On Wednesday, April 22, the Lake County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force – Regional Enforcement Team and the Lake County SWAT Team conducted an operation that led to the arrest of a felon suspected of dealing cocaine in Gary.

A narcotics search warrant was conducted at a home in the 1900 block of Garfield Street in Gary.

Police officers confiscated:

• 1,259 grams of powdered cocaine

• 163 grams of crack cocaine

• $10,043 US currency

• 2 guns

46-year-old Kelvin Hines faces multiple charges including dealing cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon.

?The officers involved in this investigation demonstrated outstanding determination and professionalism in bringing this suspect into custody,” Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said. “We will not waver in our mission to identify, pursue and remove dangerous criminals from the streets of Lake County.”

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It takes a special group of players to repeat as champions.

The Lowell Middle School girls 8^th grade basketball team fits the bill. This group of girls has won back-to-back titles, first as 7^th graders for coach Tori Langen and now in their final year at LMS with coach Ginny Fleming.

The Lady Red Devils defeated Clark Middle School 29-20 to win the 8^th grade Lake Middle School Athletic Conference championship last month.

The Devils jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the first quarter and led 14-5 at the half. The third quarter had both Lowell and Clark scoring 6 points, but when the dust settled at the end of the game, the Devils came out on top 29-20. Fleming said her team came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and never let up.

“We just came out dominating,” Fleming said. “The girls just work well together. They’re quick on their feet and quick hands on defense. They’re unselfish. We’re always looking forward to the to the basket, so if we get a steal, we’re always looking ahead to see if someone’s out there for us and they can make that additional pass. They just worked really well together.”

Ashlynn Taylor scored 10 points in her final middle school game, 15 points in the semifinal round and 27 points total over her last three games. Point guard Abigail Hernandez scored 25 points in the final three games of her middle school basketball career.

The core of this team has been playing for the last five years in the Runnin’ Red Devils basketball program. In addition to Taylor and Hernandez, Fleming’s starters were Ella Adams, Aubrey Borchert and Brooke Lomalie. Rounding out the team this year were Allie Cochran, Dakota Steele and Ava DeBoer.

Fleming described Taylor as “a key component” to this year’s team, and she really kicked it into high gear for the tournament. The coach called Adams a dominant defensive player whose performance was likewise critical to the team’s success.

Fleming said Borchert is an unrelenting, physical player underneath the basket who will leave her assigned coverage to help a teammate out.

“Aubrey is a player who is dominant under the basket,” Fleming said. “She’s a good communicator under there.”

Lomalie, who plays point guard, leads the team offensively at the top, according to Fleming. She said her squad relies on her as she instills confidence in Devils on the court.

Hernandez likewise leads the team with strength, determination and tenacity. Fleming eluded to the point guard as being the clear cut leader of this team. She said they lost Hernandez to a concussion for a few games at the beginning of the season. Since she was akin to a co-pilot for Lomalie, Fleming said, her presence was missed in the early part of the season.

However, when Hernandez came back, she came back with a vengeance.

“She’s a key scorer for the team,” Fleming said. “She’s an aggressive defensive player. She agitates her opponent. You’re like ‘Oh, don’t put her on me.’”

The thing Fleming noted from the time this team won the championship as 7^th graders to the time the same group won the title this year is their growth. They’re going to be a more refined team when she hands them back off to Langen, now the junior varsity coach for the Devils, next season.

“I would say probably having more confidence in each other, letting go of the selfishness of ‘I need to score.’” Fleming observed of her team’s maturity. “Looking at it as a team as a whole is like there’s no ‘I’ in team. We have to do this together. I think the teamwork came together and was a major growth for this team.”

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A line of severe thunderstorms blew into the area on April 17, causing trees to fall, power to fail and tornado sirens to wail in Lake County.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Romeoville, Illinois, the supercell had been wreaking havoc in the Midwest all week, starting on April 13 and finally arriving in Lake County on April 17. Hail, torrential downpours and even tornadoes were reported, but tornadic activity in Lake County has not yet been determined at the time of this writing.

Wind gusts of 68 mph were reported in Cedar Lake and on E. Goodenow Road just west of Dyer in eastern Will County, Illinois. In Porter County, the NWS also reported wind gusts as high as 58 mph in Porter and wind speed of 47 mph in Beverly Shores.

The NWS reported leaning utility poles on E. Commerical Avenue near Nichols St. in Lowell. Damage to the awning over the fuel pumps at the Casey’s General Store convenience store on E. Commercial, although the business had power as of the morning of April 18.

There were lots of downed branches and trees throughout the Indian Heights subdivision. Two trees near the basketball court in Reservation Park were damaged due to the thunderstorm.

In downtown Lowell, damage to the sign at Mi Ranchito Mexican Restaurant was observed. Power was out from the AutoZone location at 980 E. Commercial to the Speedway convenience store located at 1691 E. Commerical Avenue. Electronic signs at the Lowell Public Library and at Evergreen Park were dark, and the traffic lights at the intersection of E. Commercial Avenue and Joe Martin Rd. were likewise out.

There were reports of tree limbs as large as six inches in diameter reported down in St. John.

Newton County saw its share of storm damage for the second month in a row. A billboard collapsed in Kentland, according to the NWS. A collapsed farm building, roof damage and an overturned tractor-trailer were also reported in the area. The NWS also reported numerous utility poles south of 1300 South between US 41 and State Line Road northwest of Kentland were toppled over due to the storm.

In Jasper County, damaged utility poles were reported north of Goodland on State Road 55 as well as near Brook. In the community of Porter in Porter County, a tree 12-inches in diameter was reported to have been uprooted.

NIPSCO reported as of 10:36 a.m. April 18 that a total of 7,709 customers were without power, including 2,954 customers in Lowell and 1,065 customers in St. John. As of 9:10 a.m. April 19, the number of total customers without power has dwindled to 218, with 55 of those customers in Lowell. There area also 94 customers in Kentland and 20 in Chesterton without Power at the time of this writing.

No tornadoes have been confirmed as of this writing. Please check back with the Lake County Observer for any updates.

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Lowell native Cedric Caschetta has always been a hard worker. Caschetta clawed his way through the ranks of college football – even going so far as playing the American game in the United Kingdom at the University of Herfordshire. He also is the first Red Devil alumnus to play for an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), having first played at Virginia University of Lynchburg and then at West Virginia State University.

Now, Caschetta has taken his game to the next level. Three times.

On February 24, the Pennsylvania Union of the American Indoor Football League (AIF) signed Caschetta for the remainder of the season. Then, on March 20, the Mishawaka Iron Bulls of the Gridiron Developmental Football League signed the Red Devil standout for their Spring 2027 season. Not only that, Caschetta recently also signed with the Detroit Bandits of the Midwest Developmental Football League for the Fall 2026 season.

Three leagues. Count ’em: Three.

After an opportunity to play arena football in Alabama fell through, Caschetta moved to Michigan to play for the AIL’s North Michigan Muskies, but the team folded shortly after he got there. Upon the Muskies’ demise, he reached out to several other teams in hopes of catching on with another team. Caschetta said some of his former teammates signed with the Union like he ultimately did, some went to the West Michigan Ironmen and some went to the Cedar Rapids Titans.

“We just tried to get somewhere,” Caschetta said.

The Union initially told Caschetta they were set on their roster when he first reached out to them. However, the Union’s coaching staff had already watched video clips of the running back not long after he returned from the United Kingdom. Needless to say, Caschetta caught their attention. The Union’s brass reconsidered and decided to bring him aboard for the remainder of the season.

Playing on a traveling team in 2026 is quite different than one might imagine. Since the players live in various places around the country, Caschetta explained they actually have their team meetings through Zoom calls several times a week. He said they go over their plays during the calls and then workout independently.

“We have checkups with the coaches,” Caschetta said. “They go through what they think that you should be doing compared to you showing them what you got going on. It’s all accountability. They’ll notice that you missed practice, or that you missed working out in the first quarter of the game. You’re out there and you’re huffing and puffing and you don’t know what’s going on playbookwise, they know you’re not in. Get out.”

Arena football is a different game for Caschetta. He explained there is more of an emphasis on passing, which means he had to slide into more of a receiver’s role to play indoors. Caschetta also noted there only eight players on a side with arena football.

And not only are the walls in play, the clock doesn’t stop either.

“Every 15 minute quarter, it doesn’t stop,” Caschetta explained, “so when the play gets up, you don’t have that 40 seconds to go back to the huddle. No, you’re running it because the time’s going down. It’s a lot faster pace than in some ways. It took me a game or so to kind of just understand that aspect.”

Although Caschetta is grateful for the opportunity to be playing arena football and is making the most of it, he still prefers the traditional 11-man per side game. Like many other teammates he has with the Union, and in the next two developmental leagues, he still has his sites set on making it to the NFL.

Family first

In September 2024 while en route to a 2,000-yard season in the UK, Caschetta’s father, Larry, passed away. Football became secondary and he came home to be around his family during the difficult time.

“I had to come home a little bit early,” Caschetta said. “I always say I’d rather be able to be able to sign to a new football team than to sign to a new father. When my Pops passed, that changed and rocked everything. For a little bit, I didn’t even think I was going to play again. Truly, one of the last things he got to tell me was that he was so bummed that he couldn’t get to see me play pro. Bro, I’ve got to make it happen. We’re gonna make it happen. I’ve got to find my way in. My brother, Thomas, says, ‘You always find a way.’”

And now with his first game coming up April 11 against Cedar Rapids, it’s become abundantly clear Caschetta is finding his way. And he knows Pops is looking down proudly on him.

“I know he’d be just as pissed as I am that I’ve been thrown around a couple teams,” Caschetta said with a tinge of emotion in his voice. “I know that he would be upset that teams are not given a true chance, but he would know that at the end of the day, that out of anybody, I’d be the person oversee, overcome and figure a way.”

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Because of their nonprofit status, the next successful challenge was raising the $10,000 necessary to partner with the Crown Point Community Foundation to handle the T-CEF endowment fund. All income generated from this fund goes to their Annual Grant Opportunity.

The T-CEF’s 25-year mission has always been “To encourage community philanthropy to promote and fund excellence and innovation in education for Tri-Creek School Corporation students.”

Since their inception, the T-CEF has.

• Awarded $564,645 in Grants

• Awarded $1,281,497 in Scholarships

• Managed $217,497 in Donor Directed Funds

• Established an Endowment Fund valued at $420,000.

The T-CEP is celebrating their 25th anniversary thanks to the original board: Cheryl Rosevear (president), Mike Grant (vice-president), Doris Curless (secretary), Lynn Bochart (treasurer) and members Gregory Brown, Janice Bruce, Cheryl Gibson, Tom Lump, Ken Sheets, Don Smith and Don Yeoman, superintendent. Tom Grant served the board as community advisor.

There. I said it.

You may ask why I hold that opinion. Well, I’ll tell you. Upending our family’s lives even for a move across town, while not enitrely unexpected, still caused a disruption in our daily routines. Then there’s the packing, and the unpacking, and trying not to piss off the cats in the process (which we were successful in doing after about a day or so when they started calming down).

On the upside, the new house is great! The thing I like about it the most? My office has a DOOR. Do you know how freakin’ awesome that is? It’s AMAZING! Why? Because now I can literally write uninterrupted for hours on end. No interruptions of high school drama, memes, asking to borrow my car or a cat accidentally unplugging my computer anymore.

So in other words, as we finish up the move this weekend (we’re about 95% finished at this point), we can start unpacking and getting back to either normal or better than normal. This means more content on this website, which I’m probably looking forward to more than any of you are.

Two great stories are in the works. Stay tuned! They’ll be on their way shortly!

As you probably already guessed, I’ve decided to relaunch the Lake County Observer. I’d come to this conclusion a while back, but I’ve had a lot of other things happening since I last wrote on this site before my write-up on Tuesday’s storms.

The reason I stopped writing here last year was because I was going over to another publication in South Lake County and figured the redundancy likely wouldn’t have been necessary. Well, long story short, it didn’t work out. These things happen. I won’t go into details here because it’s not worth doing so. I wish those papers and the parent company well in their future endeavors.

I have taken a full time job at a locally owned convenience store chain. I actually started more as a low-level probationary employee than I was making as editor of three weekly newspapers at my last job. It sounds hard to believe at first, but when you understand where media is going these days, which tends to favor independent content creators, it totally makes sense. Anyone can have a news website (like this one), or a TV show (like on YouTube or Rumble) or a radio show (podcast). There are literally hundreds of thousands or more likely millions of these kind of content creators out there on the interwebs. You can find some sort of media for just about any topic you can think of.

And yet, you’re reading this one. For that, I thank you. Now for some ground rules…

The Observer will be a free publication moving forward. Times aren’t easy for anyone right now, my family and me included. You shouldn’t have to pay to read this or for that matter ANY publication in my personal opinion. I will have a virtual tip jar at some point if you would like to donate, but that’s totally up to you. That money would likely go towards things like DNS services and gas money. If I get enough donations, I may publish a hardcopy collection of my work to give to a couple of local libraries or something, but that would be about it.

I’m not going to get rich off of my writing, and I’m OK with that. I wasn’t going to get rich writing when I working full time in the field, either, so why should that fact be different now? Besides, even in spite of the tragic events that unfolded on Tuesday evening, writing that article up on Wednesday felt GOOD. There was no pressure, and when there’s no pressure, the quality of my work goes up.

Having understood that, it must be likewise understood I’m not going to be able to get to everything. I do have a full time job and that has to take precedence over this page as my wife and I do have a family to support. However, I won’t disappoint you and I’ll still at least try to have something up at least weekly if not more often time permitting.

I’m looking forward to writing for you all again. And as always, feel free to share anything I write here on social media. Thanks for sticking with me!

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LAKE VILLAGE – A supercell ripped across Northwest Indiana, spawning two tornadoes that touched down in Lake Village, Wheatfield and Knox.

According to the National Weather Service, one of the tornadoes was confirmed to have lasted an hour and 21 minutes, beginning at 6:18 p.m. and dissipating at 7:39 p.m. “This tornado tracked 36.6 miles beginning 5 miles west of Aroma Park, Illinois and dissipating 3 miles west of DeMotte, reaching an estimated peak intensity of EF-3 in the Aroma Park area,” according to the NWS.

Minutes after that tornado dissipated, the original supercell thunderstorm spawned another tornado that began at 7:43 p.m. and dissipated at 8:10 p.m. “This tornado tracked 10.3 miles across northern Jasper County, beginning 4 miles southwest of Wheatfield and dissipating 2 miles southeast of Dunns Bridge and is estimated to have a peak intensity of EF-1,” the NWS stated.

The NWS reported the first tornado initially touched down in the Illinois cities of Pontiac and Kankakee late Tuesday afternoon. Around 7 p.m. March 10, the storm moved into Indiana, slamming into Lake Village and destroying several homes and businesses. Among the businesses sustaining significant damages were the Citgo convenience store on US 41 and the Family Dollar store located at 8635 N. County Road 300W.

The Newton County coroner’s office reported an elderly couple was found dead when their home was destroyed by the tornado in the 8000 block of County Road 600W. The victims were identified by the Newton County Coroner’s Office as Ed Kozlowski, 89, and his wife Arlene Kozlowski, 84.

In a press conference held on March 11, Lori Postma, public information officer for the Lake Township Fire Department, firefighters were storm spotting prior to the event. Postma said the amount of mutual aid her department received was immeasurable, and they worked tirelessly until approximately 4 a.m. early Wednesday morning.

Postma stressed her community is resilient and remained optimistic Lake Village will bounce back from this tragedy.

“We will be working feverishly to bring our little town back to where it once was,” Postma said. “We’re a very strong community and we will be just fine.”

In a video released by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office on social media, Lake Township Fire Department Chief Rob Churchill reported that “Lake Village took a direct hit” from the storm.

North Newton Junior-Senior High School provided shelter for those displaced due to the storm, sending buses to the fire station to pick up anyone who needed a place to stay for the night.

Forty-three members Indiana Task Force 1 were activated and sent to Lake Village in the early morning hours on Wednesday to aid in search and rescue efforts as a result of the storm.

At Wednesday’s press briefing, a spokesperson for NIPSCO said approximately 12,000 customers were impacted by Tuesday’s storms, of which approximately 2,500 were in and around the Lake Village area. Approximately 70 utility poles were damaged in the storm and restoration efforts have been expedited, according to the spokesperson.

Abbey Rossiter, Newton County Commissioner, said the county’s focus is on helping those impacted from the storms and “ensuring that they receive the help and resources they need.” Rossiter said many have suffered “immeasurable loss and devastation” from the tornado.

Rossiter said any Newton County resident who needs assistance can call 211 or visit in211.org to report damage. She also noted there are many roads still impassible and residents should stay off the roads as much as possible.

Astral Auras, located at 304 E. Commercial Avenue in Lowell, will be holding a donation drive for those affected by the Lake Village tornado. They are looking for bottled water, non-perishable food, hygiene products, infant items, pet food and clothing among many other items. They can be reached at 219-696-3037 or online at facebook/AstralAurasLLC.

Damage was also reported in Wheatfield, most notably at a solar farm which took a direct hit from the tornado. According to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, the storm started to intensify around 7:10 p.m. and a tornado was confirmed to have touched down north of the intersection of County Road 1100 N and State Road 49 at around 7:56 p.m., damaging several trees and utility poles, along with multiple structures and residences. The sheriff’s office stated there were also some injuries reported.

Kankakee Valley High School has set up a temporary shelter for those displaced from the storm.

This article will be updated as needed.

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Stephanie Colson presented council with a petition signed by 283 residents in favor of the measure. Colson gathered the signatures in the two weeks since the last meeting on May 26, when she approached council about being added to the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Colson said she read the comments after posting the question on Facebook. She got a mixed bag of thoughts and ideas from the Lowell residents regarding the golf carts. Based on the replies she received, Colson said people were concerned with unruly teenagers, property damage and tax increases related to the golf carts.

However, Colson acknowledged there would be precautions, such as inspection and licensing of the golf carts, should this ever come to pass. She expressed her belief the Lowell Police Department could enforce the laws involving golf carts in town.

Councilman John Yelkich opposes the measure. Yelkich, an insurance agent by profession, works in Hobart where the golf carts are allowed. He has observed many instances of distracted and unsafe operation of the golf carts just by looking out his office window.

“I will never, under any circumstances, vote yes for this,” Yelkich said. “People are driving their golf carts with their kids hanging off the back. I watched a person drive by with their kid wrestling a dog in the back of this golf cart. You cannot police stupidity, and there are too many stupid people out there.”

Colson said the poor behavior observed by Yelkich did not represent the majority of golf cart owners, also noting there are plenty of unsafe automobile drivers as well. However, Yelkich stuck to his guns and doubled down, saying “it’s not as big of a minority that you’d think.” He noted there are people who are shuttling their children around on the vehicles unrestrained.

“Ma’am, you’re really talking to these four, because I’m never, ever going to be for it,” Yelkich said. “I’ve seen it become an issue and it’s a horrible situation.”

Councilman Mike Gruszka said council was approached approximately three years ago with a similar request for golf carts. Gruszka’s research showed there is no legal way in Indiana to cross state roads in a golf cart without potentially racking up a violation. He said even if people were to run their golf carts when the road is shut down, they run the risk of having the vehicle impounded.

“I was for them,” Gruszka said. “I’m not now, because in order to have this actually functionable for Lowell, there's no way to cross State Route 2 without breaking the law.”

Colson said the state laws permit low-speed vehicles on roads with speed limits under 35 mph, as long as they’re registered, licensed and insured. Gruszka said they will “probably only get one percent of the people who are going to do that.” He said the other 99 percent would likely overwhelm the police department.

“I just can't,” Gruszka said. “If I passed that, lo and behold, it will happen. Somebody's going to let their kid take that golf cart out, or they're not going to be home and the kids going to take that golf cart out and they're going to get wiped out by a semi truck going down Route 2.”

The back-and-forth started to get a little heated when Yelkich asked Colson why she was in favor of allowing the golf carts on the town’s streets. When she answered “Why not,” Yelkich rolled his eyes. Colson appeared incensed at the gesture, and even called him out on it, but Yelkich felt her answer was insufficient.

“This conversation is has gone on ad nauseum over the years, and it's always the same situation, right?” Yelkich said. “It's always the same responses. You aren't going to have to clean up the mess. We are. And that's why I'm holding my eyes, because I'm seeing what's coming down the road for us as a council and for Jim (Woestman) as a as a police chief and for Chris (Gamblin) as the fire chief and it it's not good.”

Councilman John Alessia indicated he might be open to hearing the argument from a homeowner’s association from one of the larger subdivisions in town, but he still was concerned about the logistics of the enforcement. Nevertheless, if council were to entertain the notion, Alessia wants to ensure there are more people who want it than not.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 23.

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While community historical societies tend to remember the past, the Cedar Lake Historical Association (CLHA) is helping the town look toward the future with the Community Heart & Soul program.

Cedar Lake has been selected for the first town in the state of Indiana to implement the program through the Legacy Foundation of Merrillville.

Volunteers with the program met at the Lake County Library branch in Cedar Lake on May 31 to attend a training seminar. They will work to implement the program throughout Cedar Lake.

According to their website, Community Heart and Soul is “a resident-driven process that engages the entire population of a town in identifying what they love most about their community, what future they want for it, and how to achieve it.”

Ian Moran of Community Heart and Soul explained the program uses storytelling to find out what residents love the most about their community.

“What do they love, what are their hopes and concerns, their ideas for action and through that they put together a plan for the future,” Moran said, “and because the communities have come together to do that, they feel much more empowered to be part of the implementation.”

Moran said Community Heart and Soul typically works with communities with populations under 30,000. However, he noted the main criteria of the program was to demonstrate a need for it, “and also that they had a sufficient number of residents wanted to go through this process.”

Maranda Fishback-Engquist, the Grants and Partnership Director for the Legacy Foundation, also serves as the coach for the Cedar Lake program. Fishback-Engquist said the Legacy Foundation serves all the communities in Lake County. She said they provide grants and scholarships, as well as support nonprofit organizations.

Fishback-Engquist said volunteers are being trained to have “meaningful conversations out in the community with their friends, family, and neighbors.” She said the program is open to anyone who has a connection with Cedar Lake, not just its residents. Fishback-Engquist said they’re going to use the information to form an action plan to present to the town council.

“As long as you care about the town in any capacity, we want to hear from you,” Fishback-Engquist said. “It's really what people care the most about for the town. It's what they they want to see for the future of Cedar Lake.”

Cedar Lake councilwoman Mary Joan Dickson is one of the volunteers who will be gathering stories. Dickson is looking forward to hearing the community’s voice in regards to what it would like to see in town. She would like to see the return of events that brings the community together more frequently.

“Over the years even before COVID, we removed events and activities where people gathered and shared,” Dickson observed. “I realize these events take volunteers. I’d like to learn what people are willing to do as a community and see what we can accomplish.”

Zasada said she was “very encouraged and excited” after attending the foundation’s meeting that outlined the Community Heart and Soul program. She likes it because it allows for Cedar Lake residents to offer input as to what they would like to see in the community.

Zasada said they are currently about four months into the two-year long project. She said they will gather data through the stories over the summer and will evaluate data to come up with key statements in the fall. Zasada said they will start drafting their action plan next year. She hopes council will incorporate it into their master pan.

“It’s about what you love about the community, what are your hopes and dreams for the future of the community and how could we get there,” Zasada said. “It's very much uplifting, it's about positivity, and it's about taking what people love and then building upon that.”

Moran said there are currently 130 communities around the country. The Legacy Foundation is expected to begin another program in another local community this year, he said.

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Beginning this month, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department will send more than 60 warning notices to companies and individuals operating vehicles in violation of weight limits.

From this point forward, traffic citations will be issued to those continuing to ignore weight restrictions on county roadways. Martinez urges anyone using county roads to be aware that they will be subject to receiving a traffic citation which will require them to appear in court if their vehicle exceeds the weight limit.

Lake County has a 15-ton limit on the following roads:

• 197^th from US-41 west to State Line Road

• 185^th from US-41 west to State Line Road

• 151^st from US-41 west to State Line Road

The Lake County Sheriff's Department is taking this proactive approach to help reduce the kind of heavy traffic on weight restricted roads that causes significant wear and tear to the roads. The accelerated degradation of the roads leads to increased maintenance costs for taxpayers. In addition, overweight vehicles also pose a safety risk for people operating farm equipment and for other drivers who may have difficulty navigating these roads because of vehicles barred from these areas.

“We have worked with the Lake County Highway Department to increase signage to make drivers more aware,” Martinez said. “We encourage members of the public to call the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Traffic Unit at 219-755-3392 if they witness vehicles violating the weight limit. Public safety is our top priority and your cooperation helps keep out roads safe and serviceable for everyone.”

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Bowman described the chief’s vehicle as “being on its last legs,” although he acknowledged it could still get around town. He said the current chief’s vehicle could be used by fire chief Ken Belshaw to get on scene to some local calls, but a new truck would be used as a support truck.

The chief’s vehicle is over 20 years old and the motor has six of eight cylinders firing property, Bowman said. He also pointed out the department has spent approximately $3,000 in vehicle maintenance and repairs over the last six months.

Bowman also noted the fire department has discussed selling the heavy rescue truck. He said the apparatus is used for motor vehicle accidents, medical calls and water rescues in the past. The vehicle would need to have some maintenance performed on it to be fully serviceable, according to Bowman.

Nevertheless, Bowman said proceeds from the sale of the apparatus could go towards the purchase of the new support truck, or perhaps update their extrication tools.

“We have some of the tools like extrication tools,” Bowman said. “Ours are hydraulic and we’re looking to get some updated ones so that we could possibly help more on Route 41.

Without the heavy rescue truck, the fire department could use an engine for performing many of the same tasks, Bowman said. However, they would respond to medical calls in the new support vehicle, he added.

The extra training and equipment may allow the Schneider Volunteer Fire Department to contract their services with West Creek Township and in turn allow them to bill insurance companies for emergency services, Bowman indicated.

Councilman Kevin Gray asked Bowman the value of the rescue truck. Bowman said an appraisal would have to be performed, but he didn’t think the truck would be worth a lot of money.

Bowman said they also spoke about selling a tanker truck. He believes the fire department could get over $5,000 for selling the apparatus.

Bowman also reported the fire department recently completed some extrication training with the Lowell Fire Department. He also said the department has been discussing potential training opportunities with the Rensselaer Volunteer Fire Department as well. He said a live burn was supposed to have taken place May 27, but they didn’t have enough staff.

The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 23.

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Valerie White didn’t think it was fair to have her wastewater bill increase from $60 to $90 per month. White expressed her anger with council and asked why the town sold their water system to Indiana-American Water. She indicated a gradual increase may have been able to soften the blow to seniors on fixed incomes.

“I worked 50 years,” White said. “I paid taxes big time. We all understand the whole system. It was so shocking to me.”

Council president Todd Angerman said the town has been preparing for this increase for over a year. Angerman said the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has mandated all sewage treatment plants to test and treat for total nitrogen. He said the town’s wastewater treatment system doesn’t treat total nitrogen, adding the town uses an older method to test for nitogen.

“This is not something we chose to do,” Angerman said. “It's something that the government is making us do. If we do not fix this problem, then we will start getting fines and it’ll start being very expensive, and we will still need to fix it.”

Tammy Sobczak is another resident on a fixed income. Sobczak said the extra $30 per month spent on the wastewater bill will be substantial to her. She thinks the bill should be more of a usage rate per customer as opposed to a flat increase across the board.

Angerman said they’ve already investigated flat rate vs. usage rate in a public forum. He noted pipes must be maintained regardless of how much they are being used. Councilman John Alessia added the costs to maintain the infrastructure must be taken into consideration.

“Five million dollars is a large reason why your bill went up $30,” Alessia said. “Same with everybody sitting here.”

Councilman John Yelkich said part of the problem for the hefty rate increase is due to previous councils not raising rates for years. Yelkich said the town has gotten to the point they have to address the wastewater infrastructure.

“We aren’t in a spot to kick the can anymore,” Yelkich said. “We have to do this. We’re under an agreed order with the state to fix that basin.”

Yelkich also pointed out there is additional waste to treat as sewage gets sent to the Lowell wastewater facility from Cedar Lake. He said even with Cedar Lake’s customers, the town has to maintain the infrastructure one way or the other.

“It’s the basin, it’s the piping,” Yelkich said. “It’s all of the infrastructure that has not been addressed over the course of how many years. So we got put into the position where we couldn’t kick the can anymore.”

Town manager Craig Hendrix said Cedar Lake accounts for 53% of the flow the Lowell wastewater plant, and thus pay that percentage in operations costs. Yelkich added it doesn’t matter what Cedar Lake charges their residents as long as they are paying the Town of Lowell their share of wastewater treatment costs. He said it’s been that way since 1976.

Hendrix said IDEM is now having the town test for total nitrogen at the wastewater plant. He explained the process currently being used at the facility dates back to the 1970s. Hendrix said while the town’s current permit is valid, any time IDEM wants the town to treat for something new, they to test for it now within the permit cycle.

“It’s not a matter of making something bigger,” Hendrix said. “It’s a matter of different ways of processing the waste.”

The next meeting will be 7 p.m. June 9.

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The community of Lowell held their annual Memorial Day ceremony at the war memorial on May 26, asking the large crowd in attendance to remember the fallen soldiers who gave their lives in service to our country.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Lake County councilman Randy Niemeyer, Cedar Creek Township trustee Alice Dahl, Cedar Creek Township board member Dan Blankenship, Eagle Creek Township trustee Rose Morrow and West Creek Township trustee Heidi Laub.

VFW Post 6841 commander Mike Beckrich welcomed everyone to the event. The US Navy Sea Cadets, Stars and Stripes Division presented the colors, then the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Adelie Mink sung the national anthem afterwards.

American Legion Post 101 chaplain John Cluver gave the invocation, noting our country’s values of justice, freedom, democracy and loyalty. Cluver said the former three qualities are expected from our government, and the latter quality is expected from Americans. He noted there are too many who have come home wounded, are still missing in action or have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

Beckrich stressed to the crowd there is “no freedom without bravery, and those we honor today were brave when it counted the most.” He said our members of the military made these sacrifices for love of country, and those who dwell within.

“We take great pride in these heroes,” Beckrich said. “The men and women who believe they were just doing their duty.”

Gov. Mike Braun’s Senior Policy Adviser for the Northwest Region, Anthony Ferraro, read a letter from the governor. In the letter, Braun reminded everyone in attendance they gather not only to remember our servicemen and women’s sacrifice for our country but also to “reaffirm the values they fought to protect freedom, democracy and the enduring spirit of the American people.” Braun said in his letter we should never take that peace for granted.

“Each name, each story, is a thread in the fabric of our shared history,” Braun’s letter read. “While there are no longer with us, their legacy lives on in our communities, our families and in the very soul of America.”

LeAnn Angerman read a letter from US Senator Jim Banks. In his letter, the senator said our country is the greatest nation on Earth that is “unique in human history for its dedication to liberty,” quickly pointing out that freedom isn’t free.

“On Memorial Day, we pause to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom,” Banks’ letter read. “From the Revolutionary War to the beaches of Normandy to the deserts of Afghanistan, we remember the heroes who, in the words of the hymn, more than self, their country love and mercy more than life.”

State Senator Rick Niemeyer recalled Memorial Day as an important holiday while he was growing up. His father, Ernie Niemeyer, was a World War II veteran. Rick Niemeyer fondly recalled what Memorial Day meant around his childhood home.

“My dad was a World War II veteran,” Rick Niemeyer said. “He served in the South Pacific. This was a big day for him. We’d go around with him during the year. We’d go to VFWs and Legions and AMVETS, and they were your pillars of the community growing up. That’s where I always wanted to go.”

Lowell Town Council president Todd Angerman reminded the audience of lessons learned in the classic Tom Hanks World War II movie “Saving Private Ryan.” Todd Angerman said He recalled the scene when the dying Captain Miller told Private Ryan to “earn this” sacrifice.

“When he was an elderly man, he went back to France and visited the grave site of Captain Miller,” Todd Angerman said. “At the grave site, he wondered out loud ‘I hope at least in your eyes I have earned all of you have done for me.’ Have we earned what they’ve done for us?”

State Representative Michael Aylesworth first acknowledged his fellow veterans who were participating in the ceremony. Aylesworth read off the number of soldiers from each war who gave their lives in service to our country. He said a total of 661,441 have been killed in action and 1.4 million have been injured in the line of duty since the Revolution War.

“I want to remind us all that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” Aylesworth said. “Freedom is not free. Not without the cost of human sacrifice and suffering.”

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Set Your Hooks Into Some Books! - Summer Reading

For Kids

Summer Reading officially kicks off on Monday, June 2. This year children will create an ocean scene as they read! The eight- week summer reading program is designed to encourage reading and avoid the “summer slide”.

Sign-ups begin online, Tuesday, May 27.

https://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/summer-reading-2025/

Join us on Monday, June 2, 10:30 AM—noon for our Summer Reading Kick-off event! Activities include balloon animals, face painting, coloring sheets, and a scavenger hunt! Stop in the program room and get a free ice cream cup and slice of pizza!

For Young Adult/Teens (grades 5-12)

For every book you read, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of three $50 gift cards or various other prizes.

Participation also gains admittance to the end of summer reading Cookout with Obstacle Course. Check our website at

https://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/ya-summer-reading-2025/ for complete details about our summer Reading Challenge.

Adults

Read for a chance to “reel in” one of two $50.00 gift cards! You may enter as many times as you wish, so grab a booklet and start reading! Booklets are available at the circulation desk or online athttps://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/adult-summer-reading-2025/.

Adults – Lowell

Knit & Crochet - Every Thursday in June at 9 a.m.

Meet up to knit and crochet, and share patterns and tips.

Red Cross Blood Drive - Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Give blood. Help save lives. Call 1-800–RED CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org to schedule your appointment.

Adult Book Club - Monday, June 9 from 1-3 p.m.

Read, then meet to discuss Go As a River, written by Shelley Read.

Drop-In Tech Help - Wednesday, June 11 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Do you have a question about how to use your phone, tablet, laptop, or computer? Stop in during our drop-in hours and ask for Amanda—she will work with you to find the answer! (First come, first served)

Adult Coloring - Tuesday, June 17 at 10 a.m.

Join in on the fun! Coloring helps us de-stress and stimulates brain areas related to motor skills. All supplies will be provided or you may bring your own.

Canasta - Wednesday, June 18 from 12-3 p.m.

Join us for a fun card game, and we’ll teach you how to play!

Poetry - Saturday, June 21 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Aspiring poets can join the NW Indiana Poetry Society. Bring your work or that of your favorite poet.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY NEWS

Fundraiser Thanks

The Friends would like to thank Loven Oven in Lowell for their fundraiser last month, which helps us to fund library programs for all ages.

Friends Meet - Wednesday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m.

Attend our monthly meetings where we plan upcoming Friends events, fundraisers, and projects that support and improve the library. New friends welcome!

Scholastic Book Fair - Monday, June 9- Friday June 13

The Friends of the Lowell Public Library will hold their annual summer Scholastic Book Fair June 9-13. Proceeds from the book fair are used to purchase books and prizes for library programs. Shop online June 9-22 at https://www.scholastic.com/bf/lowellpubliclibrary. Families can choose from thousands of books, and orders will ship directly to the home, with free standard shipping on book-only purchases over $25.

$3.00 Bag Book Sale - Saturday, June 28 from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

On the last Saturday of each month, get a bag of books for $3. You can bring your own brown grocery bag or ask for one at the circulation desk.

Children’s (birth-5^th grade) – Lowell

The following programs are for children from birth to 4th grade. There are two sessions for each summer activity – 10:30 a.m and 1:30 p.m. To assure that we have enough supplies, children must be pre-registered. Children, preschool age and under must be accompanied by an adult. Registration for these activities begins on Tuesday, May 27.

Tuesday Programs Thursday Programs

• June 10 - Paper Plate Jellyfish June 12 - Treasure Box

• June 17 - Shark Headband June 19 - BINGO

• June 24 - Recycled CD Fish June 26 - Ocean in a Cup

Tales for Tails Therapy Dog Visits - Tuesdays in June from 4-5 p.m.

Read or just visit with a certified therapy dog! This is a fun program where children can practice their reading skills while cozying up with a loveable pup. Registration is required!

Young Adult/ Teens (grades 5-12) – Lowell

Key Rack - Tuesday, June 4 from 1-2:30 p.m.

Sand, measure, drill holes, and stain a key rack to take home.

Kickball - Tuesday, June 11 from 1-2:30 p.m.

Join in on our epic game of kickball or play “Ultimate Frisbee”, depending on the number of players.

Nintendo Switch© Summer Games - Tuesday, June 18 from 10-11:30 a.m. OR 1-2:30 p.m.

Help us “break in” our new game system with Mario Kart Racing or choose another game. Only 4 slots available in each time frame. (Please only sign up for one!)

Patriotic Tie-Dye - Tuesday, June 25 from 1-2:30 p.m.

Bring a white cotton shirt . You can tie-dye red and blue to show your patriotism, or choose from other available colors.

SHELBY BRANCH LIBRARY – 23323 SHELBY ROAD –SHELBY, IN 46377 219-552-0809

Adults - Shelby

Cook the Book - Saturday, June 7 at 11 a.m.

Bring a dip and a copy of the recipe to share using one from any cookbook or website you choose.

Over 18 Game Days - Monday, June 9, 16, and 30 at 4 p.m.

Get together to play cards or board games.

Coffee & Conversation - Saturday, June 14 and 28 at 10 a.m.

Stop in for a cup of coffee. Stay for a chat.

Adult Book Discussion - Thursday, June 19 at 4 p.m.

Read, then meet to discuss Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, written by Jesse Q. Sutanto.

Movies for Grown-Ups - Saturday, June 21 at 10 a.m.

Enjoy a morning movie at the library.

Senior Bingo - Monday, June 23 at 4 p.m.

Play for a chance to win a gift card.

Children’s – Shelby (birth-4^th grade)

Tuesdays at 4 p.m.

• June 10 Paper Plate Jellyfish

• June 17 Shark Headband

• June 24 Recycled CD Fish

Thursdays at 4 p.m.

• June 12 Painted Treasure Box

• June 19 No Program

• June 26 Ocean in a Cup Snack

Young Adult /Teens (grades 5-12) – Shelby

Young Adult Key Rack - Wednesday, June 11 at 4 p.m.

Make a key rack. Sand down the wood, drill holes for hooks, stain, and take it home!

Young Adult Bean Bags - Wednesday, June 18 at 4 p.m.

Face off against your fellow teens to see who the bean bag champion will be!

Young Adult Bingo - Wednesday, June 25 at 4 p.m.

Play this classic game for fun and prizes!

SCHNEIDER BRANCH LIBRARY – 24002 PARRISH AVE – SCHNEIDER, IN 46376 219-552-1000

Adults – Schneider

Adult Craft - Monday, June 9 at 5 p.m.

Paint a wooden butterfly.

Library Board Meets - Tuesday, June 17 at 6 p.m.

The regular meeting of the Lowell Public Library Board of Trustees will be held at the Schneider Branch.

Coffee & Conversation - Saturday, June 21 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Stop in for a cup of coffee!

Children’s – Schneider (birth-4^th grade)

Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.

• June 10 - Paper Plate Jellyfish

• June 17 - Shark Headband

• June 24 - Recycled CD Fish

Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.

• June 12 - Painted Treasure Box

• June 19 - Bingo

• June 26 - Ocean in a Cup Snack

Young Adult /Teens (grades 5-12) – Schneider

Young Adult Nachos - Wednesday, June 4 at 4 p.m.

Join us for games and a nacho bar to kick off Summer Reading!

Young Adult Water Wars - Wednesday, June 11 at 4 p.m.

Engage in various water fights. Snacks will be provided.

Young Adult Tie-Dye - Wednesday, June 18 at 4 p.m.

Shirts will be provided.

Young Adult Wii Games - Wednesday, June 25 at 4 p.m.

Play Wii games with your friends. Snacks will be provided.

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Police officers with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Highway Interdiction / Drug Task Force seized 8,000 – 10,000 suspected fentanyl pills during a traffic stop on I-65 on May 21.

Officers stopped a 33-year-old driver heading south near Lowell for windshield obstruction and a moving violation. While the driver was retrieving vehicle documents, officers observed suspected marijuana inside the vehicle.

Police officers later found several plastic bags packed with suspected fentanyl pills on the floor of the vehicle.

The Drug Enforcement Administration seized the pills.

The driver is identified as Nigel Beach of Shelbyville, Kentucky. He was taken into custody and is being held at the Jasper County Jail.

Criminal charges are pending.

“I am extremely proud of our officers for confiscating such a significant amount of fentanyl,” Lake County Sherif Oscar Martinez Jr. said, “As of this week the DEA has seized more than 29.7 million fentanyl pills nationwide, representing more than 139 million deadly doses. Every pill removed from our streets represents a life potentially saved. I commend the officers involved in this case for their diligence and commitment in the ongoing fight against the spread of opioids.”

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The area experienced another round of severe weather earlier this week, leaving thousands of homes without power.

The first round came on May 15 with the potential for severe storms. Although South Lake County didn’t experience any tornadoes, the storms brought straight line winds. The National Weather Service (NWS) recorded a maximum wind speed of 35 mph at O’Hare Airport with gusts of 51 mph. In Valparaiso, the NWS recorded maximum wind speeds of 39 mph and gusts up to 55 mph.

However, the winds caused widespread power outages throughout the Calumet Region. According to data obtained from the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) at 11:22 p.m. April 15, there were a total of 85,651 households without power. Crown Point appeared to get hit the hardest, with NIPSCO reporting 13,488 without power. First United Methodist Church in Crown Point opened a cooling center for those impacted by the storm.

Gary wasn’t too far behind Crown Point, with 11,698 households without power.

Lowell had a total of 6,908 homes without power. There were 259 households in Cedar Lake that lost electrical services, and there were 246 homes in Shelby affected by the storms, according to NIPSCO.

Several area school districts were closed May 16 as a result of the storms, including Tri-Creek Community Schools, Crown Point Community Schools, Michigan City Area Schools, Lake Station Community Schools and Gary Community Schools. Merkley Elementary School and Warren Elementary School in Highland were closed.

As of 5:10 p.m. May 17, NIPSCO reported 8,338 total homes affected by the storms.

And then if it couldn’t get any stranger, a freak dust storm hit in the late afternoon hours of May 16, spreading across much of northern Indiana and Illinois. The NWS issued four warnings for the dust storm between 4:48 p.m. and 6:23 p.m.

The NWS said the dust storm developed near Bloomington, Illinois, moving northeast towards the Chicago Southland and the Calumet Region. The storm was caused by the strong winds from the thunderstorms moving across central Illinois, causing visibility to drop to close to zero in some locations.

There were only two dust storms recorded by the NWS in the Chicagoland area, which was two years ago on May 7. Prior to the 2023 incident, the last time a significant dust storm happened was during the Dust Bowl on May 10, 1934.

In Wheeler, a 55 mph gust was recorded by a private weather station on the leading edge of the dust storm at 6:39 p.m. Beverly Shores reported 51 mph gusts.

Chicago reported a 60 mph gust was recorded at O’Hare Airport, a 64 mph gust at Midway Airport, and a 78 mph gust at Navy Pier.

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The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m., May 26, with staging at the Cal Ripken Little League parking lot along Joliet Street. The parade begins on Joliet Street, goes to Main Street south to Wells Street and ends at the Historic Maplewood Cemetery.

At 11 a.m., there will be a brief ceremony at the Historic Maplewood Cemetery in recognition of those who sacrificed for our freedom with a presentation from Jim Laud Sr. of Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors Northwest Indiana.

American Legion Post 20 Cmdr. Kevin Dvorak will deliver opening remarks, with Mayor Land to deliver the reflection following.

Quick Facts

• What: Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony

• When: 10:30 a.m. (parade), 11 a.m. (ceremony) Monday, May 26

• Where: Joliet Street (parade), Historic Maplewood Cemetery, Wells Street entrance across from Solon Robinson Elementary (ceremony)

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