News

The Porter County Sheriff’s Police is conducting a death investigation after a body was found along railroad tracks in Liberty Township this afternoon, Friday, March 7, the Town of Chesterton reported on their Facebook page. According to the Porter County Sheriff's Police, at approximately 12:45 p.m. deputies responded to the tracks between County Road 150 West and County Road 200 West and confirmed the subject to be deceased. The scene was processed by detectives and the Porter County Coroner’s Office is arranging for an autopsy, the PCSP said. The PCSP has not released the name of the deceased pending notification

ITR Concession Company LLC (ITRCC), the operator of the Indiana Toll Road (ITR), will begin construction work along the ITR from mile marker 123 - 157 on Monday, March 10 as part of the PUSH 4.0 project. The project spans through Howe, IN to the Ohio state line and is expected to continue throughout 2025. Motorists are asked to drive with caution, as delays and slow traffic are expected throughout the project. Construction will begin on the Eastpoint Toll Plaza on Monday, March 10th. Work at the Toll Plaza includes modernization of all in-lane equipment for the booths and improvements

The following is a statement from the City of Valparaiso about information on a potential data center: There is a significant amount of misinformation being shared over the last few days as to the potential construction of a data center in Valparaiso. The City is issuing this statement to provide accurate information and dispel some of the more egregious rumors being circulated. To start, there is no data center project pending before the City of Valparaiso. There are no conceptual designs, engineering schematics, or other relevant information to which the City or any resident could review and develop a rational

A Michigan City man has been charged with murder in the death of a 5-year-old boy, according to the Michigan City Police Department. On the morning of March 2, the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call in reference to five-year-old, Augustus Williams, being unresponsive inside a residence in the 2200 block of Normandy Drive. Residing in the residence with Augustus were his mother, 23-year-old Halie Lewis, and her boyfriend, 32-year-old Brice Bainum. Officers responded to the scene as did the Michigan City Fire Department and LaPorte County EMS. Augustus was transported from the residence to Franciscan Hospital

On Thursday the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced the recipients of the Spring 2025 Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. More than $200 million was awarded through the program and will go towards improving roads and bridges throughout the state. Several communities in House District 9 represented by State Rep. Pat Boy  (D-Michigan City) received grants for Spring 2025. The matching grant winners and amounts include: Porter County - $1,500,000.00 Michigan City - $1,500,000.00 Trail Creek - $751,278.06 Porter - $541,331.25 Town of Pines - $159,817.50 Michiana Shores - $324,985.01   Boy released the following statement celebrating the funding: “I’m

The following is a statement from Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. regarding a press release on immigration law enforcement: The Lake County Sheriff’s Department has routinely cooperated with our federal law enforcement partners. There was no “course reversal” as mentioned in Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s statement today. Contrary to the representations Rokita made in his press release, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department has: Always cooperated with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in taking all action to ensure the safety and security of the residents and business in Lake County. Never requested, condoned or participated in

Doug Samuelson knows a thing or two about the healing power of dogs. Samuelson retired from the Michigan City Police Department after serving for 14 years as a K9 handler and saw firsthand the positive benefits the dogs had on the department and the community. Now a security officer at Franciscan Health Michigan City, Samuelson thought for years that the hospital could use a dog as well. “With the traumas we have and the effects on people, including the staff, it just made sense,” Samuelson said. “You can just see people’s eyes light up when they see a dog.” Samuelson’s

CROWN POINT, Ind. -- Board-certified gastroenterologist Eric Steinberg, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Crown Point. Dr. Steinberg attended medical school at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, N.Y. He completed his residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. and completed his gastroenterology fellowship at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. Dr. Steinberg’s clinical interests include biliary pancreatic diseases, colon cancer screening, fatty liver disease, GERD and irritable bowel disease. He is accepting new patients at Franciscan Physician Network Specialty Center, 12750 Saint Francis Drive, Suite 410, in

In Valparaiso, both lanes Morgan Boulevard are closed between Institute and Oak streets for an emergency sanitary sewer repair. A signed detour will direct traffic. For updates check the Valparaiso Now Facebook page.

The Michigan City St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held Saturday, March 15 at 1:00 pm, and will travel the traditional parade route north on Franklin St., beginning at 9th Street and ending at 4th Street. Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch will be at the parade celebrating with the community. “I’m excited to wear my green and come out to enjoy the crowd, interact with families, support what our Special Events team is doing, and thank the parade participants,” she said. “We are so excited for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” said Terry Greetham, Director of Special Events. “This is

In an update the Indiana State Police says that on Feb. 28, a body was discovered along I-65 on the ramp from U.S. 231 in Crown Point, IN. Foul play was quickly suspected, and an investigation was initiated by the Indiana State Police Criminal Investigations Division Lowell Post. As a result, two individuals that had been recently taken into custody by the F.B.I. and the King County Sheriff’s Office in Seattle, WA were quickly identified as the suspects in this homicide. Charges are pending here in Indiana. The victim has been identified as Nelson Daniel Ramos-Rivas, a 23-year-old Venezuelan National.

Michigan City —Instrumental music students from several Michigan City Area Schools participated in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo and Ensemble contest on February 1 at Kankakee Valley Middle School. Nearly forty students earned gold and silver ratings for their performances. Thirteen eighth graders from Barker Middle School received a gold rating during the event on February 1: Angel Bahena (trombone), Anne Bellamy (alto saxophone), Katie Branch (trombone), Molly Chavis (trumpet), Aubree Edmond (flute), Payton Gambill (trumpet), Luke Hamilton (percussion), Levi Kelly (clarinet), Avery Kenney (percussion), Railynn Malwin (alto saxophone), Nevaeh Morris (baritone), Ava Rios (clarinet), and Samuel

A shooting that injured one person in Portage lead to a standoff in Lowell, resulting in the arrest of a Chicago man, according to the Portage Police Department. On Monday March 3 just after 4:20 pm, Portage P.D. patrol officers responded to the 200 block of Greta Court in reference to a report of a man being shot.  It was later learned that the shooting actually occurred nearby in the 300 block of Jacobs Place, but the victim had been moved to this second location by associates.  Upon arrival, officers located a twenty-eight-year-old Hobart man suffering from gunshot wounds to

Press Release, Porter County Superior Court IV: INDIANAPOLIS—Porter Superior Court 4 Judge Christopher Buckley is the 2025 National Alliance on Mental Illness (“NAMI”), Indiana Advocates for Mental Health Justice Award recipient of the Executive Advocate for Mental Health Justice Award. NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The NAMI Indiana Advocates for Mental Health Justice Awards honor exceptional leadership, collaboration, and dedication to advancing mental health justice. Judge Buckley was elected to serve as Judge of the Porter

Check out what's happening this month at 219 Taproom in Chesterton!

A man was arrested on gun charges Sunday after allegedly firing shots, according to the Michigan City Police Department. On March 2, at around 4:24 p.m., the FLOCK RAVEN gunshot detection system alerted to shots being fired near the 500 block of East 11th Street. Soon after, the LaPorte County 911 Regional Dispatch Center received information indicating that Michigan City resident, Michael Johnson, was the person who fired the shots. Johnson was reported to still be in the 11th Street area. Several officers responded to the scene, including a Long Beach Police Department officer. Police say the initial investigation revealed

Michigan City  – Choral students from several Michigan City Area Schools showcased their talents at the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contest, earning top ratings for their performances. The competition was held on Saturday, February 8, at Valparaiso High School, with many receiving gold and silver ratings. A total of 28 students from the Michigan City High School choral department participated, and 10 of them advanced to the ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble Competition at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis on Saturday, February 22. The students who qualified for state competition were Emma Abraham, Katelyn

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana announced mobile food distributions for the month of March: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – Elkhart County 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET *While supplies last. Where: Excel Center, 154 E. Hively Ave., Elkhart, IN 46517 (Northside of building) *This distribution is sponsored by CVS and will serve 200 households. Thursday, March 6, 2025 – Kosciusko County 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET *While supplies last. Where: Kosciusko County Fairgrounds, 1400 E. Smith St., Warsaw, IN 46580 *This distribution is sponsored by Kroger and will serve 200 households. Wednesday, March 12, 2025 – LaPorte County

La PORTE, IN – City of La Porte Police Chief Dick Buell Tuesday announced his resignation from the department, according to La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody. Buell, who was sworn in in February of 2024, will step down effective immediately, stating in his resignation letter that he feels “it is now time for new leadership.” Dermody said Buell’s direction helped to guide the department following the retirement of former Chief Paul Brettin. "Dick was a fantastic leader and my kind of guy,” Dermody said. “His old school mentality and no-nonsense approach earned him the respect of the officers as well

Michigan City Police are investigating the death of a 5 year-old child, the department announced Monday night. On Sunday, March 2, at approximately 7:16 a.m., the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call reference an unresponsive five year old male child inside a residence in the 2200 block of Normandy Drive. Two officers responded to the scene as did the Michigan City Fire Department and LaPorte County EMS. The child was transported from the residence to Franciscan Hospital and from there, flown to the University of Chicago Children’s Comer Hospital for advanced medical treatment. Despite all efforts, the