WHITING

School Board will meet in executive sessions

The Whiting School Board meets in regular session at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27 in the Administration Building, 1500 Center St.

The board will meet in executive session at 5:30, prior to the meeting, and at 7:30.

LAKE STATION

Emergency hiring seeks to fill 2 police vacancies

Lake Station police are hoping to fill at least two vacancies on the department in an emergency hiring, Police Chief Mike Stills said.

Applications will be available starting Monday at the Police Department, 3619 Central Ave., he said.

The deadline to return the applications is 5 p.m. Nov. 3.

Applicants must be either certified police officers or currently enrolled in the police academy, he said.

The department has 25 police officers on its roster.

Call the Police Department at (219) 962-1186.

HIGHLAND

Robbery charges filed in gas station holdups

Two counts of robbery have been filed against Dexter Howard, 32, of Richton Park, Ill., who was identified through photos presented to the media as a suspect involved in gas station robberies in Munster, Hammond and Highland.

Howard, who is on parole, is still at large. Police ask people to call 911 immediately or Highland police at (219) 838-3184 should they spot Howard. Highland police said the successful conclusion of the investigation would not have been possible without the media's help.

In addition, two counts of robbery and two counts of theft were filed against Richard Kaminski, 36, of Griffith, for his involvement in robberies of a Subway sandwich shop on Sept. 22 and a Highland convenience store on Sept. 23.

Kaminski turned himself in Oct. 1 to the Lake County Jail.

HAMMOND

City tells homeowner she can't rent basement unit

The owner of a vintage Harrison Park house was denied permission to rent out its basement as an apartment this week.

The Board of Public Works and Safety ruled Thursday that the cellar of the 1915-built structure in the 5900 block of Park Place did not meet city standards for habitability.

Highland resident Elsie Chris argued in a July hearing before the safety board that the historic home had been legally converted into four apartments in 1941, and that she had rented them all out from the time she bought the building in 1986 until 2001.

Officials with the city's Building, Code Enforcement and Zoning Department testified the basement flat lacked any fire wall between the upstairs units, and had a ceiling 6 inches lower than the minimum required by city ordinance, among other issues.

Hammond code specifies that certain thicknesses of plaster or drywall be kept between rental apartments as a firebreak, and prohibits ceilings lower than 7 feet for residences.

HOBART

St. Nicholas sells soups, desserts, bread today

A variety of homemade soups will be sold in quart containers from 10 a.m. to noon today at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, 954 State St.

Also available will be stuffed cabbage, cabbage and noodles, homemade bread, pumpkin rolls, desserts and cheesecakes.

Call (219) 942-5981 for more information.

NEW CHICAGO

Town flushing hydrants on Monday, Wednesday

The New Chicago Water Works will be flushing hydrants from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday.

The town asks that customers try to avoid using water during that time because water pressure will be low and there may be discolored water.

DYER

Police auctioning bikes, snowboard this morning

The Dyer Police Department will auction bicycles and a snowboard today.

The public auction begins at 10 a.m. at the Dyer Police Station, 2150 Hart St. The items for auction will be on display for viewing beginning at 9. The sales are cash only, and items will be sold as is.

For more information, call Detective Don Foley at (219) 865-1163.

CROWN POINT/WINFIELD

109th Avenue bridge is set to reopen on Nov. 5

The 109th Avenue bridge will reopen to traffic Nov. 5.

A stretch of 109th Avenue between Colorado and Arizona streets on the Crown Point/Winfield line has been closed to traffic since early June.

Gary-based Ellas Construction was awarded the $1.4 million contract and has removed the old bridge that was 37 feet long and about 27 feet wide. It is replacing it with a new bridge that will be 73 feet long and 46 feet wide. The new bridge will have two 12-foot driving lanes with two 8-foot shoulders. The bridge approaches also are being reconstructed and the intersection of 109th Avenue and Colorado Street will be redone.

MERRILLVILLE

Police: Electronic items taken from parked car

Police said speakers, amplifiers and a CD player were stolen sometime late Wednesday night or early Thursday from a car parked in the 7500 block of Whitcomb Street.

The items have a total value of about $2,000, according to a police report.

There are no suspects in the theft.

CROWN POINT

City Oktoberfest event set today at Beacon Hill

The Crown Point Oktoberfest will be from noon to 6 p.m. today with a rain date of Sunday at Beacon Hill Plaza on Broadway.

A chili cook-off will begin at noon, and all contestants must be present to win.

A double-elimination beanbag toss tournament will begin about 12:30 p.m.

There also will be a beer garden, face painting, trolley rides and each child who wears a costume will get a free pumpkin.

For more information on Oktoberfest, contact the mayor's office of special events at (219) 662-3290 or jbzdil@crownpoint.in.gov.