News

General Insurance Services, Inc (GIS) announced a strategic partnership with U.S. and American Insurance Services of Hobart. GIS will be retaining U.S. and American Insurance Services’ Hobart location at 8085 Randolph Street, making this the fourth GIS office in the region. The addition of this new office provides GIS the opportunity to expand the agency’s footprint in Northwest Indiana, and strategically compliments their other offices located in La Porte, Michigan City, and Valparaiso. For more information on General Insurance Services, please visit https://www.genins.com.

Michigan City Fire Chief Randy Novak is proud to announce that two new members of the Michigan City Fire Department recently graduated from the South Bend Fire Academy, along with the recent retirement of Firefighter Doug Gardner. The Michigan City Fire Department would like to congratulate Firefighter Doug Gardner on his recent retirement. Firefighter Gardner served the community of Michigan City for 34 years. Doug Gardner was known for his dedication to the “Tried and true methods of firefighting”, know your truck and know how to use the equipment in it like the back of your hand! Doug was a

Financial aid professionals will volunteer at Indiana University Northwest and 39 other Indiana sites to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday, set for 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 25 in Hawthorn Hall, Room 454. For more information about College Goal Sunday, call the Helpline at 800-992-2076 or visit www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

As cold temperatures continue, NIPSCO is reminding customers to keep their electric and natural gas meters free of snow and ice. Although meters are designed to withstand winter weather conditions, heavy or hard-packed snow and ice, icicles falling from building eaves, or water dripping from a roof and freezing on the meter could create potential safety hazards. Snow and ice should be cleared around fresh air and exhaust vents to prevent equipment malfunction and buildup of toxic fumes and carbon monoxide. Customers are urged to use caution when clearing snow off flat roofs, particularly in commercial or industrial buildings. There

Michigan City Human Rights Commission (MCHRC) is pleased to announce its partnership with Studio M and “Dance with Me,” a creative movement class designed for people with disabilities to provide the opportunity to experience joy through the art of dance. The 8-week class will be held on Fridays at 5 p.m. at Studio M located at 703 Pearl Street (behind the MC Police Department) in Michigan City. The partnership was built with the disability community in mind but is open to ALL people so that everyone has an outlet where they can enjoy the freeing nature of dance and music.

Porter County Juvenile Services Center is looking for a part-time (male and female) Detention Officer. Detention officers are responsible for monitoring and supervising behavior and activities of assigned juvenile residents and manages specific areas of facility operation. Check out porterco.org/jobs for more on this opening.

Hunters can apply online for a reserved turkey hunt by visiting hunting.IN.gov and clicking on the "Reserved Hunt Info" link. The application period runs now through March 18th. No late entries will be accepted. The online method is the only way to apply. Applicants must possess a hunting license valid for the hunt for which they are applying.

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) is reminding Hoosiers that influenza activity continues to be high and widespread across Indiana and is urging people to take precautions against the illness, which has claimed 167 Indiana lives so far this flu season. According to ISDH’s weekly influenza report, emergency departments and outpatient providers continue to see increased visits from individuals with flu-like illness. Flu outbreaks also have increased in schools and long-term care facilities. To view the ISDH weekly flu report, go to https://www.in.gov/isdh/25462.htm.

IN.gov, announced that it has released an update to the State of Indiana’s Amazon Alexa skill allowing citizens to check on county-level travel statuses. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security compiles travel statuses through each county’s emergency management agency. To search for travel advisories, say "Alexa, ask Indiana for travel advisories". Alexa will ask for which county users are searching for. Users can initially ask for the status of a specific county when making the request. In addition to Travel Advisory, citizens can use Alexa to find contact information for state employees and information about state agencies all by saying,

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department announces that registration is now open for the Michigan City Youth Baseball League and the Girls Youth Softball League. Deadline to register for each is April 1, 2018. Registration can be done at the Park Office (lower level of City Hall) or online at www.mcparksandrec.com Cost is $30 for 5-6 year olds (with discounts for multiple immediate family members for T-Ball only). Cost is $50 for 7-15 year olds (with discounts for immediate family members for both Baseball and Girls Youth Softball). The season is from May through mid-July and includes 12 regular games with

On Friday, Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson introduced the newly updated Indianavoters.com website. The newly updated website has streamlined the voter registration process, enables voters to share they are registered on social media, and will provide election night results. Voters who need to register for the 2018 elections can log on to Indianavoters.com today to register. To register to vote online, you must have a valid driver’s license or state identification card, be a citizen of the United States, be at least 18 years old on or before the next general election, have lived in your precinct for at

An Indiana State Trooper got his police car stuck in a snowbank Saturday afternoon but two residents came to his rescue. Trooper Anthony Potesta was making a turn in his 2016 Dodge Charger police car onto the 2200 block of Harrison Street in Gary when he hit a pile of slushy snow; this caused the Charger to go into a nearby snowbank and become stuck. Troopers Jason Pratt and Alissa Partyka were nearby and began to help Potesta shovel out his car. William (last name unknown) who was driving by stopped his car and began to help the troopers shovel.

On Saturday morning, Ric Federighi and Team WIMS hosted the Rittenhouse Village At Michigan City 9th Annual Valentine’s Bazaar Event featuring over 25 vendors. 30 year, Seasoned Executive Chef, Leland Andersen, provided a delicious breakfast and the proceeds from breakfast and booth rentals will go to Alzheimer’s & Dementia Services of Northern Indiana, who have been raising money to help patients, families and caregivers facing the challenges imposed by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.

The Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad will match a $300,000 grant from the Industrial Rail Service Fund to make $600,000 in improvements along the railroad line that runs from La Crosse to Wellsboro, Ind. The grant was awarded via the Indiana Department of Transportation, which manages the IRS Fund on behalf of the state CKIN was one of only 10 applicants to receive grant awards, and will match the grant funds 100-percent with private money. More than 4,400 new cross ties will be installed on the 15-mile stretch of line that runs through La Porte County.

The Biggest Networking Event in Portage is almost here! The 15th Annual Portage Community & Business Night only happens once a year and this year the event will be held on April 19th. Sponsored by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce, The Portage Community & Business Night gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their services and/or products to over 750 people in the community. Members of the community will explore over 100 local businesses and service organizations. This event will be open to the public on Thursday, April 19th from 4pm-7pm at Woodland Park, $2 entry fee. For more check

Michigan City’s Barker Mansion will offer a buy-one-get-one free tour admission on Valentine’s Day when you give your partner a kiss at check-in. A guided mansion tour will be offered at 1 pm Central Time on Wednesday, February 14. A cost of $8 per adult, and $5 per senior or youth applies in lieu of the discount. Reservations are not needed. The deal is offered in honor of John and Katherine Barker’s 125th wedding anniversary. The couple wedded on February 14, 1893, at nearby Trinity Church. The Barker family owned the largest freight car factory in the Midwest. Katherine was

Westchester Public Library presents the film Lucky on Sunday, February 18, at 1:30 p.m., in the Baugher Center, 100 W. Indiana Avenue, Chesterton. No registration is necessary, and attendance is free of charge. Enjoy complimentary popcorn while watching the movie. Lucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. Having out lived and out smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self exploration, leading towards that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. Acclaimed character

Purdue University Northwest, through a generous gift from the Taltree Arboretum & Gardens Foundation's Board of Directors and Damien and Rita Gabis, is now operating the 300-plus-acre arboretum near Valparaiso long known as Taltree Arboretum & Gardens. The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Feb. 9) approved the renaming of the property to Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest. All legal and real estate transactions required to finalize the transfer of ownership of the property were completed Jan. 31. Purdue Northwest (PNW) will continue to operate the property as an arboretum for public, educational, conservation and recreational use. No immediate

Both Purdue University Northwest campuses at Hammond and Westville will remain closed all day Saturday, Feb. 10. Classes are canceled and all campus facilities are closed to students, guests and university personnel except those responding to weather-related matters. All events on both campuses are canceled for the day.

On February 6th, 2018 at approximately 12:59pm the Michigan City Police Department responded to a hit and run accident with injuries at the intersection of US Hwy 20 and Hitchcock St. Upon their arrival officers found two victims trapped in a heavily damaged sport utility vehicle. A preliminary investigation revealed that the SUV was traveling southbound on Hitchcock Street when it entered the intersection of US Hwy 20 and was broadsided by a westbound semi-truck which had disregarded the traffic signal. Following the impact, the semi-truck and its driver fled the scene westbound on US Hwy 20. Despite a thorough