Local News

News Release by Indiana State Police Lowell Post: Starke County- In January of 2020, the Indiana State Police Investigations Division at the Lowell Post was requested to initiate an investigation into misappropriation of evidence at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation centered around drugs and cash that went missing from the evidence room at the sheriff’s department. As a result of this investigation, in September of 2022, a grand jury was assembled, and an indictment was subsequently brought against Don Ferguson with the following charges: Official Misconduct- Level 6 Felony (4 counts) Theft of a Firearm- Level 6 Felony

The La Porte County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday announced the subject of Tuesday night’s search in Hudson Township was taken into custody at the 61 mile marker of I-80/90. The LCSO said further details will be provided when they become available for release.

The Porter County Emergency Management Agency released the following statement Tuesday afternoon regarding a hazmat incident for a chemical spill in Valparaiso: HAZMAT INCIDENT: At approximately 1:37 pm Porter County Hazmat received a report of a possible chemical spill on Enterprise Drive in Valparaiso. Upon arrival, it was determined that a chemical storage tank of sodium hydroxide, operated by Shoremet had been inadvertently overfilled. Valparaiso Fire Department, Valparaiso Police Department, Valparaiso Water Department and IDEM also responded. The surrounding area was immediately isolated to keep nonemergency personnel from entering the area out of an abundance of caution. A rave alert

The La Porte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement earlier this week that citizens are again being targeted by scammers purporting to be either current or retired employees of the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. "All UNEXPECTED telephone calls from anyone claiming to be affiliated with the agency should immediately be terminated," the LCSO said.

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) earned recognitions as a top public regional university for academic quality and social mobility in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 annual Best Colleges rankings, released Tuesday, Sept. 23. PNW also received notable rankings for its undergraduate engineering and nursing programs. PNW is ranked 37th among top public Midwest regional universities. PNW’s undergraduate engineering programs are among the top 50 in the country for their category, ranked at No. 46 this year. In addition, PNW’s bachelor of science in nursing programs jumped significantly to No. 74 among peers. PNW was also

A 26-year-old Dyer man was hit by a car late Sunday night and died from his injuries, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office announced. Just after 11:00 p.m. Lake County Sheriff’s Department police officers were dispatched to the scene of the crash in the 9900 block of Sheffield Avenue in unincorporated Dyer. A preliminary investigation revealed a driver was traveling northbound when the car struck something in the roadway. Initially, the driver believed a deer may have been struck.  The driver returned to the area and realized the car had come into contact with a male pedestrian.  At this time, it’s

Congratulations to three of the City of La Porte Police Department officers on the following promotions. Sergeant Favia was promoted to Captain, Corporal Leonhardt was promoted to Sergeant, and Specialist K9 Handler Allen was promoted to Corporal. CONGRATULATIONS GENTLEMEN!!

An update on a fire at the Compost Fire north of the La Porte County Fairgrounds- The photos are from fire operations at the compost pile fire, which is directly north of the La Porte County fairgrounds. The fire has been burning since midday Sunday and continues to burn despite the efforts of four fire departments. Thank you Michael Kellems for the pictures and update

On Sunday, (9/21) at 8:09 AM, deputies responded to the 200 block of Lakeview Drive in Fish Lake regarding a burglary in progress resulting in one person being shot. The initial on- scene investigation completed by Deputy David Francis and assisting deputies determined the following occurred. A 66-year-old homeowner arrived at his residence and entered through an overhead garage door. He encountered a Hispanic male carrying two rifles inside his garage. The subject immediately fled from the residence. The homeowner proceeded inside and located a second Hispanic male within the interior of his residence. A scuffle ensued between the two

Press release, Michigan City Area Schools: “If it was easy, anybody could be a JROTC cadet.” Those words have never been more true for the Raider Team. Raiders is a physically demanding competition, roughly based on the skills required of Marines in Force Reconnaissance. Cadets must work together in order to be successful. Michigan City High School (MCHS) hosted a Raider Meet on September 20. Schools from Indianapolis, Chicago, Romeoville, Illinois, Minneapolis, and Hobart competed. Master Sergeant Jeff Benak, the Marine Instructor who coordinated the logistics-intensive meet, noted how this competition demonstrated MCHS’s ability to host a difficult event and

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) invites prospective college students and their families to attend Preview PNW from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18 on the Hammond campus, 2200 169th Street, Hammond, Ind. The event provides valuable information about the university’s academic programs, admissions process and paying for college. The open-house experience offers prospective students the opportunity to explore the campus, meet PNW faculty and staff, and learn how the university offers real-world experience in over 70 areas of study. A guided campus tour includes visits to state-of-the-art classrooms, hands-on laboratories, collaborative workspaces and campus

On Sunday (9/21) at 3:36 AM, Deputy Austin Wells was standing on a sidewalk near the intersection of Lincolnway and Monroe Street. He observed a vehicle traveling west on Lincolnway in excess of the posted speed limit (25 MPH). Deputy Wells estimated the vehicle to be traveling approximately 50 miles per hour and sounding as if it had a flat tire. Near the intersection of 1st and “J” Streets, Deputy Wells attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. The vehicle failed to yield triggering a motor vehicle pursuit (MVP). The MVP traveled along several city streets on the

In Portage, this Wednesday through Sept. 30, (weather permitting) from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Swanson Road between Stone Avenue and Orchard Street will be closed to thru traffic. See the detour map provided for more details.  

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Holladay Properties is paving the way for additional modern industrial space options with the planned construction of the Aldridge Building, 6101 Cleveland Ave., directly west of the Haskell Building. The tax abatement approval moves the project to its next steps, said EDCMC Executive Director Clarence L. Hulse. “Holladay continues to invest in our city and county, and this space will provide a facility to attract new light manufacturing/assembly businesses and bolster our competitive edge,” Hulse said. The speculative 54,000-square-foot flex industrial building is designed to accommodate one to four tenant spaces with potential for 6,750 square-foot suites. The

As part of its ongoing commitment to safety, the South Shore Line announces it will host a multi-team emergency preparedness drill on Wednesday, Oct. 1st, between Tulip Rd. and Smilax Rd. in New Carlisle, IN. The federally mandated drill is a key component in the SSL’s continuing efforts to familiarize first responders with railroad crisis response procedures. It is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Oct. 1st and is expected to last until approximately 7 p.m. The event will cause scheduled train services to slow down while moving through the drill area. Train passengers and passersby may notice multiple

The Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) is pleased to announce that INvets has been awarded a $25,000 grant as part of the Grants for Veterans’ Services (GVS) program. This grant is one of 32 endowed to nonprofit organizations across the state, reflecting a significant commitment to bolstering programs that support and enhance the well-being of Indiana’s veteran community. The funds, managed through the IDVA’s GVS program, are dedicated to addressing critical needs and providing essential services aimed at improving the lives of veterans, their family members, and their caregivers throughout Indiana. Sarah Harrison, CEO of INvets, expressed enthusiasm for

State Road 14 has reopened between County Road 230 East and County Road 375 East (between State Road 49 and U.S. 421) after a bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project at Ryan Ditch. The project was scheduled for two weeks and took one.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites you to celebrate the state’s public lands and waters Sept. 27 and 28 with events happening across the state. National Public Lands Day, Saturday, Sept. 27, is the nation’s largest single day of volunteerism on public lands. See dnr.IN.gov/places-to-go/events or on.IN.gov/dnrvolunteer for listings of programs. Participants can also collect trash at a nearby DNR property for a rewarding way to help protect wildlife and promote healthy natural resources. Saturday, Sept. 27, is also National Hunting and Fishing Day and the last Free Fishing Day of the year. Indiana residents can celebrate with

Pioneer Days at Creek Ridge County Park located at 7943 W. 400 North, Michigan City, will be from 10am to 4pm on September 27 and 28.  Entrance fees for the event are $2 per person. The park will be closing to regular use at 3 pm Friday, September 26 and remain closed until Monday, September 29 at 7am. If you have any questions, you can call our administrative offices at 219-325-8315.