News

Press release, Michigan City Area Schools: Instrumental music students from several Michigan City Area Schools took part in the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) solo and ensemble contest on February 3 at Kankakee Valley Middle School, with nearly 40 receiving gold and silver ratings. During the ISSMA event on February 3, the following students participated in the Solo and Ensemble and received many high marks and gold ratings: Frank Anderson, Sophia Barczak, Jimmy Biela, Zoe Brooks, Yarnikqwa Crume, Ethan David, Andrew Deleon, Anthony Jaimes, Daniel Kohn, Arianna Lemons, Dylan Mashburn, Jada Mckendree, Jennifer Mezo, Torrey Morris, Kenneth Oviatt, Raina

Press release, Franciscan Health: Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon Thomas Magill, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in La Porte. Dr. Magill completed his training at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Mich. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University in Chicago. His clinical interests are sports surgeries for upper and lower extremities, hand surgery, joint reconstruction of shoulders, knees and hips and fracture surgery. Dr. Magill is accepting new patients at Franciscan Physician Network La Porte Health Center, 900 I St. in La

The Michigan City Police Department's Community Connections for March will include the following: Chatting with the Chiefs on Thursday, March 7th, 2024 from 8:15-8:45 am on 95.1 FM/AM 1420 WIMS with the Division of Professional Standards being the focal point of the conversation. Coffee with the Chiefs on Monday, March 11th, 2024 from 8:00-9:00 a.m. at McDonalds, located at 2404 E. Michigan Boulevard.  There will be information available about the camera registry program and the Chiefs will be available for questions. St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 16th, 2024 at 1:00pm with the route being Franklin Street north from

NICTD says the South Shore Line Double Track Northwest Indiana Project is nearing completion. They will announce the date for resumption of train service between Dune Park and Gary in coming weeks. Test Trains are running as part of their final commissioning and testing. NICTD is informing the public to be prepared for trains on any track, at any time, and in any direction at all grade crossings.

Now through Sept. 1, 2024, Hoosier parents of children with disabilities can apply for the Indiana Education Scholarship Account for the 2024-2025 school year. More than 180,000 Hoosier students in Indiana navigate life with disabilities, and many are potentially eligible for funding to help customize their education to meet their individual needs. “Having walked this journey with my own family, we know how crucial it is for parents to have options and support to meet their children’s unique education needs that come with disabilities,” said Indiana Treasurer of State Daniel Elliott. Elliott said parents caring for children with disabilities often

Michigan City Area Schools is ready to welcome the Class of 2037! Kindergarten enrollment is now open online for the 2024-25 school year. Kindergarten students must be 5 years old by August 1, 2024. Parents and guardians can visit www.EducateMC.net/kindergarten to begin the enrollment process. Once basic information about the student is received by MCAS, parents will be provided with instructions on setting up a PowerSchool account to finalize enrollment.

In addition to completing forms in PowerSchool, parents/guardians should bring the following documents to the school that their child will attend: the child’s official birth certificate, parent/guardian’s driver’s license or state

Michigan City High School students Lorenzo Panozzo and Alejandro Aguirre placed 2nd in the state at the Japanese Olympiad held on February 25 at Ball State University. This duo competed at Level 4, the division for students in their fourth year of Japanese.

“While Lorenzo competed last year, Alejandro made a brave rookie appearance at the Japanese Olympiad this year and scored well,” said MCHS Japanese teacher Mike Tsugawa. “They competed well and we are very proud of them.” MCHS also competed at Levels 2 and 3 in the Japanese Olympiad. At Level 3, MCHS was represented by Hannah Parker, Aaverie

An Ohio man is facing a charge of dealing in methamphetamine after being arrested Thursday on the Indiana Toll Road, according to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office. At about 12:07 p.m., a highway interdiction deputy began traveling behind a westbound passenger vehicle near the 49 mile-marker on the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90).  The deputy paced the vehicle and determined it to be traveling in excess of the posted speed limit. A traffic stop on the vehicle was initiated by the deputy in the area of the 48 mile-marker.  The driver was identified as 26-year-old Kortney D. Moore Jr. of

Undergraduate and graduate students seeking municipal work experience soon will have the opportunity to apply for paid summer internships through the City of Michigan City’s Government Leadership Program Internship Pilot. Interested students are invited to attend the Michigan City Government Leadership Program Fair in the Emergency Operations Center on the lower level of City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd., between 12-4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13. “Our goal is to introduce students to careers in local government,” Director of Education and Workforce Development Kila Ward said. “Project submissions from our department leaders are evaluated for opportunities for the interns to

VALPARAISO, Ind. – The MAAC Foundation is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a generous grant of $50,000 from CN. This funding will go directly toward supporting the MAAC’s mission to facilitate training and skill enhancement on a comprehensive campus that is safe and inclusive to all first responders and the community. "We are incredibly grateful to CN for their partnership and generous support," said Celina Weatherwax, President & CEO at the MAAC Foundation. "This grant will make a significant impact on our ability to expand our services and reach more first responders. With this funding, we will

Press release, La Porte Urban Enterprise Association: Last year was one full of successes for the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association, according to Board President Mike Riehle. Formed in 2002, the La Porte UEA awards grants each year to local businesses and residents residing within the Urban Enterprise Zone. In 2023, the UEA was proud to award more than $123,000 to aid 13 business owners. These monies historically have been used to make façade renovations and to improve the outward appearance of buildings within the zone. Last year, Riehle said the UEA unanimously voted to expand the programs to include

Franciscan Health Family Birth Centers in Northwest Indiana had some extra special deliveries on Thursday with the arrival of Leap Day babies. One Mom with a baby born this Leap Day has a special Leap Year birthday connection. Carly Dobin of DeMotte gave birth to her daughter, Molly Grace, just after midnight on this Leap Day at Franciscan Health Crown Point. Carly’s late grandfather, Martin Kinney, was also a Leap Year baby. Kinney, who passed away last February, would have been 96 today. Carly’s mother, Kathy O’Connor of Hebron, said her father loved his Leap Year birthday. The late Crown

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will recognize Women’s History Month throughout March with a slate of events that highlights chapters in women’s history, facilitates inspiring guest speakers, addresses women’s issues and celebrates women leaders. The festivities kick off March 4 with a Women’s History Month trivia night, offering a light evening of learning women’s history and friendly competition. Later that same week on March 7, PNW’s College of Nursing will host a Women’s Historical Health Achievements tabling event. Nursing students and faculty will offer educational resources on pertinent topics for college-age women, including stress relief, eating habits, physical activity and breast

There will be a Hoosier Coho Club general meeting Saturday March 2 at American Legion Post 21 in Westville. Doors open at 3 p.m. and the meeting starts at 4 p.m. The meeting is open to HCC members and the general public. See addition details on the flyer for the meeting.  

A 22 year-old man is facing a new charge of resisting law enforcement, in addition to his pre-existing aggravated battery warrant, after an Indiana Conservation Officer on a short foot pursuit while checking fishermen in the Portage area, according to the Indiana DNR. The suspect hid in a wooded area for a short time before surrendering. The officer was assisted by the Portage Police Department, Burns Harbor Police Department, the Porter County Sheriff's Office, and the Indiana State Police-Lowell Post.

News release, Michiana Humane Society: Starting on Friday, March 1, 2024, life will be much calmer for the kenneled dogs at Michiana Humane Society (MHS). That’s because visitors will now be matched individually with shelter dogs in a private room or outside. The kennel area will be for staff and volunteers only. MHS Behavior Coordinator Calli Beal notes, “our goal is to reduce the stress our dogs experience. We want to make meeting potential adopters a happy time for the dogs, and we want to make sure that the family and the dog are a good match.” She goes on

The Porter County Community Foundation (PCCF) has awarded an $11,000 grant to the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation to support their First Responders Mental Health Initiative. The funds will help integrate mental health resources into the existing MAAC Foundation offerings including bringing international speaker military/first responder health and wellness advocate, Travis Howze. Howze is a touring speaker, author, and motivational wellness educator who spent 14 years in the military and emergency services as a U.S. Marine, police officer and firefighter, and he will be hosting an empowering course on leadership, mental wellness and resiliency. The First Responder Mental Health

On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, the La Porte Community School Corporation convened a special school board meeting to discuss data surrounding declining enrollment, future enrollment forecasts, and the financial impact on the district. Amid concerns over decreased numbers, district leadership sought expertise from McKibben Demographic Research, LLC to give them insight into what enrollment will likely look like over the next decade and beyond. Dr. Jerome McKibben, a leading demographer, presented their forecast to the school board members. His analysis provided a view of the demographic shifts affecting school enrollment, highlighting the need for proactive measures to align resources with

The State of Indiana is now accepting applications for Career Scholarship Account (CSA) programs and providers. The first-in-the-nation CSA program provides $5,000 annually for tenth- through twelfth-grade students enrolled in eligible work-based learning programs. “By partnering with our schools and investing in our future workforce, employers are helping to support students as they explore, engage and experience a variety of career options,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Indiana’s CSA program provides an incredible opportunity to help students overcome barriers, and ultimately, increase access to quality work-based learning experiences across the state, as well as credentials of value

Press release, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Midwest: In an effort to help homeless Veterans and their families find permanent housing, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded $14 million in HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to 66 Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) across the country for over 1,400 vouchers. The City of Evansville Housing Authority was awarded $143,255. Please see the full list of awardees here. “HUD is committed to ending Veteran homelessness once and for all,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “These HUD-VASH voucher awards