News

As the Heat Index is expected to rise this weekend, the Michigan City Fire Department is urging residents and visitors to play it safe by beating the heat. This summer, the Michigan City Fire Department along with LaPorte County EMS will respond to numerous calls for heat-related emergencies. While many heat-related problems are not life threatening, hundreds die across the nation each year due to heat-related illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. CDC records also show that from 1979 to 2003, excessive heat exposure caused 8,015 deaths in the United States. Those most at risk

The Indiana Department of Insurance is warning Hoosier homeowners and renters that accidental damage caused by fireworks that are banned in their counties may not be covered by their homeowners or renters insurance policies. Many insurance policies contain provisions disclaiming coverage for illegal acts committed by the insured. However, consumers who experience property damage due to another person’s use of fireworks may be able to claim benefits under their homeowners or renters policy. Indiana Fire Marshal Jim Greeson pointed out that the fourth of July has the largest number of building fires on a single day than any other day

State health officials are urging Indiana residents to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites as the state begins to see West Nile virus activity in mosquitoes. As of June 27, mosquitoes in Elkhart County and Carroll County have tested positive for West Nile virus. No human cases of West Nile virus disease have been detected in 2018; however, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) expects to continue to see increased West Nile activity throughout the state as the mosquito season progresses. To see the latest results of ISDH’s mosquito surveillance, go to https://gis.in.gov/apps/ISDH/Arbo/. To learn more about West

The La Porte Jaycees are pleased to announce this year’s 4th of July festivities. -45th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival – Saturday, June 30: The holiday kicks off with our 45th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival on June 30 from 8am-1pm at the corner of Lincolnway and Monroe Streets in La Porte. The Arts & Crafts Festival is held in conjunction with the La Porte Farmer’s Market. There will be many vendors including food, jewelry, clothing, soaps, books, bags, plants, etc. The La Porte Jaycees limited edition 4th of July t-shirts will be on sale for $20 each at this

With extreme heat and humidity expected during the Michigan City Patriotic Parade on Saturday, June 30th, the City of Michigan City would like to remind those attending to be cognizant of the effects extreme heat can have on your health.  Those most at risk to heat related issues are the elderly and children under the age of 5. During the parade, LaPorte County Emergency Management will have a cooling station located at the corner of Franklin Street and Barker Avenue. The cooling station will be staffed with a nurse and water will be available for anyone suffering from heat related

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski voted on Thursday to invest in rebuilding the military, providing servicemembers their biggest pay raise in nine years, and supporting military families. “Our servicemembers and their families make tremendous sacrifices to keep America safe, and we are making sure they have the tools, training, and support they need,” Congresswoman Walorski said. “This investment in our national security will continue rebuilding the military so it can confront any threat, and it will give the brave men and women of our Armed Forces their biggest pay raise in nine years.” The House this week also passed a motion to

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has issued an Air Quality Action Day and is forecasting high ozone levels for Friday in the following areas: -Central Indiana – Marion, Bartholomew, Boone, Brown, Delaware, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Johnson, Madison, Monroe, Morgan and Shelby -North Central Indiana – St. Joseph, Elkhart -Northeast Indiana – Allen, Huntington -Northwest Indiana – Lake, Porter, LaPorte -Southeast Indiana – Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Scott and Washington IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce ozone by making simple changes to their daily habits. You can: -Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation -Avoid using the drive-through

The Purdue Northwest Women’s Association (PNWA) will kick off its day-trip season with an excursion Saturday, July 21 to Chicago to see the musical, “The Color Purple.” The trip is open to everyone—women and men—in the local community. Registration is encouraged, as seats on the luxury bus are limited. Boarding begins at 7:15 a.m. in front of Schwarz Hall on the Westville Campus, 1401 S. U.S. Highway 421. Riders boarding at the Hammond Campus will be picked up at 8 a.m. at the southwest corner of the Student Union Library Building, 2233 173rd St. Included are stops at the studio

County Fireworks Ordinance 07-09: -Between the hours of 5:00pm and two (2) hours after sunset (Chicago area sunsets are at approximately 8:30pm) on June 29-30, July 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 -Between the hours of 10am and 12am on July 4th -Between the hours of 10am on December 31 and 1am on January 1 During these dates and times, Officers will NOT be dispatched unless: there is injury, property damage, the fireworks are being set off in a reckless/dangerous manner, fireworks being thrown from a moving vehicle; dispatch as a suspicious vehicle complaint. Remember to check with

A fare increase approved by the NICTD Board will take effect on Sunday, July 1st. The new fares represent a 5% increase rounded to the nearest quarter ($0.25). Check out mysouthshoreline.com for a complete list of new fares. The changes will apply to all fare types, beginning with July monthly ticket sales, and apply to all stations except Hegewisch. Metra controls Hegewisch fares and approved an increase effective Feb.1st. Due to the implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) over the next year, the South Shore Line fare increases are a necessary means of supporting the PTC safety upgrades and improvements

The 4th of July holiday kicks off with the La Porte Jaycees 45th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival on June 30 from 8am-1pm at the corner of Lincolnway and Monroe Streets in La Porte.  The Arts & Crafts Festival is held in conjunction with the La Porte Farmer’s Market.  They will have many vendors including food, jewelry, clothing, soaps, books, bags, plants, etc.  The La Porte Jaycees limited edition 4th of July t-shirts will be on sale for $20 each at this event.

Effective July 1st, Indiana House Bill 1248 becomes law and will amend Indiana Code 10-13-5-4.4 to include “missing endangered child”. The amended law defines a ‘missing endangered child’ as a missing child who is believed to be incapable of returning to the missing child’s residence without assistance because of: 1. Mental illness; 2. Intellectual disability; or 3. Another physical or mental disability The change in the law has resulted in an update to the Silver Alert criteria, as listed below: 1. The person must be a Missing Endangered Adult, Missing Endangered Child, High Risk Missing Person or have a mental

Indiana Auditor of State Tera Klutz, CPA, made the “big-reveal” of the updated Indiana Transparency Portal (ITP) offering Hoosiers a more accessible and in-depth look at the state’s finances and assets. Utilizing the latest in data delivery technology, Auditor Klutz worked closely with several state partners to update the site that has been traditionally known for receiving the highest awards for government transparency. The transformation includes interactive dashboards that provide overviews of some of the more popular and the most complex financial information about state revenue and expenditures. The site can be accessed by visiting www.in.gov/itp .

On Monday at approximately 7:45pm, Officers from shift two of the Michigan City Police Department responded to a report of three male subjects fighting in the 700 block of Belden with one reportedly having a knife. Upon arrival of Officer Cody Washluske and Matthew Babcock, observed several individuals outside the residence and an additional red Chevy Tahoe parked in the middle of the road. As Officer Babcock had his emergency lights activated, and before he could exit the vehicle, the red Chevy Tahoe began driving in reverse, and accelerated towards Officer Babcock’s police car. With no chance for reaction the

The Trail Creek Police Department is investigating an armed robbery that occurred at Little Caesars Pizza located in the Evergreen Plaza at 2026 E US Highway 20, Trail Creek, IN. At approximately 9:38pm, two black male subjects entered the store and confronted employees.  Both subjects, who hid their faces, displayed handguns and demanded the employees turn over the money in the cash drawer. After the robbery the suspects fled the store in an unknown direction. A LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputy and his K-9 partner attempted to track the suspects, however they were unsuccessful. Fortunately, no one was injured during the

On Wednesday, June 27, 2018, Opportunity Enterprises is privileged to host Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch. The Lt. Governor will be in Valparaiso along with the Task Force for Individuals with Disabilities throughout the day. An open meeting of the 1102 Task Force addressing issues related to individuals with disabilities will meet at 10 am at the Porter County Community Foundation. Immediately following this public meeting, the Lt. Governor and members of the task force will tour Opportunity Enterprises at 2801 Evans Avenue in Valparaiso. Members of the media are invited to attend. Please confirm attendance to Becky Jascoviak atbecky.jascoviak@oppent.org or 219.464.9621

The Indiana Career Explorer (ICE) Pilot Program has expanded by 20 middle schools across the state of Indiana for the upcoming 2018-19 school year. The ICE Pilot Program is designed for eighth-graders to utilize all components of the Indiana Career Explorer tool, including career exploration, career plan development and skills and work values assessments. Local schools joining the ICE Pilot Program include: -Duneland School Corporation: Chesterton Middle School, Chesterton -John Glenn School Corporation: Harold C. Urey Middle School, Walkerton The expansion of the ICE Pilot Program is a result of SEA 297 passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2018

Lazy summer days are not always in the cards for Indiana teachers, who are not paid when classes are not in session. Besides working a job during summer break, some teachers hold a second job after the school bell rings. New data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that nearly one-in-five teachers worked a job outside of the school system during the 2015-2016 school year. President of the Indiana State Teachers Association Teresa Meredith says educators simply are not being paid adequately. Teachers in Indiana earn between $24,000 to $90,000 annually, according to the National Education Association. That's

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a train/pedestrian collision that occurred on Saturday. At approximately 12:30 PM, deputies were dispatched to the South Shore railroad tracks located near the area of East Bell Avenue and North Cottage Grove Avenue in Hudson Lake. Responding deputies were advised a train had struck a pedestrian, possibly a female. Deputies arrived in the area and began a search. A short time later, a female was found underneath the fifth train car. The commuter train, number 506, was traveling west and carrying 122 passengers. The female was identified as a seventeen (17)

In Jasper County an eleven-year old passenger was airlifted after being ejected when their vehicle rolled over on I-65. Preliminary investigation revealed Sunday evening, a 2003 GMC Yukon, was south bound in the right lane on I-65 when the Yukon had a tire failure causing the driver, a 40 year old from Indianapolis, to overcorrect. The Yukon went off the roadway into the center cable barrier and rolled over. The driver was airlifted from the scene to Christ Advocate Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois with non-life threatening injuries. Her passenger, an 11 year old, of Indianapolis was ejected from the