Local News

The Recycling and Waste District of Porter County announces its upcoming Fix-It Fair, a community- driven event focused on sustainability and skill-sharing. This free event will take place on Saturday, June 14th, 2025 from 10am to 1pm at the Porter County Public Library System: Valparaiso Branch located at 103 Jefferson St, Valparaiso. The Fix-It Fair is designed to help community members breathe new life into their beloved but broken items, rather than discarding them. Expert volunteers will be on hand to offer free repair services and guidance for a wide variety of items, including, but not limited to: -Sewing: Clothing

La Porte County, IN, May 2025 Farmed & Forged Producers Market is officially back for the season, with Opening Weekend celebrations taking place Saturday, May 24 in Michigan City and Sunday, May 25 in La Porte. As a producer-only market run by The Collective Events, Inc., Farmed & Forged is proud to feature a wide array of locally grown produce, handmade goods, fresh foods, and live entertainment, all with a strong mission-driven purpose. This year’s market season launches with a spotlight on Curious Chefs, a new youth program created by The Collective to encourage food confidence, nutrition education, and hands-on learning.

Westville, IN  The Westville Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 7th Annual Market on Main that is scheduled in downtown Westville on Saturday, June 7th from 10 am until 3pm. The Market on Main is a walk down Main Street in Westville, where you can enjoy 20+artisan and vintage vendors along with local food. Admission is free, and the Market is open to all ages! Westville Cruise In Car Club will be here to welcome you and Burn 'Em Brewing will be sponsoring a beer tent featuring their local craft beer.Also, Ric Federghi from WIMS Radio will be

LAKE COUNTY, Ind. - An INDOT contractor is moving to phase three of the bridge deck overlay preventative maintenance project on I-65 over Norfolk Southern Railroad between Ridge Rd. and 61st Ave. Overnight lane closures will be conducted on I-65 northbound in this location from 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 to 5 a.m. on Friday, May 23 to move northbound I-65 into a new traffic configuration. This is weather dependent and subject to change. Starting the following morning, the work zone will be on the left on the northbound side of the roadway. The northbound travel lanes will be

In an update Michigan City Area Schools announced they will not make up the instructional day missed on Friday, May 16, due to widespread power outages following severe weather.  The last day of school for students remains Thursday, May 29.

Starting today in Chesterton, the intersection of Augusta Boulevard and Veterans Avenue will be closed for curb and sidewalk reconstruction. The Town of Chesterton is asking the public to use alternate routes. An end date/time for the closure was not given.

News Release, Franciscan Health: MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Franciscan Health Breast Care Center Michigan City breast cancer patients will have additional support thanks to a generous donation from the Michigan City United States Bowling Congress Bowling Association. The organization raised $17,251, a record for the event, at its February Bowl for the Cure fundraiser at Olympia Lanes II in Michigan City to support local breast cancer patients through the Franciscan Health Foundation’s Michigan City Mammography Department/Breast Cancer Fund. The organization has raised more than $134,500 for Franciscan Health Michigan City since 2008. Olympia Lanes II owner Nick Loxas donated the

National EMS Week is May 18 - 24, 2025. This week IDHS and Governor Mike Braun encourage Hoosiers to celebrate and honor emergency medical service personnel throughout Indiana. This is part of the national EMS Week campaign, now in its 51st year, led by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The 2025 theme is "We Care. For Everyone." Indiana has over 25,000 certified emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians and paramedics. To highlight this critical team of first responders, Governor Braun proclaimed this week as EMS

Press Release, Office of the Mayor, Michigan City: MICHIGAN CITY, IN – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the City of Michigan City to receive a $500,000 Brownfields Assessment Grant, part of a nationwide $267 million investment to help communities assess and safely redevelop properties with environmental challenges. The funds will be used to identify and evaluate brownfield sites in Michigan City’s North Side Target Area, laying the groundwork for future cleanup and revitalization projects that benefit residents and attract economic investment. Grant funding will support up to 10 Phase I and 12 Phase II environmental site assessments,

MICHIGAN CITY, IN May 19, 2025– The Salvation Army of Michigan City is going big for its 10th Annual Donut Eating Contest, transforming this beloved community tradition into a Tournament of Champions. The event will take place on Friday, June 6 at Blue Chip Casino’s Stardust Event Center, with doors opening at 9:00am and the contest starting promptly at 10:00am. Admission is free and open to the public. This year’s high-stakes competition will feature past champions and top finishers from the last decade, including Trooper Ken Payonk of the Indiana State Police, who set the all-time record by devouring 16

On the evening of Saturday May 17, La Porte Police Department officers were dispatched to a report of an armed robbery in progress on the west side of the city. The victim, a juvenile, informed responding officers that he had been robbed at gunpoint by three individuals known to him. The victim complied with the suspects' demands for money. Police say that fortunately, he was not physically harmed during the incident. Shortly after arriving on scene, officers were able to locate and take all three suspects into custody without further incident. Police say the appears to be an isolated event,

A man was arrested on several charges after a standoff Sunday night in La Porte County. Just after 8:30 p.m., deputies responded to a residence located in the 100 block of Holly Drive in Fish Lake in reference to a disturbance. Deputies arrived and learned the accused, 27-year-old Davion C. Dunkins, may be armed with a knife and had barricaded himself inside the residence. Deputies were told Dunkins had battered two family members and threatened the same while wielding a knife. A perimeter around the residence was secured. Deputies were able to confirm that Dunkins was still inside the home.

On May 14, 99 law enforcement officers from 12 states – Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts worked a traffic safety project on U.S. 20. Four deputies participated in the project to increase traffic safety and public awareness along U.S. 20 in La Porte County. Deputies worked the project during a two-hour peak travel time and produced the following results: Contacts – 45 Warnings – 41 (29 speed related & 12 for other violations) Citations – 4 (2 speed related & 2 for other violations) The 99 officers from the 12 participating

HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest has opened nominations for the 2025 Innovators Awards. In addition to inducting Individual and Team Honorees into the Society, three unique awards will be considered: Richard C. Sussman Prize for Team Innovation, Society of Innovators Fellows and the John H. Davies Lifetime Achievement Award. Now celebrating its 20th year, the Society of Innovators annual awards focus on the spirit of creativity and ingenuity by discovering, honoring and celebrating innovators from across the seven-county region of Northwest Indiana. Dedicated to the idea that anyone can be an innovator, the

This past Friday marked the official groundbreaking of the Chesterton Town Hall and Fire Station Remodel and Addition Project at 726 Broadway. The Duneland Chamber of Commerce says this exciting development will include an enhanced Town Hall, expanded Fire Department services, and a brand-new community room for residents to enjoy. “Thank you to everyone involved in supporting this important milestone for the Town of Chesterton!” the Duneland Chamber Of Commerce exclaimed on their Facebook page.  

LA PORTE, IN—The La Porte Educational Development Foundation (LPEDF) transformed the annual La Porte Community School Corporation staff recognition event into an elegant "Evening with the Stars: A Gratitude Gala" on May 15, 2025, at the La Porte Civic Auditorium. The event honored the dedicated professionals of La Porte Schools and celebrated their commitment to student success. Under the new leadership of Development Director Carl Savich and Communications Director Pam Stanfield-Tompkins, the LPEDF has embarked on an ambitious path to increase its organizational capacity and community impact. Taking over the end-of-year staff recognition event represents one of several new initiatives

Michigan City Area Schools posted the following statement to their Facebook page regarding feedback on the Year 2 of the Strategic Plan Implementation process: "Dear MCAS Families, Alumni, and Community Members: "Michigan City Area Schools is looking to gain feedback on the Year 2 of the Strategic Plan Implementation process and we need your help. We would greatly appreciate your time completing our Strategic Plan Implementation Year 2 Survey, which can be found here: https://tripod.sjc1.qualtrics.com/.../SV_5aOX2XT5BKfJHdI The purpose of this survey is to gain a better understanding of what the MCAS community has noticed during year 2 implementation of the Strategic

Semi Fire Closes I-65 in Lowell for Hours-here's the latest from the Indiana State Police-Lowell Post in a story we have been following here on WIMS-awesome work by everyone involved Lowell- On Saturday, May 17th , Troopers responded to a single vehicle crash on northbound I-65 at the 238.8 mile-marker. Investigation by Trooper Kurtis Jones shows that an intermodal semi being operated by UPS, was traveling northbound after exiting the construction zone lane restriction. It was reported that the semi experienced a sudden tire failure on one of the steer tires, causing him to lose control of the truck. The

The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps conducted their Awards Ceremony on May 15th at the high school. Various military and civic organizations presented awards to cadets who have performed exceptionally from the end of the last school year to now. These accomplishments ranged from community service to academics to extracurricular activities. The military organizations presenting awards included the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Women Marines Association, the Marine Corps League, and the Military Officers Association of America. The civic organizations were the Sons of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the

Congressman Frank J. Mrvan announced the rescheduled Community Conversations that will be held throughout Indiana’s First Congressional District on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Congressman Mrvan stated, “I invite residents to attend one of my rescheduled Community Conversations that I will be holding on May 29, 2025.  I believe these opportunities allow me to hear directly from constituents and better represent our collective interests in our nation’s capital.  Additionally, I will provide a brief update on the 119th Session of Congress and my work on the House Appropriations Committee.” Thursday – May 29, 2025 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. – Michigan