About Phil Wieland

Phil started his journalism career in 1967 as a copy boy with The Cleveland Press while attending Cleveland State University. He has been a reporter and columnist at The Times since 1984, winning multiple awards in both categories.

He currently covers Valparaiso, Kouts and Hebron in addition to writing a weekly column dealing mostly with politics in Porter County.

In his spare time he enjoys playing softball, and he has written two books, one of which is in the hands of a publisher. He and his wife Mary have a son and two grandchildren.

PHIL WIELAND: Here's a Henny Penny for Evans' thoughts

The recent rant by Porter County Board of Commissioners President John Evans about what he called the Chicken Little County Council raises man…

PHIL WIELAND: Saving NIRPC from those alligator jaws

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

I can't help but wonder if Portage Mayor James Snyder was a fan of "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom."

PHIL WIELAND: Census Bureau is counting on you, not your name

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

The U.S. Census Bureau has an insatiable curiosity about us. And who can blame them?

PHIL WIELAND: Man wants to be Census Bureau's anonymous source

Most of us don't mind helping the government. Maybe it's because the government always seems to need a lot of help.

PHIL WIELAND: Don't change team name, just show some respect

By Phil Wieland

As his name implies, Kenny Lone Eagle is a Native American. You know, the people we used to call Indians and whose butts John Wayne kicked in …

PHIL WIELAND: Taking care of the deer-ly departed

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

One of the joys of commuting along more-or-less rural roads is watching as the bodies of roadkills slowly swell to explosive proportions. (My …

PHIL WIELAND: Still a soft spot for softball season

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

The Valparaiso Parks Department men's softball season opener was Wednesday, which explains the sobbing you might have heard coming from me lat…

PHIL WIELAND: Population map shows dots all, folks

Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

Everyone in North America is more than a number. Thanks to an MIT grad student, apparently with lots of time on his hands, everyone in the Uni…

PHIL WIELAND: Forget charrettes; here's your U.S. 20 plan

As a noted urban planner (and I have the notes from several psychiatrists to prove it), I am happy to offer my insights on how to improve the …

PHIL WIELAND: Forget the WMDs; give Hoosiers more cheese doodles

The formula for success in the Indiana General Assembly seems to be to set the bar low. With them, it's not so much reaching for the bar as no…

PHIL WIELAND: Tourism power play just political horse manure

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

Mr. Ed gave himself a case of email hoof-in-mouth when he sent comments complaining about Indiana Dunes Tourism lobbyist Brett Ashton and sayi…

PHIL WIELAND: Someone should investigate why spring is so late

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

As families prepare to eat Easter ham,

PHIL WIELAND: Just because speech is free, we don't have to hear it

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

I've complained in the past about Porter County's emergency warning sirens because they supposedly warn us of about 50 different potential dis…

PHIL WIELAND: We're not the happiest, but it could be worse

By Phil Wieland

If you think of the region as something less than paradise on Earth, apparently you are not alone or even in the minority.

PHIL WIELAND: Schools closed because of a threat - of bad weather

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

The Farmer's Almanac is predicting "squally" weather for mid-April, so Valpo schools should be notifying students soon that classes are cancel…

PHIL WIELAND: Exercising freedom of speech got tougher in Portage

What is it with public officials who aren't all that eager to hear from the public during what is purportedly a public meeting?

PHIL WIELAND: Some other non-threats Steele can protect us from

After last week's column, a reader wrote that I was a little harsh on State Sen. Brent Steele, especially my saying he had the best porn film …

PHIL WIELAND: Legislature great at dealing with problems we don't have

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

It's heartening that the Indiana Legislature provides gainful employment to the mentally challenged, but sometimes they introduce bills that b…

PHIL WIELAND: Just some random thoughts on Kindness Week

By Phil Wieland phil.wieland@nwi.com, (219) 548-4352

Monday is the first day of International Random Acts of Kindness Week leading up to Valentine's Day and, I think, Galactic Niceness Week and D…

PHIL WIELAND: Indiana needs fewer license plates -- and legislators

Leave it to the Indiana Legislature to try to solve a problem by making it worse.

PHIL WIELAND: Putting presidential oath under the gun

It's only 35 words carefully crafted by the Founding Fathers as part of the Constitution and uttered by fewer than four dozen men during our n…

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