Lutheran Basketball returns to Northwest Indiana today, March 25th through the 27th. This year’s tournament will draw boys and girls from across the nation to participate at Valparaiso University.
More than 64 teams are expected.
Lutheran Basketball means big business to the South Shore, as this tournament uses 2,400 hotel rooms during their stay and will create an estimated economic impact of $600,000 to the local economy.
To learn more about the tournament, visit www.lbaa.org.
Methodist Hospitals will present The Truth about Heart Attack Thursday Feb. 24, 2011, at the Methodist Hospitals Cardiac Rehab Center.
Participants of this free seminar, presented by cardiologist, Dr. Kais Yehyawi, M.D. and Connie Adams, RN – Chest Pain Coordinator, will learn about the risk factors and warning signs of a heart attack and what happens after one has had a heart attack. The seminar will also include free blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. Continue reading
The South Shore will be rolling out the welcome mats to returning conventions that will be hosted at the Star Plaza in Merrillville. Salvation Army and the United Council of Corvette Clubs are two of the most recent conventions that were secured by the South Shore CVA and the Star Plaza sales staff. Both will bring hundreds of thousands of dollars to the local economy.
Salvation Army is traditionally the largest convention held in northwest Indiana, bringing in 3,000 people and approximately 1,000 room nights. The convention was not held in Merrillville in 2010, but will return to the area in 2011 and again in 2012 and 2014. Salvation Army will bring more than $250,000 to the local economy (each year) with the influx of people attending the convention. Salvation Army will be held June 10th through 12th in 2011.
The United Council of Corvette Clubs (UCCC) was secured for July 8th through 15th of 2012. The event will include drag racing, a road course, cars shows and plenty of social activities. A very large part of securing the event was having the support of the Northwest Indiana Corvette Club during the bid process. Julius Johnson, Vice President of the UCCC and Governor of the NW Indiana Corvette Club, is a local “bring it home” hero for helping secure the event in northwest Indiana. Johnson said, “We are excited to bring this event back to the region after 9 years in other locations. It’s going to be at great event for the community and also a great way to showcase the area to other Corvette enthusiasts.”
The United Council of Corvette Clubs will bring 200 attendees and will total approximately 560 room nights. Through visitor spending at local businesses and the Star Plaza, the convention will bring more than $140,000 to the economy.
The South Shore CVA has been aggressively working on the “bring it home” campaign, where locals can help influence a bid of regional, state or national events to come to northwest Indiana. Conference attendees spend an average of $250 (including hotel rates) during their stay in northwest Indiana. The SSCVA places great value on the “bring it home” message because it increases economic impact and supports local businesses.
The Center for Workforce Innovations will host “Educating Our Way to a Better Economy,” a One Region/One Vision Education Summit, Wednesday February 23 at Hobart High School in Hobart, IN.
The program, which begins at 3 p.m., includes dinner and a keynote address by Martha Kanter, appointed Under Secretary of Education for the U.S. Department of Education by President Obama.
The event is sponsored by The Times, BP, Hodges & Davis-Attorneys at Law and the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board
To register online, visit innovativeworkforce.com.
Above: (l. to r.) Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point President Dave Ruskowski and Working Well Regional Director Tim Ross accept a plaque from Rich Shelhamer, National Sales Manager of Perry Johnson Registrars commemorating Working Well’s achievement of ISO 9001:2008 certification at the Crown Point facility.
Working Well occupational healthcare’s facilities at Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point were honored for attaining ISO 9001:2008 certification during a presentation today at Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point.
Working Well is the only occupational healthcare provider in the world to have received ISO 9001:2008 certification.
Rich Shelhamer, National Sales Manager of Perry Johnson Registrars, Inc., an ISI 9001 auditing firm, presented a plaque commemorating the achievement to Working Well Regional Director Tim Ross and Franciscan St. Anthony Health – Crown Point President Dave Ruskowski.
The presentation was part of the Innovators Café, an ongoing series of luncheons designed to allow business and educational leaders to share strategies for innovation. The events are produced by the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana.
ISO 9001:2008 certification is part of the ISO 9000 family of quality certification procedures managed by the International Organization for Standardization (Geneva, Switzerland). The gold standard of quality certifications, ISO 9000 standards are employed by more than one million companies in 172 countries, and in the U.S. over the last two decades, have become routine across a broad swath of manufacturing industries.
Ross says that the certification provides a foundation for best practices that will ensure the highest quality healthcare, improved outcomes and reduced errors for all patients, which will in turn increase patient safety and satisfaction.
Working Well’s Michigan City location received ISO 9001:2008 certification last June. Its remaining three locations in Hammond, Munster and Valparaiso should all be certified by the end of the second quarter of this year.
Above: Porter Health CEO John Nalli signs one of the last beams to be raised in the construction of the new Porter Hospital.
Porter Health System held a “beam-signing” ceremony this morning in Valparaiso to mark progress on the new Porter Hospital under construction at the junction of routes 6 and 49 in Porter County.
The $225 million project is scheduled to be finished in 2012.
Porter executives and associates gathered in the lobby of their current facility in Valparaiso to sign one of the last steel beams to be raised on the project. “You are leaving your mark for the next generation,” said Porter CEO John Nalli, who signed the beam in the organization’s signature “Porter green” color. Nalli added that the new hospital not only represented a commitment to to the future, but also represented jobs in the present.
“This piece of steel is home-grown, from just down the road in Wolcott, Indiana,” he said. “So we are helping to stimulate the economy in our own part of the world.”
According to Porter officials, construction is proceeding on schedule. The site has been cleared and site utilities, including onsite water, are nearly complete. Asphalt paving is about halfway done and curb/gutter work 80% complete. All structural concrete work is done, grade pours on the first floor are 40% finished and elevated slab pours are 20% complete. Steel erection is 75% complete through the fourth floor.
Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari officials expect to handle a record number of job applications as Job Fairs are held to fill 2,100 seasonal positions.
Job seekers may arrive at Holiday World any time during the Job Fairs, which will feature representatives from the park’s various departments, including Admissions, Food & Beverage, Lifeguards, Rides, Games, Sweepers, Merchandise, and more. Applicants may speak with multiple department representatives and then apply to work for one or more departments. Job interviews will be conducted at that time.
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More than 1,000 quilters are expected to gather in Schererville on March 18-19 for the 21st Annual Gathering of Quilters at the Patrician Banquet Center. Quilters gather to share their passion in quilt making and their appreciation in quilting as an art form.
The 21st Annual Gathering will feature a four-state juried quilt show as well as an exhibition show from the Heritage Quilters of Crown Point. Entries open to the public are the “Just Imagine” quilt challenge, block swap (lotto), and the ugly fabric exchange. “Just Imagine” quilt challenge entry fee is $10; first, second and third place winners will be awarded with a cash prize. This part of the show is judged by a viewers’ choice format.
A champagne reception will be held on Friday, March 18th from 5pm to 9pm to celebrate the opening of the Gathering of Quilters. Preregistration is required; cost is $15 per person. Carol Butzke, a renowned quilt lecturer and NQS and NQA certified appraiser and judge will make a presentation.
Walk-ins are welcome to the Quilt Show on Saturday, March 19th, from 9am to 4pm at a cost of $20 or preregistration for Friday evening and Saturday is also available for $30 per person. Saturday, nationally recognized speaker, Rachel Wetzler will address attendees and display her beautiful quilts. The show will also include shopping with 35 vendors, a quilt raffle, silent auction, American Girl Doll raffle and clothing sale and more. More information and a full schedule of events are online at www.southshorecva.com/quilt.
The Patrician Banquet Center is located at 410 East US Highway 30 in Schererville.
The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority, along with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Indiana Department of Transportation, is hosting an industry forum that will showcase the Ohio River Bridges Project, explore creative approaches to project development and seek cost-saving ideas.
The conference is scheduled for February 16-17, 2011 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville and will be kicked off by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer.
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The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (RDA) will hold its Board of Directors meeting Thursday January 20 at The Westin in downtown Indianapolis.
In addition to Executive Director Bill Hanna and Chairman of the Board Leigh Morris, the meeting will also feature presentations by Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller and Hammond Mayor Thomas M. McDermott, Jr.
Topics to be covered by the day’s speakers include:
The meeting begins at 10 a.m. in the Congress Room of The Westin (50 South Capitol Avenue). Members of the media interested in attending should contact Dave Wellman at 219.226.0300 or dave@3dms.com by January 17