Bridal shop now offers tuxes, expanded hours

VALPARAISO | Here Comes the Dress, 3907 Calumet Ave., Suite 202, Valparaiso, has added tuxedo rental services.

South Shore CVA receives three awards

HAMMOND | The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority received three awards recognizing its newly updated website and the 2012 South Shore Air Show event poster.

East Chicago Fire Department begins hydrant testing today

EAST CHICAGO | The East Chicago Fire Department will begin inspecting fire hydrants throughout the city today.

Grilled pork chop dinner set for May 24 in Lake Station

LAKE STATION | The precinct organization will hold a grilled pork chop dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. May 24 at City Hall, 1969 Central Ave.

Hobart citywide garage sale to kick off at 8 this morning

HOBART | The annual Trash or Treasure citywide garage sale will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. today and features 80 garage sale participants.

Little Calumet River Fest set for today at Hammond park

HAMMOND | The Little Calumet River Fest runs today at Oxbow Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Carlson Oxbow Park.

Cal City police to crack down on seat belt violators

CALUMET CITY | Calumet City officers will be on the lookout for seat belt violators over the Memorial Day weekend, according to a news release.

FRIDAY'S ILLINOIS PREP ROUNDUP: Marian Catholic wins girls soccer regional title

Hailey Losselyong recorded a hat trick to help Marian Catholic to a 4-2 upset of Lincoln-Way West in the championship game of the Class 2A Rich East Regional.

FRIDAY'S PREP ROUNDUP: C.P. routs Boone Grove baseball team

Times No. 3 Crown Point used a 12-run fourth inning Friday to take care of No. 10 Boone Grove 16-6 in a six-inning baseball contest.

Police: Driver dies after crash with semi in Newton County

KENTLAND | The Newton County Sheriff's Department and Indiana State Police are investigating a fatal crash Friday morning north of Kentland.

Jobless rate in NWI falls dramatically; Indiana rate bumps down

The unemployment rates in the region dipped dramatically, while Indiana's unemployment rate dipped slightly in April, according to government data released Friday.

Scouting Local Boys Volleyball Regionals

Brother Rice Regional

Two dead following Chicago Heights fire

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | A man and a woman are dead after a fire in a Chicago Heights home early Friday.

Police: Man damages business door after not getting arcade prize

VALPARAISO | Police said a man apparently upset about not receiving a prize for an arcade game was arrested Thursday.

Area blood drives available

VALPARAISO | American Red Cross offers blood drives in the area. Low blood supplies are typical from late May through September because regular donors and their families become busy with summer fun and may neglect to donate blood.

Porter County crime briefs

Portage man is charged with drug dealing after traffic stop

Physicals, immunizations at T.F. South

LANSING | The St. Bernard Hospital Mobile Pediatric Health Unit will be at T.F. South High School to give physicals and immunizations for incoming ninth grade students.

Porter County crimeTimes

ARRESTS

Blue Oyster Cult tickets on sale for Summer Jam Music & Food Festival

Fitness Dance Party planned for Saturday at Hobart center

HOBART | There will be a Fitness Dance Party starting at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hobart Police, Court and Community Complex, 705 E. Fourth St.

Friends of Robinson Lake will hold free fishing fair June 1

HOBART | Friends of Robinson Lake will hold the fourth annual Family Fun Fishing event from 9 a.m. to noon June 1 at Robinson Lake off Liverpool Road and 53rd Avenue.

Craft show set for Saturday afternoon at M'ville Town Hall

MERRILLVILLE | The town will host a craft show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Town Hall, 7820 Broadway.

Hammond City Council, works board cancel May meetings

HAMMOND | Two Hammond meetings have been canceled this month.

S'ville council cancels study session set for Wednesday

SCHERERVILLE | The Schererville Town Council study session scheduled for Wednesday has been canceled.

Charity softball game Sunday to aid cancer support center

MUNSTER | The Munster Police and Fire departments will play in a charity softball game Sunday at Munster Community Park.

Middle school team excels at Junior Academic Super Bowl

MUNSTER | Wilbur Wright Middle School’s Junior Academic Super Bowl team earned some serious hardware last month in the area competition at Clifford Pierce Middle School in Merrillville. Students competed in the areas of math, science, English and social studies, with the questions focusing o…

Valparaiso University art museum premieres summer exhibits

VALPARAISO | The Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University will premiere its summer exhibitions, featuring work by artists Robert Stanley and Ted Swigon.

Concerto winner to perform solo

The Northwest Indiana Symphony Youth Orchestra will present its spring concert at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Morton High School Auditorium, 6915 Grand Ave. The concert is under the direction of Philip Bauman.

Reception will introduce unique service for grieving families

CROWN POINT | Face to Face Fine Art Commemorative Expressions will host an introductory Wine and Cheese Celebration from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Crown Point Arts Center, 123 N. Main St.

Poppy Days are today and Saturday in Miller community

GARY | Miller-Dunes American Legion Auxiliary members will distribute poppies today and Saturday in the community in commemoration of veterans who gave their lives in the service of ther country. Volunteers will be outside Great Lakes Cafe, 201 Mississippi St.; Miller K Market on Melton Road…

Miller Garden Club hosts plant sale at aquatorium

GARY | The Miller Garden Club will hold its annual plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Marquette Park Aquatorium, 6918 Oak Ave.

2013 Quidditch Cup set for Saturday

CHESTERTON | Kids will be running around on broomsticks from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at Chesterton High School. These high school students will compete in the 2013 Quidditch Cup, an adaptation of the magical world’s most popular sport in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Dyer couple overcomes adversity to graduate together from PUC

HAMMOND | Few students excuse themselves from the first day of class, but Purdue University Calumet’s Raymond Lukas had a good reason for leaving his Spanish 101 instructor, Barbara Shinovich, a phone message two days before the 2011 fall semester began.

THURSDAY'S ILLINOIS PREP ROUNDUP: Crete's Morgan is All-American Bowl nominee

Crete-Monee linebacker and 2012 Times Defensive Player of the Year Nyles Morgan has been nominated to play in the 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Former S'ville financial adviser must repay $1.12M for fraud

HAMMOND | A former Schererville financial adviser must repay $1.12 million and serve four years on probation for defrauding an elderly client out of more than $800,000.

THURSDAY'S PREP ROUNDUP: Andrean softball routs Bishop Noll

Times No. 7 Andrean used an 11-run third inning Thursday to rout No. 6 Bishop Noll 14-0 in softball action.

Traffic stop in Harvey leads to arrest of three suburban men

HARVEY | A traffic stop Tuesday led to the arrest of three local men who face traffic and gun charges.

Porter County crimeTimes

ARRESTS

U.S. attorney plans Friday announcement in public corruption probe

HAMMOND | A news conference scheduled for Friday will announce "several matters" relating to public corruption, the Hammond-based U.S. attorney reported Thursday.

Man accused of taking cash, laptops from Gary school

GARY | A 44-year-old man was charged this week with the theft of money and laptops from Gary Middle College, according to an affidavit.

Correction

Puppy foster home clarified: A story that appeared Thursday about three puppies with mange should have stated that Shannon Steffey provided the foster home for the puppies.

Police release surveillance photo of theft suspects

PORTAGE | Police are hoping the public can identity two people in a photo taken at a Hobart store on May 8.

Police: Guardsman threatened to blow up home of officer

VALPARAISO | A LaPorte man, who is member of the Indiana National Guard, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the Valparaiso National Guard Armory after he threatened to blow up the home of a superior, police said.

Police: Riverdale cops shoot man who allegedly pointed gun at them

RIVERDALE | Illinois State Police and the Cook County state's attorney's office are investigating a police shooting Wednesday in Riverdale, police said in a news release.

Health care data management firm joins Purdue Research Park

MERRILLVILLE | Family caregivers and professional health care providers may benefit from online products developed by a data management firm that has become a tenant in the Purdue Research Park of Northwest Indiana.

Noted entrepreneur joins Elevate Ventures

Elevate Ventures has added Kelly Schwedland as an entrepreneur-in-residence for its Northwest and North Central Indiana regions.

Porter County crime briefs

Two arrested, charged with stealing liquor

Support groups and classes serve cancer patients

MUNSTER | Cancer Resource Centre, 926 Ridge Road, offers free education programs, mind/body/spirit classes and support groups for those with a cancer diagnosis and their caregivers. Call (219) 836-3349 to register for all programs.

Martin Binder Jeweler sponsors Rolex prize to benefit St. Patrick’s School

VALPARAISO | Martin Binder Jeweler will sponsor a Rolex wristwatch as a Hole-In-One prize for the 4th annual St. Patrick’s Irish Classic Friday. The golf outing raises money for St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Chesterton, Indiana, and will take place at The Brassie Golf Club.