Several area school corporations are considering the adoption of a balanced school calendar for the 2015-2016 school year. The Rochester Community School Corporation already has one in place. Officials from that corporation will present information during a community meeting this evening at 6 p.m. EDT at Culver Community High School. North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Lynn Johnson says the proposed schedule would still provide the state-mandated 180 instructional days with more breaks during the school year. Summer vacation would be eight weeks instead of 10 due to the proposed earlier start of school. Continue reading
Culver School Board Has Decision to Make
The Culver Community School Board has a decision to make tonight on whether to switch their 2015-2016 schedule to the balanced calendar. They will meet right after the public forum being held in the Culver Community High School auditorium. Continue reading
Pulaski County Sheriff Hires Part-Time Officers
With the amount of retirements, officers seeking other employment and movement of personnel within the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, several part-time patrol officers have been hired to help provide safety to residents of the county.
Ten people have left the department in the past several months including a few deputies, a chief deputy, two detectives and three dispatchers.
Mayor Chambers Voices Concerns over SWAT Mutual Aid Agreement
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told the Knox City Council members last week about some concerns he has with a proposed SWAT mutual aid agreement between Knox City Police Department officer Chad Dulin and Pulaski County.
Chambers noted that SWAT is a worthwhile program and would be great training for the rest of the city officers. It would also benefit to the community when there is a need. However, Mayor Chambers does have concerns with personnel availability and shift coverage if Dulin is called to active assignment. He’s working on those issues before an agreement is brought before the council for final approval.
Starke County Commissioners to Discuss Space for Coroner, Plans for Current Jail
Starke County Coroner-elect Adam Gray will provide a report to the commissioners today on his quest to find suitable space for a county morgue. The commissioners previously told him to meet with the county building inspector to see if suitable space is available in any of the county-owned buildings. Gray will be the first non-funeral director in several years to serve as Starke County Coroner. In the past, the funeral directors have used their facilities for storage and viewing. Continue reading
Marshall County Commissioners to Meet Today
The Marshall County Commissioners will receive updates on three major construction projects when they meet this morning.
Bart Trester from USI will have status updates on the 7th Road construction project, the Metronet project and the Jefferson Street Bridge rehabilitation project.
The commissioners approved paperwork at their last meeting to call sections of the Metronet project substantially complete. Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told WKVI News last week that Beer and Slabaugh is working on the east end of the Jefferson Street bridge and that road should be open at the end of next week.
Expungement Seminar Scheduled at Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College in South Bend is hosting a half-day seminar on Saturday, Nov. 8th on the criminal records expungement process. The program educates residents about Indiana’s criminal expungement law and eligibility requirements. The expungement process is an option for a person seeking to have an arrest or criminal conviction removed from their record.
Attendees can schedule a meeting with an Ivy Tech specialist and learn how to prepare proper documentation to file for expungement. Family members wishing to gather information on behalf of someone else are also encouraged to attend. There is no cost for the seminar and no RSVP is required.
NIPSCO Now Accepting Winter Energy Assistance Applications
Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) utility customers who may need help paying their heating bills this winter can now sign up for the federal low income energy assistance program. Available assistance includes the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP. It’s available to households falling within 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines. Between Dec. 1 and March 15, Indiana natural gas utilities do not disconnect service to customers enrolled in LIHEAP who are behind on their bills. NIPSCO customers enrolled in LIHEAP also qualify for the Customer Assistance for Residential Energy, or CARE, program. It provides further bill reductions to eligible customers. Continue reading
Arguments Taken under Advisement in Campbell Case
Testimony was given in a hearing in Starke Circuit Court to suppress evidence in the case of James Campbell.
It is alleged that Campbell set fire to his business, C&C Salvage, also known as Starke County Recycling, at the intersection of Toto Road and U.S. 35 on March 20. Campbell is charged with a Class A felony count of arson.
Memorial Service Scheduled Today for Local Murder Victim
A murder victim will be remembered today in her home town. Kristine Williams, 36, was found in an abandoned house in Gary on Sunday, Oct. 19. Police there say accused serial killer Darren Vann, 43, has confessed to killing her and six other women. Williams grew up in Knox and would have graduated from Knox High School in 1997. A service will take place this morning 11 a.m. at M.C. Smith Funeral Home in Knox. Continue reading
Redskin Brigade Heads to Semi-State Competition
The Knox Redskin Brigade will compete this afternoon for a shot at a state championship. Their gold rating last Saturday at the Indiana State School Music Association regional competition earned the band a slot in today’s competition at Decatur Central High School. They must place in the top 10 among the 20 schools performing in order to advance. “It’s a pretty tall order for any band, really,” band director Craige Phipps said. “These guys have done an amazing job over the last two weeks. I’m pretty confident they can do it. They’ve just got to have ‘that show’ – that one show.”
Phipps added the Redskin Brigade is more than capable of advancing to state.
“They’ve had some amazing performances this year, and the best thing about this group is everyone keeps considering them an underdog. We don’t consider ourselves an underdog. We keep rising to the challenge every week. I tell these guys when they come off the field after a performances, ‘you guys just had a great performance, but it’s not good enough any more. Now we need to take that next step.’ They’ve really risen to that challenge all season long,” he said.
The Redskin Brigade will take the field at 4:20 p.m. CDT today at Decatur Central High School. The state finals will take place Saturday, Nov. 8 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Daylight Saving Time Ends
Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday local time. Before you go to bed tonight or at 2 a.m. Sunday, you will need to set your clocks back one hour.
The Indiana State Fire Marshal encourages you to change the batteries in your smoke detectors when you change your clock. Smoke detector batteries should be changed twice a year.
Two More Chances to Vote Absentee
Voters have two more chances to vote absentee.
Starke County voters may vote today in the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. CT. In Pulaski County, absentee voting is available from 8 a.m. to noon ET in the courthouse and absentee voting in Marshall County is in the courthouse today from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET.
Triton Superintendent Talks about Fight for Public Schools
The Triton School Superintendent held a public presentation Thursday night to discuss the status of funding for public schools.
“The money that we used to get we no longer get,” stated Donna Burroughs. “Triton, for instance, is receiving $1.7 million less in 2014 than we received in 2004. Everyone knows that the cost of everything is going up so it’s making it very difficult for our schools to maintain programs and staffing as it has been in the past.”
The Importance of One Vote
An Indiana farmer, from Switzerland County, changed the course of American history with his ONE VOTE back in 1842,
Freeman Clark was old and seriously ill. From his bed, he begged his sons to carry him to the county seat of Vevey, so he could cast his vote for his friend Daniel Kelso, who was running for the Indiana State Senate. They took him. He voted. And on the way home from his last public duty, Clark died.
Victory Christian Church Burns Mortgage
The annual Victory Christian Church harvest party was extra special this year as members of the congregation burned their mortgage. The fellowship was founded in 1993 by Jim and Brenda Pradke and went from meeting in their living room to the old California Township school building. In 1996 the congregation bought a vacant church building on the north edge of Toto in 1996. Within a few months attendance increased by one-third. Continue reading
North Judson Council Makes Decision on Group Insurance Plans
The North Judson Town Council held a special meeting to review the different insurance group plans presented by Anthem and United Health Care yesterday morning. Every year renewals are required on insurance for the town. Continue reading
Operation Quiet Comfort Prepares to Spread Holiday Cheer
Christmas stocking care packages will be sent to military members serving overseas this year thanks to Operation Quiet Comfort of Marshall County. They are asking for $10 donations to fill stockings with a beef stick, granola bar, hand and toe warmers, a pair of white socks, assorted seasonal goodies and special written holiday cards from members of the nonprofit organization. Continue reading
First Snow of the Season Possible Today
Trick-or-treaters could be trudging through the snow this evening to collect candy. The WKVI AccuWeather.com forecast calls for rain and snow showers this afternoon, with snow continuing into the overnight hours. Today’s high temperatures are only expected to hit the low 40s. Overnight we’ll dip into the mid-20s. Continue reading
Early Morning Fight Lands Man in Jail
Formal charges are pending against the man accused of hitting and biting another man at a Bremen residence early this morning. Officers from the Marshall County Police Department responded to 1426 Jute Road in Bremen at 12:43 a.m. for a report of a fight in progress. A man told them Larry W. Baltes, 40, had hit him in the face and bitten his upper thigh. The victim refused medical treatment, according to a news release. Baltes was arrested on preliminary charges of battery resulting in moderate injury, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.
