In Schererville, officials have approved financing incentives for the eagerly-awaited Shops on Main. Construction could begin this Spring on the project at US 41 and Main Street which is expected to include high-end retail and restaurants, though details on what shops might be moving in have not yet been disclosed.
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Read more: Another Step for Schererville's Shops on Main

A new gambling expansion plan is being proposed across the state line. The Illinois Senate is considering a measure calling for five new casinos including one in the south suburbs and Chicago, as well as Danville, Rockford, and Lake County, Illinois, and slot machines at horse racing tracks. It also sets up online gambling, called “i-gaming". The measure also includes a provision Illinois Ggovernor Pat Quinn has been seeking -- a ban on political contributions from gaming interests. The bill passed an Illinois Senate committee and now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.
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Read more: New Gambling Plan Proposed

Gary city officials with this reminder -- every Thursday at 5:00p.m -Region time- until April 25th Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson invites you to call in for a legislative update – and you can ask questions, too . Gary state lawmakers Representatives Charlie Brown and Vernon Smith and Senator Earline Rogers will also be on the calls as their schedules permit.    The call-in number is toll-free (866) 320-4709.  The call-in number will remain the same each week but the access code will go up by one number each week. For March 7 the access code will be 281996. [ Last week's access code was 281995. ]
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Read more: Gary Legislative Phone Updates Continue

In Hammond Federal Court, two Gary residents have been indicted on charges related to the purchasing of a child to produce pornography. The U-S Attorney's Office announced the indictment against 39-year-old Christopher Bour and 24-year-old Natisha Hillard Wednesday. The charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the FBI, the Indiana State Police, and Gary and Michigan City Police Departments.
From the US Attorneys Office:  Christopher M. Bour, 39, and Natisha Hillard, 24, both of Gary, Indiana, were charged in a five count Indictment alleging buying/selling, production of and possession of child pornography.  Bour is charged with one count of purchase of a child for production of child pornography, one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography featuring a minor under the age of 12.  Hillard is charged with one count of sale of a child by a parent for production of child pornography and one count of permitting a child by a parent to participate in the production of child pornography.  These charges were filed as the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana State Police, the Gary Police Department and the Michigan City Police Department.  This case has been assigned to and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jill Koster.
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Read more: Gary Man Accused of Buying Child for Porn

Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey is thanking everyone who offered information in helping to locate family members of unidentified decedents at their facility. The Coroner says they had eleven unidentified decedents in mid-September 2012, but through information provided, seven have been identified through DNA and all but one are now at rest and reunited with family members.  The oldest case dates back to 2007.
News Release: CROWN POINT -- Coroner Merrilee D. Frey is grateful to the general public for their help in locating family members and providing information to assist in identifying decedents. Coroner Frey states, “Sadly, as of September 15, 2012, we had a total of eleven unidentified decedents in our facility. Seven have now been identified through DNA, as our Forensic Anthropologist and I have worked closely together on these cases. They have been returned to their loved ones. The oldest case dates back to 2007. All but one are now at rest and reunited with family members. Thank you for responding to our call for assistance to the general public. I am committed to resolving all of our unidentified cases.”
Recently, the Coroner’s office asked the general public for assistance in helping to locate family members for Vincent Demus. Within twenty-four hours we brought closure for his family. The general public was also instrumental in helping the Coroner’s office identify Sherell Clark, who had been missing for several months, bringing closure to her family members. Additionally, the general public was crucial in the bringing closure to the family members of Amy Ellington, a thirty-nine year old female who had been missing for several months.
In early 2012, Derrien Picket was discovered in Lake Station. He had been missing for one year. George Deliopoulos, Meidco/Legal Death Investigator on this case and a twenty-three year veteran of the Coroner’s Office states, ”Our team of professionals worked closely with family members to provide DNA which ultimately led to positive identification of Mr. Picket. Dr. Nawrocki, our Forensic Anthropologist, worked closely with the Coroner, to help the Picket family put the final piece of the puzzle together regarding his death. Coroner Frey’s leadership motivates us to further investigate open cases to help hurting families. ”
“Coroner Frey states,”The generous help of the citizens of Northwest Indiana has allowed families closure regarding their missing loved ones. It is the mission of our office to serve and support our families with the tragic loss of their loved ones.”
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Read more: Lake Coroner Thanks Public for Help

Troopers say routine traffic stops aren't so routine anymore. Indiana State Police say they found an alleged active mobile meth lab inside a 1999 Kia after pulling someone over for an expired license plate near State Road 26 in Lafayette. All three of the occupants, ages 33, 35 and 38, from Lafayette, were booked into the Tippecanoe County Jail.
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Read more: Police: Expired Plate Uncovers Mobile Meth Lab

It would not require you to have a prescription, but a measure meant to fight methamphetamine would put stricter limits on how much cold and allergy medicine you could buy in a single year in Indiana. An Indiana House committee Wednesday discussed a proposal approved by the state Senate in February that would permit the purchase of about an eight months supply, based on the current state law's monthly limit. Current Indiana law contains one-day and thirty-day limits. Senate Bill 496 also prohibits anyone convicted of certain meth-related crimes from possessing ephedrine/pseudoephedrine without a prescription for seven years.
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Read more: House Committee Considers Anti-Meth Bill

There's a bride-to-be in Alaska who doesn't know her wedding dress is gone. That's one of the stories to come out of a devastating fire that consumed a number of businesses housed in a century-old two-story brick building Monday in downtown Valparaiso, at Lincolnway and Michigan.  Anita's Alterations was one of those businesses – after being there 22 years, the owner Anita Hall tells us their customer contact information and the back ups were all lost -- and they're trying to reach everyone, including a bride-to-be who's thousands of miles away:
"Before Christmas I had a young woman bring in a beautiful bride's gown and she was leaving to go to Alaska for several months, would not be back until March for her wedding and left it with me in my care,  to alter and have ready for her when she got back. I do not have that young woman's name or family member's name of any sort. If anybody would know of someone that was coming back in March to get married from Alaska, we certainly would love to be able to get a hold of her and figure out what we could do to help her. "
Hall also tells us she's gotten a call from customers offering to donate wedding gowns:
"There have been one or two people that have called that have said that they have had things altered by me in the past years and have held on to them and if people are in need of a special wedding gown, in this case for instance, they would happy to offer this gown to them."
Hall says she's asking all her customers to call her regular business number to get in touch with her -- 219-477-5307.  She also says they are planning to be opening again.
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Read more: Burned Business Looking for Bride in Alaska

Washington, D.C. — Senator Joe Donnelly conducted a conference call with members of the Indiana media today to discuss military and veteran suicide prevention efforts.  Last year, more combat troops committed suicide (349) than were killed in combat in Afghanistan (229), and 43% of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who took their own life did not seek treatment beforehand.  The Reserve and National Guard force has also seen a rise in suicides. 
“This has to stop,” said Donnelly.  “Our fighting men and women bear an incredible burden on our behalf.  I’m focused on doing everything I can to ensure that every servicemember and veteran has the resources they need and knows where to go if they need help.”
Donnelly has highlighted the issue repeatedly in Senate Armed Services Committee hearings and plans to make the mental health care of our military men and women a top priority while serving on the committee.  To seek help, servicemembers, veterans, or anyone struggling with mental health issues can call 800-273-TALK (8255) 24 hours a day.
A fact sheet on the issue is available here.
 
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Video of Senator Donnelly raising the issue of military and veteran suicides in the Senate Armed Services Committee:
 Senator Hagel Confirmation Hearing (January 30, 2013)
SD—http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4372575
 
Sequestration Hearing (February 21, 2013)
HD— https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Donnelly/021213_DONNELLY_1_FTP.M2T
SD— https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Donnelly/021213_DONNELLY_1_FTP.MPG
 
DoD Civilian Leadership Confirmation Hearing (February 28, 2013)
HD— https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Donnelly/030513_DONNELLY_1_FTP.M2T
SD— https://s3.amazonaws.com/sdmc-media.senate.gov/Donnelly/030513_DONNELLY_1_FTP.MPG
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Read more: Donnelly says Military Suicides Has to Stop

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Hammond announced a five-count indictment was returned on Wednesday against two Gary residents charged with the buying/selling, production of and possession of child pornography. 39 year old Christopher Bour faces several charges, including one-count of purchase of a child for production of child pornography, while 24 year old Natisha Hillard is charged with one-count of sale of a child by a parent for production of child pornography and one count of permitting a child by a parent to participate in the production of child pornography. Both individuals were charged as the result of an investigation by the FBI, Indiana State Police, Gary Police, and the Michigan City Police Departments.
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Read more: Two Gary Residents Indicted on Child Porn Charges