Celebration good times

A crowd enjoying the Crown Point Oktoberfest on South Main Street.

081111_FB_CRETE, Crete-Monee High School football and coach Jerry Verde

Crete-Monee High School football head coach Jerry Verde talks with players during the first day of practice. The Warriors wold win all nine regular-season games and become the program's second team to go 9-0. The Warriors finished 10-1 and tied the program record for most wins in a season.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee football players go on a run during Wednesday morning's practice. In contrast to many other schools, coach Jerry Verde has his biggest turnout ever in 2011.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee High School football players run warm-up drills during Wednesday morning's practice.

Crete-Monee varsity football

With over 70 athletes vying for varsity roster spots, Crete-Monee's football team has its biggest player turnout in coach Jerry Verde's five seasons.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee varsity football players stretch Wednesday morning during practice. The Warriors have more than 70 players taking part in preseason practices, the highest number ever for one of coach Jerry Verde's teams.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee varsity football players run drills Wednesday. The Warriors have over 70 people seeking roster spots in 2011.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee coach Jerry Verde talks with his players on Wednesday, the first official day of preseason practice for Illinois high school football teams.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee head football coach Jerry Verde talks with players Wednesday morning during practice. The team's roster numbers are up about 30 percent from four years ago.

Crete-Monee varsity football

Crete-Monee football players run drills during Wednesday morning's practice.

Beef-flavored medicine? They can do that

Fagen Pharmacy's new compounding lab in Valparaiso specializes in preparing medications to meet the unique needs of patients.

Beef-flavored medicine? They can do that

Compounding technician Stacy Anderson demonstrates how she mixes medications using an Unguator in Fagen Pharmacy's new 240 square-foot compounding lab at the store in Valparaiso.

Beef-flavored medicine? They can do that

Pharmacist Jim Spanopoulos stands in Fagen Pharmacy's new 240-square-foot compounding lab where workers specialize in the method of preparing medications to meet unique patient needs. The pharmacy is in Valparaiso.

Howard Cohen

Purdue University Calumet Chancellor Howard Cohen speaks during a student convocation last fall. Cohen is retiring as chancellor after 10 years at the helm of the Hammond campus.

Infrastructure ready for development

Chesterton residents Joyce Beck, left, and Jill Yarosz buy string cheese, their favorite, from Hal Brown at a booth in September during the Taste of Duneland in downtown Chesterton.

Tastee Top Grill

Debbie and Dave Carey are the owners of the Tastee Top Grill in Cedar Lake. When the Careys, their son Christopher and subcontracted workers began renovating the property last year, the community greeted them with open arms.

Tastee Top Grill

Angela Seitzinger prepares chocolate dipped waffle cones at the Tastee Top Grill in Cedar Lake.

Societal organizations always willing to help

St. Jude House in Crown Point has an annual candlelight vigil and walk to honor victims and survivors of domestic violence.

Societal organizations always willing to help

St. Jude House has its annual candlelight vigil honoring victims and survivors of domestic violence with a walk from the main gate of the Lake County Fairgrounds to First United Methodist Church on Main Street in Crown Point.

Societal organizations always willing to help

Bags holding candles are put on tables at First United Methodist Church in Crown Point, the end point of the annual St. Jude House candlelight vigil and walk to raise funds for St. Jude to help those suffering from domestic violence.