Andrean's Cunningham hired to coach at Montana college

Andrean coach Carson Cunningham led his 59ers to the Class 3A northern semistate. Cunningham was hired as the basketball coach at Carroll College in Montana, an NAIA program.

Van Til's indictment

FBI seized computers and other items from the office of Lake County Surveyor George Van Til last June.

Lake Surveyor Van Til indicted by feds

Lake County Surveyor George Van Til takes a call from Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquist as he watches the election returns come in during the 2012 general election. Van Til is accused by the U.S. attorney's office of using public employees and equipment to do political work.

Regulators approve Ameristar Casinos, Pinnacle Entertainment merger

Nevada regulators have approved a merger between Pinnacle Entertainment and rival Ameristar Casinos, whose East Chicago casino is shown.

Valparaiso University softball celebration

Valparaiso University softball players celebrate after taking the 2012 Horizon League Championship against Loyola University.

Summit strengthening environmental ties across state line

Clouds pass quickly over the Chicago skyline looking from Whihala Beach County Park in Whiting. This year's Calumet Summit, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, is aimed at strengthening the connections across the state line between groups working on environmental issues.

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Valparaiso softball player Joylyn Ichiyama celebrates with her son Jayden and her team after VU won the 2012 Horizon League championship.

Boy Scouts to honor Masterson at Wednesday dinner

Bill Masterson

IHSA Girls State Track 5/19/11

Seton Academy's Mykel Adams, center, is a four-year state qualifier for the IHSA Class 1A state meet. Adams is No. 2 in her class and will study biology at the University of Missouri.

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.

Gary/Chicago Airport expansion work

Using expanded polystyrene, workers construct a new bridge at the Gary/Chicago International Airport. Gov. Mike Pence on Friday also signed Senate Bill 585, thawing the Lake County property tax levy freeze, setting qualifications for Gary airport board members and providing for studies of re…

Morgan Cavinder, Kankakee Valley

Kankakee Valley senior Morgan Cavinder shows the symbol her Kougars put on their arms last week in support of her mother, Diane, who recently recovered from pancreatic cancer surgery.

Mt. Carmel Caravan football

Mt. Carmel practices for an October game with Catholic League Blue rival St. Rita. The IHSA recently put limits on preseason practices.

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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.

Bishop Noll's Trost returning home to Salt Lake City

Bishop Noll coach Drew Trost accepted a job on Thursday at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Salt Lake City, which is his home. Trost was 129-57 in eight years at Noll and he took the Warriors to the Class 2A state championship game in 2011.

Megan Tymorek, Chesterton

Megan Tymorek jumps into her teammates at home plate last year after hitting a home run against Lake Central in the Class 4A regional. The state tournament draw was released on Thursday and Chesterton will open against Crown Point in the sectional.

Brooke Baker-Runyon, Andrean

Brooke Baker-Runyon coached Andrean to the Class 3A state championship last June. The IHSAA draw for the 2013 state tournament was released and the 59ers will open against Rensselaer at the Kankakee Valley Sectional.

Hammond Academy's Cody Glass

Hammond Academy's Cody Glass has made one trip to the Dominican Republic to play baseball and is planning for a second this summer.

Jonathan Nalli

Porter Health Care System CEO Jonathan Nalli

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore superintendent to retire

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Superintendent Constantine "Costa" Dillon stands behind the park headquarters in 2010. Dillon on Tuesday announced plans to retire in August.

Vany Madrigal, Highland girls tennis

Highland's Vany Madrigal is finishing off a remarkable career for the Trojans. The defending state champion in doubles will play college tennis at Wright State. Her academics are just as good as her tennis game, too.

Chesterton's Meg Modesto

Chesterton sophomore Meg Modesto is 8-1 this season at No. 1 singles.

Andrean's Cunningham will interview for college job in Montana

Andrean coach Carson Cunningham led his 59ers to the Class 3A northern semistate. Cunningham, who will lose nine seniors to graduation, is interviewing for the head coaching job at Carroll College in Montana, an NAIA program.

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.

What has Northwest Indiana done to attract tourists?

Josh Fedorchak, 10 of Valparaiso competes in the 8-12 year-old division durng Mommy's Little Piggy Eating Contest at the Indiana Welcome Center last December. Contestants ate as many mashed potatoes as possible while staying as clean as possible without their hands touching the food. The con…

Sports is an economic driver in south suburbs

Mt. Carmel golfer Ryan Hernandez, practices with teammates at Glenwoodie Golf Club in Glenwood last August. The Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau is marketing the region as a golf destination.

Sports is an economic driver in south suburbs

Mt. Carmel golfers Nick Murray, Ryan Hernandez and Louis Vitiritti walk the course at Glenwoodie Golf Club in Glenwood last August. Sporting events are becoming a big economic driver, according to the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Sports is an economic driver in south suburbs

Mt. Carmel golfer Nick Murray practices putting at Glenwoodie Golf Club in Glenwood last August.

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Bloom Township's Ivory Cassell, left, and Brittany Thomas, center, along with Thornton's Frodine Adams, right, sprint to the finish of the 100-meter dash at the Carol Urich Invitational. Bloom coach Huey Johnson feels pretty good about his team advancing several athletes from today's Class 3…

CRETE-MONEE INVITATIONAL

Bloom Township's Gina Narcisi, right, pulls away from the pack in the 3,200-meter run during the Crete-Monee Invitational on March 30. Narcisi gives the Blazing Trojans strength in the distance races as they head into today's Class 3A Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional.

T.F. South badmnton coach Bob Tengstrand has built a power

Thornton Fractional South's badminton coach Bob Tengstrand gives a pat on the back to Andriana Johnson. Tengstrand has been the coach at both T.F. North and T.F. South high schools and has been very successful.

Bob Tengstrand

T.F. South head badminton coach Bob Tengstrand and the Rebels have a good chance to win the IHSA state badminton title this weekend in Charleston.

Miranda Elish, Crown Point

Crown Point freshman pitcher Miranda Elish has followed what most expected from the Oregon recruit. She is undefeated heading into this weekend's Twin Lakes Tournament and seems to be just hitting her stride.

1014solar - solar in the home

Solar panels can boost a home's energy rating and make it more attractive for resale.

Building a STEM pipeline

Sen. Joseph Donnelly, right, D-Ind., chats with students at the Hammond Academy of Science and Technology during a tour of the school in January. HAST has partnerships with local industries such as BP and ArcelorMittal. The school takes students on field trips, brings in live engineers and o…

Valparaiso's Kyle Meihofer

Valparaiso's Kyle Meihofer has been medalist at two 18-hole prep events this spring, second in the other two tournaments.

Danny Pobereyko, Bishop Noll pitcher

Bishop Noll's Danny Pobereyko has a 5-1 record for the Warriors. His 1.58 ERA is backed up by 54 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.

062411BBMRAILCATS, RailCats beat the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks

Valparaiso's Kyle Meihofer

Valparaiso golfer Kyle Meihofer has committed to Illinois State.

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Anya Haynes, 5, and her mother Lynn fish off of Wolf Lake Pier.

Leanna Mulloy

Leanna Mulloy of Kankakee Valley High School runs in the 100-meter dash during last season's state track meet. She owns one of the state's best times in the event this season.

Zac Wells

Merrillville football coach Zac Wells was inducted into the St. Joseph’s College Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Munster has always tried to do things right

Munster V.F.W. Post 2697 members prepare to fire a cannon during last year's Memorial Day service at the Edward P. Robinson Veterans Memorial in Munster.

Munster has always tried to do things right

Stephen Jadrnak, of Hammond, left, and Grasie Noworyta, of Chicago, view art last April during the 38th annual South Shore Arts high school art exhibit and reception at Munster's Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

Alyssa Matson, Kankakee Valley

K.V. third baseman Alyssa Matson makes the throw against Andrean last season. The senior three-year starter at third is also the Kougars' leadoff hitter. She will walk-on at IUPUI next school year.

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SCHERERVILLE - Jeanette Zandstra, on left, and Alicia Tuuk of Smits Farms stand by bundles of herbs in their stand at the Schererville International Farmer's Market at Redar Park.

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CROWN POINT Local farmer's markets are picking up in popularity throughout the region with the Crown Point, Valparaiso, Chesterton and more communities offering the open-air markets to vendor and consumers alike. Shoppers persue vendor's offerings on Crown Point's Main Street.