News

Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at 39 sites in Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2 p.m. (local time), October 28th. The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15th to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal Sunday

NIPSCO will complete the final phase of natural gas system upgrade in Wheatfield as part of the company’s ongoing modernization plan to upgrade their natural gas infrastructure system. The upgrade has included adding a new natural gas regulating station to ensure safe and reliable natural gas service to customers in the Demotte and Wheatfield area. Monday, October 22 through Monday, October 29 NIPSCO and their contracted crews from NPL, TDW, and Mulcare will be performing a routine procedure which will tie two main natural gas pipelines together at the corner of 1300 N and 50 W and the corner of

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the Center of Workforce Innovations on behalf of the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board (NWIWB) and other partner cities of Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), with nearly $8 million in Trade and Economic Transition Dislocated Worker grant funding to help mature dislocated workers reconnect with employment in growth occupations and industries. The grant award will be used to coordinate and implement a regional strategy to recruit mature workers that have experienced a dislocation in sectors negatively impacted by technology and automation. Specifically, partners will use pre-apprentice and registered apprenticeship, customized, just-in-time training to develop best practice

The 2018 City of Hammond Veteran Appreciation Day Committee continues to celebrate Veteran’s Day through November 30 by requesting donations for deployed military personnel in conjunction with the Veteran Appreciation Day Parade. Donations will be accepted at the Hammond Civic Center on Monday through Friday from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm in the Business Office. There will also be a huge banner to sign to say thank you to deployed military in each of the five branches of the Armed Forces. These banners will be available to sign in Hessville Park at the conclusion of the Veteran Appreciation Day Parade

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a free and impartial counseling program for people with Medicare. SHIP is provided by the Indiana Department of Insurance and Administration on Community Living. SHIP is part of a federal network of State Health Insurance Assistance Programs located in every state. All of SHIP’s services are offered at no charge to consumers. SHIP is not affiliated with any insurance company or agency and does not sell insurance. SHIP is staffed by a crew of volunteer counselors who have completed intensive training to offer Medicare beneficiaries objective assistance in complete confidence. With more

Seven Michigan City Area Schools instrumental music students have been selected to participate in area honor bands. Barker Middle School students Kyra Krachinski (flute) and Jameer Nelson (bass clarinet) and Michigan City High School student Autumn Reynolds (alto saxophone) will participate in the Indiana Bandmasters Association (IBA) All Region Band on November 10-11 at Portage High School. Michigan City High School students Adam Howard (trumpet), Mia Taylor (clarinet), Trinity Clayton (oboe), and William Mansfield (tuba) will be participating in the IBA All District Honor Band on November 17-18 at Kankakee Valley High School.

The Greater Michigan City Drifters is a 501c3 organization comprised of predominantly African American civic minded women focused on the youth and elderly in the Michigan City area. The organization received a “Power for Good” grant from the Unity Foundation and reached out to additional partners to bring this seminar to all 8th and 9th graders in the Michigan City Area School System. Partners Harbour Trust, Open Door Adolescent Clinic, LaPorte County Circuit Court, Michigan City Human Rights Commission and Michigan City High School Student United Way made it possible to expand the reach of the program and add an

Did you know that unused prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and abuse. The majority of teenagers abusing prescription drugs get them from family, friends and their home medicine cabinet. If you have old or unused prescriptions please drop them off in the lobby of the Portage Police Department. Their drug disposal is always available in their lobby during business hours. They will have an Officer standing by on October 27th from 10am-2pm to answer any questions you might have. Needles or liquids cannot be accepted. Visit DEA takeback.com for more information.

Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.5 percent for September and remains lower than the national rate of 3.7 percent. The monthly unemployment rate is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicator that reflects the number of unemployed people seeking employment within the prior four weeks as a percentage of the labor force. Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 4,564 over the previous month. This was a result of a 337 decrease in unemployed residents and an increase of 4,901 employed residents. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.39

At approx. 11:30 am Friday morning, Courthouse security Deputies Jon Keene and Aaron King were physically attacked by in individual who was later identified as 37 year old Joshua Duncan, from Michigan City. At approx. 11:30 am, Joshua Duncan walked into the courthouse and as he entered the security checkpoint, he without provocation or warning “sucker” punched Deputy Keene in the nose. He then turned toward Deputy King and began physically assaulting Deputy King. Deputy Keene drew his issued taser, deploying it on Mr. Duncan. as the fight continued, both deputies were eventually able to gain control of and handcuff

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and while escaping a domestic-violence situation is not easy for victims, immigrant survivors of abuse face especially difficult challenges. According to the C-D-C, every minute in the U-S about 20 people are physically abused by their partner, and experts say immigrant women are especially vulnerable. Kerry Hyatt Bennett with the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence says language barriers, distance from family and friends, misconceptions about U-S law and financial instability make it difficult to get away. But Hyatt Bennett says immigrant survivors of abuse can get help from the police, the courts, and other

Financial aid professionals will be volunteering at 39 sites in Indiana to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for 2 p.m. (local time), October 28th. The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15th to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal Sunday

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded the Center of Workforce Innovations on behalf of the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board (NWIWB) and other partner cities of Midwest Urban Strategies (MUS), with nearly $8 million in Trade and Economic Transition Dislocated Worker grant funding to help mature dislocated workers reconnect with employment in growth occupations and industries. The grant award will be used to coordinate and implement a regional strategy to recruit mature workers that have experienced a dislocation in sectors negatively impacted by technology and automation. Specifically, partners will use pre-apprentice and registered apprenticeship, customized, just-in-time training to develop best practice

The 2018 City of Hammond Veteran Appreciation Day Committee continues to celebrate Veteran’s Day through November 30 by requesting donations for deployed military personnel in conjunction with the Veteran Appreciation Day Parade.  Donations will be accepted at the Hammond Civic Center on Monday through Friday from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm in the Business Office. There will also be a huge banner to sign to say thank you to deployed military in each of the five branches of the Armed Forces.  These banners will be available to sign in Hessville Park at the conclusion of the Veteran Appreciation Day Parade

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is a free and impartial counseling program for people with Medicare. SHIP is provided by the Indiana Department of Insurance and Administration on Community Living. SHIP is part of a federal network of State Health Insurance Assistance Programs located in every state. All of SHIP’s services are offered at no charge to consumers. SHIP is not affiliated with any insurance company or agency and does not sell insurance. SHIP is staffed by a crew of volunteer counselors who have completed intensive training to offer Medicare beneficiaries objective assistance in complete confidence. With more

According to a press release, Indiana Department of Insurance Commissioner Stephen W. Robertson recently approved an average 7.6 percent reduction for Workers’ Compensation rates, effective January 1, 2019. The approved rate decrease will result in savings of approximately $62.7 million dollars for Indiana businesses. “The significant savings will help support Indiana businesses as they grow their companies,” said Indiana Department of Insurance Commissioner Stephen W. Robertson. Workers’ Compensation rates in Indiana have been on a downward trend for several years. This decrease in rates can be attributed to a drop in frequency of worker injuries. As was the case last

Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), a subsidiary of NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) , announced yesterday, the selection of three Indiana-based leaders to oversee key business functions aimed to further enhance the company’s efforts to improve service to the nearly 1.2 million electric and natural gas customers across northern Indiana. The appointments are effective immediately. Michael W. Hooper has been named senior vice president of regulatory and legislative affairs and strategy, responsible for the company’s regulatory and legislative activities and formulating NIPSCO’s strategic vision and plans. Hooper is replacing Frank Shambo who will be retiring at the end of

Wednesday, Congressman Pete Visclosky announced that the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a grant to the Construction Advancement Foundation of Northwest Indiana (CAF) under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. The $133,510 grant award will assist the CAF with the creation and implementation of a Crystalline Silica Training Program for construction workers and employers in Northwest Indiana, with a focus on small business employers. The training will include the recognition and correction for exposure to respirable silica produced from certain uses of concrete and other construction material containing silica. Dr. Jim Arendas, Environmental,

U.S. 41 (Calumet Ave.) in Hammond will be closed once again on Oct. 23-24th at the bridge over State Street and the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad while crews pour a bridge deck.

Monday, U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly received the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award in Indianapolis. Donnelly was recognized by the Indiana Farm Bureau for his efforts to advocate for Hoosier farmers and rural communities. During the 115th Congress, Donnelly, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has reduced the regulatory burden on farmers, led efforts to expand the use of biofuels, successfully included a number of Hoosier priorities in the 2018 Senate-passed Farm Bill, and pushed the Administration to end the harmful impacts that tariffs have brought on Hoosier farmers. Donnelly has received the ‘Friend of Farm Bureau’ award for each