Michael Gallenberger

The leader of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is stepping down. Executive Director Denny Spinner is resigning from the position after three years to take over as interim director of the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement. His last day at OCRA was Friday, Dec. 1.

Those experiencing a mental health crisis will soon have another resource available to seek treatment. Porter-Starke Services plans to open its new Valparaiso crisis center in January. It's designed to provide short-term observation and care up to 24 hours in a less restrictive setting than a psychiatric hospital.

The town of Merrillville has a chance to be a model for communities looking to address environmental sustainability. The town was one of six pilot participants in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management's Clean Communities program. It's an updated version of the Clean Community Challenge launched by IDEM in the early 2000s.

Three Valparaiso restaurateurs will have a chance to grow their businesses, thanks to downtown liquor licenses from the city. The city council Monday voted to move forward with requests from Figs & Fables, Smoketown Blues and Veleros Mexican Cuisine.

Construction on the South Shore Line's Double Track project is almost 95-percent complete. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) President Mike Noland says the section between Michigan City and Dune Park has been open for about a month, while the remaining part between Dune Park and Gary is nearly done.

As lawmakers plan for the 2024 legislative session, school leaders are urging them to change the property tax referendum language.

The new principal of Scott Middle School in Hammond is getting to work. Kerchell Hobson was officially appointed to the position by the school board Tuesday, but she actually took over November 13.

A new facility at the Gary Police Department lets officers track all of their crime-fighting technology in real time. The city unveiled its Real Time Crime Center on Wednesday. The room in the city's Public Safety Building contains more than a dozen screens, where three people can monitor camera feeds, license plate readers and shot detector technology.

Valparaiso Community Schools is already seeing an impact from its energy savings projects.

A healthy newborn baby was surrendered last week to the Schererville Fire Department.