House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath, of Michigan City, on Friday spoke about the “policy paralysis” as he labeled it, which says has a grip on the General Assembly, because Republicans cannot govern on their own, which has led to no clear direction for the state.
Pelath says while Indiana's unemployment rate inched up a third of a percent, there have been no efforts to create a significant number of jobs. Pelath says Republicans have spent public tax dollars for business tax deductions, abatements, and loan guarentees, yet nothing has been down to empower consumers or workers.
State Representative Chuck Moseley, of Portage, last week expressed a similar frustration, after legislation to assist Indiana's steel industry with reduced income tax rates and additional economic incentives to encourage the manufacture of wind turbines components using steel produced in Indiana, instead in China, was shot down by House Republicans.
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For a third time since taking office as Indiana's 50^th top executive, Governor Mike Pence was back in the Region this afternoon to honor former Senator Richard Lugar and local business leaders at the Times Northwest Indiana Business and Industry Hall of Fame luncheon at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville. 

Governor Pence, Congressman Pete Visclosky and junior Congressman Todd Rokita all lavished praise on the former senator, who received a lifetime achievement award.

The governor said, “today we're paying one small deposit in a debt of gratitude to American statesman.” The governor acknowledge the former senator's lengthy career in public service including

serving on a school board and two terms as mayor of Indianapolis for which Lugar was cited for starting voluntary desegregation.

Senator Lugar expressed his appreciation to the mainly business audience, “I thank you especially for this opportunity to express the love I have for Northwest Indiana, for each of you who have done so much to bring new insight to me and to all who have counted upon you.”

Along with the former senator's award, area business leaders were honored at the luncheon for leaving an “indelible mark on the Region.” Those leaders acknowledged included Tom Collins Sr. of Luke Oil and County Line Orchard in Hobart, Dr. Danita Johnson Hughes of Edgewater Systems, Tom Sourlis, of Mortar Net, and Stephen Teibel of Teibel's Restaurant.

You can hear the award ceremony luncheon available On Demand at: http://www.regionnewsteam.com

Times, Bill Masterson Jr., Governor Mike Pence, Congressman Pete Visclosky, Jr. Congressman Todd Rokita

Times, Bill Masterson Jr., and former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar
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It seems Old man Winter isn't done with us quite yet, as a storm system is expected to blast the region Sunday into Monday. Meteorology Graduate Student at Iowa State University, Brandon Fisel, says initially, we can see one-to-three inches of snow on Sunday, with a total of three-to-six inches by Monday morning due to lake-effect snow Sunday night.
Fisel says while this could make for a another rough start to the work week, it will tapper off making the evening commute much easier. As for the rest of the March, the Hebron native says expect below-average temperatures, and dryer conditions, with no accumulating precipitation until April.  The National Weather Services has issued a Winter Storm Watch for parts of the region, Sunday through Monday morning.
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75 year old Judge Thomas Webber, of Porter Township, was named by the Indiana Supreme Court today to serve as the temporary juvenile court judge to replace outgoing Lake County Juvenile Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura The Indiana Supreme Court granted a temporary stay preventing Lake Superior Judge Nicholas Schiralli from taking over. Three Lake County Juvenile Court Magistrates sued, asking for the opportunity to be considered for the job and arguing that sitting county judges exceeded their authority in making the decision to fill the vacancy. Bonaventura will officially step down Sunday, as she is leaving to head the Indiana Department of Child Services.
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(Photo Courtesy of the Times)
A 20 year old Calumet City man charged with killing a 15 year old Hammond girl and wounding her 19 year old cousin over the weekend, had his bond set at ten-million dollars today. Published reports say Eric Brown, who was apprehended by authorities on Thursday, is charged with two-counts of murder, and one-count of aggravated battery with a firearm. Ashaya Miller and Dahnyah Williams were in the kitchen of the William's Calumet City home Sunday night, when they were shot at through a window. Miller was pronounced dead at an Oak lawn hospital, while Williams at last check remains hospitalized. The family is reportedly holding a vigil tonight, outside the home where shooting occurred.
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An investigation into a small jet that crashed into a South Bend neighborhood Sunday, killing two-people, including University of Oklahoma football legend, 60-year-old Steve Davis, continues. Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board results of their preliminary investigation are anticipated to be released sometime next week.
The small fixed wing multi-engine plane crashed right into homes after the pilot of the plane reported loss of power and hydraulics. The crash happened near the South Bend regional airport. Two other people on the plane and one person on the ground were at last word still hospitalized.
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An appeal made to keep the Gary/Chicago International Airport tower open was rejected today by the Federal Aviation Administration. The airport is one of 149 across the country will close on April 7^th, as part of the agency's sequestration implementation plan. Published reports say despite the loss of the control tower, Allegiant Air will continue two flights a week from Gary to Florida.
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A Pearl Harbor survivor in Indiana has passed away. Commander James Moore of Peru, Indiana, was one of the members of Pearl Harbor Survivors Association Indiana Chapter Two. James Laud, Sr., of Highland, who is Indiana State Chairman of Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors, says Moore had a lengthy career with the Navy. Commander Moore died Monday at the age of 94. Laud says it's believed there are about forty Pearl Harbor survivors living in Indiana now.
Link to Commander Moore's obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/indystar/obituary.aspx?n=james-f-moore&pid=163754221&fhid=14494&eid=sp_ommatch#fbLoggedOut
Hear our interview with James Laud Sr on the passing of Commander James Moore here at our website at On Demand.
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Beneficiaries of long forgotten insurance policies may soon be able to recover proceeds they never knew existed. Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced today that more than 18-million dollars in unclaimed property has been recovered through agreements with some of the nation’s largest life insurance providers. The money is the result of unclaimed insurance proceeds previously held by American International Group, John Hancock /Manulife, MetLife,. and Prudential Financial. Zoeller says the funds can be claimed now at www.IndianaUnclaimed.gov  .
The agreements came after audits performed by Verus Financial LLC on behalf of Indiana and multiple other states.  So far, Indiana has received more than 20,000 unreported insurance accounts from the audits.  The properties belong to Hoosiers who may have forgotten details, misplaced a policy, or not even known they were listed as a beneficiary on an account.
These initial funds are only a portion of the proceeds that are expected to be uncovered as the state continues to work with the auditor to identify other companies and accounts that have never been remitted as Unclaimed Property.  As part of this process, more than $3 million of additional life benefits have already been returned to Hoosiers through the due diligence process conducted by providers.
“Indiana’s leadership in this audit process reflects our commitment to the rightful owners of unclaimed property,” Zoeller said.  “It’s our obligation to do what we can to seek out these types of funds and to return them to the rightful owners.  The recovered money represents hundreds of unreported insurance accounts for Hoosiers, so it is very important that people go online and check for their name, their relatives, neighbors and friends’ names to determine if any of these funds belong to them or someone they know.”
The funds that have been turned over to the state are posted online at www.IndianaUnclaimed.gov and can be searched 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.  The Unclaimed Property Division’s toll-free number is 1-866-IN-CLAIM (1-866-462-5246).  This is a free service of the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.
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[Photo provided/Portage Police]
Police in Portage this morning are investigating two armed robberies that occurred within about an hour of each other, and police reports say the suspect description is similar in both cases – as well as a robbery at a Speedway Gas Station at Central and County Line in Portage around 3 in the morning two days ago. The first incident this morning happened shortly before 5am at Zip Foods on US Highway 20. Police say the suspect after demanding money and cigarettes, allegedly threatened to shoot the clerk, then apologized saying he had to feed his kids. Then about 5:30 this morning, Portage Police say an armed robbery occurred at the Comfort Inn on Willowcreek. Descriptions have included the suspect as a white man, about 5-10 to 6 feet tall, dressed in dark-colored clothing , described in one case as coveralls and stocking cap, and in another, a dark-colored hoodie.
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