The City of Hammond and Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. are planning to demolish Clark High School after multiple years of being out of operation. There are also plans to demolish Gavit High School, which will take place first if there are no hiccups. There’s an Indiana law that necessitates a school district property be made available for charter schools or other educational operations to purchase before demolition.

A second Taco John’s location opened its doors recently, this time in LaPorte at 416 J. St.. The other NWI Taco John’s location is in Michigan City (inside the Love’s Station off I-94). The chain is known for its fast-food Mexican fare like it’s chili-seasoned Potato Oles and various types of tacos.

Republican Governor Mike Braun has, once again, suspended the state gas taxes for another month to curb the spiking costs of fuel due to the U.S.’s war in Iran. The suspension of state gas taxes has kept costs relatively low compared to other states, even though the price of diesel severely spiked all across the country due to further strictures on the fuel supply line. In Indiana, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $3.83, almost a full dollar cheaper per gallon than Illinois ($4.73/gal) and Michigan ($4.57/gal). Of course, this price difference can mostly be chalked up to the suspension of gas taxes - which takes the total price down by about $0.70/gal. The extension of this tax suspension runs until early November and comes with an added lifting of restrictions on untaxed diesel fuel for farmers.

American Sale will be selling to new owners and liquidating store inventory ahead of a potential sale of operations. The locally owned pool and outdoor goods retailer has multiple locations in the South Suburbs of Chicago, as well as one location in Merrillville. The family owners will be doing a total liquidation sale at all locations to get rid of inventory.

Back in Time Donuts & Creamery will be closing its doors on October 4th, according to a Facebook post from the owners this past weekend. Sudden circumstances have befallen the owners and they are not able to maintain a fully functioning business in the near future.

Jet’s Pizza’s new location in Valpo has opened for business. It’s located next to the CVS on the corner of Calumet Ave. and Glendale Blvd..

An unexpected power outage in Chesterton left 1,400 residents without power for a handful of hours on Wednesday afternoon. NIPSCO didn’t offer an explanation for what the cause of the outage was, but the majority of customers has power restored within 3 hours of the outages. The ceaseless rain that covered most of the area certainly didn’t help matters, but I’m sure we’re all a bit shellshocked still about losing power during inclement weather.

Highland’s Wicker Park has finally reopened after repairs were necessary to return the park to operational status after the August 11th derecho. More than 100 trees were knocked down in the park, with countless limbs and debris left hanging high up in trees and blocking trails and pathways all over the park. The golf course does remain closed, however.

Taking over the dormant Windmill Brewery spot in Dyer, Tiki’s Ribs and Tips Smokehouse has opened its doors for business. Serving up classic BBQ and soul fare like rib tips, jerk chicken, candied yams and mixed greens, Tiki’s is located at 2121 S. Gettler St.- near Franciscan hospital.

Ahead of his release on a $5 million surety bond, prosecutors in the case against the ringleader of the NWI sports gambling ring known as Jimmy the Greek (James Gerodemos) have filed a motion to halt his release. The prosecution wants an additional hearing to take place, arguing that Gerodemos is unfit for release given his history of obstruction and intimidation as well as concern over him being a flight risk. To read their full motion and get the whole story, click here.

The former Trailyard Restaurant has been acquired by Shirley Heinze Land Trust, who plans to turn the former outdoors attraction into a regional conservation center. The land trust protects over 4,000 acres of land and aims to make sure the space is preserved and open for the public to use as a hiking, birding, biking and outdoor space. The property where the old Trailyard Restaurant sat will be renovated and turned into the Land Trust’s new headquarters, as well.

A new Middle Eastern restaurant has opened its doors in Michigan City, courtesy of the owner of East Side Meats in LaPorte. Mashawee Grill evokes the vibe and passion of Turkish kebab shops, offering traditional fare like shawarma, hummus, and (of course) kebabs. The spot is open for carry-out only at the moment, located at 910 Franklin St..

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)

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