Local News

The Valparaiso Police are currently investigating an armed robbery at 7-Eleven, located at 708 Lincolnway.  The incident occurred at about 9:30 pm Sunday. It has been reported that a white male with a beard, wearing a tan Texas Longhorns hat, a dark colored long sleeve shirt, and jeans, entered the store, approached the clerk while brandishing a black semi-automatic pistol and requested money.  The male soon exited the store and fled east toward Garfield Ave. Images of the suspect are on the Valparaiso Police Facebook page. If you have any information regarding this incident or the suspect, please contact the

The Michigan City Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce newly elected directors and officers to the board for 2020.  During the December Board of Directors meeting, the following directors and officers were unanimously approved.  Approved for her first three-year term is Julie Krause with Patrick’s Grille and appointed to fill a vacant term through 2021 is Scott Newcomb with Sullivan-Palatek.  Elected officers for 2020 are John Wall with Walsh & Kelly as Chair, Bill Gertner with Horizon Bank as Vice-Chair, Brenda Temple with Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa as Treasurer, and Jill Nygren with Franciscan Health Michigan City

The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) recently presented Ed Merrion of the Public Action Delivering Shelter (PADS) with a $100,000 check for meeting their fundraising goal and meeting the eligibility requirements of the brand new HFL Challenge Grant. PADS has been raising the $300,000 needed to renovate the former Sacred Heart Church into a facility to serve the homeless by providing shelter, food and a network to help people get back on their feet. Without the Sacred Heart renovation, PADS would have had to continue offering overnight services through churches in the area, which means moving church to church

La Porte and Starke Hospitals have announced their 2019 selections for Colleagues of the Year, honoring individuals who were nominated both by patients and their peers for providing excellent, compassionate care and service to the community. CHECK OUT WIMS FACEBOOM page for the full release and picture. The winners are as follows: Lisa Sites, Financial Counselor – Colleague of the Year, Starke Hospital. Sites has worked in a variety of positions during her 25 years with the hospital and has excelled at all of them. Described as being a wealth of knowledge and a valuable source of help to her

On Friday, January 3rd, 2020, at approximately 10:00 AM, Deputies from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 4300 south block of CR 800 East in rural Lincoln Township, reference to a possible body in the water.Upon Deputies arrival, they were able to confirm that an unknown black male was deceased and contacted the Detective Bureau.An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, January 6th at Franciscan Hospital Michigan City.The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the La Porte County Coroner’s Office.Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Gabe

Franciscan Health hosts blood drives in January, February Franciscan Health will host Versiti Blood Center of Illinois blood drives at its Hammond, Dyer, Munster and Crown Point hospitals during the months of January and February. ·        Noon to 4 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 7 at Franciscan Health Hammond, 5454 Hohman Ave., in the outpatient surgery conference room on the fourth floor ·        Noon to 4 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 9 at Franciscan Health Dyer, 24 Joliet St., in the Medical Pavilion North, fourth floor classroom ·        Noon to 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 6 at Franciscan Health Munster, 701 Superior Ave., in the St. Claire Conference

The Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission will host a public information meeting in LaCrosse after its regularly scheduled meeting on January 16th from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. CST at The Center of LaCrosse, 100 South Washington Street. Executive Director Scott Pelath will make a presentation regarding the current condition of the Kankakee and Yellow Rivers and the Commission’s forty-year work plan to address mounting water resource challenges in Northwest Indiana. Following the presentation, members of the public will be encouraged to ask questions and make suggestions regarding the future of both Indiana rivers. Any questions

Senator Mike Braun announced his team held 309 Mobile Offices in 2019 in 236 Hoosier communities in all 92 counties. Mobile Offices allow constituents to meet directly with staff in a meaningful way in their home communities to discuss legislative and policy issues or to get help working with a federal agency. A mobile office will be set up in Westville on Wednesday, January 15th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Westville City Hall in the Community Room.Basin Development Commission To Host Public Information Meeting In Lacrosse

The state of Indiana saw a slight decrease in the percentage of high school students who graduated last year. The Indiana Department of Education has released the 2019 state graduation rate that shows 87.29% of students graduated in 2019. In 2018, Indiana’s graduation rate was 88.1%. The non-waiver rate also declined to 76.73% last year from 80.78% a year earlier. You can connect to more about the new numbers, including statewide, district and school-level data by clicking: https://www.doe.in.gov/accountability/find-school-and-corporation-data-reports

The City of Michigan City recently said farewell to three Firefighters who have retired. The three firefighters had dedicated more than 97 years of service. Recently Fire Chief Randy Novak 33 years of service, Deputy Chief Jeff Cox 34 years of service and Public Information Officer Tony Drzewiecki 30 years of service have announced their retirement effective January 1, 2020. Retired Chief Novak commented that he along with Retired Deputy Chief Jeff Cox are especially proud to have worked alongside some of the most dedicated men and women in the fire service here, which has made our decision to retire

Attorney General Curtis Hill has released a preliminary report on his office’s investigation into 2,411 medically preserved fetal remains and thousands of medical records discovered in the fall of 2019 among the personal belongings of the late Dr. Ulrich Klopfer, who performed abortions at clinics in Fort Wayne, Gary and South Bend. Amid new details in the report is the fact that, based on the poor condition of the fetal remains and unreliable nature of the accompanying records, it is not possible to make an independent verification of the identities of the individual fetal remains. Accordingly, Attorney General Hill intends

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) released the 2019 state graduation rate. In 2019, Indiana’s graduation rate was 87.29 percent, and the non-waiver rate was 76.73 percent. In 2018, Indiana’s graduation rate was 88.1 percent with a non-waiver graduation rate of 80.78 percent. Due to differences between federal and state accountability calculations, IDOE also released 2019 federal graduation rates. In 2019, Indiana’s federal graduation rate was 86.46 percent. Indiana’s federal graduation rate for 2018 was 87.23 percent. To view a spreadsheet with statewide, corporation, and school-level data, please visit: www.doe.in.gov/accountability/find-school-and-corporation-data-reports

The Indiana State Police is offering a unique opportunity to accept additional applications for the 80th Recruit Academy. Individuals who are interested in beginning a rewarding career as an Indiana State Trooper shall utilize the following links: For a detailed synopsis of the application process as well as information on additional career opportunities with the Indiana State Police visit: https://www.in.gov/isp/2368.htm To go directly to the application login page visit: https://myweb.in.gov/ISP/Recruitment/application/index.php/users/login

Early Wednesday morning, Trooper Carlson was stationary on I-80/94 eastbound under the Burr Street Bridge when he observed a 2016 Chrysler 200 traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was traveling at 103 mph in a posted 55 mph zone. Trp. Carlson initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and stopped it near the 9 mile-marker. The driver identified himself as 26 year old Michael L. Peavy from Hammond, Indiana. There was a strong odor of raw marijuana emitting from the vehicle and Peavy appeared to be sweating profusely. Peavy was retrieving documents when Trooper Carlson observed

Monday morning at 12:15 a.m., Trooper Alaa Hamed observed a vehicle driving erratically in the area of 5th Avenue and Jefferson St. in Gary. The vehicle was driving at a very low rate of speed, weaving side to side and made several unsafe lane movements. Trooper Hamed made a traffic stop on the vehicle, and spoke with the driver. While speaking with the driver, he detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverages on the driver’s breath. Field sobriety tests were performed on the driver which lead the officer to have probable cause to place the driver into custody. When asked

In a combined effort to better serve the people of La Porte County, representatives from La Porte County Meals on Wheels and La Porte Meals on Wheels announced that the two organizations merged. Meals on Wheels’ caring community volunteers directly impact the issues of social isolation, hunger, and loneliness in our communities. They do this by nourishing and enriching the lives of homebound seniors and disabled persons with the daily support they need to remain healthy and living at home. Now combined, the organization expects to keep with the growing need by increasing the number of clients served throughout the

On Monday evening, the Indiana State Police Toll Road received 911 calls of a vehicle crash at the 40.6 mile-marker involving a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle. The passenger vehicle was reportedly traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes prior to the crash. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Nathan Littlefield showed that a white 2000 Ford Ranger was westbound in the passing lane of eastbound I-80 (Indiana Toll Road). A 2017 Freightliner tractor-trailer, operated by Black Horse Carriers, was eastbound in the passing lane. The two vehicles impacted head-on. The Freightliner came to a rest in the median, while the Ford Ranger

To prevent the spread of the flu, visitor restrictions have been implemented at Franciscan Health Michigan City, Franciscan Health Dyer, Franciscan Health Munster, Franciscan Health Crown Point, and Franciscan Health Hammond. Visitor restrictions include: No more than two visitors at a time; No children under the age of 16; Exceptions for parents under age 18 visiting their child on Pediatrics, fathers or significant other under age 18 visiting OB and siblings visiting in postpartum (Michigan City); Visitors to the Birth Place will be limited to two adults and siblings (Crown Point); Visitors to the NICU will be limited to parents. Grandparents may visit if they

This morning at approximately 3:00 a.m., the Indiana State Police Regional Dispatch Center received a report of a multi-vehicle crash on I-80/94 eastbound ramp to Indianapolis Blvd. (Exit 2).  Trooper Alaa Hamed responded to the scene and upon his arrival he found both vehicles to be abandoned.  Further investigation revealed that one of the vehicles, a beige, 2001 Pontiac 4 door, had bullet holes in the windshield.  The ramp was closed for approximately 2 hours due to the lane blockage and investigation.   This is an ongoing investigation as no arrests have been made.  No other information will be released at

Saturday morning at approximately 1:51 a.m., Trooper William Stancy was working on I-80/94 near the 2 mile-marker.  A vehicle was clocked traveling eastbound at 95 mph.  The speed limit on the roadway is posted 55 mph.  As Trp. Stancy activated his emergency lighting in order to perform a traffic stop on the vehicle, a black 2019 Infiniti Q50, the driver attempted to elude the officer and made abrupt lane changes, eventually taking the exit to Cline Ave.  As the vehicle drove on the ramp, the driver lost control, resulting in the car leaving the roadway, rolling several times before coming