Local News

This Halloween season, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is urging parents to use online tools to know the identity of registered sex offenders in the area where they plan to trick-or-treat. An on-line sex offender registry is available for residents of La Porte County allowing parents to conduct a search prior to trick-or-treating to prevent their children from visiting these homes during door-to-door trick-or-treating. There are currently about one hundred seventy-three (173) registered sex offenders residing in La Porte County; fifty-six (56) of which are Sexually Violent Predators and thirty-two (32) of which are classified as Offenders Against Children.

Yesterday, U.S. Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) and Ron Kind (D-Wis.) called on United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to establish a process that allows U.S. companies to request an exclusion from the recent tariffs imposed on $200 billion of Chinese imports. This process would help U.S. companies retain global competitiveness, and would help target the effects of the tariffs on China, rather than on U.S. companies and consumers. Exclusions were established for all previous rounds of tariffs, but have been neglectfully omitted for the most recent tariffs. Reps. Walorski and Kind were joined by a bipartisan coalition of 167 Members

Portage Police say they had a pursuit Monday afternoon. The suspect, a 43 year woman from Lake County was attempting to pass stolen checks at Centier Bank. As the officer arrived the suspect fled north on Willowcreek Road. She drove through the Walgreens parking lot, blowing a tire in the process and then through the city hall parking lot and into the Strack & Van Tils parking lot and then back onto Willowcreek Road. She made a left onto McCasland and lost control when she attempted to turn onto to Swanson Road, which caused her to drive into a resident’s

Chief Mark Swistek and The Michigan City Police Commission, made up of President Michael Palmer, Vice-President Michael Buda and Secretary John Pliske, are proud to announce the hiring of two new officers. Sworn in by City Clerk Gale Neulieb, and Chief Mark Swistek during a ceremony in the Community Room were Officers Isaac Murray and Mark Galetti. Officer Isaac Murray age 22, is the son of Timothy and Cynthia Murray, and is from Wadsworth, Illinois. Officer Murray is currently serving as a Reservist in the United States Air Force as a Senior Airman with two deployments to Turkey. Isaac was

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry would like to remind ALL hunters and landowners about their deer donation program. After you’ve filled your freezer, you can help to feed those in need in your area by donating to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry’s “Meat” the need initiative. Just take your deer in to your local meat processor/butcher shop and tell them you would like to donate it to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry. There is NO charge to you! Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry partners with 82 meat processors statewide and encourages the donation of large game and livestock to their “Meat” the Need initiative,

On October 13th, Troopers were originally dispatched to a two vehicle crash on I-65 northbound lanes at the 225 mile marker. This is about 5 miles north of the Fair Oaks exit in Jasper County. Preliminary investigation shows that at around 7:20 p.m., a crash occurred between a Buick and a Hyundai Sonata being driven by 30 year old Andrew Tagli, of Mokena, IL. The Buick had become disabled prior to the crash due to it having lost the front driver’s side tire. The Buick was partially sticking out into the left lane when it was struck by the Hyundai

The Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) has recently enhanced steps to identify and confront businesses engaged in illegal activity by using illegal sales transaction manipulation devices or computer programs, often called tax zappers. Tax zappers delete or modify sales transactions with the intention of avoiding paying income, sales and/or food and beverage tax. Businesses are often approached by unscrupulous marketers of these devices with the false promise of this illegal practice going unnoticed. DOR is ensuring it’s not. DOR has established a team of forensic fraud analysts, tax auditors, tax attorneys and investigators to research and adopt best practices to

As crews move into the final phase of Ohio Street reconstruction they will be switching traffic patterns. Starting next Friday (10/19/18) @ 6:00 AM Ohio Street will be closed to ALL Traffic from just south of Southwind Drive to US Highway 20. Prior to this closure crews will open everything from 400 North (Kiefer Road) to just south of Southwind Drive to two way Local traffic only. During this portion of work they will also be working on residential driveways and sidewalks between South Court and Southwind Drive. D&M stated they are working to finish this project before winter.

The Duneland Chamber of Commerce will be conducting an essay contest to kick off their Hometown Holiday Celebration being held on Saturday, November 24. Whether it’s good smells, twinkly lights, warm company or an extra sense of peace in your heart, the Chamber would like to hear from you. Share your favorite holiday memory. The winner will win a $50 gift card, conduct the fifth annual tree lighting ceremony in downtown Chesterton and be the grand marshals in the Twilight Christmas Parade. The essay must be 500 words or less and be a written by a Duneland resident under the

This past Thursday, Valparaiso Police were notified of a potential threat to Valparaiso High School and opened an investigation. The threat was made online and police immediately identified the juvenile subject. The juvenile subject, who is not a Valparaiso Community School student was arrested and charged with intimidation. The subject was detained at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center. Police continue to investigate the incident.

Michigan City High School senior Zennon Wilhelm has been named a Commended Student in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship program. Wilhelm, son of Nicole Harvey and Jeff Wilhelm, has taken a full load of AP, Honors, and Dual Credit courses at Michigan City High School. He has excelled in Physics and Math at the high school level and earned a perfect score of 5 on the AP Physics exam. He also has taken several Project Lead the Way Engineering courses at MCHS. This year, through a partnership with Purdue Northwest, he attends PNW during the school day for an advanced

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department announces that registration is now open for the Michigan City 2018 Adult Volleyball Co-Ed & Women’s Leagues. Rosters are due Friday, October 19th. The season begins Tuesday, October 23rd. For additional information, contact Abigale at the Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department at 219-873-1506.

Attorney General Curtis Hill hascalled on the Federal Communications Commission to create new rules to allow telephone service providers to block more illegal robocalls being made to consumers in Indiana. He is part of a bipartisan coalition of 34 attorneys general issuing a formal comment to the FCC. The formal comment explains that scammers using illegal robocalls have found ways to evade a call-blocking order entered last year by the FCC. Despite the FCC’s order, robocalls continue to be a major irritant to consumers in Indiana and across the United States. In 2017, the Federal Trade Commission received 4.5 million

Lakeshore PAWS is again teaming up with local business sponsors in order to offer free adoptions to our veterans to thank them and commemorate Veterans Day. The adoptions will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2018. The offer is available to the first 30 eligible veterans and is applicable to any of the available dogs. Please visit lakeshorepaws.org, see us on Facebook or stop by the adoption center (4611 Evans Ave. in Valparaiso) to begin picking out your new life companion. "We are proud to once again be offering free adoptions to our

As a child, Kelley Baker always saw herself as a police officer. And why not? That’s what her father was, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps. Later, she found out law enforcement wasn’t a career path most girls followed. Baker, who went on to become a correctional officer and a TSA screener, delivered the keynote address during the 2018 N.E.W. (Nontraditional Employment Opportunities for Women) conference on October 10 at the A. K. Smith Career Center in Michigan City. Eighth-grade girls from eight middle schools across LaPorte County attended the conference, which was sponsored by the LaPorte County

Marquette principal Allyson Headd and athletic director Katie Collignon spent time this past Wednesday serving as guest speakers at the LaPorte County Career and Technical Education Center's 5th Annual Nontraditional Employment for Women (N.E.W.) Opportunities Workshop. Two-hundred 8th-grade girls from LaPorte County spent the day at the AK Smith Career Center in Michigan City to learn about career options, listen to presenters, and be encouraged to work towards their goals. Following a brief guest speaker, the girls broke into small groups to attend roundtable discussions led by female professionals. What Headd and Collignon are hoping the 200 girls in attendance

U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.)  supported the confirmation of J.P. Hanlon from Indianapolis to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Indiana on Thursday. Mr. Hanlon was confirmed by the full Senate on a voice vote. Since Mr. Hanlon’s nomination was announced in April, both Senators Young and Donnelly have emphasized his qualifications and the need for a swift confirmation in order to reduce the caseload the Southern District of Indiana faces. In the 12-month period ending June 30, 2017, the Southern District of Indiana was the second most overworked court in the

On Thursday, investigators with the St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team (FACT) have arrested two individuals in connection with yesterday’s fatal crash on Brick Rd. that resulted in the death of 61 year old Ishayaa Diya. Twenty-two year old Carlos Williams, was arrested and booked into the St. Joseph County Jail this afternoon on preliminary suspicion of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death. Nineteen year old Ashlee Nicely, was arrested and booked into the St. Joseph County Jail on preliminary suspicion of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death and Assisting a Criminal. The St.

The northwest Indiana region that is part of the Midwest Urban Strategies consortium has been awarded a $650,000 dislocated worker grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration awarded a total of $100 million in Trade and Economic Transition National Dislocated Worker Grants to provide training and career services to “mature dislocated workers” affected by major economic disruptions such as the Great Recession. In northwest Indiana, the Gary/Valparaiso WorkOne that received the grant is led by the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board. The northwest Indiana region, along with the Indianapolis area—led by EmployIndy—are two

To accommodate passengers attending the Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh football game at 2:30p ET on Oct. 13, the South Shore Line and Transpo will offer FREE shuttle bus service between the South Bend International Airport and Notre Dame Stadium. Train #503 will carry eastbound passengers to the South Bend Airport prior to kick-off, arriving at 12:10p ET. Those South Shore Line passengers may then board a Transpo bus near the South Shore train platform at the Airport for the trip to the stadium. Passengers will be dropped off near the Eck Visitors Center/Bookstore on campus. For the return trip, the