Local News

In less than one year, Indiana’s Next Level Jobs initiative has obligated $5.2 million in funds to 247 employers for training almost 2,300 Hoosiers around the state in six high-demand industry sectors. Friday, Gov. Holcomb shared these milestones, as well as plans to enhance the Next Level Jobs’ employer training grant, at a roundtable discussion and tour of Custom Concrete in Westfield. Custom Concrete is one of the Indiana companies actively participating in a program to receive Next Level Jobs funds for training new employees. Based on employer feedback, Indiana will double the funds available per employee trained from $2,500

Before the school year is over, the Marquette Catholic High School Music Department has one final act. The group will be putting on its Spring Concert next Thursday, May 10th at 7 pm inside the Rudy Hart Theatre and all are invited to attend. The concert will feature a wide compilation of music from classical, a cappella, solos, and duets. Tickets cost $8 for an adult while seniors and students are $5 each. Children 12 and under are free.

Indiana health officials are encouraging Hoosiers to protect themselves from tick bites while outdoors as warmer temperatures bring an increase in tick activity across the state. Ticks are small, insect-like creatures that are found throughout Indiana in grassy and wooded areas. They tend to be most active during the late spring and early summer. Recent field sampling by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has detected that ticks are already active this year. “This is the time of year when we start to see the risk for tick-borne diseases increase,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Jennifer Brown, D.V.M., M.P.H.

Two Purdue University Northwest (PNW) alumni, Donald L. Babcock and Alexis Vazquez Dedelow, return to their alma mater during PNW's spring 2018 commencement ceremonies to impart wisdom from their life journeys with graduates. Earning a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue Northwest, Babcock went on to earn a master's degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. He is now director of economic development for Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO), the largest energy distribution company in Indiana. Raised in Highland, Indiana, and with more than 40 years of experience in the energy business, Babcock has held numerous

This morning at approximately 10:40 a.m., a driver lost control of his vehicle while exiting I-65 onto U.S. 30 resulting in several vehicles sustaining substantial damage.  Preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Brian White revealed that a blue 2006 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by Juan Marquez, 86, of Portage, IN, was exiting southbound I-65 to westbound U.S. 30 when he lost control of his vehicle.  Marquez told troopers at the scene that his brakes had failed.  This resulted in his vehicle striking a gray 2011 Acura, and then a gray 2017 Dodge Ram.  The Ram then rolled over onto a gray 2002 Hyundai Accent .  The Hyundai

Starting today, the Krueger 7th/8th grade team will be hosting Living History days on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 24th. The students bring the backyard of Krueger into pioneer days and the students teach small groups of MC elementary schools on the life and time of pioneers in Indiana. Starting on Monday, May 7th the 8th graders host 3rd graders for their Environmental Field Days. The 8th graders will teach the little ones about salamanders, cardinals, spring pond, chickadees, etc. The field days will start around 930a and go until 1240p. May 7th, 8th, 10th, and 21st are the 8th

The Valparaiso Police Department is teaming up with the Porter County Sheriff’s Department to announce a new program called SafeCam. The new program has been used in other cities across the country and has been very successful with assisting police with solving criminal acts. The program requests business owners and community members that have video/security cameras of outside or public areas, register their cameras to make police aware of these recorded areas. This information could be crucial during a police investigation and assist police with a possible photo of a potential suspect. Many individuals have cameras throughout our community and

U.S. 35 (Indiana Avenue), in LaPorte, will be closed from May 14th-May 18th. Crews will be rehabilitating the pavement along this stretch. The road will be closed from Lincolnway (SR 2) to South Avenue and there will be no parking allowed on this stretch starting May 11 or at any time during the closure. Traffic from cross streets will also be blocked from crossing Indiana Avenue throughout the closure, including: Jefferson Avenue, Maple Avenue, Harrison Street, Osborne Street, Alexander Street, Plummer Street, Warwick Street and Webber/Wile Street. State road detours must be along state-maintained roadways only. Southbound drivers will be

The Northwest Indiana Workforce Board (NWIWB) announced that as a result of the leadership of Mayor Mark Krentz of La Porte and Mayor Ron Meer of Michigan City, along with their economic developers, a consortium of employers, educators, workforce development professionals and the Unity Foundation, the Innovation Network of La Porte County will be receiving a $677,000 Skill UP 3 grant from the Department of Workforce Development. The JP Morgan Chase Foundation will also provide for this initiative. The Center of Workforce Innovations (CWI) will serve as the fiscal agent for the grant that will focus on preparing the pipeline

Leadership La Porte County recently completed its 23rd annual leadership program with more than 50 local high school students participating from La Porte County high schools. Schools were asked to nominate 5 students for participation in the program. Participating high schools included: La Crosse, La Lumiere, La Porte, Marquette Catholic, Michigan City, New Prairie, South Central and Westville. Additionally, three home schooled students were part of the program. Four all-day sessions were held at different locations around the County. Nine students from last year’s class served as student leaders. The program was funded by a community grant from the Unity

Michigan City Human Rights Commission (MCHRC) announced that the Dance with Me dancers, a group of dancers with disabilities who were given a chance to experience the art of creative movement at Studio M, will perform for the community on Friday, May 11 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Guy Foreman Amphitheater located at 115 Lake Shore Drive in Michigan City. The Dance with Me program kicked off in March to celebrate Disability Awareness Month and was instructed by Lexi McFerrin from Studio M. The program was made possible with the support from Marilyn Steinhiser, owner, Studio M.

About a third of Hoosiers are often at risk of going hungry but aren't eligible for federal food assistance. The latest Map the Meal Gap report has been released, and it shows 31 percent of state residents who are food insecure can't qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Emily Weikert Bryant with Feeding Indiana's Hungry says what that means is they have to turn to food banks, churches and civic organizations in order to get enough to eat. Congress is currently debating the 2018 Farm Bill and could put more restrictions on who is eligible for SNAP. Weikert Bryant

Purdue University Northwest (PNW), in partnership with the Coffee Creek Watershed Nature Preserve and the Nature Conservancy, will host a spring nature walk from 10 a.m. to noon, this Saturday, at the Coffee Creek Watershed Nature Preserve in Chesterton. PNW Professor of Biology Young Choi will lead the nature walk and provide an opportunity for participants to learn about the wildflowers, trees, natural history, and ecology of Coffee Creek, the Little Calumet River, and Lake Michigan watershed in Northwest Indiana. The walk is open to the public and free of charge with funding provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

On Friday, May 11th, join the community and help The Villages team collect formula by donating online. Donating is simple. Visit The Villages’ wish lists on Amazon to select the brand and amount. Donated formula ships directly to The Villages office. To make a donation at a specific office in Indiana, check out www.villages.org/contact-us . The Villages of Indiana champions every child’s right to a safe, permanent and nurturing home and serves more than 3,000 children and their families daily. This mission-driven, nonprofit agency is committed to strengthening all families and embracing the dignity and diversity of each child, youth and family

Michigan Department of Natural Resources fire personnel spent much of the night and early morning hours Wednesday, working to contain several wildfires, including three that were significant in Crawford, Wexford, and Newaygo Counties. The cause of all three fires is unknown and currently under investigation. Red flag fire conditions Tuesday across the northern Lower Peninsula resulted in an active day for wildfires throughout the area. Red flag fire warnings are issued when weather conditions are expected to include strong winds, warm temperatures and low relative humidity – a combination that can lead to very high or extreme fire danger.

A one-time voluntary disclosure initiative is being offered by the Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) to out-of-state online retailers that have inventory located in third-party Indiana warehouses and sell to Indiana customers. This initiative runs through December 31, 2018. “The program offers out-of-state online retailers who are not currently in compliance with Indiana tax laws the opportunity to enter into an agreement with DOR that fulfills their tax obligations,” said DOR Commissioner Adam Krupp. “This special program offers a shortened look-back period for any taxes due for sales, use and income taxes.” Retailers must meet all of the following qualifications

Leadership La Porte County recently completed its 23rd annual leadership program with more than 50 local high school students participating from La Porte County high schools. Schools were asked to nominate 5 students for participation in the program. Participating high schools included: La Crosse, La Lumiere, La Porte, Marquette Catholic, Michigan City, New Prairie, South Central and Westville. Additionally, three home schooled students were part of the program. Four all-day sessions were held at different locations around the county---Purdue North West, the La Porte County Complex, Red Mill County Park and Cummings Lodge. Facilitators for the seminars were Leadership Executive

Barker Mansion will continue their popular walking tours by incorporating a new aspect of Michigan City’s history: beer. In partnership with Zorn Brew Works, a May 19 Brewed in History Hike will depart from the mansion at 11 am Central Time. “Our city’s past is really brewed in history,” said Barker Mansion Director Jessica Rosier. “The Haskell and Barker Car Company was founded over 160 years ago, and Zorn Brew Works is over 145 years old. It’s the perfect partnership, and an excuse to enjoy some craft beer too.” Upon leaving the mansion, the walk will cover sites en route

During INDOT’s annual Trash Bash on April 13, INDOT maintenance staff across the state directed their efforts toward litter collection on roads with high-traffic volume, such as interstates and divided highways. Additionally, Adopt-a-Highway groups and other organizations and individuals joined forces to clean two-lane roads with lower traffic volume April 13-15 as part of Trash Bash. The effort paid off, as hundreds of INDOT employees collected 2,857 bags of trash, or the equivalent of 724 cubic yards, on April 13. The non-INDOT volunteers gathered 600 bags of trash, the equivalent of 150 cubic yards, from April 13-15.

As a result of federal tax reform, NIPSCO natural gas and electric customers will benefit from a reduction in their monthly statements beginning with their May 2018 billing period. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which decreased the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, was signed into law in December and became effective on Jan. 1st. For an average NIPSCO electric residential customer, the change will reduce bills by approximately $30 per year.  NIPSCO natural gas residential customers will see an approximate $10 per year reduction. Commercial and industrial customers will also experience reductions in their bills