Absentee Voting Turnout Strong

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The first week of absentee voting saw quite a few voters filling out ballots for the General Election.

The Marshall County Clerk’s office had 129 voters while the Starke County Clerk’s office had 108 voters and the Pulaski County Clerk’s Office had 69 absentee walk-in voters.

In Starke County, in-office absentee voting will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT in the second floor meeting room in the courthouse from now until Oct. 31. The same hours will apply for Saturday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Nov. 1.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Approve Transfer of Vehicle to EMA Director

Posted on Author WKVI
EMA Director Larry Hoover discusses the transfer of a pickup to his department
EMA Director Larry Hoover discusses the transfer of a pickup to his department with the commissioners

The Pulaski County EMA Director will have a new vehicle.

Larry Hoover requested the title transfer of a pickup that the sheriff’s department no longer uses. Sheriff Michael Gayer had approved the use of the three-quarter ton pickup for use by the EMA Director and notified the commissioners of his decision.

Hoover explained that he does have money his budget for fuel and for travel. Because this vehicle will be used by Hoover for county business, he will no longer need to submit claims for fuel reimbursement for his personal vehicle. He will be able to fuel the vehicle using the county system and pay for his portion from his budget.

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Eastern Pulaski School Board to Meet Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The members of the Eastern Pulaski School Board will approve action items concerning contracts and the building project in a meeting this afternoon.

After the last special meeting, the board members met in an extended work session to fine tune the building project that includes all buildings to upgrade them to future education standards. Security upgrades will be done as well as classroom improvements and heating and cooling.

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Ancilla Officials Set to Rededicate Nursing Lab

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Officials with the Ancilla College nursing program will rededicate their recently overhauled clinical lab this evening. St. Joseph Regional Medical Center donated funds for the lab 10 years ago. Director Ann Fitzgerald says the school got a grant from Lilly and used the money to spruce it up.

She says they replaced the existing beds and mannequins, added another one, restocked their supplies, bought new linens and repainted.

“Studies have shown that if we can make it as hospital-like as possible so everything looks, acts, works just like it does in the hospital, then the students treat it as if it was a hospital area,” Fitzgerald added. Students have to wear their scrubs to the lab and bring their blood pressure cuff, stethoscope and other medical supplies.

The open house will take place this evening from 5 until 6 p.m. at Ancilla. Fitzgerald encourages anyone with questions about the nursing program to stop by.

LaPorte Police Investigate Burglary

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

LaPorte Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a burglary that occurred at a residence in the 8000 W. block of County Road 400 North.

The two suspects left the area on foot by the time the officers arrived at the scene Friday morning. One of the suspects was taken into custody who was found walking along the road. That suspect had an active arrest warrant.

A second suspect ran into a wooded area adjacent to Creek Ridge County Park, according to a news release. A K9 unit responded to the scene and a track was initiated.

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Pulaski County Recorder Requests Part-time Help

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Courthouse
Pulaski County Courthouse

Pulaski County Recorder Christi Hoffa put in a request to the county commissioners this week for a part time person to scan documents into the Doxpop system.

Hoffa said she and her staff have been able to take care of documents here and there, but another person to do just this duty would greatly help efficiency in her office.

“With the installation of Doxpop and our current scanned images being available online, we are finding from abstract companies and title searchers that it’s great that it’s online, but we don’t have quite enough information online to really be able to assist them,” Hoffa explained. “Generally, they have to a 50 year search. We would like to have a part-time person and it would be to speed up the process of getting more documents available online and to be able to aid these title searchers in having the information online.”

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Starke County Highway Department Celebrates Safety Milestone

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Highway SafetyStarke County Highway Department employees remained accident free this summer. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the commissioners this week there were no reported accidents or injuries between June 21st and September 21st. Highway department employees drove more than 89,000 miles and spent quite a bit of time doing road work that required traffic control during that three month period. Continue reading →

West Central School Board Approves Theater Arts Class

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The West Central School Board recently approved the addition of a Theater Arts class to the curriculum for the second semester.

Superintendent Don Street explained that more focus on English/Language Arts forced the cancellation of the class, but the class will be revived.

“Now we have an opportunity to have a Theater Arts class where the kids will learn about acting and study different plays,” said Street. “We put that back into our curriculum. That will be a one, nine-week class because we’re on a block schedule. We have some students that have some interest in that. We have a teacher that will be able to teach that. That’s a fine arts credit which counts toward an Academic Honor class for our students.”

Trial Scheduled in the Case of Robert Corbin

Posted on Author WKVI

Robert Corbin’s case will go to trial.

Corbin appeared with his attorneys Friday morning for a status hearing in his case in Starke Circuit Court. Indiana Supreme Court justices unanimously reversed an Indiana Court of Appeals’ decision recently to dismiss the case where two felony counts of attempted child seduction were filed against Corbin.

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Starke County Voters Invited to Nonpartisan Candidate Forums

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Starke County voters can learn where candidates for local office stand on issues during a series of weekend forums. Larry and Deb Wappel are sponsoring the events in Knox, North Judson and Hamlet. She says the candidates will be asked tough questions about things like their leadership philosophy, what sets them apart from others running for the same office and how they will pay for any sort of new program or service they are proposing. The candidates were given the prepared questions in advance. Audience members will also have a chance to submit written questions for the candidates. A bipartisan panel will screen them and make sure they are respectful. Continue reading →

LaPorte City Police Department Investigates Reports of Gunfire

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Officers from the LaPorte City Police Department are investigating reports of gunfire in the 200 block of E. Jefferson Avenue.

Residents reported hearing about five gunshots in the area on Saturday. One witness told police that a muzzle flash was seen coming from the area. Others reported seeing someone walking from the scene and a vehicle leaving the area.

Another witness told police that they saw two subjects yelling and running from the area shortly after hearing the gunfire.

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Commissioners Prepare Packets for Park Board Members

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The five members of the Starke County Park Board will have plenty of reading material prior to their first meeting. The Starke County Commissioners are sending them welcome packets, which will include copies of the state statute under which the board was formed and the state law pertaining to camping on public properties. One of their first challenges will be to decide whether to allow year-round camping at Bass Lake Beach and Campground. The park board members will also get a copy of the management lease between the county and Richard Callahan. The board is charged with oversight and management of the Starke County Forest and other county-owned public lands.

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Pulaski County Commissioners to Consider Deed Sale

Posted on Author WKVI
Holly Hoover talks with Pulaski County Commissioners
Holly Hoover talks with Pulaski County Commissioners

The Pulaski County property tax sale was recently held and 29 properties were sold. Deputy Auditor Holly Hoover told the commissioners this week that 150 properties were not sold and she would like to have a commissioners deed sale to sell these properties.

She noted that most of the properties have been up for sale for many years and it’s time to get these back on the tax rolls.

“The difference between the property tax sale and the commissioners deed sale is that instead of a one year redemption when a buyer buys a piece of property at the property tax sale the owner has one year to redeem the property. With a commissioners deed sale, there would be a 120 day redemption. We want to get these properties that have gone unpaid for years back on the tax roll,” explained Hoover.

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