As part of the change, effective today, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department will no longer accept paper handgun permits and will no longer fingerprint applicants.
Pulaski County Commissioners Discuss Defibrillator Purchases
“We’re looking at automatic external defibrillators – they get your heart going again,” Commissioner Larry Brady said. “We’d station these throughout the county buildings to use until the EMS system arrives. Most buildings have them laying around, and they are a wonderful asset when minutes count.”
Starke/Pulaski Habitat for Humanity Still Accepting Applications
Preschool Classes to begin April 2 at Knox Elementary School
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa brought the school board up to speed on the progress of the preschool class that will begin April 2.
“We have 23 students that have been tested and found to be eligible,” stated Gappa. “We have 12 signed up for the morning session and 11 in the afternoon session. We are providing transportation for the morning session. We will reevaluate that later to see if that could be added also for the afternoon session.”
New furniture will be installed this week during spring break.
“Supplies have been ordered and everybody’s been positive so far. The kids seem eager to go to school and the parents are all behind it 100 percent,” Gappa explained.
Severe Weather Preparedness Week March 24-30
Meth Suspect Remains in Starke County Jail
Detectives from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were conducting a meth investigation at 3131 S. State Road 39 in North Judson and found Woods sitting in a vehicle with his dog. Officers were given consent to search the vehicle and found an inactive meth lab and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
He was taken into custody and booked into the Starke County Jail on a preliminary charge of Dealing Methamphetamine, a Class B felony. He has not yet been in Starke Circuit Court for his initial hearing.
Several People Receive Sentences in Starke Circuit Court
Priscilla Bodine pleaded guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance as a Class D felony, while Timothy Bodine entered a guilty plea for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Receiving Stolen Property as Class D felonies. Priscilla was sentenced to 13 months in the Department of Corrections with the entirety of her sentence suspended to be served on probation. Timothy received a sentence of 14 months for both counts, and seven months was suspended for both counts against him; the sentences will be served concurrently. He will serve those seven suspended months on probation, while the executed sentence will be served on home detention with electronic monitoring through Starke County Community Corrections.
Matthew Bradley pleaded guilty on Wednesday to Theft as a Class D felony and was sentenced to 18 months in the Department of Corrections. His 18-month sentence was suspended with the exception of the 106 days he served in Starke County Jail. He will serve 12 months on probation.
VanMeter to Retire from Plymouth Schools After 33 Years of Service
After serving the school for more than three decades, Sharon VanMeter has announced that she will be retiring from Plymouth Community Schools. VanMeter started at the Plymouth Community School Corporation in 1980 at Jefferson Elementary, where she served as a teacher’s aide. In 1994, she transferred to Plymouth High School as a secretary.
Throughout her 33 years at the corporation, VanMeter has become a well-known face to thousands of staff and community members, teachers, parents, and students, having worked under five different principals.
Knox Community School Board Approves 2013-2014 School Calendar
“Teachers will return Aug. 12 and students will return on Aug. 13 which is a Tuesday,” explained Gappa. “The last day of school, if everything goes according to plan, would be May 29 with the records day on May 30. Commencement would be Friday, June 6, 2014. There would be two weeks off at Christmastime and three days off for Thanksgiving break. Good Friday next year will fall on April 18 so that is not part of spring break. We also have three contingency days built into the calendar for snow days.”
Teams are Still Needed for Starke County Relay for Life Event
Last year, over $56,000 was raised and Relay officials are hoping to match or exceed that goal this year. In order to reach that goal, they need to help in the fight against cancer.
Habitat for Humanity Receives Huge Donation from Alco
50 Families Honored with the Hoosier Homestead Award Friday
Fifty Hoosier families were honored with the presentation of the Hoosier Homestead Award by Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann and Indiana Agriculture Director Gina Sheets. Hoosier Homesteads are farms that have been owned by the same family for more than 100 consecutive years, and must produce at least $1000 worth of agricultural products per year or consist of at least 20 acres. The award ceremony took place on Friday at 1 p.m. in the North Atrium of the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis.
K9 Unit Approved by Plymouth City Council
Newly installed Plymouth Police Chief Dave Bacon recently approached the Plymouth City Council to request three vehicles for the police department that were budgeted for the year.
Chief Bacon said two cars will be used for regular patrol and an SUV will be used for K9 Officer John Wier and his partner, Jax, as it’s more sturdy and better equipped to meet their needs. K9 unit.
Local Residents Warned of Jury Duty Scam
Be on alert for a scam that’s been out for several years and could happen to you.
This is the scam: A caller identifying himself or herself as an officer of the court will mention that you failed to report to jury duty and a warrant is out for your arrest.
The caller will tell you that in order to clear up this mistake you will need to provide some verification which includes your birth date, social security number and maybe even a credit card number.
Keep in mind that court officers do not call you to say you are truant or that you need to provide any information to clear up an alleged warrant. Court officers never ask for confidential information over the phone. They normally correspond with prospective jurors by mail.
If you receive this type of call, call your local Sheriff’s Department or your local FBI District Office. Police remind you to never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
Marshall County Commissioners Approve Payment to Humane Society
The Marshall County Commissioners approved the payment of $7,000 to the Marshall County Humane Society. The county usually supports the humane society with $40,000 a year and had been behind in payments to the group.
The commissioners discussed the payment system and decided that the cost should be paid in January so the officials can budget their money they way they need to at the beginning of the year.
Auditor Penny Lukenbill urged the commissioners to draw up a contract with the humane society pertaining to the payment system as she can’t find a current contract. There was a contract, but the paper trail can not be accounted for.
The commissioners also approved a motion to pay EMA Director Clyde Avery out of county’s funds instead of having him get his salary through a grant distributed by the state. All three commissioners commented on how well Avery is conducting business out of his office. The state keeps raising the bar on points needed to obtain the grant and the commissioners know how hard he works to make sure the county is in compliance for a variety of issues.
It was unanimously approved to fund Avery’s salary out of the county budget.
Local Democratic Chairman Named 2nd District Chairman
A local Democratic Chairperson has been elected treasurer of the state’s Second Congressional District.
Kenny Wallace will join newly installed chairperson Carol McDaniel of LaPorte, Vice-Chair Lynn Coleman of South Bend and Secretary Jane Long of Wabash County.
Carol McDaniel stated that she looks forward to working with the team of officers for the next four years on issues that matter to working families.
Wallace, who is Starke County’s Starke County Democratic Chairman, expressed his excitement to serve as treasurer for the Second Congressional District. He will continue in his local duties to the Democrat party.
Open House Scheduled For Knox Elementary School Palmer Wing
An open house will be held Tuesday, April 2 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the Palmer Wing of the Knox Elementary School so you can tour the portion of the building that is up for a proposed construction project.
The construction of the Palmer Wing is in the fate of the voters of the Knox Community School District on May 7 where a yes or no majority vote determines the future of that portion of the building.
Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the open house is sponsored by the “Whatever it Takes Committee” who supports the project. The event will be held in the all-purpose room in the elementary school.
“That’s kind of the heart of the old building,” explained Gappa. “It’s connected to the affected areas including the kitchen and the boiler rooms. Tours will be offered to anybody who hasn’t been through the building.”
The open house is intended to be an informational meeting to address current building concerns, overview of the project and the impact on community members.
Plymouth City Council Approves Bids for New Police Vehicles
Newly installed Plymouth Police Chief Dave Bacon recently approached the Plymouth City Council to request three vehicles for the police department that were budgeted for the year. He says two will be used for regular patrol and an SUV will be used for the K9 unit. “We were looking at the all-wheel drive Ford utility vehicle, which is basically the Explorer to give to the K9,” explained Bacon. “We did get a bid on that and an approval for that. The two other vehicles will go into our patrol fleet.”
The council decided to purchase a sport utility vehicle for K9 officer John Wier and K9 Jax as it’s a more sturdy vehicle for the needs of the K9 unit.
“K9 units sometimes go off-road, depending on what type of situation they have, and that might call for a track out in the woods. In order to get him to where he needs to go, we thought a four-wheel drive vehicle would be the best for that,” Bacon explained.
The purchases were approved by the Council.
Meth Investigation Nets One Arrest
A Starke County man is jailed on meth charges after an investigation yesterday by deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office. They found Henry Wood and his dog sitting in the passenger seat of a tan vehicle parked at 3131 South State Road 39 in North Judson. Wood consented to a search of the vehicle, and deputies reportedly found an inactive meth lab and other articles used in the manufacture of meth. Wood faces charges of dealing in methamphetamine. The Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team was called in to assist with the cleanup.
Police Turn Bomb Threat Suspect Over to Proseuctor, Probation
A police report concerning the case involving a 15-year-old Plymouth High School student who reportedly admitted to writing a bomb threat on the boys bathroom wall in the high school on Jan. 23 is now in the hands of the Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney and the Marshall County Probation Department.
Plymouth Police Chief Dave Bacon said they have been investigating the incident since it happened and had narrowed the suspect pool down to a few students and then this student confessed to the act.
The student had reportedly written that a bomb would go off in the high school library at noon on January 24. Several police agencies searched the school and didn’t find any evidence of a bomb.
The student allegedly told police that he never meant any harm to students or faculty.
The Marshall County Probation officer and Prosecutor David Holmes will make a decision on what the juvenile’s charges will be and a decision has not been made yet.
