News

Several fire area fire departments responded to a building fire early Wednesday, on Brighton Street in La Porte, according to several video updates from Mayor Tom Dermody. Mayor Dermody said the building was the old American Rubber plant. Fire Chief Andy Snyder said the fire came in at about 12:30 a.m. Firefighters worked on the fire overnight into Wednesday morning. Synder said there were multiple collapses and the building was storing hand sanitizers. As of Wednesday afternoon some parts of the building were still burning in isolated areas and firefighters continued fighting the blaze. Chief Snyder said Wednesday afternoon of

A Statewide Silver Alert has been declared. The South Bend Police Department is investigating the disappearance of 28-year-old Stefan Thurmand. Thurman is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, weighing 175 pounds, and has black hair with brown eyes. Thurmand is missing from South Bend and was last seen on Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 3:45 pm. He is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance.  If you have any information on Stefan Thurmand, contact the South Bend Police Department at 574-235-9201 or 911. Check the Indiana State Police - Public Information Office and South

Two Michigan City High School Students were arrested on Wednesday after an alleged bomb threat prank was posted to social media. Wednesday morning, a 14-year-old student and 15-year-old posted to social media and created a scare at Michigan City High School. School Resource Officer Sgt. Steve Forker worked quickly and efficiently with the Michigan City Area Schools administration to make an arrest for intimidation against both suspects. Police said that because of the nature of the hoax, a bomb threat, the matter had to be taken seriously. The Michigan City Police Department “wanted to assure the public that threats of

The City of New Buffalo will hold a ribbon-cutting event for the community’s new dune walk on Oct. 8 at 11:00 a.m.  The project was managed by Abonmarche Consultants and made possible through funding commitments from the City of New Buffalo, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and The Pokagon Fund. The City of New Buffalo says the original Dune Walk had become unsafe and in 2018 they began the process of planning, funding, designing and construction of a new Dune Walk.  Cider and donuts will be served after the ribbon cutting and people will be able to explore the

An arrest has been made in connection to an officer involved shooting that occurred in South Bend last Thursday. Indiana State Police say a warrant was served by the Indiana State Police E.R.T. at 4540 Hickory Road Apartment 3C in Mishawaka at around 7:12 p.m. Tuesday evening. As a result of the warrant, 20-year-old Ian Steven McDonald Austin of South Bend was arrested for attempted murder. According to police, an Indiana State Excise Officer had been in the area working a special detail around local convenience stores when he began to follow a vehicle northeast on Rockne Drive. Near the

In recognition of the 7th annual National Energy Efficiency Day (#EEDay2022) on Wednesday, Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) is joining regional and national organizations, businesses, utilities, universities, and individuals in promoting energy efficiency to the public and its customers – "the most immediate affordable way to meet our energy needs, save on energy bills, and reduce their carbon footprint." NIPSCO says it is “proud to have made significant, forward-thinking investments in energy savings with the NIPSCO Energy Efficiency Programs that provide incentive opportunities to both residential and business customers looking to save energy.” The company went on to say,

Two people are dead after a crash on U.S. 30 in La Porte County. At 7:49 a.m., deputies were summoned to the 6300 west block of US 30 for a crash involving a semi and a passenger vehicle. Starke County EMS personnel arrived and advised that two occupants of the passenger vehicle were deceased. The initial crash investigation completed by deputies determined a 2019 Mack semi-tractor was pulling a 2015 Hyundai trailer. The truck had just exited the Plaza 30 Truck Stop and was beginning to travel eastbound on US 30. While doing so, the trailer separated from the semi-tractor

On the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) traffic will be shifted to alternate lanes between milemarkers 3.4- 4.6. Work is scheduled through Dec. 6. In addition to the lane shift the on-ramp at Calumet Avenue for east-bound traffic will close Oct. 31 - Dec. 6. Follow WIMS on Facebook and for more roadwork project announcements. 

In Portage now through Thursday, there will be rolling closures on Mulberry Avenue between Willowcreek Road and Vivian Street. The city's paving contractor is milling out existing asphalt and is placing a new asphalt surface as part of the city's 2022 street paving and repair project. The dates are weather dependent. A flag person will be on-site directing traffic.

Indiana State Police have identified three people who died and two others who were injured in a crash on the Indiana Toll Road Sunday evening in St. Joseph County. The driver of the white SUV, a 2017 Ford, has been identified as 31 year-old Mark Pelini, of Canfield, OH. The front seat passenger has been identified as 31 year-old Jillian Marian, of Youngstown, OH. The driver of the black 2017 Ford pickup has been identified as 56-year-old David Taylor, of Harrisburg, PA. The deceased front seat passenger has been identified as 57-year-old Jane Beecher, of Harrisburg, PA. The injured backseat

A body that was recovered from Lake Michigan in Berrien County last week has been identified. The Grand Beach/Michiana Police Department along with the Berrien County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau were able to positively identify the body found in Lake Michigan in the Village of Michiana last week. The South Bend Police Department Crime Lab was instrumental in helping with this case and were able to use a fingerprint to make a positive ID. The victim was identified as 48-year-old Jason A. Ryno from Joliet, IL. The investigation is ongoing, but there is no suspicion of foul play.  

The Michigan City Sanitary District will host a ribbon cutting for the official opening of the Cheney Run Wetland Preserve at Karwick Nature Park on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Sanitary District General Manager, Milorad “Mike” Milatovic, is pleased to announce the official opening of the Cheney Run Wetland Preserve at Karwick Nature Park, over 10 years in the making. All who wish to attend are invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony to be held on Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 10:00 a.m. The park has no mailbox, but the address for the driveway and parking area is 804 S. Karwick Road. A walking

Three people died and two others were injured after a crash on the Indiana Toll Road on Sunday evening in St. Joseph County. At around 7:55 p.m. on Sunday, police began receiving calls of a serious crash on the Indiana Toll Road near mile marker 67.6 involving two vehicles that had eastbound lanes blocked. Preliminary investigation indicates that an SUV was traveling westbound when it struck a deer. The SUV then crossed the center median and collided with a Ford pickup truck that was traveling eastbound. Both the driver and passenger of the SUV died as a result of the

The South Shore Line has announced special train service for the Chicago Marathon from Oct. 6 to 9. The South Shore Line invites all Bank of America Chicago Marathon runners and observers to leave their vehicle at one of  their train stations in Indiana and take the South Shore Line to Chicago for all Bank of America Chicago Marathon events. Thursday/Friday, Oct.. 6-7: Bank of America Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo and Packet Pick-Up: For the convenience of Bank of America Chicago Marathon participants, on Thursday, Oct. 6, and Friday, Oct. 7, the South Shore Line will stop the

The Burns Harbor Police Department is advising the public to make sure they are removing valuables and securing their vehicles. Police say that surrounding communities had several thefts of vehicles in addition to items that were reported being taken from vehicles Friday morning.   Police also say if you see anything suspicious or abnormal, to give them a call so that they have the opportunity to check it out.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces the upcoming temporary closure of two I-65 off-ramps in Merrillville. This information is according to the Town of Chesterton’s Facebook page. Ramp 253A, northbound I-65 to U.S. 30, is scheduled to close at 8 p.m. on Oct. 7 and reopen by 6 a.m. on Oct. 10. Ramp 255A, NB I-65 to 61st Avenue, is scheduled to close at 8 p.m. on Oct. 14 and reopen by 6 a.m. on Oct. 17.  In the event crews need to complete more work on this ramp it will again close at 8 p.m. on Oct. 21 and

The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) recently announced changes to its COVID-19 dashboard to reflect new publishing schedules and additional surveillance tools. The COVID dashboards at www.coronavirus.in.gov will be updated each Wednesday by 5 p.m. The IDOH says this change reflects a national shift to evaluating weekly metrics rather than daily case counts and will ensure that trends in COVID-19 activity remain available to the public and healthcare providers to help inform decisions. The IDOH said in a news release, "Breakthrough case counts and hospitalizations have been removed from the vaccine dashboard at www.ourshot.in.gov and from the youth dashboard in recognition of

Starting Monday, the Indiana Toll Road will be working on the structures over U.S. 41 in Hammond until the beginning of December. Watch for the right lanes of 41 to be closed in each direction. The work is being done by the Indiana Toll Road.

There were no injuries reported after a kitchen fire Friday morning at a duplex in Liberty Township within Porter County. On Friday just before 11 a.m. in the 700 block of Ravinia Drive West, the residence filled with smoke pushed out of the house when the homeowner, who was mowing the lawn, went to investigate a burning smell. The homeowner had opened his sliding door and found his house filled with dense smoke. The homeowner called 911, which helped save his duplex as the fire was able to quickly be contained to the kitchen. Assistant Fire Chief Michael Wineland estimates

The Indiana State Excise Police has requested that the Indiana State Police investigate an officer-involved shooting that took place in South Bend, at around  9:30 p.m. eastern time on Thursday. The Indiana State Excise Officer had been in the area working a special detail around local convenience stores when he began to follow a silver vehicle that is believed to be an early 2000’s or late 90’s Honda Civic northeast on Rockne Drive.  Near the intersection of Rockne Drive and North Jacob Street the driver of the suspect vehicle stopped in the street, exited his vehicle, and began to fire