Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Health, Politics & Policy

Gary Common Council Backs Medicare for All, Presses Nippon for Cleaner Air

The Gary Common Council unanimously approved two resolutions Tuesday night backing Medicare for All and urging U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel to invest in cleaner steelmaking technology at Gary Works. The measures are symbolic and carry no legal force. Together, however, they add Gary’s voice to national debates over expanding healthcare coverage and modernizing one […]

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 inPolitics & Policy, Public Meetings

June 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary

Many of the decisions regarding infrastructure, housing, and development projects will be finalized in the coming months.  The Gary Redevelopment Commission is laying the groundwork for the pending demolition of the Genesis Center by approving the purchase of storage containers that will be used to salvage usable materials, including wood, flooring, and staging equipment.  Progress […]

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 […]

Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings

April 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary

The Gary Redevelopment Commission moved forward on a mix of neighborhood and downtown initiatives, including a measure to expand the city’s sidelot program and taking steps tied to the future of the Genesis Center. The sidelot program allows homeowners to acquire adjacent vacant lots for maintenance or expansion, part of an ongoing effort to stabilize […]

Posted inEconomic Development, Politics & Policy, Utilities

Gary Residents Question Whether Data Centers Are Worth the Cost

Gary officials and residents are grappling with whether the city should welcome data centers amid concerns about environmental impacts, tax incentives, and strain on local infrastructure. During a public forum hosted by Common Council member Darren Washington, community members, environmental advocates, and residents discussed the potential benefits and liabilities of data center development in Gary. […]

Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy, Public Services

Gary Businesses Face Higher Stormwater Bills as New Rates Take Effect

Many Gary businesses and other commercial property owners will soon see higher stormwater bills after the city approved a significant rate increase that shifts more of the cost of sewer and drainage upgrades onto nonresidential properties. The new structure raises stormwater charges to $14.38 per 1,000 gallons for commercial and industrial properties — an increase […]

Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy

February 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary

February’s public meetings in Gary will center on decisions with direct implications for residents, including proposed sewer rate hikes, a sweeping zoning rewrite, and expanded redevelopment activity across the city. As those issues move forward, the Gary Common Council begins the year under new leadership. 5th District Councilwoman Linda Barnes-Caldwell now serves as council president, […]

Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy, Public Meetings, Redevelopment

November 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary

With the budget for 2026 finalized, the Gary Common Council is turning its attention to its next major decision: a proposed rate increase from the Gary Sanitary District. The district says the higher rates are needed to fund a $300 million, 30-year plan required by the federal government to reduce sewage overflows into the Grand […]

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