Day: July 19, 2024

Sheriff unveils fuselage repurposed as a training tower at Griffith/Merrillville airport

News Room

A mounted helicopter fuselage on the east side of the Griffith-Merrillville Airport is set to become the training backbone of the Lake County Sheriff’s Aviation Unit, Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. announced Thursday. Flanked by 13 businesses and trades who helped mount the department’s first helicopter – a 1965 Huey – to the 150-foot tower several months ago, Martinez praised them for their “dedication and collaboration” for turning the project into reality. Officers stationed at the unit use the tower to train on maneuvers, Lake County Police Chief Vince Balboa said. “Since the U.S. Coast Guard has scaled back their operations, […]

Woodlawn community rallies around third-generation family being evicted from home

News Room

Christiana Powell’s family has lived in their Woodlawn home since 1950, spanning three generations. The three-story property, which is a block away from multiple University of Chicago student dormitories, currently houses not only Powell but also her great-nephew, her sister, and one tenant who, although not a blood relative, is “like family,” Powell said. But after the 2016 death of Powell’s mother, who took on the initial mortgage, monthly payments on Powell’s home skyrocketed from $800 to $3,500 a month, she said. Powell alleges this was due to the conversion of her mortgage from an FHA loan to a conventional […]