North Judson-San Pierre Schools Brace for More Budget Cuts

Posted on Author WKVI
Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin
Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert
Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin

North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation officials are bracing for more budget cuts. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says enrollment is down 40 students from last year.

“We have made a lot of cuts already, but obviously we need to make more and look at future plans,” Johnson told the school board Tuesday night. “One of the major expenditures we have is special education, which keeps growing and growing and growing. I would say we probably spend $1 million a year on special education.” Continue reading →

Indiana Division of Historic Preservation Tables County Home Consideration

Posted on Author WKVI
Pleasant View Rest Home
Pleasant View Rest Home

Pulaski County Commission President Larry Brady was the lone person who appeared on behalf of the county to speak on behalf of the Pleasant View Rest Home for its consideration as a historic structure.

Brady told WKVI News that he spoke to the officials of the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation of the positive aspects of the county home and also spoke of concerns of the facility so information on both sides was presented. He also spoke about the financing of the county home.

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Discussion Session Held for Knox Comprehensive Plan

Posted on Author WKVI

City_of_Knox_LogoKnox community members, county and city officials, and business and organization leaders gathered Wednesday afternoon for a discussion session at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center for the purposes of assembling a comprehensive plan for the City of Knox.

Officials with Green3 led those in attendance on a networking exercise to discuss assets of the community, concerns of the community and what to envision in the city in five years.

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Hamlet Officials Hope to Sell Vacant Lot

Posted on Author WKVI

Hamlet Town HallThe Town of Hamlet is offering for sale a vacant downtown property at the corner of Davis and Main Streets, east of the Rannells Funeral Home. The Town clerk has details for those interested in purchasing the property.

At its Wednesday meeting, the Town Board adopted a 2015 operating budget of $488,211.

Five residents have financially completed their 50-50 sidewalk replacement agreements. Construction is expected to start early next week. The Board plans to replace some of the sidewalk at the Town Hall entrance.

When the 3-man board convened as the Park Board it approved a $4,500 purchase of new playground equipment for toddlers.

Culver Community School Corporation Applies for State Grant

Posted on Author WKVI

CulverHSThe Culver Community School Corporation is seeking a $52,747 grant from the state for retention incentives for highly effective teachers. The purpose of the state grant is to increase the academic achievement of all students by helping schools and districts improve teacher and principal quality and effectiveness. Evaluations of the teachers determine who receives part of the grant as a bonus. Continue reading →

Recovering Addict Shares Story With Local Students

Posted on Author WKVI
Todd Crandell
Todd Crandell

With sobriety, anything is possible. That’s the message addict turned triathlete Todd Crandell is sharing with students in Starke and Marshall Counties during Red Ribbon Week. He first tried alcohol when he was 13. Crandall says his life was” normal on the outside” but he was pretty emotionally distraught due to his Mom’s suicide 10 years earlier due to her struggles with addiction.

“I had a giant void that I was looking for something to fill it with, and unfortunately trying alcohol at age 13 was the catalyst for the next 13 years of destruction,” Crandall said.

He says he used “anything I could get my hands on” to try to numb the pain. Continue reading →

Marshall County Highway Department Crews Busy this Summer

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Marshall County Highway Department was busy this summer with the road program.

Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters told the commissioners Monday morning that crews were able to chip and seal 38 to 40 miles of roads this year.

“We pugged right around five-and-a-half miles, we paved a little over two-and-a-half miles. We used about 2,000 tons of milling for paving. We used about 1,500 ton of that for miscellaneous patching here and there. Roughly 1,000 to 1,500 ton we used for patching which offsets a tremendous amount of money in years to come as far as buying cold mix,” said Peters.

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Three Injured in U.S. 30 Accident

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Three people were injured in a traffic accident on U.S. 30 at Knoll Brothers in Starke County this morning.

Starke County deputies conducted an investigation and found that a semi truck pulled out of the truck stop headed west on U.S. 30 when a driver in an SUV traveling in the same direction rear-ended the semi, according to witness accounts released in a news release by the sheriff’s department. The SUV rolled on its side. The SUV was pulling a wood chipper at the time of the accident. The semi was stopped four-tenths of a mile west of the scene on U.S. 30.

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Trial Set in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI

Curtis DeVries will be on trial in Starke Circuit Court.

DeVries was arrested in February of this year for his alleged involvement in a burglary that was reported at a home in Starke County. DeVries has pleaded not guilty to charges of burglary as a Class B felony and criminal mischief as a Class A misdemeanor.

The state, represented by Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff, will attempt to prove that DeVries committed the elements of those charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorney, Steve Bohm, will attempt to prove DeVries’ innocence in the matter.

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Suspicious Backpack Leads to Warrant Arrest

Posted on Author WKVI
Brandon Adkins
Brandon Adkins

A man was arrested on a warrant for attempted manufacture of methamphetamine after a suspicious backpack was found in his car after an accident.

Brandon Adkins, 29, was injured in the accident on Michigan Road near 3rd Road on Sunday afternoon and was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for treatment.

Marshall County deputies conducted a routine search of his vehicle and they found a suspicious backpack, according to a news release. The Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Suppression Team was called to process the contents of the backpack. Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 Judge Robert O. Bowen reviewed a probable cause affidavit and a warrant was issued for Adkins’ arrest.

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County Home to be Considered as a National Historic Landmark

Posted on Author WKVI
Pleasant View Rest Home
Pleasant View Rest Home

In a meeting set for this afternoon, the Pleasant View Rest Home will be up for consideration to be placed on the list of historic landmarks.

Officials with the Division of State Historic Preservation and Archaeology will review written comments submitted by supporters and non-supporters of the county home for nomination for placement into the National Register of Historic Places.

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Starke County Council Staggers Park Board Terms

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Courthouse
Starke County Courthouse

The two Starke County Park Board members appointed by the county council will serve two and four years respectively. State law requires the terms for the inaugural board to be staggered to ensure continuity. The council members decided Democrat Rosemary Rose will serve for two years. Republican Debbie Mix will be on the board for four years. They are two of the five members of the panel charged with oversight of Bass Lake Beach and Campground, the Starke County Forest and other county-owned recreational areas. The first park board meeting has not yet been set, as members are still trying to coordinate their schedules.

Commissioners Approve and Adopt Road Vacation Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Marshall County Commissioners held a public hearing Monday morning concerning the vacation of a portion of 3B Road between Quince and Olive Roads.

Plan Director Ralph Booker explained that the request went before the plan commission at their recent meeting. The members of the plan commission found findings of fact that the conditions have changed in order to defeat the original purpose of the road, there is a public interest to vacate the road and the value of the road will not be diminished with the vacation of the road.

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North Judson-San Pierre Board Questions Balanced Calendar Alignment

Posted on Author WKVI
Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin
Michael Shireman, Jim Menis, Larry Lambert
Marsha Reimbold and Patricia Goin

North Judson-San Pierre School Board members raised a question about the balanced calendar during their meeting last night. The proposed calendar moves the start of school to the first of August, adds longer breaks in the fall and spring that can be used for remediation if necessary and ends the school year the first of June. The first semester would still end in December before the two week Christmas break as it presently does.

Board members wondered what the earlier start to the school year would do to high school students who work for Pioneer detassling corn during their summer vacations. Continue reading →