Local News

A last-minute deal in Congress to provide short-term funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program hasn't done much to alleviate stress for states and parents going into the new year. More than a hundred thousand low-income children in Indiana rely on CHIP to stay healthy. Litonya Lester with Children's Alliance says that funding helps kids with chronic health-care needs, but also routine check-ups. Congress approved of funding for CHIP until the end of March. The program mainly helps low-income and working-class families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. About five percent of Indiana's children are uninsured but advocates

Marquette Catholic High School announced Thursday the locations and dates for the 2019 Global Leadership Summit. The immersive educational tour, which will cover multiple countries, will run from July 2nd through July 15th. The customized tour will touch down in Poland where students will tour everything Krakow has to offer including Schindler's Factory, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, and much more. Next, it's on to Prague where students will receive an expert tour of the Jewish Quarter and other World War II-themed sites. The excursion carries on to Nuremberg and Munich before concluding with the weekend-long Leadership Conference in Davos,

With the recent extreme cold, Mayor Meer would like to remind the citizens of Michigan City that several warming centers will be open. Warming centers will be available at the following locations: Michigan City Police Station (24 hours) 1201 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Fire Administration Building (8am-4pm, Monday-Friday) 2510 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Senior Center (8:00am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday) 2 on the Lake Michigan City City Hall (8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday) 100 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Public Library (during regular business hours) 100 E. 4th Street Keys to Hope Community Resource Center (8:00am-5:00pm, Sunday-Saturday) 1802 Franklin Street Mayor Meer urges the

As the bitter cold continues, and snowy or icy roads make way for slippery driving and an increased risk of car accidents, staff members who work the Permanent Care Seat Fitting Station at La Porte Physician Network Pediatric Care in La Porte are giving tips for the safe use of car seats in the winter. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading and increasing cause of death for children ages 1 to 13, so the safe use of car seats is also increasingly important. "Car seats and booster seats are for passengers too small to be safe with an adult seat

On Wednesday, January 24, 2018, the Duneland Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Meeting & Board Installation - a gathering which serves to recognize the hard work of outgoing board members, welcome new 2018 board members, and celebrate the achievements of the past year. The event will be held at Blue Chip Casino, located at 777 Blue Chip Dr. in Michigan City, Indiana. Registration will begin at 4:30 pm. Registrations may be submitted by calling the Chamber at 219.926.5513, visiting www.dunelandchamber.org, or emailing info@dunelandchamber.org. RSVPs are required by January 17. Tickets for dinner are $35 per person.

Snow Removal Parking Restrictions are still in effect in Michigan City. The following traffic regulations shall remain in effect: (1) No vehicle shall be parked on a designated “snow route.” (2) On even numbered days, no parking shall be permitted on that side of the street with even numbered addresses from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. (3) On odd numbered days, no parking shall be permitted on that side of the street with odd numbered addresses from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. Parking Restrictions will be in effect until further notice. You are encouraged to find off street parking during this period

From consumerreports.org, over the past seven weeks, 58 people in the U.S. and Canada have become ill from a dangerous strain of E. coli bacteria, likely from eating romaine lettuce. In the U.S., the infections have occurred in 13 states (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington state). Five people in the U.S. have been hospitalized and one has died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There has also been one death in Canada. That’s why Consumer Reports' food safety experts are advising that consumers stop eating

La Porte Hospital has implemented temporary visitor restrictions to help curb the spread of illness to patients and employees. As of December 23, the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) had described influenza-like illnesses as being widespread in the state. In the same report, the ISDH says that so far this season, the number of flu-associated deaths has been nine in the state. The temporary visitor restrictions at La Porte Hospital are as follows: * Only two visitors per patient will be permitted at a time. * Anyone under the age of 18, or exhibiting flu-like symptoms, is not permitted

Fire erupts at the FOP Lodge in Michigan City earlier this morning. The area of Coolspring and Johnson should be avoided. Several departments on the scene including the Michigan City Fire Department, Michigan City Police Department, Trail Creek Police Department, La Porte County EMS, Coolspring Volunteer Fire Department, Center Township, Coolspring, to name a few. One lady brought to St Anthony Hospital. Another man jumped to his safety and reportedly not injured. One firefighter was brought to the hospital injuries unknown. Check WIMS Facebook for a video and picture as well.

After an autopsy conducted on Tyshawn Taylor on December 28th,, the forensic pathologist determined the cause of death to be gunshot wound and the manner of death to be homicide. The investigation is still ongoing. Shortly before 10:00 p.m. on December 26th Mishawaka Police Department officers were called out to the Hickory Village Apartment complex in reference to a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 13 year old male, Tyshawn Taylor, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.The investigation revealed that the 13 year old was shot by the occupants of the apartment during

With the recent uptick of tragic home fires and continued cold weather across the state, Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson urges Hoosiers to keep safety in mind while using alternative heating sources or cooking. “Home fires occur more often in winter than any other season, and alternative heating sources are one of the leading causes of home fires and fire-related deaths each year,” said Greeson. “Fires caused by alternative heating equipment account for 19 percent of home fire deaths in the United States.” Hoosiers are encouraged to avoid using space heaters and other alternative heating if possible. Here are

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ FRIDAY... * WHAT...Heavy lake effect snow expected. Plan on difficult travel conditions, including during the morning and evening commutes on Thursday. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches, with localized amounts up to 12 inches, are expected. * WHERE...La Porte and St. Joseph IN Counties. * WHEN...Until 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ Friday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Be prepared for significant reductions in visibility at times. Cold wind chills as low as 15 below zero will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS

With the recent extreme cold, Mayor Meer would like to remind the citizens of Michigan City that several warming centers will be open. Warming centers will be available at the following locations: Michigan City Police Station (24 hours) 1201 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Fire Administration Building (8am-4pm, Monday-Friday) 2510 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Senior Center (8:00am-4:00pm, Monday-Friday) 2 on the Lake Michigan City City Hall (8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday) 100 E. Michigan Blvd. Michigan City Public Library (during regular business hours) 100 E. 4th Street Keys to Hope Community Resource Center (8:00am-5:00pm, Sunday-Saturday) 1802 Franklin Street Mayor Meer urges the

The Mobile Health Unit of La Porte Hospital will be out in the community throughout January to provide free body mass index and blood pressure screenings, as well as cervical cancer education and information how to be prepared for winter weather. Wellness Outreach Screenings are made possible with funding from the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte. Dates and times of the Mobile Health Unit visits are: from 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Jan. 3, at Kabelin’s, 512 Andrew Ave, La Porte.

On Tuesday around 11:30 AM the Michigan City Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at 111 Beachwalk Lane. Upon arrival, firefighters found a two story home with light smoke inside and smoke coming from the chimney area outside. Crews inside the structure found the rafters on fire in the attic near the chimney and were able to extinguish the fire within minutes. According to Fire Marshall Kyle Kazmierczak the fire appeared to have started due to a buildup of creosote in the fire Chimney. Two residents were home at the time of the Fire and escaped

WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM EST /8 AM CST/ WEDNESDAY...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ WEDNESDAY TO 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ FRIDAY... * WHAT...Lake effect snow expected. Very cold wind chills expected. Plan on difficult travel conditions, including during the morning commute on Thursday. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches, with localized amounts up to 1 foot, are expected. Expect wind chills to range from 5 below zero to 20 below zero. * WHERE...La Porte, St. Joseph IN and Elkhart Counties. * WHEN...For the Winter Weather