News

The Indiana Department of Workforce development released new employment and unemployment data. Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.2 percent for February and remains lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 2,495 over the previous month. This was a result of 2,243 unemployed residents no longer seeking employment within the past four weeks, and a 4,738 increase in residents employed. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.31 million, and the state’s 63.7 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of

Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture have presented the Hoosier Homestead Award to 65 Indiana families. The award is presented in recognition of the recipients' commitment to Indiana agriculture. To be eligible for the Hoosier Homestead Award, farms must be owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products annually. There are three categories for the award, including the Centennial Award for 100 years of ownership, the Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership and the Bicentennial Award for

More than $9 million in conditional state funds have been approved for a proposed $40 million data center and incubation space in Hammond. The project involves transforming the former State Line Generating Facility along the Lake Michigan shoreline into a 400,000 square-foot campus. The state funding is from the IEDC's DINO industrial recovery tax credit program, which provides incentives for former industrial sites that need significant rehabilitation work. The funds will only be released when qualified, proven investments are made.

 A number of measures that U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly has either introduced or supported to combat the opioid abuse epidemic were signed into law by President Trump on Friday as part of the bipartisan government funding bill. The law includes funds to support the addiction treatment workforce through National Health Service Corps, which Donnelly advocated for as part of his Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). That funding will help recruit more substance use disorder providers to serve in underserved communities. The law includes $4 billion in funds for grants to states this year

On Friday, Gov. Eric J. Holcomb signed SEA 236 at Cumberland Elementary School in West Lafayette, making the Say’s Firefly Indiana’s state insect. “The perseverance shown by these Hoosier students is inspiring—to kids and adults alike. After years of advocating for this bill, we’re all aflutter to make it official today,”  Gov. Holcomb said. “For the students, this has been an immersive experience that’s taught them about our government, science, art, public speaking and more. I hope they take what they’ve learned in advancing this legislation and put it to work in their communities throughout their lives. Their futures are

The St. Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit (CMHU) continues to actively investigate Saturday morning’s call out to Oak Road, South Bend. The deceased individual has been positively identified as Jessica Nacole Yost, 23 years old of South Bend. An autopsy for Ms. Yost is tentatively scheduled for Monday. A second individual, 25 year old Maximilian Kleiman, was taken to the hospital and was treated for non life threatening stab wounds. This remains an active and ongoing investigation and we will update the media as we are able to do so. Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call

Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC  has awarded the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry’s “Meat” the Need program a grant in the amount of $7,500.00. These funds will be used to assist Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry in paying processing fees for donations of large game and livestock. Hunters and farmers may donate, at no cost to them (and farmers may write-off fair market value on taxes), by taking large game or livestock to a participating meat processor in their area. The donation will be processed, packaged in 1- to 2-pound packages, and frozen, or canned. Local hunger-relief agencies will be contacted for

The St. Joseph County (Indiana) Prosecutor's Office released an update Friday regarding the investigation in which two individuals were shot and injured in a parking lot in the 300 block of West Marion Street, South Bend, Thursday evening. One individual, 25 year old Gage Burger, was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head. At the issuance of this release, he remains in critical condition. The second individual, 32 year old Luvelle Neal, was treated and released from the hospital. He was subsequently booked into the St. Joseph County Jail on an outstanding warrant

On Saturday, March 24th, 2018 at approximately 5:53 AM (CST), La Porte County Sheriff's Office Deputies were dispatched to a single vehicle crash that had occurred in the the 2600 north block of County Road 700 East in rural Wills Township. Fireman from the Kankakee Township Volunteer Fire Department were the first emergency personnel to arrive on scene. They determined the driver of a blue Chrysler mini-van was unresponsive. The driver was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene by the La Porte County Coroner's Office. The crash investigation conducted by Sheriff's Deputies, determined the 2014 Chrysler Town & Country mini-van

On April 6, from 5:00 to 8:00pm, join Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) for their annual Poetry Slam. Poets start reading at 5:30pm. Enjoy free admission, lite bites and a cash bar. LCA's Poetry Slam invites poets to showcase their works in a raucous audience-juried event. Each poet will be provided the opportunity to present one of their works. In tournament style, poets will be eliminated each round until one is left standing. It's all in good fun. Poets who wish to participate in the LCA Poetry Slam should prepare three original pieces, each under three minutes in length.

The Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR) continues to partner with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to share the top tax filing season concerns referred to as the “IRS Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2018. The fourth scam in the 12-part series is tax preparer fraud. Tax preparer fraud occurs when deceitful tax preparers are looking to make a quick buck off of honest individuals seeking tax assistance. This fraud may include inflated charges, advising clients to take credits or deductions they aren’t entitled to or ghost preparation. "Tax preparers play a vital role in submitting tax returns, with over half

Purdue University Northwest's (PNW) Odyssey Arts and Cultural Events Series, in cooperation with the Michigan City Public Library and the Irving Levin Jewish Cultural Fund of Sinai Temple, presents a Jewish Film Festival from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. Sunday, April 8 at the Michigan City Public Library, 100 E. 4th St., Michigan City. The film festival is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Two documentary films will be presented that offer a look at the lives of individuals facing differing life circumstances. "Dancing in Jaffa" Directed by Hilla Medalia, "Dancing in Jaffa" documents renowned ballroom dancer

The Indiana Department of Transportation today announced that the agency’s annual Trash Bash! will take place Friday, April 13 through Sunday, April 15. Trash Bash! brings INDOT crews together with volunteers to beautify the state’s roadside areas by cleaning trash and debris. On average, INDOT invests about $4.3 million and more than 60,000 labor hours to pick up litter on state highways each year. On Friday, April 13, INDOT maintenance staff across the state will direct their focus toward litter collection on roads with high-traffic volume, such as interstates and divided highways. INDOT urges individuals, organizations, businesses and active Adopt-a-Highway

At Lubeznik Center for the Arts, there is currently a display of the Michigan City Area Schools Student Art Exhibit in the NIPSCO Education Studios through April 12. Also discover Birds & Bees , where ten artists share their personal interpretations and connections to birds or bees through drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, mixed media, installation and video through June 2.

A number of measures that U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly has either introduced or supported to combat the opioid abuse epidemic were signed into law by President Trump today as part of the bipartisan government funding bill. The law includes funds to support the addiction treatment workforce through National Health Service Corps, which Donnelly advocated for as part of his Strengthening the Addiction Treatment Workforce Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). That funding will help recruit more substance use disorder providers to serve in underserved communities. The law includes $4 billion in funds for grants to states

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) Nominating Committee is soliciting applications from people interested in filling an upcoming vacancy on the commission created by the expiration of Angela Weber’s term. Applications will be accepted today through Monday, April 9, 2018, and must be received in the Governor’s Office by close of business that day. After the close of the application period, the nominating committee will conduct a public meeting to interview applicants and will present Gov. Holcomb with a list of the three most highly qualified candidates, from which he may fill the vacancy. Applications for the position may be

The Indiana Department of Workforce development released new employment and unemployment data. Indiana’s unemployment rate stands at 3.2 percent for February and remains lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. Indiana’s labor force had a net increase of 2,495 over the previous month. This was a result of 2,243 unemployed residents no longer seeking employment within the past four weeks, and a 4,738 increase in residents employed. Indiana's total labor force, which includes both Hoosiers employed and those seeking employment, stands at 3.31 million, and the state’s 63.7 percent labor force participation rate remains above the national rate of

The La Porte County Drug Task Force announced the arrest of 24 year Jessica N. Dawson, La Porte. Probable cause was found to charge Dawson with two counts of Dealing in a Narcotic Drug (heroin) Level 5 Felony. Ms. Dawson was taken into custody by The Fugitive Apprehension Street Team (F.A.S.T.) without incident at Country Acres Apartment Complex in La Porte, on March 21st. The La Porte County Drug Task Force encourages citizens to report suspected drug activity via social media, or the crime tip hotline 873-1488. All arrested parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of

At a bill signing for legislation that creates sexual harassment prevention policies for the Indiana General Assembly, Gov. Eric J. Holcomb and Chief Justice Loretta Rush shared changes to sexual harassment training policies for the state’s executive and judicial branches. The governor signed House Enrolled Act 1309 in his office Thursday with the bill’s author state Rep. Karen Engleman, Senate sponsors Sen. Jim Buck and Sen. Tim Lanane, and co-author Rep. Cherrish Pryor. The bill requires annual sexual harassment training for all members of the General Assembly.

This week, Governor Eric Holcomb signed into law Senate Bill 387 (SB387), the Teacher Permits, Examinations, and Salaries bill, which incorporates extensive feedback and recommendations from Teach Plus Indiana Policy Fellows and alumni. Teach Plus teachers provided detailed comments on the bill’s content and offered recommendations that have been included as amendments. Teachers have testified before the Senate education committee and have been featured in the local media supporting the bill. SB387 provides for supplemental pay to special education and STEM teachers outside the bargaining agreement, with the intent of giving school corporations the flexibility to increase pay to attract