Valparaiso housing-transit director Beth Shrader

The city of Valparaiso continues to grow. About 26 acres owned by Franciscan Alliance were annexed by the city council Monday.

The city of Valparaiso is set to get bigger. The city council Monday adopted an annexation ordinance adding 200 acres of land near State Road 49 and Vale Park Road.

Valparaiso has begun the process of annexing land for its future Sports and Recreation Complex. The city council Monday approved a fiscal plan and introduced an annexation ordinance.

The city of Valparaiso is trying to balance future downtown growth with the character of surrounding neighborhoods. The city council Monday formally accepted the Elevate Valpo plan as its vision for the downtown area.

Starting September 1, the single-ride ChicaGO Dash ticket will go from eight to nine dollars, a 10-ride ticket from $70 to $80 and a monthly pass from $230 to $250 dollars. The fare for the South Shore Connect bus will double to two dollars.

Today: Beth Shrader, the city of Valparaiso's planning and transit director, is on "Regionally Speaking" to talk about the just-released comprehensive…