Effective January 1, 2010, every person renewing, replacing or applying for a new driver’s license or identification card will be required to present documentation proving the following four items:

1.      Identity. An original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport.  A change in the name listed on your birth certificate requires additional items to be brought in to show proof of each name change.

2.      Social Security Number. A Social Security card, a W-2, tax form, or a pay stub showing the name and Social Security number on it.

3.      Lawful Status. An original or certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport satisfies this requirement.

4.      Residency. Two recent statements (computer-generated acceptable) from a utility company, bank, credit card company, doctor or hospital showing name and residence address.

After you present the required documentation, you will receive an interim license at the BMV branch. You will receive your permanent license or identification card within 10 business days. It will be mailed from a secure, government-run facility to your mailing address.

To learn more about these requirements, please visit www.in.gov/bmw.

Schoolhouse Shop and Antiques, original at http://www.schoolhouseshop.com

The attorneys of Hiestand Law Office attended the Chamber’s Business After Hours hosted by the Schoolhouse Shop & Antiques on July 8, 2009.

The schoolhouse was originally built in 1886 by the Porter County Westchester Township School system.  On July 7, 1997 James D. Ruge and Roy J. Krizek purchased the schoolhouse shop and after many renovations had a holiday opening on November 13, 1997.  The old office was turned into Tree House Toy Room and the kitchen shop is now known as The Magic Pantry.

The Schoolhouse Shop contains antiques, gifts, a food pantry, toys, candles, cards, art, clothes, pottery, and a floral shop.  Truly a unique shopping experience.

Exchange Club Frog Hunt Sponsorship

Hiestand Law Office is proud to be a sponsor of the Duneland Area Exchange Club’s 6th Annual Frog Hunt. The Frog Hunt will be July 18, 2009 at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and children under 5 are free. In addition to the frog hunt (no real frogs are used) there are games, entertainment, crafts, a tadpole hunt for children and face painting. Lunch is also provided. All proceeds from the event are used to support child abuse prevention and youth development programs in Porter County.

Attorney Sarah Lawson was appointed to a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the Duneland Area Exchange Club. Sarah served as the Exchange Club’s treasurer for the past three years. The Duneland Area Exchange Club is focused on helping the youth in the Duneland community through its own direct programming and community grants.

The Club’s next activity is the 4th of July parade in Porter at which the Club members will hand out American flags. The Exchange Club is also holding its Frog Hunt fundraiser on July 18, 2009 at the Coffee Creek Watershed Preserve.

Sarah Lawson and Elizabeth Lawson at Duneland Relay for Life

Sarah Lawson and her family attended Relay for Life at the Chesterton High School on June 19, 2009. This year the theme was “Relayhood” and many of the teams used Hollywood motifs for their tents. Sarah was a member of “Tyler’s Hunt for a Cure” whose tent was decorated in a pirate theme. The event raised approximately $90,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The Regal Rabbit, original photo at http://www.regalrabbit.net

On June 10, 2009, attorneys Sarah Lawson and Terry Hiestand attended the Chamber’s Business After Hours hosted by The Regal Rabbit in celebration of its 6th anniversary. The Regal Rabbit opened March 15, 2003 and moved to its new location at 528 Indian Boundary Road on May
1, 2007.

The Regal Rabbit is a premier kitchen and gourmet food store in Chesterton, Indiana, and also hosts a series of cooking classes covering a wide variety of themes. The owners of The Regal Rabbit are Maribeth and Jim Conyne.

Small Business Trends has a great post reviewing the changes and improvements to business.gov, a government resource for small businesses. From the review:

Business.gov is a web portal operated jointly by 22 different federal agencies, believe it or not, as an online resource portal for small businesses. It has links to federal programs, compliance assistance links for various sorts of rules, regulations and laws, state-specific and industry-specific links, and more.

David, Toni, Martha, and Brad

Attorney David Hiestand, with his wife, Martha, and friends, attended the National Geographic BioBlitz at the Indiana Dunes on May 16, 2009.  From the BioBlitz website:

BioBlitz is a 24-hour event in which teams of scientists, volunteers, and community members join forces to find, identify, and learn about as many local plant and animal species as possible. National Geographic is helping conduct a BioBlitz in a different park each year throughout the decade leading up to the U.S. National Park Service Centennial in 2016.

Last year’s BioBlitz took place in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area May 30 and 31 in collaboration with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and California State Parks. The public found and identified more than 1,700 unique species in the park, plus several that have not yet been identified.

In 2007, National Geographic hosted the Rock Creek Park BioBlitz in Washington, D.C. Teams made up of biologists, families, school groups, youth groups, conservationists, and government leaders spent 24 hours combing the city’s urban park. They found and identified 661 unique species in the park, plus several that have not yet been identified.

Attorney David Hiestand has started coaching a Duneland Soccer Club U-8 Rec League team for the Spring season.   David grew up playing soccer at the Duneland Soccer Club and thought helping out would be great way to get more involved in the community.   The players vary in age from six to eight years old.  For some of the players, this is their first experience with the game.

Sarah and Elizabeth

American Trust and Savings hosted a Chesterton/Duneland Chamber After Hours event on Wednesday  at its Porter Branch, which was catered by Leroy’s Hot Stuff.   The abundant selection of sandwiches and Mexican food supplied by Leroy’s was supplemented with a tray for White Castle sliders which have been an American Trust tradition ever since White Castle was a business neighbor at the main branch.

The Porter branch was constructed with field stone and timbers to resemble a hunting lodge with vaulted ceilings highlighted with a chandelier made of antlers. The numerous hosts on hand carried on the tradition of the Bank which from its founding was known as “The Little Bank with the Big Heart in the heart of Whiting” (and now Porter).