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Officer-Involved Shooting Incident in East Chicago

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 |12:35 pm

The Lake County Sheriffs Office has been asked to investigate an officer-involved shooting in East Chicago. East Chicago Police Chief Mark Becker says around 11:30 Tuesday night, an officer came upon a vehicle without working taillights in the 45-hundred block of Euclid, a vehicle allegedly reported stolen earlier that day in the city. A pursuit ensued, and police say the suspect vehicle went around a crossing gate at Chicago and Kennedy Avenues, and into a squad on the other side of the...

Local Income Tax for Lake Co Debated Downstate

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 |10:37 am

A one-percent local income tax for Lake County is being discussed downstate.... as a Senate committee has added language to an existing economic development bill for Gary, Senator Ed Charbonneau's Senate Bill 585, that would let Lake County spend some of dollars collected from the tax on county needs...instead of putting it all toward property tax relief. Lake County is the only one of Indiana's 92 counties without such a tax, and because of that, property tax levies in Lake County have been...

Spring 5K Event Shapes the Lives of Region Girls

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 8:27 am

Girls On The Run of Northwest Indiana is the local chapter of a national organization that is a life-changing, character building program for girls in 3rd through 8th grade.
Jill Schlueter-Kim, Council Director says girls in Lake, Porter, Jasper and La Porte counties are invited to sign-up for this 10 week, after school course that through exercise, positive reinforcement and encouraging role models, develops confidence girls need during their critical pre-teen years. Schlueter-Kim says the p...

Boone Grove HS Closed 2nd Day in a Row

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 7:53 am

Porter Township School officials sayt Boone Grove High School is closed today, Wednesday, February 20, due to a water damage from a water line break in the hallway -- a break described to the Region News Team Tuesday as "substantial". Principal Garry DeRossett says Boone Grove High School is the only school in the Porter Township School District included in this closure again today. The high school was closed Tuesday, too.
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Variety of Proposals for Former Hammond Apt site

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 7:33 am

From a restaurant/brewery... to a veterinary facility... to something akin to a Wisconsin-like 'cheese castle' store... the Times today reports the city of Hammond is looking at a variety of proposals for the former site of an apartment complex at the corner of Kennedy Avenue and Borman Expressway. That's where the River Park Apartments stood for years, eventually becoming the site of many police calls, before being demolished in 2006. The development area is now known as Oxbow Landing.
http://ww...

Office Store Merger in the Works

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 7:16 am

Breaking business news this morning... word of a merger between Office Depot, headquartered in Florida, and Naperville-based OfficeMax as both firms look to cut costs. ABC reports Office Depot has been fighting an uphill battle against not just Staples, but also Amazon and Costco.
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Bill Would Require Licensure for Massage Therapists

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 6:56 am

The Indiana Senate unanimously approved a proposal by LaPorte State Senator Jim Arnold he says will improve safety for customers seeking massage therapy. Senate Bill 573 proposes individuals be licensed by the State Board of Massage Therapy to practice in the state of Indiana. Currently, they only need to be certified by that board. Arnold says Indiana is one of the few states that only require certification in this field. The bill would also retroactively license massage therapists with valid...

Hand Sanitizer, Static Electricity Spark Fire?

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 | 6:53 am

Investigators in Oregon believe hand sanitizer ignited by static electricity may have caused a fire that burned an 11-year-old girl in her hospital bed. ABC's Neal Karlinsky reports the recovering cancer patient who was back in the hospital after hitting her head while at school had just wiped down the table that slides over her hospital bed with hand sanitizer. Investigators believe hand sanitzer may have been ignited by static electricity. "According to her father," Karlinsky reports, "she...

Jonassen Sentenced to 40 Years for Kidnapping Relative

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 6:36 pm

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
A Kansas man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison today on charges of kidnapping and obstruction of justice. The Times reports Martin Jonassen, who represented himself, was convicted by a federal jury in July for kidnapping an adult-female relative in attempt to take her from Missouri to Michigan in September of 2011. Published reports the woman escaped a Portage hotel, and ran naked into a liquor store, where surveillance footage captured Jonassen dragging...

Kubina Sentenced to 35 Years in Death of Christian Choate

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 6:08 pm

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
47 year old Kimberly Kubina, who pleaded guilty in May to felony neglect of a dependent in the death of her stepson, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison. The Times reports Christian Choate's father, 40 year old Riley Choate, was sentenced last month to 80 years in prison, after pleading guilty to neglect of a dependent, altering the scene of a death, and habitual offender enhancement. Published reports says Christian Choate's body was discovered in Gary in...

Governor Pence to Visit South Bend Tomorrow

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 4:50 pm

Governor Mike Pence is scheduled to be in South Bend tomorrow afternoon. According to Governor's itinerary, he will be speaking at the Saint Joseph County Chamber lunch-in at noon, then join Hoosiers at the Chicory Cafe at 1:15pm, and conclude his visit by holding a meeting with the South Bend Latino Task Force on Education, at the Maycrest Community Building at 3:30pm.
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Many Factors Contributing to Increase Cost of Gas

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 4:24 pm

A gallon of regular unleaded has reportedly gone over the four-dollar mark in Merrillville today... with many gas stations in Lake County just pennies below that. Triple-A Director of Public Affairs, Beth Mosher, says lessened production, refineries going off-line due to maintenance issues, and refinery issues in Illinois and Ohio have all help contribute to cost increase. Mosher says it remains to be seen if the more expense to produce and make “summer blend switch-over”, will add to the alr...

Immediate Detention Bill Passes Indiana House Monday

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 3:25 pm

A bill unanimously passed by the Indiana House of Representatives on Monday that would allow law enforcement to immediately detain gravely disabled individuals and take them to the nearest appropriate facility now heads to the Senate for additional consideration. House Bill 11-30's author, Representative Charlie Brown, of Gary, says the proposal aligns the current immediate detention statute with the emergency and temporary commitment statutes, thus making them uniform throughout and adding...

Vehicle Fire SB 394 Backing up Outbound Bishop Ford

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 3:15 pm

The on ramp to southbound 394 is closed due to a vehicle fire on southbound 394 at Thornton-Lansing Rd. Traffic tipsters are reporting that the fire is blocking all three lanes of southbound 394 at this time and is backing up outbound Bishop Ford from 15th St./US-6 to I-80/394 interchange. Drivers headed toward northwest Indiana could take Sibley Blvd. to Calumet Avenue/US-41 south to I-80/94. Traffic wanting to continue south on the Bishop Ford could also take Sibley Blvd. to Torrence/SR-83...

Dunes Learning Center Names Benson Executive Director

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 1:45 pm

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
A man who holds numerous positions on a wide array of committees and councils can add another to that list, as the Times today reports Geof Benson has been named the executive director of the Dunes Learning Center, a non-profit environmental education facility. Published reports say Benson currently serves as chairman of the NIRPC Environmental Management Policy Committee, President of the Beverly Shores Town Council, vice-chairman of the Lake Michigan Marina and...

Patient Care Among Best in Nation at Community Hospital

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 1:23 pm

(Photos Courtesy of Community Hospital)
Community Hospital in Munster has once again been recognized as one of America's 50 best hospitals by Healthgrades, making it the only hospital in Indiana to achieve this distinction six-years in a row. Community Hospital Chief Executive Officer Don Flesko says, “this achievement is a testament to the systems we have in place, and the doctors and healthcare professionals who put quality and excellence in patient-first care...it demonstrates to the c...

DeMotte Bank Warns of Fraudulent Text Message Scam

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 1:07 pm

A fraudulent text message scam is circulating in the region. DeMotte State Bank reports the text message asks that you call the listed phone number and enter your personal banking information, which again is a scam, because DeMotte State Bank reports they do not contact their customers in this manner. DeMotte State Bank implores you to not respond, but says if you already have responded, and entered your information, to please contact them immediately, at (219) 987-4141.
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Kellogg's Recall: Special K Red Berries

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 |10:32 am

Kellogg’s has announced a voluntary recall of three sizes of Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries cereal boxes because there might be glass fragments inside. Consumers are asked to check any packages you have in your home, and if it matches the recall info, to contact the company for a replacement coupon. They say they may also make arrangements to retrieve the food for evaluation. Kellogg's says there have been no reports of any injuries associated with the product.
For more info: http://www.kellogg...

Hebron VFD Gets Grant for New Helmets

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 |10:14 am

Indiana Congressman Pete Visclosky announced today the Hebron Volunteer Fire Department is getting nearly three dozen new helmets -- thanks to a nearly 87-hundred dollar federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters program. Department officials say the old helmets are compliant with National Fire Protection Association standards, but many were up to ten years old and in need of replacement.
Here's more info from Congressman Visclosky's office:
Visclosky...

Federal Grant for Shuttle to the Dunes

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 | 9:21 am

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is getting a 193-thousand dollar federal grant to start a new shuttle service to the park -- specifically to transport visitors traveling into the Region from Chicago and the suburbs via the South Shore Line. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced 12-and-a-half-million-dollars in grants for 29 projects in 20 states to improve access to America’s national parks, forests, and wildlife refuges, help reduce traffic congestion and make it easier for m...

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