Is this the week the minority Democrat House members come back to the Statehouse? At last report, the Democrats were still holding out in Urbana, Illinois waiting for concessions to demands on education and labor bills. The Democrats have not been in the Statehouse since February 21st.
Fifth District State Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) said when the Democrats finally come back, he’s fearful the atmosphere will be so poisoned that congenial give-and-take will be impossible.
The North Judson Town Board approved the first reading of an ordinance that establishes bidder requirements when the Board seeks bids on a project. The ordinance sets guidelines and wording on companies bidding on projects. Normally the Board accepts the lowest bid for a project. This ordinance lets the Board accept the second lowest bid if the lowest bid does not meet bid specifications of the project and if the bidder is not a responsible bidder.
The Starke County Election Board is gearing up for its first election with the consolidation of four precincts into one this spring. Center one, two, three and four precincts will all vote in the Knox Community Center.
Tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. CT, the public will be able to test the voting machines. The testing will be done on the first floor of the Courthouse.
Following the testing, the Election Board will meet. The Board will discuss the amendment of a resolution regarding the relocation of the precincts and the number of poll workers.
This week is Doctor’s Appreciation week at IU Health Starke Hospital. Today, Dr. Almuhannad Alfran, a Hospitalist at the Starke hospital is in to talk about his area of responsibility.
We asked Dr. Alfran what constitutes the responsibility of a Hospitalist.
“A Hospitalist is a physician who has special training in managing patients who are admitted to the hospital,” said Dr. Alfran. “You can call them specialists in hospital medicine or treating patients in the hospital. A lot of times they are internal medicine and family practice physicians but with more particular experience and training in managing the more critically ill patients. Patients who are admitted to the hospital are usually sicker and need a lot more attention than patients who you see in the office. Sometimes with these patients, you need to go back in ten minutes to take care of them rather than telling them to come back in a week. They need a physician to be available should that moment come.”
The City of Knox will be participating in the residential and business sidewalk replacement program again this year and residents and business owners are encouraged to get in their applications as soon as possible.
The City will pay 50% of the cost of material and labor for sidewalk replacement on a first come, first served basis and as monies are available to support the program. The Street Superintendent will measure and inspect the request and approve or disapprove the work order. After a bid is awarded to a contractor, the property owner will be notified of the cost and must pay 50% to the City before construction can begin. If not, the project will be placed on the bottom of the work schedule.
Applications may be picked up at City Hall and they must be dated and received by Thursday, April 21st.
Here are the candidates for the spring primary in Knox:
Knox City Court Judge:
(R) Charles Hasnerl
Knox Mayor:
(D) Rick Chambers
(D) Mark C. Smith
Knox City Clerk Treasurer:
(D) Jeff Houston
(D) Clarence Marshall
Knox City Council District 1:
(D) Donald Kring
Knox City Council District 2:
(D) Ronald E. Parker
(D) Robert “Bob” Shireman
Knox City Council District 3:
(D) Jeff V. Berg
Knox City Council District 4:
(D) Greg Matt
Knox City Council At-Large:
(D) Linda Berndt
North Judson and Hamlet candidates have until August 1st to file. Here are the candidates who have already filed in the Starke County Clerk’s Office:
Hamlet Town Clerk-Treasurer:
(R) Debra Sue Goble
(D) Kristina Pitts
Hamlet Town Board Ward #1:
(D) Brian Earnest
Hamlet Town Board Ward #2:
(R) Dave Kesvormas
Hamlet Town Board Ward #3
(D) Frank Lonigro, Jr.
(D) Bob Yung
North Judson Town Clerk-Treasurer:
(D) Connie Miller
North Judson Town Board Ward #1
(D) Jane Ellen Felchuk
North Judson Town Board Ward #2
No candidate
North Judson Town Board Ward #3
(D) Daniel Anderson
Winamac, Monterey, Medaryville, and Francesville candidates have until August 1st to file. Here are the candidates who have already filed in the Pulaski County Clerk’s Office:
Winamac Town Clerk-Treasurer
(R) Christina Hoffa
(R) Melanie Parish Berger
Monterey Town Clerk-Treasurer
(D) Linda McCune
Medaryville Town Clerk-Treasurer
(D) Judy Karen Harwood
Monterey Town Board Members:
(D) Christine Fox
Medaryville Town Board Members:
(D) Nema Rachel Wireman
(D) Bernard Gene Payne
(D) Ricky Lyn Prater
Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:
Sam Frain has been named the second district acting Republican Party Chairman. He is finishing the term of Joyce Smith who passed away Wednesday. A caucus will be held in April to permanently fill the vacancy and Frain is expected to be a candidate for the position.
The Eastern Pulaski School Board may eliminate the Driver’s Training course from its curriculum. While most school corporations offer the class in the summer and through private contractors, Eastern Pulaski offers it as an elective class during the school year. Continue reading
After being understaffed for years, the Starke County Treasurer’s office may finally get a full-time clerk. Two treasurers have pleaded for help, but the request was never granted.
Treasurer Linda Belork came before the Starke County Council this week asking for the full-time help. Again, she was denied on a 4-2 vote. Council President, Mark Smith, explains that part of the action.
The North Judson Town Board approved Nies Engineering to work on the sewer separation project on State Road 39. Three applicants were interviewed and the committee chosen to do the interviews recommended Nies Engineering for the project. The contract is not to exceed $83,781.
Two representatives from the Indiana Historical Association asked the Board if they could do a World War II reenactment on June 4th and 5th on the old railroad property on Luken Street. They have the owner’s permission to hold the event on that property but they need to fill out a special event permit for the Board’s approval. The permit will be reviewed at the Board’s next meeting.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department is seeking information on a theft from the San Pierre Auto dealership.
On Tuesday, March 22nd, officers were called to San Pierre Auto in reference to a broken window in the building. The suspect or suspects broke out the front window of the building and it looked like they crawled through the window to enter the business. While inside, the suspect(s) went through the desk drawers and cabinets throughout the building. They took five vehicle titles from a desk drawer, key fobs for four vehicles from a cabinet, one new NAPA battery, a battery jump pack and one expired dealer plate from 2008. It also appeared the suspect(s) went into the garage and went through all the tools. A knife reportedly used to pry open a safe was taken into evidence by police.
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers told the Knox City Council this week that the first appraisal on the Dean Wells property across from City Hall has been received.
“It was appraised at $110,000 and where do you want to go from here?” Mayor Chambers asked the Council. “We need two appraisals, that’s required by the State. We can offer the average of the two. I have another appraiser lined up, so if we want to continue with this, we need a motion to obtain a second appraisal.”
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board discussed the marching band at its recent meeting. The marching band will continue and go through a rebuilding year. The Board hopes to see more fundraisers for the band and recruitment in the next year.
The Board hopes to work with the students and the band department to keep the program alive. Future meetings will entail planning and restructuring the marching band program to make it a sustainable program.
Do you have your boat dusted off for the fishing season? Conservation Officer, Keith Wildeman, says many people are doing just that. The fishes are not that big as what Jimmy John Shark caught, but they’re big enough to be proud of, if you’re lucky enough to catch one.
“A number of folks have been hitting Bass Lake and Koontz Lakes and the rivers,” said Wildeman. “Right now is a popular time for Walleye and Northern Pike fishing on the rivers. I’d like to remind folks to check the regulations. Regulations are available free of charge at most license vendors. Fishing licenses, up until March 31st, still require a 2010 fishing license as they are valid from April 1st to March 31st. Starting April 1st, the 2011 licenses are what folks are required.”
“Coach, I just stood by this guy he must be at least 7 feet, 4 inches tall.” That’s what Jerry Johnson said to Head Coach, George King, in the huddle before Purdue met UCLA in the final game of the 1969 NCAA basketball tournament.
“I’m 6-10 and he towers over me,” Johnson said.
“Don’t worry about it Jerry,” King replied. “We’re just counting on you to hold him under 33 points.”
Jerry tried and he did pretty well. Kareem Abdul Jabbar, known in those days as Lew Alcinder, only scored 37 against Johnson.
Kim & Susan Hall
A Plymouth man was arrested Wednesday evening after an officer showed up at his apartment to conduct a probation check and he attempted to escape police.
Police say an officer was dispatched to a residence at 301 E. Garro street in Plymouth after probation requested to check the subject to see if he had been drinking.
Once police arrived, Brandon Borem, 21, jumped out of his bathroom window then swam across the river.
After he got out of the water, police arrested Borem for Public Intoxication.
