Latest news with #GaryCommunitySchoolCorporation
Chicago Tribune
9 hours ago
- Science
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Youth summer programs and concert lineups
Indiana University Northwest will host a free Forensic Investigations Summer Camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 23 to 26. The four-day immersive camp will feature interactive lectures, hands-on laboratory work, field trips and real-world exposure to the many facets of forensic science. Open to local students entering 11th or 12th grade in fall 2025, camp activities will be led by IU Northwest faculty, staff and area professionals, providing students with a comprehensive introduction to the field. Space is limited to 20 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit The Gary Community School Corporation (GCSC) will offer a wide range of summer programs to support academic growth for students of all ages. Summer School for students enrolled in the Gary Community School Corporation, specifically second- and third-graders, will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays through June 26. Targeted academic opportunities will be tailored to students' needs, with a focus on developing critical reading skills. At the high school level, Summer School classes take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for students grades 9 through 12. Credit recovery will be available as well as opportunities for students to excel further in their academic journeys. The Summer Passports program is open to all students entering Kindergarten through 12th grade. Rising kindergarten through 8th-grade students from any school in Gary can attend this free program. For grades 9 through 12, students must be registered as GCSC scholars to participate. Registration is required for the Summer Passports Program. Curriculum topics include health, career exploration, and extracurricular activities that will be available beyond the summer. The Gary Community School Corporation also is partnering with local organizations to provide additional programming: Gear Up STEM Camp for middle school students explores the world of science, technology, engineering, and math from June 16 to 18; and the Second Annual Northwest Learning Lab for students entering the fourth or fifth grade, hosted by the Urban League of Northwest Indiana. This program offers enrichment experiences outside of the classroom. To ensure all Gary Community School Corporation students can participate, breakfast, lunch, and transportation will be provided at no cost for enrolled participants. For more information and bus routes, visit or call a student's home school for assistance. The Valparaiso Creative Council (VCC) has grown its artist programming over the past two years, providing a free quarterly series entitled Art + Innovation featuring local artists at two downtown Valpo venues: Roots Cafe and Lower Lincoln. As an expansion of this programming, VCC now also partners with Purdue University Northwest to exhibit at their Hammond campus. The VCC's latest Art + Innovation artist exhibit, 'Comparative Works of Art Deco + Sculpture,' is on display through July 11 at Roots Cafe, 108 W. Lincolnway, Valparaiso, and Lower Lincoln, 212 E. Lincolnway, Valparaiso. The six featured artists are: Collin Smallegan; Carol Estes; Lizzy Cohan; Ricardo Cortez; Heather Wood; and Teneia Dilosa. A reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. June 19 at Roots Cafe, transferring to Lower Lincoln at 5:15 p.m. Drinks will be available and two professional creatives will be featured as speakers: Women Owned NWI @womenownednwi and Eddie Escalantes @partyproz219. More information can be found at Experience summer evenings under the stars at Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest's (PNW) 2025 Acorn Concert Series, featuring five outdoor family-friendly music shows. All shows will begin at 7 p.m. at 450 West 100 North, Valparaiso. For all concert and ticket information, visit The full 2025 Acorn Concert Series lineup includes: Kashmir – Led Zeppelin tribute, with opening act Triangle Method, June 20; Rocks Off – Rolling Stone tribute, with opening act Head Honchos, July 11; Hyryder – Grateful Dead tribute band, Aug. 9; The Mike and Joe Band – Modern Rock tribute, with opening act The Double Features, Aug. 29; and The Prince Experience – Prince tribute, with opening act Lauren Dukes, Sept. 12. Gates open one hour before showtime. Concerts will be held rain or shine. Individual tickets are $23 in advance, increasing to $28 the week of the concert for non-members. Children age 12 and younger are free but must attend with a paying adult. Event parking is free but limited. Special member and season ticket pricing is available, including VIP season tickets that are on sale through June 20. Local food vendors will be on-site selling alcoholic beverages and food. No outside alcohol is permitted; coolers and personal items are subject to search. Friendly dogs on leash are permitted. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets for seating. For more information on the Acorn Concert Series, visit Lake County Master Gardeners will present the 2025 Garden Walk, 'June in Bloom,' from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29. Stroll through nine inspiring private gardens in Crown Point, Lowell and Cedar Lake, where homeowners and Master Gardeners will be on-site to share tips, answer questions, and showcase how gardens can be both beautiful and beneficial. Practically Magic, 611 N. Indiana Ave., Crown Point, will be the official ticket hub and cooling station. There attendees can pick up their Garden Walk program booklets, raffle entries and refreshments. Tickets can be purchased at Leo's in Cedar Lake, Niemeyer's, The Artful Garden, Elzinga's, Walt's in Dyer, Remus Farms in Hobart, Alsip's, Mighty Mike's in St. John, Bee Quilting and Such in Munster and via Eventbrite, surcharge applies. Tickets are $15, children 12 and younger are free. More information can be found at or email lakecountymastergardeners@
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
From Schools to Taxes: How Recent Indiana Laws Impact Gary
What happens at the Statehouse certainly doesn't stay there, and for cities like Gary, the ripple effects are impossible to ignore. As Indiana lawmakers wrapped up this year's legislative session, several key bills, namely SB 1 and HB 1001, emerged that could reshape how Gary collects tax revenue and even communicate major decisions to residents. Local and state lawmakers warn these changes could threaten Gary's finances and strain the public school district. The long-standing compact between the cities of Gary and Chicago that established the Chicago-Gary Regional Airport Authority is set to be formally dissolved. Under the new legislation, the Gary Common Council is required to take specific steps to terminate the agreement, which was originally enacted in 1995, by Jan. 1, 2026. By July 1, 2025, a majority of Gary's appointed representatives to the airport authority must adopt a resolution endorsing the termination, and the Gary Common Council must pass an ordinance to make it official. The law also directs the dissolution of a separate airport authority board previously established by Gary. This marks a significant shift in regional transportation planning and governance, raising questions about the future of the Gary/Chicago International Airport and its role in cross-state economic development. The Common Council created a new committee to exclusively address state legislation that Council President Lori Latham recognized as a persistent roadblock for Gary's progress. 'It's not lost on us that every time we try to either build, establish or maintain an economic development driver in our community that the state has something to say or do about it,' Latham said, addressing the prescribed changes. Councilman Darren Washington, who will chair the committee, questioned the legality of the bill, stating the council would be conferring with its legal counsel as well as the administration's. ''To arbitrarily, at the last minute — it was literally the night before [the] session ended that language was stuck in House Bill 1001 to put the onus of the Gary Common Council to end the compact,' he said. 'I don't know if that is legal.' Local state legislators like state Rep. Vernon Smith expressed concern over the bill's impact on Gary schools. 'I fail to see how this budget invests in our communities and our families,' Smith said in a statement provided to Capital B Gary. 'Our schools will have just enough to stay afloat, but they won't have the funding they need to thrive. Like always with the state legislature, Gary will get little.' 'The funding for urban schools in this budget is insufficient,' Smith continued. 'It puts Gary Community School Corporation in a difficult position. The state takeover of our school board due to financial distress just ended in 2024. GCSC has to stay in the black, and the state isn't doing anything to help.' If the city of Gary or the Gary Community School Corporation wants to raise property taxes through a referendum, they now have stricter rules to follow. These ballot questions — where voters are asked to approve extra funding for things like school improvements or city projects — can appear only during general elections in November. Local officials also have a firm deadline: They must submit the request by noon on Aug. 1 to get it on the ballot. And for school districts in Lake County, including Gary, any referendum passed after May 10, 2023, could require some of that new tax money to be shared with nearby charter schools — even if the vote was intended to support traditional public schools. Gary's last referendum vote was during the 2020 general election, when voters approved a $71.2 million property tax measure to support the Gary Community School Corporation. By Jan. 1, 2026, the state will launch an online portal designed to make property taxes easier to understand. For Gary residents and taxpayers across the state, this tool will let residents see how their current property tax bill compares to what it would be if proposed tax rates change in the future. The website will also break down what deductions and credits they might be eligible for and give them a chance to share feedback directly with state and local officials. State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., who voted against both bills, said he didn't see any benefit for Lake County. 'Along with the impact of House Bill 1001, Lake County is set to lose hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to Senate Bill 2,' he said. 'This budget will do nothing to help Lake County residents, who will pay much more in local income taxes while getting minimal property tax relief. No one wins under this budget.' The post From Schools to Taxes: How Recent Indiana Laws Impact Gary appeared first on Capital B Gary.
CBS News
20-03-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Storms peel roof off school in Gary, rip down trees around Northwest Indiana
Storms that pounded the Chicago area Wednesday left a path of destruction and devastation in Gary, Indiana — ripping roofs of houses and even a school. A tornado is suspected to have been to blame for some of the damage in Gary. On Wednesday night, the City of Gary confirmed residents spotted a funnel cloud near 21st Avenue and Hendricks Street. Multiple homes and businesses saw significant wind damage, along with flooding and trees and limbs coming down. At 21st Avenue and Wallace Street in Gary, Ebony Perkins received a call to rush home. "I'm very thankful I wasn't home," Perkins said. "My daughter called because she thought I was at home, and told me she saw it on Facebook that the house was damaged." Perkins discovered the roof to her house was gone — sitting on the neighbors' house. Light poles crashed through windows and roofs on the block, leaving Perkins and many others unable to stay in their homes Wednesday night. "What I seen is my whole life is gone," Perkins said. "I just bought this house." Perkins' home was one of at least seven homes with severe roof damage on the west side of Gary. "We know a significant amount of structures have been pretty much damaged severely," said Gary Mayor Eddie Melton. "A lot of folks have been displaced from their homes." Gary Fire Chief Larry Tillman praised the efforts of his men and women took to make sure that they got everyone out of their damaged houses — with downed electrical wires trapping many people. "We had people staying place until we could actually get to them. Some of them, we did have to make emergency moves, on some of the ceilings, the roof was coming down inside of the homes," Tillman said. "We had to move some of their people from their homes to the garage just to get out of the rain until we could get ambulance crews in the area to bring them out." Right across the street, Gary firefighters made their way inside Frankie Woods McCullough Academy, a public school located at 3757 W. 21st Ave. Strong winds and a possible tornado peeled back the roof of the school and damaged the gymnasium and classrooms. CBS News Chicago is told several janitorial staff members were inside the building at the time. "I can probably say with 100% of certainty that they experienced some fear," said Gary Community School Corporation Supt. Dr. Yvonne Stokes. "However, they were very brave. They did what they were supposed to do. They took cover. I'm happy to report no one was hurt." Yet the school serves some 515 students. Stokes said the school district is still assessing the damage, but she knows if the storm had moved in just a few hours earlier, all the boys and girls would have been in harm's way. "Well, had it been two hours earlier, I'd like to believe that my staff would have pivoted and taken our students into their safety zones — but I'm glad it wasn't," Stokes said. "With that being said, we will be looking at making a plan to move forward, because we don't know how long it will take to fix the building." The school will be closed Thursday and Friday. Spring break starts for the district next week. Also in Gary, broken glass was reported at the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, and an abandoned structure collapsed. The City of Gary said its General Services teams were working to clear fallen branches and debris. For downed power lines, residents should use extreme caution and call NIPSCO directly at 800-464-7726. Mayor Melton said the City of Gary is working with the American Red Cross to make sure displaced residents receive shelter. The City of Gary also noted that The Monroe Center, at 4101 Washington St., is open for residents in need of an emergency shelter. The Monroe Center can be reached at 219-501-8766. Highland, Indiana was also hit especially hard by storms that blasted through the Chicago area Wednesday — with numerous trees coming down and at least one landing on a house. On Forrest Drive in Highland, neighbors really saw the brunt of the aftermath. Two families saw trees completely uprooted on land on their lawn, and Sheila Courtright saw a tree land right on her house. The portion of the tree that landed on Courtright's house was nearly 6 feet tall, and it was scary for her and her family — who were home at the time. Courtright and her family have lived in the house for more than 40 years. The front portion of the house saw leaks and damage from the tree falling on it. Jessica Ramirez lives a few doors down. "It went from zero to 100 real quick outside," Ramirez said. She said her mom, Rosie Ramirez, was paying a visit Wednesday afternoon when the storm hit. "She was parked in the driveway, and as soon as the winds picked up, she was like, 'No, I got to go move my car,'" said Jessica Ramirez. A horror followed immediately. "All of a sudden, I feel my car lifting up in the air, and I'm screaming to my husband — I have him on the phone — I said, 'It's taking me! It's taking me!'" said Rosie Ramirez. Their family, car, and home were all safe after the tree in front was uprooted. It fell in their yard. Daniel Aguirre also has a home on Forest Drive. "Once I heard like very hard drops hitting the window, I grabbed my family and ran to the basement," Aguirre said. "I heard a loud screeching sound, kind of like a loud train coming at the house." Aguirre said his roof and gutter might need some repairs the tree fell on his home. As for Courtright, she is staying at her daughter's for the time being. She said the family does not want to take any chances. "This thing could come down further because of the way it's coming out that way," she said of the tree on her house, which also ripped up the sidewalk as it was uprooted. Highland Public Works employees were seen in trucks Wednesday night, assessing the damage a bit. However, a lot of the work cannot be done, and the trees cannot to be removed, until the sun is up on Thursday.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gary Unites Against Bill That Could Erase Public Schools
With a possible hearing in the Statehouse for House Bill 1136 looming, the fight over the future of public education in Gary has escalated into a battle for the district's survival. Seeing the bill as a direct threat to its schools and community, the Gary Common Council voted unanimously on Jan. 21 to approve a resolution condemning the bill. The resolution is the latest sign of growing opposition in Gary to the bill, which was written by members of the Republican caucus of the state legislature and has sparked a citywide effort to rally against it. Just months after regaining local control following seven years of state-appointed management, city officials and community leaders argue that the bill threatens to erase the progress made in restoring the district before it has had time to stabilize. 'House Bill 1136 will cause impacted school districts to potentially lose oversight and open ownership of school assets, property and additional value of historic significance to the city of Gary, Indiana,' the resolution reads. House Bill 1136 would dissolve Indiana school districts where less than 50% of resident students attend public schools within the district, converting those public schools into charter schools by July 2028. If passed, the bill would impact five Indiana school districts and 68 schools statewide, including the Gary Community School Corporation. Gary's public school system has shrunk significantly in recent years, leaving families with more nonpublic school options than public ones. The Gary Community School Corporation currently operates 11 schools, including a virtual academy and a single public high school. By contrast, there are 12 nonpublic schools available to Gary students, including five alternative high school options. With more charter and private institutions than traditional public schools, many families have opted for nonpublic education, whether due to school closures, academic offerings, or concerns about the state-managed district's past financial struggles. This imbalance in available options has contributed to the low in-district enrollment — one of the key metrics House Bill 1136 uses to determine whether a school system should be dissolved and its schools converted into charters. At recent school board and council meetings, community leaders and residents have voiced concerns that House Bill 1136 could strip local control and erase key parts of Gary's history. The resolution passed this month by the Gary Common Council echoes those fears, warning of the bill's potential impact on the city's schools and assets. Councilman Darren Washington, a former member of Gary's school board and author of the resolution, told Capital B Gary the bill would render the years of the state takeover pointless. 'Our take is, if you put us through a seven-year probationary period managing our funds with an emergency manager, how can you allow the Gary Community School Corporation to be a part of legislation that could potentially unearth all the hard work that was done by the school district, the teachers and the emergency manager?' Washington asked. 'It seems that this bill's goal is to turn those schools into charter schools.' Gary resident Natalie Ammons spoke publicly at the council meeting shortly before the resolution's passage, encouraging neighbors to join the fight. 'House Bill 1136 is detrimental to our community,' she said. 'We need to all join together and fight this bill and make sure that it does not dismantle the education system here. Get in touch with someone. Make the phone calls. Make the meetings. Do whatever we can to save our schools.' According to Gary Community School Corporation data, nearly 400 students have enrolled since local control was restored in October. However, the bill designates October 2024 as the enrollment count deadline, raising concerns about its impact on the district's recent progress. The bill has not yet advanced out of the House Education Committee, leaving some legislators questioning its true purpose. 'One of the things that we're hearing is that it's being put out as a bargaining chip,' said Democratic state Sen. Andrea Hunley of Indianapolis, whose public school district would also be dissolved under the legislation. 'It's being put out as a threat of what could pass in order to negotiate on other issues. That's not how we do legislation here in Indiana.' 'We do not send entire communities into distress. We do not send teachers and our most vulnerable students into a panic because of the threat of disbanding school boards. This bill would completely eliminate those elected positions that are our closest elected positions to our communities, and we definitely do not want to see the further erosion of public education.' Beyond the political implications, Michaela Spangenburg of the Gary Education Coalition said she is most troubled by the lack of community input in how charter schools are run. She also raised concerns about the quality of education they provide compared to traditional public schools.'All the mechanisms that we take for granted within a school do not necessarily exist within a charter school and can be very easily removed and changed within charter school systems compared to a public school system,' she said. The school district has also called on the community for support, urging residents to speak out as it fights for its survival. GCSC Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said the district is still in the early stages of rebuilding and needs time to continue its progress. 'It has only been six months since the Gary Community School Corporation was released from a seven-year state takeover. During this time, there was an exodus of thousands of students from the district. Since regaining local control, we have been laser-focused on increasing enrollment, maintaining financial solvency, and enhancing curriculum to improve the overall educational experience for children,' Stokes said. Spangenburg encouraged residents to be proactive not just with reaching out to their representatives, but those in other areas of the state. 'Our legislators in our district agree with us,' she said. 'They are already fighting the fight. We have to make sure we're talking to people who may not be familiar with us. Or who may not have anybody that's talking to them.' She added, 'I really hope that we can all come together as a community and actually start to fight hard. At the end of the day, the community has to set the agenda nine times out of 10 for anything to get done.' The post Gary Unites Against Bill That Could Erase Public Schools appeared first on Capital B Gary.
