Hobart's Maria Reiner Center holds first sock hop on Friday

HOBART | The Maria Reiner Center will host its first sock hop from noon to 4 p.m. Friday at the gym, 705 E. Fourth St.

American Discovery Trail re-route brings national path through region

PORTAGE | Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs are now linked to a 6,800-mile trail system spanning from Delaware to California, officials announced Thursday.

Community Pool offering free swim hours for Hobart seniors

HOBART | Seniors ages 55 and older can take advantage of free swim hours at Community Pool, 810 W. 10th St., when it opens in June.

Compost bags will be available in Hobart beginning Monday

HOBART | The compost bag program will begin Monday for Hobart residents.

EDITORIAL: Support improvements at Lan-Oak parks

When people shopping for a home look at a community, they want to know about the quality of life in a community. They look at the schools, the parks, the libraries and so forth.

Fox on the Fairway

Lance Baker, from left, Michael Mahler and Norm Boucher, bet on the green in "The Fox on the Fairway."

Portage parks brings the turf indoors

PORTAGE | The Portage Parks Department is bringing a little of the outside indoors.

Putting Chicago playgrounds back into play

CHICAGO | Moments on the playground are often vivid childhood memories: the pungent smell of fresh mulch beneath feet, the squeak of bare legs on a slide, tennis shoes gripping a metal ladder, pauses for breath after a game of tag.

New winter sports to experience on snowy terrain

Until this winter, I'd never heard of bumper cars on a skating rink. And it wasn't until recently that I had my first chance to carve turns down a ski hill on a snowbike.

The holidays' hottest toys

Not all the testers for Good Housekeeping's annual Best Toys list wear lab coats. Some are barely out of diapers.

To mix business with pleasure, just add water

HAMMOND | Dan Plath makes a living doing what he loves and volunteers in his off time to share his devotion with others.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore suspension bridge envisioned

PORTAGE | The superintendent of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is thinking big for the future of the park. Really big.

Decoding Cat Behavior

Cats are known as mysterious creatures. While some of the things they do can be puzzling at times, you don't have to be a super sleuth to decode your pet's behaviors.

Serious fun for kids with serious illness

Every kid deserves the chance to be a kid; to laugh, play, explore and just have fun. But for kids with serious illnesses, those typical kid experiences can be hard to come by.

Residents learn details about new Porter water park slated to open Memorial Day 2013

PORTER | Representatives from Seven Peaks Waterpark in Utah visited with members of the public during a town forum on Thursday night to answer questions about the new location in Porter at the shuttered Splash Down Dunes site at 150 E. U.S. 20.

Work to begin on Northside Trail

PORTAGE | Work began Tuesday, at least ceremonially, on Portage's new Northside Trail.

T.F. South's doubles team ready for sectionals

LANSING | T.F. South's No. 1 doubles team of Amirah Ali and Andriana Johnson are hoping to play tennis for one more weekend.

Lowell gets a kick out of Freedom Park

Michael Hannon, Allison Lutgen holding Sophia Hannon, and Kathey Badali holding Lorelai Rastovski walk to the Freedom Park soccer field for a Mini Kickers (2- to3-year-olds) soccer league practice.

Lowell gets a kick out of Freedom Park

Mckenna Leckrone, 3, kicks the soccer ball a Mini Kickers (2- to 3-year-olds) soccer league practice.

Lowell's Freedom Park advances with community support

LOWELL | Despite a stagnant economy and a tight budget for most of its 11 years, Freedom Park is developing into a recreational hub with more on the horizon.