Local News

The Big Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Great Lakes Grand Prix powerboat race celebrated its milestone 10th anniversary last month with yet another milestone – visitors to the event pumped more than $12.4 million into LaPorte County’s economy, the highest amount ever and $2 million more than last year’s event. In addition, a report summarizing the figures, released by the Visit Michigan City LaPorte, shows an all-time high attendance of more than 190,000 people for the three-day event, held Aug. 2-5.  “We couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” said Jack Arnett, executive director of Visit Michigan City/LaPorte. “This event has become our

At its Annual Update Luncheon on September 12, 2018, Unity Foundation of La Porte County will support more than 80 local nonprofit projects by awarding over $138,000 in grant funding. Doors will open at 11:00 am for lunch and registration & the program will begin at 11:30 am. Unity board members will share a year in review and highlight milestone events that occurred with Unity’s help in 2017-2018. Guest speakers, Peggy Thomas, Principal at Edgewood Elementary, and Fonda Owens, Director at La Porte County Library, will share how Unity has impacted them and those they serve. Community “Power for Good”

Four people including a child were killed early Saturday morning in a wrong-way crash that also seriously injured three children. Emergency crews responded to the crash about 1:40 a.m. in the eastbound lanes of the Indiana Toll Road near the Grant Street exit in Gary, according to Indiana state police. A Toyota SUV was being driven west in the eastbound lanes without its headlines on, police said. It collided head-on with a Jeep SUV that had been traveling in the left lane. The driver of the Toyota, identified by a family member as 25 year old Tiara Davis of Calumet

On Sunday morning, The Michigan City Fire Department was dispatched to the 400 Block of Pleasant Avenue for a residence on fire from a possible explosion. Engine 2 located along Hwy 12 was first on scene and confirmed that the residence at 436 was on fire along with the home next door at 426 Pleasant. Engine 1 located at 10th & Ohio arrived soon after along with Engine 4 and Tower 1(Cleveland Ave). Engine 2 confirmed during their size up of the incident upon arrival that the residence at 436 was collapsed and the roof of the house was laying

The Federal Communications Commission has awarded Indiana more than $29 million to "close the digital divide" in rural areas. The office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch says the funding, which will be distributed over 10 years, will boost broadband speeds in more than 24,500 locations. Crouch adds "unserved and underserved rural areas in our state need high-speed, reliable Internet in order to keep Indiana’s economy thriving. Collaboration between federal, state and local entities will bring Indiana communities to the Next Level and I anticipate we will be working on building upon this progress." A total of 45 states received support

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Indiana National Guard will embark on a statewide tour beginning Wednesday to highlight their collaborative efforts to keep Hoosiers safe and respond to emergencies. Operation Force Multiplier will see the two agencies visiting 10 emergency districts across Indiana from Sept. 5 through Oct. 3. The statewide tour will kick off Wednesday at the Guard armory in Terre Haute. Each event will begin at 10 a.m. Most recently, the Indiana National Guard was deployed to help IDHS and local emergency management agencies respond to widespread flooding in February and March of 2018. The severity

La Porte Hospital is offering the following childbirth classes in the coming weeks Newborn & Infant Care Class An interactive class where expecting moms, dads, and their support friends or family can practice caring for their bundles of joy. Clinical nurse educators with La Porte Hospital’s Birthing & Family Care Center will have mannequins on hand to help review best practices for caring for babies. Topics include transition of care (skin to skin); newborn tests and procedures; newborn appearance; skin, cord, and diaper care; bathing and shampooing; gagging and choking (bulb syringe use); and proper positioning (safe sleep and tummy

Mayor Ron Meer will be hosting an informational session on September 6th, at 6:00 p.m., at the Michigan City Police Station to discuss the drycleaning solvent contamination plume originating from the former Concord Cleaners location at 1033 E. Michigan Boulevard, Michigan City, Indiana. Those that attend can learn more about this situation and hear what the City is doing to address this problem and protect its residences from any potential harm. If you have any questions, contact Steve Stanford, Operations Manager, Michigan City Sanitary District at 219-874-7799 or via email at sstanford@mcsan.org.

The Porter County 3rd Annual Stand Down will be on Saturday, September 8th, at American Legion Post 260, 5675 Mulberry Avenue from 9:00am to 2:00pm. Breakfast & Lunch will be served. All veterans are welcome to attend. A Military ID or VA ID is needed.

According to a press release, the Indiana Department of Education received communication this week from Pearson characterizing two issues associated with the final ISTEP+ Spring 2018 results. The issues involved a grade 10 mathematics graphing item and grades 3-8 and 10 document image reconciliation. IDOE is currently working with Pearson to reconcile the data for the impacted students and redeliver final data and reporting. It is anticipated only a small percentage of students in grades 3-8 and 10 will be impacted. Further updates will be provided as more information is made available.

Individuals incarcerated in Indiana prisons got the rare opportunity to search for employment before their release, by participating in an innovative virtual job fair with six Hoosier employers. The Hoosier Initiative for Re-entry program, or HIRE, is a program administered by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development that helps connect ex-offenders with job opportunities. DWD partnered with the Indiana Department of Correction on Aug. 28 to host the virtual job fair, which is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation. Six employers from around the state participated in the inaugural job fair, including representatives from another

September is National Preparedness Month, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) encourages Hoosier families to take the necessary steps to make sure households are prepared for all types of disasters. National Preparedness Month is the perfect opportunity for Hoosiers to learn lifesaving skills such as CPR and first aid, how to check insurance policies for common hazards as well as how to make and practice a household emergency plan. Tornadoes, fires, snow and severe flooding are all common occurrences throughout the year in Indiana. Knowing how to stay prepared for these types of situations will not only minimize

The Federal Communications Commission has awarded Indiana more than $29 million to "close the digital divide" in rural areas. The office of Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch says the funding, which will be distributed over 10 years, will boost broadband speeds in more than 24,500 locations. Crouch adds "unserved and underserved rural areas in our state need high-speed, reliable Internet in order to keep Indiana’s economy thriving. Collaboration between federal, state and local entities will bring Indiana communities to the Next Level and I anticipate we will be working on building upon this progress." A total of 45 states received support

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Indiana National Guard will embark on a statewide tour beginning Wednesday to highlight their collaborative efforts to keep Hoosiers safe and respond to emergencies. Operation Force Multiplier will see the two agencies visiting 10 emergency districts across Indiana from Sept. 5 through Oct. 3. The statewide tour will kick off Wednesday at the Guard armory in Terre Haute. Each event will begin at 10 a.m. Most recently, the Indiana National Guard was deployed to help IDHS and local emergency management agencies respond to widespread flooding in February and March of 2018. The severity

Whether you want to tone, de-stress, or get your heart pumping, a variety of classes are available with a membership or $5 one-week trial at The Crossing of La Porte Hospital or the Wellness & Rehab Center in New Carlisle. Zumba A great cardio workout that combines Latin music with dance and fitness moves. Zumba classes are offered from 6-7 p.m. Mondays, 5:30-6:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 8-9 a.m. Saturdays, at The Crossing, 1203 Washington St., La Porte. Call 1-855-214-3681 to register. Zumba Gold A Zumba workout at a less intense pace. Classes are available from 7:45-8:45 a.m., Tuesdays

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly helped introduce legislation that would overturn the Administration’s recently finalized rule about short-term “junk” insurance plans. Donnelly said, “The Administration’s efforts to expand ‘junk’ plans – which are likely to raise costs for consumers without covering those with pre-existing conditions – are misguided. The legislation I helped introduce would overturn this bad rule, and help stop the Administration’s ongoing efforts to undermine our health care system.” The new rule on short-term health plans will allow consumers to buy so-called “junk” plans for up to 364 days at time, reversing the current limitation that these plans can

The following is from a press release provided by Sgt. Chris Yagelski of the Michigan City Police Department: Here we go again! It is time for the 8th annual Citizen’s Police Academy to begin on October 4th and run for seven weeks. Each week will be a 2 ½ hour block beginning at 6:00pm until 8:30pm at the New Michigan City Police Community Room. We will have a final graduation dinner on Thursday November 15th. Ever wonder what it is like to be a Police Officer? This year we are willing to give you a chance! The Michigan City Police

With all of today’s options for getting home safely, there’s no excuse for getting behind the wheel impaired as it endangers you and everyone else around you. Law enforcement recommends these safe alternatives to impaired driving: • Designate, or be, a sober driver. • Use public transportation. • Call a cab or a ridesharing service. • Download the SaferRide mobile app on the Android Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store. This app only has three options: call a taxi, call a friend, and identify your location for pickup. • Celebrate at home or a place where you can stay

The Indiana State Police (ISP) have a new tool to enforce alcohol-impaired driving this Labor Day weekend. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Indiana Criminal Justice Institute recently purchased 777 portable breath test devices for use by ISP troopers. In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to 1 year. Since 2017, more than 2,600 portable breath tests have been purchased for 150 law-enforcement agencies across Indiana.

According to a press release, the Indiana Department of Education received communication this week from Pearson characterizing two issues associated with the final ISTEP+ Spring 2018 results. The issues involved a grade 10 mathematics graphing item and grades 3-8 and 10 document image reconciliation. IDOE is currently working with Pearson to reconcile the data for the impacted students and redeliver final data and reporting. It is anticipated only a small percentage of students in grades 3-8 and 10 will be impacted. Further updates will be provided as more information is made available.