Local News

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

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

A Chicago man was arrested Sunday on multiple charges after fleeing an Indiana State Trooper. Trooper Alaa Hamed was sitting stationary at 5:26 a.m., in his fully marked police car in the cross over at the 2.5 mile marker (this is approximately 2 ½ miles east of the Indiana/Illinois state line) on the Indiana Toll Road when he saw a 2018 Ford SUV east bound in the left lane at a high rate of speed.  Hamed was able to clock the SUV on his radar at 96 miles-per-hour in a posted 70 miles-per-hour speed zone.  When Hamed pulled out to catch up

  Early Saturday morning, a three car crash on the exit to Grant Street caused two drivers to be taken to the hospital and the ramp to be closed for 1 ½ hours. Preliminary investigation by Trooper William Carlson revealed, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a 2016 Ford Focus, driven by Christine Frost, 27 of Hammond, was east bound on I-80/94 when she made a lane change to exit off at Grant Street and hit a 1998 Ford E-150 van, driven by Curtis Hicks, 58 of East Chicago.  The Focus then spun out and crashed into an impact attenuator.  This then caused the

From Friday, June 9 through Saturday, October 13 Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) will exhibit original works by Andy Warhol, on loan from the Drew and Wendy Levenfeld collection, as well as from the Brauer Museum of the Art's permanent collection at Valparaiso University, Indiana. The exhibition will be titled Warhol: Icon & Influence and is generously sponsored by NIPSCO. The community will have the opportunity to view these works and learn more about Andy Warhol and his impact on the global art world. Much of his well-known subject matter of the mundane, such as the Campbell's Soup Cans,

This week, the Indiana Department of Education announced the kickoff of the 2018 Summer Food Service Program. In partnership with more than 250 school and community sponsors, children 18 and younger all across the state will have access to free meals and snacks throughout the summer break. June marks the busiest month for the summer food program when many families seek help for additional nutrition resources. As a result, Governor Eric J. Holcomb has issued a statewide proclamation declaring the week of June 4-8 Summer Food Service Program week. For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program has

Last Thursday Gov. Eric Holcomb ceremonially signed into law legislation sponsored by State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) supporting firefighter safety and housing affordability. The bill signing took place at the 42nd Annual Indiana Professional Firefighters Union Convention in Carmel. Pressel, owner of a home building and remodeling business and former president of the Indiana Builders Association, said the new law creates a reporting system to inform fire departments of any new structures in their jurisdiction built with advanced structural components. According to Pressel, this information is important to firefighters because these materials, though more cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and structurally

In a statement form the Michigan City Police, the department conducted a Death Investigation at Washington Park. The results of the investigation revealed a suicide. There had been posts on Facebook reporting a stabbing/murder, which MCPD says was not true.

The preliminary 2018 spring wild turkey harvest was 11,304 birds, roughly 14 percent less than the 2017 spring turkey harvest of 13,069. A total of 1,054 birds were taken during the 2018 youth hunting weekend prior to the regular season. The estimated number of turkey hunters afield in 2018 was 58,916, with an estimated hunter success of 19 percent. Annual statewide spring harvests have generally stabilized since the peak harvest in 2010 (13,742), with spring harvest totals ranging from 11,000-12,000 birds and the estimated hunter success ranging from 18 to 26 percent since 2005. Final harvest information for the 2018

Indiana State Troopers will now be better equipped to provide assistance when dealing with people in need. Million Meal Movement provided more than 300 meal packets to the state police that contain enough nutrients to feed a family of four. The packets will be made available to troopers throughout the state to carry in their patrol car. In 2007, Dan and Nancy Hintz began Million Meal Movement with a two-fold vision: feeding the hungry and teaching the importance of volunteerism. As Million Meal Movement has grown, MSP has carried out this vision by empowering volunteers of all ages as they

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

Michigan City Human Rights Commission (MCHRC) announced that it continues to partner with Studio M to offer the disability community – youth/teens and young adults with “Dance with Me,” a creative movement class designed for people to experience joy through the art of dance. This 6-week class, known as Dance with Me – Beach Party, will be held on Thursday’s at 5 p.m. at Studio M located at 703 Pearl Street (behind the MC Police Department) in Michigan City. Final event details will be provided in mid to late June. The 6-week class will cost $49. The Michigan City Human

The Hoosier STEM Academy has partnered with Valparaiso University to offer a fully-funded master's degree in education with an opportunity to earn a license to teach in an Indiana secondary school. The Fellowship is funded through a grant from the Indiana Commission on Higher Education. With a commitment to teaching at an underserved Indiana school, Fellows will receive a $30,000 stipend to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, materials and living expenses. 2018 classes begin July 2. The deadline to apply for the program is June 25. Valparaiso University Graduate School will be hosting an information session for interested

Porter County is now accepting applications for the full time position of Development and Storm Water Management Senior Highway Engineer. The Department of Development and Storm Water Management (Department) oversees the inspection, construction, reconstruction, repair and maintenance for the County’s infrastructure. Send resume to: Robert Thompson, AICP Director Department of Development and Storm Water Management 155 Indiana Ave.; Suite 311 Valparaiso, IN 46383 rthompson@porterco.org For more information and to download an application visit: www.porterco.org/Jobs.aspx

Porter County Sheriff’s Officers responded to the area of Burlington Beach Road and Charles Street in Center Township this afternoon around 12:15pm in regards to a suspicious incident. The mother of a 13 year old female reported her daughter was dropped off at her bus stop after her last day of school, when she was approached by a male subject driving a white pickup truck, that pulled up alongside her and asked her “Do you want to go somewhere with me?” The juvenile told him no, became fearful and ran home. She immediately told her mother, who called police as

June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, available resources and how people can get involved to support the cause. During the month of June, Gov. Eric Holcomb invites Hoosiers to raise awareness and take action through the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter’s 65 Ways to Go Purple. More than five Indiana mayors have joined Gov. Holcomb in announcing the month of June (or a specific day) as Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, including Tom Henry, Fort Wayne; Greg Goodnight, Kokomo; Dennis Tyler, Muncie; Tony Roswarski, Lafayette; and Joe Yochum, Vincennes

From Friday, June 9 through Saturday, October 13 Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) will exhibit original works by Andy Warhol, on loan from the Drew and Wendy Levenfeld collection, as well as from the Brauer Museum of the Art's permanent collection at Valparaiso University, Indiana. The exhibition will be titled Warhol: Icon & Influence and is generously sponsored by NIPSCO. The community will have the opportunity to view these works and learn more about Andy Warhol and his impact on the global art world. Much of his well-known subject matter of the mundane, such as the Campbell's Soup Cans,

The Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are warning tax professionals to be on alert for emails aiming to steal client data by posing as state accounting and professional associations. Tax professionals have been receiving fake emails asking individuals to sign in to view a message from a tax organization for all active members. These emails intend to get individuals to disclose their email usernames and passwords gaining cybercriminals access to practitioner databases. The current email scam contains awkwardly worded content, which is a telltale sign of phishing emails. It states: “We kindly request that

On Saturday Ohio Street will be closed at the intersection of 400 N. (Kieffer Rd.) and South Ct. for installation of Water main. This closure will start at 6:30 am and opened back to NORTHBOUND ONLY traffic before 10:00 am. During this time: Ohio St. will be closed to all traffic between 400 North & South CT. Ohio will remain open NORTHBOUND ONLY from South Ct. to US HWY 20. Non truck traffic can use Southwind Drive to South Ct. to Ohio Street going North as detour. Nationwide truck traffic can ENTER the South Gate of their facility from 400

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly joined President Trump yesterday at the White House for the signing of his bipartisan ‘Right to Try’ legislation. The bill passed the Senate unanimously in August 2017 and the House of Representatives with bipartisan support on May 22. Donnelly introduced the Trickett Wendler, Frank Mongiello, Jordan McLinn, and Matthew Bellina Right to Try Act with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) in January 2017. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb recently announced his support for the Donnelly-Johnson ‘Right to Try’ legislation. Donnelly said, “I was proud to join President Trump at the White House, as he