Tea Party holds holiday rallies to protest Congress' spending

A national series of political rallies protesting liberal spending policies will be making two stops near Northwest Indiana on Labor Day.

2 murderers, rapist escape from Michigan City prison

MICHIGAN CITY | State and local police agencies are looking for three downstate men who escaped Sunday morning from the Indiana State Prison.

Gary revitalization called a key to area's image

The troubled city of Gary embodies the most pressing challenges to Northwest Indiana's future, members of The Times Editorial Advisory Board said.

EPA backs promise to clean up Great Lakes with $475 million commitment

Environmentalists are hailing a nearly half-billion-dollar commitment by President Barack Obama to begin cleaning up the Great Lakes.

Lowell pulls the plug on bio-ethanol plant in face of opposition

LOWELL | Town officials and ethanol entrepreneur Earl Powers said Friday they have called off efforts to build a garbage-to-ethanol plant west of Lowell following a hostile reception by West Creek Township residents.

Lake County a land of opportunity, challenges

The name says it all. More than 20 percent of Lake County is beneath the waves of Lake Michigan.

Home foreclosures in region surge

CROWN POINT | The number of Lake County residents losing their homes to foreclosure accelerated by 40 percent during 2008 as a plummeting economy took its toll on homeowners' ability to pay their mortgages, the county's sheriff said.

Community opens gates to leisure

LAKES OF THE FOUR SEASONS | This private, gated community of about 10,000 has a way of growing on its residents.

Ethanol plant no longer eyeing site near Lowell

LOWELL | Town officials and ethanol entrepreneur Earl Powers said Friday he will cancel efforts to build a garbage-to-ethanol plant west of Lowell following an unfriendly reception by West Creek Township residents.

Lake officials split on who does reassessment

CROWN POINT | Three of Lake County's six remaining township assessors prefer running their own property reassessments rather than letting a private contractor do it.

Gary mayor says he's cut public costs

GARY | Mayor Rudy Clay portrayed his administration Tuesday as a team of cost-cutters who have improved city services in the face of financial challenges.

Lake officials discuss tax reassessment start-up

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials begin this week preparing for an event many taxpayers consider a dirty word -- reassessment.

FEMA will reimburse Lake County for flood repair work

CROWN POINT | The Lake County surveyor's office expects to receive $166,268 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for last fall's flood repair work.

FEMA will reimburse Lake County for flood repairs

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Surveyor's office expects to receive $166,268 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for last fall's flood repair work.

Sheriff hopes to set aside space for combined Lake emergency 911 call center

CROWN POINT | Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez asked the Board of Commissioners this week to reserve the second-floor of the old Westwind Manor as the possible home of a county-wide emergency 911 call center.

Lake County to receive FEMA money for flood-related repairs

CROWN POINT | Lake County Commissioner President Roosevelt Allen, D-Gary, announced this week the Lake County highway department will be receiving $879.652 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for repairs to the county's network of bridges and roads from last year's floods.

Lake officials will study increases in user fees

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners voted Wednesday to award a consulting firm $60,000 to find a way to increase user fees county officials charge for a variety of government services.

ACORN plans local action to stem NWI mortgage foreclosures

Northwest Indiana could become a battleground in an effort to stop the rise of home foreclosures, a grass-roots political action group says.

ACORN plans local action to stem NWI mortgage foreclosures

Northwest Indiana may soon become a battleground in an effort to stop the rise of home foreclosures, a grass-roots political action group says.

Cop shooting probe waits a day

GARY | Lake County police said Tuesday they will give Gary police officers involved in a fatal shooting Monday another day to collect their thoughts before county detectives begin questioning them.

Lake Central High School referendum tentatively set for June 9

ST. JOHN | The Lake County elections board announced Tuesday the tentative June 9 scheduling of a referendum on a proposed $95 million Lake Central High School project.

Police: Investigation into fatal shooting to begin after cooling off period

GARY | Lake County police said Tuesday they will give Gary police officers involved in a fatal shooting Monday another day to collect their thoughts before county detectives begin questioning them.

Internet-enabled cops may soon tag traffic offenders

CROWN POINT | Someday soon, Lake County motorists could get this message on their Blackberry, "Gotcha spdg c ya n ct."

L.C. high school referendum tentatively set for June 9

ST. JOHN | The Lake County elections board announced Tuesday the tentative June 9 scheduling of a referendum on a proposed $95 million Lake Central High School project.

Bureaucratic gridlock could delay road stimulus money

CROWN POINT | Lake County's highway boss is warning motorists not to let their expectations of road repair get overstimulated by the $787 billion economic recovery plan.

Albert's hosts glittering nuptials on Valentine's Day

SCHERERVILLE | In the midst of the wedding Saturday afternoon, guests called out to the bridal procession to slow down because they were walking too fast down the aisle.

Hammond boy wins early Scripps National Spelling Bee round

HIGHLAND | Chris Pennanen, of Hammond, will get no furlough from the pressures of competitive spelling this month.

Income tax not on County Council's to-do list

CROWN POINT | A new effort to convince the Lake County Council to pass a local income tax likely would fail, a Times survey shows.

Crash due to ice closes part of I-65

LOWELL | An early Saturday snowstorm is being blamed for a traffic accident that briefly closed a south Lake County section of Interstate 65 and left a downstate man injured.

Lake drug interdiction officer will run for sheriff

HIGHLAND | Lake County police Deputy Cmdr. Oscar Martinez announced Saturday he will run for county sheriff in 2010.

Lake officials hope to make a deal with steelmaker

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials hope to negotiate a settlement of a multimillion-dollar tax debt to U.S. Steel Corp. without bankrupting local government.

Ex-mayor's trial set May 26

HAMMOND | Former East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick and his once closest aides are set to face a jury this spring on civil allegations that he misused public money to win re-election 10 years ago.

Sheriff accuses cop of pepper spray misuse

CROWN POINT | The Lake County sheriff has filed a disciplinary charge against a 13-year veteran police officer who is accused of misuse of pepper spray.

Handicapped accessible piers planned at fairgrounds

CROWN POINT | Lake County commissioners are preparing to approve construction of two handicap accessible fishing piers at the county fairgrounds.

Lake officials hope to make a deal with steelmaker

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials hope to negotiate a settlement of its multi-million tax debt to U.S. Steel Corp. without bankrupting local government.

County, Gary may be on hook for millions

CROWN POINT | A recent court decision that U.S. Steel Corp. was overtaxed eight years ago could mean future higher tax rates and further spending cuts for Gary and Lake County government.

Lake treasurer asks Legislature for tax amnesty

CROWN POINT | Lake County officials hope to give tens of thousands of delinquent taxpayers one more chance to pay up before their property disappears into a streamlined tax sale later this year.

Lake County planning handicapped accessible piers at fairgrounds

CROWN POINT | Lake County Commissioners are preparing to approve construction of two handicap accessible fishing piers at the county fairgrounds.

C.P. asks county to help with land condemnation for bike trail

CROWN POINT | The city of Crown Point is asking Lake County commissioners for permission to condemn land belonging to four Liberty Park families to extend a bicycle trail, Lake County Attorney John Dull said Wednesday.

Lake officials thaw hiring freeze

CROWN POINT | The Lake County Council relaxed its hiring freeze enough Tuesday to permit county government officials to fill 28 job vacancies.

Lake County asked to take part in land condemnation for bike trail

CROWN POINT | Lake County Attorney John Dull said Wednesday the City of Crown Point is asking Lake County commissioners permission to condemn land belonging to four Liberty Park families to extend a bicycle trail.

Mixed ruling gives some tax relief to U.S. Steel

INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana Tax Court issued a mixed ruling Monday afternoon in a long-running multimillion dollar tax dispute between Lake County and U.S. Steel Corp. regarding the company's 2001 tax bill.

Garbage collection continues following court decision to redo privatization

GARY | Mayor Rudy Clay said early Monday garbage collections continued in the wake of Special Judge Thomas Webber's order last week to tear up the city's contract with Allied Waste Services of Northwest Indiana.

Saving dollars by locking a door is no walk in the park

CROWN POINT | A modest effort to cut security costs at the Lake County Government Complex by locking one of two rear doors used by employees is leading to bureaucratic deadlock -- if not more expense.

Official upset work-release women job searching on foot

CROWN POINT | Lake County Councilman Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said he is concerned about the safety of women who have to walk from the sheriff's work-release center to either work or apply for jobs.

Official questions safety of female work release inmates

CROWN POINT | Lake County Councilman Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said he is concerned about the safety of women who have to walk from the sheriff's work-release center to either work or apply for jobs.

Bureaucratic disagreement, costs tie up security change

CROWN POINT | A modest effort to cut security costs at the Lake County Government Center by locking one of two rear doors used by employees is leading to bureaucratic deadlock -- if not more expense.

Gary garbage collection continues following court decision

GARY | Mayor Rudy Clay said early Monday garbage collections continued in the wake of Special Judge Thomas Webber's order last week to tear up the city's contract with Allied Waste Services of Northwest Indiana.

Indiana's share of stimulus money likely will fuel 79,300 jobs

Community leaders of Northwest Indiana and Chicago's south suburbs have big ideas for how to stimulate the region's economy in these trying economic times.