Public warned to avoid Hammond lake where waterfowl died
State environmental officials are warning the public to avoid a northwestern Indiana lake while authorities investigate the deaths of dozens of ducks and other waterfowl in the area.
Department of Natural Resources
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Draining protection: Deregulation bill sends conservationists scrambling to save Indiana wetlands
A controversial bill that would do away with state regulation of Indiana’s wetlands is on the fast track to becoming law, throwing environmental agencies and conservation advocates into a frenzy. Farmers and land developers support the legislation, arguing wetland regulations are burdensome.
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Finding consensus, struggling with conflict at legislative halfway mark
As Indiana lawmakers prepare for the second half of the session, several key issues are awaiting further review.
2 men charged in assault on Black man at Lake Monroe
Two men were charged Friday in an assault on a Black man during which he says someone threatened to “get a noose” after claiming that he and his friends were trespassing when they gathered at a southern Indiana lake over the July Fourth weekend.
Investigators list potential crimes in Monroe Co. assault case
State investigators identified six potential crimes Thursday in an incident report concerning the reported assault on a Black man at a southern Indiana lake.
Attorney: Monroe County hate crime allegation is ‘smear campaign’
An attorney for two people accused of being involved in a reported assault on a Black man at a southern Indiana lake said Monday his clients are victims of a “smear campaign” and a “rush to judgment.”
Holcomb defends DNR response to reported assault on Black man
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb defended the state’s Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday amid criticism that the agency’s conservation officers did not adequately respond to the reported assault of a Black man by a group of white men at a southern Indiana lake last weekend.
FBI investigating reported assault on Black man at Monroe Lake
The FBI said Tuesday it’s investigating the reported assault of a Black man by a group of white men at a southern Indiana lake. Meanwhile, Bloomington police continue to look for the driver of a car that injured two people in a protest calling for arrests in the case.
Indiana officials investigate report of assault on Black man
A Black man says a group of white men assaulted him and threatened to “get a noose” after claiming that he and his friends had trespassed on private property as they gathered at an Indiana lake over the Fourth of July weekend.
Indiana jobless rate hits 16.9%; state plans big budget cuts
Indiana’s unemployment rate hit 16.9% for April from widespread business closures during the coronavirus outbreak, and state officials warned Friday of steep spending cuts in reaction to plummeting tax revenues.
Reversal: Landowners, not county, responsible for fixing failing dams near Peru
Reversing a trial court that determined Miami County was responsible for fixing six crumbling dams in a lake community housing addition, the Indiana Court of Appeals found the county was responsible only for the roads that crossed the tops of the embankments.
Lawmakers OK bill cementing landmark Lake Michigan ruling
Indiana lawmakers have passed legislation to embrace a landmark state Supreme Court decision affirming that the Lake Michigan shoreline is publicly owned and open to all for recreation.
Indiana community battling shoreline erosion files lawsuit
An Indiana community along Lake Michigan has filed a federal lawsuit over its battle with shoreline erosion, saying the town’s infrastructure is in danger of “total destruction.” The suit comes as homeowners and communities along the lakeshore deal with record high water levels in the Great Lakes.
Slaughter invites challenges to reviews of agency adjudications
A Fulton County man will not be permitted to build a concrete seawall on his lakefront property after the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously denied transfer to his case. But Justice Geoffrey Slaughter wrote separately to invite legal challenges to the system for adjudicating agency legal disputes like the instant case out of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Holcomb orders steps on Lake Michigan shoreline erosion
As the Great Lakes continue to rise to record levels and the Indiana shoreline of Lake Michigan continues to erode and put at risk nearby homes, roads and infrastructure, Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday took official action that may be a catalyst for a future disaster declaration.
DNR: Fish kill near Portage likely caused by ‘natural event’
About 200 fish that were found dead Sunday in a northwestern Indiana river likely died due to natural causes, state wildlife officials said.
Miami County seeks to overturn dam repairs ruling
A northern Indiana county is seeking to overturn a court ruling that puts it on the hook for costly repairs to six aging dams in a lake-filled subdivision. Miami County is challenging a Marion County judge’s August ruling which found that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources had the authority to require property owners and Miami County to fix the dams at the Hidden Hills subdivision.
Proposed Indiana law would limit Lake Michigan beach access
Indiana lawmakers are considering a bill that would undo a landmark Indiana Supreme Court ruling that affirmed that the shoreline of Lake Michigan is unquestionably owned by the state and held in trust for use by all residents.
Indiana town looks at ordinance after woman is killed by python
The Benton County town of Oxford is considering restrictions on certain snakes after a woman was strangled by an 8-foot-long python in a house full of snakes.
Judge rules Miami County must pay for repairs to 6 dams
A judge has ruled that a northern Indiana county must pay for repairs to six aging dams in a lake-filled housing development.
Reversal: Man can’t build concrete seawall on lake property
A man’s permission to build a concrete wall on his northern Indiana lakefront property has been halted now that the Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court’s reversal of his denied application.