Congresswoman Walorski Encourages Veterans to Utilize Local Resources

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski is visiting with veterans throughout her district to highlight a valuable resource available to help them cut through the red tape in dealing with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

“Connecting our local veterans with their local VSO is one way at the local level that we can help make sure claims are filed properly, that they get all the information they need. There’s a resource, there’s an advocate here at the local level they can call,” said Walorski.

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Summer Cool Program Begins June 3

  
 
Pulaski County Human Services and North Central Community Action Agencies are teaming up once again to start the Summer Cool Program beginning June 3, when the organizations will provide an additional $75 to go toward the household’s electric utility bill that signed up during the winter for regular energy assistance. The only requirement for qualification is that all currently approved households from the winter assistance program bring in a current utility bill if they’ve moved or changed the name on the bill, the electric vendor or the account number.

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Free Fishing Days This Weekend

 
 
Get your tackle box and pole and get ready to head out on the water – Free Fishing Day is coming up this weekend, giving anglers the perfect opportunity to get out to the water and cast out their lines. Free Fishing Days on June 1–2 are the last of four Free Fishing Days offered this year, the first of which was April 20. Indiana’s adult residents do not need a fishing license or a trout/salmon stamp to fish public waters in the state during Free Fishing Day.

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Knox Man Killed in Marshall County Crash

 

 
 

A single-vehicle crash in Marshall County Tuesday afternoon claimed the life of a Knox man. It happened on State Road 17 near the intersection of 10B road south of Plymouth. Manis Stacy, Jr., 57, had just left work and was southbound on 17 when a piece of metal from a northbound trailer came loose and crashed through the windshield of his truck, according to Marshall County Coroner Bill Cleavenger. Stacy drove off the road into a field and hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers from the Marshall County Police Department and Plymouth Fire and EMS responded. Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen notified Stacy’s family.

 

Starke Commissioners Approve Deed for CR 300 E, SR 8 Project

Charles Weaver
Charles Weaver
The Starke County Commissioners met in a special meeting yesterday morning at 10 a.m. to approve and sign documents to allow the County Road 300 East and State Road 8 improvement project to continue. Commissioner Kent Danford and County Attorney Martin Lucas were unable to make it to the meeting, but Lucas was available via speakerphone to add his input to the discussion.

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Man Arrested After Burglary Incident

 
 
Marshall County police arrested a man after a burglary investigation led to his capture.

The burglary was reported in the Creek Side Trailer Park just south of Lapaz. An extensive investigation was conducted by a Marshall County Sheriff’s patrolman which lasted throughout the day.

Evidence collected led to the arrest of James N. Spiegel on preliminary charges of Burglary Entering a Dwelling, a Class B felony, and Theft, a Class D felony. Spiegel is being held in the Marshall County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond.

Knox City Council to Proceed with Squad Car Grant Application

 
 

The Knox City Council this week held a public hearing in order to continue with the grant application process for a new city police squad car after a police vehicle was totaled after striking a deer. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the city has applied for the grant and they are eagerly awaiting the response; however, no grant funds are available until next year, but Houston said he remains hopeful that money will become available.

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Monterey Sewer Rate Study Data Due

  
 
Members of the Monterey Town Council should get the findings of the community’s first sewer rate study in seven years at their meeting this evening. They received a grant from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to conduct the study. Monterey’s residential sewer rates are $48.11 per month and were last increased in 2007 following a 2006 rate study. Local officials stress that a rate study does not necessarily mean an increase will follow. This study was prompted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management which cited the town in 2011 for ammonia level violations at the waste water treatment plant. Those levels have since been brought under control but IDEM asked for additional remediation plans, including a rate study to determine how those costs would be covered should more extensive upgrades be deemed necessary. Tonight’s Monterey Town Council meeting starts at 7 p.m. EDT at the town hall.

Memorial Service Held at Pulaski County Justice Center

 
 
A memorial service was held Tuesday afternoon at the Pulaski County Justice Center to remember the lives of three officers who were killed in the line of duty: Sheriff Charles Henry Oglesby who was shot and killed on Oct. 5, 1907, Sheriff Milo “Mike” Lewis who was shot and killed on Oct. 11, 1967 and Deputy Sheriff Shadron Kiley “Shad” Bassett who was killed in a single vehicle accident while responding to a call on Oct. 7, 2005.

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Help the Panhandle Pathway During National Trails Day

 
 
National Trails Day, the country’s largest celebration of trails, is quickly approaching and thousands of activities are taking place on June 1 all across the country. In conjunction with the holiday, the Friends of the Panhandle Pathway will be holding a trail clean-up event along with a Facebook photo contest.

Kelly Hines, head of the Publicity Committee for the Panhandle Pathway, said that they are looking to get volunteers to help clean up the trail that boasts a length of more than 22 miles. Hines encourages everyone to meet up at one of the trail heads in Winamac, Star City or Royal Center at 8 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 1 to help clean the trail. She said they will provide trash bags, gloves, and directions to get started.

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Attorney General Warns Consumers About Disaster Scammers

  
 

Do your research before you give to any disaster relief organization in order to make sure your money is really going to the victims of last week’s deadly Oklahoma tornadoes. That’s the advice of Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller. The attorney general’s website, www.IndianaConsumer.com, has information under the “Charities and Donors” section to help donors find more information about charities and how they spend their money.

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Indiana Manufacturers Association Releases Legislative Rankings

  
 
Two of the four state lawmakers who represent Starke County earned perfect scores from the Indiana Manufacturers Association for their votes during the 2013 legislative session. Their scorecard measures how often individual members of the Indiana House and Indiana Senate voted in support of positions advocated by the IMA on select bills. “Priority votes” include those in support of the $30 billion state budget, establishment of the Indiana Career Council to better align the various participants in the state’s career training and job skills development system and limits of the financial liability of worker’s compensation payments to hospitals.

Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, and Rep. Doug Gutwein, R-Francesville, both received perfect scores from the IMA. Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte, scored a 95.4 percent, and Sen. Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, ranked the highest among Democrats in the Senate with an 83 percent pro-manufacturing voting record.

LaPorte Police Investigating Armed Robbery

 
 

A LaPorte woman was robbed at knifepoint at her Grove Street apartment Friday morning, according to police there. The 31-year-old victim told them she was walking out her back door onto an enclosed porch around 11:25 a.m. when two Hispanic men wearing black jackets, gloves and ski masks confronted her. One of the men reportedly held a large kitchen knife to her throat, and they demanded money. They got away with a bank card and a small amount of cash. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the LaPorte Police Department at 219-362-9446or visit www.lpcitypd.com to submit a crime tip. You can remain anonymous while providing important information to help make your community safer. Please be as specific as you can about the activity you are reporting.

 

Three Arrested after Traffic Stop in Marshall County

 
 

A Saturday night traffic stop resulted in the arrest of three people.

Marshall County police received information that Lacy Holzwart, 24, would be in the LaVille area and she was known to have active arrest warrants against her. A traffic stop was initiated on a vehicle in which she was a passenger and during the traffic stop a substance believed to be methamphetamine was found in the vehicle. Holzwart was arrested on two active arrest warrants for Dealing a Narcotic Drug as a Class A and a Class B Felony, plus an arrest warrant for Conspiracy to Deal in a Narcotic Drug, a Class A Felony, and for Possession of Paraphernalia.

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Sheriff and Council to Split Vehicle Equipment Costs

Sheriff Oscar Cowen
Sheriff Oscar Cowen
The Starke County Council agreed to split the cost of equipping the three new patrol cars with deer crash bumpers and wiring for radios and lights with Sheriff Oscar Cowen. The “ready for the road” equipment package includes the bumpers, which are designed to protect the radiator and are recommended by the county’s insurance company. The upgrades add an additional $10,668 to the cost for the cars over the amount initially approved for the purchase. Cowen initially asked the county to cover the entire cost but agreed to pay half from his commissary fund. Council members questioned why this cost wasn’t included in the initial bid process and asked Cowen to make sure future quotes cover all factory options.

Knox WWTP Staff Asks You to Prevent Clogged Sewer Systems

Knox Board of Public Works
Knox Board of Public Works

The Knox Board of Public Works was notified by Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Kelly Clemons that her staff is having trouble keeping lift stations clear of garbage that some residents choose to dispose of in their waste systems.

Her staff has been to a lift station on Washington Street and they’ve had to clear it of disposable wipes that aren’t meant to be flushed into the sewer system. Clemons asks that residents not flush disposable wipes, diapers, sanitary napkins, prescription medications, plastic, syringes, underwear, kitty litter, grease or oils in the sewer system.

You are asked not to flush those items down the toilet or get rid of them down the sink. The equipment is not meant to process those items and thus goes through unnecessary wear and tear.

If you have questions, contact Clemons at (574) 772-2961.

City of Knox Seeking Grant to Replace Squad Car

 
 
Efforts continue for the city of Knox to replace a police cruiser that had been totaled when an officer struck a deer, and Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston is working on getting a grant for the city to help cover the cost of a new squad car. Houston said that because of the per-capita income for the city, they may be eligible for a larger grant than what he had originally anticipated.

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