Local News

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) honors its 2018 class of spring graduates with four Commencement Exercises on the Hammond and Westville campuses on May 4, 5 and 7. Ceremonies will be held at PNW’s Hammond Campus in the Fitness & Recreation Center at 3 p.m., Friday, May 4 for graduates of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences; at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 5 for the College of Business and College of Nursing; and at 3 p.m. for the College of Engineering and Sciences and College of Technology. The fourth ceremony will take place at 3 p.m., Monday, May 7

For a second year, several organizations are partnering on a “Week of Code” initiative in Michigan City. The effort will spotlight computer coding and related technologies that are fostering a “maker” culture of innovation in the region.   Michigan City Area Schools, in partnership with the Economic Development Corporation of Michigan City (EDCMC), will host the community-wide Week of Code May 4 - 11. Additional sponsors and partners include Safe Harbor, the Unity Foundation of LaPorte County, the Michigan City Mainstreet Association, the LaPorte County Public Library, the Michigan City Public Library, the Boys and Girls Club of Michigan City,

Friday, The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced the recipients of the State’s first-ever K-6 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Acceleration Grants. The awards will be used for important research efforts to provide Indiana leaders with evidence of impact from STEM activities happening in classrooms across the state. Grant funds are to be used for research, surveys, and related staff support initiatives. These activities will develop recommendations to improve elementary and secondary student achievement and participation in STEM subjects throughout Indiana. Additionally, this will improve coordination among the various STEM programs. Through this opportunity, IDOE will enhance student success

The Association of Indiana Counties (AIC) and Bliss McKnight, Inc. have named a local fourth grader as the National County Government Week essay contest winner for the AIC’s Northwest District. Madeleine McCarther’s essay was chosen over entries from other fourth graders across the district. McCarther, a student at Saint Stanislaus School, received $100 for winning the contest. One winner was chosen in each of the AIC’s six districts from among several hundred submitted from across the state. This year’s theme was ‘Keeping Indiana Safe: County Law Enforcement.’ Essays were judged on how well students discussed the county’s role in local

Today through Friday and April 30th-May 4th, the South Shore Line will temporarily be busing weekday (Mon-Fri) passengers between Carroll Ave. and the South Bend International Airport while crews upgrade sections of track and overhead wire. During these periods, there will be no train service to or from Hudson Lake, and Trains 401, 422 and 424 between South Bend and Carroll Ave. will be canceled. NOTE: No bikes will be transported via bus for Trains 6 and 11. Train service between Carroll Ave. and Chicago will not be impacted.

Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.2 percent for March and remains lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force. Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 7,513 over the previous month. This was a result of 2,077 unemployed residents no longer seeking employment within the past four weeks, and a 9,590 increase in residents employed. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and

An annual report from the Virginia-based American Legislative Exchange Council Center for State Fiscal Reform ranks Indiana's economic outlook among the best in the country. The Rich States, Poor States index ranks states based on 15 variables, such as highest marginal personal income tax rate, property tax burden and worker's compensation costs. The report focuses on the economic competitiveness of states. Indiana ranks third on the list, behind only Utah and Idaho. The report also looks back to measure states' performances to-date with its economic performance ranking. Indiana comes in at number 30 in this year's list, including cumulative GDP

A roll over crash late Wednesday night sent the driver and passenger to the hospital. Preliminary investigation by Trooper John Landowski revealed that a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by 20 year old Jordyn Windsor of Portage, IN was westbound on I-80/94 in the left middle lane just east of Lake Station exit when she began to change lanes. Windsor lost control of the Malibu, going northwest across all west bound lanes, went off the roadway into the grass, rolled over and came to rest in the ditch on its roof facing northwest. Windsor and her passenger, 21 year old Tiera

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) spoke at a briefing hosted by the U.S. Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus focused on the benefits of CTE for veterans. Senator Young, a co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, highlighted how veterans transitioning into the workforce face many challenges, especially with applying the skills learned in military service to civilian jobs. Career and technical education offers veterans a chance to capitalize on their skills by obtaining a credential, whether that be a certificate, associate’s degree, or other type of degree. “Career and technical education programs help ensure every Hoosier has

The LaPorte County Election Board announced that Absentee Voting is now taking place at the Courthouse in La Porte and the Courthouse in Michigan City. The hours for Absentee Voting are as follows: Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; Saturday April 28th and Saturday May 5th: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and Monday May 9th: 8:00 am to 12 noon.

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced 13 appointments to the state’s Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, a new group created during the 2018 legislative session to assess and realign Indiana’s workforce development programs and services. This includes Mark Kara (Hobart), assistant to the coordinator for Local 150 Operating Engineers and Jená Bellezza (Crown Point), vice president of strategic partnerships and branding for the Indiana Parenting Institute. In addition to assessing and aligning the state’s workforce programs and services, the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet will also develop the state’s first career coaching and navigation program and assess career and technical education outcomes. Other cabinet members

Michigan City’s elegant Barker Mansion gardens will be the setting for a Mother’s Day painting class on Saturday, May 12. Artist Esther Lundmark of Lundmark Studios will facilitate the class. No experience is necessary; Lundmark will guide students step-by-step as they complete a painting featuring a teacup. Two sessions will be held, 10 am and 2 pm Central Time, and space is very limited. Cost is $35 per youth and $45 per adult, ages 18+. Minimum age requirement is eight years old. Cookies, lemonade, and Barker Mansion-blend tea will be served during the event. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite

Superior Foods Company located in Kentwood, Michigan is voluntarily recalling a specific lot of Smoked Salmon Spreads (487 lbs.) that were produced on March 26, 2018. This voluntary action is being undertaken in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Listeria monocytogenes was identified through routine inspection and testing by MDARD. The products in question could potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may

Governor Eric Holcomb is directing flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honor former First Lady Barbara Bush. Flags should be flown at half-staff from now until sunset on the day of her burial, Saturday. Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents across the state to lower their flags to half-staff to honor her.

The Lutheran Foundation , through their mental health initiative, LookUpIndiana.org (LookUp), has partnered with members of the Regional Mental Health Coalition of Northeast Indiana to produce a video series titled “Today’s Drugs”. The objective of the video series is to educate the community on the dangers of today’s drugs. Drug poisoning deaths have increased dramatically over the last 5 years. While the most dramatic increase in deaths has involved opioids, there have also been increases in deaths involving cocaine, methamphetamine, synthetic drugs, and marijuana. This is due in part to drugs being much more potent than in the past. InThere

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is pleased to announce the appointment of George F. Kacenga, Ph.D. as its first executive director of Global Engagement effective July 1, 2018. "After a nationwide search among a field of strong candidates, we are excited to have Dr. Kacenga, with his background and expertise, leading our strategic efforts to extend Purdue Northwest's global programs and initiatives," said PNW Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Ralph O. Mueller. Kacenga most recently served as director of International Enrollment Management in the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at the University of Colorado Denver. During his tenure, he

Michigan City High School art students recently created a mural in Barker Mansion’s lower level. The artwork features a Haskell and Barker Car Company logo from the 1800’s, which was found on letterhead in the mansion’s archives. Students completing the mural were senior Kara Davis, and sophomores Alexis Reynolds and Armani Torrance-Worlds. Art instructors Deanna Ehrhardt and Sue Cleveland supervised the project. “Painting at Barker Mansion was a very positive experience. The employees were very friendly which made the atmosphere welcoming, and I was also fortunate to be able to roam the historical halls at the mansion,” said Reynolds, who also

Operation Stop Scams continues in Indiana and across the nation this week. It's sponsored by A-A-R-P and features a month-long series of events in communities coast-to-coast to fight fraud. They include paper-shredding opportunities and fraud-education programs. Jason Tomcsi with A-A-R-P Indiana says scammers are always on the prowl, but there are certain times of the year, such as around tax time, that they really step up their game. Free paper-shredding events are being held this week in Evansville, Central Indiana and Fort Wayne.

NIPSCO is offering a limited number of free trees to NIPSCO electric customers through Energy-Saving Trees, an Arbor Day Foundation program that helps conserve energy and reduce energy bills through strategic tree planting. Participants will receive the trees at an ideal time for planting along with information on how to plant them in the most strategic location near their homes or businesses. NIPSCO electric customers can reserve their trees at www.arborday.org/nipsco . Requests will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. Before starting any digging projects, NIPSCO reminds customers to always remember to call 811, the free national safe digging hotline, to

The Michigan City Police Department is requesting the public's assistance in locating Travis Germain. Mr. Germain has an active warrant through the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department for one count of Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury , Battery, Possession of Legend Drug Without a Prescription, and Theft. Please contact the Michigan City Police Department at (219) 874-3221 Ext. 1000 if Mr. Germain is located.