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🧭 On Today’s issue of NWI Explored🧭
Everything Happening in NWI in April
A Recap of Local and State News
Today’s Headlines
Weather Forecast for NWI
The Call to Explore:
Welcome, Explorers! It’s (almost) a new month and that means a fresh slate of events, the prospect of even better things, and a greater chance that we’re on the other side of all of that inclement weather. This is your Monday edition of NWI Explored, the twice a week newsletter that aims to give locals every way to explore Northwest Indiana. We’re so happy to see that so many of you keep on coming back each and every post, and we’re always trying to make NWIE even better.
If you have any feedback whatsoever, never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]. We want to make sure this whole pursuit is being crafted in the interest of its readers. Our main goal with NWI Explored is to build a sense of community, so we’re going to need the community’s help in order to do that! Thanks as always for reading, but without any more preamble, let’s get into the newsletter.
Today in NWI
A rundown of headlines, events happening today, and information we want front of mind for Explorers.
Here are a few headlines about what some of the NWI cities are planning on discussing this week in terms of development and city planning
Valparaiso’s East Side Campus Master Plan, which will set specific guidelines for the development of land between Burlington Beach Road and East 400 North (on both the north and south sides), will be the subject of a public input meeting this week. Tuesday, March 31st at 4:30pm at City Hall - Hear details about the massive transformation planned in the space, including retail, commercial, office, medical and residential zoning, as well as reserved spots for walking trails and a nature preserve.
Hobart Mayor Josh Huddleston will be delivering a State of the City Address on Wednesday, April 1st, beginning at 6pm. This will take the place of a typical city council meeting and will take place at Hobart High School Auditorium.
Hobart Plan Commission will be meeting on Thursday, April 2nd to consider a proposal for a 27-acre technology park the intersection of Liverpool Road and West 61st Avenue. Also expected to be discussed is an extension near 69th Avenue and Mississippi, where the electrical manufacturer Atkore currently is. The meeting will take place at 6:30pm at Hobart City Hall.
NWI Forum’s collaborative initiative to reinvest and develop the area, Ignite the Region, has expanded their scope to include arts and culture developments. With a $250 million grant awarded to the organization by Lilly Endowment in 2024 and other support, the organization offers grants for economic acceleration and development, known as READI. READI 2.0, which encompasses these renewed arts initiatives, are grants up for grabs for NWI Natives who are working to amplify arts and culture across the Region. Learn more about the work that the NWI Forum does and find information about how to apply for READI/READI 2.0 grants through the link right here.
Despite their best efforts and a late-game proto comeback, Crown Point High School Boys Basketball were unsuccessful in their bid for their first IHSAA Class 4A State Championship — falling to Mt. Vernon in a 52-50 nailbiter. All the respect in the world to the Crown Point boys!
Students at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Valpo are planning a walkout for April 1st, protesting the Trump administration’s policies and the involvement of ICE in everyday life across the country. Students are planning to walk from the middle school to Fairgrounds Park, with signs and banners in tow.
For now, that’s all in terms of headlines. Here’s your weather forecast for the midweek of March 30th, 2026. We’re going to continue this back and forth for quite a while. At least snow is fully off the menu at this point…or so we think. Let’s just hope.
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🏘The Lowdown 🏘
Every issue of NWI Explored comes with The Lowdown: a roundup of the most important news and happenings around the Region and Indiana writ large.
State Disaster Relief Funds are available for those affected by recent tornadoes in NWI
Any NWI residents whose homes or property were damaged by any of the tornadoes that ripped through the area on March 10th should be aware that financial assistance is available through the State Disaster Relief Fund. Grants from the State of up to $25,000 are available for uninsured or underinsured residents in Newton, Jasper and Starke counties who need repairs to property damaged in the storms. Assessments of the damage immediately after the tornadoes put estimates at around 100 homes damaged, but additional funding may also be available once the Indiana Department of Homeland Security finishes their full disaster assessment since there may be more homes affected not previously listed. If you were affected by the March 10th tornadoes and are uninsured or underinsured, the link to apply for state disaster relief is right here.
An Update to the BP Whiting Refinery Worker Lockout/Picketing
United Steelworkers International President Roxanne Brown has stated that the union’s 850,000 members across the country will fully back the BP Whiting Refinery workers currently locked out of the plant after contract negotiations between the union workers and the corporation stalled a few weeks back. It is Brown’s opinion that BP is acting in a manner that unnecessarily harms their workers and the surrounding community - an act that she says is in deviation from how other oil companies have handled recent contract negotiations.
Reminder to readers: among other issues, the chief element of USW Local 7-1 and BP’s contract dispute is BP’s proposed elimination of more than 100 union jobs and the restructuring of the environmental protections department to include more independent contractor positions.
BP released a statement on Friday saying that they aren’t refusing to meet with the union at all, having last met on March 17th and presenting their best and final offer. This offer was the final straw, pushing USW 7-1 to fully reject the contract and prepare for a strike, of which BP then responded by locking out union workers from the refinery. USW Local 7-1 President Eric Schultz has maintained that BP is acting in bad faith, trying to stifle workers rights and collective bargaining methods for the more than 800 union workers at the Whiting Refinery. Schultz also has said that the Union has reached out to BP numerous times to return to the bargaining table, but have received no response at this time.
USW International President Roxanne Brown, speaking to USW Local 7-1 workers currently locked out of the BP Whiting Refinery.
The Diocese of Gary is looking to consolidate parishes across Northwest Indiana, reducing the strain put on the clergy to run such a vast network of churches in the area.
Across NWI, a total of 41 parishes plan to consolidate ministries - an increase from the past four years, which only saw 11 mergers of parishes and five church closures as a result. The Diocese of Gary serves around 170,000 Catholics in NWI, so is pushing these efforts in a bid to serve the whole group more efficiently. For example, St. Joseph in Dyer will close, merging with St. Maria Goretti to become one parish. St. Ann in Gary will merge with St. Mary in Griffith, and St. Matthias and St. Mary in Crown Point will merge parishes as well but still have two worship sites and schools. As far as the full scope of church closures go, those plans will happen as personnel changes and transitions happen over the course of the year. This is all in service of laying the groundwork for renewal of the Diocese of Gary.
Thousands across NWI took part in the third bout of No Kings Protests, of which there were around 3,000 individual demonstrations across the country.
Demonstrations took place in a ton of NWI cities - including but not limited to: Valparaiso; Crown Point; Hobart; Gary; Highland; Michigan City; and, LaPorte. Hundreds were in attendance (see images below) at the Crown Point demonstration, but the most impressive turnout came in Valpo, where over 1,000 people were out on Saturday. The protests started at 11 am local time across the country, pulling in the largest crowd for a single-day demonstration in our nation’s history (more than 9 million demonstrators are thought to have shown up across the country). Speaking personally, I was in downtown Valpo on Saturday shortly before the protest began and noticed the crowd was larger than usual. By 12:30, there was more people packed into those sidewalks than I’ve seen outside of the Popcorn Fest. NWI was a part of that historical turnout, so take a look at some of the images from those local protests that took place this Saturday.
Valpo
Valpo
Crown Point
Crown Point
Highland
LaPorte
Indianapolis
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➡️What’s In, What’s Out? ➡️
A Look at the Local Business News in NWI, showing what’s new and what’s gone.
Raising Canes will be opening a new Region location in Schererville come this summer. The chicken joint will open up in the old TGI Friday’s location on Indianapolis Boulevard, with the exterior of the building already up and nearing completion.
Tacoverse, a Mexican chain started in DeKalb and expanding outward nationally, has opened its first NWI location in Chesterton - at 1412 Main St. in the old Pizza Hut. Tacoverse serves, well, tacos - but also burritos, bowls, quesadillas, salads and a variety of sides and apps.
Beauty and the Beach has expanded to St. John from its initial Crown Point location. The med spa group’s new location is at 7950 Wicker Ave in St. John and will offer a wide variety of self-care and beauty maintenance options in their new 6,000 sq. ft location.
Azteca Fresh Market, a Hammond staple, will be expanding their presence in NWI into Portage. Their new spot is planned to open sometime soon at 5714 Central Avenue, offering the same services as their original Hammond location.
The former location of Ivy’s Bohemia House in Chesterton will hit the market soon. The converted house-turned-restaurant was purchased by a local businessman and thought to be turned into a steak and seafood joint, but their plans changed. The house will under go renovations and hit the market as soon as June, with it being ready for a new occupant soon after.
Old-school drive-in and Region staple The Port Drive-in has reopened for the season at their spot in Chesterton (419 N. Calumet Rd.). The 1950s style drive-in calls back to a simpler time, boasting all of the drive-in classics and nostalgic dressing to boot. If you’ve never been there, I have to recommend grabbing any of their all-beef hot dogs - which can come with a whole host of unique toppings. I love a Chicago dog, but something about The Port’s West Virginia Slaw Dog just hits the spot. Check them out as the weather is getting warmer!
Maria’s Pasta Project had their soft opening this past Saturday at their spot in Valpo at 3008 Calumet Ave. Maria’s offers a fast-casual pasta experience, with four different pasta types, a host of homemade sauces and toppings, and everything made in house - in front of the customer. You can even look behind the counter at their pasta machine making the pasta if you go around opening. Maria’s Pasta Project comes courtesy of John Christodoulakis, local restauranteur whose family owned and operated Round the Clock franchises locally and Christos Family Dining in LaPorte for the past 50 years. This is sure to be one to check out as they get the ball rolling!
What’s Going On in NWI?
Every issue of NWI Explored, we give you the best events and spots to check out during the current month.
In partnership with the NWI Ultimate League, we want to issue a special announcement about their spring leagues!
NWI Ultimate, with partnership of the Portage Parks Department, is the preeminent local ultimate frisbee league for NWI. Featuring COED divisions for all ages, these leagues are open to new players and seasoned experts. Find all the information at the link right here or in the infographic below.
Recurrent Events:
Here we will try to aggregate all of the weekly specials available to Explorers around the Region. If you own a local business and want people to be aware of your weekly specials or events, let us know by sending an email to [email protected]!
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.
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.
Local Theatre
A Rundown of all the local theatre companies and their upcoming productions.
Chicago Street Theatre, Valparaiso - info here
Jellofish; running from March 27th to April 12th
Memorial Opera House, Valparaiso - info here
Elton Jeff and the Honky Cats - April 17th
La Porte Little Theatre, LaPorte - Info Here
Moon Over Buffalo; running from May 1st to 10th
4th Street Theater, Chesterton - Info Here
Hamlet; running from June 5th to 21st
Beatniks on Conkey, Hammond - Info Here
The Nerd; running April 10th to 19th
Footlight Players, Inc, Michigan City - Info Here
The Legend of Georgia McBride; running from April 9th to 19th
Indiana Ballet Theatre Company - Info Here
Marian Theatre Guild, Whiting - Info Here
Show runs from April 18th to 26th
Towle Theater, Hammond - Info Here
Doublewide Texas; running from May 1st to 17th
Valpo University Theatre- Info Here
Vinegar Tom - April 16th -19th
Ticket information and the full schedule can be found right here.
What to Expect in April
Also on April 1st, White Rhino in Dyer will be hosting a curated Uncorked. Unreal. Uncanny experience. A ticket gets you 5 premium bourbon and wine tastings, paired with light appetizers and a lively social atmosphere. An illusionist will be performing and there will be a caricature artist on site as well. Tickets can be found here.
Scheeringa Farms and Greenhouses in Highland is hosting an Easter-themed Charcuterie Workshop on April 2nd. You’ll get a step-by-step walkthrough of designing the board just in time for the season. Tickets can be found here. On April 3rd, they will also be holding an Easter Centerpiece Workshop. Tickets for that can be found here.
April 3rd is Opening Day at Johnson’s Farm in Hobart. They have a wide array of plants and garden supplies, as well as baked goods and locally made goods. Find more info here.
The Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City will be hosting their Annual Poetry Slam on April 3rd, from 5pm to 8pm. Performers from all walks of life will be given a platform to share their original works, with the event being conducted in a tournament style. Poets will perform in single elimination “matches” until the last one standing is crowned the LCA Poetry Slam Champion. Should be a fun time! Admission is free and all are welcome, so find out more at the link right here.
The Drop Comedy Club will be returning to Burn ‘Em Brewing in Michigan City on April 3rd, doors opening at 7:30pm. Seven standups will be performing and the beer will be flowing. Comedians performing are: Jay Vap, Kyle Kinzer, Storm Norment, Armando Sanchez, Darryl Spencer, Matt Keipper, and host of the evening - Mark Darden. Tickets are available right here for $10. 21+ event.
April 2nd through the 4th, Oak Ridge Prairie County Park in Griffith is hosting a Wonderful Egg Wander. All across the park are oversized, hand-painted wooden eggs just waiting to be found by explorers. Fun for all ages! Find more info right here.
Festival Park in Hobart is holding an Easter Egg Hunt for ages 0-12 on April 4th, starting at Noon. Take a picture with the Easter Bunny, win prizes, do crafts, and celebrate the holiday out and about. More info can be found here.
Bombers BBQ in Crown Point will be holding a Seinfeld (No Soup For You!) Trivia Night on April 4th, starting at 6pm. Flex your knowledge of one of the most seminal sitcoms of all time and have some great food while you’re at it.
Gibson Woods Nature Preserve is holding a Spring Stargazing Open House on April 4th, starting at 7:30pm. The Calumet Astronomical Society will guide attendees through some star and planet gazing under the spring skies. More info can be found right here.
We talked about local author Joey Lax-Salinas in some previous editions of the newsletters, so if you missed him last time here’s another chance. Lax-Salinas will be at the Valpo Barnes and Noble this Saturday, April 4th from 11am to 4pm for a book signing. His new book, “Fading Ads of Indiana” details the hundreds of “ghost signs” across our state and region. Copies of this new book and his previous books will be available. For more information, click here.
There are a whole host of restaurants and venues hosting Easter-themed brunches. Below, you can find a list (with links for those that have) to all the spots holding such events.
Villa Cesare (900 Eagle Ridge Drive, Schererville) Reservations only, April 4th
The Grand Catering and Events (Downtown Crown Point) April 5th
Journeyman - The American Factory (258 S. Campbell, Valpo) April 5th
Center for Visual and Performing Arts (1040 Ridge Rd, Munster) April 5th
White Hawk Country Club (1001 White Hawk Dr,, Crown Point) April 5th
Farmhouse Restaurant (754 N 600 E, Fair Oaks) April 5th
Bon Vie (54 Main St., Hobart) April 5th Reservations Required
Culinary Misfits (208 S. Main St., Crown Point) April 5th
Lighthouse Restaurant (7501 Constitution Ave, Cedar Lake) April 5th
Seasons Lakehouse Restaurant (1048 N Lake Shore Drive, Crown Point) April 5th
One13North (crown Point)
Provecho (Crown Point)
Lucrezia (Chesterton)
Gino’s Prime and Surf (Dyer)
Heston Supper Club (LaPorte)
Gamba Ristorante (Merrillville)
Kolasa’s Polish Peasant (Michigan City)
The Heron Bistro (Michigan City)
Rosebud Steakhouse (Munster)
41N Tavern (St. John)
Nisi Greek Taverna (St. John)
Maple + Bacon (Valpo)
Fuzzyline Brewing in Highland will be holding a Cake Decorating Class on April 8th, starting at 6pm. This class is open to anyone 16 years of age and above, will last around 1.5 hours, and will include all supplies to build and decorate a 6-in, 2 layer cake in the price of admission. Find all the info you need right here.
The Brewery Lodge and Supper Club in Michigan City will be holding a Home Sweet Home Mosaic Workshop on April 8th. For price of admission, you’ll get all the supplies to build two mosaic house pieces - perfect for home decor or as a handmade gift. The workshop is beginner friendly and perfect for a creative night out. Find more details right here.
The Crossroads YMCA will be holding their 45th Annual Hub Run on April 11th, starting at 9am. The race will start at Bulldog Park in Crown Point and is either a 5k or a 2k run. All the details, including where to register, are at the link right here.
Calling all families: The Chesterton Art Center will be holding a free Family Art Day on April 11th. Families are invited to the Center from 10am to 2pm to partake in a variety of crafts and art projects. This Event is FREE and open to ALL AGES. Find more information at the link right here.
Record Store Day is April 17th! All the local record stores will most likely be holding some type of celebration or special event for the day, so I’ve provided a list of the NWI Record Stores for convenience sake
Antique Vault + Records (Crown Point)
Trusty Spot Records and Tees (Chesterton)
S&J Stereo (Griffith)
Tom Lounges’ Record Bin (Hobart)
Region Records (Highland)
Static Age (Michigan City)
Crown Point Records (Valparaiso)
The South Shore Roller Derby will have a home bout in Hammond (at the Hammond Civic Center ) on April 18th. Tickets can be found right here
Shady Creek Winery in Michigan City will be holding a Wine Glass Making class on April 19th, starting at 2pm. Tickets and more information can be found at the link right here.
Live Music Coming Up Soon in April (Continually Updated)
Hobart Art Theater
Debutants @ The Memorial Opera House (April 10th)
The Petty Kings (Tom Petty Tribute) @ Theatre at the Center (April 10th)
Disco Circus @ Hard Rock Cafe (April 10th)
Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne Tribute) @ Hard Rock Cafe (April 11th)
The Isley Brothers @ Horseshoe Casino (April 17th)
Echoes of Pompeii @ Memorial Opera House (April 18th)
Remember When Rock Was Young - The Elton John Experience @ LaPorte Civic Auditorium (April 18th)
More Events to Come. We will have the slate of April events expand out to cover the full month over the course of the next couple editions. Trying to not overload these emails for the sake of the readers!
More Events to Come…
That’ll do it for this Monday Edition of NWI Explored.
Happy Exploring,
Eric & Luke, The NWI Explored Team
“My hometown... was always there, at all times, unchanging. What I think... is not that we go back to our hometowns, but that someday our hometowns come back into each of our hearts.”
