Obama administration wants to keep Americans afraid

Why is it that every six months or so the Obama administration warns us of another impending economic disaster? The Great Recession, sequestration, fiscal cliff, debt ceiling -- are all allegedly threatening the livelihood of seniors, veterans, cops, teachers, kids. What’s going on here?

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: NWI needs regional disaster preparedness plan

In the wake of the devastating and lethal tornadoes in southern Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio, I am compelled to advocate for a regional disaster preparedness plan.

Cub scouts taking donations in Portage for tornado victims

PORTAGE | Cub Scouts with Wheeler Pack 992 will be accepting donations in Portage on Saturday for tornado victims in southern Indiana.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Still no movement toward emergency preparedness

A year ago, I presented the fact that there are very few community emergency response teams in south suburban Cook County. Chicago Heights and Tinley Park are the only two of 50-plus communities.

Local counties deemed disaster areas due to spring, summer rains

Lake and Porter counties in Indiana and Cook County in Illinois have been declared disaster areas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to losses caused by heavy rains this spring and summer.

Preparing for the worst

Dave Milen, manager of safety and security for Franciscan St. Margaret Mercy Health, talks Wednesday to the Coalition for Emergency Response at Omni 41 Health & Fitness Connection in Schererville.

Preparing for the worst

A Coalition for Emergency Response group watches a video of a scenario involving a shooter Wednesday during a meeting in Schererville to discuss an upcoming disaster preparedness drill.

Preparing for the worst

Superior Ambulance Operations Manager Tom Bettenhausen reads through paperwork Wednesday in Schererville during a meeting on an upcoming disaster preparedness drill.

Preparing for the worst

Steve Mier, owner of MCG Inc., talks to the Coalition for Emergency Response on Wednesday during a meeting in Schererville to discuss an upcoming disaster preparedness drill. MCG wlll be leading the drill and analyzing the response.

Indiana State Fair cancels Janet Jackson, Lady Antebellum concerts

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana State Fair has canceled Wednesday's Janet Jackson concert and Friday's Lady Antebellum show following a stage collapse Saturday that killed five people.

NIPSCO Disaster Tent

DeMotte residents John and Norma Van Keppel receive food Wednesday afternoon from NIPSCO employee Nancy Parker, right, at a disaster recovery tent in DeMotte.

NIPSCO Disaster Tent

NIPSCO communications manager Nick Meyer pours ice into coolers of water Wednesday at a disaster recovery tent at DeMotte Elementary School. The company said service was restored by Wednesday evening for most customers who lost power during Saturday's violent storm, which hit DeMotte particu…

Ties bind Japan nuke sector, regulators

A silver container hanging from a concrete pump scoops water to sample April 12 from the spent fuel pool of the heavily damaged Unit 4 of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

Ties bind Japan nuke sector, regulators

Goshi Hosono, left, special adviser to Prime Minister Naoto Kan on management of the nuclear crisis, speaks with Hidehiko Nishiyama, center, Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency spokesman, and NISA Director-General Kenichi Hirose as they arrive April 25 for their joint news conferenc…

Ties bind Japan nuke sector, regulators

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama, standing at right, joins a news conference April 25 with a Tokyo Electric Power Co. official and a special adviser to the prime minister on the nuclear crisis management. The trio relate the latest developments of the…

Ind. travel alerts are close to being standardized across state

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana House voted 87-0 on Friday to establish a uniform system of travel alerts throughout the state.

Japan Earthquake

In this Saturday photo released by Tokyo Electric Power Co., the maintenance pit of Unit 2 reactor, where highly radioactive water spilled into the sea through a crack, is photographed after pouring concrete into it.

Japan Earthquake

Japan's Self-Defense Force's members continue a search operation near an elementary school where students have been missing since March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Ishinomaki.

Japan quake stirs unease about global supply chain

New vehicles damaged by the March 11 tsunami sit lined in a Toyota parking lot Monday at Sendai port, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan. A shortage of auto parts and other components after Japan's earthquake has stirred unease about the country's role as a crucial link in the global supp…

Japan Earthquake Nuclear Crisis

An evacuee is screened for radiation exposure at a testing center Tuesday in Koriyama city, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, after a nuclear power plant on the coast of the prefecture was damaged by Friday's earthquake.