News

Attorney General Curtis Hill is sending out a public safety advisory today to increase awareness of Indiana’s “Red Flag Law,” a statute enacted in 2005 allowing law enforcement officers to take possession of firearms from people they believe to be dangerous as defined in the statute. Indiana is one of five states in the nation to have such laws. Under Indiana’s law, a person is considered “dangerous” if the person presents an imminent risk of physical injury to himself or others. A person can also be considered dangerous if the person presents a potential risk of physical injury and has

The Indiana State Library (ISL) and the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced today that Joshua Fisher earned the honor of being named the 2018 Poetry Out Loud Indiana state champion. Fisher will compete against representatives from all 50 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, for the national Poetry Out Loud title on April 23-25, 2018 in Washington, D.C. The event will be held at the Lisner Auditorium at The George Washington University. The semifinals and finals will be webcast live. The Midwest and South Central round, which includes Indiana, will be held on April 24, 2018, beginning at 1 p.m.

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) convened a group of community leaders at the Shepherd Community Center in Indianapolis for a roundtable discussion regarding his Fair Shot Agenda, a new statewide initiative that aims to ensure every Hoosier has a fair shot at success. “Every Hoosier deserves a fair shot to succeed - regardless of their age, or where they go to school, or what challenges they face,” said Senator Young. “Today we discussed issues ranging from education and jobs and safe neighborhoods, to tackling the opioid crisis and making government more efficient. My Fair Shot Agenda aims to identify specific barriers to success

The Indiana Builders Association has launched a new online resource to connect homeowners or other industry professionals with builders, suppliers and contractors in the state. The Online Buyers’ Guide features updated and expanded company and product listings, in addition to other valuable information relating to the building industry. The guide provides Indiana Homeowners and other industry professionals with an efficient way to browse for goods and services through a vast network of industry suppliers. “Homeownership is a major keystone of the Hoosier economy.” said Rick Wajda, Chief Executive Officer of IBA. “As more homeowners enter the marketplace, it is important we provide online resources

The Valparaiso Police Department is searching for community members that would like to learn more about the police department. The department’s annual Citizens’ Police Academy is currently accepting applications. The Citizens’ Police Academy is designed for community members to meet officers, learn what officers do on a daily basis and become involved in their community. Topics featured in the academy include; investigations, Indiana law, daily traffic laws and enforcement, crash investigations and patrol division duties including many specialties within the patrol unit such as, K-9 presentations, bicycle team, taser usage and firearms scenarios. The academy class will meet on every Tuesday, beginning on March

Sheriff Martinez of the Lake County Sherriff’s Office would like to inform the public that they have a drug collection bin located in the Sheriff’s Department.  The bin is at the main entrance on the ground level in Building J2. You can anonymously drop off any medication or drugs to be destroyed safely. For more information, head to the Lake County Sherriff’s Facebook page.  

On the morning of February 12th, there was a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian on Hamstrom Road.  The suspect fled the scene of the accident in a Dark Blue GMC Yukon. On February 15th at approximately 2:30 p.m. Detective Captain Joe Reynolds and Detective Corporal Dave Czilli located the suspect vehicle at a motor vehicle body shop in Gary, Indiana. A search warrant was obtained with the assistance of the Porter County Prosecutor's office and the vehicle was brought back to the Portage Police Department. On February 16th at approximately 12:30 p.m. the suspect came to the Portage Police

Porter County Highway Department stated  that the Frost Law is currently in effect as of Monday. It will last for the shortest duration possible but is based on road and weather conditions. The ordinance enacts a 5-ton weight limit on nearly every county road (all-weather roads maintained by the Porter County Highway Department are not subject to the Frost Law). Porter County Sheriff’s Office Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED) as well as the Indiana State Police CVED will be out in full force. Permits issued by the Highway Dept are for emergencies only. School buses and curbside trash collectors

Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at 40 sites in Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2 p.m. (local time), February 25, 2018. The free program assists Indiana 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 student loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal

On Friday February 16th, 2018 at approximately 4:30 pm, The LaPorte County Drug Task Force, and The Michigan City SWAT Team executed a search warrant at 410 York Street.  The La Porte County Drug Task Force began an investigation, after citizen complaints, and after investigators conducted surveillance, and observed a high amount of foot traffic at this residence. Lt. Tim Richardson, and Detective Kyle Shiparski, lead detectives in this investigation, presented evidence to La Porte County Superior Court #1, where probable cause was found to arrest Raphael D. PERRY (42) of Gary, Indiana for Dealing in Cocaine a Level 3

You can help animal species such as bald eagles, peregrine falcons, barn owls, box turtles, black bears and more by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund as you do your taxes. The Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund supports the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife’s Wildlife Diversity program. Program staff manages more than 750 nongame and endangered wildlife species. Nongame means the species is not hunted, trapped or fished. You can donate all or a portion of your state tax refund to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. If you file with paper forms, look for the eagle logo on Schedule

During Red Cross Month in March, the American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to join in its lifesaving mission by giving blood. Since 1943, every U.S. president has designated March as Red Cross Month to recognize how the Red Cross helps people across the country and around the world. Red Cross Month is a celebration of supporters, who are the face of the Red Cross in their communities and bring hope to people facing emergencies. The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals

The Indiana State Police is accepting applications for two Regional Dispatcher positions at the Toll Road Post to staff the Regional Dispatch Center that operates out of that facility located at 52422 CR 17. This dispatch center covers the length of the Toll Road as well as the Bremen District. The Bremen District covers Elkhart, St. Joseph, Marshall, and Kosciusko counties. Pay starts at $30,082 per year. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement plans and accrued time off. The deadline for applications is Friday February 23, 2018. For more information on the position and to apply, go to https://www.in.gov/spd/careers (Job

Governor Eric Holcomb will present Vietnam veteran and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Sammy L. Davis of Freedom, Indiana with the 2018 Sachem Award, the state's highest honor, at a ceremony Monday, March 12, 2018. The Sachem is given annually to recognize a lifetime of excellence and moral virtue that has brought credit and honor to Indiana. In addition to his Medal of Honor, Davis has been awarded a Silver Star, Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

An evening of rock music is slated for Saturday, March 17th at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit Shirley Heinze Land Trust, a local non-profit organization which works to protect and restore ecologically significant natural areas in northwestern Indiana. Heartache Tonight is known for delivering an Eagles concert experience that includes everything from the notable guitar duel in "Hotel California" to the harmonies of "Peaceful Easy Feeling. All instruments and vocals are live, with a set list that covers songs from all eras and incarnations of the Eagles, including "Seven Bridges Road," "Life In

The Michigan City High School (MCHS) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps’ (MCJROTC) military drill team has been selected to compete in the MCJROTC National Drill Meet on April 21, 2018, at Daniel Boone High School in Gray, Tennessee.  The Wolves are one of 15 schools from across the country who will compete in five different military drill events to determine the best MCJROTC Drill Team in the United States.  There are 250 MCJROTC schools distributed across just about every state in the union. The trip will be conducted at no cost to Michigan City Area Schools or the

Indiana University Northwest is hosting the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) Conference Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament on February 23-25. The games will take place in the Savannah Center Gymnasium, on the north end of the IU Northwest campus, located at 3400 Broadway in Gary, Ind., conveniently accessible from I-80/94. Five teams from across the nation will join the IU Northwest women for the three-day tournament. The two teams advancing to Sunday’s championship game will receive direct qualifying bids to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Championship Tournament in Sioux City, Iowa from March 7 to 13. IU Northwest

The deadline for application to the 78th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy, 11:59 p.m., February 25th, 2018 is quickly approaching. Individuals who are interested in beginning a rewarding career as an Indiana State Trooper must apply online at https://www.in.gov/isp/2368.htm.  This website will provide a detailed synopsis of the application process as well as information on additional career opportunities with the Indiana State Police. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted for the 78th Recruit Academy. Currently, the ISP Human Resources Division Employment Services Team has received over 1,000 incomplete applications. Applicants are encouraged to check their E-mail, specifically

At its February Executive Board meeting, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) proudly presented the Norman E. Tufford Award to Barbara Waxman. Norman Tufford served as the first Executive Director of NIRPC from 1966 to 1985. The award named in his honor recognizes former Commissioners and NIRPC staff who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the region. "In addition to recognizing Barbara's tremendous contributions to the region," said NIRPC Executive Director Ty Warner, "it is especially appropriate, following the celebration of NIRPC's 50th anniversary, to give this award to someone who knew and worked with Norm Tufford, NIRPC's first

Halfway through the 2018 legislative session, House Republican efforts to reduce human trafficking are progressing. State Reps. Sally Siegrist (R-West Lafayette) and Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville) discussed their proposed legislation and the importance of taking action to fight this issue and protect victims. State Rep. Sharon Negele (R-Attica) also discussed her proposal that would expand Silver Alerts to include missing children with disabilities.   Tune in for our Local News broadcasts at the bottom of every hour on WIMS for more information.