The Knox Community School Corporation may be asking residents for a tax increase to fund facility upgrades in the coming years. During a school board work session last week, Superintendent Dr. William Reichhart explained that if school officials decide a referendum is needed, he wants to be ready to do it in May or November of 2019.
Culver Superintendent Shares Plans to Tackle Jr/Sr High Cafeteria Project
When the Culver Community School Board met last week, Superintendent Karen Shuman shared a few updates about a remodeling project that will be tackled in the near future.
All three elements of the project; lighting, furnishing and flooring, would be focused in the cafeteria at the Junior/Senior High School building. According to Principal Brett Berndt, certain elements of the cafeteria date back nearly 50 years. During a previous school board meeting he mentioned how the floors have not been renovated since they were installed in 1968. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Updates to Course Description Guide
The Oregon-Davis School Board has finalized some updates to the corporation’s Course Description Guide. Several new high school classes will be offered starting next school year, including Industrial Automation and Robotics, Criminal Justice, and Electronic Music. Students will also be able to choose from several additional online courses through a digital learning program called Apex.
WorkOne Kids’ Coat Drive Distribution Scheduled to Start Today
WorkOne is working hard this holiday season to show their continuous commitment to our communities.
Aside from the educational and occupational assistance they provide year round, during the month of November, the Knox and Winamac locations have been hosting kids’ coat drives to collect winter apparel to help local children in need this time of year.
Knox Police Arrest Juveniles in Downtown Burglaries
Coroner Releases Name of Victim in Medaryville Incident
Pulaski County Coroner John Behny has released the name of the victim who died in an apparent stabbing and shooting incident in Medaryville on Tuesday afternoon.
Behny says 41-year-old Kenneth Ray Henry was pronounced dead at a home in the 200 block of S. Maldron. The coroner said the determination of a cause and manner of death is still pending. The results of the autopsy conducted on Wednesday and toxicology tests will assist in making a ruling in Henry’s death.
Information Tidbits from the Starke County Commissioners and Starke County Council
The Starke County Commissions and Starke County Council members discussed a few items during their meeting this week.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler asked for fund transfers with extra money in the gas, oil and lube fund in order to update and maintain gravel roads, buy more road equipment and cover a shortfall in the liability insurance. He said this action is usually done every year. About $57,500 was transferred toward road equipment and other line items to support liability insurance and other maintenance.
Salvation Army Bell Ringers Needed
The Salvation Army needs bell ringers to help collect funds to help neighbors in need.
Salvation Army Major Gerald Smelser said volunteers are on site for about two hours at a time, but can donate more time based on personal preference. Kettles are stationed Walmart and Kroger in Plymouth, Five Star in Knox, Bailey’s Discount Center in Knox, and additional sites in Bremen and Culver.
Members from church organizations, residents, business organizations, or school groups are welcome to participate. Bell ringers can volunteer from Saturday, Nov. 25 to Sunday, Dec. 24 in two hour shifts from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a certain location. Hours during the weekend usually need filled, but if there are more volunteers, time slots may open during the week.
North Judson-San Pierre Schools Partner with Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation
North Judson-San Pierre is the latest school to form a partnership with the Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation. Harold Welter provided the NJSP School Board with an informative presentation when they met Tuesday night.
Welter explained to board members that the foundation was established in memory of his daughter Cheryl who passed away in an automobile accident her senior year. He provided a bit of background, saying she was a major people person and had been accepted into Purdue University’s School of Child and Family Counseling.
He said Cheryl’s love of helping others and interest in children inspired him to focus the foundation’s mission on helping students at the elementary, middle and high school levels.
Another reason they decided to go with this kind of assistance is because Harold saw a lack of available resources that allowed teachers to apply for immediate assistance. The fund was created as a way to keep teachers from having to pay out of pocket for various things like school supplies, field trip fees and other little items that can really add up after awhile. Continue reading
Knox School Board Members Aggravated by Inconsistent School Colors
Confusion over school colors has led to frustration for some Knox School Board members. During Monday’s meeting, member Wendy McIntire called for the board to make a definitive decision, saying the situation is currently a free-for-all. “I’m a little aggravated when you can’t even tell that that’s our team on a lot of it,” she said. Continue reading
Knox Street Department to Extend Leaf Pickup Two Weeks
The Knox City Street Department will be extending leaf pickup next week.
Street Superintendent Jeff Borg told the Knox Board of Public Works on Wednesday that leaves have fallen but they’re waiting for residents to have the time to rake them and place them along the front of properties along the street.
Knox Peppermint Parade, Tree Lighting Next Week
The City of Knox is hosting the holiday peppermint parade on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. CT.
Knox Mayor Dennis Estok invites all businesses, churches and organizations to be part of the revived holiday tradition down Main Street. A parade application is available here on our website.
After the parade is concluded, everyone is welcome to Santa’s House in Wythogan Park for free hot apple cider, coffee, hot cocoa, and s’mores and a visit with Santa! At 5 p.m., the tree lighting ceremony will officially usher in the Christmas season in the City of Knox.
BMV Branches Reopen Saturday
All Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches are closed today due to the Thanksgiving holiday, but those facilities that normally operate on Saturdays will reopen on Saturday, Nov. 25.
The Plymouth BMV branch will be open tomorrow from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET while the La Porte and Valparaiso branches will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT.
The Knox, Walkerton and Winamac branches will conduct business during regular hours next week.
Nine Inmates Complete Chemical Dependency and Addictions Program
Nine Starke County Justice Center inmates recently graduated from a Chemical Dependency and Addictions Program.
The program focuses on addiction thought processes and criminal behavior. The inmates learn how to overcome their addiction while restructuring thoughts and behavior.
Porter-Starke Services therapists dedicate time to help the inmates conquer the program. Inmates focus on self awareness and self improvement in treatment sessions over a period of 14 weeks. Inmates develop skills to manage stress, anger, cravings and appropriate ways to respond to triggers. Critical reasoning and decision making skills are also taught in these courses. Continue reading
Police, Coroner Investigate Stabbing, Shooting Incident in Medaryville
One man is dead after an incident at a residence in Medaryville on Tuesday afternoon.
Officers arrived at a home in the 200 block of S. Waldron in Medaryville at 12:41 p.m. after receiving a report about a stabbing and shooting there. Pulaski County Coroner John Behny says the cause and manner of death are under investigation at this time pending an autopsy and toxicology results.
Declining Population Could Cost Pulaski County Millions in Lost Income Tax Revenue
Pulaski County stands to lose several million dollars in income tax revenues over the coming decades, due to declining population. That’s according to Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer. He presented some rough estimates to the county council last week. Continue reading
Starke County Sheriff Asks for Fund Transfers
The Starke County Council heard a request from Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin Monday night to transfer money within his budgets to fund various needs.
He requested $23,665.56 to fund the retirement shortfall. The county has been in arrears with retirement for the past two years and in order to keep the police retirement fund with Morgan Stanley active, the shortage needs to be brought up to date by the end of the year. If the county is short three years in a row, it ceases.
After Months of Deliberation, North Judson Town Council Adopts Animal Ordinance
A matter that has been addressed vehemently in multiple North Judson Town Council meetings over the past five months has been settled, with the Ordinance for the Housing and Maintenance of Animals in the Town of North Judson receiving its final reading at Monday evening’s meeting.
The ordinance was approved on the third reading and adopted with a 3 to 1 vote with Council members Jane-Ellen Felchuck, John Rowe and James Young voting in favor and Council President Wendy Hoppe opposing.
Sarah Burkett, the citizen who obtained more than 300 resident signatures in favor of substituting or amending the ordinance that was in place, asked when the newly adopted ordinance would go into effect. Continue reading
Pulaski County to Outsource EMS Billing
Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services will no longer handle billing in-house. The county commissioners voted Monday to hire a company called Ambulance Billing Services to do it, at the recommendation of Interim EMS Director Kyle McTiegue. Continue reading
North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Provides School Board With a Few Project Updates
At last night’s North Judson-San Pierre School Board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin provided board members with a brief update about a current project that is nearing completion and another project that will be addressed in the near future.
First, she alerted board members that the pool repairs are nearly complete. Employees with the company Buddenbaum & Moore Commercial Pool Services have finished replacing the faulty main drain boxes and pipes have been set. She said this week they are re-tiling. Once all the tile is laid, the curing period will take approximately one month. Continue reading
