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The following are Winter Storm Warning messages from the National Weather Services of Northern Indiana and Chicago: URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Northern Indiana 1103 PM EST Wed Feb 2 2022 INZ003>008-012>016-020-022-MIZ077>081-031215- /O.CON.KIWX.WS.W.0002.000000T0000Z-220204T0000Z/ La Porte-St. Joseph-Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-Starke-Pulaski- Marshall-Fulton-Kosciusko-White-Cass-Berrien-Branch-Hillsdale- Including the cities of Michigan City, La Porte, South Bend, Mishawaka, New Carlisle, Walkerton, Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Lagrange, Topeka, Shipshewana, Angola, Fremont, Kendallville, Ligonier, Albion, Knox, North Judson, Bass Lake, Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville, Plymouth, Bremen, Culver, Rochester, Akron, Warsaw, Winona Lake, Syracuse, Mentone, Monticello, Monon, Brookston, Logansport, Royal Center, Niles, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Fair Plain, Benton Heights, Buchanan, Paw

$152 million awarded to more than 2,770 providers in first round of Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grants The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced that it is accepting applications for a second round of Build, Learn, Grow Stabilization Grants, intended to support child care, early care and education and out-of-school time programs that have faced increased costs and challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds awarded in this round will cover five months of providers’ operating expenses, allowing them to stabilize their operations and invest in their businesses to build capacity for the future. During the first round of

Today, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Broadband Office announced that Porter County is now designated as an official Broadband Ready Community. The Broadband Ready Communities Program was created as a tool to encourage broadband development throughout Indiana. The Broadband Ready Community certification sends a signal to the telecommunication industry that a community has taken steps to reduce barriers to broadband infrastructure investment. “Indiana communities are putting in the work and effort to increase their broadband capabilities, and Porter County joins this group,” Crouch said. “Congratulations to the Porter County Commissioners and community leaders for taking the necessary steps

The following are Winter Storm Warning messages from the National Weather Services of Northern Indiana and Chicago:    URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Northern Indiana 955 PM EST Tue Feb 1 2022   INZ003>008-012>016-020-022-MIZ077>081-021200- /O.CON.KIWX.WS.W.0002.220202T0600Z-220204T0000Z/ La Porte-St. Joseph-Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-Starke-Pulaski- Marshall-Fulton-Kosciusko-White-Cass-Berrien-Branch-Hillsdale- Including the cities of Michigan City, La Porte, South Bend, Mishawaka, New Carlisle, Walkerton, Elkhart, Goshen, Nappanee, Lagrange, Topeka, Shipshewana, Angola, Fremont, Kendallville, Ligonier, Albion, Knox, North Judson, Bass Lake, Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville, Plymouth, Bremen, Culver, Rochester, Akron, Warsaw, Winona Lake, Syracuse, Mentone, Monticello, Monon, Brookston, Logansport, Royal Center, Niles, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Fair Plain, Benton Heights,

The City of Michigan City says that Superintendent Shong Smith and Mayor Parry have called for “Phase One” of snow removal in effect at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.  Phase One indicated no parking on designated Snow Routes, and the immediate attention to these routes and major thoroughfares within the city.   Phase Two which would be called next, is the secondary roads, alleys, and cul-de-sacs. As of Wednesday, the Senior Center has closed until further notice. The City of Michigan City says Mayor Parry will keep everyone updated as the predicted storm continues. The city says to “be prepared, be cautious,

The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce announced newly elected directors and officers to the board for 2022.   Approved for their first three-year terms is Lori Tubbs with McColly Bennet Commercial Advantage and Greg Wilkerson with Fiber Bond Corporation.  Elected officers who will serve as the executive committee to the board for 2022 are Jill Nygren with Franciscan Health Michigan City as Chair, Kim Giannetti with General Insurance Services as Chair-Elect Megan Applegate with Applegate & Co., CPA, as Treasurer, and Brenda Temple with Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa as Secretary.  2021 Chair, Bill Gertner with Horizon Bank, will serve

With snow predicted to fall across large portions of Indiana this week, the American Heart Association encourages Hoosiers to protect their hearts while shoveling snow and to seek immediate treatment if they experience any signs or symptoms of a heart attack. “Shoveling snow can be a very vigorous activity, and you’re basically doing it ‘in a freezer,’” says Dr. William Gill, a cardiologist who is immediate past-president of the American Heart Association board of directors in Indianapolis. “Those conditions can very quickly lead to stress on the heart.” To help make snow removal safer, the American Heart Association suggests: Give

The American Heart Association believes losing even one woman to cardiovascular disease is too many   American Heart Association, the leading global volunteer organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke, is rallying women in Indiana to “Reclaim Your Rhythm” on Friday, Feb. 4 as a part of the Association’s Go Red for Women® National Wear Red Day®.   This February, Go Red for Women is helping women reclaim their rhythm by promoting easy opportunities for women to build healthy habits that work best for their life, giving them the best chance at life. On Friday, Feb. 4, crank up

The La Porte Symphony Orchestra (LCSO) continues its 49th season on March 13 by celebrating composers Giuseppe Verdi and Peter Ilyich Tchaikvosky. Under the direction of Music Director, Dr. Carolyn Watson , the Orchestra will be performing Verdi’s Overture to La Forza Del Destino and Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, Op. 33 as well as his Symphony No. 5. This concert will be held at the Holdcraft Performing Arts Center, 1200 Spring Street, Michigan City, IN.   Masks will be required upon entrance. Watson returns after her first successful venture with Holiday at the Pops this past December.  Since then, and in addition to her duties with the LCSO as well as Director

The Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife needs your help to best manage deer populations in the state. For that purpose, they invite you to take the Annual Deer Management Survey. This survey will ask about your perceptions of deer populations. If you hunt deer, it will also ask about your deer hunting and harvest behaviors, thoughts about your deer hunting experience, and views on different deer hunting regulations. You may complete the survey by clicking the link below. This link will take you to Qualtrics, the web host of Division of Fish & Wildlife online surveys. This link is unique

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) has announced that it has issued Notice to Proceed to Walsh/Herzog Joint Venture for construction of the Double Track Northwest Indiana (DT-NWI) Project. The Notice to Proceed marks the beginning of work to construct a second track, which will eliminate train interference on the existing South Shore Line single track. The DT-NWI Project will ultimately result in reduced travel time, more frequent train service, and expanded connectivity between northwest Indiana and Chicago. The $649 million dollar project has been divided into six contracts to construct the second track and station improvements at five

Franciscan Health Crown Point has been reverified as a Level III Trauma Center by the Verification Review Committee (VRC), an ad hoc committee of the Committee on Trauma (COT) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). This achievement recognizes the trauma center's dedication to providing optimal care for injured patients. Hospital President and CEO Daniel McCormick, MD, said, “Franciscan Health Crown Point has been committed to bringing the highest level of care to Northwest Indiana, and our latest trauma certification as a Level III center reaffirms that commitment.” Verified trauma centers must meet the essential criteria that ensure trauma care

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today launched a statewide COVID-19 relief school spending dashboard. The dashboard reflects COVID-19 federal relief grant fund reimbursements as part of schools’ locally-developed spending plans, which are focused on improving student learning. “Empowered by historic levels of state and federal education funding, schools have an unparalleled opportunity to improve students’ educational outcomes with these dollars,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “To most impactfully invest these funds, we must focus on accelerating student learning, supporting educators, promoting sustainable innovation, and updating technology and other infrastructure. We continue to support Indiana’s local schools

The Indiana Family & Social Services Administration today released the results of two studies that show children who attend On My Way Pre-K are better prepared for school and that the benefits continue well into elementary school.   “The studies show that Indiana’s investment in high-quality early education for the children of lower-income families is helping our youngest learners achieve at their greatest potential for years to come,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb. “Giving children a good start on their education pathway delivers a more well-prepared student and ultimately a ready to go workforce, both key elements to our state’s

Indiana Dunes National Park along with the Ogden Dunes police department are telling the public to stay on the beach and keep off the shelf ice.  The National Park said via their Facebook page that “as winter temperatures continually drop, shelf ice increasingly accumulates along the shoreline, and despite its unusual beauty, visitors need to be aware of its dangers. Especially because, for some, it's hard to tell where the beach ends and the shelf ice begins.” The City of New Buffalo also recently told residents on social media to stay off of shelf ice.

La Porte County Sheriff Sheriff John T. Boyd announced that the Indiana Sheriffs' Association (ISA) will again be awarding college scholarships to qualified high school seniors or college students who are pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies.  There will be approximately 40 - $750 scholarships awarded to qualifying students throughout the state. The ISA Scholarship Fund was established for the purpose of receiving, investing, and dispensing of funds to provide college scholarships to qualified students who are committed to pursuing an education and career in the law enforcement field. To qualify for one of these scholarships, the applicant must