Culver-Union Township Public Library Dedicates StoryWalk

IMG_4958Families are encouraged to take a stroll through the Culver Town Park and enjoy a story. Officials with the Culver-Union Township Public Library cut the ribbon on the StoryWalk along Lake Maxinkuckee on Saturday. The idea originated in Vermont. Culver-Union Township Public Library Youth Services Director Jill Gavlick says the library board and staff was looking for a special way to celebrate the centennial and came across the idea by doing a Google search. Continue reading

North Judson Town Council Signs Off on Grocery Store Loan

The former Ray's Super Foods in downtown North Judson is now Heartland Markets.
The former Ray’s Super Foods in downtown North Judson is now Heartland Markets.

The new owners of North Judson’s only grocery store can go ahead with upgrades to their equipment, thanks to action by the town council. Members approved a promissory note with Heartland Markets, Inc. for a $50,000 secured revolving loan. Money came from North Judson’s share of the County Economic Development Income Tax. President Jeff Huffman says financial support from the town was imperative.

“We had just purchased a store in Francesville a few months earlier. Without the note from the town, we wouldn’t have been able to do it at this point in time. We would have had to wait. It was pretty evident it was going to close if we didn’t get the loan from the town, so the town stepping up and enabling us to come in here and welcoming us was fantastic. Otherwise we just wouldn’t have been able to do it.” Continue reading

Starke County Commissioners Hire Auctioneer

starke-county-courthouseNorth Judson auctioneer Ben Osinski will conduct the Starke County surplus property auction on Wednesday, June 29. The county commissioners voted Monday to offer him the opportunity to run the sale. D and N Auctions in Hamlet also expressed an interest in doing the sale. The commissioners noted both have done work for the county in the past and suggested they use them on a rotating basis. The auction time and location have not been announced.

Longtime Starke County Courthouse Custodian Retires

Longtime Starke County Courthouse custodian Carl Goodrich prepares to cut his retirement carrot cake, which was a gift from the county commissioners.
Longtime Starke County Courthouse custodian Carl Goodrich prepares to cut his retirement carrot cake, which was a gift from the county commissioners.

An employee of Starke County for more than four decades retired yesterday from what was supposed to have been a temporary job. Gerald Ford was in the White House and gas was 55-cents a gallon when Carl Goodrich took over as courthouse custodian on Nov. 26, 1974. Continue reading

Infant Mortality Speaker Addressing Indiana Health Problems

 
 

Indiana has one of the worst infant mortality rates in the nation.

That’s why the Indiana Youth Institute is bringing a speaker to the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac to discuss the issue.

According to data provided by the Youth Institute, an infant dies every 16 hours in the state. That puts Indiana newest residents at a 25-percent higher risk of death than their peers.

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Culver Union Township Public Library Celebrates 100th Birthday

Culver Library LogoThe community of Culver is celebrating the 100th birthday of its Carnegie Library with the ribbon cutting of an exhibit designed to keep future generations excited about reading. The town’s StoryWalk consists of 18 stations along Lake Maxinkuckee in the community park. Each houses a different laminated page from a children’s storybook to encourage families to stroll through the park share a story. The Culver-Union Township Public Library and Culver Park Board teamed up on the project. The first book is “The Ice Cream Hotel” by local author Jack Johnston. StoryWalk books in the Park will change every two weeks from June through September. Continue reading

Starke County Commissioners Set Building Emergency Sealing Policy

Crime Scene – Do Not Cross

Starke County now requires the emergency sealing of structures destroyed or damaged by fires. The county commissioners passed a Monday at the recommendation of building commissioner Terry Stephenson. He says sealing a building preserves the integrity of the fire scene for an insurance company investigation. If a structure is no longer standing, Stephenson says safety tape should be used to cordon off the area. Continue reading