Members of the Gary Teachers Union and concerned residents filled the union office for a standing-room-only meeting Thursday to discuss the Gary Community School Corporation’s decision to enlist virtual teachers amid a nationwide teacher shortage. On July 9, the Gary School Board voted to retain Proximity, a company based in Austin, Texas, to supply up […]
Calvin Davis
Calvin Davis is Capital B Gary's government and politics reporter. You can reach Calvin at calvin.davis@capitalbnews.org.
Posted inEconomy
Congressional Visit to Gary Spotlights Urgent Need for Workforce Training in Northwest Indiana
U.S. Reps. Frank Mrvan, Gary’s representative in the U.S. House, and Nikki Budzinski, D-Illinois, hosted a workforce development roundtable Wednesday in Gary focused on expanding federal investment in job training and education. Held at the United Steelworkers Local 1066 union hall, the discussion brought together union leaders, educators, and nonprofits from across Northwest Indiana to […]
Posted inCommunity, Sports
6 Hometown Heroes Inducted Into the Gary Sports Hall of Fame
Six Gary sports legends each had their name and likeness immortalized in Gary sports lore Friday at the fourth annual Gary Sports Hall of Fame Ceremony. The list of inductees spanned multiple generations of Gary sports history, from world-renowned track and field stars and coaches like Marce Gonzalez Sr., who graduated from Froebel High School […]
Posted inElections, Health, Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, Mental Health, Politics & Policy
New Indiana Laws Could Strip Health Coverage, Voting Access in Gary
New state laws that took effect July 1 are drawing attention across Indiana, particularly in places like Gary, where access to health care and the ballot box is already uneven. In a city like Gary, where voter turnout is often low and civic trust is fragile, the new laws raise the stakes ahead of the […]
Posted inCommunity, Local Government
Love Your Block Grants Help Gary Residents Rebuild Their Neighborhoods
At 2109 Adams St. in Gary, a small community park is coming back to life not just with flowers and fences, but with purpose. A stage, once overlooked, will soon host spoken word events. A newly paved path leads into the city’s first handicap-accessible community garden, surrounded by a safety fence built with children and […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health, News
Gary Launches Behavioral Health Division, Awarding $900K to 10 Local Health Organizations
Gary is launching a new Behavioral Health Division and awarding $900,000 in grants to local organizations, marking a major step in the city’s effort to expand access to mental health and addiction services. At a press conference on Thursday, Mayor Eddie Melton announced the new division along with the recipients of the funding while highlighting […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Gary Residents Could Soon Be Free From Vehicle Emissions Testing
After years of debate, Gary residents may soon see an end to the every-other-year vehicle emissions testing that’s long been required in Lake and Porter counties, thanks to a push state lawmakers are making to end it. The policy, a holdover from decades-old federal air quality regulations, has disproportionately impacted working-class residents in Northwest Indiana. […]
Posted inEducation, Youth
Pre-K Access Shrinks in Lake County and Gary as State Cuts Budget
Lake County families are bracing for the fallout of major cuts to Indiana’s On My Way Pre-K, the state’s first full-scale preschool program for low-income 4-year-olds, which advocates warn could severely limit access to early childhood education in communities already struggling with inequity. The program allows families to use state vouchers at participating public and […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
July 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
Gary officials will tackle zoning changes, paid parking at the lakefront, and long-planned park upgrades during meetings throughout July. The city’s infrastructure remains a focus as officials advance upgrades to pump stations and other critical systems.The Common Council’s first meeting of July will be held at the Gary Public Library on Fifth Avenue, temporarily moving […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Housing, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
A Walkable, Mixed-Use Future : Inside the Plan to Rebuild Gary’s Downtown
What began as an opportunity last summer for Gary residents to share their hopes and conceptions for a reimagined downtown has become an in-depth master plan produced by the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture in partnership with the city. After weeks of talking with neighbors and months of behind-the-scenes preparations, the final blueprint […]