How much would you think Starke County has in assets? If you guessed $41 million, you would be close.
That figure was revealed at this week’s Starke County Commissioner’s meeting. The county is required to do a capital assets report each year to update records. Bill Nielson of Government Fixed Asset Services, Inc. said that the assets are unbelievable.
A North Judson man died yesterday after a skid loader reportedly fell on him when he was working on it.
Pulaski County Coroner, Steven VanDerAa, told WKVI that Daniel Trusty, 52, was working on the machinery in his garage on Monday at the time of the accident. The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and the Coroner were called to the scene to investigate the incident.
The Braman and Bailey Funeral Home in North Judson is handling arrangements, which are incomplete.
Officials from IU Health Starke Hospital appeared before the Starke County Board of Commissioners and County Council last night to request permission for IU Health LaPorte Hospital to purchase the facility, equipment and property here in Knox.
Starke County government officials endorsed a comprehensive jail review last night that will end with a decision on what to do about the 33-year-old facility.
Commissioner Kathy Norem presented to the county officials in attendance findings from a recent jail conference attended by a five person committee from Starke County. Norem said this is a thorough review of all of the options available.
Pulaski County Auditor Sheila Garling posed a question to the county commissioners at their meeting yesterday. When computers need maintenance, who pays for it?
Garling had recently had two computers fixed on-site by DeGroot Technology, with the costs of $149.99 and $184.99. Because of the fact that she never knows when this kind of work is necessary and she understands that not all departments can afford those kind of bills, Garling was not sure whether the bill could be paid out of the budget set aside for DeGroot or if a different budget is used.
A Medaryville man was arrested on Sunday after police found that he allegedly hit his live-in girlfriend and attempted to strangle her.
Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department were called to 201 N. Jefferson Street in Medaryville on a report of battery. Officers learned that the victim had come home from the store and found Carl Larkin, her boyfriend, intoxicated and argumentative. The two argued and as the victim was placing grapes into the freezer, Larkin allegedly punched her in the face and then placed his hands around her neck and reportedly began to choke her. The officers arrived on scene and found Larkin in the residence and he was ordered out of the residence. He did not comply after a few attempts and after he jerked away from police, he was struck with a taser. He then complied with police and he was taken into custody.
Starke County EMS Director Paul Mathewson informed the Commissioners this week that he is getting everything ready to switch the county from Basic Life Support Service to Advanced Life Support Service as soon as possible.
Today he will be meeting with state regulators to get the ambulances licensed for Advanced Life Support service. Mathewson was asked why the change in licensing for the vehicles is necessary.
Two Winamac residents were arrested on Sunday on methamphetamine related charges.
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department officers went to 301 N. East St. Lot 17 on a complaint that the residents were manufacturing methamphetamine. When officers arrived on scene, they reportedly found James Larvick, 43, and Jimmy Hopkins, 50, in the adjacent lot in the process of manufacturing methamphetamine. The suspects had trespassed onto the property to assemble the lab. The residence was unoccupied at the time of the incident. The Indiana State Police Clan Lab Team was called to clean up the scene.
The Culver Town Council has given Street Superintendent Bob Porter their permission to purchase 50 new water meters to help phase out the remaining old meters, which are susceptible to tampering. The street department has been systematically replacing the old meters over the last five or more years, and their inventory has been reduced to ten new meters remaining.
A Hunter Education Class is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th, at the Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area in North Judson.
The free course, which runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT each day, offers classroom instruction and a written test for certification. Attendance both days is required. Children who are under the age of 14 need to attend the class with an adult. Lunch and refreshments are not provided so you must bring your own to class.
Mint farmer, Mike Materna, of Hamlet, will be sentenced in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, October 5th. He plead guilty to one count of Discharge of Pollutants without a Permit in violation of the Clean Air Act. He reportedly admitted in court that he discharged hot water into a ditch without the proper permit.
West Central School Corporation representatives and student leaders, as well as parents and members of the press, were present to celebrate the start of construction on the school’s utility-grade wind turbine project. A ceremonial breaking of the ground was planned for Friday, Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m., but because of rain, the ceremony was held inside the auxiliary gymnasium and Superintendent Charles Mellon wisely decided against digging a hole in the gym floor to commemorate the occasion.
Dogs in the city limits of Knox can be a problem for many reasons. Even though a dog may be gentle and kind to its owners, it might be vicious to others.
Vicious dogs was a topic of discussion last week at the Knox City Council meeting. It all came about when several people who received citations for offenses were just walking away from ownership. Not only was the fine for a vicious dog $250.00, but other lesser offenses were, too.
It was discussed at a past meeting that the fines should be reduced for the lesser offenses, but the $250.00 fine should remain for vicious dogs. One woman owed $750.00 in fines for lesser offenses. In this case, she said that she was going to give up ownership of the dog because she couldn’t afford the fines.
The search for a town manager is still underway for the town of Culver, now heading into its sixth month without a manager. Several candidates were interviewed for the position after the town council received less than 10 applications in July, but none of them were the perfect match for the position that the council had been looking for. Council President Ginny Munroe stressed the fact that they want to hire a town manager, but they haven’t yet found what they’re looking for.
The Knox City Council heard Mayor Rick Chambers talk about police hand guns last week. The police officers are in line for new guns, and the Mayor talked about the Sig Sauer 40 caliber guns that Chief Clint Norem is recommending.
The Pulaski County United Fund supports 10 local non-profit agencies which provide programs, services, and events to those in the Pulaski County community.
One of those agencies is the North Central Indiana Rural Crisis Center. This organization serves those in Pulaski, Jasper, and Newton Counties who are affected by domestic violence. United Fund dollars are used by the Crisis Center to provide a safe and secure world for those affected by domestic violence who are from Pulaski County. This year, Pulaski County United Fund awarded a grant to the Crisis Center to provide outreach services, assistance with housing, and a program to return victims to the workplace. Eight victims in Pulaski County have been assisted.
Dr. Monty Moss of Moss Farm in Burnettsville will be speaking to the Culver Lions Club on Wednesday, October 12th to talk about Indiana pork production.
The program, “The Pork Industry: More Than Just the Other White Meat”, will showcase the industry’s rural economic impact plus ongoing programs to enhance the nutritional quality of pork, to protect the environment and to treat livestock humanely. New technologies and management systems have allowed U.S. pork producers to trim pork’s fat content 31 percent since 1983.
The Knox Brigade Marching Band will be moving on in the Indiana State Marching Band contest. The band brought home a Gold rating on Saturday to advance to the Chesterton Regional on October 15th.
The theme of the performance is “By the Waters Edge.”
The John Glenn Falcon band also received a Gold rating and will be advancing to the Regional competition.
The Knox Homecoming Parade was held Friday afternoon. Enjoy these pictures from the parade!
Congratulations to Shelby Gilbert who was crowned Homecoming Queen!
The Redskins lost to the Bremen Lions Friday night by a score of 53-0.
One of the questions that Starke County Economic Development Director, Charles Weaver gets is, “What’s the latest on Sysco or other industries here that want to expand?” Weaver then asks himself, “When new industries come or expand, do we have the workforce to fill the skilled positions?”
Weaver recently attended a presentation that was organized by the Northwest Indiana Forum, of which Starke County belongs, where the attendees discussed workforce readiness, and development. Starke County’s unemployment figures, although still in the double digits, have moved out of the “top 10” worst in the state, but will new industry help reduce that figure? Weaver says not if the workforce doesn’t have the skills needed by the employers.
