Music flowed through the hallway at Indiana University Northwest’s Savannah Center as residents walked in with folders in hand and questions on their minds. As the Thea Bowman Leadership Academy Drumline played classic hits to introduce the evening’s speakers, Gary welcomed a program with a clear objective: to bridge the housing gap in the Black […]
Rayonna Burton-Jernigan
Rayonna Burton-Jernigan is the Business and Economic Development reporter for Capital B Gary.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Gary Takes Center Stage as Michael Jackson Biopic Premieres at Home
After months of work, West Side Leadership Academy became the site of something rare: a movie premiere that felt like a homecoming. Monday night brought an exclusive early look at Michael, the upcoming biopic tracing Michael Jackson’s rise, with a focus on his roots in Gary. In attendance were Michael’s brothers Jackie Jackson, Marlon Jackson, […]
Posted inArts, Community
Gary Has No Movie Theater, but Organizers Brought the Michael Jackson Biopic Home
When Karen Toering heard that a biopic of Michael Jackson was in the works, a lightbulb went off in her head. Could the film be shown in Gary, the city where Jackson’s story began? “It’s easier to carry optimism than it is to carry doubt and anxiety,” Toering said. After months of organizing and outreach, […]
Posted inCommunity
Where to Get Free Food in Northwest Indiana This April
Free food distributions are scheduled across Northwest Indiana throughout April, offering groceries to residents in Gary and surrounding communities as many families continue to stretch their food budgets. Roughly 1 in 7 Northwest Indiana residents are considered food insecure, meaning they do not have consistent access to enough food. Even for those receiving assistance, support […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
How Gary Lost a $5 Billion Jackson Family Theme Park Deal
For a brief moment in the mid-1990s, Gary stood on the edge of a radically different future. City leaders and members of the Jackson family began discussing plans for a theme park in Gary, an idea that soon expanded into something far more ambitious. Envisioned as a destination on par with Graceland, the home of […]
Posted inArts, Community, Events, History
Gary Residents Are Invited to Share Michael Jackson Memories Ahead of Premiere
When chatter started about a potential Michael Jackson biographical picture being produced, the gears in the Gary International Black Film Festival’s team’s mind started to turn. “How could we celebrate our native son?” was the question they all asked as rumors turned into teasers and trailers for the film that began to drop into the […]
Posted inPublic Services
Gary to Build $1.4M Animal Control Facility to Replace Aging Shelter
One of Gary’s most vulnerable communities — its animals — will welcome a new home this year after a collaboration between community partners. Gary officials announced Thursday that the city will build a $1.4 million animal control facility to replace its deteriorating animal shelter at 625 W. Ninth Place and improve services for animals and […]
Posted inCommunity
Where to Get Free Food in Northwest Indiana This March
Churches, nonprofits, and government agencies across Northwest Indiana are hosting free food distributions throughout March as some families adjust to tighter federal work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients. The updated rules apply to able-bodied adults ages 18 to 64 without dependents and eliminate several long-standing exemptions. To continue receiving benefits, affected recipients must […]
Posted inEducation, Higher Education
Gary High School Partners With Indiana Universities to Offer Free College Degrees
The gym at 21st Century Academy buzzed with chatter Friday as elementary, middle, and high school students gathered in the stands. Excitement rippled through the crowd as they waited to hear the big announcement: They could get a college degree at no cost while still in high school. “We will not just give the money, […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Loose Dogs Leave Some Gary Residents Wary of Walking Their Own Blocks
When Penelope Love walks out of her Aetna home, some days she doesn’t know if it will be a good day or a day she may have to fight. And it’s all because of loose dogs. “Nobody wants to encounter a pack of dogs in any kind of situation,” she said. Over the past several […]