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3 days ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
Some local schools could see crippling job losses and service disruptions as a result of a sweeping GOP tax reform bill that reduces residential property taxes at the expense of Indiana school districts. School officials are reacting cautiously to the new law aimed at providing tax breaks for homeowners that could lead to deep cuts that impact the classroom. The proposal was the centerpiece of new Gov.
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6 days ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
People with a vision for the future of historic Gary Roosevelt High School can share their ideas at a community input meeting from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Gary Area Career Center, 1800 E. 35th Ave. The school, built for Gary’s Black population during the segregation era in the 1920s, is still the pride of the community despite being closed since 2019. Owned by the Gary Community School Corp., Roosevelt has remained vacant, although with 24-hour security.
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1 week ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
Crown Point High School students earned multiple awards at the recent Indiana High School Press Association’s state convention. Crown Point’s Inklings newsmagazine and Excalibur yearbook were both named Hoosier Star winners, the IHSPA’s highest honor that recognizes overall excellence in scholastic journalism. Additionally, the Crown Town Media website was a Hoosier Star finalist.
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1 week ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
The Gary School Board has renamed the West Side High School auditorium in honor of its long-time theatre guild director, state Sen. Mark Spencer. “He’s been an amazing leader in this city,” said board president Michael Suggs.
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1 week ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
Despite his objections, the Gary School Board voted unanimously to boot its appointee Robert Buggs off the Gary Library Board Thursday and named communications specialist Crystal O’Brien to the role. The board held a public hearing solely dedicated to the appointment before its regular meeting. “This is a kangaroo court,” Buggs said as he asked why he was being dismissed. Buggs complained the school board didn’t share any complaints about him, but did say it received complaints.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority has acquired a small but critical parcel needed for its $67 million 100-acre cargo expansion project on the airfield’s north side. On Wednesday, the board approved the purchase of the approximate 5.7-acre parcel for $925,000 from SES Inc., a heavy construction sales and service center at 6915 W. Chicago Ave. Airport executive director Dan Vicari said the airport has been trying to acquire the property for several years.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
The Indiana Department of Transportation said Monday there will be a lengthy road closure on Indiana 51 and Indiana 130, just north of the $2.75 million roundabout that opened last year. The state said the closure would begin April 14 or shortly after. During the closure, traffic will not be able to exit north or west from the roundabout. The affected area is a small portion of roadway between Indiana 51 (Cleveland Avenue) and Hickey Street.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
McCullough Academy students are returning to their Gary school on Tuesday, less than a month after a March 19 EF-1 tornado ripped a portion of the roof off above the gymnasium. More than 500 students relocated last week to the Gary Area Career Center, where school leaders set up makeshift classrooms and students adjusted to the larger, unfamiliar environment. On Monday, Gary Community School Corp. officials announced classes would resume Tuesday as gymnasium repairs take place.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
Aspiring teachers found themselves in the driver’s seat at Friday’s teacher recruitment fair sponsored by the Indiana University Northwest School of Education. Twenty local school districts along with charter and private schools set up tables inside the Savannah Center and eagerly greeted job candidates interested in classroom vacancies for the coming school year. “It’s still an employee market,” said Reid Amones, executive director of personnel at the Merrillville Community School Corp.
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2 weeks ago | 
chicagotribune.com | Carole Carlson
The once sturdy alliance between the Democratic communities in Hobart Township fractured Thursday as the Hobart Township Board voted to pull out of a New Chicago town complex project at 122 Huber Blvd. Hobart Township Trustee Fred Williams cited high costs for recommending the board pull out of an interlocal agreement with New Chicago. Hobart Mayor Josh Huddleston agreed, and voiced opposition saying it wasn’t equitable to Hobart taxpayers.
