Elizabeth Wright was found not guilty on felony charges of theft and burglary in a day-and-a-half trial in Starke Circuit Court this week.
Wright, 22, of Knox, was accused of breaking and entering into the dwelling of Carrol Gonzalez, of Knox, on or about July 17, 2016, and taking 70 Oxycodone pills worth $839.33.
Construction on the Lake Maxinkuckee Amphitheater could be complete by the Memorial Day holiday in 2018.
Mike Reese from the Troyer Group gave the Culver Town Council members a timeline for the bidding process and construction.
One person could not be saved after resuscitation efforts were attempted in the middle of a house fire in La Porte this morning.
Emergency responders and firefighters were called to 111 Maple Drive just after 7 a.m. CT after a neighbor reporting seeing smoke coming from the residence.
La Porte City firefighters arrived on the scene and found flames coming from the two-story home with heavy smoke, according to the report. The same report indicates that firefighters made their way into the home and discovered a man laying approximately 10 feet from the doorway. The firefighters attempted resuscitation efforts, but were not successful. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity has not been released pending family notification.
The Culver Town Council members considered a proposal from Mike Reese with the Troyer Group to assist the town in the many aspects required within the town’s designation as a Stellar Community.
Reese said there are a lot of components to the grant and other requirements to be considered.
In his report to the school board last week, West Central School Superintendent Don Street said the Indiana Department of Education notified school districts that tuition support monthly payments will be less.
“The Indiana State Budget for education is less than the total tuition support payments for the schools that have reported,” said Street. “So, we’ll see how that continues with our state legislature.”
The Culver Town Council members discussed a proposed traffic ordinance during their meeting Tuesday night.
The ordinance designates a congested motor vehicle traffic and pedestrian area on Lakeshore Drive and signage will be placed between 508 Lakeshore east to 824 Lakeshore Drive. The ordinance also creates a no parking zone for 50 feet from the intersection on both sides of the street on Batabano and South Plymouth Street.
The West Central School Board members held the first reading of policy manual revisions during their recent meeting.
Superintendent Don Street said the board members considered four changes.
The Culver Town Council will discuss several ordinances when they meet tonight for their regular business meeting.
Two ordinances will be considered on second and third reading. One ordinance includes changes to the Code of Ordinances. The ordinance allows the current Code of Ordinances manual to be updated to current regulations. The second is a service weapon ordinance that allows a retiring police officer, who has served at last 20 years in law enforcement, the ability to retain his or her service weapon, badge and identification cards.
The West Central School Board members took action Thursday night to move forward with the secure entrance and utilization of space construction project.
Superintendent Don Street said the board held a public hearing on a proposed lease agreement. No public comment was given concerning the lease agreement and if it is fair and reasonable for construction or improvements. An additional appropriation for the bond was approved following a hearing.
Oregon Township officials have purchased a new truck for the Koontz Lake Fire Department.
Township Trustee Mark Allen said they will sign paperwork for the new 2018 Spartan pumper truck during their regular board meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Koontz Lake Fire Department on State Road 23.
The Starke County Commissioners discussed a proposal to relinquish County Road 450 West, north of Toto Road to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler said DNR representative Bryan Boggs made the request. Ritzler said the road is adjacent to the DNR property and believes the DNR could better maintain the road.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler informed the county commissioners this week that he received a notice to proceed with the installation of new railroad signs and markings to assist with safety measures.
“I will be meeting with TCS to do that as they were awarded that contract,” explained Ritzler. “They’ll be doing the markings and we’ll be doing the signs. All of the crossings in the county will be upgraded. INDOT is paying 100 percent of that. The county doesn’t have to pay anything.”
The West Central School Board members discussed an upcoming improvement project.
Superintendent Don Street said Adam Weesner from Barton-Coe-Vilamaa presented information on the proposed roof replacement project at the West Central Middle School and auxiliary gym. The current roof is 20 years old
Officers from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a crash that claimed the life of the driver Friday morning.
Police say a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 64-year-old George W. Johnson, Jr. was traveling east on County Road 400 North, east of County Road 50 West, when it left the south side of the roadway, struck small trees, flipped end-over-end, and landed upright approximately 200 feet from where the Jeep initially left the roadway. As a result, the driver was ejected from the vehicle and was found lying next to the rear passenger side of the vehicle in a corn field.
Starke County is ahead of other entities in preparing for the possible upgrade of U.S. 30 to a freeway. That’s what Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners this week in his report of a recent U.S. 30 Coalition meeting in Warsaw.
“We’ve held public meetings, we have a committee in the county and we’ve done most of our traffic study work that needs to be done,” said Ritzler. “We’re way ahead of all of the other counties to do that. That meeting went well.”
The Starke County Commissioners and county council members are looking to fill several seats on various boards and commissions for 2018.
The commissioners need one appointment to the Starke County Drainage Board, two appointments to the Kankakee Iroquois Regional Plan Commission, two appointments to the Starke County Planning Commission, one appointment to the Starke County Board of Zoning Appeals, two appointments to the Starke County Health Board, one appointment to the Starke County Library Board, one appointment to the Starke County Aviation Board, one appointment to the Starke County Alcoholic Beverage Board, two appointments to the P.T.A.B.O.A Board, plus candidates for the Innkeepers Convention and Visitor’s Commission, and the Starke County Building Corporation.
Starke County EMS Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie informed the commissioners Monday night that the number of ambulance transfers is increasing.
She said the number of transfers in November was at 16 percent which is up from seven percent the month before, but not where they were earlier this year. Basic Life Service transfers from the area nursing homes have increased where the EMS department had not been getting those calls.
The Starke County Highway Department crew is prepared for the winter season.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners this week that everyone is set to go when the snow arrives.
Ron Clemons and Commander Matt Fox from the North Judson American Legion Post #92 approached the Starke County Commissioners Monday night concerning the American flags that are placed at Round Lake Cemetery.
Clemons explained that the American Legion members place flags at every veteran’s grave for Memorial Day at eight different cemeteries. He said that the flags stay on the graves all year round except at Round Lake Cemetery. He noted that he’s not sure if the flags and flag holders have been removed for mowing purposes or if the cemetery association members are removing them, but he doesn’t think it’s right that they’ve been removed from the veteran’s graves.
