In recognition of National Fire Prevention Month, the Culver-Union Township Fire Department has smoke detectors available to those in the jurisdiction who need them. The smoke detectors are available at the Culver Town Hall or at the firehouse at 611 State Street.
Fire Chief Terry Wakefield announced that firefighters will be willing to install smoke detectors for those who are disabled or otherwise physically incapable of completing the task. Continue reading
The Starke County Council will meet tonight where public hearings are scheduled for the 2018 county budget as well as the 2018 budget for the Starke County Solid Waste District. The council is also expected to adopt the 2018 budget for the Starke County Airport.
The council held public hearings on these items in a prior meeting, but the hearings could not be counted as legal as a proper quorum was not in place. Three council members were physically in attendance while another was present via teleconference which didn’t count as a legal meeting.
The staff at the Culver-Union Township EMS invites residents to an open house on Tuesday, Oct. 24 to celebrate the recent upgrade in paramedic status and the purchase of a new ambulance.
EMS Director Kathy Hart told the Culver Town Council recently that the department reached paramedic status which allows many more options of emergency care.
Law enforcement officers throughout La Porte County participated in “Operation Boo”, an effort to check the compliance of those on the county’s sex offender registry.
Officers targeted 88 offenders and only two were found to be non-compliant.
Sheriff John Boyd said the effort was conducted prior to Halloween as a cautionary measure. He added that the compliance sweep keeps the offenders in check as they will be closely monitored during the hours children will be out trick-or-treating.
Culver Town Manager Jonathan Leist presented quotes for town council approval this week on two of the three projects approved for Community Crossings grant funds.
The Culver Town Council approved readings on the ordinance adopting the 2018 budget for the Town of Culver.
The total budget listed on Indiana Gateway is $2,230,980. The General Fund is just over $1,840,000 while Motor Vehicle Highway is set at $59,000. The Park and Recreation budget is approximately $229,000.
The West Central School Board may consider implementing e-Learning days in the school year.
An e-Learning day allows students to access assignments online to stay in a mode of study on days when a regular school day is closed due to inclement weather.
Superintendent Don Street said a recent survey showed that the opportunity may be favorable soon. Continue reading
A Knox man was arrested early Wednesday morning after allegedly running from Plymouth police officers.
Officers were called to the Red Rock Inn in Plymouth just after midnight on a report of criminal mischief. The caller reportedly told police that the suspect, later identified as Bradley Scott, left the area in a black vehicle traveling west on Hoham Drive.
The Culver Town Council members conducted a public hearing Tuesday night concerning a resolution to deem the Sand Hill Farms property an economic target area and an economic revitalization area per state statute for purposes of residential tax abatement. The abatement would be 100 percent for 10 years.
The Sand Hill Farms property will be home to a workforce development housing project offering 24-unit apartments.
Fourteen students in the Nurturing Fathers program formally graduated yesterday. They attended the program while incarcerated in the Starke County Jail.
The program was facilitated by Jerome Kelly of Family Focus, Inc. out of Valparaiso who said that he gives the attendees the understanding of how to change behavior.
The West Central School Board members adopted the corporation’s 2018 budget when they met on Thursday.
Superintendent Don Street said the 2018 budget is similar to last year’s numbers. According to Indiana Gateway, the budget is listed at $9,933,348 with $200,000 in the Bus Replacement Plan and $1.1 million in the budget for capital projects.
The Culver Town Council will meet tonight where the members will conduct a public hearing on the Sand Hill Farm residential tax abatement. The council will then consider a adopting a declaratory resolution designating the real estate containing the housing development as an economic target area and within an economic revitalization area for purposes of property tax abatement
The town council members will also consider second and third readings on the 2018 budget ordinance as well as an ordinance that establishes fees or costs for the Town of Culver Park and Recreation Department. Continue reading
The West Central School Board members received enrollment information during their meeting on Thursday night.
Superintendent Don Street said the official count was taken on Friday, Sept. 15.
“Our current enrollment is 775 students which is down from last year,” explained Street. Fifty-six of those students live outside of our school district.”
The West Central School Board took the next necessary steps in order to move forward with a project to improve safety at all of the building entrances on the school’s campus.
Superintendent Don Street said some aspects of the schools would need to be redesigned to compensate for the upgrade in security. Continue reading
The Starke County Highway Department is installing a safety precaution at some of the more dangerous intersections in the county.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler informed the county commissioners Monday night that reflective strips are being added to the poles that hold traffic signs. Stop signs have the added traffic control device to increase visibility and safety.
“You don’t really notice them that much during the day, but at night they really make a difference,” said Ritzler. “Material-wise it’s $25 an intersection. If we prevent one accident a year, it pays for all of the intersections to be done with these strips. An average accident costs $30,000 to $40,000. Over the next couple of years, we’ll do all of the intersections. We’re doing all of the main roads now and the intersections we know are dangerous.” Continue reading
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is encouraging all residents to take the necessary steps to achieve cyber security starting by getting an edr.
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The Indiana Department of Homeland Security encourages you to take simple steps to safeguard yourself online and to learn strategies on how to recover from a cyber attack.
The branches of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles will be closed today and Monday, Oct. 9 in observance of the Columbus Day holiday.
Two Knox residents were arrested overnight Friday after a traffic stop in the area of Rose Road and Lincoln Highway in Marshall County.
Marshall County Police say a K9 searched the 2006 Kia passenger vehicle and indicated the presence of narcotics. Officers reportedly found two used syringes under the passenger seat, plus 3.5 grams of heroin hidden underneath the floor carpeting on the driver’s side. Other items of drug paraphernalia were also allegedly collected.
Culver man was arrested Wednesday after Marshall County police received a call about an apparent car theft from a residence in the 7,000 block of 11A Road.
An officer with the Bourbon Police Department conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle reportedly matching the description of the stolen vehicle. During the course of the investigation, police reportedly found 58-year-old Ronald Bryan Finchum in possession of methamphetamine.
Finchum was booked into the Marshall County Jail on preliminary felony charges of auto theft and possession of methamphetamine.
One of the employees at the Starke County Highway Department was recently awarded the 2017 Most Influential Woman of Northwest Indiana.
Rachel Oesterreich was the winner in the Economic Development and Government category of the award. She is the office manager at the highway department.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the commissioners Monday night that she is very deserving of the award.
