In the News

U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas, D-Calif., put it bluntly — "Democrats are horrible about talking about our victories."

Sitting beside U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, on the campus of Purdue University Northwest on Wednesday, the five-term Los Angeles-area congressman said his party's habit of focusing on the next task ahead, instead of taking credit for past accomplishments, is a real problem because Democrats have a lot to be proud of over the past two years.

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, spent Tuesday on the beach, but it wasn’t just for fun. He toured a series of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Northwest Indiana to see federal dollars at work.

At Michigan City’s Washington Park, the Corps placed armour stone — boulders — along the detached breakwater. The Corps also did emergency dredging work for the Coast Guard station, which needed deeper water to do its search and rescue work.

Ongoing work at the Indiana Harbor and Canal in East Chicago is an economic development project with an environmental benefit, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said Tuesday.

Mrvan was on hand to tour the work on the Confined Disposal Facility where contaminated sediment from the first dredging of the IHC in 40 years is stored. Work currently underway at the site is designed to increase the CDF storage capacity so continued maintenance dredging can go on for decades.

The town’s goal of making a busy stretch of Ridge Road safer for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists is a step closer to reality after announcement of a $17.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, spent Tuesday on the beach, but it wasn’t just for fun. He toured a series of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projects in Northwest Indiana to see federal dollars at work.

At Michigan City’s Washington Park, the Corps placed armour stone — boulders — along the detached breakwater. The Corps also did emergency dredging work for the Coast Guard station, which needed deeper water to do its search and rescue work.

Ongoing work at the Indiana Harbor and Canal in East Chicago is an economic development project with an environmental benefit, U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said Tuesday.

Mrvan was on hand to tour the work on the Confined Disposal Facility where contaminated sediment from the first dredging of the IHC in 40 years is stored. Work currently underway at the site is designed to increase the CDF storage capacity so continued maintenance dredging can go on for decades.

The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority authorized purchases that will upgrade its rescue and maintenance equipment with the help of $2 million in federal money included last spring in a bill that funded the government through September.

The $2 million will go toward a 3,000 gallon Airport Rescue and Firefighting truck and two high-speed runway brooms for snow removal. The costs of just over $932,000 and $1.3 million, respectively, will also be funded through 5% contributions from the Indiana Department of Transportation and the airport itself.

There is a movement afoot to bring social workers into the fold of law enforcement. Monday morning a variety of local agencies already doing so, as well as those seeking advice on how to get started, gathered for a meeting of the minds in Valparaiso.

“If someone told me 20 years ago I’d be standing in front of this group talking about social work I’d say you were crazy,” said HealthLinc CEO Beth Wrobel opening the workshop of about 45 law enforcement officers, social workers and government representatives.