Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 11:00 PM CDT. Source: U.S. National Weather Service

LESSTHE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 429 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT /11 PM CDT/ TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN INDIANA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 24 COUNTIES IN NORTHERN INDIANA ADAMS ALLEN IN BLACKFORD CASS IN DE KALB ELKHART FULTON IN GRANT HUNTINGTON JAY KOSCIUSKO LA PORTE LAGRANGE MARSHALL MIAMI NOBLE PULASKI ST. JOSEPH IN STARKE STEUBEN WABASH WELLS WHITE WHITLEY IN MICHIGAN THIS WATCH INCLUDES 5 COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN BERRIEN BRANCH CASS MI HILLSDALE ST. JOSEPH MI IN OHIO THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST OHIO DEFIANCE PAULDING VAN WERT WILLIAMS THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF AKRON, ALBION, ANGOLA, ANTWERP, AUBURN, BASS LAKE, BENTON HARBOR, BENTON HEIGHTS, BERNE, BLUFFTON, BREMEN, BRONSON, BROOKSTON, BRYAN, BUCHANAN, CASSOPOLIS, COLDWATER, COLUMBIA CITY, CULVER, DECATUR, DEFIANCE, DOWAGIAC, DUNKIRK, EDGERTON, ELKHART, FAIR PLAIN, FORT WAYNE, FRANCESVILLE, FREMONT, GARRETT, GAS CITY, GOSHEN, GRISSOM AFD, HARTFORD CITY, HICKSVILLE, HILLSDALE, HUNTINGTON, JONESVILLE, KENDALLVILLE, KNOX, LA PORTE, LAGRANGE, LIGONIER, LITCHFIELD, LOGANSPORT, MARCELLUS, MARION, MEDARYVILLE, MENDON, MENTONE, MEXICO, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, MONON, MONTICELLO, MONTPELIER, MONTPELIER, NAPPANEE, NEW CARLISLE, NEW HAVEN, NILES, NORTH JUDSON, NORTH MANCHESTER, OHIO CITY, OSSIAN, PAULDING, PAW PAW LAKE, PAYNE, PERU, PLYMOUTH, PORTLAND, ROANOKE, ROCHESTER, ROYAL CENTER, SHERWOOD, SHIPSHEWANA, SOUTH BEND, SOUTH WHITLEY, ST. JOSEPH, STURGIS, SYRACUSE, THREE RIVERS, TOPEKA, TRI-LAKES, UPLAND, VAN WERT, WABASH, WALKERTON, WARSAW, WHITE PIGEON, WINAMAC, AND WINONA LAKE.

The driver of a passenger vehicle passed away following a head-on collision with a pick-up truck in the 8200 East block of U.S. 6 in La Porte County on Friday morning.

According to Riverside auto accident lawyers, the driver of the passenger vehicle, whose name has not been released, was found dead at the scene. A two-year-old child was injured while restrained in a car seat and was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

The driver of the pick-up truck was airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for injuries sustained in the crash.

Police believe the pick-up truck sideswiped a semi tractor trailer prior to the head-on collision, but finalized information will be released following an investigation by the La Porte County Fatal Alcohol Crase Team as well as by the auto accident injury lawyer hired by the victim’s family.

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Department was assisted at the scene by La Porte County EMS, La Porte County Coroner’s Office, Walkerton Fire Department, and the Kingsford Union Fire Department.

The Starke County Government Mobile Food Delivery Program mobilized last week and officials are pleased to see that people who need help are getting assistance.

The Starke County Commissioners signed an Executive Order this week that closes the Bass Lake Beach and Campground in conjunction with the county’s Public Health Disaster Emergency Declaration. 

The Starke County Commissioners met in emergency session Monday afternoon to confirm orders sent down from Governor Eric Holcomb. 

With many local students heading to class on Monday after a few weeks off for Winter Break, drivers are being reminded to watch out for buses back on the roadways.

Four La Porte County residents were arrested early Saturday morning following a special “Operation Santa Sweep” by the La Porte County Sheriff’s Department Midnight Patrol Shift deputies.

Four separate investigations were conducted into suspects determined to be non-compliant on the Sex and Violent Offender Registry. As a result, warrants were issued for 74-year-old Arthur Newkirk, Sr. of Rolling Prairie, 42-year-old Matthew A. Wunder of La Porte, 35-year-old Robert D. Raymond of Michigan City and 50-year-old Harry Wilson of Michigan City, for the Level 6 Felony charge of failure to register as a sex offender.

Wunder and Newkirk have since bonded out of the La Porte County Jail, while Raymond and Wilson remain incarcerated with a $755 cash-only bond

Suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

A man was shot to death at a home in Starke County Thursday afternoon, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Officers say that around 2:10 p.m., they got a report that a man was shot in the 2000 block of County Road 500 East.

Downed power lines had U.S. 35 closed in Pulaski County Wednesday afternoon between county roads 700 North and 800 North. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office reported that the highway had reopened shortly before 3:00 p.m. EST

The Knox City Council will meet this evening, where members will consider an appointment for the Economic Development Commission. 

The North Judson Volunteer Fire Department has been assisting the community for 130 years and members of the public are invited to come celebrate that milestone with them today.

Marshall County Central Dispatch reports that firefighters were called back out to the scene of a fire at 415 Lakeshore Drive in Culver early Thursday morning.

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin provided board members with an update about some new programs that are being offered to students.