Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: See how Safe Haven Baby Boxes now serve Merrillville families in crisis.

Spotted on the Merrillville calendar: The Wellness Retreat: A Festival Where Mind, Body, and Music Meet

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Coffee in hand, Merrillville? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • See how Safe Haven Baby Boxes now serve Merrillville families in crisis.
  • What union health benefits are already available to Merrillville families nearby?
  • How big NIPSCO staffing cuts could affect Merrillville's next major outage.

Also on today's calendar: The Wellness Retreat: A Festival Where Mind, Body, and Music Meet and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the cookie go to the hospital? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Friday: An afternoon shower or two, with a high of 72 and low of 55 degrees.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and warmer, temps: high: 82, low: 59.
  • Sunday: Some rain in the morning, with a high of 69 and low of 55 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Of Notoriety: Michigan City magician ready for big screen; club reaches charity goal (chicagotribune.com) — Merrillville is one of several Northwest Indiana communities now hosting Safe Haven Baby Boxes, giving parents in crisis a safe, anonymous way to surrender newborns locally. A Lake County Italian American women's club recently donated $10,000 to support the program's expansion, while a Michigan City magician prepares for a Halloween Houdini tribute and celebrates a festival-winning film project.
   

• Wellness center serving union members opens in Rock Island (ourquadcities.com) — Union families in Merrillville already benefit from a dedicated health center partnership that's part of a growing Midwest network, now expanded with a new Rock Island clinic. These centers offer no-cost primary care, behavioral health, physical therapy, and chiropractic services, aiming to make preventive, convenient care easier for working families across the region.
   

• Portage asks IURC to investigate NIPSCO staffing levels (chicagotribune.com) — Merrillville residents share NIPSCO's Gary line crew with Portage and several nearby cities, where lineman staffing has reportedly dropped about 70% since the early 2000s despite growing households. Portage officials are asking state regulators to investigate whether those staffing cuts worsened August's massive storm outages, highlighting concerns about restoration times and worker strain across the shared service area.
   

📸 Around Merrillville

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Merrillville

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★ Featured events ★

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📣 Merrillville Shout Outs!

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Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • From a Vermont Barn to Your Speakers: Eric Schenkman Shares the Story Behind New Single —Matthew Waller Read on Patch
  • Teagan Johnston Searches for Home Beyond Success & Leans Into Alt-Country on Sophomore Album Big Time —Sarah Wagner-Montes Read on Patch
  • Dick's Sporting Goods posted a job opening for Seasonal Retail Sales Associate in Merrillville. Apply here.
  • J. C. Penney Company, Inc. posted a job opening for Beauty Consultant - Westfld S/T @ S Lake in Merrillville. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Merrillville here.

🗞 Nearby News

Hobart

  • GreatNews.Life celebrates Northern Indiana community leaders and difference makers at 11th annual Good Life Awards (greatnews.life)
  • U.S. Rep. Mrvan introduces legislation against federal power plant orders (chicagotribune.com)
  • Joan Jordan - LaGrange Standard and News (lagrangenewsonline.com)

Crown Point

Ok Merrillville! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why did the cookie go to the hospital?" — Because he felt crummy. (Thank you Sanda J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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