Munster HS Science Olympiad Team [provided]
Region students were among more than a-hundred teams to compete in the Science Olympiad National Tournament at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, Saturday. Munster High School placed 18^th, and Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Valparaiso placed 19^th. The local schools advanced to the national tournament after winning at the state competition at Indiana University in Bloomington in March. This was the 24^th consecutive year T- J students competed in the national championships. Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets, consisting of a series of 23 team events in each division, with a division for middle school and a division for high school.
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Read more: Area Students Compete in Science Olympiad

Paving crews in Valparaiso will hit the streets toward the end of next month for their annual repaving program, starting with Montdale Drive in Montdale Industrial Park. Parts of several other roads in the city are also having work done, including Academy Street, Andover Drive, Don Hovey Drive, Howard Street, Linden Street, and Sheffield Drive. Some sidewalks are also being replaced in parts of the city.
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Read more: Valpo Paving Season Soon

Tuesday May 21, 2013, is the next deadline to sign up for Indiana's Do Not Call List. Since January, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller's office has gotten more than five-thousand complaints about telemarketing calls either with a live operator or prerecorded message. Zoeller says nearly one-thousand consumers got an automated call from a woman from “Cardholder Services” offering to lower credit card interest rates, asking for money but not really providing any service.
Nearly four-hundred complaints have been filed this year about an automated call that mentions an FBI report on home break-ins offering a “free” home security system, but Zoeller says they'll sell your info to a home monitoring company that will charge you. Zoeller also says these telemarketers have no relationship with federal law enforcement agencies.
Individuals do not need to re-register for the Do Not Call list unless their address has changed. To sign up or to confirm a number is already on the list, visit www.IndianaConsumer.com or call 1.888.834.9969.
Zoeller's office says out-of-state area codes can also be added as long as the billing address is located in Indiana. Those consumers who are registered and receive an unwanted call can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office by visiting www.IndianaConsumer.com  and clicking on “file a complaint.”
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Read more: 'Do Not Call' Deadline

(Photos Courtesy of the Cook County Sheriff's Office)

Two men face first degree murder charges in connection with the death of a 35 year old Markham man whose body was discovered in April in unincorporated Calumet City, Illinois. The Cook County Sheriff's Office reports an joint investigation with the Harvey Police Department led to the arrest of 27 year old Brandon Johnson, of Harvey, and 25 year old Lester Larkin, of Riverdale, Illinois, for the shooting death of Eddie Bell. The Sheriff's Office reports Bell, who had been the subject of a missing person's investigation, was identified on April 16^th, after his body was found near Thornton and Lansing Road, east of Stoney Island Avenue in Calumet City. An investigation began in late March while Harvey Police were investigating Johnson's residence where blood, weapons, and cleaning materials, but no body, were found, after gunfire had been reported. Both men were denied bond in their court appearance today.
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Read more: Two Men Charged in Death of Markham Man

(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
The Times is reporting a Merrillville officer shot a man for illegally parking a semitrailer at Planned Parenthood. According to the article, the incident occurred while a citation was being written, and both the officer and the man were reportedly taken to a local hospital. No further information is available at this time.
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Read more: Man Shot by Merrillville Officer at Planned Parenthood

Lake County Surveyor George Van Til plead not guilty today in Hammond District Court and was freed on a 20-thousand dollar bond. Van Til was charged on Friday with six-counts of wire fraud and two-counts of obstruction of justice, and is alleged to have devised a scheme to defraud Lake County of money and property by utilizing county employees to perform personal and political services so Van Til would be reelected surveyor.
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Read more: Van Til Bonds Out, Pleads Not Guilty to Charges

Police in Whiting are asking for the public's help regarding a shooting incident Sunday near the Whiting Community Center. The Times reports a 19 year old Robertsdale resident was shot in the back around 7:30pm, and the suspected shooter fled in a dark-colored vehicle. At last check, Authorities report no one is in custody and charges have not been filed. According to the article, the 19 year old was listed in serious condition at an Oaklawn hospital. Police say they believe the incident is gang related, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Whiting Police Department.
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Read more: 19 Year Old Robertsdale Resident Shot Sunday in Whiting

Trying to teach an underage driver how to drive ended up getting an 18 year old arrested Friday. Gary Police Public Information Officer Corp. Gabrielle King says the incident took place just before 1pm, in the 21-hundred block of William Street. King says the 14 year old ended up driving a vehicle into the home of two elderly women, who were not injured. The 18 year old is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and also received a traffic citation.
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Read more: 14 Year Old Drives Car in Gary Home Friday

(Photo Courtesy of the Valparaiso Police Department)
Police in Valparaiso have released a video surveillance photo of a person they say is a “subject of interest” regarding a May 8^th purse theft. Authorities report a woman shopping at the Valparaiso Walmart informed them she believes someone took her wallet from her purse, which was located in the front of a shopping cart, while she was distracted. The woman says she returned home and contacted her credit card company and was informed that two-thousand dollars had been charged on her credit card at the Valparaiso Target store. Anyone with information regarding the identity of the subject is asked to contact Detective Lt. Tom Horn of the Valparaiso Police Department at (219) 462-2135.
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Read more: Valpo PD Seeking Help to Identify Subject of Interest in Theft

A 22 year old from Brazil, Indiana, has been identified as the driver, and lone occupant, of a vehicle who was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-vehicle crash in Newton County Friday morning. The Newton County Sheriff's Office today reports Daniel Dillman was heading north on U-S 41, just north of Kentland, when for unknown reasons the vehicle drifted off the roadway. Authorities say when Dillman attempted to return to the roadway, he lost control, crossed the median, and into the path of a southbound tractor trailer. The truck driver was not injured.
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Read more: Driver of Friday's Fatal Crash in Newton County Identified