Both the east and westbound ramps of I-80/94 are closed at this time near State Road 51/Ripley Street due to a crash. Please seek an alternate route as you travel westbound I-80/94 near mile marker 15. Also the right lane of eastbound I-94 is closed near U.S. 20 due to construction work. Expect delays as you travel eastbound on I-94 near mile marker 23.2....

Fire crews were called out around 10am this morning for a brush fire in Porter County's Morgan Township. Motorist are being asked to avoid the area of Division, south of Smoke Road on Hunter's Trail, so crews can get that under control. No further information available at this time.
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The ramp of eastbound I-80/94 is closed near State Road 51 / Ripley St due to a crash. Expect long delays as you travel eastbound on I-80/94 near mile 15.
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Authorities report the body of a dead man was found in Hart Ditch Sunday morning in Munster. The Times reports Munster Police were called out to the 85-hundred block of Hawthorne Drive, and at last check the identity of the man is unknown. Published reports say there were no signs of anything suspicious that may have resulted in the man's death, according to a preliminary investigation.
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The Lake County Coroner's Office reports they were dispatched to five-hundred block of Taft Street in Gary on Sunday night, just at 9:40pm. The Coroner's Office reports by 10:18 that night they had pronounced the man dead. The name and manner of death of the deceased have yet to be released. The Gary Fire and Police Departments, and Indiana State Fire Marshall's Office are also involved. At last check no further information has been made available.
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Governor Mike Pence will be spending Monday in St. Joseph County, for Dyngus Day. According to his office, Governor Pence will attend a Dyngus Day lunch at the St. Joesph County GOP Headquarters in South Bend, at 12:30pm EDT. The Governor is scheduled to join South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, at M-R Falcons at 3pm EDT, and then the pair will travel to Z-B Falcons for an engagement at 3:45pm EDT.
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A public open house regarding the second tier of a study for the proposed Illiana Corrridor is scheduled for next month. I-DOT and INDOT officials say the open house will focus on communities, landowners, and access need, along the preferred corridor, from I-55, near Wilmington, Illinois, to I-65 near Cedar Lake. Published reports say the proposed expressway would improve safety, reduce congestion and truck traffic on local roads, and improve accessibility to jobs while cutting commute times. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 18^th, from 5 to 8pm, at Lowell Middle School.
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INDIANAPOLIS—It may be April 1st, but don’t fool around when keeping your family safe and healthy at home. Today kicks off National Public Health Week (NPHW), an annual observance where communities across the country recognize the contributions of public health and highlight
issues which are important to improving the health of the nation.
“Public health is a term that’s not necessarily well understood in the community,” said State Health Commissioner William VanNess, M.D. “Simply put, public health protects and improves lives. It impacts every aspect of living, including the safety of the water and food you consume, response to emergencies, tracking and responding to infectious diseases, having an immunized population, long term care, prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, and so much more. Public health works to educate and empower citizens to lead healthy lifestyles.
This year's NPHW theme is "Public Health is Return on Investment (ROI): Save Lives, Save Money" and focuses on the economic impact of health and on the role that everyone in the community has to support public health and prevention. Each day from April 1-5 will highlight a different theme focusing on a specific prevention activity. Today’s theme is ensuring a safe, healthy home for your family. Proper preparation around the home can help protect the overall health of the family, including reducing infant mortality, falls, childhood and adult obesity, and more.
Creating a safe and healthy home environment can be done in many ways, such as keeping your home smoke-free, ensuring your children are current on their immunizations, stocking your refrigerator with fruits, vegetables and practicing safe and proper food handling techniques. In 2010, cardiovascular disease contributed to the death of more than 17,000 Hoosiers. Avoiding tobacco, eating nutritious meals, and getting regular exercise can all reduce the risk of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
Accidents and injuries in the home pose a serious health threat. According to the latest State statistics from 2010, nearly 2,000 Hoosiers died from non-transport injuries such as falls, drowning, poisoning and exposure to smoke and fire. Taking precautions like installing and maintaining smoke detectors, putting fences around swimming pools, removing clutter, having proper lighting and creating an emergency plan can sometimes mean the difference between life and death or serious injury.
“Having an emergency plan and emergency kit are important steps to take in keeping your family safe during an emergency,” said Dr. VanNess. “Have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home and if you have toddlers, place safety devices on electrical outlets and child-proof latches on doors and cupboards where little ones could get into toxic chemicals or other dangerous items.”
For information on how to create an emergency kit and emergency action plan, visit www.ready.gov.
To visit the Indiana State Department of Health’s website, go to www.StateHealth.in.gov.
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A 66 year old Indianapolis woman was killed Sunday night on I-65 in Jasper County after she walked out in front of traffic for an unknown reason, causing the highway to be shut down for almost six-hours. Indiana State Police report Betty Rush was pronounced dead at the scene on I-65, near the DeMotte/Roselawn exit. A preliminary investigation revealed a vehicle driven by a 22 year old Gary man could not avoid Rush, who walked out into the right lane of traffic, and was struck by the passenger side of the vehicle, then by a semi, and along with several other vehicles. State Police report Rush's vehicle was later discovered at a local truck stop.
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House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath of Michigan City held a media availability Friday afternoon, expressing concerns about what he calls “dithering” by Republicans over implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma said in a morning news conference that a blanket expansion of Medicaid is not viable, so he supports Gov. Mike Pence’s plan to use Indiana’s HIP plan instead of joining the federal program. There is a lot of uncertainty about whether the federal government would approve of the option. Leader Pelath expressed his great disappointment that the Republicans have no “Plan B” in case the federal approval doesn’t come. He is concerned that thousands of Hoosiers will lose health care coverage while Indiana waits to see what happens.
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