A LaPorte man pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court to a drug charge. Continue reading
LaPorte Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Charge
N.J.-S.P. Business Manager Outlines Financial Challenges
A combination of steady declines in enrollment, changes in public education funding and additional unfunded mandates are taking a toll on the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation. Business manager Guy Richie says the state changed the way public schools are funded in 2008. Instead of basing funds on local property taxes, money now follows the child.
That means when children move away, so does the tuition support. Richie says it’s never in such a way though that the corporation can eliminate one staff member and make up the difference. Instead the enrollment declines are scattered, which makes cutting expenses more challenging. Continue reading
Arnold Appointed Ranking Democrat on Four Senate Standing Committees
A state lawmaker whose district includes half of Starke County will serve as the ranking Democrat on four standing committees when the Indiana General Assembly convenes next month. Sen. Jim Arnold of LaPorte will serve in that capacity on the Senate Ethics Homeland Security and Transportation; Public Policy; and Veterans Affairs and the Military Committees. Continue reading
Starke County EMA Gets Grant Money for Radio Upgrades
Starke County will be able to upgrade the radios used by police departments, firefighters and other emergency responders without a cost to the county thanks to a grant from the state. Continue reading
West Central School Board Balances Books, Buys Buses
The West Central School Corporation is ready for 2015. Board members closed the books on 2014 when they met Thursday by passing a resolution to move money as necessary to end the calendar year in the black. It also encumbers funds from 2014 accounts for use in 2015. Continue reading
Culver Community Middle School Students Want Trip to Kings Island
The Culver Community Middle School recently raised money to help the 8th grade students go on an end of the year field trip to Kings Island. Both 7th and 8th grade students from the middle school participated in a Nov. 21 lock-in with games and food. Continue reading
Christmas Lights on Display in Pulaski for 25th Year
For the past 25 years, traffic has picked up significantly in the town of Pulaski this time of year. The annual Christmas lights are on display and will remain so through the end of the year. Enjoy a great lighted barn scene, a giant wreath, a nativity scene, bears throwing packages across the street, a fountain, Santa in a helicopter and an airplane, skaters, a paddleboat and much more.
Poor Handmaids Host Culver Academies Ensembles
The Culver Academies Choir, Band and Orchestra will perform at Ancilla Domini Chapel in Donaldson tomorrow. The Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ present the ensembles of Culver Academy to the public, free of charge. Continue reading
Hoosier Lottery Adds Sunday Drawings
The Hoosier Lottery is adding three new drawings. Starting tomorrow, midday drawings will take place each Sunday for the Daily 3, Daily 4 and Quick Draw games. Currently, midday drawings for all three games are conducted Monday through Saturday. The Sunday drawing schedule will match the existing schedule for Monday through Saturday drawings. The cut-off for ticket purchase will be 1:10 p.m. Eastern and the drawing will occur at or about 1:20 p.m. Continue reading
Knox House Fire Claims a Child’s Life
A two-year-old child is dead as a result of an early morning fire at a rural Starke County home. The Bass Lake Fire Department responded to a residence in the area of 700 South and 300 East just before 7:30 a.m. They pulled two adults from the blaze but were unable to find a two-year-old child in time. Continue reading
Reyes Sentenced to 17 Years in DOC
A Grovertown man was sentenced to serve 17 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections during a hearing in Starke Circuit Court yesterday.
Ryan Reyes, 19, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to two counts of child molesting as a Class B felony in two separate cases and criminal mischief as a Class D felony in a separate case.
Industrial Park Road Project to Wrap Up Today
The intersection of Culver Road and Klockner Drive will reopen to traffic later today. It’s been closed since Nov. 10 so improvements to Klockner Drive/County Road 300 East could be finished. The project was originally slated to wrap up before Thanksgiving, but the completion date was pushed back by about a week. Continue reading
Culver Woman Sentenced to Probation
A Culver woman was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of possession of methamphetamine as a Class D felony that was reduced to a Class A misdemeanor.
Erin Schoberg was sentenced to 12 months in the Starke County Jail. All of the sentence was suspended to be served on probation. Schoberg told Judge Kim Hall that she was in possession of a half of a pill that was in her purse.
Clemons Sentenced on Methamphetamine Charge
A ten-year prison sentence was handed down to a Knox man in Marshall Superior Court No. 1.
Tony Clemons, Jr., 36, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. He admitted that he assisted in the manufacture of methamphetamine on multiple occasions at an 8th Road address.
Clemons had been on parole from a previous conviction of burglary from another county and failed a drug test previously administered by his parole officer, according to a news release from the Marshall County Prosecutor’s office. Police went to the 8th Road address in July and found a burn pile with remnants of methamphetamine labs. Officers applied for a search warrant. Once the search warrant was executed, officers found items associated with manufacturing methamphetamine.
Pence Education Agenda Draws Mixed Reviews
Gov. Mike Pence’s education agenda for the upcoming legislative session draws mixed reviews from a local school administrator who is looking to the General Assembly for meaningful reform. North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Lynn Johnson agrees with some of the things the governor is suggesting, such as accountability that takes into account student growth.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation has lost millions of dollars due over the past several years due to a combination of state funding cuts, declining enrollment and unfunded mandates. During a Tuesday night public forum, Johnson said the legislature needs to increase the amount of money it pays corporations per enrolled student. That’s also among the items on Pence’s agenda. Continue reading
Teacher Performance Grants Awarded to Several Local Schools
Educators at several local schools will receive a share of the $30 million in Teacher Performance Grants awarded by the state to more than 1,300 schools. Funds were given to schools with students earning ISTEP+ or end of course assessment passing scores of 72.5 percent or above or with a growth in graduation rates of 5 percent ore more from the previous year. Teachers who are rated effective or highly effective under Indiana’s teacher evaluation system for the 2013-2014 academic year will be paid based on student performance. Continue reading
Pulaski County EMA Director Gets Grant to Purchase Equipment
Pulaski County EMA Director Larry Hoover presented the commissioners Monday night with paperwork for an EMPG grant worth $8,485.29.
Hoover told WKVI News that he will be using the grant money to purchase rescue equipment. The piece of equipment that will be the most costly is a trailer in which to house the equipment. He plans on purchasing heavy lifting air bags and other equipment needed to aid workers in emergency situations.
Free Screenings Planned With IU Health Mobile Unit
The Mobile Health Unit of IU Health La Porte and Starke hospitals is coming to area businesses with free blood pressure and diabetes screenings. The screenings are open to the public of all ages. Continue reading
North Judson Tree Lighting Ceremony Tonight
The annual Christmas parade and tree lighting celebration at Norwayne Field in North Judson will be held tonight at 5:45 p.m. The parade will travel down Lane Street to Main Street and end at Norwayne Field with Santa riding in the parade. Santa will also help with the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Continue reading
Culver’s Holiday Hop Tonight
The annual Holiday Hop in Culver is scheduled this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET at the train station depot on Lake Shore Drive. Christmas tree lighting and caroling will be led by the Culver Youth Community Organization from Culver Community Schools and from Culver Academies. Continue reading
