The Salvation Army is gearing up for their annual bell ringing charity fundraiser. Volunteers will start the season off this Friday at Mark Bailey’s Discount Center. They will be there each Friday and Saturday until Dec. 22. Continue reading
Members of the Knox Elementary School’s “Tech Tribe” were in the “Spotlight” portion of the agenda at Monday’s Knox School Board meeting. The students, under the direction of Laura Barnes, who meet in weekly after school sessions, displayed their work in video production, showed board members and the Superintendent one of 13 that they have produced. Continue reading
A Warsaw man was arrested Friday night in Marshall County after rear-ending a stopped school bus. Steven L. Foreman, 42, was eastbound on U.S. 30 west of North Oak Drive behind a Rensselaer Central Schools Corporation bus. The driver, Russell W. Wiseman, 66, of Rensselaer, stopped at a railroad crossing, and Foreman hit him. He registered a 3.0 on a certified alcohol test, according to the crash report. No injuries were reported.
Elkhart-based Norfolk & Southern Railroad was cited for blocking State Road 17 in Burr Oak for an extended period of time Sunday morning. A Marshall County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a complaint around 9:30 a.m. and observed the train not moving for more than 10 minutes. He then drove to the Redwood Crossing area and spoke to the conductor, who said they were waiting for a long train from the Fort Wayne area to pass. It’s the latest in a series of problems at that crossing. On Oct. 30 a verbal warning was given, and the conductor was told citations would be issued for future occurrences. Continue reading
The Starke County Chamber of Commerce recently recognized community contributors with their inaugural “Above and Beyond Business Awards.” They will be given annually to businesses or organizations that do something special, like add a new program or go out of their way to support Starke County.
The SCILL Center was recognized for their high school auto tech and welding programs and adult welding program, all of which give Starke County residents training for lifelong employment opportunities.
The Starke County Youth Club was also honored with a plaque. Their after school, summer and basketball programs serve more than 600 Starke County youngsters annually and provide social and leadership skills as well as help with academics and test scores. Recently the SCYC added middle school programs at Knox and North Judson-San Pierre. Continue reading
The Knox City Police Department is investigating an alleged battery incident at the Knox Middle School.
The incident occurred on Nov. 6 where a child was chasing another student around a table inside the classroom. The teacher stepped in to stop the action and pushed the student into a counter, according to a police report. The parents of the child called the police department to file a report. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners will resume their discussion of whether to offer Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler a long-term contract when they meet this evening. His is one of the jobs that is appointed annually by the commissioners. President Jennifer Davis is leading the charge to change that. She says doing so would ensure the long-range plan Ritzler has in place for road and bridge improvements is carried out. Making the change requires a unanimous vote of the commissioners. Kathy Norem is in favor of offering Ritzler a long-term contract, but fellow commissioner Kent Danford is not. He said in a previous meeting it could open a “can of worms.”
This week has been designated as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana.
Winter does not officially arrive until Dec. 21 and although snow has arrived in parts of Northern Indiana this season it’s never too late to craft an emergency plan.
Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Clyde Avery suggests that you stay informed about potential severe weather. If snow begins to fall in the area, slow down if you plan on driving. Give yourself plenty of extra travel time to reach your destination.
The Knox and Oregon-Davis School Boards could vote tonight to adopt a balanced school calendar for the 2015-2016 school year, and the North Judson-San Pierre School Board will consider one when they meet tomorrow. A balanced calendar still features the state-mandated 180 classroom days. The school year starts earlier in August and includes longer breaks in the fall and spring. They can be used for either remediation for students who are struggling or enrichment for higher-achieving pupils. Continue reading
The Culver School board will be discussing the balanced calendar survey results from students’ families tonight. On Nov. 3rd a public hearing was held with Rochester Community School Corporation representatives to discuss the pros and cons of being on a balanced calendar. Continue reading
Clean up at the site where the Washington Township school once stood is ongoing.
Chris Loehmer Excavating from Monterey demolished the building last week. It had become a safety hazard.
Washington Township officials will be deciding soon on what to do with the grounds once all of the debris is cleared. Previous discussion has surrounded around a park with more playground equipment or the construction of a gazebo although no plans have been finalized.
Ancilla College students have an opportunity to hone their life skills through the Leaders for Life Program. Director of Student Events and Activities Ericka Taylor-Joseph says community and business leaders interact with the students during the 10-week program to help them develop skills in various areas. The Leaders for Life Program is open to both tradition and non-traditional students. Taylor-Joseph says leaders typically take initiative, are organized and outgoing and have a drive or passion to do something for the community. Continue reading
Work continues on the generator for the Pulaski County Health Department.
Pulaski County Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the county council this week that the electrician is working on obtaining a small transformer to change the voltage for the generator. A gas line also needs to be ran in order for the generator to be fully operational.
The opportunity to apply for the Indiana State Police 75th Recruit Academy is quickly coming to an end. Applications must be received via email by 11:59 p.m. ET on Sun. Nov. 30. You must be a United States citizen in order to be considered for a position with the Indiana State Police as a trooper. Continue reading
It’s the opening of the firearms season in the state.
Officials at the Department of Conservation ask that hunters be aware of firearms safety. Always positively identify your target. Don’t shoot at color, shape, sound and movement.
Treat every firearms as if it was loaded and point firearms in a safe direction. Avoid alcohol or drugs when handling firearms. When hunting with a companion, if visual contact with that person is lost do not resume hunting until visual contact has been made and confirmed. Wearing hunter orange is the law.
The town of Culver will have a total of 24 trees being cut down this month. Town Tree Commission representative Tom Kearns told the town council Tuesday evening they had 6 bidders and went with the least expensive. Continue reading
A student from Pulaski County is one of 15 from around the state receiving college scholarships from the Indiana Homeland Security Foundation for their college education. Cameron Owens has been an active member of the Francesville Volunteer Fire Department since July of 2013 and completed their cadet program. Owens received a $2,000 scholarship toward his education at Ball State University. Continue reading
A local funeral director has been appointed to the National Funeral Directors Association Member Resources Advisory Group for 2014-2015. Samuel Frain of Winamac will assist NFDA in a variety of ways, such as evaluating existing member benefits; recommending new programs, products and services; reviewing and providing feedback on new resources; and assisting with the recruitment and retention of members from around the world for the betterment of the profession and the families it serves. Continue reading
The Culver Community Middle School will be holding a lock-in this month to raise money for the 8th grader’s end of the year field trip to Kings Island. Both 7th and 8th grade students from the middle school will be able to participate in the evening’s activities. Continue reading
Temperatures are falling and it’s time to make arrangements to keep pets warm as winter arrives.
It might be a good idea to take your pets to the veterinarian to see if they have any condition that may make them more vulnerable to the cold temperatures.
When you take your pet outside, stay with them. As long as you start to feel cold, your pet will feel the same way so it’s best to bring them inside to keep warm. If your pets are strictly outdoor pets, make sure they have a warm, solid shelter against the wind, thick bedding and plenty of non-frozen water.
