Volunteers Help Build New Soccer Fields for Culver Schools

Culver Community School Superintendent Brad Schuldt

“If you build it, they will come.” That phrase comes alive in Culver, as a number of volunteers have converted what was previously farm fields and weeded areas into something useful: soccer fields for Culver Community Schools.

“We have about five acres out there that used to be just farm field and just weeded areas, and over the last couple years we’ve had some volunteers in the community working on trying to develop that a little bit. They didn’t build any buildings at all, but they’ve got it kind of leveled off and they’ve made two small soccer fields for lower elementary grades and one soccer field that’s a little bit closer to full size,” said Superintendent Brad Schuldt.

Schuldt says that the field will be used primarily in the evenings after school, or for Saturday soccer programs. While players would previously have to share the field or just wait for the evening to use the field in the playground at the north end of Culver Elementary, they can now use one of the new soccer fields.

Schuldt says that there was no expense involved in making the soccer fields.

It’s no big construction or anything like the Liverpool stadium expansion, we didn’t spend any money on it. It’s all community volunteers getting it ready and that kind of thing, Schuldt said.

The only downside to establishing these new fields is the impact on parking. Schuldt says that the parking lot in that area only has about 25-30 spots, and sometimes when they have girls’ softball games, those spots can be filled fairly quickly. With the addition of parents bringing their children for evening and after-school soccer leagues, the parking lot will be filled to capacity– but Schuldt says they have opened up some of the grassy areas for parking as well, so that won’t be a problem.

North Judson Town Board Discusses Key Policy

Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Ralph T. Cummins, Wendy Hoppe, and Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac

The North Judson Town Board discussed the new key policy at their recent meeting. There is a new key log for all employees and all keys will be accounted for for all buildings and employees.

Town Superintendent Marshall Horstman reported to the board that a position with the utility department has been filled pending a drug test.

The Town of North Judson has a new Facebook page. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry and Billing Clerk, Jennifer Vanek, have been reworking the site and they post town information as well as board minutes, which will be posted as they are approved.

Indiana State Prison Employee Arrested for Trafficking

Phyllis Ungerank
An Indiana State Prison employee was arrested after a drug trafficking investigation was completed.

Phyllis Ungerank, a nurse with Corizon Medical, was arrested for trying to traffic marijuana and for possessing marijuana inside the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. A check-point officer reportedly found Ungerank trying to take a package of marijuana inside the jail with her on Sunday, March 18th.

She is currently in the LaPorte County Jail. Trafficking of marijuana carries a sentence of up to eight years in prison and $10,000 in fines.

From the WKVI Archives

It was on this date five years ago that the Oregon-Davis Boys Basketball team won the Class A IHSAA Basketball Tournament. Quick, who did they beat? If you said Barr-Reeve, you’d win a prize. The final score was 63-52.
Three weeks before the O.D. Girls won the state tournament 54-42 beating Wood Memorial in the final game. It was the first time a boys and girls team from the same school won the tournament in the same year.

To top off the day, five years ago, Adam Pflugshaupt won the Arthur L. Trester Mental Attitude award.

Plymouth won the 3-A tournament, beating Evansville Bosse 72-61.

Monterey Man Charged in Battery Incident

David Zachary

A Monterey man has been charged in a Monday battery incident.

David Zachary, 40, allegedly battered his girlfriend. The victim told police about the incident the day after the event. She explained that she was not allowed to leave the house or make any phone calls so she couldn’t report the incident right away. She was allowed to go to work the next day and after she picked up her children from school and day care, she went to the Starke County Sheriff’s Department to report the incident. The victim stated that Zachary reportedly became mad at her the day before and struck her. The victim’s children told police that Zachary allegedly said that if their mother called the police, he would kill her.

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Safe Routes to School Update Given to Winamac Town Board

Brad Conn presented the Winamac Town Board with a powerpoint presentation on the Safe Routes to School proposal. April 12th is the day for Safe Routes to School to be completed and the organization is asking the town to post signs.

The organization has purchased signs for the Safe Routes to School and officials will be working with the Street Superintendent to get the signs posted. Lighted signs have been purchased for five crossing guards.

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North Judson Residents Can Notify Police When Leaving on Vacation

North Judson Police Department

North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely told the Town Board this week that he is asking residents to call the Police Department and notify them if they will be going out of town so officers can perform routine patrols around that property.

You may call 772-5914 and tell Vessely about your vacation and he and the other officers will check your residence to make sure no crimes have been committed. If there happens to be a break-in or other type of criminal activity at your house, he will notify you and an investigation will take place.

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Inheritance Tax Repeal Appeals to Farm Bureau Members

Members of the Starke County Farm Bureau attended the organization’s annual meeting this week and heard Director of State Government Relations, Bob Kraft, talk about legislative successes this year.

Kraft talked about the success in the repeal of the inheritance tax.

“Probably the most noteworthy was the passing of the Inheritance Tax repeal,” said Kraft. “This has been a priority of Farm Bureau for years and years. All of a sudden all of the chips fell where they needed to and the Inheritance Tax will be phased out beginning in 2013.”

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Starke County Youth Club Radiothon Scheduled for May 4th

The Starke County Youth Club is getting ready for its annual WKVI Radiothon fundraiser to be held May 4th.

The Director of the SCYC, Irene Szakonyi, said they recently had their annual evaluation.

“We had our annual evaluation this year, and our results were phenomenal,” she praised. “All of our sites were visited by the state, and out of all possible points we only missed two. It’s fantastic! We’re proud of our staff and kids.”

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Autopsy Released on Marshall County Inmate’s Death

Marshall County Coroner Bill Cleavenger has released the complete autopsy report on 35-year-old Georgia Onofre, an inmate who died in the Marshall County Jail in September.

After extensive testing and evaluation of tissue evidence collected in the case, Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Joseph A. Prahlow, determined that she died as a result of a heart condition. She died of complications from an enlarged heart, a condition Onofre probably wasn’t aware of. A review of Onofre’s medical records showed she had no heart issues and she didn’t note any medical problems when she was booked into the Marshall County Jail.

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Cathy Fritz Approved to do Drug Testing in Pulaski County

Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

The Pulaski County Commissioners approved a request from former police officer, Cathy Fritz, to conduct drug testing for the employees of the county. The Commissioners asked for a list of which employees will be subject to testing. The approval of her completing the drug testing is dependent on the approval of Attorney, Kevin Tankerslee.

The Commissioners also heard from a representative from WTH Technologies to discuss the GPS system. The representative will be working on getting the map live on the internet for public viewing, plus other features. The cost to the county will be $300 per month at a cost of $3,600 a year.

Winamac Town Board Agrees to Purchase Additional Airport Insurance

The Winamac Town Board approved a request to buy additional insurance for the airport.

Town Manager Jim Conner told the Town Board that he had received an email from Budd Insurance Agency about the Town’s purchase of liability insurance for Arens Field. It was suggested that the Town purchase a $5 million Public Officials Liability Insurance to cover the Town’s portion of the airport costs. The cost from now until September would be $450 and a renewal will cost $1,344 in September.

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Starke County Highway Superintendent Explains use of Revenue Forms

Steve Siddall

The Starke County Commissioners and Auditor Kay Chaffins have instituted a new monthly report form for offices that have cash drawers. Some offices missed the turn-in deadline this month, including the highway department.

Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall explains why.

“Kay sent us out a financial statement that has to be prepared every month,” explained Siddall. “We don’t handle cash, so we have been instructed by the State Board of Accounts to fill out another type of form.”

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North Judson Town Board Awards Trash Bid

The North Judson Town Board members formally awarded the trash bid to Richard’s Disposal at their meeting this week. The Board is now accepting bids for cemetery mowing and those bids are due into the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office by Noon on April 2nd.

The Building Inspector is working with the Unsafe Building Authority to make a list of all of the deteriorated properties in town. Two properties that qualify as unsafe have been identified so far and certified letters will be sent to those property owners as a notice to clean up their property. If the properties are not cleaned up within a certain amount of time, the town will step in and get it done. A lien will be placed against the property for payment of services rendered.

Spring Allergy Season Hits Early

IU Health Starke Hospital is joining other IU facilities around the state in disseminating information on early spring allergies. The unseasonably warm winter and spring so far is presenting challenges for allergy suffers.

IU Health allergist, Dr. Deb Baylos, says allergies are more a function of pollen count in the air. However, she says allergies are starting earlier and will likely end earlier. Weather conditions really affect the intensity of allergies. For example, a warm, moist spring will intensify mold which tends to intensify mold allergies. If you notice signs of mold growth in your property, you may need to contact a mold remediation company immediately especially if someone in the house has allergies.

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From the WKVI Archives

Knox native Jerry Johnson played in the 1969 NCAA Basketball Final game on this date. His Purdue Boilermakers lost to UCLA 92-72.

Chicago gangster, Diamond Joe Esposito, who owned a cottage at Bass Lake, was shot and killed in a gangland slaying in the Windy City. He had his hand in bootlegging and prostitution. He was killed on this date in 1928.

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