Paper, cardboard, or plastic? For Gary residents, the question just got more complicated. Starting next month, the city will suspend curbside recycling, a move city officials say is necessary due to rising costs. Instead, residents will be able to recycle at four monitored drop-off locations throughout the city, where paper, clean plastics, and broken-down cardboard […]
Jenae Barnes
Jenae Barnes is Capital B Gary's health and environment reporter. You can reach Jenae at jenae.barnes@capitalbnews.org.
Posted inExtreme Weather, Public Services
Gary Warming Centers: Where to Go During Extreme Cold
As Gary braces for a blast of bitter cold, the city has expanded its network of warming centers to protect residents from subzero temperatures expected in the coming days. Among the options is a newly reopened Ambridge-Mann Community Center on Fourth Avenue, providing critical overnight shelter for families, children, and the elderly at risk from […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
How Gary Residents Made Strides Toward a Cleaner, Greener City in 2024
From a citywide clean-up campaign to resisting the arrival of behemoth polluting facilities, the fight to make Gary greener and more sustainable never stops. Gary, one of Indiana’s most polluted areas, is burdened by toxic air pollution, flagrant zoning and land use violations, and decades of economic disinvestment, which only heighten the stakes of the […]
Posted inUtilities
‘People Over Profits’: Hoosiers Protest NIPSCO Rate Hike Proposal
Colin Sanders, a licensed plumber and father of three, recently “celebrated” his lowest NIPSCO bill yet — a staggering $400, down from his usual $1,100. For Patricia Joyner, a preschool teacher and single mother, the weight of NIPSCO’s high costs hits even harder: She pays over $400 of her elderly mother’s $500 bill, leaving little […]
Posted inCommunity
This Thanksgiving, Gary’s Urban Gardens are Giving Back With Fresh Food
Photographs by Javonte Anderson/Capital B Across Gary, urban gardens have transformed vacant lots and neglected parks into vibrant spaces for growing fresh, healthy food. This holiday season, these community-driven efforts took on a new significance, as the gardens provided food to residents in need, turning once-forgotten land into a source of nourishment and holiday generosity. […]
Posted inUtilities
How Lead Pipes Are Being Removed From Gary
In a historic first for the country, the Environmental Protection Agency last month ordered the replacement of lead pipes in drinking water systems within the next 10 years to combat toxic exposure that has endangered public health for decades. The mandate could be a game-changer for cities like Gary, which struggles with aging infrastructure and […]
Posted inUtilities
Your NIPSCO Bill Could Increase in 2025. Here’s How Much.
NIPSCO, Indiana’s largest natural gas and second-largest electric company, plans to raise its average electricity bill by $32 a month — a proposal that would significantly increase costs for its customers statewide. If approved, the hike would begin in the fall of 2025. For Gary residents, especially those on fixed incomes, the proposed increase adds […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘Sick of the Divide’: What Drove Gary Residents to the Polls
Gary voters turned out amid cloud cover and rain showers on Election Day. While the presidential ticket pits Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump, local contests also hold high stakes. Voters are choosing congressional representatives, deciding on a new governor, and weighing in on three critical statehouse races — each decision shaping […]
Posted inAir Pollution, Health, Maternal Health
Toxic Air, Limited Care: The Risks of Pregnancy in Gary
This series was produced as part of the Pulitzer Center’s StoryReach U.S. Fellowship. Kimmie Gordon sat in her car, watching the sky darken as she waited for her 15-year-old son, Kaleb, to finish football practice. It is one of five sports her teenager plays despite living with chronic asthma. Over an hour stretched on, but […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Health
Gary’s Steel Industry Is Linked to Increased Health Risks and Lower Life Expectancy
Growing up in Gary, Dr. Beverly Lewis knew her family’s health issues were severe — but she didn’t know why. It wasn’t until years later, as a medical professional, that she connected the environmental hazards in her hometown to her family’s suffering. Her brother died of asthma. Her father, a former steelworker in East Chicago, […]