Culver Town Council to Hear Public Input on Housing Project

The Culver Town Council will be opening up a public input session for discussion of the Sand Hill Farms workforce housing development project.

Town Manager Jonathan Leist explained that the project has been in the town’s comprehensive plan since the plan’s adoption in 2014. The lack of housing was identified as one of the main issues in the plan. Leist said a committee was formed to look into the project.

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Culver Amphitheater Crowdfunding Effort Underway

It was announced Monday morning that the Town of Culver is part of a crowdfunding campaign to gather funds to build an amphitheater in the Culver Town Park.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) is partnering with the town in this effort where the agency will match $30,000 if the town can raise $30,000 toward the project. The town has until June 30 to round up donations. About a third of it has been collected so far.

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Culver School Board Approves Technology Contract

Students in the Culver Community School Corporation will be using Apple iPads in the sixth year of the One-to-One Computer Initiative.

Technology Director Daniel Medesi said students in grades seven through 12 will be able to take their computers home while the addition of users in the third through sixth grades will leave theirs at the school. Kindergarten through second grade students will get to use the 10 iPads available in each classroom.

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North Judson Council Hires Engineering Firm to Evaluate 205 and 207 Lane Street

North Judson officials hope to move forward soon with the demolition of a downtown building. Pulaski Circuit Judge Michael Shurn approved an emergency demolition order Monday morning, allowing the town to tear down the structure at 205 and 207 Lane Street without having to go through a bid process. But before that can happen, Shurn also asked that a structural engineering report be completed, to determine whether Doug Cassel can safely remove several pieces of his personal property. Continue reading

Culver School Board Hires New Dean of Students

The Culver Community School Board Monday night approved the hire of Mike Zehner as the new corporation Dean of Students.

Interim Superintendent Chuck Kitchell said that Zehner has been with the corporation for a year and feels that his move to administration is the best fit for the school as a whole. He will be taking the place of Julie Berndt who is moving to the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation as the new elementary school principal.

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Structural Engineer to Evaluate North Judson Building Before Demolition

Demolition of a partially collapsed North Judson building is on hold until a structural engineer can be brought in to determine whether it’s safe for the owner to remove personal items from inside.

Part of the roof and upper floor of the structure at 205 and 207 Lane Street fell in last Thursday afternoon. The town sought an emergency demolition order to tear the structure down without having to go back through the bid process. Continue reading

Hadden Accused of Violating Pretrial Release Terms

Augusta Hadden

The woman charged in connection with the March 3rd murder of a Knox man is back in jail.

Augusta Hadden, 39, is charged with the Level 5 felony offense of assisting a criminal. Court documents indicate she threw a cell phone out of a truck driven by murder suspect Edward Blackburn after he fatally shot Cord Colgrove at a rural North Judson residence. Continue reading

Starke County Truck Route Ordinance Set for Adoption Tonight

The Starke County Commissioners will consider a proposed heavy truck route ordinance on third and final reading when they meet tonight.

It looks to maximize three-to-one matching money from the state to pave nearly 120 miles of county roads with hot mix asphalt over the next decade.

Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says the eventual goal is to have all locations in the county within a mile of a hot-mix asphalt road. Right now Starke County has 10 miles of locally maintained hot mix asphalt roads. Continue reading

SADD Students Stage Successful Mock Crash

Officials with the Eastern Pulaski School Corporation hope a recently staged mock crash will prevent a real-life tragedy from occurring.

The Students Against Destructive Decisions group enlisted the help of the Winamac Fire and Police Departments, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, EMS, REACT and Coroner, Indiana State Police and Samaritan Helicopter. Their goal was to underscore the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and driving while distracted. Continue reading

Culver Community School Board to Meet Tonight

The Culver Community School Board will have an update on the Stellar Communities designation program given by Culver Town Council President Ginny Bess Munroe when the school board meets tonight.

The board also plans to receive information from the BPA students on their recent appearance at the National Leadership Conference in Florida.

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