Some communities in the region are enforcing snow removal parking restrictions after Tuesday's storm. Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer declared that tomorrow, effective at 8am, traffic regulations regarding parking will begin. Police in St. John are reminding motorists that street parking is prohibited when there is snow in order to aid the clearing of streets and will be issued to vehicles in violation. Gary Police are urging residents to follow the posted signs about not parking on snow routes when accumulation is more than two inches or you could end up spending around 200-dollars to get your car back.
Michigan City Parking Restrictions:
Effective at 8:00 a.m., on Thursday, March 7, 2013.
(1) No vehicle shall be parked on a designated “snow route.”
(2) On even numbered days, no parking shall be permitted on that side of the street with even numbered addresses from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.
(3) On odd numbered days, no parking shall be permitted on that side of the street with odd numbered addresses from 6:00 a.m. to midnight.
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Preliminary snowfall totals from the National Weather Service for northwest Indiana show Valparaiso received the most snow from Tuesday's winter storm, with ten-and-a-half inches on the ground. Porter and Wheatfield also received ten or more inches of snow, Lake Village got nine-and-a-half inches, while Crown Point, Portage, Rensselaer, and St.John all had at least nine inches of snow.
NORTHWEST INDIANA SNOW
LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL(INCHES)
VALPARAISO (PORTER)..........................10.5
PORTER 1S (PORTER)...........................10.4
(W9OPR)WHEATFIELD 1ENE (JASPER)..............10.0
LAKE VILLAGE (NEWTON).........................9.5
CROWN POINT (LAKE)............................9.0
ST. JOHN (LAKE)...............................9.0
PORTAGE 1ESE (PORTER).........................9.0
RENSSELAER (JASPER)...........................9.0
VALPARAISO 2N (PORTER)........................8.8
VALPARAISO 1NE (PORTER).......................8.7
VALPARAISO 1ENE (PORTER)......................8.5
VALPARAISO 5NNE (PORTER)......................8.2
VALPARAISO 5NNE (PORTER)......................8.2
WHEATFIELD 3S (JASPER)........................8.0
DE MOTTE 1NNW (JASPER)........................8.0
DE MOTTE 1SSW (JASPER)........................8.0
VALPARAISO 1NNW (PORTER)......................8.0
DYER 1WNW (LAKE)..............................7.8
HEBRON 4NE (PORTER)...........................7.7
SCHERERVILLE 2WSW (LAKE)......................7.6
LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS 2NNE (PORTER).......7.6
CROWN POINT 2WSW (LAKE).......................7.5
VALPARAISO 1SE (PORTER).......................7.5
CHESTERTON 1ENE (PORTER)......................7.2
LOWELL (LAKE).................................7.2
DE MOTTE 4SW (JASPER).........................7.0
(W9MAL)MERRILLVILLE 2NNW (LAKE)...............7.0
LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS (PORTER)............7.0
MOROCCO (NEWTON)..............................7.0
SCHERERVILLE (LAKE)...........................6.6
DE MOTTE 6S (JASPER)..........................6.5
CROWN POINT 1N (LAKE).........................6.5
HIGHLAND (LAKE)...............................6.3
MOUNT AYR 2NNE (NEWTON).......................6.2
(WV90)HOBART 1ENE (LAKE)......................6.0
REMINGTON (JASPER)............................5.8
VALPARAISO 4SW (PORTER).......................5.7
BROOK 4W (NEWTON).............................5.5
VALPARAISO 6WSW (PORTER)......................5.5
REMINGTON (JASPER)............................5.5
KENTLAND 1NNW (NEWTON)........................5.0
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A 1981 cold case regarding the unsolved homicide of a then 31 year old LaPorte woman is being re-examined. The LaPorte County Sheriff's Office reports preserved evidence has been resubmitted to the Indiana State Police Crime Lab, with the hope that modern DNA technology can assist in identifying a potential suspect in the death of Juanita Boyd, who was found strangled and stabbed in the trunk of her vehicle, in a field just off Forrester Road, a half-mile north of the Indiana Toll Road on February 28^th, 1981. Boyd was last seen alive February 22^nd, 1981, at Snyder's Corner Tavern, which had been located at the intersection of 1^st and J Street, in LaPorte. Anyone with potential information about this unsolved death, is asked to contact the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office Detective Bureau.
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In Gary, police say a 58-year-old man was robbed and attacked in his home in the 19-hundred block of Central Drive Monday night. Gary Police Public Information Officer Corporal Gabrielle King says there was a knock on the door around 10:45, and possibly five men, armed with weapons and wearing masks, rushed inside when the door opened, demanding money and jewelry. Police say the man was struck before the men left, and the victim was treated at an area hospital.  Police urge residents who hear someone knocking, especially at that time of night, someone you don't know, to call police and not open the door. 
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A committee hearing scheduled for today regarding Griffith's attempt to leave Calumet Township was canceled due to the snowstorm preventing travel to Indianapolis, according to the Times. Town officials are hoping it'll be rescheduled for next week. The measure has moved to the Senate after being approved by the Indiana House last month. The town says they send significantly more in tax dollars to the township than they get back. The measure would allow voters in town to hold a referendum and vote on whether or not to leave the township.
Here's more at nwi.com:
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/griffith/time-has-come-to-leave-calumet-twp-griffith-says/article_d42580f3-58b7-59be-97e4-b4e713073291.html
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Indiana State Police Lowell Post responded to more that 130 crashes and slide-offs from yesterday afternoon thru 7-o'clock this morning. Seven accidents involved injuries all described as NON-life threatening. Troopers have also gone out on numerous calls to assist motorists in the winter storm and its aftermath. Police urge all Region drivers to slow down in general, and also move over for emergency vehicles, use headlights even during daylight, and allow plenty of space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you.
Specifics:
Since yesterday afternoon until 8 a.m. this morning troopers working investigated 63 property damage crashes, 7 personal injury crashes (non-life threatening), 61 slide-offs and numerous assisting motorists calls.
Safety tips from The Indiana State Police:
It is important to remember to:
 Drive according to road conditions:
 Allow extra time to get to your destination.
 Clear all windows of ice and snow and remove snow from hood, roof and headlights and tail lights.
 Beware of bridges, underpasses, overpasses and intersections where ice tends to form first.
 Don’t use cruise control on slick roads.
 Avoid abrupt stops and starts, slow down gradually and keep wheels turning to avoid losing traction.
 Use headlights even during daylight hours
 Increase the following distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
 Decrease your speed according to the road conditions
 Make sure you have a charged cell phone in your vehicle AND NEVER TEXT WHILE DRIVING.
 MOVE OVER AND/OR SLOW DOWN FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES.
For Indiana road conditions call 1- 800-261-7623, or visit the Indiana Department of Transportation website at www.trafficwise.in.gov. Please do not call dispatch centers for road conditions.
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A snow-related announcement from the city of Valparaiso this morning (Wednesday March 6 2013)  – Garbage and Recycling service in the City of Valparaiso will be delayed one day. This applies to all Wednesday and Thursday pickups.  Republic Services is running on schedule today for their customers in both Porter & Laporte Counties. All roads must be plowed at least 10 feet wide in order for their trucks to be able to service customers.
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Ruler says... Looks like about eight-inches in northeast Porter County
Preliminary snowfall totals from the National Weather Service for northwest Indiana show from Tuesday's winter storm about six-and-a-half in the Crown Point, Cedar Lake area... about a foot in Valparaiso... five inches in Kentland, and was stilll snowing in some areas overnight and this morning. One person reported to us it looked like about ten-inches in Hanna.  The National Weather Service also says they got reports of more than six inches of snow in Highland and Schererville as of early Tuesday evening.
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[National Weather Service]
After a pretty slow snow start to the season, the Region is making up for it somewhat with Tuesday's storm... and in Chicago, forecasters say huge snowfall deficits that had been running all winter have been “wiped out” in the last four weeks. Preliminary snowfall totals from the National Weather Service for northwest Indiana show about six-and-a-half in the Crown Point, Cedar Lake area... over a foot in Valparaiso... and five inches in Kentland, and it's still snowing in some areas.
There's a warmup in the forecast this weekend - Sunday's high temperature is expected to be near 50.
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Tuesday night many state roads in Indiana were difficult for drivers.  INDOT reports as of 8:30 p.m. Central Time/9:30 p.m. Eastern time all of the 170+ plows in The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) LaPorte District are on the roads. Due to the heavy snow falling at a rate to 1-2 inches per hour, district-wide we are seeing slick, snow-covered roads. In addition blowing and drifting snow is adding to the difficult driving conditions on nearly all state roads.
To the west, INDOT snow plows are being aided by the Hoosier Helpers Roadside Assistance drivers who are working 12 hour shifts, allowing some additional Hoosier Helpers vehicles to join in plowing shoulders and ramps. Interstates I-94 and I-65 are slick and snow-covered in places.
Much of Porter, LaPorte, Starke, St. Joseph, Marshall, and Pulaski Counties are experiencing lots of blowing and drifting snow with slick spots developing. Two crews are working to clear the U.S. 20 Bypass through salting and plowing. At this time the northbound lanes of the U.S. 20 Bypass remain closed north of SR 23 due to a semi accident. (Bypass reopened at 10pm)
To the south, a semi accident has closed all northbound lanes of I-65 at the 205 mile marker in Jasper County. Traffic is being diverted at the scene and allowed back on I-65 beyond the crash. I-65 has received special attention from INDOT plows since the storm began, but it remains slick. Elsewhere in the southern part of the district, the Winamac, Rensselaer, Monticello, and Logansport areas are reporting excessive blowing and drifting snow. As with the rest of the district, nearly all state roads are snow-covered and slick.
INDOT says plow drivers are working to make state highways as safe as possible, but winter driving safety is a partnership where motorists play an equally important role. Drivers must slow down, brake early, and exercise safe winter driving skills while giving our plows plenty of room to work.
For updated INDOT road conditions online log on to www.trafficwise.in.go v or check out INDOT Northwest on our social media outlets: Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest and Twitter.com/INDOTNorthwest.
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