August 26, 2014 – Times Staff Demolition begins today on the last section of Hammond Housing Authority’s Columbia Center. Built in 1942, Columbia Center originally had 400 units. The demolition makes way for Flagstone Village, the fifth and final phase of new housing at the 40-acre site in Hammond’s South Side. Flagstone Village will have 76 units, all one and …
Kennedy Ave construction traffic update from the Hammond Police Department
The city of Hammond is in the process of reconstructing Kennedy Avenue from the 7400 block to 169th Street. Although the road is open, it has been reduced to one lane in each direction. Initially, a left turn arrow was installed for both north and south traffic on Kennedy Avenue at 173rd Street, however, this traffic pattern was not effective …
Council approves tax levy reduction to fund county dispatch network
August 25, 2014 – Rob Earnshaw The City Council on Monday passed a resolution reducing its tax levy in the amount of $1,158,871, which will be transferred to Lake County to help fund the consolidated county emergency dispatch center. Hammond, which has already entered into the county E-911 agreement, previously used a portion of its tax levy to fund salaries …
Berlin Metals named best U.S. service center
August 23, 2014 – Joseph S. Pete A Hammond-based steel service center won a major national award, and a few other steel companies with local ties also picked up top honors. American Metal Market, the steel industry’s biggest trade publication, named Berlin Metals the Service Center of the Year for 2014. The widely read trade publication named Berlin Metals best …
Girl Scouts go bronze as leaders
August 22, 2014 – Times Staff Girl Scout troops 10029 and 10261 from Montessori Children’s Schoolhouse earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award earlier this year. The Bronze Award is the highest award Junior level Girl Scouts can attain, and one of three awards that Girl Scouts can earn to help them become knowledgeable, involved and proactive leaders in their communities. …
Abandoned Mallards released into Optimist Lake
August 22, 2014 – Nicki Mackowski-Gladstone Rescuing and nurturing abandoned or hurt animals is nothing new to Joe Michalik, a volunteer at the Indiana Welcome Center. On Friday, Aug. 22, Michalik and a group of visitors watched as the four 8-week-old Mallards Michalik and his son rescued were released into Optimist Lake, located behind the welcome center. “They belong in …
Senior citizen advocates sworn in by judge
August 21, 2014 – Times Staff The newest members of the Franciscan St. Margaret Health Hammond Volunteer Advocates for Seniors Program were sworn in this summer by Lake Superior Court Judge Diane Kavadias Schneider during a ceremony in her courtroom. The program’s purpose is “to provide volunteer limited guardian services to protect the health, well-being and safety of unfriended, decisionally …
Region’s first school food pantry to expand the fight against hunger
August 21, 2014 – Times Staff The first school food pantry in Northwest Indiana will be unveiled at noon Friday at Calumet College of St. Joseph’s Quentin P. Smith Student Lounge (Student Activity Center). The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is teaming up with Calumet College of St. Joseph’s service engagement club, G.I.V.E. (Get Involved, Value Everyone,) to develop the …
Hammond station crux issue in South Shore rail expansion
August 20, 2014 – Keith Benman New maps of the proposed South Shore West Lake extension show five potential station sites along its 8-mile route, including an option for a Hammond gateway station deemed “essential” by Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. “The combined gateway station is important,” McDermott said. “The whole extension won’t make sense without it.” Hammond is one of …
Horseshoe Casino employees donate school supplies
August 19, 2014 – School City of Hammond Employees of Horseshoe Casino collected a variety of school supplies, which included glue, crayons, pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks and other items. The items were sorted and packed in three boxes and will be distributed to homeless students that attend Hammond Public Schools. Horseshoe Casino Hammond has partnered with the School City of …