Region escapes blizzard that snowed in most of Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS | Northwest Indiana was spared Wednesday from a winter storm that killed at least six people in southern states, closed businesses and made travel all but impossible in central and southern Indiana.

Times POY 2011 - Blizzard

Lake County Highway Department driver Roger Ohlenkamp walks through deep snow to prepare a chain to tow his snowplow out of a ditch in Crown Point on Feb 2. The truck ended up in a ditch due to a civilian driver that would not move.

FEMA won't cover blizzard's snow removal costs

City of Crown Point employee Brad Hefner loads snow from the Stillwater subdivision Feb. 17 into a truck in Crown Point. Very little of the estimated $1.3 million spent on cleanup efforts in the wake of the Blizzard of 2011 will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The f…

Some businesses helped, others hurt by blizzard

The Blizzard of 2011 caused a mixed bag of economic results for local businesses.

Neighbors shoveled each other back to normal life

Just as in 1967, we will all have memories of the Blizzard of 2011. Lines at the grocery store, cars buried in snow, streets impassable and life virtually standing still for a couple of days.

Million dollar storm

Snow melts last week in the Walmart parking lot in Highland. Warming temperatures helped gradually melt the 20 inches dumped on the region at the beginning of the month.

Million dollar storm

City employee Brad Hefner removes snow Thursday from the Stillwater subdivision in Crown Point. The snow was headed to the Crown Point Softball Park. The Blizzard of 2011 cost the region nearly $1.3 million.

Million dollar storm

A snow pile lays beside the entrance to Mount Baldy last week in Michigan City.

Lake County puts dollar amount on 2011 blizzard -- more than $101,000

CROWN POINT | Lake County Highway Department officials said they spent more than $101,000 during last week's blizzard, making roads in the rural unincorporated areas passable.

School custodians didn't belong on roads during blizzard

I am a custodian for the Portage schools. Being that very few custodians were able to make it out of their driveways Feb. 2 to go to work and shovel snow for the schools, a female administrator left a snotty message on our phones about being needed at work to prepare the schools for reopenin…

Mother and son come to aid of Lowell cop

Brandon Kurtz, center, and his mother Denise Kurtz get a tour of the evidence locker at the Lowell Police Department from Cpl. Erik Matson. Brandon was riding in a car with his mother Dec. 29 when he noticed Matson unconscious in his squad car by the side of the road. They called for an ambu…

Mother and son come to aid of Lowell cop

Brandon Kurtz, left, and his mother Denise Kurtz, right, get a tour of a jail cell at the Lowell Police Department from Cpl. Erik Matson. Brandon was riding in a car with his mother last Wednesday when he noticed Cpl. Matson unconscious in his squad car by the side of the road. They called f…

Time Lapse of Blizzard

The view outside The Times Munster office for over 24 hours.

Blizzard cleanup ends; recovery dollars sought

SPRINGFIELD | More than 2,800 of the state's snowplow drivers clocked in upward of a combined 14,000 hours of overtime to clear snow-covered roads during this week's blizzard.

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Blizzard

Valparaiso University seniors Lisa Meadows, left, and Dustin Bonk try to film a VU television segment about the severe weather during a blizzard on campus Tuesday, Feb. 1.

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Frozen Sands

A mixture of sand and snow forms beautiful drifts along the lakefront in Gary's Marquette Park Thursday, Feb. 3.

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Diggin Out

Gary resident Keith Banks helps dig out his neighbor's car on Lake Street as residents continued the arduous task of digging out from the snow storm, Thursday, Feb. 3.

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Emergency Management Center

Porter County EMS Training Officer Dale Lanham stands in front of a projection of the Emergency Operations Center website at the E.O.C. in Valparaiso Monday, Jan. 31. Emergency personnel were preparing for one of the worst blizzards in years.

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Blizzard Coverage

Valparaiso University graduate students Xiaoxia Li, left, of China and Beth Adamski create snow angels in front of a University residence Wednesday, Feb. 2. Li, who has never seen snow piled this high, was only able to make one of the wings due to her left arm being in a sling from an earli…

POTW Jan 30-Feb 5 - Blizzard

Lake County Highway Department driver Roger Ohlenkamp walks through deep snow to prepare a chain to tow his snowplow out of a ditch in Crown Point on Feb. 2. The truck ended up in a ditch due to another driver who would not move.