For nearly a century, voters in Gary have helped choose who represents Northwest Indiana in Congress. Under a proposed redistricting map now moving through the Statehouse, that influence would be diluted across a far larger, nine-county district. The proposed congressional map advanced by Indiana House Republicans would dismantle Northwest Indiana’s current district and disperse Gary’s […]
Donald Trump
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, State Government
House Passes Redistricting Plan That Dilutes Black Votes in Gary
After months of partisan standoff, public outcry and pressure from the White House, the Indiana House of Representatives voted 57-41 on Friday to pass House Bill 1032, a congressional map that could reshape the state’s political landscape for decades. Frustration and discontent echoed through the Indiana Statehouse as hundreds of Hoosiers crowded outside the House […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Nationwide ‘No Kings’ Protests This Weekend Include Rallies in Gary and Chicago
On Saturday, Oct. 18, residents across Northwest Indiana and Chicago are expected to join a national series of “No Kings” protests. Organizers say the demonstrations are meant to show opposition to what they view as threats to democracy and government overreach. Republican leaders have sharply criticized the movement. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the planned […]
Posted inHistory
The Long Journey to Preserve Emmett Till’s Story, 70 Years After His Lynching
At about 9 a.m. local time on Thursday, the Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. arrived by train in Greenwood, Mississippi. He traveled for nearly 13 hours from Chicago aboard the Amtrak City of New Orleans. This first-of-its-kind commemorative ride was done to honor the life of his cousin and best friend, Emmett Till. Parker and Till […]
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 inCriminal Justice, Politics & Policy
Larry Hoover’s Federal Sentence Commuted. How Have Chicago Streets Changed?
Larry Hoover, founder of a notorious Chicago street gang who has spent the past three decades in solitary confinement in federal prison, was granted clemency by President Donald Trump on Wednesday — but his legal troubles are far from over. Hoover’s six life-term federal sentences have been commuted to time served, but he will serve […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Politics & Policy
Trump announces deal between Nippon and U.S. Steel
President Donald Trump on Friday announced a partnership between the U.S. Steel and Japanese steelmaker Nippon that he says will keep the headquarters in Pittsburgh and add billions of dollars to the U.S. Economy. “From Pennsylvania to Arkansas, and from Minnesota to Indiana, AMERICAN MADE is BACK,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth […]
Posted inEducation, Politics & Policy, State Government
Lawmakers End Racial and Ethnic Studies Course Mandate, Make More Education Changes as Session Ends
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Indiana lawmakers wrapped up the 2025 legislative session early Friday with a final vote on a two-year state budget that provides a 2% annual increase in funding for schools and establishes a universal school voucher program to begin next year. They also passed several education bills that are […]
Posted inEconomy, Money, Politics & Policy
Gary’s Seniors on Edge as Tariffs Threaten Their Savings
On a recent weekday afternoon, the Gary Public Library’s community room was filled with dozens of seniors seeking community, friendship, and a game of bingo. For members of the Senior Citizens Friendship Club, it’s a welcome escape from the stress and uncertainty of daily life. It offers a brief window to laugh, unwind, and connect […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
EPA Rollbacks Mean More Pollution, Less Justice for Black Communities
For a quarter of a century, a Black neighborhood in Beaumont, Texas, where Chris Jones lives has been the subject of two federal civil rights investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency that explore the role of race in his community’s disproportionately high levels of air pollution. In San Francisco, Kamillah Ealom’s neighborhood has been the […]