The Winamac Park Board’s advisory council may soon transition into a “Friends of the Parks” group. The suggestion was made by the advisory council itself, after members felt they were duplicating many of the park board’s efforts. Continue reading
NIPSCO’s home heating bills are expected to stay about the same as they were last year. Projections released by the company Wednesday say an average residential customer can expect to pay about $390 on gas bills between November 1 and March 31. Continue reading
Someone apparently hacked into the Pulaski County Justice Center’s surveillance cameras. Sheriff Jeff Richwine says it happened over the weekend. Continue reading
Local job-seekers are invited to meet with representatives from several Starke County employers today. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation is teaming up with WorkOne to host a job fair. It’ll take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Knox Middle School Auxiliary Gymnasium. Continue reading
The operators of the Bass Lake Beach have agreed to make some repairs to the property’s seawall, but they’re asking for the county’s help with some related work. The Starke County Park Board has asked the operator of the facility, Callahan Development, LLC, to stabilize the seawall surrounding the beach house patio.
The Winamac Town Park is a step closer to getting new restrooms. The park board voted last week to hire Mark Maddox to draw up architectural plans for a cost of $3,000. That’s significantly lower than the other bid the town received, for $9,500. The goal is to expand the facility to allow for more toilets and more space for wheelchairs.
The Hamlet Town Council is expected to adopt the town’s 2018 budget when it meets tonight. It calls for a total budget of just over $468,000, with a General Fund of more than $321,000 and a Motor Vehicle Highway Fund of just under $60,000.
Pulaski County Human Services apparently will be getting its new van. The Pulaski County Council approved the local share of the funding Monday. It took them six months to do it.
Winamac’s swimming pool rebuilding effort is not quite done yet. While the town has pulled its official support for the project, the Winamac Pool Committee will be able to continue fundraising.
Upgrades to the Bass Lake Beach seawall will continue to be discussed during tonight’s Starke County Park Board meeting. Board members are calling on facility operator Callahan Development, LLC to stabilize the seawall surrounding the beach house patio. Representatives from the county discussed the issue with Callahan’s attorney last month, and the entire board is expected to get an update tonight.
Efforts to beautify the Winamac Parkway continue to move ahead. ProscapeS Unlimited has been working on a landscaping plan for the trail. Now the Iris-Elm Garden Club is planning to apply for state and federal grants to help implement some of those ideas.
The Pulaski County Council is expected to adopt the county’s 2018 budget when it meets tonight. This comes after council members made an additional round of cuts to the proposal last week. That included giving county employees a one-percent raise, rather than two-percent, and denying a request from Superior Court to add a second public defender. They also plan to shift $200,000 in 911 dispatchers’ salaries out of the county’s General Fund.
Upgrades to the Winamac Park Pavilion continue to move ahead. During last week’s park board meeting, Park Manager Dave DeLorenzo reported that Boardman Construction is about 80-percent done with repair work. Continue reading
Car infotainment systems can distract drivers for potentially dangerous periods of time. That’s according to researchers with the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Police have released the names of the two people killed in a crash on U.S. 20 Friday night. Don Kaczmarek, 47, and his wife Angie Kaczmarek, 49, of Michigan City were killed, when a 2006 Ford Mustang driven by Tron Gorbonosenko, 40, of New Carlisle reportedly crashed head-on into their Honda Odyssey. It happened around 7:40 p.m. Friday near Bootjack Road, according to the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.
Pulaski County may be looking to state lawmakers to help make up a shortfall in local income tax revenues. The issue was brought to the attention of the county council last month, after Winamac officials noticed a sudden drop in the town’s share of Local Levy Freeze Income Tax funds. Pulaski County communities are now facing big holes in their 2018 budgets.
The Winamac Park Board is looking to remove as many dead trees from the Town Park as possible, before the end of the year. Board members voted Thursday to hire Practical Tree Service to cut down 32 trees for a cost of $5,600.
After four months of searching, the Pulaski County Commissioners have finally found a new member for the Star City Sewer Board. Mike Reid was unanimously appointed to the sewer board during Monday’s commissioners meeting. The seat became open last spring, but no one expressed interest in filling it until now.
Pulaski County is looking to keep a closer eye on some of its bank accounts. Auditor Laura Wheeler told the county council Wednesday that most county bank accounts are supposed to be under the jurisdiction of the treasurer, with all transactions being handled by the auditor. However, some departments have apparently set up their own independent accounts. Continue reading
