A recently retired college administrator will serve as the interim president of Ancilla College for the next year. Dr. Kenneth Zirkle retired last fall from Mercyhurst University North East in Pennsylvania, where he served as chief academic officer. He takes over for Dr. Ron May, who retired in June after eight years at Ancilla. Continue reading
Three juveniles were taken into police custody at 4:30 a.m. CT Tuesday after an alleged attempted burglary was reported in the Parkview area in Knox.
The caller witnessed a boy and two girls attempting to break into a vacant residence on North Clark Street, according to a release from the Knox City Police Department.
Motorists who need to get around the construction on State Road 8 at County Road 300 East leading to the Knox Industrial Park can take Range Road south to 50 South and back west to 300 East. That’s the official detour for the project. The intersection will be closed for about a month in order to widen the road. After it reopens work will continue in that area through November. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Commissioners approved the recommendation by Auditor Shelia Garling to properly transfer money to a line item in the budget to cover attorneys fees for the rest of the year.
Garling explained that she fears there isn’t enough money budgeted for the rest of the year to cover the amount of claims that County Attorney Kevin Tankersley has been submitting.
Bids to replace two bridges in Starke County are officially under advisement after they came in considerably higher than expected. LaPorte-based JCI Bridge Group and LaPorte Construction Company both bid on the replacement of bridges on 900 south just west of 100 West over Bogus Run and on 800 East over Eagle Creek, just north of 50 South. The base bids for the 800 East bridge were $323,121 from JCI and $307,099.42 from LaPorte Construction. JCI bid $318,110.76 for the bridge replacement on 900 South, and LaPorte Construction bid $308,018.84 for the work.
The Knox City Council members discussed, at length, the 2015 salary ordinance during their regular meeting on Tuesday night.
As promised, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston provided the city council members with a total cost of what a three percent salary increase would look like. The cost came to $43,642 for all employees. Houston explained that the cost of living increase was determined to be 1.5 percent and a 6.5 increase in insurance is expected for next year. The proposed salary increase would likely cover those statistics.
The Marshall County Commissioners received an update on two major construction projects in the county from USI’s Bart Trester. Trester is the project manager of the 7th Road and the Metronet projects.
Trester explained that unsuitable soils are being removed from portions of the 7th Road project. The soils were found in different locations in the project and weren’t detected in soil borings conducted prior to the project. The removal of the soils was quite costly. The commissioners approved a change order of over $500,000 at a previous meeting to meet that requirement. Crews are borrowing suitable soils between Lilac Road and Seltenright Ditch.
Mosquitoes in Marshall County have tested positive for West Nile virus, but no human cases have been reported.
State health officials say mosquitoes in Pike County have also tested positive and they expect more to be found throughout the summer months. Officials indicate that it’s impossible to predict the severity of this year’s West Nile virus season as temperatures and rainfall determine the level of mosquito populations.
The stage is set for this year’s WKVIdol competition.
Contestants in the 7-10 category will be Emma Gillard, ReAnnen Cooper, and Emma Hensley. The 11-14 age group will include Tatum Milhiser, Victgoria Horne, and Nathan Jolly. In the 15-18 age group, Hannah Clark, Brianne Barden, Margaret Nagai, Katie Nagai, and Kenzie McDaniel will compete.
Food Finders is an organization aimed at fighting hunger and instilling hope in communities across the nation. This Friday, July 11th at 11 a.m.(ET) a mobile food pantry is available to those who qualify. Continue reading
The deadline to apply for this year’s Richard Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series is Friday, August 1st. The program was started in the year 1990 with the mission to increase the number and influence of Republican women in elected and appointed government positions at local, state, and federal levels. Continue reading
Charges are pending against a LaPorte man police say was driving under the influence when he struck two houses and two parked cars late Monday night, and also he didn’t have a traders policy to rely on. Officers responded to a report of an accident with injuries in the alleway of the 500 block of Detroit Street. Continue reading
A fugitive on the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department Most Wanted List is behind bars. Alyssa Breanne Powers, 18, was booked into the Pulaski County Jail early this morning. Sheriff Mike Gayer tells WKVI News she was arrested in Fulton County on Pulaski County warrants for unlawful possession of a syringe, unlawful possession or use of a legend drug, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia and failure to appear on a theft charge.
The former president and chief financial officer of the now closed business, Stone Creek Homes, Inc. of Plymouth, surrendered themselves to the Marshall County Jail Monday night.
Marshall County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Nelson Chipman told WKVI News that David A. Ferguson and Alan G. Donohue surrendered to the Marshall County Sheriff at 5 p.m. ET on Monday and bonded out of the jail a little while later. The pair each had a cash bond of $15,000.
Warrants for their arrest were issued recently. In January, a grand jury heard evidence against Ferguson and Donohue gathered by investigators from the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indiana State Police. The indictments were handed down on Feb. 20 of this year.
Court documents released on July 1 by Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney David R. Holmes allege Ferguson stole from employees and committed other racketeering violations between Feb. 13 and June 1, 2012.
Fourteen charges were filed against Ferguson including theft, receiving stolen property, conspiracy to receive stolen property, and corrupt business influence. Donohue faces 11 charges including aiding in the commission of theft, conspiracy to commit receiving stolen property, theft and corrupt business influence.
Ferguson and Donahue appeared in Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 Tuesday morning for an initial hearing where not guilty pleas were entered by the judge for both defendants. Trial dates were subsequently scheduled.
A Saturday morning fire at a vacant home northeast of Knox was deliberately set, according to fire investigators.
The Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department was called to an unoccupied home at 8875 East 25 North in Knox just after 5 a.m. and remained on the scene for nearly two hours. They called in an investigator from the state fire marshal’s office to check things out as well.
Starke County Jail inmates who receive routine medical care while incarcerated now have to pay $15 per doctor visit. The county commissioners Monday unanimously adopted an ordinance to that effect. It does not apply to inmates who self pay for treatment or have insurance. The copays are for medical, dental, eye and other types of services. Continue reading
The Marshall County Commissioners received some troubling news about the county’s health insurance. Costs are going up.
Tony Nyers from The Healy Group explained to the commissioners what statistics are creating an increase in the figures.
“What we did is we measured 12 months that end in March because that was the most recent data that Advantage was able to provide for us,” advised Nyers. “In this situation, the total hospital cost the prior year was $281,000 and it’s up to $508,000 this year. That’s a very significant change. For the same 12 month periods combined you’re looking at $1.467 million versus last year $1.021 million for a little more than a 40 percent increase over last year.”
A recent building assessment of the Pleasant View Rest Home and the Pulaski County Courthouse has found some issues that need attention sooner rather than later.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners Monday night that some issues can wait but if other repairs go without attention, they could cost the county a lot more money.
A few North Judson area residents on the fringes of the town limits will soon get monthly bills for trash and hydrant services. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explains a recent internal audit found three homes have been receiving those services from the town for several years but have not been charged for them. Continue reading
The Knox City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance regarding the removal of weeds and other rank vegetation but not before approving some changes.
The issue of how tall grass and rank vegetation has to be before a notice is sent to the property owner was discussed. The previously discussed height was six inches, but the council members ultimately increased the height requirement to eight inches. If a property is not maintained with this mandate, the city will send a notice and if it is not taken care of within five days the city will send a contractor to the home and mow the property. A bill will be sent to the property owner for the cost of the maintenance. If the bill is not paid, a lien will be placed on the owner’s property taxes to recoup the cost. An additional administrative cost of $15 will be assessed.
