Life in the Spotlight

“It was super surreal to know that I had achieved something most people never imagine to happen to them, like something out of a movie, like I was living out my teenage dream,” said Portage High School (PHS) Senior Jacob Aviles.  The...

Since Chuck Salerno was a young child, he has been involved and fascinated by the automotive industry. At the age of six, Salerno and his father began working on their first car together. That first vehicle was a '55 Chevy, and to this day Salerno...

Robert Gutierrez is a firefighter and paramedic in South Haven, working in South Haven for nearly seven years now. Gutierrez started with volunteer work in South Haven and then worked as an EMT. From there he became a firefighter, and as soon as he...

Fresh out of the Firefighter Academy and Probationary Rookie of the Year; Jessica Pruitt is more than ecstatic to have chosen her career path as a firewoman. Pruitt decided to become a firefighter a year and a half ago while finishing her degree at...

This past February, Tracie Marshall was sworn in by the Portage mayor to receive the position of Superintendent for the Portage Utility Service Plants. For Marshall, this step up in her career was both a moment of joy and a moment of...

Randy Reeder starts his day by answering phone calls and solving problems. As the superintendent of the City of Portage Street and Sanitation Department, Reeder finds unique ways to serve the community every day. “We start each day at 7 a.m. sharp...

Gladys Espinosa has worked in a multitude of environments throughout her lifetime. As a pageant winner, public servant, business owner, and HR representative, it seems there's nothing Espinosa can't do. Espinosa is a former Miss Teenage Chicago, Miss...

Gabe Acevedo is a Portage police officer, husband, University of Illinois graduate, and more. In 2017, Acevedo graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He decided that getting his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice...

Stephanie Johnson is a woman with many talents ranging from being a stay-at-home mom to owning HAPPY Popcorn, a gourmet popcorn business in Portage. In 2018, Johnson decided that she wanted to create her own gourmet popcorn business. “Our claim to...

Richard Jones lived his adolescent life in Hobart, Ind. In 1984, Jones graduated from Hobart High School, and a few years later began his career in the heating and cooling industry.  Jones decided to start his career in...