News

A warming center is open today in Portage at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road. It will be open on Presidents’ Day, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. for citizens in need. “Additionally, if you need the services of a warming center outside of these hours, please call the Portage Police Department non-emergency number at 219-762-3122 and they will assist you, Portage Government said on social media. “They can also assist with arranging transportation to a warming center. Please remember to check on your loved ones, neighbors and the elderly during extreme winter weather.”

NEST COMMUNITY SHELTER HOLDS THE COLDEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR OUTDOOR, NIGHT 5K WALK IN MICHIGAN CITY. Nest Community Shelter welcomes walkers from across the community to participate in an awareness walk for rural homelessness through Washington Park in Michigan City on the evening of February 22, 2025. WHAT: Nest Community Shelter will be holding a Coldest Night of the Year Walk in Washington Park in Michigan City to raise funds and awareness for rural homelessness and the unique issues surrounding homelessness in our community. This walking fundraiser will take place across the United States, stepping off simultaneously (5 pm)

The City of Valparaiso will hold a 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝟔:𝟎𝟎 𝐏𝐌 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥 (𝟏𝟔𝟔 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐲) 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧s 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐭 (𝐀𝐃𝐀) 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭. With public input, the City has prepared the drafts of their ADA Transition Plans for infrastructure within the rights-of-way and for public facilities. If unable to attend, you may submit comments to Bob Thompson, ADA Director, at BThompson@Valpo.us. To read the drafts, visit https://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/DocumentCenter/View/10902/ADA-Transition-Plan-2025-for-Public-Rights-of-Way and https://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/DocumentCenter/View/10903/ADA-Transition-Plan-2025-for-Public-Facilities

The City of Portage will have an American Red Cross blood drive, March 3, from 9:00am to 3:00pm at City Hall. Visit redcrossblood.org,  call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or use the QR code on the poster to make an appointment. Their goal is to have 40 donors sign up.  Everyone who comes to give blood between March 1-31 will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card.      

MUNSTER, Ind. – A 12-foot, walk-through inflatable colon is scheduled to be on display at Franciscan Health Munster later this month in an effort to help increase colon cancer awareness and highlight the benefits of colonoscopies. Strollin’ Through the Colon will be on display from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24-26 inside the main entrance at Franciscan Health Munster, 701 Superior Ave. There is no charge to attend and pre-registration is not required. Franciscan Health staff will be on hand with educational materials and giveaways while the exhibit is on display. The giant inflatable colon helps illustrate health issues

MICHIGAN CITY – LaPorte County Career and Technical Education is celebrating Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month by hosting a pancake breakfast fundraiser on Saturday, March 1, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Elston Cafeteria at the LPCCTE North Campus (A.K. Smith Career Center), 317 Detroit St. Tickets are $8 and must be purchased in advance by Friday, February 21. All proceeds will support the La Porte County Career and Technical Education programs, which provide students with hands-on learning experiences to help them prepare for future careers or further education. Career and Technical Education Month, celebrated in February, highlights

It is with great pride that we would like to announce the relocation of Arnett Construction & Roofing. While we have had extreme success in our current location on the east side of LaPorte County, the location change will definitely help us serve our many clients in a more efficient manner. In April 2025, we will break ground on our new office and warehouse facility at 415 W US HWY 20 Michigan City, IN 46360. We’re extremely excited to be working with Larson-Danielson Construction and Facet Architecture to develop our new facility. We’ve spent nearly three decades in LaPorte County,

Press release, La Porte Community School Corporation: La Porte—Hailmann and Kingsbury Elementary Schools continue to strengthen the La Porte commitment to cardiac emergency preparedness with Heart Safe School Certification drills through Project ADAM. Today’s events are a collaborative effort between La Porte Community School Corporation staff, community health advocates, and first responders. Under the guidance of LPHS teacher Tabitha Hughes, HOSA-Future Health Professionals students have provided hands-only CPR training to students at both elementary schools. This vital initiative has been supported by Tonya Aerts, Julie West, and the Play for Jake Foundation, who have been instrumental in the Heart Safe

News release, Franciscan Health: CROWN POINT, Ind. – Franciscan Health Crown Point has been recognized as being in the top 100 in the nation for medical excellence in major cardiac surgery and coronary bypass surgery by CareChex® Awards by BluCareChex Quantros. The 2025 quality awards from CareChex are based on their comprehensive quality scoring system that compares inpatient quality performance across general, acute and non-federal U.S. hospitals. “I commend the Franciscan Health Crown Point cardiac surgery teams and cardiology service line for their work in earning this recognition,” Franciscan Health Crown Point President and CEO Dr. Daniel McCormick said. “Residents

The Salvation Army of Michigan City’s pantry is in need of hygiene products. The most needed items are shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razors, diapers, wipes, paper products, and laundry detergent. Donations can be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 1201 S. Franklin Street, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The Salvation Army asks to please consider donating to help them continue to meet the basic needs of those they serve.

A driver and passenger were arrested after an alcohol related crash Thursday night, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. At 11:40 p.m., deputies responded to the 6500 north block of CR 400 West reference a motor vehicle crash.  A deputy arrived at the scene and found a pickup truck off the east side of the roadway in a ditch.  There was also debris scattered about in the area due to the pickup truck crashing into several mailboxes before becoming stuck in the ditch. Police say the driver of the pickup truck was identified as 25-year-old Austin T. Higgins.

Michigan City Area Schools is seeking nominations for the 2025 Michigan City Area Schools Wall of Fame. This annual award, first presented in 1976, honors former school employees who have made outstanding contributions to the children of the Michigan City Area Schools. Employees from every area are eligible: administrators, custodians, food service personnel, instructional assistants, maintenance personnel, paraprofessionals, teachers, transportation staff, and secretarial staff. To qualify for nomination, the candidate must have been employed by the Michigan City Area Schools for a minimum of 15 years. Special circumstances may be considered for those not meeting the 15-year requirement due to

The Porter County Health Department has issued a public notice for a petroleum release, spill or overfill. Local health departments are required by statute to inform the public of the discovery of released regulated substances at an underground storage tank site or in the surrounding area or a spill or overfill. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was notified on February 11, of such an incident from the owner or operator of the Family Express #03 facility located at 1612 East Lincolnway in or near Valparaiso, Indiana in Porter-Valparaiso County. For further information on the Leaking Underground Storage Tank

The Rotary Club of Michigan City is seeking nominations for the 2025 Paul J. Alinsky Excellence Award. This award is presented in honor of Paul Alinsky, a past President of the Rotary Club, past Chairman of the Board for the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, and founder of Sentinel Alarm Company. Paul passed away in 1997 and the award was created to keep his memory alive. It is presented annually to a person from the Michigan City community who exhibits dedication to community service, as well as excellence, passion, and innovation in their vocation or career. These are the areas

As spring awakens and the birds begin to chirp, the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra-LCSO ushers in the season with a program of delightful works the evoke the sounds of spring. Mendelssohn’s Overture to the Hebrides opens the concert, depicting a roiling Scottish seascape. LCSO Education Manager and percussionist Jared Coller solos on Danish composer Kjell Roikjer’s Concerto for xylophone and strings as the LCSO presents the world premiere of this work that was recently discovered and published. Closing the concert is Schumann’s first symphony, a yearning for spring to which every Midwesterner can relate! For tickets and information visit

Chesterton police arrested two Illinois suspects on Monday after a high-speed pursuit, with one of the suspects being found in a trash can, according to police. According to the CPD, at 10:25 a.m. an officer was advised that the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Police was pursuing a Nissan with Arizona plates westbound on U.S. 30. He learned that the suspect vehicle was believed to have been involved in a fraud case currently under investigation by the CPD. The officer took a position on Ind. 49, just south of Gateway Blvd., in order to intercept the suspect vehicle should its driver try

The Valparaiso Police Department is seeking interested participants for the 2025 Citizens’ Police Academy.  The department’s citizen academy provides an opportunity for community members to experience what it is like to be a Valparaiso Police Officer and is returning in 2025. The academy is designed for attendees to meet police officers and learn about their assignments, specialties, and daily operations.  There are several topics featured throughout the program, including presentations on all agency divisions, training, public information, drone team, bike patrol, crash investigations, School Resource Officers, evidence collection, K9 unit, traffic enforcement, and many more. The academy will meet on

Rogers Lakewood Park is reopened to the public Thursday. The Parks Department recently completed habitat restoration work on nearly 30 acres of parkland, removing invasive species to improve the health of the ecosystem. Valpo Parks says that while the park may look a bit different, they’re excited about the future of this revitalized space. They are asking the public to stay on designated trails and use caution as some woody debris may remain.

The Chesterton Fire Department announced that the town hall is now open, around the clock, as a warming shelter, according to the Town of Chesterton. It will remain open through Saturday morning, Feb. 15. Dangerously cold weather is also in the forecast next week, at which time the CFD is set to re-open the town hall. People whose furnaces fail or are underperforming may accordingly seek the relative comfort of the town hall, 726 Broadway, at the northeast corner of Broadway and North Eighth Street. Enter the building, then look for the double doors directly ahead. “Conditions at the Chesterton

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Associate Professor of Nursing Julia Rogers was awarded the American Association of Nurse Practitioners’ (AANP) 2025 Award for Outstanding Contributions for the state of Indiana. The AANP State Award for Outstanding Contributions recognizes nurse practitioners (NPs) who demonstrate exceptional impact in advancing the NP profession at the state level. Nominees must excel in at least four key areas, including professional leadership, educational advancement, research contributions and community impact. Selection criteria emphasize the nominee's proven track record in fostering health care innovation through evidence-based practice, mentorship, strategic partnerships and advocacy efforts. Selected