Local News

This past Friday, the House passed bipartisan legislation to combat the opioid epidemic, including provisions authored by U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) and named in honor of Dr. Todd Graham that would improve access to non-opioid pain treatments. The comprehensive legislation to aid prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts is expected to reach the president’s desk for his signature in the coming days. The House passed the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6) by a bipartisan vote of 393 to 8 after a final agreement was reached between the House

Friday, Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03) released the following statement after voting for the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act: “When I travel across northeast Indiana, I constantly hear about the positive results from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Because of tax reform, Hoosiers are seeing more opportunities and taking home larger paychecks. This legislation contains key provisions to make many of the tax cuts that help families and small businesses permanent.” This legislation is one of three bills the House passed this week that comprise a Tax Reform 2.0 plan. More information about these bills below: Protecting

  Purdue University Northwest (PNW) students graduating in May 2019 will be the first graduating class to receive a Purdue University Northwest diploma. Chancellor Thomas L. Keon made the announcement to students, faculty and staff on Friday. “This is an exciting step forward for Purdue Northwest,” said Keon. “Everything we do as a comprehensive university to ensure the success of our graduates—from high-quality teaching and scholarship, to a robust campus community, to a growing alumni network—is now further reflected in our diploma.” Keon said as the Purdue system has evolved in recent years, with the establishment of Purdue University Northwest,

The League of Women Voters of LaPorte County will present Judge Greta Friedman at Lunch With The League, Tuesday, Oct. 9th, at Patrick’s Grille, 4125 S. Franklin Street, in Michigan City. Judge Friedman has served as both a Magistrate and elected Judge of LaPorte Superior Court 4 beginning in 2008. While she handles both civil and criminal cases, she is most proud of her work with the LaPorte Problem Solving Court. The Court is an alternative sentencing court for individuals with substance abuse addictions facing felonies in the criminal justice system. It has been operating since 2012. The general public

To accommodate passengers attending Chicago Bears home games, the South Shore Line is planning select train stops at the 18th Street Station in Chicago. These stops are in addition to regular service to Museum Campus/11th Street. For the home game at noon on Sunday, Sept. 30, Train #502 arrives at 18th St. at 9:07a, Train #504 at 10:10a, and Train #606 at 11:04a. Following the game, Train #507 will depart 18th Street at 4:49p, and Train #509 will depart at 6:28p.

The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter invites Northwest Indiana residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, October 6. Along the walk route, participants will learn about Alzheimer's disease and dementia, volunteer opportunities, public policy initiatives and local programs and services provided by the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter. Walk participants also honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease with a poignant Promise Garden ceremony before the walk, which invites participants to display colored flowers, which represent their personal connections to Alzheimer’s. More than 5 million Americans are living

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of a fraudulent scam. The Sheriff’s Office have received several complaints from citizens reporting that they’ve received a phone call from a person identifying himself as La Porte County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tony Wallace, and that the citizen is in criminal trouble for missing jury duty. The caller then advises that the citizen can pay a fine using “Green Dot” cards, thus keeping themselves out of trouble. The sheriff’s office encourages all citizens to be wary of any caller that wants to be paid by using a gift card or to

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced that SR 331 (Capital Avenue) in St. Joseph County, near Mishawaka, reopened this past Friday. The concrete restoration project is now complete. As part of this project, which began in early June, concrete was restored between SR 933 and Douglas Road. It’s possible that, in the coming weeks, there could be brief, limited closures through the corridor as crews complete final items to close out the project. As those occur, INDOT Northwest will post updates via its social media channels: Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest and @INDOTNorthwest on Twitter. Meanwhile, the two year bridge reconstruction project over

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) students graduating in May 2019 will be the first graduating class to receive a Purdue University Northwest diploma. Chancellor Thomas L. Keon made the announcement to students, faculty and staff on Friday. “This is an exciting step forward for Purdue Northwest,” said Keon. “Everything we do as a comprehensive university to ensure the success of our graduates—from high-quality teaching and scholarship, to a robust campus community, to a growing alumni network—is now further reflected in our diploma.” Keon said as the Purdue system has evolved in recent years, with the establishment of Purdue University Northwest, Purdue

Current high school seniors planning to pursue a degree in education can now apply for the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship, according to State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie). The scholarship provides $7,500 a year for a maximum of four years to 200 students who attend an Indiana college or university. “Following their college graduation, students who have received this scholarship commit to teaching in Hoosier classrooms for the next five years,” Pressel said. “This program helps keep some of Indiana’s most talented and high-achieving students in our state to teach our next generation of doctors, mechanics and even teachers.”

Drew Riley was rescued in January 2016 after he was found sitting on top of a building near downtown Valparaiso early in the morning. He was very thin and dehydrated and had an injury to his left eye. Humane Indiana Wildlife’s rehabilitation team brought the owl to a veterinarian ophthalmologist who delivered the bad news—his eye injury would make it impossible for him to survive in the wild. The rescued Eastern Screech Owl is now a very popular Humane Indiana Wildlife Education Ambassador. He will be among the featured “presenters” at Festival of the Owls on Saturday, October 13th. The

To accommodate passengers attending the Notre Dame vs. Stanford football game at 7:30p ET today, the South Shore Line and Transpo will offer FREE shuttle bus service between the South Bend International Airport and Notre Dame Stadium. Two trains will carry eastbound passengers to the South Bend Airport prior to kick-off: Train #503 will arrive at 12:10p ET and Train #505 at 5:06p ET. Arriving South Shore Line passengers may then board a Transpo bus near the South Shore train platform at the Airport for the trip to the stadium. Passengers will be dropped off near the Eck Visitors Center/Bookstore

The Porter County Sheriff's Office responded to a theft that occurred sometime between 8:00pm on September 25 to 12:29am September 26. The suspects entered a vehicle in the 300 block of Kimrich Cir South and stole a purse. The suspects then used the debit card located in the purse at local businesses. Anyone with information about the suspects please contact Detective Sgt. Matthew Boone at 219-477-3131.

  The League of Women Voters of LaPorte County will present Judge Greta Friedman at Lunch With The League, Tuesday, Oct. 9th, at Patrick’s Grille, 4125 S. Franklin Street, in Michigan City. Judge Friedman has served as both a Magistrate and elected Judge of LaPorte Superior Court 4 beginning in 2008. While she handles both civil and criminal cases, she is most proud of her work with the LaPorte Problem Solving Court. The Court is an alternative sentencing court for individuals with substance abuse addictions facing felonies in the criminal justice system. It has been operating since 2012. The general

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of a fraudulent scam. The Sheriff’s Office have received several complaints from citizens reporting that they’ve received a phone call from a person identifying himself as La Porte County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tony Wallace, and that the citizen is in criminal trouble for missing jury duty. The caller then advises that the citizen can pay a fine using “Green Dot” cards, thus keeping themselves out of trouble. The sheriff’s office encourages all citizens to be wary of any caller that wants to be paid by using a gift card or to

Representatives Michael Ayelsworth and Jim Pressel toured the Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad Tuesday near Thomaston and Hanna in LaPorte County to view firsthand the work in progress to repair and upgrade the rail line that is used to move millions of bushels of grain grown in northwest Indiana to major markets. Improvements currently under way include installing 4,800 new railroad ties and, later this fall, work will begin to replace two timber bridges with culverts. In addition, CKIN will also expand capacity for more traffic by installing a new mile-long siding at Thomaston. This siding will better handle CKIN’s growing

The Governor’s Awards for Environmental Excellence were presented this week to honor seven recipients for extraordinary initiatives in protecting the environment. Commissioner Pigott and Rebecca Holwerda, Senior Policy Director for Governor Eric Holcomb, presented the awards during the 21st annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Tradeshow held at the Marriott North in Indianapolis. Locally, in the category of Energy/Renewable Resources: • Michigan City Area Schools, Michigan City, LaPorte County, for “ Michigan City Area Schools Solar and LED Lighting Project 2017.” After completion of a guaranteed energy savings project, Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) decided to further reduce their energy costs

The League of Women Voters of LaPorte County will present Judge Greta Friedman at Lunch With The League, Tuesday, Oct. 9th, at Patrick’s Grille, 4125 S. Franklin Street, in Michigan City. Judge Friedman has served as both a Magistrate and elected Judge of LaPorte Superior Court 4 beginning in 2008. While she handles both civil and criminal cases, she is most proud of her work with the LaPorte Problem Solving Court. The Court is an alternative sentencing court for individuals with substance abuse addictions facing felonies in the criminal justice system. It has been operating since 2012. The general public

The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter invites Northwest Indiana residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, October 6. Along the walk route, participants will learn about Alzheimer's disease and dementia, volunteer opportunities, public policy initiatives and local programs and services provided by the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter. Walk participants also honor those affected by Alzheimer's disease with a poignant Promise Garden ceremony before the walk, which invites participants to display colored flowers, which represent their personal connections to Alzheimer’s. More than 5 million Americans are living

Effective Wednesday, Oct. 3rd, improvements to the Gary Metro Center platform will shift locations, impacting passenger access to the station. On Oct. 3rd, the east end of the platform will re-open and the west end of the platform will close, including the main stairway and SSL platform elevator. During this time, passengers may access the SSL platform through the Broadway St. entrance. Due to the elevator closure, the recommended alternative ADA-accessible station location is East Chicago. The closure is expected to last until early Monday, Oct. 8th.