PORTAGEÂ â The transit development district being formed here promises to be like giving the cityâs northside master plan steroids.
âWe want to work with you to strengthen your community,â said Sherri Ziller, interim CEO of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.
âThe fact that Indiana Dunes is now a national park definitely ups the caliber of opportunities,â said consultant Aaron Kowalski of MKSK.
Portage is poised to be a destination for Chicagoans who want to enjoy Indiana Dunes National Park and other attractions in the area.
âThereâs quite a bit of opportunity here to do a variety of different things,â setting Portage apart from a number of other transit development district locations, MKSKâs Eric Lucas said.
Ready for a winter scavenger hunt? This one combines the brief focus of speed dating with the patience of bird-watching.
You adopt a 6-mile square. On one morning, select and visit 12 spots within that square, typically the habitat of a given bird. Spend no more than 5 minutes at each spot and look or listen for only the specific birds on your list. There are just a handful, and theyâre common enough that you donât need to be an expert to identify them: a white- or red-breasted nuthatch, Eastern bluebird, American goldfinch or Eastern towhee.
Then report your findings. The data will feed into the national Audubon Societyâs Climate Watch program, aimed at tracking how birds may be shifting their territories based on regional changes in weather and, as a result, habitat.
50 wonderful reasons to rediscover America – one for every state
We ve found an American adventure for everyone to mark the changing of the guard in Washington DC
America is full of epic trips
Credit: Getty
And so America has entered a new moment. After months of uncertainty and several weeks of (how shall we put it?) turbulence, a page has been turned, a fresh chapter begun.
Will the USA’s politics be less abrasive as a result of this changing of the guard? Perhaps. Will it be suddenly more attractive as a destination? No, not exactly. Because, while the events of recent history: the fractious discourse, the riot in Washington DC, the government by social media, have not painted the nation in the most appealing light, it takes a lot to dim the lustre of a country that, in terms of holidays, is an epic playground.
Heavy snow refreshed a lot of our trails and hills Tuesday, but it wasnât quite as thick as we needed for some of our local snow-sport destinations.
Then again, some parks in Berrien County already had a base and should be ready for play. And, prior to this latest storm, the Michigan s downhill ski resorts were already rockin it with lots of coverage.
You just gotta check before you go.
St. Patrickâs County Park in South Bend was rolling its cross-country ski trails Tuesday afternoon, though it wasnât deep enough to set tracks. And staff say that, after a couple of tubing parties this week, weâll see if the tubing hill stays snow-covered for public use this weekend.Â
Downtown Griffith
Taxidermy raccoons with Cracker Jack boxes are a longtime gimmick produced at American Natural Resources. Kale Wilk, The Times
Downtown Griffith
Greg Kelley, worker at G&G Hobbies in Griffith, takes a customerâs phone call at the store. Kale Wilk, The Times
Downtown Griffith
Billy Ozzello is the owner of Billy O s Dynamite Music in Griffith. Kale Wilk, The Times
Downtown Griffith
Hammond/Munster, basketball
Munsterâs Jeremiah Lovett looks to pass as Hammondâs, from left, Julius Byrd, Harold Woods and Darrell Reed defend Thursday night in nonconference play at Munster. John Luke, The times
Hammond/Munster, basketball