When a Facebook video suggested that Gary’s only Walgreens pharmacy might be closing, alarm spread quickly in the comments. Residents fretted about where they would fill prescriptions if the store at West 25th Avenue and Grant Street disappeared. Capital B Gary reached out to the chain’s parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, about the rumor, and […]
Gary
Posted inArts
Roosevelt Graduate Highlights Gary Through a New TV Series
When filmmaker TJ Chester graduated from Roosevelt High School, she knew she wanted to change how people looked at Gary. And for her, that was through a camera and a movie-maker clapperboard. “We have so many different creatives here in Gary, and none of us are being recognized for what we’re trying to do in […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Gary Well Residents Drank From for Generations Found to Exceed Safe Arsenic Levels
The Chase Street water well, a longtime drinking source for some Gary residents, has tested for arsenic levels above federal safety limits, raising new concerns about public health. For decades, the well, located near the 3600 block of Chase Street, has been seen as a community staple, championed by residents for its mineral-rich water. But […]
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 inEnvironmental Justice
Key Pollution Hearings This Week Give Gary Residents a Chance to Speak
Gary and Northwest Indiana residents face a critical month for the region’s environmental safeguards, as multiple federal and state agencies weigh new rules that could shape local air quality and public health. Upcoming public hearings are scheduled to gather resident feedback, covering topics ranging from equipment at the Gary Works steel mill to particulate matter […]
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 inHealth, Maternal Health
Why Breastfeeding Is a Solution to Gary’s Sky-High Infant Mortality Rate
Black Breastfeeding Week, observed each year from Aug 25-31, was created to close gaps in breastfeeding rates among Black families. Breastfeeding is a critical public health strategy to decrease high infant mortality rates, which disproportionately impact Black communities. Across Northwest Indiana and throughout the state, infant mortality among Black residents is significantly higher than among […]
Posted inAir Pollution, Environmental Justice
Gary Residents Raise Alarm Over Steel Mill Pollution
Nearly 50 people gathered Tuesday evening at the Gary Public Library to share a long-standing concern: The air they breathe has contributed to serious health problems. The gathering, organized by the city’s Air Pollution Committee, took place just blocks away from Gary Works’ towering smokestacks, which have loomed over the city’s skyline for generations. Much […]
Posted inCommunity, Housing
‘Bringing Life Back’: Lewis Family Breaks Ground at Former Colonial Gardens Site
Tyrone Jackson stood among the crowd of workers and residents at the old Colonial Gardens site, which is slated to become a new subdivision by next year. “That’s actually the house that I was raised in right there,” he said, pointing to one of the still-standing structures on the property. “When the community went down, […]
Posted inBusiness, Community, Culture
From One Chair to a City Staple: This Gary Barbershop Is Keeping Tradition Alive
This month, in celebration of Black Business Month, Capital B Gary is publishing a series of stories highlighting businesses, business owners, and entrepreneurs in the city. At 12 years old, William “Bill” Coker came home from the barber college with a haircut he hated. Disappointed, he grabbed the clippers his mother kept in the house […]
