The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs help bridge the achievement gap for students. Executive director Irene Szakonyi says that’s disparity in performance levels among groups of youngsters. Research indicates children who come from low-income homes don’t perform as well on standardized tests as their more affluent classmates, nor do they get as good of grades. Szakonyi says 60 percent of children served come from low-income homes and start kindergarten behind their peers as a result. Continue reading
DNR Releases 2014 Deer Harvest Report
Indiana hunters harvested more than 120,000 deer in the 2014 season, according to information released this week by the state Department of Natural Resources. That’s down from the previous two years, but state officials say it reflects their efforts to reduce the deer population. Continue reading
Cemetery Cleanup Scheduled Friday
Spring cleanup at Eagle Creek and Lerch Cemeteries in Washington Townships will take place tomorrow. Anyone with items they would like to keep is asked to remove them before then and replace them after the cleanup is done.
Monterey Officials Discuss Next Steps for Building Cleanup
The Pulaski County Building Inspector will hire a contractor to inspect the rubble of the former Sportsman’s Bar and Grill for asbestos before cleanup of the structure in downtown Monterey can continue. The building at the southeast corner of Main and Walnut Streets fell last Thursday evening. No injuries were reported. Building inspector Dave Dare believes water damage weakened the structure. Continue reading
Winamac To Hold Future Discussions for Greenspace Operations
The Winamac Town Council is trying to work through the preliminary stages of organizing grant opportunities and ensuring transparency.
Winamac Greenspace, otherwise known as the Town’s Tree Committee, is expected to work with the non-profit group Arrowhead Country Resource Conservation and Development on obtaining grant funds.
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Culver Anticipates Housing Development, Restaurant Expansion After Ordinance Changes
The Culver Town Council made quick work of several ordinances working their way through the hurdles.
Those items have been extensively discussed during previous public hearings, as well as a first reading earlier this month by the Town Council.
Starke County Youth Club Programs Benefit Children and Parents
The Starke County Youth Club’s after-school programs offered at sites around the county benefit more than just the students who take part in them. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they serve as a bridge between school and home for youngsters, for whom the most critical hours of the day are between 3 and 6 p.m. School is out, but parents aren’t home from work yet. Szakonyi says that’s the most common time for a child to be the victim of or the perpetrator of a violent crime. Continue reading
Construction Ongoing For Ancilla Residence Hall
Work continues on the campus of Ancilla College.
The two-year liberal arts school is in the process of constructing a residence hall for freshman students. The building is expected to be finalized before the fall semester begins in August.
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Melody Drive In to Screen “The Avengers Age of Ultron” Thursday Evening
Get a sneak peak at one of the most anticipated movie releases of the summer tomorrow night at the Melody Drive-In at Bass Lake. The theatre will offer a special advance screening of “The Avengers Age of Ultron” at 8 p.m. The box office will open at 7, and the concession stand will be open as well. Continue reading
Lengthy Meth Investigation Leads to Arrest
A months-long, multi-agency investigation into drug activity leads to an arrest. Continue reading
Early Education Could Influence Public Health
A pre-Kindergarten fair being held Tuesday in Knox may have some long-term health benefits.
The second annual event allows children and their parents to explore the various pre-school options available in Starke County. Booths will be available to distribute information to parents. Among those participating is IU Health Starke Hospital.
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Local Groups Come Together for Child Abuse Prevention Awareness
An event designed to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect will be taking place in Starke County, Tuesday.
The Indiana Department of Child Services, along with several other organizations will be hosting a ceremony that highlights techniques that can be used to help spot, or even prevent child abuse.
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Starke County Youth Club Executive Director Elaborates on After-School Offerings
The Starke County Youth Club provides a strong mix of academic and enrichment activities to youngsters who take part in after-school programs at sites across the county. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the day begins with a little bit of decompression time and a healthy snack.
From there she says the focus shifts to homework. Continue reading
The Crossing Hosts Spring Celebration
An alternative school with a location in Starke County is hoping to showcase what they’ve accomplished this year.
The Crossing Educational Center will be hosting their spring celebration on Thursday. Students will have the opportunity during the event to talk about what they’ve learned with parents, board members, and community members in attendance.
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Access Ancilla Gives Prospective Students Time to View College Campus
Winamac Considers Future Efforts For Greenspace Group
The Winamac Town Council will be working to get to organizations to cooperate.
A meeting was called for Tuesday morning to discuss future projects for Winamac Greenspace. The group is formerly known as the Tree Commission. The group is supposed to work with Arrowhead Country Resource Conservation and Development.
Town of North Judson Appoints New School Board Member
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board will soon have a new member. Board members are appointed, and the North Judson Town Council recently interviewed three candidates for their seat. It is currently held by Marshal Reimbold. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre Students Ready to Rock the ISTEP
Students at North Judson-San Pierre Elementary are ready to rock the ISTEP. Exams begin this week. On Friday teachers took a break from instruction for fun activities like movies, healthy snacks and class parties. The day was capped off by a rock concert on the high school football field from the ISTEP Crüe. The band consisted of principal Mike McBride, aka James Michaels, on guitar and lead vocals, drummer Tommy Lee Wilbanks, better known to many students as computer teacher Bob Wilbanks, and guidance counselor Chuck Rebeck, moonlighting as Crüe bassist Chucky Sixx. They jammed out to tunes like “Born to Take ISTEP,” “Keep on Testing Me Baby,” “Rock ‘n Roll All Nite (and ISTEP Every Day) and the always popular “Takin’ Care of ISTEP Business.” Continue reading
Preschool Fair Highlights Necessity of Early Learning
An event designed to enhance early educational opportunities in Starke County will be taking place on Tuesday.
The second annual Starke County Preschool Fair will be offering youth and their parents chances to explore the various pre-K outlets in Starke County, as well as a few of the enrichment activities for children.
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Starke County Youth Club Radiothon Set for Friday
Mark your calendars, and get your checkbooks ready. The 8th Annual Starke County Youth Club Radiothon on WKVI will take place this Friday. Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the organization has been serving youngsters with after-school, summer and recreational programs since 2001.
“It really is a wide variety of activities and projects to meet kids where they are, keep them learning, support working families and build community,” Szakonyi said. Continue reading