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Backup on Eastbound 80/94 Toward Indianapolis Blvd.

Fire crews were still on the scene of a vehilce fire that stopped all traffic going eastbound on the Borman (I-80/94) near Indianapolice Blvd. Traffic tipsters were reporting a passenger car was fully involved shortly after 5pm this afternoon. The right lane has just been reopened but eastbound I-80/94 remains backed up to nearly the Bishop Ford. Drivers should expect delays until past Indianapolis Blvd.
Vehicle fire EB Borman

The smoldering vehicle can be seen on the right hand shoulder that caused police to close the right lane eastbound I-80/94
(photo courtesy of INDOT)
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Lt Gov Ellspermann Listens and Learns in Lake County

Sue-LG
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann was in Lake County today meeting with elected officials and business leaders as part of her statewide “Listen and Learn Tour”. After a meeting with area elected officials and a diner stop--during which the Lieutenant Governor spoke with Lake County constituents--she attended a round-table meeting with county business leaders and business owners at Merrillville's Albanese Confectionery, in an attempt to understand the needs and concerns of local economic development. Elspermann says the tour, with stops in all 92 counties, is an opportunity for the Governor's Office and local government and economic-development teams to get on the same page.
Elspermann says local business leaders and Lake County economic development officials stressed the need for more skilled workers. After a tour of the Albanese candy factory, the Lieutenant Governer praised the company as a model for Indiana business and manufacturing.
As a native of southwest Indiana, Elspermann plans to spend the bulk of the next three weeks in northern Indiana to better understand differences in economic concerns in each area of the state.
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Merrillville Law Firm Awarded Attorney General's Cup

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. – Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller recognized Burke Castanza & Carberry today for their outstanding contributions to the fifth annual March Against Hunger food drive.
The firm accepted a trophy, known as the “Attorney General’s Cup,” for winning the large firm division by donating $7,153 and 1,675 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. The trophy was presented and participants were recognized during a formal award ceremony today in Merrillville.
"All food drive participants deserve recognition for their efforts to serve their local communities by selflessly giving their time and money to a worthy cause," Zoeller said. "Too many Hoosiers, including children, face hunger on daily basis and it’s heart-warming to see the members of my profession step up in such a big way.”
The fifth annual food drive competition was between 44 participating law groups from Indiana and Kentucky. To help coordinate the donations, Zoeller teamed up with the Indiana State Bar Association (ISBA) and the nonprofit group, Feeding Indiana's Hungry (FIsH), which is the umbrella organization for 11 regional food banks.
"As a fellow lawyer, I am particularly proud of the fact that lawyers from all corners of the state rose to the occasion to serve Hoosiers in need," said ISBA President Daniel B. Vinovich. “It’s opportunities like this annual food drive that allow us to serve beyond our clients."
In total, the March Against Hunger food drive generated $55,455 and 10,065 pounds of food for food banks statewide. Zoeller said this year’s monetary and food donations combined is the equivalent to 143 tons of food.
“We are grateful for the participation and generosity of so many Hoosier lawyers, as well as for the leadership of our state's attorney general to raise awareness of hunger,” said Emily Weikert Bryant, FIsH Executive Director. “One in six Hoosiers is at risk of hunger, and for Hoosier children just one in four. The pounds contributed through the food drive this year will provide the equivalent of nearly 240,000 meals to Hoosiers in need, with nearly 1 million pounds donated since the program was created in 2009.
This year’s “Attorney General’s Cup” will be presented to the firm in each of the six categories that collected the most donations:

Sole proprietor
Small firm (2-11 persons)
Medium firm (12-21 persons)
Large firm (22-49 persons)
X-large firm (50+ persons)
Public/non-profit firm

The 11 regional food banks that serve Indiana and are members of FIsH include: Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc., Food Finders Food Banks, Gleaners Food Bank, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Food Bank of Northern Indiana, Terre Haute Catholic Charities Food Bank and Tri-State Food Bank Inc. Also, Freestore Foodbank of Cincinnati and Dare to Care Food Bank of Louisville also participated and serve some Indiana counties.

outside photo

Winning Lawfirm, Burke Costanza & Carebrry, LLP. Attorney, Paul Leonard Jr. next to Attorney, Ann Marie Woolwine (L of Cup) Meagan Sikes, of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana (r of Cup) and next to Indiana Attorney General, Greg Zoeller.

accepting cup

Paul A. Leonard, Jr., Attorney at Law at Burke Constanza & Carberry LLP accepts "Attorney General's Cup" from Indiana Attorney General, Greg Zoeller.

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May Trout Releases Canceled Due to 2012 Drought

A shortfall of trout has caused the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to cancel additional trout stockings into five northern Indiana streams in May.
Since 1990, the Pigeon River in Steuben and LaGrange counties, Turkey Creek in LaGrange County, the Little Elkhart River in Elkhart County and the Little Kankakee River in LaPorte County have received May trout releases to extend trout fishing opportunities. In 2012, Potato Creek in St. Joseph County was added to the list.
Trout for May releases are not extra trout but part of the annual allotment which are held back from the initial release of trout for opening day of stream trout season in late April.
The trout shortfall resulted from the 2012 drought. High water temperatures and low water flow diminished production at the DNR trout production facility.
The DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife plans to continue the May releases in 2014.
In the meantime, trout from the initial releases in late April are still available in most of northern Indiana’s trout streams. Anglers fishing the more remote areas continue to report good catches.
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Crash Cleared on Route 6 by Mallards Landing in Valpo

Tipsters were reporting an accident on Route 6 by Mallards Landing subdivision in Valparaiso. The Porter County Sheriff's Office dispatch says the incident occurred just after 12:30 this afternoon, and after blocking traffic the clear the scene, motorists were able proceed through just after 1:30pm. No further information is available at this time.
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Flood Damages Park Bridge

Flood damage has closed a nearly century-old suspension bridge at a popular Indiana State Park. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources say an April flood resulted in significant structural damage to the suspension bridge at Turkey Run State Park. The bridge was built in 1918, two years after Turkey Run became a state park. The Indiana DNR says the bridge crosses Sugar Creek and connects the developed area of the park with the park's northern section and its popular hiking trails, through the sandstone canyons and forested area of Rocky Hollow Falls Canyon Nature Preserve. DNR staff are reviewing options on what to do. The 202-foot-long bridge is 4 feet wide and supported by steel cables nearly 2 inches in diameter. A 50-ton concrete tower on the south side of the bridge supports the cables.
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Middle-Age Suicide Rate Spike in Ind

The suicide rate for middle-aged Hoosiers has spiked, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. The study from the CDC finds death by suicide is on the rise among middle-aged Americans in general... researchers from the CDC's Injury prevention center looked at the years 1999 - through - 2010 and found an overall 28-percent increase among people aged 35-to-64 years, while the increase in Indiana over that time period was almost 54-percent " We need to think carefully about the risk factors that are likely to be most relevant to middle aged adults like financial challenges, job loss, intimate partner problems or intimate partner violence the stress of caregiving responsibilities substance abuse chronic health issues, said Dr. Thomas Simon with the CDC. Dr. Simon says traditional research has focused on suicide rates among adolescents and young adults and suicide rates among older adults, while this report highlights the need to better understand and address the risk for suicide among middle aged adults
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La Porte PD Planning May Blitz

During the month of April 2013, officers from the La Porte Police Department say they investigated 43 property damage and 9 personal injury crashes with two of the crashes being alcohol related. Officers also participated in nearly thirty hours of Operation Pull Over patrols during the month of April, writing 55 citations and 45 warnings including 48 seat belt citations. The La Porte Police Department will be participating in another Operation Pull Over Blitz May 17 through June 2, covering Memorial Day, which police say is traditionally a dangerous holiday weekend.
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Police: Growing Operation Uncovered

[Photo provided/Portage PD]
Police in Portage say a "substantial" alleged marijuana growing operation was uncovered this week. The Portage Police SWAT Team with the assistance of the Porter County Drug Task Force had a search warrant for an apartment in the 55-hundred block of Tulip, where they say about forty alleged marijuana plants, about one-thousand dollars in cash, and equipment and paraphernalia were seized Wednesday afternoon. Police say the resident was not home at the time, but charges of Felony-Cultivating Marijuana, Felony-Maintaining a Common Nuisance and Misdemeanor Possession of Paraphernalia are being sought through the Prosecutor's Office.
marijuana 3 WinCE

[Photo provided/Portage PD]
Chief of Police Troy William states “The Portage Police Department will continue to direct the focus of our efforts and resources on combating illegal drugs and on anyone who chooses to introduce them into our great community”.
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ISTEP Plus Testing Update

Based on assurances made by testing company CTB McGraw-Hill, the Indiana Department of Education says ISTEP-Plus testing for Hoosier schools is continuing today [ Friday, May 3 ]. The Department has again asked schools to reduce their daily testing load by approximately 50%. State education officials have also extended the testing window by two days to May 17. Over one million testing sessions have been completed this week, roughly 41-percent of the total expected sessions for ISTEP-Plus. System errors interrupted ISTEP-Plus testing in the region and across the state in the early part of the week.
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Times Publisher Leaving for New Job

times WinCE

Times Media Company has announced publisher 52-year-old Bill Masterson Jr. is leaving to become vice president at Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway's B-H Media Group. Masterton's been publisher of The Times since 2006. Times advertising director and general manager of the company's Crown Point office Lisa Daugherty has been named interim publisher. Berkshire Hathaway is an investor in Lee Enterprises, parent company of The Times.
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Grant Money to Improve Lake Co Air

South Shore Clean Cities has announced a competitive grant award program aimed at improving air quality in Lake County through Diesel Emissions Reduction projects. A total of 450-thousand dollars will be available to support qualified projects submitted by Lake County municipalities, schools and not-for-profit hospitals. The program is the result of a cooperative agreement between the BP Whiting Refinery, the Sierra Club, Save the Dunes, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Hoosier Environmental Council, the Environmental Law and Policy Center, the Environmental Integrity Project and two private citizens. An informational meeting is scheduled later this month in Hammond. Phase I will begin at 9 a.m., Thursday, May 23 with an informational pre-proposal meeting at the Indiana Welcome Center, 7770 Corinne Drive in Hammond.
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Tax Info Meeting Saturday

Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid is holding an information meeting Saturday morning at 11 at the Lincoln Center in Highland to answer questions about the proposed one-and-a-half percent local income tax. The tax has won preliminary approval from the county council, who are expected to consider it again this Monday afternoon. If approved, it next goes before the Lake County Commissioners, who have scheduled a special meeting a week from today, May 10th, at 8:30am. If commissioners veto it, the county council could override that, with a super-majority. Lake County is the only county in the state without a local income tax.

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Groundbreaking for Black Oak Project

Congressman Peter Visclosky, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and other city officials from Gary, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a groundbreaking ceremony today to mark the start of construction for the Gary Black Oak phase two sewer improvement project which officials say will alleviate commonly recurring cases of road and basement flooding for a number of businesses. It will involve the full reconstruction of 25th Avenue between Calhoun and Burr Street, and will extend Gary's storm sewer system to part of the Black Oak section on the southwest side of the city.
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Man Saved from Drowning

An Indiana Conservation Officer who serves as a SCUBA diver for Indiana DNR Law Enforcement saved a man from drowning last night. Officer Jet Quillen was checking fishermen Thursday evening along the White River in Indianapolis when he was approached by someone saying a person was drowning. Quillen rushed to the riverbank where he saw someone about fifteen feet away, removed his duty belt, jumped into the water, and successfully brought a 52-year-old Indianapolis man back to shore. The officer was assisted at the bank by an unknown individual. Officer Quillen learned the man could not swim and was walking on the rocks on the dam when he slipped into the water.
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Man Working in Garden Hit

Indiana State Police say an 88-year-old Lafayette man working in his flower garden near the road was taken to the hospital Friday afternoon after being struck by a driver making a food delivery from a restaurant to a mobile home park. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and the driver was cited for unsafe lane movement, and the investigation is ongoing.
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Hospital Pavilion Plan Approved

The Hobart Plan Commission has approved the site plan for a 40-million dollar expansion at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. The hospital plans to build a new surgical pavilion at its main campus on South Lake Park Avenue, a two-story building that will replace the current surgical department and intensive care unit. Construction is expected to begin this summer.
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Indiana Monthly Revenue Rept for April

Indiana's latest state revenue report shows general fund revenues were 71-point-three million dollars above the April 2013 forecast, and 81-point- 4 million, or nearly four-and-a-half-percent above collections for the same period last year. The Indiana State Budget Agency also says through the first ten months of the fiscal year, state revenues are one-point-two-percent, or 136-point-eight million dollars above the April 2013 forecast.
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Advice for Landowners Looking to Sell Timber

Indiana Conservation Officers and the DNR Division of Forestry are providing useful tips to landowners that can assist in protecting their valuable timber resources.
Indiana hardwoods, such as black walnut, red and white oak, and other valuable species are sought by the timber industry. Landowners should follow some simple steps before signing a contract with a timber buyer.
“Some Indiana landowners are taken advantage of every year, and they lose money and resources because they are not aware of the value of timber or the steps needed to protect themselves,” said Duane McCoy, timber licensing forester with the DNR Forestry Division.
To protect forestry resources, landowners should follow these steps:
1. Hire a consultant forester to represent you and mark and advertise your timber sale.
2. Always get several bids from different timber buyers.
3. Ask questions and get references from the timber buyer.
4. Mark the trees to be cut with a paint mark on the stem and at ground level.
5. Know and understand the fine details of the contract.
6. Never make an oral agreement.
7. Know how much you will be paid and the method of payment.
8. Be a good neighbor and work out any property line disputes prior to harvesting.
“Marketing the mature timber from a family property is generally something that will only occur once in a person’s lifetime, and it must be done with knowledge that protects the interest of your investment,” said Lt. Tony Stoll, DNR Law Enforcement District 9 commander.
The DNR offers a free information packet titled “callb4ucut” to Indiana citizens considering harvesting their timber. See www.callb4ucut.com for further information.
Any suspicion that a timber theft is occurring citizens are urged to contact Indiana Conservation Officers Central Dispatch at 812-837-9536.
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Chesterton's European Market Opens this Saturday

Chesterton’s European Market will open for its 11th Season on Saturday, May 4th. The Market is located at Third Street and Broadway in historic downtown Chesterton, and is held every Saturday from May 4 through October 26, from 8:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Each weekend this season, the Market will boast more than 90 merchants, live musical performances from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, fresh food served on-site throughout the day and plenty of opportunities to enjoy gatherings with friends and family at picnic tables in nearby Thomas Centennial Park. “Last year, we had a dozen Seasonal Merchants – vendors who came to the market every weekend. This year, we’ve accepted 44 Seasonals, and 35 Semi-Seasonals,” says Allyson Baughman, Chamber Marketing Director and Market Manager. “We’ve also welcomed several new artists, chefs and musicians to our ranks. The interest we’ve seen this season has been phenomenal. The Chamber receives several calls each day from locals and tourists wanting to learn more about the market – especially when it’s going to open!”

New to the market this year will be downtown Chesterton merchant Chelle’s, as well as TAJ Indian Curry House and Valpo Shrimp Company – a local business that raises salt-water shrimp for local restaurants. Market favorites Bit of Swiss, Rolling Stonebaker, Espress Yourself, Good to Go by Lucrezia, Butler Winery, Ivy’s Catering, Ben’s Soft Pretzels, Lehman’s Orchard, Flagel’s Sugarhouse, Pa’s Workshop and Marilyn’s Pies also will be returning. “The Market wouldn’t be the same without everyone’s favorite coffee, pizza, pretzel and croissant merchants,” says Baughman.

While booth space at the Market is nearly booked for the entire season, a few spaces remain in October. “We’re always open to receiving applications, since sometimes our scheduled merchants have conflicts and can’t attend,” Baughman explains. “We especially love seeing applicants with new or unusual products – especially savory food items.” For more information about applying to or visiting Chesterton’s European Market, please call the Chamber office at (219) 926-5513, visit www.dunelandchamber.org, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

To hear our interview with Allyson Baughman and discover more going on this year at Chesterton's European Market visit News Audio On Demand at www.regionnewsteam.com
You can also visit the event's website: http://www.chestertonseuropeanmarket.com
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(photo provided by http://www.chestertonseuropeanmarket.com }
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