Local News

Residents looking to get rid of a few things before the cold winter months will be able to do so in the coming weeks, according to La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody. Running Monday, Oct. 16 through Friday, Oct. 20, city residents will be able to discard of their large and heavy trash on their regular pick-up day. Different from the city’s previous Fall and Spring Clean Ups, Dermody said the Large/Heavy Trash Pick Ups will take place once annually and include some different guidelines that residents should be aware of. “Our residents grew very accustomed to the Fall and Spring

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) congratulated 11 Indiana schools on Wednesday for being honored as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. “We know that access to a quality education is essential to helping all students reach their full potential,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Our Indiana Blue Ribbon Schools are a shining example – not only in Indiana, but across the nation – of the impact we can have when keeping students at the center of all that we do. Congratulations to all of the educators, families and students who made

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - An Indiana Department of Transportation contractor will be conducting high friction surface treatment on seven off-ramps along I-94 and I-65 beginning on or after Monday, Sept. 25. This treatment is to decrease road slippage for motorists exiting the interstate. Each ramp is expected to close for 3-5 days while the treatment is applied and will reopen as soon as the material has cured. INDOT says this work is extremely weather dependent so the schedule is likely to change over the course of the project. INDOT also says motorists are encouraged to watch for signage in the

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning Wednesday announced that the On My Way Pre-K program for eligible 4-year-olds and their families has reached record enrollment – supporting more than 7,500 Hoosier children so far this year, up about 21% from last year. On My Way Pre-K allows 4-year-olds from low-income families to receive a free, high-quality, pre-kindergarten education through Indiana’s only state-sponsored pre-kindergarten program. Information about the program and the link to apply can be found at OnMyWayPreK.org. More children than ever before are eligible due to Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and

A juvenile has been arrested after a fire occurred at the Marquette Athletic Complex in Michigan City. On Monday, at around 10:00 a.m., a bus driver for the Michigan City Area Schools noticed smoke coming from the Marquette Athletic Complex located at 8600 Pahs Road. The observation was radioed in, and the Michigan City Fire and Police Departments quickly responded. Upon arrival, the smoke was found to be coming from one of the dugouts that had been set on fire. A juvenile male was also observed on-scene. This person disappeared into the cornfield and woods behind the athletic complex and

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. – Purdue University Northwest (PNW) has opened its annual callout for nominations of impactful alumni to be honored and inducted into the PNW Alumni Hall of Fame. The PNW Alumni Hall of Fame honors distinguished graduates from any time in the 77-year history of the university’s campuses. PNW seeks nominations of alumni who are high-achieving leaders in their fields, involved members of their community and those who have engaged with PNW well beyond their time as students. “PNW established the Alumni Hall of Fame to recognize leaders who have built upon their PNW education to accomplish

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City is hosting a free Way to Grow baby shower for expectant families and new parents. The event is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Franciscan Health Michigan City, 3500 Franciscan Way in the Maria Theresia Conference Room. Information and education on car seat safety, prenatal care, safe sleep and community resources will be offered along with tours of the Family Birth Center, refreshments and giveaways. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enter to win a TAVO Next Stroller. The event is free,

Attorney General Todd Rokita is advising Hoosiers to watch for texts and emails informing them of shipping-and-delivery issues with items they supposedly have ordered. Scammers are flooding inboxes with these false claims in an effort to steal personal information and/or lure victims into unknowingly downloading malware onto their computers or phones. “Our team works hard to bring scammers to justice,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Working with partners in law enforcement, we’re regularly catching and prosecuting more of these criminals. At the same time, another big part of our mission is raising awareness among all Hoosiers about these various scams so

Three Indiana cities Tuesday unveiled ambitious economic development plans, outlining long-term strategies to better fuel economic growth, innovation and quality of life for current and future residents. These new growth agendas for Michigan City, Seymour and Warsaw were developed in partnership with local residents and funded by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) in an effort to increase economic mobility and opportunity statewide, enabling these smaller communities to be better equipped to access new funding from the recently expanded Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI). “As we think about increasing the vibrancy of our regions and advancing quality

Press release from Duneland Chamber of Commerce: CHESTERTON – Downtown businesses will be offering trick or treating for Duneland families this year on Friday, October 27, from 4-6 pm. Parents and their children should visit businesses along Calumet and Broadway in Chesterton. The Duneland Chamber will be handing out goodies along with other local businesses in the chamber parking lot. “We expect over 1,000 local children and their families to this trick or treating event,” says Maura Mundell, the Chamber’s President. “The streets are filled with little super heroes, witches, monsters and ghosts. It is fantastic! We welcome all organizations

The Michigan City Police Department released the following statement explaining details about their Flock Camera System Transparency Portal: "Most people have heard of the Flock Safety Camera System, but do you know what it is and what it does? Equally as important, do you know what it does not do? Chief Forker and his administrative team believe transparency is paramount to keeping the community fully informed. With this in mind, the Michigan City Police Department is introducing the “Transparency Portal” for our Flock Safety- Falcon Cameras. By clicking on the link below you will get direct access to the portal.

MICHIGAN CITY – The Indiana Department of Health recently awarded a $155,400 grant to I & D Squared Consulting for Operation Healthy Michigan City, an initiative spearheaded by Angie Nelson Deuitch, president and founder of I & D Squared. “Our team is so excited for the opportunity to impact health outcomes and food insecurity in Michigan City,” Nelson Deuitch said. “We want to create opportunities for the community to assist in finding solutions and improving our health outcomes.” According to the grant proposal, “Operation Healthy Michigan City is a collaboration with local churches, nonprofits, organizations, and entrepreneurs to create a

A Michigan City man linked to several thefts from motor vehicles has been arrested, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. Since the beginning of August, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has investigated an increased number of thefts from motor vehicles. The thefts were occurring in residential neighborhoods primarily located in the northwest portion of the county.  Most of the thefts were occurring during the overnight hours making it incredibly difficult to locate / identify a suspect, police said. That changed last Friday morning at about 1:00 a.m. when deputies were dispatched to the 4600 block of Vintage

The La Porte County Drug Task Force (LCDTF), an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, alongside Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Chicago Field Division, announced the arrest of 45-year-old Daniel Shaffer, as the result of a “murder for hire” investigation, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page on Monday. In recent weeks, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the LCDTF opened an investigation into a La Porte County Jail (LCJ) inmate who was soliciting the murder of two La Porte residents, police said.  During this investigation, Shaffer met numerous times with a

This past weekend the Indiana State Police Lowell Post conducted O.W.I. saturation patrols across Northwest Indiana with a focus on traffic safety. These targeted patrols ran throughout Labor Day Weekend and then again, this past weekend, Sept. 15, and 16. These extra patrols took place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each of the days noted. Troopers worked overtime, changed their schedules, and worked areas they don’t normally work to participate in the dedicated patrol. The Lowell Post noted there were 162 citations, 214 warnings, 26 arrests for Operating While Intoxicated, 20 arrests for other criminal activities not including O.W.I.

News release by Michigan City Area Schools: All eight Michigan City Area Schools elementary buildings will soon launch chapters of a nationwide program called “All Pro Dad.” All Pro Dad Chapters provide an opportunity for dads to spend quality time with their children to strengthen their relationships. One day a month, dads or other father figures and their kids meet at school together and walk through various topics that invoke meaningful conversations.  The character-based curriculum encourages communication and growth between dads and their children, at an age-appropriate level. Meetings center on topics such as forgiveness, leadership, humility, and purpose; take-home

A Michigan City man is facing multiple charges after a child abuse investigation, according to police. A detective initiated a child abuse investigation involving multiple children on Aug. 9, 2023 after receiving a formal complaint from the Indiana Department of Child Services. Multiple interviews were conducted and evidence was collected that resulted in his investigation being forwarded to the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for a probable cause review, police said. The investigation was then forwarded to LaPorte County Superior Court 4. Probable cause was found on Sept. 11, to charge 37-year-old Michigan City resident Anthony Johnson Jr. with seven counts

Press release by Purdue University Northwest HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) earned recognitions for several undergraduate programs and social mobility in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 annual Best Colleges rankings, released Monday, Sept. 18. PNW is named as a top regional university in the Midwest and ranked 33 among public institutions. Among regional Midwest universities, PNW is also a top performer in social mobility, a category measuring how well a university graduates Pell Grant recipients. PNW additionally earned marks for its quality undergraduate programs in Engineering, Nursing, Psychology and Computer Science. “Purdue University Northwest is

Press release by Indiana Department of Education: INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced on Friday that Brandon Denning of Indianapolis Public Schools, Eric Jenkins of Franklin Community Schools and Matt Thomas of Valparaiso Community Schools are the top three finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year. “With over 65,000 teachers in Indiana, what an honor it is for these teachers to be named one of the top three in the state,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “We know through research that a quality teacher is one of the most influential factors in student achievement, which

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. — A house in Liberty Township was saved after quickly being extinguished by firefighters, according to the Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department (LTVFD). Firefighters from surrounding departments were called on Friday to a possible residential fire in the 600 block of North Calumet Avenue. Liberty Fire Captain Alexander arrived first on scene and saw heavy smoke billowing from the eves on one side of the residence. Additional resources were called to the scene for an active fire, which included a tanker system to set up and possibly shuttle water to the scene due to no hydrants being