Region Updates

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Three Teens Hospitalized After Near Drowning in Lake Michigan

A near drowning incident in Lake Michigan in Portage Thursday night has left three teenagers hospitalized. Indiana DNR reports an investigation revealed that a group of five teens were swimming in rough waters in the area of the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Park when one teen started struggling, calling for help. As the four others attempted to rescue their friend, they started to struggle, too. They were rescued by good Samaritans after a strong current pulled them west towards Ogden Dunes. Two Portage teens were hospitalized in critical condition, and another from Lake Station is in serious condition.

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May’s Indiana Employment Report

Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.2% in May. A report released by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development says our state remains lower than the national rate of 4.3%. 

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Fatal Crash in Porter County Kills Three

Three people are dead after an accident today in Porter County. The Sheriff’s Department responded to the crash in front of 319 W State Road 8. An initial investigation shows traffic was stopped on eastbound 8 as a vehicle was waiting to turn left. An eastbound SUV went left of center into the westbound lane, believed to be trying to avoid the stopped traffic and stuck a Mack dump truck head on. The driver of the SUV and two passengers were pronounced dead on scene. A fourth passenger was airlifted from another hospital to Loyola. The driver of the dump truck was not injured. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending positive identification and family notification.

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Traffic to Shift Lanes on I-65 This Week

Traffic will shift lanes on I-65 in Lake County this week for a concrete patching project. The Indiana Department of Transportation says crews plan to shift traffic lanes between U.S. 30 and I-80/94 starting Tuesday night (April 11th). The new lane configurations will have the center lanes closed with north and southbound traffic shifted to the outside lanes. During the daytime, three lanes will be open, and two lanes will be open during nighttime operations (7 pm-5 am). The construction work is expected to begin on April 24th.

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Overturned Semi Closes WB I-94 on Monday

An overturned semi had all westbound lanes of I-94 closed for a time in Chesterton earlier on Monday. Indiana State Police at the Lowell post say the semi that was hauling steel coils, and was traveling too fast, overturned near the 26 mile marker of the interstate while entering the ramp from northbound State Road 49. The driver, a 54-year old Wisconsin man, was pinned inside his vehicle and was then taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

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On My Way Pre-K Deadline for Eligible Lake County Families is Friday

The deadline to register for the On My Way Pre-K program for the 2017-2018 school year is this Friday, March 31st. The Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning wants to remind low-income families of Lake County of the deadline to register their children to receive high-quality, prekindergarten education. For eligibility criteria and to apply, please go to:http://www.in.gov/fssa/4949.htm. 

A list of approved On My Way Pre-K programs can be found here: http://childcareindiana.org/pre-k-search/.

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I-94 Lane Restrictions in LaPorte County Begin Next Week

Lane closures are set to begin next week on I-94 in LaPorte County. The Indiana Department of Transportation says the closures will take place between U.S. 421 and U.S. 20/25 starting Monday, April 3rd, with one lane each direction being closed at a time to remove and replace sections of the roadway. The road construction will last through the beginning of September.

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Kennedy Ave. Road Construction Starts This Week

Road construction is set to begin this Friday on Kennedy Avenue near the Toll Road. Kennedy Avenue over the Grand Calumet River, between U.S. 20 and 151st Street will be down to two lanes. Both directions of traffic will be using the northbound lanes through the end of June, then will shift over to the southbound lanes until the end of September.

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Indiana’s February Employment Report

Indiana's unemployment rate stands at 4.1% in February. A report released by the Indiana Workforce Development says our state remains lower than the national rate of 4.7%. Locally, Porter County has the lowest unemployment rate at 5.7%, while Newton County remains the highest in the area and state at 7.5%. Lake County was 6.7%, LaPorte County was 6.6%, Jasper County at 6.3%, and Starke with 6.4%. All six counties either remained the same or increased by a fraction of a percent from January.

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I-65 Nighttime Construction Continues South of The Region

Expect nighttime lane closures on I-65 south of The Region resuming this week. The Indiana Department of Transportation says the closures in Jasper and White Counties will be between 7pm and 7am each day except for Fridays and Sundays when the closures will begin after 9pm. The project includes patching and resurfacing of the interstate between mile markers 197 to 207, as well as widening the bridge over U.S. 231, repairing bridges just south of U.S. 24, and resurfacing the U.S. 24 ramps. The project is expected to be completed by the end of July.

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Hebron Police Department Announces Police Chaplain Program

The Hebron Police Department now has a police chaplain program. Chief Noel says the Town Council approved the policies of the chaplain program and appointed Paster Lynn Gordon to Senior Chaplain. The police chaplain program will assist the community and officers during times of tragedy and crises. Additional duties of the chaplains will also include assisting officers when dealing with confused or emotionally distressed individuals.

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Increased Police Traffic in Hebron This Week for Training

Expect increased police presence around Hebron High School this week. Hebron Police Chief Noel says they will be conducting police training on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 28th and 29th, at the school. Topics including active shooter response and hostage situations will be conducted during the training, which is being held during the school's spring break. Chief Noel urges residents not to be alarmed by the increased police activity.

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I-94 Exit Ramp to Close Next Week in LaPorte

INDOT is alerting drivers to a ramp closure starting next week on I-94. The exit ramp from eastbound I-94 to eastbound U.S. 20 will be closed starting Monday, April 3rd through early July. Crews will realign the exit ramp and traffic pattern making it easier to exit the ramp with oncoming U.S. 20 traffic. There will also be lane restrictions in place along U.S. 20/35 near the ramp. The detour includes taking the exit ramp to westbound U.S. 20/35, then to the westbound I-94 ramp and then to the eastbound U.S. 20/35 ramp.

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Region Sheriff’s Camp for Kids This Summer

Region sheriff's offices are uniting to educate kids about First Responders during their 3rd Annual Northwest Region Sheriff's Camp this summer. This will take place August 1st-3rd at Indiana Dunes State Park from 8am-4pm each day. Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Jasper County residents ages 9-14 are welcome to the camp which will offer hands on opportunities, team building, and mock rescue demonstrations. The cost is $35 per child and applications can be found here: https://www.portercountysheriff.com/sheriffscamp. You can drop off the fee and application form at the Porter County Sheriff's office during business hours or send a check to the office by mail. The deadline is July 10th, or when the camp fills up, which it tends to quickly. The camp will move to Wheeler High School if there's inclement weather.

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Free Smoke Detectors Distributed at Local Fire Depts.

The Starke County Emergency Management Agency is letting Region residents know that the American Red Cross and local fire departments are conducting a smoke detector distribution. If you are in need of a working smoke detector, let the fire department know and they will supply and install one in your home for free. For more information, please contact your local fire department.

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Ogden Dunes Beaches Could Be Replenished with Residents’ Help

The Town of Ogden Dunes is asking for their residents' to help out replenish the beach. The Town says ArcelorMittal has filed a permit application that requests to dredge sand and dump it off the shore. In order to get the sand placed directly on Portage and Ogden Dunes beaches, residents need to sign a petition to request a public hearing for the application. Ogden Dunes residents are encouraged to stop by the Town office foyer and sign the petition.

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Crash Claims Life of Westville Teen

A Westville teenager was killed in an accident over the weekend. The Porter County Coroner's Office reports 19-year old Nathan T. Legler was traveling eastbound on U.S. 6 just west of Westville early Saturday morning and crashed into a utility pole. The amount of rainfall in the area during the time of the accident could be a factor. No other passengers were in the vehicle and a toxicology test will be performed on Legler.