CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS IN CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION
Rep. Frank J. Mrvan is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for high school students from Indiana’s First Congressional District. Each year, the Congressional Institute and members of the U.S. House of Representatives sponsor the competition to promote the artistic talent in each Congressional District. All artwork submissions and application forms must be brought to Congressman Mrvan’s office no later than 5 p.m. April 17. Artwork will only be accepted at the Merrillville District Office, 8001 Broadway, Suite 102, Merrillville. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional information, including guidelines and application forms, can be found at https://mrvan.house.gov/services/art-competition, or contact Drew Ficociello at 219-795-1844 or Drew.Ficociello@mail.house.gov.
PORTER COUNTY COMPOST SITES OPEN FOR SEASON
The Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County has announced that Boone Grove and Portage compost sites will reopen for the season on Monday, March 16. The Portage and Boone Grove sites will open with regular hours of 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Valparaiso compost site will extend operating hours to 8 a.m.-5 p.m. beginning March 16. For more information on accepted items and site-specific details, visit PorterCountyRecycling.org or contact info@PorterCountyRecycling.org.
GARY LIBRARY HOSTS AUTHORS, CHESS TOURNAMENT, JAZZ
Gary Public Library will host a variety of upcoming programs. All events are open to the public and will be held at the Main Library, 220 W. Fifth Ave. Two hometown authors will be featured at the library: Carmen McKee, the co-founder of Oases Botanic Gardens in Gary and author of “Edible Flora: A Culinary Guide,” at 5 p.m. Tuesday and on March 17; and Ventress Jackson, author of the book “Trophies” at 5 p.m. Thursday. Jackson has been involved with youth development and team sports in Gary for more than 30 years. The monthly Chess Tournament will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. All ages are welcome. The library’s Sunday Jazz Concert program will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Co-sponsored by the Greater Gary American Jazz Association, special guest will be I.C.y Quartet featuring Ivy Campbell, trumpet; Garett Crowe, drums; Seith Arnold, bass/guitar; Benjamin Gerardi, keys; Olivia Pierce, vocalist; and Chris Young, vocalist. Enter on the north side of the library; free parking in the north parking lot. The library will be closed; no library service will be available. Seating is limited. For more information, visit https://www.garypubliclibrary.org.
WORLD CULTURAL FESTIVAL HOLDS PLANNING MEETING
The community is invited to attend the first Planning Committee meeting for the World Cultural Festival at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, Room 204, 201 N. Washington, Valparaiso. Organizers will share the vision for this year’s festival, outline key planning areas, and begin coordinating teams for programming, sponsorships, volunteers, marketing and logistics. The World Cultural Festival is a family-friendly event featuring live performances, international cuisine, children’s activities, community booths and the Parade of Nations. The Festival will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 20. To volunteer, visit https://valpovic.org/?page_id=715. More information can be found at https://valpovic.org/?page_id=4725.
CALUMET TOWNSHIP HOLDS FOOD DISTRIBUTION
The Calumet Township Trustee’s Office will host their March food distribution program to support families experiencing food insecurity within the community. The distributions will take place on Thursday and again on March 26 at the Calumet Township Multipurpose Center, 1900 W. 41st Ave., Gary. Registration begins at 8 a.m., with drive-thru pre-packaged distribution immediately following registration, while supplies last. This event is open to residents of Gary and unincorporated Calumet Township. A valid ID is required at the time of registration. Distribution is limited to one per household. For more information, call 219-880-4913.
CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON I-94 IN PORTER, LAPORT COUNTIES
Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors LP will have lane closures on Interstate 94 between Indiana 49 and U.S. 421 beginning on or after Sunday, March 15. Overnight lane closures will occur from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one evening to set up a median work zone to the west of U.S. 421 for approximately three miles. I-94 will maintain two travel lanes in each direction during construction, with lane shifts to accommodate the location of the work zone. This construction contract will be conducted over two years.
VALPARAISO INVITES PUBLIC TO ‘MAP THE VISION’
Residents are invited to attend an interactive “Map the Vision” night to help shape the future of Valparaiso. The event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 18 at Harre Union on the Valparaiso University campus, 1509 Chapel Drive, Valparaiso. Map the Vision night is a key step as the City of Valparaiso updates its Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance in 2026. These plans will guide future growth and direct development over the next 20-plus years. The plan will address areas such as land use, transit and roadways, facilities, services, recreation and community identity. Residents may also share their thoughts by taking the online survey at www.tinyurl.com/ValpoQs.
ORGANIZATIONS, NON-PROFITS SOUGHT FOR REUSE FAIR
Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction District will host the 2026 NWI Earth Day Reuse Fair from 9 to 11:30 a.m. April 18 at the Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso. The Reuse Fair aims to keep valuable items out of landfills by encouraging the donation of reusable items to organizations in need. Organizations interested in receiving donations must register by emailing sarah@portercountyrecycling.org. Due to space constraints, participating organizations are asked to provide a wish list of up to 10 reusable items. Wish list items should not include food or new items. A representative from each organization must be present during the entire collection period to ensure efficient distribution. A finalized list of acceptable donations will be published once a sufficient number of registered organizations is reached. This list will help guide community members in their contributions. For more information email sarah@portercountyrecycling.org or call 219-465-3694.
