Portage blessed with location, access

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, shown during calm waters last September, is a popular spot during high winds, when waves are spectacular.

Grow economy through investment, collaboration

Shipping is a vital part of Northwest Indiana's economy, as this September photo of the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal shows.

A Delicate Balance

Marquette Park in Gary

A Delicate Balance

ArcelorMittal in East Chicago

A Delicate Balance

The Lake Michigan shoreline along Marquette Park in Gary.

BP has fueled resurgence in Whitiing

BP's Whiting Refinery expansion has pumped billions of dollars in the economy, boosting its Whiting's economic prospects.

BP project wind-down will involve big layoffs

The $3.8 billion BP Whiting refinery project is on schedule to wrap up in the second half of this year, with attendant layoffs of construction workers expected to affect employment in that sector.

Mike Rippey speaks to Lakeshore Chamber

Mike Rippey, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal, gives a presentation Thursday about trends in the economy affecting the steel industry during a Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Ameristar Casino in East Chicago.

Mike Rippey speaks to Lakeshore Chamber

Mike Rippey, President and CEO of ArcelorMittal, gives a presentation Thursday about trends in the economy affecting the steel industry during a Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Ameristar Casino in East Chicago.

BP

An aerial view of BP's Whiting Refinery is shown. BP revealed Tuesday that it made a net profit of $5.5 billion in the third quarter, more than offsetting the $1.34 billion loss reported in the previous three months when the company wrote down the value of some assets. It was also 5 percent …

Replacement work continues at Whiting Refinery

Work is under way at the BP Whiting Refinery to finish the process of replacing the largest of three crude distillation units as part of the facility's modernization project.

ArcelorMittal East Chicago

ArcelorMittal's East Chicago facility is shown next to the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal. In East Chicago, the steelmaking company placed 155 hourly employees at Indiana Harbor Long Carbon on a 32-hour work schedule, said ArcelorMittal spokeswoman Mary Beth Holdford. All of the employees hav…

Steelmaker dedicates environmental restoration, trail project

Kristopher Krouse, executive director of the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, speaks during a ceremony marking the opening of the ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor Deerfield Woods Fitness Trail.

Steelmaker dedicates environmental restoration, trail project

Representatives of various groups attend a ceremonial ribbon cutting Tuesday to open the Deerfield Woods Fitness Trail near the ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor training center. Pictured from left are Daniel Goldfarb, of the Wildlife Habitat Council, Paul Quinlan, of the Shirley Heinze Land Trust,…

Steelmaker dedicates environmental restoration, trail project

Rob Maciel, manger of environment at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor, walks the Deerfield Woods Fitness Trail Tuesday near the plant's training center.

Steelmaker dedicates environmental restoration, trail project

Madhu Ranade, vice president of ArcelorMittal and general manager of the Burns Harbor plant, speaks Tuesday during a ceremony marking the opening the Deerfield Woods Fitness Trail.

Steelmaker dedicates environmental restoration, trail project

People begin to walk on the newly opened ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor Deerfield Woods Fitness Trail Tuesday near their training center on the grounds of the plant.

ArcelorMittal in East Chicago

ArcelorMittal;s East Chicago facility is shown in September.

ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor

Locally, ArcelorMittal operates integrated steel mills in East Chicago and Burns Harbor, shown here; a global research and development facility in East Chicago; a hot strip mill in Riverdale; a plate mill in Gary; and processing and finishing joint venture facilities in New Carlisle.

U.S. steel production

ArcelorMittal's Burns Harbor facility is shown. Production of raw steel in the United States is expected to rise about 3 percent in 2012 from a year earlier, according to early estimates from the American Iron and Steel Institute.