Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Indiana last week reignited a partisan clash over redistricting, with Republican leaders welcoming his support for the effort and Democrats accusing the GOP of trying to undermine voting rights. The visit, which included discussions on redistricting with Gov. Mike Braun and state lawmakers, drew swift criticism from Indiana Democrats, […]
Politics & Policy
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
Gary Council Advances Plans for Convention Center, Eyes Rental Regulations
Gary city officials moved one step closer to making the long-awaited Lake County Convention Center a reality Monday night. The Common Council advanced an ordinance that sets up a special convention fund for city and state matched funds, along with private contributions from Hard Rock Casino, to jointly bankroll the project with new appropriations outlined […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
EPA Rollbacks Leave Gary at Risk From Air Pollution and Steel Emissions
In late July, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin appeared at an auto dealership in Indianapolis, just three hours away from the smoke stacks of the nation’s largest integrated steel mill, to unveil “one of the largest deregulation efforts in U.S. history.” It’s just one of the latest slashes to environmental safeguards affecting industrial communities […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
August 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
Gary’s Common Council dealt primarily with zoning issues during its meeting in July. As a result, two new auto dealerships have been greenlighted for Fifth Avenue on the city’s West Side. Starting today, the council will address short-term rentals in the Miller neighborhood as it issues a final vote today on the rezoning of a […]
Posted inElections, Health, Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, Mental Health, Politics & Policy
New Indiana Laws Could Strip Health Coverage, Voting Access in Gary
New state laws that took effect July 1 are drawing attention across Indiana, particularly in places like Gary, where access to health care and the ballot box is already uneven. In a city like Gary, where voter turnout is often low and civic trust is fragile, the new laws raise the stakes ahead of the […]
Posted inCommunity, Local Government
Love Your Block Grants Help Gary Residents Rebuild Their Neighborhoods
At 2109 Adams St. in Gary, a small community park is coming back to life not just with flowers and fences, but with purpose. A stage, once overlooked, will soon host spoken word events. A newly paved path leads into the city’s first handicap-accessible community garden, surrounded by a safety fence built with children and […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Gary Residents Could Soon Be Free From Vehicle Emissions Testing
After years of debate, Gary residents may soon see an end to the every-other-year vehicle emissions testing that’s long been required in Lake and Porter counties, thanks to a push state lawmakers are making to end it. The policy, a holdover from decades-old federal air quality regulations, has disproportionately impacted working-class residents in Northwest Indiana. […]
Posted inEducation, Partner Content, Politics & Policy
Money for Indiana After-School Programs, Professional Development in Limbo After Trump Freeze
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. An estimated $107 million in federal funds to support after-school programs, academic enrichment, English language learners, and more in Indiana are in limbo following a decision by the Trump administration to withhold the funding as it completes a program review. States […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
July 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
Gary officials will tackle zoning changes, paid parking at the lakefront, and long-planned park upgrades during meetings throughout July. The city’s infrastructure remains a focus as officials advance upgrades to pump stations and other critical systems.The Common Council’s first meeting of July will be held at the Gary Public Library on Fifth Avenue, temporarily moving […]
Posted inEconomic Development, Housing, Politics & Policy, Redevelopment
A Walkable, Mixed-Use Future : Inside the Plan to Rebuild Gary’s Downtown
What began as an opportunity last summer for Gary residents to share their hopes and conceptions for a reimagined downtown has become an in-depth master plan produced by the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture in partnership with the city. After weeks of talking with neighbors and months of behind-the-scenes preparations, the final blueprint […]
