Starke County Community Foundation Announces Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists

Nearly 30 students applied for the 2018 Starke County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship and recently, the Starke County Community Foundation announced the five students who were chosen as finalists.

Seniors from Knox High Community School, Culver Community High School and North Judson-San Pierre High School are in the running to receive the scholarship.

The student chosen from Culver was Cody Rieckhoff who plans to study criminal justice. The North Judson-San Pierre finalist is Ashley Rearden who wants to go into business management. Three finalists are from Knox Community High School and they are Elizabeth McEntee, who plans to study neuro-biology, Cassandra Waletzko, who is considering concentrations in biology and forensic science and Daniel Darda who plans to study animation. Continue reading →

Francesville Woman Arrested, After Traffic Stop Reportedly Leads to Discovery of Meth, Marijuana

A Francesville woman was arrested on multiple drug charges Sunday, but not before allegedly resisting police officers. Deputies with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office say they pulled over a car driven by Kimberly Mitchell, 54, in the area of U.S. 421 and State Road 14. While speaking with her, officers say they smelled raw marijuana coming from the vehicle.

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Starke County Economic Development Foundation Manufacturer’s Day

The theme of this year’s Starke County Economic Development Foundation’s Manufacturer’s Day is “Focus on Your Future”. Students from Oregon-Davis, North Judson-San Pierre, Culver and Knox Community Schools will attend today’s event at Knox Middle School with their sights set on future employment.

More than 350 7th grade students and 200 senior students are anticipated to attend the program which is intended to ensure that students are aware of the available job opportunities within the county and the required skills, training and education needed to obtain a position and keep it.

Representatives from more than ten industries from around the county will be available to share any details about what their jobs entail and what they look for in potential employees. Continue reading →

Knox Water Superintendent Announces Completion of Brown Circle Waterline Project

Knox Water Department cutting road to install new 6″ ductile iron waterline to replace the 4″ galvanized waterline

Knox Water Superintendent Todd Gardner announced a milestone in the Brown Circle Waterline Project when the Knox City Council met Tuesday evening.

Gardner told the council members that all the houses that had been hooked up to the old waterline in the area of Brown Circle, were switched over to the new waterline Tuesday, allowing the water department to switch off the outdated system. Three new fire hydrants were also installed as a part of the project. Gardner said when everything was complete, 33 homes were hooked up to the new system.

The Brown Circle Waterline Project was tackled as a preventative measure since the waterline system that was installed in the area in the 1940s was constructed of steel galvanized pipes that had a lifespan of only 40-45 years. The pipes in place were pushing more than 70 years of use and were tangled under residences and yards. Continue reading →

Knox Community Schools Partner With Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation

Harold Welter approached the Knox School Board Tuesday night to discuss how the charitable foundation that was created in memory of his daughter could be a helpful resource to the school corporation. The Cheryl Lyn Welter Family Charitable Foundation was formed in order to assist underprivileged students in grades K-12 with expenses that are beyond what their families are able to afford.

Knox School Board members permitted the principals at each of the buildings to work with the Cheryl Lyn Foundation to process grants that would be provided to disadvantaged students at the elementary, middle and high schools.

Knox was just the first school board that Welter approached. He made plans to speak to the Eastern Pulaski School board in November and is meeting with the superintendent at North Judson-San Pierre later this week to arrange to be put on the agenda for their next board meeting. Continue reading →

Eastern Pulaski Community School Board Approves Donation From Gibraltar Design

The Eastern Pulaski School Board scholarship fund got a little bit bigger Monday night after the board approved a donation from Gibraltar Design.

Superintendent Dan Foster explained that in the past, Gibraltar had thanked the school corporation for their business by hosting a dinner or another social function of some kind. However, this year, rather than trying to coordinate with varying schedules the company decided to show their appreciation by sending a $250 donation.

Superintendent Foster said the money will go toward the annual school board scholarship which would bring it up to approximately $10,000.

Starke County Park Board May Consider Taking Ownership of Koontz Lake Lions Club Park

Koontz Lake Lions Club Memorial Park could soon be under county ownership. The Lions Club bought the site in the 1970s and has been running it as a park ever since. But with declining membership, club member Van Janovic approached the Starke County Park Board Tuesday to discuss the possibility of gradually handing the park over to the county. Continue reading →

Caucus to Replace NJ Clerk-Treasurer Scheduled for Tomorrow

A caucus to find a replacement for the clerk-treasurer position in North Judson is scheduled for this Thursday. The current clerk-treasurer, Alicia Collins, announced her resignation during the first North Judson Town Council meeting in October.

Alicia Collin’s last North Judson Town Council meeting will be October 16th and her final day at the office is October 20th. She told council members she will make her self available for training during the transition period. Continue reading →

Culver Town Council Considers Resolution for Residential Tax Abatement

The Culver Town Council members conducted a public hearing Tuesday night concerning a resolution to deem the Sand Hill Farms property an economic target area and an economic revitalization area per state statute for purposes of residential tax abatement. The abatement would be 100 percent for 10 years.

The Sand Hill Farms property will be home to a workforce development housing project offering 24-unit apartments.

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