Riverdale, area emergency services run hazard drill

South suburban firefighters stablize a person playing the part of a victim during a hazards drill for south suburban rescue personnel Thursday at the Indiana Harbor Belt rail yard in Riverdale.

Riverdale, area emergency services run hazard drill

South suburban firefighters and first responders participate in a hazards drill for south suburban rescue personnel Thursday at the Indiana Harbor Belt rail yard in Riverdale.

Riverdale, area emergency services run hazard drill

South suburban firefighters and first responders participate in a hazards drill for south suburban rescue personnel Thursday at the Indiana Harbor Belt rail yard in Riverdale.

Riverdale, area emergency services run hazard drill

South suburban firefighters and first responders participate in a hazards drill for south suburban rescue personnel Thursday at the Indiana Harbor Belt rail yard in Riverdale.

Riverdale, area emergency services run hazard drill

Volunteer Alyson Napoli, of Chicago Heights, plays the role of a victim involved in a chemical spill after a train derailment in a hazards drill for south suburban rescue personnel Thursday at the Indiana Harbor Belt rail yard in Riverdale.

Hammond students lend artistic talents to charity

The choir from Kenwood Elementary School performs during the fourth annual Art Lenders exhibition and auction Wednesday in Hammond. The event features the art of students in grades one through five in the School City of Hammond. All proceeds from the event at Morton High School went to art e…

Hammond students lend artistic talents to charity

Harding Elementary School fourth-grader Noel Gonzales is photographed next to his artwork Wednesday during the Art Lenders exhibition and auction at Morton High School.

Hammond students lend artistic talents to charity

Jefferson Elementary School second-grader Aubrey Jenkins looks at art Wednesday during the Art Lenders exhibition and auction in Hammond.

Gas prices are Memorial Day weekend wild card

Traffic is reduced to two lanes on eastbound Interstate 94 for construction on the bridge over Beam Street in Porter. There currently is only one mega-construction project underway this Memorial Day weekend in the region. That is the $600 million Illinois Tollway project to directly connect …

NWI home sales continue winning streak

A home is shown for sale in Munster earlier this month. Northwest Indiana single-family home sales increased 26 percent in April as compared to one year ago, marking the 22nd straight month home sales have increased in the region.

Thornton Job Fair

IDOT representative Ivan Barajas, left, speaks with job seekers Tuesday at the Thornton Township and South Suburban College job fair at the college in South Holland.

Thornton Job Fair

Job seekers wait in lines Tuesday to speak with employers at the Thornton Township and South Suburban College job fair at the college in South Holland.

Thornton Job Fair

Job seekers wait in lines Tuesday to speak with employers at the Thornton Township and South Suburban College job fair at the college in South Holland.

Red Cedars Museum new home for Woody's Barbershop in Cedar Lake

Woody's Barbershop has been moved to Lake of the Red Cedar Museum in Cedar Lake as its latest attraction.

Lizzie Seymour, Paige Kwasigroch

Lake Central's Lizzie Seymour makes the tag at second against Munster's Paige Kwasigroch in the Mustangs' 4-0 win in the first game of the Highland Sectional.

Munster's Briana Zunica

Munster's Briana Zunica throws to first base for the final out against Lake Central in the Mustangs' 4-0 win in the sectional opener.

Carly Murphy

Munster pitcher Carly Murphy delivers against Lake Central in the Mustangs' 4-0 win in the first game of the Highland Sectional.

Detour through Hobart expected to end by Wednesday

Construction is underway to replace an existing sanitary sewer line under the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing between Fifth and Fourth streets in Hobart.

Mitch Daniels

Mitch Daniels is president of Purdue University.

Lawyers, businesswomen come to aid of former inmates

Professional clothing items donated for the Lake County Community Transition Court lie on shelves Friday at the Lake County Work Release Center in Crown Point.

Lawyers, businesswomen come to aid of former inmates

Lake County Community Transition Court coordinator Judy Love unloads clothing donations Friday for the court's clients. The court works with convicted felons who have served their sentence and are in the process of being released back into their communities.

Lawyers, businesswomen come to aid of former inmates

Lake County Work Release participant Leon Horn unloads donated professional clothes Friday at the Lake County Work Release Center in Crown Point. The clothing was donated to the Lake County Community Transition Court by Lake County Bar Association and Indiana Federation of Business and Profe…

Lake County honors its fallen officers

Guests and members of the Lake County Sheriff's Department pray during the annual police memorial service Friday at the Lake County Government Complex in Crown Point. Earlier in the week, about 40 county officers traveled to Washington, D.C., to remember Lake County Corrections Officer Britn…

Lake County honors its fallen officers

Lake County Sheriff's Department dogs rest during the annual police memorial service Friday at the Lake County Government Complex.

Lake County honors its fallen officers

The Lake County Police Honor Guard stands during the Lake County Sheriff's Department police memorial service Friday at the county government complex.

Lake County honors its fallen officers

Sgt. Guy Mikulich, center, and others from the Lake County Sheriff's Department stand at attention Friday during the playing of taps at the police memorial service at the Lake County Government Complex. President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation in 1962 that designated May 15 as Peace O…

National group lauds success of Gary City Drug Court

Actor and guest speaker Harry Lennix, center, poses for photographs after the Drug Court commencement at the Gary City Court.

National group lauds success of Gary City Drug Court

Drug Court graduate Jermaine Epps prays with others during the program's commencement at Gary City Court.

National group lauds success of Gary City Drug Court

Drug Court graduate Marcell Mapps, center, is congratulated after receiving his diploma from the program during a commencement at the Gary City Court.

Bonaventura honored at Mental Health Awareness Luncheon

Guests listen to featured speaker Jennifer Ayers-Moore on Thursday at the Mental Health Awareness luncheon in Hobart.

Bonaventura honored at Mental Health Awareness Luncheon

Former Lake Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura, left, receives the Most Valuable Voices Award — Mental Health Advocate of the Year from Helen Pennington at the Mental Health Awareness luncheon Thursday at Avalon Manor in Hobart. The luncheon event was hosted by the Ambassadors for Ed…

Bonaventura honored at Mental Health Awareness Luncheon

Featured speaker Jennifer Ayers-Moore talks about her brother Nathaniel Ayers, subject of feature film "The Soloist," at the Mental Health Awareness luncheon on Thursday in Hobart.

Bonaventura honored at Mental Health Awareness Luncheon

Former Lake Juvenile Court Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura, center, talks to guests after receiving the Most Valuable Voices Award — Mental Health Advocate of the Year honor at the Mental Health Awareness luncheon in Hobart. Bonaventura now serves as director of the Indiana Department of Child S…

Strack & Van Til opens Cedar Lake store

Radishes are shown at the new Strack & Van Til grocery store in Cedar Lake, which hosted a grand opening Thursday.

Strack & Van Til opens Cedar Lake store

Crowds wait in check-out lines Thursday during the grand opening of the new Strack & Van Til grocery store in Cedar Lake.

Strack & Van til opens Cedar Lake store

Strack and Van Til Dairy Manager Wendy Pfeifer restocks eggs after they all sold in less than an hour of the grocery store's grand opening Thursday in Cedar Lake.

Strack & Van Til opens Cedar Lake store

William Sudbury, 2, helps his mom, Emily Sudbury, both of Cedar Lake, shop at the new Strack & Van Til grocery store in Cedar Lake during the grand opening Thursday.

Strack & Van Til opens Cedar Lake store

Customers leave after shopping at the new Strack & Van Til grocery store in Cedar Lake during the grand opening Thursday.

Brian Kolb

Third baseman Brian Kolb is entering his fourth season in a RailCats uniform. He was picked up by the Gary team out of Wheaton College in 2010 and played in 81 of the team's 100 games last season.

Steve Liddle

RailCats infielder Steve Liddle is congratulated after a two-run home run in the first inning of Monday's exhibition game against Schaumburg. Liddle won a spot as the RailCats starting first baseman and has the most experience of any player in the young infield.

Boy Scouts honor Times publisher Masterson

Julie Masterson, from left, Shirley Caylor and Cindy Hall talk before the Calumet Council of the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Dinner in Munster. Masterson's husband, Bill Masterson Jr., received the Distinguished Citizen honor.

Boy Scouts honor Times publisher Masterson

Boy Scout Matthew Howard, left, from Troop 271 in Lansing, says the Scout pledge Wednesday during the Calumet Council of the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Dinner at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster.

Boy Scouts honor Times publisher Masterson

Boy Scouts from Troop 271 in Lansing, from left, Ruben Davila, Matthew Howard and Daniel Howard present the colors Wednesday during the Calumet Council of the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Dinner at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster.

Boy Scouts honor Times publisher Masterson

Bill Masterson Jr., center, talks with friends Doreen Finissi, left, and husband Mike Finissi on Wednesday at the Calumet Council of the Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Dinner at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster. Masterson received the Distinguished Citizen honor.

Sam Couch, Morton girls tennis

Morton senior Sam Couch carried a 5-2 record at No. 3 singles into the Hammond City Tournament. She went undefeated in conference play, and the Govs took another GLAC title.

Sam Couch, Morton girls tennis

Morton senior Sam Couch played No. 1 singles for the team last season. She's at No. 3 this season as the Governors prepare for the postseason.

Chase Tucker

The RailCats Chase Tucker makes an out at second against the Boomers Chad Mozingo during the final spring training game at U.S. Steel Yard. Tucker "may have been the best guy in camp," manager Greg Tagert said after the rookie Tucker won the starting job at second base.