The SOUND OFF Podcast: Recent Episodes
Spoon River Media
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show hosted by Nate Loucks that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle (96.7 FM) in LaPorte, Indiana. For more information, visit hometownnewsnow.com.
We continue our 2022 Election Coverage shows. In the studio are (D) Pat Boy and (R) Dion Bergeron, candidates for Indiana State Representative D-09. The candidates discussed their campaigns, abortion in Indiana, education issues, marijuana legalization, and more.
We continue our 2022 Election Coverage shows. In the studio were (R) Sean Fagan and incumbent (D) John Lake, candidates for LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney. The candidates discussed their campaigns and their experience and answered questions from listeners.
We continue our 2022 Election Coverage shows. In the studio were (R) Connie Gramarossa and (D) Sheila Matias, candidates for LaPorte County Commissioner D-1. The candidates discussed their campaign pledges, the proposed economic corridor around the city of LaPorte, the 39 North Water Conservancy, nepotism in county government, and more.
LaPorte County Council District 2 Candidate (D) Randy Novak visited the WCOE Studios to discuss his campaigns. Councilman Novak discussed his opinions on the Local Income Tax, a possible North/South Corridor around LaPorte, the 39 North Conservancy District, the LaPorte County Home sale, and more.
LaPorte County Council District One Candidates (R) Justin Kiel and (D) Mike Kellems visited the WCOE Studios to discuss their campaigns. They discussed their opinions on a new county jail, a corridor/bypass around the city of LaPorte, tax cuts, economic development, and more.
LaPorte County Assessor Candidates (R) John Matwyshyn and (D) Mike Schultz visited the WCOE Studios to discuss their campaigns. They discussed their views on property value assessments, tax rates in LaPorte County, and their unique qualifications for the position, among other things.
LaPorte County Sheriff Candidates (R) Ron Heeg and (D) Andy Hynek visited the WCOE Studios to discuss their campaigns. They discussed their views on the Public Safety Local Income Tax, a new LaPorte County jail, skeptics regarding law enforcement, and more.
Sheila Matias, President of the LaPorte County Commissioners, stopped by the 96.7 the Eagle Studios to talk with Nate Loucks about what's happening in LaPorte County. She answered questions about law enforcement shortages, civility, a bypass around LaPorte, and more.
Jim Peters of jimpeterssports.com stopped by the studio to talk about the upcoming football season for the LaPorte Slicers, New Prairie Cougars, Michigan City Wolves, and South Central Satellites including his season predictions.
In today's episode, we let our listeners decide what topics we'd talk about, including whether the county should try and grow its population, crime in Michigan City, NIPSCO's generation station in Michigan City, and more.
LaPorte County Council member Earl Cunningham joined SOUND OFF today to answer questions from 96.7 the Eagle listeners.
Tim Franke is the LaPorte City Council President. Selah Brooks is a member of LaPorte’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. They were in the WCOE Studios to talk about the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, how decisions are made between the mayor and council, ideas for the former LaPorte Hospital space, and more.
LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd stopped by the WCOE Studios today to talk about the need for a new jail, law enforcement recruiting challenges, and more.
It's time for another SOUND OFF Summit! It's the time of the month when our listeners get to talk about the issues on their minds.
Indiana State Senator Mike Bohacek stops by the studios to discuss the upcoming Indiana legislative session. He discusses his thoughts on abortion legislation, taxes, and more.
Mayor Tom Dermody is in the studio to talk about what's happening in the city of LaPorte. He discusses the proposed North/South Corridor around the city, annexation, and crime.
Today on the SOUND OFF Radio Show is Mayor Tom Dermody. Tom Dermody is the mayor of LaPorte, Indiana.
Today on the SOUND OFF Radio Show is Dr. Micah Pollak. Dr. Pollak is the Director of the Center for Economic Education & Research and an Associate Professor of Economics at Indiana University Northwest.
Today in our monthly nonprofit spotlight on SOUND OFF, discussed services for persons with disabilities, seniors, and their families with Paladin CEO Steve Hobby and Development and Marketing Officer Melissa Bohacek.
Jim Peters of JimPetersPreps.com joined SOUND OFF today to talk about local sports. In addition to covering local sports in Northwest Indiana for three decades, Jim is a winner of the 2016 Griddy's Media Award, the 2017 Corky Lamm Indiana Sports Writer of the Year Award, and the 2019 Indiana Basketball Coaches Association Virgil Sweet Award.
The conversation included LaPorte, New Prairie, Michigan City, and South Central sports.
City of LaPorte Water Superintendent Tim Werner stopped by the studios to talk about the 39 North Conservancy and the state of water health and infrastructure in the city.
LaPorte County Council President Randy Novak was the guest on the SOUND OFF Radio Show. Randy gave an update on the work of the LaPorte County Council, including conversations regarding:
- Corsicana Mattress
- Property tax bill update
- Election Results
- County fair bleachers and grandstand
- 39N Conservancy District
- Respite House and Mental Health Services
- County government’s financial situation
- Local Income Tax
Mark Schreiber, Superintendent of LaPorte Parks and Recreation, visited the WCOE studios. The conversation included:
- Improvements to Stone Lake Beach
- PCBs in Clear Lake
- Park naming suggestion
- Trees at Kesling Park
- Trails in the city of LaPorte
- Fox Memorial Park
- Skatepark improvements
- ...and more.
Listen to SOUND OFF every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle from 12:15-1 PM.
Mayor Tom Dermody stopped by the WCOE/96.7 the Eagle Studios to answer questions from our callers.
LaPorte County Sheriff Candidate Andy Hynek stopped by the studio to discuss his candidacy, goals and favored policies. He also answered questions from callers.
Nate is back at it! And joining him in the studio today was Liz Bergeron. Liz Bergeron is a Republican candidate for LaPorte County Commissioner.
HTNN Newsperson Stan Maddux filled in for Nate Loucks on today's episode of SOUND OFF. James Arnold, Democratic Party candidate for LaPorte County Sheriff, was in the studio.
HTNN Newsperson Stan Maddux filled in for Nate Loucks on today's episode of SOUND OFF. In the studio was Ron Heeg, Republican candidate for LaPorte County Sheriff.
LaPorte County Sheriff Candidate Al Ott stopped by the studio to discuss his candidacy, goals and favored policies. He also answered questions from callers.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Tom Dermody is the Mayor of the City of LaPorte. In this episode of SOUND OFF, he talks about the proposed LaPorte County local income tax increase, attracting public safety employees, and more questions from our listeners.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The LaPorte County Republican Party Chairperson, Allen Stevens, joined SOUND OFF to discuss the upcoming election and some policies local Republicans plan to champion.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
John Lake is the incumbent Democratic candidate for LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney. He stopped by the SOUND OFF studio to talk about his campaign, the policies he supports, and to answer questions from our listeners.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Sean Fagan is a Republican candidate for LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney. He stopped by the SOUND OFF studio to talk about his campaign, the policies he supports, and to answer questions from our listeners.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Dr. Vidya Kora, the LaPorte County Democratic Party Chairperson, joined SOUND OFF to discuss the upcoming election and some of the policies local Democrats plan to champion.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
It's the first show of the month, which means it's time for another SOUND OFF Summit! Again, the listeners control the topic, as long as it's civil and within a two-minute limit. In addition, calling in was Senator Mike Bohacek giving up an update on what has passed in the Senate and what to expect in the final few days.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Joe Haney, a Commissioner of LaPorte County, Indiana, stopped in the studio to answer questions from SOUND OFF listeners. He answered questions about the proposed local income tax, EMS/first responder wages, and the sale of the LaPorte county home.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Joe Haney (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Tom Dermody is the Mayor of the City of LaPorte. In this episode of SOUND OFF, he talks about the proposed LaPorte County local income tax increase, attracting public safety employees, and more questions from our listeners. He also responds to the LaPorte County Commissioner's alternative plan to increase wages without raising taxes.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor/Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Michael Rosenbaum is a LaPorte County Council member. And, he's the latest guest in the WCOE Studio for SOUND OFF. Rosenbaum talked about the Local Income Tax, the county budget, staffing for different departments, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Michael Rosenbaum (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
John Lake is the Prosecuting Attorney for LaPorte County. In this episode of SOUND OFF, he talks about no-knock search warrants, making sense of the bail system, the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer), John Lake (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Joining the SOUND OFF radio show on Friday, February 4th, was Mike Mulcrone and Matt Drangmeister. Detective Drangmeister is the President of the LaPorte Fraternal Order of Police (Lodge #54), and Firefighter Mulcrone is the President of LaPorte Fire Fighters Local 363. The discussion included current staffing struggles, the Local Income Tax proposal, and the differences in what they see now verse the past.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On Monday's SOUND OFF, we talked about the recently passed Indiana House Bill 1134. It is legislation that provides more regulation of local schools, including creating mandatory Curricular Materials Advisory Committees for each school district. It also regulates how educators teach about race, history, and social-emotional learning. The bill is now in the Indiana Senate. Our listeners gave their thoughts about whether they liked or didn't like the legislation.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In this episode of SOUND OFF, we talk about the proposed Local Income Tax (LIT) increase for LaPorte County. The proposal would raise the LIT from 0.95% to 1.45% and include necessary money to raise wages for emergency services (police, fire, EMS, etc.) Some listeners believe providing a better salary for first responders is essential, but the county and city governments should find other avenues for revenue rather than raising taxes on citizens. Some believed that the corporate tax rate shouldn't be lowered in Indiana as proposed and instead be used to help fund police and fire departments throughout the state. However, many believe that the LIT increase is necessary. Listen to the full episode to hear more about what SOUND OFF listeners believe should happen.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor/Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Indiana State Senator Mike Bohacek stopped by the WCOE studios and took questions on SOUND OFF. Conversations included the controversial education bills in Indiana, permitless gun laws, net metering for energy, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor/Producer), Mike Bohacek (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Listeners could call and text into the show to talk about what was on their minds in the first-ever SOUND OFF Summit. Conversations included the Michigan City drawbridge, the Indiana gun permitting law, the proposed Local Income Tax, and more. And, the episode was started with a reading from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?" from 1967.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Mayor Tom Dermody stopped by the WCOE studios to take questions from our listeners on SOUND OFF. Mayor Dermody discussed the North/South Corridor, economic development, vaccines, the recent ESPN basketball tournament in LaPorte, and much more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
(LAPORTE, IN) - On today's episode of SOUND OFF, LaPorte County Clerk Heather Stevens stops by to update our listeners about the election process in LaPorte County. The conversation included new electronic polling books, a mobile voting center, early and mail-in voting, and local election integrity.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Heather Stevens (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
John Lake is the Prosecuting Attorney for LaPorte County. In this episode of SOUND OFF, he talks about collecting child support payments, the Judah Morgan and Tyler Terusiak cases, his thoughts on crime in Michigan City, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer), John Lake (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Mayor Tom Dermody stopped by the WCOE Studios to talk about the North/South Corridor, the local income tax, low-income housing, and more. This is the final SOUND OFF episode of 2021. We'll see you in the new year!
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor/Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today, LaPorte County Commissioner Sheila Matias visited the WCOE studio to talk about the Michigan City drawbridge, bonuses for county employees, #snakegate, mask mandates, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Sheila Matias (Commissioner), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Indiana State Senator Rodney Pol Jr. got lost getting to the studio but eventually made it in for a 15-20 minute conversation about marijuana legalization, environmental work, workers compensation reform, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Rodney Pol, Jr. (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Recently, we had State Representative Jim Pressel on the show. He talked about the legislative survey sent to all voters through the mail. On that survey, there are five different questions about bills that they'll likely entertain and vote on in the upcoming legislative session. So, in our topic days, we're breaking down some of the more controversial questions listed and conversing about them.
So, here's the question for today to discuss:
The new Indiana legislative survey is out, asking Hoosiers their opinions on bills that will likely be in front of lawmakers in the upcoming year. One of the questions involves regulating private businesses.
The survey question states: "Would you support legislation prohibiting private businesses from mandating the COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of employment?"
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
Today's SOUND OFF guest grew up in LaPorte, Indiana. He's an attorney, writer, and speaker. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with a rare, incurable cancer. Recently, he published a book called FIRM GRIP about learning how to thrive when life doesn't go as planned. It's was an honor to have Bill Nelson in the studio today.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Bill Nelson (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The new Indiana legislative survey is out, asking Hoosiers their opinions on bills that will likely be in front of lawmakers in the upcoming year. One of the questions involves whether school board candidates should declare a political party affiliation to run for office.
The survey question states: "Currently, candidates are not required to identify their political affiliations when running to serve on their local school board. Would you support greater election transparency by requiring candidates for these positions to declare their party affiliation?
In this episode of SOUND OFF, we asked our listeners: should the Indiana school board elections become partisan?
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Indiana State Representative Jim Pressel stopped by the show to talk about a new bill he's co-authoring called HB 1001 that would end the state of emergency for COVID-19 in Indiana. Jim also spoke about vaccine mandates, abortion, an upcoming tax refund, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jim Pressel (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In the studio was Andrea Cramer. Andrea is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute and Executive Director of Neighbor to Neighbor, an organization creating deep-rooted community experiences for refugees and immigrants here in the Michiana area. Find out more about Neighbor to Neighbor at n2nsb.com.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Andrea Cramer (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today is LaPorte County Sheriff John Boyd. Sheriff Boyd talked about marijuana, better pay for sheriff's department staff and officers, moving the LaPorte County jail, and more.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
A new poll out shows that most Republicans in Indiana favor some form of legalization when it comes to marijuana.
The poll conducted by BK Strategies this past September shows that 52 percent of Republicans surveyed favored legalization for both medicinal and recreational use. While only 40 percent opposed, that's compared to 65 percent of the general population supporting medicinal and adult-use, while only 28 percent opposed it. Sixty-seven percent of independents supported it, while 20 percent opposed it.
So, as we start another legislative session in a few months, we asked you: do you think Indiana should legalize marijuana?
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Rik Anthony (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Back in the SOUND OFF studio is the Site Manager for the LaPorte County Health Department's COVID-19 clinic, Nurse Practitioner Peggy Rose. We talk about the state of COVID-19 in LaPorte County, the new vaccine boosters, and whether or not kids should get vaccinated for COVID-19.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host/Editor), Peggy Rose (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Nick Minich is the engineer for the City of LaPorte. Born and raised in La Porte, he has extensive expertise in community, municipal, and civil engineering projects. Because of Minich's innovative pavement management system, La Porte was the first city in Indiana to win a FEDERAL grant for pavement maintenance based on an approved asset management system.
He received his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Valparaiso University and his master's degree in sustainable infrastructures from the University of Colorado. He is a member of Northwest Indiana's Society of Innovators.
It's looking like a vote on the Build Back Better Act could be coming this week, maybe. After weeks of back and forth, the Biden administration released a new framework for the Build Back Better (BBB) agenda Thursday, including approximately $1.75 trillion of investments to combat climate change, extend health care coverage, and alleviate child poverty, among other things.
So, what do you think? Is there something in the Build Back Better Act you like? Something you wish was in there? What do you think about the funding mechanisms? I'd love to hear from you today and have a conversation on the Build Back Better Act.
The U.S. economy needs more kids.
Americans say they want more kids.
Yet the baby bust has gotten worse.
The general fertility rate — that is, the number of births per thousand women ages 15 to 44 — declined to 55.8 in 2020, according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a record low for the United States. Birth rates declined for every racial and ethnic group and nearly every age group.
The 2010s had the smallest population growth of any decade since the Great Depression, partly because of these birth declines. So the pandemic may have worsened the baby bust, but it’s hardly the only cause. A host of other factors suggest low birth rates will continue, including changing preferences, financial insecurity, and the country’s general inhospitableness to working parents.
Should America adopt a national paid family leave policy?
Today's guest on SOUND OFF was LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney John Lake. Prosecutor Lake talked about county politics, the Judah Morgan case, and what can be done to help child abuse cases and deaths go down in the state.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), John Lake (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Center Township Trustee Lisa Pierzakowski and LaPorte County Council Attorney Guy DiMartino are the guests today on SOUND OFF. We talked about homelessness in LaPorte County, rental assistance, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Guy DiMartino (Guest), Lisa Pierzakowski (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
It's Monday! It's time to SOUND OFF in a conversation on the environmental regulation of Lake Michigan.
At the end of September, US Steel discharged a significant amount of iron into the waters of Lake Michigan, a body of water that provides drinking water for 7 million people. In addition, in 2017, 300 pounds of hexavalent chromium was spilled into Lake Michigan. As a result, many residents call for the state and federal government to better regulate and punish corporations that use Lake Michigan's water.
What do you think? Should the government do a better job protecting the Indiana lakeshore and the waters of Lake Michigan?
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In today’s episode of SOUND OFF, we asked how our listeners think the county, cities, and schools should spend the millions of dollars they received from the American Rescue Plan. Infrastructure? Recovery programs? Better pay for employees? Air filtration for public buildings?
Here are the ARP allocations for the county entities:
- LaPorte County: $21,310,000
- Michigan City: $16,549,045
- City of LaPorte: $11,476,496
- Westville: $1,200,000
- New Carlisle: $436,578
- North Liberty: $399,067
- Kingsford Heights: $288,829
- Wanatah: $209,224
- Town of Pines: $143,998
- Beverly Shores: $124,826
- LaCrosse: $107,321
- Michiana Shores: $61,892
- Kingsbury: $49,805
- Pottawattamie Park: $46,679
La Porte County districts are estimated to receive:
- Michigan City Area Schools: $21,267,438.76
- La Porte Community Schools: $8,793,342.06
- New Prairie United Schools: $3,089,587.45
- MSD of New Durham Township: $846,812.48
- South Central Community Schools: $523,309.46
- Tri-Township Consolidated Schools: $408,589.11
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Back in the SOUND OFF studio today is the Mayor of LaPorte, Indiana, Tom Dermody. He's a former State Representative, school board member, and business owner. Mayor Dermody talks about Indiana redistricting plans, the North/South Economic Corridor, wage increases for city employees, and much more.
CREDITS: Tom Dermody (Guest), Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's SOUND OFF topic is something we MUST talk about as it impacts every voter in Indiana; Indiana's redistricting plans. Just this week, the Indiana House voted in favor of redrawn lines that change which districts you're in and who represents you. For the last year or more, our guest has been working with the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission to try and persuade our legislators to move to a more non-partisan, independent way of drawing the districts. Former mayor, former head of the LaPorte County GOP, and an Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission member, Leigh Morris, updated how things are going with gerrymandering and redistricting.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host/Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Leigh Morris (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Experts say that recruiting and retaining state and local government workers is the most difficult in decades. Competition from the private sector has left many governmental jobs unfilled and understaffed in local police, fire, street, and parks departments. Should local governments be willing to pay more to attract more and better talent? If elected officials were paid more, would that be one less barrier for more people to run for office? Should the Mayor of Michigan City get a substantial raise as the one proposed? We invited our listeners to give their opinions on these questions and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Get your party hats on becuase it's Friday! And, on Fridays, it's time to SOUND OFF. Today's guests were LaPorte Parks Superintendent Mark Schreiber and Director of Civic Auditorium Brett Binversie. We discussed the parks department, the latest parks construction projects, and the Civic Auditorium's use as an event center.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Mark Schreiber (Guest), Brett Binversie (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's show talked about how you would rate the job that Eric Holcomb has done handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana. Do you think he's done a good job? Bad job? Do you wish he would be doing more? Some governors are mandating masks in schools; others are banning masks in schools. Some are putting their state on lockdown with the higher COVID-19 transmission rates we have; others are not.
Credits: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Coming to the studio today on SOUND OFF was Michigan City Councilman Bryant Dabney. He talked with Nate Loucks about budget issues in Michigan City, the American Rescue Plan, and other matters impacting Michigan City and LaPorte County residents.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Bryant Dabney (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In the studio today was LaPorte County Council President Randy Novak. Council President Novak talked about the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in LaPorte County, the Michigan City drawbridge, and trying to work together as county officials.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Randy Novak (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
It's Monday, which means it's time to SOUND OFF!
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The state of California.
New York City.
Hospitals and nursing homes.
Colleges and universities.
With the Pfizer vaccine receiving full FDA approval for those 16 and older, many employers are now considering COVID-19 vaccine mandates. What are your thoughts? Do you favor mandating the COVID-19 vaccine now that they are receiving full FDA approval? We talked about it today on SOUND OFF.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In the studio for his monthly foray into the SOUND OFF hot seat was LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody. Mayor Dermody talked about the Tipton Street Overpass, COVID-19, sidewalk and street improvements, economic development, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today on SOUND OFF, the topic was the War in Afghanistan. The questions asked were, "What do you think will be the legacy of the War in Afghanistan? Do you think it was time to pull the troops out? Was this 20-year war worth the cost of lives and dollars spent?" Listen to the full episode to hear what our callers and host think about what is happening in Afghanistan and how the listening audience is processing it.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today, our honorary SOUND OFF Legal Analyst and LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney John Lake was back in the studio. Conversations included child support payments, COVID-19 vaccine requirements, trauma-informed investigations, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), John Lake (Guest), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
This is a VERY SPECIAL episode of SOUND OFF that we called SOUND OFF on SPORTS. We asked the Kings of LaPorte Slicers football Chip Jones and Steve Mannering to preview the upcoming football season for the Slicers, the New Prairie Cougars, the Michigan City Wolves, and the South Central Satellites. We talk about expectations for the season and the keys to this Friday's game between LaPorte and New Prairie.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Steve Mannering (Guest), Chip Jones (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The guest, today on SOUND OFF, was New Prairie United School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Paul White. Dr. White has been with the school system since 2015, after serving nine years as a middle and high school principal at Monroe County Community Schools and Washington High School. He received his education specialist and doctorate of philosophy degrees from Indiana State University.
Topics included COVID-19 prevention and guidelines, New Prairie's Professional Learning Communities, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Dr. Paul White (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today on SOUND OFF, we discussed whether schools should mandate mask-wearing this Fall for students and staff. Some states like Florida forbid schools from requiring masks, but Indiana has decided to leave the decision up to local school corporations.
Locally, here is what has been decided:
- New Prairie: Masks will be optional for students/staff at school; Masks on NPUSC school buses are required at this time due to Federal Mandate. Masks will be required for all staff & students if COVID Positive numbers reach 5% or more in any particular building.
- Michigan City Area Schools: MCAS will follow the recommendations/requirements of local, state, and federal health departments regarding face masks. (Currently, per CDC guidance, face masks are required indoors in schools for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status.) Masks are not currently required for recess and other outdoor activities.
- Westville schools: Masks are optional for students and staff until high community transmission levels, and then masks are required for all students and staff inside the building (except when eating).
- South Central Superintendent Ted Stevens: “For the start of the 2021-2022 school year, South Central will make the wearing of masks optional for all individuals. This decision may be revisited if cases begin to rise or the Health Department recommends a masking requirement in the future. We believe that making masks optional provides opportunities for students and staff to continue wearing masks if they desire.”
- Tri-Township Superintendent Kelly Shepherd: "I am happy to announce that masks will be optional within the school building for the upcoming school year. However, per state directive, we will still require masks be worn on the school bus."
- LaPorte schools: The district plan will be discussed at the upcoming Coronavirus Committee meeting on August 2nd, and after necessary revisions, the plan will be publicly released on Tuesday, August 3, 2021.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Our guest today is an old friend of the show. He's a former State Representative and current Mayor of the City of LaPorte. His name? Tom Dermody. In this episode, Mayor Dermody talks about LakeFest, the former Don George Ford property, the proposed bridge on Tipton Street, homelessness in LaPorte, and much more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
We have a special guest today on SOUND OFF! Since 2012, he’s been the President of the South Bend Cubs (formerly the Silver Hawks) and has helped lead a strong resurgence of Minor League baseball in the region and economic development in South Bend. He was twice named Midwest League Executive of the Year. Our guest today was South Bend Cubs President Joe Hart.
Topics included the MLB trade deadline, congressional support for Minor League Baseball, growth of the South Bend Cubs franchise, and much more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Joe Hart (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Joining the show today was Drs. Vidya Kora and Dafer Haddadin to answer any questions and respond to myths about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines. Questions were asked about masking, long-haul systems, schools, and more.
Dr. Vidya Kora is a Franciscan Physician Network member specializing in Internal Medicine and Northern Regional Board of Franciscan Alliance.
Dr. Dafer Haddadin isa member of the Franciscan Physician Network specializing in Infectious Disease.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Dr. Vidya Kora (Guest), Dr. Dafer Haddadin (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
(LAPORTE, IN) - Joining Nate Loucks in the studio is LaPorte County Commissioner Rich Mrozinski. The discussion included economic development, the LaPorte County fair, feuds in the LaPorte County government, the Rolling Prairie EMS base, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Rich Mrozinski (Guest), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On SOUND OFF today was City of LaPorte Parks Superintendent Mark Schreiber. He talked about the upcoming LakeFest, the Stone Lake and Chessie trails, the Civic Auditorium's future, and more.
To find out more about LakeFest, visit LaPorteLakeFest.com.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (host), Dennis Siddall (producer), Jeff Wuggazer (editor), Mark Schreiber (guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Everybody is talking about election reform, so we spent hours digging into the FOR THE PEOPLE ACT and the Texas voting bills.
Congressional Democrats are still determined to pass the FOR THE PEOPLE ACT, sweeping voting and election bill blocked by Senate Republicans through the filibuster. The bill would allow same-day voter registration, require voting machines to be made in America and expand vote-by-mail allowances, among other things. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is similarly working on getting legislation passed in his state that would limit early voting hours, add increased identification requirements, and empower partisan poll watchers to make challenges.
So, we asked what our listeners thought? What kinds of reforms do you think America should institute in elections and voting rights?
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (Host), Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's guest on SOUND OFF was LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney John Lake. The conversation included topics like gun rights/violence, the battle between Governor Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita, First Amendment violations and social media companies, COVID-19 mandates, and more.
CREDITS: Nate Loucks (host), John Lake (guest), Jeff Wuggazer (producer/editor)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's topic on SOUND OFF was about former President Donald Trump seeking re-election in 2024. In an interview this week, President Trump stated that he had decided whether he would run for president again in 2024, though he didn't say what his decision is. However, with the announcement that he will do a national tour with Bill O'Reilly in December and has plans to continue public rallies and appearances, many believe he will, in fact, run again in 2024. In this episode, we talked about whether our listeners believe Trump will run for re-election and if people believe he should run.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Rik Anthony (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On SOUND OFF today was the Business & Events Director of the LaPorte County Fairgrounds Suzi Carpenter and the LaPorte County Council President Randy Novak. The discussion included information about the fairgrounds, the difference between the operating entities at the fairgrounds, ideas for future expansion and growth, and much more.
CREDITS: Rik Anthony (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Suzi Carpenter (Guest), Randy Novak (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
According to the 2019 Planning & Progress Study from Northwestern Mutual, almost one in five Baby Boomers have less than $5,000 set aside for retirement. Some in Washington suggest that reforms need to be made to the two primary governmental benefits: social security and Medicare. Today on SOUND OFF, we talked about YOUR ideas for reform in America's retirement system.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today was LaPorte County Commissioner Joe Haney.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Joe Janey (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today, we had a conversation about marijuana legalization in Indiana.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today was LaPorte County Prosecuting Attorney John Lake.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), John Lake (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today was LaPorte County Library Director Fonda Owens.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Fonda Owens (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today was the Mayor of LaPorte, Indiana, Tom Dermody. The conversation included these topics:
- Housing-related issues in LaPorte
- The North/South Corridor
- Code enforcement
- Sidewalks downtown
- ...and more.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In this episode of SOUND OFF, John Boyd talks about his time as LaPorte County Sheriff. Sheriff Boyd was elected for his first time in 2014 and a second term in 2018. The conversation included these topics:
- COVID-19 in the jail
- Endorsing a future successor
- The difference between Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts
- Notifying the community about crimes in certain areas
- License plate reader cameras
- The crosswalk on Pine Lake Avenue
- ...and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), John Boyd (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's episode featured Michigan City Councilperson Angie Nelson Deuitch. The conversation included topics like:
- Councilperson Deuitch's background
- The aftermath of Mayor Duane Parry's controversial comments
- Unemployment issues in Michigan City
- Lake passes for Washington Park Beach
- The Airbnb Culture in Michigan City
- Surveillance cameras in Michigan City
- ...and more
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Indiana's unemployment rate is hovering around pre-pandemic levels at 3.9 percent. Yet, like much of America, there is a labor shortage. Is it caused by expanded unemployment benefits? Is it caused by lower-than-normal immigration rates? Is it caused by other pandemic issues like childcare availability? Is it something else? That was the topic on this episode of SOUND OFF.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today's guest is Dr. Vidya Kora, an internal medicine doctor in LaPorte County and Hall of Fame member of the Indiana State Medical Association. Dr. Kora and Nate Loucks had a conversation about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines. In addition, Dr. Kora provided information about the various vaccines and their efficacy and answered questions from our listeners.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Dr. Vidya Kora (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Joining the show was LaPorte Prosecuting Attorney John Lake. Lake was elected in 2018. Moving into his third year as the county prosecutor, discussions included updates on what the Prosecutor's Office is working on and reforming. Conversations included: marijuana legalization, sentencing guidelines, racial justice in the criminal justice system, and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), John Lake (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
City of LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody is the guest on this episode of SOUND OFF. Mayor Dermody was asked about the new Aldi's and 7-11, the North/South Corridor, the LaPorte Fourth of July Parade, and more.
Discussions included:
- Economic updates
- The North/South Corridor
- LaPorte Fourth of July Parade
- Vaccination Update
- COVID-19 stimulus money
- Road paving
- …and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The guest on this episode of SOUND OFF is Leigh Morris, former Mayor of LaPorte, Indiana, and current member of the Indiana Citizens Redistricting Commission. We talk about gerrymandering, redistricting, other questions our listeners had about voting rights.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Leigh Morris (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Last Thursday, a shooting occurred outside a FedEx facility near Indianapolis International Airport, taking the lives of 8 victims and the shooter. In this episode of SOUND OFF, we talked about opinions on gun violence in America, particularly why America has higher rates of gun violence (and mass shootings) than other developed nations and what people think can be done about it. We focused on two things specifically: WHY people think we tend to be more violent in America than other developed nations, and WHAT people think can be done about it if anything.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Mark Schreiber, the Park Superintendent for the City of LaPorte, came to the studio for SOUND OFF. Mark is a graduate of Ball State University. He's been with the Parks Department since May 2012, where he started as the Director of Recreation. He's been the Park Superintendent since June 2014.
Discussions included:
- The Stone Lake Walking Trail
- Boat docks at Stone Lake
- How COVID-19 has impacted park programming
- Park improvements needed
- Information about the Lake Fest
- ...and much more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Mark Schreiber (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The guest on today's show is Adam Kronk, the Head of School for LaLumiere School in LaPorte County. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he led the Notre Dame Deloitte Center for Ethical Leadership in Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. He was also the Chief Operating Officer of the Center for the Homeless in South Bend, among other things.
Topics included:
- History of La Lumiere School
- COVID impact on the school
- What is ethical leadership?
- The impact of AI and ethical leadership.
- School vouchers.
- ...and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Adam Kronk (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today is Lisa Pierzakowski, the Center Township Trustee, who was named 2018 Indiana Trustee of the Year, is a recipient of the Circle of Corydon, is a board member for the Indiana Township Association, and was recently elected the Vice-Chair of the LaPorte County GOP.
Conversations included:
- The role of a township trustee.
- Homelessness in LaPorte, Indiana.
- How condemning properties has impacted housing in LaPorte.
- The CARES Acts and American Rescue Plan.
- ...and much, much more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Lisa Pierzakowski (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The Indiana Department of Transportation reportedly plans to spend $128M on La Porte County projects from 2022-25. On today's SOUND OFF episode, we discussed local infrastructure ideas that have either been proposed by our elected officials or INDOT. We also talked about proposals that our listeners would like to see considered. Conversations included the North/South Corridor going around LaPorte, the US 30 interstate proposal, and the roundabout going in at SR 2 and U.S. 6 in Westville, among other ideas.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On the show today is Jeff Batchelor, head of the city of LaPorte Code Enforcement department. Batchelor started as the code enforcer in January of 2020 and has had an eventful year, to say the least. Our discussion included the condemnation process, low-income housing, holding the city to the same standards as the citizens, and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Mark Secor (Guest), Craig Dwight (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On today's SOUND OFF episode, we talk about the banking industry, the economy, and even a little bit of GameStop.
With 72 locations in Indiana and Michigan, Horizon Bank is one of Indiana's largest public companies. Craig Dwight is the chairman and CEO of Horizon Bank. Mark Secor is the Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer. Questions included the following topics:
- Horizon Bank's recent bankdirector.com ranking of Horizon Bank third nationally in their Performance Powerhouses of 2021.
- Is the day of the small-town bank over?
- Thoughts on the last two economic stimulus packages.
- How would you rate the general health of the American economy?
- Cryptocurrency
- Gamestop
- Cybersecurity
- ...and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Mark Secor (Guest), Craig Dwight (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Did you know that America's minimum wage was first made law with the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which established a federal minimum wage at $0.25 an hour? However, it didn’t cover executives, seasonal employees, and some other groups. Former President Roosevelt said, "It seems to me to be equally plain that no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country."
The Indiana minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, the same as the federal minimum wage. The Indiana minimum wage was last increased in 2008 when it was raised by $0.60.
State Representative Pat Boy put forward House Bill 1345 to slowly increase the minimum wage to $11 an hour by December 31, 2022. But it didn’t make it past an Employment, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing. In today's SOUND OFF episode, we talk about the minimum wage and whether our listeners think it should be increased.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Bryant Dabney (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Today on SOUND OFF, the guest was Michigan City Councilperson Bryant Dabney, who is in his second term as the First Ward Councilperson. His district includes areas like the Eastport neighborhood, Elston Grove, and Sheridan Beach. The conversation included discussions about Michigan City Police Chief Dion Campbell, Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry, the recent Council Resolution expressing a lack of confidence in the mayor, and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Bryant Dabney (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
The topic on this episode of SOUND OFF is Indiana's mask mandate. Last week, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state would lift its mask mandate and open businesses to 100% capacity. When asked whether Indiana will follow suit, Holcomb said at his weekly COVID-19 update that he's more “Indiana-centric” and happy with the direction the state is going. When asked about those other states, Holcomb said, "Good on them, they have great leaders, but I'm very Indiana-centric to get to the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be over when it's over."
Texas, Mississippi, Iowa, Montana, and North Dakota have already lifted their mask mandate, while Alabama and Utah have announced that they plan to remove the mandate in mid-April.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On this episode of SOUND OFF, LaPorte City Council President Pro Team Tim Franke gives an update about his roles in the city of LaPorte. Topics included LaPorte's new Inclusion and Diversity Committee, economic development, criticisms on trying to appease "Chicago" residents, and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Tim Franke (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
In this SOUND OFF episode, Nate Loucks explains the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and gets the listener's opinions about the recently approved US House bill. Also, an update of the LEGISLATORS WEEK IN REVIEW!
SHOW NOTES:
- Read the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 here.
- New York Business Leaders Join National Support for Biden Stimulus Package - link.
- Senate parliamentarian rules $15 minimum wage cannot be included in the relief package - link.
- 60% of Republicans Support Biden's $1.9 Trillion Stimulus: Poll - link.
- Introduction to Budget “Reconciliation” - link.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
On this episode of SOUND OFF, Mayor Tom Dermody talks about what's going on in the city of LaPorte. Topics included LaPorte's new Inclusion and Diversity Committee, the summer Lake Fest, a new pothole fixing machine, partner projects with the Healthcare Foundation of LaPorte, and more.
CREDITS: Jeff Wuggazer (Producer/Editor), Nate Loucks (Host), Tom Dermody (Guest)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Under a new expansion passed by the Indiana House of Representatives, families making double the state’s median income would now be eligible for education vouchers. The bill would mean increasing income eligibility for school choice vouchers and creating a new funding program for some students not enrolled in public schools to receive state tuition support dollars to pay for education costs, which could help students who are homeschooled to receive public tax money. Read the bill here.
We also introduced a segment called LEGISLATORS IN ACTION: tracking the votes and work of our State Senators and State Representatives.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
LaPorte County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Ron Heeg joined the show. Chief Deputy Heeg is a 20+ year veteran of the LCSO and has been serving as the Chief Deputy since 2014.
The conversation included topics like:
- Indiana House Bill 1369
- Body cameras
- Should the county do road checks on vehicles
- Tribal police jurisdiction
- Nationwide gun registry
- US House Bill HR127
- ...and more.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
Every Monday on SOUND OFF, we discuss a topic related to LaPorte County citizens. In this episode, the issue was Indiana House Bill 1369. This bill repeals the law that requires a person to obtain a license to carry a handgun in Indiana and specifies that certain persons who are not otherwise prohibited from carrying or possessing a gun are not required to get or keep a license or permit from the state to carry a handgun in Indiana. On February 15th, the House Public Policy Committee passed the bill eliminating Indiana's license requirement to carry a firearm in public by a 9-3 vote (along party lines).
The legislation now goes to the full House.
BILL SPONSORS:
- Representative Ben Smaltz [R]
- Representative Matthew Lehman [R]
- Representative Timothy Wesco [R]
Read the bill in its entirety here.
CREDITS: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show that airs every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte County, Indiana. SOUND OFF is a Spoon River Media production.
IT'S HAPPY NATIONAL LIBRARY LOVER'S MONTH! To honor National Library Lover's Month, we have some friends from the LaPorte County Public Library on the show to talk about what's happening with the library. Library employees Kristi Chadderdon and Jennifer Bissonnette are the guests.
The conversation included questions about:
- the new building at 807 Indiana Avenue
- the various maker spaces at the library
- how the library is funded.
- how to obtain a library card.
- how COVID has impacted the library.
- online resources for the public.
- ...and more.
SHOW NOTES:
- Library Website - https://laportelibrary.org.
- Library Online - https://laportelibrary.org/library-online.
- Indiana Department of Local Government Finance - https://www.in.gov/dlgf.
- To help with volunteering or possibly teaching a class for the public, please contact the library through their contact form.
- Team: Jeff Wuggazer (producer & editor), Nate Loucks (host)
SOUND OFF is a biweekly community conversation show produced by 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte, Indiana. For more information about SOUND OFF or not 96.7 the Eagle, visit hometownnewsnow.com.
The LaPorte Kiwanis Club's President Drumm Osborne talked about the 100-year history of the service club. Founded in 1921, the Kiwanis Club of LaPorte is one part of Kiwanis International, a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one community, and one child at a time. For more information about the LaPorte Kiwanis Club, visit them online at kiwaniscluboflaporte.org.
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show airing every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte, Indiana. For more information, visit hometownnewsnow.com.
The guests on this SOUND OFF Podcast episode include Sacha Gee-Burns (Environmental Educator/Public Outreach) and Lyn De Groote (Controller) from the LaPorte County Solid Waste District. The Solid Waste District is a collaborative recycling and waste organization among the cities, towns, and county. The conversation included:
- Discussion of the proposed rate increase.
- Explanation of the recycling process
- The 5-in-1 collection program
- The Master Recycler's Class
- Myths about recycling
- Show note: www.solidwastedistrict.com
- Public meeting: February 10, 2021, at 6:30 PM (Zoom Link)
- Credits: Dennis Siddall (Producer), Jeff Wuggazer (Editor), Nate Loucks (Host)
SOUND OFF is a community conversation show airing every Monday and Friday on 96.7 the Eagle in LaPorte, Indiana. Listen to this episode of SOUND OFF below.