The J.E.S.S.E. Co-op is reorganizing. Rochester schools recently pulled out of the special education cooperative that administers more than 80 different special classes and resource programs which leaves 9 school corporations in our area participating in the program.
With the withdrawal of Rochester, Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the majority of the financial services will now come out of Plymouth Schools.
At the most recent meeting of the Knox City Council, appointments were made for several boards. Linda Berndt agreed to remain on the Starke County Development Board, newly elected City Councilman, Don Kring, will go on the Starke County Environmental Board, Ed Blue will remain on the Board of Works, and the Mayor re-appointed Ollie Lockridge and Jim Collins for the Knox Redevelopment Committee Board.
The North Judson Town Board approved the fire protection contract with Wayne Township at a price of $23,000, which is the same price paid in 2011. Two installments of $11,500 are paid to the Township a year for the service.
Mark Knebel from the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum told the Board that 6,280 people rode the trains this year. Since 2006, 22,452 have traveled on the Museum’s tourist trains. He said they were sold out on all Santa trains this year and had riders from Michigan and from the western part of Chicago.
The Starke County Historical Museum will be closed today through January 31st, for maintenance and repair.
Also, when you drive by the museum, you are urged to admire the Memorial Tree donated by Hensler’s Nursery. A record number of memorial bows and names have been attached this year. Toni Snearly, Historical Society volunteer, said that 285 bows have been placed on the tree at 401 South Main St., in Knox.
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A hearing will be held in Jasper County today on Linda Belork’s request to have a court-imposed Temporary Restraining Order removed allowing her to return to her duties as the Starke County Treasurer. Belork has been out of the office since August 13th after being removed by the County Commissioners following the issuance of a State Audit showing thousands of dollars in discrepancies.
The money has been found, but Belork has been blocked by the order from returning to office. Objecting to her return are the Starke County Commissioners. Judge John Potter will be seeking pertinent information from Belork’s attorney, Ethan Lowe, and Martin Lucas, attorney for the commissioners, during today’s hearing.
Indiana’s labor force increased by 13,600 in November, holding the state’s unemployment rate steady at 9.0%. Over the past four months, the state’s workforce has grown by almost 50,000. While Indiana saw a 0.4% increase in its labor force during the month, the U.S. labor force decreased by 0.2% percent in November, contributing to the decline in the nation’s unemployment rate from 9.0% to 8.6%.
A Winamac man was sentenced in U.S. District Court in South Bend this week.
Gary Marshall, 57, was sentenced to six months imprisonment and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to the felony offense of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Marshall had previous convictions for filing fictitious claims against the United States and transporting in interstate commerce, a falsely made security.
The North Judson Town Board decided to reject all trash bids they received for the 2012 contract proposal and will rebid the contract.
Attorney Cassie Hine told the Board that financial statements, equipment lists, and a notice of general liability insurance of at least $3 million were not included in the two bids that were received. The bidding process will be re-advertised with a clarification of what paperwork will need to be completed in the complete bid packet. The bid deadline will be at Noon CT on Monday, February 6th.
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa gave a facility study update to the School Board Monday night. The Board is gathering opinions from the public and teachers in the Elementary School on the Palmer Wing of the Elementary School.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board discussed teacher evaluation requirements at their meeting this week. Superintendent Lynn Johnson said that evaluations are necessary due to state law and those evaluations will determine merit pay for the teachers. The components that will be required are still being determined.
Kelly Manning from 21st Century Scholars and Senator Ed Charbonneau recognized Suzie Matzat during the Board meeting. She has been instrumental in keeping the program alive in the Middle School where she was the Guidance Counselor for many years and in the High School where she maintains that position. She was given a plaque as a result of her positive promotion in getting the word out about the program where students can earn free tuition to an Indiana College or University if they sign a contract and remain drug and alcohol free throughout their school career.
The Henry F. Schricker Award winner has been selected. Debbie Mix, the Executive Director of the Starke County Chamber of Commerce, said the name will not be released at this time, but the choice was difficult this year.
“It was a very difficult choice this year because anyone to has ever been nominated is still a nominee and we had several more this year and it was a difficult choice. I’m very excited for who is going to get this award,” said Mix.
The award dinner will be held January 19th at Bass Lake.
Ventriloquist/Comedian Christine Barger will be performing at the Snickerz Comedy Club in Ft. Wayne tonight and tomorrow.
Christine is a graduate of North Judson-San Pierre High School and she studied theatre at Ball State. After college, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career.
She planned to be back in the area over the holidays and her agent booked her into the Ft. Wayne venue. She said that she’s been trying to do a lot more with ventriloquism in the L.A. area.
The identity of a suspect arrested in connection with the robbery at CVS in Knox last night is still being withheld by Knox City Police.
Knox City Police responded to an armed robbery call at CVS at 9:18 p.m. An officer saw a vehicle leaving the scene at a high rate of speed and a traffic stop was initiated. The driver stopped, then backed into the police cruiser in an attempt to disable the vehicle. A pursuit began which lead into Marshall County. Both suspects abandoned the vehicle on Upas Road in Marshall County and one suspect was arrested. No further information was released by the Knox City Police Department and the robbery remains under investigation.
A Knox man who was injured in an early morning accident on Monday, December 5th has died. 43-year-old Thomas Guy passed away on Friday, December 16th in Memorial Hospital in South Bend.
Starke County Police responded to a single vehicle accident on December 5th at 4570 South and 100 East. Guy reportedly was traveling on County Road 100 East when he came over a hill and lost control of his vehicle, leaving the roadway and striking a tree. Guy was ejected from the vehicle and was taken to the hospital as a result of injuries sustained the accident. He died of those injuries on Friday.
Betty Dotlich, of rural Grovertown, appeared before the Starke County Commissioners again this week seeking information and assistance in halting the use of a structure she claims is improperly zoned. Dotlich has sought help several time in having a home owned by Julia Povalitis properly zoned, saying she doesn’t believe it meets minimum residential standards. Dotlich said it appears that it is still being used for housing.
Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Star City man, Thursday, on manufacturing methamphetamine charges.
Police had received a call of possible drug activity at a Star City residence on State Road 119. When police arrived, they asked Matthew Nolte if they could search the residence. He reportedly agreed and police found a large trash bag on the property with two-liter bottles with an off-white substance. Officers determined that with the consistency of the substance and the odor emitting from the container, it was meth. Police also reportedly found several precursors that are used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
North Judson Town Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller and Town Board President Dan Anderson said thank you to the community Monday night as they were recognized for their efforts as elected officials. They also welcomed Donna Henry and Tim Cummins who will taking over as Clerk-Treasurer and Town Board member January 2nd, 2012.
Pulaski County is now nearly $15,000 richer, thanks to a land auction recently held by the county. The auction, which occurred earlier this week, successfully sold 26 parcels of land including some vacated alleys that were combined with their adjoining parcel.
