Local News

PRESS RELEASE JUNE 6, 2020 LAPORTE COUNTY ELECTION BOARD RELEASES STATEMENT BY COUNTY ELECTION VENDOR MICROVOTE CLARIFYING WHY INTERIM TALLIES RELEASED WEDNESDAY NIGHT WERE MUCH HIGHER THAN FINAL VOTE TALLIES RELEASED THURSDAY. (LaPorte, IN) -  LaPorte County Election Board President Andrew Voeltz today released a statement by the President of the county’s election vendor, MicroVote, seeking to answer press and public questions about why “interim results released Wednesday night were nearly double the final results issued at the conclusion of counting on Thursday.” Voeltz noted that with the extraordinary number of absentee ballots this spring (nearly ten times the normal

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces two ramp closures to northbound I-65 near Crown Point and Merrillville. The ramp from 109th Ave northbound I-65 will be closed beginning Tuesday, June 9 for concrete patching. The ramp will reopen by the end of June, 2020. The ramp from eastbound U.S. 30 to northbound I-65 is also currently closed. This ramp is expected to reopen in the beginning of July, 2020. Drivers should seek an alternate route. The westbound U.S. 30 ramp to northbound I-65 remains open, as well as the ramps from U.S. 231 to I-65.

All 2019-20 basic hunting, basic fishing, hunt/fish combo, youth licenses, and stamps set to expire March 31, 2020 are now valid until the end of June. After that, you will need a 2020-21 license and/or stamp to hunt, fish, or trap. Keep a printed or electronic copy with you while hunting or fishing. If you do not have a 2019-20 annual license or stamp, a 2020-21 annual license is required.  One hundred percent of your purchase goes directly toward the conservation of Indiana’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Purchase online at on.IN.gov/INhuntfish.

Thursday morning troopers responded to a personal injury crash on I-94 east near mile-marker 26th. Investigation by Senior Trooper Jerry George indicates that a Freightliner pulling an enclosed box trailer was partially in the far right lane and partially on the right shoulder.  The truck was driven by a 32 year old from Steger, IL. A Peterbilt pulling a flatbed trailer with several coils of rolled steel, struck the rear end of the trailer that was partially in the roadway and then jack-knifed.  Several of the rolled coils broke free and smashed through the cab of the Peterbilt.  The driver,

The South Shore Line announced it will resume regular weekday service beginning Monday, June 8th. The South Shore Line says it has invested a tremendous amount of time and resources implementing enhanced precautions and procedures for the health and safety of passengers and train personnel. The SSL intends to further the safety measures being taken through its Sanitized for Rider Safety program, a comprehensive cleaning and health and safety initiative. In addition, the SSL continues to require its riders to wear masks at stations and on cars, practice social distancing when possible, and take advantage of hand sanitizer stations in

Chesterton, IN- Following Governor Holcomb’s “Back on Track” plan for Indiana, the Duneland Chamber of Commerce, along with the DNR, formally announces the cancellation of the 12th Annual Fireworks on the Lakefront event scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, 2020. “This event has become a tradition not only for Duneland families but for thousands of families traveling to our area from other neighboring counties and states. The holidays are important to us all. We hope that you will celebrate our country’s independence safely surrounded by family and friends,” said Maura Durham, Duneland Chamber president. Thank you to our emergency service protectors

Mayor, police chief respond to upcoming protest plans  “I want to start by saying that what happened in Minnesota is absolutely atrocious, and the outrage felt by people across this country is more than justified. During our conversations, the organizers of the protest have stressed that they want things to remain peaceful. It is their 1st Amendment right to have their voices heard, and they acknowledge that it must be done in a civil manner. Riots and looting have no place in our city and will not be tolerated. We are grateful to local and state law enforcement, who are well-prepared

 With the cancellation of the Grand Prix Boat Race, the Taste of Michigan City, and our Michigan City Youth Baseball, we are saddened to announce the cancellation of the Michigan City Parade and Fireworks. The City of Michigan City has decided to cancel the annual Summer Parade and our 4th of July Fireworks. This was a very difficult decision to make, as Mayor Parry wanted to continue these traditions for our Michigan City residents. Unfortunately, these events take months of planning to make them successful. With the COVID-19 crisis and required social distancing, we have joined many other communities in

Indiana Conservation Officers are searching Bass Lake for a missing Bass Lake resident. Thirty-seven year old Anthony Cohn, was standing on a sandbar Tuesday when the wind released the anchor of the boat he was with from the sand. The boat began to rapidly float away, and Cohn swam after it. He entered deeper water and went under the surface. He did not return to the surface, and 911 was called. Conservation officers and other emergency personnel immediately responded to the area and began a search. The public is asked to avoid the area while the search continues.

Due to COVID-19 and in the interest of public health and safety, Michigan City Mainstreet Association (MCMA) has decided not to host the Taste of Michigan City® in 2020. The two-day event was originally planned to be held on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1.The Taste of Michigan City is an annual event started in 2010 and hosted by the Michigan City Mainstreet Association. It brings dozens of local restaurants to the Uptown Arts District® (UAD), allowing our community and guests to sample the many exciting dining options available in and around Michigan City. The event also gathers musical

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) today announced that 511 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private laboratories. That brings to 35,712 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total. Intensive care unit and ventilator capacity remain steady. As of today, 41 percent of ICU beds and more than 83 percent of ventilators are available. A total of 2,032 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 10 over the previous

City of La Porte Police Chief Paul Brettin (far left) welcomes new officer Aaron Stewart of Rolling Prairie Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in La Porte. Stewart, who most recently served as a jail officer at the LaPorte County Jail, will attend the Northwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in August of this year. Pictured, from left: Brettin, Stewart, La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody and City of La Porte Assistant Police Chief Nate Thode.  

The Valparaiso Police Department Records Division is now open to the public, with social distancing guidelines in place.  Members of the public will be granted access when necessary, for services such as fingerprinting, while others will still be required to remain in the vestibule or outside of the building as services are performed.  The front door of the department will remain secured as they make this transition; however, Records Division staff is available by the phone within the vestibule area. With this opening, all services completed by the clerks or with the assistance of an officer will be available.  If

South Shore Line train service will resume today, operating during the day according to the existing modified weekday schedule. Wednesday's train service will terminate at 10:40pm due to public safety concerns. The last train out of Chicago on Wednesday will depart Millennium Station at 10:40pm. More schedule information can be found by visiting the South Shore Line website. Click the South Shore logo on wimsradio.com

The Michigan City Police have reported that at around 2:40 P.M.; dispatch received a 911 call indicating that three people were shot in a vehicle that was currently parked at a business in the 4200 Block of Franklin Street. Michigan City Police Department Shift 2 Patrol Officers arrived on scene along with other first responders. Three victims with gunshot wounds were found within the vehicle. The victims, a 15-year-old female, 14-year-old female, and a 15-year-old male were all transported to Franciscan Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. One of the victims, a 15-year-old female, was flown to a nearby hospital for

Please be advised that there will NOT be any FINAL tabulations of results disseminated regarding primary races by the LaPorte County Election Board. Given the significant response to absentee voting by mail and the large number of mail-in ballots received, the LaPorte County Election Board has elected to not provide any Absentee Ballots result for 72 hours. However, Machine Ballot results will be provided in a manner consistent with prior elections, and any updates will be provided as the results are tabulated.Furthermore, the Election Board cautions that for any races to be called, the Absentee Vote must be completely tabulated

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) today announced that 430 additional Hoosiers have been diagnosed with COVID-19 through testing at ISDH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and private laboratories. That brings to 35,237 the total number of Indiana residents known to have the novel coronavirus following corrections to the previous day’s total. Intensive care unit and ventilator capacity remain steady. As of today, nearly 44 percent of ICU beds and more than 83 percent of ventilators are available. A total of 2,022 Hoosiers are confirmed to have died from COVID-19, an increase of 46 over the

The South Shore Line train service will continue to be temporarily suspended Tuesday, June 2nd, after consultation with Metra officials. The South Shore Line says it has been determined that due to recent events, the downtown area remains unsafe for their employees and passengers. Positive train control test trains will again operate on Tuesday, although no passenger service will be available. The South Shore Line will continue to monitor events as Tuesday progresses, and updates regarding SSL Wednesday service will be sent as more information becomes available.

Purdue University Northwest (PNW) named Yohlunda Mosley Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, effective June 1. Mosley was selected through a nationwide search. Mosley joins PNW from Portland State University in Oregon, where she served as assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management. In that role she provided executive leadership and supervision for domestic and international recruitment, orientation, campus visits, marketing to prospective students, recruitment technology, and commencement.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a road closure for State Road 4 between C.R. 200 E and C.R. 100 S beginning Monday, June 8th. CSS & SB will be rebuilding their railroad crossing at this location. The road is expected to reopen on or after Friday, June 12. Drivers should seek an alternate route. The official detour will follow State Road 104, U.S. 6, U.S. 35 and Boyd Blvd.