The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global public health and economic crisis. Whether it is on the news, through your social media networks or simply noted in your daily life as you attempt to access goods and services, your personal and professional life is likely upside down right now. No one knows what the ‘new …

Purdue Extension provided a free workshop for local leaders to learn about Indiana’s property tax system and explore trends in local and regional property tax data on Friday, March 13, at the Purdue Extension Lake County Office.  Local government officials, community leaders, and residents from Lake and Porter counties participated in the workshop. Workshop participants …

As our store shelves are being rapidly emptied of food, hand sanitizer, medicines, masks and other ‘essentials,’ I have been thinking about the choices we make and the ways in which we conduct ourselves in our community. Adam Smith famously once said, “It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the …

Imagine you are a single mom with three kids, ages 2, 5 and 8. You have a “normal” job working 8-5 p.m. with a slightly flexible schedule. Luckily, you have a local childcare provider that is within your budget and 15 miles of work. Most days, your schedule is like clockwork with your drop-off, work, …

It is a commonly held notion that many smaller communities have ten people that do everything. They serve on committees and boards, and they plan festivals and network with business leaders. Often, they do not occupy positions of power. Instead, they generate new ideas and see them through using their tenacity, passion, and goodwill. On …

Lake County Extension collaborated with the Lake County Clerk’s office and the Board of Elections & Registration to present the “Local Government Leadership: Running for Office” workshop on January 7, 2020. 24 community members attended the session, held in the Purdue Extension building.  Participants learned about the election process and the required forms for candidacy …

For me, the recent holiday season put an old adage to the test, is it better to give than to receive? Like most parents of pre-teen and teenage children, I did a lot more of the former than the latter.  Professionally though, I think it is quite a different question – especially in light of …

The American Citizen Planner program, which provides training in core competencies for public planning officials, is now being offered in Indiana twice per year. The online training program is designed to help those serving on plan commissions and other volunteers interested in community planning understand the roles and responsibilities of public officials, community residents and …

As globalization continues to chug along and the digital age continues to take hold, communities in Indiana need to adapt in order to remain competitive. Remaining competitive however, is easier said than done. While adequate broadband infrastructure, an entrepreneurship ecosystem, a knowledge workforce, adequate housing, and access to capital remain key ingredients for this competitiveness, …

Purdue Extension Community Development (CD) and the Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) is ecstatic to announce the release of our Digital Ready Businesses (DRB) app (only for Android devices; iOS coming soon)! This app is geared towards small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to improve their online presence by providing classes in the form of …