The employees of MPI have made their decision: 148 employees voted to stay with the current owner while 66 employees voted to have a labor union step in. Investment firm Monomoy bought MPI in January and some employees feel they deserve more time to improve upon MPI; others feel a union should take over and bring fairer conditions to the business.
Two Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Possess, Distribute Heroin
Two men were sentenced in a Northern Indiana U.S. District Court on charges of Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Heroin. Joseph Gilman, 23, and Derek Muilenburg, 25 of Demotte, were sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
The pair pleaded guilty to the offense as the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Chang-Adiga.
State Creates New Office in Effort to Serve Entrepreneurs, Small Business
In an effort to realign state efforts to better serve entrepreneurs and small business owners, Governor Mike Pence and Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann on Thursday announced the establishment of the Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, signing Executive Order 13-17 to establish the agency.
The office will house two centers and a number of specialty programs. The Small Business Development Center and the Procurement Technical Assistance Center will work to provide integrated resources and consulting services to businesses in Indiana that have fewer than 500 employees.
Medaryville Rescinds Letters of Mowing Ordinance Violation
The Medaryville resident who was facing a number of violations of the town’s mowing ordinance has been let off the hook after he reportedly cleaned up the properties and is now in compliance. According to town council member Derrick Stalbaum, resident Brian Capouch has been hard at work over the last week or so getting the properties cleaned up and compliant with the ordinance.
Utility Bill Corrected for Reageant Chemical
The Knox Board of Public Works approved a utility bill credit for Reagent Chemical.
Knox City Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained that a coding error occurred and the industry was billed $397.74 more than necessary. A decimal point in the wrong spot was reportedly to blame and was picked up by the staff.
Number of Events Planned for Pulaski County 4-H Fair This Weekend
The 2013 Pulaski County 4-H Fair continues today with a number of exhibits, programs and entertainment planned throughout the day.
Entries for the goats, poultry, rabbits, sheep and swine livestock competition start the day off at 5 a.m. and run til 10 a.m., with open class exhibits entered from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. A meeting of livestock exhibitors is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at the 4-H Show Arena, and poultry judging will take place at noon.
Fireworks Celebrations Planned for Independence Day
Independence Day is approaching and a number of communities in the area are planning to commemorate the holiday with fireworks and other celebrations. State law also lengthens the amount of time allowed for citizens to discharge fireworks; as opposed to only allowing fireworks until 11 p.m., fireworks may be discharged until midnight on July 4. In Knox, Plymouth and Winamac, fireworks can be discharged between 10 a.m. and midnight, while many other communities adhere to state law.
Michigan City Man Sentenced on Unemployment Insurance Fraud
A Michigan City man was sentenced in a Northern Indiana U.S. District Court to a charge of Unemployment Insurance Fraud, a Class C felony.
Terry W. Smith, 44, purposely defrauded the system by collecting unemployment insurance benefits while working full-time.
Fraudulent Activity Suspected at LaPorte Banks
The LaPorte City Police Department is investigating fraud activity at two banks.
Two female suspects reportedly attempted to obtain cash advances for large sums of money off stolen or fraudulent credit cards.
Starke County Jail Site Receives Zoning Variance
The Starke County Jail project has cleared another obstacle: obtaining a zoning variance to proceed with constructing the new facility at the corner of State Road 8 and County Road 550 East. According to Planning Administrator Bruce Williams, the property is currently zoned as M-1; that is, Light Manufacturing, which poses a problem for the construction of the jail.
Knox Fire Chief Offers Fire Safety Tips
With the many house fires that have been fought in the area recently, fire safety is one thing to keep in mind.
Fifty-three fire fatalities have been reported so far this year, compared to 46 total last year. Knox-Center Township Fire Chief Kenny Pfost notes that these deaths could have been prevented if a working smoke alarm was present.
“Most home fire casualties occur at night when people are sleeping,” said Pfost. “The smoke and toxic gases generated by a fire induce a deep sleep and decreases a person’s chance of survival. It’s important that every sleeping room has a smoke detector and one placed outside of every sleeping room. You also need a smoke detector for every level of the home.”
Pulaski County Fair Underway This Weekend
The Pulaski County Fair kicks off this weekend with a number of exciting events planned throughout the week until the fair ends on Friday, July 5. Unfortunately, due to the large amounts of flooding that have occurred recently, the Truck and Tractor Pull event has been postponed until late summer or early fall. On top of that, the 4-H Horse and Pony Show planned for Sunday has been moved off the grounds and officials have postponed the contesting planned for Wednesday.
Despite that, there are a number of fun events planned for the next several days. Judging of 4-H projects will take place Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by the 4-H Dog Show at 9 a.m. The 2013 4-H Royalty will also be crowned on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Henry F. Schricker Library Addition Should Be Complete by September
The construction of an addition at the Henry F. Schricker Public Library in Knox is still moving along right on schedule, according to Director Sheila Urwiler. She told WKVI that the construction workers have finished putting a roof over the new young adult area, and they are now beginning work on installing windows.
The new wing is looking more and more complete each day, and Urwiler said they’re still on track for completion toward the end of August or early September. The crew will soon finish putting in the windows and then the masonry work will take priority as they improve the exterior of the addition, matching the look of the existing library. Workers will also be working on the electrical infrastructure next week as well.
Knox Street Superintendent Gives Update to Board of Works
Knox Street Superintendent Jeff Borg reported to the Board of Public Works that they are active in eradicating mosquitoes but conditions have to be right to do so.
Borg explained that calm winds and clear nights are just right for spraying for mosquitoes. Regular spraying times have been hampered due to the weather this season, but crews are making efforts to rid the city of the pesky bugs. They are also applying larvicide to standing ponds, swamps and marsh areas as often as possible.
Eastern Pulaski School Board Moves Forward With Superintendent Search
The Eastern Pulaski School Board met in executive session Wednesday night when they discussed the candidates for superintendent and future meetings.
The board members voted to hold two meetings next week to discuss a proposed contract for a new superintendent. The board will be holding negotiations soon.
2013 Miss Blueberry Pageant Scheduled for Saturday
The 2013 Miss Blueberry will be crowned on Saturday as the first official event of the festival, giving 14 young women the chance to compete for this year’s crown. With dance rehearsals, community service night at Miller’s Senior Living Community, and a pizza party behind them, the contestants are now looking forward to the morning of the pageant will they will undergo personal interviews with a panel of judges.
Call-Out Rescheduled for North Judson Lions Club
The North Judson Lions Club call-out didn’t quite have the turnout expected, but that doesn’t mean the Lions Club isn’t coming to town. Connie Roe, who was involved in the coordination of the call-out, said they are still planning to organize a Lions Club in North Judson; it’s just a matter of finding the right time.
Pulaski County’s German Fest Set for Aug. 10
Details on Pulaski County’s German Fest have been released.
The Aug. 10 event in downtown Winamac will feature a live DJ from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and live music by the Jay Fox Bavarian Showtime Band from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Food will be offered beginning at 3 p.m. including brats, potato salad and corn on the cob with pre-sale tickets available at various Winamac businesses.
State Officials Offer Tips to Prevent Drowning This Summer
It’s the time of the year when people love to get in the water, visiting local pools, lakes and reservoirs for recreational water activities. The Indiana Department of Child Services and the Department of Natural Resources are reminding parents and guardians to ensure they keep an eye on children playing in or near bodies of water.
In 2011, 11 Hoosier children drowned, and Mary Beth Bonaventura, director of the IDCS, said lack of supervision is mostly to blame. Children, she said, don’t usually have an awareness of the risks around water, and it’s up to adults to supervise them and ensure their safety.
Teenagers Arrested on Drug Charges
Two LaPorte County teenagers have been arrested by the LaPorte County Metro Operations Unit on drug charges.
18-year-old Matthew E. Jageman and 19-year-old Brandon L. Williams were both arrested without incident and are being held in the LaPorte County Jail with bonds set at $25,000.
Jageman has been charged with Dealing in a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance (heroin), Possession of a Schedule 1 Controlled Substance, Possession of a Schedule III Controlled Substance and Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance. Williams has been charged with Aiding, Inducing, or Causing an Offense, Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance and Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance.
The pair will appear for their initial hearing in LaPorte County Circuit Court on Friday, June 28.