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Closing Arguments Made Today in Isom Murder Trial

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 4:53 pm

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
The trial of a 47 year old Gary man charged with three-counts of murder in the deaths of his wife and two step children is now in the hands jurors, after closing arguments were made today. The Times reports Kevin Isom is also accused of three-counts of attempted murder for allegedly shooting at officers responding to the incident. If found guilty, he faces either the death penalty, life without the possibility of parole, or a sentence of a specific number of years.
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Positive Case of Typhoid Fever at Purdue University

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 3:48 pm

State health officials today have announced a positive case of typhoid fever in a food handler at Purdue University. The Indiana State Department of Health is working with local health officials, and Purdue University, to investigate the case and assess the risk to the public. Health officials say anyone who ate the Boiler Bistro, John Purdue Room, or the coffee shop, and Lavazza, at Marriott Hall on the Purdue Campus, from January 23^rd through the 25^th, maybe at risk, and advise those...

Testimony Scheduled Today in McCowan Trial

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 3:25 pm

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
Jury selection began Monday and testimony was scheduled to begin this afternoon, according to the Times, for a Wheeler area man accused of killing a 19-year-old Portage woman in September of 2011. 20 year old Dustin McCowan is charged with murder in the death of one-time girlfriend Amanda Bach, whose body was found the day after her vehicle was discovered along State Road 130 in Wheeler. Published reports say McCowan has maintained his innocence. The trial has been...

College Financial Aid and Opportunity Night on 2/21

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 2:24 pm

An event scheduled to highlight financial aid resources offered by the federal government will take place later this month in Gary. College Financial Aid and Opportunity Night will be held at the Gary Area Career Center, in the 18-hundred block of East 35^th Avenue, from 6 to 8pm, Thursday, February 21^st. Scheduled to attend the event are Congressman Pete Visclosky, Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, Doctor Cheryl Pruitt, of the Gary School Corporation, and a presentation will be given by Richard...

Hobart, Taco Bell Hosts Bloodmobile Today

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 1:55 pm

This is the time year when blood supplies are at their lowest but add to that the recent disaster of Hurricane Sandy and inventory becomes critical making the need for blood dire. Andy Piffer, Area Coach, Taco Bell, Eric Oppermans Company (that owns eight restaurants in the area) are responding to the shortage by hosting the American Red Cross Bloodmobile at their Taco Bell location at 8476 E. Ridge Rd./US-6 in Hobart from 1pm to 6pm today.
Piffer says he appreciates anyone who can come by and...

New Healthcare Worker Safety Health Initiative

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 1:24 pm

The Indiana Department of Labor today launched a new statewide safety initiative aimed at reducing worker injury and illness rates in the healthcare industry. The initiative is focused on addressing the most common injuries and illnesses found within the healthcare industry, including slips, trips and falls; repetitive stress injuries; incidental needlesticks; and exposure to blood-borne pathogens.
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IN House Wants Amazon to Collect Sales Tax Sooner

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 1:05 pm

The Indiana House Monday voted 79-to-18 for a bill that would require Amazon.com to start collecting the state's seven-percent-sales-tax the first of July... six months sooner than a deal announced last year that would let the online retail giant put off collecting Indiana sales tax until 2014. House Bill 1007, sponsored by Republican State Representative Tom Dermody of La Porte, now goes to the Senate.
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Free Legal Aid in Lake Station Wednesday

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 |11:10 am

Indiana Legal Services (ILS) has announced free legal aid will be available at Edison Junior-Senior High School in Lake Station Wednesday Feburary 6^th from 9-to-noon. An attorney who is fluent in English and Spanish will provide assistance to parents with civil legal problems that might cause them to remove their children from school, and impede their children's academic progress. The project will give priority to students of Lake Station schools, but ILS says area residents are also welcome to...

Several Blood Drives Planned in February

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 |11:03 am

February is American Heart Month, and Tracy Duncan Fox, Communications Manager, with the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the Red Cross says blood donations help many types of patients, including cardiac patients who are one of the leading users of blood and blood products. “When individuals roll up their sleeve, they help build the blood supply. This is important anytime, but especially during the cold, wintry months when blood donations tend to decline. It’s important that the blood is...

Valpo Mayor Gives 1st Speech after Bout with Flu

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 |10:03 am

Valparaiso Mayor, Jon Costas "re-delivers" 2013 State-of-the-City Address Monday, February 4th, 2013 at Valparaiso Rotary Club Luncheon.
Because Valparaiso Mayor, Jon Costas was still recovering from the flu bug last Tuesday, the mayor's annual State-of-the-City address, was given by City Administrator Bill Oeding during the annual meeting by the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce at Valparaiso University. The mayor "re-gave" the speech, his first public appearance since his bout with...

Fatal House Fire in Michigan City

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 7:22 am

A 65-year-old Michigan City woman is dead after a house fire believed to have started from food left cooking on a stove. The Times reports investigators believe the woman fell asleep, then was awakened by a smoke detector, but was unable to escape. Coroners officials tell the Times today Rosemary Hill suffered smoke and soot inhalation. Crews responded around 4 am Sunday.
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Three Dead After Crash in South Lake County

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 6:59 am

An investigation continues into a crash where three people were found dead after a vehicle was discovered Monday morning submerged in Cedar Creek, adjacent to Belshaw Road, south of Lowell. The Lake County Sheriff's Office reports they responded just after 7am Monday, in the 75-hundred block of Belshaw Road, and found a vehicle upside down in the creek. Authorities say 21 year old Raymond Rodriguez and 20 year old Sasha Spencer, both of Lake Village, were found deceased in the vehicle, and that...

Michigan Company Moving to N Indiana

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 6:53 am

A wood furniture and custom molding manufacturer for the RV and commercial industries has announced plans to relocate its operations from Sturgis, Michigan, to northern Indiana, creating up to 34 new jobs in LaGrange by 2016. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation says Lake Area Designs will retain ten employees from Sturgis and begin hiring additional manufacturing and production associates in June.
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Jury Selection Begins in McCowan Trial

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 6:52 am

Jury selection began Monday in the Dustin McCowan murder trial. The Wheeler area man was charged with murder in the September 2011 death of one-time girlfriend 19-year-old Amanda Bach of Portage. Reports say a defense attorney tried to move the trial out of Porter County or have jurors chosen from another county, because of an article with pre-trial coverage in Sunday's Times, but the judge denied both requests Monday.
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Munster Schools Hosting 2nd Forum Tonight

Written by Indiana 105

Tuesday, February 05, 2013 | 6:51 am

The second of two public forums scheduled in Munster this week is tonight, at the high school auditoirum, to discuss the possibility of raising taxes to help fund schools. The school board is expected to vote on the issue at their meeting next week, and it could go before voters this May. Recently, Boone Township, the school board in Hebron approved a referendum that'll be on the ballot this May. And in the past couple years, voters in three other Region school districts – Lake Central, Crown P...

Crown Point to Establish Rental Compliance Inspector

Written by Indiana 105

Monday, February 04, 2013 | 9:45 pm

The Crown Point City Council approved an ordinance establishing an annual registration and inspection program for rental housing units located within the city. Mayor David Uran (you-ran) says this ordinance changes the name from “officer” to “inspector”, who will establish what is a residential or rental property within the city. Mayor Uran says the inspector position, which is currently looking to be filled though internal postings, will be paid through a combination of established rental fees,...

Third Victim Identified in Cedar Creek Crash

Written by Indiana 105

Monday, February 04, 2013 | 5:16 pm

Three people are dead after a vehicle was discovered this morning submerged in Cedar Creek, in unincorporated Lowell. The Lake County Sheriff's Office reports they responded to a personal injury crash just after 7am today, in the 75-hundred block of Belshaw Road, and found a vehicle resting on its roof in Cedar Creek. Authorities say 21 year old Raymond Rodriguez and 20 year old Sarah Spencer, both Lake Village, were found deceased in the vehicle, and that a second passenger, 40 year old Dustin...

Lake Co Bar Faces Charges Relating to Illegal Gambling

Written by Indiana 105

Monday, February 04, 2013 | 4:47 pm

A Lake County bar was cited with three violations of the state Alcoholic Beverage Code Sunday relating to illegal gambling on the Super Bowl. The Times reports Indiana Excise Police were called to the Spike's lakeside Inn, in Schererville, on an anonymous tip, and as many as 400 people were allegedly involved at the bar. Published reports say a representative of Spike's turned in more than 200-thousand dollars to excise police today and an investigation into the incident continues.
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2 Lake Village Residents Found Dead in Vehicle

Written by Indiana 105

Monday, February 04, 2013 | 3:40 pm

Lake Co. Sherrif
The bodies of two Lake Village residents, a 21 year old man and a 20 year old woman, were recovered from their vehicle this morning, which was discovered submerged in Cedar Creek, in unincorporated Lowell. The Lake County Sheriff's Office reports they responded to a personal injury crash just after 7am today, in the 75-hundred block of Belshaw Road, and found a vehicle resting on its roof in Cedar Creek. Authorities say Raymond Rodriguez and Sarah Spencer were both found deceased in the vehicle, and...

Portage PD Receives 10 Digital Cameras as Donation

Written by Indiana 105

Monday, February 04, 2013 | 2:41 pm

Portage Camera Donation
(Photo Courtesy of the Portage Police Department)
The Portage Police Department today announced it received ten Canon Power Shot 14-point-one mega pixel digital cameras as a donation last month. Sgt. Keith Hughes reports U-S Corporate Security Manager Doug Snider and Senior Security Investigator Terry Swickard presented Chief Troy Williams with the ten cameras, valued at approximately 25-hundred dollars, on January 17^th. The cameras are said to be assigned to the patrol division to be used to...

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