News

The West Lake Corridor Project, which would extend the South Shore Line eight miles and provide new rail service to Hammond, Munster and Dyer, has cleared another obstacle. The Federal Transit Administration recently gave the project a medium-high rating, according to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. The rating was needed for the West Lake Corridor Project to be considered for federal matching funds. The RDA said the next step for the project is for a request entry into the engineering phase, which the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operator of the South Shore Line, is expected to do in

Michigan City-based Horizon Bancorp Inc. has completed its more than $135 million acquisition of Salin Bancshares Inc. in Indianapolis. As a result, all 20 Salin Bank and Trust Co. locations will be rebranded under the Horizon name. The acquisition was first announced in October. The closing of the deal brings the number of offices for Horizon to nearly 90 throughout Indiana and Michigan. Horizon says the acquisition enhances its core deposit base and expands its presence with new offices in Fort Wayne and Columbus and additional offices in Indianapolis and Lafayette.

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced that he is cosponsoring the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act (S. 151) to crack down on illegal robocall scams. The legislation, which was introduced by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), gives regulators more time to find scammers, increases civil forfeiture penalties for those who are caught, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, and brings relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address impediments to criminal prosecution of robocallers who intentionally flout laws.

United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Indiana Michael Dora announced more than $5.2 million in investments to help rebuild and improve rural water and wastewater infrastructure for 6,875 rural Indiana residents.  Nationwide, USDA is working with local partners to provide financing for 49 water and environmental infrastructure projects. The funding is being provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.  Eligible communities and water districts can apply online on the interactive

La Porte Hospital will be providing FREE bone density screenings during the months of April, May and June in Michigan City and La Porte. Osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. As bones become more porous and fragile, the risk of fracture is greatly increased. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no symptoms until the first fracture occurs. Osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause are not part of normal aging. Screenings will be held at the following dates, times and locations.

On Wednesday, Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson announced she has appointed Patrick Glover as Director of Information Security for the Secretary of State’s office. Secretary Lawson has made cybersecurity a top priority. After the 2016 presidential election, cybersecurity in elections moved to the forefront nationwide. Secretary Lawson through her work as President of the National Association of Secretaries of State, helped lead Indiana and secretaries across the country through this transition. Glover has been by Secretary Lawson’s side through this process and has helped her navigate the evolving world of cybersecurity. The office has seen incredible growth since 2016

INDOT announced that the U.S. 12 (Indianapolis Boulevard) bridge over the Lake George Canal in Lake County will close Monday, April 1, through the end of June. Crews will be replacing the bridge deck on this drawbridge, along with resurfacing the road south to Columbus Drive. During construction, the bridge will be completely closed while the road leading up to the bridge from Columbus will be open to local traffic only. Northbound traffic on Indianapolis Boulevard will be detoured west on Chicago Avenue and north on U.S. 41 (Calumet Avenue) back to Indianapolis Boulevard. Southbound traffic on Indianapolis Boulevard will

A new report from the Indiana University Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy outlines a significant hurdle for Indiana nonprofits. The study suggests many lack basic technology tools to operate effectively. The report is based on Indiana-based nonprofits, spanning traditional public charities and religious congregations to other tax-exempt organizations like membership associations and advocacy groups. The study reviewed 1,036 Indiana nonprofits and found that 1/3 of those surveyed do not have an organizational website, although 60 percent use social media frequently or almost all the time. More than one-third

Indiana Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jennifer McCormick issued a Statement Thursday on U.S. Secretary of Education’s call for the Elimination of Funding for the Special Olympics. “At a time when children across this nation deserve our support more than ever, I was extremely disappointed to hear our United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, call for the elimination of federal funding for the Special Olympics. The Special Olympics program goes beyond serving people with special needs. It exists as a national institution which showcases a spirit of inclusivity and respect across generations of Americans. The Special

Attorney General Curtis Hill on Thursday announced that his office has entered into a voluntary agreement for a license suspension of a Boone County pediatrician charged with multiple felonies. This agreement is between the Office of the Attorney General and Dr. Jonathon Cavins' counsel. Dr. Cavins, who practiced in Lebanon, was charged by the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office after a 12-year-old patient came forward with allegations he was inappropriately touched during a routine physical. The Office of the Attorney General has entered into an agreement with Dr. Cavins to suspend his medical license for 90 days while he is under

Michael Riehle recently was named president of chamber services for the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership. Riehle has spent 26 years in the financial services industry in banking as a commercial lender. The partnership was launched in February when the Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce and the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corp. announced the organizations would move into a shared location but continue operating as separate entities with separate boards of directors. Riehel has provided his time, serving the community in a volunteer capacity for local non-profits, community boards and municipal associations. He has previously served as president

The West Lake Corridor Project, which would extend the South Shore Line eight miles and provide new rail service to Hammond, Munster and Dyer, has cleared another obstacle. The Federal Transit Administration recently gave the project a medium-high rating, according to the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. The rating was needed for the West Lake Corridor Project to be considered for federal matching funds. The RDA said the next step for the project is for a request entry into the engineering phase, which the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, operator of the South Shore Line, is expected to do in

On Thursday, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the Public Buildings Renewal Act of 2019, which incentivizes private financing to rebuild schools and public buildings through public-private partnerships. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) also joined as cosponsors of the bipartisan legislation that aims to spur needed infrastructure improvements. Once enacted, state and local governments would be able to enter into long-term contracts with a private sector company to design, build, finance, and/or operate the building for a defined period of time. Private investment in public building provides state and local governments with

The Franklin Street bridge in Michigan City was expected to remain closed until April 15th, but the La Porte County Commissioners announced that the bridge opened two weeks ahead of schedule on Thursday afternoon. The bridge has passed mechanical inspection and is cleared for operation.

United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director for Indiana Michael Dora announced more than $5.2 million in investments to help rebuild and improve rural water and wastewater infrastructure for 6,875 rural Indiana residents. Nationwide, USDA is working with local partners to provide financing for 49 water and environmental infrastructure projects. The funding is being provided through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. It can be used for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems for rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents. Eligible communities and water districts can apply online on the interactive

U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) announced that he is cosponsoring the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act (S. 151) to crack down on illegal robocall scams. The legislation, which was introduced by Senators John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), gives regulators more time to find scammers, increases civil forfeiture penalties for those who are caught, promotes call authentication and blocking adoption, and brings relevant federal agencies and state attorneys general together to address impediments to criminal prosecution of robocallers who intentionally flout laws.

Tuesday, the Lowell Indiana State Police Criminal Investigation Division filed charges on Lake County Sheriff’s Police Deputy Louis Vasquez after a three month investigation. The investigation was done at the request of the Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez. The investigation showed between September 2017 and November 2018, Vasquez accepted cash for completing at least 42 salvage vehicle inspection forms for Fast Import Cars, LLC of Knox, Indiana. These transactions are against Lake County Police Department policy and Indiana State code. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles considers a vehicle a salvage car if it was built in the last 7

INDOT announced that the U.S. 12 (Indianapolis Boulevard) bridge over the Lake George Canal in Lake County will close Monday, April 1, through the end of June. Crews will be replacing the bridge deck on this drawbridge, along with resurfacing the road south to Columbus Drive. During construction, the bridge will be completely closed while the road leading up to the bridge from Columbus will be open to local traffic only. Northbound traffic on Indianapolis Boulevard will be detoured west on Chicago Avenue and north on U.S. 41 (Calumet Avenue) back to Indianapolis Boulevard. Southbound traffic on Indianapolis Boulevard will

Michigan City-based Horizon Bancorp Inc. has completed its more than $135 million acquisition of Salin Bancshares Inc. in Indianapolis. As a result, all 20 Salin Bank and Trust Co. locations will be rebranded under the Horizon name. The acquisition was first announced in October. The closing of the deal brings the number of offices for Horizon to nearly 90 throughout Indiana and Michigan. Horizon says the acquisition enhances its core deposit base and expands its presence with new offices in Fort Wayne and Columbus and additional offices in Indianapolis and Lafayette.

13 new firefighters representing 6 region fire departments will celebrate the completion of a rigorous 9-week training academy at the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation this week. The graduation ceremony will be held on: Friday, March 29, 2019 at 6:00 PM at The MAAC, Emergency Services Training Campus located at 4203 Montdale Park Drive Valparaiso, Indiana 46383. The names of the graduates and their fire departments are the following:Justin Abascal, East Chicago Fire DepartmentJuan Avalos, East Chicago Fire DepartmentDawson Calvin, Hanna Township Fire DepartmentTyrone Jackson Jr., Gary Fire DepartmentBraden O'Kelley, Hobart Fire DepartmentGage Philp, East Chicago Fire DepartmentJames Pintor,