Northwest Indiana Discussion

Sanctions - Punishments or reprisals, violent or nonviolent, imposed either because people have failed to act in the expected or desired manner or because people have acted in an unexpected or prohibited manner.

Label Grand Street road construction between 32nd Ave and I-80/94 a sanction. This quarter plus length of road under construction since August 2009 and not completed is nothing less, by any other name. For the second time in less than two years, at the same location concrete roads are or were being laid. Why? Not far from the I-65 South exit “hot mess” created by Major Moves, due in part to not getting permission from resident Beavers of the area. The usual parallel run of travel won’t work for this area if you have the thought of going west; Chase Street is blocked from 35th Ave to 29nd Ave. With few major roads running north and south for Gary travelers, restricting traffic follow must cause loss revenue to businesses on both sides of this mess. Maybe that is the plan?

Luck is still with us Cline Ave bridge issue can be looked at as a near-miss the same as the Christmas Eve bombing attempt.
But Today one of the local news papers had an article asking if we should appreciate the governor paying attention the Cline Ave issue. My response, we pay his salary so why should we appreciate him not doing his job, taking responsibility for INDOT’s lack of performing regular inspection that may have prevented the present state of closure? His visit to the area more than a month after the announced closure and a few days prior to the public hearing is no more than a typical photo-op and one of the few times if not the first that he has traveled so far north of Indianapolis. Where was Governor Daniel’s attention prior to the decision to close. Is the fact that the bridge is in Lake county the reason for the late ceremonial visit?
So now the question of how to fix the problem is on the table without answering the question of why the bridge didn’t last as long as predicated?

Kinda like obama and his press conferences 2 week after the Christmas crotch bomber.

Lip service.

Daniel’s took no noted interest in the issue it was a photo-op and changed nothing, he didn’t even give lip service to the issue prior to closing Cline. A conference call with area mayor’s would have saved tax payers a few bucks and may have accomplished more. But since its all lip service he could have the same thing in the warm confines of his office. Casino and toll road revenue is his only interest with Lake County. Ever check revenue returned by the state? The speed in identifing revenue to rebuild Cline is similar in time funds were found for 911 relatives.

After the Christmas day attempted bombing on Flight 253, we learned that governments are still not communicating. Should we view our legislators in the same light? If that is true place them all in the same pot, and turn the flame up slowly. Centralizing the courts at the Crown Point government center may be cost effective, but it leaves residents without personal vehicles any means of travel to Crown Point.

If elected officials’ were communicating wouldn’t expanded bus service rather than a train service be of more benefit? If those on the RDA were to talk to state legislators and county officials, would the tax payers benefit? Instead of an extension of the South Shore to transport, mostly college students to Chicago, an expanded bus service connecting neighboring areas where the county wants to close and combine court houses benefit a larger population, be cost effective and serve more tax payers? If elected officials’ were communicating and working on public issues we could connect the dots and solve both issues, centralize the courts and provide effective public transportation.

Our Bunning
U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky held a bill to extend unemployment hostage to make a point that he only got nerve and a conscious after he decided not the seek office.
Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis feels the same way but he isn’t about to leave his position just block Lake County residence from voting to keep local township government. It is reported that the bill was altered to automatically eliminate township advisory boards in 2013, it leaves a few questions: What does Brown, Rogers or Smith have to say?