The City of LaPorte will require the use of face masks in retail stores starting Sunday. In an executive order issued by Mayor Tom Dermody Friday, customers and employees will be required to use a face covering in enclosed businesses unless they have a medical exemption. However, those at high risk of COVID-19 complications are encouraged to avoid public gatherings as much as possible.
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Indiana’s new legislators are now official General Assembly members. Rolling Prairie Republican Jim Pressel was among those sworn in during Tuesday’s organization day in the Indiana House Chamber, formally making him the state representative for House District 20. Continue reading
“The American dream is still alive and well” was one of the several the messages which brought loud rounds of applause from attendees of the 2015 Starke County Republican Lincoln Day dinner at Bass Lake Saturday evening. Speaking was Diego Morales, a Guatemala native, who is the the Director of Community Affairs for the Indiana Governor’s office. He added, to be successful, it was important for him to learn the English language, adopt American culture and to take advantage of the nation’s education system.
Dermody explained that the committee covers all of the pertinent items in the legislature.
Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, and Rep. Doug Gutwein, R-Francesville, both received perfect scores from the IMA. Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, scored a 95.4 percent, and Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, ranked the highest among Democrats in the Senate with an 83 percent pro-manufacturing voting record.
A crowd packed into the Bass Lake Property Owner’s Association building, filling up the seats and taking up every space available in the parking lot to attend the Starke County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner. With a number of prominent community members in attendance, including government representatives at the county, state, and federal levels, including Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, those in attendance got a solid idea of what is happening legislatively.
The town of North Judson received help from state representatives Douglas Gutwein and Tom Dermody, as well as Senator Ed Charbonneau and INDOT Representative Robert Alderman with the goal of obtaining funds to proceed with the repairs to the railroad crossing on U.S. 30 near Hanna. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said the town has been working on getting the project under way since last summer.
LaPorte Republican State Representative Tom Dermody has authored a House Bill that would place a misdemeanor or felony charge and a fine for anyone possessing or trafficking a cell phone in prison.
Under House Bill 1256, inmates would face a Class A Misdemeanor charge for possession of a cell phone and that inmate could face up to an additional year in prison and up to a $5,000 if convicted. If an inmate is trafficking cell phones, a Class C Felony and a $500-$10,000 fine would be imposed.
Dermody suggested that cell phone trafficking puts employees and other inmates at risk. Cell phones can be used by inmates to harass victims, traffic drugs, monitor staff routine procedures or plan prison escapes.
Republican State Representative Tom Dermody was sworn into office Monday in the House Chamber. He represents House District 20 which includes portions of LaPorte and Starke Counties.
Dermody says that he’s going to continue to focus on building up the private sector, eliminating excessive government spending, to connect with constituents with jobs and to strengthen the state’s economy.
The House Republican Caucus will focus on financial integrity, jobs and education in this session of the General Assembly. Dermody stated that he will concentrate on improving the educational system by strengthening the relationship between businesses and higher education. He added that this will better equip those entering the workforce with the tools needed to get a job.
The Republican State Representative in District 20, Tom Dermody, has been appointed as leadership in the Ways and Means Committee.
Dermody believes Indiana is in great financial shape as debts have been paid down and the reserve has grown. He says being fiscally responsible is a commitment that the Committee will live by to ensure that wasteful spending is eliminated and a balanced budget is preserved.
For the past two years, Dermody has been the chairman of the Ways and Means Higher Education Committee. Republican Representative Tim Brown of Crawfordsville will serve as the new chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
Republican Tom Dermody is excited to begin his fourth term as state representative for District 20 and said his primary focus will be on improving the budget. Dermody said he will be serving on the Ways and Means Committee which develops the budget, and he’s ready to begin preparing for the first of the year.
Pulaski County has been designated as a primary disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, joining 13 other counties alongside the existing list of 50 counties considered primary natural disaster areas. The USDA on Wednesday also designated 16 contiguous counties as eligible for assistance, bringing the grand total to 80 Indiana counties that now qualify for assistance from the Farm Service Agency.
Representative Tom Dermody of LaPorte says he’s pleased that the USDA expanded their assistance to more counties, because he feels it will be critical to helping Hoosier farmers make it through next year. He says he will continue to advocate on behalf of LaPorte County to make it eligible as well for federal assistance due to the drought conditions.
Karen Salzer has announced her candidacy for the Indiana House of Representatives in District 20.
Salzer, a lifelong LaPorte resident, says she will focus her candidacy on protecting middle class families and working Hoosiers who have faced a series of attacks, including the recent passage of Right to Work.
Salzer added that incumbent State Representative Tom Dermody has repeatedly left middle class families behind and that his failed leadership allowed Republicans to spend the money from the sale of the toll road in only five years, leaving 70 years left for the tolls to increase and jeopardizing Indiana’s future.
House District 20 includes parts of LaPorte and Starke counties. It includes the communities of Knox, Hamlet, LaPorte, Walkerton, Union Mills and Rolling Prairie.
