St. John's credit rating goes up

ST. JOHN | The town’s economic future received a boost recently when Standard & Poor's raised the municipality’s credit rating from an A+ to AA-.

School Board honors L.C. student-athletes

ST. JOHN | Lake Central High School athletics took center stage at Monday’s School Board meeting.

Miller Beach Lake Effect Expo showcases art, music and food

GARY | Creativity and artistic spirit took center stage Saturday at the Miller Beach Lake Effect Summer Expo 2013 with street art, music, food and performances.

Corn Roast kicks off Crown Point Hometown Festival

CROWN POINT | Friday’s kickoff to Hometown Festival Days was a feast of favorites such as roasted corn and pork chops, elephant ears and cheesecake on a stick.

Gary group rallies against gun violence

GARY | Against the backdrop of City Hall, a small rally against gun violence Friday commemorated the sixth-month anniversary of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

Centier Bank adds ‘sparkling eastern gateway’ to downtown Crown Point

CROWN POINT | Art, music and nature blended Thursday during Centier Bank’s unveiling of its newly renovated downtown office at 117 E. Joliet St.

Little Cal panel to review bids on maintenance

MUNSTER | The Little Calumet River Basin Development Commission moved ahead with a number of projects Wednesday regarding deferred maintenance on the $275 million flood protection system that has taken decades to build.

C.P. college student prepares to soar at new speeds in airplane race

WEST LAFAYETTE | Amanda Keck’s love of flying soared five years ago during her first flight from Griffith Airport.

Munster Town Council OK’s new police vehicles

MUNSTER | The Town Council on Monday approved the lease/purchase of six new police vehicles to replace older squad cars for $112,415.25.

Lake Central schools upgrade technology thanks to loan

ST. JOHN | Technology has been upgraded in Lake Central School Corp. classrooms during the last three years thanks to a loan from the Indiana Common School Fund.

Crown Point’s Hometown Festival Days to begin Friday on square

CROWN POINT | Roasted corn, dolls on parade, arts and crafts and a salute to the city’s Marriage Mill history: It’s all part of Hometown Festival Days.

Rallying to keep six-day mail service

HIGHLAND | Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night could keep U.S. Postal Service letter carriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, but money issues could.

Lake Central honors elementary, middle school students

ST. JOHN | Students from Lake Central schools recently received accolades for their academic prowess and their giving spirits.

Walkers in Gary raise money to help women and children

GARY | More than 300 people took steps Saturday to end homelessness at the 14th annual Sojourner Truth House Walk 2013 at Froebel Alumni Park.

LNI graduates latest class of region leaders

SCHERERVILLE | The 39 Northwest Indiana residents who graduated Friday from the 33rd Leadership Northwest Indiana class during a luncheon at the Andorra Banquet facility came from different walks of life and work experiences.

East Chicago wins $331K from Pastrick, aides

EAST CHICAGO | Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller returned more than $331,000 to East Chicago on Thursday, collected from former Mayor Robert Pastrick and his co-defendants in the landmark civil prosecution racketeering lawsuit over the 1999 sidewalks-for-votes scheme.

'Stunning' spike in gas prices creates pain at pump

One week ago, gasoline prices throughout Northwest Indiana hovered around $3.78 per gallon. By Wednesday morning, that cost per gallon skyrocketed to between $4.26 and $4.35.

Condo residents get details in aftermath of S'ville fire

SCHERERVILLE | “Where are you staying?” “How are you holding up?” “We’re all in this together.”

Gary unveils Dollar Home Program

GARY | In unveiling the city’s updated Dollar Home Program on Monday, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson recalled buying a $1 home 25 years ago through Gary’s original HUD-sponsored housing conservation program.

Bishop ordains eight men as Gary diocese deacons

GARY | In a tradition dating back to the beginnings of Christianity, Bishop Dale J. Melczek ordained eight men as Gary diocese deacons at an ordination Mass Saturday at Cathedral of the Holy Angels.

Two Lake Central schools teachers honored as tops for 2013

ST. JOHN |The Lake Central School Corp. board and administration recently saluted two teachers who were nominated and chosen by their peers as Teacher of the Year for 2013.

Winfield council OKs new land use language

WINFIELD | The Town Council has reversed restrictive setback requirements for various zoning classifications at the recommendation of the Plan Commission.

Going Miles for Melanoma to find a cure

MUNSTER | In 2011 at age 39, Milan Kesic had a successful business, a growing family and a bit of a weight problem.

New Highland superintendent to be introduced June 10

HIGHLAND | A Board of School Trustees public hearing Thursday on the proposed contract for the School Town of Highland’s new superintendent of schools drew only one remonstrator.

Participation in Care & Share Drive exceeds last year's response

Although the 2nd annual Summer Care & Share Food Drive officially draws to a close today, there’s still time to donate food using one of today’s most popular online tools — the virtual shopping cart.

130 infected ash trees coming down in Munster

MUNSTER | Removal of 130 ash trees infected with the emerald ash borer will begin soon now that the Town Council has awarded a contract to a Hobart firm.

Faithful offer prayers for fallen, wounded veterans

HAMMOND | “Death leaves a heartache that no one can heal. Love leaves a memory that no one can steal.”

Meal costs rising at Lake Central schools

ST. JOHN | Prices for all student breakfast and lunch meals served at the 10 Lake Central elementary and secondary schools will increase 10 cents with the 2013-2014 school year because of federal mandates.

M'ville group honors those who fought, died for their country

MERRILLVILLE | Generations of veterans, current military personnel and families gathered amid a sea of flags Sunday at Calumet Park Cemetery to honor men and women in uniform who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Lake Central School Board gets snapshot of school funding

ST. JOHN | It’s the dawn of a new era in state funding for education, according to a Lake Central School Corp. official.

Wolf Lake festival takes families back to nature

HAMMOND | With fall-like temperatures hovering at 48 degrees, a hearty group of adults and children took to the shores, paths and waters of Wolf Lake on Saturday for the first day of the Wetlands, Wind & Water Festival.

East Chicago school paraprofessionals join union, draft first contract

EAST CHICAGO | A party spirit filled Club Ki-Yowga on Friday as more than 100 East Chicago public school paraprofessionals and their well-wishers celebrated new union membership and the draft of their first contract.

Lake Central trustees honor award-winning art students

ST. JOHN | Artistic talent finds many expressions — a fact demonstrated by Lake Central High School students during contests this school year.

Elementary textbook fees going up in Lake Central School Corp.

ST. JOHN | Textbook rental fees will increase next school year for Lake Central School Corp. students enrolled in kindergarten through fourth grade.

Developer lashes out at Winfield Plan Commission over regulations

WINFIELD | William Bobey, developer of the Wynbrook subdivision, stormed out of the Plan Commission meeting Thursday after commissioners told him his application for phase two of the subdivision was incomplete.

County: Consolidated E-911 system not an option – it’s a law

CROWN POINT | Consolidating Lake County’s E-911 networks into one countywide system isn’t an option; it’s state law. And it will cost all 17 municipal units most of their public safety funds whether officials agree with the mandate or not.

Police: Beware of tornado relief scams

Natural disasters such as the tornadoes that ripped apart communities in Texas and Oklahoma and the tragedies of Boston and Cleveland bring out an American spirit of giving, especially money to help with relief efforts.

Gander Mountain shifts to firearms super center

MERRILLVILLE | Gander Mountain’s new focus on firearms debuts Friday at the Westfield Southlake Mall store.

Munster may hurdle park maintenance funding obstacle

MUNSTER – The Redevelopment Commission is exploring how to fund ongoing maintenance at Centennial Park and other municipal parks.

PUC success story encourages grads to impress early in workplace

MERRILLVILLE | “It’s a great day because the world is waiting for you. Don’t listen to all the talking heads about how the nation’s best days are behind us.”

Indiana School Board Association reps decry level of state funding for public education

SCHERERVILLE | Education and school reform in Indiana mean different things to state legislators and those responsible for educating students in the state’s public schools.

Steel execs address strengths, challenges of North American industry

To stay competitive globally and to grow, the North American steel industry needs reasonable, streamlined and effectively enforced policies from the U.S. and Canadian governments, top steel executives said.

Students plant gardens to supply food for cafeteria meals, help teach healthier lifestyles

A new “back to the land” movement is starting to sprout in region elementary schools.

Boy Scouts honor Times publisher Masterson

MUNSTER | Calumet Council Boy Scouts of America saluted Times Media Co. Publisher Bill Masterson Jr. on Wednesday as 2013 Distinguished Citizen of the Year in his last public appearance before starting his new position with Berkshire Hathaway in Oklahoma.

Ending gridlock at Calumet Avenue/45th Street still years away

MUNSTER | Beginning to end the traffic gridlock on Calumet Avenue at the Canadian National railroad tracks is still three or four years away, but progress is being made on the first phase of the project, said Town Manager Tom DeGiulio.

Munster redevelopment panel OKs capital project list

MUNSTER | Capital projects totaling more than $5.9 million received the green light from the town’s Redevelopment Commission.

LOFS Clubhouse closed for near future

WINFIELD TOWNSHIP | The Lakes of the Four Season Clubhouse will be closed for an undetermined amount of time after a man drove a van in reverse into the building on Sunday, authorities said.

Visclosky: Investing in NWI essential

GARY | Investment by all layers of government, economic development agencies and private industry is what’s needed to secure the future of the U.S., Indiana and Northwest Indiana, said U.S. Rep. Peter Visclosky at Monday’s Gary Chamber of Commerce annual meeting.