Northwest Indiana’s application for READI funding includes few projects specifically for Starke or Pulaski County. The extension of the Panhandle Pathway made it onto the Northwest Indiana Forum’s list of 103 proposed projects, but it didn’t make it onto the 36-project priority list.
Continue readingRegions Have Another Month to Get Ready for READI
Regions applying for funding from the state’s READI program have another month to put their plans together. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation announced Monday that the deadline for proposals is now September 30.
Continue readingNew State Budget Directs Schools to Raise Teacher Pay
Indiana teachers may be getting a pay raise in the coming years. During the Northwest Indiana Forum’s legislative wrap-up last week, Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch highlighted the $1.9 billion earmarked for K-12 education in the new state budget.
Continue readingRegional Leaders Gearing Up for READI Program
The race is on for regions to get their applications in for up to $50 million from the state’s new Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI). Indiana Economic Development Corporation Chief of Staff Luke Bosso told members of the Northwest Indiana Forum Wednesday that the hope was to make a bigger and better version of 2016’s Regional Cities Initiative.
Continue readingFailure of House Bill 1381 Could Mean Higher Energy Costs, Warns Author
The failure of a bill to implement statewide standards for wind and solar development could ultimately lead to higher energy prices. That’s according to State Representative Ed Soliday, the author of House Bill 1381.
Continue readingState Officials Tout Investments in Broadband, Mental Health Services in State Budget
Investments in broadband, mental health services, and help for those with intellectual disabilities are just a few of the accomplishments state officials are touting from this year’s legislative session. Lieutenant Governor Suzanne Crouch says Indiana is able to make several one-time investments, thanks to the state’s financial position.
Continue readingLt. Gov. Expects New Regional Development Initiative to Set Indiana Apart from Other States
Indiana’s lieutenant governor expects a big impact from the state’s new regional development initiative. Suzanne Crouch says the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) will provide up to $50 million each, to up to 10 regions.
Continue readingMarkovitz to Celebrate 20 Years of South Shore Line Posters with Gallery Talk in Hammond
Art and train enthusiasts will have a chance to learn more about the popular South Shore Line posters this weekend. Knox resident Mitch Markovitz is the artist behind the “Just Around the Corner” poster series. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, he’ll host a gallery talk Saturday morning at 10:30 at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond. Continue reading
Starke County’s Workforce Needs the Skills for Expanding Industries
One of the questions that Starke County Economic Development Director, Charles Weaver gets is, “What’s the latest on Sysco or other industries here that want to expand?” Weaver then asks himself, “When new industries come or expand, do we have the workforce to fill the skilled positions?”
Weaver recently attended a presentation that was organized by the Northwest Indiana Forum, of which Starke County belongs, where the attendees discussed workforce readiness, and development. Starke County’s unemployment figures, although still in the double digits, have moved out of the “top 10” worst in the state, but will new industry help reduce that figure? Weaver says not if the workforce doesn’t have the skills needed by the employers.
Northwest Indiana Forum Elects Managing Board of Directors
The Northwest Indiana Forum membership elected its 2011 Managing Board of Directors at its annual meeting last week at the Horseshoe Casino.
Among the new directors elected to continue are: Linda Woloshansky, Center of Workforce Innovations; Ed Volk, LaPorte Municipal Airport; Charles Weaver Starke County Economic Development Foundation; and Bill Wellman, Whiteco.
Week in Review for December 6th-10th, 2010
Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.
Diana Jedynak, 67, died of fire related injuries after her home caught fire early Monday morning in Washington Township. Indiana State Fire Marshal, Fred Sumpter, said the investigation into the cause of the fire was postponed due to the weather conditions and the integrity of the structure.
The Northwest Indiana Forum’s Board of Directors have voted to acknowldge the organization’s service territory to extend beyond Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke Counties to include Newton, Jasper and Pulaski Counties.
NWI Forum Expands Economic Development Service Territory
In an effort to further business recruitment efforts and opportunities for capital investment in Northwest Indiana, the Northwest Indiana Forum Board of Directors voted to explicitly acknowledge that the organization’s service territory extends beyond Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke Counties to include Newton, Jasper and Pulaski Counties.
