The Starke County Sheriff’s Office has announced that they’ve officially terminated its renewal of the contract it had with Flock - the private company that has been putting up cameras all over the country in conjunction with state and local governments. The department has said that they operated best practices regarding Flock and its cameras, acknowledging some benefit to using them, but decided to not renew their contract out of best interest of the community.

NIPSCO has donated $400,000 to LaPorte County to aid in disaster relief. The money has been donated by The NiSource Charitable Foundation, the utility company’s charitable arm, and will be distributed to 13 different frontline partners. Catholic Charities, Center Township, Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Coolspring Township, Food Bank of Northern Indiana, Meals on Wheels, New Durham Township, Operation Feed LaPorte County, Pax Center, The Salvation Army of Michigan City and The Salvation Army of LaPorte, Threads of Hope, New Carlisle Community Food Pantry, Union Township and United Way of LaPorte County are the partners receiving these donations.

St. Jude House, a domestic violence shelter located in Crown Point, has launched a campaign to raise funding to help 10 families with transitional housing. Their campaign is called ‘Hope Lives Here: Building New Beginnings Through Transitional Housing’, and runs through the end of next year. St. Jude House has helped more than 30,000 domestic violence survivors since 1995 and their Transitional Housing programs are among their most important. Those who would like to donate can do so at the link right here.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are donating another $100,000 to storm recovery across Indiana, having previously donated $116,500 in August. This latest donation will go toward housing stabilization and long-term recovery efforts, with special consideration going to those in Gary. This money will provide housing to those displaced by storms and provide them shelter while rebuilding efforts continue.

The Kankakee Valley Welcome Center, which sits adjacent to Interstate 65 south of Lake County, will potentially be renamed in honor of U.S. Rep. Charles Halleck - who represented Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District from 1935-1969. Halleck is credited with playing a key role in securing federal funding for the Interstate Highway System, including I-65 itself, voting for and advancing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Indiana University Northwest’s admissions has grown for the second consecutive year, after years of declining enrollment. The Fall 2026 semester enrollment is up 2.1% from Fall 2025, totaling a 9.5% increase from Fall 2024. Credit hours have also increased by 12% from Fall 2024.

The ribbon was officially cut on the 55-acre expansion at Gary/Chicago International Airport that hopes to accommodate up to 8 wide-body aircraft at a time. This expansion is a part of the concerted effort to attract long-term development and growth for NWI and the greater Chicago area, expanding the Gary Airport’s capacity for cargo as it serves a vital role as a domestic cargo hub for the Midwest.

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

The Fortunate Sons @ Theatre at the Center (September 11th)

Popcorn Festival Kick-Off Concert w/ Small Town @ Central Park Plaza (September 10th)210

After Popcorn Fest Afterparty (Dueling Pianos @ Porter County Expo Center) on September 12th, 6-10pm

Chester Brown @ Shoreline Brewery (September 13th)

Hometown Jams Presents: Niko Moon @ Bulldog Park (September 19th)

Stop.Drop.Rewind @ The PAV (September 19th)

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

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.

Starting on April 25th, and running every Saturday through August, Indiana Dunes National Park’s 1966 Hiking Challenge begins! 19 hikes that cover 66 miles of the Dunes Park trails, celebrating the foundation of the park in 1966. Every Saturday at 8:00 am, hokes will take place in different areas of the park ranging from 1-7 miles. Complete them all and you earn a free 1966 Hiking Challenge sticker to show off to the world. For more details and specifics, click here.

Whiting Cruise Night runs every month on the 3rd Wednesday, starting on May 20th and running through the summer. Find more information about the event right here.