Local News

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has announced that the driver of a hit and run crash, that occurred on July 21, 2018, has been identified and arrested. The crash had occurred on County Road 525 West near County Road 300 North and left a 20 year old male jogger injured. Immediately following the crash, the Sheriff’s Office sought assistance from the public in an attempt to identify the driver of the vehicle that had fled. As the result of tips from citizens, a substantial lead was developed regarding a suspect vehicle. The vehicle was located as was the driver.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that State Road 2 will be closed between U.S. 421 and State Road 39 from Aug. 1-3 for chip sealing. State road detours must be on state-maintained roads only. Westbound drivers on SR 2 will be detoured south on SR 39, west on U.S. 6 and north on U.S. 421 back to SR 2. Eastbound drivers on SR 2 will be detoured south on U.S. 421, east on U.S. 6 and north on SR 39 back to SR 2.

Historic sites in Michigan City will become museums for one night only during the Barker Mansion’s newest programming: 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. Our last pop up tour of the summer will take place on August 4 at 7 pm. Participants will meet at

On Wednesday, at around 10:43pm, Officers from the Uniformed Patrol Division responded to the 100 block of N. Woodland Avenue in reference to a person being shot. It was determined that 32 year old Joseph Prior Jr. of Hammond, Indiana had sustained a gunshot wound. Mr. Prior was transported to Franciscan Health Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives from the Investigative Division were summoned to the scene and began an immediate investigation of this incident. Detectives, along with the Uniformed Patrol Division staff, worked through the night locating witnesses and collecting evidence. Their efforts resulted in Jae’Vianna Aldridge being

A four vehicle crash, Tuesday evening, injured two drivers closing the three left lanes of I-80 west bound at the 11.1 mile marker one mile east of the Broadway exit. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Eric Madry revealed that a 1998 Ford Expedition, driven by 39 year old Rumaldo Dela Cerda of Cicero, Illinois was west bound on I-80/94 when they lost a right rear tire. This caused the tire to travel east in the west bound lanes and hit a 2015 Lexus, driven by 62 year old Soraya Torabi (female) of Munster, Indiana who was in the left middle lane.

Yesterday at around 5am, all lanes of the west bound Indiana Toll Road I-80/90 at the 39 mile marker (this is directly under U.S. 421) were closed after to crash. All west bound traffic was diverted off at exit 49 (LaPorte exit). Preliminary information is that a semi that was south bound on US 421 left the roadway for unknown reasons, went down the embankment onto I-80/90 into west bound traffic where it hit a pick-up pulling a trailer. The incident was described as not life threatening. A large amount of oil and diesel fuel was spilled.

Wednesday, Governor Holcomb welcomed Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó to his office to sign a cooperative agreement in support of a partnership between the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana and Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary. This planned partnership between the two Catholic universities expands the informal relationship the institutions have had for several years. As part of their work, Notre Dame’s College of Engineering will help develop new technology faculty and Ph.D. programs in chemical and mechanical engineering at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest—while select courses from Pázmány Péter will

Please help Officer Wright with a theft investigation he is conducting. He is looking to identify the person seen in the attached photo. The suspect stole merchandise from Polo Ralph Lauren (1400 Lighthouse Place) on July 23, 2018 at approximately 4:35pm. Please email Officer Wright at bwright@emichigancity.com or leave a message for him at (219) 874-3221 Ext. 1000 if this suspect can be identified. The Michigan City Police Department appreciates the working partnership shared with our community.

On Tuesday, at approximately 8:51 pm, deputies from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the intersection of US Highway 421 and County Road 800 South in reference to a crash involving a motorcycle and passenger car. Upon arrival deputies discovered that the operator of the motorcycle was deceased but the three occupants of the passenger car were uninjured. Evidence at the scene, a witness statement as well as a statement provided by the driver of the passenger car indicated that the passenger car, driven by Jennifer DeMass of rural Westville, had been traveling north on US 421.

Indiana Conservation Officers located the body of missing 24 year old Tiara Hardy on a side scan sonar image at approximately 5:30 Tuesday evening. The image was confirmed by the Lake County Marine Unit sonar and divers from the Hobart Fire Department were requested to dive and visually confirm. A Hobart Fire Department diver dove on the sonar mark and recovered the body of Tiara Hardy shortly after 6:00 p.m. approximately 150 yards from shore while Gary Fire and Police provided shore support. The Lake County Marine Unit transported the body of Tiara Hardy to a nearby location to transfer

To thank local educators for their hard work, the South Shore Line created Teacher Appreciation Week, where educators are invited to ride the SSL for free through Sunday July 29th, on all off-peak weekday and all weekend trains. To ride, educators will need to present a valid school ID. In addition to free rides, during South Shore Line’s (SSL) Teacher Appreciation Week, essay applications will be accepted from educators for a chance to win free field trip transportation for their classes. For a chance to win free field trip transportation, educators are asked to submit an essay focusing on what

Yesterday, U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and David Perdue (R-Ga.), introduced the bipartisan STOP Using Human Shields Act. The bill would impose sanctions on those who use or facilitate the use of human shields, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Qaeda, and ISIS. The STOP Using Human Shields Act would: ·         Direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of the U.S. to secure support for a UN Security Council resolution that would condemn the

Two U.S. citizens, charged with federal violations, have been transferred from the custody of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to U.S. law enforcement custody and arrived Tuesday in the Northern District Indiana. One defendant, Ibraheem Izzy Musaibli, was transferred to face charges in the U.S. District Court in Detroit, Michigan. The other defendant, Samantha Elhassani aka Samantha Sally (hereinafter Elhassani), has been charged in the Northern District of Indiana with making false statements to the FBI and will have her initial hearing at the Hammond Federal Courthouse at a later date. Elhassani was accompanied by her four minor U.S. citizen

The City of Michigan City is excited to welcome back Roger Brooks for a public presentation on the progress of the Plaza.  Roger will also assess the City on our progress to implement thier Branding Master Plan. For all those who are participating in and tracking the progress of the Michigan City Comeback, this is a MUST ATTEND event. Please join them August 9th at 6:00pm for hors d’oeuvres, comments by Mayor Ron Meer and then the 6:30pm presentation by Roger Brooks. The event will be held at the future site of the Plaza at 7th and Franklin. The Plaza

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a hit and run motor vehicle/pedestrian crash that occurred on Saturday July 21st, 2018 at approximately 5:00 pm, near the intersection of CR 525 West and CR 300 North in Center Township. The 20 year old victim was jogging near this intersection when he was struck by a vehicle that was traveling south on CR 525 West; that vehicle failed to stop, and continued south towards Johnson Road. The victim was treated by La Porte County EMS, and transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital. The La Porte County Sheriff’s Department Investigative

Yesterday, Gov. Holcomb reported that 3,228 total handheld metal detectors have been requested by 369 school entities—including 94 percent of all traditional public school corporations. On July 9, the governor announced that the state would make the metal detectors available at no cost to traditional public, charter and private schools that request them. This program is one part of comprehensive approach by the state to bolster its school safety efforts. The program makes available one handheld metal detector for every 250 students in a school building. The 3,228 devices requested in this first round have been ordered and should arrive

Attorney General Curtis Hill announced that a 15-state coalition led by Indiana has prevailed in its support of a motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit filed by New York City against five fossil-fuel companies. In its lawsuit, New York City claimed that the five corporations violated “common law” because they contributed to global warming – which, the plaintiffs said, constitutes a “public nuisance,” a “private nuisance” and “trespass.” In dismissing the lawsuit, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York stated that the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency’s corresponding enforcement authority superseded federal common

State health officials are urging Hoosiers to protect themselves from ticks as cases of tick-borne disease continue to rise in the state. More than 100 cases of tick-borne disease have been reported so far in 2018, including one death due to ehrlichiosis in an elderly patient. Deaths from ehrlichiosis are rare in Indiana, with only four deaths reported in the last five years. 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. Ticks can transmit a variety of diseases, such as

Former FBI Director James Comey opens the Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Sinai Forum’s 65th season Sunday, Sept. 9. The Forum announced four other notable speakers joining this fall’s schedule, including a legendary college football coach, a national non-profit leader, an internationally known photographer and a national political reporter. The season runs from September through December, leading off with Comey at Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa in Michigan City, Indiana. The remaining programs are in the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex on the PNW Westville Campus, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville. All programs will begin at 4

This past Thursday, two California residents were arrested for dealing heroin following a traffic stop on the Indiana Toll Road in Porter County. An Indiana State Trooper stopped a Nissan for several traffic violations on the Indiana Toll Road approximately six miles east of the Valparaiso/Chesterton exit. While the trooper spoke to the female driver, 37 year old Yudith Valenzuela, of Los Angeles, CA, and the male passenger, 31 year old Luis Garcia, age 31 of Los Angeles, he became suspicious of criminal activity. A vehicle search was conducted following a positive alert to the odor of narcotics by Indiana