News

Last week, Rep. Frank J. Mrvan joined with Colonel Kenneth Rockwell, Commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers – Chicago District (USACE), Superintendent Jason Taylor, Indiana Dunes National Park, and Ryan McCoy, Port Director of the Ports of Indiana - Burns Harbor, in a tour of certain federally funded projects across Northwest Indiana. Specifically, Rep. Mrvan toured the Michigan City Harbor, the Indiana Dunes National Park, and the Ports of Indiana - Burns Harbor. Congressman Mrvan stated, “Thank you to all the leaders with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Indiana Dunes National Park, and the Ports of

Westville, Ind. - Legacy Sign Group and The Duneland Chamber of Commerce invite local students to learn more about the signage industry and what training/skills/education will facilitate their journey into the field. This marks the third year that Legacy Sign Group will host this event, an annual initiative by the International Sign Association (ISA). Our objective is to expand participation with more students and industry partners, aiming to make it an educational and impactful experience. "We want to help bridge the gap between students seeking alternative degrees or training programs and show them how to equip themselves with the necessary

News release, National Park Service: INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK: Join park rangers for some fishing fun on Friday, August 30th, from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm at Indiana Dunes National Park’s Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk. In addition to fishing, meet U.S. Fish and Wildlife Biologists Eric Brossman and Biological Science Technician Jake Kessel to learn about the invasive Asian Carp and what they are doing to stop it from getting into Lake Michigan. During this morning of catch and release fishing, learn about the basic techniques, as well as the different fish species found in these waters. Kids can even

All lanes of U.S. 20 to close between Highway Street and Beam Street on Sunday night Aug 25. All lanes of travel on U.S. 20 will be closed between Highway Street and Beam Street at 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, the Indiana Department of Transportation is reporting. U.S. 20 at that location will remain closed until approximately 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26. “No traffic will be able to pass through this location during this time while crews grind down the road and repave it to make more clearance space for semis to pass under the bridge,” INDOT said. “This is

Portage Police said Thursday that a report of a child being approached by a vehicle was unsubstantiated. The original report  caused Portage Township Schools to go into a lock-out, prior to contacting law enforcement. Patrol Officers and Detectives have concluded their investigation, which included interviewing the student, speaking with a witness and reviewing video footage from cameras in the area. Investigators do not believe there was any contact between the child and any person and no abduction was attempted. Police do not believe there is a threat to public safety at this time.

The Valparaiso Police Department announced the recent graduation of Captain Melanie Sheets, Detective Sergeant Chris Allison, and Patrol Lieutenant Jerame Simpson from the School of Police Staff and Command (SPSC) at Northwestern University. The officers have successfully completed the (22) week Staff and Command program. This program, which was implemented by the Center for Public Safety in 1983, has graduated over 21,000 students both nationally and internationally. Captain Sheets and Detective Sergeant Allison were students in SPSC Class #564, while Lieutenant Simpson was a student in SPSC Class #572. The School of Police Staff and Command provides upper-level college instruction

Global Engineering and Land Surveying is notifying the public that there will be several roadways under construction during the next four months. They estimate each section of roadway taking no more than 2 weeks. See the full statement including the construction schedule below for more details.

Join Team WIMS live this Saturday for Tour de La Porte. Tour de La Porte —taking place Friday, August 23 through Sunday, August 25 — is a walking, running, and cycling event that raises money to support the mission of the La Porte County Family YMCA. Every year, the YMCA helps thousands of people lead a happier, healthier lifestyle through programs that promote healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility. With your help, we can make La Porte County a better place to call home! For more information check out www.tourdelaporte.org and www.lpymca.org. Thank you to our sponsors: La Porte

Last week Starke County Deputy McKee with his K9 partner Robby, Deputy Hudgens with his K9 parter Mack, and Pulaski Deputy Leszek with his K9 partner Tiko all participated in the K9 Olympics at Vohne Liche Kennels. During this week long training seminar & competition, participants compete in various events such as narrcotics, tracking, obedience, and apprehension. For the 2nd year in a row, K9 Robby won the Hardest Hitting Dog. WIMS congratulates all of the officers involved.  

Chesterton High School announced that on Friday, Aug. 23, it will become the first school in Porter County to receive the Heart Safe School Designation from Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory), the Town of Chesterton is reporting. Project ADAM is a nationally recognized program dedicated to preventing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in schools. Named in honor of Adam Lemel, a high school student who tragically lost his life to SCA, the initiative focuses on raising awareness, training staff, and providing schools with the necessary tools to respond effectively to cardiac emergencies. One of the requirements of the designation

Press release, Michigan City Special Events: The City of Michigan City and Michigan City Special Events is proud to announce the return of Michigan City’s most requested event, Oktoberfest. The four-day festival, being held in Washington Park over Labor Day weekend, August 30 through September 2, will feature over 50 music and entertainment groups, as well as local and regional food, art, craft and merchandise vendors. "Since its return in 2022, Oktoberfest has doubled in size, and this year is set to be the biggest yet,” said Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “In addition to 51 bands, 60 art, craft and

Franciscan Health is hosting two events on Sept. 12 aimed at helping increase awareness of and helping prevent suicides. Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is hosting a free suicide prevention course from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Central on Thursday, Sept. 12 in GME 2 at 20201 S. Crawford Ave. in Olympia Fields. The entry level Question, Persuade and Refer or QPR Suicide Prevention Course, is based on curriculum developed by the QPR Institute. The course aims to save lives and reduce suicidal behaviors by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. According to the Centers for Disease Control and

The following is a statement from the City of New Buffalo, Michigan: Berrien County is switching its emergency alert system from the old siren warning system to a new phone style warning system. These alerts range from weather events to chemical spills/nuclear accidents. When there is an emergency, your phone will be where to look. “IPAWS [FEMA Integrated Public Alert and Warning System] will be our all-hazards warning system,” said Kevin Simpson, Emergency Preparedness Manager at D.C. Cook Nuclear Plant. “It could be for a tornado, or a nuclear event like we could have here at Cook.” The Berrien County

The La Porte Police Department Detective Bureau is seeking assistance from the public in reference to Monday’s stabbing incident that resulted in the death of one adult male, and the arrest of one male suspect. Police say If you reside in the area between the 100 block of Greenwood and 200 block of Lawndale, and may have video of a red SUV in your neighborhood between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. on Monday August 19, or any other information that may be related to this incident, please contact Detective Cpl. Ashley Adams at aadams@lpcitypd.com, or (219) 362-9446 x2007.  

The La Porte County Health Department (LPCHD) has received confirmation from the Indiana State Department of Health that a pool of mosquitoes submitted for testing has tested positive for West Nile Virus.  This is the first positive identification of West Nile Virus in La Porte County this year. The sample was collected on 7-24-24. The species most likely to transmit the virus are those that prefer to breed in containers therefore it is important to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes that may potentially carry viruses.  Avoid leaving standing water in yards and around homes.  Clean birdbaths and wading pools weekly,

Press release, Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department: As Duneland schools and other area schools started their first week of school last week, motorists are being reminded to heed an extra bit of caution when driving, especially during early morning pickup and afternoon drop off. Public Safety Officials around the county want to ensure a safe and accident-free school year. According to Kristin Poland, deputy director of the National Transportation Safety Board Office of Highway Safety, “School buses are the safest form of transportation to get to and from school.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2022 alone, “42,795

News release, Purdue University Northwest:  HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. – The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest is bringing back the popular Innovators Café Series on Sept. 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at ArcelorMittal Global Research and Development, 3001 E. Columbus Drive, East Chicago, IN, 46312. Innovators Café is a luncheon series held on location to familiarize the region's business and community leaders with the significant and diverse innovation found in the workplace. The aim is to share best practices in a leader-to-leader format that encourages innovation and provides insights into how real problems are being solved. At

LAPORTE COUNTY, Indiana – Franciscan Health is hosting two free LaPorte County car seat safety events in September. The first event will take place from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Central on Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the LaPorte County Family Resource Center, 1232 W. State Road 2 in La Porte. The second event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Central on Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Franciscan Health Michigan City Legacy Campus, 301 W. Homer St. in Michigan City. A certified technician will work with participants to teach them how to properly install a car seat. The

Taking the next step forward in its electric generation transition to a more diverse, balanced and reliable portfolio, Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) – a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI), Monday announced the completion of another solar project in its electric generation fleet. Cavalry Solar is now online and operating, producing more cost-effective, cleaner energy for homes and businesses. “The completion of Cavalry Solar, the third solar project in NIPSCO’s generating mix, is a crucial step in advancing our energy generation transition plan to provide sustainable, cost-effective and reliable energy now and into the future,” said Vince

A fatal stabbing suspect was arrested following a police pursuit, according to La Porte Police. On Monday morning officers were dispatched to the 200 block of Lawndale Avenue in reference to a stabbing. Officers discovered a male victim who was transported to the hospital. The victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to the hospital, according to the police. A short time later police located the suspect in La Porte County and led officers from multiple agencies on a pursuit that ended in St. Joseph County. The suspect was taken into custody and is in the La Porte County Jail