A partly cloudy sky Monday could do nothing to damper the beaming pride of a city as it honored one of its brightest stars, former Mayor Richard G. Hatcher, with a rechristening of Grant Street as Richard Gordon Hatcher Boulevard. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton — just the seventh mayor since Hatcher — recalled seeking the […]
Politics & Policy
Posted inEducation, Local Government, Public Meetings
October 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
With the city’s proposed 2026 budget heading to a public hearing on Oct. 7 and a final adoption set for Oct. 21, residents will have a brief window to voice their priorities. This year’s process is under greater scrutiny as Gary faces tightening property tax revenues and less flexibility in American Rescue Plan Act-backed spending. […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
$15 Million Headed to Gary for Downtown Revitalization, Blight Removal
Gary will receive $15 million to help revitalize neighborhoods that have suffered from decades of disinvestment. The funding is part of a statewide initiative by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. to support 17 projects with $131 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. The $15 million for Gary is part of a broader $250 million effort aimed […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
How Gary Is Stopping Illegal Dumping Across the City Before It Starts
In the new series From Harm to Healing, Capital B is putting a spotlight on how pollution and environmental dangers are threatening Black communities, and the people who are working to fight back against these threats to health. Photographs by Javonte Anderson/Capital B A man stood in the bed of a pickup truck, his head on […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, Local Government
Health Inspectors Threatened as Gary Cracks Down on Unsafe Food Businesses
In the wake of multiple temporary store closures following a wave of citywide health inspections, the City of Gary and the Gary Police Department confirmed today that the Gary Health Department received a threatening phone call directed toward its inspectors. “This type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Gary Police Chief […]
Posted inHealth, Public Safety
Gary Health Crackdown Shutters Stores Over Mold, Mice and Safety Hazards
In a sweeping crackdown on food safety, the city of Gary has temporarily closed several grocery stores and restaurants in recent weeks after inspections uncovered multiple health and building code violations. City officials say the closures are part of a coordinated effort to raise standards and hold businesses accountable. The enforcement push has already affected […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
Gary Council Rejects Redistricting Move, Questions Rezoning Proposal
In a resounding vote on Tuesday, the Gary Common Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing potential plans by Indiana Gov. Mike Braun and the Indiana General Assembly to hold a special session and redistrict ahead of the 2030 census. “The fact they’re trying to redistrict within a 10-year period is unacceptable, and they publicly have […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Government
How New Congressional Maps May Reshape Gary’s Political Future
Every 10 years, congressional maps that decide who holds power in Congress are redrawn. This year, however, talk of an early redistricting threatens to shift that balance. After a heavily publicized visit to Indiana earlier this month by Vice President JD Vance, who discussed redistricting with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Indiana Republicans traveled this week […]
Posted inEducation, Politics & Policy
Gary Wins $800K Grant as Funding Changes Loom
At Thursday night’s Gary Community School Corporation board meeting, district leaders shared news that brought both celebration and concern, highlighting the complicated road ahead for the city’s public schools. Renita Craig, director of curriculum and assessment, announced that Gary schools have secured an $800,000 Next Generation School Improvement Grant from the Indiana Department of Education. […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Government
Texas, Indiana Democrats Take Voting Rights Fight to Chicago
CHICAGO – With the carved image of Martin Luther King Jr. as their backdrop, state House Democrats from Indiana and Texas, in a show of cross-state solidarity, coalesced in Chicago’s Marquette Park to highlight their joint resistance against Republican-led redistricting plans. The meeting linked two minority caucuses from deeply conservative states, each facing legislatures dominated […]