Local News

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) has been recognized by the FirstGen Forward Network as a Network Champion institution for its continuous efforts to provide holistic and quality support for first-generation college students. PNW becomes the first higher education institution in Indiana to receive the FirstGen Forward Network’s top tier recognition and one of 40 across the nation to hold the distinction. Network Champions are a leading group advancing first-generation efforts and contributing to an important knowledge base of evidence-based practices, leadership engagement and scaling student support. The FirstGen Forward Network provides a three-phase approach that scales

The Portage Hub Coalition and Portage Fire Department will host an hour long Narcan, opioid and AED Town Hall in Portage on May 20 at 5 p.m. The event will be at Founders Square Pavilion. See the flyer for additional details.

News Release by Indiana Department of Natural Resources: The Department of Natural Resources Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology is now accepting grant applications for the fiscal year 2026 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Applications are only accepted through the State of Indiana’s Grant Management System website and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 5. Eligible applicants include private, non-profit organizations with tax exempt status (such as local historical societies or preservation organizations), educational institutions (such as public and private schools, colleges, and universities), and local governmental units (including city and county agencies and commissions funded by a

Today A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.   Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.   Monday Sunny, with a high near 57.   Monday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 43.   Tuesday Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

In St. Joseph County, an INDOT contractor will have road closures on State Road 23 between Wolf St in North Liberty and Olive St/Locust Rd in South Bend beginning on or after Wednesday, June 10. Crews will replace six pipes between New Rd and Kern Rd. At the same time, a small structure replacement will also be conducted between U.S. 20/31 and Ireland Rd. State Road 23 is expected to be closed for 10 days. This work was originally scheduled to begin in May but has been postponed due to utility delays. Through traffic should seek alternate routes or use

Press Release, Save the Dunes: Michigan City, IN— On Saturday, May 30th, residents and visitors who enjoy getting active outside can support the Save the Dunes mission to protect and advocate for the Indiana dunes, Lake Michigan and the surrounding natural areas by joining us for our Annual Dunes Dash! Runners will take to the trails of the Indiana Dunes National Park at West Beach for our 5K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run. This year’s race is sponsored by Castle Subaru, Urschel Giving, Michigan City Sustainability Commission, Northwest Indiana Green Drinks, Indiana Dunes Tourism, Cleveland-Cliffs, Blue Chip Casino, WIMS Radio,

The Michigan City Area Schools is excited to announce its Little Wolves Summer Camp, a pre-school transition program designed to help young learners build confidence and readiness for the upcoming 2026-27 school year. As the new school year approaches, this engaging summer program helps bridge the gap between early childhood experiences and the structure of a pre-K learning environment, while also helping prevent summer learning loss. The goal is to ensure every student feels socially, emotionally, and developmentally ready to begin the school year with confidence. The Little Wolves Summer Camp offers a balanced experience that includes hands-on summer activities,

PALADIN -Bowling for Inclusion and Education will take place on Saturday May 16th. Strike up some fun for a great cause! Join Paladin on Saturday, May 16th for Bowling for Inclusion and Education at Inman’s Bowling & Recreation Center in Valparaiso. From noon to four, enjoy three games of bowling, plus pizza, salad, and unlimited soda — all starting at just forty dollars. Every roll helps support access to learning, wellness, and social opportunities for individuals with disabilities and children in early education. Make an impact and have a blast doing it. That’s Saturday, May 16th, noon to four at

Celebrate Mother’s Day with an elegant afternoon at The Barker Mansion, beginning with a live classical concert in the grand Ballroom. Guests will enjoy a one-hour performance by pianist Marissa Kerbel, creating a refined and relaxing start to the celebration.   Through music by women composers, Kerbel will explore the musical landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, featuring works by American composers Amy Beach and Florence Price, alongside international compositions by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel and Lili Boulanger.   Following the concert, guests are invited to enjoy a self-guided tour of the mansion with special items belonging to

The Starke County Sheriff's Office says one person lost their life in a crash Thursday night. According to police, just before 10 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, deputies, along with personnel from the Knox Fire Department, Bass Lake Fire Department, and Starke County EMS, responded to the area of Toto Road and County Road 300 East regarding a single-vehicle crash involving a vehicle that had left the roadway and struck a tree. Emergency responders located a 2008 Saturn Vue off the north side of the roadway, resting against a tree. Preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling westbound on Toto

Today Sunny, with a high near 65.   Tonight A chance of showers after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.   Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.   Sunday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.   MondayMostly sunny, with a high near 56

Looking for steady work with great benefits? Commercial Vehicle Group in Michigan City is hiring Assemblers for day and night shifts! Starting pay is $17.05 an hour, with raises every six months for the first two years. Commercial Vehicle Group in Michigan City builds windshield wiper systems for Commercial vehicles internationally— and can provide medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with company match, plus vacation and holiday pay. Open interviews are Thursday, May 14th, from 3:30 to 6:30 PM — but you must apply in advance at CVGRP.com/careers. That’s CVGRP.com/careers — apply today and build your future with Commercial Vehicle Group!

The Enforcement Bureau of the Indiana State Police released its statistics from this past April. The Enforcement Bureau oversees the traffic enforcement efforts of the Troopers assigned to the 14 State Police Districts throughout Indiana. Among their primary missions is helping to provide safe environments on our roadways for everyone. Troopers throughout Indiana documented the following statistics for April 2026. Traffic Stops – 38,233 • 16,791 traffic citations • 30,479 traffic warnings • 295 drunk driving arrests • 1,426 criminal arrests (traffic related) • 1,094 criminal arrests (non-traffic related) • 1,485 seatbelt citations • 324 distracted driving citations Crashes Investigated

News Release, Lubeznik Center for the Arts: MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is hosting Data for Dollars: How to Collect Data on Your Region, County, or City for Grants, Proposals, and Planning, a free workshop on May 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Central). This presentation will explore Northwest Indiana’s creative economy through the lens of Wesley’s Project — a live data platform that maps employment, business and wage trends in creative industries across Indiana. Ty Stratton will demonstrate how local data from the Northwest Indiana region can reveal patterns in creative workforce growth,

Matt Zurbriggen has been named Utilities Director for Valparaiso City Services, announced Mayor Jon Costas. "Matt has the diverse skill set and community commitment needed to continue building our extraordinary Valparaiso City Services. His leadership is part of a considered succession plan, learning from Steve Poulos who has led VCS in a variety of roles for three decades," said Costas. Poulos began as Valpo's City Administrator  May 1. Zurbriggen has served as deputy director for Valparaiso City Services since 2023. He formerly served as Deputy Engineering Director for the City of Valparaiso and has more than 10 years of engineering

The Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED) released statistics from this past April. The CVED is responsible for enforcing both state and federal regulations on all commercial motor vehicles (CMV). Major tasks include conducting Safety Inspections, New Entrant Safety Audits, and Compliance Reviews to ensure compliance with equipment and hours-of-service regulations. The CVED is also tasked with enforcing Indiana’s size and weight laws and ensuring that commercial carriers are properly registered and paying their fair share of fuel tax dollars. Additionally, they assist in the investigation of commercial vehicle crashes (post-crash inspections) and manage the annual school bus

Today A 30 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.   Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.   Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.   Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.   Sunday A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 61.

The City of Michigan City announced vegetation enforcement is underway. "Keeping Michigan City clean is a community effort that requires everyone to do their part," the City said on its Facebook page.  "City Code dictates grass, weeds, and other vegetation must be under 6 inches tall. As we move further into the spring season, Vector Control has begun addressing overgrowth." The City gave the following points that residents should know: - At properties where the grass exceeds 6 inches, property owners will be issued a notice granting 5 days to bring the yard into compliance. - If the property is

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City’s free FIT-Together program, a family-centered approach to health and wellness, is back and open for registration. The unique, eight-week fitness program is intended for households with children between the ages of 8 and 15. FIT-Together addresses the well-being of every participating family member, including children, siblings, parents and parental figures. Attendees will learn the seven Cs of family resilience, including control, competence, coping, confidence, connection, character and contribution. Individual and family-centered physical activities and tips to maintain a healthy, active life with Trainer Ron Gaston are included along with cooking, meal prep

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) and the NiSource Charitable Foundation have announced that 25 local nonprofit organizations have been chosen to receive a 2026 Environmental Action Grant. This annual program supports local environmental restoration and education projects and programs by providing a grant of up to $5,000 to each recipient. The organizations were chosen through a competitive process during which nonprofits submitted applications for specific community-based environmental projects that were reviewed and scored by a selection committee. In the program’s 11-year history in Indiana, NIPSCO has awarded more than $ $824,000 to support nearly 200 projects. “This is an exciting and forward-thinking