Campsite patrons at the Bass Lake Campground can breathe easier after action by the recently-appointed Starke County Park Board. They voted unanimously last night to allow seasonal campsite leases to continue. Camping season starts over Memorial Day weekend and concludes around Halloween. Overnight camping is not allowed during the winter months since the campground does not have running water or sewers after the lines are cleared and winterized. Continue reading
Goshen Woman Charged in Marshall County Buggy Crash
The Goshen woman whose pickup truck crashed into a horse-drawn buggy last Friday in Bremen has been charged in connection with that crash. The Indiana State Police have arrested Laurie Bope, 44, on a charge of operating under the influence of a controlled substance. Continue reading
State Police Arrest Suspect in Battery of INDOT Worker
The man authorities say assaulted an Indiana Department of Transportation worker in Bourbon on Friday, Nov. 7 is behind bars tonight. Richard A. Roe, 56, of Rochester, is charged with battery. He’s jailed on a $25,000 bond in Marshall County in connection with that incident on State Road 331. Continue reading
Pulaski County EMS Director Still Looking for Paramedics
Pulaski County EMS Director Nikki Lowry told the commissioners Monday night that she has hired seven part-time personnel to help with the shortage of staff and training is ongoing this week.
While that helps cover shifts, Lowry explained that only one of those hired is a paramedic. All of the other new hires are basic life service trained only. One may move to a full-time position. She said at least one paramedic is needed per shift and there is one on each shift now.
Starke County Commissioners Schedule Certificate Sale
The Starke County Commissioners have scheduled a certificate sale for Monday, Feb. 17, 2015 to rid the county of properties not sold at tax sale. Treasurer Kasey Clark will review the list of properties with county attorney Marty Lucas prior to placing the advertisements. Adjacent property owners will also be notified in case they want to make a purchase. Continue reading
MDwise and Starke County Public Library Schedule Affordable Care Act Forum
Health care industry experts will be available Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Starke County Public Library to answer questions about the Affordable Care Act. Representatives from the nonprofit health insurance company MDwise will offer a presentation about the health insurance marketplace at 2 p.m. CST. Continue reading
Starke County Community Foundation Awards Grants, Honors Hardesty
The Starke County Community Foundation has announced that nearly a quarter-million dollars ($247,630.00) was awarded in 2014 grants and scholarships. The total was revealed at last night’s “Impact Celebration” at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center.
A number of the grant recipients were presented their cash awards at the catered dinner.
Scholarship winners were recognized at an earlier event.
Culver Community High School Gets Money for Project Lead the Way
Culver Community High School students will have an opportunity to prepare for college thanks to the generosity of the Culver Redevelopment Commission. They gave the school corporation $50,000 to cover the cost of equipment for participation in Purdue’s Project Lead the Way curriculum. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis FFA Members Advance to State Competition
Members of the Oregon-Davis Future Farmers of America chapter are heading to state next month. All eight students who took part in the Area X Crops Judging/Forestry/Entomology CDE at at Plymouth High School on Monday qualified to advance to the state-level competition at Purdue on Saturday, Dec. 13. Continue reading
Town of North Judson Offers Seasonal Reminders
The Town of North Judson reminds residents and business owners to let water run constantly in a stream about the diameter of a pencil whenever temperatures are below freezing. This helps keep water meters and pipes from freezing.
Starke County Commissioners Defer Action on Highway Superintendent Contract
The Starke County Commissioners will revisit whether to offer a long-term contract to Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler when they meet Dec. 1. Commissioner Kent Danford previously raised concerns about the precedent such an action would set. He says possibly offering Ritzler a contract is a “test case” and adds he will say no to anyone else who requests a long-term employment contract until he sees how this works. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis Adopts Balanced Calendar Concept
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is the first in the area to adopt the balanced calendar concept. The school board voted 5-to-1 in favor of the plan, with board member Lee Nagai casting the lone no vote. Continue reading
Majority of Culver Community School Corporation Parents Say Yes to Balanced Calendar
The Culver Community School Corporation received balanced calendar survey responses from families, students and faculty members this week. A total of 780 responses were recieved with 75 percent of the surveys saying yes, they would like to see a balanced calendar implemented.
Knox School Renovation Plans Move Forward
The Knox Middle School Building Corporation Committee, at a public hearing last night, reviewed, approved, and sent to the School Board, a number of resolutions to move along the construction and renovation of a portion of the elementary building. No citizens attended the hearing.
Later at the School Board meeting, a public hearing was held on details of the project. Again, no member of the public appeared to comment. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre School Board to Discuss Balanced Calendar
T
he North Judson-San Pierre School Board will discuss several items tonight when they meet in the central office at 7 p.m. CT.
The balanced calendar will be discussed. Superintendent Lynn Johnson has previously stated that the calendars need to be similar with Knox and Oregon-Davis to accommodate students in the JESSE and vocational cooperative programs. Corporations normally adopt school calendars by January and the school board could adopt a calendar tonight.
John Glenn Spell Bowl Team Wins 19th State Championship
The John Glenn High School Spell Bowl team won their 19th Indiana Academic Spell Bowl state finals championship this past weekend. They now hold the record for number of spell bowl state championships in the history of all divisions. Spell Bowl Coach Brandt Ayoub says the team was part of division 2 and competed against 4 other schools. He says it was a team goal from the beginning to make it to state.
Knox Police Investigating Another Church Burglary
The Knox City Police Department is investigating another church burglary.
According to police, the United Methodist Church at 201 S. Shield Street was broken into Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Electronic equipment was stolen and the building suffered a lot of damage.
Knox officers believe that two suspects forced entry to building. The incident remains under investigation.
Radioville Bowling Alley Owner Granted Demolition Extension
The old bowling alley in Radioville will soon be demolished.
Pulaski County Building Administrator David Dare explained to the commissioners last night that the structure is unsafe as the roof has caved in and the building can’t be salvaged. According to the demolition order, the building must be demolished by Dec. 30.
Bruder explained that she has some circumstances that won’t allow her to get the building torn down in that timeframe. She noted that the Countryside Bowling Lanes, Inc. is in her name but she needs to work out details with the other owners of the building which hasn’t been occupied in many years.
Starke County Park Board to Consider Camping at Bass Lake
The recently-formed Starke County Park Board will consider whether to allow seasonal camping at Bass Lake Campground when they meet this evening. The five-member board has been tasked with oversight of the beach and campground, Starke County Forest and other non-municipal recreational areas in the county. Continue reading
Driver Cited for Disregarding School Bus Stop Arm
A LaPorte man was cited after disregarding an activated school bus stop arm.
The incident occurred just after 3:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 14 when Joseph Dennis, 29, drove around a school bus in the 400 block of Pine Lake Avenue when the stop arms were extended.
Police later learned that Dennis had a suspended driver’s license, according to a news release. Dennis was given a summons to appear in court on the charge of driving while suspended as a Class A misdemeanor and reckless driving as a Class B misdemeanor.
