Vany Madrigal, Highland girls tennis

Highland's Vany Madrigal is finishing off a remarkable career for the Trojans. The defending state champion in doubles will play college tennis at Wright State. Her academics are just as good as her tennis game, too.

Fatal workplace accidents rise in Indiana in '11

Workers pour concrete in the westbound lanes of Borman Expressway. In Indiana, 122 people suffered fatal injuries at workplaces in 2011, according to preliminary data as part of the annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. The total in 2010 was 118.

Nikki Steinbach, Andrean

Andrean pitcher Nikki Steinbach.

062111DOLLIE, Annual Doll Parade on the square

CROWN POINT Lilly Johnson, 5 of Crown Point pushes a stroller with a doll and her dog, Rigby Monday morning as they joined nearly 100 other children and their parents in the annual Hub Dollie Parade around Crown Point's Square and the Old Courthouse in 2011.

Blessings, challenges in NWI from faith perspective

Parishioners participate in communion at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where they also participated in the annual Living Way of the Cross presentation.

22 women honored in ceremony

Portage Mayor Olga Velazquez received the Woman of the Year award June 2 during the Influential Women of Northwest Indiana Awards Banquet at Avalon Manor in Hobart.

Major fun: Try a minor league baseball game for an affordable family outing

The RailCats' Adam Klein contributes to a win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at U.S. Steel Yard.

RUN.BIKE.EAT.DRINK.DANCE AT CLEA EVENT THIS WEEKEND

Hunter Ray, 11, cools off at Cedar Lake's South Shore Subdivision beach.

Boondocks, Boondocks Bar & Grill

CEDAR LAKE | Ashley Cocco stands near the grill at Bondocks Bar and Grill. Cocco runs the restaurant with her mother, Sylvia Cocco. The Cedar Lake eatery opened about a year ago, and opens officially for the season six days a week the day after Memorial Day. The restaurant is popular with lo…

Beach Cafe reopens under new ownership

This new incarnation of The Beach Café has a Tuscan feel with warm ochre-colored walls, rust-brown Italian tile floors, wood, brick and stone. Black booths and dark wood tables seat up to 170 diners.

Beach Cafe reopens under new ownership

New owner and chef Aga Nikolaj, left, stands in the kitchen with manager Dean Cattorini at The Beach Cafe in Gary's Miller neighborhood.

Beach Cafe reopens under new ownership

The Beach Cafe has reopened under new management. New owner and chef Aga Nikolaj, far right, now runs the Gary restaurant. Her team includes, from left, Nick Divich, Joseph Nikolas, Dean Cattorini and Carrie Serrano.

POTW June 19-June 25 - Doll Parade

The annual Hub Dollie Parade was not for girls alone as Emilio Rodriguez, 6, of Crown Point, joins in riding a pirate ship constructed from caardboard by his father, Paul. Emillio joined particpants for two laps around the Crown Point Square and the Old Lake County Courthouse.

POTW June 19-June 25 - Ballet Folklorio

Young dancers wait to perform Monday with the dance troupe Ballet Folklorio at the Porter County Public Library in Valparaiso.

Top Calumet students look to future

Calumet High School's top five graduates are, from left, Rachel Hartman, Anna Roessing, Matt Judge, Alexa Rodriguez and Hilary Cassoday.

C.P.'s Main Street sizzles with a bigger Taste

Diners enjoy the fare Friday on Main Street in Crown Point during Taste of the Region. The food festival continues from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. today on the Old Lake County Courthouse lawn and square.

C.P.'s Main Street sizzles with a bigger Taste

Robert Miller, general manager of Lucrezia Cafe, holds a plate of bacon-wrapped diver scallop on Granny Smith apple slaw Friday at Taste of the Region in Crown Point.

C.P.'s Main Street sizzles with a bigger Taste

Randy Szafareczyk, of Crown Point, makes a buffalo chicken wrap and pita sandwich at his Sweet and Savory Delights booth Friday during Taste of the Region in Crown Point.

C.P.'s Main Street sizzles with a bigger Taste

Crawfish and dirty rice is one dish Ellen's Good Eats is offering during Taste of the Region in Crown Point. The food festival started Friday and continues today.