A measure requiring state lawmakers to study the South Shore Line, look at its future, and review membership of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board, is headed to the governor's desk. House Bill 1450 sets up a summer study committee for lawmakers to look at ridership numbers and funding as well as possible expansion of the commuter rail line. 
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A disabled Region resident has received a 12-million dollar settlement -- said to be one of the largest in the state -- from a home health care agency based in Crown Point, after suffering burns and complications resulting in further brain damage, reports say, due to the actions of a home health care worker.  Family members say 47-year-old James Kosinski, who required 24-hour care due to multiple disabilities, was placed in scalding hot bath water. Reports say Kosinski currently lives in a chair near a nursing station at a Chicago nursing home.
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Many people in the audience cried as the Lake Ridge School Board made their decision -- voting four-to-one Monday to close Grissom Elementary. Board members had said either Grissom or Hosford Park Elementary would close in light of a looming one-point-seven-million dollar deficit. Grissom is in Black Oak. The school board held a series of public forums prior to last night's vote. It's unclear at this time what that means for teachers and students at Grissom. The Calumet Township/Gary-area district also includes Longfellow Elementary, Calumet High School, and Lake Ridge Middle School
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Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Monday for Lake Station's new water filtration plant which is going up in what's currently an empty lot on Union Street. It's part of an overall plan to improve water quality for customers of Lake Station city water. Not all residents of Lake Station are on city system, parts of which date back to the 1950s. Groundbreaking for phase one includes the new plant, new wells, and water main improvements. In 2008, Lake Station hired American Structurepoint out of Indianapolis and South Bend, to evaluate its water distribution system.
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Ambulances were sent to O'Hare Monday night, taking nine passengers to Chicago-area hospitals after authorities say they started feeling ill. The cause was under investigation. Fire officials say the passengers were part of a tour group headed to Denmark, and had been on a bus tour before arriving at the airport. Officials say the rest of the group stayed behind as a precaution.
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A gas leak not far from a senior apartment complex in Hammond prompted a precautionary evacuation of several units at Renaissance Towers Monday afternoon. The leak reportedly occurred in an area where utility crews were already working to replace older gas lines. Residents of the complex on Michigan Avenue were allowed back in last night.
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There's reportedly been online 'gun talk' among some teachers in Lake Station . Police Chief Kevin Garber tells today's Times that three educators in the school district are said to have posted comments on Facebook talking about “solving problems and needing guns”. It came out as part of a highly-publicized investigation involving comments on a Lake Station chalkboard allegedly written by a teacher, that included phrases like ”The guns are loaded” and “Care to try me”, an image of which was reportedly then posted on Facebook by a student. That teacher is on paid administrative leave
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A man looking for a date ended up being tied up, and locked in the trunk of his own vehicle. Published reports say 19 year old Diamond Toney, of Merrillville, met the victim, from Sauk Village, Illinois, on Sunday night in Merrillville, using the website, “Plenty of Fish-dot-com”. Toney, and Dedrick Bufkin are charged with kidnapping, after the victim, who was released after four-to-five hours locked in his truck, was reportedly able to lead authorities to Toney, using her screen name, “Spooky 300.”
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Traffic tipstes are reporting smoke blowing across the Borman near Chase Street this evening. Dispatch reports the Gary Fire Department received a fire call just before 6pm, in an abandoned area of town. No further information is available at this time.
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STATEHOUSE (March 25, 2013) — State Sen. Vaneta Becker’s (R-Evansville) bill aimed at improving health-care access for Indiana’s rural residents is one step closer to becoming law after receiving approval today from the Indiana House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 554, which passed the House 94-0, would require the Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning to reimburse health-care providers for telehealth and telemedicine services offered to Medicaid recipients.
Telehealth and telemedicine services use telecommunications and information technology to provide remote access to health assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation, supervision and information. Becker said using this technology reduces re-admissions to hospitals and saves lives as well as health-care costs.
“It’s my goal to help Hoosiers, especially those in rural areas, have better access to high-quality medical care,” Becker said. “Telehealth networks are expanding in these regions, and we need to ensure patients have the opportunity to take advantage of the resources they offer.”
SB 554 now returns to the Senate for further consideration.
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