Local News

News Release, Northern Indiana Public Service Company: Today, NIPSCO released its 2023 Corporate Citizenship Report, highlighting a successful year of employee giving and volunteerism across northern Indiana. The report, available at NIPSCO.com/GivesBack, highlights how NIPSCO and the NiSource Charitable Foundation donated over $2.4 million to more than 250 non-profit organizations. In addition, NIPSCO employees volunteered more than 2,700 service hours to local organizations. The NiSource Charitable Foundation was established by NIPSCO’s parent company NiSource. The foundation’s goal is to create strong and sustainable communities where customers and employees live and work. The foundation provides funding and encourages employee volunteerism to

The Tenebrae Choir at Queen of All Saints Catholic Church will again be presenting an annual Contemporary Tenebrae Service entitled “Hope in the Shadows”, composed by Joel Raney and Lloyd Larson, on Palm Sunday, March 24 at 3PM in the Church. Queen of All Saints is located on the corner of Barker Avenue and Woodland Avenue in Michigan City. The presentation is free of charge. A Tenebrae service is defined as “a church service observed during the final part of Holy Week commemorating the sufferings and death of Christ.” Per composer Joel Raney, “Hope in the Shadows” recalls Christ’s journey

News Release, Northern Indiana Public Service Company: Just in time for Severe Weather Awareness Week in Indiana, which runs Sunday, March 10 - Saturday, March 16, this year, NIPSCO is reminding customers of the steps they can take to prepare for potential severe weather. “With the spring season right around the corner, the time to get ready for storms is now,” said Mike Hooper, NIPSCO president. “Severe Weather Preparedness Week is a great time for our customers to learn about how they can keep themselves and their families safe while enjoying the many benefits that electric and natural gas energy

News Release, Center for Creative Solutions, Inc.®: La Porte County poets, you have a few days left to submit your work to be considered for La Porte County’s Poet Laureate designation. The Center for Creative Solutions renewed the honor in 2024 after a few-year absence. The deadline is Friday, March 15. The mission of the program is several-fold: • To proclaim the wonders of La Porte County to the world through the art of poetry and verse; • To encourage the enjoyment and joy of reading as well as writing poetry among the citizens of La Porte County; • To

The Indiana State Police (ISP) says it has received several concerns from citizens reporting an apparent phone scam.  ISP says it receives numerous reports of phone scams each year, but this particular scam, they say, involves using the ISP General Headquarters phone number. Police say the scammer is using a Caller ID showing “Indiana State Police” with “317-232-8248”.  The scammer then identifies him/herself as an Indiana State Police Trooper and tells them their identity has been compromised or stolen.  The scammer then asks for personal information to “verify” that the person they are speaking to is actually one in the

The LaPorte County Crisis Intervention Team recently conducted a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) class to local law enforcement. The class graduated 29 officers from all police agencies in LaPorte County, including the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center. The six newly hired MCPD officers were in the graduating class and gives MCPD a total of 27 CIT trained officers. Also, the Michigan City Police Department’s Police Social Worker completed the class. The Crisis Intervention Training gives officers the tools and resources to better communicate with and provide resources to those that are dealing with mental health illness and trauma. The training

One person was taken into custody after another person was shot on Friday according to Valparaiso police. Police responded to the 350 block of South Locust Street at approximately 3:50 p.m. Friday in reference to the report of a subject being shot.  Upon arrival, officers were directed to a specific location where a resident was located, having sustained a gunshot wound.  A second subject was located on scene who indicated he was directly involved in the incident.  The subject was taken into custody and transported to the Valparaiso Police Department for further investigation.  The injured party was transported from scene

Press Release, Salvation Army of Michigan City: The Salvation Army of Michigan City is hosting a drive-through food drive to help refill pantry shelves. The “Love Beyond Hunger” food drive will take place on Saturday, March 16 from 9am to noon. Those who are able to contribute are asked to drop off donations of non-perishable food items at The Salvation Army, 1201 Franklin Street, by driving up to the back door behind the building. The alley can be accessed by entering from Washington Street and exiting onto Franklin Street. Major Becky Simmons, who oversees The Salvation Army of Michigan City

News Release National Park Service: The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Jason Taylor as the new superintendent of Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter, Indiana. Taylor is an experienced resource and land management leader who currently serves as the Director of the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute (ALWRI) for the United States Forest Service (USFS) located in Missoula, Montana. He will assume his new role at Indiana Dunes later this spring. “I am excited to welcome Jason back to the NPS as the new superintendent of Indiana Dunes,” said NPS Midwest Regional Director Bert Frost. “His ability to manageesources

Police in Portage are asking for the public’s help after a report of a vehicle being struck by gunfire Wednesday. At about 5:14 p.m. officers from the Portage Police Department responded to the intersection of U.S. Highway 6 and County Line Road regarding a shooting that had just taken place. Officers met with the complainants, who were a 19-year-old man and his passenger, a 31-year-old man. The men reported they had been traveling eastbound along U.S. Highway 6 in Hobart prior to the shooting. At the intersection of County Line Road the two began to turn northbound when they reported

At this week’s Portage City Council meeting the Mayor Austin Bonta swore in four new Portage police officers. Officer Bryce Kissinger is a Portage High School graduate and life-long Portage resident.  Officer Kissinger left a career in the transportation field to pursue a career in law enforcement. Officer Logan Rhodes is a Munster High School graduate and holds a degree in Criminal Justice through Ball State University. Officer Trevor Leonhardt is a Merrillville High School graduate who left a career as an ASE certified automotive technician to join the ranks of the Portage Police Department. Officer Markus Bachman holds a

News Release, Franciscan Health: Franciscan Health Crown Point and Michigan City are offering new monthly stroke support groups for stroke survivors, their families and caregivers. Beginning Tuesday, March 12, the Michigan City group will meet at 2 p.m. Central on the second Tuesday of each month in the Mother Maria Theresia Conference Room at Franciscan Health Michigan City, 3500 Franciscan Way. Attendees can park in the main entrance parking lot and enter through Entrance A. The Crown Point group meets at 1p.m. Central the first Wednesday of each month in the San Damiano Conference Room B at the new Franciscan

Press Release, Rotary Club of Michigan City: Kevin McGuire of MCAS selected as the 2023 Paul J. Alinsky Award recipient Kevin McGuire, Director of Technology for Michigan City Area Schools, has been selected as this year’s recipient of the Paul J. Alinsky Excellence Award, presented by the Rotary Club of Michigan City. This award is presented annually by the Rotary Club of Michigan City in honor of Paul Alinsky, a past Rotarian who passed away in 1997. It honors Alinsky’s commitment to innovation and leadership by recognizing those in the Michigan City community who demonstrate these traits through “Service Above

Press Release, Michigan City Chamber of Commerce: The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the commencement of a comprehensive search for a dynamic and visionary leader to assume the role of President. As the heart of Michigan’s business community, the Chamber is seeking an individual with proven leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a passion for fostering economic growth and community development. The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce is inviting qualified candidates to submit their applications to Nora Akins at: nora@managepeopleright.com. A detailed job description and information on the application process can be found on the Chamber’s website

The City of Michigan City is now accepting lifeguard applications for the 2024 season. Requirements and information is provided on the flyer. Contact information is also provided on the bottom of the flyer.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that $155.6 million in federal transportation funding is being awarded to 51 cities, towns, and counties in rural portions of Indiana to invest in local road and bridge improvements and sidewalk projects. For this round of funding, rural communities will design, develop and purchase right-of-way for local projects. INDOT will also financially participate in design, engineering, and right-of-way acquisition components. INDOT says this round of funding awards emphasizes improving local bridge conditions. Nearly $90.3 million in federal funds were awarded for projects to rehab or replace 32 local bridges currently rated in poor

Press Release, Purdue University Northwest: Purdue University Northwest recognized several exemplary students, faculty and staff members, nominated by their institutional peers, for accomplishments relating to their on-campus community-building and leadership. The awards were announced at the university’s 2024 Founders Day celebration. PNW’s Founders Day is an annual campus tradition celebrating the anniversary of the university’s founding and the institutional mission of delivering transformational change for the metropolitan region. Founders Day serves as an opportunity to recognize nominees who advance the university mission of academics, scholarship and service to the campus and Northwest Indiana communities. PNW also honors select employees for

Press Release, Health Foundation of La Porte: The third cohort has completed the Nonprofit Leadership Academy, funded by Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) through a partnership with the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University. The Academy consisted of ten full-day classes, held at HFL’s Conference & Learning Center, from September 2023 through February 2024. Nineteen local nonprofit leaders participated in the Academy, and 13 received a certificate of completion from IU for attending all 10 sessions. All participants were invited to a celebration event on Friday, February 23, 2024, following the last course. HFL President

In Lake County an Indiana Department of Transportation contractor will close State Road 51 between Ainsworth Road and 62nd Place on or after Monday, March 11. State Road 51 will be closed through mid-July for a bridge superstructure replacement project over Deep River. INDOT says motorists should seek an alternate route. The official detour will follow U.S. 6, I-94, I-65 and U.S. 30.

The South Shore Line is advising passengers that track construction at Hegewisch Station is scheduled to begin on Monday, March 11, and will temporarily impact platform availability. The South SHore Line says that beginning March 11 after rush hour, the Track 1 platform at Hegewisch will be closed for several weeks to accommodate the construction. For the duration of this closure, all trains will utilize the Track 2 platform. There will also be various closures within the Hegewisch parking lot in order to allow equipment to access track and signal infrastructure. The parking lot located east of the station building