ABC News reports the FBI has has identified two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing. This afternoon officials released photos of the suspects and asked for the public's help in identifying the two men. Rick DesLauriers is the FBI special agent in Boston says suspect one is wearing a dark hat, suspect two is wearing a white hat. Suspect two set down a backpack at the site of the second explosion just in front of the Forum restaurant.
The FBI considers them to be armed and extremely dangerous. No one should approach them, and no should should attempted to apprehend them except law enforcement.
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Read more: FBI Releases Description of Suspects in Boston Bombing

ABC News reports the governor of Illinois has declared a state of emergency after heavy rains brought flooding to the Chicago area. North of Chicago, the Fox and Des Plaines rivers are swollen, with the rate with which the river is rising on the Des Plaines is very rapid, nearly three feet since last night. Officials in Lake County, Illinois have been dispatching sandbags. The public works department has processed nearly 200-thousand sandbags out to local municipalities and townships. Meanwhile in Chicago some locks were opened along Lake Michigan reversing the flow of the Chicago River back to the lake.
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Read more: Illinois Governor Declares State of Emergency

GARY, Ind. — Wednesday’s postponed High School Challenge contest between North Newton and South Newton has been canceled and will not be made up. Here is the remainder of the High School Challenge schedule. All games for this weekend are on as of right now.
 
Friday, April 19^th
4:30 p.m. - *Lew Wallace vs. Roosevelt
7:30 p.m. - *East Chicago vs. MC Marquette
 
Saturday, April 20^th
1:00 p.m. - *Michigan City vs. Boone Grove
4:00 p.m. - *Chesterton vs. Griffith
7:00 p.m. - *Victory Christian vs. Calumet Christian
 
Tuesday, April 23^rd 
7:30 p.m. - *Hales Franciscan vs. St. Patrick
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Read more: WX Cancels Wednesday's HSC Game, No Makeup

In the wake of Monday's bombing at the Boston Marathon, Scambook, the Internet’s leading complaint resolution platform, cautions the public to watch out for fake charities run by criminals who exploit national tragedy via the Internet. Over a dozen charity domains were registered in regards to Boston with names like "bostonmarathondonations.com", "bostonmarathonvictimfund.com" and "bostonmarathonattack.com".   
To avoid giving money to a fake charity, Scambook recommends donating to well-established organizations like the Red Cross, Boston Children's Hospital or One Fund Boston. If an individual is considering donating to a different organization, Scambook advises the following 5 tips to avoid a charity scam:
1. Check the organization online. Contact the State Attorney General or the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) to find out if the organization is officially registered. Watchdog sites guidestar.org and charitynavigator.org are also recommended.
2. Don't trust viral stories from supposed victims. In the wake of a national tragedy, dozens of heart-breaking stories circulate through social media and email. Don’t make any donations to individuals with whom there stands no personal relationship or verification of the claims.
3. Don't give in to pressure to donate. Even in times of need, a legitimate charity will never pressure anyone to donate. If an individual soliciting donations is rude, threatening, or refuses to answer questions, it's unlikely that they're representing a real charity. Call the organization they claim to represent.
4. Stop and remember past donations. Charity scammers often try to build trust with their victims by thanking them for past donations.  If contacted, pause and think about your history of donations. A legitimate charity will be able to provide the date of the donation or other verifying information.
5. Watch out for unsolicited text messages. Be wary of any text messages asking for donations. Although legitimate charities can receive donations via text message, it is highly improbable that they will send out unsolicited text messages for help.
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Read more: Tips for Evading Fake Online Boston Charities

Gary police are asking kids who walk to school, to try and do so in a group if possible, after an incident Wednesday morning. Gary Police Public Information Corporal Gabrielle King says a 14 year old was grabbed from behind while walking southbound on Washington Street to school, at 8:43am. Corporal King says the suspect, a black male, took the girl in an abandoned building in the 41-hundred block of Washington, fondled her, and left the scene. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Gary Police Department.
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Read more: Gary PD Asks Those Walking to School to Do So in Numbers

Hammond Police are asking for the public's help regarding an armed robbery that occurred at the Super Gas, in the 75-hundred block of Columbia Avenue, around 2am, on March 31^st. Authorities say the suspect a male, described as being in his late teens to early twenties, approximately five-foot-nine inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds, wearing a dark colored jacket, red hooded sweatshirt, dark colored pants, gloves, and black shoes with a white mask. Police says the weapon used in the robbery was described as a black automatic handgun.


(Photos Courtesy of the Hammond PD)
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Read more: Hammond PD Seek Public's Help in Armed Robbery

Tipsters report power has been restored to the area along US 30 in Valparaiso. Power reportedly went out sometime after 1:30 this afternoon, affecting over 11-hundred customers for about a half-hour or so.
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Read more: Power Restored Along US 30 in Valpo

Over a 11-hundred customers are without power in Valparaiso at last check. NIPSCO's Outage Map reports crews have been assigned, with power estimated to be restored by 5pm this afternoon. Tipster are reporting no electricity from County Road North 250 West to Horseprairie, along U-S 30. Power reportedly went out sometime after 1:30 this afternoon.
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Read more: Over 11 Hundred without Power Along US 30 in Valpo

We got word that emergency sirens were going off in Lansing this morning, reportedly someone spotted what they thought was rotation in the clouds... in nearby Hammond heavy rains have shut down some roads. This morning Hammond Police reported the following closures:
-Northcote [north-cott] Ave bridge from Hammond to Munster closed
-Columbia Ave bridge from Hammond to Munster closed
- Sheffield Ave, from Calumet to 141^st Street
- 129^th and New York Ave
-136^th and Sheffield to Illinois
Also, INDOT reported Cline Avenue is closed between Riley Road and Calumet Avenue (East Chicago)
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Read more: Hammond Road Closures Due to Storm

A flood fighting exercise that was scheduled for tomorrow morning, near Indiana University Northwest, in Gary, has been canceled due to flooding. The drill would have been the first of its kind in Gary, with Harrison Avenue to have been closed using sandbags, in light of the floods back in September of 2008, that left nearly the entire main campus parking lot along 33rd Avenue under water, along with significant portions of the campus grounds.
Just about a month ago, there was a Hammond/Highland flood prep drill that had Kennedy Avenue shut down near the Borman for a few hours overnight. The exercise used concrete blocks and sandbags to build a 'wall' in just a couple hours on Kennedy Avenue as if flood waters were rising and was held in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers to make sure region responders, including public works and safety officials, are ready to act quickly in the event of a major flood.
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Read more: Flood Exercise Friday in Gary Canceled Due to Flooding