News

Ivy Tech Community College will host a free workshop, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, for students and parents to apply for financial aid, according to the Town of Chesterton. The College Goal Sunday workshop will be held on the Ivy Tech Valparaiso campus. The workshop will assist Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), required of students who want to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA must be completed and filed by the State of Indiana’s

Monday, State Rep. Pat Boy’s (D-Michigan City) House Bill 1380 passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives. The bill would exempt motor driven cycles and lightweight electric vehicles from the annual electric vehicle supplement fee. Boy released the following statement on the passage of the bill through the House. “First, I want to thank my fellow co-authors and House colleagues for their support on this crucial piece of legislation. As the bill moves to the Senate, I am optimistic about the continued bipartisan support in creating an eco-friendlier Indiana.” The bill now moves to the Senate.

News release, Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM): The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has $300,000 available in funding help Solid Waste Management Districts (SWMDs) in Indiana to implement waste tire cleanup projects. Eligibility is limited to SWMDs located in Indiana. Grants will be awarded up to $10,000. The application period for Waste Tire Cleanup Grants has been extended to Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. IDEM held two webinars to help potential applicants understand and navigate the grant application process. These webinars provided information on the grant program, application guidelines, timelines and requirements. Applicants who did not attend a live

The Salvation Army Michigan City Corps and Community Center and Versiti Blood Center of Indiana are hosting a blood drive today in Michigan City from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time at 1201 South Franklin St. See more information on the Salvation Army of Michigan City Facebook page.      

A Winter Storm Watch is in effect for several counties of northwest Indiana, Chicagoland and southwest Michigan: Counties: Northern La Porte-Eastern St. Joseph IN-Southern La Porte-Western St. Joseph IN-Cass MI-Northern Berrien-Southern Berrien- ...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 6 or more inches possible. * WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. * WHEN...From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snowfall rates of an inch per hour are possible,

Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has announced a change to its grant timeline for 2025. This year, HFL will accept grant applications addressing strategic priorities (Healthy Children, Healthy Living, and Healthy Minds) and Healthy La Porte requests on a rolling basis. HFL will not have two separate grant cycles. This shift to a rolling basis extends what has been referred to as Cycle 1, absorbing the grantee partners who may have been planning to apply in Cycle 2. This transition is meant to foster ease of applying for grantees and increase HFL’s response times to grant applications. Rolling Grant

INDIANAPOLIS - Last week, State Rep. Pat Boy’s (D-Michigan City) House Bill 1380 passed unanimously out of the House Roads and Transportation Committee. The bill would exempt motor driven cycles, which include electric cycles, from the electric vehicle supplement fee. Boy released the following statement on the passage of the bill through the committee: “The current law requires owners registering their electric bikes and owners registering their electric vehicles to pay the same expensive fee. This kind of policy punishes people looking for cheap environmentally friendly alternatives to their commutes. “I am grateful to see bipartisan support in the passage

"LOVE LETTERS" at Theatre at the Center on Friday, Feb. 14  7:30 pm and Sunday, Feb. 16  3 pm Starring Philip Potempa and Cara Schmitt, benefiting Women’s Association Northwest Indiana Symphony Society (WANISS) and The Edith Root Scholarship. We see the relationship of childhood friends Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner grow through their lifelong correspondence, starting with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters through the college years and beyond, with life taking them in different directions. Eventually the two reconnect, but it is too late for them? Through their correspondence,

Check out another installment of "Well Beings" Wednesday February 12th, from 9:10a-9:40a right here on WIMS. Your host Debbie Tatum with the Franciscan Health Foundation welcomes Dr. Patrick Albert, Vascular and General Surgery from Woodland Health Center. You can listen on AM 1420, 95.1FM, 106.7FMValparaiso and the stream on wimsradio.com plus watch it on FACEBOOK LIVE. "Well Beings" brought to you by Captain Ed's Furniture & Mattress in Michigan City. #wims #nwi #localradio #makingadifference

Join Michigan City Area Schools for the LPCCTE Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser next month. LaPorte County Career and Technical Education is celebrating CTE Month with a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, March 1, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Elston Cafeteria (LPCCTE North Campus, A.K. Smith Career Center), 317 Detroit St. Tickets are $8 and must be purchased in advance by Friday, February 21. Proceeds support LPCCTE programs. During the event, stop by AKScissory for Salon Saturday services. Walk-ins welcome. Reserve your spot at educateMC.net/LPCCTE-Pancake.

La Porte, IN – On Friday, Feb. 7th, the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership (LEAP), in partnership with the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce, held a Third House Session for one of its largest audiences to date. Featuring a panel of locally elected state, county and city officials, the event welcomed more than 120 attendees to Purdue University Northwest’s Great Hall Event & Conference Center for an update on important issues facing our community and state.   LEAP President of Business Services Mike Riehle said, “Our intent for this event is to not only shine a light on legislation that

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Franciscan Health is hosting a free, educational heart screening event during American Heart Month aimed at helping Region residents better understand and manage their cardiac risk. The Heart to Heart event is scheduled to take place from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 at Innsbrook Country Club, 6701 Taft St. in Merrillville. Cardiothoracic Surgeon J. Michael Tuchek, DO, FACS, will share information about the importance of patients knowing their blood pressure readings as well as their cholesterol and blood sugar levels and how they can all impact heart health. Dr. Tuchek will also explain the

LaDonna Mae Siegmund December 3, 1941 - February 2, 2025 LaDonna Mae Siegmund, 83, Michigan City, Indiana, passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2025 at 10:27 a.m. in Ernestine M. Raclin House, Mishawaka, Indiana. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 p.m., Thursday, February 13, 2025 at Ott/Haverstock Funeral Chapel, 418 Washington St., Michigan City, IN with Rev. Walter Ciesla officiating. Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Michigan City, Indiana. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until time of service Thursday at the funeral chapel. Contributions may be made to National Kidney Foundation, 215 W. Illinois Street, Suite 1C,

This year, Porter-Starke Services celebrates 50 years of meeting the health and wellness needs in Northwest Indiana! Collaboration, partnerships, and relationships are what make a milestone like this possible. Celebrate with us at the 2025 Living Health•Balance•Hope Symposium featuring Zach Brittle, Certified Gottman Therapist and best-selling author, and explore the power of relationships and how we all can nurture and strengthen them! For more information visit www.porterstarke.org.

A Michigan man was arrested and another suspect still has yet to be located after a vehicle pursuit Thursday night, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Thursday night at 11:50 PM, a Flock Safety camera captured an image of a stolen vehicle in the area of S.R. 39 and the Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90).  The vehicle was a gray Mazda CX-5 and reported to Benton Harbor, Michigan authorities as recently being stolen. A deputy located the stolen vehicle traveling southbound on Indiana Avenue (U.S. 35).  Upon the deputy activating his emergency lights, the vehicle accelerated and

The La Porte County Family YMCA will be hosting an Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Class on Monday, Feb. 10 from 4-9 p.m at its La Porte Branch. Participants will learn essential skills to provide first aid and CPR for adults and pediatrics (children and infants) through the American Red Cross. They will also learn how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) safely, effectively, and in a timely manner. “With a half-million cardiac arrests each year, CPR can help save a life if a person's breathing or heart stops, the YMCA of La Porte County said on its Facebook

The Duneland School Corporation is announcing that online enrollment is now open for incoming kindergarten students for academic year 2025-26, according to the Town of Chesterton. Families are asked to complete the online enrollment prior to attending Kindergarten Round-Up on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. To get started, go to https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/.../kindergarten... After the Kindergarten Round-Up on Feb. 27, families should view the website for a chance to visit their new elementary school. Registration for that elementary school will begin on Tuesday, April 15.  

The Valparaiso Police Department said Friday night they will remain in the area of Calumet Ave. and the Canadian National railroad crossing near Bush Street due to a police investigation. Police reported the investigation at 7:42 p.m. “The investigation will have the crossing closed for an unknown amount of time,” police said. “There is no threat to the public and we ask that the area be avoided if possible, using alternate travel routes to the east and west of Calumet Avenue”

The Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE) Thursday heard from representatives from Ivy Tech Community College and the Indiana National Guard about a new opportunity they have collaboratively designed for Indiana high school students interested in the military or public service. The Ivy Tech Public Service Pilot will be available beginning in summer 2025 and will help interested students earn the newly-developed enlistment and service diploma seals, while also earning college credit. “Better connecting students to their future path is essential to their success after high school,” said Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. “The new initiative outlined today

News release, Purdue University Northwest: HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Financial aid professionals will be on site at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses during the statewide College Goal Sunday programs on Feb. 23. The free event will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. CST and will help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid. College Goal Sunday programs provide assistance to students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and federal loans at most colleges,