Local News

Yesterday Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03), a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, attended President Trump’s bill signing of the VA Mission Act at the White House. The VA Mission Act of 2018: -Makes the Choice Program permanent; -Consolidates 7 duplicative community care programs into 1 cohesive program; -Creates a transparent process for a comprehensive audit of VA’s assets; -Expands the VA’s capacity to care for veterans in VA facilities by improving recruitment and retention program

The Barker Mansion gardens will host for beach glass enthusiast and crafter Dawn Rosinski as she offers a hands-on activity for the public.The event is on June 16th from 2-4 p.m. During Beach Glass and Blooms, Participants will create a clay pot adorned with beach glass from Dawn’s collection. The event, set amid the blooms of the mansion garden, will include refreshments and a self-guided tour. The event will move inside due to rain. Cost is $12-15. Registration is required via Eventbrite. The Barker Mansion is located at 631 Washington Street in Michigan City. Visit www.barkermansion.com for details.

According to survey results released today by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), significant progress is being made in creating digital learning environments and providing schools with greater cybersecurity. In total, 80 percent of Indiana school districts now have initiatives aimed at providing a computing device for each student with more than half of those providing a device for each K-12 student. The 2018 Tech Plan Survey achieved a 100 percent response rate from traditional public schools and covers key educational technology issues including student devices, social media access, digital content, technology platforms, virtual learning, cybersecurity, and bandwidth. In addition,

Lubeznik Center for the Arts is celebrating the 37th year of its annual art festival, Lubeznik Arts Festival (LAF), on August 18 and 19 from 10am-5pm. The festival, previously held off-site, is now held on LCA’s grounds to connect festival-goers to our gallery spaces, experience the stature of our exhibitions, and connect with programs more effectively. All proceeds from LAF are invested back into the community through artistic and educational programs LCA provides year-round. Teams WIMS and WHFB will be broadcasting live from the event on August 18th from 11am-1pm.

In Michigan City, a Council Finance Committee Meeting has been called by Finance Committee Chair Tim Bietry for Friday, June 8th at 4:00 P.M. , in the West Conference Room of City Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to review and discuss approving additional appropriation in the budget of the riverboat fund to provide for additional emergency roadwork and repairs.

Over 24 days, Porter County TSP issued 110 citations (98 Seat Belt Citations) and made 6 arrests as part of the 2018 Click It or Ticket mobilization. More than 230 Indiana law-enforcement agencies joined thousands across the nation to enforce seat-belt laws in cars and trucks, for both children and adults, in the front seat and back, both day and night. The overtime, high-visibility traffic patrols were supported with federal traffic-safety funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

Yesterday, Congressman Pete Visclosky’s Buy America Amendment to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Interior Appropriations Act was approved by the House Appropriations Committee. Similar to actions taken in previous fiscal years, this amendment offered with Congressman Aderholt (R-AL) strikes provisions that would have weakened Buy America requirements for projects receiving funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Specifically, the amendment removed provisions that would have potentially permitted certain imported slab and finished iron and steel products to meet Buy America requirements. The amendment was approved by voice vote. The FY 2019 Interior Appropriations Act, including

In Michigan City, residents and stakeholders of the Eastport neighborhood are invited to attend a grand opening of the new Eastport Neighborhood Walker Park Community Garden on June 9th at 9 a.m. The new Community Garden project is a collaboration between the City of Michigan City Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, Eastport Neighborhood Association, Purdue Extension, St. Franciscan Healthcare, North Central Community Action Agencies and the Home Team of La Porte County and has been designed with Eastport residents in mind to inspire and coordinate healthy alternative choices while making Eastport an even greater place to live, work, and

The Michigan City Police Department is currently accepting applications for multiple Full-Time Police Officer positions. Starting pay for a Probationary Officer (first year) is $42,494.01. After completing the first year of probationary status then an officer becomes a First Class Patrolman and the pay increases to $45,836.46. Benefits include longevity pay, specialty pay, healthcare program including dental and vision, take home car program, retirement plan, paid vacations, personal days and much more. There are many positions available through the different divisions as well as Specialty positions. Applications may be picked up at the Michigan City Police Department or downloaded from: www.michigancitypolice.com.

This coming Sunday, June 10th, 63 outstanding young women from all over Indiana will gather in Zionsville to begin competition for more than $40 thousand in scholarships and the titles of Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen 2018. Three nights of preliminary competition on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings will culminate in the Miss Indiana Final Competition on Saturday, June 18th starting at 6:00 p.m. and by the end of the evening, both Miss Indiana and Miss Indiana’s Outstanding Teen 2018 will be crowned! Tickets are still available for purchase at www.MissIndiana.org. Fans, friends and family can help ensure that

A 28 year old Valparaiso resident pled guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Porter County Superior Court 5 on May 15th. Through the use of agency records, an Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) employee began an investigation and determined that Kyle Cumbee was working and receiving wages while claiming unemployment insurance benefits. Cumbee was sentenced to 910 days of probation and ordered to repay DWD $12,392 for the benefits he fraudulently collected. DWD receives wage reports and new hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who is employed and receiving compensation. The agency uses this information to ensure people are

Attorney General Curtis Hill announced Monday that workers -- including inmates of the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) -- have concluded restoration and repair work begun last year to preserve historic features of the Attorney General’s Office in the Indiana Statehouse. The project included restorative painting, refurbished woodwork, doors, door frames and lighting. In addition to historic preservation, the project also included updated electrical wiring and furnishings, among other items. This work occurred amid many other recent renovations and upgrades needed at the Indiana Statehouse and its campus. In planning the restoration of the Attorney General’s Office (SH 219), Attorney

Time is running out for eligible individuals who graduated in 2014 with a high school diploma or equivalent to claim their Tuition Incentive Program benefits, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. The grant program—known as TIP for short—encourages eligible Medicaid recipients to complete high school by providing college tuition assistance. Eligible TIP students have four years to begin their TIP benefits or permanently forfeit eligibility. For the class of 2014, this means TIP students must be in TIP by the upcoming fall 2018 semester or risk becoming ineligible to receive available grant dollars that help cover college expenses. High

Agribusiness professionals, consultants and crop advisers who work with farmers will learn new strategies for identifying and responding to a variety of crop problems at two workshops beginning in June at Purdue University's Pinney Purdue Ag Center near Wanatah, IN. Participants will gain practical knowledge that will help them assist farmers in managing the nutrient, pest and environmental factors that influence crop growth. The workshops are presented by experts from Purdue Extension Field Crops team. Registration is required at least one week before each diagnostic workshop. For more information, go to https://extension.purdue.edu/LaPorte/and click on “Agriculture” for a registration form and flyer.

The League of Women Voters of La Porte County will present special guest Jamie Miller, Development Officer of the Unity Foundation of La Porte County, on Tuesday, June 12th at Lunch With The League. Miller is first Vice President of Michiana Lions Club of Michigan City, where she has worked on numerous projects related to youth, environment, vision, and hunger in our community. The general public is invited to this informative program. Reservations are not required, but for non-members, a donation is requested. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at 11:30 a.m. and may purchase a lunch of their choice from

Due to train track crossing repairs being performed by Chicago South Shore in cooperation with INDOT, the City of Michigan City is announcing that the Chicago South Shore crossing, located near the NIPSCO west gate, on US Highway 12, will be closed beginning at 7:00 a.m., on Thursday, June 7, 2018.  The crossing is expected to reopen on Monday, June 11, 2018, but the length of closure may vary depending on track time, equipment and/or weather-related issues. Detour signs will be put in place. The City of Michigan City appreciates your cooperation during the repair process.

A semi driver rolled her tanker over Sunday evening on I-65 at the 247.8 mile marker (this is near the Crown Point exit) after having a “sneezing fit”, which closed the right lane for over eight hours. Preliminary investigation revealed a Volvo semi pulling a tanker trailer, driven by 55 year old Julie Duncan, of Canton, Michigan was south bound on I-65 in the left lane in a construction zone. Duncan stated she had a “sneezing fit” while trying to talk to Siri on her phone.  She looked up and saw that she was going to hit construction barrels so

On the 500th day of the Trump Administration, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Northern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II announced that the Department of Justice is taking a dramatic step to increase resources to combat violent crime, enforce our immigration laws, and help roll back the devastating opioid crisis. In the largest increase in decades, the Department of Justice is allocating 311 new Assistant United States Attorneys to assist in priority areas. Those allocations are as follows: 190 violent crime prosecutors, 86 civil enforcement prosecutors, and 35 additional immigration prosecutors. Many of the civil enforcement AUSA’s

The Michigan City Police Department is currently accepting applications for multiple Full-Time Police Officer positions. Starting pay for a Probationary Officer (first year) is $42,494.01. After completing the first year of probationary status then an officer becomes a First Class Patrolman and the pay increases to $45,836.46. Benefits include longevity pay, specialty pay, healthcare program including dental and vision, take home car program, retirement plan, paid vacations, personal days and much more. There are many positions available through the different divisions as well as Specialty positions. Applications may be picked up at the Michigan City Police Department or downloaded from:

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the SBA has now approved over $1 million in low-interest disaster loans for Indiana businesses and residents affected by the severe storms and flooding from Feb. 14 through March 4, 2018. The disaster declaration covers counties in Indiana including: Lake and St. Joseph, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans including: Jasper, La Porte, Porter, Starke, in Indiana; and Berrien, Cass and