The 54^th Avenue/Meadowdale improvement project in Merrillville is expected to begin within a month, and be completed within 120 days. The 638-thousand dollar contract for storm sewer construction was awarded to Gough of Merrillville at a special meeting of the Merrillville Stormwater Management Board this week. Matt Lake, Executive Director of Stormwater Utility, says the infrastructure, which is mostly drainage pipes, is crumbling, and the work will extend along 54^th Avenue from Fillmore to Johnson Street, where there've been some drainage problems in about a six-block area.
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Read more: Merrillville Drainage Project to Begin

The Schererville Town Council has denied a zoning change that would have allowed a resident to provide gunsmithing services – repairing and cleaning firearms -- at his home in a neighborhood near 73rd and Burr. The man said he requested the special clearance to work from home because he can't afford the cost of renting out space in a commercial area.
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Read more: Schererville Denies Home Gunsmithing

Two more Region towns have approved locator signs that display GPS coordinates for their parks and trails. The idea comes from 78-year-old Bill Pauley of Valparaiso, an avid runner who's trying to aid emergency responders in getting to remote areas of Porter County, and parks that people may know by name, but likely don't know their address. This week town councils in Porter and Chesterton signed on. Similar signs have already gone up at Indiana Dunes State Park. The county is funding cost of the signs.
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Read more: GPS Signs to Help Runners and Responders

Portage Police say they received a report of someone handing a note to a clerk at the Walmart on US 6 last night that he was going to blow up the store, then left the business. Officers responded, and a few hours later Portage Police Chief Troy Williams posted on the police department's Facebook page that they had someone in custody in connection with the incident.
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Read more: Portage Bomb Threat Suspect Arrested

A fatal accident had all eastbound lanes of Interstate 94 not far from the Indiana/Michigan state line shut down overnight. Indiana State Police say two lanes are closed as of 5:45 am (CDT).  The crash scene is at mile marker 43, which is about three miles east of the US 20/US35 exit, east of Trail Creek in La Porte County
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Read more: Fatal Crash Closes EB 94 Overnight

(Photo Courtesy of Portage Township Parks)
Ninety-five volunteers participated in the Portage Township Team Up 2 Clean Up event on Saturday, April 20^th.  “We had returning groups, new groups, and community residents participate in this year’s event” stated Joy Lundstrom, Superintendent of Portage Township Parks, “its heart-warming to see the commitment and pride all these groups have for their neighborhood parks”.
 
Returning volunteer groups included Brownies Troop #30003, Boy Scout Pack #487, South Haven Boys & Girls Club, Portage High School JROTC, and employees from Bounce N Around.  New volunteer groups represented were managers and employees from area Starbucks stores, St. Peter Lutheran Church Youth Group and their parents, and local community residents like Melody Palmer and friends.
 
Projects took place at Haven Hollow and Field of Dreams Parks in South Haven, as well as, the South Haven Volunteer Fire Department.
South Haven Boys & Girls Club members expanded the tree nursery they created last year with seedlings from Indiana DNR’s Tree program.  The Starbucks crew assisted with the project which included staking new rows, planting, and mulching seedlings.  Brownies Troop #30003 spruced up their four flower boxes at Field of Dreams Park and placed recycle bins at the park.  The Portage High School JROTC picked up debris and fallen limbs at Field of Dreams Park, raked and leveled-out fiber mulch under playground equipment at Haven Hollow Park and gathered over 30lbs of recycle trash.  (Photo attached).
St. Peter’s Youth group tidied the grounds at the South Haven Fire Department, toured the facility and mopped the fire house bay where fire trucks are parked.  Boy Scout Pack # 487 donated four rain barrels to the Portage Township Parks Department that they received from donations from Indiana American Water Company and Recycle & Waste Reduction District of Porter County.
 
“This is an amazing example displaying how the good works of a few groups can have such a positive impact in our Township Parks and our community”, stated Brendan Clancy, Portage Township Trustee, "we are very grateful for everyone’s participation and support”.
 
To learn more about these projects, the Portage Township Department of Parks and Recreation or how you can be involved, contact Portage Township Parks Department at 219.762.1623 x31.
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Read more: 95 Volunteers Teamed Up 2 Clean Up Last Saturday

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
A 27 year old Michigan City man today had 50 years added to his prison sentence. The Times reports last month, Aaron Windom plead guilty to murder in the shooting death of a 17 year old Gary man that took place in February of 2011. Published reports say Windom is already serving a 20 year sentence for a shooting incident that reportedly took place two days prior to that incident, and a judge has ordered the sentences be served consecutively.
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Read more: Windom Gets 50 More years in Prison

STATEHOUSE (April 24, 2013) — A bill authored by State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) to improve health-care access for Indiana’s rural residents gained final legislative approval today. 
Senate Bill 554 would require the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning to reimburse health-care providers for telehealth and telemedicine services offered to Medicaid recipients. Telehealth and telemedicine services use telecommunications and information technology to provide remote access to health assessment, diagnosis and information. Becker lauded the legwork from both houses in the bill’s final legislative passage.
“I appreciate the hard work and support that has gone into this bill, from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Providing health care to rural residents through telehealth and telemedicine services enhances both the quality and availability of medical care,” Becker said. “This bill is a common-sense measure that enables medical providers to utilize new technology to increase overall health-care access for Indiana residents.”
SB 554 now heads to the governor to be signed into law.
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Read more: General Assembly Approves Rural Health Bill

The Porter County Council on Tuesday granted Aldi a new ten-year tax abatement for a proposed 100-thousand square-foot expansion of its existing facility. The Times reports the addition would bring with it around 15 new jobs. Meanwhile, a proposed TIF at the northwest corner of Route 6 and State Road 49, which would reportedly include Porter Regional Hospital, had county council members differing on the best way to proceed, according to the article.
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Read more: Aldi Granted Abatement for Proposed Expansion

Gary Police are investigating a stabbing incident Monday afternoon in the 54 hundred block of West 25^th Avenue. Lt. Del Stout says a 21 year old employee of the Cricket store sustained deep cuts on his face, cheeks, both legs, and to his left arm, after a suspect, wearing blue hat with a dark hood pulled over it, pulled a knife, and demanded “everything.” Lt. Stout says the incident occurred around 2:30pm Monday, and the suspect, who had acted like he was going to buy a phone prior to the stabbing, fled the scene on foot. Police say they are checking to see if this incident is related to a similar incident on April 18^th at an adult bookstore, also located in the 54 hundred block of West 25^th Avenue. Anyone with information is ask to contact the Gary Police Department.
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Read more: Gary PD Investigating Monday Stabbing Incident