News

On Thursday, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) spoke at a briefing hosted by the U.S. Senate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus focused on the benefits of CTE for veterans. Senator Young, a co-chair of the Senate CTE Caucus, highlighted how veterans transitioning into the workforce face many challenges, especially with applying the skills learned in military service to civilian jobs. Career and technical education offers veterans a chance to capitalize on their skills by obtaining a credential, whether that be a certificate, associate’s degree, or other type of degree. “Career and technical education programs help ensure every Hoosier has

The LaPorte County Election Board announced that Absentee Voting is now taking place at the Courthouse in La Porte and the Courthouse in Michigan City. The hours for Absentee Voting are as follows: Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; Saturday April 28th and Saturday May 5th: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and Monday May 9th: 8:00 am to 12 noon.

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced 13 appointments to the state’s Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, a new group created during the 2018 legislative session to assess and realign Indiana’s workforce development programs and services. This includes Mark Kara (Hobart), assistant to the coordinator for Local 150 Operating Engineers and Jená Bellezza (Crown Point), vice president of strategic partnerships and branding for the Indiana Parenting Institute. In addition to assessing and aligning the state’s workforce programs and services, the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet will also develop the state’s first career coaching and navigation program and assess career and technical education outcomes. Other cabinet members

Michigan City’s elegant Barker Mansion gardens will be the setting for a Mother’s Day painting class on Saturday, May 12. Artist Esther Lundmark of Lundmark Studios will facilitate the class. No experience is necessary; Lundmark will guide students step-by-step as they complete a painting featuring a teacup. Two sessions will be held, 10 am and 2 pm Central Time, and space is very limited. Cost is $35 per youth and $45 per adult, ages 18+. Minimum age requirement is eight years old. Cookies, lemonade, and Barker Mansion-blend tea will be served during the event. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite

Superior Foods Company located in Kentwood, Michigan is voluntarily recalling a specific lot of Smoked Salmon Spreads (487 lbs.) that were produced on March 26, 2018. This voluntary action is being undertaken in cooperation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Listeria monocytogenes was identified through routine inspection and testing by MDARD. The products in question could potentially be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, pregnant women and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals may

Governor Eric Holcomb is directing flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honor former First Lady Barbara Bush. Flags should be flown at half-staff from now until sunset on the day of her burial, Saturday. Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents across the state to lower their flags to half-staff to honor her.

The Lutheran Foundation , through their mental health initiative, LookUpIndiana.org (LookUp), has partnered with members of the Regional Mental Health Coalition of Northeast Indiana to produce a video series titled “Today’s Drugs”. The objective of the video series is to educate the community on the dangers of today’s drugs. Drug poisoning deaths have increased dramatically over the last 5 years. While the most dramatic increase in deaths has involved opioids, there have also been increases in deaths involving cocaine, methamphetamine, synthetic drugs, and marijuana. This is due in part to drugs being much more potent than in the past. InThere

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is pleased to announce the appointment of George F. Kacenga, Ph.D. as its first executive director of Global Engagement effective July 1, 2018. "After a nationwide search among a field of strong candidates, we are excited to have Dr. Kacenga, with his background and expertise, leading our strategic efforts to extend Purdue Northwest's global programs and initiatives," said PNW Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Ralph O. Mueller. Kacenga most recently served as director of International Enrollment Management in the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at the University of Colorado Denver. During his tenure, he

Michigan City High School art students recently created a mural in Barker Mansion’s lower level. The artwork features a Haskell and Barker Car Company logo from the 1800’s, which was found on letterhead in the mansion’s archives. Students completing the mural were senior Kara Davis, and sophomores Alexis Reynolds and Armani Torrance-Worlds. Art instructors Deanna Ehrhardt and Sue Cleveland supervised the project. “Painting at Barker Mansion was a very positive experience. The employees were very friendly which made the atmosphere welcoming, and I was also fortunate to be able to roam the historical halls at the mansion,” said Reynolds, who also

Operation Stop Scams continues in Indiana and across the nation this week. It's sponsored by A-A-R-P and features a month-long series of events in communities coast-to-coast to fight fraud. They include paper-shredding opportunities and fraud-education programs. Jason Tomcsi with A-A-R-P Indiana says scammers are always on the prowl, but there are certain times of the year, such as around tax time, that they really step up their game. Free paper-shredding events are being held this week in Evansville, Central Indiana and Fort Wayne.

NIPSCO is offering a limited number of free trees to NIPSCO electric customers through Energy-Saving Trees, an Arbor Day Foundation program that helps conserve energy and reduce energy bills through strategic tree planting. Participants will receive the trees at an ideal time for planting along with information on how to plant them in the most strategic location near their homes or businesses. NIPSCO electric customers can reserve their trees at www.arborday.org/nipsco . Requests will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. Before starting any digging projects, NIPSCO reminds customers to always remember to call 811, the free national safe digging hotline, to

The Michigan City Police Department is requesting the public's assistance in locating Travis Germain. Mr. Germain has an active warrant through the LaPorte County Sheriff's Department for one count of Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury , Battery, Possession of Legend Drug Without a Prescription, and Theft. Please contact the Michigan City Police Department at (219) 874-3221 Ext. 1000 if Mr. Germain is located.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and the La Porte County DUI Task Force are announcing that it will be increasing enforcement and patrols around prom and post-prom sites this spring. The goal is to deter alcohol use and eliminate alcohol related crashes among La Porte County high school prom attendees. Proms in La Porte County will begin Saturday, April 21st and conclude May 18th. Between these dates, South Central, Westville, La Crosse, New Prairie, Michigan City, La Porte, Marquette and La Lumiere will all conduct proms. The Sheriff’s Office and DUI Task Force will saturate the areas around each

After two grueling days of competing robots, robotics team 1747 - Harrison Boiler Robotics from West Lafayette, robotics team 868 - TechHOUNDS from Carmel, and robotics team 3936 - RoboBlitz from Michigan City have emerged as champions from the IndianaFIRST State Championship. In order to win, these teams were required to face 31 other teams from across Indiana in a series of qualification matches. The outstanding performance from robotics team 1747 - Harrison Boiler Robotics from West Lafayette Indiana put them as captain of the number one seeded alliance. This allowed them to pick team 868 - TechHOUNDS from Carmel,

The Michigan City Chamber Music Festival (MCCMF) will present a concert on Sunday, May 6, 3:00 p.m., 1st Presbyterian Church, Michigan City, IN.  The program is titled “Viola Virtuosity,” and features two of the world’s finest viola players; Rudolf Haken and Istvan Szabo. Admission to the concert is free, and a “meet the artists” reception immediately follows the performance.  Works by W.A. Mozart and Boris Zeidman will be featured. The event is free and open to the public. For more information go to mccmf.com.

The LaPorte County Election Board in announcing that Absentee Voting is now taking place at the Courthouse in La Porte and the Courthouse in Michigan City. The hours for Absentee Voting are as follows: Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; Saturday April 28th and Saturday May 5th: 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and Monday May 9th: 8:00 am to 12 noon.

La Porte County Prosecuting Attorney John Espar and United States Attorney Thomas Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana, held to a press conference to announce criminal charges resulting from a federal and local collaboration of the offices of Prosecuting Attorney Espar and United States Attorney Kirsch, and the investigative collaborations of the La Porte County Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, La Porte City Police Department, Michigan City Police Department, La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, Porter County Sheriff’s Office and the US Department of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. 45 year old Eric R. Weiler, of LaPorte, was charged in a six Count

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) hopes to inspire superheroes among its alumni, faculty, staff, parents, friends and students by making a pledge of support during the Purdue Northwest Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 25. The once-a-year event is a non-stop, 24-hour opportunity to support PNW’s student scholarships, academic programs, athletics and more. Designed to provide a convenient, daylong opportunity to make a monetary gift of any amount to PNW, last year’s Day of Giving raised more than $900,000. Donations can be made online beginning at 11 p.m. CDT, or local time in Northwest Indiana, on Tuesday, April 24 at pnw.edu/dayofgiving.

There was a Fatal train accident during the Monday afternoon rush. A freight train struck a vehicle near the Lake & Porter County Line Road at Route 12 & County Line Rd on the east side of Gary. This caused Eastbound South Shore Trains to have slight delays for the rest of the evening. Check back for updates.

LaPorte County Democratic Chairman Jim Kimmel has announced that the Democratic Headquarters in Michigan City and LaPorte have been opened as preparations for the upcoming May 8 Primary Election have begun. “With voter registration now closed, and early voting now taking place, the Democratic Party Headquarters are a location to pick up literature on candidates and yards signs to support your candidate(s) of choice”, said Kimmel. The LaPorte Headquarters is located at the Democratic Building at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds and the Michigan City Headquarters is located at 1810 US Highway 20 (Evergreen Plaza). Both locations will be open Monday,