News

State Fire Marshal’s Office Called to Aid Fatal House Fire Investigation   Liberty Township – At approximately 5:11 AM on Friday February 20th, Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a residential house fire in the 1000 block of Pearson Road (C.R. 125 West) in Liberty Township.   First arriving responders reported the structure was fully engulfed. Assistant Chief Michael Wineland responding to the scene activated a First Alarm to bring additional responders to the scene to aid.   Early reports stated there was a male and female inside the home when the fire broke out. The conditions of

Kokomo Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison For Possession of Child Pornography   SOUTH BEND – Last week, Keith Hall, 27 years old, of Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.   Hall was sentenced to 188 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $250 to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act of 2018.

Investigators seeking assistance from the public with a hit and run crash investigation On February 14th at 6:50 PM, the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call regarding a bicyclist that was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of South Woodland Avenue and Pear Street. Officers from Uniform Patrol Shift 2 responded to the scene and located a 50-year-old female bicyclist suffering from multiple injuries. LaPorte County EMS transported the bicyclist to Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City with life threatening injuries. The bicyclist was then transferred to a hospital in South Bend for more advanced medical

Goodwill’s Academy Automotive Program Celebrates Graduates on February 27   Goodwill Industries of Michiana will celebrate 12 graduating students from its Academy Automotive program on Friday, February 27, 2026, from 12:30–2:30 p.m. at Goodwill’s Bendix Campus, 2721 Kenwood Avenue, South Bend.   The Academy Automotive program is designed for individuals with no experience to receive free, high-quality training that will prepare them for industry careers in St. Joseph County. Participants can earn entry-level ASE certifications, Hunter Alignment certification, and S/P2 Safety Certification. Classes are held at Goodwill’s Bendix Campus in South Bend.   Since its inception in 2023, 108 students

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM EST /MIDNIGHT CST/SUNDAY TO 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ MONDAY...   * WHAT...Lake effect snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 3 and 5 inches with locally higher amounts possible.   * WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.   * WHEN...From 1 AM EST /midnight CST/ Sunday to 1 PM EST /noon CST/ Monday.   * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.   * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...A system will bring light snow with some lake enhancement tonight into Sunday. The greatest snowfall rates and a

Lake County- Early this morning, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Indiana State Police troopers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 65 near the 256.4 mile-marker in the northbound lanes, just north of 61st Avenue. Preliminary investigation indicates the crash involved a wrong-way driver who was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-65 which resulted in a head-on crash. The investigation shows a silver 2022 Toyota was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-65 when it struck a 2016 Ford head-on. The driver of the Toyota had to be extricated by local fire personnel and, due to the severity

An off-duty Gary police officer and his family were taken to area hospitals yesterday when the police squad car the family was riding in collided with a semi.   Just after 6 pm Thursday, February 19th, Lake County Sheriff’s Department police officers were dispatched to a crash with several injuries near the intersection of West Ridge Road and Hendricks Place in Gary.   A preliminary investigation revealed the driver of the Gary Police SUV was traveling westbound on Ridge Road when a semi turned north in front of the SUV to enter a parking lot on Ridge Road.   The

Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. West wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Snow likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Sunday Snow likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Northwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. Sunday Night Snow likely. Cloudy, with a

  Michigan City – February 19, 2026 – Choral students from several Michigan City Area Schools took part in the District I Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contest on Saturday, January 31, at Portage High School, returning with many gold ratings. Thirty students from the MCHS Choral Department participated, and seven of them will move on to the ISSMA State Solo and Ensemble Competition at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis on Saturday, February 21. Those students are Ashlynn Bright, Paige Merrill, Madi Moye, Maddy Parry, Younha Seppyes, and Jen Serrano. At the contest, several MCHS

NOVAK’S BILL SUPPORTING VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HEADS TO THE GOVERNOR’S DESK   HB 1048 increases the yearly minimum allowance for volunteer firefighters from $100 to $250   INDIANAPOLIS - Earlier this week, State Rep. Randy Novak (D-Michigan City) filed for a motion to concur on the amendments added in the Senate to his House Bill 1048. HB 1048, which increases the yearly minimum allowance for volunteer fire department members from $100 to $250, helping offset the cost of essential clothing and vehicle-related expenses, now moves to the Governor’s desk for final approval.   Novak released the following statement on the bill’s

  A new, nationwide study of high school policies in all 50 states finds that Indiana is leading the way in preparing students for life after graduation. The study, released Wednesday by the XQ Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, specifically focuses on rethinking high school, ensuring it maximizes the impact for students. The Future Is High School: A Strategy for State Leaders to Accelerate Learning, Work, and American Renewal identifies 10 policy actions to make high school more rigorous, engaging, and career connected. With six of these policy actions in place and another underway, Indiana is a national model in preparing students for the

Eric Dane became a star with his role as Dr. Mark Sloan — a.k.a. McSteamy — in Grey’s Anatomy. Dane's death comes 10 months after he went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans PHOTO CREDIT and Picture-PEOPLE

WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST /5 PM EST/ THIS AFTERNOON... * WHAT...West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of north central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. * WHEN...Until 4 PM CST /5 PM EST/ this afternoon. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. ******************************************************************************************************************* Today A chance of rain and snow before 9am, then a chance of snow between 9am and noon. Mostly cloudy, with a steady temperature around 38. Windy, with a

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announced today that $179.8 million in federal transportation funding is being awarded to 50 cities, towns, and counties in rural portions of Indiana to invest in local road and bridge improvements and sidewalk projects. For this latest round of funding, rural communities will design, develop and purchase right-of-way for local projects. While the funds awarded now are dedicated to construction, INDOT will also financially participate in design, engineering, and right-of-way acquisition components. Federal transportation funds are leveraged by many communities to rehabilitate or replace local bridges. As INDOT continues to partner with local governments

Ivy Tech Community College Hosts Financial Aid Workshops, Offers Scholarship Opportunities   Valparaiso, IN – Ivy Tech Community College will host free workshop February 22, 2026 to help students and community members apply for financial aid. Workshop will be held from 2pm to 4pm CT at the Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus.   The workshop will assist Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA MUST be

The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra announces auditions for the 21st and final Hoosier Star vocal competition and concert. La Porte, February 13, 2026 - The La Porte County Symphony Orchestra is pleased to announce open auditions for the Grand Finale Hoosier Star vocal competition. Auditions will be held on Saturday, April 25 from 9 to 5 pm CDT at the Presbyterian Church of La Porte, 307 Kingsbury Ave.,La Porte, IN 46350. After 20 incredible years, the LCSO is closing this chapter of its history. Since 2006, Hoosier Star has given amateur vocalists the opportunity to perform with an orchestra, helping

This morning at 12:29 AM, Deputy Matt Buell was traveling westbound along US 30. He observed an eastbound vehicle approaching him traveling in excess of the 60 miles per hour posted speed limit. The speed of the vehicle was measured at 110 MPH by Deputy Buell’s radar unit. The eastbound speeding vehicle passed CR 450 West, eventually SR 39, and continued traveling into Starke County with Deputy Buell giving chase. The fleeing vehicle traveled south on US 35, west on CR 250 North, south on Range Road, and east on SR 8. Assisting units successfully deployed a set of tire

HAMMOND BECOMES FOCUS OF NEW BEARS STADIUM-from Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, in a 24-0 vote, amended Senate Bill 27 and named Hammond as the location for a new Chicago Bears stadium. “This is a very important step in the effort the State of Indiana has made to bring the Chicago Bears to Indiana. It confirms that if the Bears move to Indiana, it’s going to be to Hammond,” said Hammond Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr. “I want to thank Governor Braun, Speaker Huston, Senator Mishler, Representative Harris, and the Indiana Finance

Today A 50 percent chance of rain after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before midnight, then a chance of rain. Low around 35. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest 15 to 20 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Friday A chance of rain and snow, mainly between 11am and noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near

The Michigan City Police Department would like to welcome their newest officer Jonathon Phelps, a lateral transfer with over 8 years of experience. The Michigan City Police Department stated, "We understand transitioning to a new department brings both anticipation and uncertainty; yet, we know his skills, knowledge, and experience have prepared him for success. We are confident that the arrival of Officer Phelps will have a lasting, positive impact on our department and those we serve in the community. On behalf of the entire department, welcome. We are proud to have Officer Phelps on our team."