EDITORIAL: Ignition interlock devices are key to safety

By Doug Ross

One of the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendations for decreasing the number of traffic fatalities seems dead on arrival in the…

EDITORIAL: Lessons to learn from Van Til's indictment

By Doug Ross

Lake County Surveyor George Van Til's name was added Friday to the long list of Northwest Indiana public officials indicted on federal public …

EDITORIAL: U.S. needs federal media shield law

By Doug Ross

As if there weren't enough reasons to distrust the folks in Washington, the U.S. Department of Justice seized Associated Press phone records. …

EDITORIAL: Erase barrier to progress at state line

By Doug Ross

Environmentalists from throughout Northwest Indiana and the southeast suburbs, and even a bit beyond, gathered Tuesday and Wednesday at Marque…

EDITORIAL: Buy American steel for federal projects

By Doug Ross

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky's legistion requiring the federal government to use U.S.-made steel for public projects makes sense.

EDITORIAL: Gather, analyze, act on health data

By Doug Ross

Doctors and nurses examine patients carefully, listening to voiced complaints but also studying data before making suggestions to help these i…

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EDITORIAL: Casino isn't a sure bet for Calumet City

By Doug Ross

Calumet City Mayor Michelle Markieiwicz Qualkinbush is right to be concerned about the number of vacant homes in the city. But looking to a ca…

EDITORIAL: Now that it's here, spend money wisely

By Doug Ross

After a tense, white-knuckle, nail-biting process, it's finally official. Lake County has adopted an income tax, just like every other Indiana…

EDITORIAL: Expand merit selection for judges

By Doug Ross

Mediation failed to resolve the feud over filling the Lake Juvenile Court vacancy. So now it's up to the Indiana Supreme Court to order that s…

EDITORIAL: Lake needs this bitter medicine

By Doug Ross

Lake County commissioners are expected to vote today to veto the income tax approved by the Lake County Council. The veto should fail.

EDITORIAL: Indiana General Assembly rewards failure

By Doug Ross

Proponents of traditional public schools are upset about the Indiana General Assembly forgiving startup loans for charter schools — even schoo…

EDITORIAL: Remember Doc Bowen's Rx for Hoosiers

By Doug Ross

Former Indiana Gov. Otis Bowen should be remembered for his dedication to making a difference in the lives of others.

EDITORIAL: Vote in today's school referendum

By Doug Ross

In three Northwest Indiana school districts, there are tax referendums on the ballot today. The future of your schools and property values, as…

EDITORIAL: Invite regionalism to tourism efforts

By Doug Ross

The threat of legal action in the ongoing battle between the three Northwest Indiana tourism agencies shows how far out of control this situat…

EDITORIAL: Vote yes on school tax referendums

By Doug Ross

There are separate extenuating circumstances, but the core problem faced by the Munster, Union Township and Boone Township school districts is…

EDITORIAL: Invite public input at public meetings

By Doug Ross

Curiously, Indiana law doesn't require a public comment period at public meetings of government boards. But don't take that as a license to ig…

EDITORIAL: ISTEP'd in wrong place this time

By Doug Ross

Like it or not, Indiana's ISTEP+ is a high-stakes test. This week's interruptions to the testing process are disgraceful.

EDITORIAL: Legislature must focus on unfinished work

By Doug Ross

On two issues -- sentencing reform and local government reform -- the Indiana General Assembly took a step in the right direction this year, b…

EDITORIAL: Lake County legislation does much, but not all

By Doug Ross

Senate Bill 585 brings some necessary reforms to Lake County -- changing the makeup of the Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority; requi…

EDITORIAL: Major cooperation on major crimes

By Doug Ross

The arrest of a suspect in the kidnapping and death of Mary Austgen shows what can happen when law enforcement agencies work together.

EDITORIAL: Report drives home urgency of DCS reforms

By Doug Ross

The recent Indiana Department of Child Services report showing 40 children died of abuse in Indiana — five of them in Northwest Indiana — in a…

EDITORIAL: Set aside emotions in vote on tax

By Doug Ross

The Lake County Council is playing "beat the clock" in voting on the income tax Friday. In doing so, it must set aside emotions and vote based…

EDITORIAL: Grease the wheels of rail expansion

By Doug Ross

The path to extension of commuter rail service to south Lake County has been stalled for years, but not derailed. The Indiana General Assembly…

EDITORIAL: Go with conventional, not with convention

By Doug Ross

Indiana's call for a constitutional convention -- at the federal level, not state -- didn't make it out of the House Judiciary Committee and i…

EDITORIAL: Griffith legislation is a good start

By Doug Ross

The legislation that enables Griffith to exit Calumet Township is acceptable, but realize that this is a Band-Aid and not a permanent solution.

EDITORIAL: No more solid waste of time

By Doug Ross

Finally, the ill-fated trash-to-ethanol plan has been abandoned.

EDITORIAL: Coats' vote was for less safety

By Doug Ross

Shame on U.S. Sen. Dan Coats for voting against the improved public safety that expanding background checks prior to gun sales would bring.

EDITORIAL: Replenish rainy day funds for flood control

By Doug Ross

People in the Chicago area, including Northwest Indiana, have seen the wrath of nature this week. Flooded roads. Flooded basements. Commuting …

EDITORIAL: Provide more health care providers

By Doug Ross

The phrase "serious health care problem" usually refers to cancer, heart disease and other disorders. There's another looming health care prob…

EDITORIAL: Find new funding for scholarships

By Doug Ross

Hammond City Councilman Anthony Higgs is sort of right, but mostly wrong, to try to cut off casino funding for College Bound.

EDITORIAL: Mixed news on public access issues

By Doug Ross

Hoosiers must remain ever vigilant when the Indiana General Assembly is in session, alert to any action that could affect the public's access …

EDITORIAL: School superintendents should be licensed

By Doug Ross

Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann broke the first Senate tie since 2005 by voting for legislation that would allow school boards to hire anyone as supe…

EDITORIAL: Indiana House kills potentially fatal plan

By Doug Ross

The Indiana General Assembly's shoot-from-the-hip idea of having secret armed personnel carry guns in schools, like air marshals, had a number…

EDITORIAL: House shifts blame, doesn't solve problem

By Doug Ross

One of the selling points, though not the only one, for enacting a local income tax in Lake County is to thaw the property tax levy that has b…

EDITORIAL: Attract private dollars to help airport fly

By Doug Ross

The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority is moving forward with plans to seek high-flying but well-grounded investors willing to spend…

EDITORIAL: Lake's income tax debate begins

By Doug Ross

Tuesday's 4-3 preliminary vote on an income tax for Lake County should not be seen as an opening salvo against the county's taxpayers. Rather,…

GUEST EDITORIAL: The wider issue is fairness, consistency

By Doug Ross

The Indiana Supreme Court has turned to one of Indiana’s most respected jurists — and a former colleague — to mediate a dispute.

EDITORIAL: Manage government workforce better

By Doug Ross

In county government, as with businesses, the employees are the biggest cost. But county government hasn't followed the private sector's lead …

EDITORIAL: Vitriolic words online merit a time out

By Doug Ross

Somebody said silence is golden.

EDITORIAL: Fire flap merits external investigation

By Doug Ross

There's a lot we don't know about the situation involving the firefighter who walked back to the station after a brush fire Tuesday night. It …

EDITORIAL: Expand background checks to limit violence

By Doug Ross

An Indiana House committee on Tuesday approved a plan that would require each of the state's public schools to have an employee packing heat o…

EDITORIAL: Review entire structure of county government

By Doug Ross

The Indiana General Assembly appears to be planning to take another look at the structure of county government this summer. It's a good idea.

EDITORIAL: Why mediation when state law is clear?

By Doug Ross

The Indiana Supreme Court's decision to use a mediator to settle a dispute over the Lake Juvenile Court vacancy is baffling. What is there to …

EDITORIAL: Don't expand scope of school vouchers

By Doug Ross

While we're glad the Indiana Supreme Court upheld Indiana's school voucher law, we're not in a rush to see that law expanded.

EDITORIAL: We endorse Abbott for Lansing mayor

By Doug Ross

Voters in Lansing will choose between incumbent Norm Abbott and challenger Don Sciackitano for mayor -- technically, village president -- on A…

EDITORIAL: Say no to drugs, but yes to screening

By Doug Ross

The Valparaiso Community Schools board is right to consider random drug testing for students who park at school or participate in extracurricu…

EDITORIAL: Northwest Indiana needs Senate Bill 585

By Doug Ross

Senate Bill 585 has many valuable provisions for Lake County and Northwest Indiana. It must become law.

EDITORIAL: Put tighter controls on grants for recycling

By Doug Ross

The Lake County Solid Waste Management District's enormous budget includes grants to communities for recycling. But that's not necessarily how…

EDITORIAL: Stop wasting time on waste solution

By Doug Ross

Earl Powers' trash-to-ethanol plan sounded good in the same way that Star Trek teleportation sounded good. Maybe someday it would work out, bu…

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