Backyard gardening workshop for E.C. residents is Tuesday

EAST CHICAGO | Neighborhoods Inc. and Grow It In Chicago Coalition will co-host a backyard garden workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Salvation Army, 513 W. Chicago Ave.

Neighborhoods Inc. celebrates community-building benches

EAST CHICAGO | Benches in front of houses are bringing neighbors together throughout the city.

Micro-park unveiled in Gary's Miller neighborhood

GARY | Neighborhoods Inc. unveiled its latest micro-park Aug. 24 at 8123 Oak Ave. in Gary's Miller Beach neighborhood, according to a news release from the organization.

2011 was good year environmentally

Lee Botts, Deb Weiss and Carol Smith, neighbors in Gary's Miller Beach area, sit on the bench in front of Weiss' home at 8123 Oak Ave. on Sept. 4. After dedicating so many years to environmental improvements and education, Botts has begun filming a documentary on the region's environmental s…

Wide support for microopark public safety initiative, agency says

HAMMOND | Due to the success of its pilot project, "Please, Have A Seat!", in East Chicago, Legacy Foundation, through grants from the Lake County Community Fund and John S. and James L. Knight Fund, has awarded Neighborhoods Inc. a total of $21,500 to introduce the project in Miller, Hammon…

Have a seat

Ascension and Jose Tristan have a seat on the new bench installed in front of their home on Homerlee Avenue in East Chicago. The bench was one of 13 unveiled Tuesday by Neighborhoods Inc. with funding from the Foundations of East Chicago. Neighborhoods Inc.'s Please Have a Seat Program creat…

Have a seat

Steve Bankes, of Oak Park, Ill., started the idea for the Please Have a Seat Prograrm by sitting in his front yard while his children played outside. This grew into a patio installation on his front lawn where friends stroll by and hang out.