Economy

Come on out to Mama Pearl’s BBQ, located at 411 East 5^th Avenue in Gary, Indiana, on May 3rd from 6 - 8pm for Green Drinks Gary and learn about the ongoing effort, led by the Calumet Heritage Partnership and The Field Museum, to create a Calumet National Heritage Area. National Heritage Areas shine a light on local heritage that is nationally important. In doing so they can attract tourism, new economic opportunities, and increase civic engagement. They are grass-roots initiatives that receive federal support, but need the support of locals to become a reality. Come learn more, and how you can get involved.   *From 6-6:30pm we encourage attendees to network with one another, order food, and get settled in. The guest speaker's presentation will begin at 6:30pm. Mama Pearl's does not serve alcohol however attendees are welcome to bring their own (byob).*   Presenter(s): Mario Longoni is an Urban Anthropology Manager in the Keller Science Action Center at The Field Museum. His work in the Calumet Region dates back to 2002 when he contributed to the Journey Through Calumet project (http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/calumet/), highlighting the Region's cultural assets. Subsequently he produced the Grab This Fish Tale comic book (https://www.fieldmuseum.org/sites/default/files/FishTale_web_0.pdf) to advise Calumet anglers on smart fish consumption. Like these previous projects, the Calumet National Heritage Area initiative aims to improve local quality of life by building on the existing strengths and resources of local communities and the wider region.   For additional information on this and future events please visit Green Drinks Gary’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/GreenDrinksGary, join our facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1682928161975070/, check out our website at http://www.greendrinks.org/IN/Gary, or send an email to [email protected].   See you May 3rd! Until then…STAY CALM and THINK GREEN.   Green Drinks Gary takes place every first Tuesday of the month. It is open to the public, free to attend and all ages are welcome!   Green Drinks Gary is organized and managed by Rachel Veronesi, Cathy Martin and Cassandra Cannon.

From Gary to Michigan City, NICTD will install a second set of train tracks alongside our current single set of tracks. This project is critical in many ways. First, rush hour trains are crowded. NICTD needs to run more trains to accommodate more riders. Second, NICTD shares the tracks with a freight line. NICTD trains and freight trains compete for the same shared single line, resulting in slower trains as well as delays that have a ripple effect on later trains. By installing a second set of tracks, trains will be able to bypass each other rather than wait for each other. Third, NICTD has various stations in need of improvements. Double Track NWI will result in improvements at five station platforms including Miller. The South Shore Line will have greater ADA access than ever before when these upgrades are complete. In the end, the project will improve travel times, passenger capacity, service frequency, reliability, and safety. It will also spark exciting private investment and economic development near station areas, bringing additional revenue into our communities. Presenter: Nicole Barker stepped into her role as Director of Capital Investment and Implementation at the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) in July 2016. NICTD runs the South Shore Line railroad that connects South Bend to Chicago. She is helping to advance two important projects in the region – the Double Track NWI and West Lake Corridor projects - the largest investments in public transit our region has ever experienced. Previously, she served as Executive Director of regional conservation nonprofit Save the Dunes working to protect the Indiana dunes and Lake Michigan. Nicole spent over a decade as Program Director for the City of Chicago Department of Environment with a focus on merging conservation and planning initiatives for the southeast side of Chicago. Prior to that, she worked in advertising and marketing. She has a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a M.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. She is a former board member of the Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Northwest Indiana Paddling Association, and the Lake Michigan Coastal Advisory Board. ***From 6-6:30pm we encourage attendees to network with one another, order food, and get settled in. The guest speaker's presentation will begin at 6:30pm. *Mama Pearl's does not serve alcohol however attendees are welcome to bring their own (byob).*** For additional information on future events please visit Green Drinks Gary’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/GreenDrinksGary, join our Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/1682928161975070/, and/or check out our website at www.greendrinks.org/IN/Gary. See you November 1st at Mama Pearl's BBQ! Until then... STAY CALM and THINK GREEN. Green Drinks Gary takes place every first Tuesday of the month. It is open to the public, free to attend and all ages are welcome! Green Drinks Gary is organized and managed by Rachel Veronesi.