News

Save The Dunes-Annual Opt Outside Hike at West Beach, Indiana Dunes National Park located at 376 N County Line Rd, in Gary from 1:00PM-4:00PMCST. Save the Dunes invities you to join us TODAY, for a ranger led post-Thanksgiving hike instead of shopping on black Friday. This event is co-sponsored by Save the Dunes, the interactive hikes will be led by regional experts in fields such as birding, botany, insects, geology, and ecology. We'll meet on the north end of the main parking lot at West Beach at 1:00PM then take to the trails! Please dress for the weather, layer up,

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON...BE SAFE * WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations between 5 and 12 inches possible. * WHERE...Portions of northern Indiana, southwest Michigan, and northwest Ohio. * WHEN...From late Friday night through Sunday afternoon. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible.

On Tuesday, the Porter County Health Department visited the Town of Kouts to install its first-ever publicly accessible AED at Drazer Memorial Park. Sandberg Electric donated their time and service to install the unit for free. The Porter County Health Department says this is a big step for their SaveHeart initiative, and brings them to four new life-saving systems across Porter County.

The Starke County Sheriff's Office is issuing another phone call scam alert. The sheriff's office said in a post on their Facebook page that they have been alerted to a phone scam taking place in the area. "Individuals are being contacted by a person representing themselves as a Sheriff's deputy and requesting payment on behalf of the Starke Circuit Court," the sheriff's office said. The individual(s) placing these calls are informing residents that they are being fined for missing jury duty and are instructed to obtain a gift card to be forwarded for payment. "The Starke County Sheriff's Department and

Twilight Parade Rescheduled to Friday, December 5 due to weather and safety concerns from The Chamber of Commerce and Town of Chesterton -see below Chesterton, IN — The Duneland Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Chesterton have made the final decision to cancel the Twilight Parade originally scheduled for this Saturday due to weather and safety concerns. Based on the guidance of the Town’s emergency and street departments, the Town determined that the expected conditions will prevent them from providing the staffing and support required to safely facilitate the event. The parade has been rescheduled for Friday, December 5,

Story Time Wednesday, Dec 3 & 10   10:00am Join Mr. Dave and Miss Dana for stories, activities, songs, and crafts each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.! For children birth through age 5 and accompanied by an adult. Be sure to check out all of our previous story time videos through our YouTube channel, Facebook page, and website. 3-D Pen Workshop Thursday, December 4  3:30pm Come hang out in the children's makerspace and create whatever you can imagine with 3D pens! No experience necessary. Children ages 6-17. Kids under 12 must have a parent or guardian attend with them. Needle Arts Club Thursday, Dec 4 & 11     

The La Porte Police Department says they’re seeing a rise in phone scams across the region. “Callers claim you’ve missed jury duty or have a warrant, then demand payment to ‘fix’ it,” LPPD said on their Facebook page. “Let’s be clear: law enforcement will never call you to demand money, gift cards, or any kind of payment, especially to resolve a warrant or criminal charges. “If you’re unsure whether a call is legitimate, contact your local police department directly to verify. These scammers can sound very convincing, so double-checking is always the best move. “Please share this with friends and

News Release by Indiana Department of natural Resources:  For Hoosiers looking to get outside the day after Thanksgiving, aka Opt Outside Day, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will offer free admission on Nov. 28 to all Indiana State Park properties that normally charge a gate fee. In addition to the 24 state parks, participating properties also include Lieber State Recreation (SRA); Raccoon, Deam Lake, and Starve Hollow SRAs; Brookville, Hardy, Mississinewa, Monroe, Patoka and Salamonie lakes, and the two off-road state recreation areas, Redbird and Interlake. “Thanksgiving is a great time to connect with family, friends, and the

Press Release by Indiana State Police-Lowell Post: Northwest Indiana- With Thanksgiving travel expected to bring a surge of vehicles to Northwest Indiana roadways, troopers from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post conducted a targeted traffic enforcement blitz on Tuesday. The initiative focused on the primary factors that often contribute to serious crashes: speeding, failure to move over for stopped emergency vehicles, and following too closely. While those specific violations were emphasized, troopers remained vigilant for all unsafe driving behaviors. As evening set in, deteriorating weather conditions, including rain and fog, added to the hazards on the road. Throughout the blitz,

The Chesterton Fire Department rescued a man from a roof over the weekend, according to a Facebook post from the Town of Chesterton. The Town of Chesterton says according to the Chesterton Fire Department, the man was "stuck on his steeply pitched roof—unable to balance upright after removing a backpack leaf blower." "Firefighters were dispatched to the scene, on Quail Court, at 2:16 p.m., and on their arrival found the man lying prone and on his back on the second—or higher—roof of his home, in danger of sliding down to the lower and much narrower porch roof," the Town of

TEAM WIMS’ Ric and Norma Federighi had the pleasure of seeing Paul McCartney Monday evening at the United Center in Chicago on the first of his two final shows on his North American Tour. Paul and his amazing band never disappoint. Having had the pleasure of seeing Paul since the late 80’s we have enjoyed sharing those experiences with family and friends along the way. Always an amazing storyteller. The 35 song setlist almost 3 hours long spanned The Beatles, Wings, Solo Paul and his entire career. Simply EPIC. For more pictures check out WIMS FACEBOOK page. #wims #paulmcartney

INDIANA — AAA predicts at least 73 million travelers hitting the road this year for the Thanksgiving holiday, nearly 2 million of those from Indiana. As Hoosiers embark on holiday travels, INDOT urges drivers to travel safely and plan ahead, as increased traffic is expected across the state starting Tuesday afternoon. “Motorists should be aware of increased traffic and potential delays early this week,” said INDOT Commissioner Lyndsay Quist. “We encourage drivers to leave early, practice patience, and allow extra travel time throughout the holiday season. We want everyone to make it to their destination safely.” Beginning at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 26, INDOT

The Downtown La Porte Ice Rink opens this Friday and will also be open on Saturday and Sunday. Reserve your skate time in advance at www.laporteparkandrec.com. For Free Skate Friday on Nov. 28 use the promo code LEAP and for BOGO (Buy One Get One Free) Skate Sunday on November 30 use the promo code SAL. For more information, call 219-326-9600.

The Valparaiso Police Department, along with the Valparaiso Fire Department and the Porter County Sheriff’s Office are participating with the Valparaiso Parks Foundation for the Santa & Sirens toy donation event taking place Dec. 7 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds Park. Stop by to drop off gifts or donations.

The Michigan City Police Department welcomed their newest officer Jose Gonzalez, a lateral transfer with over 5 years of experience. "We understand transitioning to a new department brings both anticipation and uncertainty; yet, we know his skills, knowledge, and experience have prepared him for success," MCPD said on its Facebook page. "We are confident that Officer Gonzalez’s arrival will make a lasting, positive impact on our department and those we serve in the community. On behalf of the entire department, welcome. We are proud to have Officer Gonzalez on our team."

Press Release, La Porte Community School Corporation: La Porte Community School Corporation is proud to announce that the Indiana Department of Education has awarded the Purple Star School designation to Kingsford Heights Elementary School for 2025. This distinction is significant for a school serving a community born from America's World War II effort. The town of Kingsford Heights was established in 1942 as a housing community for workers at the nearby Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, one of the largest ammunition manufacturing facilities in the United States during World War II. At its peak, the plant employed more than 20,000 workers who

LAPORTE, Ind. (November 19, 2025) — Next week, a 14-year tradition returns to downtown LaPorte as State Street Community Church prepares to open its doors for its annual Thanksgiving Eve Community Dinner. On Wednesday, November 26, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., the church expects to serve between 250 and 350 neighbors a hot, homemade holiday meal free of charge. The event is open to the public, and no reservations are required. The dinner will be held at the church's historic location at 209 State Street (the corner of Linwood Avenue and State Street). The menu features traditional holiday staples, including turkey and

The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest launches “Spark Series” to inspire next generation of entrepreneurs   HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. – The Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest has officially launched the Spark Series, a new video learning library designed to help students, educators and aspiring entrepreneurs learn directly from real-world innovators across Northwest Indiana.   These short, documentary-style video interviews with local entrepreneurs and innovators bring real-world business and innovation concepts to life for audiences. The Spark Series highlights authentic stories, challenges and insights designed to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers and creators. Each 12 to 14-minute

The CPKC Holiday Train passed through Chesterton early in the morning of Sunday Nov. 23, according to the Town of Chesterton Facebook page. HOLIDAY TRAIN SUPPORTS FOOD BANKS From the CPKC Holiday Train’s website: “The 2025 CPKC Holiday Train will tour Canada and the U.S. through Dec. 21, raising money, food, and awareness to support food banks across our network. Professional musicians play free concerts from the brightly decorated train’s stage. CPKC donates to the local food banks at each stop and encourages all attendees to make a monetary or heart-healthy food donation. Since its inaugural journey in 1999, the

Valparaiso Parks announced on their Facebook page Friday that new shade structures are now up at some of their most frequently visited parks. Valpo Parks noted that these shade structures are seasonal and won’t be up much longer. The canopies will be removed during the winter months and re-installed in early spring to prevent weather damage.