Local News

LA PORTE, Ind. — The La Porte High School choir program has earned the Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) All-Music Award for the 2025-2026 school year, placing it among just 14 high schools statewide recognized in the choir category. ISSMA presented the program with a commemorative banner marking the achievement. The award is one of the highest honors ISSMA bestows. To qualify, the program had to earn Gold ratings, and only Gold, across three separate ISSMA contests during the year: State Solo and Ensemble, Jazz, and Organizational. Under the direction of Choir Director Tom Coe, all 118 students in

The City of Michigan City released the following statement Thursday about the passing of the wolf Echo and  the events of June 3: Yesterday, Washington Park Zoo lost one of its own. Echo, a 10-year-old female timberwolf who had called our zoo home her entire life, passed away overnight on June 2–3, 2026. Her passing has been deeply felt by our zookeeping staff, by our zoo family, and by the community that has watched her grow. In the hours that followed Echo’s death, two of our dedicated employees were injured while responding to the situation inside the wolf habitat. One

Chesterton High School is announcing the closure today of the pedestrian walkway, which traverses the CHS Athletic Complex from 1100N to the CHS parking lot, located between the baseball and softball fields. The pedestrian walkway will remain closed throughout the summer as it undergoes an upgrade.   Photo via Town of Chesterton Facebook page

INDIANAPOLIS -  Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales provides an update on several key election administration activities following Indiana’s 2026 Primary Election, announcing final election results, upcoming voter registration efforts, recount proceedings, post-election audits, and election security initiatives. Primary Election results are now official (as of noon 5/18/2026) with Democratic and Republican Party candidates officially elected to appear on the ballot in the November General Election. See final results online: https://enr.indianavoters.in.gov/site/index.html “Indiana continues to lead with secure, transparent, and well-administered elections. As we prepare for the November General Election, our office remains committed to ensuring every eligible Hoosier has access

The Town of Porter Police Department released the following public service announcement regarding E-bikes: PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING "E-BIKES" NO PEDALS = NO ROADWAY The Porter Police Department has seen a significant increase in electronically powered "bikes" being operated on town roadways, many of which are ridden by juveniles. This trend has raised serious safety concerns for riders, motorists, and pedestrians. Many of these vehicles are marketed as "e-bikes," but under Indiana law they do not qualify as electric bicycles and are instead classified as off-road vehicles. If it does NOT have functional pedals, it is NOT an e-bike and

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.   Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.   Friday A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 87.   Friday Night A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.   Saturday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.

The Town of Chesterton announced on its Facebook page that the Chesterton Sustainability Commission will host three beach cleanups this summer at Indiana Dunes State Park, from 8 to 10 a.m. on the following Sundays: June 7, July 12, and Sept. 13. The Sustainability Commission will provide five-gallon buckets for volunteer groups to collect litter along the beach and in the parking lots. To participate, volunteers must complete a Volunteer Agreement through Indiana Dunes State Park. To register for the events and to receive further information—including the Volunteer Agreement form—please go to https://accounts.google.com/v3/signin/identifier...

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) announced a temporary moratorium on the enrollment of new Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provider agencies, effective June 6, 2026. This action, formally approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is designed to strengthen program integrity and ensure continued access to high-quality ABA services for Hoosier families. The moratorium, authorized under federal regulation 42 CFR 455.470, pauses the enrollment of brand-new ABA provider agencies and changes of ownership for existing agencies. Individual rendering ABA practitioners may continue to enroll, and applications received before June 6, 2026, will be processed as

More than $450,000 raised to support student scholarships HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Purdue University Northwest (PNW) on May 29 hosted over 600 supporters at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana for its 10th anniversary gala, a marquee event of the university’s 10th anniversary celebration recognizing a decade of changing students’ lives. The event, which primarily served as a major fundraiser, secured more than $450,000 of generous gifts made in support of scholarships for current and future PNW students. “At PNW, we like to say that changing students’ lives starts with all of us,” said PNW Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford. “With

Porter County Sheriff’s Department K9s Deebo and Quinn have received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. Both vests were sponsored by Paula Jacobi Richard of St. Augustine, FL and embroidered with the sentiment “In honor of CSPD K9 Roam”. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The program is open to U.S. dogs at least 20 months old

The Washington Park Zoo experienced the loss of two animals overnight. The latest from Michigan City Parks & Recreation Department FACEBOOK page The Washington Park Zoo experienced the loss of two animals overnight due to separate medical events. A wolf passed away from natural causes. Following that loss, an incident occurred involving other wolves and members of the animal care staff. At this time, all involved are stable. The matter remains under review, and additional information will be released as it becomes available. Additionally, a lemur passed away overnight due to lung failure. The zoo remains open to the public

Taylor Cronin (Federighi) journey with Cancer and Life has been unreal. Taylor has overcome a number of hurdles and deserves the title "Super Mom"  Taylor is up for Super Mom. We need your VOTE. Go to https://thesupermom.org/2026/taylor-federighi   If you have 3 seconds, please vote for this amazing beautiful selfless super-mom!!! She has been through and over-come more than most people will in a lifetime. Through it all has been a great support to her family and amazing mother to Wyatt!   FOLLOW Taylor https://www.instagram.com/tayfed91?utm_source=qr https://www.tiktok.com/@tayfed91?_r=1&_t=ZT-96rJkFaqAH8 #wims #whfb #localradio

Today Sunny, with a high near 81. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 61. Thursday Sunny, with a high near 87. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Friday A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 88.

Portage Police Chief Mike Candiano issued the following statement regarding an injury that happened to a 16-year-old female at Founder's Square Park: "On May 31st at approximately 8:04 pm, Portage Police and Portage Fire were dispatched to Founder’s Square park for a “16 year old female, who fell off a piece of playground equipment”. PPD Officers arrived on scene and spoke with several witnesses who stated the female was going too fast on a circular swing and fell off. The witnesses stated they did not observe any deliberate “nefarious” acts and felt it was an accident. The female was in

Michigan City Area Schools will host Kindergarten Enrollment Day on Monday, June 8, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the MCAS Administration Building (408 S Carroll Ave). This event offers families a convenient location to complete the enrollment process for incoming kindergarten students. During the event, families will have the opportunity to sign up for kindergarten, submit required documents, receive assistance with school placement, and connect with school staff for additional support. MCAS says to please remember to bring the following documents: parent/guardian’s ID, proof of residency, emergency contact information, and any legal paperwork (if applicable). If you

The Michigan City Fire Department responded to two structure fires Monday night and Tuesday morning. One fire was at Faith City Church, 1314 S Woodland Ave., at 11:05 Monday night. Upon arrival, crews found heavy smoke and fire. They initiated an aggressive fire attack. Due to fire conditions, firefighters were required to force entry to gain access to the structure and extinguish the fire. At the time of the incident, no occupants were inside the building, and no injuries have been reported. As a result of the fire, the structure has sustained significant damage and has been deemed unsafe for

News Release, Northern Indiana Public Service Company: MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – June is National Safety Month and Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) is sharing an important reminder for its customers: when planning and carrying out home improvement projects that involve electricity and natural gas equipment and lines, don’t do it yourself (don’t DIY)! “When it comes to installing natural gas appliances or updating your home’s electrical system, safety should come first,” said Vince Parisi, NIPSCO President and Chief Operating Officer. “We encourage customers to hire a qualified professional to ensure everything is done correctly and up to code.” Here is

The Starke County Sheriff’s Office is reminding citizens about the importance of recognizing scam calls. The Sheriff's Office says they are seeing an influx of calls where individuals are told they must make payments using accounts or cards such as Chime, Green Dot, PayPal, gift cards, or other electronic payment methods. "Please remember: the Sheriff’s Office will never contact you by phone and demand payment for any reason, including incarcerated individuals, warrants, sex offender registry matters, or any other law enforcement issue," the Sheriff's Office said on their Facebook page. "Never provide personal or financial information over the phone. Scammers

Today Sunny, with a high near 68.   Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 57.   Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 74.   Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60.   Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

This summer, Indiana students ages 18 and younger will have access to free, nutritious meals and snacks at close to 1,000 locations statewide through the 2026 Summer Food Service Program. Households can find information about the meal types served and days of the week when meals are offered by using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Meals Site Finder or the Indiana Department of Education’s Searchable Meal Site Locator . These site maps will continue to be updated throughout the summer. Families can also call the USDA’s National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273), or text “Summer Meals”