News

Valparaiso City Services (VCS) is inviting the community to participate in one of five upcoming focus group sessions designed to gather input about recycling in Valparaiso. Both recyclers and non-recyclers are encouraged to attend and share their experiences, opinions and ideas. The focus group discussions will help the City of Valparaiso to better understand how residents view the current recycling program, identify community needs and determine the future direction of recycling in Valparaiso. Each session will last approximately 75 minutes and will be held at the Valparaiso City Services Business Office, 205 Billings St. (where water bills are paid). Focus

Please be advised the office of the Solid Waste District of La Porte County and the Compost Site, will be closed Monday, September 1, 2025 in observance of Labor Day. The Compost Site will be open Saturday, August 30, 2025. There will be a One Day Delay in the recycling pickup schedule during the week of September 1st through Saturday, September 6th. The office will reopen Tuesday, September 2nd at 8:00 a.m.

Brown Street between Central Avenue and Independence Avenue will be closed to all traffic today Aug. 28 and again on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 4 and 5 for asphalt crack sealing. See the Portage Police Department Facebook page for any updates.

Michigan City, IN – The City of Michigan City will host its First Annual Opioid Awareness Walk on Thursday, August 28, 2025, as part of its ongoing commitment to combating the opioid epidemic and supporting residents impacted by addiction. The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the Awareness Walk starting from City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd. Immediately following, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., participants may visit the lower level of City Hall, where service providers will be available to share resources; and free Narcan training will be offered to equip community members with lifesaving overdose reversal tools. “Opioid addiction continues

The Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department says they are working on something special and they need the community's help. They're seeking contact info for all the active neighborhood associations and HOAs in town. They already have Elston Grove, Eastport, and Westside contacts on our list. The department said they know there are others out there, they just don't know who to contact. the department said if you know, please tag them in the comments of their post on Facebook or have them contact Kelley Smith in the Mayor's Office at kelley@emichigancity.com.

VALPARAISO, Indiana —August 2025 —The Indiana Department of Health detected a pool of mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile Virus in Porter County. Residents should take precautions when going outside. Taking precautions such as: practicing bite prevention using an EPA-registered insect repellant, wearing long sleeves, eliminating standing water around the home, and avoid going outside during peak feeding at dusk and dawn. Container as small as a bottle cap can become a mosquito breeding site, so residents should take the following steps: • Discard old tires, tin cans, ceramic pots or other containers that can hold stagnant water; •

As part of an initiative to earn Porter County a Heart Safe Community designation, the Porter County Health Department has purchased and installed an automated external defibrillator (AED) outside the Duneland Chamber of Commerce’s building, at 220 Broadway on the far west end of Thomas Centennial Park, the Town of Chesterton is reporting. Heart Safe is a designation awarded by Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory), named in honor of Adam Lemel, a high school student who tragically lost his life to Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Project ADAM is dedicated to raising awareness and providing communities with the necessary tools

In Portage, Lute Road between Willowcreek Road and Airport Road will be closed to traffic on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 28 and 29 (weather permitting) for road milling and asphalt patching, according to the Portage Police Department. Police are asking drivers to use alternate routes. See the Portage Police Department Facebook page for any updates.  

The City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department says it has rescheduled the fireworks show, postponed during LakeFest in July, for this Thursday in Fox Park following a performance by local favorites, Middle of the Road. The band begins at 7 p.m., with the fireworks set for approximately 8:30. On their Facebook page the City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department thanked the LakeFest sponsors for funding the fireworks show, along with the other events at this year's festival. They also thanked the Arts in the Park staff, committee and volunteers for a wonderful summer of music, arts

Press Release by Michigan City Area Schools: MICHIGAN CITY, IN – August 25, 2025 – On July 16, 2025,  Andrea “Andie” Renner-Miller, a paraprofessional at Pine Elementary School, was honored with the Indiana State Teachers’ Association (ISTA) Community Service Award at the organization’s summer conference for her exemplary efforts around Michigan City, both in and outside the classroom. Renner-Miller was nominated by colleague Summer Ray, who teaches Special Education at Pine. “Andie Renner-Miller is exceptional when it comes to someone who gives their life to their community,” said Ray. “She always gives in any way she can without needing anything

Michigan City, IN – The City of Michigan City will host its First Annual Opioid Awareness Walk on Thursday, August 28, 2025, as part of its ongoing commitment to combating the opioid epidemic and supporting residents impacted by addiction.The event will begin at 5 p.m. with the Awareness Walk starting from City Hall, 100 E. Michigan Blvd. Immediately following, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., participants may visit the lower level of City Hall, where service providers will be available to share resources; and free Narcan training will be offered to equip community members with lifesaving overdose reversal tools.“Opioid addiction continues to affect

Press Release by MAAC Foundation: Valparaiso, IN – The MAAC Foundation First Responding Training Campus is proud to announce the 6th Annual First Responder Appreciation & Demonstration Day (FRADD), scheduled for Saturday, September 13th. This highly anticipated event will take place from 9 AM to 1 PM Central at the MAAC campus. FRADD is a free community event and the MAAC Foundation’s largest annual fundraiser. The day honors and supports first responders while giving the public a chance to connect with them, see their training in action, and learn more about the vital work they do. This year's event will feature

In Portage, now through Sept. 2 (excluding weekend and holiday) Portage Avenue will be closed to thru traffic from 8am-2pm for NIPSCO pole replacement. The detour route can be found on the photo / map for this project. See the Portage Indiana Government Facebook Page for any updates.

News Release, Center for Creative Solutions, Inc.:  Architecture is about beautiful buildings plus. Within each structure lies fascinating stories of creatives - the designers, builders and users. La Porte’s historic downtown is no exception. On Saturday, September 20, La Porte County Historian and educator, Bruce Johnson, will tell those stories at this year’s Fall Innovation Forum. Starting at 11 a.m., he will lead a walking tour of significant buildings in the 700 block of Lincolnway in La Porte. For the 17th year, the Center for Creative Solutions is inviting the public to the free event. The tour will begin and

Michigan City Transit will operate on an alternate-hour schedule until further notice: Thank you My Michigan City, Indiana for the update • Routes 1 and 4 will operate on even hours (e.g.,6:30, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30, etc.) • Routes 2 and 3 will operate on odd hours (e.g., 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, 1:30, etc.) This adjustment is necessary as we address important vehicle maintenance to ensure the continued safety and reliability of our fleet. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time. For assistance with trip planning, please contact the Michigan City Transit Office at (219) 873-1502.

HAMMOND - On August 22, 2025, a federal Grand Jury in Hammond, Indiana approved a three count Indictment charging David Michael Reyes with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Reyes was employed as the Director of Buildings and Grounds within the Hammond City School System at the time of his arrest on August 15, 2025, and has been in custody since that date. “Today’s charges stem from the quick and coordinated efforts of local and federal law enforcement, with the full cooperation of the Hammond City School System,”

The Center for Creative Solutions today announced the appointment of Bonita A. Schaaf, Sophie Koss and CarolAnn Brown to its Board of Directors. The Michigan City women have dedicated decades to serving the community. “We are honored to have CarolAnn, Bonnie and Sophie joining us in fulfilling our mission to encourage a creative climate in northwest Indiana. Time and again, and in many different capacities, they have answered the call to help make our community a better place,” said Dale Cooper, President of the Board. Schaaf is a retired attorney and served as Coordinator of Michigan City Teen Court. Since

MICHIGAN CITY, IN, The City of Michigan City and Michigan City Special Events is proud to announce the return of Michigan City’s most requested event, Oktoberfest, presented by Arnett Construction. The four-day festival, being held in Washington Park over Labor Day weekend, August 29 through September 1, will feature over 45 music and entertainment groups, as well as local and regional food, art, craft and merchandise vendors.   Entertainment will be spread over three stages. The Oktoberfest Stage, located in the Oktoberfest Tent, the Sunset Grille Pavilion, and the Sunset Grille Upper Deck will feature a variety of entertainment options

In Jasper County, Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews will conduct seal coating operations resulting in the closure of State Road 10 beginning on or after Tuesday, Aug. 26. State Road 10 will be closed between U.S. 231 and State Road 49 for approximately three days. The official detour for this closure will follow U.S. 231, State Road 14 and State Road 49. Through traffic should utilize the detour or seek an alternate route. Local traffic should exercise caution and follow traffic directions carefully in the area where work is occurring. This work is weather sensitive so the schedule is

Michigan City — As summer winds down, the Michigan City Police Department is partnering with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) to prevent impaired driving and save lives. From August 16 through August 30, officers will increase patrols and conduct sobriety checkpoints as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national enforcement campaign, led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Our top priority is keeping our roads and our community safe,” said Captain Greg Jesse. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal