Local News

The Town of Chesterton announced it will will cohost a ribbon-cutting with the Duneland Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the opening of the new public parking lots in Downtown Chesterton at 9 a.m. Friday, June 13. The ceremony will begin at the new lot in the 100 block of Grant Ave. and folks will then walk to the second lot, in the 100 block of East Indiana Ave. “This opens up a lot of new parking for Downtown businesses and Downtown events alike,” Chamber President Maura Mundell noted. “We’re thrilled to see continued investment in making Downtown more accessible.” The

INDOT maintenance crews will conduct seal coating operations resulting in the closure of State Road 25 between State Road 110 and State Road 19 for approximately three days beginning on or after Monday, June 9. Through traffic should utilize the official detour of State Road 110, U.S. 31, State Road 10 and State Road 19, or seek an alternate route. Local traffic should exercise caution and follow traffic directions carefully in the area where work is occurring. This work is weather dependent, and the schedule is subject to change. Learn more about the chip seal process on the INDOT website

SMALL TOWN -A tribute to John Mellancamp is back at the La Porte Civic Auditorium on Saturday June 14th   🎸 Get ready to "hurt so good!" 🎸 SMALL TOWN - A tribute to John Mellencamp headlines an amazing night of music, with La Porte's own Rich Hardesty opening, on Saturday, June 14, at the Civic Auditorium!   Small Town, comprised entirely of Hoosier natives, brings the musical catalog of John Mellencamp to life on stage, recreating his high energy shows and the music spanning over four decades. Rich Hardesty beautifully blends the sounds of Reggae, Americana, Country, Folk and

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. - An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor will have a lane closure on State Road 23 beginning on or after Monday, June 9. The right lane of northbound State Road 23 will be closed between U.S. 20/31 and Renewable Rd through late June for a culvert lining project. INDOT encourages drivers to allow extra time when driving through this area and follow traffic directions carefully.

Grab your picnic basket and drinks and join the LCSO for a FREE outdoor summer concert under the stars in Friendship Botanic Gardens at the Celebration Pavilion! Dr. Carolyn Watson leads the orchestra in a varied program of familiar favorites, as well as a preview of the upcoming LCSO concert season. Also featuring the 2024 Hoosier Star Youth Winner Sophia Grubbs and Adult Winner Alyssa Atkinson singing their winning songs. Don’t miss this unforgettable night of beautiful music in an equally beautiful setting!

Press Release, Indiana Department of Education: INDIANAPOLIS – This summer, Indiana students age 18 and younger will have access to free, nutritious meals and snacks at more than 1,000 locations statewide through the 2025 Summer Food Service Program. Households can find information about the meal types served and days of the week when meals are offered by using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Meals Site Finder. The Summer Meals Site Finder will continue to be updated throughout the summer. Families can also call the USDA’s National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273), or text “Summer Meals” or

Milestone Contractors were at work Friday on the expansion of the Chesterton Police Department’s rear parking lot. The expansion is being constructed on a 30-foot strip of land acquired earlier this year from the owner of the property immediately south of the new CPD station. The area being paved will have an east-west lane for parallel parking at its southernmost edge and opposite that a row of angled parking. "When the project is completed, sufficient parking will be available at the station house for all of the vehicles in the CPD’s fleet," the Chesterton Police Department said on its Facebook

LA PORTE, IN—The La Porte Community School Corporation proudly announced recently that its Food Service Department has been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK). The department received the Innovative School Lunch Makeover Award for launching "The Creation Station"—a customizable, student-driven meal line at the high school. The team has significantly increased meal participation and student satisfaction by offering fresh, flavorful, and lower-sodium options like build-your-own sub sandwiches and burrito bowls while meeting all school

Lovers of Tex-Mex cuisine should start gearing up for the next event in the Friday Night Live series, according to Civic & Events Director Gregory Pietsch. The ever-popular Taco Fest will return to Downtown La Porte on Friday, June 20 from 6-10 p.m. Featuring local taco vendors, a beer garden and a live performance by the Latin-American musical group Latitude Music, this event is free and open to all ages. Given the popularity and growth this event has experienced over the last several years, Pietsch said he expects this year to be the best crowd yet. "The La Porte community

Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. released the following statement regarding vehicle weight limit enforcement: As of June 2025, I have directed the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit to initiate enforcement operations targeting overweight vehicles which are damaging roadways and impacting driver safety along the state line in southwest Lake County. Beginning this month, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department will send more than 60 warning notices to companies and individuals operating vehicles in violation of weight limits. From this point forward, traffic citations will be issued to those continuing to ignore weight restrictions on county roadways. I urge anyone

Michigan City, IN – Administrators, staff, school board members, families, and friends cheered on adult graduates from across LaPorte County as they gathered at the Holdcraft Performing Arts Center in Michigan City on Wednesday, May 29, to celebrate the achievement of an important milestone: a high school diploma. Of the eighty-seven adult education graduates who earned their High School Equivalency (HSE) diplomas, thirty-two students opted to participate in this year’s commencement ceremony. Nine student speakers - Jaevianna Aldridge, Sunni Hendricks, Devante Jones, Angel McCarty, Diego Perez-Paz, Rema Reed, Keanna Reynolds, Katherine Roberts, and Misty Stotler each offered brief, heartfelt reflections

Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon wants the community to be aware of a scam that began circulating Wednesday throughout not only Porter County, but the entire State of Indiana. “We have attached a picture of the text message that was sent out to many citizens and want to confirm this is completely false and to not click on the link that appears to be legitimate beginning with in.gov. We’d also like to take this moment to again reiterate to be aware of the continuing scam of subjects impersonating Officers and demanding money to avoid an arrest.  We have attached some

News Release, South Shore Line: The South Shore Line, a commuter rail line operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), provides service between Millennium Station in downtown Chicago and the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, Indiana, with a total of 18 stops. The South Shore Line is inviting the public to participate in an important survey that will help shape the future of commuter rail service. Community feedback will directly influence project prioritization, transit accessibility improvements, and strategic investments in the region’s transportation infrastructure. Currently in its initial phase, the Strategic Plan will establish a long-term

Press Release, Health Foundation of La Porte: LA PORTE - Each year, Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) provides grants for life-saving AEDs (automated external defibrillators) to ensure the La Porte County community has access to these devices. HFL works in conjunction with La Porte County EMS, La Porte County E911, City of La Porte Fire Department, the Play for Jake Foundation, and the La Porte County Health Department to ensure our community has a safe, manageable, and efficient program to help people who are suffering a serious heart event have the best chance at survival and to help educate

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced  a lane closure for southbound S.R. 912/Cline Ave that begins on or after Friday, June 6. The left lane of State Road 912 will be closed between Chicago Ave and Gary Rd for approximately one week for pipe and inlet repair. INDOT encourages drivers to allow extra time when driving through this area and follow traffic directions carefully.

The Portage Police Department have announced a traffic alert for Thursday starting at 5 p.m. for PHS graduation. PHS graduation ceremony will be held today (Thursday June 5) at 7:00 p.m. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and at that time Airport Road will be closed to all northbound traffic at American Way and will remain closed for several hours. Police are asking the public to see the  map for entry locations and parking. The map can be found on this story and on the Portage Police Department Facebook page. They are expecting a significant amount of traffic in and around

News Release, Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Students at 63 Indiana schools will experience the outdoors during the 2025-26 school year thanks in part to a grant program that supports field trips to Indiana State Parks and other state park-managed properties. The Discover the Outdoors Field Trip Grant Program is for all K-12 schools and is administered through the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation (INRF), the supporting nonprofit of the DNR. Grants of up to $500 are awarded to fund transportation costs, program fees, and classroom supplies related to the field trips. A recent gift of $10,000 from STAR Financial Bank,

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecast an Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) for today,  June 5. Due to smoke from Canadian wildfires, expected fine particulate matter levels may reach the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (Orange) in the following areas: North Central Indiana, including the cities of: Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac and all other cities within the area. Northeast Indiana, including the cities of: Angola, Auburn, Decatur, Fort Wayne, Hartford, Huntington City, LaGrange, Marion, Portland, Wabash and all other cities within the area. Northwest Indiana, including the cities of: Crown Point, Gary, Hammond,

LA PORTE COUNTY, Ind. - An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor is conducting lane closures on U.S. 20 between I-94 and C.R. 400 W. The right outside lane is  closed westbound for approximately two days through June 5, followed by the right outside lane on the eastbound side for approximately two days on or after Monday, June 9. No left turns will be permitted within the area of the closed lane. These closures are for utility work ahead of long-term construction in this location. This project consists of road reconstruction with added center turn lanes and shoulders on U.S. 20

Press Release, Valparaiso Police Department: On June 2, 2025, at approx. 7:30 p.m., Valparaiso Police responded to the 1900 block of Chicago Street in reference to the report of a subject being shot.  It was further learned the suspect in the incident may have left the area or had secured himself in a nearby apartment.  Upon arrival, police were directed to the male victim who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.  The victim was confirmed deceased on scene. Police continued an immediate search for the suspect and the Porter County Emergency Response Team responded to assist.  The investigation quickly confirmed the