Rosemarie Gomez, the first Hispanic woman to serve on East Chicago City Council, passed away on September 19th at the age of 100. Initially emigrating from Saltillo, Mexico, Rosemarie and her family moved to East Chicago when she was 6. When her husband, former Councilman Jesse Gomez, passed away unexpectedly in 1979, Rosemarie completed the remainder of his term and made historical progress in the process. Many in the community will remember for her activism within East Chicago for many years, serving with more local charities and organizations than we can list here. If you’d like to read a full summary of her life and achievements, click here.

For the third time in two weeks, USW Local 7-1 and BP will be returning to the bargaining table, signaling a continued dialog between the once adversarial parties. BP locked out 800 union laborers from the Whiting refinery back in March, leaving them without pay ever since. Although conversations had stalled through the late spring and the whole summer, spokespeople from both BP and USW Local 7-1 have said while there are issues to still work through, progress has definitely been made and an agreement seems to be closer than ever.

In their continued contract negotiations, United Steelworkers union offered a counterproposal to U.S. Steel with specific requirements for healthcare - a major sticking point in their conversations. USW’s main contention thus far with U.S. Steel’s offers has been the higher cost put upon the laborer’s for their healthcare costs. Bargaining has continued on for months over pay and working conditions, as well as healthcare benefits, leading the conversations as the most important proposals to USW laborers. Even though their contract expired at the beginning of September, both parties agreed to an extension to ensure a solution that satisfies both parties would be found without any further delay.

UChicago Medicine will be opening a 43,500 square-foot facility in Valparaiso, at 1425 E. Glendale Blvd. The new facility will offer primary care, diagnostic imaging, labs, infusion services and more, with a targeted open date of this time next year.

The leader of the Northwest Indiana gambling ring, whose arrest shook the Region earlier this year, has been released on a $5 million surety bond, as ordered by Judge Andrew P. Rodovich in the U.S. District Court. James “Jimmy the Greek” Gerodemos will remain in custody while the decision is reviewed by federal prosecutors since they initially argues that Gerodemos was a flight risk and danger to the community. Gerodemos was the owner of Gino’s Steakhouse and Paragon Restaurant who used his businesses as fronts for a widespread, multi-state gambling operation that was busted by the FBI earlier this year. Threats, harassment, intimidation and fraud are what got Jimmy the Greek taken in, as well as 22 other individuals. Evidence in the case will be turned over by the prosecution by November 30th, with an expected trail start date unlikely to be made before this time next year.

Hard Rock Cafe & Council Oak Bar Schedule (Free performances at Hard Rock Casino)

Hard Rock Casino Upcoming Performances

Horseshoe Casino Upcoming Performances

Hobart Art Theater Upcoming Performances

Gabis Arboretum Acorn Concert Series

Jazz Sessions @ The American Factory (Journeyman Distillery) (Sept. 27th)

Hometown Jams Presents Mitchell Tenpenny @ Bulldog Park (September 27th)

DJ Pauly D @ Bulldog Park (October 2nd)

Harvest Moon Celebration @ Friendship Botanic Gardens (October 2nd)

The King of Mars Duo @ Zorn Brew Works (October 2nd)

Midwest Big Band Concert @ Theatre at the Center (October 11th)

Crown Point Farmer’s Market

Cedar Lake Farmer’s Market

Miller Beach Farmers Market

The Sunday Vibe Market

Coffee Creek Farmers Market

Griffith Central Market

Farmed and Forged Market

The Edge of Liberty Craft Fair

Chesterton European Market

Valparaiso Farmers Market

Market on the Square

Hobart Summer Market on the Lake

Summer Market on Main

The Market on the Plaza

Demotte Market in The Park

The Press, a coffee shop/bookstore in downtown Valpo, hosts multiple monthly book clubs. Take a peep at their calendar to find a club that suits your literary interests!

Tuesday is Trivia day at White Rhino in Dyer. Find out more about this weekly event at the link here. Wednesday at White Rhino is Bingo night, starting at 6:30pm.

18th Street Brewery has its weekly Music Trivia and Karaoke night every Wednesday. Doors open at 4pm, with trivia starting at 6pm. Find out more here. On Thursday nights, they also host a weekly Line Dancing night with host Mizz Coco. Find out more here.

Shady Creek Winery hosts a weekly live music event each and every Sunday. Find a schedule of upcoming artists at the link here.

Anderson’s Winery in Valpo hosts weekly live music each and every weekend. Find a schedule of upcoming performances at the link right here.

Find out info about the classes and everything the Chesterton Art Center has going on here. The Center constantly has events for beginners, young artists, and apprentices alike, so anyone looking to build their skills and learn new ones should keep tabs on what the Chesterton Art Center has going on.

Off Square Brewing in Crown Point hosts a weekly Bingo Night on Thursdays, running from 7-9 pm each and every week. One lucky number can make you the big winner of the night! Find further info here. They also host a weekly Trivia Night on Wednesdays from 7pm.

Up Your Alley in Schererville has regular specials all week, perfect for families and groups of friends. Monday is a bowling special, Tuesday is Laser Tag, Wednesday is Dark Rides, and Thursday is the Arcade. Find more info and the specific deals available each week right here.

Every Monday, from 7-9 pm, Journeyman Distillery in Valpo hosts a Trivia Night. Three rounds of trivia keep the night alive, with teams of up to six people fight to win the grand prize every week. Find more info right here.

The Golden Leaf in Chesterton hosts a recurrent, one-of-a-kind experience that shows you the art of cigar making from start to finish. “The Cigar Maker Experience at The Golden Leaf” is a walk through cigar history that puts you into the tradition and culture of a long-standing trade. They host this event often, but dates tend to sell out ahead of time!

Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake has a weekly wine special running through dinner service. Happy hour specials and heavily discounted bottles every single Wednesday!

Every second Saturday each month, Beale Pottery in Westville hosts a “Make Cool Stuff Club”. This is a group that meets to, well, make cool stuff in the form of pottery! Find more info about the spot and their events right here.

On the last Tuesday of every month, Downtown Highland hosts a restaurant crawl. This community event always features a bunch of the local spots offering specials and deals, so its a great way to spend an evening hopping from meal to meal. Find more info right here.

Tiny’s Coffee Bar in Miller Beach has recurrent events every single week. Check out their page to find the full slate of events.

Marina Shores Yacht Club in Portage has Live Music Thursdays every 3rd Thursday of the Month! Find more info right here about lineups and performances.

Sip Coffee House in Highland has a Wednesday Game Night every single week from 6-9pm. In partnership with the Northwest Indiana Board Game Association.

Valparaiso Pathways Committee holds Free community rides once a month during the warmer months. Click here to look at their schedule of group rides across the city.

Conway Observatory in Lowell hosts open houses once a month for all ages to come in and take a look into the deep stretches of space. Totally free and with different focuses at each open house, you can learn about a host of cool space topics across the year. Find their schedule at the link right here.

Getting into photography or a seasoned vet looking to get out there and shoot more? Lake County Parks Photo Club has regular meetings every 2nd Wednesday at Turkey Creek Golf Course, with regular field trips out in the NWI expanse. Find more info and the full schedule at the link right here.

Gibson Woods Nature Preserve in Hammond holds a weekly Hike through nature every Wednesday. Find their full schedule right here. Pre-registration is required.

Miller Beach Arts and Creative District holds a free community yoga session every Sunday, beginning at 10am at the District building. Find info and other event listings here.

For all the fellow writers out there, Tiny’s Coffee Bar in Miller Beach holds a weekly writing group each and every Saturday, starting at 10:15am. Sometimes all it takes to spark inspiration is being around fellow creatives. Find more info about the group right here

The Dig the Dunes Beer Run & Wine Walk will be starting up on April 23rd, running once a month through the summer and early fall. A new spot in the Dunes area will be selected each month, with a 2-3 mile walk/run taking place before the group kicks back to enjoy a drink along the lakeshore. Find full information at the link right here and find the schedule right below.