Unemployment rates are down in Starke and Pulaski counties. Last month, Starke County saw an unemployment rate of 3.7 percent, while Pulaski County’s rate was 2.8 percent, according to the latest report from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
All posts by Michael Gallenberger
Budget Adoption, Enrollment Update Planned for Tonight’s Knox School Board Meeting
The Knox School Board is expected to adopt the school corporation’s 2019 budget tonight. It calls for a total budget of more than $20.1 million.
Pulaski County EMS to Continue Researching Possible Ambulance Rental
Culver School Board Hears Second Proposal for Potential Energy Savings Upgrades
The Culver Community Schools Corporation continues to look into potential energy savings upgrades. Last month, the school board heard a proposal from Performance Services. Last week, it was Trane’s turn.
Oregon-Davis Strategic Action Team to Meet Next Monday
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is looking for individuals interested in helping with updates to the corporation’s strategic plan. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says the Strategic Action Team will meet next Monday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m. in room 202 in the junior/senior high school. The group will review the strategic plan and suggest possible changes, based on school improvement plans, student achievement, and other information.
Pulaski County Council Takes Steps to Make Donation Funds Available for EMS Department’s Use
After a couple left almost $30,000 to the Pulaski County EMS Department in their will, county officials are now taking steps to allow that money to be used. EMS Director Bryan Corn asked the county council this month to formally incorporate that money into his budget. “Just a little over a month ago, I believe, we received a check,” he explained. “It was a donation from the estate of a Henry and Alice Mooi. That total comes out to $29,901.71. That is strictly to be used for the EMS Department only, and that is strictly to be used for equipment for the EMS Department.”
Pulaski County Council Considers Budget Transfer, Additional Appropriation Requests
Funding for Pulaski County’s fiscal plan, the courthouse elevator replacement project, and reassessment expenses was among the transfer and additional appropriation requests brought to the county council last week. Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer explained that he has $50,000 budgeted annually for potential land acquisition. But since the CDC won’t be needing it for that purpose, the county council agreed to let him make $36,000 of that available for the fiscal plan. The county commissioners have since decided to hire Peters Municipal Consultants for a cost not to exceed $24,000.
Water Fountain, Children’s Book, T-Shirts Donated to Oregon-Davis School Corporation
Oregon-Davis High School’s athletic facilities will get a new water fountain, thanks to the Hamlet Lions Club. “The Hamlet Lions Club is donating a lion fountain that we will be placing out by our soccer field/track area,” says Superintendent Dr. Don Harman, “and we hope to install that in the springtime.”
Pulaski County Commissioners to More Strictly Enforce Comp Time Carryover Limits in Future
The Pulaski County Commissioners plan to quit granting exceptions to the limit on the amount of comp time employees may carry over from year to year. On Monday, they agreed to let an employee in the extension office carry over an extra 10 to 20 hours, so she’ll be able to recover from surgery scheduled for February.
Culver School Board Makes Arrangements for Bus Purchase
The Culver Community Schools Corporation is looking to replace an extra school bus this year. Bus 24 was scheduled to be replaced in 2020, but school officials have decided to move that forward, according to Treasurer Casey Howard. The school board took steps to make funds available earlier this month. But Howard told board members this week that the 2018 through 2030 bus replacement plan had to be amended before the state would allow the additional appropriation. The school board passed a resolution Monday to accept the amended plan.
Man Arrested After Allegedly Attacking Security Deputies at Michigan City Courthouse
Two LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputies were injured Friday morning, after a man reportedly walked into the Michigan City Courthouse and started attacking them. The Sheriff’s Office says Joshua Duncan, 37, of Michigan City, was entering the security checkpoint and without warning, “sucker punched” Courthouse Security Deputy Jon Keene in the nose.
Pulaski County EMS Director Presents Updated Proposal for Winamac Ambulance Garage Expansion
Updated plans for an addition to the Winamac ambulance garage were presented to the Pulaski County Commissioners Monday. EMS Director Bryan Corn said he’s scaled the proposal back significantly from what former EMS Director Nikki Lowry had requested last year. “We took the porch off. We don’t need the porch,” he said. “We took all the interior rooms out. We don’t need the interior rooms. We can make it work without having the interior rooms in there. So essentially what this would be is just an open addition onto the garage.”
School Improvement Plans Presented to Oregon-Davis School Board
The Oregon-Davis School Board got an update Monday on school improvement plans. Superintendent Dr. Don Harman says the overall goals are pretty similar to what they’ve been in the past. “Obviously, we want to improve our school achievement with Mathematics and Language Arts and obviously address our attendance,” he says. “At the high school level, obviously, we want to address our graduation rate.”
Pulaski Council Approves Funding Arrangements for 911 Center Phone Upgrades, New Body Cameras
The Pulaski County Council is making funding arrangements for new communications equipment for the Sheriff’s Department. Plans call for upgrades to the 911 center’s phone system, new body cameras and portable radios for the deputies, new video editing software, and cloud storage.
Culver Community Schools Corporation Celebrates 50th Anniversary, While Preparing for Referendum
The Culver Community Schools Corporation is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, but school officials are also looking to the future, as next month’s referendum approaches. Superintendent Karen Shuman passed out special 50th anniversary pins to school board members Monday. “It is a significant end, when we talk about the referendum, that we wish to be here in 50 years,” she said, “and as you’ve seen, the signs have gone up.”
Hamlet Man Arrested for Dealing Meth, Following Undercover Investigation
An Indiana Department of Correction training officer was arrested Wednesday for allegedly dealing methamphetamine. Chad Dickson, 40, of Hamlet, was at the center of an investigation led by the Starke County and Marshall County Undercover Narcotics Investigation Team, according to Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin.
Felony Charges Filed Against Former Pulaski County EMS Director
Pulaski Commissioners Approve Document Scanning, New Computer Equipment for Recorder’s Office
More of Pulaski County’s public records will be available online in the coming months. On Monday, the county commissioners agreed to let Recorder Sue Fox hire CSI to scan documents predating the 1960s. She said that anything newer has already been made available online. “What we’ll do is we’ll have it complete, every record that we have in our vault right now, back into the 1800s,” she said. “And this is important, too, because of people who do searches just for homestead, hundred-year homestead checks, and people are just doing family histories. They use it quite often.”
Oregon-Davis School Board Adopts 2019 Budget
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation’s 2019 budget was officially adopted by the school board Monday, according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. The total estimated budget adds up to about $8.4 million.
Culver Middle/High School Staff Moving into New Office Area, Restroom Upgrades Wrapping Up
Culver Community Middle/High School’s new main entrance will be ready when students return from fall break next week. Superintendent Karen Shuman told the school board Monday that Principal Brett Berndt and his staff are using the break to move into their new office area.
