Local News

Jeff Casey, Managing Director of the Towle Theatre, talks to John Cain, host of "Eye on the Arts" about the upcoming Towle Theater’s "Nunsense A-men."

Vice President of Human Resources Derek Kinney said the supermarket chain was shutting down the decades-old Merrillville location. Also included in the closure are four Illinois stores, including a Strack and Van Til and an Ultra in Chicago. He said it was a difficult choice the company had to make because these locations couldn't meet quota, and their leases were soon up. 

Kinney stated that they're "very saddened having to do this," and he continued to thank Strack and Van Til customers for their support, and workers for their hard work. 

Nearly 90 percent of Indiana’s roads are maintained by counties, cities and towns, yet those local units get less than half of the state’s primary road funding dollars.

And that’s unlikely to change in this session’s road funding plan.

Two Purdue University Northwest faculty members and an alumnus attorney discussed the issues surrounding “Executive Power & Legal Questions about Immigration” on Tuesday. Feb. 28th on the Purdue University Northwest Hammond Campus. It was aired Thursday on "Regionally Speaking."

The event, offered collaboratively with Northwest Indiana Lakeshore Public Radio, was held in the Student Union & Library's "Room with a View."

It has been a tense few days for employees at the Gary Public Schools Corporation. For several days now ,they were  not sure if they were going  to get paid because of the financial woes facing the school corporation.   State Senator Eddie Melton and Horace Mann  Alumni Brendan Khomer, worked to secure a loan to pay employees.

This time of year, Catholics mark the last day before forty days of Lenten sacrifice with Mardi Gras.  They live it up with a Polish delicacy called the Paczki.  Lakeshore’s Steven Lattimore tells us more about the sweet treat that signals the beginning of Lent.

So far, the trail has been cold and investigators are ramping up efforts in asking the public for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect in the double-murder in Delphi. Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee and Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter have announced a larger reward for anyone with further information about the case.

Today:  Michigan City Mayor Ron Meer joins us to talk about his "thank you" message to the special education program employees at the Michigan City Area Schools on Wednesday, to kick off Indiana Disability Awareness Month.  Similar events are scheduled for later this month in Gary.

The Governor's Council for People with Disabilities says just over 19-percent of Hoosiers have some sort of disability, but they want to be recognized and accepted as people who want to be included in their communities, just like everyone else.

Today:  Todd Zeiger with Indiana Landmarks talks about the next "Logs to Lustrons Tour" at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, May 13th and 14th.  Homes representing more than a century of architecture, ranging from log cabins built by Swedish settlers to the houses from the Century of Progress at the 1930s Chicago World's Fair to Lustron-construction houses will be available for viewing, some not normally open to the public.  Some are also vacant landmarks in need of a new use.

Every year the Mayor of Gary take time to review the work she has done and plan for the future. Steven Lattimore take a look at some of the highlights of the State of the State Address .

Indiana House lawmakers passed a bill Monday requiring doctors to inform women their drug-induced abortions could be reversed – and also to say there’s no scientific study to support that claim.

The vote for the measure, authored by Rep. Ron Bacon (R-Boonville), came over bipartisan opposition.

Indiana first female County Sheriff is the subject of a play to be performed this weekend in the Maki Ballroom of the historic Old Courthouse in downtown Crown Point. And infamous gangster John Dillinger plays a role in her career as well.

"Lillian" is a play that was written decades ago but wasn't allowed to be performed until the passing of all of those involved, including Lillian Holley and her daughters.  I talked with playwright Marion Kellum for "Regionally Speaking."  He begins the conversation with the importance that Lillian Holley played in Lake County history.

Today:   A conversation with Marion Kellum, the Crown Point resident who learned about the first (and, for now, only) Lake County Sheriff, Lillian Holley, and her link to the infamous gangster John Dillinger.  Kellum wrote a play several decades ago about Lillian but it's just now coming to the "stage" in the Maki Ballroom of the historic Old Courthouse in Crown Point this coming weekend.

Phil Potempa talks with "Eye on the Arts" host John Cain, about the Theatre at the Center’s "My Way."

February 23rd marks a special anniversary for one city in Northwest Indiana.  Lakeshore Public Radio's Dan Clark speaks with Executive Director of the Porter County Museum Kevin  Pazour about Valparaiso Day.

The Urban League of North West Indiana  is offering free tax preparation for low and moderate income people. It could mean a big savings for some.  Steven Latimore has the story.

"Howey Politics Indiana" creator and publisher Brian Howey wrote a column for his newsletter this week that looks at how former Governor - now Vice President - Mike Pence views his career in the context of the Trump administration.  Brian came on "Regionally Speaking" to talk about it.

Today:  a conversation with Elizabeth Burden about an Indiana Parenting Institute-sponsored discussion Friday morning in Merrillville on the issue of substance abuse's impact on families.  The two-hour event begins at 10:00 a.m. at the IBEW Local 697 hall on Mississippi Street.

Lakeshore Public Radio's Steven Lattimore has more on a decision by the Lake County Council to approve a vendor's bill for food for the County Jail as they review the Sheriff's Department bookkeeping procedures.

A Senate committee approved a bill that requires parents and guardians to be notified if their child tries to seek an abortion – without exceptions, even in cases of rape and incest.

Indiana abortion law requires a child under age 18 to receive parental consent for an abortion. If the child doesn’t want to inform her parents, she can go to court to receive a judicial waiver.

Senate lawmakers amended a bill to eliminate many of the state’s e-liquid manufacturing regulations and some manufacturers say the bill would pave the way for their return to the state.

Indiana’s existing vaping regulations shut out all but seven manufacturers, and that’s prompted lawsuits and an FBI inquiry.

The Senate Local Government committee amended a bill requiring law enforcement to clear protesters from roadways by any means necessary, and the bill is expected to be watered down even more.

The rich history of African-Americans was celebrated in Gary this weekend. The program of music and education served as a reminder of how much American history was made by Africans. Lakeshore public radio’s Steven Lattimore has the story.

Massa also said to take note of anyone who went missing or changed plans around the time of the murders.

“Please do not rationalize tips away, rationalize what you think might not be important away, by thinking, ‘he would never do that to another human being',” says Police State Superintendent Doug Carter, adding the public should let law enforcement decide if a person is worth pursuing.  

Senator Karen Tallian, who’s district includes Michigan City, is holding town halls to update her constituents about legislation that will impact the district.

She is also there to listen to any complaints or issues. She was in Michigan City this weekend and  our Steven Lattimore has the report.

This is income tax return preparation season and northwest Indiana financial advisor Greg Hammer came on "Regionally Speaking' on Wednesday to offer his advice to harried taxpayers to save time and reduce stress while preparing the return. 

His advice also included the top 20 deductions that Hammer says return preparers should not miss.

Indiana Dunes Tourism, the agency that supports the tourism and convention activities in Porter County, released its annual report on the economic impact of  visitors to all of the businesses and attractions in 2016.

Lorelei Weimer, the executive director of Indiana Dunes Tourism, was on "Regionally Speaking" on Wednesday to talk about the report from Certec.  You'll be surprised to learn just how much all those visits mean to the Porter County economy.  Here's the conversation.