Local News

INDIANA — The Indiana Department of Transportation is accepting Fiscal Year 2026 applications for its Community Crossings Matching Grant program. The application window is open now through 5 p.m. ET on Friday, October 31. Community Crossings grants are available to cities, towns and counties in the State of Indiana. The following adjustments were made to the program following the 2025 legislative session: One call for projects per state fiscal year Starting in FY 2027, the call for projects will return to July. Program cap reduced to $100 million per year Annual cap reduced to $1 million per local unit of government per

Applications are open for grants to fund urban forestry projects throughout Indiana. Projects fundable through these grants include but are not limited to tree planting, tree inventories with management plans, urban tree canopy assessments, and storm response planning. Funds are awarded on a reimbursable basis, and a 1:1 match is required. Administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Forestry’s Community & Urban Forestry program, the funding is available through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry program. There are three different grant opportunities available. Applicants may apply for more than

PORTER COUNTY, Ind -- A motorist and his passenger were transported to Illinois hospitals following a two-vehicle crash in Portage Township Friday afternoon, according to a Facebook post from the Town of Chesterton. According to the Porter County Sheriff's Police, just before 12:30 p.m. a Jeep SUV was southbound on State Road 149 when, near the intersection of County Road 600 North, it crossed the center line and struck a Chevrolet pickup hauling a flat trailer. The Jeep struck the pickup’s bumper, “causing heavy damage to both vehicles,” the PCSP said. The male driver of the Jeep was airlifted to

The City of La Porte is back again with another Minutes with the Mayor event. Join them Tuesday, Oct. 14, for an opportunity to share your feedback. 📅 Tuesday, Oct. 14 ⏰ 8-9 a.m. 📍 City Hall (801 Michigan Ave) "This will be an open house-style, one-on-one discussion hour to chat about issues facing our city, the City of La Porte said on a Facebook post. "Bring your concerns, questions and suggestions on how we can create a better La Porte, together. "Please note: dates and times for this event series will vary in order to allow more residents to

The Michigan City Department of Water Works will begin the semi-annual fire hydrant flushing on Monday, Oct. 6. The flushing is done to insure the hydrants are in proper working for the fall and winter months. The Department says the flushing should take eight weeks to complete. If anyone should experience any discoloration in their water, they should let it run for a short time and the water will clear.

Michigan City, IN – Michigan City Area Schools is now accepting nominations for its 2026 Teacher and Employee of the Year recognition program. The initiative, which the district launched last school year, celebrates outstanding educators and staff members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and commitment to students. It is a key element of the district’s Strategic Plan, Culture and Environment Pillar. The Teacher and Employee of the Year program honors individuals who have gone above and beyond, making a positive impact on students, colleagues, and the community. Recipients will include: Elementary Teacher of the Year Secondary Teacher of the

LA PORTE COUNTY, INDIANA - In recognition of Infant Safe Sleep Awareness Month, the Partners for Healthier Babies (PHB) Council is calling on all parents, grandparents, caregivers, and community members to make infant safe sleep a top priority. By following the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines, families can significantly reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and accidental suffocation and strangulation. SIDS is the leading cause of death of infants 1 - 12 months of age, with most SIDS deaths occurring during sleep. The exact cause of SIDS is unknown, but there are known risk factors and proven ways to reduce

The Valparaiso Police Department and Mayor Jon Costas are reminding the public of their ongoing commitment to promote safe firearm storage, offering free gun safety locks for residents. “Safe firearm storage is one of the most effective ways to prevent accidental shootings, especially involving children, and to reduce the risk of firearm theft,” said Valparaiso Police Chief Andrew McIntyre. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for every gun owner in our community to store their firearms safely and responsibly." Free gun locks are available at the Valparaiso Police Department, located at 355 Washington St., Monday through

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (“NIPSCO”) announced today that additional energy assistance programs are now open for enrollment to income-eligible customers struggling to pay their gas utility bills. Available programs include NIPSCO Hardship, SERV (Supply Energy Resources to Veterans) and SILVER (Seniors in Indiana Low-Income and Vulnerable Energy Resources). Eligible customers can apply through May 31, 2026, or until funds are exhausted. Programs provide a one-time benefit of up to $550 per year to help cover NIPSCO residential gas utility bills. As the weather gets colder, customers using natural gas to heat their homes and businesses

Portions of Weller Avenue and Craven Drive are closed for utility work. Later this fall, following the completion of Weller and Craven, Lake Shore Drive will also be closed for construction. Work will continue into November. Those wanting access to the Stone Lake boat ramp or Lions Field should follow the recommended detour and enter the park off Orchard Avenue.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Hematologist and medical oncologist William Bae, MD, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Michigan City. Dr. Bae earned his medical degree from Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, Korea. He completed his residency in internal medicine at Kaiser Permanente Hawaii in Honolulu and completed his fellowship in hematology oncology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. His clinical interests include colorectal cancer, lung cancer and genitourinary cancers such as prostate, bladder and kidney cancer. In addition to English, Dr. Bae also speaks Korean. Dr. Bae is accepting

A New York man is in jail after leading the Indiana State Police and several other assisting agencies on a pursuit that spanned four counties on Thursday, according Sgt. Ted Bohner of the Indiana State Police Bremen Post. At about 8:20 a.m. a trooper attempted to stop a gray Kia passenger car traveling westbound for speeding on the Indiana Toll Road near mile marker 93 in Elkhart County. The trooper, who was driving a marked Indiana State Police Dodge Durango reports that as soon as he turned on his red and blue emergency lights the driver of the Kia increased

COME & MAKE A DIFFERENCE, as The Salvation Army of Michigan City and La Porte, First Trust Credit Union, Al’s Supermarkets, WIMS radio, La Porte Community School Corporation, and Michigan City Area Schools celebrate 22 years of hosting the “STUFF A BUS” food drive for The Salvation Army’s food pantry. Through today Oct. 3, you can make a monetary donation or donate non-perishable food items at First Trust’s Michigan City Branch at 950 E. U.S. Highway 20 and 402 J Street in La Porte. In addition, on Saturday, October 4th, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., volunteers will be filling

LAPORTE, IN – As the 2025-26 school year gets underway, the La Porte High School Coffee Club is once again brewing up success with its annual Grand Opening celebration. Now in its third year of operation, the student-run business continues to serve as both a popular campus destination and a valuable learning space for aspiring entrepreneurs. The Coffee Club, which operates under the guidance of business teacher Angie LaRocco, has evolved from a grant-funded startup to a self-sustaining enterprise. LaRocco, who has watched the program flourish since its inception, expressed pride in her students' achievements. "I'm incredibly proud of the

In La Porte County, State Road 8 is closed between County Road 875 West and County Road 600 West. State Road 8 is closed through mid-October for a bridge deck overlay project over Bessler Ditch. INDOT says motorists should seek alternate routes. The official detour will follow U.S. 421, U.S. 30 and State Road 39.

Michigan City Animal Control says they have been made aware of illegal trapping of cats going on in the city. If you see unauthorized people trapping, please contact animal control or the non emergency police at 219-874-3221. Michigan City Animals Control also said the following: “Reminder: per ordinance no. 4025,  Sec 14-8 (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to set, trigger, activate or otherwise use, or cause to be set, triggered, activated or used, any traps except cage-type live traps within the city. Such traps must be placed in a shaded area and must be checked no less

Press release by Michigan City Area Schools:  “Life is unfair.” One of the most important lessons that students learn in high school competitions is to deal with adversity. Be it athletics or academics, students will go against schools that are larger, more experienced, more talented, more affluent. A team can choose to either wallow in self-pity, or roll their sleeves up, work harder, and never give up. The cadets of the Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) chose the latter in their Raider Meet at Hobart High School on Saturday, September 27th. Raiders

The La Porte Police Department announced an arrest in connection to a recent homicide. On Sunday, Sept. 28, at approximately 8:50 PM, officers from the La Porte Police Department responded to a medical emergency at a residence in the 1400 block of Jefferson Avenue. Upon arrival, officers located 58-year-old Aaron Stingley, who was unconscious. He was treated on scene by EMS and transported to Northwest Health La Porte, where he was later pronounced deceased. During the course of the investigation, family members alleged that Mr. Stingley’s stepson, Breon M. Ware, had strangled him during an altercation that evening. Ware was

Join Team WIMS at the United Way of La Porte County’s UNITED WE RISE celebration on Friday Oct. 10 at Four Winds New Buffalo. UNITED WE RISE is a celebration of our collective commitment to uplifting La Porte County and a concerted effort to raise the funds necessary to help everyone in our community thrive. More than a gala, UNITED WE RISE is a movement. It is a strategic change in the way we are working together to uplift everyone in La Porte County. By collectively advocating for your support, we amplify your financial investment and reduce resource strain for

Service Advisory: Temporary Overnight Busing, Hegewisch-East Chicago Oct. 3-4, 2025 As part of its ongoing commitment to safety, the South Shore Line announces it will host a multi-team emergency preparedness drill on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025, between Tulip Road and Smilax Road in New Carlisle, Ind. The federally mandated drill is a key component in the SSL’s continuing efforts to familiarize first responders with railroad crisis response procedures. It is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET and last through approximately 8 p.m. ET on Oct. 1. The event will cause scheduled train services to reduce speeds while moving through