Lawmakers would like questions answered regarding the repeated troubles experienced in late April, early May, with the ISTEP + standardized test. While an exact date has yet to be set, the Legislative Council today agreed to call the test vendor, CTB/McGraw-Hill, to come before the General Assembly, and explain why the glitches occurred.
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Read more: ISTEP + Testing Troubles Has Lawmakers Wanting Answers

Indiana State Police are warning Hoosiers about scam artists who might try to take advantage of your generosity in the Oklahoma tornado tragedy. Citizens are cautioned to be skeptical of those going from door-to-door or making individual phone calls claiming to be collecting for tornado relief. If you are contacted by someone asking for donations, ask for credentials, what organization they represent, and their address. If you're approached and feel someone is trying to scam you police say try to get as much information as possible such as a name and description of the person and vehicle. Police say the best way to contribute to the relief efforts is to donate money and other needed articles through known legitimate organizations such as the American Red Cross or local churches.
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Read more: Beware Tornado Scams

Today Governor Mike Pence sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, pushing for legislators to bring his proposed federal shield law up for a vote.  When Pence served as a US Representative from Indiana, he led multiple efforts to pass the Free Flow of Information Act to let journalists shield confidential sources from disclosure except in certain situations, such as when national security is threatened. Though there is no federal shield law, states have them, and Indiana's is considered one of the broader ones in the country. The Attorney General recently came under fire from both Democrats and Republicans for the department's seizure of reporters phone records, despite the Attorney General's claim that a very serious leak of classified information is involved.
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Read more: Pence Pushes for Federal Shield Law

In Newton County, sheriffs police are investigating an accident in which a semi ran into a house off of State Road 10 in Lake Village Wednesday. Authorities say just prior to the accident the driver apparently experienced health problems, started feeling light-headed and began to pull over. The semi left the roadway, struck a utility pole, then clipped some trees and the corner of a house, before coming to rest against a garage belonging to a neighbor. There were no injuries reported and no one was inside the home at the time, though police say one of the residents was mowing the lawn in a different area of the property. A gas leak at the residence caused a brief evacuation of the area. Newton County Ambulance and Lake Township Fire Department also responded.
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Read more: Semi Hits House

Porter County Sheriff David Lain is asking motorists to avoid Sedley Road (County Road 475 West) near County Road 400 North in Union Township as crews continue to clear the scene of a three-vehicle crash that happened around 7-o'clock this morning.  Motorists are advised to avoid Sedley between US 30 and State Road 130. There were injuries, but the extent of those injuries is not known at this time.
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Read more: Avoid Sedley Road

In northern Indiana, Indiana Conservation officers say a young boy was pronounced dead after being found face down in a swimming pool in Columbia City. Authorities say the child was discovered by a relative who lives at the residence. Preliminary results from an autopsy Wednesday show the two-and-a-half-year-old child died from drowning. Just before discovering the victim in the water, the relative noticed the boy was not in the house and the back door leading to the pool area was open. This person officers say then walked out and noticed the victim in the pool. The incident is still under investigation.
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Read more: Child Found in Pool Dies

Authorities say a crash early this morning on the outbound Chicago Skyway was fatal. It happened just after 5 am, near 84^th Street.  The eastbound Skyway is closed from the Dan Ryan to the Skyway Plaza.
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Read more: Skyway Crash Fatal

Published reports say former East Chicago Public Library Director Manuel Montalvo is negotiating with federal attorneys on a plea deal. He was charged last fall with filing false income tax returns for two separate tax years. Today's Times reports the trial date has been moved to August.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/east-chicago/ex-e-c-library-director-working-on-plea-deal-in/article_200729f5-8f5b-56e7-91d3-6168e995da3c.html
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Read more: Former Library Dir Working on Plea Deal

The Indiana Department of Transportation says all possible road work restrictions will be lifted beginning around noon on Friday, through early Tuesday morning, to allow drivers a safer and more efficient holiday travel weekend over the Memorial Day period.
Wherever possible, road restrictions will be removed. But some closures and restrictions will remain on larger projects that cannot be safely reopened to traffic for the weekend. Here are restrictions around the Region that will remain in place:
Lake County
- SR 152 (Indianapolis Blvd), Hammond - Nine Span Bridge closed over the IHB Rail Yard, for bridge replacement
- U.S. 12 (5th Ave), Gary – Lane restrictions in place between 3 miles west of I-65 and 1 mile east of I-65, for road reconstruction
LaPorte County
- U.S. 6, Kingsford Heights (just south of LaPorte) – U.S. 6 Bridge closed 2 miles east of the western U.S. 6 junction with U.S. 35 (just north of Meadowbrook Blvd.), for bridge replacement
Newton County
- SR 55, southwest of Rensselaer – SR 55 Bridge closed between SR 16 and SR 114, for bridge replacement
Porter County
- I-94, Porter County (near Chesterton) – Lane restrictions in both directions on bridge over Beam Street, just east of U.S. 20 exit, for bridge deck replacement
- I-94, Porter County (near Portage) - Lane restrictions in both directions on bridge 1 mile east of Toll Road ramp, for bridge deck replacement
St. Joseph County
- SR 23, South Bend – Road closed between the Five Points Intersection (Eddy St.) and Twyckenham Dr., for water main construction
- U.S. 20 Bypass, South Bend – Lane restrictions in both directions on the Bypass between the U.S. 20 exit and the Indiana Toll Road exit, for road resurfacing
- SR 933, Mishawaka – SR 933 (Lincolnway) Bridge over Baugo Creek closed between County Line Road (Ash) and Capital Avenue, for bridge replacement
INDOT says stay informed throughout the holiday weekend by liking the INDOT Northwest Facebook page or follow them on Twitter: @INDOTNorthwest
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=311334882333249&set=a.122642564535816.23277.115599371906802&type=1&theater
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Read more: Road Work Lifted for Holiday

(Photo Courtesy of Gary Mayor's Office)
The Mayor of Gary on Wednesday assembled a host of Gary EMT and Fire Department staff at city hall recognizing EMS Week in the City of Gary. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson says, “over the last two-years, the EMS Department has experienced some challenges based on some difficult decisions that had to be made, and never during the time of transition did their focus shift from serving the citizens of Gary. I applaud them for their commitment to this city and I wouldn't want to be in any other place in the time of an emergency.”
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Read more: Gary Mayor Recognizes National EMS Week