Local News

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

Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb has requested federal assistance for Hoosiers affected by historic flooding from Feb. 14 through March 4th. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials conducted joint preliminary damage assessments in preparation for requesting a federal declaration. In a letter to President Donald J. Trump, Gov. Holcomb requested a disaster declaration for nine Indiana counties for individual assistance and 27 counties for public assistance. At the height of the flood emergency, 35 counties had declared local emergencies due to widespread flooding, although subsequent damage assessments of some counties were less

The Purdue University Board of Trustees recently approved the promotion of eight Purdue University Northwest faculty members. These promotions become effective with the start of the 2018-19 academic year. Academic tenure is acquired on promotion to the rank of associate professor. Candidates promoted to this rank have accumulated a record of accomplishments and show promise of continued professional growth and recognition. Faculty members promoted to professor have achieved a significant record in all three areas of accomplishments: learning, discovery and engagement. Professors Promoted to professor are Arifin Angriawan of Dyer (Strategic Management), Lizbeth Bryant of Valparaiso (English), Chandramouli Viswanathan Chandramouli

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal residential structure fire that occurred during the mid-morning on Tuesday.  At approximately 10:31 AM (CST), Sheriff’s Office Deputies and other emergency personnel were dispatched to a residence located in the 5600 West block of CR 300 North. Deputies L. Scott Boswell and Jeff Wright were the first to arrive at the scene and found the residence on fire with visible flames. Deputies Boswell and Wright attempted to gain entry in the residence, but were forced back because of the working fire. Several Volunteer Fire Departments arrived at the scene to

Big sounds are expected from a trio and their accompanist when local vocal group Trilogy takes the mic at the next First Friday in the Chapel at La Porte Hospital on May 4. The program begins at Noon in the hospital’s Family Chapel, and it is free and open to the public. The hospital is located at 1007 Lincolnway, La Porte. Trilogy comprises soprano Felicia Thomas, alto Sue Cassler, and baritone Joe Stewart, who are members of the Chancel Choir at First United Methodist Church in Michigan City, where the trio came together. They are accompanied by Beverly Griffith. All

VOTE411.ORG is a “one-stop-shop” for election information. This innovative resource, a free service of the League of Women Voters, provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information. In Indiana you can enter your home address to see ballot questions as well as candidate responses to League questions. A variety of topics can be researched on VOTE411.ORG including the process for absentee voting, voting online, becoming a poll worker and early voting. Simply select a category, enter Indiana and details will be provided, as available. The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and

The Porter County Sheriff’s Office is happy to announce their 4th Annual Northwest Regional Sheriff’s Camp for 2018 is full. They are no longer taking applications. Those that have sent in applications and money, will soon be contacted by the child’s counselor with important information and instructions. For those who may have wanted to attend camp this year, watch for next years announcement.

According to a press release, yesterday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly led 12 Senators in urging Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to assist students harmed by the 2016 closure of ITT Tech. A sizeable number of students have financial debt due to their education and many have ITT Tech credits with little market value, but it remains unclear if the Department of Education is using all available means to help affected students. That is why Donnelly and the Senators sent a letter to DeVos asking the Department of Education to take swift action. Many Hoosiers were harmed by the sudden closure

Gov. Eric Holcomb joined state and local leaders yesterday at Community Hospital East in Indianapolis to announce a new Community Health Network program designed to address opioid use disorder in mothers and to treat babies born addicted to opioids. The Community Health Network Neonatal Opioid Addiction Project was made possible through a $570,516 grant from the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) Department of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA). The grant was created in 2017 legislation to address maternal opioid use disorder and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). NAS is the technical term used for the medical condition experienced by