Plugged In LaPorte
I am the son of a mother who got pregnant with my brother at 15 years old, a father who built a successful concrete construction company that developed hundreds of acres of land into subdivisions and homes, a grandfather who was a Teamster who left this country only once (to fight in the Korean War), and a grandmother who worked tirelessly for many hours at American Home Foods on Fail Road. I am a religious leader who helped create a church community in downtown LaPorte with some of my closest friends, a nonprofit leader who believes everyone deserves dignity and community, and a community developer who enjoys nothing more than taking dilapidated corners of LaPorte and turning them into vibrant spaces that grow and flourish. I am a passionate dad, grateful son, middling pastor, and undeserving friend to some of the most extraordinary people who have ever walked this earth. I am a product of my parents and siblings, teachers and pastors, mentors and mentees, and the place and people I have called home for most of my life - LaPorte, Indiana. It's a city that I love.
LaPorte, Indiana, is a unique city at the intersection of urban vibrancy and rural charm. This duality resides at the heart of the city and exists within the tension of its future. Like many small Rust Belt cities, it seeks an identity different from the one it knew in its vibrant manufacturing past. Yet, it is skeptical and anxious about a future that looks different. Are we a manufacturing town doing our best to compete in this current tax-abated economic landscape? Are we a small lake town catering to and embracing the revenue of other Chicagoland tourists? What part do quality of life indicators play in keeping and attracting people to a place? When other cities of similar size struggle and decline to irrelevance, how does LaPorte create a unique identity faithful to the incredible people who have called this place home? At the same time, how can we also become welcoming to others who seek LaPorte as a place to belong? After all, we were all strangers here at some point.
A short time ago, my friends at the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership asked me to collaborate with them in creating a new podcast to discuss with area leaders, stakeholders, and business owners about their thoughts and experiences in La Porte. We have many positive developments in LaPorte, but there are also numerous challenges that we must address. Additionally, there are varying opinions about the direction of the city and the specific areas where we are achieving or falling short.
One of my passions is creating connections and community between people. Whether at State Street, the Pax Center, or through our community development projects, the goal is to minimize the distance between neighbors and enable us to better care for one another. This can only be achieved through communication, listening, and asking questions. I'm excited about our new podcast, Plugged In LaPorte. We recorded the first two episodes in February at the LaPorte Public Library's Exchange building. The first episode features an interview with Nick Minich and Craig Philips, who are involved in engineering and development projects for LaPorte. I also spoke with Erik Nelson (Workforce Development Coordinator for the LaPorte Economic Advancement Partnership) and Jen Goss (Director of College and Career Readiness for LaPorte Community Schools) about career pathways, which is a crucial focus in the education of middle and high school students in the state of Indiana.
In the second episode, released in two weeks, you'll hear a conversation with County Councilmen Randy Novak and Mike Rosenbaum. We will discuss bipartisanship locally and developments that will impact the county, including Kingsbury. Additionally, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Granger, the driving force behind Thode Floral, one of LaPorte's beloved downtown businesses. We discussed the benefits and struggles of being a business owner on Lincolnway. In upcoming episodes, I hope to have more conversations about our education system, potential economic development, small business owners, and interviews with elected and unelected leaders and individuals.
If you're interested in what's happening in LaPorte, I encourage you to check out the first episode of "Plugged In LaPorte." PIL can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and almost everywhere podcasts can be found these days. And if you have a suggestion for someone to feature on a future episode, please let me know. I'd love to hear from you as we strive to create an experience that keeps all of us more curious, connected, and plugged in.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2uu8DDH5ycpxYq75XnXjJg
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../plugged-in-la.../id1734439748
