Domonique Smith is no stranger to risk. In her last shift as a firefighter before claiming maternity leave, Smith, then two months pregnant with her daughter and armed with pregnancy strength, fought four fires in a single day. But when it was time to give birth to her daughter, Smith wasn’t taking any chances. Smith, […]
Jenae Barnes
Jenae Barnes is Capital B Gary's health and environment reporter. You can reach Jenae at jenae.barnes@capitalbnews.org.
Posted inCommunity
Solar Eclipse Mesmerizes Gary: ‘Feels Like Watching God Do His Work’
Gary joined millions nationwide in witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse, a phenomenon that will not reoccur in the area for decades. The eclipse’s view began in Northwest Indiana at 2:07 CT pm. and was expected to be up to 97% totality in the area, according to meteorologist Zachary Yack with the National Weather service in Chicago. […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
IDEM’s Latest Climate Action Plan Is Up for Review. Will Gary Benefit?
A crucial next step that could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Gary is underway. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management applied for an Environmental Protection Agency implementation grant this week. IDEM submitted its Priority Climate Action Plan, a proposal that included projects with greenhouse gas reduction measures and input from community surveys and Hoosiers […]
Posted inPublic Services, Utilities
Heads Up, Gary: Water Bill Rates Are Starting to Climb
Indiana American Water Co.’s decision to increase water rates recently took effect, to the surprise of some Gary residents. The rate hike, intended to cover operating costs and infrastructure investments, sparked protests and concerns about affordability and quality of service last fall. Residents say that the new increase, while less than the company initially proposed, […]
Posted inCommunity
New Flash-Frozen Facility in Gary Promises Fresh Produce
Faith Farm and Orchard marked a milestone in its urban farming journey by unveiling a new flash-frozen kitchen facility in Gary’s Emerson neighborhood. The ceremony on Thursday began with a group prayer in the freezer and kettle-filled kitchen. A lineup of city and county officials, health professionals, and food justice advocates then talked about the […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, State Government
What the Latest Environmental, Health Laws Mean for Gary
Indiana state lawmakers passed a number of environmental and health-related bills this past legislative session that could affect Gary. Meanwhile, some bills that would have potentially impacted the city were left on the cutting room floor. From wetlands protection to radon testing, Capital B Gary took a closer look at the legislation that passed and […]
Posted inCommunity Spotlight
From Fashionista to Entrepreneur: Gary Business Owner Builds Her Dream Boutique
Among a group of stores with black and white signage in Merrillville’s Southlake Mall, a bright pink storefront stands out from the crowd: MJ’s Boutique. Inside, customers find shimmery dresses and denim jumpsuits hanging next to colorful blouses and racks of knee-length boots. Bouquets of pink roses are sprinkled across the store, and rows of […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Inside Gary’s Battle Over a Planned Pollutant Waste Plant
This story was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative at Wake Forest University. A single, winding road stretching off of 35th Avenue is punctuated with a sign on each side. On one is the name of a school: Steel City Academy. Directly across, obscured among foot-tall reeds, […]
Posted inCommunity
Meet Gary’s New Health Commissioner, Dr. Janet Seabrook
Long before Dr. Janet Seabrook was an award-winning physician and public health leader in Gary, she was just a kindergartener with a dream. She remembers visiting her pediatrician one day and deciding she wanted to be a doctor after the physician let Seabrook listen to her heartbeat with a stethoscope. “I said, ‘I’d like to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Gary Sees Hope: Homicides Drop as Community Bands Together
This story was published in partnership with The Trace. Michelle Pratchet can’t remember the last time she heard gunshots. The newfound quiet is a welcome change for the 54-year-old, who was born and raised in Gary, a city often stigmatized for its history of violence. “I just look at it like this: Wherever you live, […]