Voters Say No to School Referendum
The results for the Knox Community School Corporation Special Election have been tallied and the voters in the school district have said no to a construction and rehabilitation project at the Palmer Wing of the Knox Elementary School.
There were 1,014 votes cast and of those, 556 votes were for against the referendum and 458 votes were for the referendum.
Wilma F. Wagoner Renforth
Funeral services for Wilma F. Wagoner Renforth, 88, of Plymouth are Saturday, May 11 at 11 a.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church. Visitation is Friday, May 10 from 4-8 p.m. at Van Gilder Funeral Home in Plymouth.
One Dies in Single Vehicle Accident in Marshall County
Betty Louise Koscher
A celebration of life service for Betty Louise Koscher, 78, of Chicago, formerly of Winamac, are Saturday, May 11 at 1 p.m. EDT at Frain Mortuary. Visitation is Saturday after 11 a.m. EDT at the funeral home.
Starke Commissioners Receive Jail Update
Voters Head to the Polls Today to Vote on Palmer Wing Project
Vote yes or vote no? The Knox Elementary School Palmer Wing project is now in the hands of the voters as taxpayers in the Knox school district head to the polls today. Voters will decide whether or not to finance through property taxes the construction of a new wing and the demolition of the old Palmer Wing, which Superintendent A.J. Gappa said is antiquated, dilapidated, and overall unfit for education.
Gappa said the wing was originally built nearly 60 years ago – a different time, he said, when electricity wasn’t as advanced, heating and cooling was much less effective, and fewer kids ate in the cafeteria. He said 20 years ago when the west wing of the school was added, California and Washington township schools were closed, bringing more students to the Knox school and putting more strain on the old cafeteria.
Marshall County Commissioners Act on WECS Ordinance Amendments
The Marshall County Commissioners acted on the Marshall County Plan Commission’s recommended amendments to an ordinance regulating Wind Energy Conversion Systems.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger reminded the board members that the amendments were presented to them on Monday, March 18 where the commissioners tabled a decision in order to dissect the many pages of recommendations. In a separate meeting, the commissioners asked for a resolution to ban wind farms altogether, but the plan commission later found that to be an unfavorable recommendation.
Pulaski County Commissioners Vote to Support Policy Change for Deputies
The Pulaski County Council and Commissioners will consider a controversial policy change during a joint meeting next week. Deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office contend they lost vacation and personal time when the county switched to calculating them by hours instead of days. That’s because they work 12-hour shifts, while most other county employees work seven hours per day. Continue reading
Absentee Voting Comes to a Close; Polls Open Today for Special Election
Absentee voting wrapped up yesterday in Starke County, but the totals aren’t all in yet. Clerk Evelyn Skronski told WKVI that 283 in-office ballots have been cast and 15 travel board votes have been collected. However, she said they do not yet have the total on mail-in ballots because they sent out 44 ballots and not all of them have been returned yet.
Voters in California, Center and Washington townships are eligible to vote in this special election, voicing their opinions on a public questions offered by the Knox Community School Board concerning a construction and remodeling project in the Palmer Wing at the elementary school.
The polls open today, giving the rest of the voters in the qualifying townships the opportunity to have their say in the matter. The polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 6 p.m., and Skronski said they’ll have the final results around 7 p.m.
Shooting Victim Faces Criminal Charges in Fulton County
Authorities in Fulton County say the armed man shot by a Kewanna homeowner when he broke into a Toner Street residence early Monday will face criminal charges when he’s released from the hospital. Michael Righter, 41, was reportedly there to shoot his soon-to-be ex-wife, Rebecca. Instead, her boyfriend, Camron Vawter, shot Righter before he could get to the bedroom where she was sleeping. Righter remains in critical condition at South Bend Memorial Hospital. Authorities say this is the latest in a series of incidents involving Righter and his soon-to-be-ex-wife.
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Reduce the Impact of Property Tax Increases Through Exemptions
Whether you support the Knox Elementary School Palmer Wing project or not, no one enjoys paying higher taxes. One way to reduce the impact of the possible increase in the property tax rate for those in the Knox school district is to take advantage of all the property tax deductions for which you are eligible, effectively lowering your assessed property value and reducing the amount of taxes you’re responsible for paying.
West Central School Board Discusses Affordable Care Act
The West Central School Board members discussed several topics at their meeting last week. Superintendent Charles Mellon said they are still trying to gather more information on the Affordable Care Act.
“We’re still looking at a little more direction from the IRS and the federal government,” stated Mellon. “I know some of the legislators at the federal level are saying this is a train wreck waiting to happen – that’s in the news more and more and schools are making some quick changes so that we’re in compliance.”
The board had to make some urgent changes when the plan was approved in January.
Mellon and the school board hope to have most of the changes ironed out quickly after those mandates come from the federal government.
Knox Community School Board Approves K-6 Reading Textbooks
The Knox Community School Board heard a presentation on reading textbooks from the Director of Curriculum and Instruction Peggy Shidaker, and Lori White, a third grade teacher last night.
They explained that every six years, a new textbook is needed for Kindergarten through the sixth grade level. Administrators, teachers and reading coaches on the textbook committee dissected five different companies for the right curriculum for the needs of the students.
Bella Vita Pregnancy Resource Center to Hold Third Annual Reception
IU Health Starke Hospital Employees to Participate in Day of Community Service
Volunteers will be at Wythogan Park in Knox on Friday, May 17 to expand and enhance trails and green spaces. Those participating will be meeting at Pavilion #2 and will assist in the project from noon to 4 p.m. CT.
Budget Cuts Rattle Medical Research; Patients Ultimately Affected
“That’s just devastating in terms of funding for research grants and just everything that goes into things related to research,” she said. “It’s the second-lowest funding since 2000.”
Pulaski County Police, Coroner Investigate Hanging
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department and the Pulaski County Coroner are investigating an apparent suicide in the Medaryville community.
The Pulaski County 911 Dispatch Center received a call Saturday afternoon that a man was hanging in a garage in Medaryville. The dispatchers, who are trained as emergency medical dispatchers, gave information over the phone on how to prolong the victim’s life until emergency responders could arrive at the scene. Richard Scott Reid, 46, was then airlifted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. He later died of the injuries he received in the hanging.
Pulaski County Police Investigate Head-on Crash
A Winamac man was arrested Friday after reportedly causing an injury accident in Pulaski County.
At 7:45 p.m. ET Thursday night, a head-on crash was reported to Pulaski County dispatch on County Road 300 West south of County Road 250 North. Witnesses and forensic evidence proved that 39-year-old Jennifer Keller was struck head-on after a vehicle driven by Joey Allen Frinkel, 28, was traveling sideways and in Keller’s path of travel. Keller and her 16-year-old son were taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital after receiving minor injuries in the accident. A passenger in Frinkel’s vehicle was taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to Parkview Memorial Hospital in Fort Wayne and is listed in critical condition.
Hamlet Police Bust Meth Lab, Arrest Resident
A Hamlet man was arrested without incident at his Pearl Street home Sunday night after police there executed a search warrant and found a meth lab. The Hamlet Police Department obtained a warrant for Corbyn Gayheart’s home after an eight-month-long investigation. He’s facing charges of over-purchase of pseudoephedrine, manufacturing and possession of methamphetamine, possession of meth within 1,000 feet of a park and maintaining a common nuisance. The Indiana State Police Meth Lab Team was called in to assist with the cleanup.
