Knox Community School Board Hires Technology Coach

Posted on Author WKVI
Chris Ross

The Knox Community School Board created a new technical position and filled it at their meeting this week. Superintendent A.J. Gappa gives us the details on the new position.

“This year, we had a teacher retire from the Middle School in the Industrial Tech area and rather than fill that position, the Administration felt that with the One-to-One Computer Program which we have undertaken, we would best be served by a teacher/coach that could go in and help teachers with the computers and the programs and different objects that they could use in their classroom,” he said.

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Officials Meet to Discuss Hamlet West Infrastructure Project

Posted on Author WKVI
This water tower was constructed as part of the Hamlet West Infrastructure project

A meeting was held yesterday with county officials to discuss the funding of the Hamlet West Infrastructure project. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, has a synopsis of the meeting.

“The meeting came about because we’ve finalized the grant reimbursement with the Economic Development Administration (EDA) which we turned a little more than $128,000 this last last draw for the project. With the completion of the EDA part of the project, we can now go back and do the final billings to the State of Indiana under the Industrial Development Grant Fund, as well as to TIF bonds managed by SYSCO. This will allow the county to be reimbursed, in whole, for the project.”

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Starke County Commissioners Consider Moving Drug Testing

Posted on Author WKVI
IU Health Starke Hospital

The Starke County Commissioners are considering moving the drug testing of some government employees, including the highway department, to Midwest Toxicology. At this week’s Commissioners meeting, Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall, said when he sends an employee to IU Health Starke Hospital, it could take hours for them to have the drug test administered. In case the Emergency Room is busy, they must wait. Siddall said that he fully understood that the ER room takes precedent, but that with Midwest Toxicology there would be no waiting period.

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Recorder’s Office to Receive New Software

Posted on Author WKVI

A major upgrade to the software used in the Pulaski County Recorder’s office is underway. The county commissioners approved a request from Recorder Lynn Wilder, who highly recommended an upgrade to software provided by Computer Systems, Inc. CEO/President Kevin Cook and Account Manager John Wood were also present to speak about the software.

With a cost of $45,452, the new software will be a vast improvement over the old software, which hasn’t been updated since 2003. The new software will be funded 100% out of the perpetuation fund, which is a fund which is primarily used for the preservation of documents through electronic means. After a storm caused a large server crash in her office, Wilder decided it was time to upgrade. She received three quotes for software: one from Manatron, which was too expensive and offered an inferior product; one from Fidlar, which was top-notch but extremely expensive; and one from Computer Systems, Inc., who offered the perfect price and excellent software.

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North Judson Town Board Adds Two Blocks to Sewer Separation Project

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board approved a change order with the State Road 39 project during their meeting this week. The project originally came under bid by approximately $108,000 and with this leftover grant money, the Board approved sewer separation work to be done on two additional blocks at a cost of $75,969. That leaves $33,000 left in available grant funds for change orders. Nies Engineering is currently working on sewer separation project.

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September 11th Services Scheduled for Sunday

Posted on Author WKVI

9-11 services are planned throughout the listening area this Sunday.

At Knox, WKVI is sponsoring a Commemoration Ceremony at the Knox High School Football Field from 4:00-5:00 p.m. CT. Among those participating are WKVI personalities Tom Berg, Harold Welter, Ed Hasnerl, and Ted Hayes. Starke County EMS Director, Paul Mathewson, will also speak and vocalist Mae Crider will present special music.

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Donations Needed at Starke County Food Pantry

Posted on Author WKVI
Help fill these shelves at the Starke County Food Pantry!

The Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry shelves are again bare. Cecilia Torres told Ted Hayes yesterday that 279 families were helped with meat and groceries in August. That number reached an all-time high.

“More and more people are turning to the Food Pantry and donations are down,” said Torres. “We get our food from churches, organizations and individuals who open up their pocketbooks and their hearts to us. We’ve gotten a few dollar donations.”

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2010 Audit of Treasurer’s Office Received by Starke County Commissioners

Posted on Author WKVI
Linda Belork

The Indiana State Board of Accounts has completed the 2010 audit of the Starke County Treasurer’s Office. Starke County officials have been anxious to receive the report that will complete the most recent bookkeeping activities in the Treasurer’s Office that the Board will audit. The report is now in the hands of county officials.

Treasurer Linda Belork was removed from office by the County Commissioners after irregularities in the 2009 accounts were reported by the State Board of Accounts. The Commissioners also removed the deputies from office and named Casey Clark and Michelle Snowdon to handle the day-to-day activities in the office until the matter is straightened out.

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Starke County Landfill Close to Closure

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Commissioners: Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom and Jennifer Davis

Brian Horvath of Weaver and Boos Consultants gave a report to the Starke County Commissioners yesterday that indicates that they are getting closer to closing the old Starke County Landfill. Gas probes were installed over the summer and the Commissioners received a report this week of what information the company has gotten while monitoring the probes.

Horvath was asked what the next step is in getting the landfill closed.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Waive Building Fees for KIRPC Housing Improvement Project

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

A warmer winter than usual is in the works for eight low-income homeowners in Pulaski County, thanks to a grant from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. Shawn Cain from the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission appeared before the county commissioners to request they approve a waiver of building fees for these eight homes that have been selected to receive much-needed improvements at no cost to the owners.

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SCILL Center Students get Visit from Chicago College

Posted on Author WKVI
The college representatives brought their trailer with an interactive gaming system for the students to demonstrate

Two representatives from Universal Technical Institute of Chicago were at the SCILL Center yesterday explaining some of the courses offered at their school for students who would like a career in the automotive field. They brought a 1920s car with a Chevy motor for the students to see. The students were also competing against each other on how fast they could change spark plugs.

SCILL Center Director, Jerry Gurrado, said that these students are lucky in that colleges are able to come to the SCILL Center and present a post-secondary curriculum to the students. Continue reading →

Starke County Commissioners Receive Update on Bridge Projects

Posted on Author WKVI
County bridge #156 over the Robbins Ditch

Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall, and Engineer Ken Minot approached the Starke County Commissioners yesterday to give them an update on three bridge projects.

Siddall was asked if Bridge #156, which is located at Range Road and 400 North, is moving on schedule.

“With what the Commissioners want for fall harvest, we’re right on time,” replied Siddall. “Hopefully, the weather cooperates.”

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Commissioners to Hold Public Meeting to Discuss Hospital, Jail

Posted on Author WKVI

Calling the future of IU Health Starke Hospital and the decision to be made on the Starke County Jail the two most important issues over the next five years, Commissioner Kathy Norem said a night should be devoted to providing information to the public on both issues.

The hospital administration was to attend the September 19th regular meeting of the Commissioners, but Norem thought the presentations would be more important than just being discussed with other county business.

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Starke County Courthouse Elevator to be Functional October 1st

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Courthouse

The Starke County Courthouse elevator is scheduled to be up and running by October 1st.

That was especially good news to Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall who has been moving his docket to accommodate people who could not get to the third floor for legal matters, because they were unable to climb the steps due to disabilities.

The County Commissioners discussed cleaning the murals on the walls and ceilings at the Courthouse. A figure of $100,000 was initially used to do the work, but after a check with Jim Shilling, it was decided that it might be as low as $13,000. The Commissioners also discussed seeing if the Division of Historic Preservation might be able to release some grant money to help finance the project.

Data Collection of Starke County Jail to begin

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

The 32 hour National Institute of Corrections Conference in Denver, Colorado has given Starke County Deputy Bill Dulin a new perspective on how to plan for a new, remodeled or retrofitted jail.

As we heard earlier from Sheriff Oscar Cowen and Councilman David Pearman, now is the time for data collection. It begins with a request by Sheriff Cowen to have the National Institute of Corrections to come in and inspect the jail.

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Starke United Kickoff Event Scheduled for September 21st

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke United

The Starke United kick-off event is scheduled for September 21st at 8:00 a.m. at the Knox Community Center.

WKVI’s Ed Hasnerl will be speaking during the event along with Irene Szakonyi and Knox Community School Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Peggy Shidaker. According to Starke United Executive Director, Julie Dessauer, they will be discussing programs that benefit from Starke United. Integrity Trade is sponsoring the day’s breakfast which will be catered by the Country Kettle.

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Bridge Construction Projects Continue

Posted on Author WKVI

Construction work continues on two bridges on U.S. 35 in Pulaski and LaPorte Counties.

An INDOT spokesman told WKVI News that work is just about complete on Phase 1 of the Quigley Ditch Bridge replacement project in Winamac. Crews will be paving the rehabilitated section of bridge in the next few days and traffic is expected to switch onto the new pavement by this Friday, September 9th. The other side of the bridge will then be rehabbed. Traffic restrictions should be gone by the end of October or early November unless inclement weather delays construction.

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Mitch Feikes Announces Candidacy

Posted on Author WKVI
Mitch Feikes

LaPorte resident, Mitch Feikes, recently announced his candidacy in the race for Indiana’s Second Congressional seat on the Republican ticket. He will face Republican Jackie Walorski in the Primary Election.

Sam Frain, Second District Republican Chairman, said the Republican party is a little concerned about his candidacy as a Republican.

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