News

Following requests by U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Dean Heller (R-NV), Equifax has gone live with a website with tools specifically for service members who may have been impacted by the recent data breach at the company. In September 2017, Donnelly and Heller sent a letter to Equifax asking the company to detail actions being taken to protect service members’ personal information. The Senators requested specific measures to ensure the financial security of the roughly 1.3 million active-duty U.S. military personnel, including nearly 200,000 stationed overseas, some of whom serve in remote or high-conflict areas in the Middle East

Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb joined U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar at Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital to announce that Indiana has gained approval to continue its successful alternative to traditional Medicaid—the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP)—through December 2020, allowing the state to continue health coverage for more than 400,000 low-income adult Hoosiers. In addition to continuing HIP for nearly three years and making several administrative adjustments to help members, federal approval allows Indiana to enhance HIP with up to $80 million in annual funding to support efforts to attack the opioid epidemic. Indiana will now expand access

Track your train in real time with the new SSL train tracker feature available on mysouthshore.com for an interactive map of where your train is and ETAs. https://www.mysouthshoreline.com/tickets/maps-stations-2

The Indiana House held an event benefiting foster families all over the state. IARCA collected more than 3,800 items for foster families caring for newborns and infants. IARCA executive Director Cathleen Graham was able to meet with many legislators as they participated in the event. State Rep. Dave Heine of New Haven says spending time with foster children is a rewarding experience. Visit www.fosterhopeindiana.org for more information.

Now through February 16th, United Way of Porter County is seeking nominations for remarkable volunteers to be honored at their second annual Spirit Awards. As an initiative of the United Way Regional Volunteer Center program, the Spirit Awards recognizes amazing volunteer activities happening throughout the Region. Award recipients will be selected by a committee of volunteers and winners will be notified the week of Monday, February 26. Winners and nominees will be honored at United Way’s Annual Community Celebration on March 22 at the Spa Event Center in Porter. Celebration activities begin at 5:30pm. Tickets are $25 per person. Spirit

U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly’s office will host a series of information sessions around Indiana on February 13-15, for students interested in learning more about the nomination process for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Donnelly’s staff will explain the process and answer questions on what is required for a student to be considered for a nomination from Senator Donnelly to one of these service academies. South Bend’s session will be Wednesday, February 14th, 2018 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EST at Sen. Donnelly’s

On Wednesday, Governor Eric Holcomb joined Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch to unveil Indiana’s Next Level Veterans initiative. This new statewide program brings together public and private organizations to recruit, employ and connect discharging military personnel to Indiana and retain veterans who are already in the state. A new website, www.in.gov/veterans, launched today and will be the one-stop-shop for veterans across the nation who are looking for jobs, training, housing or information about the Hoosier state. Next Level Veterans focuses on connecting military personnel, who have honed their skills during their service, with these career opportunities. Under Crouch's leadership, Next Level Veterans

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) has awarded $127,000 in naloxone kits to 95 first responder agencies serving 34 rural counties to help prevent fatal overdoses. The funding will be used to: Provide 3,388 naloxone kits to first responders for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdoses in rural communities; Train first responders on carrying and administering naloxone; and Expand referrals to appropriate treatment and recovery communities.

Don’t have a team to cheer during the Super Bowl? We’re all on the same team when traveling our roads this weekend, and if anyone gets hurt or killed by an impaired driver, we all lose! Porter County TSP is huddling up with state and local-law enforcement agencies across the county and the state to urge football fans to designate a sober driver, call a cab or use a ridesharing service. Impaired driving includes alcohol and prescription or illegal drugs. Even over-the-counter medication may cause impairment when combined with alcohol or a second drug. If you’re taking a new drug

Yesterday, Congressman Jim Banks (IN-03), a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, announced he is cosponsoring the Homeless Veteran Families Act, bipartisan legislation that aims to assist community agencies with housing costs to help homeless veterans with dependents. The Homeless Veteran Families Act, would allow reimbursement to GPD providers at a 50 percent rate for the costs of housing minor dependent(s) of homeless veterans while the veteran receives services from the grant recipient.

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is looking for schools and qualified community organizations to participate in the 2018 Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Organizations may also consider partnering with an existing sponsor such as a school corporation to open a meal service site in areas where children may lack good nutrition during the summer months. Rural areas are especially in need of coverage. IDOE encourages current SFSP sponsors to expand their existing programs and extend meal service throughout the summer break to help eliminate childhood hunger. The Summer Food Service Program reimburses local sponsors that serve healthy free meals

Attorney General Curtis Hill praised a U.S. District Court decision to dismiss with prejudice a civil rights lawsuit brought against members of the Indiana State Police, prosecutors and other officials by a former trooper tried three times for the murder of his wife and two children. David Camm had claimed in his lawsuit that he was the victim of unlawful investigation, arrest and imprisonment – and that his prosecution was a malicious action. Camm was seeking $30 million in damages for his alleged claims, in addition to fees and costs. David Camm’s wife and two children were discovered slain on

South Shore Line train service will be impacted the evening of Saturday, Feb. 3rd, and early morning Sunday, Feb. 4th, due to maintenance work on the 41st Street Bridge in Chicago. Due to the work, passengers on westbound Train 510 and eastbound Train 601 will be bused between Millennium Station and 51st Street. All other weekend trains are expected to operate as scheduled.

Hoosiers will come together in February to show their support for the fight against heart disease and stroke. American Heart Month, an annual celebration in February that began in 1964, urges Americans to join the battle against heart disease. A presidential proclamation each year pays tribute to researchers, physicians, public health education professionals and volunteers for their tireless efforts in preventing, treating, and researching heart disease. Across the state and the nation, millions of people will don red attire on Friday, Feb. 2 – National Wear Red Day. Women and men throughout the country will be wearing red sweaters, red

Indiana artists have until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, February 15, 2018 to submit an application for the Indiana Arts Commission's Individual Advancement Program. New this year, artists who have been pursuing their career for less than five years can opt in to the Early Career category. These applications will be paneled separately from those artists with more career experience. For more information, call 317-232-1281.

A bill increasing the age to legally purchase cigarettes from 18 to 21 in Indiana has unanimously passed the Indiana House Public Health Committee. The measure, which no longer includes a cigarette tax increase, now moves to the full House for consideration. The cigarette tax issue will likely come back up during next year's longer budget session.

Bipartisan legislation that U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly helped introduce and pass in the Senate last fall to protect amateur athletes from sexual abuse passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday. The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act would require amateur athletics governing bodies to report sex-abuse allegations immediately to law enforcement or a child-welfare agency designated by the Justice Department.

Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam Vinatieri will team up with sheriffs from across the state to raise money for a new not-for-profit for future law enforcement officers and at-risk kids. Vinatieri will serve as honorary chair of this year’s 2nd Annual "Sheriffs’ Shotgun Shoot,” a public sporting clay tournament to be hosted at the world-class Cool Springs Education Center in Southwest Indiana on May 4. Proceeds will benefit the new Indiana Sheriffs' Youth Ranch which will serve as the permanent home for the Indiana Sheriffs' Youth Leadership Camps, now in their 39th year.

As a result of the newly enacted federal tax reform, NIPSCO submitted a request with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to lower its previous request to modify natural gas base rates by $26 million. The reduction means natural gas residential customers would pay nearly $2 less per month following the Commissions’ decision in the company’s natural gas rate proposal, which is expected in the second half of 2018. The average natural gas residential customer paying $50 per month is projected to see their bill go to $58.10 per month, subject to IURC approval, rather than $59.80 as originally proposed.

More than 4,300 babies born in Indiana in February will be decked out in reds hats courtesy of the American Heart Association’s “Little Hats, Big Hearts” program. American Heart Association staff will deliver the tiny hats to 50 hospitals across the state beginning this week. The hats were lovingly hand made by more than 230 volunteers. February is American Heart Month, and the week of Feb. 7-14 is Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death in the United States and in Indiana, and congenital heart defects are the leading birth defect in newborns.