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Two 19 Year olds Charged with Child Molestation

Joel Bogdan
(Joel Bogdan: Photo Courtesy of the Times)
Charles Nafus III
(Charles Nafus III: Photo Courtesy of the Times)
Today's Times reports an unrelated investigation has lead to two 19 year old men each being charged with felony child molestation. Published reports say Joel Bogdan, of Portage, and Charles Nafus the third, of Lake Station, are alleged to have had sexual relation with a 13 year old girl, after she notified Hobart Police of the sexual encounters. The Times reports both men knew the girl was 13 at the time...
 

Robbery Suspects Taken into Custody in Hammond

assault at walmart
(Photo Courtesy of Hammond Police)
Hammond Police are grateful to an alert shopper who helped captured a robbery and assault on video Friday afternoon. Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller says a 55 year old woman was violently yanked to the ground by her purse by a young robber while at Walmart, located on the 18-hundred block of 165th Street. Chief Miller says the robbers then fled the scene, but did not know a Walmart patron had witnessed the incident, captured it on video, and followed the...
 

Indianapolis Man Leads Police on High Speed Chase

A 19 year old Indianapolis man is expected to face numerous charges after leading police on a high speed chase on I-65 in excess of 110 miles per hour. The Times reports a Lake County Sheriff's Department Officer witnessed Dontae Blunt speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, and following too closely, on I-65, just north of the Kankakee River, around 4:30 Friday afternoon. Published reports say near the 109th Street exit, Blunt evaded tire deflating devices on the roadway, and was allegedly...
 

Middle School Teacher Charged with Child Solicitation

portage pd

A 44 year old Fegely Middle School teacher is being held at last check in the Porter County Jail with no bond after being taken into custody for misconduct involving two female juveniles. Portage Police report Brian Tyman, of Portage, is charged with two-counts of felony child solicitation and two felony counts of vicarious sexual gratification. Police report, through the course of their investigation, it was learned that the teacher had been maintaining a relationship with the previous...

 

Governor Pence Visits Lake and Porter County

pence in valpopence in merrillville

(Gov Pence at the Porter County Career & Technical Center)       (Gov Pence at Horizon Finanical Management Expansion Announcement)


design of horizon

(Design of new Horizon Financial Management facility)

Indiana Governor Mike Pence ended his first full week as Governor in Northwest Indiana, making stops this afternoon in Merrillville and Valparaiso. The Governor's first stop was at the Porter County Career and Technical Center, where he met and greeted faculty and students, as...

 

Chambers Announce New Initiative in Lake Co

lcealogo
Lake County's two largest chambers of commerce have announced a new joint initiative called the Lake County IN Economic Alliance. Officials from the Crossroads Regional, representing Merrillville and Crown Point, and Lakeshore chamber, serving Hammond and East Chicago, say the new economic development group is meant to foster job growth and encourage more investment in the Region. Crossroads Chamber President and CEO Sue Reed says they want the alliance to be there for existing businesses: "One...
 

Legislative Forum Scheduled for Saturday

Six members of the Indiana Legislature who represent various parts of Porter County will be on hand for the Legislative Forum Saturday January 26, from 9 am to 10:30 am at Bailly Elementary School, 800 5th St, Chesterton -- new location.  The forum is open to the public.  Sponsored by the Porter County Retired Teachers Association, registration for the forum will begin at 8:30 am. Those attending may fill out a card with one question for the legislators. Attending will be state lawmakers Ed C...
 

Chambers Announce Joint Effort in Lake Co

The two biggest chambers of commerce in Lake County have announced a new joint initiative called the “Lake County IN Economic Alliance”. Officials from the Crossroads Regional, representing Merrillville and Crown Point, and Lakeshore chamber, serving Hammond and East Chicago, say the new economic development group is meant to foster job growth and encourage more investment in the Region. They say the two chambers collectively represent more than 12-hundred businesses.
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Governor Pence Visiting NW Ind Today

govpence usethisphoto
Indiana Governor Mike Pence has scheduled visits in Lake and Porter Counties today. The governor will  tour Porter County Career and Technical Center in Valparaiso. Afterwards, he'll be joining executives from a healthcare services provider for a jobs announcement in Merrillville. 
The Indianapolis Star reports First Lady Karen Pence is expected to be recuperating at home this weekend following emergency gall bladder surgery Thursday. Goveror Mike Pence issued a statement expressing their...
 

Street Count of Homeless Individuals Jan 30

Gary city officials have announced Continuum of Care Network of NWI will conduct a street count of homeless individuals in Lake County on January 30th, and volunteers are needed to perform the count throughout different areas in the county. The effort is part of the 2013 Point-In-Time Count coordinated by Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, the state housing finance agency, and the Local Regional Planning Council. The effort will include a count of homeless persons throughout...
 

Armed Robbery at Lake Station Store

County Line Photo
[From Lake Station Police Department]
Police in Lake Station are investigating an armed robbery at the County Line Market Convenience Store in the five-thousand block of Central Avenue. Authorities say a male subject walked in just after 4-o'clock Thursday afternoon, asked if they had an unknown product in the store, then approached the cashier and displayed a handgun and demanded money from the register. The clerk complied, police say, and the man left, reportedly heading westbound on foot....
   

Snow Affecting Today's Commute, Too

snowplow

Snow's not over yet in the Region... Winter weather is expected to impact the morning commute today, too... The Indiana Department of Transportation is urging Region commuters to make room for those snow plows -- and staying at least 4 car lengths behind the plows if possible. INDOT notes temps well below freezing over the past few days, has reduced the effectiveness of road salt in melting snow and ice. Drivers are reminded to accelerate gradually, drive slowly, brake early and allow greater...
   

Police: Carjacking Suspect Shot by Car Owner

In Gary, police say a 19-year-old carjacking suspect was shot by the vehicle's owner Thursday afternoon while allegedly trying to steal the car near 37th and Connecticut Street. Published reports say when the owner told the suspect to get out of his vehicle, the teen reportedly reached inside his coat, and that's when the car owner fired.
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NIPSCO Launches Green Power Program

NIPSCO Logo
A pilot program that allows NIPSCO customers to designate a portion, or all, of their monthly electric usage to be attributable to power generated by renewable energy sources is now underway. NIPSCO Spokesperson Kathleen Szot says customers can be part of this voluntary program by designating 25, 50, or 100-percent of their monthly usage, while commercial and industrial customers would have the added flexibility to designate 5 or ten-percent of their monthly usage. Szot says customers can...
   

Gov Pence in Merrillville Tomorrow

mike pence
The new Governor of Indiana will be in region tomorrow. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation today announced that Governor Mike Pence will be joining executives from a healthcare services provider for an economic development announcement in Merrillville. The announcement is scheduled to take place tomorrow afternoon, at 2:45.
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Health Officials Warn Stomach Flu Underway Too

indiana state department of health
While influenza has dominated the headlines, with a widespread outbreak across the nation, health officials also want to remind Hoosiers this is also norovirus, or stomach flu season too. The Indiana State Department of Health reports a new strain of the stomach flu has appeared in Indiana, however, it does not carry worse symptoms than others. State Health Commissioner William Van Ness II, M-D, says flu shots do not prevent the norovirus, and while it is very contagious and easily spread,...
   

Tire Tracks in Snow Lead Police to Hit Run Driver

The snow caused numerous crashes this morning, but did allow authorities to track them to an alleged hit-and-run driver early today, according to the Times. Published reports say Valparaiso Police were called out just after midnight, to the corner of Chicago Street and Arbordale Drive, and discovered 12 mailboxes knocked over due to an apparent vehicle crash. The Times reports police followed the tire tracks in the snow from the scene to the 13-hundred block of Wood Street, and charged a 29...
   

14 Arrested in Hammond Warrant Sweep Wednesday

Hammond PD
Hammond Police reiterated to those with misdemeanor and felony warrants that unless you keep your court date, you will receive a visit from them. Hammond Police Chief Brian Miller says around four in the morning Wednesday, 30 officers fanned out with warrants in-hand, and arrested 14 suspects, including one felony arrest for child molesting, and one felony arrest for operating while intoxicated. Chief Miller says three more suspects turned themselves in today, with several additional suspects...
   

Slow Speeds Southbound I-65 from the Borman

All lanes southbound I-65 from the Borman (I-80/94) are running at slow speeds due to heavier than usual volume near Ridge Rd.  Partially cleared travel lanes are also contributing to slower speeds from Ridge Rd. south toward 61st Ave.
SB I-65 slow  01-24-13
Looking toward southbound traffic on I-65 near 45th Avenue.
(http://www. in.gov)
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Westville Man Airlifted with Life-threatening Injuries

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,...

   

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