Schools experience further delays due to storm damage
Several Northwest Indiana school districts are still without power and resources to reopen to students.
On Saturday, the School Town of Highland announced it’s tentatively scheduling the first day for teachers for Monday, August 24, and the first day for students for Tuesday, August 25 as its buildings do not have stable power sources and are operating on generators. But it emphasized that the dates could change depending on whether the district regains stable power to our buildings, how the walking conditions are for students traveling to their bus stops, and the driving conditions for bus drivers.
Gary Community Schools announced schools will be closed on Monday, Aug. 17 and Tuesday, Aug. 18. It has donated school supplies to the YWCA to support families. It will update with a possible reopening date in the next few days.
Meals, charging stations available at community support events
Northwest Indiana residents affected by the recent storms and ensuing power outages are welcome to enjoy a meal and other services at a series of customer support events sponsored by NIPSCO and its community partners. Bottled water, meals and snacks, device charging stations, storm safety information, customer assistance, restoration updates and other resources will be available. Lunch and dinner will be served at each location while supplies last. Sunday, Aug. 16 through Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026 Event hours: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT Lunch will be served starting at Noon, with 500 meals available, and dinner will start at 4:30 p.m., with 500 meals available
On Monday, events will be held at the La Porte Civic Auditorium, located at 1001 Ridge Street, and the Gary YWCA, located at 150 W. 15th Ave. Tuesday’s events will be at Merrillville’s Dean & Barbara White Community Center, located 6600 Broadway, and Highland’s Lincoln Center, located at 2450 Lincoln St.
Longtime rep honored with Prince Hall award
The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons recently awarded the 2026 Prince Hall Freedom Award to State Rep. Vernon G. Smith, D-Gary.
The Prince Hall Freedom Award recognizes individuals whose professional achievements and personal leadership have significantly advanced civil rights, human rights and the cause of freedom, a release said.
Smith earned the award based on his five decades in public service as a Gary Common Council member and Indiana State Representative, in addition to nearly six decades in education, serving as a teacher, principal and later a professor at Indiana University Northwest.
More Top Picks Drying Racks
Non-profits awarded $357K from Franciscan
A total of 57 non-profit organizations across Indiana will receive a boost through $357,000 in funding from Franciscan Health’s Social Impact Partnership Program for community health improvement programs.
SIPP is a community health enrichment program that builds partnerships with nonprofit health and human service agencies providing services in at-risk communities served by Franciscan Health, a release said. A committee of local Franciscan Health leaders selected the funding recipients in each geographic region.
Northern Indiana recipients included: Boys & Girls Club of Greater NWI, Chicagoland Immigrant Welcome Network, Community Help Network
Inc., Fair Haven Rape Crisis Center, Haven House Inc., Hope Christian Church, Indiana Medicaid Help Inc., Indiana Women in Need, InnerMission, Meals on Wheels of NWI Inc., Mental Health America of NWI, NERD Youth Services Inc., New Hope Too Community Center, St. Jude Domestic Violence Shelter, St. Mary Catholic Church, St. Michael’s, The Caring Place Inc., The Villages of Indiana Inc., TradeWinds Services Inc. and Veteran Impact Services Inc.
Also: Dunebrook Inc., Healing with Human Connection Inc., Hilltop Neighborhood House, Nest Community Shelter, Open Door Community Alliance Inc., Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, The Salvation Army of Michigan City and We All In Recovery, Inc.
Centier makes $15K donation to ag society
Centier Bank, Indiana’s largest private, family-owned and operated bank, is donating $15,000 to the Porter County Agricultural Society, according to a release.
Through Centier’s donation, the Porter County Agricultural Society will use the funds to purchase market hogs and potentially steers, through the 4-H Livestock Auction. The animals will then be processed into more than 10,000 pounds of usable meat and donated to local
Porter County food pantries, the release said.
The funds donated by Centier Bank will also help to strengthen the connection between local agriculture, youth development and hunger relief efforts through the Porter County Agricultural Society. The check presentation for this year’s donation took place July 30 at the Porter County Fairgrounds. In total, Centier Bank has contributed nearly $35,000 to the Porter County Agricultural Society over the past three years, the release said.
For more information about Centier Bank, visit centier.com.
Our Greater Good’s Legacy to continue
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana and Our Greater Good have announced a transition that will ensure the continuation of mentoring and family support services for youth across Northwest Indiana, a release said.
As part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organizations, Our Greater Good will transfer its remaining funding, resources, program materials and mentoring assets to BGCGNWI. Following the transition, Our Greater Good will formally dissolve as a nonprofit organization in Indiana no later than Sept. 1.
Current OGG mentors will be invited to continue serving youth through BGCGNWI’s mentoring and volunteer programs, pending the organization’s
standard background check process. Youth currently participating in OGG mentoring will be offered complimentary Boys & Girls Club memberships, the release said.
Physician joins Franciscan Michigan City
Dr. Hasan Qutob, an endocrinologist and internal medicine physician, is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting new patients in Michigan City.
Qutob earned his medical degree from Damascus University in Syria. He completed internal medicine residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed his fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, a release said.
He is accepting new patients for in-person and virtual visits at Franciscan Physician Network Coolspring Health Center, 1225 E. Coolspring Ave., Suite 2C in Michigan City. Call 219-877-1298.
Fanning Howey opens Crown Point office
Fanning Howey, an architecture, interiors and engineering firm specializing in learning environments, is expanding its Northwest Indiana presence with a new office in Crown Point, at 125 N. Main St.
Fanning Howey will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 20 at 3:30 p.m., followed immediately with an open house until 7 p.m.,
according to a release.
The 1,850-square-foot design studio includes a mix of workstations, collaboration areas and meeting space. The new office provides Fanning Howey’s Northwest Indiana team with a modern work environment and easy access to Crown Point’s downtown amenities, the release said.
Firm honors top employees in 2nd quarter
CLH CPAs & Consultants recently recognized two recipients of its 2026 R.I.K.I. Spotlight Awards during the second quarter of 2026.
Kayla (Gentry) Kranc, Senior Accountant, and Lisa Bedwell, Internal Accounting, were honored for their dedication and daily actions that exemplify the firm’s culture and values, a release said.
Kranc received the award for exemplifying CLH’s core values of knowledge and relationships through her initiative, collaboration and client service, while Bedwell was honored for consistently demonstrating CLH’s core values of integrity, knowledge and relationships through her leadership and dedication to the firm, the release said.