Local News

LA PORTE -- Nineteen nonprofit leaders from throughout La Porte County recently embarked on a journey together to grow as professionals. Last week the third group of the HFL Nonprofit Leadership Academy began with two full days of classes covering Nonprofit Management for the 21st Century, taught by Professor Beth Gazley of Indiana University-Bloomington.   Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) is driven by a mission to empower La Porte County residents to live healthy and well. One of the main strategies HFL employs to support this mission is capacity building. As defined by the National Council of Nonprofits, “Capacity building is whatever is needed to bring a nonprofit to the next level

Press release by Franciscan Health: NORTHWEST INDIANA – Three Northwest Indiana Franciscan Health hospitals have been reaccredited by the American College of Cardiology as Chest Pain Centers with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for their demonstrated expertise and commitment to treating patients with chest pain. The reaccreditations were issued to Franciscan Health Crown Point, Franciscan Health Dyer and Franciscan Health Michigan City in August. The three hospitals were last accredited in 2019. The new accreditations run through August 2026. The designation was awarded based on rigorous onsite evaluations of the ability of staff members to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Liliana Franco is blazing a new personal path as she takes on a greater professional role as Operations Director at the Economic Development Corporation Michigan City. “As I move up from an administrative position, I hope to not only develop as an individual, but also as a professional in MC. I look forward to setting an example of how we all can work together toward a more vibrant and inclusive community,” Franco said. “My new role includes sharing what we do, embracing volunteer opportunities, joining local community groups, helping businesses and residents find the resources they

HOBART, Ind. – One person was seriously injured, and four others went to the hospital after a multiple vehicle crash Monday afternoon on I-65. At about 3:45 p.m., calls were received about a multi-vehicle crash with injuries that was blocking all lanes of I-65 southbound at the 254.7 mile-marker. This location is just south of the 61st Avenue overpass. Troopers responded to the scene and located four vehicles in the roadway and a fifth vehicle on the right shoulder. Preliminary investigation shows a Chevy S10, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, and a Chevy Malibu were in the right lane on the

A driver and a juvenile passenger were transported to an area hospital with serious injuries after a crash in Cedar Lake this past Saturday, according to Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez. Just after 12 p.m., police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department responded to a one-vehicle crash at 10477 State Line Road. A preliminary investigation indicated the driver of a 2005 Chevy van was headed northbound on State Line Road when the vehicle began to veer off the roadway. The driver apparently overcorrected and the van struck a tree, according to the investigation. The driver, a 41-year-old woman and

LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. - State Road 39 is scheduled to close for rail work in Union Mills. CSX Transportation plans to close State Road 39 at their railroad crossing between Young Road and County Road West 800 South beginning on or after Monday, October 2. State Road 39 will be closed for approximately two weeks in this location while CSX rebuilds their at-grade crossing. Motorists should seek an alternate route. The official detour will follow U.S. 6, U.S. 35 and U.S. 30.

WHEATFIELD, Ind. – NIPSCO’s R.M. Schahfer Generating Station in Wheatfield hosted a special event for all of the plant employees this past Saturday. Employees were able to bring members of their family to the facility to take guided tours, participate in several games, enjoy a catered lunch, and win door prizes. This is the first Family Day that the Facility has hosted in over 5 years, with nearly 300 visitors coming for the event. Superintendent of Operations, Aaron Steinhilber of the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station, and a member of the Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department brought one of the department’s

Press release by La Porte County Family YMCA and La Porte Community School Corporation: The La Porte County Family YMCA’s Youth Basketball Program has grown so large, it has become increasingly difficult to run the league in the Y’s two gymnasiums. Peggy Zarantonello, Sports Coordinator for the La Porte Branch YMCA, approached the La Porte Community School Corporation to propose a partnership between the YMCA and the Corporation to host the Y’s Basketball league, which is expected to have over 200 participants this Winter. “The layout of our building isn’t ideal for hosting a program this size. We’re constantly moving

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM), in partnership with Drive Clean Indiana (DCI), the sole U.S. Department of Energy designated Clean Cities Coalition in Indiana, and the Indiana Utility Group (IUG), is excited to introduce a statewide electric vehicle (EV) and EV charging initiative, GOEVIN: GO Electric Vehicle INdiana. This effort aims to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles across Indiana, ushering in a more sustainable era of transportation. A pivotal highlight of this initiative will be the official launch of GOEVIN across Indiana. As National Drive Electric Week approaches, the GOEVIN team will be at the following EV-focused

Press release by Indiana State Police: On Saturday, October 28, 2023, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is sponsoring the 25th nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative.  The “Take Back” initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs. Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.  This program is for liquid and pill medications.  Vaping pens without batteries and vaping cartridges will also be taken.  Needles, new or used, WILL NOT be accepted for disposal.  This service is free and

NICTD has informed Ogden Dunes Police that they will be closing Hillcrest Road and Continental Can Road at the NICTD and NS Railroad Crossings just North of U.S. 12 from 7:00 a.m. Sept. 25 to 5:00 p.m. Sept. 27. Drivers will have to use the route through the mill to enter and exit town during this time. Police told WIMS if the dates listed change, they will send out an update.

A report of gunfire led Michigan City Police to three suspects, including two juveniles who now face various charges. Thursday evening, the Michigan City Police Department’s Raven Gunshot Detection Technology alerted to gunshots on Pleasant Avenue. Moments later, community members reported shots being fired in or around the same area. In response, members of the LaPorte County Drug Taskforce, Crime Suppression Unit, K-9 Unit and Uniform Shifts II & III set up surveillance in that area. Information was developed which indicated a tan sedan was being used as transportation by the individuals responsible for firing the shots. The Flock Safety-Falcon

Friday, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan announced the details of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for middle and high school students from Indiana’s First Congressional District. Each year, the Internet Education Foundation and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor the Congressional App Challenge to foster an appreciation for computer science and STEM education.  The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide academic competition for Middle School (6th – 8th grades) and High School (9th – 12th grades) students to create and exhibit their software application, or "app," for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. – Two men landed in the Porter County Jail Thursday after crashing a car in a pursuit on I-94, according to Indiana State Police. At about 3:00 p.m., troopers attempted to stop a white Chrysler 300 on I-94 that had been reported stolen out of Chicago on Sept. 9. Troopers initiated a traffic stop as the vehicle exited I-94 onto State Road 49 in Chesterton; however, the driver failed to stop and fled. The driver made a U-turn and got back onto I-94 and drove westbound at a high rate of speed.  As the pursuit approached the

A driver fleeing from police in a stolen car struck a utility pole as well as another vehicle early Thursday in Highland according to the Lake County Sheriff's Department. The driver is still at large. Just after 2 a.m., an officer with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department spotted a white 2020 Hyundai Elantra with a broken rear passenger side window turning west on Ridge Road from Vermont Street in Gary. The officer observed that the vehicle description matched that of a car that had been reported stolen. When the officer tried to catch up to the Hyundai, the driver accelerated

Press release by Franciscan Health: LA PORTE, Ind. – Franciscan Health Michigan City is again teaming up with Bolt for the Heart for the annual race to place life-saving automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in law enforcement vehicles. This year’s family 3.34-mile and 6 .7-mile walk/run will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 at Cummings Lodge in Soldiers Memorial Park, 250 Pine Lake Ave. in La Porte. Bolt for the Heart is an Indiana-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises funds through sponsorships, donations and runs/walks to buy AEDs for first responders. Each year, sudden cardiac arrest kills 335,000

Dear Members of the Media: First of all, I want to be clear that I had nothing to do with the investigation of Commissioner Gramarossa by a Special Prosecutor, so it’s odd that Stanley Wrubel’s press release focused on me.   While I was aware that other elected officials and department heads directly affected by Gramarossa’s inappropriate actions were spearheading the report of those actions to law enforcement, I was not involved in any way in that effort, even as I supported it privately.   I also specifically disclaim Gramarossa’s attorney’s claim that I “told a county department head a month ago

Commissioner Gramarossa Attorney's Press Release: (LaPorte, IN) – Indianapolis attorney Stanley F. Wruble III, who practiced law for decades in South Bend and represents LaPorte County Commissioner Connie Gramarossa, appeared on Zoom at tonight’s County Commission meeting to declare that “Special Prosecutor E. Nelson Chipman Jr. filed his report in LaPorte Circuit Court Monday afternoon which makes clear that, despite the best efforts of County Commissioner Joe Haney and County Auditor Tim Stabosz, Connie Gramarossa will NOT be charged with any criminal offenses. A special prosecutor was appointed to look into the use of a county car on March 1,

Residents looking to get rid of a few things before the cold winter months will be able to do so in the coming weeks, according to La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody. Running Monday, Oct. 16 through Friday, Oct. 20, city residents will be able to discard of their large and heavy trash on their regular pick-up day. Different from the city’s previous Fall and Spring Clean Ups, Dermody said the Large/Heavy Trash Pick Ups will take place once annually and include some different guidelines that residents should be aware of. “Our residents grew very accustomed to the Fall and Spring

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) congratulated 11 Indiana schools on Wednesday for being honored as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. “We know that access to a quality education is essential to helping all students reach their full potential,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “Our Indiana Blue Ribbon Schools are a shining example – not only in Indiana, but across the nation – of the impact we can have when keeping students at the center of all that we do. Congratulations to all of the educators, families and students who made