Goal Met for Culver Plastic Cap Project, Collection Continues for Future Additions

Representatives from the Culver and Lake Maxinkuckee Visitor Center are working with the organization Green Tree Plastics to transform ordinary plastic bottle caps that often get discarded into extraordinary additions for the Culver community.

Executive Director of the Visitor Center, Becca Pazin, said initially the project was focused on getting two new benches for the walking and biking trail that is currently being developed through the Stellar Designation program. She said it takes approximately 400 lbs to make one bench and currently the center has collected more than 1,000 lbs of caps.

They plan to keep collecting caps in order to make more benches for the path and other areas around town but Pazin said they’re also looking into different options that Green Tree offers such as converting the caps into waste receptacles, picnic tables and water stations.

Members of the Culver Boys and Girls Club are helping with sorting the caps and the Marshall County Recycle Depot assists with weighing and storage. Pazin said the project has brought the entire community together. Continue reading

Red Ribbon Week Starts Today

According to National Family Partnership, children of parents who talk to their teens about drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. Today kicks off the start of Red Ribbon Week, a campaign that aims to educate youth about the dangers of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and to promote prevention.

From October 23rd through the 31st, educators, parents and citizens are encouraged to look at the ways they can help stomp out drug and alcohol abuse in our communities. Since it’s inception in the 1980s, the Red Ribbon program has helped educate millions around the world. Continue reading

North Judson Town Council Receives Update About Community Center Committee Funds

The North Judson Town Council held the final reading of their 2018 Budget when they met earlier this week. Following the reading, the council adopted the budget which has an estimated total of $983,546 according to Indiana Gateway.

Additionally, the clerk-treasurer at the time, Alicia Collins informed the council members where the $12,000 of funds raised by the Community Center Committee will go now that the project is no longer being pursued. Continue reading

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Wendy Elam with the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse in Starke County says domestic violence takes many forms, “It could be physical abuse, it could be emotional, it could also be financial. There are different aspects, like isolation and the abuser having controlling behavior over the victim.”

She says a victim of domestic violence is abused every seven seconds, and many of these cases go unreported, “It’s just the tip of the iceberg that you hear about, and they say a quarter of your physical assaults, a fifth of your rapes, and half of the stalkings go unreported. So what you hear is just a little bit of what’s actually going on.”

Domestic violence affects one in four women at some point her lifetime. Three women are killed every day at the hands of a current or former intimate partner. If you are seeking for a legal advice, Aaron & Partners’s expert chester solicitors provide bespoke advice across a wide range of family matters with a focus on the financial aspects of relationship breakdown and disputes concerning children.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Pulaski County Prosecutor Dan Murphy and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Kelly Gaumer note that changes in economic circumstances or stress can have a devastating effect on relationships. Domestic violence can be emotional, financial, physical, or sexual. Continue reading

North Judson-San Pierre School Board Receives Quarterly Enrollment Report

The quarterly enrollment report for North Judson-San Pierre was discussed during the NJSP School Board meeting on Tuesday. Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin said the enrollment stayed pretty consistent with the Average Daily Membership count that was taken back in September, which was around 1,030 students.

Superintendent Zupin stated that she has been keeping a close eye on enrollment trends since last year. This year the elementary school had 46 student withdrawals. Dr. Zupin broke that down into specific categories; 1 student left to be home-schooled, another left for virtual schooling and 35 students moved out of the district.

The superintendent said the remaining 9 elementary students still live within the district but their parents chose to have them transferred. Dr. Zupin broke that down even more, stating that three transferred to Knox, two went to Eastern Pulaski Schools, two left to go to St. Peter’s Lutheran School and one more transferred to West Central.

She went on to describe the report from the Jr./Sr. High School where 41 students withdrew.

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Winamac Pool Fundraiser to Take Place this Evening, as Confusion Remains About Project’s Future

Rendering of rebuilt Winamac pool.

The Winamac Pool Committee continues to raise money for the town’s swimming pool rebuilding project, but confusion remains about how exactly the project will proceed. A fish fry fundraiser is taking place this evening from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Winamac VFW. The need for private fundraising has increased in recent weeks, after the Town of Winamac pulled its official support.

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West Side of North Judson Proposed as Ideal Spot for Future Industrial Development

Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board President Larry Wickert provided the North Judson Town Council with a report when they met earlier this week.

Wickert’s report began with an update about the SCEDF Ag-Initiative. He said as a part of the initiative to advance agriculture industry in the area, foundation representatives have been researching alternative crop options that would be more profitable for local producers. Continue reading

NJSP Superintendent Provides a Peek at Some Preliminary Work Being Done on Lease Rental Bond Projects

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin had a plethora of project updates to provide to the school board when they met Tuesday night.

Dr. Zupin informed the board that although they won’t be receiving money from their lease rental bonds until January, plenty of preliminary work has been done so far. She stated that quotes are out for the bathroom partition replacement portion of the project and she anticipates that work to be completed over Christmas Break while students are out of the building. Continue reading

New North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Scheduled to be Sworn-In Friday Morning

Tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Andrew J. Rowe will be sworn in as North Judson Clerk-Treasurer. Rowe was voted in during a democratic caucus last Thursday and a resolution to appoint him to the position received unanimous council approval at a North Judson Town Council meeting on Monday night.

The resolution also states that Rowe is granted the authority to be the signature of all bank accounts, accounts payable, accounts receivable and all other financial records required by the office of clerk-treasurer. Continue reading

Medaryville Home Demolition Delayed by Contractor Employee Issues

 

A Medaryville blight elimination project has been delayed yet again. The house formerly owned by Don Foust was set to be demolished last month with grant funding from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority. But Pulaski County Building Inspector Doug Hoover told the county commissioners Monday the house still hasn’t been torn down.

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