News

ITR Concession Co. LLC (ITRCC), the maintainer and operator of the Indiana Toll Road, announced on Friday the successful completion of a project to construct solar energy systems at 14 locations across the Toll Road. The project was advanced in collaboration with Solscient Energy, a turn-key provider of solar energy generation solutions based in Toledo, Ohio. The project known as Project Soleil is designed to generate enough solar energy to service over one-third of the Toll Road’s electricity needs and is expected to reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 900 metric tons. In October 2021, ITRCC first committed to a

Porter-Starke Services will be offering a six-lesson program this spring on ways for seniors to stay healthy and engaged, according to the Town of Chesterton Facebook page. It’s called the Wellness Initiative for Senior Education (WISE) and it will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. every Friday beginning March 1 through April 5, at the First Christian Church, 1507 Glendale Blvd., Valparaiso. Meet new people as you acquire the skills to enjoy fully your Golden Years: *Learn about the aging process and how to make healthy lifestyle choices. *Celebrate this exciting stage of life and its benefits. *Discuss risk

There will be a Mobile Food Distribution event sponsored by the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and facilitated by CCH on Monday, Feb. 19. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds in La Porte. There will be non-perishables, fresh vegetables, bread, eggs and more. Additional detail can be found on the flyer for the event.

News release, Purdue University Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Financial aid professionals will be available at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses during the College Goal Sunday programs on Feb. 25. The free event will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. CST and will help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid. College Goal Sunday programs provide assistance to students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and federal loans at most colleges, universities and

On Feb. 14, after a 3 day trial in LaPorte Circuit Court, Curtis Adams was found guilty on all four counts for crimes against children. Adams was found guilty of two counts of child molesting (Level 1 Felony), and two counts of child seduction (Level 3 Felony). Sentencing will be held on Friday, Feb. 16 . Adams faces a possible 20 to 40 year sentence for each Level 1 Felony, and a 3 to 16 year sentence for each Level 3 Felony. LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said: "After a rigorous trial, Mr. Adams was found Guilty by a jury.

The following is a statement from Angie Henzman, Chair LaPorte County Democratic Party: "The LaPorte County Democratic Party would like to officially congratulate Tim Bietry who was sworn in as the Councilman for Michigan City’s 4th Ward Common Council on Tuesday! Mr. Bietry was elected by a Caucus of the 4th Ward Democratic Precinct Chairs. The Caucus was necessary following the official resignation of Sean Fitzpatrick, the previous 4th Ward Councilman. We would like to thank Councilman Fitzpatrick for his many years of dedicated service to Michigan City and its citizens and welcome Mr. Bietry back to the Michigan City

Local 4600 of the International Association of Fire Fighters—representing the career firefighters of the Chesterton Fire Department—will host a Easter Egg Hunt, at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at Dogwood Park. The department says it has 4,000 Easter eggs on order. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand for photos with your little ones. Free entry for all, with age-appropriate hunts for the following groups: 1-3, 4-6, 7-10, and 11+. The Easter Egg Hunt will be held on the east side of Dogwood Park by the playground. For special accommodations, please contact Chet at cholt@chestertonfire.org

In the latest “City Talk” Newsletter the City of Valparaiso announced they are launching a program to complete a full inventory of the city’s water service lines, including those in residences. The inventory is required by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) as part of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2021 revision of the Lead and Copper rule. How to Report YOUR Residence: To compile the required information, residents are asked to participate in either of two ways: Inspect your service line in a simple test and submit the information online. OR Allow an authorized door knocker to

The Portage Police K-9 Units have announced the unexpected medical retirement of K-9 Haro. Haro served the citizens of Portage for the past two years alongside Corporal Creighton Price making numerous drug arrests and has assisted with several criminal apprehensions.  Haro has also participated in numerous public demonstrations and public relations events. “Haro was recently diagnosed with cancer that is being treated and thankfully does not appear to be life threatening,” the Portage Police K9 Units said on their Facebook page. “Due to the veterinary recommendation, it has been determined that Haro must be medically retired so he can begin

The Michigan City Police Department had a day of celebration and additions to the department at Wednesday’s Michigan City Police Commission Meeting. Officer Dan Revoir was awarded the 2023 Chris Smith Award, which is given to the officer that demonstrates the spirit, love and dedication to law enforcement displayed by Officer Chris Smith before he tragically passed away from Cancer. K-9 Freya was introduced as the newest member to the department.  Freya is a therapy dog that will be used in situations where citizens or victims will need to be comforted or in situations of tracking missing juveniles or older

The state of Indiana is now accepting nominations for the Governor's Century and Half Century Business Awards, which honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for at least 100 or 50 years, respectively, and have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community. Qualifying criteria are as follows: The business must have had continuous operations in Indiana for 100 or 50 years by Dec. 31, 2023. The business must have participated in the same line of work for the duration of its operations. If different, an explanation of the evolution into the current business must be provided on the nomination

News release, Indiana Department of Agriculture: According to the newly released agricultural census data from The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Indiana remains a top agricultural state, with agricultural products valued at over $18 billion. “This data shows that agriculture remains a pillar of the Indiana economy with the total value of agriculture production growing 62% over the five year period,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “The Census of Agriculture is all encompassing, and it allows us to compare ourselves to fellow states, whether that is in ranking of

The Indiana State Police say a mother and daughter have been charged with felony theft after an investigation revealed the two were allegedly pocketing money from patients at their place of employment. Police say on Feb. 2, 2024, Indiana State Police District 13 Field Investigations filed criminal charges against Meagan Baker (mother) and Kayla Baker (daughter) through the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Office.  The two were employed by Brian Shields DDS, which had been conducting business in Demotte, IN, when the crime occurred. The office, formerly located at 520 8th Ave. NE, Demotte, IN, closed in July of 2023, after accounting

The Michigan City Police Department celebrated the retirement of Officer Kelly Williams on Tuesday. Williams gave the department and community 27 years of service. “The MCPD Administration would like to thank Ofc. Williams for upholding the values of the department while serving:  Dedication, Integrity and Professionalism, MCPD said on Facebook.  “The MCPD family wishes Ofc. Williams the best in his next chapter of his life!!”

A South Bend woman died and another person was injured after a crash Monday afternoon in La Porte County. Just before 1:25 p.m., La Porte County Sheriff's deputies responded to U.S 20 and Wilhelm Road. The initial on-scene investigation determined the a 2008 Chevrolet passenger vehicle was traveling westbound on U.S. 20 in the driving lane.  For an unknown reason, the vehicle veered to the right, left the north side of U.S. 20, and began to travel off the roadway, police said.  The vehicle continued traveling west until colliding with a tree located on the northwest corner of U.S. 20

A motorist died Monday morning after colliding with a semi-tractor trailer on U.S. Highway 30 in Union Township according to a Facebook Post by the Town of Chesterton. The Porter County Sheriff’s Office said at 7:47 a.m. the male driver of a Chevrolet SUV was eastbound on U.S. 30 when, near the Porter/Lake county line, he struck a semi traveling in his lane of travel. The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene, police said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.  

The LaPorte County Crisis Intervention Team conducted a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) class that local law enforcement took part in last week. The class graduated 28 officers from all police agencies in LaPorte County, including the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center. There were nine Michigan City Police Department officers in the graduating class which gave MCPD a total of 21 CIT trained officers. “The Crisis Intervention Training gives officers the tools and resources to better communicate with and provide resources to those that are dealing with mental health illness and trauma,” the Michigan City Police Department said on their Facebook

News release, Indiana Department of Transportation: Indiana will play a pivotal role in hosting eclipse enthusiasts as they flock to the Hoosier State to catch a glimpse of the first total solar eclipse in seven years on Monday, April 8. The eclipse will be visible over a large portion of the state, with the path of totality spanning from Evansville to the outskirts of Fort Wayne, entering southwest Indiana at 3:01 p.m. EDT/2:01 p.m. CDT and exiting to the northeast at 3:12 p.m. EDT/2:12 p.m. CDT. Other parts of the state will experience a partial eclipse of at least 90

Press release, La Porte Community School Corporation: The La Porte Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees announced the retirement of Superintendent Mark Francesconi on Monday, February 12, 2024.  Dr. Francesconi has dedicated over 30 years to the field of education, with the last 13 serving the La Porte district. He leaves behind a legacy of unrelenting commitment and integrity. The school community and the board of trustees have expressed their deep gratitude for his decades of service and wish him a well-deserved retirement. Reflecting on his tenure, Dr. Francesconi shared, “It has been an honor to serve the community

News release, Indiana Department of Environmental Management: On Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, representatives from IDEM's Office of Air Quality Permits Branch arrived at East Chicago Public High School for a scheduled public meeting to discuss an air permitting renewal application for BP Products North America Inc.'s Whiting Business Unit. As recently as last month, the school served as a location for IDEM public meetings due to the auditorium's ability to accommodate larger crowds. However, moments before Thursday's meeting was set to begin, the school district superintendent informed IDEM staff that he had concerns about proceeding with members of the media