Local News

A couple of months after being created by lawmakers, the newly-formed Governor’s Workforce Cabinet met for the first time Tuesday.

A mixture of government and education officials, as well as business leaders from across the state make up the 21-person cabinet. Chairman Danny Lopez says the cabinet must be results-driven to work. 

Today:   we talk to the president of Great Schools, Matthew Nelson, about the organization's first-of-a-kind list of more than 800 public and charter high schools across the country -- 45 of which are in Indiana and five in northwest Indiana -- that received "College Success Awards."  It's an award which recognizes schools that are doing the best at preparing students to get into and succeed in college.  The five local schools are: Chesterton Senior High School, Hanover Central High School in Cedar Lake, Munster High School.

The final debate between Republican U.S. Senate candidates Mike Braun, U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (R-Greensburg) and U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Brownsburg) was focused almost entirely on attacks between each candidate.

The moderator at one point implored them to answer his specific question – a request the candidates mostly ignored.

LAKE AND PORTER COUNTY - The negative effects of bad air quality on the health of Lake and Porter County residents is prominent.  Each year the American Lung Association releases a "State of the Air" report, which collects data from monitors operated by State Environmental Protection agencies in all states.  The organization evaluates the data to determine the air quality county by county. 

Angela Tin, Vice President of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association says just over 114,550 Lake County residents suffer from lung disease.

Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Brownsburg) is one of three candidates hoping to emerge from the state’s Republican primary and face incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) this fall. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith discussed the campaign with Rokita, who formerly served as Indiana’s Secretary of State.

Today:   we close out the month of April with a reminder about an important public presentation at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso on Monday evening.  Two dynamic speakers  are dealing with the proliferation of violent video games, bullying and school shootings.  It's a program sponsored in part by Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds, and he talks about the speakers and the topics.

On this edition of "Lakeshore Update," we'll hear about EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s unannounced visit to East Chicago, Lauren Chapman reports on a deportation vigil in Indianapolis,  Governor Eric Holcomb is planning a trip to Israel and Europe, and Chris Nolte has a conversation about a proposed concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) on a certified organic dairy in Newton County. All of that, and more, on this edition of "Lakeshore Update."

Three Republican candidates are jockeying for a chance to unseat Democratic incumbent Senator Joe Donnelly this year. Luke Messer joined that race after serving in Congress since 2013 – with a few years at the Statehouse on his resume before that. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith talked with Messer about issues in the bruising GOP primary campaign.

On this Reporter's Roundtable Thursday, we check in with "Indianapolis Star" political columnist (a northwest Indiana native and former local reporter) Matthew Tully about his columns on the three Republican Party candidates for U.S. Senate.  He brings us up-to-date on their antics on the campaign trail and on the debate stage.  The final pre-election debate is coming up in Indianapolis.  Rob Earnshaw of the "Times" talks about his stories out of Crown Point, including the story of a municipal water customer with an outrageously high bill.

Ragen Hatcher and Jessica Renslow debate for the open State Representative of District 3 seat. Chris Nolte, host of "Regionally Speaking," moderated the debate, held at Temple Israel, in Gary, IN. The debate was in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Calumet Area. Primary election night coverage will be on-air, on Tuesday, May 8th, at 6:00 PM, on Lakeshore Public Radio - 89.1 FM.

Click here for the Facebook Live video feed from the debate.

Today:   Retired Indiana University Northwest professor Rick Hug joins us to talk about his creation -- now in its 28th year.  The Forum on Child Abuse and Neglect will be held on the Gary campus on Friday, in the new Arts and Sciences Building.  Hug says they have a very knowledgable keynote speaker and participant in one of the workshops this year. 

LAKE AND PORTER COUNTY - Lake County's air quality grade for Ozone is at the bottom of the scale.  Angela Tin, Vice President of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association, says for the past 19 years the American Lung Association has put out a "State of the Air" report, which collects data from monitors operated by State Environmental Protection agencies in all states.  The American Lung Association evaluates the data to determine the air quality county by county.

The first wave of 2018 school funding referenda are up for consideration in about two weeks. That means voters in several counties will have the power to approve or deny tax measures to make millions of dollars available for their local schools.

Purdue University economics professor Larry DeBoer says school funding referenda are usually more likely to pass in May, and the overall number of those winning voter approval has grown in recent years.

Today:  a conversation with Will De Jong, the operations manager for the new Natural Prairie Dairy organic farm in northern Newton County.  It's a facility that has drawn attention from nearby residents for its plan to build a controversial confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) for the dairy cows that will live and graze on the pasture and produce milk for sale to local markets.  The farm is owned by Donald and Cheri De Jong.  The operation's explained in more detail here.

Today:   Kay Nelson with the Northwest Indiana Forum joins us in the studio  to talk about Wednesday's NWI Forum and NIRPC co-sponsored brownfield redevelopment education panel discussion, to be held in Portage.  Brownfields are defined as former industrial or commercial sites where future use is affected by real or perceived environmental contamination,  Northwest Indiana has a multitude of them -- but many have great redevelopment potential, if the problems can be resolved.

This week on "Lakeshore Update" we'll hear the about the indictment on former Lake County police commander Dan Murchek, Barbara Broscher has the latest on the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Brandon Smith reports on Congressman Todd Rokita's plans to participate in an upcoming Senate GOP primary debate and Chris Nolte has a conversation with Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch about the 2018 General Assembly Session. All of that, and more on this edition of "Lakeshore Update."

PRESS RELEASE: US Attorney's Office Northern District of Indiana

HAMMOND – Daniel Murchek, 57, of Schererville, Indiana was indicted for making false statements to federal authorities, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch. 

GARY - April is Parenting Awareness Month Indiana and local organization, the Indiana Parenting Institute uses the occasion to help educate and support people in the critical task of parenting.  

Jena Bellezza, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Branding for the local chapter in Gary says Parenting Awareness Month is about drawing people's attention to parenting and the challenges that it presents.

Today:  we have two major conversations --  first,Leslie Plesac, the executive director of the Sinai Forum at Purdue University Northwest, is in the studio to talk about the first speaker for the 65th season of the town  hall-style series:  former FBI Director, and now award-winning author, James Comey.  His talk is scheduled for Sept. 9 in Michigan City.  And then, Gary Mayor Karen Freman-Wilson joins us from City Hall to talk about a multi-faceted anti-crime strategy that involves city officials, the faith community and Gary residents.

Today:    we look at one facet of the opioid addiction crisis that is gripping the nation as well as the state of Indiana -- the enormous cost that it brings, in terms of families as well as communities.  NPR News is reviewing the issue in Muncie, Indiana and interviewed Ball State University economist Michael Hicks for its Web story.  Professor Hicks, the director of the Center for Business Economics and Research, compared the opioid epidemic to a war in economic terms.  He discusses with us the personal  economic impact, and his team's new report that compares how jobs as well as health i

Today:   Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds joins us to talk about a special program coming up on April 30th at Ivy Tech Community College in Valparaiso, where two nationally-known speakers will talk very candidly about the dangers of bullying and violent video games, as they relate to the ongoing issue of school shootings.  The Porter County Safe Schools Commission is working with the Sheriff's Department on this program.

Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Brownsburg) reversed a previous decision, announcing Tuesday he will participate in a Senate GOP primary debate organized by the nonpartisan Indiana Debate Commission.

Residents in Lake, Porter and LaPorte Counties are invited to spend a day this coming Saturday connecting with the environment, be educated and have some fun in the process.  The annual Earth Day Celebration will be held at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Donna Stuckert, the Public Education Coordinator for the District, was on "Regionally Speaking" on Monday to talk about Earth Day, its importance and about all of the events to be held this weekend.

Today:   a conversation with one of the two Democratic Party primary election candidates for Indiana House District 3 -- Gary community builder Jessica Renslow. Renslow and Gary Common Councilwoman Ragen Hatcher will be on the May 8th election ballot, seeking the party nomination for the seat vacated when State Representative Charlie Brown retired.  We reached out to Ms. Hatcher with an invitation to join us, but have not yet received a response before this program.