Gary Mayor Eddie Melton updated residents on redevelopment projects, city services, and his administration’s stance on recent immigration enforcement actions during a packed community forum Tuesday night at Indiana University Northwest. The event came near the end of Melton’s second full year in office and provided updates on some major city initiatives, including the Genesis […]
Calvin Davis
Calvin Davis is Capital B Gary's government and politics reporter. You can reach Calvin at calvin.davis@capitalbnews.org.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Indiana Republicans Consider Redistricting That Could Weaken Gary’s Political Power
Indiana Republicans are weighing whether to redraw the state’s congressional map outside the normal 10-year cycle, a move that could weaken Democratic power in Northwest Indiana and reshape the state’s political balance. No formal proposal has been introduced, but conversations inside the Statehouse have intensified following Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Indianapolis last week, […]
Posted inCommunity, History, Politics & Policy
Gary Renames Grant Street in Honor of Former Mayor Richard Hatcher
A partly cloudy sky Monday could do nothing to damper the beaming pride of a city as it honored one of its brightest stars, former Mayor Richard G. Hatcher, with a rechristening of Grant Street as Richard Gordon Hatcher Boulevard. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton — just the seventh mayor since Hatcher — recalled seeking the […]
Posted inBusiness, Economic Development
‘Just The Beginning’: Gary Breaks Ground on $60 Million FedEx Distribution Center
Less than six months after announcing its arrival during his State of the City address, Mayor Eddie Melton christened what will become Gary’s new FedEx distribution center. Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony at 1 Buffington Harbor, which took place even as crews were at work on the 317,000-square foot facility, was attended by officials from every level […]
Posted inEducation, Local Government, Public Meetings
October 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
With the city’s proposed 2026 budget heading to a public hearing on Oct. 7 and a final adoption set for Oct. 21, residents will have a brief window to voice their priorities. This year’s process is under greater scrutiny as Gary faces tightening property tax revenues and less flexibility in American Rescue Plan Act-backed spending. […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
$15 Million Headed to Gary for Downtown Revitalization, Blight Removal
Gary will receive $15 million to help revitalize neighborhoods that have suffered from decades of disinvestment. The funding is part of a statewide initiative by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to support 17 projects with $131 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. The $15 million for Gary is part of a broader $250 million effort aimed […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
How Gary Is Stopping Illegal Dumping Across the City Before It Starts
In the new series From Harm to Healing, Capital B is putting a spotlight on how pollution and environmental dangers are threatening Black communities, and the people who are working to fight back against these threats to health. Photographs by Javonte Anderson/Capital B A man stood in the bed of a pickup truck, his head on […]
Posted inEconomy
How Gary Decides Its City Budget and When Residents Get a Say
Every fall, Gary leaders hash out one of the most important plans of the year: the city budget. It decides how much money goes to things like police, fire, streets, parks, and keeping the lights on at City Hall. For the past three years, the city’s budget has been inflated by American Rescue Plan Act […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, Local Government
Health Inspectors Threatened as Gary Cracks Down on Unsafe Food Businesses
In the wake of multiple temporary store closures following a wave of citywide health inspections, the City of Gary and the Gary Police Department confirmed today that the Gary Health Department received a threatening phone call directed toward its inspectors. “This type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Gary Police Chief […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
Gary Council Rejects Redistricting Move, Questions Rezoning Proposal
In a resounding vote on Tuesday, the Gary Common Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing potential plans by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and the Indiana General Assembly to hold a special session and redistrict ahead of the 2030 census. “The fact they’re trying to redistrict within a 10-year period is unacceptable, and they publicly have […]