News

The American Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Dangerously low blood supply levels are posing a concerning risk to patient care and forcing doctors to make difficult decisions about who receives blood transfusions and who will need to wait until more products become available. Blood donations are critically needed to help prevent further delays in vital medical treatments, and donors of all blood types – especially type O − are urged to make an appointment now to give in the weeks ahead. In recent weeks, the Red Cross had less than a one-day supply of critical

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department is asking residents if they would like a “dog beach” at Washington Park Beach. Potential rules are posted on the survey and a map of where this section of the beach would be. The entrance would be from Fedder’s Alley parking lot using the east public access beach path. The dog beach would be 400 feet wide by 50 feet deep or 20,000 square feet.  Take the survey here.  

The Porter County Government announced that you can now get the Porter County Highway Department’s winter weather road conditions updates sent to your email inbox and/or phone. Go to the link on the bottom of this story, enter your email address, click Sign In, choose whether you want them sent to your email address and/or phone, then scroll down to the Alert Center section and click on the email or phone icon next to Winter Weather Road Conditions Updates. Porter County Government says you might want to sign up for Travel Alerts while you are there.  Get started at: https://www.porterco.org/list.aspx

Michigan City is in need of Lifeguards at the Washington Park and Beach. See flyer for more details.

Indiana’s top two public research universities are joining forces to keep more graduates in the state and fill the Hoosier talent pipeline with highly skilled workers. Purdue University and Indiana University have partnered with Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. Through the Ascend Network, the initiative’s online job matching platform, Purdue and IU will be able to more effectively connect students with Indiana career opportunities that match their skill sets and interests, as well as offer increased one-on-one career guidance and job search support. This partnership provides Indiana’s leading employers with a unique platform for

Michigan City Area Schools is partnering with HealthLinc to host another COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic.  The clinic will be at Joy Elementary School on Thursday, Jan. 20 from 3:15pm to 6:15pm Pfizer vaccines and booster available. Anyone ages 5 and up are welcome. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended. Call (219) 872-6200 ext.3400 to schedule your appointment.

The Engineering & Technical Education classrooms at Portage High School will be receiving a makeover thanks to a grant in the amount of $1000,000 from the City of Portage Redevelopment Commission.  The grant will outfit the PHS Manufacturing Lab, Construction Lab, and STEM Multi-Lab. Upgrades to the labs include tools, machinery, and technology to benefit the manufacturing, construction, Project Lead the Way, engineering, computer integrated manufacturing, industrial technology, advanced manufacturing, and automation and robotics pathways and courses. There are 1,700 students enrolled in these courses in grades 6-12. Additional details and information can be found on the Portage Township Schools

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has announced the opening of its grant portal for 2022 Cycle 1 grants. To advance its mission and vision, HFL invites grant proposals for health and wellness projects and programs, through Feb. 25. The HFL says their mission is to empower La Porte County residents to live healthy and well to achieve the vision of La Porte County becoming one of the 10 healthiest communities in Indiana by 2030. For more information, contact HFL at 219.326.2471 or contact@hflaporte.org, or visit HFL’s website at hflaporte.org.  

The Valparaiso Police have added three additional officers with the swearing-in of Sean Liesenfelt, Craig Lundy, and Jacob Schleyer Friday. Mayor Matt Murphy performed the ceremony within the council chambers of City Hall.  Chief Balon, with numerous officers and civilian staff, joined the families and friends of the new officers, who were in attendance to witness the event.  During the ceremony, Chief Balon welcomed the new hires to the Valparaiso Police Department family and congratulated them on their appointments.

The Indiana State Police-Lowell Post Friday gave an update to the fatal crash that occurred on I-80  earlier that day. Police stated. “It has been determined that this same vehicle was involved with three pursuits from Indiana law enforcement in as many months.  One pursuit the driver eluded law enforcement into Illinois, the second was apprehended by Lake County Sheriff and todays crash.” Original update from Indiana State Police-Lowell Post:  At the request of Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez, the Indiana State Police Lowell Crash Reconstruction Unit responded to I-80 westbound 5.7 mile-marker for a crash that involved a police

The South Shore line has announced that temporary busing will occur Jan. 11 through Jan. 13 for weekday westbound trains 14, 116, 18, 118, 20; weekday eastbound trains 7, 107, 9, 109. between Carroll Ave. and Dune Park stations. Service to Beverly Shores is suspended during busing. Michigan City 11th Street Station is temporarily closed.   

One person died in a multi-vehicle crash on I-94 early Thursday in Michigan City.  A trooper was dispatched at 5:30 a,.m. to a single vehicle rollover crash on the eastbound lanes of I-94 at the 36.8 mile-marker.  The vehicle, a 2005 Dodge Ram, had rolled to a rest in the far-right lane.  The driver, exited his vehicle and was standing away from it when his vehicle was struck by a Chevrolet cargo van.  After hitting the truck, the van spun directly into the path of a semi tractor-trailer.  That semi then struck the passenger side of the van.  The driver

La Porte County Symphony Orchestra Music Director Dr. Carolyn Watson is keeping her conducting schedule filled with guest appearances this season. In addition to her duties as the LCSO’s Music Director and the Director of Orchestra Studies at the University of Kansas, she has guest conducted the Amarillo Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Austin (TX) Symphony, Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra as well as her long standing association with Interlochen. The La Porte County Watson is also in demand as the guest conductor of several All-State Orchestras. This season alone, she has been asked

The Michigan City High School Student Council presented the official food drive traveling trophy to students and staff at Knapp Elementary School on Wednesday. The final tally of results showed that Knapp collected the most food per student in the annual Food Drive, which was hosted by the MCHS Student Council. The district-wide food drive is organized by the Student Council every year as a community service effort, and every school in the district participates. This year, the 11 MCAS schools collected more than 4 tons of food, in total. Knapp collected the most at 2,684 pounds of food (or

The La Porte County Family YMCA is calling all families with youth in grades 7-12th to be a part of their free Welcome Night on Jan. 18. The La Porte County Family YMCA is launching their new Youth and Government Teen Program. This is open to members and non-members, but space is limited so they ask that participants limit the number of people attending to up to 3 people per family. RSVP by emailing Iesha Grove at iesha@indianaymcas.org. Additional details are located on the flier for this story.

The City of Valparaiso has announced that warming centers are available when temps and wind chills dip below freezing. Warming centers encourage masks and social distancing. Locations and times include: • Valparaiso YMCA, (219) 462-4185 1202 Cumberland Crossing, open Monday – Friday 5:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., Saturday 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. • Porter County Public Library, Valparaiso Branch (219) 462-0524 103 Jefferson Street, open Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Friday 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. • Housing

Indiana Conservation Officer Alex Toth has been selected the 2021 District 10 Officer of the Year. Toth is assigned to LaPorte County and has been a conservation officer since 2017. In addition to his normal duties as a field officer, he also serves as a public safety diver and is a passenger-for-hire inspector. District 10 includes Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Lake, Pulaski, Jasper and Starke counties in northeast Indiana. The district award puts Toth in the running for the Pitzer Award, which is given to the top overall conservation officer in the state of Indiana and selected from the 10 district