A state law passed fairly recently may start having implications for elected officials in Starke County.
House Enrolled Act 1005 states that an individual may not hold elected office if they are working, or volunteering, for a fire department providing services to that unit of government. The language may have consequences for several individuals about to serve in county, city, and township government.
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Revenue projections for the state of Indiana have area representatives thinking about items to tackle during the upcoming session of the General Assembly.
The state budget committee reviewed revenue forecasts in December, showing a 2.3-percent uptick in 2015 and a 2.4-percentage point increase the following year.
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Warmer weather experienced in the Kankakee Valley during fall and winter has been good for keeping potholes repaired on Starke County roadways.
Crews have used zero time or money to clear snow this year. That opens up some room for Starke County Highway Department staff to fill damaged road surfaces.
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The Monterey Fire Department is purchasing Culver Fire Department’s old squad truck for $50,000. The money will go toward the purchase of Culver’s new squad truck expected to arrive later this month.
As the Indiana temperatures continue to get colder many residents are turning to their fireplaces or wood stoves for warmth. Keep in mind, there are ways to burn a more efficient fire and reduce wood smoke which is harmful to human health and a source of air pollution.
The Federal Aviation Administration is scheduled to release proposed regulations for the commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems (U.A.S), commonly referred to as drones. As of right now, the use of drones is limited to hobbyists and a small number of researchers, businesses and government agencies. The new rules are expected to cover altitude limits and license requirements and will open the doors to using drones in a number of new ways.
BMV license branches will be closed on Jan. 1 in observance of New Year’s Day. Continue reading
Smoke detectors will soon be handed out to residents of Culver and the surrounding community. Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield told the town council last night his department is collecting smoke detectors to give out. Their action was prompted by a recent fatal house fire in which the home’s lone occupant died of smoke inhalation because the home lacked a smoke detector.
New laws for mopeds and scooters will take effect on January 1st in Indiana.
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The Starke County Council has authorized the purchase of a blanket bond to cover the various elected officials. It’s less expensive than purchasing individual bonds for the auditor, recorder, surveyor, sheriff, coroner, assessor and clerk. The county pays about $1,000 per year for the policy from its insurance carrier. Continue reading
Trash pick-up for residents of the Town of Hamlet for the next three years will be supplied by
If you would like to celebrate the new year by discharging consumer fireworks, you may do so today beginning at 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Keep in mind that no person may use, ignite or discharge consumer fireworks on any public street or in any public park within the corporate limits of the City of Knox at any time. According to the ordinance, if the use of discharging consumer fireworks results in a fire and damage is determined to be caused by “negligence or the willful disregard or violation of any of the provisions”, that person will be fined an amount not to exceed $2,500 for the dispatch of firefighters and equipment.
An officer-involved shooting last night in the parking lot of a Plymouth store resulted in serious injury to a suspect in a domestic battery case. The man, identified as Lane G. Dodson, 33, of Plymouth, allegedly raised a gun at a state trooper and a Plymouth Police Officer when asked to get out of his vehicle in the KMart parking lot. The officers opened fire and struck him multiple times. Continue reading
An officer-involved shooting last night in the parking lot of a Plymouth store resulted in serious injury to a suspect in a domestic battery case. The man, whose name has not been released, allegedly raised a gun at a state trooper and a Plymouth Police Officer when asked to get out of his vehicle in the KMart parking lot. The officers opened fire and struck him multiple times. Continue reading
The Starke County Council moved $50,000 into the rainy day fund to close the books on 2014 and approved a handful of transfers to balance the books. Continue reading
Breaking ground won’t take place until 2016, but the Indiana Department of Transportation continues to work toward developing a new sub-district facility in Plymouth.
The current space is being used as a field office for various projects. That sub-district site, however, does not provide direct access to Highway 30.
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Money management is difficult and many people resolve to budget better as the new year starts. Devan Wallen from Financial Partners in Knox says the first step to a better budget is to cut out unnecessary expenditures.
“Probably one of the first things you can do is to rid yourself of the non-necessity things. A lot of times people engage in bad habits like smoking, drinking, dining out, and shopping too much and that can cause quite a hindrance to the budget,” said Wallen.
It’s never too early to start thinking about a way to finance college. Students approaching the final semester of their senior year are faced with the responsibility of choosing a university and a major which can seem pretty daunting, not to mention figuring out the finances behind it all. Continue reading
