Illiana Christian softball players

Illiana Christian players walk away after meeting with pitcher Brooke Van Der Aa at the mound during a recent game. The Vikings are hoping for a rematch with Chicago Christian in the Class 2A Agricultural Science Regional.

Illiana Christian's Brooke Van Der Aa

Illiana Christian's Brooke Van Der Aa and her teammates hope to win a regional. The Vikings missed several games due to the weather and a school rule which does not allow extra-curricular contests during spring break.

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Coach Jerry Verde talks to the Crete-Monee football team during a November practice before the Class 6A title game. The IHSA enacted some changes on Wednesday regarding practice limits in preseason.

What has Northwest Indiana done to attract tourists?

Liliana Heneghan, 7, competes in the "Oh Fuuudge!" Relay Race at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond on Dec. 8.

Three local projects earn attention from engineering magazine

Crews work on the new academic wing at Lake Central High School in St. John. Three local projects, including the Lake Central one, are among the Midwest Top Project Starts of 2012 named in the April issue of Engineering News-Record Midwest magazine.

Beecher girls soccer player Bobbi Stanula

Beecher girls soccer player Bobbi Stanula pins a flower on her grandfather and Korean War veteran Russell Smiddy of Highland during last year's ceremony honoring veterans and enlisted military members at Beecher's Wounded Warrior Game.

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Seton Academy boys basketball coach Brandon Thomas will not be able to coach his team in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 postseasons. The IHSA issued those sanctions as a result of his behavior at the Class 2A state championship game on March 9 in Peoria.

Visclosky announces support of marriage equality

Portage enjoys both commerce, recreation

Eli Martin-Eberhardt, 16, left, and his sister Sylvie Martin-Eberhardt, 13, lean into the wind at the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk on Oct. 30.

Illian Christian's Kat Witting get a high-five

Illiana Christian player Kat Witting, left, is given a high five from teammate Jaclene Bonnema in a 2012 game. The Vikings have yet to play a game due this season to the weather and a school policy which does not allow games and practices during spring break.

February figures show unemployment increase

Contractors walk to a job site at the BP Whiting Refinery in 2011. Indiana's unemployment rate increased slightly in February, up 0.1 percent from January to 8.7 percent, according to government data released Friday.

Bowman Academy has pressure to finally win in end

Bowman Academy players pose with their runner-up trophy last March after losing big to Indianapolis Park Tudor in the Class 2A state championship game. The Eagles play Linton-Stockton in today's 2A state final.

Tipton's Crawford gets another shot against Bowman Academy

Tipton's Mike Crawford shoots against Bowman Academy in last year's Class 2A Northern Semistate. Crawford scored 40 against the Eagles in a tough loss. Crawford, who surpassed 2,000 points in scoring and will play at Saint Louis next season, will battle Bowman again on Saturday in the 2A semistate.

Jessica Gomez is one of top singles players in the state

T.F. South badminton player Jessica Gomez is one of the top No. 1 singles players in the state.

Celebrate vibrant, visionary Valparaiso

A ChicaGo Dash bus picks up passengers in Chicago in June 2011. The commuter bus service is attracting residents to Valparaiso.

Bloom's Griffin dunks on Crete-MOnee

Bloom Township's Johnny Griffin dunks against Crete-Monee in the Blazing Trojans' January win. Griffin has been a team leader as the Blazing Trojans face Stagg Thursday in one semifinal of the Class 4A Thornton Sectional.

Burns Harbor has eye on needs, goals

ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor Plate Heat Treat Facility employees attend a news conference about the new production line for heat-treated products at the facility last spring. The steel mill is Burns Harbor's largest taxpayer.

Porter working on efficiencies, trails, other improvements

Wabash Avenue leads directly to Porter Beach on Lake Michigan in Porter.

Morgan Township's Kylee Maxwell

Morgan Township freshman Kylee Maxwell will participate in her first IhSAA state finals today.

Local development exceeds pre-recession levels

The recently renovated Marquette Park Pavilion in Gary is part of the Marquette Plan to improve public access to Lake Michigan.

Economic renaissance of Griffith continues

Applewood Farms owner Bill Mulligan poses last winter with turkeys in a freezer at the company's new West Main Street location in Griffith.

Michael Schlotman, Munster

Munster's Michael Schlotman defends West Side's Jare Glover this season. The Mustangs take their No. 1 state ranking into the sectional in Gary next week. In three years as Munster's point guard Schlotman's team has lost five games.

Michael Schlotman, Munster

Munster's Michael Schlotman leads the Class 4A No. 1 Mustangs into the IHSAA state tournament again. This is the second time in three years where Munster is undefeated and No. 1 in both the Associated Press and Indiana Basketball Coaches Association state poll. Schlotman has been the point g…

Construction sector likely to improve slightly

Crews work on the new academic wing at Lake Central High School in St. John. Lake Central's school construction projects are among a handful of government building projects in Northwest Indiana.

Lake County school construction is built on red ink

Crews work on the new academic wing at Lake Central High School in St. John.

Kat Strong goes up for a rebound

Bloom Township sophomore Kat Strong, middle, is averaging 15.6 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The Blazing Trojans face favorite Marian Catholic on Tuesday in one semifinal of the Class 4A Mother McAuley Sectional.

NWI officials: Jobs news positive, but there's still work to do

A Purdue University Calumet student, left, speaks with Enterprise Rent-A-Car acquisition specialist Mary Kate Garner at a university job fair in February at the school in Hammond. The Bureau of Labor statistics report that the nation’s unemployment rate is at its lowest in four years is posi…

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Illiana Christian's Brandon Martin has played well on both ends of the floor for the Vikings.

Arnold Wilson, West Side

West Side's Arnold Wilson shoots against Lew Wallace's Donte Mister in the championship game of the Gary Holiday Tournament.

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Guns are tagged after being turned in during Gary's gun buy back program at the city's police station in December. People received $50 for handguns, shotguns and rifles and $100 for assault weapons.

Arnold Wilson, West Side

West Side's Arnold Wilson plays tough defense last week against top-ranked Munster. He is averaging a double-double for the Cougars as they await Sunday's sectional draw.

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St. Francis de Sales senior Isis Mance, right, is averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per game for the Pioneers. The Pioneers have won three straight regional titles.

Continue to include environment in our plans

A water quality advisory is posted at Jeorse Park beach in East Chicago last August.

Luke Harangody fires a shot

Cleveland's Luke Harangody, an Andrean graduate, fires up a shot against the Bulls at the United Center last season.

Portage wrestling coach Leroy Vega

Portage wrestling coach Leroy Vega, background, celebrates a win against Mishawaka at the Chris Traicoff Memorial Invitational. Vega, a two-time state champion at Portage and an All-American at Minnesota, will be inducted into the Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fam…

Merrillville's Dariyan Morris

Merrillville's Dariyan Morris tries to hold onto the ball against Crown Point in Merrillville's 59-52 win at Crown Point.

E.C. Central's Kiana Clark

E.C. Central's Kiana Clark has undergone ACL surgery on each knee in her short high school career.

E.C. Central's Tiajaney Hawkins

E.C. Central's Tiajaney Hawkins tied her career high with 27 points, all in the first half, earlier this season against Gavit. "Right now, she's starting to see the things and recognize when she has to take over a basketball game," coach Eric Kundich said.

E.C. Central sophomore Tiajaney Hawkins

E.C. Central sophomore Tiajaney Hawkins is averaging a double-double of 15.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.

E.C. Central's Shareese Billups

E.C. Central's Shareese Billups is averaging 8.25 rebounds per game, good for second-most on her team.

E.C. Central's Shareese Billups

E.C. Central's Shareese Billups spent the past two seasons at Bowman Academy before returning to East Chicago.

Merrillville senior B.J. Jenkins

Merrillville senior B.J. Jenkins passes the ball around a pair of Highland defenders last season. Jenkins is one of several Pirates who will join the basketball team after the football postseason.

Marija Nicksic

Andrean's Marija Nicksic jumps to block a hit during a game against Munster in September.

Illiana Christian's Tessa Vant Hoff

Illiana Christian's Tessa Vant Hoff, right, has been a big plus of the Vikings as a right-side hitter. Illiana has won four straight regional titles and will play Bremen tonight in one semifinal of the Class 3A Rich East Sectional.

Valparaiso senior Taylor Bisacchi

Valparaiso's Taylor Bisacchi finishes first in a dual meet with Crown Point and Chesterton at Sunset Hill Farm County Park earlier this season. The Vikings senior has been a key performer for the area's top boys team.

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T.F. South's Bryttish Burts is 24-3 this season. She is the program's first singles player to qualify for the state meet since Molly Reeis in 2004.

Former region mayors find life after office

Former Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Sr. hugs his son, Thomas McDermott Jr., after the son's victory in the Hammond mayoral race was announced at his campaign headquarters in Hammond.

Hammond's Mike Coles

Winnipeg center fielder and Hammond High grad Mike Coles was traded by the RailCats to the Goldeyes on Aug. 6. When Winnipeg won the American Association championship Sept. 14, it was the fifth career title for Coles.

Official: labor market needs work force development

A Calumet Abrasives quality Control Technician inspects cut-off wheels at the company in Hammond earlier this year. She was hired to a full-time position after doing on-the-job training at Calumet Abrasives through the Center of Workforce Innovations. On Monday, a Chicago-based U.S. Departme…