There are new rules and guidelines for collective bargaining and teacher evaluation coming from the Department of Education, following legislation passed in the most recent session of the General Assembly.
The SCILL Center Auto Tech classes have begun in the Industrial Park. Instructor Mark Anderson said yesterday that next week, three higher institution schools will be out attracting students.
One of the schools, Universal Technology Institute in Chicago, will be bringing a “hot rod” for the students to look over and inspect.
The Oregon-Davis Senior Class of 2012 has joined the Ronald McDonald House “Collect-A-Million Pop Tabs” Club in honor of their former classmate Christina Rotering who lost her battle with cancer in April.
The Ronald McDonald House serves families whose children require care at an Indianapolis area hospital by offering them a home-like atmosphere where they can get the rest and renewal they need to be most supportive of their sick or injured child.
The goal is one million pop tabs collected by May 1st, 2012. Pop tabs are being collected at the Jr/Sr High Office from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT daily. For information on how the tabs collected will help the Ronald McDonald House, click here.
The Indiana Department of Transportation urges drivers to be extremely cautious around wet paint on the road as LaPorte District crews apply pavement markings. About 5,600 lane miles will be re-striped in the LaPorte District now through October.
When encountering a road striping crew, use a generous following distance, avoid driving over the newly painted markings and never recklessly pull in front of or pass a striping operation. If drivers do get paint on their vehicles, they should attempt to wash the paint off as quickly as possible. Fresh paint will often come off easily with soap and water. However, after it dries only a specialist can remove it.
Starke County officials recently had the opportunity to travel to Denver, Colorado to attend a conference for the planning of new institutions. The conference was conducted by the National Institute of Corrections and most expenses were paid for by the Institute. Attending were Commissioner Kathy Norem, Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Chief Deputy Bill Dulin, Councilman Dave Pearman, and Jail Commander Greg Hewitt.
Knox City Police Department officers arrested a Knox woman, Thursday, after trying to purchase a pseudoephedrine product under a false name.
Police were called to Walgreens after Shayna Howard, 20, reportedly tried to buy a pseudoephedrine product after producing a false identification card. Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient found in the manufacture of methamphetamine. After she was arrested on a charge of Identity Deception, officers learned that drug activity may be occurring at Howard’s home on St. Louis Street. A search warrant was obtained and executed at the home where police reportedly found methamphetamine and a clear liquid in a prescription bottle. The liquid was sent to the Indiana State Police Lab for identification.
The names of those involved in an accident at 600 East and 700 North have been released. The moped driver, Divvad Nieburrt of Grovertown, was hit by a pickup truck on Friday. His condition has been upgraded from critical to stable. Nieburrt was hit by a pickup truck driven by Brandon Ferch. Nieburrt apparently failed to stop at the intersection, pulling into the path of Ferch.
Ferch was not injured in the accident.
Knox City Police officers arrested a Knox woman Friday night on an active arrest warrant for probation revocation.
Officers were called to Dollar General in Knox where an employee reported a possible shoplifter. When the suspect was identified by officers arrived, they found Ann Bradley, 33, of Knox, had an active arrest warrant and she was taken into custody. She was in possession of store items, but proof was shown that she had paid for the items. She was taken into custody for the warrant, which was issued earlier this month for a probation revocation. She was originally charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class A Felony. She is also being held for LaPorte County on a probation revocation warrant.
The West Central School Board discussed enrollment at their meeting last week.
The Average Daily Membership (ADM) taken at the beginning of this year was 824 students compared to 865 last year. This translates to a $250,100 loss in state support as tuition money follows the student. The actual ADM count will be in September when all students are encouraged to be in class that day so the School Corporation can receive all the money it can for every student that is enrolled.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board met in regular session last week.
“We have increased numbers at the high school in our Math and Science classes so we did hire a teacher who is going to do part-time Math and part-time Science at the secondary level,” said Superintendent Lynn Johnson of some of the highlights of the meeting. “The boys basketball team are going to have their annual Golf Outing on October 15th. That’s their fundraiser for the year. We also had the adoption of the 2012 budget.”
With the new school year in full swing, two newly hired teachers and one new board member are settling into the routine at Culver Community Schools.
David Cooper will be replacing Gene Baker on the Culver School Board. Cooper is a Culver local, having grown up and graduated in Culver. Cooper is currently employed as maintenance supervisor for Plymouth’s Park and Recreations Department, and has been serving as a member of the Culver Fire Department for several years.
Indiana State Police will join more than 260 Indiana law enforcement agencies to crackdown on impaired drivers. The campaign continues through September 5th.
Troopers from the Lowell Post will be conducting a sobriety checkpoint sometime this weekend in Porter County. Troopers will also be conducting saturation patrols targeting impaired drivers through September 5th.
Starke County’s most well known citizen was born on this date in 1883. Henry F. Schricker was born in North Judson to parents Magdelena and Frederick Schricker.
During his lifetime, he was a two time Governor of the State of Indiana, Lt. Governor and a State Senator. He was also the Publisher and editor of the Starke County Democrat, a lawyer, bank cashier, fireman and organized Starke County’s first boy scout troop.
His Main Street home in Knox is now the Starke County Museum and the the library in Knox is named after him. A service award is given each year to a deserving individual who has given “service before self.”
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an accident that occurred Friday at 600 East and 700 North.
The accident involved a pickup truck and a moped. The driver of the moped, whose name has not been released by police, was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital and later airlifted by Med Flight to Memorial Hospital Trauma Center where he was listed in critical condition. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured in the accident.
The names of either individual have not been released. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Hamlet Fire Department, Starke County EMS and the Koontz Lake Fire Department.
An accident last week left a Knox driver injured. Christopher Deem, of Binkley Drive, left the roadway on 300 East, near State Road 8. Because of his injuries, Deem was unable to give a statement as to why he left the roadway, striking a tree. For a time he was trapped in his vehicle and was extricated by the Knox-Center Township Volunteer Fire Department.
A Starke County prisoner is back in the Starke County Jail after escaping from Community Corrections home monitoring. Darwin Barnett was being tethered by an ankle bracelet which he removed August 19th.
After a 24 hour AWOL period, Community Corrections filed an escape notice with the Prosecutor and law enforcement. He was captured by North Judson Police and returned to jail on Wednesday, August 24th.
Ronald Lee Magers of Medaryville was arrested Thursday after an attempted residential entry. The victim identified the suspect as Magers and he was located a short time after the incident and taken into custody.
During a search of Magers’ clothing, a number of illegal items were located, including drug paraphernalia, digital scales, pills and several small bags that were suspected to contain marijuana. Magers was arrested and transported to the Pulaski County Jail. Formal charges are pending.
The Pulaski County General Election ballot is ready for November. Uncontested races will not appear on the ballot this Fall.
These contested races will appear on the ballot in Pulaski County:
In Winamac, Republican Melanie A. (Parish) Berger and Democrat David Weber will be vying for the Town-Clerk Treasurer’s seat.
Former North Judson resident and current Lowell High School Principal, Adrian Richie, will return to work after Labor Day on a part-time basis. Richie has been battling the effects of burns on 35 percent of his body after an accident that occurred at his home on July 6th.
Richie was trying to burn a pile of debris when he poured gasoline on a portion of cardboard when it ignited burning his arms and legs.
Melissa (Houston) Fairchild of Knox recently participated in the 2011 Komen Chicago Breast Cancer 3-Day for the Cure event. She was joined by Susan (Welter) Close, formerly of Knox, and 1,900 other dedicated women and men in the event that raises awareness and funds for Breast Cancer research and community outreach programs.
Melissa has participated in this event for four years in a row and she walked 60 miles this year. She participated with the Chicago group and they started in Northbrook, Illinois and walked an average of 20 miles per day. Melissa raised over $4,200, bringing her four year total to over $14,000. She walks for her mother-in-law Paula Fairchild, her friend Ellis McCarty, and in memory of her friends Dianne Smith and Susan Davis.
Photo provided.
