One Region is bringing three counties together

One Region, the organization formed last spring after the merger of the former Quality of Life Council and One Region One Vision, had a very successful year last year.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: One Region will improve quality of life

One Region, the organization resulting from the merger of the former Quality-of-Life Council and the One Region One Vision initiative, is off to a great start.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: How would Mom get by without Social Security?

Those of us who are lucky enough to still have our mothers should ponder the question, "What if Social Security did not exist? How would Mother get by if not for Social Security?"

GUEST COMMENTARY: Local government reforms succeed in 2012

Congratulations to the Indiana General Assembly for passing, and Gov. Mitch Daniels for signing, three laws that will assist in improving the accountability, efficiency, and transparency of local government. These three laws are House Bill 1003, House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 193.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Search for truth before determining public policy

Anyone who has watched a police or law drama on television has heard the phrase, "What is the evidence?" Sadly, it is not often asked in public policy discussions.

GUEST COMMENTARY: College personnel can help make public safety choices

As we approach the forthcoming election season, it is reasonable to expect there will be some changes in local government. This is partially because some leadership at the top will change, but also because department heads and other appointed officials might also change. Sometimes even the r…

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Could we all begin to act like a region?

On the national news we have seen the impact of the swollen Mississippi River on the communities through which it travels. And so we hear about Cairo, Memphis, Vicksburg and ultimately New Orleans, a city very familiar with the destruction that can be caused by excess water.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Untie NWI's transportation knot

Years ago, on a trip to New York City, I developed a theory: One can tell the level of vitality in an urban community by whether they have pretzel vendors. New York has pretzel vendors, Chicago has pretzel vendors, as well as Los Angeles, New Orleans, and on and on. We don't have pretzel ven…

GUEST COMMENTARY: Event will highlight efforts, need for ethics in government

Northwest Indiana is at a crossroads! We have seen our region attacked for our wasteful ways and our government-funded patronage jobs. Also, as we all know, during the last two decades, several elected officials have been convicted of felony crimes.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Passing DREAM Act is right for America

There are people who do not often appear on our public radar screen. We might know them personally without knowing something vital about their lives.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Reform local government now to improve our future

The One Region, One Vision initiative includes a subcommittee looking into efficiencies that might be obtained through local government reform. This is not a new idea, but the fact that little has been done to date suggests it could be revolutionary.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Community-based corrections are a better way

Two eye-opening reports from the well-respected Pew Charitable Trust's Center on the States, "1 in 100: Behind Bars in America" (2008) and "1 in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections" (2009) raise fundamental questions about what we want our justice system to accomplish.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Who should control the curriculum?

Earlier this spring, the Texas State School Board passed a preliminary version of its revised, state-wide, public-school curriculum. It was a decision made in Texas, but it could have far-reaching implications, including for us.

GUEST COMMENTARY: Transportation plan is not bold enough

The Quality of Life Council is a membership organization of engaged citizens from business, education, not-for-profit, and government sectors of Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. It is chaired, on a rotating basis, by the six chancellors and presidents of colleges and universities in Northw…

Small tax increases can secure our future

"Man's inhumanity to man": It is a reference most often used to describe the violence we perpetrate on one another in times of war. But there is another type of violence that we inflict on our fellow citizens in times of peace. It is not criminal, but has equally devastating effects. It also…

Can we be safer and reduce costs?

The Quality of Life Council is a membership organization of engaged citizens from Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. It is chaired by the chancellors and presidents of the region's six institutions of higher education. Each month, we will address one of the 11 "Quality of Life Indicators." T…

Act promptly to address area flooding

The recent report on the causes of flooding in Northwest, Indiana, released by FEMA and the Department of Natural Resources, shocked many people. In reality, it shouldn't have been a surprise.

We are not a learning community yet

The Quality of Life Council periodically publishes "Quality of Life Indicators," an assembly of data that paints a picture of how we are progressing toward our vision of a stronger region. Each month, we will examine one of the 11 indicators in this column. This month, we examine indicators …

You can pay more now, or you can pay more later

As we move closer to the 2009 session of the Indiana General Assembly, we are beginning to see a picture of how the session might proceed. It might not be pretty for Northwest Indiana.

Producing a more educated populace

In the 2004 indicators report, the Quality of Life Council assigned Northwest Indiana's relative position regarding educational progress as a C-. Despite a number of positive initiatives since that report was issued, when the council publishes its 2008 version of the indicators, the grade is…

Littering is a crime against society

A few weeks ago, I had an occasion to be in downtown Chicago. While driving through the city, I was following a car out of which a passenger threw trash onto the street. The first two times surprised me, but the third incident occurred while we were stopped at a traffic light. This time the …

RBA can't address Gary bus woes yet

The Oct. 7 editorial carried the title "RBA Needs to Help Solve Gary Bus Service Crisis." We on the Regional Bus Authority have appreciated the long-standing support we have received from The Times, but this editorial requires some elaboration.

There's more to college than getting a degree

Throughout Calumet College of St. Joseph's 56-year history, we have offered very strong programming in business, finance, management, and accounting.

More than schools need to be fixed

Article III of the Northwest Ordinance (1787) states in part "Religion, morality and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." Article III goes on to state we should always "treat the Indians w…

RBA's vision is to ease Northwest Indiana transportation

The citizens of Northwest Indiana have lived too long with inadequate, poorly coordinated public transportation. The time has long since passed for these historic problems to be eliminated.

Public safety is critical to our future

Ask anyone what's most important in their decision about where to live, and they will most likely tell you they want a safe community.

Regional bus service needs dedicated funding source

A step toward better bus transportation will be taken Wednesday when the Regional Bus Authority will formally accept a regional strategic and operations plan for Lake and Porter counties.

Here's agenda for public policy actions in 2007

The 2007 session of the Indiana General Assembly begins in January. Now that the election is over, we know the identity of all the players, and there will be some new faces along with a number who are not new.

Scholarships are nothing like sidewalks

I write in support of Hammond's College Bound Scholarship Program. In doing so, Calumet College of St. Joseph urges the Indiana State Board of Accounts to reconsider their position on the propriety and value of this program.

We should be ashamed of death penalty

Recent events have again highlighted the need to eliminate the death penalty.

Avoid squandering transportation future of region

Few events in the lives of ordinary citizens more aptly demonstrate the astonishing speed of change than the dynamic state of transit in Northwest Indiana.

Kindergarten is important for our future

It is well documented that Indiana's educational attainment level is one of the lowest in the country. Furthermore, during the last 25 years, our relative rank has not changed. The updated 2000 census placed Indiana at 46th out of the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), and in 1980 we…

Bank's mortgage program stabilizes our communities

The area we call Northwest Indiana, much like Chicago, is made up of neighborhoods -- communities within communities, if you will.

Italian visit is eye-opening experience

Travel is, or should be, an educational experience. Not only does one get to see new geography, including interesting architecture, but if the travel is truly a broadening experience, one also draws much from the people who are encountered.

A call for a socially just and best RDA

Porter County's support of the Regional Development Authority did more than begin a new era of economic growth for the region.

Act now on the future of transportation

The news about transportation in Northwest Indiana is everywhere, and unfortunately, it's not all positive.

RTA funding source can be tipping point

On behalf of the Regional Transportation Authority of Lake County, I want to thank those who worked tirelessly for a dedicated funding source for the RTA during the last of the General Assembly.