News

Congressman Pete Visclosky announced the details of then 2018 Congressional Art Competition for high school students from Indiana’s First Congressional District. Each year, the Congressional Institute and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor the Congressional Art Competition as an opportunity to promote the artistic talent in each Congressional District. There is no required theme for the submission; however, themes from Northwest Indiana, United States history, government, and culture are encouraged. The grand prize winner will have their artwork displayed in the United States Capitol for one year, and will receive two (2) complimentary round-trip tickets to attend a ceremony unveiling

The public is invited to celebrate Women’s History Month at the Barker Mansion on Saturday, March 10. Back and revamped for it’s second year, Wild Women and Wine will highlight the unconventional women who have shaped Northwest Indiana history through the decades. The evening begins at 7 pm Central Time with wine and sweets. The highlight of the event will be a performance from Metamorphis Traveling Theatre titled The Duneland Diaries. During the show, which will be held in the mansion’s Drawing Room, two of the eccentric, eye-turning women of La Porte county will meet head-to-head. Diana of the Dunes and Belle Gunness

Horizon Bank announced the recent grant award to the Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum in Westville. The grant, in the amount of $5,000, was presented on January 17, 2018 by Jim Neff, President of Horizon Bank to Leslie Plesac, Executive Director of the Sinai Forum. Funds will be used to support the Forum’s mission, which is to enrich the quality of life in Northwest Indiana by featuring speakers who can engage our community in conversations about today’s important issues in a town hall format. Several topics are discussed such as politics, race and policy, physics, history, economics and sport.

To celebrate 30 years, The Michigan Education Trust (MET) is giving away $30,000 in prizes. Ten lucky families will win $3,000 towards their child's future college education. Parents of a Michigan child age 0-17 can enter the "How We MET" Sweepstakes at METforCollege.org. One winner will be drawn each month through August, and two winners will be drawn in September. Prize money can be applied towards a new or existing MET Pay-As-You-Go contract. To purchase a MET contract, or to sign up for a free interactive webinar to learn more about saving for college, visit MET's website at SETwithMET.com.

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and its Four Winds Casinos announced that the 2018 Four Winds Invitational will be held from Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10 at Blackthorn Golf Club, located at 6100 Nimtz Parkway, South Bend. The seventh annual tournament will feature a field of professional women golfers from around the world competing on the Symetra Tour – Road to the LPGA. The 2018 tournament will include 144 golfers who will be playing for a $150,000 purse. More information is available at fourwindsinvitational.com

The United States Census Bureau has released data on Indiana home building in the first month of 2018, indicating a small decrease for single-family construction starts for January. Single-family permits are down 10% from December 2017 when 948 permits were pulled. There were 858 permits pulled in January of 2018, a 1% decrease from January of 2017 when 868 permits were pulled. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes remains steady in January at 72, on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales

The Michigan City High School Choral and Band departments will be presenting three concerts during the month of March. Classics Night I will take place on Tuesday, March 6th, at 7 pm in the high school auditorium. This concert will feature all of the high school choral groups. Classics Night II will take place on Thursday, March 8th, at 7 pm in the high school auditorium. This concert will feature all of the high school bands. Swing Night will take place on Wednesday, March 14th, at 7 pm in the high school auditorium. This concert will feature the Treble Chorale,

The Portage Police department is hosting an “Active Shooter Survival Guide for Teachers administrators and Office Staff” workshop. Portage Township Schools staff are encouraged to register for any of the dates (March 13th, 20th, April 10th, April 17th). Contact Debbie Bolin at 764-5713 or dbolin@portage-in.com. Classes will be held at the Portage Police Department and are from 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) hosted the first Indiana gathering of teachers and scholars launching the Big History Project in the state. Nearly 30 PNW faculty members and several educators from Northwest Indiana K-12 schools gathered recently at PNW's Hammond Campus to kick off the Big History Project in Indiana. The session was led by Bob Regan, education director of bgc3, and Bob Bain of the University of Michigan, lead faculty member of Big History. What is Big History? Dubbed "a social studies course that runs on jet fuel," the Big History Project is inspired by the work of notable historian

In Michigan City, on Wednesday March 21st beginning at 8:30am plastic eggs with candy filled for the upcoming Easter egg hunt. This will take place in the Senior Center located in Washington Park. Refreshments and drinks will be provided throughout the day. Lunch will be served at 11:00am. You may stop in for a few hours to assist. As many volunteers as possible are needed to fill 50,000 eggs. MCPD is seeking donations to cover the cost of the event and to purchase additional gifts for the children. Special coins will be placed in various plastic eggs that entitle the

There is an opening in Porter County for the position of Fourth Deputy Treasurer. Applications and/or resumes will be accepted at the Treasurer’s Office counter, 155 Indiana Avenue, Suite 209, Valparaiso, IN 46383. Applications may be acquired at the receptionist console at this same address. Mark the envelope “Porter County Treasurer, Confidential”. This is a full-time non-exempt position with benefits and an annual salary of $40,000. A probationary period applies for the first ninety (90) days. During this period the salary is based on 95% of the offered salary. For more information and to download an application visit: www.porterco.org/Jobs

Efforts to protect Lake Michigan and it’s critical shoreline habitat received a big boost from the Indiana Supreme Court earlier this month. A unanimous decision by the Court on a beach access case focused on defining whether the lake’s shoreline is in the public trust or private control. The Court’s decision is the most expansive state affirmation of the public trust doctrine along the Great Lakes shoreline, firmly putting the state’s Lake Michigan shorelands into public, not private, ownership. The case boosts protection efforts for vital shoreline habitat areas, which serve as a buffer zone between the lake and the

Hoosiers affected by severe weather and flooding in Indiana will have convenient access to assistance, as the State of Indiana opens three state assistance centers in Northern Indiana. Three one-stop disaster centers will open the week of Monday, March 5. Lake County: 3460 Vermillion Street, Lake Station Indiana 46405 (Polk Elementary School, in the gymnasium.) Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jasper County: 112 Carnation Street SE, Demotte Indiana 46310 (Demotte Town Hall) Open Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Open Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Elkhart County: 608 Oakland Drive, Elkhart Indiana

Have you ever wanted to view La Porte County from the skies? Are you curious about what the towns looked like from the 1950’s, or right before the La Porte overpass was built? The La Porte County Historical Society Museum is having a display entitled “Up Up and Away!: A look at Aerial Photography from La Porte County!”, offering aerial photographic views throughout the decades. This current Spring display will be up from March 1st to the end of May 2018. The exhibit features an array of stunning photos from the collection of the Historical Society that show the growth

University Park Mall, a Simon mall, announced this week that the center will serve as a donation location for the American Red Cross as it works to offer relief for Hoosiers affected by the catastrophic flooding in northern Indiana. Throughout the month of March, shoppers may stop by Guest Services to make a cash donation to the American Red Cross. The mall will also donate all change tossed in the fountain to this worthy cause. In addition, donations can be made by phone by calling 1-800-513-2599, or by texting Red Cross to 90999. The Department of Homeland Security reports that

Burns Harbor Town Councilman Kevin Tracy is shaving his head on Sunday, March 11 to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research.  The event hosted by the Northwest Indiana Cancer Kids (NICK) foundation benefits the St. Baldrick’s Foundation; which is a charity dedicated to funding promising research towards finding cures for childhood cancers. Of all federal funding directed at cancer research, only 4% makes its way to childhood-specific cancers, creating an enormous funding gap.  Tracy said, “the problem is only more obvious when you realize the average age of a child receiving a cancer diagnosis is only 6 years

Friday morning just before 1 a.m. the Porter County Sheriff’s Department attempted to stop a vehicle just outside the city limits, in the area, of Highway 130 and Froberg Rd. The vehicle sped off and refused to stop. The vehicle entered the city, in the area, of Ransom Rd and Campbell St. Officers from the Porter County Sheriff’s Department and the Valparaiso Police Department attempted to stop the vehicle and the driver continued to drive in a reckless and dangerous manner. The pursuit continued south bound on Campbell St to Indiana Ave. The vehicle traveled eastbound thru numerous streets in

Gov. Holcomb, on Thursday, signed an executive order creating an Office of Apprenticeships & Work-Based Learning to help more people skill-up for good paying jobs with Indiana companies. The new state office will work to double the number of Hoosiers who participate in apprenticeships or other work-based learning programs by 2020 and will expand these valuable opportunities for both students and working adult Hoosiers in a more diverse range of industry sectors.To boost apprenticeship programs for working adults, the Office of Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning will work with the U.S. Department of Labor to enhance and expand federally approved apprenticeships.

Michigan City Human Rights Commission will kick off Disability Awareness Month by saying “thank you” to Michigan City Area Schools (MCAS) bus drivers and monitors and Student Support Services staff on Wednesday, March 7. Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer will make his way around town to recognize transportation and special education staff excellence. His first stop will be take place at 8:45 a.m. at the Bus Barn located at 1100 South Woodland Avenue where coffee and donuts will be served. Later on in the day, Mayor Meer will address staff from the MCAS Student Support Services Department during a cake

24 year old Roddell Durbin, Jr., appeared Thursday before a St. Joseph County Superior Court judge and was sentenced to 10 years for Possession of Child Pornography. Three (3) of those years are to be executed in the Indiana Department of Correction, with seven (7) years of the sentence suspended. He was also sentenced to 2 years reporting probation upon his release from the DOC, when he will also be required to register as a sex offender. Mr. Durbin previously pled guilty by agreement to all four counts with which he was charged in September 2017. Of these four counts,