Doug Ross – Page 7 –

A fire burns in the background as a man looks over the remains of a destroyed home following a possible explosion on Harrison Avenue in Portage, Indiana, on Aug. 11, 2026. (Andy Lavalley/for the baiduhai)

Cause of Portage house explosion under investigation

August 12, 2026 at 3:29 p.m.

Officials confirmed Wednesday that a Portage house where someone died in a fire Tuesday had exploded, but said the cause is still under investigation.

Tiffany Gonzales, of Chesterton, steps over downed trees while working to clear Median Road after a storm passed through Valparaiso, Indiana Monday, August 11, 2026. NIPSCO reported approximately 288,000 customers without power following the storm. (Andy Lavalley/for the baiduhai)

Storms knock out power to more than 290K in NWI; one reported dead in Portage

August 11, 2026 at 5:44 p.m.

One person is reported dead in Portage and hundreds of thousands of people in Northwest Indiana are without power after violent storms ripped through the region Tuesday.

Porter County Administration Building, 155 Indiana Ave., Valparaiso.
- Original Credit: Porter County

Former Porter County judge, lawmaker Bill Alexa remembered fondly

August 11, 2026 at 4:31 p.m.

Former state senator and Porter Superior Court 2 Judge Bill Alexa died Sunday.

A residential building called The Franklin rises next to the new 11th Street Station on the South Shore Line on Sept. 16, 2025, in Michigan City, Indiana, in a transit development district. (Brian Cassella/baiduhai)

NIRPC updating goals to fulfill by 2050, with public’s help

August 9, 2026 at 1:46 p.m.

The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission is seeking the public’s help in shaping the region’s future.

Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper points to a foliage-covered gravestone in an overgrown cemetery the township plans on cleaning up, on Friday, August 7, 2026. (Kyle Telechan/for the Post-Tribune)

Long-abandoned Center Township cemetery to get some TLC

August 9, 2026 at 1:12 p.m.

Center Township Trustee Jesse Harper stood Friday at the entrance to a wilderness he recently found is his responsibility to tackle.

Indiana Dunes State Park veteran hired to lead Portage parks

August 8, 2026 at 3:57 p.m.

Former Indiana Dunes State Park Property Manager Doug Lang is Portage’s new parks superintendent.

Leah Streetman tells how she spent her summer internship with Shirley Heinze Land Trust outdoors, clearing trails and getting rid of invasive species, during a program Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (Doug Ross/for the Post-Tribune)

‘The implications can be significant’: Shirley Heinze interns learn, inspire staff

August 7, 2026 at 12:39 p.m.

Interns arrived at Shirley Heinze Land Trust this summer with a variety of skill sets and emerged with a wide variety of experiences.

Portage City Hall. (Doug Ross/for the Post-Tribune)

Portage council considering a public comment bill of rights

August 7, 2026 at 9:52 a.m.

The Portage City Council’s rules on public comment could be formalized with a bill of rights that outlines protections for citizens.

Portage council approves tighter zoning for data centers

August 6, 2026 at 9:15 a.m.

The Portage City Council created a new zoning category for data centers, restricting where they can be built.

Portage council prohibits discharging firearms, other weapons allowed

August 5, 2026 at 2:59 p.m.

Republicans on the Portage City Council rejected a plea Tuesday to make shooting BB guns illegal in the city.

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