Today's Times reports there's a petition circulating in East Chicago, after word that oil giant BP was looking into the possibility of buying property in north Lake County's historic Marktown neighborhood. More than fifty people gathered at the Marktown Community Center last night to discuss the issue, with one resident saying she's concerned about people selling their homes. The story says the petition calls on the city to implement the Marktown Revitalization Plan drawn up about five years...

Read more: Petition in EC Regarding Marktown

Police say two men from New York were arrested following a traffic stop in northwest Indiana after officers allegedly found an estimated 286-thousand dollars worth of cocaine and heroin in their vehicle. Porter County Sheriffs Police say the police department's Flex team pulled the vehicle over for moving and equipment violations at mile marker 25 in Portage on the Indiana Toll Road Wednesday. Both men are being charged with possession of cocaine and possession of a narcotic drug, a Class A...

Read more: Police: $286K in Drugs Found in Traffic Stop

Pictured left to right: Officer Keith Perez, Chief of Police Michael Brickner and Officer Jerame Simpson, Valparaiso Police Department (photo provided)
Two northwest Indiana police officers have received the 2012 Police Officer of the Year Award from the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police – Officer Jerame Simpson and Officer Keith Perez with the Valparaiso Police Department. Each year the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police receive nominations from across Indiana for officers performing...

Read more: Valpo Officers Named Officers of the Year

The Highland Police Department reports in 2012, members of the Highland Volunteers in Policing, or VIPS, saved them approximately 160-thousand dollars and contributed a total of six-thousand-184 hours of their time to helping in a variety of aspects. Assistant Chief Pat Vassar says they are a tremendous asset, and just last May, the group also assumed responsibilities for Animal Control. He says after a part-time warden left after many years, VIPS filled the void, and eliminated any salary to...

Read more: Highland VIPS Save Deptment Money

A 46 year old Chicago man had his appeal on a murder conviction upheld by the Indiana Court of Appeals today. The Times reports Robert Davis was appealing his 65 year prison term for the shooting death of 38 year old Parrish Myles, on July 22^nd, 2011, at Mansards Apartments, in Griffith. Published reports say Davis had claimed that faulty jury instructions, prosecutorial misconduct, and a lack of evidence should entitle him to a shorter prison term or a new trial.
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Read more: Appeal Upheld in Chicago Man's Murder Conviction

Over 800 customers are without power at last check in the Merrillville area. According to NIPSCO's outage map, crews have been assigned, and while no cause has yet been established, power is anticipated to be stored before 10 tonight for those affected.
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Read more: Over 800 Without Power in Merrillville

The Times today reports the first of three former county police officers was sentenced for reportedly conspiring to use their police positions to purchase machine guns and laser sights to sell for profit, items meant only for use by the military or law enforcement. Edward Kabella, of Crown Point, a former Lake County Sheriff's Department officer, was sentenced to two years in prison, after pleading guilty to public corruption charges.
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Read more: Former Officer Sentenced on Public Corruption Charges

Due to an increase in non-governmental donations, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana were able to distribute over four-point-one million meals to almost 100 food pantries, soup kitchens, and after school programs throughout Lake and Porter Counties in 2012. Megan Sikes, Communication/Advocacy Manager for the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, says the 2012 donations held stead with where they were in 2011, in light of the sizable decrease in the amount of food received from the federal government,...

Read more: 4.9 Million Pounds of Food Distributed in NW IN in 2012

The Indiana Department of Transportation says you can expect overnight lane restrictions tonight on both east and westbound lanes of I-80/94, between the I-65 and the State Road 249 exit. INDOT reports the lane restrictions will occur staring at ten tonight through five tomorrow morning, as crews will be out patching potholes and smoothing rough pavement. The work had been scheduled for earlier in the week but was postponed due to inclement weather.
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Read more: INDOT Lane Restrictions Tonight on I-80/94

The 7^th U-S Circuit of Appeals in Chicago has declared a Indiana law banning registered sex offenders from accessing social networking sites is unconstitutional. The Times reports the Appeals Court overturned a decision upholding the law, calling it too broad, and stated that it does not protect children. Published reports say a lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Indiana, on behalf of a man convicted of child exploitation, and other sex offenders, restricts those who are no longer on probation.
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Read more: Sex Offender Ban on Facebook Unconstitutional