Today, Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced the peer program, designed for communities to work together on improving their quality of place programming and have productive development conversations, is now open for applications. The program’s goal is for local leadership to gather best practices and the necessary tools to advance an innovative vision through in-person assessments, stakeholder conversations and peer advisement. Any size community can be a peer participant or host community. The lead applicant must be a local unit of government with multiple organization and agency partnerships committed to participating during

Paladin, Inc., a social service agency founded in 1967, was recently awarded the Head Start grant after a long and competitive process. In addition to its services serving individuals with disabilities the organization is expanding its mission to advocate and support the elderly and children. Head Start encourages the cognitive, social and emotional development of children ages three to five. In addition to education, the early childhood program focuses on the health, nutrition, and social well-being of the family. Head Start is responsive to each child and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. Head Start believes that parents are the

Shirley Heinze Land Trust announces that it has acquired 34 acres of wetlands and floodplain along the Little Calumet River in Chesterton. The property consists of three disjunct parcels, situated immediately south of the intersection of I-94 on either side of State Road 49. The acquisition will help connect the Heinze Trust’s 66-acre Keith Richard Walner Nature Preserve, located west of SR49, to a number of its other protected areas to the east, including the 87-acre Wykes-Plampin Nature Preserve, the 165-acre Dale B. Engquist Nature Preserve, as well as the 42-acre J. Timothy Ritchie Nature Preserve, located along Sand Creek,

Early Sunday morning, the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) received a report of gunshots fired outside of Kelly’s Pub, located at 1150 Mishawaka Ave. Officers were dispatched to the address and located one male adult victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The deceased victim has been identified as 27 year old Brandon D. Williams of Niles, Michigan, and his family has been notified. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning, June 24th, in Fort Wayne. Ten additional gunshot wound victims have been identified, and were treated

Paladin, Inc., a social service agency founded in 1967, was recently awarded the Head Start grant after a long and competitive process. In addition to its services serving individuals with disabilities the organization is expanding its mission to advocate and support the elderly and children. Head Start encourages the cognitive, social and emotional development of children ages three to five. In addition to education, the early childhood program focuses on the health, nutrition, and social well-being of the family. Head Start is responsive to each child and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage. Head Start believes that parents are the

Two men from Illinois were arrested early this morning on numerous charges when troopers found guns and narcotics in their car.Just after 1:30 a.m., on Monday, Trooper Kenneth Payonk made a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Malibu on I-94 east bound approximately 1 ½ miles west of the Portage exit for a suspected impaired driver.  Motorists had called into the Lowell Regional Dispatch reporting that the Malibu was driving well under the posted speed limit and unable to maintain its lane of travel. After stopping the Malibu, Payonk observed that the driver seemed evasive and that the front seat passenger

The South Shore Line announced that construction is set to begin that will add a second entrance/exit to the East Chicago Station platform. The project is expected to continue through December 2019, and will help accommodate the large influx of passengers at East Chicago Station. The improvements include converting the low-level platform to the east of the station into a covered walkway to access a new head house, stairwell and tunnel leading to the eastern parking lot. Additionally, other East Chicago Station projects include improvements to the existing head house, and the installation in 2020 of higher speed track switches

A bridge deck overlay project is starting Monday on State Road 10 in North Judson. The project is on the bridge over Bogus Run, just west of State Road 39. First, the work zone will feature one lane in each direction with a reduced speed limit (45 mph) and narrow lanes. Then, starting in early July, one lane of traffic will be controlled by a temporary signal. The project is expected to wrap up by late August.

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb convened leaders from the state’s agriculture sectors on Thursday to receive an update on unprecedented weather conditions that have impacted farms and other agriculture businesses statewide. As of last week, only 84 percent of Indiana’s corn crop and 64 percent of soybeans have been planted, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). That is an increase from the start of month, but both crops are usually at 100 percent planted for this time of year. Representatives from Indiana Corn & Soybean, the Indiana Farm Service Agency, Agribusiness Council of Indiana, Indiana Pork, Purdue College of

An American Red Cross blood drive is scheduled from 8AM to 1PM, Friday, June 28th at Franciscan Health Michigan City. The blood drive will be in the Blessed Maria Theresia Bonzel Community Room on the first floor of the hospital, at 3500 Franciscan Way on the northwest corner of Interstate 94 and U.S. 421. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS or go online to redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code: franciscanhealth.

Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced that 13 percent of eligible Hoosiers voted in the May 7th municipal primary election. Not all Hoosier voters were eligible to vote in the municipal elections. Only voters who live in a city or town with an election this year or in a school corporation conducting a construction or tax levy referendum were eligible to vote.The report was compiled by the Indiana Election Division from voter data gathered in 69 of Indiana’s 92 counties. There were 23 counties in Indiana this year that did not have a primary election.Voter registration is now open for

Milling and mainline paving is underway as part of a resurfacing project on U.S. 231 between Hebron and Demotte. Flaggers will direct one lane of traffic around where work is taking place, which should wrap up in early July.

Work is progressing on the U.S. 35 bridge in downtown LaPorte, with concrete work continuing this week as crews prepare to switch traffic in early July.INDOT has stated that this week, crews have been working on pouring the pedestrian railing and a moment slab. Up next will be pouring the pedestals for decorative lighting and work on curbs and gutters, all in advance of the switching of traffic to the newly constructed northbound bridge so work can begin on the southbound bridge.A moment slab is needed to maintain structural integrity while it's necessary for traffic to travel on that portion

Yesterday, the House approved H.R. 2740, legislation that included Congressman Visclosky’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Defense Appropriation Act, by a vote of 226 to 203.Congressman Pete Visclosky stated, “This bill makes several efforts to focus on the well-being and morale of those in uniform, their families, DoD civilians, and defense communities.  For example, in addition to a 3.1 percent pay raise for our women and men in uniform, the bill also provides increased funds for military childcare facilities because I believe that access to affordable and quality childcare is vital to retention in our all-volunteer force, particularly for mid-career enlisted

Michiana Humane Society says they are proud to offer microchip placing for dogs, cats, and rabbits at a discounted rate beginning June 24th through July 5th.A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, including 53 animal shelters across the US, confirmed the high rate of return of microchipped dogs and cats to their families, and the importance of microchip registration.Michiana Humane Society wants to make sure your pets stay with you or are reunited if they should stray away, so they are offering $10 microchips for your pets instead of the normal $25 fee. This includes

Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) called for a vote in Congress to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) without delay. Walorski’s comments came during a Ways and Means Committee hearing at which U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer testified about the modernized trade agreement and other trade-related matters.Walorski stated, “This agreement will go a long way to drive exports for farmers and manufacturers in Indiana’s 2nd District,” Congresswoman Walorski also said. “It sets a strong standard for the great innovators that call the Hoosier state home. And it levels the playing field for workers to ensure that we don’t lose jobs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) are inviting comments from the public on the proposed renewal and modification for Safety-Kleen Systems Inc.’s permit to treat and store used oil containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at its facility in East Chicago. Safety-Kleen collects used oil from oil change facilities, automotive shops, car dealerships, industry, and do-it-yourself oil pickup centers. Safety-Kleen does not pick up oil that is known to contain PCBs. However, PCBs are sometimes found in oil the company collects. The proposed renewal of Safety-Kleen’s PCB approval would allow the company to continue to