Mammoth Solar a Milestone in Israel-U.S. Relationship, Says Ambassador

Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan speaks during Thursday’s Mammoth Solar groundbreaking ceremony in Starke County.

Not only would the Mammoth Solar Project bring a 13,000-acre solar farm to Starke and Pulaski counties, it’s also a milestone in the Israel-U.S. relationship. That’s according to Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan.

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Gov. Holcomb Gets COVID-19 Vaccine

Gov. Holcomb receives the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in a garage at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Friday. (Governor’s Office photo)

Governor Eric Holcomb got his COVID-19 vaccine Friday. The governor joined a number of other elected officials in getting the shot at the drive-through mass vaccination site set up at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

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National Guardsmen Adjusting to Long-Term Care Facility Deployments

Hundreds of Indiana National Guardsmen are currently deployed in the state’s long-term care facilities, as part of the fight against COVID-19. Staff Sgt. Maira Beltran is one of them. She had the chance to discuss her experience at the Morrison Woods Health Campus in Muncie during Governor Holcomb’s COVID-19 press conference Wednesday.

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Hot Buildings, Longer Processing Times Hinder COVID-19 Testing Efforts

A lack of air conditioning is creating challenges for Indiana’s COVID-19 testing. The state-sponsored sites run by OptumServe were initially set up in National Guard armories. The problem now, according to State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box, is that few if any of those buildings are air conditioned, and there are OSHA guidelines that have to be followed to keep the workers safe.

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Indiana National Guard, State Police Ready to Respond to Potential Violence

Governor Holcomb addresses the weekend’s violence during a press conference Monday.

State officials are outlining their response to this weekend’s violence. In a press conference Monday, Governor Holcomb said protests started out as an “understandable and needed” response to the death of George Floyd, but took on a tone of organized crime.

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Lead Contamination Concerns Affect Armories

Indiana National GuardThe Indiana National Guard is working to clear lead dust contamination from armories across the state. It’s residue from old indoor firing ranges and other uses of the buildings.

The issue was identified during required periodical industrial health surveys. Indiana National Guard officials are currently performing follow-up testing, analysis and remediation of all armories as necessary. Public access may be limited until they can meet strict federal surface dust level standards.   Continue reading

Indiana Adjutant General Honors Fallen Indiana National Guardsmen

Personalized shadow box displays of seven fallen soldiers are unveiled to family members and friends during a remembrance ceremony at Valparaiso University.
Personalized shadow box displays of seven fallen soldiers are unveiled to family members and friends during a remembrance ceremony at Valparaiso University.

Shadow boxes in memory of seven Indiana National Guardsmen killed in combat are part of a permanent memorial to their sacrifices at the Indiana National Guard Valparaiso Armory. Each one contains items belonging to the soldiers from the 113 Engineer Battalion who were killed in January of 2012 when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. Spc. Robert Tauteris of Hamlet was among those killed, along with Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Chavez, Sgt. Brian Leonhart of Merrillville, Staff Sgt. Jonathan Metzger, Spc. Christopher Patterson, Spc. Nicholas Taylor and Spc. Sergio Perez. Indiana Adjutant General Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger unveiled the shadow boxes during a ceremony for the soldiers’ families yesterday at Valparaiso University.