Both Porter Regional Hospital and Portage Hospital have recently launched a 30-Minute ER Service Pledge. This new service is a part of an ongoing quality improvement process to monitor how efficiently Porter triages patients and gets them to a clinical professional, defined as a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner, for initial evaluation and treatment.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Office of State-Based Initiatives (OSBI) recently released its annual report detailing the economic cost of federal regulations, as well as how the federal government limits the ability of the states to implement creative solutions to problems they face. The report can be found attached. Governor Pence signed Executive Order 13-20 in July

VALPARAISO – Ben, an adorable mini pot-bellied pig, will be hogging the attention during a Lakeshore PAWS adoption event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at the adoption center, 405 Elm St. in Valparaiso. This smart little guy is trained to use a litter box, loves attention and petting, and of course loves

HAMMOND – The South Shore Civil War Memorial Trail’s exhibit, Region United, Nation Divided: Following Lincoln, will open at the Indiana Welcome Center on Monday, Feb. 24, and run through Wednesday, April 30. The exhibit will showcase the region’s answer to Abraham Lincoln’s call to action during the Civil War. The Indiana Welcome Center will

CHICAGO — The Apollo Chorus will present Choral Classics-Mozart’s Great Mass in C & Dvorák’s Te Deum on Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m. at University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.  The historic chapel provides a stunning setting for the concert, featuring the 150-member choir conducted by The Apollo Chorus Music Director

HAMMOND — Six Purdue University Calumet faculty and staff members have been recognized for recent achievements. * Naperville, Ill. professor/administrator elected to ABET Board of Directors Mohammad Zahraee, Purdue University Calumet professor of mechanical engineering technology and assistant dean of graduate studies, has been appointed to the ABET Board of Directors, as a representative of the

FAIR OAKS — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority are seeking nominations for outstanding individuals in the community who exemplify excellence, integrity and commitment, just like the Airmen serving throughout the nation. The awardee of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Hometown Heroes Program will have the opportunity to receive

GRIFFITH and MERRILLVILLE – Northwest Indiana residents, corporations and foundations came together for an unprecedented one-day philanthropic effort on February 12, contributing a preliminary total of $248,678 to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations in Lake, Porter and La Porte counties. The donations were made through NWIgives, the first-ever online giving event to unite charitable organizations regionally.