The City of Hammond Common Council has approved a resolution formally opposing the selection of a location for a proposed Lake County Convention Center at this time. The resolution, sponsored by Councilman Scott Rakos of the 6th District and backed by Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr., outlines the City’s concerns regarding the financial, economic, and competitive impacts a new convention …
Transforming Vacant Land into Vibrant Homes The City of Hammond, in partnership with the Hammond Redevelopment Commission, is launching a new online portal designed to streamline the process of purchasing and redeveloping City-owned residential lots. This initiative marks a significant step in the city’s ongoing commitment to fostering community growth and transforming vacant land into thriving homes. The newly launched …
Mayor Thomas M. McDermott is once again using his mayoral platform to focus attention on childhood cancer. For many years, the mayor has asked the public to help him raise funds for a Hammond family dealing with a cancer diagnosis. After the fundraising goal has been met, he has his head shaved publicly with city officials and the family in …
The City of Hammond, in partnership with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), is moving forward with the long-awaited Governor’s Parkway Overpass Project—a critical infrastructure improvement designed to address longstanding safety concerns, traffic congestion, and emergency response delays caused by stalled trains in Hessville. This project, eight years in the making, marks a significant step toward improving mobility, protecting pedestrian …
The City of Hammond in cooperation with Councilmen Dave Woerpel and Scott Rakos are constructing a boundary fence around the City-owned, 18-acre parcel known as Briar East Woods. This fencing is in preparation for the planned and fully funded Governors Parkway road and bridge project that will alleviate decades long stopped train issues in the Hessville area of Hammond. The …
Walkable USA, a documentary filmed during the City of Hammond’s ongoing transformation of its downtown core, is now available on PBS.org. Chicago filmmaker Tom Desch began filming urban planner and designer Jeff Speck during his time spent in Hammond since 2018. Spanning many months into years of hard work, Walkable USA chronicles Hammond’s partnership with Speck and how both parties …
January 1, 2025Chris DellaFrancoVP BP Whiting Refinery2815 Indianapolis Blvd.Whiting, IN 46394 Dear Mr. DellaFranco, The gaseous release on Thursday December 26th, 2024 from the BP Whiting Refinery resulted in numerous Hammond resident complaint calls to 911 and directly to Hammond Fire Department to report a strong, offensive odor. Resident safety and resident health were the biggest concern of all complaints …
Applications for 2025 funding through the City of Hammond’s Gaming Advisory Committee are now available. Applications are available at Hammond City Hall in the Mayor’s Office Suite 215 or you may download a copy online at www.gohammond.com/departments/mayors-office. Funding is available to local not-for-profit organizations that demonstrate their project, activities, and services to provide direct benefit to the citizens of Hammond. …
Popular Award Winning College Scholarship Program Renewed for Another Ten Years: Mayor Thomas M McDermott, Jr. announced that he and the Hammond City Council recently extended the College Bound Scholarship Program for another ten years. The extension ensures that the program will be in place through the 2035-36 school year. This means that a student currently in fifth grade is …
The REAL ID Act, passed by Congress in 2005, set standards for the issuance of sources of identification, such as a state driver’s license and state identification card. Change never comes easily, so it probably is no surprise that the deadline for getting a REAL ID has been kicked down the road a few times. But, after several starts and …
