Lake County officials cancel trash-to-ethanol contract

After four years of failed attempts to get a Lake County trash-to-ethanol plant off the drawing room floor, waste district officials unanimously canceled the contract Thursday with a would-be developer.

Crime task force coming to Ridge towns

HIGHLAND | If you commit a violent crime in one of the three Ridge communities, you might be facing police officers from all three towns.

Absent at trial, but molester conviction stands, panel says

INDIANAPOLIS | An East Chicago child molester received a fair trial last year despite not being present in the courtroom, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.

Kouts wants more info on Fire Department radio upgrade

KOUTS | The town is again at odds with the Porter County E-911 department over installation of new equipment for the emergency communication system used by the Kouts Volunteer Fire Department.

Privatizing infrastructure, like Cline, brews a political battle

INDIANAPOLIS | If the response from local and state officials to the apparent resolution of the Cline Avenue Bridge quandary is any indication, the issue of replacing free roads and bridges with tolled infrastructure is likely to divide Hoosiers for years to come.

Weak investment returns will require higher pension payments

INDIANAPOLIS | Local governments and school corporations will pay higher employee pension contributions next year due to lackluster stock market earnings during the 2012 budget year that ended June 30.

Nearly 3 dozen local businesses seek Illinois video gambling licenses

Illinois residents soon may be able to skip the drive to a casino and instead play their favorite video gambling machine at a local bar, retailer or club.

Pence team seeks halt in rising tax value of farmland

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. | Some owners of agricultural land could get a break on their property taxes if Republican Mike Pence is elected Indiana governor.

Approving TIF expansion just the start for Valpo

VALPARAISO | The city's tax increment financing district won't officially include the U.S. 30 corridor until Aug. 8, but the first customer hoping to take advantage of it already is waiting.

Cook County landfill ban bill heads to governor

The Illinois House on Wednesday gave final legislative approval to a measure that would ban the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency from issuing permits for new or expanded landfills within Cook County. The legislation would halt the proposed expansion of a landfill that straddles the b…

Village Board agrees to emergency water connection plan

SAUK VILLAGE | The Village Board approved an interim Agreed Order with the Illinois EPA on Tuesday that sets the compliance terms regarding emergency water supply to Sauk Village residents.

Lansing to host meeting in May on gypsy moth treatments

The village of Lansing is one of four locations statewide that will host a public information meeting by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to explain its plans this year to treat part of northern Illinois for the destructive gypsy moth, according to a news release from the agency.

Indiana lawmaker wants Hoosiers' input on Lansing airport expansion

INDIANAPOLIS | State Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, wants Indiana residents to have more say on the planned expansion of the Lansing Municipal Airport.

Taxes to go up in Sauk Village

SAUK VILLAGE | The original plan was for an increase in local business to pay for the new municipal center. The reality is property taxes are on the increase.

Lansing to work on developing new employee relations procedures

LANSING | The Village Board approved an ordinance Tuesday to result in new policies on employee relations and the way in which grievances filed against village workers are handled.

With no discussion, Cal City gives police chief a one-year contract extension

CALUMET CITY | The City Council expressed no opposition, or hesitancy, Thursday in granting a one-year contract extension to Police Chief Edward L. Gilmore.

Sauk Village trustees seek restraining order against terminated village manager

SAUK VILLAGE | Sauk Village board members are seeking a restraining order to prevent terminated Village Manager Henrietta Turner from coming to work.

Immigrant detention facility proposal begs unanswered questions

CRETE | Crete is a quaint village of 9,000 residents. Its location 30 miles from Chicago makes it a near-perfect bedroom community.

Crete to look at municipal health care costs

CRETE | Faced with a potential 16 percent to 17 percent increase in the cost of employee health care insurance, the Village Board will investigate ways to contain costs.

South Holland approves pollution prevention strategy

SOUTH HOLLAND | The Village Board last week approved a stormwater pollution prevention plan to ensure village ordinances satisfy Illinois Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.