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Portage Police officer Lieutenant Janis Crafton is retiring from the department after 27 years of service. Lieutenant Crafton began her law enforcement career in 1992 when she became a member of the department’s Civil Defense Unit as well as working as a telecommunications dispatcher (911) for the agency. In 1996 Lieutenant Crafton was hired as a full-time officer and graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy with honors later that year. Lieutenant Crafton went on to spend thirteen years as a detective where she specialized in crimes against children. Near the end of her career Lieutenant Crafton returned to the

Walsh Construction has given the following upcoming road closure information related to NICTD’s Double Track Northwest Indiana Project: Sheridan/10th – TBD – will be a 5-day closure 10th and Huron at Amtrak crossing – TBD Chicago Street- May 15 Open Day Ohio/11th – close 5/16/23 open 5/30/23 Wabash/11th – close 6/9/23 open 7/7/23 Washington/11th – close 5/15/23 open 6/9/23 Franklin/11th – close 3/20/23 open 5/15/23 (work at 10th and Franklin will happen simultaneously) Lafayette – close 4/3/23 open 4/19/23 Michigan Blvd/11th – TBD Michigan Blvd/Vail St – TBD Michigan Blvd/School St – TBD Michigan Blvd/Carroll Ave - TBD    

The Indiana Department of Transportation has issued an update on the work ongoing at the U.S. 31/20 interchange. The west loop ramps (dashed red lines on map) will be closed for approximately 3 days starting on/after Monday, April 17. This is to add pavement for southbound U.S. 31 to be converted to two-way traffic. The traffic conversion of U.S. 31 southbound to two-way traffic will occur on/after the evening of Saturday, April 22. With the northbound lanes closed for construction, the two east loop ramps (solid red lines on map) will close. Traffic will be in this configuration through June.

State Road 152 will be reduced to one lane with flaggers directing traffic between Carrol Street and Summer Street in Lake County from the hours of approximately 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, April 17 and Tuesday, April 18. This project is for bridge joint work. INDOT says to expect delays during peak times.

News release by Purdue University Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Ten Purdue University Northwest (PNW) faculty members received approval for promotions starting in the 2023-24 academic year today (April 14) by the Purdue University Board of Trustees. Their promotions are effective Aug. 14. “I congratulate these remarkable faculty colleagues for their outstanding contributions in learning, discovery and engagement, as well as their dedication to the entire PNW community,” said Kenneth C. Holford, provost and vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “We look forward to their future accomplishments through academic research and impactful change for PNW and our region.” Academic tenure

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced that beginning on or after Saturday, April 15, the right turn lane from southbound State Road 49 to the Indiana Toll Road ramp and the right turn lane from the Indiana Toll Road ramp to southbound State Road 49 will be closed. Expect delays during peak times. These closures will be in place through early June for phase 1 of an intersection improvement project with added turn lanes.

The Valparaiso Police Department announced K9 Ryker will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Ryker’s vest is sponsored by Robert and Rosann Gordon of La Porte, Indiana and will be embroidered with the sentiment “Honoring those who served and sacrificed”.  Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. “This

The Michigan City Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened Tuesday evening at Washington Park. Just before 7 p.m., multiple officers were dispatched to Washington Park Lot 1 in reference to a shooting. Additional incoming information indicated a person had been shot in the leg and was being transported to Franciscan Hospital by friends. While the first officers arriving in Washington Park secured the crime scene, other responding officers located the vehicle the victim was traveling in and escorted that vehicle to the hospital to expedite him receiving emergency care. The 23-year-old victim’s gunshot wound was determined to be

Fire Danger remains high for Porter County and surrounding areas as of the latest release from the National Weather Service, according to the Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department. On Thursday, firefighters worked to contain a wildfire in the area of County Road 75 West and U.S. Highway 6 in Liberty Township late afternoon on Thursday after embers escaped from a homeowner burning trash. Preliminary investigations found approximately 2 to 3 acres on fire during the initial attack. The National Weather Service had issued a Level 3 Fire Weather Risk for elevated fire danger given the recent dry weather, grass, brush,

Press release by Franciscan Health: MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana – Franciscan Physician Network is offering a free, educational seminar on gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD highlighting a new program offered by Franciscan Health Michigan City. The Goodbye to GERD event will take place on Thursday, April 27 at the Woodland Health Center, 8865 West 400 North in Michigan City. The doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the presentation scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The new GERD program provides a multidisciplinary approach with faster diagnosis and treatment for patients suffering from GERD. Patients with heartburn, difficulty swallowing, regurgitation or stomach contents

An Air Quality Action Day has been declared by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management for La Porte, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Huntington and Allen counties in Indiana...and is in effect for Friday April 14. Ozone levels are expected to be in the Orange or unhealthy for sensitive groups range. People and businesses are urged to avoid activities which lead to ozone and fine particulate formation. These activities include refueling vehicles or topping off when refueling, using gasoline powered lawn equipment and using charcoal lighter fluid. Positive activities include car pooling, biking to work, delaying or combining errands and using water

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced that U.S. 41 will be closed to through traffic between State Road 2 and State Road 10 from approximately 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 14. The work is for resurfacing near the bridges over Singleton Ditch and Brown Ditch. INDOT says motorists should seek an alternate route.

Update: Indiana State Police have identified the victim and front seat passenger in the fatal crash on the Indiana Toll Road Tuesday as 66 year-old Dora Carmen Natella of Granger. The investigation remains an ongoing investigation. Original story:  One woman died in a crash Tuesday morning near the 79.6 mile marker on the Indiana Toll Road. Just after 11:10 a.m., troopers began to receive calls of a serious crash between an UPS semi with double trailers and a silver Toyota SUV in the westbound lanes of the Indiana Toll Road, which is approximately three miles west of the Mishawaka exit.

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. -- Indiana State Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a driver who shot at a semi on I-65 early Wednesday. At around 4:45 a.m., a trooper responded to a report of shots fired at a vehicle on I-65 southbound just north of the Lowell exit. It was reported that the driver of a light-colored SUV, possibly a Chevrolet, fired a gun at the victim’s semi, as they were driving southbound. The front passenger tire of the semi was struck by the gunfire, as well as other areas on the semi. The suspect is reported

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says a brush fire was put out on Wednesday afternoon. Sometime around 1 p.m. Gary first responders requested the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit in fighting a large brush fire, Chief Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “It seems dry, windy conditions allowed the flames to spread across an area just off US-12 between the Gary/Chicago International Airport and Buffington Harbor,” Martinez stated. A Lake County helicopter equipped with a Bambi bucket made numerous trips to Lake Michigan to fill the bucket and

Press Release by Michigan City Historical Society/Old Lighthouse Museum: Michigan City’s Old Lighthouse Museum, 100 Heisman Harbor Rd., will be open and free to the public on Friday April 14 from 5:00pm till 8:00pm. This special event was originally scheduled on March 3rd but because of heavy snow on that day it was cancelled. Now that spring is in the air we are ready to welcome visitors. 2023 is or 50th year! We will be celebrating our old lighthouse and the volunteers who have given of themselves for so many years to preserve our history. Join us at our April

Police arrested a Michigan City man who told police he was attempting to locate a cell phone Tuesday was arrested for public nudity. Just before 10 p.m., a deputy was dispatched to Pinhook Bog in reference a nude male being observed in the area. A nearby resident reported having someone knock on his door and upon answering, saw a completely nude male, who in turn took off running in a direction towards Pinhook Bog. The deputy and several assisting deputies met in the parking lot of Pinhook Bog.  They heard a man’s voice coming from the direction of a nearby

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind -- One woman died in a crash Tuesday morning near the 79.6 mile marker on the Indiana Toll Road. Just after 11:10 a.m., troopers began to receive calls of a serious crash between an UPS semi with double trailers and a silver Toyota SUV in the westbound lanes of the Indiana Toll Road, which is approximately three miles west of the Mishawaka exit. The crash caused both westbound lanes to be closed. Preliminary investigation indicated that a 2016 Kenworth towing double trailers was traveling westbound when the brakes on the rear trailer locked up. The Kenworth

The Valparaiso Police have identified multiple suspects involved in the gunshots heard in the area of Morgan Boulevard and Elm Street during the early morning hours of February 5. Police responded to the area at around 2:15 a.m. after receiving reports of multiple loud bangs in the area.  Police located no parties in the area and no report of injuries.  Later in the day, several homes and vehicles were discovered to have had sustained damage attributed to bullets striking their exterior.  Valparaiso police continued to investigate the incident, leading to multiple suspects being charged and one arrested. Ernest Watson III,