Cedar Lake advances McDonald's makeover plans

CEDAR LAKE | The Plan Commission approved a preliminary plat for McDonald’s on Wednesday on the condition the company tap in to Cedar Lake’s new water main project next year.

Police investigating fatal shooting in Homewood

HOMEWOOD | A 19-year-old man was shot to death in Homewood late Tuesday, officials said.

Woman arrested after firing shots into air, Gary cops say

GARY | A 24-year-old woman was arrested early Wednesday in the 400 block of Clark Road after police saw her brandish a gun and fire it in the air, Gary police said.

Three-town police task force arrests five over several days

GRIFFITH | The Griffith-Highland-Munster police task force made five arrests during the past few days, the Griffith Town Council said Tuesday.

Man attacked, robbed by pair while riding a mo-ped in Gary

GARY | A 49-year-old man was attacked and robbed by two men Tuesday night as he was riding his mo-ped in the area of 37th Avenue and Van Buren Street, police said.

Griffith seeking donations for new, $120,000 animal shelter

GRIFFITH | The town is seeking donations for a new animal shelter, the Town Council said Tuesday.

Summer concerts begin

Valparaiso residents heard the first summer concert on Wednesday night featuring the Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band at the Porter Health Amphitheatre.

Summer concerts start

The Valparaiso Community/University Concert Band kicked off the summer concert season with a performance on Wednesday night in Central Park Plaza. Valparaiso Community Festivals & Events also will present the first Summer Rhapsody Festival Orchestra performance at 8 p.m. Friday with "An …

Gary mayor's prayer breakfast emphasizes working together with faith as core

GARY | The themes of faith in God and being a good leader intertwined Wednesday at the Mayor’s Leadership Prayer Breakfast at the Genesis Convention Center.

St. Thomas More kicks off summer festival

Billy Smitka, 3, enjoys a motorcycle ride Wednesday at the St. Thomas More Family Fun Days in Munster. The festival continues from 2 p.m. to midnight through Sunday near the church, 8501 Calumet Ave. in Munster.

St. Thomas More kicks off summer festival

Emma Edens, 7, and Chloe Reynold, 7, race to the bottom of the slide Wednesday at the St. Thomas More Family Fun Days festival in Munster.

Naturepalooza planned Saturday at Valpo park

VALPARAISO | Naturepalooza, the annual Living with Lakes seminar, will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Big Wheel pavilion at Rogers Lakewood Park.

Valpo stormwater program earns 3 state awards

VALPARAISO | The city's campaign to correct stormwater flooding problems is paying off in more than fewer flooded basements.

Ground broken for Rumely-Allis Chalmers LaPorte Heritage Center

LAPORTE | It's hard to imagine anything else having more to do with the history of LaPorte, particulary in farming, than Rumely Co. and Allis Chalmers.

Charley's Glorious Angels fight Alzheimer's in Hebron

HEBRON | Pav's restaurant will hold a fundraiser Sunday to benefit the Alzheimer's Association fight to end the deadly disease that is now the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.

Ground broken for Rumely-Allis Chalmers LaPorte Heritage Center

Delbert Borkholder, of Nappanee, center, looks at an old Rumely Oil Pull tractor at the groundbreaking for the Rumely-Allis Chalmers LaPorte Heritage Center on Ind. 2 at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds.

Terrence Streater to take over at Eisenhower

St. Francis de Sales girls basketball coach Terrence Streater is leaving the program after five years to become the girls coach at Eisenhower.

Family health day to include 5K, fashion show

CHESTERTON | Fitness activities, music, fun and fashion will highlight Family Health/Cancer Awareness Day on Sunday at Indiana Dunes State Park.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Life in the Not-So-Fast Lane

Pat Colander at her desk.

JIM PETERS: Former softball player organizes Portage alumni game

It was the glory days of Portage High School softball, an 11-year stretch in which the Indians won seven sectionals, five regionals, two semistates and one state title.

BITS & BYTES: Get product keys from your old computer

Q: I bought a new computer, and now I need to install my Office 2010 onto the new computer. Unfortunately, I’ve lost the product key. Is there a way to get the product key from my old computer?

Veteran sets sights on Ph.D.

Allen Hines recently earned a master's degree from Calumet College of St. Joseph. He works at Westville Correctional Facility as a counselor and plans to earn a doctorate in psychology.

Veteran sets sights on Ph.D.

Allen Hines, of Chesterton, graduated from Calumet College of St. Joseph and works at Westville Correctional Facility as a counselor. A Vietnam-era veteran, Hines has post-traumatic stress disorder and finds the rigors of academia to be therapeutic.

D.205 School Board president wants jury to decide his fate

CHICAGO | The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has been trying to get a judge to remove Thornton Township High School District 205 Board President Kenneth Williams from his post, but the judge ruled Wednesday that it might be more appropriate for a jury to decide his fate.

Off-duty nurse helps save stabbing victim

LOWELL | An off-duty emergency room nurse who administered CPR to a 19-year-old Lowell stabbing victim until paramedics arrived may have saved his life, police said.

Feasibility workshop outlines ownership

VALPARAISO | The Northwest ISBDC is hosting a business start-up guidance workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Teen fashion retailer to open Friday at River Oaks

CALUMET CITY | Teen fashion retailer rue21, one of the fastest growing specialty retailers, will open its new store in in River Oaks Center on Friday.

Authorities: Lynwood man in jail found hanged in cell

CHICAGO | A Lynwood man in Cook County Jail who was set to appear in court Tuesday on charges he killed his 8-month-old son was found hanged in his jail cell Sunday night, authorities said.

Blackhawks merchandise a hot commodity at local sports stores

Chicago Blackhawks fever continues to rage at local sporting goods stores where team merchandise from T-shirts and jerseys to signs and flags is “flying off the shelves,” according to one retailer.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Customers shop Wednesday at Clark Street Sports in Westfield Southlake Mall in Hobart. Chicago Blackhawks sportswear and memorabilia is big right now at the store. "We're selling it faster than we can get it," said assistant store manager Amanda Bernard, of Hebron.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Chicago Blackhawks sportswear and memorabilia are shown at Clark Street Sports in the Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Chicago Blackhawks sportswear and memorabilia are shown at Clark Street Sports in the Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise at Clark Street Sports

Amanda Bernard, of Hebron, assistant store manager at Clark Street Sports, looks through Chicago Blackhawks jerseys Wednesday in the Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Assistant Store Manager of Clark Street Sports, Amanda Bernard, of Hebron, holds a Chicago Blackhawks dog shirt Wednesday at the store in the Westfield Southlake mall. Blackhawks sportswear and memorabilia is big right now at Clark Street Sports.

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Nikki Ledeter, of Cedar Lake, looks at Chicago Blackhawks T-shirts on Wednesday at Clark Street Sports in the Westfield Southlake mall. "We're selling it faster than we can get it," said assistant store manager Amanda Bernard, of Hebron. They stock a variety of items beyond jerseys. "We had …

Sales of Blackhawks merchandise

Chicago Blackhawks sportswear and memorabilia are shown at Clark Street Sports in the Westfield Southlake mall in Hobart.

D.201U board to begin AD search again, Hall says

CRETE | Early this week, it appeared all that separated Greg Schneider from the athletic director job at Crete-Monee High School was rubber stamp approval from the District 201-U School Board. Instead, the process to fill the position will begin all over again, board President Nakia Hall sai…

Virgin Mary statue moved to new spot on church grounds

The Legion of Mary Wayside Shrine along U.S. 41 in St. John waits to be placed on a flatbed semi Wednesday to be moved a half mile to the St. John the Evangelist Parish grounds. A group that had planned to seek an injunction to stop the move still plans to file a lawsuit to have the statue r…

Virgin Mary statue moved to new spot on church grounds

A crane prepares on Wednesday to lift a statue of the Virgin Mary that had been in place on U.S. 41 in St. John since 1954. The statue was moved a half mile to the St. John the Evangelist Parish grounds.

2013 Cooking with Mint Contest Winners

Winners of the 2013 Cooking with Mint Contest in North Judson were Kristi Hayworth (left) with daughters Alyssa Lambert, 5, and Alexis Lambert, 7, Kate Henry and Bill Soenksen, shown with the recipes Saturday at the 36th Annual Mint Festival in North Judson, Ind.

Dig into music at Crown Point library

CROWN POINT | A string concert will be performed by local students from the Crown Point Orchestra at 6 p.m. Thursday in Meeting Room 2 at the Crown Point Community Library, 122 N. Main St.

Free fitness classes offered at Wolf Lake

HAMMOND | The Hammond Port Authority is hosting a series of free Zumba fitness classes this summer.

Comedy set for two weekends at Beatniks on Conkey

HAMMOND | Beatniks on Conkey presents a comedy, Ray Cooney's "Out of Order," opening this weekend at the coffee house theater Beatniks on Conkey, 418 Conkey St.

Teacher Janet Hetterscheidt and Times Columnist Philip Potempa in June 2001

Times Columnist Philip Potempa with teacher Janet Hetterscheidt, following his return to North Judson-San Pierre High School to serve as commencement speaker in June 2001.

Three Tri-Creek School Corp. employees honored

LOWELL | The Tri-Creek School Corp. has honored three employees for outstanding work.

Robotics club introduces St. Mary's students to engineering

CROWN POINT |St. Mary Catholic Community School students got an introduction into engineering this spring as members of the Cybercatz robotics team.

Hospital CEO named Most Influential Woman of the Year

St. Catherine Hospital Chief Executive Officer Jo Ann Birdzell has been selected as Most Influential Woman in Northwest Indiana not only for her positive impact in the field of health care, but for the overall contributions to the Calumet Region.

Hobart Jaycees ready to host annual Jaycee Fest starting June 28

The Hobart Jaycees have had a busy spring, hosting its fourth annual Women’s Expo, where they collected a carload of food items to donate to the Hobart Food Pantry. The Jaycees also picked up 10 bags of trash through its Adopt A Highway and Adopt A River projects. Plans are underway for the…