Local News

Lakeshore PAWS dog rescue will be hosting its 6th Annual Pup Crawl event from 5-10 p.m. June 16 at the Central Park Plaza Home to the Porter Health Amphitheater in downtown Valparaiso. The free event will feature tons of fun including music by The Crawpuppies, a beer and wine tent, activities for children, local food and pet vendors, and many available dogs to meet. Feel free to bring your friendly dog or dogs and take part in the big dog walk/parade, which steps off at 6 p.m. Registered participants of the walk will receive a commemorative T-shirt and goody bag.

On Friday, the Senate Agriculture Committee released the draft text for the 2018 Farm Bill, which contains a number of provisions championed by U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly that would benefit Indiana agriculture and the state’s rural communities. Donnelly, who serves on the committee, helped craft the bipartisan bill and earlier this week reiterated priorities for the bill that were developed after holding 12 listening sessions with nearly every segment of Indiana’s agricultural community. The Donnelly provisions included in the bill would help improve risk management tools, expand market opportunities, promote voluntary conservation activities, combat the opioid epidemic, support rural communities

The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding eligible Private NonProfit (PNP) organizations in Indiana of the July 5 deadline to submit disaster loan applications for physical damages caused by severe storms and flooding from Feb. 14 through March 4, 2018. PNPs located in the following counties are eligible to apply: Benton, Clark, Crawford, Dearborn, Elkhart, Floyd, Fulton, Gibson, Harrison, Jasper, Jefferson, La Porte, Marshall, Newton, Ohio, Perry, Porter, Spencer, St. Joseph, Starke, Switzerland, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Wabash, Warren, Warrick and White in Indiana.

Swanson Center will host their fifth annual golf outing to benefit the Activity Center for Older Adults on Friday, July 13 at Briar Leaf Golf Club. The outing will begin with lunch and registration at 11am until the noon shot gun start. Get in the swing with contests and games plus a welcome bag for all participants. Contact Jennifer Solner today, to reserve your spot, at 219.873.9820 or visit the events section on our website, SwansonCenter.org to download the registration form and tee sponsor opportunities. The Activity Center for Older Adults provides educational and recreational programs and activities for seniors

Wednesday morning, First Sergeant Terrance Weems was working on I-80/94 at the 6 mile marker (Burr St), traveling eastbound in the far left lane when he observed a motorcycle approaching him from behind at what appeared to be a high rate of speed. The motorcyclist was passing vehicles by "splitting lanes" and was also in and out of traffic. F/Sgt. Weems increased his speed in his to 130 m.p.h. with his lights and siren activated as the motorcycle continued to travel east. F/Sgt. Weems was able to obtain a radar speed of the motorcycle at 135 m.p.h. He also paced

Historic sites in Michigan City will become museums for one night only during the Barker Mansion’s newest programm: pop up tours. Through partnerships with area institutions, guests will get an insider’s look at significant structures which feature a connection to the mansion’s rich legacy. The group will depart from the Barker Mansion at 7 pm and walk to the locations of that night’s tour together. Heritage Interpreter TJ Kalin will point out significant architectural sites during the short walk. July’s pop up tour will highlight St. Mary the Immaculate Conception. The July 7 event will meet at the Barker Mansion

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery that occurred in the Michigan City area during the evening hours on Wednesday. At approximately 6:05 PM, deputies were dispatched to a business, located at 10128 West Kieffer Road (CR 400 North), in reference to an armed robbery. One subject entered the business demanding money while brandishing a firearm. The suspect left the business a short time later after an unsuccessful attempt of acquiring money. The suspect is described as an African American male in his early 20’s, 5’9” – 5’10” in height, medium build and at the time

On June 5th, 2018 at approximately 9:47am Michigan City Police Officers were dispatched to the Kings Inn Motel (201 W. Kieffer Rd.) regarding the discovery of a deceased female found in the south gravel parking lot of the property.   Upon their arrival officers soon learned that the female had apparently been ran over by a vehicle.   Witness statements then lead police to believe that a red tanker truck was possibly responsible for the victim’s injuries.  A photograph from a nearby surveillance camera was then released to the public and within hours the vehicle and its driver were located.    Upon

Yesterday Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, attended President Trump’s bill signing of the VA Mission Act at the White House. The VA Mission Act of 2018: -Makes the Choice Program permanent; -Consolidates 7 duplicative community care programs into 1 cohesive program; -Creates a transparent process for a comprehensive audit of VA’s assets; -Expands the VA’s capacity to care for veterans in VA facilities by improving recruitment and retention program

The Barker Mansion gardens will host for beach glass enthusiast and crafter Dawn Rosinski as she offers a hands-on activity for the public.The event is on June 16th from 2-4 p.m. During Beach Glass and Blooms, Participants will create a clay pot adorned with beach glass from Dawn’s collection. The event, set amid the blooms of the mansion garden, will include refreshments and a self-guided tour. The event will move inside due to rain. Cost is $12-15. Registration is required via Eventbrite. The Barker Mansion is located at 631 Washington Street in Michigan City. Visit www.barkermansion.com for details.

According to survey results released today by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), significant progress is being made in creating digital learning environments and providing schools with greater cybersecurity. In total, 80 percent of Indiana school districts now have initiatives aimed at providing a computing device for each student with more than half of those providing a device for each K-12 student. The 2018 Tech Plan Survey achieved a 100 percent response rate from traditional public schools and covers key educational technology issues including student devices, social media access, digital content, technology platforms, virtual learning, cybersecurity, and bandwidth. In addition,

Lubeznik Center for the Arts is celebrating the 37th year of its annual art festival, Lubeznik Arts Festival (LAF), on August 18 and 19 from 10am-5pm. The festival, previously held off-site, is now held on LCA’s grounds to connect festival-goers to our gallery spaces, experience the stature of our exhibitions, and connect with programs more effectively. All proceeds from LAF are invested back into the community through artistic and educational programs LCA provides year-round. Teams WIMS and WHFB will be broadcasting live from the event on August 18th from 11am-1pm.

In Michigan City, a Council Finance Committee Meeting has been called by Finance Committee Chair Tim Bietry for Friday, June 8th at 4:00 P.M. , in the West Conference Room of City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss approving additional appropriation in the budget of the riverboat fund to provide for additional emergency roadwork and repairs.

Over 24 days, Porter County TSP issued 110 citations (98 Seat Belt Citations) and made 6 arrests as part of the 2018 Click It or Ticket mobilization. More than 230 Indiana law-enforcement agencies joined thousands across the nation to enforce seat-belt laws in cars and trucks, for both children and adults, in the front seat and back, both day and night. The overtime, high-visibility traffic patrols were supported with federal traffic-safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

Yesterday, Congressman Pete Visclosky’s Buy America Amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Interior Appropriations Act was approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Similar to actions taken in previous fiscal years, this amendment offered with Congressman Aderholt (R-AL) strikes provisions that would have weakened Buy America requirements for projects receiving funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Specifically, the amendment removed provisions that would have potentially permitted certain imported slab and finished iron and steel products to meet Buy America requirements. The amendment was approved by voice vote. The FY 2019 Interior Appropriations Act, including

In Michigan City, residents and stakeholders of the Eastport neighborhood are invited to attend a grand opening of the new Eastport Neighborhood Walker Park Community Garden on June 9th at 9 a.m. The new Community Garden project is a collaboration between the City of Michigan City Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Eastport Neighborhood Association, Purdue Extension, St. Franciscan Healthcare, North Central Community Action Agencies and the Home Team of La Porte County and has been designed with Eastport residents in mind to inspire and coordinate healthy alternative choices while making Eastport an even greater place to live, work, and

The Michigan City Police Department is currently accepting applications for multiple Full-Time Police Officer positions. Starting pay for a Probationary Officer (first year) is $42,494.01. After completing the first year of probationary status then an officer becomes a First Class Patrolman and the pay increases to $45,836.46. Benefits include longevity pay, specialty pay, healthcare program including dental and vision, take home car program, retirement plan, paid vacations, personal days and much more. There are many positions available through the different divisions as well as Specialty positions. Applications may be picked up at the Michigan City Police Department or downloaded from: www.michigancitypolice.com.

This coming Sunday, June 10th, 63 outstanding young women from all over Indiana will gather in Zionsville to begin competition for more than $40 thousand in scholarships and the titles of Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen 2018. Three nights of preliminary competition on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings will culminate in the Miss Indiana Final Competition on Saturday, June 18th starting at 6:00 p.m. and by the end of the evening, both Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen 2018 will be crowned! Tickets are still available for purchase at www.MissIndiana.org. Fans, friends and family can help ensure that

A 28 year old Valparaiso resident pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Porter County Superior Court 5 on May 15th. Through the use of agency records, an Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) employee began an investigation and determined that Kyle Cumbee was working and receiving wages while claiming unemployment insurance benefits. Cumbee was sentenced to 910 days of probation and ordered to repay DWD $12,392 for the benefits he fraudulently collected. DWD receives wage reports and new hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who is employed and receiving compensation. The agency uses this information to ensure people are

Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Monday that workers -- including inmates of the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) -- have concluded restoration and repair work begun last year to preserve historic features of the Attorney General’s Office in the Indiana Statehouse. The project included restorative painting, refurbished woodwork, doors, door frames and lighting. In addition to historic preservation, the project also included updated electrical wiring and furnishings, among other items. This work occurred amid many other recent renovations and upgrades needed at the Indiana Statehouse and its campus. In planning the restoration of the Attorney General’s Office (SH 219), Attorney