News

Those caring for an aging parent or spouse will have the opportunity to tour centers devoted to Franciscan Senior Health and Wellness programs and collect information from senior service providers at open houses in Dyer on May 10 and Michigan City on May 24. The open houses will highlight Franciscan’s Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a community-based healthcare program created for people 55 or older who have chronic care needs and prefer to continue living independently in their home environment. It was created as a one-stop shop for the seniors’ healthcare needs, from doctor’s appointments and medication

A former Valparaiso man has been arrested for child molesting, the La Porte County Sheriff's Office announced Sunday. On September 18, 2021, Deputy Scott Lanoue responded to a residence located in rural Springfield Township regarding a sex offense involving a juvenile. A follow-up investigation was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division, with Detective Gabe Struss as the lead investigator. The investigation identified 30 year-old Alexander E. Perez formerly of Valparaiso, Indiana. On October 19, 2021, Detective Struss presented the findings of his investigation to La Porte County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth Boehm. The following day, an arrest warrant was issued

The Fraternal Order of Police Associate Lodge 125 on Friday presented a check for $3000 to the Lake County Animal Adoption & Control Center. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department says the funds will go a long way toward helping them care for and find forever homes for unwanted and neglected pets.  The F.O.P. Associate Lodge primarily raises funds to support the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and its animal shelter.

NICTD will be closing Franklin Street at 11th Street beginning Monday May 2 for a period of 30 days for track removal and replacement for the Double Track Project. Due to the closure the bus routes will follow the below detour: “Routes #1 and #3 will detour southbound, from Washington Street to Green Street and resume the regular route on Franklin Street and Green Street. Northbound Franklin Street to Green Street to Washington Street to 9th Street to Pine Street and resume the regular route. Due to time constraints Route #2 will not be crossing 11th Street. Route #2 will

The City of Valparaiso announced on Friday that Silhavy Road is now open for traffic. The city said that while the weather prolonged the railroad project, the extended closure helped to speed up the resurfacing work.  Final paving and surface markings will take place over the next weeks, with the roadway remaining open for traffic.  

La Porte’s Robert Martin, students at Michigan City’s Barker Middle School and Crown Point’s Christian School know the ‘secret’ of innovation. Like every creative genus, these students dream, probe, experiment, risk, ask, observe, persevere, challenge and imagine. The Center for Creative Solutions honored them during April’s World Creativity and Innovation Week. Underwritten by the Morgan Family Foundation, they received Student Innovation awards. For the first time, two schools, Barker Middle and Crown Point Christian, were honored with monetary prizes. Robert Martin is a La Porte High School junior, and an aspiring architect and entrepreneur. “Robert knows no stranger. His determination

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) raised nearly $900,000 from more than 1,240 donations in 24 hours during its annual Day of Giving on April 27. Donors’ gifts to PNW are used to support student scholarships, academic programs, Pride athletics, student organizations and other strategic initiatives. “PNW received an overwhelmingly positive response with generous gifts from all across our community to support PNW’s students, academic initiatives and mission,” said Lisa Goodnight, vice chancellor of Institutional Advancement at PNW. “Our sincerest gratitude goes out to all those who took the time to contribute a gift. During our  5.75 Roaring Ahead celebration, your support

A wrong way driver died in a crash on the Indiana Toll Road Thursday morning.  At around 3:08 a.m., dispatchers began to receive 911 calls of a wrong-way driver on the Indiana Toll Road. As troopers were being dispatched and responding to the area, another 911 caller reported a head-on crash near the 5 mile-marker involving the wrong-way driver.  Preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Nissan Versa was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes. The vehicle struck a silver 2019 Honda HR-V head-on. The female driver of the Nissan was declared deceased at the scene by the Lake County Coroner. 

The City of La Porte on Friday unveiled its headliner entertainment for this year’s LakeFest. This year's entertainment will take place throughout the city, with acts performing in Downtown La Porte, at the Dennis F. Smith Amphitheater in Fox Park and at Stone Lake Beach. The shows are free to the public and open to all ages. With the performers spanning across multiple genres, Park Superintendent Mark Schreiber said there is a live show for everyone to enjoy. "After a successful inaugural event last year, our team knew we had to take LakeFest 2022 to the next level," Schreiber said.

The body of a 22-year-old man from Indianapolis was recovered Thursday morning after he went missing in Lake Michigan on Feb. 21. The DNR announced Bryce Dunfee’s body was located and recovered at West Beach in Porter County. This is approximately a half-mile from where he went missing. In the original report, the DNR said responders had learned that five people had entered onto shelf ice along the shoreline when it began to crack. The group began to retreat to shore when one person fell into the water.

U.S. 6 in Porter County will be resurfaced between Scottsdale Street and State Road 149, with alternating lane closures “on or after” Monday, May 2 through late August. Work will begin with lane closures for sidewalk and curb ramps modifications to make them ADA compliant, patching and milling. Paving will take place during phase two.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and La Porte County DUI Task Force are announcing increased enforcement and patrols around prom and post-prom sites this spring. Police say the goal is to deter alcohol use and eliminate alcohol related crashes among La Porte County High School prom attendees. Proms in La Porte County will begin May 7 and conclude June 2. Between these dates, La Porte, New Prairie, Michigan City, Westville, La Lumiere, Marquette, La Crosse and South Central schools will all conduct prom events.  Deputies will saturate the areas around each prom and post-prom site to deter potential alcohol

Northwest Health has welcomed cardiologist Hector Marchand Sr., M.D. back to Northwest Medical Group. Dr. Marchand, Sr. has joined Northwest Medical Group – Cardiology after practicing for many years in Valparaiso. Marchand is an experienced cardiologist proficient in treating all forms of heart disease. He also has an interest in preventive cardiology. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic and completed his fellowship in cardiology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is accepting new patients at his office in Northwest Medical Group – Cardiology, 1331 State Street, La Porte. He accepts most insurance including Medicare

Residents are invited to enjoy breakfast with their local firefighters this Saturday, according to La Porte Fire Chief Andy Snyder. The City of La Porte Fire Department is hosting a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon this Saturday at Fire Station 1. Tickets include all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage and eggs, as well as an entry into their $100 cash giveaway. The department will also be selling $1 raffle tickets for a wide variety of prizes donated by local businesses, including memberships, concert tickets and gift baskets. Snyder said all proceeds from the breakfast and raffle will benefit the Arnold J.

Avian influenza has been confirmed in two wild raptor species in Indiana, according to the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW). Diagnostic testing on the raptors was done at Purdue’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, where the birds tested positive with the (HP) H5N1 strain that is circulating in North America. The individual raptors that tested positive were one bald eagle each from Starke and Miami counties, and a red-tailed hawk from Johnson County. Since the beginning of the year, avian influenza has been detected in raptors in multiple states. In light of spring turkey hunting season, which started Wednesday,

Lane closures are scheduled for Burr Street in Lake County starting on or after May 2. Burr Street will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 25th Ave to 29th Avenue for a bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project through late August. During phase one, the inside lanes will be closed in both directions. Traffic on I-80/94 will not be impacted, but the ramps at the I-80/94 and Burr St interchange will have lane tapers and restrictions to help with traffic flow into the work zone.  

Two juveniles from Illinois were arrested after leading the Lake County and Highland police officers on a pursuit Wednesday, police say. Sometime around 9 a.m. a license plate scan alerted the Lake County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department to a stolen 2013 Hyundai sedan traveling near Cline Avenue. When Lake County officers located the Hyundai and attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle fled. Officers pursued the vehicle through Highland, where the two occupants bailed out of the stolen vehicle and fled on foot near the 3700 block of Highway Avenue. Officers pursued the two suspects on foot, and both were apprehended by

The City of Portage has lowered the speed limit on Willowcreek Road/Crisman Road between the entrance to the Indiana Toll Road and Old Porter Road to 30 mph due to construction. Work has been ongoing for just over two weeks and progress is being made on concrete work including sidewalks and curbs. Once the concrete work is completed, they will begin milling and repaving the roadway. The city says that there have been some reports of excess speed through the construction area. The City of Portage stated, “Please slow down. Please be mindful of the construction workers. Be safe to