News

New release, Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department: The theme for Fire Prevention Week, October 6-12, 2024 is “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!TM” Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—the official sponsor of Fire Prevention WeekTM (FPWTM) for more than 100 years—to promote this year’s FPW campaign, “Smoke alarms: Make them work for you!TM” The campaign works to educate everyone about the importance of having working smoke alarms in the home. According to NFPA, smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by more than half (54 percent).

The La Porte County Sheriff's Office is reporting a fatal crash that claimed the life of a Union Mills man. Early Saturday at 12:33 a.m., deputies responded to the 4400 west block of County Road 800 South reference a single vehicle crash. The initial on-scene investigation determined a 2001 Buick was traveling west on County Road 800 South. The vehicle traveled left of center, across the eastbound lane, and left the south side of the roadway. The vehicle traveled across the lawn of a residence and crashed into a utility pole. The collision caused the trajectory of the vehicle to

Throughout September, more than 300 Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) and NiSource Inc. employees rolled up their sleeves and volunteered at 33 local non-profit organizations across northern Indiana as part of the company’s 14th annual Charity of Choice campaign. NIPSCO and Indiana-based NiSource employees dedicated a total of 1,201 hours of service to various causes. Volunteers supported dozens of local organizations, including the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Little River Wetlands, White County United Way and Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County, to name a few. “Charity of Choice is a way to demonstrate NIPSCO’s commitment

2024 Stuff A Bus effort restocks The Salvation Army of Michigan City’s food pantry for the fall season. Donation results include 7,068 lbs of donated non-perishable food/hygiene items, 308 meat vouchers (valued at $5 each), and $6,040 in cash donations. Written by: Dorene Martinson, Marketing Director - First Trust Credit Union Saturday’s STUFF A BUS event went well, according to Dorene Martinson, Marketing Director for First Trust Credit Union.  First Trust has the lead role of organizing this event every year, and this year’s event did indeed restock the shelves of The Salvation Army of Michigan City’s food pantry.  “I’m

NEWTON COUNTY, Ind. - The Indiana Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing regarding an intersection improvement project at U.S. 41 and State Road 14/C.R. 100 N on Wednesday, October 9. The hearing will be held at North Newton High School, 1641 W 250 N, Morocco, IN 47963. An open house will begin at 5 p.m. CT where the project team will be available to answer questions regarding the project. A formal presentation will begin at 6 p.m. CT, which will include the opportunity for people to make comments about the project for the public record. The project team

NEWTON COUNTY, Ind. - State Road 55 is closed between C.R. 1300 S and C.R. 1400 S. State Road 55 is closed through late October for a bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project at Hunter Ditch. Motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour follows U.S. 24, U.S. 41 and State Road 16. State Road 55 will not close until State Road 16 reopens between C.R. 300 E and State Road 55 for the bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project at the Iroquois River. The reopening of State Road 16 and subsequent closure of State Road 55 will occur on

Porter County Recycling will be holding their final household hazardous waste and tire collection of the year on Saturday Oct. 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This will take place at the Porter County Expo Center - Gate 3, 215 E Division Rd, Valparaiso IN 46383. For more info please visit portercountyrecycling.org.    

JASPER COUNTY, Ind. - An INDOT contractor will close State Road 14 between County Road 650 West and U.S. 231 on or after Monday, October 7. State Road 14 will be closed for approximately four weeks for a bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project over the Iroquois River. INDOT says motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour will follow I-65, State Road 114 and U.S. 231.

First responders from the South Bend area recently went to North Carolina to help rescue people out of the floods left by Hurricane Helene. Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement said the following on their Facebook page: "Over the past week a team of 19 swiftwater rescue specialists, comprised of 8 Indiana Conservation Officers and a group of 11 firefighters from South Bend, Goshen, and Mishawaka Fire Departments, were deployed to McDowell County in western North Carolina. "Knowing access to many areas would be cut off, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security worked with North Carolina officials to coordinate the

The La Porte Police Department Detective Bureau is seeking assistance in identifying an individual witnessed on Aug. 20, 2024 at 305 Niesen Street. The reported subject was described as female, wearing gray leggings and a black shirt with a slicked-back pony tail. She was seen leaving 305 Neisen as it actively was on fire. Police say she got into a gray or silver vehicle. No further information was given. Police say they currently believe that this subject may have been attempting to make sure that nobody was inside of the burning house, and are hoping to obtain a statement from

SOUTH BEND – Shauntay Wade, 43 years old, of Niles, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge Jon E. DeGuilio after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 3-day jury in February 2024, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. Wade was sentenced to 86 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case in December 2021, Wade physically assaulted a woman, pointed a gun at her, and then hid the gun once a 911 call was made. Responding officers found the

DYER, Indiana – Hundreds of students from Catholic schools across Northwest Indiana and Chicago’s South Suburbs gathered at Franciscan Health Dyer Wednesday morning for the annual Respect Life Celebration. The annual event, co-hosted by Franciscan Health and the Diocese of Gary during Respect Life Month, aims to celebrate all life with an emphasis on individual life, with the goal of drawing attention to the lives lost to abortion. The Most Rev. Robert McClory, bishop of the Diocese of Gary, presided over the prayer service. “Pope Francis reminds us that we live in a ‘throwaway’ world,” Bishop McClory said. “If something isn’t

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. 12 at the Hammond campus, 2200 169th Street, Hammond, IN. The event provides valuable information about the university’s academic programs, admissions process and paying for college. “Preview PNW provides prospective students with a genuine sense of what it would be like to attend PNW,” says Julie Wiejak, executive director of Undergraduate Admissions. “It will be a jam-packed day starting with a resource fair and presentations by each of the Colleges, Housing, Student Life, Financial Aid,

MICHIGAN CITY – Franklin Street between Green Street / Detroit Street and 9th Street will be closed for approximately two weeks beginning Friday, Oct. 4, with a detour rerouting traffic to the west via Washington Street.   The closure will allow for the construction of multiple sewer lateral taps into sanitary and storm sewers associated with the development of the new Station Block between 10th and 11th streets, as well as the reprofiling of Franklin Street in accordance with Community Crossings Matching Grant requirements.   The public is advised to travel an alternate route to avoid construction-related traffic delays

Michigan City Area Schools Accepting Nominations for Teacher and Employee of the Year Program   Michigan City Area Schools is now accepting nominations for its 2025 Teacher and Employee of the Year recognition program. The initiative, which the district launched last school year, celebrates outstanding educators and staff members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and commitment to students. It is a key element of the district’s Strategic Plan pillar on Culture and Environment.   The Teacher and Employee of the Year program honors individuals who have gone above and beyond, making a positive impact on students, colleagues, and the

Join Ric Federighi on Friday, October 25th for the Franciscan Health Foundation 2nd Annual Spirited Celebration at the Journeyman Distillery in Valparaiso. Funds raised this year will benefit the Northern Indiana Franciscan Health Foundation’s Food Insecurity and Prenatal Assistance Programs. Your sponsorships will support our Fresh Start Markets (healthy food pantries), Mobile Markets (food distribution events) and Food Prescription Programs. 11,110 children and families received food insecurity aid last year. Our Prenatal Assistance Program provides medical care, formula, baby clothes and diapers to expecting families facing financial challenges. 464,288 diapers were distributed last year. You can Make a Difference again this year for some

NIPSCO AND NISOURCE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION LAUNCH BRIDGING OUR ENERGY GRANT Now accepting new grant program applications from northern Indiana organizations Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), in partnership with its parent company’s NiSource Charitable Foundation, is proud to announce the launch of the Bridging Our Energy Grant, a bi-annual endowment supporting two qualifying northern Indiana non-profit organizations. This new $200,000 grant will be divided into two annual installments of $50,000 for each organization in 2024 and 2025, funding strategic initiatives focused on diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and economic inclusion programs. “We chose to develop the Bridging Our Energy Grant

The Michigan City Refuse Department will begin its Annual Fall Clean-Up on Monday, October 7, 2024. This five-week clean-up will follow the City’s regular trash collection schedule, with a different area targeted each week. Clean-Up Schedule: • Week 1: October 7 – 11 (Monday routes) • Week 2: October 14 – 18 (Tuesday routes) • Week 3: October 21 – 25 (Wednesday routes) • Week 4: October 28 – November 1 (Thursday routes) • Week 5: November 4 – 8 (Friday routes) What Can Be Picked Up: The Refuse Department requests that all residents separate items into these categories: 1.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is hosting acclaimed drummer and music producer Martin Atkins at its free First Friday on Friday, October 4 from 5 to 8 p.m.   At 6 p.m. during LCA's October First Friday, Atkins will be interviewed by his friend and colleague Chicago rock n' roll photographer, Bobby Talamine. Atkins will offer insights into his career, discuss his creative process, the evolution of music roduction and the challenges and rewards of a life dedicated to art. His talk promises to be a fascinating experience for music enthusiasts and those interested in

Joint statement from Jasper County Sheriff Patrick Williamson and the Jasper County Coroner Andy Boersma On the morning of September 20, 2024, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office received a report that an individual had allegedly confessed to acquaintances about killing two of their undocumented children and burning their bodies in a backyard fire pit at their residence in Wheatfield, Indiana. Detectives from the Jasper County Sheriff's Office immediately launched an investigation into the matter. That same day, detectives located the suspect(s) at a hotel in Newton County and conducted interviews. Although the suspect(s) denied any involvement, their cellular devices were