No Complaints Burning Over Statewide Smoking Ban

Posted on Author WKVI

The state-wide smoking ban has been in effect for 11 days now and there have been no complaints issued to the Starke County Health Department or the Pulaski County Health Department. The county health departments are responsible for enforcement of the smoking law for all businesses, while the State Excise Police enforces businesses that sell alcohol and tobacco.

Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch said he’s been to a few businesses to check on their smoke-free status and he has received a few phone calls with questions concerning the law. For those businesses that have not received a business kit, there are kits available in Lynch’s office.

Terri Hansen from the Pulaski County Health Department says that her department has gotten a few calls, but she feels the two informational meetings held in June prior to the law change helped inform business owners and residents. If you have questions, you can view the smoking ban information on the state’s website at www.in.gov.

Knox Skate Park Committee To Be Established

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

Knox Mayor Rick Chambers announced this week that he and Chris McLaughlin of Werks BMX in Knox will be forming a committee to discuss ideas for improving the skate park – this after McLaughlin informed the city council that they need to find a way to raise funds to maintain the skate park.

Chambers said that the skate park had only been designed with a five-to-eight year life expectancy before it would need some heavy maintenance, and that deadline is quickly approaching. It was pointed out that there are grants available that the city can look into to have the skate park redone, but the price of such a project is pretty steep.

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Eastern Pulaski Schools Elated Over ISTEP Scores

Posted on Author WKVI

The ISTEP scores were released yesterday by Indiana State Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Bennett and Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman says the students did very well on the state standardized test.

“They did absolutely outstanding,” said Klitzman. “In terms of English and Language Arts, these are the percentages of students that passed the state test, third grade 95.4, fourth grade 92.2 and fifth grade 97.8. In Math, third grade 93.8, fourth grade 96.7 and fifth grade 97.8. In our middle school, they did well and they showed good growth.”

And that’s not even the best part!

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Knox High School Graphics Department Receives Flexo Press Machine

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox High School Graphic Arts Department has received a flexo press machine to help expand the many programs in that department.

The Mark Andy 830 flexo press comes from Bettylyn Kraft from the Phoenix Challenge. Knox High School is the only school in the state to add a flexo press to the print education program, allowing students to print packaging and other labels.

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Electronic Database Effectively Hinders Methamphetamine Production

Posted on Author WKVI

A nonprofit group says an electronic database used by Indiana pharmacists and police to track sales of cold medicines that can be used to produce methamphetamine blocked the sale of more than 57,000 boxes of medicine containing pseudoephedrine during the first six months of 2012.

The Lutherville, Md.-based National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators says data released by the National Precursor Log Exchange shows the system may have kept more than 132,000 grams of pseudoephedrine from being diverted by meth cookers.

A law that took effect Jan. 1 requires retailers selling ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to enter information about buyers and their purchases in the National Precursor Log Exchange. The system issues “stop-sale” alerts if buyers try to purchase more than the allowable limit within a 30-day period.

Pulaski County 4-H Fair Brings In Some Cash

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County 4-H Auction turned in some pretty impressive numbers in this year’s fair.

The total sales came to $136,456, which is up $3,000 from last year. One hundred and forty animals were sold. Swine brought in the most auction money with $61,722.60. The Grand Champion Barrow, shown by Regan Culp, was purchased by a Buyers Group for $15.00 per lb. for a total of $4,140. The Reserve Grand Champion Barrow, shown by Jessica Brandt, was purchased by a Buyers Group for $8 per lb. for a total of $2,144.

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Prescription Drug Abuse On Rise In Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI

Experts say the abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise in Indiana – this after an IU Center for Health Policy report indicated in 2010 that 55 percent of Americans over the age of 12 who have used pain relievers were given them from a relative or friend. The report also says that more than one million Hoosiers over the age of 12 admitted to misusing prescription drugs at least once in their lives – a startling 21 percent.

According to Fairbanks Medical Director Dr. Tim Kelly, addiction treatment centers nationwide are also seeing upwards of a 500 percent increase in the number of reported motor vehicle accidents that have been linked to prescription drug abuse.

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Scam Phone Calls Reported In The 574 Area Code

Posted on Author WKVI

1st Source Source Bank wants to remind customers that their bank will never call or send an e-mail asking for a client’s account number, password, or PIN – this after a number of fraudulent telephone calls were made on Sunday throughout Michiana instructing people to enter their full MasterCard number and PIN.

It appears a robotic calling system was used throughout the 574 area code which randomly selected telephone numbers to call, informing the customer that their 1st Source MasterCard was deactivated. The system then instructed the customer to enter their information for reactivation. While these scams typically focus on larger banks, the fraudsters have moved to regional and community bank clients in the hopes of tricking unsuspecting people into giving up their card information.

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Culver Town Manager David Schoeff Busy With Numerous Projects

Posted on Author WKVI

Recently-hired Culver Town Manager David Schoeff already has his work cut out for him, as the Town of Culver has a number of projects currently underway. Schoeff says one very important thing they are working on is a comprehensive plan project, which he says highlights some of the best aspects of the town.

“We want to redo the comprehensive plan, which obviously is a guidance document on how the community sees the town growing and prospering and so on,” Schoeff explained. “So that’s one thing, and with a town like Culver, this community has a lot of various assets that we need to identify. From an outsider looking in, it’s easy for me to see them, but for someone that may reside here for a long period of time, it kind of gets lost in the shuffle.”

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Medaryville Man Arrested For Domestic Battery

Posted on Author WKVI

A Medaryville man was arrested Tuesday after allegedly being involved in a domestic battery incident.

Police were called to a Jefferson Street address and when police knocked on the door, Carl Larkin told the officer that everything was fine and walked to the kitchen. The officer followed him inside the home and found a female victim with bruises and swelling to her face. She yelled that Larkin had hit her and the officer asked about the situation. The woman said that Larkin had come home and started yelling at her and hitting her with closed fists. She yelled at her daughter to call police and she did. She denied medical attention.

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Thirsty Winamac Teen Arrested For Residential Entry

Posted on Author WKVI

A Winamac teenager was arrested after entering a home without permission.

On Tuesday, Renata Heinsen told police that she received a text message from Samantha Keys stating that she was reportedly planning to go to Heinsen’s father’s home and take his vehicle. Keys was under Heinsen’s care until recently. When Heinsen went to check on the home, she noticed that someone had been in the house.

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LaPorte Hospital Foundation Receives $15,000 Grant

Posted on Author WKVI

The LaPorte Hospital Foundation, on behalf of IU Health Starke Hospital and the Starke Health Fund, was recently awarded a $15,000 grant from the Northern Indiana Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight breast cancer.

This grant will assist low-income, uninsured women age 40 and older and women of any age who are at high risk for breast cancer to receive screening or diagnostic mammography services through a physician’s referral. This year’s funding also provides for the purchase of breast biopsy equipment for the Imaging Department at IU Health Starke Hospital.

Call your physician or the Imaging Department at IU Health Starke Hospital to see if you qualify for a free screening or diagnostic mammogram voucher at (574) 772-1143.

Starke County Fireworks Net Almost $1000 Profit

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Fireworks event was a success last week.

According to Knox Mayor Rick Chambers, a profit was made in this year’s event. The fireworks show, hosted by Mad Bomber, was conducted at $7,800 and with other expenses, the total cost came to $8,559. Over $4,000 was donated toward the event, and gate fees totaled $2,437. Two fundraisers brought in a little over $2,500. In all, $9,461 was collected which provided a $902.46 profit for the city.

Mayor Chambers and the Fireworks Committee thanks everyone who was a part of this year’s success and the Mayor said the show will go on in 2013.

Marshall County Council Approves Appropriation Requests

Posted on Author WKVI

A number of additional appropriations were approved by the Marshall County Council at their recent meeting. One such appropriation was approved for the Highway Department, which requested an additional $250,000 to appropriate all of the county department budgets for vehicle maintenance supplies such as gasoline and diesel. According to Marshall County Auditor Penny Lukenbill, the department has agreements with Marshall-Starke Development Center and Older Adult Services to allow them to purchase gasoline from the highway department and reimburse them. The money that the organizations pay goes back into the general fund, so the department will occasionally request that the money be appropriated back into their budget so they can continue purchasing fuel.

A grant appropriation from the Sheriff’s Department was approved for $1500 to allow them to purchase a radar unit, and the Probation Department was approved for a $120,000 appropriation toward juvenile detention.

A resolution was also approved at the meeting to transfer appropriations from the two local 911 funds into the new statewide 911 fund, which was combined at the state level legislatively this year.

More Than Fifty Officers Participate In Two-Week Bicycle Ride

Posted on Author WKVI

The 10th annual “Cops Cycling for Survivors” bicycle ride began in Indianapolis yesterday. More than 50 police officers are participating in a 13-day, 1000-mile ride throughout Indiana.

This year’s ride is in memory of Terre Haute Police Officer Brent Long who was shot and killed on July 11, 2011 as he and other officers served an arrest warrant. The purpose of the ride is to support survivors and to promote the Indiana Chapter of Concerns of Police Survivors.

The journey will take the riders to New Carlisle on Friday, July 13 at the New Carlisle Cemetery in LaPorte County. While there, a ceremony to honor the memory of Neil Thompson will be conducted. Thompson was a LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputy who was killed in the line of duty on September 21, 1980. After the ceremony, the entourage will travel to the LaPorte County Fire Department for lunch at around 10:30 a.m. CT.

A LaPorte County Sheriff’s Deputy is participating in this year’s ride. Sergeant Michael Kellems will be biking along the route which winds through Indiana and ends in Indianapolis.

Prescription Medication Disposal Sites Established In Plymouth, Bremen, Culver

Posted on Author WKVI

Bins for collection of unused, expired or unwanted prescription medication have been set up at the Marshall County Jail in Plymouth and at the Bremen and Culver Police Departments.

Mike Good from the Marshall County Solid Waste Management said if you deposit your medications at these locations, those drugs can be disposed of properly.

Collection of legal controlled medications had been handled only one time a year at the Health Fair. The new collection bins allow you to dispose of medications at any time during the year. You may also take your non-prescription and prescription medication to the Solid Waste site Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. For more information, call (574) 935-8618.

Firefighters Called to House Fire in North Judson

Posted on Author WKVI

The North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department was called to a house fire at 112 Lane Street Friday evening. Fire Chief Joe Leszek said the fire occurred at a multiple family dwelling and the structure sustained damage.

No preliminary cause of the fire has been given and it remains under investigation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office. More information on the fire will be released as the investigation unfolds.

Pulaski County Continues To House Some Starke County Inmates

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

An agreement has been made to house inmates from the Starke County Jail in the Pulaski County Jail. If the population goes over the rated capacity of 62, a certain number of inmates will be transported to the Pulaski County facility.

Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem explained that the agreement does come at a price.

“We pay them twenty dollars per day, per inmate and that they will house them, feed them and provide their medical care,” said Norem.

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Statewide 911 Fund Implemented July 1

Posted on Author WKVI

One of the new requirements that began July 1 was the statewide 911 Fund that replaces E911 and Wireless 911 funds. The Marshall County Council discussed the change at their recent meeting.

The state will now collect $0.90 for all landline and cell phones which replaces the current Marshall County-established landline fee of $1.53 and the $0.50 fee on cell phones. By statute, the county is guaranteed a “Hold Harmless” amount of $500,368, which is the average revenue for the past three fiscal years.

Remaining balances and budgets will be transferred from the two existing funds, E911 and Wireless 911 funds, into the new combined fund.

Pulaski County Dealing With Breaches In Protocol

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

A special executive meeting was held Friday for the Pulaski County Commissioners to discuss policy violations with two department heads that have not been following the employee handbook.

Both elected and appointed department heads have not been following the handbook, which outlines rules and procedures for employees to follow, providing across-the-board rules that apply to all employees.

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