New face at gambling negotiation table

SPRINGFIELD | There’s a new face at the negotiating table when it comes to a massive expansion of gambling in Illinois.

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: New land bank will be catalyst for change

As part of their ongoing commitment to improving the southern suburbs, the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association and several of its member communities recently created the South Suburban Land Bank and Development Authority to help facilitate the redevelopment of vacant, foreclosed a…

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: Sports is an economic driver in south suburbs

Every year, we see more families building vacations around their child’s sporting events. Whether it’s a golf tournament at a prestigious course, a 300-team softball tournament or an NCAA sanctioned AAU basketball tournament, sports are driving family decisions on travel.

OFFBEAT: Felicia Fields one-woman show entertains while looking for an audience

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

OFFBEAT: Felicia Fields one-night Munster show a perfect V-Day

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Entertainer Felicia P. Fields

Entertainer Felicia P. Fields is bringing her new one-woman cabaret show to Theatre at the Center in Munster for one-night only for a Valentine's Day night show on Feb. 14, 2013.

Pinning ceremony for nurses

CROWN POINT | The largest graduating class since the founding of University of St. Francis Crown Point in 2006 earned nursing pins last month in ceremonies at Crown Point High School.

Pastor 'exorcises' pollution, blesses waters of Cal-Sag Channel

The Rev. Rod Reinhart gives the final prayer and blessing Sunday during a ceremony at the Cal-Sag Channel falls in Blue Island. Reinhart led a group in a “prayer of exorcism,” which called for people to “exorcise and cast out the forces of ignorance, greed, lawlessness and cruelty that pollu…

Pastor 'exorcises' pollution, blesses waters of Cal-Sag Channel

With the falls in the background, the Rev. Rod Reinhart, of St. Joseph and St. Aidan Episcopal Church in Blue Island, blows a ram's horn trumpet Sunday during a ceremony and blessing of the Cal-Sag Channel in Blue Island.

Area residents pick trash from 'beautiful' river

SOUTH HOLLAND | A cinder block. A golf ball. A broken wooden bench. Warped aluminum gutters. Plastic water bottles. A wool sack. Two shopping carts. A rubber tire and a metal tank.

Volunteers needed for Little Calumet River cleanup

Are you passionate about cleaning and preserving the local waterways? Join the Calumet Waterway Stewards as they work to clean up the section of the Little Calumet River from South Holland to Blue Island on Saturday. This event is completely free, but participants must register in advance at…

Porter hospitals' parent company announces acquisition of Illinois facility

Community Health Systems Inc., the parent company of Porter hospitals, announced Thursday that a subsidiary has acquired substantially all of the assets of MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island.

Health care group buys Illinois health system

BLUE ISLAND, ILL. | MetroSouth Medical Center announced Monday it has been purchased by a subsidiary of Community Health System Inc., which owns Porter Health System in Valparaiso.

MetroSouth Medical receives 8 awards for marketing

BLUE ISLAND | MetroSouth Medical Center recently received eight Pinnacle Awards from the Illinois Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations.

Blue Island man put family first

Carl Ziller was always willing to help people, said daughter Sheri Anderson.

City of Blue Island to host Veterans Day parade

BLUE ISLAND | The city of Blue Island is hosting a community Veterans Day parade at 11 a.m. Nov. 12.

Porter County crimeBrief

Illinois residents face charges after traffic stop in Portage

Troopers nab suspected auto thieves at Gary salvage yard

GARY | Two men were arrested after pulling up to a salvage yard with vehicles that had been reported stolen, officials said.

Felicia Fields on Stage

Actress Felicia Fields, who hails from Blue Island, Ill., is starring as witchy Evillene in the stage musical "The Wiz" at Theatre at the Center, opening Thursday and playing through Aug. 7.