Hammond indictments took the heat off EC...for a while

Have you ever noticed that when there is a slow news day, the media takes a painful bite out of East Chicago? That’s in large part because East Chicago is so open to criticism.

Minor sports deserve recognition in local halls of fame

In the recent listing of rodeo information relative to the Elizabeth Stampede, one of the three officials named was Mark Longoria. If I’m not mistaken, this is the same Mark Longoria who graduated from the late lamented East Chicago Washington High School in 1979.

Admitted embezzler had an ace up his sleeve at trial

Howard Duncan had a photographic memory for numbers that he put to good use for personal gain as the assistant treasurer at NIPSCO in the 1920's and 30's. After confessing to the company president that he had embezzled $132,000, he offered to help NIPSCO auditors unravel his scheme in exchan…

Gambling debts led exec to tap the till almost a century ago

Howard Duncan had a photographic memory for numbers that he put to good use. He had been with NIPSCO and its predecessor companies since 1908, starting at the bottom and working his way up until 1924, when he became assistant treasurer, a position he would hold for nine years.

Vaudeville star was popular with Calumet Region audiences

Think back over the past half century and identify the stars of electronic media. You’ll find that it’s surprisingly difficult to do.

Dutch family migrated to Midwest and grew in number, notoriety

The present flu epidemic is about to surround us, but let us hope that it is nothing like the 1918-19 version, which killed more people than WWI, somewhere between 20 and 40 million worldwide.

Gary school boasted official and unofficial nicknames

As someone once said, or should have, there is aristocracy in all classes. Most schools prior to World War II had a “Four Hundred.”

Shorty was long on musical talent in the Big Band era

Back in the Big Band era of the 1930s and 40s, most of us had favorites, much like having a favorite baseball team. Mine happened to be Les Brown.

Christmas a time to welcome those who need shelter

EDITOR’S NOTE: This tale was first told in this space in December, 1981.

Winter strolls led to adventures in Indiana Harbor

’Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la, la la.

Memories of days in the miltary and the medical field

The headlines of the past week or so have caused me to reflect on my past and conclude that a good deal of my adult life has been spent in matters medical. I had basic training in Washington state and, after finishing, was transferred to, of all places, an installation on Lake Shore Drive in…

Shirley Heinze Land Trust protects nature and educates

Women’s liberation! It’s wonderful, that is, if you happen to be married to a beautiful and brainy Southern belle with a college education, a highly successful career as an executive, and an annual income that would choke an ATM.

Park and lagoon made Horace Mann High construction unique

The Calumet Region reached its apogee in 1929, just before The Crash.

From burgers to chicken, Restaurant Row was the place to eat

Not long ago, someone raised the question within our conversation group, “How often did you eat out when you were in high school?”

Gary's Alex Karras was a character, on the field or on a stage

I was always very good at touch football, and even tackle football in the park, but when it came to playing varsity football, a player had to weigh 130 pounds and have other assets. I didn’t even weigh 120 pounds.

Region youth "followed the band" as closely as top athletes

When I was a lad just itching to get into high school, one of the favorite classroom games we played had to do with what I will call “follow the band.”

Kallares sons made their mother (and the region) proud

One of the growing social issues of our time is the one-parent family. That usually means that a mother is the only parent. Just who manages such a family is, I guess we could say, the luck of the draw.

Stiglitz brought fame (and Nobel Prize) to Calumet Region

A person only had to stand around the Calumet Region and soak it up to become an expert on one thing or another.

Horace Mann High produced Gary and state pageant winners

After downstaters got over their apprehension about “Duh Reejin,” they discovered that the Calumet Region produced the most attractive girls in all of Indiana.

Region tenor sang like 'locomotive at full throttle'

If you were a football coach at a Calumet Region high school during the 1940s and you came across a player who outweighed everyone in sight, your cup runneth over.