Home sales in the region continue on their upward trend, with the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors reporting the 23^rd consecutive month of growth. CEO Peter Novak, Jr. says they expect to see numbers continue this way for the foreseeable future as demand for local appointments between their members has increased, reflecting a higher demand for buyers, which is clearly up compared to the same time frame in years past.
Lake County home sales increased 34-point-eight percent from May 2012 to May 2013, while home sales in Porter County increase 19-point-two percent during that same time frame. Home sales for Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper and Newton Counties combined increased 29-point-six percent from the same time a year ago.
Novak says pent-up demand, and local property tax caps here in Northwest Indiana are factors for the increases, but first and foremost, it is the low-interest rates that are driving up demand.
For more information click News Audio On Demand.
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Read more: GNIAR Reports 23rd Month of Consecutive Growth

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating drowning death of elderly Mishawaka woman. Authorities report they received a call of a body in a private pond in the one-thousand block of Park Place, around 7:30 Monday morning, and upon arrival located the body of 89 year old Christel Moryl in a retention pond outside of her assisted living community. Mishawaka Police report it appears the death was an accidental drowning. Moryl was known to suffer from dementia and was last seen by her caregiver sometime around midnight.
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Read more: Elderly Mishawaka Woman Drowns, Appears Accidental

A Portage Police officer suffered a broken left hand attempting to arrest a man Monday evening at his home in the 21-hundred block of Gina Street. Portage Police report they were dispatched on a call of a child being struck, and after arriving learned that 34 year old Kevin Budgin had allegedly gotten into an altercation with his finance and their 15 year old daughter as the result of Budgin drinking that day. Police report during questioning, Budgin became angry and allegedly lunged at Master Patrolman Bryan Slatton with closed fists and a struggle ensued to place him under arrest until he was Tasered, which resulted in Slatton getting his hand broken. Budgin was charged with seven criminal charges, including two-counts of felony battery and one-count of felony resisting law enforcement. Police report Budgin's blood-alcohol content after a breath sample was .211....

Read more: Portage Officer Breaks Hand During Struggle to Arrest Subject

STARKE COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces the closure of the U.S. 35 bridge over the CSX railway, just south of U.S. 30 beginning Thursday, June 20^th through the end of November 2013. Crews are replacing the bridge.
Drivers wishing to travel north on U.S. 35 will be detoured west on SR 8, north on SR 39, east on U.S. 30, and back to U.S. 35. Drivers wishing to travel south on U.S. 35 will be detoured west on U.S. 30, south on SR 39, east on SR 8, and back to U.S. 35.
INDOT reminds drivers to use caution and consider worker safety when driving through a construction zone. For the latest road closures and news from INDOT, like us at www.Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest and follow us at www.Twitter.com/INDOTNorthwest.
You can find traffic restriction information at www.trafficwise.IN.gov.  Contact the LaPorte District toll free at 1-855-GO-INDOT.
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Read more: US 35 Bridge North of Knox Closed Starting Thursday

INDIANAPOLIS—Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects thousands of people every day and is the most common genetic blood disorder. Wednesday, June 19, is World Sickle Cell Day. First recognized by the United Nations in 2008 as a public health concern, World Sickle Cell Day is celebrated annually to create awareness about the disease. 
Sickle cell disease is a disorder in which the red blood cells in the body become hard, sticky and sickle-shaped, looking like a C-shaped farm tool called a sickle. The sickle cells die early, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells. Also, when they travel through small blood vessels, they get stuck and clog the blood flow. This can cause pain and other serious problems such as infection, acute chest syndrome and stroke.
SCD is a genetic condition that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes—one from each parent. People with SCD start to have signs of the disease during the first year of life, usually around two months of age. Symptoms and complications of SCD are different for each person and can range from mild to severe.
In Indiana, there are approximately 1,000 individuals living with SCD and approximately 1,000 babies are born every year with sickle cell trait (SCT). People who inherit one sickle cell gene and one normal gene have SCT. People with SCT can pass the trait on to their children. Symptoms from SCT are usually not as severe as symptoms of SCD.
“Every adult and child should know their sickle cell status,” said State Health Commissioner William VanNess, M.D. “In rare cases, people with sickle cell trait might experience complications, such as having severe pain, trouble with low oxygen levels in the air, high altitudes and/or dehydration. It’s important to know if you have the trait so you can be educated and aware of these possible complications.”
The Indiana State Department of Health Sickle Cell Program works with community partners around the state to bring awareness and educate the public on SCT and SCD.  It also provides education, resources and support for families that are affected by SCD. Currently, the only cure for SCD is bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
The Martin Center Sickle Cell Initiative will be holding their Annual Sickle Cell 5K Walk/Run on Saturday, June 22 at 8 a.m. For event details and to register, visit www.themartincenter.org.
For more information, visit www.StateHealth.in.gov or follow the Indiana State Department of Health on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/isdh1.
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Read more: World Sickle Cell Day Tomorrow: Know Your Status!

CLEVELAND — The Coast Guard is investigating a sheen Tuesday that was reported in southern Lake Michigan one day earlier.
About 3 p.m. Monday, a communications watchstander at Coast Guard Station Michigan City, Ind., was notified that people were coming out the water with an oily substance on them at Porter Beach, Ind.
The station directed the reporting source to contact the National Response Center.
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Chicago dispatched a response boat to the area, and pollution investigators found no visible sheen.
A helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., was diverted from a training mission to conduct an overflight of the area from the Port of Indiana to Michigan City, Ind., and found no evidence of sheen. They did see a few pollen blooms.
The U.S. Geological Survey has taken water samples, and the results are pending.
Just after 4 p.m., Station Michigan City received a report that the sheen had reached Michigan City.
MSU Chicago is currently on scene investigating, and they have found no sign of sheen. Coast Guard investigators are also reviewing a surveillance video provided by the Port of Indiana and have not noticed any signs of pollution.
The cause of the sheen remains under investigation, and the Coast Guard is working diligently alongside partner agencies to determine any causative factors to see if there is anything that can be done to prevent similar occurrences.
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Read more: Coast Guard Also Investigating Reported Sheen

PORTER/LAPORTE COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces the one day closure of State Road 2 for two culvert replacements, about two miles southwest of U.S. 6, on Thursday, June 20^th. Local traffic may use State Road 2 up to each point of closure, from the east and the west.
Drivers wishing to travel west on SR 2 will be detoured west on U.S. 6, south on SR 49, and back to SR 2. Drivers wishing to travel east on SR 2 will be detoured north on SR 49, east on U.S. 6, and back to SR 2.
INDOT reminds drivers to use caution and consider worker safety when driving through a construction zone. For the latest road closures and news from INDOT, like us at www.Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest and follow us at www.Twitter.com/INDOTNorthwest.
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Read more: SR 2 SW of Westville to be Closed on Thusday

State officials say preliminary tests of a shiny substance on Lake Michigan that prompted the evacuation of Porter Beach Monday afternoon suggest it might be a few different things.  Indiana Department of Environmental Management Spokesman Dan Goldblatt says they're hoping to know a little more by the end of the week.  The state also continues to investigate a glittery substance reported on vehicles and outdoor furniture in the 15-hundred block of Brown Avenue in Robertsdale early this month, around June 4. Goldblatt says the substance in north Hammond was very localized, and its origin remains unknown. They are awaiting some other test results, but Goldblatt says they were not able to get a very large sample Until officials determine what was in the water, a swimming advisory is in effect til further notice for all Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore beaches. National Lakeshore Supervisory Park Ranger and Public Information Officer Bruce Rowe says whatever it was seems to have dissipated quite a bit.
You can hear our interviews with Goldblatt and Rowe at News Audio on Demand here at our website.
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Read more: Beach Sheen Not From 'Shore or Stacks'

The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration invite your comments on how NIRPC, INDOT, and public transit operators implement the federal transportation planning process. Two meetings will be held: one on Tuesday, June 18 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at NIRPC, 6100 Southport Road, Portage and another on Wednesday, June 19 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the auditorium of the Savannah Center at IUN in Gary. Requests for accessibility accommodations must be received 72 hours before the meeting by calling NIRPC, (219)763-6060. More information can be found at nirpc.org.
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Read more: NIRPC Certification Review Public Meetings

In La Porte, the city council is considering a recommendation from the park board to ban all smoking in city parks. La Porte Mayor Blair Milo has posted on Facebook that there's an ordinance already in place for certain areas of the parks, but there's been difficulty enforcing it. Milo also says the issues of healthy lifestyles, second hand smoke and non-biodegradable cigarette litter are among the reasons for considering the ordinance.
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Read more: La Porte Considers Park Smoke Ban