Conference Center at Purdue Northwest for the Annual State of the Y. CEO, Scott Helmkamp reflected on the incredible impact our YMCA had on the community in 2025. Scott also looked ahead at the ways we will continue to support the needs of La Porte County moving forward. Leading off the event was Pastor Nick Bello from Journey Church. During this special event, we heard from Mark Demchak, Executive

Indiana First in Nation to Block Insurer Penalties That Threaten Patient Access to Care Bipartisan SEA 189 stops insurer reimbursement cuts tied to out‑of‑network providers   Indiana has become the first state in the nation to pass bipartisan legislation protecting patient access to timely, medically necessary care by prohibiting insurance companies from imposing financial penalties on hospitals and facilities when a patient’s care involves an out-of-network provider.   Authored by Indiana Sen. Scott Baldwin, Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 189 was approved by both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly and now heads to Gov. Mike Braun for signature.   The

Ford Recalls 4.4 Million Trucks and SUVs Just Weeks After Quality Bonuses If you own a Ford or Lincoln truck or SUV from the last few years, there’s a decent chance you’re caught up in one of the largest vehicle recalls in recent memory. In February 2026, Ford filed paperwork with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) covering 4,380,609 vehicles over a software flaw that can kill your trailer’s brakes and lights while you’re towing. Here’s what the recall is about, which Ford models are impacted, and how the latest Ford recall is a sign of a much larger

Spring Prescribed Fires Planned for Indiana Dunes National Park underway according to the Indiana Dunes National Park FACEBOOK page   Spring Prescribed Fires Planned for Indiana Dunes National Park underway according to the Indiana Dunes National Park at the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education, on North Lake Street near Gary’s Miller neighborhood, 16 acres will be burned to maintain defensible space around the facility. Defensible space is a buffer of reduced or modified vegetation designed to slow or halt the spread of wildfire, protect structures, and improve firefighter safety.   Prescribed fire at Indiana Dunes National Park is