The people of Gary didn’t do this. It’s the white-owned companies and their Chicago-living managers that did these horrible things to Gary, Hammond and East Chicago. They came down to Northwest Indiana, built their companies away from Chicago, and polluted the entire area. Now, folks here have to depend on these companies for a living.

As far as I’m concerned, northern Indiana doesn’t have to applogize for being industrial. Some areas of the country can’t just be about golfing, fishing and swimming. Some places of the country have to be about building things and that what’s northwest Indiana is all about.

I think because this area is largely black, most white folks would like to just write it off. But you can’t do that. These are still people.

Intead of putting it down, find ways to improve the situation.

I am trying to find easy, simple things I can do to help stop global warming (I don’t plan on buying a hybrid). Has anyone seen that http://www.EarthLab.com is promoting their Earth Day (month) challenge, with the goal to get 1 million people to take their carbon footprint test in April?… I took the test, it was easy and only took me about 2 minutes and I am planning on lowering my score with some of their tips.

I am looking for more easy fun stuff to do. If you know of any other sites worth my time let me know.

I hated my life there….I now live in sunny San Diego.
I can’t imagine living there .. . my parents are still there..but they are happy to come out and visit the kids that ALL moved away from the soot and smell.

I swear I have black lung disease. I still cough like I was still under the smokestats. All I remember are black skies as a youngster growing up. Oh and the smell…wonderful!!!

I did work in the steel mills as a painter…dousing thinner or gasoline over my head at the end of the day to get the paint out of my hair and face from the spray guns…So much fun!!! DON’T Smoke while doing that!!!
It taught me a great lesson….go do something else..and I did!
I also worked in the Metalurigical department of one of the mills…checking gray steel for “cracks”.

But in the end I had a father in law that worked every day in the mils without missing a day of his life except one or two…and retired. I don’t even remember if he got the gold watch!

Then he died! Months after his retirment. God bless him. In essence he had no real life than the mill. I loved that man! A brilliant guy.

I am so glad to be thousands of miles from that polluted atmosphere where people were only concerned about what the unions can do for them. I see blue skies every day and feel the sun daily.

I do remember my dad saying …smell that on a foul day..that’s the smell of money. He did well…I didn’t!

I am proud of my dad. He was a hard and honest worker and is now retired…and famous!!! Just google Spiro Cappony

We just had different experiences in the mills of Gary Indiana. i am glad he raised us on the money from the mills … I have a great father.

I couldn’t have done it! He did ….