The Times from Munster, Indiana • 13

ca Meiws V'-V jerry davich times columnist Gary, Indiana, Gary, Indiana, highland, munster. calumet township localNews.nwitimes.com THURSDAY APRIL 6 2006 RIDGE I SECTION fUl Griffith. es ma are OT i Police place 22 year old Hammond man in custody; gun recovered BY STEVE ZABROSKI Times Correspondent HAMMOND Police are looking to the community for information about the Tuesday night shooting death of a teenage girl in a west side apartment. Police were called to the 5900 Hammond Fire Department emergency medical technicians rushed her nine blocks north to St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers in Hammond, where she was pronounced dead.

A 22-year-old Hammond man was arrested and the firearm believed used in the shooting recovered. No motive for the crime has been released by police, who are also withholding the names of the victim and suspect pending further investigation. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Steve Guernsey at (219) 852-2978. IvfYk a I Lv hi. A.

1- You can leave your hometown, but you can't entirely escape it. It's like trying to deny your DNA, or forgetting your First Big Mistake in life, or pretending one of your parents doesn't exist. Your hometown is with you for keeps. It's part of you, like it or not. It's weaved early on into the fabric of your existence, threaded through the patchwork of other experiences in your life.

I tell you this because I'm from Gary born and raised there and for years I mistakenly downplayed it, over-hyped it or conveniently ignored it. When asked, "Where are you from?" my reply often depended on my age, my whereabouts, my attitude, my maturity, even my mood. I've replied: "Gary, Indiana -yes, that Gary, Indiana," and "Gary Murder Capital U.S.A." Or "Northwest Indiana," or "Miller Beach," or even "the Chicago region" when I'm out of the Midwest, to help speed up any mental mapping. But I don't remember ever proudly boasting, "Gary, Indiana," as if I were from, say, New York City or some Smalltown, U.S.A. I'm not alone.

I've met hundreds of other Gary natives -both white and black who feel the same way, and who feel they're gambling with their lives to return. Other gamblers routinely return there, but only to the fictional neighborhood called "Buffington Harbor," located in, uh, Gary. When I meet most Gary natives the conversation typically gravitates to "the good ol' days," or "remember when or "back in the day And then I hear the same tired memories about a Steel City that has become a rusted, hollowed shell of its former self. Ugh. I hate recalling glory days of any kind.

First, because I haven't hit mine yet, and second, because I could care less about someone's high school football days, college frat parties, and so on. Same goes with glory days about Gary. However, today is an exception and here's why. At noon, city officials will open a time capsule buried on this day 50 years ago. I'm guessing that mostly older generations of residents and natives will care more than anyone else.

I understand. It's their era that's getting unearthed. But maybe we should keep something else in mind. The same Utopian Gary that's been crystalized forever into the memories of many city natives is still a memory maker for thousands of current residents. Regardless of your birthplace town, city or zip code, it's the memorable municipality of youth that matters most in our lives.

Today, as remnants of a once "magic city" get exhumed from a dusty time capsule, thousands of youngsters are creating fresh memories in Gary, regardless of its image, or crime stats, or poverty rate. Why? Because it's the only hometown they'll ever have. Same goes for me, too. The opinions are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at jdavichnwitimes.com or (219) 933-3376.

block of Hyslop Place near Harrison Park at 7 p.m. by a resident who said shots had been fired somewhere in the apartment building. They found a white female, a Gary resident just two weeks shy of her 17th birthday, bleeding from a gunshot wound to the head. Clay will be sworn in as mayor of the area's largest city Friday. But his name remains on the May 2 ballot as candidate for the Democratic Party's nominee for 1st District county commissioner, along with Roosevelt Allen, of Gary, and Daniel Spoljoric, of Highland.

Clay isn't conceding his old office to either of those two men. "The best guy I like on the ballot right now is Rudy Clay, No. 46," Clay said Wednesday, one day after his election as mayor by Gary Sheriff lacks up campaign trail dust FOP accuses Dominguez of violating his own policies BY BILL DOLAN bdolannwitimes.com 219.662.5328 CROWN POINT Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez finally has started his re-election campaign in earnest as if he is trying to make up for lost time. The same man who didn't hold a political fundraiser in the previous two years, said he held three last week, including one March 30 at Avalon Manor in Hobart that drew an overflow crowd of 1,000. Now the question is whether his chief rival, John Buncich, who served as sheriff from 1994 to 2002 and has amassed his own large war chest of donations and endorsements, has peaked too soon or Dominguez waited too late.

The voters will decide May 2. Some of the sheriff's officers have used the fundraisers as a way to take pot shots at him. The sheriff mailed complimentary fundraiser tickets last month to members of the Fraternal Order of Police Chris Anton Lodge 125 and the Lake County Police Association Local 72. Members of the two organization have endorsed Buncich for sheriff. Dan Murchek, LCPA president and Buncich supporter, complained that giving out tickets is in violation of the sheriff's own policy forbidding political activity while on duty.

"He mailed tickets to everybody's house, the overwhelming majority of our officers have never signed up for his political lists, so he must have used our (personnel) records to obtain our addresses, in violation of his policy, complimentary or not," Murchek said. Dominguez said his address list dates back to his 2002 run for sheriff and he doesn't expect his officers to contribute anything. Murchek said, "To some of the newer guys, it's intimidating to See SHERIFF, B12 cannot be removed from the ballot. "I'll leave it to precinct people to select a replacement for me," he said. Clay said he hasn't thought about who would be the best replacement for him.

County Recorder Michael Brown was visiting with Clay as he spoke. Clay said, "I think County Recorder Mike Brown would make a good commissioner." See COMMISSIONER, B12 JOHN J. WATKINS THE TIMES Prinm Dance instructor Wayne Gruber, right, gives pointers to teachers Lindsey Singleton and Josh Blink Wednesday evening at Lowell Middle School. Gruber is offering dance lessons to high school students as well as adults. Clay still campaigning for commissioner's seat Democratic precinct committeemen to replace Scott King, who resigned last month to return to private life.

Allen disagrees. "A vote for Mr. Clay would be a wasted vote." Spoljoric couldn't be reached Wednesday for comment. Clay is hoping voters will elect him commissioner again so that he can use his authority as county Democratic chairman to let a caucus of precinct committeemen name his replacement. Clay has no choice but to run May 2.

His name His name remains on May 2 ballot for county position BY BILL DOLAN bdolannwitimes.com 219.662.5328 CROWN POINT Gary Mayor-elect Rudy Clay will step down this week as Lake County commissioner, but he hasn't stopped campaigning for the job he can no longer do himself. STORY TIP OR COMMENTS? Call West Lake Editor Sharon Ross at 219.852.4328 or e-mail srossnwitimes.com.