Rayonna Burton-Jernigan

Capital B Gary •

Gary Playwright Inspires Next Generation Through Theater - Capital B Gary

From a young age, Charbria Shine knew the stage would be part of her life, even if it meant starting as a mascot and finishing as a playwright.

A cheer mascot in kindergarten, she went on to dance at church and landed the lead role in a play on her first try. Her place in the entertainment world seemed predestined, even before she understood what that meant.  

Shine attended Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts in middle school, but ultimately graduated from Andrean High School in Mer...
Capital B Gary •

Gary to Get $100M Convention Center in Major Win for City - Capital B Gary

Robert Buggs stood alone amid a sea of applause. Clad in a baby-blue fedora and matching sport coat, he was the only person to rise in the county Government Center’s second-floor chamber as the Lake County Board of Commissioners named Gary the new convention center site.“I’m very ecstatic about it, because now’s the time for Gary,” he stated after hearing the announcement. The board’s unanimous decision to build the 145,000-square-foot convention center in Gary sent waves of excitement through t...
Capital B Gary •

New Lake County Convention Center Is Coming to Gary - Capital B Gary

It’s official. The Lake County Board of Commissioners selected Gary as the site for the new Lake County Convention Center.

The commissioners announced the decision Wednesday morning to a packed room and were met with rousing applause from an audience that included Gary residents and city officials. What began as proposals for 14 sites across the county was narrowed to five in March 2024 and ultimately down to two finalists: Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary and Patriot Park in Hobart....
Capital B Gary •

Sankara McCain Styled Beyoncé’s Tour. Rebuild the Arts Is Next. - Capital B Gary

When Sankara McCain walked across the stage to graduate from Emerson School for Visual and Performing Arts, she didn’t know where her arts journey would take her.Never did she think it would lead to her working with everyone from Phylicia Rashad to Saweetie to Beyoncé and Blue Ivy Carter for the “Cowboy Carter” tour.“I’ve probably touched every female rapper,” she said. Through her brand Sankara Xasha Turé — or Sankara XT, as she’s known in the industry — she’s an international wardrobe stylist...
Capital B Gary •

Here’s a First Look at Gary’s New YMCA and Boys & Girls Club Design - Capital B Gary

City officials, community leaders, and residents gathered in Gary’s Tolleston neighborhood to mark the start of construction on a $35 million YMCA and Boys & Girls Club campus. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on Wednesday at the site of the former Tolleston Middle School, where the 91,000-square-foot facility will be built.“When we invest in our residents and create spaces for connection, we build the strongest possible foundation for our city’s future,” Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said durin...
Capital B Gary •

Gary’s Seniors on Edge as Tariffs Threaten Their Savings - Capital B Gary

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 with others.“Trump ain’t getting this,” one woman said as she walked out the door, waving her bingo winnings envelope. A lighthearted joke to some, and for others, a r...
Capital B Gary •

‘This Is About More Than Just Food’: Inside a Grassroots Effort Feeding Hundreds in Gary

On a windy Sunday morning this month in downtown Gary, families lined up outside the Family Life Community Center. They weren’t there for church, but for nourishment.

“Number 1!” “Numbers 25-30!” a volunteer shouted into a bullhorn, his voice cutting through the jazz music that filled the air. The parking lot next to the Family Life Community Center, located at 555 Massachusetts St., was packed with pallets and tables loaded with boxes of food, shelves of canned goods and perishables, and volun...
Capital B Gary •

When the Tornado Hit, Their School Was Damaged. Now These Gary Students Are Rebuilding.

The roof was damaged. Classrooms were emptied. The building where hundreds of children once learned and laughed sat silently behind locked doors.

Nearly three weeks after a tornado tore through the Tolleston neighborhood, students and staff of Frankie Woods McCullough Academy are returning to their school.

The Gary Community School Corporation said classes will resume at McCullough on Tuesday, April 8. Although the gymnasium roof remains under repair, students will return to the building.

“Pl...
Capital B Gary •

From Eyesore to Opportunity: Gary’s Side Lot Program Gives Hope to Homeowners - Capital B Gary

Gaynette Ford remembers the day she danced in the street.

After years of living next to a crumbling drug house, where strangers loitered, and needles littered the ground, she had all but given up on getting it torn down. Then, one afternoon, she came home to a sight she never expected: a demolition crew leveling the eyesore to the ground.

“I danced in the streets, just to have the comfort of knowing it was gone,” she recalled.

Ford, 81, has lived in her Gary home since the early 1980s, when s...
Capital B Gary •

Possible tornado Tears Through Gary - Capital B Gary

Toppled power lines. Caved-in roofs. Lumbering trees crashed into the Earth. And residents left stunned.

These were just a few of the images greeting Gary this morning after a tornado whipped through the city Wednesday evening, devastating dozens of homes in the Tolleston neighborhood and leaving thousands of Northwest Indiana residents without power.

By Thursday morning, residents were still coping with the damage, as flooded streets, garages caved in on cars, and debris littered the ground c...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Students and Artist PeQue Help Revive Community With Murals - Capital B Gary

As temperatures rise in Gary, so too is residents’ desire to push the city in a brighter direction. To that end, one avenue for change is being honed in our youngest citizens: through art.

World-renowned artist PeQue, a Gary native whose murals have honored figures like Kobe Bryant and Kamala Harris, returned home — not just to create art, but to inspire the next generation. 

Through the “Greatness of Gary” project, a citywide effort led by the Gary Alumni Pathway to Students (GAPS) designed t...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Convention Center Proposal Draws Hundreds to Community Meeting - Capital B Gary

Chatter bounced off the high ceilings of St. Timothy’s Church on Thursday as hundreds of Lake County residents filled the pews, waiting for an answer to a question that has stirred both hope and doubt: Could Gary become home to the long-awaited Lake County Convention Center?

With the decision narrowed to two locations, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in Gary and Patriot Park in Hobart, Gary Mayor Eddie Melton explained why the city is the right choice.

“Folks think that this project should n...
Capital B Gary •

Dance Theatre of Harlem Hosts Ballet Workshop in Gary - Capital B Gary

“And five, six, seven, eight!”

Warming up to the tunes of Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” and James Brown’s “Super Bad” with stretches and steps, a room full of Gary students gathered in the student of Indiana University Northwest to boogie down with a few of Harlem’s best dancers.

The Dance Theatre of Harlem, a world-renowned professional ballet company, gave a dance workshop and panel at IUN on Tuesday while on its national tour. Three of the company’s dancers were joined by a flock of da...
Capital B Gary •

$12M Plan to Revitalize Gary Begins With Demolishing Blight - Capital B Gary

Gary is tearing down the past to build its future.

With $12 million in state, private, and federal funding, Gary’s demolition and redevelopment efforts are already underway, with the first structures coming this year as the city works to clear unsafe buildings, attract businesses, and reshape downtown.The first phase will target abandoned properties in key areas like Broadway, the RailCats Stadium district, and Jackson Park, while preserving historic sites for future development. Mayor Eddie Me...
Capital B Gary •

‘Good Guys Don’t Bully’: The Former Gary Teen Who’s Protecting Kids Online - Capital B Gary

At 13 years old, Terrence “TJ” Harvey has already learned how cruel the world can be.

The taunts came first. Name-calling, teasing, the kind of juvenile insults meant to wound but possible to ignore. Then, the physical harassment. And then, the shame.

One day, something private — something never meant to be shared — was spread from one phone to another. Screens lit up with his humiliation. In the lunchroom. In the hallways. In class. There was nowhere to hide. Laughter followed him like a shad...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Airport Upgrades Facilities in Preparation for Passenger Flights - Capital B Gary

Gary/Chicago International Airport is making strides toward bringing back commercial passenger flights.

Since 2020, the airport has primarily served as a hub for cargo, corporate, and private flights. For many residents, commercial passenger service has been absent since 2013, forcing travelers to fly out of Chicago or other nearby cities — taking potential revenue away from the local economy.

However, for the past few months, chatter about the return of passenger flights has increased. 

“Whe...
Capital B Gary •

TikTok Ban Puts Gary’s Growing Online Presence at Risk - Capital B Gary

Erik Roberts films a TikTok video, his phone capturing the details of a refurbished home perched on a hill in Gary, as a hip-hop beat pulses in the background. Over the past three years, the real estate agent-turned-influencer has built a following by showcasing the city’s potential, connecting first-time buyers to affordable homes, and reshaping perceptions of Gary — one clip at a time. 

But with TikTok’s future in limbo, Roberts fears the lifeline he’s built for his business — and the city —...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Indiana Craftsman Upholds Family Legacy Through Shoe Repair - Capital B Gary

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 shame what happened to this place,” one customer said, handing Rayford several pairs of shoes.

The hallway felt as cold as winter itself, but Rayford kept three heaters around his workspace a...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Youth Basketball League Builds Community Through the Game - Capital B Gary

The sharp squeak of sneakers echoed through the gym, cutting through the blare of whistles and a buzzing scoreboard at Gary’s Boys and Girls Club. Wesley Danzy hustled up and down the court guiding the young players, their faces alight with wide-eyed determination.

It was opening day for the At All Cost Youth Basketball League, and Danzy’s focus was clear: Every child on the court mattered.

“I’ve always loved the game and the purpose it brings,” he said, pausing to reflect on the countless hou...
Capital B Gary •

On the Ground in Gary: Capturing Voter Voices on Election Day

Gary voters turned out amid cloud cover and rain showers on Election Day. While the presidential ticket pits Vice President Kamala Harris against former President Donald Trump, local contests also hold high stakes. Voters are choosing congressional representatives, deciding on a new governor, and weighing in on three critical statehouse races — each decision shaping Gary’s voice in both state and national arenas.

Today, Capital B Gary reporters will be sprawled out across the city, visiting pol...
Capital B Gary •

Popcorn World Thrives in Gary, Fueling Community with 250 Flavors Strong - Capital B Gary

When LeBarron Burton took over Popcorn World, he wasn’t just building a business — he was building a legacy in Gary. In a city where Black-owned businesses face challenges, Popcorn World has emerged as a beacon of hope.What started as a small shop has flourished under Burton’s leadership into a hometown favorite, drawing national attention and offering over 250 unique popcorn flavors. From weathering a pandemic to rebuilding after a break-in, Popcorn World’s resilience and innovation have kept i...
Capital B Gary •

Gary Partners with Hard Rock Casino for Lake County Convention Center Bid - Capital B Gary

The city of Gary is joining forces with Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana in an ambitious bid to become the future home of the Lake County Convention Center. 

This high-profile partnership was approved by Gary’s Board of Works on Sept. 20 and is part of the city’s efforts to revitalize the area and create new economic opportunities.

“We have the opportunity to be bold and leverage our best assets to maximize what a convention center could yield for Lake County’s economy,” Gary’s mayor, Eddie M...
Capital B Gary •

Gary's Latest Thriller, but This Time It's a Movie

A Gary story is back in the headlines thanks to a new movie, and it offers a mixture of reviews from longtime residents of the community. 

The Deliverance, a new Lee Daniels film on Netflix, follows the story of Ebony Jackson (played by Andra Day) as she moves into a new home with her three children and mother (Glenn Close) as they try to start a new beginning in a new location. 

As she tries to clean her act up, Jackson, both literally and figuratively, must face her demons to keep her family...
Capital B Gary •

U.S. Steel's Sale Is at Risk. Here’s What’s at Stake for the City It Founded a Century Ago.

With reports that President Joe Biden is preparing to block U.S. Steel’s sale to a Japanese company, a high-stakes battle with significant political and labor implications is unfolding. But as the political theater plays out on a national stage, the stakes are more tangible in Gary, a city originally founded as a company town where just over 4,000 employees work for the U.S. Steel plant.For Gary, the proposed sale of U.S. Steel is about more than ownership — it’s about jobs, relationships, and t...
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