Starke County’s Private School Receives One New Student on Voucher

Posted on Author WKVI

Weeks after Indiana began the nation’s broadest school voucher program, thousands of students have transferred from public to private schools such as to an all girls catholic school. This has caused a spike in enrollment at some Catholic institutions that were only recently on the brink of closing for lack of pupils.

John Elcesser, Executive Director of the Indiana Non-Public Education Association, said it’s not surprising that Catholic Schools are receiving so many of the vouchers. Most Catholic schools already have state accreditation, which some private schools lack.

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Pulaski County United Fund Begins Fall Campaign

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County United Fund Fall 2012 Campaign will kick off this month. Donations received in this year’s campaign will be used to award grant funding to 10 local non-profit agencies. The goal is $40,000.

You may donate with a direct money donation, or you may have the option of deducting money from your payroll check as your pledge. Many businesses offer employees the opportunity to give through payroll deduction and many will match employee contributions dollar for dollar. For more information, contact your Human Resources Department or call United Fund at (574) 946-7320.

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One-to-One Computer Initiative Running Smoothly at Knox Community Schools

Posted on Author WKVI

Students in the Middle and High Schools in Knox have been participating in the one-to-one computer initiative and Superintendent, A.J. Gappa said that it’s going well so far.

“As we look at it today, two weeks into the school year, because all of the computers are wireless, it was not letting everybody on at the same time for a couple of days,” he said. “We had the experts that installed the wireless system in our schools come back and work through some glitches and the second week has gone much better. Kids are engaged, teachers are engaged and things seem to be going well at this point.”

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Open House Planned at Washington Township Community Building

Posted on Author WKVI

Volunteers and community service workers have been working to renovate the Washington Township Community Building. The entire interior has been cleaned and painted, doors refinished and floors have been scrubbed and finished. The improvements have cost less than $1,000.

Township Trustee, Shelly Kemble, said an Open House is planned so the community can see all of the improvements.

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Two Suspects Arrested on Arson Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Ryan Taylor
Kenneth K. Wallace

Two men were arrested Tuesday after they were found to have set a vehicle on fire on the Gurley residence in Monterey.

Police were called after a witness saw a vehicle leaving the scene of a vehicle fire. Police approached the suspect vehicle and found Knox residents 35-year-old Ryan Taylor and 34-year-old Kenneth K. Wallace inside. The officer said that he was investigating a vehicle fire and told Taylor that it was his mother’s 2002 Pontiac Grand Am that was on fire. He said that the vehicle was in town at his grandmother’s house and it had been there for some time and it needed transmission work.

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Nearby Court to Host Case Involving Former Starke County Treasurer

Posted on Author WKVI
Linda Belork

A court appearance by attorneys who represent Starke County and Linda Belork was vacated yesterday. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall will sign an order today establishing the procedure for selecting a nearby court to hear Belork’s case in which she disputes being dismissed from conducting her duties as the County Treasurer. Belork’s attorney had asked for a change of venue from Starke County.

The suit was brought against the County to determine if officials had the legal right to relieve her of the Treasurer’s duties.

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300 Sign Petition to Deannex Tippecanoe Township from Culver Schools

Posted on Author WKVI
Monterey Elementary School

Over 300 signatures have been collected to deannex Tippecanoe Township from the Culver Community School District. The effort was made in response to the closing of the Monterey Elementary School.

At the time of the announcement of the closing, many in the township expressed their extreme displeasure, claiming it was promised that Monterey Elementary would stay open permanently. School officials in Culver said it was necessary to close the school as a cost cutting measure.

Monterey Elementary went through an extensive remodeling project 10 years ago.

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Knox School Board Meets with Constituents to Discuss Palmer Wing

Posted on Author WKVI

This spring, the Knox Community School Board met with a committee to discuss issues with the east end of the Elementary School, known as the Palmer Wing. The committee has found that there are some issues that need to be fixed with the 60-year-old infrastructure and building. The infrastructure is not built for today’s technology needs in terms of electric capacity and space. and water lines need to be replaced.

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Oregon-Davis Senior Class Joins Pop Tab Collection Effort

Posted on Author WKVI

The Oregon-Davis Senior Class of 2012 has joined the Ronald McDonald House “Collect-A-Million Pop Tabs” Club in honor of their former classmate Christina Rotering who lost her battle with cancer in April.

The Ronald McDonald House serves families whose children require care at an Indianapolis area hospital by offering them a home-like atmosphere where they can get the rest and renewal they need to be most supportive of their sick or injured child.

The goal is one million pop tabs collected by May 1st, 2012. Pop tabs are being collected at the Jr/Sr High Office from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT daily. For information on how the tabs collected will help the Ronald McDonald House, click here.

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INDOT to Stripe Highways

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana Department of Transportation urges drivers to be extremely cautious around wet paint on the road as LaPorte District crews apply pavement markings. About 5,600 lane miles will be re-striped in the LaPorte District now through October.

When encountering a road striping crew, use a generous following distance, avoid driving over the newly painted markings and never recklessly pull in front of or pass a striping operation. If drivers do get paint on their vehicles, they should attempt to wash the paint off as quickly as possible. Fresh paint will often come off easily with soap and water. However, after it dries only a specialist can remove it.

Starke County Officials Attend Corrections Convention in Colorado

Posted on Author WKVI
Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Councilman Dave Pearman, Chief Deputy Bill Dulin, Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem, Jail Commander Greg Hewitt

Starke County officials recently had the opportunity to travel to Denver, Colorado to attend a conference for the planning of new institutions. The conference was conducted by the National Institute of Corrections and most expenses were paid for by the Institute. Attending were Commissioner Kathy Norem, Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Chief Deputy Bill Dulin, Councilman Dave Pearman, and Jail Commander Greg Hewitt.

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Knox Woman Arrested after Using False Identification to Purchase Pseudoephedrine

Posted on Author WKVI
Shayna Howard

Knox City Police Department officers arrested a Knox woman, Thursday, after trying to purchase a pseudoephedrine product under a false name.

Police were called to Walgreens after Shayna Howard, 20, reportedly tried to buy a pseudoephedrine product after producing a false identification card. Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient found in the manufacture of methamphetamine. After she was arrested on a charge of Identity Deception, officers learned that drug activity may be occurring at Howard’s home on St. Louis Street. A search warrant was obtained and executed at the home where police reportedly found methamphetamine and a clear liquid in a prescription bottle. The liquid was sent to the Indiana State Police Lab for identification.

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Names Released from Friday Accident Near Hamlet

Posted on Author WKVI

The names of those involved in an accident at 600 East and 700 North have been released. The moped driver, Divvad Nieburrt of Grovertown, was hit by a pickup truck on Friday. His condition has been upgraded from critical to stable. Nieburrt was hit by a pickup truck driven by Brandon Ferch. Nieburrt apparently failed to stop at the intersection, pulling into the path of Ferch.

Ferch was not injured in the accident.

Knox Woman Arrested on Probation Revocation

Posted on Author WKVI
Ann Bradley

Knox City Police officers arrested a Knox woman Friday night on an active arrest warrant for probation revocation.

Officers were called to Dollar General in Knox where an employee reported a possible shoplifter.  When the suspect was identified by officers arrived, they found Ann Bradley, 33, of Knox, had an active arrest warrant and she was taken into custody.  She was in possession of store items, but proof was shown that she had paid for the items.  She was taken into custody for the warrant, which was issued earlier this month for a probation revocation.  She was originally charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class A Felony.  She is also being held for LaPorte County on a probation revocation warrant.

West Central School Board Concerned about Enrollment Numbers

Posted on Author WKVI

The West Central School Board discussed enrollment at their meeting last week.

The Average Daily Membership (ADM) taken at the beginning of this year was 824 students compared to 865 last year. This translates to a $250,100 loss in state support as tuition money follows the student. The actual ADM count will be in September when all students are encouraged to be in class that day so the School Corporation can receive all the money it can for every student that is enrolled.

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North Judson-San Pierre School Board Hires Teacher for Math, Science Classes

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson-San Pierre High School

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board met in regular session last week.

“We have increased numbers at the high school in our Math and Science classes so we did hire a teacher who is going to do part-time Math and part-time Science at the secondary level,” said Superintendent Lynn Johnson of some of the highlights of the meeting. “The boys basketball team are going to have their annual Golf Outing on October 15th. That’s their fundraiser for the year. We also had the adoption of the 2012 budget.”

Culver Community Schools Welcome New Employees

Posted on Author WKVI
Culver Community School Board
Culver Community School Board Members (from left, clockwise): Jack Jones, Ryan Seiber, Marilyn Swanson, Brad Schuldt, Eugene Baker, Jim Wentzel, Ed Behnke, Ken VanDePutte

With the new school year in full swing, two newly hired teachers and one new board member are settling into the routine at Culver Community Schools.

David Cooper will be replacing Gene Baker on the Culver School Board. Cooper is a Culver local, having grown up and graduated in Culver. Cooper is currently employed as maintenance supervisor for Plymouth’s Park and Recreations Department, and has been serving as a member of the Culver Fire Department for several years.

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