News

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office has announced that in preparation of Halloween, Operation Porch Light was initiated, which was a county-wide compliance check of all Violent Predators, Sexually Violent Predators and Offenders Against Children. The operation was conducted on Wednesday, October 23 with deputies from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, investigators from the La Porte and Michigan City Police Departments, Fugitive Apprehension Street Team, La Porte County Drug Task Force, Gary Parole District, Indiana State Police and United States Marshals Service participating in the sex offender compliance check. Eighty-seven (87) of the classified and registered Violent Predators, Sexually

Franciscan Physician Network welcomed its newest location with a blessing of the Legacy Hills Health Center in LaPorte. Meanwhile, construction is progressing nearby at the new Franciscan Beacon Hospital.Josh Schoon, project manager for Tonn and Blank Construction said he expects the enclosure of Franciscan Beacon Hospital to be complete by the end of October with overall construction finishing in spring 2020. Once completed, Franciscan Beacon Hospital will comprise about 28,000 square feet of new construction and include an approximate 19,000-square-foot renovation of the current space at 900 I Street. The hospital will feature a full-service, 10-bed emergency department, eight inpatient

Mayor Ron Meer and Police Chief Mark Swistek met Thursday morning along with Assistant Chiefs Royce Williams and Kevin Urbanczyk. The police chiefs tendered their resignations to the Mayor; however, they assured the Mayor they will continue to serve the community as chiefs until their successors are chosen. The Mayor and police chiefs want to reassure the public there will be no gap in police protection or coverage to the City during this transition. The Mayor has regrettably accepted their resignations Once their successors are chosen, it is anticipated the three chiefs will return to their former rank within the

Earlier today, 33 year old Travis E. Hatchel, was located and arrested at a residence within the Countryside Village Mobile Home Community at the 1000 block of South Mayflower Road, in South Bend.  Hatchel had been a wanted person by the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and St. Joseph County authorities. In addition, he was being sought for his involvement in the vehicle pursuit that occurred on October 21st in La Porte County.  Hatchel is currently being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond. 

Several weeks ago, the Sheriff’s Office Administration learned that throughout the week of October 7th, US 421 was being closed to thru traffic in New Durham and Coolspring Townships for an improvement project. As the closure approached, administrators recognized there would be an increase in motor and commercial vehicular traffic along surrounding county roadways. Because of this, the three (3) patrol shifts and the commercial motor vehicle deputy were called upon to increase their visibility and enforcement efforts in the general area.The statistics have been complied and the following are the results of this traffic enforcement project. In total, 92

The City of Michigan City would like to announce that the annual coat drive is now underway.  Citizens can drop off new, and or, gently worn coats and snow suits at Concord Cleaners.  Concord Cleaners will clean and then deliver the coats and snow suits to the Michigan Township Trustees Office where they will be available, to those in need, beginning immediately.  The coat drive will continue throughout the winter season.    “There is a large need for this yearly campaign in our community; I would like to thank our citizens for their generosity and also Michigan Township Trustee Rodney

Downtown businesses will be offering trick or treating for Duneland families this year on Friday, October 25, from 4-6 pm. Parents and their children should look for purple flyers in the windows of participating businesses along Indian Boundary, Calumet, and Broadway in Chesterton. The Duneland Chamber will be handing out candy along with other local businesses in the chamber parking lot as well. “Last year, we welcomed over 1,000 local children and their families to this trick-or-treating event,” says Maura Durham, the Chamber’s President. “The streets were filled with little superheroes, witches, monsters, and ghosts. It was fantastic! We enjoy

Collaboration expands study abroad opportunities, other programs Purdue University Northwest's (PNW) College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences (CHESS) has agreed to collaborate with a university in Vietnam to allow for the exchange of students and the development of special programs that benefit both institutions.  The agreement came about as a result of the International Conference on Innovations in the Social Sciences and Humanities at Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in early October. PNW’s CHESS was a co-sponsor of the event with Leipzig University (Germany); National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan); University of Warwick (England), and the

Indiana Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment and Enforcement Jim McClelland announced today that three regional partnerships have been awarded funds to complete recovery networks and seek designation as comprehensive addiction recovery networks. “Governor Eric J. Holcomb has called for an all-hand-on deck approach to combat the drug crisis and communities all across Indiana have stepped forward,” McClelland said. “We appreciate the Indiana General Assembly’s work to help more people enter recovery through comprehensive addiction recovery networks that will meet people with substance use disorders where they are, assess their needs and connect them to the full continuum of evidence-based

The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is returning to the stage of the Civic Auditorium for its 47th season opening on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 7:30 PM, with a program entitled “Dance!/Veteran’s Tribute.” Dr. Carolyn Watson , the LCSO’s 4 th Music Director Candidate, will lead the ensemble in concert with selections by Brahms, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky as well as a beautiful setting of America, The Beautiful and the Armed Forces Salute - a tribute to each branch of our military. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Tickets for the performance are $30 for table seats, $20 for Adult Balcony

Approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday morning St Joe County PD, Walkerton PD, & LaPorte County PD assisted North Liberty PD in a high-speed  pursuit of a suspicious vehicle returning stolen plates. During the chase, the suspect vehicle entered and drove through multiple farm fields with lights darkened in the area of Walnut/Leeper/SR 23. During the pursuit the suspect also rammed police vehicles with his vehicle. The pursuit ended in a field off Leeper Road & SR  23, at approximately 5:30 am. A Walkerton PD car and the suspect’s vehicle became engulfed in flames. During the chase in the corn field, shots

Franciscan Physician Network welcomes Dr. Emmett Robinson, MD, to the Crown Point Internal Medicine and Specialty Center. Dr. Robinson trained at the University of Illinois at Chicago and performed his residency at St. Vincent Hospitals and Health Centers in Indianapolis. His clinical interests include preventative medicine, diabetes management and hypertension. Franciscan Physician Network Crown Point Internal Medicine and Specialty Center is at 1205 S. Main St., Suite 201 in Crown Point. To make an appointment, go to FranciscanDocs.org or call (219) 769-8340.

State Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores) and State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) received 2019 Legislator of the Year awards from Aviation Indiana on Wednesday, at the Blue Chip in Michigan City. The legislators were honored for their work on House Enrolled Act 1019, which empowers airport authorities to complete more projects using their own workforce rather than going through an expensive public project bidding process.IU Alum Donates 60 Million Dollars

Posting your address at your home is more than a convenience for your mail-carrier, it’s the law. Homes in Ogden Dunes are required to visibly display their address in at least four-inch (4”) numerals on their house and/or near the street in front of the house. Sure, it makes it easy for the delivery-person, but it’s more than that, way more. It may be the difference between life and death. Fire-rescue, police, and emergency medical services are all dispatched by those very addresses. Posting an address visibly helps emergency responders save vital seconds that may save you or a family

A Dyer man died early Sunday morning when he crashed his motorcycle into a pick-up truck on I-65. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Alissa Partyka revealed at approximately 1:00 a.m., Sunday, October 20, 2019, a 2018 Yamaha motorcycle, driven by 26 year old Michael Derby of Dyer, was north bound on I-65 at the 253.6 mile marker, (north of the Merrillville-US 30 exit) in the right lane. A 2016 Ford F-150 driven by 20 year old Zachary Goldak of Crown Point, was also north bound on I-65 in the middle lane. The Yamaha, who was at a high rate of speed

The Valparaiso Police Department responded to the area of US HWY 30 and Linwood Ave. on Sunday morning at approximately 8:45 a.m. to the report of a downed man in a ditch. The male was soon discovered to be deceased. The incident appears to be a bicycle crash that resulted in death. There appears to be no sign of foul play at this time or no other vehicles involved. The Valparaiso Police Department and the Porter County Coroner continue to investigate the incident. The subject has been identified and notification to next of kin is being completed by investigators

Barker Blackout Tours Saturday, October 19, 8 and 10 pmFriday, October 25, 8 and 10 pmSaturday, October 26, 8 and 10 pmWe still have spots available on our 2019 Blackout Tours! Gain a spooky new perspective on the Barker Mansion as you explore the building in near-total darkness while mansion employees share their experiences of hauntings at this 160-year-old building.There are two tours each night at 8 and 10 pm. The 8 pm tours are for families, and 10 pm tours are for adults only (ages 16 and up). Note that this will not be a haunted house tour with

Indiana’s unemployment rate continues to drop to 3.2 percent for September and remains lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent. The last time Indiana's unemployment rate was lower than 3.2 percent was December 2000. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force. Indiana’s labor force had a net decrease of 2,722 over the previous month. This was a result of a decrease of 2,934 unemployed residents and an increase of 212 employed residents. Indiana's

Thursday morning a fit of sneezing and coughing caused a truck driver to lose control of his semi and roll over. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Clay McBride showed at approximately 11:00 a.m., yesterday, Thursday, October 17, 2019, a 2018 Freightliner semi pulling a box trailer, owned by Semo Express out of Sikeston, Missouri, and driven by Steven Baker Junior, 47 of East Prairie, Missouri, was exiting from I-80/94 east bound to Indianapolis Boulevard north bound when he lost control.  Baker stated he became distracted by a spell of sneezes and coughs, when he opened his eyes the thought he saw

Valparaiso Police are investigating the theft of merchandise from the Valparaiso Strack and Van Til, located at 1836 Calumet Ave. The thefts have occurred on multiple occasions in October at various times.  The male and female subjects entered the store and selected several hundred dollars’ worth of merchandise and exited the store without making any attempt to pay for the items on two separate occasions. The male and female were seen loading their items into and leaving the area in a Silver Chevrolet Traverse.  The license plate is known to be an Indiana In God We Trust plate, ending in