Lake E-911 leadership in transformation

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners are formalizing employment of the new E-911 director, but delaying hiring a technology consultant for purchasing new communications infrastructure.

Lake County prepares to pay E-911 director six figures

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials are prepared to pay Lake County's new E-911 director $112,000 annually for the next three years to steer consolidation of emergency police and fire communications.

Did county wait too long for E-911 deals?

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials are debating whether they have time to shop for the lowest price on what could be one of the largest electronics purchases in county government history.

Councilwoman to listen to Lake constituents at weekend tax forum

HIGHLAND | Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, will hold an information forum this weekend on a proposed county income tax.

Lake commissioners to hold tax veto meeting May 10

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners will be in a position to veto a local income tax next week if the County Council approves one.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Try these measures before adopting income tax

Over the last several months, there has been a lot of discussion on a Lake County local option income tax. During this time, our constituents, our bosses, have overwhelmingly said we do not want a tax. Some of the reasons they have are:

Lake County Council members divided on local income tax

CROWN POINT | Lake County Council members brought talk of a local income tax into the open, but there remains a question about whether there are enough votes among them to adopt it.

Council prepares to cancel attorneys insurance

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Council is prepared to cancel the taxpayer-subsidized health insurance benefits for 32 attorneys now working for county government.

Lake County officials retiring government complex escalators

CROWN POINT | The public will have to work its way around a construction zone limiting access to the Lake County Government Complex's administration building for several months.

Criticism feeds fairgrounds gun show popularity

CROWN POINT | "No loaded firearms in the building," Dan Hedger, of Central Indiana Gunshows, called out Saturday morning to the crowds streaming into the Lake County Fairgrounds Industrial Arts Building.

Lake officials predict progress for E-911 consolidation

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials came out of a closed-door meeting Thursday with a consensus to move forward with creating a consolidated E-911 system.

Development of Dunes-Kankakee Trail clips along

Another small piece of the planned Dunes-Kankakee Trail can be built this summer now that Porter County has agreed to maintain it after it's built.

Lake council contemplates new taxes on income and cars

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Council is researching a local option income tax in addition to a wheel tax for possible passage later this year.

Lake assessor zings county, township officials over reassessment pay

CROWN POINT | The Republican Lake County assessor says Democratic officials are mismanaging public money in a way that is undermining his authority and wrongly enriching township officials.

Lake County commissioners target 13,000 properties for tax sales

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners will hold tax sales this spring and summer and oppose any new legislation that would cut into the potential profits they could make.

Lake County officials scrap petty cash fund for now

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials have closed down an unauthorized petty cash fund its maintenance staff created with money from recycled scrap metal.

PHIL WIELAND: Putting the X into Christmas carols

Christmas carols can help your holiday mood, unless your office Muzak station just played "Feliz Navidad" for the 912th time in the past two hours. In that case, I understand if you are looking forward to reindeer steaks on Christmas Day.

Repay victory brings youth movement to Lake commissioner board

CROWN POINT | Voters elected the youngest Lake County commissioner in a generation Tuesday night.

Porter County adopts budget relying on reserve funds

VALPARAISO | A fractured Porter County Council approved a $38 million budget for 2013 that relies on reserve funding.

EDITORIAL: Ask how to treat hospital windfall

Now that the new Porter Regional Hospital is open, the $160 million in sale proceeds is no longer untouchable for Porter County officials. This enormous sum should pique voters' curiosity.