Jerome Prince, the former mayor of Gary, was sentenced Thursday in federal court to one year of probation and fined $26,750 for using campaign funds to buy a private residence. Prince, who pleaded guilty last year to misusing campaign funds, admitted in court documents to defrauding donors by falsely claiming their contributions were for campaign […]
Gary
Posted inEducation
New Bill Threatens to Dissolve Public School Districts Across Indiana, Including Gary
A controversial bill in the Indiana legislature could force the dissolution of public school districts across the state, including Gary and Indianapolis, raising alarms among educators, legislators, and Hoosiers. For Gary, the stakes are especially high — just six months after regaining local control of its schools following a seven-year state takeover, the district’s future […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Wire Fraud Scandal Sparks Race for Calumet Township Trustee Seat
A week after Kimberly Robinson stepped down as Calumet Township trustee following her guilty plea to wire fraud, the race to fill her seat is already drawing a growing pool of candidates. The contest for the position, which oversees township assistance funds, could spark further political upheaval in Gary as two sitting Common Council members […]
Posted inLocal Government, Politics & Policy
January 2025 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
As the new year begins, a critical meeting on Jan. 7 will shape the leadership of Gary’s Common Council for the year ahead. During the reorganization meeting, members will vote on positions within the council, including president, vice president and parliamentarian, as well as various committee assignments. These decisions set the tone for council priorities […]
Posted inEducation, Partner Content
Indiana Graduation Rates Reach Record High, Including Gains in Gary Schools
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters Indiana high school graduation rates for the class of 2024 inched up to a record high of 90.2% and increased across Black, Hispanic, and English language learner students. The latest graduation rates are the highest in a decade, marking a 1.25 […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy
President Biden Blocks U.S. Steel Sale, Raising Questions for Gary’s Future
President Joe Biden on Friday announced his decision to block the $14 billion sale of U.S. Steel to Japan’s Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns. The move could have serious implications in Gary, where U.S. Steel’s Gary Works plant remains a key employer and economic anchor and where local leaders had strongly supported the deal […]
Posted inNews
Through Our Lens: The Stories That Shaped Gary in 2024
Photos by Javonte Anderson, Capital B Gary Editor. It’s been a whirlwind year for Gary and the Capital B Gary newsroom. Fortunately, we were here to capture it all. This year, we were inside Gary like no other media organization. From citywide cleanup efforts to a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse drawing crowds to the beach, we […]
Posted inSports
John Boyd Returns to Gary to Lead New Era at Bowman Academy
In a city searching for sparks of hope, John Boyd is back where it all began. The championship-winning coach has returned to Gary, not just to lead a team, but to reignite the pride of a community that shaped him. On the court at Bowman Academy, John Boyd patrols the sidelines, his voice cutting through […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
How Gary Residents Made Strides Toward a Cleaner, Greener City in 2024
From a citywide clean-up campaign to resisting the arrival of behemoth polluting facilities, the fight to make Gary greener and more sustainable never stops. Gary, one of Indiana’s most polluted areas, is burdened by toxic air pollution, flagrant zoning and land use violations, and decades of economic disinvestment, which only heighten the stakes of the […]
Posted inBusiness, Community Spotlight, Economy
Shoe Repairman in Gary Restores Community, One Sole at a Time
A quiet, cold air settled over the nearly abandoned shopping center in Gary, broken only by the faint creak of a door and the muted sounds of its lone open shop. Down the hallway, the squeak of worn soles echoed as customers hurried toward Anthony Rayford’s shoe repair shop, where he worked alone. “It’s a […]