Latest news with #CountyCourthouse
Chicago Tribune
13 hours ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Lake County museum looking for new home; must vacate old courthouse by Dec. 31
Time travel is a possibility at the Lake County Historical Society Museum. The museum, housed in 4,000 square feet on the second floor of the Old Lake County Courthouse in downtown Crown Point, is filled with donations that go back to the 1800s when both Crown Point and Lake County were in their infancy. Finding new homes for these museum treasures, including diaries from Civil War soldiers, an 1821 Gutenberg printing press and a symphonion music box and cabinet from 1890 that still plays, is now the job of Executive Director Diane Gora and some eight volunteers. Gora herself is an unpaid volunteer. 'We were given notice on July 31 that we have until Dec. 31 to vacate the space,' Gora said. Notice was given from the Lake Courthouse Foundation, owners of the courthouse, who couldn't be reached for comment. 'We can't afford the rent right now,' Gora said. The museum has been housed in the courthouse for 43 years this month. 'We've had a good 43 years,' she said. Gora said the Lake County Historical Society, which operates the museum, is one of the oldest continuously operating historical societies in Indiana. It's still gearing up to celebrate its 150th anniversary with an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 27. 'Our goal is to maintain the society and keep it going for another 150 years. The elephant in the room is taking care of people's treasures,' she said. Gora said the society knew two years ago that they would be asked to move the museum out of the courthouse. During that time period, Gora and volunteers have tried to inventory everything. 'We have been working diligently to do an inventory; none had been done before,' she said. So far, 5,000 items have been logged and can be accounted for. 'We are struggling to get through all the items,' she said. She said part of her group's tedious process, in addition to logging everything, is trying to connect items with their donors. 'It's not a matter of putting things out in a dumpster. We're trying to find paperwork that links items with the family. Do they want the item back or donate it to another place?' she said. Her group is also able to loan or gift items, if pertinent to that community, to other cities or historical societies. The Lake County Parks Department, including Deep River Mill and Buckley Homestead, has taken some of the museum's items, as has the city of Gary and the Old Sheriff's House Foundation in Crown Point. The Lake County Historical Society Museum includes two rooms that are open to the public, plus two rooms used for storage of many items, including 50 bins of military and vintage clothing. On a recent Tuesday, Crown Point residents Alicia and Scott Savoy came to the museum after hearing that it would no longer be located there after Dec. 31. It was their second visit to the museum. 'This is great,' Alicia Savoy said of the items inside the museum, adding, 'It's telling a story.' There's plenty to see, including the astronaut spacesuit Crown Point native Jerry Ross wore on one of his many trips into space; 'technology' from the early 1900s, such as typewriters and adding machines; as well as a German-made silent movie camera patented in the early 1900s. 'We're trying to preserve as much as we can,' Gora said. Gora hopes that the museum can find a new home for all its treasures, and she said she has had at least one offer from a Dyer businessperson who would let them use a storefront for items. 'It (a new location) will never be as right as this is,' she said of the museum's present location. Those with questions about the museum or the society can call (219) 662-3975 or (219) 308-4407. The phone number for the foundation is (219) 663-0660
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Grove City ‘No Kings' protest promises peace
GROVE CITY, Pa. (WKBN) – Grove City's Memorial Park will be home to one of three rallies Saturday in Mercer County that organizers insist will be peaceful. 'We do not intend to break the law. It's very peaceful, very chill and upbeat rallies,' said rally organizer Katherine Bailey. Bailey is a retired professor. She says the events are part of the nationwide 'No Kings' day of action. Nearly 160 people have registered for the event in Grove City Saturday morning, and hundreds more are expected to attend what Bailey calls 'sister rallies' outside the County Courthouse in Mercer and at the corner of Route 18 and East State Street in Hermitage in the afternoon. Saturday's rally is actually the third of these events the group in Grove City has been holding and hopes to hold each month. Bailey stresses the local rallies are not affiliated with the riots that have taken place all week in Los Angeles and other big cities. 'We are not civil disobedience. We are peaceful protesters and staying within our rights and not doing anything illegal whatsoever,' she said. Although some have expressed concerns, the police chiefs in all three communities say they are not worried. 'There are some teachers, some retired people, a lot of women, I think. I think there were 112 signed up as of yesterday,' said Mercer Police Chief Robert Davis. If anything, police may be more concerned about potential outsiders trying to disturb the events. The police chief in Hermitage wrote, 'We ask that passersby and motorists respect this just as they would their own right to do the same.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
OC Parks welcomes visitors to Old Orange County Courthouse for a day of art and music
The Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana is one of the county's most iconic historic landmarks. Dedicated in 1901, the restored 30,000-square foot building is no longer an active courthouse, but it does still serve the community by offering interpretive programs, art shows and performing civil marriage ceremonies. This weekend, OC Parks invites the public to make special memories at the Old Courthouse. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., OC Parks will host 'Spring into Summer,' a new music and art event suitable for all ages, with the chance to learn about all of OC Park's upcoming summer events and programs. 'Spring into Summer welcomes all to enjoy an afternoon of fun and entertainment,' said County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento in a news release. 'I am excited to invite the community to join this celebration that will include live music, art and history.' Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets to the courthouse lawn for live music performances from The Como la Flor Band: A Tribute to Selena, fronted by Tina Aldana who replicates the look, sound and moves of the famous Tejano Queen, and passionate Latin orchestra, Yari Moré Latin Band. Craft workshops, sketch drawing demonstrations and a paleontology booth are planned, along with a special exhibit at the Third Floor Gallery titled, 'Backyard Kingdom: Orange County's Natural World.' Families can explore Orange County's diverse ecosystems and maybe even get inspired to explore the outdoors with OC Parks, which currently manages nearly 60,000 acres of parks, historical and coastal facilities and open space. Historically, the courthouse has stood as a witness to local government proceedings that shaped early Orange County. The original building was established on land the county bought from the founder of Santa Ana, William Spurgeon; its first use was as a jail. In 1900, the Orange County Board of Supervisors commissioned Los Angeles architect Charles Strange to design the courthouse we see today. Several important cases were heard in its courtroom over the years. After the county's courthouse operations moved to new digs, the old building underwent a multi-phased restoration project that began in 1983. It was reopened to the public as a museum and historic landmark in 1992. Since that transformation, the beautiful wood courtroom has served as a backdrop to Hollywood films like 'Catch Me if You Can,' starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, and 'Legally Blonde,' starring Reese Witherspoon. OC Parks offers free tours of the Old Orange County Courthouse Monday through Friday by appointment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Old Courthouse Museum is always free. Free parking will be offered on Saturday. 'Free admission and parking allow residents from near and far to attend, become more familiar with the many summer programs offered by OC Parks, and will also highlight Orange County's Historic Courthouse,' said Sarmiento. 'Spring Into Summer' will take place at the Old Orange County Courthouse at 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is free. Free parking is available at P8/Transit Tower parking structure at 301 W. 5th St., Santa Ana.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Evers earmarks $25 million for Milwaukee County's crumbling courthouse complex
Milwaukee County's crumbling courthouse complex could receive a helping hand from the state after Gov. Tony Evers announced he wants to award $25 million for the massive project estimated to cost nearly $500 million. The recommendation came as Evers laid out his proposed 2025-2027 capital budget Monday for projects across the state totaling about $4 billion. While the county had requested $250 million in state money and proposed supplementing it with $245 million in gifts and grants, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley still praised the governor for his support. 'It is critical to pursue this generational investment now to improve outcomes for all impacted by the justice system, address significant safety and constitutional concerns tied to the facilities, create new operational efficiencies, and preserve the continuity of court operations," Crowley said in a statement. 'Partnership will be key. Nearly 80% of Milwaukee County's property tax levy is dedicated to state-mandated services. That's why State investment is needed to help protect taxpayers and resources for critical services — including other state-mandated services." Almost 100 years old, the roughly 320,000-square-foot courthouse complex is home to the county's criminal courts and the Sheriff's and District Attorney's offices. In a report shared by the county late last year, the current judicial buildings are "severely outdated" and, in a handful of cases, "functionally obsolete," creating public safety and security issues. The complex includes the historic County Courthouse, County Jail and the Public Safety Building. In the last decade, the county has highlighted the need to tackle severely backlogged maintenance and the need to invest in the courthouse facilities following advice from advisory and policy groups. Deferred maintenance, code compliance upgrades and upkeep needs exceed $333 million, with the Public Safety Building reporting more than $75 million in deferred system replacements, not including code and safety issues. Some other problems with the current complex include: poor building design resulting in slow transportation for defendants and juries; spaces that are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act; air quality issues; poor technology; crumbling façade and plaster; broken windows, plumbing leaks; as well as $500,000 reserved annually for emergency repairs. The design phase of the new courthouse complex began late last year and is expected to wrap up in 2028. The earliest the county would break ground, however, would be in 2027. Chief Judge Carl Ashley previously called the project "long overdue," saying: "The fact of the matter is, the Safety Building is a relic ... It's clearly outdated, functionally obsolete. It has significant public safety and security issues, and it does not reflect the quality of service for which the county is responsible. On March 25, the state building commission will take up Evers' proposal, which will later need lawmakers' approval. Historically, Evers' list has been significantly slimmed down, with the budget cycle seeing Evers' $3.8 billion proposal cut to roughly $2.7 billion. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers proposes $25M for crumbling Milwaukee County courthouse complex
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawrence County Health Department moves into new facility
LAWRENCE COUNTY, Mo. — The Lawrence County Health Department has officially been in its new multi-million dollar facility for about a week. The 5.3 million dollar building is now open at 1549 Missouri Drive in Mount Vernon. Staff moved in last Tuesday to the $15,000 square foot facility. It's a big upgrade from its roots in the basement of the Lawrence County Courthouse when it first began with just 6 rooms and less than a thousand square feet. It's also a nice upgrade from its prior home since 1995, of a 6-thousand square foot converted grocery store at 105 West North Street. This new facility is now ADA accessible, includes a community room for a variety of functions, as well as two garage bays for drive-thru clinics and drive-up car seat checks. 'At our old building, we had several rooms that were dual purpose. Like, our exam room was also a finger printing room. And a variety of things like that. And, so, with a new facility, we don't have to plan schedules around those kinds of things. Everything has their own room,' said Janella Spencer, RN, Lawrence Co. Health Dept. Administrator. Lawrence County broke ground on the facility back in November of 2023, made possible through coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds. The former building on North Street is still owned by Lawrence County. Health Department Administrator Janella Spencer tells us the Highway Patrol is expected to move into that space. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
