Starke County employees will see an increase in their contribution for health insurance in 2012. The various increases for individual employees, those with spouses and those with families, will take effect January 1st.
Along with the increases, it was announced that wellness incentives will be built into the policy that will allow employees to reduce the amount of the increases.
Knox City Police Chief, Clint Norem, reports that in the month of March, the Police Department had 419 calls, handled 9 accidents and had 45 incident reports.
State lawmakers are trying to decide whether to make Indiana more attractive to industry by lowering the state’s corporate income tax rate from 8.5% to 6.5%. The proposal has already passed the Senate and is awaiting committee hearings in the House.
All agree it would make the state more appealing to companies wanting to expand or relocate to Indiana, but it would also mean $76.3 million dollars less coming into the state from corporate taxes.
The Starke County Commissioners finally recommended a full-time deputy for the Starke County Treasurer’s office. Finding over $6,400 from the Treasurer’s line item accounts and the Commissioners pitching in $5,600, the Board and Treasurer, Linda Belork, found that they were still almost $3,600 short of what was needed.
After much discussion and looking over the line item accounts in the Treasurer’s budget, the money was found that allowed her to fund the person for the rest of the year at just over $18,571.00.
From the WKVI Archives:
On this date 108 years ago, Dr. Guy B. Ingwell was born. In his day, Dr. Ingwell delivered thousands of Starke County babies. He once delivered five babies in one day! He was also at one time a successful high school basketball coach.
A special meeting was called by the Starke County Commissioners to discuss possible solutions to problems with some of the county buildings, as well as various options for funding some of their recent projects. Several issues were mentioned in particular, such as the jail being short on space under a leaky roof, the courthouse elevator in need of repair with cramped offices on the second floor, and the prosecutor’s office in need of handicap access to name a few. Because of the expense of these projects, the commissioners met with representatives from H.J. Umbaugh & Associates and RQAW to discuss possible problem solutions and financial strategies.
During Doctor’s Appreciation Week last week, we learned that there is a Pediatric Office open in Knox. The Nurse Practitioner in the office is Jody Rodgers, who works in collaboration with a physician to provide health care to the community. The office is located in the Mint Leaf Plaza, south of Knox.
“It’s going to be a great resource because we’ve got handfuls of Family Practitioners in the county but we don’t have a Pediatrician’s office,” said Jody Rodgers. “Now with the IU Health Pediatric clinic opening up here in Knox, parents and families will have an alternative and additional access to health care locally.”
Students from the three Starke County schools will be attending a Shakespearean play tomorrow afternoon at the North Judson-San Pierre High School Auditorium. Thanks to a grant from the Starke County Community Foundation and the Tri Kappa organization, it is possible for actors who star in Shakespearean plays at Navy Pier in Chicago to come to the County to present a classic play for the kids.
“This year they’re doing Macbeth,” said Knox Middle School Principal Steve Cronk. “All the eighth graders from Oregon-Davis, North Judson-San Pierre and Knox, as well as seventh graders from all three schools, as many as we can put in there, will see this presentation from Noon until 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5th.”
With over $1.5 billion in new Indiana highway projects beginning work, 2011 is shaping up to be Indiana’s largest road construction season on record. As part of Work Zone Safety Awareness Week April 4th-8th, the Indiana Department of Transportation is helping educate motorists about the largest road construction projects that will impact local traffic this year.
It might be a few months off but Tony Radkiewicz, Sr. and the Harvest Days Committee are gearing up for another “bang up” weekend.
Bands this year will include: The Rolling Jones, Marbin Blues, PS 150, Night Shift, and Groupies Wanted.
Radkiewicz also announces that a Harvest Festival Talent Show is being planned for the Sunday of the Festival. They are looking for any reasonable type of talent from singers, magicians, dog acts, or comedy acts. The sky’s the limit. Jim Garner can be contacted at (574) 930-6364 for information on the talent contest.
The Starke County Drug Free Double Dare Challenge was held Sunday, at the Knox Middle School. Four teams from Knox and North Judson-San Pierre competed. The High School team, The Confused, from North Judson-San Pierre won the challenge with 310 points. The Orange Dinosaur team from North Judson-San Pierre Middle School came in second, the Blue Man Group from Knox Middle School was third and the 7 Musketeers from Knox Middle School was fourth. They all did a great job in answering questions about drugs and the dangers of drugs. If either team did not know the answer to a question, they participated in a variety of physical challenges. Continue reading
Three vehicles were involved in an accident in front of the Knoll Brothers Truck Stop in Starke County at about 7:23 p.m. CT Friday, April 1st.
According to Starke County police, Charles Peterson, of Dysart, Iowa, was crossing the median into the parking lot pulling an oversized load. His trailer was just short of clearing the westbound lanes when Virginia Doenges, of South Whitley, Indiana, crashed into the middle axle of the trailer. Peterson continued into the parking lot and stopped. Doenges was incapacitated and could not be questioned about the crash; However, a witness told police that she never slowed down and crashed into the axle of the trailer and then spun around, coming to rest with no lights on in the middle of both westbound lanes. A third driver, Jamshid Nazari, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, never saw Doenges’ vehicle and was unable to avoid striking the car in the front right fender. A witness told police that Nazari never slowed to avoid the crash. The Ozeri Law Firm Injury & Accident Lawyers brain injury attorney in Brooklyn has been contacted for guidance and to help in the investigation, If you are ever in this position hire a lawyer from Montagna Law .
Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:
IU Health Starke Hospital celebrated National Doctor’s Day on Tuesday.
Representatives from JW Hicks proposed a plant expansion to the Knox City Council at the Council’s recent meeting. A 110,000 square foot addition is planned.
Tuesday Night Men’s League 03/29/11
Team Standings:
1. Quarter’s 140.0-49.0
2. Konrad Cabinets 117.0-72.0
3. Hensleys 110.0-79.0
4. 1st Choice Pawn 108.0-81.0
5. WKVI 94.0-95.0
6. Bowlaway Lanes 93.0-96.0
7. Mark’s Body Shop 93.0-96.0
8. Time Out 88.0-101.0
9. Sandbar 84.0-105.0
10. Half Track 75.0-114.0
11. Simonis 68.0-121.0
12. Fishers 64.0-125.0
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Friday Night Mixed League 03/25/11
Team Standings:
1. 4-Alarm Fire 77.0-43.0
2. Alley Aces 76.5-43.5
3. Rollin’ Thunder 68.0-52.0
4. Good Friends 66.0-54.0
5. Mariah’s Hill 63.5-56.5
6. Undecided 59.5-60.5
7. Raiders 58.0-62.0
8. Dolezal Family 57.5-62.5
9. Hard Times 57.0-63.0
10. Baugh Construction 53.5-66.5
11. Feel the Power 49.5-70.5
12. O’s Tap 33.0-87.0
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The town of Culver is planning some improvements to their sewer system, including a new IDEM water treatment plant. The Town Council signed the permit for the construction of the plant on March 29, and they expect to have all the paperwork submitted and the project to be ready for bid within the next two weeks.
A Knox man was arrested this week after police found him driving a stolen vehicle.
According to the police report, on March 24th, Rolland McVey, of Knox, reported his truck stolen. He was sitting at his kitchen table when two male subjects came walking into his kitchen from his back room. He asked them how they got in and they said their daughter had been bitten by a dog. McVey said he doesn’t own a dog and he got up from the table and started walking toward them. They turned around and took off running out the back door. He later he looked out and saw his truck missing. His keys were missing from the key hook that hangs next to the back door. The vehicle is a 1997 teal-colored Ford pick-up truck.
A White County man was arrested Thursday night after police found alleged stolen property in his car.
According to a police report, officers were dispatched to intercept a vehicle that was being driven by a male subject that was reported to be harassing a Knox woman into selling a vehicle. The officer intercepted the vehicle at U.S. 35 and Toto Road and found the vehicle to have false and fictitious plates. A traffic stop was conducted where the driver, John Grigsby, was found to have a suspended license.
This morning, Ted Hayes and Ed Charbonneau announced that legislation was being considered that would change the time in Indiana to “the half hour.” Ostensibly it was to help the dairy industry because with time changes two times a year, milk cows were getting confused and refusing to release their milk.
Thursday Night Ladies Sandburr League 03/24/11
Team Standings:
1. Sew What Embroidery 68.0-36.0
2. WKVI Radio 62.0-42.0
3. Area Services 57.0-47.0
4. Mirror Images 57.0-47.0
5. Mark’s Body Shop 55.0-49.0
6. Smith’s 53.0-51.0
7. Norton’s Packaging 53.0-51.0
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