Michael D. "Stew" Stewart

Hammond (April 11, 2011) – More than a dozen South Shore attractions will gather for the Inaugural Explore the South Shore event hosted at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond on May 14^th from 11am to 4pm. The event will kick-off the travel season and is held in conjunction of National Tourism Week.

The first 500 families attending Explore the South Shore will receive a “passport of savings” for coupons and discounts throughout the region. Giveaways and chances to win other items will also be available. Kid’s activities like a bounce house, games and train rides, classic cars, family photo opportunities and food will be available onsite. Mascots, a livestock area and live entertainment will entertain and create awareness of upcoming events in northwest Indiana. Information booths will be set up for each participating organization.

For more information call 219.989.7979 or visit www.explorethesouthshore.com. Entrance to Explore the South Shore is free and guests of all ages are welcome to join in the fun. The Indiana Welcome Center is located at 7770 Corinne Drive (I-80/94 and Kennedy Avenue) in Hammond.

Purdue Alumni Club of Northwest Indiana – Spring Dinner.

INDIANA CHARTER SCHOOLS PERFORM SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THEIR TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL PEERS
A CREDO at Stanford University Report on a study of Indiana charter school students shows more growth for charter school students compared to their traditional public schools peers.

Stanford, CA – A new report released today by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University found that reading and math gains for charter school students in Indiana were significantly better compared to their traditional public school peers. The Indiana report, examined charters from 2004-2008 and expands upon the national CREDO at Stanford report, entitled,“Multiple Choice: Charter School Performance in 16 States,” that was released in June of 2009.

Building on the methodology used for the national report, CREDO at Stanford found that overall, charter school performance in Indiana and Indianapolis outpaced the traditional public schools in learning gains. Looking at the distribution of school performance, 98% of the charter schools had similar or superior academic growth than the traditional public schools in reading and 100% of charter schools had similar or superior academic growth in math compared to traditional public schools. Charter schools of all ages in Indiana on average grow at better rates than traditional public schools and charter school students grow at higher rates compared to their traditional public school peers in their first two years of enrollment in charter schools.

“At a time where there is acute attention to quality in the charter sector, the charter schools in Indiana are proving to be a high quality option for students and parents,”said Dr. Margaret Raymond, Director of CREDO at Stanford University.

Black students in charter schools reported significantly better learning gains than Black students in traditional public schools. In fact, Black students in charter schools in Indiana grow at similar rates to the average white student in a traditional public school in math. Charter school students in poverty also reported significantly better learning gains than their peers at traditional public schools in math as did charter school students that were retained a grade.

To download a copy of the state report visit: http://credo.stanford.edu.

INDIANA REPORT PDF Click Here

About CREDO at Stanford University
CREDO at Stanford University was established to improve empirical evidence about education reform and student performance at the primary and secondary levels. CREDO at Stanford University supports education organizations and policymakers in using reliable research and program evaluation to assess the performance of education initiatives. CREDO’s valuable insight helps educators and policymakers strengthen their focus on the results from innovative programs, curricula, policies or accountability practices. http://credo.stanford.edu

$27 Introductory Fares* (each way based on round-trip purchase) Available at www.spirit.com

Many Islands Low Fares

Miramar, Florida (March 4, 2011) – Spirit Airlines today started non-stop service between Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Atlantic City.

To celebrate, Spirit is offering $27 introductory fares* (each way based on round-trip purchase) today and tomorrow only at www.spirit.com.

“The start of Chicago service by Spirit Airlines provides an easy and affordable way for travelers to finally fly directly into the exciting Atlantic City destination and surrounding sea shore communities and offers direct service and low fares to Chicago for our regional market,” said Bart R. Mueller, executive director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority, the owner and operator of the airport.

“We are proud partners of Spirit Airlines and join them today in celebrating the commemoration of their new direct route to Atlantic City,” says Jennifer Weissman, Regional Vice President, Caesar’s Entertainment.  “Caesars Entertainment warmly welcomes new guests from Chicago and beyond who take advantage of the wonderful convenience and accessibility this route provides to our iconic, entertainment-driven seaside city.”

Schedule for Spirit’s Chicago – Atlantic City service effective March 4 – May 31, 2011

Schedule for Spirit’s Chicago – Atlantic City service effective April 1, 2011

$27 Introductory Fares* (each way based on round-trip purchase)

About Spirit Airlines

Spirit Airlines (www.spirit.com) is the largest Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.  As the unbundling leader in the industry, Spirit allows consumers the option of paying only for the features they value without subsidizing the choices of others.  Its all-Airbus fleet, the youngest in the United States, flies more than 150 daily flights to 44 destinations.  The company is based in South Florida.

# # #

*Individual travel-date specific fares must be booked on spirit.com by 11:59PM ET on March 5, 2011 for travel on the dates as specified by individual market and by market direction. Fares are each way based on roundtrip purchase, and roundtrip travel is required, but these fares may be combined with other valid and applicable Spirit Airlines fares on other dates of travel. To view and obtain the travel date specific fares, you must be logged in as a member of the Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club — if not already enrolled, please go towww.spirit.com for more details on how to become a member. Not all markets are operated on a daily basis during the travel period, or necessarily for the entire travel period — please see www.spirit.com for details.

Travel within the United States

Quoted fare includes the base fare, any fuel surcharges and a 7.5% U.S. excise tax. The quoted fare does not include the following taxes and fees that may apply to your air travel:

– September 11th Security Fee: A September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 applies per enplanement originating at a U.S. airport up to $10 per roundtrip.

– Domestic Segment Tax: A segment tax of $3.70 per U.S. domestic flight segment (a flight segment is defined as one takeoff and landing).

– Passenger Facility Charges (PFC): Up to $18 per round trip per customer in local airport charges.

International Flights (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands)

– September 11th Security Fee: A September 11th Security Fee of $2.50 applies per enplanement originating at a U.S. airport up to $10 per roundtrip.

– Arrival in the U.S. inspection fees of up to $17.50.

– Passenger Facility Charges (PFC): Up to $18 per round trip per customer in local airport charges.

– Other governmental taxes and fees (including U.S. government excise tax) of up to $100.00 per round trip. Additionally, if sold in, or travel originates in a country outside of the U.S., additional taxes, fees and airport charges may apply (up to 22% of the fare value per country).

– International Service Recovery Fee: International Service Recovery Fee of $5.00 per traveling customer per one way travel is included and applies to all international reservations excluding flights originating in or departing from airports in Colombia or Panama as well as those bookings created directly at Spirit Airlines’ airport locations.

– Travel must originate in the U.S. for fares listed for Colombian destinations.

All Travel

– Passenger Usage Fee: Passenger Usage Fee of $8 per traveling customer per one way travel is included and applies to all reservations with the exception of those bookings created directly at Spirit Airlines’ airport locations. All fares are subject to change until confirmed and purchased.

– Certain fares exclude Fuel Pass Through, including itineraries originating in Colombia where there is a mandated fuel surcharge that differs from the Fuel Pass Through.

Please go to www.spirit.com for a complete list of Spirit Airlines’ travel policies and Contract of Carriage.