The “Innovators of the Month” highlights Members of the Society of Innovators of Northwest Indiana to inform the media and inspire innovation across Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, Porter, Pulaski and Starke Counties.  The Society celebrates Fellows and Chanute Prize recipients, but also recognizes other Members of “The 2012 – 2013 Class.” The Society shares their

MERRILLVILLE — The Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition (NWILC) and Books to Bridge the Region (B2BR) made their annual presentation to area school superintendents at the Study Council meeting held in the Merrillville High School Freshmen Center. This year’s presentation noted that the Time Out for Reading (TOFR) literacy promotion is being held in seven counties,

GARY — Today, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson joined two business partners and the Gary Chamber of Commerce in launching the Urban Entrepreneur Initiative (UEI). Thanks to this partnership, a total of 1,000 Gary small business owners will receive free training and accounting assistance. The program includes donations of resources to local entrepreneurs worth up to $250,000,

Roughly one in five Hispanic and black workers are “underemployed” (18.9 percent of Hispanic workers and 22.4 percent of black workers). The “underemployment rate” is a more comprehensive measure of slack in the labor market than the official unemployment rate, which counts only jobless workers who report that they are actively seeking work. The underemployment

BLOOMINGTON — After slumping this spring, the Leading Index for Indiana showed that the state’s economy may be gaining traction, moving up 0.6 points to 101.6 in August. All the LII’s components are pointing up, some strongly. Home builders are more optimistic. Purchasing executives are noting an expansion in the manufacturing sector. Unfilled orders in

INDIANAPOLIS — Harrison College, a private sector college serving more than 4,000 students worldwide, has announced that Lisa Young has joined the college’s corporate partnerships division as traffic coordinator. In this role, which is a new role within the division, Young will manage relationships between the corporate partnerships division and its various vendors, including catering

INDIANAPOLIS — Submissions for the 2013 Heartland Film Festival (Oct. 17 – 26) have smashed all previous records across multiple categories. Heartland’s success has grown substantially over the years, with an overall increase of 151 percent in submission numbers since 2009, thanks in part to the Festival’s selection as a qualifying festival for the Annual

VALPARAISO — July may have been cooler than usual temperature-wise, but the Northwest Indiana market stayed hot with an increase in sales and pricing, reports Jeanne Sommer, broker/owner of CENTURY 21 Alliance Group in Valparaiso, IN. The Valparaiso-based real estate agency has seen a significant increase in activity this year, with more showings and sales.

HAMMOND — Plenty of pomp and celebratory activities are scheduled when Purdue University Calumet welcomes new and continuing students to its community of scholars and a new academic year, during Student Convocation festivities Thursday (8/22) on campus. The seventh annual campus celebration begins at 11 a.m. with a procession of Purdue Calumet faculty and administrators