nwiNow Region by The Times of NWI

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NORTHWEST INDIANA PAGE AA2 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

THE TIMES

OUR VIEW COMMENTARY

BY BILL MASTERSON JR.

Watch for resolve, resilience, restoration he necessity and payoff of cooperation, persistence and hard work in Northwest Indiana has been nothing less than courageous this year. Though the rest of the state suffered mightily, pockets of our region fared slightly better. The Indiana and South Chicago area — the nation’s second-largest steel producer – was able to benefit from insulation from the downturn late last year because of work being transferred from manufacturing operations in other parts of the country. Yet our world continues to be rocked by unemployment. But we do have much to look forward to this year: A new sports complex named after the legendary Bo Jackson is scheduled to open in Crown Point in the first quarter of 2011 on the former site of the city’s water plant. Bo Jackson Elite Sports will provide $3.4 million toward the $16 million partnership with the city. The rest of the money will come from user fees, sponsors, foundations and grant programs. Another sports complex is planned for Hobart and will be attached to the existing 124-room Hilton Garden Inn, just north of U.S. 30 at Mississippi Street. It will consist of three inflatable structures covering 165,000 square feet and the air-supported structures will accommodate 12 regulation basketball courts. The domes can be reconfigured to indoor venues for baseball, cheerleading and dance, football, martial arts, soccer, softball, track and field, wrestling and extreme sports, along with trade shows and large group convention gatherings. A handful of federal stimulusfunded projects are set to begin in spring, including $770,000 in funds to pave Samuelson Road from Portage Avenue to the Indiana Toll Road overpass, Central Avenue from the Willow Creek bridge to Elm Street, and Swanson Road from U.S. 6 to County Road 700 North in Portage; Schererville’s projects will deal with wastewater treatment and upgrades to energy efficiency. Indiana schools could gain more than $250 million in grants through President Obama’s “Race to the Top” plan, which will be distributed in two rounds, spring and fall 2010. Approved by the feds just days before the new year, Canadian National officials moved forward with a plan to make Gary’s Kirk Yard a major hub for train transportation, which would bring with it many new jobs and support growth at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. And the One Region One Vision message has started to take hold as elected officials and other business and civic leaders are starting to come together to look for ways to move the region forward on a positive note. There have been many advances in technology, such as progress on the long-awaited fiber optic cable along the tollway and emerging options for energy and resources. Just like the rest of the country we have been through a rough time, but there were a few good surprises last year. And with the character, determination, collaboration and cooperation of everyone, we have many reasons to be optimistic looking ahead.

Bill Masterson Jr. is publisher of The Times Media Group.

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

TABLE OF CONTENTS HIGHER EDUCATION

ENVIRONMENT

Tight economy translates into increased enrollment

NWI making green changes to increase energy efficiency

Even as Indiana colleges and universities are seeing increased enrollment, they continue to wrestle with budget cuts. But the reductions have forced higher education officials to re-examine what they have been doing and to improve efficiencies. PAGE AA6

Northwest Indiana businesses, cities and residents became green, energy-efficient machines in 2009 by instating wind turbines, solar panels, new technologies and environmental incentive programs.

GOVERNMENT

INDUSTRY

Tightening budget belts by consolidating

Developing the next generation of workers

Region officials continued to make the most of a shrinking pool of tax dollars last year by consolidating or sharing services — including police, fire or public works. The move is part of a nationwide trend that can save a lot of money and maintain a high level of services or even increase the level of services.

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TRANSPORTATION

TOURISM

Buses, highways, trains ride into region’s future

NWI’s multifaceted attractions drawing interest, tourists

Transportation projects will continue to power forward in Northwest Indiana this year. New “regional” bus routes pass through six communities and take people to schools and jobs across the region and beyond. PAGE AA15

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FAITH

ARTS

Keeping faith in the recovery despite economic hardships

Local groups are being resourceful during tight times

A growing number of region residents have turned their economic hard times into opportunities to assist others through churches and other faithbased organizations. Those efforts will be key to any economic recovery, region spiritual leaders say. PAGE AA18

The state has drawn the line. Indiana has slashed its downsized arts budget by 20 percent. Yet local artists and advocates are hanging tough. Call it second nature. This resilience extends to region arts groups. They’re forging ahead in a nation beset by economic woes. PAGE AA21

SOCIAL MEDIA

MORE COVERAGE IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS

Community on the Internet may be NWI’s fastest growing

Lake County industry still drives Northwest Indiana, though the service industry has picked up some of the slack. Next Sunday, see how the county remains the economic engine and the playground for much of the region in our NWI Now Lake County section.

Each day conversations take place across Northwest Indiana, but more and more are taking place online on Web sites like Facebook, Twitter or any variety of social communities developed to bring people together.

Meanwhile, Porter County leaders continue to plan for progress and development, from a new hospital to public transportation. Read about it Jan. 28 in The Times’ NWI Now Porter County section.

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Region recovery is on the horizon he beginning of a new decade brings great promise to Northwest Indiana. I am more encouraged today than I have been in years. The signposts all point in a positive direction. New jobs. New facilities. New leadership. The steel mills are hiring. Ford is retooling its nearby plant and adding 1,200 jobs. The $3.8 billion expansion at BP’s Whiting refinery is swelling the employment ranks. While our economy remains sluggish, much activity suggests we’re on track for a strong recovery. After all, this region has been and will continue to be the bedrock of the nation’s economy. And as development occurs, jobs will blossom. Looking forward into this new decade, there are many projects that bode well for the region. High speed rail is on a fast track. Construction of a replacement for the missing link of the Cline Avenue Expressway is in the offing. I believe the Illiana Expressway will be built. Watch for new office buildings and store fronts in the Portage, Crown Point and Tri-Town areas. Massive housing development – especially drawing tax-

as the region’s central city. U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky’s Marquette Plan is taking off. The River Walk project in Portage is a shining example of restoring Lake Michigan’s shoreline, making it more accessible to the public. Then, too, there is the new era of leadership in the region. Typical of leaders providing positive guidance are Mark Maassel, CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum; Leigh Morris, head of the RDA; Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas; and academic leaders BY WILLIAM NANGLE such as Guadalupe Valtierra, chancellor at weary Illinois residents – will take off in Ivy Tech Community College. Finally, there is Bill Masterson Jr., many parts of the region. As for health care, the new Franciscan publisher of The Times. He is leading the Point east of Crown Point, the Lakeshore One Region: One Vision initiative that Bone and Joint Institute near Chesterton has brought together leaders from all sectors of LaPorte, Porter and Lake and the planned Porter hospital are counties to address regional issues. examples of the types of facilities the Getting the people of our diverse future holds. Hopefully, the supporters of Northwest Indiana to work together is no a Northwest Indiana trauma center – easy task, but, after 40 years living here, such as Indiana University Northwest and Methodist Hospitals – will succeed I believe that day is very near. The region A major effort to revitalize the urban has such great promise; we dare not let it corridor has begun. In East Chicago, new slip away. housing and new commercial centers are I believe with strong leadership and a rising. The federal government, the will to succeed, all of us can benefit from Regional Development Authority and coming together. other local groups are poised to restore Gary to its rightful place of prominence William Nangle is executive editor of The Times.

COMMENTARY

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SSFHS hospitals rank among nation’s best HealthGrades recognizes excellence in patient care, medical services

aint Anthony Medical Center, Saint Margaret Mercy hospitals, Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers and Franciscan Physicians Hospital were cited for excellence in the latest comprehensive study released by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent health care ratings organization. HEALTHGRADES 2010 HONORS INCLUDE: Saint Anthony Medical Center – Crown Point s Five-Star rated for treatment of stroke for the eighth consecutive year. The study annually assesses patient outcomes – mortality and complication rates – at virtually all of the nation’s nearly 5,000 nonfederal hospitals. s Recognized for quality performance in the area of orthopedics. Saint Anthony was Five-Star rated for hip fracture repair for the third consecutive year and ranks among the top 5 in Indiana for Overall Orthopedic Services. Saint Margaret Mercy – Dyer Campus s Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for cardiology services. s Received the highest possible star ratings for treatment of heart failure – three consecutive years. s Recipient of the HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award and ranked among the top 10 percent nationally for pulmonary services – two consecutive years. s Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for overall pulmonary services – two consecutive years. s Five-Star rated for overall pulmonary services and pneumonia treatment – two consecutive years. s Five-Star rated for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – four consecutive years. Saint Margaret Mercy – Hammond Campus s Best in the Gary, Ind., region* and the only Specialty Excellence Award recipient for cardiac surgery. s Ranked among the top 10 percent in the nation for cardiac surgery. s Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for overall cardiac services – two consecutive years. s Ranked among the top ﬁve in Indiana for cardiac surgery. s Five-Star rated for coronary bypass surgery.

“We are very appreciative of the Five-Star Cardiac Surgery ratings from HealthGrades. HealthGrades has recognized the excellent team effort in cardiac surgery at Saint Margaret Mercy, beginning with the ER staff and continuing through the Cardiac Cath Lab, Operating Room, ICU, IMCU and Cardiac Rehab. In addition, Sandy Kurpela, our cardiovascular nurse-practitioner, does a superb job of coordinating patient care. Every member of the team is focused on one goal: taking care of each patient in the absolute best manner possible. The cardiac surgery team treats each patient as they would a family member.” George Hodakowski, MD, Saint Margaret Mercy-Hammond Campus Thoracic surgeon

“These latest accomplishments, as recognized by HealthGrades, are examples of our continuing commitment to our patients. Nothing matters more to us than their treatment and recovery from stroke, and all other ailments, and their safety and comfort while they are in our care. We look forward to making even further strides in these areas and are honored by the national recognition we have received.” David Ruskowski, Saint Anthony Medical Center president

s Received the highest possible star ratings for treatment of heart failure – three consecutive years. s Five-Star rated for hip fracture repair – ﬁve consecutive years. s Recipient of the HealthGrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award and ranked among the top 5 percent nationally for pulmonary services. s Ranked among the top ﬁve in Indiana for overall pulmonary services. s Five-Star rated for overall pulmonary services and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – two consecutive years. s Five-Star rated for treatment of pneumonia – three consecutive years. s Received the highest possible star ratings for treatment of pneumonia – three consecutive years. The Hammond campus also was recognized for quality care in Women’s Health, including s Recipient of the 2009/10 HealthGrades Women’s Health Excellence Award.

s Ranked Among the top 5 percent nationwide for women’s health – 2009/10. s Five-Star rated for women’s health – 2009/10. Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers – Michigan City s Michigan City needs to say: Only recipient of the 2010 HealthGrades Gastrointestinal Surgery Excellence Award in the Michigan CityLaPorte, Ind., region.* s Ranked in the top 10 percent in the nation for gastrointestinal surgery. s Ranked among the top 10 in Indiana for GI Services and top 5 for GI surgery. s Five-Star rated for GI surgery and cholecystectomy. Franciscan Physicians Hospital – Munster s Five-Star rated for treatment of heart failure – two consecutive years. *

As deﬁned by the federal government’s Ofﬁce of Management and Budget.

Doctors, patients see beneﬁts from robotic technology da Vinci Si Surgical System comes to Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Northern Indiana Region

he da Vinci Si Surgical System, now available at St. Margaret Mercy’s Hammond Campus and at Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers in Michigan City, and available through referral from the other hospitals in Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Northern Indiana Region, consists of a sophisticated robotic platform that is designed to enable complex surgery using a minimally invasive approach. According to the manufacturer, California-based Intuitive Surgical Inc., da Vinci Si consists of an ergonomic surgeon’s console, a patient-side cart with four interactive robotic arms, a high-performance 3-D HD vision system and proprietary EndoWrist instruments. Powered by state-of-the-art robotic technology, the da Vinci system is designed to scale, filter and seamlessly translate the surgeon’s hand movements into more precise movements of the EndoWrist instruments. The result is an intuitive interface with breakthrough surgical capabilities. The system’s main features include Intuitive motion, high-resolution 3-D vision and the EndoWrist instrumentation. Intuitive motion refers to the System’s interface, which helps make da Vinci surgery look and feel like traditional “open” surgery. But this is where the similarities end. A high-resolution 3-D stereo viewer is designed to provide surgeons with an immersive experience. Unlike conventional approaches, the target anatomy appears in high magnification, in brilliant color and with natural depth of field. To perform a procedure, the surgeon uses the console’s master controls to maneuver the patient-side cart’s four robotic arms, which securely hold the patented EndoWrist instruments and highresolution endoscopic camera. The EndoWrist instruments’ jointed-wrist design exceeds the natural range of motion of the human hand; motion scaling and tremor reduction further interpret and refine the surgeon’s hand movements. da Vinci also offers what it calls a fail-safe design, incorporating multiple, redundant safety features designed to minimize opportunities for human error when compared with traditional approaches. da Vinci has been called a remarkable improvement over conventional laparoscopy, in which the surgeon

Left photo (from left): Melissa Ortiz, RN; Sandi Christian, OR tech; Sally Pustai, RN/OR supervisor; Sara Velligan, OR tech; and charge nurse Kelly Mendez, RN; will assist surgeons during da Vinci procedures at Saint Margaret Mercy. Right photo (from left): Dr. Lisa Hendricks, Dr. Michael Messina and Dr. Alfred Pamintuan show the da Vinci unit at Saint Anthony Memorial Health Centers.

operates while standing, using hand-held, long-shafted instruments, which have no wrists. With conventional laparoscopy, the surgeon must look up and away from the instruments to a nearby 2D video monitor to see an image of the target anatomy. The surgeon also must rely on his/her patient-side assistant to position the camera correctly. In contrast, the da Vinci’s ergonomic design allows the surgeon to operate from a seated position at the console. To move the instruments or to reposition the camera, the surgeon simply moves his/her hands.

da Vinci makes it possible for more surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures involving complex dissection or reconstruction. This ultimately raises the standard of care for complex surgeries, translating into numerous potential patient beneﬁts. The procedure, for which individual results may vary, allows patients potential beneﬁts of a minimally invasive procedure, including less pain, less blood loss and less need for blood transfusions. It also can make for a shorter hospital stay, a quicker recovery and faster return to normal daily activities.

“Saint Anthony Memorial and the Sisters of St. Francis have always been most committed to women’s health. Another example of this commitment is the recent purchase of the da Vinci Surgical platform. This will allow more patients to undergo surgical procedures in a minimally invasive fashion, resulting in less pain, quicker recovery time and shorter disability time from place of employment. This is cutting-edge technology and as a regional health system, we remain at the forefront of women’s care” Lisa Hendricks, MD, OB/GYN, Saint Anthony Memorial medical staff president

For more information about Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc., visit www.ssfhs.org

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THE TIMES

OUR LAWMAKERS’ VIEW COMMENTARY

BY U.S. REP. PETE VISCLOSKY

We must continue to invest in NWI

headline in The Times a year ago today proclaimed Congress’ passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, legislation designed to jumpstart our economy and retain and create jobs while addressing some of the nation’s greatest challenges. Northwest Indiana was not immune to the economic collapse. Shortly thereafter, in a column in last year’s NWI Now section, I recognized the need to get our economy back on track quickly. And taking the longer view, I argued that we needed to ensure the continued economic vitality of our steel industry, but we could not depend on steel alone to fuel our economy – we needed to rebuild Northwest Indiana. That in large part remains the case today, and we have made progress in the last year. Nationally, economists agree that the Recovery Act — which gave 95 percent of American workers one of the fastest and broadest tax cuts in history and made key investments in areas such as energy efficiency, science innovation, and education — helped preserve and create jobs and grow our gross domestic product. One of the key components in the Recovery Act was that it provided $111 billion for infrastructure improvements. I am pleased the Buy American provision I offered was adopted. The final law mandates that all goods and products bought for those infrastructure projects have to be made in the U.S. Since we are investing American taxpayer dollars to save and create American jobs, it makes sense to maximize the use of those funds by buying American. The provision has helped, as a number of Northwest Indiana’s steelworkers are being called back and steel shipments are up from a year ago. Locally, outside of the steel industry there have been Recovery Act benefits. For example, the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission advertised bids for 40 infrastructure projects in Northwest Indiana in December and those projects continue to advance. Meanwhile, eight municipalities have received grant money for wastewater treatment and sewer projects, four more have used stimulus funds to keep police on their streets and Lake and Porter counties received grants for energy efficiency and conservation initiatives. But much of the Recovery Act monies will be expended by the end of this year and, as always, we have to look after ourselves. It is one of the reasons why I sought money for the Little Calumet River Flood Control Project. The levees will be completed by the end of this year, affecting more than 9,500 families and businesses and helping to prevent $11 million in estimated annual damages. I am also committed to our institutions of higher learning, which play an integral role in our local economy. They prepare people for good-paying jobs. They help attract bright faculty to our area. And they spawn alumni who work and invest in Northwest Indiana and create additional jobs here. For those reasons, I sought funds for Valparaiso University, for its nationally recognized meteorological program. I also supported Ivy Tech’s program in Gary for logistics, distribution and transportation. Lastly, we must be committed to investing in transformational projects of regional consequence so Northwest Indiana children can have the same economic opportunities as our ancestors gave us. I remain committed to pursuing projects such as the recapitalization and expansion of the South Shore Line to Valparaiso and Lowell, as well as the Marquette Plan for lakeshore restoration. While progress on South Shore expansion has been difficult and not without controversy, I am pleased that the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District received $13.9 million under the Recovery Act to continue the recapitalization effort. The roughly 80,000 people who have visited the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk Park since it opened under the Marquette Plan attest to the value of opening our lakeshore to retain and attract talented people to the region and engender economic opportunities and job growth. Progress has been made in the last year. However, there are a lot of families in Northwest Indiana that continue to struggle. The work is not complete. From my perspective, the recession continues to exist, and as we proceed I will continue to work hard to bring jobs to the region and revitalize the economy. PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

JOHN LUKE | THE TIMES

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels talks to media and INDOT officials Jan. 5 at the Westbound entrance ramp to Cline Avenue from Riley Road. About 1.2 miles of the Cline Avenue roadway is unsafe for travel, and will have to be demolished. “I’m just glad that we’re not coming up here on the heels of a tragedy,” he remarked, giving thanks to INDOT inspectors for discovering the problems in the structure.

The responsibility for effecting change rests in hands of NWI residents T

he past two years, The Times of Northwest Indiana has graciously offered me this space to say a few words about our state. This gives me a welcome opportunity to reiterate how important I believe the Northwest region is to Indiana’s overall success. Amid our current economic climate, this point cannot be overstated. States, all over America, are taking drastic measures under the pressure of this recession. Michigan, facing a $1.6 billion dollar deficit, is grinding asphalt roads back into gravel to save maintenance costs. Illinois, saddled with a backlog of $3 billion worth of unpaid bills and a $13 billion deficit, is releasing thousands of prisoners early. California, attempting to fill its $20 billion deficit, is raising state college tuition by 32 percent. Alabama cut K-12 education spending by 16 percent. Kansas sends IOUs instead of tax refunds. And worst of all, 40 of our sister states are raising taxes. But Indiana is an exception. Our bills are paid, our taxes have been reduced not raised, and the reserves we had carefully built up are now being used to maintain vital services and get us through the downturn. By keeping taxes low, modernizing government functions, reducing waste and finding innovative solutions to old problems — such as leasing the Indiana Toll Road for $3.8 billion to kick-start decades worth of stalled infrastructure projects — we have transformed Indiana into the most job-friendly state outside the Sun Belt. Businesses, at least 50 of them last year, are leaving other states to set up shop here and put Hoosiers to work. But not all parts of our state have grown equally. To be candid, Northwest Indiana has too often lagged behind. A culture of cronyism and sometimes corruption, in a topheavy system of local governments, makes business more expensive, difficult and risky than in other parts of our state. This environment makes it difficult to recruit new jobs. In fact, out of 160 business expansions or consolidations into Indiana from other states in 2009, only six were in the Northwest. Out of 19,995 new jobs committed to the state, only 328 were in the region. This is frustrating to me, and should be unacceptable to Northwest Indiana residents. With Illinois and Michigan in crisis — their taxes soar-

COMMENTARY

BY GOV. MITCH DANIELS “I continue to advocate for (Northwest Indiana) to residents in other parts of the state. But for these communities to realize their full potential, voters must demand a serious and dedicated effort to reform local government and to pursue policies that encourage new business rather than drive it away.” ing and services crumbling — now should be the perfect moment for a surge of economic growth on our side of those boundary lines. It is happening in Northeast Indiana but not yet in the Northwest. A starting point will come in November when voters have the opportunity to make 2008’s property tax relief, the largest tax cut in state history, permanent. Our bill reduced property taxes in Lake County by 35 percent and in LaPorte County by at least 28 percent. An important byproduct of the new tax caps will be that counties, forced to make do with fewer taxpayer dollars, will re-examine how local governments are run and public funds are managed. However, the ultimate responsibility for effecting change rests in the hands of the people of Northwest Indiana. The time has come for residents to demand accountability and vision from their leaders; to find elected officials who will put the interests of the people ahead of their own. For example, the area would be

truly energized by establishing the Gary/Chicago International Airport as a regional transportation hub. A fully operational, state-of-the-art facility in Gary could absorb the overflow of traffic and freight from Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports, in turn providing a much-needed infusion of investment into the region. My administration has devoted millions of dollars to the airport. Yet despite this support, there has been little progress on this project. It is now very clear that the only way for it to come to fruition is for Gary to open the facility to private investment and to private management. East Chicago’s Cline Avenue Bridge presents a problem but also an opportunity. The bridge was closed in November after being found unsafe for its 30,000 daily motorists, the result of poor design when it was built. The closure offers local leaders a chance to work with the state to produce a viable alternative that better fits the area’s long-term plans for the lakeshore. These are just two examples of areas where the region needs transformative leadership. Voters owe it to themselves to demand it of today’s officials or find new leaders for tomorrow. They also owe it to their fellow Hoosiers because any economic advance in the region will greatly benefit all of Indiana. I have long stressed this important connection and we have invested greatly in the infrastructure of the area. Most recently we ended decades of dithering and launched the final stages of the Little Calumet River project. This 22-mile flood project, which has been allocated $14 million, will finally protect homes and businesses throughout Gary, Hammond and Munster from the recurring floods they have endured for too long. During the last five years we have dedicated unprecedented dollars and unprecedented time to Northwest Indiana. I continue to advocate for the area to residents in other parts of the state. But for these communities to realize their full potential, voters must demand a serious and dedicated effort to reform local government and to pursue policies that encourage new business rather than drive it away. All of Indiana needs a more prosperous Northwest corner. The time has come for the region to join the rest of the state’s forward motion.

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Artist rendering, New Emergency Department St. Mary Medical Center

COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM REINVESTS IN HOSPITALS, REGION PATIENT-CENTERED CARE IS THE FOCUS OF KEY INVESTMENTS MADE BY THE HOSPITALS OF COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM TO PROMOTE HEALING, MAKE SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE AND CONVENIENT, AND INTRODUCE NEW MODELS OF CARE THAT FOCUS ON A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH. hese new healing environments, along with new technology to improve the quality and safety of care, are helping the hospitals of Community Healthcare System better meet lifelong needs of patients. Community Hospital in Munster, St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago and St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart looked to their patients, staff and physicians to design these new facilities and models of care. “These investments are important to the well-being of the patients we serve, the growth of the local economy and the future of Community Healthcare System,” said John Gorski, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer of Community Healthcare System. “With each new project, our physicians and healthcare professionals are able to provide better outcomes and improve care through the latest technologies and treatments.” These efforts to improve patient care have not gone unnoticed. Community Healthcare System has been recognized by Thomson Reuters, as one of the top performing health systems in the nation. It is the only healthcare system in Northwest Indiana ranked in the top 50 for quality and efﬁciency of healthcare.

TUNING INTO SAFETY AND COMFORT Improving patient care and safety has changed lab processes to include the use of bar code technology – similar to the technology used to track overnight packages - to safeguard surgical specimens. The True Positive ID Tracking System® provides a reliable and efficient way for every single tissue cassette and slide to be permanently identified by a bar code, from check-in through log-out. This eliminates the possibility of a patient’s tissue sample being mixed up with another patient’s tissue sample and helps the pathologist provide a more accurate diagnosis. Community Healthcare System’s Laboratory is one of a handful in the nation to use this technology. To create a more healing, calming environment and reduce what can be an anxious, high-stress situation, the hospitals have looked at ways to improve and bring new efficiencies to emergency care. Community Hospital has recently completed a redesign of its Emergency Department, featuring some of the most advanced technology with new comforts and privacy for patients and their family members. St. Mary Medical Center’s Emergency Department is about to undergo a significant expansion and renovation this year. Both facility designs feature rooms that are divided

by walls that can be closed off for privacy by glass doors and curtains, reducing noise and making it a quieter, less stressful environment. The new design efficiencies also enable staff to more quickly and assess patients and deliver quality treatment. The Emergency Department at St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago has undergone remodeling and construction to include a new immediate care facility called the Med-Clinic. The Med-Clinic treats patients 18 months and older with nonemergency conditions such as Above: a cold, flu or upper respiratory St. Catherine Hospital ailments, and, to keep patients radiology healthy, also offers health department with digital screenings, and vaccinations. mammography The clinic also provides technology screening for underlying Left: Private mental health conditions that patient rooms frequently compel people at Community Hosptial. to seek treatment in the emergency room. Patients are seen on a walk-in basis seven days a week. Providing patients with more privacy, greater accessibility and convenience of service are the reasons the hospitals continue to grow. Community Hospital has completed two expansion projects – of the Family Birthing Center and on the West Pavilion’s fifth and sixth floors – to add private patient suites. The new private rooms let patients feel more like they are at home, make family members more comfortable. St. Catherine Hospital has undergone extensive renovations to its imaging services, adding full-field digital mammography with same-day results and state-of-the-art MRI technology. Advanced imaging is also part of a new 5,365 square-foot-addition at St. Mary Medical Center that provides comfort, convenience and ease of access to patients. Advancements in technology and the ability to perform additional procedures through minimally-invasive means has prompted St. Mary Medical Center to expanded outpatient surgery services to include a new location at 7921 Grand Blvd. St. Mary Medical Center Outpatient Surgery at Lake Park serves as a satellite facility of the hospital’s main campus with four operating rooms, two

the developing community. New models of care being used in the hospitals’ orthopedic joint care programs are enhancing the patient experience. At the Joint Academies of St. Mary Medical Center and St. Catherine Hospital, patients beneﬁt from advanced education, inpatient group therapy, preparation for rehabilitation and returning to daily activities. When the patient knows what to expect, every step of the way – before, during and after the procedure – it helps to ensure the best possible experience and result. Community Healthcare System’s ongoing commitment and dedication to new projects, advanced technologies, and the creation of a more healing, nurturing environment is just part of this patient-focused care experience. The hospitals embarked on a journey to further connect with patient priorities and achieve service excellence, aiming to make healthcare better for the people of the community and better for the physicians and employees who practice/work at the hospitals. Notable, consistent progress has been demonstrated over the past three years, at all three hospitals to improve inpatient satisfaction scores; lower employee turnover rates, and achieve higher

WITH EACH NEW PROJECT, OUR PHYSICIANS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE BETTER OUTCOMES AND IMPROVE CARE THROUGH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES AND TREATMENTS.

surgical procedure rooms, a recovery suite and comfortable family waiting area. The center offers patients the same high quality surgical care and technology available in the hospital, but in a convenient, comfortable ambulatory setting. St. Mary Medical Center has also added a second, convenient outpatient center and occupational health location in Portage – Portage Health Center, 3545 Arbors Street –to better meet the growing healthcare needs of

quality and operational goals. To recognize this accomplishment, Community Healthcare System has been presented with the Fire Starter award for operational excellence by the Studer Group®. This distinction is awarded to healthcare organizations that demonstrate marked improvements in patient satisfaction, employee workplace experience, and, reinvestment into their respective communities.

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DIVERSITY

THE TIMES

HIGHER EDUCATION

A new focus on diversity Region leaders want to start a dialogue BY OLGA BRISENO olga.briseno@nwi.com, (219) 933-3396

Symbolically — since the election of President Barack Obama — the issue of diversity has leaped forward. “It has been like a watershed,” said J. Allen Johnson of the Institute of Culture and Environmental Understanding. He pointed to the human rights council in Valparaiso, the observances of Martin Luther King Day and other efforts in the region and in the country. “Our institute is doing everything it can to bring people together to function together,” he said. “We cannot address the issues facing the planet until we can address the issues facing ourselves.” Johnson and others in the region have a refreshed attitude toward diversity since Obama took office a year ago. EXAMPLES OF CHANGE In recent months an immigration center was established at St. Mary’s Church in East Chicago to work with the undocumented. Subsequently, a community group formed to look at proposed national immigration reform. “A lot of people are waiting for an opportunity to solidify their status,” said Raquel Castro, program manager for REACH/Alcance. “We can look forward as a community because once (the undocumented) are legal, they could obtain a higher quality of health care and a better quality of life.” More minorities have immediate access to Medicaid in the past year, Castro said. “Obama talked about increasing services,” she said. “I’m not saying because of Obama, but his message reached the state and a bill passed. Now more clients requiring prenatal care can come in as soon as they know they are pregnant.” Undocumented residents, at the this time, don’t qualify and have access to health care, she said. Population and school numbers have increased in terms of diversity, making the 2010 census and its effort to reach nonresidents important. The number of minorities, especially Hispanic students, increased in schools throughout Lake and Porter counties in recent years. In 2007, the total Hispanic population in Indiana was 302,000, ranking the state 22nd in the country. Lake County had a Hispanic population of 70,457 compared to 59,128 in 2000. Similarly, Porter County had a Hispanic population of 10,492 in 2007 compared to 7,079 in 2000. The School Town of Munster is becoming increasingly diverse with 11 percent (468) who are Hispanic, 7 percent (309) Asian, 5 percent (201) multiracial and 5 percent (198) black. The total minority population in Munster is 27.3 percent, above the state average of 24.9 percent for the 2008-09 school year. It has been climbing steadily each year. In the past dozen years, Merrillville Community School Corp. has gone from a majority white population of students to a majority black, with a heavy influx of Hispanics. “The kids are great here on how they relate to each other,” said Danny Lackey, director of diversity for Merrillville schools. “Walk into our lunchrooms anytime, and you will not see tables of just black or white students.” Lackey said there is no racial graffiti in the bathrooms, no student conflicts over race and the parents “are following suit.” Attending racially mixed schools and living in diverse communities is an asset for young people, he said. “We are better off for it,” he said. “We are part of a global society that is shrinking. How can we be comfortable with that if you can’t even talk to your neighbor and to value differences?” A member of the Northwest Indiana Race Relations Council as well, Lackey finds that stereotypes in education are based on misinformation. See DIVERSITY on Page AA23

PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

NATALIE BATTAGLIA | THE TIMES

Gautam Agarwal, left, a Purdue University Calumet School of Technology graduate student, gives a brief overview of the university’s new mechatronics engineering technology program to U.S. Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., recently. Students can learn design, control and the integration of packaging machinery systems from hands-on experience in the mechatronics laboratory.

Tight economy translates into increased enrollment Region colleges look for different ways to educate students

More than 800 Indiana University Northwest graduates file into the Genesis Center in Gary during a recent commencement. Like many schools across the nation, IUN is seeing an increase in enrollment at the same time as state funds for higher education are being reduced.

BY CARMEN MCCOLLUM carmen.mccollum@nwi.com, (219) 662-5337

Indiana University Northwest Chancellor Bruce Bergland said the local campus mirrors the state university in seeing record enrollment. “The fact that our enrollment has increased so dramatically is a boon in that our tuition revenue is much higher than we had projected it to be,” he said. “As a result, the difficulties that are brought on by reductions in state appropriations are to some degree mitigated.” Even as Indiana colleges and universities are seeing increased enrollment, they continue to wrestle with budget cuts. In December, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels announced he was cutting $150 million from the state’s colleges and universities. “The most recent cuts to the budget will cost us in the neighborhood of $1.4 million,” Bergland said. Anticipating difficult times, Indiana University campuswide reduced its travel fund significantly and did not fill some vacant positions, reducing the budget by approximately 15 percent, Bergland said. Purdue University Calumet had to reduce 4.2 percent or about $1.2 million from the current budget after the biennial budget, passed by the Legislature last year, was approved by the governor. Purdue Calumet Chancellor Howard Cohen said cuts included reducing staff travel, research funding, student workers, parttime workers and some computer system and library support. Cohen said the state reallocated that money back to the school with $1.2 million in stimulus money. Purdue Calumet’s share of the higher education cut Daniels ordered in December amounts to $3.7 million. Still, on the positive side, Cohen said the enrollment growth, particularly in graduate programs, is good. He said the graduate programs have higher tuition, which has boosted revenue. “We’ve also had tremendous growth in grants,” he said. Cohen cited a $5 million gift from the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation and the Bruce and Beth White Family Foundation to grow and enhance Purdue Calumet’s hospitality and tourism management program. “We’re launching a distance education program for nursing, and we started a program in mechatronics engineering technology (relating to the packaging industry) in the School of Technology,” he said, adding that industry donated nearly

JOHN LUKE | THE TIMES

$600,000 worth of equipment to support that program. Stephen Turner, interim vice chancellor for administration at the Purdue North Central campus in Westville, said the campus is taking a similar approach to what Purdue Calumet is doing by setting aside all noncritical renovation and reviewing hiring and vacancies. Indiana Higher Education Commissioner Teresa Lubbers noted a tight economy sends people back to school to improve their skills. “In the last 20 years, the number of Hoosiers who go on to college has doubled,” she said. “We’ll be focusing on college completion. Part of the reason some people don’t complete college is that they are not adequately prepared. We’ll be partnering with our K-12 institutions to make sure that all students are prepared for college.” She said a higher education strategic plan will address college affordability to make it possible for first-generation and underrepresented populations to improve their ability to go to college. Ivy Tech Community College, which has more than 120,000 students across the state, has long said it is one of the most affordable institutions to attend. Guadalupe Valtierra, chancellor for the Northwest campuses, said the cuts in

higher education have forced the college to re-examine what it has been doing and to improve its efficiencies. “We’ve had to increase our student seat count from 15 students to 20 to 25 students per class, making better use of capacity,” he said. Although private institutions are not directly affected by state budget cuts, they are impacted through state financial aid programs offered to students. Historically, Indiana has been one of the states which is most generous to college-bound students, said Dan Lowery, vice president of academic affairs at Calumet College of St. Joseph. Valparaiso University President Mark Heckler said another issue that affects private colleges and universities is when philanthropy drops off. He said that coupled with a downturn in the economy puts great pressure on private institutions, but was cautiously optimistic about VU’s future. “For a university like Valparaiso, we know that as we go forward, we will have to have very generous alumni and friends. High-quality institutions will continue to see growth in investments and philanthropy but we need to re-think our approach to tuition, and ways to slow down our need to increase tuition,” Heckler said.

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010 | PAGE AA7

Partnering to build strong communities GROWING BUSINESS IN NORTHWEST INDIANA arketing Northern Indiana as the ideal place to locate and grow a business involves a team effort. During a time of economic challenge, this cooperative focus on attracting and retaining strong companies and good-paying jobs remains a key to regional recovery. NIPSCO is part of this vital partnership between economic development agencies, municipalities, developers, and corporations, investing over $1 million each year in economic development initiatives. “We work hard to maintain excellent relationships with all our municipalities, the Northwest Indiana Forum, local economic development organizations and the State of Indiana,” says Don Babcock, director of NIPSCO’s economic development. “Understanding a community’s strengths and partnering with them is important in this process. It is also important to understand the type of business they want to attract and where they want development to occur.” Yet, managing resources during all types of economic conditions is also an important role for the utility company. Many businesses, including NIPSCO, have been impacted by the economic downturn. Despite a decline of over 20 percent in industrial sales and corporate cost-cutting measures, NIPSCO remains committed to the economic development of Northern Indiana, Babcock says. “We work closely with industrial park developers and the Port of Indiana to market sites,” he says. “For example, our economic development staff led a team of northern Indiana leaders in marketing Indiana at six different conferences in the Chicagoland area in 2009. Our community team creates a significant Indiana presence at these conferences to attract more investors to Northwest Indiana. We focus on the Region’s strengths and closing deals.” NIPSCO also partners with the State of Indiana, which has helped create a climate for businesses to thrive, Babcock says. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation is the state’s lead economic development agency, and oversees statewide business attraction and development efforts. The IEDC, of which NIPSCO is a key member, also oversees state programs and incentives for companies looking to grow in Indiana, and provides technical assistance, business expertise, and funding to Indiana entrepreneurs and high-tech start-ups. The agency is led by Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Chief Executive Officer E. Mitchell Roob Jr. and governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mitch Daniels. “Indiana’s advertising campaign ‘Come on IN’ is attracting attention in surrounding states and NIPSCO was very pleased to be a major funder of this campaign touting lower taxes, business, and housing costs.” says Babcock. “We can be proud of our state’s success in creating a better ‘sandbox for development’ than our neighboring states. Efficient, well-run government is a big selling point to business.” Leadership and good fiscal policy has made Indiana one of the very few across the nation operating in the black. In addition to being “business-friendly,” Northwest Indiana has a great quality of life, with miles of sandy beaches on Lake Michigan,

NIPSCO is a major funder of the “Come on IN” campaign in the state.

winding trails in the dunes, great neighborhoods, and a full range of quality homes at very competitive prices. Northwest Indiana’s biggest industry, steel, continues to be a major part of the region’s economy. “Two major international steel companies are located here and 25 percent of the nation’s steel is still produced here. The difference is today the work is done with 50,000 fewer employees,” he says. “Our efforts are to ﬁll that employment gap with high-paying jobs,” Babcock says. “We’re also working to diversify our economy.” Among those industries being courted are food processors, high-tech manufacturers, datacenters and distribution companies. One of the area’s strongest selling points is its workforce, he adds. “We know how to make things better than anywhere else in the world and we have a good work ethic. Our local universities and technical schools produce a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting complex manufacturing and quality construction.” Another factor affecting economic development is the cost and availability of utilities. “Energy infrastructure and reliable service are among the assets businesses look for, in addition to roads, rail lines, water, and available sites,” he says. “The cost of power and natural gas enters into a company’s decision to locate in Northwest Indiana. Not only do NIPSCO customers have the lowest natural gas costs in Indiana, but they are among the lowest in the country, according to a recent American Gas Association survey. And, the price customers pay for electricity is roughly ﬁve percent below the national average.” Among those industrial sites and business parks that offer turnkey facilities and room to build are Lake County’s Ameriplex at the Crossroads in Merrillville and NorthWind Crossings Business Park in Hobart, and the Port of Indiana and Ameriplex at the Port, both in Portage. “We are fortunate to have these high quality major complexes,” Babcock says.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE n addition to its major economic development work, NIPSCO helps make a difference in Northwest Indiana by investing in local communities, which enhance the overall quality of life. In the past ﬁve years, NIPSCO has contributed more than $6 million to over 600 organizations in the utility company’s seven-county area. The arts, culture, the environment, programs for children, and human needs organizations have

I As a result of local growth, NIPSCO crews began constructing a new 138KV electric substation for Praxair’s East Chicago facility last fall. The project is expected to be completed later this year.

all beneﬁted from these charitable donations. “NIPSCO has long been a supporter of the NWI Symphony, local United Way, the area’s Boys and Girls Clubs, Leadership Northwest Indiana, the Lakefront Arts Festival, the Shirley Heinz Fund, Gary Air Show and many others,” Babcock says. The company also supports major events that are important to the Region, such as the Black Expo and the Hispanic Leadership Conference. “These contributions are part of our corporate culture. They are an investment in our area and in its people,” Babcock says. “In addition, our employees donate countless hours volunteering for a variety of local causes.” As a corporate citizen of Northwest Indiana, NIPSCO is ﬁrmly committed to strengthening and growing the region through economic development, the creation of jobs, and through charitable contributions of time and funds. These investments will help create a sustainable future for the region and our children.

For More Information: Northern Indiana Public Service Company 801 E. 86th Avenue // Merrillville, IN // 46410 www.nipsco.com

community’s

Understanding a strengths and partnering to with them is important in this process. It is also understand the type of business they want to attract and where they want to occur. Don Babcock, director of NIPSCO’s economic development

“

development

”

important

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NORTHWEST INDIANA PAGE AA8 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

THE TIMES

There’s no business school like an AACSB business school. Indiana University Northwest offers the only public business program in Northwest Indiana accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. This prestigious accrediting organization, established in 1916, evaluates collegiate business programs according to 21 rigorous standards that represent an unparalleled benchmark of quality in business education. In January 2010, AACSB reaffirmed IU Northwest’s accreditation for an additional six years. AACSB officials cited the business school’s strong academic programs, effective assessment practices, and implementation of continuous-improvement strategies, as the basis for that reaffirmation.

In particular, AACSB Board of Directors Chair Howard Thomas cited the following elements as key to the School’s maintenance of accreditation: “The School of Business and Economics has developed a comprehensive and effective assurance-of-learning program, which measures student attainment of learning goals and skills. Faculty members demonstrate a genuine commitment to assurance of learning, which bodes well for continuous improvement in its curriculum and enhanced learning goals and skills.” “The Assessment Center has implemented a highly effective program of career development exercises within the Career Perspectives and Business Career Planning and Placement courses. These courses assist undergraduate students to clarify their career goals and interests and develop skills required to access and embark on fulltime employment.” “Faculty should be commended on the high level of scholarly activities and intellectual contributions they have made over the past five years, particularly in the area of referred journal articles. In addition, the team found abundant evidence that faculty members are accomplished classroom teachers who work closely with students outside of class.” The IU Northwest School of Business and Economics offers an undergraduate degree in business with concentrations in business administration and accounting/ financial information systems. Graduate students may choose to earn a PostBaccalaureate Certificate in Accounting or enroll in the MBA for Professionals program, which offers both evening and weekend options for busy professionals who wish to balance their education with work and home life. The School also offers management-consulting services to area employers through its Center for Management Development, and its award-winning Center for Economic Education helps instruct area K-12 teachers in methods for teaching age-appropriate personal-finance lessons to their students.

Wall Street on Broadway Digital Board

Innovative learning programs like the Wall Street on Broadway Trading Floor, which is Northwest Indiana’s only fully simulated stock-trading program, and the Assessment Center, which offers students evaluation and guidance on practical workplace skills, are representative of the kind of hands-on learning that takes place in the School. In 2009, students who enrolled in the first-ever Student-Managed Investment Class at IU Northwest were able to help manage an actual portfolio valued at $50,000. And their investment decisions turned a profit! Business classes at IU Northwest are taught by Ph.D. professors who regularly publish acclaimed research in highly respected marketing, finance, economics, and management publications. Small class sizes ensure that students receive personalized instruction. And service-learning projects like the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program help students apply their knowledge to real-life business issues. At the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics, students, faculty and staff work hard in a challenging and rewarding academic setting. Yet, the business school also makes a valuable contribution to the social life of the campus, sponsoring such events as a free barbecue for students and the annual Asia Day Celebration each fall. Each spring, the School of Business and Economics, in conjunction with the IU Northwest Business Alliance, hosts the Business Speaker Series Luncheon, which features notable business personalities or other public figures. Its innovative approach to business education, combined with a consistent focus on student assessment and achievement, has allowed the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics to remain among the upper echelon of business schools in the world while serving the students and employers of Northwest Indiana. “The School and its faculty are very proud to be the only public institution in Northwest Indiana to earn this prestigious business-school accreditation,” said Anna Rominger, J.D., dean of the School of Business and Economics. “This gives local students the option of attending an affordable business school which has the highest level of accreditation and which is close to home. Graduation from an AACSB business school provides students with excellent credentials for job opportunities and career advancement.” AACSB International is a not-for-profit corporation of educational institutions, corporations and other organizations devoted to the promotion and improvement of higher education in business administration and accounting. Accreditation by AACSB places the IU Northwest School of Business and Economics in the company of the world’s most respected business schools. Accreditation is a process of rigorous internal review, evaluation, and adjustment that can take several years to complete. During that time, the school develops and implements a plan to meet the 21 AACSB standards requiring a high-quality teaching environment, a commitment to continuous improvement, and curricula responsive to the needs of business.

For more information on the

IU Northwest School of Business and Economics Visit the web at

www.iun.edu/~busnw/ Call (219) 980-6552

“It takes a great deal of commitment and determination to earn AACSB accreditation,” said Jerry Trapnell, executive vice president and chief accreditation ofﬁcer of AACSB International. “Schools must not only meet speciﬁc standards of excellence, but their deans, faculties and staffs must make a commitment to ongoing improvement to ensure that the institution will continue to deliver high-quality education to students.”

IU Northwest Chancellor Bruce Bergland described the reaffirmation of the business school’s AACSB accreditation as further proof of the university’s commitment to the field of business and economics as one of its focus areas of excellence. “In terms of student achievement and assessment, faculty research, and the overall structure and value of its academic programs, the School of Business and Economics continues to set a very high standard for business education in Northwest Indiana,” Bergland said. “The business sector is vital to Northwest Indiana’s future growth and quality of life, and IU Northwest is proud to contribute so many superbly qualified graduates to its business workforce. I congratulate Dean Anna Rominger and her many accomplished faculty and dedicated staff members who continue to meet the exacting accreditation standards of the AACSB.”

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CONSTRUCTION

COMMUNITY

OFFERING HOPE IN NEW PROJECTS

Region digs deep to deliver to charity

Many plans expected to develop this year

Residents eager to share with the less fortunate

BY BOWDEYA TWEH bowdeya.tweh@nwi.com, (219) 933-3316

Construction across many sectors hit a wall last year and it might take a while to shake off the effects from slumping economic conditions. But, the best way to shake off a bad year is to start a new one. And with a bevy of projects either slated to break ground or be developed in 2010, it could provide a boost to a sector in the region that deeply needs growth. Dewey Pearman, executive director of the Portage-based Construction Advancement Foundation, said industrial construction projects will be one of the bright spots in the sector this year. BP, U.S. Steel and ArcelorMittal are investing money in their facilities to upgrade processes and equipment, and region craftsmen will be tapped to handle some of the work, he said. “In Northwest Indiana, that can be a very large part of the market,” said Pearman, whose organization represents the interests of about 400 general and specialty contractors. “It’s something the public tends not to be aware of. Some of that traffic is inside of mill gates.” Pearman said public support is needed to drive large-scale, long-term projects. The largest industrial project is the $3.8 billion Operation Canadian Crude modernization effort at the BP Whiting Refinery. Pearman said he believes BP is planning to ramp up intense maintenance and construction work on the project this year, and a few thousands workers could be employed at any time. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2012 to increase its refining capacity of crude oil from Alberta, Canada. Randy Palmateer, business manager for the Northwestern Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council in Hammond, said it wouldn’t take much to have a better year than 2009. But he said careful planning is needed to move projects from the drawing board. Hope and planning are needed for the condemned Cline Avenue bridge spanning the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal.

BY MARGE KULLERSTRAND margaret.kullerstrand@nwi.com, (219) 933-3244

JOHN J. WATKINS | THE TIMES

Randy Palmateer, business manager for the Northwest Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council in Hammond, views the Roofers and Waterproofers Union training area. The bridge was closed late last year amid safety concerns, and the state hasn’t released a plan for what will happen with the 1.25-mile span. “We know it’s not ‘boots on the ground’ work this year, but this year is critical to get a plan in place,” Palmateer said. He said another road project with potential impact in the region is the Illiana Expressway, which would connect southern Lake County to an Illinois expressway. Stimulus money was touted early last year as a potential saving grace in the industry, but Palmateer said the effect on region construction employment was minimal in 2009. This year, however, the city of Gary is slated to receive money for demolition work and the Indiana Department of Transportation and other entities are expected to get federal funds for projects, Palmateer said. Talk of a second stimulus package could prove beneficial for the industry if it comes to fruition. Other projects include Porter Health System expecting to break ground this year on a site near Ind. 49 and U.S. 6 in unincorporated Porter County for a new 430,000-square-foot hospital. If annexation issues are resolved, Palmateer said, workers may benefit from construction

of Evansville-based Powers Energy’s waste-to-ethanol plant in Schneider. Construction on sports facilities in Crown Point and Hobart also provide hope for the sector this year. The residential construction market is primed for a rebound this year as well, said Nick Georgiou, manager of G&K Development in St. John. “I strongly believe you’ll see an uptick in (demand for) all price ranges,” Georgiou said. After receiving one inquiry to build a new home all of last year, he said the business already had received three proposals by late January. Other signs of life for residential are that G&K and others are able to sell their excess inventory, Georgiou said. Also boosting new residential construction and existing home sales in the region are the renewal and expansion of the first-time homebuyer’s tax credit and lower interest rates, he said. BELOW: Porter Health System’s planned hospital on U.S. 6 in Liberty Township, shown in a rendering, is a project scheduled to break ground this year that could boost construction worker employment in the area. JON L. HENDRICKS | THE TIMES

In Northwest Indiana if you see women in formals and men in tuxes and it’s not a wedding, the odds are they are attending one of the many fundraising galas to support a nonprofit in our area. The region has a reputation for its generosity. No matter how dark things seem economically, the community takes care of its neighbors. And the local nonprofits rely heavily on this generosity. Even in a good year it is a struggle for organizations like Campagna Academy and Hospice of the Calumet Area to raise the funds needed to assist residents at the start and the end of their lives. Organizations like Nazareth Home, the foster home in East Chicago which provides 24-hour care to medically compromised children, receives a stipend from the government. But as any foster parent will tell you, it’s not enough. The region has services such as the Crisis Center in Gary, which provides everything from a 24-hour suicide hot line to a temporary shelter for children in trouble. In Valparaiso, The Caring Place provides shelter and safety for both men and women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. It also provides a women’s recovery program and more regardless of ability to pay. Although corporate donations were down, somehow individuals still dug deep to share what they had with those less fortunate. Campagna Academy has undergone many changes over the years since the Rev. Michael Campagna started Hoosier Boys’ Town in Schererville in 1944. It evolved from a home for delinquent boys to an accredited charter school that has a campus housing both boys and girls. It also is a day campus for students who want to be educated in a secure and healthy environment. “No two words have created as much sentiment for Campagna as ‘thank you,’” Bruce D. Hillman, Campagna CEO, said. “During these difficult economic times, donors from all walks of life have found a way to continue to support Campagna’s mission of ‘Restoring Hope and Building Dreams’ for children, youth and families of our community. The academy is fortunate year-end giving has been on the upswing, he said, and most donors actually have increased their annual support. Hillman said that recent reductions in public funding are causing great concern within Indiana’s nonprofit sector. “We all are faced with the possibility that we will not have adequate resources See COMMUNITY on Page AA16

ENVIRONMENT

Northwest Indiana going green Energy efficiency helps region residents reduce their carbon footprint BY SARAH TOMPKINS sarah.tompkins@nwi.com, (219) 836-3780

Northwest Indiana businesses, cities and residents became green, energy-efficient machines in 2009 by instating wind turbines, solar panels, new technologies and environmental incentive programs. Tracy Hall, a photovoltaic solar panel instructor at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 696, taught more than 40 electricians how to install the solar panels through IBEW continuing education classes. At the end of the classes they installed panels on busiPARTNERS IN PROGRESS

nesses or homes in the region. Mike Knox, of Hobart, “Fossil fuels for energy are a finite left, and Jim Brooker, resource, and we’re running out,” Hall of Lowell, fit a solar said. “Do we want to wait until they’re panel onto a frame as all gone to find alternative sources of International energy?” Brotherhood of One of the beneficiaries of the free Electrical Workers labor was Merrillville Town Hall. Between laborers install an $3,000 and $4,000 in materials and supenergy-efficient system plies were donated for the panels’ instalat Merrillville Town lation, Hall said. Hall last spring. Thirty solar panels were installed last spring at Town Hall, aided by a state govTONY V. MARTIN | ernment grant of more than $20,000. To THE TIMES date, the green energy has saved almost 9,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air and saved the town almost $600. Natural gas customers also saved “The project was primarily a project to Howard Fink, Merrillville town administrator, said the project demonstrated the educate the region on the value of renew- money and helped the environment advantages of renewable energy in the able energy and renewable energy systems and how important they are,” Fink said. region and cost taxpayers nothing. See ENVIRONMENT on Page AA15

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NORTHWEST INDIANA PAGE AA10 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

THE TIMES

Diners enjoy spectacular sunsets and succulent dishes on Cedar Lake.

edar Lake is now home to the Lighthouse: a heralded steak and seafood restaurant nestled on the edge of Cedar Lake. The Lighthouse is a dream of Dean White, a Crown Point local, who has fond memories of the area. White vacationed in Cedar Lake, while based in Nebraska, for years since the 1930s. Cedar Lake was a blossoming resort town then, and it began to take off when steel mill workers purchased houses along the lake. Cedar Lake was home to a long-time restaurant called Tobes Steak House, which closed after fifty years in business. White wanted to have fun by bringing a restaurant back to the same plot of land. He hired Phil Holub as general manager and Ken McRae as executive chef, and the Lighthouse opened in April of 2009. “We knew we were going to be a destination restaurant,” says Holub. “No one really drives by the Lighthouse and says let’s try that out. People plan to come here. Tobes had a tremendous reputation and people knew of it, and we really wanted to give them a dining experience that would bring them back time

Ken McRae, a Seattle, Washington native, is passionate about steak and seafood. He’s been in the kitchens since the age of 13 and apprenticed with great chefs throughout the country. McRae had never been to Indiana before he agreed to become the Lighthouse’s executive chef. He spent months touring the Region to discover what people from Northwest Indiana loved to eat. His mission is to spin their favorites with his signature style. Q: What did you discover about Northwest Indiana palates? A: People love yellow lake perch. I came here from Minnesota, and you’d be hard-pressed to find that there. It’s so delicious. Q: How would you describe the menu? A: We’re considered a steakhouse, but we are pretty well rounded. Our steaks are served on 500-degree platters so the last bite is as hot as the first bite. We also serve pasta, seafood and salads. I’m passionate about seafood, and we try to do specials every day from fresh fish available. We are very consistent with our food quality. In the restaurant industry it’s known that Sunday is one of the worst days because the best chefs are off that

and time again. We truly offer a value. Many places will try to coupon and discount their way to value, but we do that through [food] consistency and service standards. To get the same experience as the Lighthouse, you’d have to go to Chicago.” Although the restaurant has been open for less than a year, the food and experience has created a buzz, and vacationers, locals and Chicagoans flock in to see what the fuss is all about. The Lighthouse proved to be so popular that the building had to be expanded immediately from 180 seats to 240. And in the spring, waiting for a table will be a pleasurable experience. Adirondack chairs grouped around outdoor fireplaces flanking brickpaved walkways will beckon guests to sit and enjoy drinks and the view while they wait. “No one wants to be corralled in a holding pen

day. That’s not the case here. The food will be the same whether it’s Monday, Saturday or Sunday. And our price point is very good for the quality of food we are serving. Q: What have been the challenges? A: Being so far out, it was difficult to find talented chefs. Most experienced people were gravitating to Chicago, but the more known we are, the more people seek us out to work here. Q: What do you like best about working at the Lighthouse? A: It’s so beautiful. In the morning the sun comes in, and there’s such a great view. I can’t believe this is my office!

while waiting for a table,” says Holub. “So we wanted to provide a welcoming area.”

BEAUTY BY DESIGN The restaurant’s friendly yellow clapboard nautical exterior and round lighthouse-style turret fits perfectly in the natural surroundings. The windows face west by design. “Dining while looking out at a beautiful lake is much preferable than looking out at a highway,” says Holub. “People love to come to see the sunset, from inside the restaurant and out on the patio.” The nautical feel is carried into the bar area. A beautiful old 1960 Chris Craft Century Resorter called C’est La Vie was restored and rebuilt as the bar. The runabout’s stern is now the hostess stand. Upstairs is the banquet facility. Whether for a wedding, corporate event or a party, the venue has ample space for 200 people. Guests can dance in the lighthouse section while taking in the beautiful panoramic view of Cedar Lake. The esthetics and ambiance of the Lighthouse are soothing, pleasing. Whether it’s a sunny summer day or a snowy winter day, the lake is beautiful and the food is wonderful. “This place just reaches out and touches people,” says Holub. “People have fond memories of being on a lake, and we’re happy to give them more.”

A SAMPLING FROM THE MENU The Lighthouse specializes in steak and seafood with daily special features. Appetizers include crab cakes, shrimp cocktail and calamari. 10 oz. Filet Mignon 14 oz. Rib-eye steak 12 oz. Top Sirloin All steaks are seasoned and prepared in high temp broilers for optimum ﬂavor and served sizzling at the table. New Zealand rack of lamb marinated with garlic, rosemary, and olive oil. Served with lamb au jus. BBQ pork ribs slowly cooked and basted with homemade barbeque sauce served with a signature coleslaw. Fresh Atlantic salmon, lightly seasoned and grilled. Chilean Sea Bass, brandy garlic crusted and pan seared. Yellow lake perch, lightly breaded and ﬂash fried. $5 bottles of wine from Monday to Thursday.

More for your Money Monday: $5 bottles of wine include White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pino Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet. Also, $4 martinis. Try the Bottomless Lake Perch with French fries and coleslaw for $18, or the Endless Barbeque Ribs with French fries and coleslaw for $23. Reservations are suggested, particularly on the busy weekends.

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GOVERNMENT

Tightening budget belts Consolidation helps municipalities move to overcome their fiscal constraints BY MARISA KWIATKOWSKI marisa.kwiatkowski@nwi.com, (219) 662-5333

Region officials continued to make the most of a shrinking pool of tax dollars last year. A 2008 law — which will cap property tax bills at 1 percent of assessed value for homeowners, 2 percent for rental properties and 3 percent for businesses when it is fully imposed — limited local governments’ budgets. Recent estimates by the Legislative Services Agency, a nonpartisan forecasting arm, project local Lake County governments will lose a combined $125.5 million this year alone. But schools will receive about $11.3 million in replacement grant money to offset the tax caps. Porter County is projected to lose an additional $3.5 million this year, data shows. Porter County schools will receive about $212,700 in additional funds to offset the caps. Karen Lauerman, director of marketing and communications for the Northwest Indiana Forum, said it is more important than ever for local governments push economic development. The Forum is a nonprofit regional and economic development membership organization serving Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Starke counties. Lauerman said a bill passed in 2009 that lets communities make their own decisions about providing tax exemptions for technology-based businesses will help Northwest Indiana compete with Illinois for those lucrative jobs. She urged public officials to take advantage of the new law. “A little give in the front of a project to

entice businesses does pay off in the long run with investment, revenues for state and local government and jobs,” Lauerman said. Public officials are also becoming even more creative with the funds they have. Kenneth Murray, of Management Partners Inc., said consolidating or sharing services — including police, fire or public works — is part of a nationwide trend. “If you have a good procedure and good working relationship you can, in fact, save a lot of money and maintain a high level of services or even increase the level of services,” Murray said. Northwest Indiana municipalities already have joined to reduce certain expenses. Some buy water, salt, asphalt and concrete together. Others share park programs and emergency resources. For several years, municipalities have been working together on the Marquette Plan. The plan seeks to recapture at least 75 percent of the Lake Michigan shoreline, from Whiting to Portage, to create an area for public use similar to the one adjacent to Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive. Crown Point and Merrillville officials are negotiating an agreement in which Merrillville will plow and pave 93rd Avenue and Crown Point will maintain the median. Crown Point also has agreed to pay to keep 93rd Avenue’s streetlights on to help alleviate Merrillville’s financial situation and to benefit the Crown Point residents who live along 93rd Avenue. The agreement is waiting on the addition of a time limit for how long Crown Point will pay for the lights. Both Portage and Hebron axed their local 911 dispatch centers in 2009, opting to let the Porter County Sheriff’s Department handle call dispatching. Hebron Clerk-Treasurer Terri Waywood said the town will save about $60,000 by consolidating its dispatch services. Portage Mayor Olga Velazquez esti-

Crown Point and Merrillville are trying to finalize an agreement to share some maintenance expenses along 93rd Avenue, which borders the two municipalities. Crown Point would pay for the streetlight bill, and Merrillville would plow and pave the street. JOHN LUKE | THE TIMES

WHAT’S THE IMPACT OF 911 DISPATCH CENTER CONSOLIDATION IN PORTER CO.? Hebron might save about $60,000 Portage estimates savings about $500,000 mated the city would save around $500,000 by eliminating eight positions. Cost savings could be even greater, depending on employee medical claims in that year, she added. In Hammond, the city’s own court increased fees and decreased personnel in September to stay afloat for at least one more year. Hammond also relinquished its bus operations to the Northwest Indiana Regional Bus Authority as of Jan. 1. Tim Brown, executive director of the RBA, said he’d like to combine Hammond’s operations with those of East Chicago and Gary into one bus system — regardless if it is run by his agency. He said consolidating the bus agencies could eliminate municipal boundaries and standardize fare structures. But there are some glitches. East Chicago’s service is municipally run and free. Gary’s bus service is run by the Gary Public Transportation Corp. with a mix of property tax dollars, and state and federal funds, Brown said.

He said he’d like to focus on northern Lake County consolidation before, ultimately, combining the systems in Lake and Porter counties. “When your tax revenues are being squeezed and you need to decide between a police officer and a bus driver, which one do you think is going to take precedence?” Brown asked. “... We need to stop the drain on resources and leverage what we can to get the federal and state dollars to keep transit running. “I’m hopeful in 2010 we can continue discussions,” he added. Management Partners’ Murray cautioned officials against consolidating all services. “While, on the surface, regional service sharing makes a lot of sense, there are certain times when it really doesn’t,” Murray said. “Figure out which ones work and which ones don’t.” The Indiana Association of Cities and Towns is not pushing consolidation and service sharing for municipalities, but will assist any officials who are interested in it, IACT Communications Director Jennifer Simmons said. “We make it a decision by local units of government, not by us,” she said. “Each municipality is different. It may work for some, it may not work for others.”

HEALTH

Underinsured patients still served Hospitals, clinics offer various payment options amid recession woes BY SARAH TOMPKINS sarah.tompkins@nwi.com

Local health care establishments reached out to help people get the medical treatment they needed last year, regardless of their ability to pay. About 820,000 Hoosiers were uninsured last year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, making it difficult for many to afford health care. From the start of 2009 to the end of the year, NorthShore Health Centers in Porter County saw a 59 percent increase in patients, said Jan Wilson, NorthShore CEO. “Many more people are out of work. Many, many more people are on unemployment or have less payments,” she said. “We don’t let anybody walk away who’s sick. We work it out somehow.” Wilson said the nonprofit health center made a community impact worth $8.5 million last year. NorthShore had about 75,000 visits in 2009. Wilson said the center works with patients on payment plans and offers large discounts on X-ray, lab work and other services. “Your bill could get up to a couple hundred dollars when you left,” Wilson said. “If you don’t have any money, we can slide it down to $20 ... as long as you show proof of income, we can work with you.” Porter hospital in Valparaiso gave more than $38.5 million in uncompensated care to those who could not pay in 2009. The hospital has agreements with HealthLinc and NorthShore Health Centers to absorb the cost of diagnostic testing uninsured patients received, and it also offers 20 percent discounts to self-pay patients. Porter offers financial counselors to help patients with alternate sources of funding, financial assistance or payment plans as well. Martha Kozub, manager and nurse PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

KYLE TELECHAN | THE TIMES

Catherine More, radiologic technologist at the Valparaiso Hoosier Healthcare Clinic, demonstrates the clinic’s on-site X-ray machine. practitioner at St. Margaret Mercy’s St. Catherine McAuley Clinic in Hammond, said the trend this past year changed to seeing more patients who were unemployed patients rather than part of the working poor. “It’s making a healthier community,” Kozub said of the free services and educational programs the clinic offers. This past year there was a 50 percent increase in patients, she said, and the clinic hired an additional nurse practitioner to help with the influx. Kozub said the clinic offers free mammograms for women in their 50s and a $4 prescription program. “There is a screening process prior to coming to the clinic,” Kozub said. “That is

why it takes a little longer for them to get in.” Methodist Hospitals expanded its financial advocates and staff to get more local, state and federal funding options for patients. In 2009 the hospital provided $82 million in uncompensated care, including deeply discounted medical treatment. Uninsured patients who pay in cash receive a 30 percent discount. They get an additional 20 percent discount if they pay the full bill in one payment. The hospital also offers free screenings several times a year. “Methodist Hospitals is deeply ingrained in the communities we serve,” said Ian McFadden, Methodist president

and CEO. “Since 1923 it’s been our mission to provide the highest quality of care to all of our patients regardless of their ability to pay.” In Crown Point, the St. Clare Health Clinic has grown so much that it is moving to a new building. The clinic is conducting a $4.5 million capital campaign to move operations to 1121 S. Indiana Ave. in Crown Point and expand from three to six exam rooms. The clinic had about 5,500 total visits last year. “With the new additional space, we hope to see both an increase in volunteer assistance and expanded services,” said Julie Mallers, manager and nurse practitioner at the clinic.

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THE TIMES

Center for Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC:

Dr. Bethany Cataldi’s Center for Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC was established in Northwest Indiana as a way to bring the region exceptional comprehensive ear, nose, and throat surgical physician services, as well as advanced facial plastic surgery and cosmetic surgery. In addition to treating disorders of the ear, nose, and throat, the center also provides comprehensive evaluations and diagnostic testing for sinus and vocal cord disorders.

r. Bethany A. Cataldi, D.O., surgeon and owner of the Center for Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC in Munster, Indiana is committed to providing exceptional care and service in treating her patients, and says that treating the whole person is critical to her high level of care. “My philosophy in treating a patient is that treatment should be directed at treating not only the disease or pathology but also any social, environmental, and familial factors that may affect the patient’s care. Consequently, I spend as much time as necessary with each patient in my practice. I do not delegate any patient care or treatment to my support staff or an ancillary practitioner,” says Cataldi. This level of care means the dedication and loyalty of her patients, who spread their satisfaction to other patients through referrals. “My practice has been able to sustain in great part due to the wonderful support of my patients and the generous support of my referring physicians. I am grateful that existing patients will refer friends or family who have ear, nose, or throat or cosmetic surgery needs to me. For individuals to direct other people they know to my ofﬁce with their conﬁdence that I will provide exceptional care for their patient, family member, or friend is very moving. It motivates me to strive to do my best at every opportunity to care for a patient. The growth in the Region has certainly allowed me the opportunity to be able to offer my services to more new residents in Northwest Indiana and, more importantly, to be able to treat those individuals who require an otolaryngologist’s care,” Cataldi says. The Center for Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC will continue to bring exceptional service and dedication to the community for years to come, investing in our region’s economy and technology. “We would certainly like to continue our growth and development, and I believe that growth accompanies exceptional patient care. So I plan on continuing on a path of delivering the best care that I can for my patients. Of course I will continue to integrate new technologies and techniques into my practice as they become available. However, how I treat my patients has not changed nor will it change simply because my practice has a larger patient base. I will always adhere to my long-standing principle that a patient’s condition and illness will determine how I will treat that individual and how much of my time will be dedicated to that treatment. The health and well being of each and every one of my patients is paramount, and I will devote as much time as necessary to treat each of my patients regardless of how many might be scheduled on a given day. Moreover, each patient should be assured they will be seen and diagnosed by me,” says Cataldi. But economic times are tough, and Dr. Cataldi says that she has witnessed its impact on individuals and families in Northwest Indiana. Her practice has seen a notable increase in the incidences of sinus diseases and of vocal cord and throat cancers that is attributable to patients’ heavy use of tobacco possibly due in part to the stresses brought about by the economy. Additionally, Dr. Cataldi warns others not to follow in the same path as some of her patients who come to her too late. She notes that there has been an increase in the number of patients with serious disorders of the ears, nose, or throat who have waited

CENTER FOR OTOLARYNGOLOGY AND FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY, LLC 9120 Columbia Ave., Suite A Munster, IN . 219-836-4820 www.indianaent.com

to see her or another physician, and in doing so have put themselves further at risk by delaying necessary diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, these patients who have chosen to wait in getting treatment frequently require more serious and oftentimes more invasive surgical procedures that might have been prevented had they been diagnosed and treated sooner. “It is critical that individuals with persistent coughing and/or hoarseness in their throat, or are experiencing sinus pain or having difﬁculty breathing or sleeping should consider being evaluated by an otolaryngologist. I advise my patients that prevention is a cornerstone to healthy living and that prevention includes seeing the proper physician at the ﬁrst sign of trouble,” Cataldi says.

Facial Plastic Surgery Above and Beyond Such a comprehensive approach to patient care also applies to the facial plastic surgery component of her practice as well. As a female facial, head & neck plastic surgeon, Dr. Cataldi is especially in tune with the issues of beauty and aesthetics requested by her patients. “When considering any mini face-lift or wrinkle reduction procedures, rather than speaking broadly to large groups of potential candidates in a seminar setting, I prefer to direct my attention to and evaluate what EACH individual needs in a private and open dialogue to address each patient’s specific and unique concerns. My experience has shown that an honest ‘one-to-one’ approach with patients is best when it comes to cosmetic procedures, and it is clearly evident in the results,” says Dr. Cataldi. It is with a dedication to helping these individuals and all others in need that Cataldi has focused her life upon the provision of her expert care. “I am committed to providing my services to the communities of Northwest Indiana to ensure that its residents are as healthy as possible. Consequently, my office provides ear, nose, and throat care to persons with AND without health insurance. I am aware of the issues faced by individuals and families without health insurance, and my office will try to work with patients to develop a mutually agreeable plan so that I am able to provide them with the care they will require. I am of the firm belief that a healthier patient equals a healthier Northwest Indiana, and as a surgeon in the specialty of Otolaryngology and Facial Plastic Surgery, I’d like to do my part to see that a healthy Northwest Indiana continues on its path of growth and progress for the years ahead. As a matter of fact, it’s my privilege to do so,” she says.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Heavy industry powers NWI through recession Region businesses poised for recovery BY KEITH BENMAN keith.benman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3326

The single-largest private investment ever in the state of Indiana continued to power forward during 2009 and will be ramping up in 2010 despite a deep national recession. The $3.8 billion expansion of the BP Whiting Refinery is still on track for completion in 2012, according to BP officials. “It’s such a tough economy, and it’s a huge sign and commitment to stay here for the long term,” BP spokesman Brad Etlin said recently. The refinery expansion is emblematic of Northwest Indiana’s economy in the Great Recession. Although the region has suffered through high unemployment and a blight of home foreclosures just like the rest of the United States, its bedrock industries have remained intact and poised for growth once recovery comes. In addition to the 1,700 workers the refinery employs daily, up to 2,200 union construction workers have been working on the expansion to process oil sands from Canada. The number of construction workers is expected to swell to 5,000 when construction reaches its peak. “The silver lining is that despite the downturn in the economy, you have major industrial establishments here that are the backbone of our economy,” said Vince Galbiati, former CEO of the Northwest Indiana Forum. Steelmakers ArcelorMittal and United States Steel Corp. have continued production throughout the recession. There have been layoffs and production has been suspended at some individual plants, but the downturn has caused nothing like the devastation that occurred in the last deep recession in the 1980s. In fact, production from several U.S. Steel operations around the United States were temporarily consolidated at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works as a cost-cutting measure during the downturn. In all, five of U.S. Steel’s six other U.S. facilities ceased all production at some point last year. United Steelworkers Local 1014 President Jerry Littles said at mid-year things were looking up at Gary Works. He said all four blast furnaces were producing iron, and many employees were working overtime. “We’ve been doing quite well despite the recession,” Littles said. “There’s other plants in the corporation and other steelworkers still out of work. They, unfortunately, haven’t had the opportunity to reap the benefits that we have at Gary.” The fact that ArcelorMittal and U.S. Steel were able to keep producing through the recession had some community leaders saying legislation that cut local property taxes for steel mills in the earlier part of the decade will continue to prove its worth for years to come. “I’m in that camp that says that tax policy shifts that effected oil and steel were critical,” former Forum head Galbiati said. Particularly important was the lowering of the floor for depreciation, Galbiati said. It was that change in 2004 that led directly to much of the recent investment by both BP and steelmakers in their plants in Northwest Indiana, Galbiati said. Tax reform like that will make Indiana a preferred site for plant relocations, particularly once the recovery begins, Galbiati said. Builders of roads and bridges have found a glimmer of hope in the Obama administration’s stimulus program and now in the promise of a second stimulus program to come this year. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has poured so much money into road construction that the Indiana Department of Transportation has been bidding out jobs twice a month, rather than once a month as usual. And now construction companies are hopeful a second round of stimulus money will be coming Indiana’s way, as some Republicans in Congress seem set to join Democrats in passing a new jobs creation program. Even the election of a 41st Republican Senator in Massachusetts is unlikely to hold PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

NATALIE BATTAGLIA | THE TIMES

BP Products North America, a division of London-based BP PLC, is installing new pipe at its Whiting Refinery as part of a $3.8 billion expansion set for completion in 2012.

Why modernize refinery? The Energy Resources Conservation Board of Alberta, Canada, an independent government agency, estimated its oil sands are the secondlargest source of the world’s proven crude oil reserves — 170 billion barrels — next to Saudi Arabia. The oil is beneath an area one-and-a-half times the size of Indiana in the province’s northeastern region. The oil originally was in liquid form, but over time, it congealed into a thick, tarlike material that surrounded grains of quartz sand. The sand is surrounded by layers of water and clay, according to the American Petroleum Institute, a trade group. To extract the oil from the deposits called bitumen, the material has to have other heavy minerals and high-sulfur organic compounds removed from it. The Alberta government agency said extraction projects involve surface mining and in-situ recovery. In-situ refers to the process of pumping steam underground through a horizontal well to liquefy the bitumen, which then is pumped to the surface. It is estimated there are at least 20 billion barrels of reserves commercially available from oil-sands development, but up to 170 billion barrels may be drawn from the area. “When you look at the amount of oil, we could double what we are currently importing from Canada by 2035,” said Cindy Schild, API refiningissues manager. up another $600 million in stimulus funds flowing to Indiana, said Bob Zier, Indiana Department of Transportation chief of staff to Commissioner Michael Reed. Health care and school construction also have been helping the local construction industry weather the recession, according to William Hasse III, president of Hasse Construction. Home sales in Northwest Indiana opened 2009 on a dismal note, with sales at historic lows. But thanks to the new federal first-time homebuyer credit, sales picked up throughout the year with home sales registering a 48 percent increase in November 2009 compared to November 2008, according to figures from the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors. “Both October and November were the big months for 2009, and that was attributable to the tax credit, which sparked buyers to get off the fence,” said Pete Novak, CEO of the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors. The National Association of Realtors is predicting a 13.6 percent gain for this year’s home sales, with the homebuyer tax credit now extended to existing homeowners and all purchase contracts signed by the end of April.

KYLE TELECHAN | THE TIMES

ArcelorMittal employee Jim Wozniak talks to Keith Bond, of Crown Point, during a recent Industrial Manufacturing Expo. Companies such as BP, NIPSCO and local steelmakers are assisting local schools in training workers for jobs in their industries.

Developing the next generation of workers Efforts under way to recruit, maintain skilled work force in the region

Region job-training programs ArcelorMittal’s Steelworker for the Future program allows students to earn an associate degree in two years and receive 24 weeks of on-site training. • 38 students are enrolled in the program at Ivy Tech

BY BOWDEYA TWEH bowdeya.tweh@nwi.com, (219) 933-3316

The future is now for Northwest Indiana industries as many companies train the next generation of workers. In steel mills and on shop floors, employers may soon deal with an onslaught of retirements as Indiana’s work force may be aging faster than the rate of people entering the job market. An Indiana Chamber of Commerce Foundation study released last year said two of every five people — about 1.66 million — currently in Indiana’s working population are expected to reach age 65 or older in the next 20 years. Bill Thon, Ivy Tech Community College Northwest’s executive director of work force and economic development, said region businesses have established programs to recruit and maintain a highly skilled and educated work force. Thon said the college began developing plans with businesses about four years ago to ensure today’s students and tomorrow’s workers are adequately prepared for jobs. Now, it has partnerships with BP,

• 19 started in a program at Prairie State College More than 150 students are enrolled in an Ivy Tech program affiliated with NIPSCO. NIPSCO, local steelmakers and others training students for a variety of jobs. “Fifteen to 20 years ago, a high school diploma was fine,” Thon said. “Now, it’s just the beginning point for a person who is a young adult. Now they need to further their education.” United Steelworkers Local 1014 President Jerry Littles said the union and United States Steel Corp. are partners in training workers for the future. Littles, who represents about 2,400 production and maintenance employees at U.S. Steel Gary Works, said about one-third of the maintenance staff has at least 30 years of experience. “They know that there’s going to be a shortage of maintenance people and we have to find a way to get people trained,” Littles said. Susan Suver, U.S. Steel’s vice president See WORKERS on Page AA15

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THE TIMES

Traditional

banking practices,common sense, prevail at Peoples Bank C

ommunity banks in Northwest Indiana, including Peoples Bank, survived the financial crisis and Wall Street meltdown of 2008 because their officers followed traditional banking practices that have been the standard for generations. “Common sense has prevailed,” says David A. Bochnowski, chairman and CEO of Northwest Indiana Bancorp and Peoples Bank. “We avoided the new and fancy, the new things on the block and stuck to the basics.” Understanding what happened and taking action to avoid the problems that led to the current economic recession can provide a road map to the future, says Bochnowski, who, as chairman of the American Bankers Association Government Relations Council, is a national advocate for change. “Shadow banking” began in the late 1980s, he says, when “America adopted a policy that began to accommodate all kinds of bigger financial institutions.” Wall Street institutions that were investment companies went into the lending business. “But they weren’t regulated like banks are regulated,” Bochnowski says. Also unregulated were the mortgage brokers who were “freelancers” and not part of the banking industry. The mortgage brokers processed loans, including the now infamous and risky subprime mortgages, and sold them “up the chain to Wall Street firms,” he says. In turn, those firms made the debt into securities that were then sold to investors around the world. Known as “derivatives,” these financial instruments are not backed by assets and are considered risky. “No one asked what the credit worthiness of these loans were,” Bochnowski says. “Every one in the world is accountable to someone. At the end of 2000, the government repealed the Glass-Stegal Act that said firms couldn’t mix banking and commerce, creating the perfect environment for the derivative market,” he said. David A. Bochnowski, In fact, Bochnowski Chairman and CEO of Northwest says, many of these mortIndiana Bancorp and Peoples Bank gages that were wrapped into these derivatives were “NINA – No Income, No Asset” loans and “NINANJ – No Income, No Assets, No Job” loans. When the borrowers could no longer make their payments, “the chain collapsed,” Bochnowski says. Wall Street giants, including AIG, Lehman Brothers and Bear Sterns, closed or were absorbed by other financial institutions. In addition, those who invested in these derivatives lost huge amounts of money, causing a global financial crisis. Bochnowski calls for bankers to work with state and federal legislators so they can make informed decisions about regulations and laws that have a far-reaching effect on consumers and communities.

“

The employees of Peoples Bank are your neighbors, raising families here in Northwest Indiana just like you, and so they are able to respond quickly and effectively with service and solutions to meet your ﬁnancial needs

”

Peoples Bank Corporate Center

“All bankers need to get involved. Decisions are being made at the congressional and state levels that impact us,” he says, “First and foremost, these decisions impact consumers. It is the duty and responsibility of every bank to guard the financial well-being of our customers as well as the communities we serve.” The ABA Government Relations Council wants to see major policy changes, Bochnowski says, that speak to the interests of the consumer as well as to the banking industry. “We need to end the ‘Too Big to Fail’ concept. These big financial institutions who are not regulated pose a systematic risk. If they get the flu, the rest of the country gets a cold,” he says. “We clearly have to have a mechanism for winding up this situation. As Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke said, the government has no authority in law to make these large unregulated institutions change their ways.” Other changes the ABA council wants to see involve accounting practices. The accounting methods used need to reflect what’s really going on in the economy, Bochnowski says. Some of the meltdown can be traced to accounting policies that actually decided what assets were worth, causing those assets to be devalued. Community banks are not the cause of today’s economic problems, and that information needs to be explained to lawmakers and consumers, Bochnowski says. “There is no question that, right now, we’re in a crisis,” he says. “We are part of the solution. Community banks are the ones who will be providing capital at local levels. Customers want to deal with us, one-on-one. They want relationships, and we are the one who can meet their needs.” One of the misconceptions that came from the financial crisis is that there is a credit crunch, he says. “For traditional banks, we have money to lend. What is lacking is consumer confidence.” What Peoples Bank and other community banks are seeing is a return of local customers who want their confidence in financial institutions restored.

ounded by Bochnowski’s grandfather, John, in 1910, Peoples Bank is still following the principles and examples set by the Polish immigrant including a strong commitment to the communities it serves. “The employees of Peoples Bank are your neighbors, raising families here in Northwest Indiana just like you, and so they are able to respond quickly and effectively with service and solutions to meet your ﬁnancial needs,” Bochnowski says. “If you need to talk to the CEO, you get to talk to me. If you call to ask a question, you get an answer without delay because decisions are made locally and not at corporate headquarters somewhere on the east or west coasts,” he says. Today there are two kinds of banking customers, Bochnowski says – those who visit the bank and transact business in person, and those who use all the electronic means available to do their banking. “We have up-to-date facilities for both types of customers,” he says. “We’re committed to delivering what products people want in the way they want to receive those products. With a $1 million a year budget for technology, we’re making the investment to constantly update and maintain our service to our customers,” he adds. Headquartered in Munster, Peoples Bank operates 11 banking centers in Lake and Porter counties. This spring, ground will be broken for a 12th banking center in St. John. Bochnowski pauses to reﬂect on Peoples Bank’s 100 year heritage. “In the last 100 years, Northwest Indiana has been really good for Peoples Bank and for all of us who were raised here,” he says. “The challenge is to come together as a community so we can have the same quality of life in the 21st Century that we had in the 20th Century. Communities are built on pillars and banking is one of them.”

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SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010 | PAGE AA15 CONTINUED FROM PAGE AA9

TRANSPORTATION

Environment

KYLE TELECHAN | THE TIMES

Dennis Rittenmeyer, former Regional Bus Authority chairman, cuts a ribbon to officially mark the beginning of new RBA and Gary Public Transportation Corp. regional routes as other RBA members watch in front of Methodist Hospitals’ Center for Advanced Clinical Studies in Merrillville.

Buses, highways, trains make way toward future RBA to make Hammond service a region affair BY KEITH BENMAN keith.benman@nwi.com, (219) 933-3326

Transportation projects will continue to power forward in Northwest Indiana this year, with region bus service already scoring a historic “first.” On Jan. 1, the Regional Bus Authority took over Hammond’s four-route transit system, promising to increase bus service by 70 percent in Hammond and nearby suburbs in as little as six months. “And we still need to do more consolidation,” said RBA Executive Director Tim Brown. “That is the only way we can make transit viable in the region.” The RBA’s takeover of Hammond transit follows the successful first full year of “regional” bus routes operated by the Gary Public Transportation Corp. in Gary. The three regional routes pass through six communities and take people to schools and jobs across the region. The regional routes are funded by the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority with a requirement that the GPTC attains certain benchmarks for on-time buses and service. The RBA was created under 2005 legislation specifically to consolidate the region’s fragmented bus service. The Illiana Expressway has received a significant push, with the Indiana General Assembly considering legislation that would allow soliciting private investors to help pay for it. In exchange, investors could collect tolls on the road. The proposed expressway would run from Interstate 65 in Indiana west through southern Lake County and continue to Interstate 55 southwest of Joliet, Ill. The House was considering legislation in late January after the Senate overwhelmingly endorsed the project, which

CONTINUED FROM PAGE AA13

Workers of human resources, said U.S. Steel trains maintenance employees with base-level skills to be prepared for work in a mill. During the program, the workers also are pursuing an associate degree at Ivy Tech. Ivy Tech students also can receive certification as steelworkers after taking classes exposing them to safety and environmental issues they normally would be exposed to through industrial experience. Suver also said the company maintains relationships with local universities through mock interview sessions and classroom and club presentations. Littles said the union and the company also need to sit down with high school students with shop courses or crafts trainPARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Transit projects to watch • The fate of the Illiana Expressway as the proposal moves through the legislative process. • What will emerge from the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission’s efforts to replace the 1.2-mile Cline Avenue bridge. • Plans by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District to extend the South Shore line to Lowell and eventually to Valparaiso • The Regional Bus Authority’s moves to continue consolidating bus service in the region. It took over Hammond’s four-route transit system Jan. 1. some officials say should stretch not from I-65, but from LaPorte or Michigan City to Illinois. “There seems to be renewed interest in the Illiana Expressway,” said Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas. “We have to be forward-thinking about our roadway system. We understand it has to be evolving and has to move forward.” Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels endorsed the proposed road three years ago and is pushing hard to make it the second big highway privatization arrangement of his administration. Four years ago, Daniels engineered the blockbuster 75-year lease of the Indiana Toll Road to ITR Concession Co. for $3.8 billion. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District officials also hope this is the year they can submit a proposal to the Federal Transit Administration for engineering and environmental studies for extending the South Shore commuter rail line to Lowell. They plan to follow that eventually with a similar proposal for running a separate branch to Valparaiso. All was not rosy on the transportation front, but local leaders are hoping to transform setbacks into opportunities. In November, the 1.2-mile Cline Avenue bridge linking both the Borman Expressway and Indiana Toll Road to local casinos and steel mills was temporarily

ing and outline the skills needed to be in the steel industry. Launched in late 2008, ArcelorMittal’s Steelworker for the Future program allows students to earn an associate degree in 2 1/2 years and receive 24 weeks of onsite training. About 38 students are enrolled in the program at Ivy Tech and the first class of 19 students started in a program this year at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights. Discussions also are open to offer the program at South Suburban College as well. “The schools work to ensure the program graduates retain the knowledge and skills needed to be a successful craft worker, which will ultimately strengthen our company, the industry and region as a whole,” said Mark Langbehn, ArcelorMittal’s manager of hourly employee training. Northern Indiana Public Service Co.

closed after an engineering report showed bridge components had suffered serious damage from corrosion. At the end of December, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced the span was not salvageable and would be demolished. At the same time, INDOT officials said the money to replace it already was set aside and they would solicit input from businesses, local government and the community. On the local front, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission has begun forming a coalition of casinos, steel mills, businesses and government leaders to “speak with one voice” on what should be built in place of the bridge. Already, larger plans are emerging that would not only handle future increases in traffic, but would also assure access to new lakefront developments. “A great deal of work will go into this,” new NIRPC Chairwoman and LaPorte Mayor Kathleen Chroback said. “It takes working together to solve problems like this.” In November came another blow to regional transportation, when voters overwhelmingly rejected a move to create a Regional Transportation District that would have overseen both bus and South Shore rail service. The RTD also would have had the ability to impose an income tax. Despite the RTD’s rejection at the polls, region leaders appear determined to try to expand the commuter railroad. And the regionalization of bus service already is happening. Costas said his city has sought to set a small example for the region in starting up its V-line bus service for city residents and the ChicagoDash express bus to Chicago’s loop. But the mayor contends a bigger plan definitely is needed to expand the South Shore and get all the bus systems working together. He hopes legislators will take another crack at forming a Regional Transportation District.

and other utilities around the state have a partnership with Ivy Tech to train students for careers as electrical line and substation workers, power-plant operators and gas-service employees. NIPSCO lists annual base salaries for these positions ranging between $52,000 and $61,000. Thon said more than 150 students are in the program this semester. Officials at BP’s Whiting Refinery have engaged adults and high school students in the last few years to emphasize the importance and earning potential of a worker at an industrial facility, said BP spokesman Brad Etlin. BP supports a twoyear educational program at Ivy Tech providing technical, computer and safety skills to prepare people for careers in industrial or refining companies. Company employees teach some of the industryspecific classes students take.

through NIPSCO’s natural gas energy efficiency programs, said Nick Meyer, NIPSCO spokesman. The programs helped save roughly 1.86 million therms, the unit of measurement for natural gas. “It equates to taking 1,777 cars of off the road for one year’s time as a result of the savings from this past year’s programs,” Meyer said. Other programs include installing energy-efficient water fixtures in apartment complexes and giving rebates to customers who replace older appliances, like furnaces, with newer, more energyefficient models, he said. “Just for this past program year we’ve provided about 10,000 rebates, which equates to $1.6 million in rebates,” Meyer said. Meyer said the programs create a win-win situation, helping customers go green while also reducing the need for the company to invest in new energy and generating sources. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. also helped the green energy circle by purchasing excess energy from wind turbines at Wolf Lake Memorial and Forsythe parks in Hammond. The wind energy is first used to power various park facilities. Any REDUCTIONS: additional energy is ArcelorMittal sold to NIPSCO for reduced natural gas consumption by more city credit. “The intent is for than 25 percent at the credit to go to one of its batch the whole city annealing facilities. because we’re not Energy and cost going to use enough savings were of the energy,” said estimated at Tom Kuhn, Ham- $4.5 million. mond Port Authority chairman. The $100,000 project was partially funded by a state government grant of more than $20,000. BP Wind Energy and Sempra Generation, a company that operates natural gas and solar power plants, also got in on the wind energy wave. In December the companies started commercial operation of the second phase of the Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in downstate Benton County — the largest wind farm in the Midwest. The 17,000-acre site will generate enough carbon-free electricity to power approximately 60,000 average American homes for one year. ArcelorMittal received national recognition for its contributions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. The company was selected in May as a 2009 Energy Star Partner of the Year for Energy Management by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ArcelorMittal reduced natural gas consumption by more than 25 percent at one of its batch annealing facilities at Burns Harbor, where cold-rolled steel coil is reheated for further processing. Energy and cost savings of approximately $4.5 million also were accomplished by adjusting raw material controls and inputs at a Burns Harbor blast furnace. Steel production by itself is a green job, said Kay Nelson environmental affairs director for the Northwest Indiana Forum. “Technically speaking, steel jobs are green jobs because of the high rate of recycling they do,” she said, pointing out that half of steel is made from recycled material. She said the NWI Forum has been approached by wind entrepreneurs in the past year and the organization would like to bring more green businesses into the region. “They have the potential to improve the environment beyond the traditional manners,” she said. Times staff writer Jeff Burton contributed to this report.

Etlin said BP is investing in these programs not only because it is the right thing to do for the community, but because it helps local residents gain skills they will need and it helps BP meet its employment needs. The White House also has emphasized the importance of such programs. In December, it released a report that said two ways to revitalize American manufacturing are to provide workers opportunities to obtain skills to be highly productive and ensure investments are still made in community colleges and job training programs. Thon, of Ivy Tech, said he’s pleased President Barack Obama understands the importance of “upskilling” manufacturing employees so they can be more competitive and adequately prepared to handle technology demands.

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THE TIMES

TOURISM

Region’s multifaceted attractions draw tourists Restaurants, festivals, sports among Northwest Indiana’s top offerings BY ELOISE MARIE VALADEZ eloise.valadez@nwi.com, (219) 933-3365

Adventurous souls will find a mixed bag of engaging attractions in Northwest Indiana. From recreational activities to culinary gems, cultural and shopping opportunities, the region offers a plethora of tourist magnets. Local tourism experts say though the economy has gone through tough times, the outlook for area tourism and travel appears bright. “2010 is expected to be better than 2009,” said Lorelei Weimer, executive director of Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission. “People are looking for things that are unique and something different than they can get in their hometown,” she said. And Northwest Indiana provides all of that. “We’ve found great success in being ourselves and telling the stories, great history and traditions of Northwest Indiana,” said Speros A. Batistatos, president and CEO of South Shore Convention and Visitors Commission. The Gary South Shore Air Show has proven to be a popular tourist attraction, Batistatos said, annually drawing people from 30 states, 40 Indiana counties and five countries. RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES “What’s been critical for our area (in terms of tourism) are The Dunes,” Weimer said. She said the Indiana Dunes State Park and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore combined draw about 3 million visitors to the region annually. Weimer said 60 percent of Dunes tourists add unplanned activities to their agendas after learning what else is in the region and about 15 percent extend their stays. “We have more than 70 miles of hiking and biking trails,” said Ruth Keefover, public relations director for Porter County’s visitor board. One of the new trail projects currently under way is The Dunes Kankakee Trail, connecting Lake Michigan to the Kankakee River. Another project is the Indiana Beyond the Beach Trail, a driving trail that would link various communities. Keefover and Weimer said the area also is known for other natural assets such as Taltree Arboretum & Gardens in Valparaiso and Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve.

JOHN J. WATKINS | THE TIMES

Elizabeth Dohogne, of Coon Rapids, Minn., left, along with her grandchildren Lucas, 5, and Maggie, 2, and daughter-in-law Laura Underwood, of Portage, pause at one of the stations at The Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John. acts such as REO Speedwagon, Gin Blossoms, Randy Travis, Los Lonely Boys and The Black Crowes have entertained at Festival of the Lakes. Valparaiso’s Popcorn Festival and the Wizard of Oz Festival in Chesterton are two of Porter County’s big events, Keefover said. “And for the Elvis Fantasy Fest in Portage, we get people from as far away as London, Japan and Italy,” she said. The Porter County Fair, which last year drew 160,000 people and the Lake County Fair, considered the second largest fair in Indiana, also are among popular attractions.

ATTENTION SPORTS FANS The region is a hotbed of activity for sporting events. The National Softball Association’s Girls Fast Pitch World Series has also drawn thousands of tourists to the region, Batistatos said. And since 2001, regional, national and international visitors have flocked to see the Gary South Shore Railcats play at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary. The minor league baseball team had its first Fan Fest last year and drew more than 1,000 people.

CULINARY GEMS Diverse eateries and all styles of restaurants star on the local culinary landscape. “More than 80 different ethnic groups call Northwest Indiana home and that’s reflected in how we eat and the restaurants we visit,” said Batistatos. The culinary diversity is seen in a variety of eateries including Italian-themed Ciao Bella, a new trattoria in Schererville; Rodizio’s, an Argentine/Brazilian steakhouse in Meyer’s Castle in Dyer; and House of Kobe, with locations in Schererville and Merrillville. Among other destination restaurants in the region are the new The Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake, Miller Bakery Cafe in Gary and the turkey-themed Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso. Also still getting plenty of diners at their tables are Teibel’s Restaurant in Schererville, Gaucho’s in Valparaiso, Gamba’s in Merrillville, Don Quijote Restaurant in Valparaiso and Lucrezia’s, with locations in Chesterton and Crown Point.

A REGION OF FESTIVALS Whether you’re a music, food or nostalgia fan, you’ll find a festival or fair for you. Popular festivals in Lake County include Pierogi Fest in Whiting and the Festival of the Lakes in Hammond. Pierogi Fest found its way into the national spotlight a few years ago when it was featured on Food Network’s “Best American Festivals” show. And big name

CONTINUED FROM PAGE AA9

Community to fulfill our mission at a time when there is increasing need for our services,” he said. Julie Stogsdill, director of development for Hospice of the Calumet Area, knows that without the Friends of Hospice, the hospice’s history would be much different. The Friends of Hospice is the fundraising auxiliary of Hospice of the Calumet PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Rodizio’s, an Argentine/Brazilian steakhouse at Meyer’s Castle in Dyer, is a destination restaurant for some region tourists. ELOISE MARIE VALADEZ | THE TIMES

A PEACEFUL SANCTUARY The Shrine of Christ’s Passion in St. John has drawn visitors from various countries and states since it opened a year and a half ago. “We foresee that we’ll have buses coming in from all over the country in the next four years,” said Paul Anderson, the shrine’s general manager. “We’ll be a national destination because there’s nothing like it in the world.”

MELTING POT OF ATTRACTIONS Northwest Indiana also has its share of museums, hotels, entertainment complexes, theaters and other venues packing people in. Tourists are drawn to Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, the Majestic Star Casinos in Gary and Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City. Diners looking for picturesque scenery can opt for a meal at Jack Binion’s Steakhouse at Horseshoe. The restaurant overlooks Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Performers such as

Natalie Cole, Air Supply, Vince Gill and Bette Midler have all entertained at Horsehoe’s The Venue. Also attracting tourists over the past three decades has been the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza and its adjoining Star Plaza Theatre. Its roster of stellar performers has included the Oak Ridge Boys, Tony Bennett, Donna Summer and many other musical greats. Region museums such as the Dillinger Museum in the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond, draw visitors with its memorabilia and “crime doesn’t pay” message. Another popular display that brought more than 25,000 guests was last season’s “A Christmas Story Comes Home” exhibit at the center. The exhibit included animatronic scenes from the popular movie and a recreation of Santa’s Mountain.

Area. In 1982, an group of area women formed Friends of Hospice to financially assist the pioneer concept of hospice care. As membership increased to more than 200, donations have grown accordingly. In addition to two signature events, the Seeds of Hope gala dinner with silent auction and the Mum’s the Word luncheon, volunteers have formed the Hospice Artisans. Their creations include “musthave” handbags and scarves, one-of-akind greeting cards and other gift items that are sold at regional events.

Since its inception, the Friends of Hospice has given more than $600,000 in donations to help fulfill its mission of providing comfort care for individuals, regardless of their ability to pay. Porter County Community Foundation has issued grants to The Caring Place, First Contact, Gabriel’s Horn, Moraine House, Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehab Center, Hilltop Neighborhood House, South Shore Arts and the American Red Cross, Porter County. Donations are invested and the interest

is used to support local nonprofit organizations today and into the future — organizations the donor chooses. “We are all about the infrastructure for the nonprofits,” Barbara A. Young, foundation president, said. “We are fortunate to have so many wonderful individuals and businesses working to make Porter County a better place.” “People can be very supportive when times are tough, because we (in Northwest Indiana) are an incredibly philanthropic people.” Young said.

On the grounds of the free attraction is a half-mile trail featuring stations of the cross, dramatic sculptures, poignant audio accompaniment and a gift shop/visitors center.

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THE TIMES

FAITH

Keeping faith in the recovery Local churches, religious groups help residents weather economic storm BY MARC CHASE marc.chase@nwi.com, (219) 662-5330

Rather than dwelling on losing his job in March and an uncertain financial future, Odie Hernandez used his faith and newfound spare time to help others. “I’m always trying to do something and to keep active,” Hernandez said recently while the 50-year-old Munster resident picked up a shipment of food and supplies for the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry at Hammond’s St. Joseph Catholic Church. Efforts at the food pantry and other volunteer work have helped Hernandez pass the time until he can find a new job. “The time I spend at church or helping others through the church always makes me feel good,” said Hernandez, who previously worked as a quality control inspector at a Mokena, Ill., factory. Hernandez is just one in a growing number of region residents who have turned their economic hard times into opportunities to assist others through churches and other faith-based organizations. Those efforts — combined with a strong desire by churches, temples and faith-based soup kitchens and food pantries to ease spiritual and financial turmoil — will be key to any economic recovery, region spiritual leaders say. Diocese of Gary Bishop Dale Melczek said throughout the recession region Catholic churches have counseled parishioners to try to give of themselves, even if they too are suffering. And the faithful have answered the call. The bishop has seen an increase in volunteers, many of whom have been laid off or forced to take early retirement because of job cuts. Meanwhile, priests in the diocese have contributed to the beginnings of an economic recovery through counseling spiritually wounded parishioners, Melczek said. “From a spiritual point of view, the challenge of priests is to offer the hope of the Gospel to people who have found themselves in positions they have never been in before — who may once have given to help others but now need to ask for help,” Melczek said. The Jewish Community Services food pantry in Munster is just one of several faith-based programs trying to answer that call for help through fresh groceries for the needy. Director Carol Szaks said the pantry, in operation for 20 years, has seen its greatest need recently as the recession has left heads of households short on resources to feed their families. “We’re set up with grocery shelves where people just go in and take what they need,” Szaks said. “There is no question the need has been greater with the recent economic conditions. At the end of the day, we can see a 20 percent drop in what is on our shelves, which is higher than it

NATALIE BATTAGLIA PHOTOS | THE TIMES

Volunteers Lorraine Gariepy, of Dyer, from left, Denise Bac, of Crown Point, and Gerry Grimmer, of Hammond, serve shepherd’s pie at St. Joseph Church’s soup kitchen last month. They have been serving about 200 meals a day in the heart of the recession.

“Up until now, I think our generation has been taught that God is no longer a high priority. But now, many people are feeling a spiritual growth through this crisis.” THE REV. MARKO MATIC, of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville

David Hlista prays before eating a meal at St. Joseph Church’s soup kitchen in Hammond. “It’s great for the community,” Hlista said of the soup kitchen. “It really shows the kindness of people.” was before the recession.” In addition to serving needy families, Jewish Community Services also helps supply tuition for children of struggling families to attend day camps while parents work or seek jobs. Gloria DeJesus, director of St. Joseph’s soup kitchen in Hammond, said on a recent Wednesday her service provided hot lunches to 185 people, many of whom lost their jobs in the economic crisis. Still, there are signs of recovery, DeJesus said, noting that some of the soup

kitchen regulars have been able to find jobs. “We had days last year where we saw 190 to 200 people in here,” she said. “So it looks like it might be getting a little better lately.” Susan Hermann, secretary at St. Joseph, said the soup kitchen opened in 1985, at the time as a temporary service for mill workers who faced massive layoffs. Twenty-five years later, the service continues to answer the call in a new economic crisis.

The Rev. Marko Matic, of St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in Merrillville, said he has seen positives other than charitable donations of time and money coming out of the recession and current recovery efforts. “Up until now, I think our generation has been taught that God is no longer a high priority,” Matic said. “But now, many people are feeling a spiritual growth through this crisis. “I have been seeing people come to church who I didn’t see coming before because they have been forced to rethink their priorities.” Through the economic recovery, Matic said his church will continue to foster the creed that parishioners must rely on and help each other in times of need. “We need to be serving each other in times of despair,” Matic said. “This is the message we try to bring out in times of crisis — showing love.”

PUBLIC SAFETY

Authorities eye online enforcement Funding goes toward officer training, active investigations and community education BY DAN HINKEL dan.hinkel@nwi.com, (219) 852-4317

The math is worrisome. Children have more online access then ever before, which means predators have increasing access to their targets. At the same time, policing potential predators remains expensive and difficult. But David Capp, U.S. attorney for Indiana’s northern half, said a relatively modest federal grant should help police departments across Northern Indiana step up enforcement against online exploitation crimes. “I think we’ll make very effective use of this,” Capp said. “One of the law enforcement trends I foresee is definitely more PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

investigations and prosecutions of Internet child predators.” A consortium of Northern Indiana police agencies banded together to draw the $470,000 grant in fall 2009 from the federal Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. A group of police departments, including those from Highland, Portage, Munster, Michigan City, Schererville and Porter County make up the “core group” of agencies planning how the funds should be spent, but the money is for all departments in Northern Indiana, Capp said. Other departments already have sent officers for training under the grant, Capp said. Local outposts of federal law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, also are on board. Money will flow toward a few projects aimed at increasing online enforcement. Local departments will be able to send officers for training on “what goes into a good investigation involving computers,” Capp said. Fifty officers already have been trained, Capp said. The grant money also could go toward overtime for officers

investigating online crimes, Capp said. “These investigations are resourceintensive and the only way we are to do them well is for all of us pooling our resources and working together,” Capp said. The grant cash also will pay for two computer forensic examiners to work with any local department that needs them, Capp said. Capp said he also sees educational approaches as a priority. U.S. attorney’s office personnel continue to go into schools to talk to kids about online safety. Porter County Sheriff David Lain touted his department’s participation in the grant’s programs, but he also said prevention work with children is key. “What we have done, in our department, we’ve gone into the school system. We’ve attacked it from the education-prevention standpoint,” Lain said. “We’re trying to preclude it happening in the first place.” While departments use grant funds to boost online policing, Lake County police are also using grant money to start using Indiana’s e-ticket program, which several local departments already use, said Assis-

tant Chief Joseph Kumstar of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. E-ticket, an in-car electronic ticket writing and printing system, slices the roadside time it takes an officer to give a citation and cuts officers’ sometimes illegible handwriting out of the system. The e-ticketing system, along with a new report management system, should minimize human error in arrests and paperwork, Kumstar said. “We all know that mistakes happen. I’m not at all saying that that’s going to cut it out, but it is going cut it down,” Kumstar said. Sheriff’s department administrators have also recently used grants to fund a new helicopter, computer improvements and the drug task force. “We pursue almost anything that we can,” Kumstar said. Capp said the online predator project reflects a “team concept” in local law enforcement. He said grant money will go toward officer training, active investigations and community education. “And all three are important,” Capp added.

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Northlake Campus - Gary, Indiana

Midlake Campus - Gary, Indiana

Southlake Campus - Merrillville, Indiana

In tough economic times, both locally and globally, all businesses have had to take a long hard look at their business model and expenditures. For Methodist Hospitals, a strong commitment to ﬁscal responsibility has led to success. just one year, Methodist Hospitals has reversed six years of operating losses and posted a surplus of approximately $3.4 million in 2009. While an operating surplus is always good news, it is a remarkable achievement after experiencing approximately $73 million in losses in 2008. How was Methodist Hospitals able to achieve such a result? Under the leadership of Methodist Hospitals’ President and CEO, Ian McFadden, quickly assembled a highly experienced senior leadership team that implemented a vigorous and ongoing analysis of hospital operations and expenses. McFadden explains, “Our executive team had to quickly identify potential areas for improvement and make the necessary changes as fast as possible. Fortunately, we had great support from our board which allowed us to move quickly and efﬁciently in implementing change.” McFadden and the leadership team enacted an operational improvement plan that yielded more than $28 million in savings. At the same time, Methodist Hospitals never compromised any of its services. Instead, the leadership team increased revenue by negotiating more favorable managed care agreements and reduced expenditures for service contracts, including a new pharmacy service contract that saved the hospital $1 million. The hospital also returned seven hospital departments to internal management, such as environmental services and transportation, which were previously outsourced to more

expensive contractors. “We did not pursue any efﬁciencies or take any actions that could diminish the quality of care delivered to our patients,” said McFadden. “While considering any change, we evaluated our potential quality of care performance against accepted standards.” The turnaround was also accomplished

rightfully expects for the support it gives to hospitals.” This turnaround is the beginning of Methodist’s return to regional prominence. The improved ﬁnancial performance has enabled the hospital to undertake a multi-million dollar investment on both hospital campuses, which will include facility enhancements, and the complete

without a significant increase in Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments from the State of Indiana. For filling its role as a safety-net institution, Methodist received $40 million in 2009, similar to the payments it received in the two preceding years. DSH funding is distributed to all Indiana hospitals that meet certain criteria. “We take our role as stewards of public funds very seriously,” Methodist Chief Financial Officer, Loren Chandler said. “Careful spending, transparency and accountability are not just good business operating principles that contributed to our turnaround, they are also what the State

replacement of patient beds and furniture. Methodist is also embarking on the expansion of physician practice sites and concentrating its growth strategy on the unique specialty services it provides. Fiscally responsible, clinically superior, Methodist Hospitals has been a healthcare leader in Northwest Indiana since 1923. “We remain focused on ensuring that Methodist is a leader in providing health services so that those we serve can lead healthier lives,” says Ian McFadden, CEO and President of Methodist Hospitals.

The fact that Methodist Hospitals’ financial turnaround was accomplished during a period of national economic distress and decreased patient volumes at hospitals across the nation speaks volumes about the health system’s strengths. The most important point of the message: Methodist Hospitals has improved its financial performance without sacrificing patient care. In fact, the hospital continues to earn recognition of its quality of care from national organizations. In many cases, Methodist is the only Northwest Indiana hospital earning these distinctions. Out of more than 5,000 hospitals evaluated by U.S. News and World Report in 2008, only 170 met the high standards in one or more specialties to be named among America’s Best Hospitals. Methodist Hospitals was the only Northwest Indiana hospital ranked in the top 50 hospitals in the nation for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and continues to be the highest ranked hospital in Northwest Indiana for this program. This kind of recognition continues today across a number of specialty areas. Methodist Hospitals has been accredited by the American College of

Quality Awards Presentation from the American Heart Association and HealthGrades pictured from left: Diane Kemp, Executive Director, American Heart Association; Greg Poe, Quality Improvement Initiatives Director, American Heart Association; Kelly Benning, Consultant, Provider Services, HealthGrades; Ian McFadden, President and CEO, Methodist Hospitals; Attorney Charles Brooks, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Methodist Hospitals; Louise E. Elisha, Secretary, Board of Directors, Methodist Hospitals; William G. Braman, Board of Directors, Treasurer, Methodist Hospitals.

Surgeons Commission on Cancer since 1974 and, dating back to 2007, was given the even higher distinction of “Accreditation with Commendation,” by achieving nine out of nine possible commendations for the program’s commitment to excellence. It is also a Five Star Investor and Five Star Community Investor award recipient in the ﬁght against cancer through the

American Cancer Society’s Workplace Solutions program. Methodist Hospitals was also the ﬁrst, and remains the only one in Northwest Indiana, to be recognized as a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. HealthGrades®, the nation’s leading independent healthcare rating

organization, has recognized Methodist Hospitals’ clinical excellence for treating stroke patients for six straight years, with its Stroke Care Excellence Award for 2010, placing the hospital in the top ten percent nationwide. In addition, Methodist was awarded the 2009 Bronze Initial Performance Award by The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association for their stroke program. The hospital also received a rating of Five Stars, the highest rating a hospital can get from HealthGrades®, for the treatment of congestive heart failure, the treatment of respiratory failure and for gastrointestinal surgeries and procedures in 2010. In the area of women’s health, HealthGrades® awarded Methodist Hospitals the 2009/2010 Women’s Health Excellence Award. It ranks Methodist among the top ﬁve percent of all hospitals nationwide for providing care to women, including women’s medicine, women’s cardiovascular procedures, and women’s bone and joint health. Continually earning award after award for superior health care, Methodist Hospitals proves that a hospital can be both ﬁscally responsible while continuing to lead the way to better health in Northwest Indiana.

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THE TIMES

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EasyGo Chicago Debuts in Dyer

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NORTHWEST INDIANA ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010 | PAGE AA21

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Local groups resourceful Artists working harder, smarter to stretch dollars BY MOLLY WOULFE molly.woulfe@nwi.com, (219) 852-4329

The state has drawn the line. Indiana has slashed its downsized arts budget by 20 percent. Yet local artists and advocates are hanging tough. Call it second nature. Art, sculptor Neil Goodman reminds, “is not for the fainthearted.” While artists are born romantics, they are driven to create, said Goodman, chair of the art department at Indiana University Northwest. “You just do it because you need to do it,” he said. Forget the starving-artist myth. Most local artists hold day jobs to support their passion, said Goodman, who also teaches at IUN. These professionals “are very tough-minded ... I would say they’re one of the most resilient groups,” he said. This resilience extends to region arts groups. They’re forging ahead in a nation beset by economic woes. Of the 50 states, 37 reduced arts funding for 2010, the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies reports. The average cut was 19 percent. It could have been worse, Hoosier arts watchdogs note. Gov. Mitch Daniels originally sought a 50 percent cut in funding. The Indiana Arts Commission and regional partners protested, spurring the 20 percent compromise in a special legislative session. Neighboring states weren’t as lucky, IAC spokesman Rex Van Zant said. Michigan slashed its arts budget by 80 percent, Illinois cut 52 percent and Ohio trimmed 34 percent. For Northwest Indiana residents, accustomed to the volatile markets for steel and petroleum, making do is nothing new. Creative minds are working harder — and smarter — to stretch art dollars. As Van Zant puts it, “They’re planning ahead instead of starting out by saying, ‘What shall we cut back?’” The can-do attitude starts at the top. South Shore Arts, which distributes IAC grants in this region, held a Regional Arts Summit last fall. Braced for a budget cut — the nonprofit arts advocate received $225,947 this year, down from $269,328 in 2009 — the SSA discussed preserving one’s mission without sacrificing quality at the summit. A popular suggestion: Good shows, shorter runs.

JON L. HENDRICKS | THE TIMES

Gregg Hertzlieb, director of the Valparaiso University Brauer Museum of Art, frames prints by Japanese artist Sadao Watanabe for an exhibit. Curators in the area have been cutting back and doing more work themselves as their budgets have shrunk. Alternate forms of revenues were explored as well. The SSA led the charge, bagging a direct $50,000 grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Likewise, the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and Ridgewood Arts Foundation snagged stimulus-package funds, SSA chief John Cain said. The importance of individual donors can’t be overlooked, Cain said. “We’re finding individual donations are way up this year,” he said. The Theatre at the Center is banking on it. The Munster venue — overseen by Ridgewood Arts — has launched a “$20 for 20” drive to mark its 20th anniversary season. Supporters who chip in a budgetfriendly $20 will be acknowledged at the theater and on the Web site. The theater also is testing a subscriber discount card program and seeking corporate partners to sponsor school trips to shows, marketing director Patty Spillers said.

“The economy has not only hurt arts organizations, but schools as well,” she said. Like many venues, the theater is proceeding with its customary, five-show season. But productions will run five weeks, down from six (the farce “Noises Off” kicks off the season Thursday). The streamlined slate will allow the venue to bow a new series of theater workshops “for kids ages 5 to 105,” Spillers said. Local actors will be paid stipends to lead classes on subjects ranging from movement to mask-making. Surviving in this economic rundown “calls for a lot of juggling and innovate, creative marking,” she said At the Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University, curator-director Gregg Hertzlieb has elevated dollar-stretching to high art. When his budget was reduced 20 percent last year and his three-person staff downsized to two, Hertzlieb began cutting mats and framing works himself to

save money. The hands-on approach “is a good thing,” he said. “I’m finding I’m learning a ton. It’s really provided me with an opportunity to learn and get to know a show, from building it from the ground up.” Major savings hinge on new strategies he’s implemented for acquiring shows. An exhibit of prints by abstract expressionist Jasper Johns was available for $10,000. Reluctant to splurge, Hertzlieb began networking. The result was a hit show of paintings by Indiana Impressionists, works owned by local collectors “who were very generous with loans,” he said. “We ended up having a very nice exhibit without any fees.” Another sleeper: An exhibit of vintage railroad china loaned by Valpo alum Jay Christopher, which attracted many firsttime visitors and broadened the museum’s scope. “And it was something right in our backyard,” Hertzlieb said.

The region an entertaining locale NWI in spotlight for local, national talent

Charlie Blum, CEO of the Star Plaza Theatre, has been bringing bigname performers to the Merrillville theater for the past 21 years. He started as a consultant to the venue.

BY PHILIP POTEMPA philip.potempa@nwi.com, (219) 852-4327

Local singing standout Amy Davis has performed in some big entertainment venues during the three years since she competed as one of the top 24 finalists on Fox reality television’s smash hit “American Idol: Season 7” in 2008. Even though the former Cedar Lake resident now lives on the West Coast while working on her recording career, when she returns to Northwest Indiana for the holidays she still has her favorite performing haunts. “I really feel at home performing at Northwoods in St. John,” Davis, 27, said. “It’s a great space for both the audience and the performers.” A 2008 holiday concert proved to be so popular she was immediately booked for a return engagement in December 2009 that also sold out. “There aren’t always a lot of stage spaces the can feel both ‘big’ and ‘intimate’ at the same time, but that’s one of the reasons I like Northwoods,” Davis said. Northwoods, which opened in 2004 as the innovative idea of Jamey Maschmeyer, was launched following the success of his similar concept dining locations in Crete, Homewood and Frankfort, Ill. His Northwoods restaurant design features a replica of the type of lodge he would visit at his grandparents’ home in Three Lakes, Wis., with some entertaining additions like a waterfall, pond, gift shop and a stage to showcase entertainment. While Northwoods may be the new kid on the block for nightlife in Northwest Indiana, The Star Plaza Theatre on PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

JOHN LUKE | THE TIMES

U.S. 30 in Merrillville ranks as the crafty veteran. “As soon as the theater opened back in 1979 as Merrillville’s Holiday Star Theater with Donna Summer leading the way as one of the first concerts, Dean and Bruce White and Bill Wellman knew it was the start of something big,” said Charlie Blum, president and talent buyer for the Star Plaza. Today, the theater is still a force in live entertainment in the Midwest. Much of the secret to its success, according to Blum, who began booking talent for the theater in 1980, is to keep the names on the marquee a colorful mix of a who’s who, both new and traditional favorites. And a little luck doesn’t hurt as well. Blum signed Jay Leno more than a year in advance and scheduled his stand-up show just weeks after the 1992 announcement that Leno would replace Johnny Carson as host of “The Tonight Show.” And when country singer Billy Ray Cyrus was big in the summer of 1992, Blum had already booked him months in advance, recognizing his fan potential.

Keeping a watchful eye on audiences touched by television also helps, Blum said. “When we booked Jerry Seinfeld for his stand-up act, his show was just added to the NBC lineup as a summer fill-in. Who knew just how popular it would be?” Blum said. From the earliest spotlight at the Memorial Opera House in Valparaiso — built by veterans in 1893 as a tribute to Civil War soldiers — to the 2008 Hammond opening of Horseshoe Casino’s multimillion-dollar, 90,000-square-foot performance space The Venue, there always has been a market for a broad range of entertainment with wide appeal to all ages. Mike Hodin, Horseshoe casino entertainment manager, works with AIG Entertainment, which books the shows for The Venue’s parent company Harrah’s sister properties, including Caesar’s Palace. Hodin said he’s particularly proud that The Venue’s lineup included everyone from The Smashing Pumpkins, Melissa Etheridge and Tracy Morgan to Don Rick-

les, Liza Minnelli and Wayne Newton in the space’s first year. “We tried it all, from comedians and rock groups to nostalgia names, boxing events and even a cooking show starring Oprah Winfrey’s celebrity chef Art Smith,” Hodin said. On the opposite side of Lake Michigan, the floating competition at Blue Chip Casino, Hotel and Spa in Michigan City has upped the ante with its nightlife and entertainment offerings. In January 2009, Blue Chip opened its expanded $130 million, 22-story hoteI, spa, theater space and dining facilities, with one of the crowning jewels being the Las Vegas-themed restaurant It’s Vegas Baby!, offering a nod to the history and classic headliners of Sin City. In addition to a live entertainment stage, It’s Vegas Baby! also features a large screen production highlighting favorite landmark moments of the rise of the desert gambling oasis, including spotlighting everyone from billionaire recluse turned 1970s casino mogul Howard Hughes to current Las Vegas casino king Steve Wynn. Guests also enjoy a trip down memory lane as they dine with rare footage of the best moments of the past six decades of Las Vegas. Clips feature everyone from Judy Garland, Rose Marie, Liberace and Jerry Lewis to The McGuire Sisters, Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope. “D” Alexander Scott, Blue Chip’s public relations director, said the Stardust Events Center attracts visitors from near and far. Since the theater opened, some of the headliners who have performed in the past year include Rita Rudner, Kenny Rogers, Wynonna Judd, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and Blake Shelton. “We are always trying something new and exciting, to give our guests a reason to come back for more,” Scott said.

BEN 4175

NORTHWEST INDIANA PAGE AA22 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

THE TIMES

RUARY JANUARY - FEB

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Northwest Indiana Workforce Board Gerry Scheff, Chairman Emerson Power Transmission

Michael Berta, Jr.

Michael Horton

Robert Schaefer

Portage Township Schools

Michiana Resources, Inc.

Community Dynamics

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Catherine Delgado

Wally Laird

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Kim Emshwiller

Reverend Raymond McDonald II

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NORTHWEST INDIANA ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010 | PAGE AA23

SOCIAL MEDIA

Community on the Internet may be NWI’s fastest growing Many social media platforms available to region residents BY CHRIS KELLER chris.keller@nwi.com, (219) 933-4078

Each day, conversations take place across Northwest Indiana. But more and more are taking place on Web sites like Facebook, Twitter or any variety of online social communities. And as these platforms change the way people connect with each other, they have also changed how businesses are able to not only reach their core audience, but those they hope to target. “I am essentially able to advertise for free, (and) build connection online that I can take offline with people that may have been hard for me to ever meet face to face without some sort of engineered reason,” said Dave Woodson, 41-year-old real estate and mortgage marketing consultant from Michigan City, known to his 13,473 Twitter followers as @davewoodson. “I got on Twitter in August 2008 and just slowly built a following by following others who were interested in learning and establishing relationships and wanting to collaborate on a great scale for (real estate and mortgages),” he said. “It is really cool to be someplace like (Indianapolis) or at other events and be recognized by someone who has seen your Facebook or Twitter account, or even your YouTube videos.” A SENSE OF COMMUNITY ONLINE In the beginning, there were Internet chat rooms. But today, those who want to connect with friends or neighbors can choose from social media platforms and online communities with names like Digg, redditt, Yelp, LinkedIn, Plancast, Aardvark, Foursquare, Yammer, Tumblr, Posterous, Loopt and UStream. Like any good idea, each takes something from those that came before it — fostering connections between people — and adds its unique twist. For Digg, it’s letting users vote on the best stories of the day. For YouTube, its fostering creativity among pop culture wonks and viral marketers. For FourSquare, it’s letting users gain points for frequenting their favorite place, known as “checking in.” But Twitter and Facebook have become the brand du jour for those trying to keep up with the people they know and get to know the people they don’t. “One trend I have seen is a division between individual users and corporate users,” said Kathy Sipple, a social media coach based in Valparaiso. “(Corporate users) are still trying to figure out the rules of engagement in the social media space.” Sipple, who hosts social media seminars for individuals and organizations, said individuals generally want to communicate with other individuals. However, there are exceptions. “Individuals are building a brand when they leave their digital footprints on social media sites. In that sense, they are beginning to behave more like companies,” she said. “Companies, in order to effectively engage consumers, need to act more human and less like companies if they hope to attract and retain followers. “People want connection when they use these sites — they usually aren’t there to be lectured. There are plenty of other places where that can happen.”

JUDY FIDKOWSKI PHOTOS | THE TIMES

Eric Beschinski, left, and Steve Dalton exchange business cards and talk at last month’s NWI “tweetup” meeting at Buffalo Wild Wings on Ridge Road in Portage. People interested in using Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and online marketing gather on a weeknight to network in person. Most of their communications are online.

Plymouth resident who regularly travels to Northwest Indiana for his business as a design consultant and music producer. “Twitter is huge for networking with people and organizations that are likeminded and have similar interests,” Walker said. “I use (Facebook) to connect with friends, family, and other people I meet online and in person. It’s a great way to put out more information than what you can on Twitter.” Facebook users have to approve a “friend request” before another user can really connect with them, whereas on Twitter, once a user creates an account, anyone else can follow. And this difference allows Woodson to draw a distinction between the two in terms of destinations. Whereas a person’s Facebook profile is a destination in itself, Twitter allows a user to direct the conversation to a destination of their choosing, and Woodson said he is mindful of how he uses that power. “I just really set out to have some fun. I knew that Twitter seemed to be like a big cocktail party, so I just rolled with it,” he said. “I knew not to act like a frat boy and just hit on everyone with a biz idea, scheme or whatever. I just tried to treat everyone like they treated me. “I know at the beginning I had some friends that thought they could say whatever they wanted, but I quickly reminded them that, yes, I was there to have fun, but they could not go around my Facebook making fun of everyone or everything that someone does or says. They soon got the message and they do not screw around as much anymore.” But if you took that cocktail party vibe PICKING YOUR PLATFORM to a service such as LinkedIn — which Both Twitter and Facebook have a place allows users to post their resumes and in the life of Josh Walker, a 26-year-old make professional connections — you

CONTINUED FROM PAGE AA6

Diversity “The stereotype is that education goes down,” he said. “but that’s not true here.” Lackey sited good ISTEP scores and improving graduation rates to demonstrate that racial diversity has not hurt Merrillville schools. This year, Merrillville’s Tony Lux was named top District 1 superintendent of the year in the state. “It has been a 15-year transition,” Lackey said. “Certainly Obama made the highest pinnacle and we rode the wave, but more importantly students learned that they could reach their goals, their dreams.” PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

Want to know more about Facebook, Twitter and the rest? Mashable.com is a social media news blog that “covers cool new Web sites and social networks: Facebook, Google, Twitter, MySpace and YouTube.” HOW TO START TWEETING: Go to WWW.TWITTER.COM and sign up for an account. You can then start sending out tweets from a computer or mobile phone. Users can follow any other Twitter users and receive a running feed of their updates. Twitter allows real-time searching of user posts, and searchability can be enhanced by adding hash tags to posts. Hash tags are terms prefaced by a # symbol, which can be used to search for tweets on a particular subject, for example: #nwitweetup.

James Barath thumbs through messages on his cell phone last month at the Buffalo Wild Wings on FOLLOW THE TIMES ON TWITTER: Ridge Road in Portage. The Times has a Twitter page at WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWI. might find yourself without many con- Our online staff adds “tweets” throughout each nections. day containing headlines and links to full stories. “Giving and getting professional rec- If you have a Twitter account and “follow” the nwi ommendations is a huge part of LinkedIn,” page, you can log on to your page and see our Sipple said. “(It’s) a great place to ‘store’ tweets. business relationships and learn about connections between business people you We also try to follow all of those who are know, or want to know.” following us, meaning we get a steady stream of Even with integration, Walker said each headlines from our readers. We’ve used it as a service is largely unique and thus the use kind of local news scanner. is, too. “Each platform has its own culture We also follow #nwindiana and #indiana and will and etiquette. They all work in a slightly use both to solicit news tips from Twitter users. different manner. And not everyone uses Are you sitting on the Borman because of a bad all of them. Some of my potential fans, accident? Is it flooding again, or are you proud of followers, and clients are only on Face- what you see someone doing? Tweet about it and book or Twitter, or (they) only read RSS add the hash tag and we’ll get the information. feeds. That is why I use all of them independently. The Times also has a prep sports Twitter page at “It’s about being real and not too WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWIPREPSPORTS, where you pushy.” can get prep football scores during the season.

“We need to remove the stones, clear the soil and plant new seeds. In the Northwest Indiana Race Relations Council, we have created some patches.”

STARTING THE CONVERSATION Johnson’s Institute is planning to initiate a “candid civil conversation” series to model difficult issues this spring. Each month will focus on a different issue. The topics will be discussed twice and will include limited involvement from the community in its first stage to develop plans of action, he said. Johnson intends to address race, economic development and immigration “because they are all interconnected.” “We need to discuss the lack of under- J. ALLEN JOHNSON, of the Institute of Culture standing of these connections,” he said. and Environmental Understanding “People don’t talk about it.” Johnson said he found that internation“I worry that people are getting awards al students in Valparaiso don’t feel safe. for leadership when there is no leader-

ship,” Johnson said. “The leadership needs to come from the individual communities. Civil engagement is something we are not that familiar with. Leadership has to come from a sense of urgency.” Johnson pointed to a shooting in a Rockford, Ill., church as an example of the call for urgency. He also said immigration reform and economic need are other issues requiring urgent attention. “We, who believe in freedom, are trying to create a different place,” he said. “We need to remove the stones, clear the soil and plant new seeds. In the Northwest Indiana Race Relations Council, we have created some patches.”

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NORTHWEST INDIANA PAGE AA24 | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2010

THE TIMES