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The Porter County Sheriff’s Office celebrated the receipt of a $400,000 Community Oriented Policing Services grant Monday morning with a visit from U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, that will allow it to continue using technology that helps take those accused of violent crimes off the street.

“It’s a force multiplier,” Mrvan said of the Flock Safety technology that was used just last week to help apprehend a murder suspect on U.S. 30 in Valparaiso. “What this technology does is it puts eyes on the bad guys.”

With mental health now a mainstream topic, a collaborative initiative in La Porte County was created to help those, especially youth, struggling with such issues. And with the help of a local congressman, those efforts are taking a big step forward.

Governor Eric Holcomb has announced a $127 million grant award received by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) through the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) program to support the FlexRoad project along the 12-mile stretch of the Borman Expressway in northwest Indiana. Experts say the program will leverage strategies to improve travel time, increase reliability, enhance safety, and reduce carbon emissions on Interstate 80/94 in Lake County.

Rep. Frank J. Mrvan announced that the Department of Transportation has awarded a grant to the Indiana Department of Transportation for the Flex Road Project to improve conditions on the Borman Expressway in the Northwest Indiana region.

According to the Department of Transportation, the $127 million federal investment will implement Traffic System Management and Operations strategies to enhance travel time, reliability, safety, and decrease carbon emissions from the I-65 interchange in Gary, Indiana, to the I-294/I-80 and I-94 interchange in Illinois.

When scheduling classes for his junior year, Ronald Jackson was asked if he would like to enroll in Portage’s JAG program instead of having a study hall.

“Why not,” he thought to himself.

Jackson was unaware of the impact Jobs for America’s Graduates would have on the remainder of his high school career.

"I was a quiet, kind of skittish kid when I first started this program — I've really been able to explode my mind," said Jackson, the Portage JAG President.

Gary is a long way from being one of those charming Midwest burbs social media gushes about — but supporters can’t help imagining it will be someday.

“I believe in the Gary of the future,” said Vanessa Allen-McCloud, president of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and a longtime city resident.

“It will have nice beaches, a marina full of boats, an airport with lots of passenger and cargo air traffic, new apartments for young professionals and crowds arriving for a local festival, as well as downtown shops and restaurants,” she said.