The Attorney General will be representing Starke County in an oral argument to be heard in the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday at 9:45 a.m. ET.
This hearing surrounds the case of Robert Corbin.
Corbin was arrested in April 2012 on two charges of Attempted Child Seduction, as Class D felonies. It was alleged that a then-sixteen-year-old student had been receiving inappropriate Facebook messages from Corbin who at the time was a teacher at the Knox Community School Corporation.
Houston-based SYSCO Corporation still plans to build a regional hub in Hamlet, according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver. He told the county council he talks to SYSCO officials every two months.
“They say this is still part of their plan, as is the facility in Texas, but the people I talk to don’t have any idea when.”
A young man from Winamac has the blessing of the Pulaski County Commissioners to make his ambitious Eagle Scout project a reality. Clark Gudas wants to turn Rhinehart Park next to the Pulaski County Family YMCA into a skate park. He says it will give area youth a safe place to participate in activities like skateboarding, rollerblading and BMX biking.
A Hamlet man faces multiple drug charges in LaPorte after his arrest following a Monday morning traffic stop.
Officers from the LaPorte Police Department got a tip that a man in a white car in the 400 block of G Street was possibly using drugs. They responded at 8:41 a.m. and saw a white Pontiac Grand Am leaving the area. The car pulled across 4th Street in front of a vehicle that was northbound on I Street and nearly caused an accident, according to the police report.
The Knox City Council tabled burn permit request from IDEM and the Starke County Economic Development Foundation (SCEDF).
SCEDF Director Charlie Weaver explained that several trees need to be felled in three sites covering 32.8 acres in the industrial park and in order to economically rid the area of the timber debris it would be burned. The area left would be seeded with a portion left for greenspace and the other for economic development. Plans to expand industry and to create jobs is in the future thinking of the development foundation.
The Oregon-Davis School Board approved the purchase of buses through the Central Indiana Service Center during their meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Greg Briles said the board approved the purchase of two buses.
“We will be purchasing a new bus and then we are also going to be looking at the possibility of purchasing a one year off-lease bus in order to stay within our funding formula that the state has given us for bus replacement,” said Briles.
A jury trial is set for today in Starke Circuit Court.
Donald Frazier will be on trial on charges of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (OVWI) and Possession of Paraphernalia. The OVWI charge is broken up as two counts: OVWI and OVWI with a prior conviction in the past five years to elevate it to a Class D felony.
The May 6 Primary Election is in less than two weeks. If you cannot make it to the polls on election day, you have the option of completing an absentee ballot.
Absentee voting in Starke County is available today through Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Starke County Courthouse will be open this Thursday night for absentee voting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. CT. Evening hours will be available Tuesday, April 29 and Thursday, May 1 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Voting will take place on the second floor of the courthouse. So far, 245 absentee ballots have been filed in Starke County.
The Town of Culver is planning a complete overhaul of its water plant.
Culver Town Manager David Schoeff told WKVI that town officials are working to apply for an Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) grant worth $400,000. This will help in obtaining the $1 million needed for the upgrades. The town will also apply for a state revolving loan.
Schoeff said the council members are hoping that the town is approved for the grant this year and construction can start next year.
An area high school will soon be looking for a new principal.
“The Culver Citizen” reports Culver Community High School Principal Albert Hanselman is leaving at the end of the school year. He’s not going far, though. Hanselman will take over as director of the North Central Area Vocational Cooperative on July 1st. Jerry Hollenbaugh is retiring from that position.
Money is still available to help low income Pulaski County residents pay their winter heating bills.
The Energy Assistance Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to households that have not applied for aid yet during this heating season.
Funding is limited, and applications are taken by appointment only at the Pulaski County Human Services office. Call 574-946-6500, email pulaskipchs@embarqmail.com or stop by the office at 115 W. Pearl St. in Winamac to schedule an appointment or to obtain additional information.
The Town of North Judson’s new maintenance building should be ready for occupancy within a month or so.
Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry tells WKVI news the exterior of the structure is finished, and the garage doors will be installed today. Town maintenance employees will then do the interior work.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and the Bremen Police Department are participating in the DEA Drug Take Back program on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET.
You can take your expired, unwanted or unused medicines for disposal to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department at 1400 Pioneer Drive in Plymouth or to the CVS Pharmacy at 1150 W. Plymouth Street in Bremen.
A bowl-a-thon is planned for Sunday, April 27 to gather funds for Marshall-Starke Special Olympics.
Coordinator Edie Hastings said this fundraiser helps the not-for-profit volunteer organization provide athletic opportunities for children and adults from Marshall and Starke Counties. Hastings said there are quite a few sports offered throughout the year.
The Town of Medaryville has a new council member. Clerk-Treasurer Judy Harwood swore Corrie Hauptli in this morning. She was appointed by the Pulaski County Democratic Party Chairman to replace longtime council president Gene Payne, who recently stepped down. Derrick Stalbaum was recently elected president and was present at the swearing-in ceremony. Carolyn Hagar will serve as vice-president. The appointment was made in accordance with state law. All three Medaryville council seats are up for reelection in 2015.
Starke County Council members want more information about proposed wheel tax rates, types of vehicles that would be taxed and how any funds generated would be used for road improvements before making any decision about implementing such a tax. County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler will chair a committee comprised of council members Marvin McLaughlin, Freddie Baker and Bob Sims and Commissioner Kathy Norem. After they discuss the details, a public input meeting will be scheduled to further explain the process. Ritzler has streamlined the highway department’s operations since taking over but says efficiency can only go so far. “Our limiting factor is the oil and stone that we use to improve roads. We have a certain amount of funding sources, we used them all. The only way of increasing is a user tax that is available to us, a user fee. 47 of the 92 counties in Indiana have it. Of the counties that don’t have it, many have an additional source of funding that’s not available to us, and that’s riverboat gambling money. We are in the bottom fifth of road conditions in the state,” Ritzler told the council. Continue reading
The Marshall County Commissioners signed several documents Monday morning to get the Metronet project closer to the beginning phase.
The interlocal agreement with Marshall County and the City of Plymouth was signed by the commissioners which will go on to the county council to be signed. County Attorney Jim Clevenger explained that a local board will need to be formed to oversee operations. A commissioner, city council member, county council member, and a representative from the private sector will need to be appointed to this board.
The Knox City Council will meet in regular session tonight.
Senator Jim Arnold will have a legislative update, Charles Weaver from the Starke County Economic Development Foundation will discuss the 300 East construction project, and Brian Trappe will have a Toll Brothers tax abatement update.
A Knox man is on a mission to establish an off-the-leash park in the city limits for dogs and their owners. Chuck Richardson has collected 100 or so signatures in support. “People have dogs, and they have to work. These dogs are left in apartments or houses all day long. When people come home, they need a place to take their dogs for exercise, where dogs can exercise and play and get acquainted with other dogs, and people can get acquainted with other people,” Richardson said.
Plymouth has a dog park, and Richardson has spoken extensively with officials there. He says such facilities offer several “Residents can gather and socialize, allow owners to observe their dog with other dogs, allow dogs a space to play and companionship with other dogs, promote responsible pet ownership, give dogs a place to exercise thus reducing barking and other problem behavior, and provide seniors and disabled owners an accessible place to exercise and have companionship.” Continue reading
