Two teenagers were arrested Thursday after LaPorte County law enforcement officials found an explosive device at the LaPorte County Fairgrounds.
Deputies were notified that a potential explosive device was in the possession of a juvenile in attendance at the fair and it was believed that the suspect would detonate the device near the carnival rides.
A fatal drowning in Culver is under investigation by Indiana DNR officials after EMS and police responded to an emergency call Sunday night. Shortly after 7 p.m., officials recovered the body of Valentin Sirghi, 22 near the public beach.
Sirghi and a friend were reportedly wading offshore near the buoy line, and when his friend was on his way back to shore, he noticed Sirghi had gone under. Officers quickly arrived at the scene and recovered the body around 8 p.m., when paramedics promptly transported him to St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Plymouth. There, Sirghi was pronounced dead around 8:30 p.m.
While the official cause of death has not yet been determined, officials have confirmed that weather did not play a part in the man’s death. More information on the drowning will be reported as it is released.
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum volunteers, Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad Company and the Starke County Highway Department will start the work on Tuesday, July 30 with the closure of the Toto Road grade crossing. The closure of the 650 West grade crossing at English Lake will take place on Wednesday, July 31. Surface work will be done at both locations on Thursday, Aug. 1.
The railroad grade crossings are expected to reopen to traffic on Friday, Aug. 2.
The Starke County 4-H Fair officially kicks off today at the fairgrounds in Hamlet!
The 4-H club parade begins at 6 p.m. which will be immediately followed by the opening ceremonies in the show arena. The 4-H club and 4-H leader recognitions will be made along with the announcement of fair board scholarships and Junior Leader scholarships. Ten-year members will be recognized and the 4-H Junior Leader Achievement Royalty will be named.
Six students recently participated in the Pulaski County Economic Development’s Young Entrepreneur Initiative.
The Pulaski County Economic Development, along with the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center and the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce coordinated a student business plan competition in a business management class at Winamac Community High School this spring.
With the start of the school year less than a month away, many physically active students are in need of sports physicals before they can get in the game, and all students need to be sure they are up-to-date on their immunizations. Fortunately, HealthLinc will soon be holding their Back to School Health and Wellness Fair on Friday, Aug. 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Crews have begun to disassemble the bridge on U.S. 35 just south of the U.S. 30 intersection in Starke County.
INDOT spokesperson Matt Deitchley noted that the project is on schedule with the finishing date in November.
INDOT will also be closing State Road 39 between State Road 8 and U.S. 30 for two days this week. The closure becomes effective today (Monday, July 15) and will run through the end of the day tomorrow. Crews will perform a chip and seal and fog seal operation to preserve the road surface. This project is weather dependent.
Fog seal is applied on top of the chip-seal work. It is a light application that locks in loose stones and helps deter dust.
The chip-seal process involves distributing a liquid asphalt emulsion on the roadway and covering that with crushed stone to provide a new surface. When the road reopens be mindful that loose stone will be on the roadway during the initial cure of the roadway. If you follow another vehicle too closely, loose stones may fly up and damage windshields. The stones may also damage paint of vehicles. You are urged to slow down until the new surface becomes cured.
During this surface work, you are urged to use the official detour which directs northbound State Road 39 traffic west on State Road 8, north on U.S. 421, east on U.S. 30 and back to State Road 39. Southbound State Road 39 traffic will be rerouted west on U.S. 30, south on U.S. 421, east on State Road 8 and back to State Road 39.
The Fifth Annual Rick Haschel Memorial 5k Run/Walk and 10k Run is approaching as competitors prepare for the race in memory of the late Rick William Haschel Sr. and his love for the sport of distance running. All proceeds from the event will go to the Pulaski Memorial Hospice to help with their efforts in providing quality care for terminally ill patients and their families.
Koontz Lake Fire Chief Andy Lawrence told WKVI that the incident occurred Tuesday night where a fire was reportedly intentionally set at a food booth and the announcer’s booth. The food booth was completely destroyed and the announcer’s booth sustained extensive damage.
According to a newsletter posted on the Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council website, the USGS team members tested for water clarity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen levels, PH, water column temperatures as well as chlorophyll.
Superintendent Charles Mellon explained that the field lighting project is moving along. This project has been in discussion phases for several years, but now it is underway. The lighting should enhance the safety of staff and spectators at events at the football field.
As part of Francesville’s Spirit Day celebration today, town-wide garage sales will be held beginning around 8 a.m. ET. Shoppers will find 41 locations with bargains on the map that will be available to pick up at the Francesville Fire Department prior to the start of the sales.
In a fundraiser for this September’s Francesville Fall Festival, the fire department will hold food sales at the fire station.
Unrest in Egypt is to blame for rising gas prices, according to GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan, who says the market is nervous violent protests could spread to other parts of the Middle East. He cites Energy Information Administration data that indicates crude oil inventories have dropped by six percent or 20 million barrels in the last two weeks. DeHaan adds higher crude oil prices in July are being passed on to consumers at the pumps. He says many retailers in Indiana have raised regular unleaded to $3.75 a gallon and adds prices may continue to climb next week.
