Memorial Day is opportunity for reflection in Valparaiso

VALPARAISO | The City of Valparaiso, the Parks Department and the Parks Foundation encourage families, friends, and individuals this Memorial Day holiday weekend, to remember those who have served and given the ultimate sacrifice. The City will hold a Memorial Day observance at the Service M…

Veterans to speak at Valpo Memorial Day service

VALPARAISO | World War II veterans Bill Wellman and John Wolf will be the guest speakers at Friday's annual Memorial Day service at the Foundation Meadows service memorial.

Picking up No. 2 is No. 1 priority for Valpo

VALPARAISO | It's an unpleasant job but cleaning up after your pet is part of the responsibility of ownership, and it's the message behind the city's "Scoop the Poop" program.

Program allows residents to buy trees for Hobart parks

HOBART | The Parks Department is offering a tree-buying program for residents in hopes of getting new plantings at several of the parks, officials said.

Flashlight egg hunt Thursday at Town Hall in Schererville

SCHERERVILLE | The town will host a flashlight egg hunt for children 9 to 13 years old Thursday at Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St.

Old Valpo playground to get new life in Kenya

VALPARAISO | Playgrounds are a concept kids in many parts of the world can't comprehend.

Children can participate in flashlight egg hunt in S'ville

SCHERERVILLE | The town will host a flashlight egg hunt for children 9 to 13 years old March 28 at Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St.

Green thumbs just waiting for the white to melt

VALPARAISO | With the recent flurry of snow showers, gardening might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but Valparaiso is gearing up for another community gardens season.

Valpo's Central Park, its activities, keep expanding

VALPARAISO | Central Park Plaza was a busy place in 2012 with 107 events, but, as Valparaiso prepares to unveil plans for the park's expansion, it's already set for an even busier 2013.

Valpo to begin 2nd phase of Bicentennial Park work

VALPARAISO | The second phase of the transformation of Bicentennial Park begins this week with the parks department seeking quotes for installing drainage improvements at the park.

Butterfield pavilion: From horse barn to Galacti-Con

VALPARAISO | The Butterfield Family Pavilion at Fairgrounds Park has seen a lot since its Depression-era construction in the 1930s, from its days as an animal barn for the Porter County Fair to the upcoming Galacti-Con gaming convention in October.

Valpo parks has more needs than cash

VALPARAISO | The Valparaiso Parks Department has a priority list of projects it wants to do in 2013 but only enough money to do about a third of them.

Development of Dunes-Kankakee Trail clips along

Another small piece of the planned Dunes-Kankakee Trail can be built this summer now that Porter County has agreed to maintain it after it's built.

Lowell program helps kids learn to love music

Restoration project helps Valpo park go native

VALPARAISO | Rogers Lakewood Park might qualify for a guest shot on one of those "ultimate makeover" reality shows as the parks staff tries to convert it from that carefree look to something more native.

Valpo gets good news in EDIT, parking budgets

VALPARAISO | Although property tax collections remained lower than was levied, not all the financial news was bad at Monday's council meeting.

Valpo parks controls pests with nature's air force

VALPARAISO | The city's parks have started an affordable housing program for birds and bats.

Schererville to host children's Christmas event at Town Hall

SCHERERVILLE | The Northwest Indiana Storytelling Guild plans to share Christmas stories and songs during a program scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in the community room at Town Hall, 10 E. Joliet St.

Central Park expansion plans expected in two months

VALPARAISO | With plans for the expansion of Central Park Plaza about two months from completion, parks officials are ready to start transforming Bicentennial Park.

Portage restores park's name to honor WWII veteran

PORTAGE | When Iver Arvidson built the Gary Limits subdivision — now known as Harbor Oaks — he named its little neighborhood park Roberts Park for his only son, Robert.