Business news: Mobile library donation and doula workshop
Franciscan Health Crown Point is hosting a doula certification workshop over two weekends in July, according to a release.
Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their clients before, during and shortly after childbirth, the release said, but does not perform clinical tasks. The Franciscan Health Crown Point Family Birth Center offers free doula services to families through a volunteer doula program.
The doula certification workshop will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. July 19-20 and July 26-27 at Franciscan Health Crown Point, 12750 St. Francis Drive. Participants must be 18 years old or older and attend all four days of classes to receive a certificate of completion. Registration must be completed by July 8. For more information, call 219-746-9134.
Valparaiso University recently announced that LeAnn Hughes will be senior vice president of enrollment and marketing, according to a release.
Hughes comes into the position after a nine-year tenure as the vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Illinois Wesleyan University. She starts at VU July 1.
In this role, Hughes will oversee Undergraduate and Graduate Admission, Financial Aid, and Strategic Enrollment and Marketing Initiatives. Hughes brings 20 years of experience to the position on campus, having taken her first VP role at Tusculum University in 2005. Prior to working in enrollment management and marketing, Hughes served as the director of communications at King University, and as the director of marketing and sports development for the Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Gary Community School Corp. will host the Power of Partnership Parent Conference, a free conference, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. May 31 at the West Side Leadership Academy, 900 Gerry St., Gary, a release said.
The event will be packed with engaging sessions, exciting activities and opportunities to connect with community resources that support education and family well-being, the release said.
Included in the day will be a resource fair, massages and self-care opportunities, food and a keynote address by Crystal Melton, First Lady of Gary. Childcare will be provided.
Those interested in attending can secure their spot by visiting the GCSC website and completing the registration form. For information, visit www.garyschools.org or contact jadams@garycsc.k12.in.us.
Three innovators earned investment capital for their startup concept pitches presented on May 3 during the 14th annual The PNW Big Sell pitch competition, a release said.
The PNW Big Sell is sponsored by Northern Indiana Public Service Company and PNW's College of Business and Commercialization and Manufacturing Excellence Center.
Nabeel Rabie earned first place and $10,000 in seed funding for their pitch, Scent Seal. Allyson Straka earned second place and $3,000 for Frozen Garden. Paul Walczak received third place and $1,000 for Yuda, an invoicing and billing app for small service providers.
An on-demand recording of the 2025 PNW Big Sell can be viewed on jedtv.com. For more information about The PNW Big Sell, visit pnw.edu/the-pnw-big-sell.
Families with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit at Franciscan Health Crown Point now have a variety of children's books to read to their children thanks to a donation from the Northwest Indiana Literacy Council, according to a release.
The new mobile lending library was donated recently by members of the Northwest Indiana Literacy Council. The mobile library was made possible in part through a $2,500 Transforming Lake County grant from the Legacy Foundation, funded by Legacy Foundation Grant Committee member Bob Spajer of Crown Point.
More information about the Franciscan Health Family Birth Center Crown Point and the NICU are available online or by phone at 219-757-6330.
Franciscan Health is hosting a free car seat safety event May 29, according to a release.
The event — co-hosted by the Trauma Services Department and the Prenatal Assistance Program — is scheduled to take place from 3-6 p.m. at Franciscan Health Michigan City, 3500 Franciscan Way.
A nationally certified child passenger safety technician will work with participants to teach them how to properly install a car seat. The child who uses the car seat must be present at the appointment in order for the technician to provide appropriate guidance.
The car seat safety check is free, but reservations are required, the release said. Registration is available online or by calling 219-488-1380.
The Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County is inviting qualified contractors to submit quotes for the grinding of organic brush and wood waste, along with the removal and hauling of materials from four locations within Porter County, according to a release.
To provide interested parties with detailed information on the project requirements, a pre-bid meeting will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at the Valparaiso Compost Site. This meeting will cover specific requirements for each location, followed by a guided site visit to Valparaiso Compost Site, Crocker/Chesterton Compost Site, Portage Compost Site and Boone Grove Compost Site.
For further information, or to request additional details about the grinding/hauling process, contact the Recycling & Waste Reduction District of Porter County via email at info@portercountyrecycling.org.
The Porter County Sheriff's Office has created a new program for full-time college students looking for part-time employment, a press release said.
C-StEP is an employment opportunity designed to give the full-time college student majoring in a law enforcement-related field, real-life experience by working inside the Porter County Jail. The student must be 18 years or older and will work 24 hours per week at a rate of $17 per hour and must remain a full-time student to participate, the release said.
Interested students should visit portercountysheriff.com/employment to apply and any inquiries can be sent to rtaylor@porterco-ps.org or 219-477-3065.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Plans to tackle mental health crisis 'not ambitious enough', charity boss tells Sky News
Government plans to strengthen mental health services are "not ambitious enough", a charity head has told Sky News. Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, spoke to The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee after a report on mental health cases at A&E reaching crisis levels. Sky's health correspondent Ashish Joshi reported that waiting times for these cases have risen, and overnight beds in mental health units are down almost 3,700 in a decade. Dr Hughes called the report "incredibly important insight into what's happening," before adding: "One of our wonderful campaigners waited 87 hours on a stretcher when she was incredibly distressed. "These are scenes are happening up and down the country, and I'm afraid to say that whilst I'm devastated to see them, I'm not surprised." She then said that while "there are all sorts of services" across the UK for mental health, they are "nowhere near the level that we need". 'We know what works' "We are seeing thousands and thousands of people go into A&E every month for very serious mental health challenges, and this can be resolved quite easily by beefing up what's available in the community," Dr Hughes said. "By making sure that community mental health services are resourced so that people are caught far earlier, that we don't hit crisis, that they're able to get the support they need well before they get into trouble. "We know what works: We know that with proper investment that we could avoid this situation." The charity boss also said that while new initiatives from the government on services would be welcomed, "fundamentally, without mental health support, we're not enabling [people] to thrive". "In fact," she said, "we're putting them into incredibly vulnerable situations day in day out. They are carrying the risk here. "We know that mental health staff in A&Es are also really struggling. They want to do a good job, and they can't. They're not resourced to." Plans to tackle spike in cases 'not ambitious enough' New Freedom of Information data gathered by the Royal College of Nursing shows that over the last five years, waits of 12 hours or more for a mental health bed have increased by more than 380%. When asked about whether and government plans will help tackle the sharp rise, Dr Hughes said: "We already know that they don't and they won't. "We are expecting a real-terms cut in terms of the funding around mental health going forward. We are not convinced or persuaded that we've got the share of spend that's right for mental health. "We're concerned that the plans for mental health are not ambitious enough. We're not really persuaded, I think, that the policies surrounding mental health either are going to help reform and so on. "All of these things that are going on demonstrate a lack of understanding." Read more from Sky News: In response to Ashish Joshi's report, the Department for Health and Social Care told Sky News: "We know people with mental health issues are not always getting the support or care they deserve and incidents like this are unacceptable. "We are transforming mental health services - including investing £26m to support people in mental health crisis, hiring more staff, delivering more talking therapies, and getting waiting lists down through our Plan for Change."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Hazy fog descends over Dayton; air quality alert issued
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — As smoke from wildfires in Canada descends into the Miami Valley, local residents are feeling the difference in air quality. An air quality alert was issued for several counties across the Miami Valley Tuesday, as Canadian wildfire smoke and high temperatures make the skies hazy across Dayton. Canadian wildfires sending smoke into parts of Midwest, including Ohio Local residents tell 2 NEWS the difference in air quality is noticeable, and for people with health issues that affect their lungs, this can create some serious breathing problems. Courtney Hughes said he usually takes his dog for daily walks as part of his recovery program at Marathon Medical in Dayton. 'I usually bring her for an hour walk every day. I'll walk her from here to the bridge,' said Hughes. 'Today, the way the air quality is, it's hard to get a deep breath in. It feels like something's clogged up, every time I breathe in.' Hughes says he has a hard time breathing when he goes outside on days with air quality alerts. Storm Team 2 forecast: Warmer today, with more hazy sunshine and an Air Quality Alert People like Hughes with lung illnesses, as well as older adults and young children, are at risk from pollutants in the hazy fog, which can be caused by pollen, broken down fire products and dust. 'The humidity and everything is heavy right now, so hard to breathe,' said David Glover, a Dayton resident. Weather officials say that it is best to be informed about how your local area is being impacted by these kinds of alerts, adding that this is only the beginning of wildfire season. The Miami Valley could see more hazy skies and air quality alerts over the next several months. Health experts say it is best to avoid being outside during peak hours of air pollution. Air Quality Alert issued for June 3 Officials recommend coming out during the early morning hours and later evening hours when air quality tends to be improved, especially for groups that are easily impacted. 'Those more sensitive groups, the very young or the very old, they are going to experience a little more difficulty in getting around when the air quality gets like it is today,' said Dr. Roberto Colon, Premier Health's chief medical officer. Experts recommend leaving activities like mowing the grass and filling up your gas tank until the hours when the sun begins to go down, or earlier in the day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Texas Rx For Relief: Abbott Tames Pharmacy Benefit Managers
Texas pharmacists lauded Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday for signing Senate Bill 1236 into law. The measure aims to curb anti-competitive practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that have reportedly driven numerous neighborhood pharmacies out of business and raised prescription drug costs for patients. Authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and sponsored in the House by Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), SB 1236 targets PBMs, middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain who have been criticized for prioritizing profits over patients and pharmacies. The bill passed unanimously in the Texas Senate and House and introduces contract transparency, prohibits unfair fees, and ensures compliance with existing PBM regulations. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and applies to contracts entered into or renewed after that date. 'The PBMs set the reimbursements for our local pharmacies, which are struggling to stay open,' Hughes said, per a news release by the Texas Pharmacy Association. 'They also determine the prices for their own pharmacies. Senate Bill 1236 continues the Legislature's efforts to make sure that anti-competitive behavior by someone with a lot of bargaining power, that's been granted to them by the government, is not weaponized in the market.' Texas Pharmacy Association CEO RoxAnn Dominguez hailed the legislation as a victory for patients and pharmacists. 'We are incredibly grateful to Governor Abbott for making SB 1236 the law in Texas, and to Sen. Hughes and Rep. Hefner for their hard work and dedication to Texas patients and pharmacists,' Dominguez said in the press release. 'We look forward now to working with the Texas Department of Insurance and the Attorney General's Office to implement SB 1236 for the betterment of patient care.' PBMs manage prescription drug benefits for insurers, employers, and government payers, but their practices have drawn scrutiny. A January 2025 Federal Trade Commission report found that the top three PBMs—CVS Caremark, Cigna Express Scripts, and UnitedHealth Group's Optum RX—which control 80% of the drug supply market, marked up specialty generic drugs by hundreds or thousands of percent at their affiliated pharmacies. These markups included critical medications for cancer, HIV, and multiple sclerosis. The report also noted higher reimbursements to affiliated pharmacies compared to independent ones. A July 2024 FTC report highlighted that nearly 30% of Americans surveyed reported rationing or skipping medications due to high costs, which the pharmacy association said are driven by PBM practices. These practices have led to widespread pharmacy closures, with Texas losing at least one pharmacy weekly between January 2023 and January 2025. In San Angelo, pharmacist Bryan Abernathy closed his 68-year-old pharmacy in January, citing PBMs' low reimbursement rates. 'We really get pennies on the dollar,' Abernathy said. Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, criticized PBM market dominance during a hearing. 'Who in America thinks that's a good idea?' Kolkhorst said, noting that 'the losers are the pharmacists which are sometimes the only people that people in underserved areas get a chance to interact [with]. . . but the other loser is the patient.' SB 1236 addresses these issues by prohibiting abusive PBM audit practices, banning unilateral changes to reimbursement rates during contract terms, and mandating online access to pharmacy network contracts. It also requires health benefit plans to include unique identifiers on enrollee ID cards and limits payment adjustments after claims are processed, except in cases of fraud or errors. 'PBMs' anti-competitive tactics have threatened our ability to deliver quality healthcare to our communities,' Jobby John, a Lakeway pharmacist, and the Texas Pharmacy Association president said in the press release. 'SB 1236 will go a long way toward correcting inequities in the system and ensuring transparency and fairness, which will help protect the neighborhood pharmacies that patients trust.'
