News

A Michigan City man linked to several thefts from motor vehicles has been arrested, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. Since the beginning of August, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has investigated an increased number of thefts from motor vehicles. The thefts were occurring in residential neighborhoods primarily located in the northwest portion of the county.  Most of the thefts were occurring during the overnight hours making it incredibly difficult to locate / identify a suspect, police said. That changed last Friday morning at about 1:00 a.m. when deputies were dispatched to the 4600 block of Vintage

The La Porte County Drug Task Force (LCDTF), an Indiana HIDTA Initiative, alongside Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Chicago Field Division, announced the arrest of 45-year-old Daniel Shaffer, as the result of a “murder for hire” investigation, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said on its Facebook page on Monday. In recent weeks, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and the LCDTF opened an investigation into a La Porte County Jail (LCJ) inmate who was soliciting the murder of two La Porte residents, police said.  During this investigation, Shaffer met numerous times with a

This past weekend the Indiana State Police Lowell Post conducted O.W.I. saturation patrols across Northwest Indiana with a focus on traffic safety. These targeted patrols ran throughout Labor Day Weekend and then again, this past weekend, Sept. 15, and 16. These extra patrols took place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each of the days noted. Troopers worked overtime, changed their schedules, and worked areas they don’t normally work to participate in the dedicated patrol. The Lowell Post noted there were 162 citations, 214 warnings, 26 arrests for Operating While Intoxicated, 20 arrests for other criminal activities not including O.W.I.

News release by Michigan City Area Schools: All eight Michigan City Area Schools elementary buildings will soon launch chapters of a nationwide program called “All Pro Dad.” All Pro Dad Chapters provide an opportunity for dads to spend quality time with their children to strengthen their relationships. One day a month, dads or other father figures and their kids meet at school together and walk through various topics that invoke meaningful conversations.  The character-based curriculum encourages communication and growth between dads and their children, at an age-appropriate level. Meetings center on topics such as forgiveness, leadership, humility, and purpose; take-home

A Michigan City man is facing multiple charges after a child abuse investigation, according to police. A detective initiated a child abuse investigation involving multiple children on Aug. 9, 2023 after receiving a formal complaint from the Indiana Department of Child Services. Multiple interviews were conducted and evidence was collected that resulted in his investigation being forwarded to the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for a probable cause review, police said. The investigation was then forwarded to LaPorte County Superior Court 4. Probable cause was found on Sept. 11, to charge 37-year-old Michigan City resident Anthony Johnson Jr. with seven counts

Press release by Purdue University Northwest HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) earned recognitions for several undergraduate programs and social mobility in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 annual Best Colleges rankings, released Monday, Sept. 18. PNW is named as a top regional university in the Midwest and ranked 33 among public institutions. Among regional Midwest universities, PNW is also a top performer in social mobility, a category measuring how well a university graduates Pell Grant recipients. PNW additionally earned marks for its quality undergraduate programs in Engineering, Nursing, Psychology and Computer Science. “Purdue University Northwest is

Press release by Indiana Department of Education: INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced on Friday that Brandon Denning of Indianapolis Public Schools, Eric Jenkins of Franklin Community Schools and Matt Thomas of Valparaiso Community Schools are the top three finalists for Indiana Teacher of the Year. “With over 65,000 teachers in Indiana, what an honor it is for these teachers to be named one of the top three in the state,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “We know through research that a quality teacher is one of the most influential factors in student achievement, which

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. — A house in Liberty Township was saved after quickly being extinguished by firefighters, according to the Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department (LTVFD). Firefighters from surrounding departments were called on Friday to a possible residential fire in the 600 block of North Calumet Avenue. Liberty Fire Captain Alexander arrived first on scene and saw heavy smoke billowing from the eves on one side of the residence. Additional resources were called to the scene for an active fire, which included a tanker system to set up and possibly shuttle water to the scene due to no hydrants being

A student was arrested after bringing a handgun into Michigan City High School, Michigan City police announced Friday. At the end of the school day on Sept. 12, an anonymous MCHS student provided information indicating that a 16-year-old male high school student may have brought a handgun into the school on Monday, Sept. 11. Further, the particular student was said to have shown the weapon to several other students while in one of the restrooms. A Snapchat social media video was alleged to have been made during this time depicting the incident. It is important to note that the 16-year-old

A 20-year-old man is facing drugs and firearms charges, according to the Michigan City Police Department. On September 10, at about 4:25 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Pleasant Avenue regarding a complaint involving 20-year-old Kahlil Fly. Upon entering the residence and making contact with Fly, it was discovered that he was illegally possessing a handgun with a machine gun conversion device attached to it, police said. Additionally, several different types of narcotics were observed in plain view. Fly was taken into custody and a search of the residence was conducted. An additional handgun, high-capacity handgun magazines,

Two people accused of robbery were apprehended Wednesday night in Michigan City. At about 7:10 p.m., dispatch received a 911 call from a 27-year-old Michigan City resident who indicated he had just been robbed of his currency at the BP gas station located at 1204 Franklin Street. Officers responded to the scene. The first officer to arrive on scene began speaking with the victim. During this conversation, the victim provided a description of the two male suspects. The officer recalled they had passed two men matching the description on their way to the gas station. The officer radioed this information

SoLa mixed-use development bringing hotels, residences, retail to Michigan City Groundbreaking launches new $280 million development by YAB Development Partners, will create $680 million in local economic impact over the next 15 years Historic downtown Michigan City kicked off construction of a new 628,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art mixed-use development on Friday with a groundbreaking event at the corner of Michigan Boulevard and Franklin Street. The SoLa Development will feature two boutique hotels, a wide variety of residences including townhomes, destination food and beverage, plus parking that is hidden from view, all just steps from the beach, zoo and Washington Park. Named for its

U.S. 231 will close between Pettibone Avenue and Indiana Avenue on or after Monday, Sept. 18 through late November for a sewer main line replacement in The City of Crown Point. Local detour will follow Indiana Avenue, Summit Street and State Road 55/Main Street. Through traffic may wish to seek alternate routes.

The following statement is from the Office of Mayor Duane Parry and the City of Michigan City sent out on Thursday: Mayor Duane Parry, the Michigan City Council, and the Michigan City Parks Board have authorized its attorneys to proceed with the next legal step necessary for the City to take formal action to preserve and protect the dune area known as the “Esplanade.” The City has filed formal court action to clarify and confirm the City’s right to manage, oversee, and control the Esplanade dune area. The City’s attorneys are sending out copies of the lawsuit to interested parties,

The Ogden Dunes Police Department is notifying residents that NIPSCO will be performing work on the new pipeline starting Monday Sept. 18, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The work is scheduled to last 2 weeks. This work will take place on Highway 12. Police say if you're this area and see flames, smell gas, or hear strange noises, to not be alarmed. See a statement from NIPSCO below:  

Press release by Purdue Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW)’s fall 2023 enrollment figures show steady core enrollment, increases in the university’s graduate and international student populations, and continued growth in campus diversity. “Enrollment data for 2023-24 show that motivated students continue to view Purdue Northwest as an excellent choice to attain a high-quality college education and enhance their lifelong career opportunities,” said PNW Chancellor Thomas L. Keon. “It is also clear that continued investment in PNW’s advanced degree programs are attracting talented minds who want to earn additional credentials, grow their skills and improve their

Press release by Franciscan Health: LA PORTE, Ind. - Board-certified cardiologist Abul Basher, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in La Porte and Michigan City. Dr. Basher completed his training at the University of Madras, Thanjavur Medical College in Thanjavur, India. His residency in internal medicine was at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center in the Bronx, NY. Dr. Basher completed his fellowship in cardiology at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. His clinical interests include preventive cardiology, coronary artery disease, heart failure, echocardiogram and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Basher is accepting new patients at Franciscan Physician Network Legacy

Four Chesterton firefighters were presented with the Chesterton Fire Department’s Lifesaving Award at the Town Council’s meeting Monday night, Sept. 11. "Capt. Aimee Gilbert, Lt. Evan Jones, Engineer Heather Compton, and Firefighter Justin Lewis were honored for their professional—and exceptional work—at the scene of a near-fatal cardiac event at Dogwood Park on Tuesday, June 13," the Chesterton Fire Department said on its Facebook page Wednesday. Deputy Chief Rudy Jimenez had the privilege of reading the citation accompanying the presentation: “On June 13 at 7:54 a.m. Chesterton Fire and Northwest Health-Porter EMS units were dispatched to a cardiac arrest at Dogwood

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. -- On Saturday, Sept. 16, troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post will be conducting a sobriety check point at an undisclosed location in Lake County. "Drivers passing through the checkpoint area should have their license and registration available and will only wait briefly while troopers determine whether further investigation is necessary," Indiana State Police stated in a press release. The Indiana State Police also stated the following information: "Hoosiers are asked to help do their part in making Indiana roadways safer by observing the following tips: Plan ahead and always use a designated driver. Don’t

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said on their Facebook page Wednesday that administrators had recently learned of an extended upcoming road closure. U.S. 421 will have a hard closure in both directions at the Kankakee River on or about Sept. 18. This will be a 60 day project for a bridge overlay. The official detour route will be State Road 8, 39 and 10.