MUNSTER

Portions of 45th Avenue to be closed to traffic

The town of Munster will be closing 45th Avenue between Southwood and Calumet avenues beginning at 6 a.m. Monday to allow BP to repair an underground pipeline in the area.

The stretch of road will be closed through Sept. 23.

An inspection of the line has revealed defects which the pipeline company is required repair.

Traffic congestion is anticipated and drivers are being asked to avoid the area by using either Main Street or Ridge Road as alternate routes.

The following detours are recommended if drivers must travel in that area:

Westbound 45th Avenue traffic going south on Calumet Avenue should use White Oak Avenue south to eastbound Main Street to Calumet Avenue.

Westbound 45th Avenue traffic going north on Calumet Avenue should use Southwood Avenue to eastbound Fran-Lin Parkway to Calumet Avenue.

Eastbound 45th Avenue traffic can use either Main Street east to White Oak then north to 45th or Fran-Lin Parkway east to Southwood Drive then south to 45th Avenue.

Detour signs will be posted and traffic signals in the area will be adjusted to allow for the more efficient flow of traffic.

The Munster Police Department is planning to monitor vehicular traffic along Fran-Lin Parkway and will be issuing traffic citations to people disobeying posted speed limits during school hours.

SCHERERVILLE

Bad fuse causes power outage at 14 residences

A three-hour power outage in Schererville ended at 2:30 p.m. when workers replaced a fuse on a pole powering 14 homes off Burr Street.

NIPSCO spokesman Nick Meyer said the 14 homes were linked to a single pole, confining the outage to an area north of West 91st Avenue and south of West 85th Avenue.

"When the calls came in, we had crews investigate," Meyer said. "They found and replaced the fuse and got the power restored."

HAMMOND

Purdue Calumet official named to national board

Ron Kovach, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at Purdue University Calumet, has been elected to the National Society for Experiential Education Board of Directors.

Kovach begins serving a three-year term this month.

The NSEE acts as a resource organization for development and improvement of experiential learning in colleges and universities. Kovach's service on the board will enable him to help keep Purdue Cal up-to-date about the opportunities and advancements in experiential learning.

Types of experiential education components available at Purdue Cal include internships, cooperative education, applied research with faculty members, study abroad, design projects and community service learning.

MUNSTER

Munster celebrates the culmination of summer

The Munster parks department hosts its first salute to the end of the summer season with its inaugural festival, appropriately called Summer's End Festival.

It's from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Centennial Park entertainment stage, and features three live bands throughout the day, an inflatable jumping area for youngsters, food concessions, a beer garden, free line dance lessons, a bean bag tournament and more.

A different theme is planned each year. This year's features "country rockabilly" music. Little Nashville takes the stage at noon, Tin Horse at 2:30 p.m. and Webb Wilder at 5:30 p.m.

Preferred parking on the grounds it $5. Shuttle service also will be provided.

HAMMOND

Hessville Crime Watch looks at gang awareness

This month's Hessville Neighborhood Crime Watch meeting will feature a presentation on gang awareness.

Presented by Hammond police Sgt. Robert Cobb of the Gang Suppression Unit, the presentation will look at gang activity in Hessville and the danger signs to be watched for in children's behavior.

The meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Jean Shepherd Community Center, 3031 J.F. Mahoney Drive.

Further information is available from Cpl. Scott Holbrook at (219) 852-6376.

ST. JOHN

Church sponsors forum for candidates Sept. 30

Dyer United Methodist Church is sponsoring a forum for Lake Central School Board candidates at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 in the cafeteria at Kahler Middle School in Dyer.

Candidates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves and each will answer the same question.

For more information, call the church at (219) 865-8947 or office@dyerumc.org.