Easter food basket blessing a beloved tradition for many Catholic faithful

The Rev. Joe Pawlowski, of St. Paul's Catholic Church, blesses Easter baskets filled with food, candy and even liquor Saturday at the Valparaiso church. Pawlowski also added a blessing for the children, their Easter treats, and a blessing for the dinner table.

Easter food basket blessing a beloved tradition for many Catholic faithful

A few Easter baskets sit on the altar at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Valparaiso before being blessed.

Challenger Learning Center to offer underwater astronaut camp

St. Paul's Lutheran School fifth-graders Faith Blair, Trevor Schoon and Steven Biegel launch an air-powered balloon rocket suspended on a fishing line strung between two chairs Tuesday at the Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana.

Challenger Learning Center to offer underwater astronaut camp

Aaron Wilkes, 11, right, watches as Commander Ann Vassar talks about the position and aerodynamics of a cargo hold mounted on a balloon rocker Tuesday at the Challenger Learning Center during a rocket lab for students from St. Paul's Lutheran School. The students were on a field trip at the …

Grounds crew

RailCats grounds crew works during the seventh inning stretch in the during Monday's game against the St. Paul Saints at U.S. Steel Yard.

Mike Massaro

RailCats outfielder Mike Massaro runs to second as St. Paul's Adam Frost throws the ball to second for the out in Monday's RailCats 2-1 win.

David Cooper, Craig Maddox

RailCats infielder David Cooper is congratulated by teammate Craig Maddox after scoring a run against the St. Paul Saints in Monday's 2-1 win.

Mike Massaro

RailCats outfielder Mike Massaro is called safe at first against the tag of St. Paul's Billy Spottiswood during the RailCats' 2-1 win Monday.

Zac Mitchell

RailCats' Zac Mitchell can't make the tag in time at second base against the St. Paul's Benji Johnson during Monday's game.

Jon Gulbransen

RailCats pitcher Jon Gulbransen walks off the field after a strike out to end the top of the seventh inning in the RailCats 2-1 win over the St. Paul Saints on Monday.

Jon Gulbransen

The RailCats infield meets with pitcher Jon Gulbransen in the RailCats 2-1 win over St. Paul on Monday.

Mike Massaro

Mike Massaro plays center field for the RailCats against the St. Paul Saints on Monday. Massaro took over center field after Hammond High grad Mike Coles was traded on Monday.

RailCats outfielder Adam Klein

RailCats outfielder Adam Klein is tagged out at second base by St. Paul Saints infielder Tanner Townsend on Monday.

RailCats starter Jon Gulbransen

RailCats starter Jon Gulbransen delivers against the St. Paul Saints during Monday's game.

The Berkowitch family

The Berkowitch family, from left, Brian, Mikey, 4, Miriam, Timmy, 6, and Brian, 8, from Merrillville have a photograph taken with their fake mustaches before the start of the RailCats game against the St. Paul Saints on Monday. It was mustache night at U.S. Steel Yard.

CYO girls champs peak in time for titles

ST. JOHN | With all the jarring collisions, loose-ball scrums and injury timeouts, the eighth-grade basketball championship matchup between St. Thomas More and Our Lady of Grace left more marks than a football game.

St. Paul 8th Grade Girl's Volleyball takes 1st at CYO Tourney

VALPARAISO | The Valparaiso St. Paul 8th Grade Girl's Volleyball team took 1st place in the 2011 CYO tournament held on Saturday, Nov. 5 at St. John The Baptist School in Whiting.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Author F. Scott Fitzgerald of "The Great Gatsby" fame is often associated with Hollywood and the West Coast because of his later career and personal life. However, he is writer with Midwestern roots, born and raised in St. Paul, Minn.

CYO crowns boys basketball champions

VALPARAISO | The St. Bridget Bears suffered two loses during their season -- both to the same school yet against two different teams.

'The self–confidence of self–expression'

Patrick Azar, 13, right and Mary Cobbie, 13, perform "Open to Interpretation" during the Speech Team open house at St. Paul Catholic School in Valparaiso. St. Paul won first place at the Columbia Middle School Speech Meet in Logansport on Nov. 13 and placed first at the Stanley Clark School …