Coats defends NSA surveillance programs

By Dan Carden dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078

INDIANAPOLIS | U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., believes secret National Security Agency programs collecting the telephone and Internet records of all Americans are needed to protect the country from terrorist attacks.

Off-duty nurse helps save stabbing victim

Diane Poulton Times Correspondent

LOWELL | An off-duty emergency room nurse who administered CPR to a 19-year-old Lowell stabbing victim until paramedics arrived may have saved his life, police said.

Rokita blasts NSA record-gathering program

By Dan Carden dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078

INDIANAPOLIS | U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indianapolis, accused the National Security Agency Monday of violating constitutional protections against unlawful searches following disclosures the spy agency collected and stored the telephone and In…

Working Smarter: Bilingual phlebotomist has plans for Nicaragua

Anna Ortiz anna.ortiz@nwi.com

Faith. Phlebotomy. Spanish. Marissa Ramirez has overcome the obstacles in her path and has a plan to combine what she knows to make a difference in Central America's most impoverished country.

Working Smarter program to help job-seekers

Anna Ortiz anna.ortiz@nwi.com

Seven region universities will kick off their 25th year of Working Smarter, a weeklong series of workshops targeted at region residents seeking an education and better employment opportunities.

Ind. 2 reopens, power being restored following storms

Times Staff

Ind. 2 between U.S. 231 and Interstate 65 reopened to traffic early Friday morning after being closed due to downed power lines caused by Wednesday night's storms.

Residents, officials surveying damage in wake of Wednesday night storms

Lauri Harvey Keagle lauri.keagle@nwi.com, (219) 852-4311

Dan Wolfe and his family returned to their Merrillville home Wednesday night after the storms had passed to find a tree had smashed his car.

Roof blows off LOFS house, vehicles overturn during storm

Times Staff

Heavy thunderstorms left tens of thousands without power, blew a roof off a home, downed power lines and overturned vehicles throughout the region Wednesday night.

State lawmakers easily override governor's tax veto

By Dan Carden dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078

INDIANAPOLIS | Prioritizing practicality over principle, the anti-tax Indiana General Assembly on Wednesday overrode a veto by Gov. Mike Pence and enacted into law a retroactive income tax increase for residents of two counties.

More Dye foundation scholarship winners

By Marlene Zloza

More Dye foundation scholarship winners named

By Marlene Zloza, Annette Arnold

Scholarships awarded by Dye foundation in 20th year

By Times Staff

The James W. and Betty Dye Foundation recently awarded 72 new Jim and Betty Dye Scholarships to graduating seniors from Lake, Porter, Newton, and Jasper county high schools. Worth from $4,000 to $28,000, the scholarships can be applied at Ind…

Lyme disease in the state hits NWI hardest

Vanessa Renderman vanessa.renderman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3244

The prime season for tick bites is underway, and people in the region have the highest odds in the state of becoming a meal and contracting the illness Lyme disease.

Michigan City economic leader to lead regional efforts

Stan Maddux Times Correspondent

Kevin Kieft hopes to spread his success with job creation in Michigan City to throughout Northwest Indiana.

Gary Parole District officials to host open house today

Times Staff

GARY | The Gary Parole District will host an open house at 11 a.m. today at 569 Tyler St., Gary.

NWI home sales continue winning streak

Keith Benman keith.benman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3326

Northwest Indiana single-family home sales increased 26 percent in April as compared to one year ago, marking the 22nd straight month home sales have increased in the region.

Rokita fundraising off IRS controversy

By Dan Carden dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078

INDIANAPOLIS | U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Indianapolis, is using the controversy over an Internal Revenue Service investigation into the tax-exempt status of some Tea Party groups to raise money for his 2014 re-election campaign.

Faith and music shared with community by Gleaner award winner

By Kimberly Cheek-Stanley Times Correspondent

Peggy Hendricks, of Lowell, was recently presented with the Senior Community Award by the Hawthorne Arbor of Gleaners in Lowell.

Scholarship offered to seniors at Northwest Indiana schools

Times Staff

Graduating high school seniors from Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties can apply for a scholarship program offered by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana and the Northwest Indiana McDonald's Operators.

Call for creative thinkers begins

Rob Earnshaw Times Correspondent

MERRILLVILLE │ Another year of discovering the most creative thinkers and innovators of Northwest Indiana begins Friday.

Area postal workers collect nonperishable food Saturday

Times Staff

HOBART | The National Association of Letter Carriers branch of Crown Point, Lowell and Hobart will be collecting nonperishable food items on Saturday for the Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

Visitors at Munster show get revved up about vehicles

Lu Ann Franklin Times Correspondent

MUNSTER | Thousands of car lovers descended on Community Park on Saturday for the 15th annual Car & Cycle Show.

Computer issues force suspension of ISTEP testing for remainder of Tuesday

Chelsea Schneider Kirk chelsea.schneider@nwi.com, (219) 933-3241

Indiana online ISTEP+ testing is expected to resume Wednesday after the state suspended testing Tuesday because connectivity issues plagued test takers for a second consecutive day.

American Discovery Trail re-route brings national path through region

Lauri Harvey Keagle lauri.keagle@nwi.com, (219) 852-4311

PORTAGE | Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs are now linked to a 6,800-mile trail system spanning from Delaware to California, officials announced Thursday.

Three local projects earn attention from engineering magazine

Diane Poulton Times Correspondent

Three local projects are among the Midwest Top Project Starts of 2012 named in the April issue of Engineering News-Record Midwest magazine.

Times reporter wins national public service award

Times Staff

Times investigative reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski has won a national public service award for her ongoing series detailing Indiana's fragmented system of providing services to children in need of state services.

Missing Rensselaer man found dead in Hobart

Times Staff

RENSSELAER | A Rensselaer man who had been missing for about a week was found dead Monday in Hobart.

NWI home sales have a spring in their step

By Keith Benman keith.benman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3326

Single-family home sales in Northwest Indiana increased 23.3 percent in March, marking their 21st consecutive monthly increase on a year-over-year basis, according to sales figures from the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors.

Bill Wellman guests on "Lakeshore Focus" show

Times staff

This week on "Lakeshore Focus," host Keith Kirkpatrick will be joined by a true Northwest Indiana Legend and one of the greatest storytellers around.

Flooded roads, swollen rivers, lightning strikes as storms sock region

Times Staff

Heavy rain poured down Thursday on Northwest Indiana, causing road closures, flooding basements and threatening residents living near local rivers.

Heavy rains, thunderstorms could bring flooding to region

Times Staff

Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected through week's end, prompting a flood watch for the region.

Gary senior receives Presidential Scholarship

By Times Staff

RENSSELAER | St. Joseph’s College has named Gabriel Perez, Lindsey Werking, and Jackelyn Pankau as the recipients of its Presidential Scholarship.

Investment experts guest on 'Lakeshore Focus' show

Times Staff

On this week’s "Lakeshore Focus" host Keith Kirkpatrick is joined by Mike Barancyk and F. Marc Ruiz from Oak Partners. The pair will provide investment and wealth management advice to viewers.

Man calls state cops to report himself as a drunken driver

Times Staff

JASPER COUNTY | A 24-year-old Logansport, Ind., man was taken to the Jasper County Jail early Sunday after calling police to report himself as a drunken driver.

ISTEP-Plus likely to be around for a while

Carmen McCollum carmen.mccollum@nwi.com, (219) 662-5337

Given the political push back and legislative discussion over the Common Core Standards touted by former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett and endorsed by many teachers in the region, it does not look like there will be change…

Cops: Indy woman killed after walking into traffic along I-65

Deborah Laverty deborah.laverty@nwi.com, (219) 762-1397, ext. 2223

JASPER COUNTY | An Indianapolis woman was killed Sunday night when she walked out in front of traffic on Interstate 65, police said.

DeMotte bike woman offers more than just a ride

By Kimberly Cheek-Stanley Times Correspondent

In 2012, DeMotte resident Jennifer Geiselman began repurposing donated bicycles, and her charitable work, Bikes for Kids, is beginning to catch the attention of her community.

One killed in I-65 wreck late Sunday

Times Staff

DEMOTTE | One person was killed Sunday night in a crash involving a pedestrian on Interstate 65 near mile marker 231, Indiana State Police said.

Crown Point, Tri-Creek schools on two-hour delay

Times Staff

Classes in the Crown Point Community and Tri-Creek school corporations are delayed two hours this morning due to overnight snow.

Report ranks Lake County among unhealthiest in Indiana

Vanessa Renderman vanessa.renderman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3244

An annual health report issued this week ranks Lake County near the bottom of the state for health outcomes, with Porter County closer to the top.

DeMotte man killed in Lowell crash

Times Staff

LOWELL | A 41-year-old man was killed in a two-vehicle crash Monday on 181st Avenue near Grand Boulevard, officials said.

Website provides Indiana health stats

By Vanessa Renderman vanessa.renderman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3244

A new website, launched with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gives Hoosiers a look at the state of their health.

Jasper Co. crash causes two-hour closure of southbound I-65

Times Staff

The southbound lanes of Interstate 65 in Jasper County were closed for two hours Wednesday night after a northbound semi drove through the center median, hitting cable barriers and pulling them across both southbound lanes.

Women's center hosts Santorum

By Marlene Zloza

Mission trip is valuable experience for college student

By Kimberly Cheek-Stanley Times Correspondent

Wheatfield native Dirk Oudman used his recent mission trip to gain valuable experience for his future career as an environmental lobbyist.

Winter storm blows through region

Times Staff and Wire Report

It might not seem like spring is only two weeks away after the area received heavy snowfall Tuesday.

Officials asking for help solving cold cases from October ’83

Times Staff

INDIANAPOLIS | Officials are asking for help identifying three people who were killed and found October 1983 in Newton and Jasper counties.

WorkOne Access Point open at Roselawn Public Library

By Matthew Saltanovitz

ROSELAWN | WorkOne announced its Access Point at the Roselawn Public Library, 4421 Ind. 10, will be available on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Fair Oaks Farms lauds opening of compressed natural gas corridor

Lauri Harvey Keagle lauri.keagle@nwi.com, (219) 852-4311

FAIR OAKS | A new compressed natural gas station fueled by cow manure at Fair Oaks Farms completes a transportation corridor investors hope will be the first of many across the country.

Creator of steelmaking simulator guests on 'Lakeshore Focus' show

Times Staff

What would it be like to stand inside a raging steelmaking blast furnace – virtually? Meet Dr. Chenn Zhou, of Purdue University Calumet, the inventor of this simulation experience as she joins host Keith Kirkpatrick on the next "Lakeshore Focus."

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