A who’s who of industry in Starke County and throughout Northern Indiana attended the 26th Annual Starke County Economic Development Foundation awards celebration last night.
Board President Bill Sonnemaker said that no matter how gloomy it is elsewhere, it’s not that way in Starke County.
What’s ahead for downtown Knox? That was the question Candice Bernier, representing both the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, and Indiana Downtown, attempted to answer at the Knox City Council meeting Wednesday night.
Bernier told the building owners, city officials, and other interested persons who attended the meeting that a five year game plan is needed to correct the deficiencies in the downtown.
Congressman Joe Donnelly works with Veterans Affairs and on this Veteran’s Day, he tells us what his focus is for our Veterans.
“My focus has been on trying to make sure in the District that we’ve been having sufficient Veteran oriented activities throughout the week,” said Donnelly. “When you look at it, our Veterans are the ones who gave us our freedom, who gave us our country and we’re extraordinarily indebted to them.”
The Knox Community School Board had a special Spotlight on Success agenda item this week. The students in Mrs. Kleinfehn’s high school class have been corresponding with Tim Watts, a 2004 graduate of Knox High School, and a member of the National Guard. He has a special email account so the students can email him and those letters are monitored by Mrs. Kleinfehn.
The students appeared before the School Board Monday night for the Spotlight on Success presentation and Superintendent A.J. Gappa said they got a surprise.
“It just so happens, Tim was home on leave this week so he was able to show up in person at the board meeting and the kids didn’t know he was coming,” said Gappa. “The Board thought that it was really special for a graduate of Knox High School to come back and take the time, especially when he’s got limited time left before he goes overseas, to talk to these kids and show some samples of emails they’ve already sent.”
A parade to honor armed forces veterans has been organized for Knox today. Terry Turner, one of the organizers tells us about it.
“They’re going to line up at 12:45 p.m. and there are a few more entries this year,” said Turner. “Hensler’s is coming with an antique car for Trees for Troops. We are going to honor the three men that died in Iraq Sergeant Joseph Ford, Corporal Nathaniel Baughman and Specialist Michael Weissman.”
The Starke County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for the Henry F. Schricker Award.
You may nominate individuals who have displayed Henry Schricker’s attitude of “service before self”. Submit a resume of the applicant, along with a cover letter, that outlines the qualities and deeds of the candidate which includes significant voluntary contributions and benefits to Starke County.
IU Health Starke Hospital officials met yesterday with county officials to discuss a potential problem that could scuttle plans for upgraded EMS services in the county.
The potential problem is the hospital’s plan to contract with an outside ambulance service to provide transfers from here to other medical facilities for advanced care. As hospital CEO Linda Satkoski said, “We many times need ALS-equipped vehicles with paramedics to make those runs.” The problem is that any private company wants all transfers, advanced and basic.
The Pulaski County commissioners were told this week that they could possibly collect approximately $750,000 from invalid homestead deductions in the county. Dave Wishlinski from SRI told the commissioners that they’ve identified nearly 900 properties in the area that could be receiving a hefty tax deduction that they might not qualify for.
Rose Martin, 47, of Medaryville made her appearance in Starke Circuit Court this week for charges of Manufacturing Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, and Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors.
There was some controversy in the courtroom when Martin told Judge Kim Hall that she submitted to a pre-sentence investigation over the phone and by mail rather than coming into the office, but there was no record of it being completed. Also, Martin said she had been accepted into the Community Corrections home detention program with electronic monitoring in LaPorte, but her case information indicated that she failed to make arrangements with Community Corrections.
The Knox Community School Board members accepted the retirement of a high school teacher at their meeting this week.
“Dick Wagner had submitted a letter of retirement. He had some personal issues that developed so he felt that it was in his best interest at this time to retire. Mr. Wagner was a business teacher at Knox. Over the years, he’s done other extra-curricular activities. I believe he, at some point, did the Yearbook at the High School, he’s also been a tennis coach, and he was involved with the Knox Federation of Teachers where he has been the past President, a position he held for the last number of years until this past May. He got in forty-and-a-half years. We want to thank him for all he’s done for the Corporation and the time he’s put in,” commented Superintendent, A.J. Gappa.
Photo provided.
The Pulaski County Toy Store will be held December 10th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon ET.
Donations of toys, winter gear, food and other items are being accepted now for the Toy Store to help those in need this holiday season. Those donations can be taken to Pulaski County Human Services up until the event on December 10th. Those in need have registered and qualified at Pulaski Human Services and they will be able to “shop” for items for their children for the Christmas season.
After pleading guilty in September to Intimidation as a Class D felony, Carl Balaszek received his sentence before Judge Kim Hall in the Starke Circuit Court. Balaszek admitted to threatening the parents of his ex-girlfriend during what he describes as a “bad breakup” that has put his future in jeopardy. The victim submitted a letter to be read aloud in court, in which he stated that he was placed in fear of his life by Balaszek and was glad to see justice being served.
The Starke County Traffic Safety Partnership will be conducting a Safe Family Travel patrol beginning this Friday and it will continue through November 27th.
This blitz is a grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and will focus on impaired drivers and seat belt enforcement. This grant will allow additional officers to enforce these laws and they will not be giving out warnings. They will be issuing tickets to those who are in violation of these laws.
The Starke County Development Foundation’s annual meeting will be held tonight at the Knox Community Center. It begins at 5:30 p.m. and the formal program begins at 6:15 p.m. You are invited to the event.
Several awards will be given including the Robert Hamilton Award which will be given to Mat Swanson and Jack Lynch.
The Municipal Election results from Starke County show that it was a breakthrough for the Republicans in the Democrat stronghold of North Judson and a new City Councilman in Knox was elected.
In the most thrilling race of the night, Republican Donna Henry defeated Incumbent Democrat Connie Miller for the North Judson Town Clerk-Treasurer position with a vote of 221 to 217. Henry waged a vigorous door-to-door campaign, visiting many of the homes numerous times. She was asked what did it for her.
Trying to build on the enthusiasm generated by last week’s meeting to discuss downtown Knox, the Knox City Council will hear from Candice Bernier, a Downtown Planning Project Coordinator for the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, who will be at tonight’s Knox City Council meeting.
Four people were arrested in Knox on Friday after police responded to a call of possible drug activity.
Knox City Police Department officers were called to Smith Farm Store’s parking lot where police questioned four people reportedly involved in the incident. After a search into shopping bags and the vehicle, they were found to be in possession of fuel and decongestant tablets commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Starke County Emergency Ambulance Service Director, Paul Mathewson, came before the County Commissioners on Monday to ask for a reimbursement program for personnel trying to achieve upgraded certification.
“They’re in classes two days a week plus clinical hours and there’s a lot that goes into it. It costs money to go for them and we’re going to see if we can aid our employees by having a reimbursement program. This is just the first step,” said Mathewson.
Today is Election Day! Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. prevailing time today.
Knox residents will be voting at the Knox Community Center, North Judson residents will vote at the North Judson Community Building (the old firehouse) and Hamlet residents will be voting at the Hamlet Fire Station.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall came before the Commissioners yesterday and reported on two bridges in the county.
The first bridge, #51 was closed last week. Siddall said the caps, that were wooden and placed on the bridge in the 1950s, have crushed and failed. He said that this was a bridge that was scheduled to be replaced.
“Several years ago, I’m going to say 10 or 12 years ago, they set up a program to replace these bridges and put them by category by year,” said Siddall. “If we were still on that, this year that bridge was scheduled to be replaced. It will be bid out in the spring.”
