Eight days after a historic storm knocked out power to most of Gary, a NIPSCO official announced that the utility is targeting 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, to fully restore power to the city. For some Gary residents, that could mean nearly two weeks without electricity. Melody Birmingham, executive vice president and utilities group president […]
Local Government
Posted inPublic Safety, Utilities
Gary Residents Turn to Each Other as Storm Recovery Stretches Into a Second Week
The trees lining West Seventh Avenue in front of the former Brunswick Elementary School had weathered decades of storms, their thick trunks and sprawling roots becoming fixtures of the neighborhood. Within minutes, those roots were lifted up by a force of wind stronger than the area had seen before. “Those trees have been there longer […]
Posted inPublic Safety, Utilities
Days After Historic Storm, Thousands in Gary Are Still in the Dark
Nearly a week after a historic storm ripped through Northwest Indiana with hurricane-force winds, more than 100,000 NIPSCO customers remained without power Monday morning as communities continued grappling with widespread damage and disruptions. As NIPSCO crews worked through the weekend to repair the battered electrical system after the Aug. 11 storm, federal assistance was also […]
Posted inPublic Safety, Utilities
Gary Declares Disaster Emergency After Storm Leaves Thousands Without Power
The city of Gary declared a local disaster emergency Wednesday after a powerful storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts tore through Northwest Indiana and parts of Illinois, causing widespread destruction, leaving thousands without electricity, and disrupting daily life across the region. Tuesday’s severe weather produced wind gusts exceeding 100 mph, heavy rain, and lightning. The storm […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
August 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
A busy month lies ahead for Gary officials as demolition begins at Broadway Manor, budget season gets underway and several major projects continue to move through the city’s boards and city council. The Gary Housing Authority confirmed this week that demolition is moving forward on the Broadway Manor public housing complex, on the 1200 block […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings
Gary Invests $1.4 Million in Homeless Shelter as Sleeping Outside Carries New Penalties
Gary is putting roughly $1.4 million toward a new homeless shelter at a moment when the availability of a bed could mean the difference between a place to sleep and a criminal charge. The City Council approved the money for Brothers’ Keeper as a new Indiana law raises the stakes for people sleeping outside. They […]
Posted inCommunity, Criminal Justice, Public Safety
Gary’s Homicide Rate Falls to Its Lowest Point in More Than 50 Years
For a city that once held the highest murder rate in the country in the early 1990s, reducing gun violence has been a central focus of city leaders for the past quarter of a century. Last year, Gary recorded 28 homicides, the city’s lowest total in 55 years. The drop was accompanied by a nearly […]
Posted inElections, Local Government, Politics & Policy, State Government
Early Voting Underway in Indiana as Gary Voters Decide Key Local Races
The 2026 midterm voting season kicked off in Indiana this week as polls opened for early voting to considerably less fanfare than the last time voters gathered here to vote in 2024. Poll workers sat idle for most of the morning into the afternoon before placing their lunch orders as voters trickled in at a […]
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 inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
Gary Takes Next Step on $100 Million Lake County Convention Center
Gary officials moved a long-discussed Lake County Convention Center closer to reality, approving a key step that allows the city to begin negotiating costs for the project planned next to the Hard Rock Casino. At its March 24 meeting, the Gary Common Council approved a resolution allowing the city to begin working with a selected […]
