Drift on Pine is rapidly becoming the go-to spot for casual, upscale dining in La Porte. Located right off of Pine Lake, customers can feel comfortable stopping in for lunch or dinner right after a business casual board meeting or an afternoon on the boat. A big part of creating this welcoming atmosphere is Drift’s inviting design inspired by the travels of Owners Brandon and Ashlie and brought to life with the help of Facet Architecture and Larson-Danielson Construction Company. “The idea for Drift came from our passion to build a unique restaurant on a unique piece of property overlooking th ..read more

Over 100 employees boasting a combined 2820 years of service time with Strack & Van Til gathered at Avalon Manor on Thursday, April 25, for the grocer’s annual Years of Service Luncheon. The tradition celebrates some of the people who have helped make the store the respected institution that it is – those hardworking individuals who have spent more than 15 years with the company. Strack & Van Til Anniversary Award Luncheon 2024 35 Photos View Gallery The employees were recognized on every fifth anniversary with the company, starting at 15  years and going all the way up to 50 ..read more

With dozens of booths staffed with excellent and attentive medical professionals, Methodist Hospitals in conjunction with Indiana University Northwest hosted its 2024 Spring Community Wellness Fair on Saturday. The fair held at Indiana University Northwest’s Savannah Gymnasium was also aided by Marram Health and Community HealthNet. By working together these local organizations provided the community with information on health as well as providing free health screenings. Methodist Hospitals Spring Health Fair 2024 37 Photos View Gallery “This is a wonderful wellness fair,” said Brad Lukas ..read more

Photo by Randy Walker After 23 years of working with student-athletes in Northwest Indiana, Methodist Hospitals Sports Medicine Program Coordinator Patrick Ohaver’s efforts have been recognized by the Secondary School Committee of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA). Ohaver was recently named Athletic Trainer of the Year for NATA District 4, which covers several states in the Great Lakes region. The Highland High School athletic director, Ryan Harrington, nominated Ohaver for the award and encouraged him to accept the nomination and assemble all the materials needed to put toget ..read more

In response to the recent vandalism at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, the International Association of Firefighters Local 556, has offered to donate their time and any funds necessary to repair the vandalism at the basketball courts area at the park. This generous donation comes after the basketball courts were closed due to a second bout of vandalism within a two-week period.  Mayor Thomas McDermott, Jr. was pleased to accept this donation after discussions about the basketball courts’ closure. “I want to thank the firefighters’ union for this generous offer. I understand the ..read more

On April 25, 2024, Northwest Health – Porter celebrated National Doctors’ Day by making a $6,000 donation to the Porter County Emergency Management Agency in honor of its medical staff. This donation is in support of upcoming upgrades to the radio systems at the Porter County Central Dispatch Center (911). The funds will be allocated to volunteer fire departments in the area to assist in covering the cost for reprogramming up to 120 existing portable emergency radios. “We are immensely grateful for the dedication demonstrated by our medical staff each and every day. They do so much for the com ..read more

A quick introduction can go a long way. After a brief meeting almost three decades ago, it didn’t take long for Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service and AMA Design & Print to decide to seal the deal and team up for business. Ever since, the two have worked in tandem to make sure professional, polished postage can be swiftly sent throughout Northwest Indiana and beyond. It all began when Flanagin’s Owner Donna Flanagin was looking at Northwest Indiana-based printers to help when her business was just getting off the ground. “When we first went into business, we contacted all the local printers beca ..read more

The first thousand days are critical to a child’s growth and development. That is where First Things First Porter County, an initiative started by Porter County Community Foundation (PCCF), comes in with building a network where families can get the support needed. Porter County Community Foundation First Things First 2024 24 Photos View Gallery Around the end of its own first thousand days, First Things First had a big announcement to make. On Thursday, it was announced they had received a $5 million grant from the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis. “Last fall, we received a phone call from ..read more

Sports serve as the foundation of providing people with healthy habits and help build relationships along the way. The adult sports programs at Valpo Parks have presented community members with opportunities to be active and connect with their peers. Dan Lukes, adult recreation director at Valpo Parks, notes that they cover nine different sports: ping pong, pickleball, softball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, cornhole, kickball, volleyball and ice hockey. “We try to offer as much diversity with the sports offerings that we have,” Lukes said. “We try to include everyone in our recreational aspects ..read more

The Porter County Community Foundation received its largest funding to date for First Things First Porter County (FTF)—a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to continue positively impacting the lives of Porter County children during their first 1,000 days.  . FTF will focus on four impact areas in the county: Help Me Grow (HMG) Porter County Support for Porter County pediatricians Birth-to-school (B2S) programming Collaboration Challenge grants FTF will continue its support of HMG Porter County. HMG Porter County serves as a centralized access point for connec ..read more