Region students win top marks in We the People contest

INDIANAPOLIS | Fifth-grade students from four Northwest Indiana schools earned top ratings in a We the People competition at the Statehouse on Friday by demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of government and the Constitution.

M.A.T.H. Bowl Team places first in area, sixth in state

ST. JOHN | After several months of dedicated practice, M.A.T.H. Bowl Team members from St. John the Evangelist School successfully competed in the 2013 Purdue University Elementary M.A.T.H. Bowl held at Kahler Middle School in Dyer.

LaPorte student harvests an Apple for her farming essay

INDIANAPOLIS | A LaPorte High School student was awarded an Apple iPad Tuesday for penning the state's best essay explaining how Hoosier farmers nourish Indiana families, animals and the Earth.

Barb Pakan of Munster Displays "Keflee" a Fruit-Filled Hungarian Cookie

Contest Winner Barb Pakan of Munster displays a platter of her delicate fruit filled cookies called "Keflee," a Hungarian baking recipe tradition for the holidays.

Downtown Hammond kicks off holiday season Saturday

HAMMOND | The fifth annual Downtown Hammond Council Holiday Kick-off Celebration, "A Tribute to 'A Christmas Story,'" will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with indoor and outdoor activities on Hohman Avenue, Sibley and Fayette streets in downtown Hammond.

State scholarship contest seeks best expression of equality

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Civil Rights Commission will award a $500 college scholarship to the high school student who best shows how to promote equality.

Budding florists get creative at the fair

CROWN POINT | Marilyn Chynoweth, Flower Show superintendent at the Lake County Fair, watched children having fun creating flower arrangements Tuesday, and admitted she has an ulterior motive for hosting the Bloomin' Kids Contest.

Cedar Lake Summerfest seeks contest, parade entries

CEDAR LAKE | The Cedar Lake Summerfest Committee is seeking entries for some of its most popular contests and events, including the July Fourth Land Parade.

The Times wins two awards in statewide newspaper contest

INDIANAPOLIS | Two reporters from The Times were honored Saturday at the annual Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors news contest.

Whiting is the place to be for family fun this Easter season

The birds' chirping is incredibly loud and somewhere on our tiny block there's a woodpecker. . .constantly pecking. We hear him perfectly, but so far can't figure out which tree he is in. After the rhythmic rat-a-tat-tat, I just keep waiting to hear some 1940s chorus sing "It's the Woody Woo…

Decathlon team qualifies for state

CROWN POINT | The Academic Decathlon team from Crown Point High School won the Gavit Academic Decathlon Regional last month and qualified for the state tournament. Crown Point swept the Honors division with Julietta Wright winning gold, Josh Obszanski winning silver, and Kelsey Hopkins winni…

A Christmas Story Comes Home exhibit opens

HAMMOND | This holiday season, the Indiana Welcome Center features six animated display scenes from "A Christmas Story" as well as weekend events and opportunities to meet the cast of the movie. The displays include Higbee's Department Store Window, Flick's Tongue and the Triple Dog Dare, It…

Bridge players pile up the points playing favorite game

The top sanctioned duplicate bridge players in Northwest Indiana (playing in the Highland and Calumet Township games) who earned the most masterpoints for October are led by Lou Nimnicht, of Crown Point, with 14.77 masterpoints for the month at the two venues. Nimnicht played in 12 of the 13…

Food, music and more planned for Oktoberfest

Mayor David Uran and Crown Brewing are hosting the fourth annual Crown Point Oktoberfest from 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday on South Main Street in downtown Crown Point.

It's Glenwood vs. Lynwood in reading challenge

LYNWOOD | The Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library, 19901 Stony Island Ave., is holding a contest between the children of the two villages it serves.

Band wins the battle

CROWN POINT - The band Gerhart won first-place in the Battle of The Midway at the Lake County Fair in Crown Point. Sponsored by X-Rock 103.9 Radio One Communications, the contest featured local bands. Shown at the fair are, from left, Gerhart members mini guitar player Chris Burrell, lead/rh…

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

John Barenie, of Griffith, is pictured with Indiana first lady Cheri Daniels at the state fair's giant pumpkin weigh off on Saturday. Barenie won the contest with his 1,160-pound entry.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

GRIFFITH | A Griffith man known locally for his themed Halloween displays won the 2011 Indiana State Fair giant pumpkin weigh off with the 1,160-pound pumpkin he grew in his backyard.

Grab your babushka and head to Pierogi Fest

Bring out your polka shoes and babushkas because the zany Pierogi Fest begins tomorrow at 11 a.m. The parade starts at 7 p.m. Friday, so it's a good idea to come very early, find your food, and then stuff yourself into the crowd that attends every year to watch some incredibly strange and bi…

Speaking of conservation ...

CROWN POINT | "Forest for People" was the topic for the 2011 Conservation Public Speaking Contest sponsored by the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District and Lake County Farm Bureau Inc.