Now through May 31st  the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and The Times Media Company are holding Summer Care and Share Food Drive. The purpose of the drive is to fill 1,000 “Share Boxes” for children in need. For many children the only meals they are sure to receive are the breakfast and lunch they receive through the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs. When summer rolls around these children don’t know where their next meal will come from. The Summer Care and Share Food Drive will help provide these children with nutritious food during the summer holiday.

Each “Share Box” will be filled with cereal, oatmeal, canned vegetables, canned fruits, pasta, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, jelly, macaroni and cheese, boxed dinners, beef stew and canned tuna. Food from this list can be donated at any Strack & Van Til Food Market, Town and County store, Ultra Foods store or The Times offices. Food can also be donated online through a virtual food drive by visiting:  http://www.timescareandshare.com    A copy of the “Share Box” shopping list with the quantities needed of each item is also available on that site.

“There are more than 46,000 children in Lake and Porter Counties that are on the free and reduced lunch program. Hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation, that’s why it’s so important for us to really amp up our efforts and make sure that these kids have something to eat when they are out of school,” said Food Bank Executive Director Arleen Peterson.

The Food Bank and their member agencies also participate in the Summer Food Services Program which also targets children in need over summer break. For more information about that program please contact the Food Bank at 219-980-1777. To request a “Share box” please call the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. The Food Bank will be taking registrations for the boxes Monday, May 13th through June 3rd.

(http://www.foodbanknwi.org )
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LAKE COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces overnight lane restrictions in both eastbound and westbound U.S. 30 between State Road 51 in Hobart and State Road 55 in Merrillville for road resurfacing work. Beginning this week, lane restrictions will be in place during overnight hours (between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.) and will continue through early August.
INDOT reminds drivers to use caution and consider worker safety when driving through a construction zone. For the latest road closures and news from INDOT, like us at www.Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest and follow us at www.Twitter.com/INDOTNorthwest.
You can find traffic restriction information at www.trafficwise.IN.gov.  Contact the LaPorte District toll free at 1-855-GO-INDOT.
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INDIANAPOLIS—May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Monday, May 6, has been designated as Melanoma Monday to help raise awareness of melanoma and other skin cancers. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. and affects more people than lung, breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
“Current estimates indicate that one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer during their lifetime,” said State Health Commissioner William VanNess, M.D. “However, you can reduce your risk of skin cancer by taking a few steps to protect yourself from the sun. Seeking shade, especially during midday hours, wearing sunglasses and using sunscreen that has a sun protection factor of 15 or higher and protects against both UVA and UVB rays can help protect you and your loved ones.”
The two most common types, called basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, are highly curable. Melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more serious. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), melanoma, which accounts for five percent of skin cancer cases, causes the most skin cancer related deaths, killing one American every hour.
“Unlike many other common cancers, melanoma occurs in both younger and older people,” said Tom Rich, Director of Comprehensive Cancer Control for the Great Lakes Division of ACS. “Rates continue to increase with age and are highest among those in their 80s, but melanoma is not uncommon even among those younger than 30. In fact, it is one of the more common cancers in young adults, especially young women.”
Changes in the shape, size and color of moles may indicate skin cancer. To help with early detection for melanoma and other skin cancers, State health officials suggest the following ABCDE guidelines when looking at a mole to determine if you should be concerned.
A = Asymmetry: One half of the mole (or lesion) does not match the other half.
B = Border: Border irregularity; the edges are ragged, notched or blurred.
C = Color: The pigmentation is not uniform, with variable degrees of tan, brown or black.
D = Diameter: The diameter of a mole or skin lesion is greater than six millimeters (or the size of a pencil eraser). Any sudden increase in the size of an existing mole should be checked.                                                
E = Evolution: Existing moles changing shape, size or color.
“Skin cancer may appear differently than what is described in the ABCDE rule,” said Dr. VanNess. “If you notice any changes to existing moles or new growths on the skin, make an appointment with your health care provider for an exam.”
For more information about skin cancer in Indiana, visit the Indiana Cancer Facts and Figures 2012, a comprehensive report on the burden of cancer in Indiana at http://indianacancer.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ICC-Facts-and-Figures-2012-Melanoma_Skin-Cancer-pg-45-49.pdf.
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Those interested in impacting the burden of cancer in Indiana should consider participating in the Indiana Cancer Consortium (ICC). The ICC is a statewide network of partnerships whose mission is to reduce the cancer burden in Indiana through the development, implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive plan that addresses cancer across the continuum from prevention through palliation. Participation in the ICC is open to all organizations and individuals interested in cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, quality of life, data collection and advocacy regarding cancer-related issues. To become a member of the ICC and find additional information about cancer prevention and control in Indiana, please visit the ICC’s website at www.indianacancer.org.
To visit the Indiana State Department of Health’s website, go to www.StateHealth.in.gov....

A train derailment in Gary this morning reportedly forced 9^th Avenue, from Chase to Madison Streets to be closed for a time. Authorities report no injuries, or lost load, due to the derailment of a couple of CSX freight train coal cars. No further information is available at this time.
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Early voting ends at noon today (Mon May 06 2013) at the satellite location and Lake County Government Center in Crown Point for residents of the Munster School District who are voting yes or no to a proposed property tax increase to help funds the schools. Lake County Board of Elections and Registration Michelle Fajman says 14-hundred votes have already been cast. The polls are open from 6 am until 6 pm Tuesday for the referendum. You can take a look at the question online as well as a map of the polling places at the Lake County government website. Here is that link:  http://www.lakecountyin.org/portal/media-type/html/group/voters/page/default.psml/js_pane/P-13d89bae041-22ea9  You can also hear comments from Munster School Superintendent Richard Sopko talking about the referendum at News Audio on Demand here at our website.
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Police in Portage say what started with an officer in the process of making a traffic stop overnight turned into a pursuit that ended when the vehicle went off the expressway in Gary this morning... and police say the suspect vehicle had apparently just been stolen. A vehicle rollover occurred on the ramp from westbound 80-94 to northbound Broadway early today, police were stationed there and the surrounding area of Gary around 5 am. Indiana State Police, Gary Police, and reportedly a helicopter overhead were in the vicinity as authorities were looking for the suspect driver, and information wasn't available at this time on the status of that search. Information also was not available on the nature of the traffic stop, but police say during the pursuit, after plate information was called in, authorities went to the owners, who said they weren't aware their vehicle was missing.
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Fire crews from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will be burning approximately 10 acres of land near the Paul H. Douglas Center, near Gary, Indiana this afternoon. As long as weather conditions remain good, crews will be burning the small parcel of land on the west side of North Lake Street, north of 3rd Ave. and south of Birch Ave. Fire officials say tThe burn is part of long term plan to improve animal and plant habitats in the habitats found in Miller Woods.   The prescribed fire program at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is conducted by trained and experienced National Park Service fire personnel. Smoke dispersal is a primary concern and park staff say they will try to limit smoke in the area by monitoring wind and atmospheric conditions prior to ignitions, but smoke drifting in and around park lands and roadways is possible.
 More info can be found at www.nps.gov/fire  and www.nps.gov/indu  .
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2013 is a 'non-election' year for Indiana as far as public offices are concerned... but that doesn't mean Hoosiers won't be going to the ballot, here in the Region and elsewhere in the state. Tomorrow (Tue May 7 ) a handful of Indiana school districts will hold referendums, and locally they include Munster, Metropolitan School District of Boone Township in Hebron, the Wheeler/Union Township Schools, and Knox Community Schools in Starke County. In each case, voters are being asked to say yes or no to a property tax increase that would help fund the schools
To hear interviews about the referendum with Union Township Superintendent John Hunter, MSD Boone Township Superintendent George Letz, and Munster School Superintendent Richard Sopko visit News Audio on Demand here at our website.
May 7, 2013 Special Elections
- Barr-Reeve Community Schools (Daviess County)
- Hamilton Southeastern Schools (Hamilton County)
- Noblesville Schools (Hamilton County)
- City of Vincennes Parks & Recreation Department (Knox County)
- Munster School Referendum (Lake County)
- Metropolitan School District of Boone Township (Porter County)
- Union Township School Corporation (Porter County)
- Knox Community School (Starke County)

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The Lake County Council is expected to consider the proposed one-and-a-half percent local income tax again this afternoon. The tax has won preliminary approval from the county council, and if approved, it next goes before the Lake County Commissioners, who have scheduled a special meeting Friday May 10th, at 8:30am. If commissioners veto it, the county council could override that, with a super-majority. Lake County is the only county in the state without a local income tax.
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