An organization aimed at making sure Starke County children have the tools they need to succeed at school is getting a much-needed facility upgrade. The Kid’s Closet Ministry provides school supplies, clothing, and other resources.
Hamlet Town Council Reports Success with New Starke Street Sidewalk
Knox School Board Gets Update on New After-School Tutoring Initiative at Middle, High Schools
Knox Splash Pad Closed for Winter
Fall is here, and that means the end of splash pad season in the City of Knox. Mayor Dennis Estok told the city council that the splash pad was shutting down for the season earlier this week. “We were going to let it ride until over the weekend, but the weekend’s supposed to get cold,” he said. “And right now, you’ll see maybe one or two people on it and that’s about it. So we are going to be shutting down a little earlier than what we thought.”
Kouts Man Found Guilty of Fraud, Following North Judson-Area Arson Fires
Jerry Leonard’s Child Molesting Convictions Upheld by Indiana Court of Appeals
A man found guilty of child molesting has had his convictions affirmed by the Indiana Court of Appeals. Back in February, Jerry Leonard was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court to concurrent terms of 30 years in the Indiana Department of Correction with 10 years suspended, for two Class A felony counts of child molesting. Leonard appealed the convictions, arguing that his confession to police was not made voluntarily and “that the trial court abused its discretion” by admitting video of the police interview as evidence.
UPDATED: Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office Locates Missing Person
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department says a 75-year-old man who had gone missing from the San Pierre area has been located. The Sheriff’s Department had been looking for Lawrence Daum.
About 40 minutes after the initial alert Friday afternoon, the Sheriff’s Department sent out an update saying the missing subject had been located.
Knox City Council Approves Purchase of Tax Lien Certificate for Parkview Property
Long-term efforts by the City of Knox to buy up available land in Parkview Heights took a step forward Tuesday. The city council authorized the purchase of a tax lien certificate, at the request of Mayor Dennis Estok. “It’s a property down in Parkview Heights that went through the tax sale,” he explained. “Nobody bought it. It’s a burned-out house. We did get the owners of that to clean the house up. They did leave the foundation and all that. They have no intentions of redeeming the property through the tax sale, and that’s where the county can transfer it. We can buy it for $35 off the certificate sale.”
Pulaski County to Craft Rules on Solar Energy Development, As Interest Builds
Hamlet Town Council Adopts 2019 Budget
The Hamlet Town Council formally adopted the town’s 2019 budget Wednesday. It looks pretty similar to this year’s. The total budget is just over $467,000 for 2019. About $323,000 of that would be the town’s General Fund. The Motor Vehicle Highway Fund would be budgeted at $58,200, while the Park budget would be $11,900.
Pulaski County EMS Director Proposes Adding Training Program Finances into Department Budget
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services is taking steps to formalize the finances of its training program. During a public hearing on the county’s 2019 budget last week, EMS Director Bryan Corn told the county council that his department is certified to offer emergency medical technician classes. But he said the training program’s finances haven’t been tracked properly.
Knox School Superintendent Gives Update on Project Finances
LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office Warns Residents of Phone Scammer Posing as Deputy
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to be on the lookout for a phone scammer pretending to be one of its deputies. The Sheriff’s Office says several people have reported getting a call from someone claiming to be LaPorte County Sheriff’s Sergeant Tony Wallace. Continue reading
Pulaski County Plan Commission Recommends Repealing County’s Campaign Sign Rules
Pulaski County’s regulations on campaign signs are a step closer to officially being repealed. On Monday, the plan commission voted to recommend removing the “special signs” portion of the Unified Development Ordinance. Members generally agreed to the change back in April, but hadn’t taken a formal vote.
Hamlet Council Decides to Hold Off on Railroad Street Grant Application until January
Proposed Changes to Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputies’ Retirement Plan Presented to County Council
The Pulaski County Council got a closer look earlier this month at proposed changes to the sheriff’s deputies’ retirement plan. Actuary Stan Brown with OneAmerica explained that the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department is one of about a dozen in the state that still use a 20-year maximum service plan. “So what that means is only 20 years count for any deputy’s benefit,” he explained. “If you have someone work beyond 20 years, those years don’t count in determining the monthly retirement benefit.”
Knox City Council Adopts 2019 Budget
$25,000 Worth of Equipment Donated to Knox High School Graphic Arts Department
Knox High School’s Graphic Arts Department is getting a major equipment upgrade, thanks to a recent donation. Compliance Signs gave the school two Roland wide body printers, valued at $12,500 each. On top of that, CutCardStock of Valparaiso has donated $450 worth of paper. The donations were officially accepted by the school board last week.
Pulaski County Building, Health Departments Seeking Support for Rental Property Inspection Program
Pulaski County officials continue working on implementing a rental property inspection program, but exactly how to do that was a topic of discussion during Monday’s plan commission meeting. Director of Environmental Health Terri Hansen told members that she and Building Inspector Doug Hoover are repeatedly called to the same rental units, due to complaints about their condition. “It’s really sad when you see the kids, you guys,” she said. “They don’t want to live like that. It’s terrible. Makes you sick.”
Knox City Council Approves $15,000 Loan for Park Operations
Making sure the Knox Parks and Recreation Department has enough money to keep operating is the goal of a temporary loan approved by the city council Tuesday. It lets the park department borrow $15,000 for operational expenses out of the Park Capital Improvement Fund, according to Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston.