Pulaski County Public Library to Host Indiana Heart Gallery

  
 
The Indiana Heart Gallery is stopping at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac.

The gallery features portraits of children in need of adoptive families. The Heart Gallery is used by the Indiana Department of Child Services to help raise awareness about children in foster care in need of a forever home. More than 1000 children in Indiana are in need of a home.

The Indiana Heart Gallery will display a dozen portraits daily from Aug. 5 to Aug. 26 at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac. The exhibit may be viewed Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET.

Walorski Joined by Chairman Lucas in Roundtable Discussion in Knox

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski
Congresswoman Jackie Walorski
Congresswoman Jackie Walorski was joined by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas in a roundtable discussion hosted in Knox today. The pair met with Hoosier farmers to address important issues facing the agriculture industry, providing a legislative update on the farm bill. The roundtable was held by Starke County Farm Bureau President Brad Lawrence at LTL Farms, giving Lucas and Walorski a chance to listen to questions and concerns from members of the Indiana Farm Bureau and local farmers.

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IU Health LaPorte Dental Center Offering Free Dental Exams to Uninsured Kids

 
 

The IU Health LaPorte Dental Center has announced that it will be offering free dental exams to children who have no dental insurance. The exam meets the requirements of the LaPorte Community School Corporation, and all children will also receive a free bag of dental-related gifts for participating. Funding for the exams has been provided by the LaPorte Hospital Foundation.

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Nominations Sought For USDA Farm Service Agency County Committees

 
 

If you know someone interested in serving on a local U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency County Committee, now is the time to submit their name as a nominee! From June 17 through Aug. 1, nominations are being accident to run for a position on local USDA Farm Service Agency County Committees. Nearly everyone who participates or cooperates in an FSA program and is of legal voting age can be a candidate.

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Plane Goes Down at Starke County Airport

Fire crews remain at the scene of a plane crash just south of the runway at the Starke County Airport
Fire crews remain at the scene of a plane crash just south of the runway at the Starke County Airport

Personnel from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Knox-Center Township Fire Department are on the scene of a fatal plane crash at the Starke County Airport.

The single-engine plane was coming in on the south end of the runway and went down at approximately 3 p.m. Sheriff Oscar Cowen said that the male pilot is deceased but could not elaborate on any more details as the investigation continues.

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Eastern Pulaski Superintendent Search Winds Down

Dr. Robert Klitzman
Dr. Robert Klitzman

The Eastern Pulaski School Corporation will soon have a new superintendent in place. Dr. Robert Klitzman retired June 30th but stayed on in an interim capacity until his replacement is hired. Klitzman tells WKVI news that August 23rd will be his last day. The board will conduct a public hearing on the new superintendent’s contract during their Monday, Aug. 12th board meeting. State law requires a hearing be held, but Klitzman says the candidate will not be identified by name. The board will then meet in executive session, with a formal hiring decision scheduled during a special-called meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20.

 

 

LaPorte County Crash Leaves One Dead

 
 

A man lost his life in a single vehicle crash in LaPorte County this weekend. On Saturday, July 27, LaPorte County sheriff’s deputies were called to a scene around 5:41 a.m. in the 6000 North block of County Road 525 West in Springfield Township.

When police arrived at the scene, they discovered a silver 1997 Honda Civic had struck a tree while reportedly traveling southbound on County Road 525 West when the driver failed to navigate a curve in the roadway, crossing the center line and driving through the oncoming lane. The driver then left the roadway and struck a large tree, sustaining severe damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle.

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Rochester Police Discover Massive Meth Operation

Meth BustPolice responding to a report that three men were attacking someone with a baseball bat Saturday morning in Rochester reportedly found evidence of an extensive meth-making operation next door to a preschool. Officers searched the home in the 900 block of Park Street and found what our reporting partners at WNDU-TV describe as an “extreme” amount of drugs along with seven dogs ranging in age from adults to puppies who appeared to be malnourished. Fulton County Animal Control removed the animals, and the Indiana State Police Clandestine Laboratory Team cleaned up the residence. Beverly Hite, Clifford Smith and Catherine Heiden all face charges stemming from the incident. The drug offenses are enhanced due to the location within 1,000 feet of a preschool. Additional charges are possible, as the investigation is continuing.

 

Audit Requests $35k Reimbursement From Walkerton Library Interim Director

 
 
An audit report for the Walkerton-Lincoln Township Public Library has revealed that the former interim director of the library, Scott Klingerman, allegedly made hundreds of unauthorized ATM withdrawals and wrote more than 100 unauthorized checks. The audit claims that in 2010, Klingerman received $35,307.91 in authorized payments, and made other payments in amounts ranging from $1500 to $3443.56 at various pay cycles.

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NIPSCO Electric Customers May Soon See One Percent Increase in Cost

 
 
NIPSCO electric customers will see a one percent increase in their utility bills sometime in the future as a result of recently passed legislation requiring utility providers to present a seven-year plan for infrastructure improvement projects. According to Kathleen Szot, external communications manager for NIPSCO, all utility providers must list any improvements that they plan to make within the next seven years to their electric or gas system.

Szot said this includes studying their poles, lines, transmission towers and underground systems to find any equipment that might need replaced.

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Animal Rights Activities Speak Out Against Farm Bill Amendment

  
 
The 2013 Farm Bill continues to be debated by legislators in Washington as animal rights groups claim an amendment to the bill introduced by Republican congressman Steve King of Iowa undermines animal welfare laws passed in several states, including Indiana. Wayne Pacelle, the president of the Humane Society of the United States, said the organization strongly opposes the law.

“Any state law the imposes any standard or condition on agriculture could be vulnerable to a challenge because of Steve King’s amendment,” said Pacelle. “That’s why the Humane Society of the United States so vigorously opposes it.”

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Donnelly Calls for Deficit Reduction As Tax Package Component

Joe Donnelly
Congressman Joe Donnelly
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly is calling on his colleagues to reduce spending as part of the effort to overhaul the federal tax code. Donnelly sent a letter to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and ranking member Senator Orrin Hatch asking that they combine tax reform and spending cuts to put the country on the path to a balanced budget. Donnelly adds he looks forward to helping develop a tax code that is fair and fosters continued economic growth.

“While this process will require difficult choices, I strongly encourage the committee to use this opportunity to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth by investing in the fiscal security of our country,” Donnelly wrote.

Knox Water Woes Brought Before Board of Public Works

Knox Board of Public Works
Knox Board of Public Works

A proposal by the Knox water department superintendent will soon go to the council, after superintendent Todd Gardner told the Knox Board of Public Works that the water line going down State Road 8 east of the city is providing limited water to the area. With the upcoming construction of the new Starke County Jail facility near the intersection of State Road 8 and County Road 550 East, he said it’s imperative that the line be improved to ensure proper water service for that area.

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Bass Lake Festival Adds Several New Events

  
 
This year’s Bass Lake Festival offers a mix of familiar attractions and new activities to showcase the theme “Livin’ the Good Life.” The 5K Run/Walk gets things started this morning at 7:30, departing from the Lions Building on the east side of the lake. The always popular car show returns this year as well at Terry White’s house on State Road 10 near the beach. It’s scheduled today from 8 until 3, but in the event of rain will move to tomorrow.

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Wings of Freedom Tour Comes to Valparaiso

  
 
Three of America’s most famous WWII aircraft will be in Porter County next week and three regional veterans will be flying on one of them. The Collings Foundation based in Stow, Mass. will be hosting the Wings of Freedom Tour, featuring the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the North American P-51 Mustang at the Porter County Regional Airport from July 29 to July 31.

The tour runs from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on July 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 30, and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on July 31.

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Governor Directs Flags Be Flown at Half-Staff At State Facilities

Indiana Governor Mike Pence
Indiana Governor Mike Pence

Governor Mike Pence is directing flags at state facilities statewide be flown at half-staff Saturday, July 27 in honor of Korean War Veterans Armistice Day. Atlantic Flag and Pole offers wide range of state flags, click to see their products.

Governor Pence also asks businesses and residents to lower their flags to half-staff to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have defended our nation and our freedom.

The holiday was established in July 1998, the 45th anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 through 1953. Then-president Bill Clinton proclaimed July 27 a national day of recognition to commemorate the more than 37,000 U.S. service personnel who lost their lives during the war.

House Passes Coal Ash Bill

Congresswoman Jackie Walorski
Congresswoman Jackie Walorski
The House of Representatives yesterday passed the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013, co-sponsored by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski. This piece of legislation makes the state the primary regulator and issuer of coal ash permits, as long as they meet the minimum federal requirements provided in the bill. This bill allows states to effectively protect the environment and provide cost-effective management of coal ash by setting federal standards and permitting states to respond to local needs.

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Accident on State Road 39 Stops Traffic

 
 
An accident on State Road 39 at the intersection with Toto Road in North Judson brought traffic to a standstill Thursday as emergency responders rushed to the scene. Fortunately, the accident did not result in any substantial injuries, though one driver was taken to the hospital via ambulance for a small cut to the top of his head.

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Jail Project Manager Expects Bids To Be Competitive

This building will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
Groundbreaking for the new Starke County Jail is still on track for November, and construction is expected to take 16 months. Project manager Scott Cherry with Merrillville-based Skillman says construction costs are around $10 million and expects the bids for the project to be extremely competitive.

“A project like this that is a nice project, it’s a large project where companies can come in and bid it and work for quite a long time, that’s always attractive. The bidding itself, the way we set it up, is going to bring in that competition inherently,” said Cherry.

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Knox Board of Works Approves Storm Water Proposal for New Jail

Knox Board of Public Works
Knox Board of Public Works

The Knox Board of Public Works this week approved a request by the DLZ Corporation regarding storm water drainage at the new Starke County Jail site. DLZ representatives and a representative for the Starke County Commissioners made a proposal to expand the existing retention basin and add another basin behind the building. The storm water would not run into the city storm water system, but would make use of the basins and disperse naturally.

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