Culver Town Council Adopts Ordinances

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Culver Town Council adopted several ordinances during their regular meeting on Tuesday night.

An ordinance that rezones the BP Good Oil property on 203 and 213 Main Street was unanimously approved on second and third readings. The ordinance now allows the parcels to be zoned C-1 so renovations can be made at the site. Developer Kevin Berger previously explained that the house at 213 N. Main Street will be demolished to allow for the extension of the convenience store. The current structure may be partially demolished in the process to make way for an improved store front. The store front will face southeast as opposed to the current eastern facing.

Continue reading →

Two Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court on Drug Charges

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Two defendants charged with a felony level of possession of methamphetamine were sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning.

Debra Trusty, 46, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the prosecutor’s office to the charge. She admitted that she was in possession of the drug while in a police vehicle while enroute to the Starke County Jail on Dec. 5, 2015. Trusty’s attorney, Leslie Baker, explained that she successfully completed treatment and is gainfully employed. She is also attempting to make changes in her life to keep herself sober.

Continue reading →

Knox City Council Members Sign Annual Nepotism Contracts

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Nepotism contracts were passed out and signed during Tuesday night’s Knox City Council meeting.

Nepotism contracts are signed to prevent any potential conflicts-of-interest from occurring within a municipality. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston informed the council members that during a meeting he recently attended, he was advised to include this on the agenda even though it is an annual procedure.

Houston said there was one document that was passed out and signed to all the present council members. He added that since Councilman Don Kring recently completed some work for the city police department, there was another document only needed his signature. Continue reading →

Knox City Council Considers General Obligation Bond Ordinances on First Reading

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Knox City Council moved one step closer to acquiring a new fire truck for the Knox-Center Township Fire Department when they met Tuesday evening.

Two ordinances related to the 2018 General Obligation Bonds that will be required for the fire truck purchase were passed on first reading.

The first ordinance authorizes the sale of the bonds while the second one permits the funds to be appropriated once the truck is ready to be purchased. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that the ordinances will need to be advertised before they can be passed on final reading. Continue reading →

Culver Town Council Approves bid for Sand Hill Farms Utilities

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Culver Town Council members took action Tuesday night to move the Sand Hill Farms construction a little further along the process.

Last week, bids were opened for the utilities portion of the project and Midwestern Engineers had the opportunity to review the three bids submitted for the workforce housing development project at 540 W. Jefferson Street. The utilities portion includes the installation of water and sewer lines, a pump station, manhole, a road into the subdivision, curbs and sidewalks, and grading and seeding. The engineers estimate for the project was around $700,000.

Continue reading →

Knox Board of Public Works to Meet Today

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Fire truck bids will be opened during this morning’s Knox Board of Public Works meeting.

In addition to receiving updates about a property at 6 North Pearl Street and two properties on Main Street, members will also consider a request for reserve officers. The superintendent’s report will be delivered and any additional business deemed necessary by the board will be discussed. Continue reading →

Unemployment Goes up Slightly in Local Counties

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The February unemployment figures released this week don’t show a lot of improvement from January.

In Starke County and La Porte County, the unemployment rate stood at 5.3 percent which is two-tenths of an increase from January. The same increase was recorded in Marshall County where the rate went from 3.3 to 3.5 percent.

Pulaski County’s rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent.

Continue reading →

Three Arrested on Drug Charges

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Three people were arrested on drug charges that stemmed from a traffic stop in Pulaski County on Saturday.

A Winamac Police officer pulled over a vehicle for speeding and the K9 officer was called to the location of the traffic stop. The K9 reportedly alerted to the presence of drugs inside the vehicle. In a subsequent search of the vehicle, methamphetamine and marijuana were found along with drug paraphernalia. Kim Baker, 60, of Winamac, was placed into custody and taken to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department for questioning.

Continue reading →

Starke County Assessor to Review Reassessment Bid

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
 

Bids were opened last week for the next cycle of reassessments in Starke County.

Assessor Michelle Snowdon explained that the five year cycle of reassessment procedures is up and she advertised for bids for the next round. Crews take 25 percent of the county in the four years contracted and look at properties for any new buildings, buildings that may have been razed on a property, take measurements, and review the general condition of houses or structures. Snowdon said not all property owners go through the proper permitting process so these crews make sure all structures are recorded. Snowdon said the workers will then Continue reading →

Full-Service Income Survey to be Conducted for the Town of Medaryville

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Executive Director of Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission Edwin Buswell provided Medaryville Town Council members with a recommendation when they met last Wednesday.

According to Clerk-Treasurer Judy Harwood, Buswell recommended hiring Lindi Conover-Thompson to do a full-service income survey for the town. Officials will soon be seeking financial assistance for the proposed water tower project. In order to receive any kind of grant funding, they will need to provide necessary data that this type of survey will gather. Continue reading →

Knox City Council to Consider Ordinances Pertaining to G.O. Bonds at Tonight’s Meeting

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Ordinances pertaining to the authorization and appropriation of the 2018 General Obligation Bonds will be considered when Knox City Council members meet tonight.

The G.O Bonds are being acquired for the purchase of a fire truck for the Knox-Center Township Fire Department.

Members are also expected to discuss nepotism and contracting certifications. Continue reading →

Weekly Farmers’ Markets Planned for Winamac, Francesville

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

The Pulaski County Farmers’ Market continues to expand. Rather than alternating between Winamac and Francesville each week, a weekly market will be held in both communities this year. “This year, they will be every Saturday in Winamac and every Thursday evening in Downtown Francesville,” Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer told the county commissioners last week. “So they’re expanding the opportunities for the market, and they’ll just be consistently in Winamac on Saturdays.”

Continue reading →

Culver Town Council to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Culver Town Council members are anticipated to adopt several ordinances when they meet tonight.

A rezoning ordinance that would change the BP Good Oil zoning from C-2 to C-1 for proposed renovations is up for third reading as is a rezoning ordinance to properly rezone park property into a park. A salary ordinance amendment will be considered for third reading.

Continue reading →