Franklin at 11th Street Station, the massive high-rise development looming over downtown Michigan City, has begun offering tours for potential residents. The new construction sits right next to the recently redone South Shore Line Station on 11th Street and is expected to open for residents next month. The building has 220 apartments and 5,6000 square feet of retail space on the main floor, with a 549-car parking garage as well.

The Interim Study Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications will be looking into NIPSCO’s response to the August 11th derecho this Tuesday, where the committee will determine the preparedness and response level of NIPSCO and whether the extended blackout NWI experienced was brought about through incompetence or merely unavoidable circumstances. The toll that the derecho had on NWI is still being tallied, but it’s hard to exaggerate the financial and quality-of-life detriment residents faced as a result of the once-in-a-lifetime storms. State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, is the committee chair and will be leading the discussion ahead of academics and industry experts who will help the committee to determine NIPSCO’s culpability in the matter.

More Michigan City development news, as the nearly-dead Marquette Mall and Office Tower has been purchased by new owners that wish to turn the property into a massive medical office. Preliminary work is being done to survey the property and see what can be salvaged and what will have to be torn down to make the vision work for this proposed, 400,000 square-foot medical hub.

Merrillville Town Council preliminarily approved a tax abatement for the developer of the proposed warehouse to be constructed at the Ameriplex at the Crossroads park near 101st Avenue. Despite public opposition, the council gave approval for the proposal at the moment.

Local nonprofit organization TradeWinds has announced plans for a major expansion that will open some time in 2028 after breaking ground in the spring. TradeWinds wants to expand its capabilities with a bigger food pantry, larger residential services and more broadly accessible medical services. TradeWinds has served NWI since the 1940s and has expanded their efforts in the Region since the pandemic.

Meritage Hospitality Group, one of the largest Wendy’s franchisees in the country, has filed for bankruptcy - calling the status of NWI Wendy’s locations into question. Meritage owns 314 locations in 15 states, of which they own 13 in Indiana, including those in Griffith, Merrillville, Chesterton, Portage, Valpo, LaPorte and Michigan City. If no buyer acquires these locations or the parent corporation doesn’t take them on, these locations could end up ceasing operations entirely.

Olive Garden will be taking over the dormant Quaker Steak and Lube location in Portage. Quaker Steak and Lube sat just off of I-94 for over 20 years and closed down earlier this summer.

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

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.