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Westville Man Airlifted with Life-threatening Injuries

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 1:41 pm

Indiana State Police logo

A 19 year old Westville man was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital today with life-threatening head injuries after losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a semi this morning. Indiana State Police report Luke McCormick was going too fast for the existing snow covered roadway, while heading west on I-94, just west of the Burns Harbor exit, when he spun out into the middle lane in front of a semi. Authorities report the semi struck the passenger side of McCormick's vehicle,...

Local Hospital Employees Headed to March for Life

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 |11:55 am

[Photo courtesy -- http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1018007&l=2ad35658d4&id=118589614897998 ]
A group of hospital employees from across the Region began a pilgrimage to Washington, DC, today. About thirty-five employees from Franciscan Alliance's Northern Region hospitals are taking a pilgrimage to the 40^th annual March for Life in Washington D-C, happening tomorrow. Maria Ramos, spokesperson for the hospitals, said they boarded a bus around 7:30 this morning in Hammond, picked up another...

Accidents Continue Around the Region

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 |10:55 am

1050am-- INDOT reports the right lane of westbound I-94 remains closed near US 20 due to a crash. Expect delays as you travel westbound on I-94 near mile 21.3.
We also have reports that the westbound Toll Road is virtually stopped all the way from the BP Plant in Whiting east to Portage
We've also gotten word of an accident that has traffic stopped on northbound State Road 49 in the Valparaiso area. There's reportedly a crash north of the State Road 2 exit.
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Indiana State Police Respond to Multiple Accidents

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 |10:50 am

Indiana State Police Troopers assigned to the Lowell District have been busy all morning with multiple calls for slide offs and crashes due to blowing snow and icy conditions. At this time, there have been only minor injuries reported in some of these crashes.
Police say the majority of the crashes earlier this morning was in northern Lake County on I-80 from the Illinois State Line to I-65; as the snow shifted and fell it migrated east on I-80 between Ripley Street and State Road 249 (Portage...

Crash Reported on 94, Burns Harbor area

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 |10:10 am

10am -- Unconfirmed report of accident with injuries involving a semi and a passenger vehicle on westbound Interstate 94 near mile marker 21, Burns Harbor area.
Region roads, highways and interstates remain hazardous after lake effect snow bands moved across northwest Indiana overnight and throughout the morning rush hour.
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Slide-offs, Spinouts Follow Lake Effect

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 |10:06 am

A look at Interstate 65 near 61st Ave in Lake County this morning [courtesy of INDOT cam]
Slow traffic, slide-offs, spinouts, and accident scenes have followed lake effect snow bands that moved across the Region this morning. Driving conditions remain hazardous. Slow to stopped traffic is being reported from Gary to Merrillville along I-65 and from the Indiana/Illinois state line to I-65 along the Borman Expressway. Traffic is also moving very slowly east of I-65 on I-80/94 and I-94
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Indiana's First Lady Having Emergency Surgery

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 8:51 am

Indiana Governor Mike Pence's office sent out word this morning that all events on his schedule for today, Thursday, January 24, have been cancelled. Indianapolis media are reporting that Indiana First Lady Karen Pence is facing emergency gall bladder surgery.
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Court Rules on Ind Sex Offender Social Media Law

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 8:13 am

A federal appeals court in Chicago says convicted sex offenders have a legal right to be on Facebook and other social media sites, in ruling an Indiana law unconstitutional. ABC News reports a U.S. District Judge ruled in June that because social networking amounts to "a virtual playground for sexual predators," convicted sex offenders should be kept off Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other sites. That led to a class action lawsuit by the ACLU. One of the plaintiffs was a man who served...

Petition in EC Regarding Marktown

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 7:24 am

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...

Police: $286K in Drugs Found in Traffic Stop

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 7:23 am

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...

Valpo Officers Named Officers of the Year

Written by Indiana 105

Thursday, January 24, 2013 | 6:18 am

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...

Highland VIPS Save Deptment Money

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 6:53 pm

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...

Appeal Upheld in Chicago Man's Murder Conviction

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 6:28 pm

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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Over 800 Without Power in Merrillville

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 5:41 pm

NIPSCO Logo
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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Former Officer Sentenced on Public Corruption Charges

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 4:30 pm

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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4.9 Million Pounds of Food Distributed in NW IN in 2012

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 3:45 pm

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,...

INDOT Lane Restrictions Tonight on I-80/94

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 2:45 pm

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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Sex Offender Ban on Facebook Unconstitutional

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 | 2:28 pm

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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Indiana Flu-Related Deaths Now at 40

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 |11:22 am

State health officials say Indiana has now had forty flu-related deaths this season. The Indiana Department of Health says thirteen adult flu deaths were reported in the past week. Two of the deaths reported in Indiana have occurred in individuals under the age of 18. The department does not report the number of deaths in each county until five deaths have occurred in a specific county, and in today's report, officials say Marion County has now had five reported deaths.
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Two Valpo Police Officers Named Officers of the Year

Written by Indiana 105

Wednesday, January 23, 2013 |11:19 am

Two Region police officers received the Police Officer of the Year Award from the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police during a presentation in Indianapolis today – Officer Jerame Simpson and Officer Keith Perez with the Valparaiso Police Department. Valparaiso Police Chief Michael Brickner nominated Simpson and Perez for their efforts during a hostage crisis on the north side of the city last May. Perez, who was off-duty at the time, and Simpson who was on-duty arrived immediately at the l...

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