Weather related crashes first started being reported to the Indiana State Police Toll Road Post around 9:15 this morning.  The Indiana Toll Road continues to be affected by reports of white-out conditions along with sub-zero temperatures.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a ‘Blizzard Warning’ for Elkhart, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall, and Starke Counties until 10:00 p.m. Sunday, February 15^th.  The Indiana Toll Road passes through each of these counties.  The NWS advisory warned visibility will be reduced to near zero at times with whiteout conditions. Blowing and drifting snow can be expected along with bitterly cold wind chills, from 10 to 25 below zero.  Moderate to heavy lake effect snow accumulations are expected during the span of the warning.

Separate from problems on the Toll Road there have been other crashes reported across northeastern Indiana.

Some of the more significant traffic related incidents included a crash involving around 20 vehicles that occurred earlier this afternoon in Whitley County.  This crash was on US 30, west of Columbia City and resulted in the closure of the east and westbound lanes of US 30 near West Lincoln Way.  As of 3:30 this afternoon all lanes were reopened.

The foul weather also impacted traffic on I-69 early this afternoon.  State police officers, along with county sheriff deputies from Delaware and Grant County, responded to numerous reports of crashes and slide offs on I-69 and adjacent State and County roads.  The high winds and snow in this weather system created hazardous driving conditions through the afternoon.  These conditions can be expected to continue.

State police troopers from the Pendleton and Peru Posts originally responded to the report of a vehicle crash involving 30 or more vehicles in the southbound lanes of I-69, near the 249 mile marker, which is just four miles north of the US 35 / State Road 28 exit.   Deputies from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department also responded and investigated a four vehicle injury crash in the north bound lanes of I-69.  Among the vehicles involved in the crash there was one school bus, five semi-tractor trailer vehicles and more than 20 passenger vehicles involved in clusters of crashes over a quarter mile area around the 249 mile marker.

At least six people were transported to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, in Muncie, with unknown injuries.  Though not injured, all the students aboard the school bus were transported to the hospital to remove them from the crash scene and get them out of the inclement weather.

INDOT and Delaware County EMA responded to shut down both directions of I-69, northbound at State Road 28 and southbound at State Road 26.  The northbound lanes opened after 3:30 this afternoon and one southbound lane was reopened late this afternoon with expectation that all southbound lanes should be open by 9:00 this evening.  The major complication at this scene has been the lengthy time required to offload a crashed FedEx truck.

All told, the Indiana State Police report that from 6:00 this morning until 6:00 this evening there were 48 personal injury crashes, 150 property damage crashes, 50 reports of vehicles sliding off the road and 82 motorists received some form of assistance from state police personnel.  Fortunately, thus far, there has been no loss of life.  The majority of the reported incidents have been along the Toll Road and Northeast I-69, as well as State and County Roads

People living in the area of the NWS Blizzard Warning are encouraged to avoid travel except in the case of an emergency.

Avoid calling local law enforcement or the state police to ask about road and weather conditions.  Public safety phone lines need to be kept clear for true emergency calls.  The BEST source for local weather condition reports and safety recommendations is from your local radio and TV news service.

If you MUST travel, check road conditions by visiting INDOT’s website at www.in.gov/indot before you start your trip.

Superstar entertainer, actor and comedian, Kevin Hart, announced today a massive North American arena tour.

The WHAT NOW? TOUR will take the award-winning comedian to 45 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. Promoted by Live Nation, the biggest comedy tour in history kicks off on April 9, 2015 in San Antonio, TX and includes a stop in Louisville, KY at the KFC Yum! Center on Thursday, August 20.

A full list of tour dates can be found on www.whatnowtourcom.

Tickets for the Louisville show $125.50, $65.00, $45.00 (plus applicable fees), go on sale beginning at Noon on Friday, February 20 at www.Livenation.com, www.Ticketmaster.com, the KFC Yum! Center box office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000.

Kevin Hart is one of comedy’s biggest stars with a celebrated and award-winning career that has seen the talented entertainer become one of the industry’s most important and influential voices. Since his career began Hart has worked non-stop and in 2015, he will release two movies as well as hit the road for his WHAT NOW? TOUR. Kevin can currently be seen in Screen Gem’s The Wedding Ringer and in March 2015, will star opposite Will Farrell in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Get Hard. In 2016, Kevin will star in Ride Along 2, the anticipated sequel to last year’s $100 million blockbuster hit. The consummate worker, Hart is a force in television too where he is currently Executive Producing the hit show, Real Husbands of Hollywood, which premiered its third season in September on BET.

In 2012, Hart was tapped to host the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards garnering much industry praise for his appearance. His comedy tour,Let Me Explain, took him to 90 American cities before hitting countries throughout Europe and Africa. A testament to his talent and popularity, Kevin became only the second American in history to sell out London’s O2 Arena. In addition to sold-out tours, Kevin’s additional film credits also include Top Five, Think Like A Man Too, About Last Night and This Is The End.

Anderson University alums and legendary Christian recording artists and lyricists, Bill and Gloria Gaither will host a special tribute concert to honor University President Dr. James and Mrs. Deanna Edwards on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Reardon Auditorium.

The special celebration concert is free and open to the public.  Bill and Gloria Gaither will be among a special list of speakers and performers that include Sandi Patty, the Anderson University Chorale, Jay and Amy Rouse, the Anderson University Wind Ensemble, Carl Erskine, a student gospel quartet and members of the Edwards family.

The event will also include special moments of recognition from campus members as well as recognition from local, state and national offices.

In March, 2014, Dr. Edwards announced his plans to conclude his presidency by the end of the 2014-15 academic year. His last year of service will mark 25 years of distinguished leadership as president of Anderson University. Edwards has served as president of Anderson University since 1990 and is only the fourth person to hold the office in the school’s 97-year history.

During his tenure as president, Dr. Edwards has overseen several comprehensive capital campaigns raising funding support totaling more than $200 million dollars. A number of major facilities have been constructed during his presidency, including the Kardatzke Wellness Center, York Performance Hall, York Seminary Village, additions onto Decker Hall and Hartung Hall, a new business school, the Flagship Enterprise Center and improvements to residence halls and many existing campus facilities.

Dr. Edwards has extensive involvement in the arena of higher education in Indiana and nationally and has been a busy community leader during his tenure. He has served on the board of directors of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. He has also served as a director and officer of the board of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, as chair of the board for Independent Colleges of Indiana, and a member of the Steering Committee of the Indiana Leadership Prayer Breakfast. He holds board membership on the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Association and served as chair of Indiana Campus Compact.

Locally, Dr. Edwards has served on the board of directors of the Madison County Community Foundation, the Corporation for Economic Development of Madison County and First Merchants Bank of Central Indiana. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Anderson where he was honored with the 2003 Community Image Award. He has served on the Ministries Council of the Church of God, the board of directors of St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital, Citizens Banking Company and the United Way.

Prior to his election as president of Anderson University, Dr. Edwards was president and chief executive officer for Warner Press, publishing house for the Church of God. In this assignment, he directed the work of the largest religious publisher in Indiana. An ordained minister, Dr. Edwards has served the Church of God in a variety of assignments, including serving in senior pastoral leadership in a number of major churches across the country. Prior to national executive service, he was senior pastor of the Meadow Park Church of God in Columbus, Ohio. Earlier pastorates were in Indiana and Michigan.  Edwards is a graduate of Anderson University and the Anderson University School of Theology. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy and Leadership at The Ohio State University.

Mrs. Edwards is also an alumna of Anderson University. Since returning to Anderson, Mrs. Edwards has become a valuable member of the Anderson community as well, committing her life efforts to working on issues affecting women, children, and their families. She has served on the board of Alternatives Inc., where she previously held the position of children’s program director. She also volunteers with Silent Blessings, a ministry serving the deaf community and serves on the Guiding Committee of Park Place Children’s Center and facilitates the children’s program of Godly Play each Sunday morning at Park Place Church of God.

Through her work with women and children in domestic crises, Mrs. Edwards has come to know the city in a much different way. The work has deepened her care for the Anderson community. In addition to advocacy organizations for women and children, she also provided leadership on the Mayor’s Commission Against Domestic Violence and with the Anderson Community Schools Foundation.

Dr. and Mrs. Edwards have three children — Cory, Todd, and Katie — and six grandchildren, all in California.

Anderson University is a private Christian university in central Indiana. Anderson University continues to be recognized as one of America’s top colleges by U.S. News and World Report, The Princeton Review, and Forbes. Established in 1917 by the Church of God (Anderson, Ind.), Anderson University offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, music, nursing, and theology.