Gary Miller
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 42nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Joe Baca
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 41st district
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Jay Kim
Succeeded by	Jerry Lewis
Member of the California State Assembly from the 60th district
In office 1995–1998
Preceded by	Paul Horcher
Succeeded by	Bob Pacheco
Mayor of Diamond Bar
In office 1992
Personal details
Born	(1948-10-16) October 16, 1948 (age 63) Huntsville, Arkansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Cathy Miller
Residence	Diamond Bar, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Mt. San Antonio College
Occupation	Real estate executive
Religion	Protestantism
Military service
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	Early September – October 1967[1]

Gary Gene Miller (born October 16, 1948) is the U.S. Representative for California's 42nd congressional district, and previously the 41st, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life, education, and business career[link]

Miller was born in Huntsville, Arkansas, attended Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, California, and served briefly in the United States Army in 1967.^[1]

He is a businessman who founded several companies bearing his name, including G. Miller Development, G. Miller Masonry, and G. Miller Framing. At the age of 20, he began his first company, which built single-family and custom homes. His business expanded to the development of planned communities. Miller remains active in real estate through his development company.

Early political career (1988-1994)[link]

Local politics[link]

Miller was appointed to the Diamond Bar, California Municipal Advisory Council in 1988. In 1989, he was elected to the city's first council that helped incorporate the city. He served as mayor in 1992.

State Senate elections[link]

In 1990, he decided to run for a seat in the California Senate. Incumbent Republican State Senator Bill Campbell of California's 31st State Senate district decided to resign. In the February 1990 special election (open primary), Miller ranked fourth, or last, among Republicans in the field, getting just 16% of the vote.^[2]

In 1994, he decided to run for the vacant California's 29th State Senate district. In the open primary in September 1994, he ranked second among Republicans getting 21% of the vote, behind State Representative Dick Mountjoy, who ranked first with 45% of the vote.^[3]

California Assembly (1995-1999)[link]

Elections[link]

In 1995, Miller ran in a special election for a seat in the California State Assembly. Incumbent State Senator Paul Horcher of California's 60th State Assembly district was recalled. Miller won the open primary with 39% of the vote in a six candidate field.^[4]

In 1996, he won re-election defeating Democrat Susan Amaya 53%-47%.^[5]

Committee assignments[link]

He was Chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee.^[6]

U.S. House of Representatives (1999-Present)[link]

Elections[link]

He was elected to the U.S. House in 1998, defeating incumbent Republican and fellow Diamond Bar resident Jay Kim in the primary and then Democrat Eileen Ansari in the general election with 53 percent. He won again in 2000 with 59 percent of the vote and was re-elected in 2002 with 68 percent of the vote. In 2004, he defeated Democrat Lewis Myers with 71.5% of the vote per OCvote.com, the official county elections office website. Similarly, he won in 2008 with 63.8% of the vote, defeating Democrat Ed Chau.

Tenure[link]

In 2005, Miller co-sponsored The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 (H.R. 4437) with representative Jim Sensenbrenner. In 2006, after widespread demonstrations by immigrants, Miller wrote: "Too bad their protest didn't include giving up government-paid social services — because a day without illegal aliens would be a boon to U.S. taxpayers."^[7]

Miller has backed the development of a rail link between Ontario, California and Anaheim, part of a proposed 269-mile (433 km) line between Orange County and Las Vegas. "Once completed, there would be no need for an airport in south Orange County, and the Inland Empire will reap the economic benefits as a true transportation hub," Miller said.

Miller, a history buff, become involved in the preservation of Civil War battlefields, after he played a bit part in the 2003 movie Gods and Generals.

Miller has signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.^[8]

Sheltering profits of real estate sales

Miller sold 165 acres (0.67 km²) to the city of Monrovia in 2002, making profit of more than $10 million. Normally, he would have had to pay state and federal taxes of up to 31% on that profit.

Instead, Miller told the Internal Revenue Service and the state of California that Monrovia had forced him to sell the property under threat of eminent domain. That allowed him to shelter the profits from capital gains taxes for more than two years before he had to reinvest the money.

But Monrovia officials say that Miller sold the land willingly and that they didn't threaten to force him to sell. A videotape of a February 2000 City Council meeting shows Miller asking city officials four times to buy his land. Another, earlier videotape confirmed Miller's position that the city had refused to let him develop the land and threatened "condemnation" of his property for public use. Although all early drafts of Monrovia's sales contract with Miller included the phrase "friendly condemnation," it was deleted when the final deal was made. Miller and his wife signed an amendment to the escrow instructions on August 1, 2002, saying, "condemnation deleted," or no longer in effect.^[9]

Miller took an exemption again in 2005 when he sold the 10 lots to the city of Fontana and again in 2006 when he sold a building to Fontana, claiming both were compulsory sales. The lots and building had been purchased in late 2004 with proceeds from the Monrovia sale. Such exemptions give him another two years after each sale to reinvest the funds without paying capital gains taxes.

In each of those cases, those involved in the purchases say eminent domain was neither used nor threatened.^[9] On January 31, 2007, the Los Angeles Times reported that Miller's transactions are being investigated by the FBI.^[10]

Miller declined to comment on the sales.^[9] The FBI also declined to comment. As of 2008, no investigation or legal action could be confirmed.

2005 profits from dealings with business partner and federal transportation bill

As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Miller pushed for a provision in the 2005 transportation bill that allowed the city of Rialto to close its airport, the first time an act of Congress has ever shuttered an airport. It is a power the Federal Aviation Administration traditionally has had sole authority to exercise. The closing of the airport paved the way for Lewis Operating, a business partner and campaign contributor, to win a multimillion dollar contract from the city to develop the airport land and build a planned community consisting of 2,500 homes, parks and 80 acres (320,000 m²) of retail space on the former airport and adjacent land.

Miller also helped secure $1.28 million in that bill for street improvements in front of a planned housing and retail center, including a Target store that he co-owned with Lewis Operating.

Miller took out nearly $7.5 million in promissory notes in 2004 from Lewis Operating, which he used to purchase land from the company. In 2005, he sold some of that land to a part of the company, making a profit of between $1.1 million and $6 million, according to his financial disclosure report (which requires reporting a dollar range, not an exact dollar figure). The majority of the parcels that Miller bought are about two miles (3 km) from the airport.

House Rules explicitly state that before entering into loans from an entity other than a financial institution, members of Congress and staff must submit the terms of the loans for review and a determination from the ethics committee on whether the loan is acceptable under the gift rule. It is not clear if Miller complied with this requirement.^[11]

December 2006 allegations

In December 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that Miller had used "congressional muscle" for "personal business matters."^[12] This included having congressional staff do Miller's personal errands, collecting nearly $25,000 a year in rent from his campaign committee, using the offices of his real estate development firm as his campaign office, and ordering an aide to find a way to get a city business-friendly council member on the National Park Board who was involved in a city purchase of Miller's property.^[12] The Times noted that when the campaign office was visited just prior to the November 2006 election, there was no evidence of campaign activity.^[12]

May 2010 allegations

In May 2010, the FOX affiliate MyFOXLA interviewed Miller over claims led by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) that he "directed millions of dollars in government money to non-profits headed by one of his campaign contributor[s], developer Jeffrey Burum."^[13] Burum, his company, and his wife donated more than $30,000 ^[14] to Miller's campaign for what CREW alleges is over a million dollars in congressional earmarks kicked back to Burum's non-profit Hope Through Housing Foundation. A request has been made to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office to investigate.

Military record

In June 2010 facts came to surface and were made that Miller inflated his military service, stating that he had served from 1967–1968 and implying he served in Vietnam when he only spent 7 weeks in boot camp and then was discharged. The Harper's Magazine article recounting these facts also included this quote from Miller spokeswoman Jessica L. Baker: "Congressman Miller volunteered to the U.S. Army and was Honorably Discharged due to medical reasons within a matter of months." Baker's statement has since been questioned because it is impossible to receive an honorable discharge due to medical reasons and according to government records Miller only served a month.^[1]

Controversy over Congressman Miller’s federal earmarks for Islamist Defense Contractor

In June 2011, the Orange County Register reported that Rahim Sabadia, the CEO of Sabtech Industries, a local defense contracting firm, had been stripped of his SECRET security clearance in July of 2010, forcing an abrupt halt to the company’s work on a classified multimillion dollar Navy contract. The reason for this unusual action was reportedly the concerns of the Defense Security Service (DSS) over Sabadia’s large contributions to Islamic charities, including $1.2 million to the Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR)---a group the US government suspects of connections with the Islamic terror organization, Hamas.^[15]

According to the non-profit investigative group, Watchdog Institute, Congressman Miller was instrumental in securing over $9 million in federal defense earmarks for Sabadia’s defense firm. Meanwhile, records show that Sabadia, along with his wife, Nafees, gave Miller more than $40,000 to Miller’s campaign since the year 2000, maxing out their contributions in every election cycle.

Sabadia refused to discuss his charitable contributions, and Miller denied being aware of Sabadia’s assistance to any Islamist group that might pose security concerns. But Miller had received money from other CAIR members, and he even penned a flattering letter of congratulations to CAIR, which it then posted on its website to bolster its credibility.^[16]

Sabadia’s influence with Miller was seen in other actions too, such as a 2004 report by a California Muslim newspaper which indicated that Congressman Miller drafted an amendment to the Transportation Security Act of 2004 to allow people to remove their names from the anti-terrorism no-fly list, after Sabadia’s family encountered difficulties with Homeland Security and missed a flight.

Sabadia was also credited by the Council of Pakistan American Affairs with getting Miller to join the Congressional Pakistan Caucus even though Miller did not serve on any committees pertaining to defense or international relations or have any notable point of reference for doing so.

Subsequent to the scandal over the Islamist defense contractor losing his security clearance, Miller appeared at a controversial rally with a very different agenda in February of 2011. Congressman Miller along with Congressman Ed Royce attracted international media attention for speaking in support of an anti-Islamist rally held in Orange County, California (inside his home district).^[17][18] Protesters at the rally lined up to intimidate and harass Muslims as they entered a dinner event to raise money, ostensibly for women's shelters. Congressman Miller said of the rally participants, "That's the only reason I'm here today, is to give you a flag and to say 'I'm proud of you.' I'm proud of what you're doing. . . . and let's not let people who disagree with America destroy it."^{[citation needed]}

Committee assignments[link]

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity
  • Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade (Chairman)
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment

Caucus membership[link]

• Chairman of the Building a Better America Caucus
• Republican Study Committee
• Tea Party Caucus

Personal life[link]

Miller and his wife, Cathy, have three sons and one daughter.

Abduction of grandchildren[link]

On November 19, 2007, three of Miller's grandsons, Brian (8) and twins Evan and Christian (6), were abducted by their estranged mother, Jennifer Lopez DeJongh, from their Diamond Bar home. DeJongh was divorced from Miller's son, and the boy's father, Brian Miller, and the two were in dispute over certain custodial rights regarding medical and educational decisions for the children, though at the time Brian had sole custody. In August 2011, DeJongh and the boys were located in Mexicali, Mexico. DeJongh was charged with three counts of child custody deprivation in Los Angeles County, but federal charges of flight to avoid prosecution were dropped following her extradition. The boys, now 12 and twins 10, were reunited with the Miller family. Congressman Miller commented that, "My wife and I are extremely relieved that after more than 3 1/2 years our grandchildren have been found unharmed and returned safely to the United States" and that he was "eternally grateful" to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Mexican authorities and "all those whose hard work and unwavering dedication made this possible."^[19][20]

References[link]

External links[link]

Find more about Gary Miller on Wikipedia's sister projects:
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• Official website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Profile at SourceWatch
• Associated Press profile

City of Gary
—  City  —
Downtown Gary
Official seal of City of Gary Seal
Nickname(s): City in Motion, City of the Century, GI, Magic City of Steel, The Steel City, The G
Motto: We Are Doing Great Things
Location of Gary in Lake County (left, shaded in red), and within the state of Indiana, U.S.
Coordinates: 41°35′44″N 87°20′43″W / 41.59556°N 87.34528°W / 41.59556; -87.34528Coordinates: 41°35′44″N 87°20′43″W / 41.59556°N 87.34528°W / 41.59556; -87.34528[1]
Country	United States
State	Indiana
County	Lake
Founded	July 14, 1906
Government
• Type	Council-Strong Mayor
• Mayor	Karen Freeman-Wilson (D)
Area
• Total	57.18 sq mi (148.1 km2)
• Land	49.86 sq mi (129.1 km2)
• Water	7.31 sq mi (18.9 km2)
Elevation[1]	607 ft (185 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	80,294
• Density	1,598.5/sq mi (617.2/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC–6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC–5)
ZIP codes	46401-46411
Area code(s)	219
FIPS code	18-27000[2]
GNIS feature ID	2394863[1]
Website	http://www.gary.in.us/

Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known for its large steel mills and as the birthplace of the Jacksons singing family. Gary is adjacent to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

History[link]

Early history[link]

The city was founded in 1906 by the United States Steel Corporation as the home for its new plant. The city was named after the lawyer and founding chairman of U.S. Steel, Elbert Henry Gary.

Gary's fortunes have risen and fallen with those of the steel industry. The growth of the steel industry brought prosperity to the community. Broadway Avenue was known as a commercial center for the region. Department stores and architecturally significant movie houses were built in the downtown area and the Glen Park neighborhood.

In the 1960s, like many other American urban centers reliant on one particular industry, Gary entered a spiral of decline. Gary's decline was brought on by the growing overseas competitiveness in the steel industry, which had caused U.S. Steel to lay off many workers from the Gary area. As the city declined, crime increased.

Rapid racial change occurred in Gary during the late 20th century. These population changes resulted in political change which reflected the racial demographics of Gary. Gary had one of the nation's first African-American mayors, Richard G. Hatcher, and hosted the ground-breaking 1972 National Black Political Convention.

In the 1960s through 1980s, surrounding suburban localities such as Merrillville and Crown Point experienced rapid growth including new homes and shopping districts. Due to white flight, economic distress, and skyrocketing crime, many middle-class and affluent residents moved to other cities in the metro area such as Chicago and surrounding areas in Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Gary had the highest percentage of African Americans of U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more, 84% (as of the 2000 U.S. census). This no longer applies to Gary since the population of the city has now fallen well below 100,000 residents.

U.S. Steel continues to be a major steel producer, but with only a fraction of its former level of employment. While Gary has failed to reestablish a manufacturing base since its population peak, two casinos opened along the Gary lakeshore in the 1990s although this has been aggravated by the state closing of Cline Avenue, an important access to the area. Today, Gary faces the difficulties of a rust belt former steel town turned urban dumping ground, including unemployment, decaying infrastructure, low literacy and educational attainment levels.

Recent history[link]

2006[link]

Three-term Democratic mayor Scott King resigned from office in March 2006, citing a desire to return to private law practice.^[3] Then-deputy mayor and former Calumet Township trustee Dozier T. Allen Jr. became acting mayor pending a formal election by local Democratic party officials. On April 4, 2006, local officials chose former Lake County commissioner and King rival Rudolph Clay to fill the remaining 21 months of King's term.

The Gary Chicago International Airport (IATA code: GYY) secured nearly $100 million in grants and private donations. The Federal Aviation Administration approved GYY's master plan which includes the expansion of runways, land acquisition for a larger terminal, an integrated transportation center, and provision for a third runway. The first part of the plan requires that the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway line, which runs at the end of the runway, be relocated.

Dallas-based HomeVestors of America released its "Top 10 Markets for Real Estate Investing" list on December 9, 2006. Gary earned the number one position on this list, which represents activity of investors who purchase homes below market and then sell.^[4]

After celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2006, the city of Gary presented several examples of progress and economic rebound, after years of economic depression. Many buildings that have been left vacant for years are now finally slated for demolition and development.^[5] Many new homes were built through the HOPE VI grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

2007[link]

Gary was rated the 17th most dangerous city in the United States according to Morgan Quitno's 2007 analysis of crime rates (City Crime Rankings, 14th Edition), down from 10th highest in the 2006 edition. The city recorded 51 homicides in 2006, a 13.5 percent decrease from the previous year.

2008[link]

Forbes Magazine listed Gary 39th on their Top 100 Best Cities for Jobs in 2008. The ranking was up from 89th in 2006 and 84th in 2007.^[6]

In March 2008 the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief and a police sergeant were all indicted by the federal court for violating the civil rights of a Gary resident.^[7]

2011[link]

Property tax limitations implemented for the entire state of Indiana have left Gary in a financially difficult situation.^[8] The city is one of the few in the US that uses cash based accounting, a system usually limited to use in very small businesses and not municipalities with budgets greater than $80 million.^[9] Gary currently is under temporary reprieve from full implementation of the state tax caps, an implementation that is scheduled to be applied to Gary in 2012. At that point Gary's property tax revenue of approximately $60 million is projected to be cut to approximately $30 million. The budget changes necessary at that point are widely viewed to be devastating.^[10] Due to its cash accounting system, there is difficulty determining what Gary's one-time liabilities are. In late 2009, they are at least $34 million in debts and unpaid judgments by the city to various parties in addition to the upcoming projected structural deficit due to mandatory tax caps.

In April 2011, 75 year-old mayor Rudy Clay announced that he would be suspending his campaign for re-election, owing to ongoing treatments for prostate cancer. After exiting from the race, Clay endorsed rival Karen Freeman-Wilson, who won the Democratic mayoral primary in May.^[11]

On November 8, 2011, Freeman-Wilson won election to the office of mayor of Gary with 87 percent of the vote. Her term began January 2012; she is the city's first female mayor.^[12]

Neighborhoods[link]

West[link]

Ambridge Mann is located on Gary's near west side along 5th Avenue. Ambridge was developed for workers at the nearby steel plant in the 1910s and 1920s, and is named after the American Bridge Works, which was a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. The neighborhood is home to a huge stock of prairie style and art deco homes. The Gary Masonic Temple is located in the neighborhood along with the Ambassador Apartment building. Located just south of Interstate 90, the neighborhood can be seen while passing Buchanan Street.

Lake County, Indiana Superior Court Building

Brunswick is located on Gary's far west side. The neighborhood is located just south of Interstate 90 and can be seen from the expressway. The Brunswick area includes the Tri-City Plaza shopping center on West 5th Avenue (U.S. 20). The area is south of the Gary Chicago International Airport.

Gary Centennial Landmark

Downtown Gary was developed in the 1920s and houses several pieces of impressive architecture, including several structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. A 6,000-seat minor league baseball stadium for the Gary SouthShore RailCats, U.S. Steel Yard, was constructed in 2002, along with contiguous commercial space. A significant number of older structures have been demolished in recent years, but a number of abandoned buildings remain in the downtown area, including historic structures like Union Station and City Methodist Church. A large area of the downtown neighborhood (including City Methodist) was devastated by fire on October 12, 1997.^[13][14] Interstate 90 divides downtown Gary from the United States Steel Plant.

Tolleston is one of Gary's oldest neighborhoods, predating much of the rest of the city. It was plated out by George Tolle in 1857, when the railroads came to the area. The area is to the west of Midtown and south of Ambridge Mann. Tarrytown is a subdivision located in Tolleston between Whitcomb Street and Clark Road.

South[link]

Black Oak is located on the far southwest side of Gary, in the vicinity of the Burr Street exit to the Borman Expressway. It was annexed in the 1970s. Prior to that, Black Oak was an unincorporated area informally associated with Hammond, and the area has Hammond telephone numbers. The community was convinced (after three previously failed attempts) by Mayor Hatcher that its residents would benefit from better services, provided by the city, than those provided by the county. It is the only majority-white neighborhood in Gary.

Glen Park is located on Gary's far south side, and is made up mostly of mid-twentieth century houses. Glen Park is divided from the remainder of the city by the Borman Expressway. The northern portion of Glen Park is home to Gary's Gleason Park Golf Course and the campus of Indiana University Northwest. The far western portion of Glen Park is home to the Village Shopping Center. Glen Park includes the 37th Avenue corridor at Broadway.

Midtown is located to the south of Downtown Gary, along Broadway. This was, traditionally, the original "black" neighborhood in the pre-1960s days of segregation.

Old Miller School, District #8

North and East[link]

Aetna is located on Gary's far east side along the Dunes Highway. Aetna predates the city of Gary. It was a company town founded in 1881 by the Aetna Powder Works, an explosives company, which closed with the end of World War I. The Town of Aetna was annexed in 1928 around the same time Gary annexed the Town of Miller. A building boom happened shortly afterward in the late 1920s and early 1930s making Aetna home to an impressive collection of art deco architecture. The rest of the community was built throughout the 1950s after the Korean War in a series of phases. On its south and east, Aetna borders the undeveloped floodplain of the Little Calumet River.

Miller Beach, also known through the years as Miller Station or just simply as Miller, is on Gary's far east side. Incorporated as an independent town in 1907, Miller was annexed by the city of Gary in 1918. Miller developed around the old stagecoach stop and train station known, as early as the 1840s, as Miller's Junction. The Miller Beach area has remained somewhat separated from the rest of Gary both culturally and geographically. Miller Beach continues to be racially and economically diverse, and attracts investor interest due to the many year-round and summer homes within walking distance of Marquette Park and Lake Michigan. Prices for lakefront property are affordable compared with Illinois suburban communities. Lake Street provides shopping and dining options for Miller Beach visitors and residents. East Edge, a development of 28 upscale condominium, townhome, and single-family homes, began construction in 2007 at the eastern edge of Miller Beach along County Line Road, one block south of Lake Michigan.^[15]

Lake Street Beach in Miller

Lake County Superior Court House and US Steel Gary Works

Geography and climate[link]

Geography[link]

The city sits on the southern end of the former lake bed of the prehistoric Lake Chicago, and the current Lake Michigan. Most of the city's soil nearly one foot below the surface is pure sand. The sand beneath Gary, and on its beaches, is of such high quality that in years past it was mined for the manufacture of glass. Gary has many statues of Elbert H. Gary in the city. It also has a lot of historical sites to visit.

According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 57.18 square miles (148.1 km²), of which 49.86 square miles (129.1 km²) (or 87.20%) is land and 7.31 square miles (18.9 km²) (or 12.78%) is water.^[16]

Gary is "T" shaped, with its northern border on Lake Michigan. At the Northwesternmost section Gary borders Hammond and East Chicago. Miller Beach, its easternmost neighborhood, borders Lake Station and Portage. Gary's southernmost section borders Griffith, Hobart, Merrillville, and unincorporated Ross.^{[citation needed]} Gary is about 40 miles (64 km) from the Chicago Loop.^[17]

Climate[link]

Although Gary is located at a roughly similar latitude as New York City, the climate is colder in the winter because of a more continental influence. In July and August, the warmest months, high temperatures average 84 °F (29 °C) and peak just above 100 °F (38 °C) and low temperatures average 63 °F (17 °C). In January and February, the coldest months, high temperatures average around 29 °F (−2 °C) and low temperatures average 13 °F (−11 °C), with at least a few days of temperatures dipping below 0 °F (−18 °C). The weather of Gary is greatly regulated by its proximity to Lake Michigan, as it sits at the lake's southernmost point. Weather varies yearly. In summer months Gary is humid. The city's yearly precipitation averages about 40 inches. Summer is the rainiest season. Winters vary but are predominantly snowy with regular blizzards. Snowfall in Gary can average 24 to 36 inches per winter, but sometimes large blizzards hit because of "lake effect snow", a phenomenon wherein large amounts of water evaporated from the lake deposits onto the shoreline areas inordinate amounts of snow.

Demographics[link]

As of the census of 2000, there were 102,746 people, 38,244 households, and 25,623 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,045.5 people per square mile (789.8/km²). There were 43,630 housing units at an average density of 868.6 per square mile (335.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 84.03% African American, 11.92% White, 0.21% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 8.9% of the population in 2010,^[19] down from 39.1% in 1970.^[20]

The U.S. census figures show that Gary had a population of 80,294 for the 2010 census, a nearly 22% drop compared to the 2000 census.

There were 38,244 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.2% were married couples living together, 30.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 84.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,195, and the median income for a family was $32,205. Males had a median income of $34,992 versus $24,432 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,383. About 22.2% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.

City and community services[link]

Parks[link]

• Brunswick Park
• Marquette Park
• Pittman Square
• Gleason Park
• Jefferson Park
• Buffington Park
• Hillman Park
• Borman Square

Medical facilities[link]

• Gary Community Health Center and Adult and Children's General Dentist 1021 West 5th Avenue, Gary, IN 46402
• Methodist Hospital 600 Grant Street, Gary, IN 46402-6099
• Rainbow Medical Center 1465 West 16th Avenue, Gary, IN 46407-1025

Education[link]

There are three school districts serving the city and multiple charter schools located within the city.

Public schools[link]

Most public schools in Gary are administered by the Gary Community School Corporation. The other public schools within the city are administered by Lake Ridge Schools Corporation, which is the school system for the Black Oak neighborhood and unincorporated Calumet Township. Due to annexation law, Black Oak residents retained their original school system and were not required to attend Gary public schools. Some Gary residents in the eastern edge of the community attend schools administered by the River Forest Community School Corporation.

Charter schools[link]

Charter schools in Indiana, including those in Gary, are granted charters by one of a small number of chartering institutions. Indiana charter schools are generally managed in cooperation between the chartering institution, a local board of parents and community members, salaried school administrators, and a management company. Charter schools in Gary as of 2011 include KIPP Lead College Prep Charter School, Thea Bowman Leadership Academy, Charter School of the Dunes, Gary Lighthouse Charter School, 21st Century Charter , and West Gary Lighthouse Charter School.

Higher education[link]

Gary is home to two regional state college campuses:

• Indiana University Northwest
• Ivy Tech Community College Northwest

Public libraries[link]

Downtown Library

The Gary Public Library System consists of the main library at 220 West 5th Avenue and several branches: Brunswick Branch, W. E. B. DuBois Branch, J. F. Kennedy Branch, Tolleston Branch, and Woodson Branch.^[21] In March 2011, the Gary Library Board voted to close the main library on 5th Avenue and the Tolleston branch in what officials said was their best economic option. The main library will close by the end of 2011.^[22] Lake County Public Library operates the Black Oak Branch at 5921 West 25th Avenue in the Gary city limits.^[23] In addition Indiana University Northwest operates the Indiana University Northwest Library on its campus.^[24]

Public safety[link]

Gary is served by the Gary Police Department and Gary Fire Department. Gary is also served by the Lake County Sheriff's Department.

Transportation[link]

• NICTD (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District) operates the South Shore Line, a commuter rail system (one of the United States' last original operating interurban railway systems), running between Chicago and South Bend.

• GPTC (Gary Public Transportation Corporation) a commuter bus system that offers service to numerous stops throughout the city and neighboring suburbs. GPTC also has express service to locations outside of the city including connections to Chicago transit. Front door pickup is available for disabled citizens at no extra cost.

• GYY (Gary/Chicago International Airport) is operating as the "third airport" for the Chicago area. It is undergoing much federally funded expansion, and the administration is courting airlines aggressively. Boeing already bases its corporate fleets here.^{[citation needed]} The National Guard is intending to base its Chicago area air operation there as well,^[25] which would add much needed security to the airport, taking away some of the stigma of an airport in Gary.

• Interstate 90 (Indiana Toll Road), Interstate 80, Interstate 94, and Interstate 65 run through Gary, as well as U.S. Routes 12 and 20, Indiana State Road 912/Cline Avenue and a former stretch of Indiana State Road 312 now decommissioned.

Culture[link]

Arts and film[link]

The 1996 urban movie Original Gangstas was filmed in the city. The movie starred Gary native Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Jim Brown, Richard Roundtree and Isabel Sanford, among others. Since the early 2000s Gary has experienced a surge of Hollywood filmmakers wishing to shoot movies in the city. In 2009 scenes for the remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street were filmed in Gary.^[26] Scenes from Transformers: Dark of the Moon wrapped up filming on August 16, 2010.^[27]

Nightmare on Elm Street being filmed in Gary

The History channel documentary Life After People was filmed in run-down and derelict parts of Gary, Indiana.^[28]

Meredith Willson's 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man featured the song "Gary, Indiana", and described Gary Conservatory as the alleged alma mater of lead character Professor Harold Hill ("Gary Music Conservatory, Class of '05!"). The joke in Hill's claim, of course, is that the City of Gary was not founded until 1906. Willson's musical, set in 1912, later was the basis of a film (1962) and a made-for-television film (2003).

Sports[link]

The U.S. Steel Yard, home of the Gary SouthShore RailCats

The following sports franchises are based in Gary:

• The Gary SouthShore RailCats are an American Association, professional baseball team. The team plays in Gary's U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium. The RailCats played in the Northern League from 2002 until 2010 and were the 2005 and 2007 Northern League Champions.

• The Gary Splash are an International Basketball League, professional basketball team. The team plays in Gary's Genesis Convention Center. Formerly the Gary Steelheads played in the IBL, CBA, USBL and IBL.

Sister city[link]

• Fuxin, People's Republic of China^[29]

Notable natives and residents[link]

Michael Jackson's childhood home in Gary, Indiana shortly after the singer's death

Frank Borman

Gary is the hometown of the Jackson family, a family of musicians who influenced the sound of modern popular music. Joe and Katherine Jackson originally moved into their two bedroom house at 2300 Jackson St. in Gary, Indiana, after they got married on November 5, 1949. The famous siblings would later record a song entitled "2300 Jackson Street" in the 1990s.

• Members of the Jackson family include:
  • Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson (born May 29, 1950)
  • Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson (born May 4, 1951)
  • Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson (born October 15, 1953)
  • Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954)
  • La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956)
  • Marlon David Jackson (born March 12, 1957)
  • Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
  • Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson (born October 29, 1961)
  • Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966)

Other notables include

• Dan Barreiro, sports radio talk show host
• Albert M. Bielawski, former Michigan State Representative
• Frank Borman (born 1928), astronaut on Gemini 7 and Apollo 8, former CEO of Eastern Air Lines
• John Brim, bluesman.
• Avery Brooks (born 1948), (born in Evansville) actor, director, best known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Karen Freeman-Wilson, former Indiana Attorney General, attorney, politician
• Freddie Gibbs, rapper
• Tom Harmon 1940 University of Michigan Heisman Trophy winner
• LaTroy Hawkins (born December 21, 1972) MLB Pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
• Gerald Irons, former NFL star, Oakland Raiders
• Tank Johnson, NFL star
• Alex Karras, former NFL star, actor in Blazing Saddles
• Robert Kearns, inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper systems.
• Ron Kittle, former Chicago White Sox outfielder and 1983 American League Rookie of the Year recipient
• Bob Kuechenberg, former NFL star, guard on 1972 Miami Dolphins perfect season team
• Karl Malden (1912–2009), (born in Chicago) Oscar winning actor
• William Marshall, actor
• Brandon Moore (born 1980), NFL guard for the New York Jets
• Dan Plesac (born 1962), former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career, now a MLB Network analyst
• Glenn Robinson (born 1973), former NBA basketball player
• Paul Samuelson (1915–2009), economist, recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal (1947) and the Nobel prize (1970)
• Joseph Stiglitz (born 1943), economist, recipient of the John Bates Clark Medal (1979) and the Nobel prize (2001)
• Hank Stram, NFL head coach 1960-1977
• Ernest Lee Thomas, actor
• Deniece Williams (born 1950), Grammy Award winning R&B artist
• Fred Williamson, former NFL star, actor, director, producer
• Tony Zale (1913–1997), twice middleweight world champion

Business and industry[link]

Media[link]

• Newspapers – Gary is served by two major newspapers based outside the city, and by a Gary-based, largely African-American interest paper. These papers provide regional topics, and cover events in Gary.
  • The Post-Tribune, originally the Gary Post-Tribune, is now based in Merrillville, a suburb of Gary.
  • The Times, previously known as the Hammond Times. Offices and facilities for The Times are in nearby Munster.
  • The Gary Crusader, based in Gary and largely focused on black or African-American interests and readership.
  • The INFO Newspaper, based in Gary and largely focused on black or (African-American) interests and readership.
• The Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times are also distributed in Gary.

• Broadcast – Gary is served by five local broadcasters plus government access and numerous Chicago area radio and TV stations, and by other nearby stations in Illinois and Indiana.
  • WHNW-LD (Channel 18) a repeater of LeSEA's WHME in South Bend.^[30]
  • WPWR-TV (Channel 50) is the Chicago My Network TV affiliate, but is licensed to Gary. Studios and transmitters are co-located with WFLD's in Chicago, and like WFLD, WPWR is owned by Fox Television Stations.
  • WYIN (Channel 56) is a PBS affiliate licensed to Gary. Their studios are in Merrillville.
  • WGVE (FM 88.7) is owned by the Gary Community School Corporation, and is used primarily as a teaching facility. Programming is maintained by students in the broadcast program at the Gary Career Center. WGVE also carries limited NPR programming.
  • WLTH (AM 1370) carries syndicated talk programming, and is owned by Pluria Marshall Jr.
  • WWCA (AM 1270) is a Relevant Radio owned-and-operated radio station, carrying programming from the Catholic-oriented Relevant Radio network.

See also[link]

	Chicago portal
	Indiana portal

• List of tallest buildings in Gary
• Northwest Indiana

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gary, Indiana

• City of Gary, Indiana website
• Photos of abandoned buildings in Gary, IN 2011
• Photos galleries of Gary, Indiana from 2005
• U.S. Steel Gary Works Photograph Collection, 1906–1971
• MillerBeachDays
• Dave's Den – providing extensive coverage on the history and development of the City of Gary
• More current photos of Gary's buildings
• Gary at night

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