PHS students use videoconferencing to view autopsy procedures

PORTAGE | Students in Tami Kepshire's anatomy and physiology II class at Portage High School didn't squirm or look away Thursday as they watched a forensic autopsy.

Portage mayor imposes police, fire hiring freeze

PORTAGE | Police and Fire merit boards were moving ahead this week to hire additional department members when they were told to stop.

Theater Drive construction to begin soon

PORTAGE | Construction of the new Theater Drive should begin in about three weeks.

Portage schools to expand pre-kindergarten program

PORTAGE | The Portage Township School Board approved spending $20,000 to expand its pre-kindergarten program into all eight elementary schools this coming school year.

Porter County Veterans Treatment Court lauded for successes

PORTAGE | On the surface, Noah Hamilton looked like a success.

Portage urging residents to rethink how they cut grass

PORTAGE | Breaking habits can be difficult, even when it comes to something as simple as cutting the lawn.

Garden grows to teach, help others at Woodland Park

PORTAGE | Allen Hagan is hoping everyone will come out to see the new community garden at Woodland Park.

Portage won't change ordinances to accomodate sheep

PORTAGE | The City Council's Ordinance Committee decided it wouldn't change a Portage ordinance to accommodate a resident wanting to keep sheep on a large parcel of land within the city.

Woman enters guilty plea on child molestation, exploitation charges

VALPARAISO | Tara Tryon, 23, of Valparaiso, entered guilty pleas Friday morning on two of seven charges she faced for molesting a young boy and sending photographs to her now ex-boyfriend.

One Region director urges cooperation among communities

PORTAGE | Dennis Rittenmeyer put his job description in simple language.

Fegely students get reality check

PORTAGE | Angel Chabes was a little concerned when she walked into the gym at Fegely Middle School on Thursday morning.

Portage commission nixes purchase of shuttered motel

PORTAGE | The city's Redevelopment Commission voted down the purchase of the shuttered Travel Inn during a special meeting Thursday afternoon.

Portage schools officials consider health insurance decisions

PORTAGE | Upcoming changes to employee health insurance coverage have Portage Township Schools officials wrangling with how to meet new requirements in the most cost-effective manner.

Willowcreek students clean up

PORTAGE | Michael Montes and David Herrod hauled up more than a dozen large plastic bags of trash Wednesday morning from the beach at Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk site of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

Portage police K-9s now on patrol

PORTAGE | The Portage Police Department welcomed its three newest officers this week.

Men, women in blue honored during Police Memorial Week

PORTAGE | In unison, the men and women of the Portage police department raised their right hands in salute.

Hearings for Portage murder suspects continued

VALPARAISO | Status hearings for the two defendants in the murder of Carl Griffith Sr. were continued Monday to dates in June.

A youthful look at city government

PORTAGE | Mackenzie Barcelli said she had no idea her hometown was also the hometown to industry that produced everything from bulletproof armor to machines for Build-a-Bear.

Portage council reviews proposed commercial sewer rate increases

PORTAGE | The Portage City Council on Tuesday reviewed a proposed sewer rate increase for commercial properties, asking for clarifications.

Crisman Elementary principal named tops in region

PORTAGE | Crisman Elementary School Principal Scott Hufford doesn't want to take a lot of credit for recently being named the Indiana Association of School Principals District 1 Elementary Principal of the Year.

Linden log cabin finds a new home

PORTAGE | The Linden log cabin has found a new home.

Lenburg Road guardrail project continues despite objection

PORTAGE | The city will continue with plans to install a guardrail along a curvy portion of Lenburg Road despite objections from an area resident.

Job fair gives veterans a boost in job search

PORTAGE | Area veterans looked to get a leg up on hiring Thursday.

Health tests among freebies offered at Portage Senior Fair

PORTAGE | Linda Bryann got her hearing and blood pressure checked.

South Haven students plant vegetables in teaching garden

SOUTH HAVEN | South Haven Elementary School students got to dig into the dirt Tuesday afternoon.

Portage schools put administrative pay increases on hold

PORTAGE | Pay increases for 18 Portage Township Schools administrators were put on hold Monday.

PHS JROTC members step up to help one of their own

PORTAGE | Niko Melendez was all smiles when he entered the Portage High School Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps classroom.

Township hopes to 'fuel' kids during the summer

PORTAGE | With more than 50 percent of Portage Township Schools students on free and reduced lunch programs, the Portage Township Trustee's office is launching the Fuel the Kids Summer Project.

Portage to make hard decisions on infrastructure needs

PORTAGE | It isn't a surprise that some of the city's streets are in desperate need of repair.

Police donate radios to schools

PORTAGE | If the unthinkable happens within a Portage Township School, officials will be a little more ready thanks to a donation from the Portage Police Department.

Work progressing on demolition of Don's Motel

PORTAGE | It could be another couple of weeks or so before city officials know if there are any environmental hazards regarding the demolition of the old Don's Motel.

Portage Yacht Club demolition is nearly complete

PORTAGE | The demolition of the Portage Yacht Club is nearly complete.

Portage High School to become part of Microsoft academy

PORTAGE | Portage Township Schools will expand its technical offerings at both the high school and middle school levels next year.

Portage schools look to fund $2.7 million in projects

PORTAGE | The Portage Township School Board was presented with a $2.7 million three-year capital improvements plan Wednesday night.

Commission initiates bond process for street department facility

PORTAGE | The Redevelopment Commission on Wednesday initiated the bonding process for the construction of a new street department facility.

Portage board OKs tanks for Family Express

PORTAGE | The Portage Board of Works approved the installation of storage tanks for the new Family Express gas station on U.S. 6.

Portage legion to host job fair May 2

PORTAGE | Portage American Legion Post 260 will host a federally-sponsored Hiring Our Heroes job fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 2 at the post, 5675 Mulberry Ave.

Pet Supplies Plus to occupy old Walgreens building

PORTAGE | Pet Supplies Plus will be moving into the former Walgreens drug store at 6030 Central Ave.

Portage parks to develop fee structure for nonprofit groups

PORTAGE | The Portage Park Department staff has been asked to develop a policy setting standards for allowing discounted rental fees to nonprofit groups.

Portage man died of smoke inhalation

PORTAGE | Nokomis Musenaj may have been trying to put out the fire in his home Monday afternoon when he was overcome by smoke.

Portage parks want impact fee reinstated

PORTAGE | The Park Board on Monday night recommended the reinstating of the recreational impact fee.

Foundation plans bike trek to support Portage Twp. parks

PORTAGE TOWNSHIP | Members of the newly formed Friends of Portage Township are hoping to familiarize folks with themselves and what the township has to offer during an inaugural event next month.

Firearms, computer taken in Portage home burglary

PORTAGE | A man reported to police Thursday morning that someone broke into his home and stole six firearms, a computer and an iPod.

Police canines make sweep through Portage High School

PORTAGE | Eight police dogs made a sweep through Portage High School Thursday morning in what officials described as a proactive approach to send a message that drugs will not be tolerated.

Bids opened for Savannah Heights project

PORTAGE | The Utility Services Board took the next step in resolving a decades-long drainage problem in one area of the city Wednesday.

Contract awarded for first phase of street department renovations

PORTAGE | In a special meeting Wednesday, the Redevelopment Commission awarded a contract for the first phase of the construction of a new street department facility.

Portrait studio closure leaves customers in the dark

PORTAGE | Myra Gotch has taken her grandson to Walmart here to have his portrait taken three or four times a year for the past eight years.

City inadvertently posts personal information

PORTAGE | A glitch in the posting of a list of 2012 vendors on the city's website inadvertently included personal information, including Social Security numbers, of about 125 people.

Linden log cabin looking for a home

PORTAGE | The Linden log cabin is ready for a another journey, it just needs a permanent home.

Portage stakeholders sketch visions of U.S. 20

PORTAGE | Most of the two dozen people who attended Monday's vision workshop for the redevelopment of the U.S. 20 corridor through Portage agreed something needed to be done.