In his first State of the City address, delivered shortly after taking office, Mayor Eddie Melton laid out a vision for Gary’s future. A year later, he highlighted major development wins, including a $60 million FedEx distribution center, as the city competed for the Lake County Convention Center. On Tuesday, in his third address, Melton […]
Calvin Davis
Calvin Davis is Capital B Gary's government and politics reporter. You can reach Calvin at calvin.davis@capitalbnews.org.
Posted inCommunity, Criminal Justice, Public Safety
Gary’s Homicide Rate Falls to Its Lowest Point in More Than 50 Years
For a city that once held the highest murder rate in the country in the early 1990s, reducing gun violence has been a central focus of city leaders for the past quarter of a century. Last year, Gary recorded 28 homicides, the city’s lowest total in 55 years. The drop was accompanied by a nearly […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy
Six Developers Pitch New Future for Gary’s Genesis Center Site
For years, the Genesis Center has sat largely quiet in downtown Gary, a prominent site with little to show for its potential. Now, as city officials weigh six competing proposals to redevelop the long-vacant property, the decision is shaping up as more than a choice about a single project. It could determine what replaces one […]
Posted inElections, Local Government, Politics & Policy, State Government
Early Voting Underway in Indiana as Gary Voters Decide Key Local Races
The 2026 midterm voting season kicked off in Indiana this week as polls opened for early voting to considerably less fanfare than the last time voters gathered here to vote in 2024. Poll workers sat idle for most of the morning into the afternoon before placing their lunch orders as voters trickled in at a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
As Neighboring States Legalize, Gary Residents Still Risk Arrest Over Weed
Gary residents can legally buy marijuana less than an hour away in Illinois. Back home, they can still be arrested for having it. That contradiction is becoming harder to ignore in Northwest Indiana, where state leaders are once again weighing cannabis policy while leaving current laws largely unchanged. Indiana remains one of the few Midwestern […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
Gary Takes Next Step on $100 Million Lake County Convention Center
Gary officials moved a long-discussed Lake County Convention Center closer to reality, approving a key step that allows the city to begin negotiating costs for the project planned next to the Hard Rock Casino. At its March 24 meeting, the Gary Common Council approved a resolution allowing the city to begin working with a selected […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings
April 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
The Gary Redevelopment Commission moved forward on a mix of neighborhood and downtown initiatives, including a measure to expand the city’s sidelot program and taking steps tied to the future of the Genesis Center. The sidelot program allows homeowners to acquire adjacent vacant lots for maintenance or expansion, part of an ongoing effort to stabilize […]
Posted inLGBTQ, Politics & Policy
Indiana Blocks Gender Changes on IDs, Raising Risks for Trans Residents
Indiana residents can no longer change the gender on their driver’s licenses under an executive order from Gov. Mike Braun that requires state-issued identification to reflect a person’s assigned sex at birth. The policy, which went into effect Feb. 12, applies to all gender changes on Indiana-issued credentials, ending a long-standing Bureau of Motor Vehicles […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy, Utilities
Gary Residents Question Whether Data Centers Are Worth the Cost
Gary officials and residents are grappling with whether the city should welcome data centers amid concerns about environmental impacts, tax incentives, and strain on local infrastructure. During a public forum hosted by Common Council member Darren Washington, community members, environmental advocates, and residents discussed the potential benefits and liabilities of data center development in Gary. […]
Posted inEducation, Health, Politics & Policy, Utilities
Gary Lawmakers Warn New Laws Could Raise Energy Bills, Cut Medicaid Coverage
Gary residents could soon feel the effects of new state laws on everything from health care coverage to energy bills and public schools, local lawmakers warned last week. At a legislative town hall Saturday in Gary, state Sen. Mark Spencer and state Reps. Earl Harris Jr. and Vernon Smith walked residents through the changes, highlighting […]