The Knox City Council members tabled discussion on the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center for free meals catered by local church groups.
The request was made by Deb McIntire who offered the idea that the community center be used one day a week for four hours to prepare and serve free meals. The members of different churches would take turns each week and clean up afterwards.
The Oregon-Davis School Board members are looking at a balanced calendar for the 2015-2016 school year.
Superintendent Greg Briles gave the board a couple of different calendars to study to possibly make a decision at their October meeting.
The public is invited to tour the new North Judson Town Maintenance Building. An open house is scheduled tomorrow afternoon from 4:30 until 6 p.m. The new building is located at 710 Railroad Street on the west side of town. It features a three-bay garage and will replace the dilapidated structure located near the town park on George Street. North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry says light refreshments will be served at tomorrow evening’s open house.
The unemployment rate in Starke County dropped another two-tenths of a percent in August to 6.3 percent which ranks the county 16th in the state.
Pulaski County reported the same type of drop. The county stands at 4.2 percent in terms of unemployment which ranks the county 87th in the state. Marshall County reported a rate of 5.2 percent, LaPorte County had 7.0 percent, Fulton County had 5.4 percent , St. Joseph County had 6.4 percent while Porter County had 5.9 percent.
The Plymouth Community School Board members may have spent a good chunk of change for security upgrades at all of the school buildings, but according to the Director of Safety and Security, it was money well spent.
“I think we took a layered approach,” stated Phillips. “We’ve looked at identifying who is coming into our buildings and for what purpose. The camera systems have been widely talked about and they have given us a new opportunity not only to make sure that our grounds are safe but we’ve also been able to assist law enforcement in a few cases that they’ve called us about.”
The Food Finders Mobile Pantry is headed to Francesville for the first time.
The food giveaway day is Friday, Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. ET at 229 S. Bill Street, behind the Von Tobel building.
Those eligible will be able to take home frozen meat, beverages, snacks, baked goods, vegetables, and cereal. Residents are encouraged to take a laundry basket or box in order to carry the food home.
Homecoming and College Go Week are keeping Knox High School students busy. Activities have been developed by guidance counselors to help educate students about colleges. One of those activities includes a college fair to be held today during lunch.
Students will get to visit with different college representatives to fill out applications free of charge and to ask questions. Principal Dr. Elizabeth Ratliff said they have set up a great opportunity for the students to get information on their futures.
A series of classes to quit smoking are planned at the Life Plex in Plymouth. Eight sessions will be provided once a week on Monday evenings starting Oct. 6th at 6 p.m. EDT. The program format encourages people to work on the process of quitting smoking both as individuals and as a group. Continue reading
A gas station employee in LaPorte told police there a customer tried to make a purchase with a counterfeit $20 bill Sunday evening. The clerk at the Citgo Station at 104 E. Lincolnway checked the bill with a counterfeit pen and verified it was a phony. The clerk notified the police, told the customer and asked him to wait until the authorities arrived. Continue reading
Work on the new bridge over Eagle Creek is under way. LaPorte Construction Company won the bid to replace the bridge on Starke County Road 800 East. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler tells WKVI News 800 East will be closed between 25 North and 50 South for the next couple of months. Take 25 north to 700 East down to 50 South and back to 800 East to get around the road work. Detour signs are up.
The driver of a moped that crashed on 1100 East north of State Road 8 last evening was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital. The Starke County 911 Center got several calls about the wreck around 5:45 p.m. Continue reading
IU Health Starke and LaPorte Hospitals are in search of health care delivery partners to provide the best care possible to the residents they serve. IU Health Starke President Craig Felty says they’ve sent out requests for proposals and are keeping their options open.
“Our goal would really be to maintain a relationship with IU Health,” Felty said last week during an interview at WKVI. “We cherish that relationship, but we also just identify that over the years as health care has changed we need to look for somebody additional who might be able to help us meet that need.” Continue reading
Superintendent A.J. Gappa reported that balanced calendar discussions for the 2015-16 school year continue with other area schools, many of whom have expressed interest in a coordinated calendar. That schedule would feature four nine week sessions and
two-week breaks at Christmas and in the Spring, with the school year ending around Memorial Day. Continue reading
The Oregon-Davis School Board members held a public hearing for the 2015 budget during their meeting last night.
The General Fund budget was budgeted at $4.6 million. The General Fund takes care of the salaries for the staff, including coaches and extra-curricular coaches and more. Board member Lee Nagai stressed that the General Fund had a shortfall due to state budget cuts and the referendum money supplemented that fund to cover salaries.
Other funds discussed include the Capital Projects Fund, Transportation Fund, Debt Fund Plan, Retirement/Severance Bond, Debt Service Fund, Referendum/Exempt Operating, Rainy Day Fund.
Superintendent Greg Briles explained that the Average Daily Membership, or ADM, is 609 which is higher than the state-projected student count of 580. Briles added that the corporation is three students down from last year.
The tax rate will be 1.5702 which is less than 2014.
Briles said the budget will be sent to the state. The board approved a motion to authorize any cuts that are mandated by the state.
Two people were arrested on Wednesday after a search warrant was executed by the LaPorte County Metro Operations Unit, Michigan City Street Crimes Unit, and the Michigan City Fugitive Apprehension Street Team in the Green Acres Mobile Home Park in Michigan City.
A new statewide website is available so all residents can look at government budget notices in one location.
All residents will have the ability to view budget notices for all local government units in their county by entering their address on www.BudgetNotices.IN.Gov. The website is designed to promote the importance of budget notices.
House Enrolled Act 1266 was passed to allow for this website to exist. Taxpayers can learn about the budget process for the local taxing units and access information about hearings scheduled for the next year’s proposed budgets.
The Indiana State Police is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for the ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Continue reading
The Knox City Council members will meet in regular session tonight where they will discuss the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center by area churches for free meals.
The council entertained the request at a meeting in September but tabled approval until more information was obtained about cost and liability.
Starke County’s Park Board is now fully populated. Judge Kim Hall named Mike Meadows and Skyler Ellinger to the five-member panel. They join Starke County Council appointees Debbie Mix and Rosemary Rose and Starke County Commissioners appointee Marsha Bedrock. Continue reading
A Kewanna woman is accused of stealing more than $23,500 from her employer. Michelle Rigney, 51, was arrested on a felony theft charge after an Indiana State Police Investigation prompted when the area manager of Smith Farm Stores reported possible missing monies and deposits of store proceeds. Continue reading
