The Winamac Parkway is a step closer to getting a landscaping upgrade. Last week, ProscapeS Unlimited presented a preliminary landscaping plan to the Winamac Park Board.
Highway Superintendent Completes ADA Audits of County Buildings
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler reported to the Starke County Commissioners Monday night that the county buildings fared pretty well during a recent ADA audit.
Ritzler said only minor issues were found.
“I did an initial ADA audit of the courthouse, annex building, annex 2 with Jim Coad, I did the highway garage myself, and did the justice center with Tony Mildice,” explained Ritzler. “There were no deficiencies found at the justice center. Three were found in the new annex building, four in the courthouse, three in the annex and two at the garage. Most of those were just minor things like signage and counter height. The only major one that we had there was no curb cut at the new annex building in the front.”
Pulaski Commissioners Approve Demolition Bid for Medaryville Blight Elimination Project
Demolition will soon begin on a dilapidated Medaryville home. On Monday, the Pulaski County Commissioners approved an $11,800 bid from Freedom First Excavating and Demolition of Kokomo. That was the only bid the county received for the work.
Knox Employees May Get Three-Percent Pay Increase in 2018
Knox employees may be getting a three-percent pay raise in 2018. During the city council’s budget work session Tuesday, Mayor Dennis Estok said the city has saved money by switching health insurance providers, but that’s led to higher out-of-pocket costs for employees. Continue reading
Culver Town Council Holds off on Movie Theater Project
The Culver Town Council decided Tuesday night to hold off on moving forward with any plans for the Culver movie theater.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist recommended waiting to see what the budget outlook will be in 2018 and pick up the conversation then. The property is for sale and it could sell by the time the council feels comfortable in revisiting a proposal to study facility and rehabilitation needs for the building.
School Board Approves Personnel Items, Boiler Replacement Bid
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board is making some final preparations for the start of the school year tomorrow.
Lake Max Triathlon Set for Saturday
The Lake Max Triathlon is set for Saturday, Aug. 12 in Culver.
Pre-race activities begin on Friday with packet pick-up and body markings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the registration tent. A concert in the Culver Town Park with the Kevin McDaniel Band will begin at 7 p.m.
Officer Injured after Assisting with Fatal Accident Investigation
A La Porte City Police officer was injured in a one vehicle accident after assisting in an investigation of a fatal accident.
Police say Officer Trent Mamazza helped clear the scene where a bicyclist rode into the path of a semi truck on J Street at the intersection of 6th Street. The bicyclist was taken to La Porte Hospital and pronounced dead.
Bicyclist Dies after Accident with Semi
A 53-year-old Hammond man died after he reportedly rode his bicycle into the path of an oncoming semi truck.
On Monday evening, La Porte City Police say witnesses saw the semi turning north on J Street at the intersection of 6th Street in La Porte and had a green light. A bicyclist, Glen Byrley, disregarded the signal and drove his bicycle into the path of the semi, according to the press release. The driver of the semi, 63-year-old Jeffrey Smith from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, reportedly could not stop in time to avoid a collision.
Pulaski County Commissioners Deny CAFO Rezoning Request
A new confined hog feeding operation will not be coming to rural Pulaski County. The county commissioners voted Monday to deny a request to rezone a piece of property at 300 South and 700 West from General Agriculture to Intensive Agriculture. That would have allowed for the construction of four wean-to-finish pig production buildings.
Starke County Sheriff Requests Three Full-Time Staff Members
The Starke County Commissioners considered a proposal from Sheriff Bill Dulin to move three part-time employees to full-time positions at the Starke County Sheriff’s Office in 2018.
Sheriff Dulin said he’d like to have a full-time receptionist, full-time cook and full-time 911 operator. He said a significant savings in part-time funding would be saved if these three employees moved to full-time. He is also asking for a raise of $1,000 for dispatchers to be included in the 2018 budget.
Medaryville Moving Ahead with Plans for New Water Tower
The Town of Medaryville is working on plans for a new water tower. According to officials in the clerk-treasurer’s office, the plan is to build the water tower across the street from the town hall, on land currently owned by the Diocese of Lafayette. During a special session Friday, the town council voted to make an official offer to buy the two parcels for $6,000.
Winamac Park Board Sees Success with Pickleball Courts
The Winamac Town Park’s new pickleball courts are proving to be a success. During last week’s park board meeting, board member Jon Chapman said there’s been a lot of interest. Continue reading
Culver Town Council to Meet Tonight
The Culver Town Council members will meet tonight where they will discuss what to do about the movie theater.
The council members will discuss a proposal given by SRKM for a study to be done and a possible timeline of improvements on the movie theater. The proposal is over $8,000 and will be considered as a potential town project.
Knox City Council to Work on 2018 Budget Tonight
The Knox City Council will work on the city’s 2018 budget tonight. Council members will meet for a budget work session at 6:15, followed by the council’s regular meeting at 7:00.
Two Dead After Series of Drug Overdoses in Southern LaPorte County
Winamac Park Board to Continue Exploring Veterans Memorial Park Options
The Winamac Park Board is scaling back its plans for upgrades to Veterans Memorial Park, at least for now. Park Board President Courtney Poor had suggested adding a decorative archway prominently displaying the name of the park. But during last week’s meeting, he said he has reconsidered, after residents complained the archway would clutter the park.
CAFO Rezoning Request to be Considered by Pulaski County Commissioners Tonight
The Pulaski County Commissioners are expected to make a decision on a confined animal feeding operation tonight. Back in May, the Pulaski County Advisory Plan Commission recommended that the property at 300 South and 700 West be rezoned from General Agriculture to Intensive Agriculture. That would allow for the construction of four wean-to-finish pig production buildings.
La Porte Police Conducting Enforcement Campaign
The La Porte City Police Department is joining 220 Indiana law enforcement agencies in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
Officers will be out in full force from mid-August through the Labor Day weekend in September targeting impaired drivers. They will increase sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols.
It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a (BAC) of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to one year. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Commissioners will discuss several items when they meet for their meeting later tonight.
EMS Director Travis Clary and Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie will have their regular report along with a review of the budget and a transfer request. The pair appeared before the county council last month asking for additional funds to help sustain the budget. Ambulance repairs have taken a toll on funds.
