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Legal Guides
Mar
3
Now the Illiana Expressway legislation goes to Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels for his signature.
Mar
3
Is it time to scrap Northwest Indiana?
Filed Under Google | 7 Comments
Is it time to scrap Northwest Indiana?
I’m not talking about wiping Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties off the map. Instead, I’m thinking about the search term “Northwest Indiana” as it is used on websites and blogs throughout our area.
Some thoughts why scraping “Northwest Indiana” might be appropriate.
Does anyone in our area — besides bloggers — use the term Northwest Indiana when they talk about the region?
Do people outside of Northwest Indiana ever use the term?
Do big players such as Google know where “Northwest Indiana” is located? The answer is No — Google doesn’t know where Northwest Indiana is, at least not by the map they have been displaying.
There’s some interesting talk about the subject of what search terms to use when targeting Northwest Indiana readers over at Green Point Homes.
Brad comments on the discussion:
The problem with NWI is we are so fragmented. Decide where your core geographic areas are to build and go for those town names might be a good strategy because “Northwest Indiana” is kind of amorphous. Usually owning the specific niche first: “Portage” is where you want to start then expand out from there.
What do you think?
Is it time to stop using Northwest Indiana and instead focus on branding content as being for Crown Point, Valparaiso, Gary or other places in the area?
Do you use Northwest Indiana when talking about the region?
Have you heard other people say “Northwest Indiana?”
Mar
2
National Public Radio is reporting that the Office of Congressional Ethics questioned the timing of fundraisers and subsequent earmarks inserted into legislation by Northwest Indiana’s Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind).
Visclosky was cleared by the House Ethics Committee, “ (b)ut it looks a lot like condoning practices that the committee rejected just a few years ago,” according to the NPR news report.
OVERBY: But another congressional organization also investigated Visclosky: the Office of Congressional Ethics, or OCE. It even asked the Ethics Committee to dig deeper. OCE found evidence that in early 2008, Visclosky’s office was inviting contractors to apply for new earmarks, while his campaign was inviting them to a fundraising dinner. OCE spokesman Jon Steinman sums up the report’s findings.
Mr. JON STEINMAN (Spokesman, Office of Congressional Ethics): The timing of the fundraiser he held was one week before he took official action on behalf of the donors. The attendees at the fundraiser were limited to defense contractors with pending earmark requests before the representatives. And Visclosky’s chief of staff and appropriations director attended the fundraiser.
Mar
2
DUI crackdown planned
Filed Under Indiana State Police | 1 Comment
Indiana State Police in Northwest Indiana plan a DUI and speeding crackdown beginning this Friday.
The Times reports that District 13 State Police officers are joining a statewide DUI and traffic enforcement blitz funded by the feds that is planned to last until March 21.
Indiana State Police in South Bend have also been out in force pulling over drivers.
Video: Indiana State Police are cracking down
Reports the Times:
“We have saturation patrols as well as a sobriety check point planned, ” said First Sgt. Terrence Weems, assistant commander of the Lowell post. “If you drive impaired in our district, you will go to jail. We believe that aggressive enforcement of driving while impaired and seat belt usage will help continue the downward trend in fatalities.”
Photo credit: cindy47452
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