Starke County’s truck route ordinance will take effect June 1 following adoption Monday by the county commissioners. It applies to all vehicles with a gross combined vehicle weight of more than 38,000 pounds, which is the same standard the state uses. They are prohibited from using light vehicle routes unless a free permit is issued by the highway department or they qualify for an exemption. Registered farm vehicles, delivery trucks and school buses are exempt. Continue reading
Monterey Seeks Help from Pulaski County, after Sportsman’s Rubble Encroaches on Street
More than two years after the collapse of the Sportsman’s Bar and Grill in Monterey, some of the rubble still hasn’t been cleaned up. Continue reading
North Judson May Consider Adding Part-Time Ordinance Enforcement Officer
The Town of North Judson may soon be adding a part-time ordinance enforcement officer. Continue reading
Starke County Democrats to Choose New Assessor
The Starke County Democratic Party will caucus on May 25th to select a new assessor. Rhonda Milner is stepping down from that elected position on May 26th. Continue reading
Culver Town Council to Hear Public Input on Housing Project
The Culver Town Council will be opening up a public input session for discussion of the Sand Hill Farms workforce housing development project.
Town Manager Jonathan Leist explained that the project has been in the town’s comprehensive plan since the plan’s adoption in 2014. The lack of housing was identified as one of the main issues in the plan. Leist said a committee was formed to look into the project.
Winamac Park Board To Work on Budget Today
The Winamac Park Board will start putting together next year’s budget during a special session today. While board members consider the budget process to be relatively straightforward, the town may face a few challenges in the future if its swimming pool gets rebuilt. Continue reading
Culver Amphitheater Crowdfunding Effort Underway
It was announced Monday morning that the Town of Culver is part of a crowdfunding campaign to gather funds to build an amphitheater in the Culver Town Park.
The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) is partnering with the town in this effort where the agency will match $30,000 if the town can raise $30,000 toward the project. The town has until June 30 to round up donations. About a third of it has been collected so far.
N.J-S.P. School Board Approves 2017-18 Textbook Fees, Meal Prices, Elementary Handbook
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board is finalizing some plans for next school year. On Tuesday, board members approved the elementary school handbook, textbook fees, and meal prices for the 2017-2018. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Bus Purchase
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation is getting a new school bus. Superintendent Don Harman says the school board approved the purchase of a 2018 Bluebird 72-passenger bus Monday. Continue reading
Culver School Board Approves Technology Contract
Students in the Culver Community School Corporation will be using Apple iPads in the sixth year of the One-to-One Computer Initiative.
Technology Director Daniel Medesi said students in grades seven through 12 will be able to take their computers home while the addition of users in the third through sixth grades will leave theirs at the school. Kindergarten through second grade students will get to use the 10 iPads available in each classroom.
North Judson Council Hires Engineering Firm to Evaluate 205 and 207 Lane Street
North Judson officials hope to move forward soon with the demolition of a downtown building. Pulaski Circuit Judge Michael Shurn approved an emergency demolition order Monday morning, allowing the town to tear down the structure at 205 and 207 Lane Street without having to go through a bid process. But before that can happen, Shurn also asked that a structural engineering report be completed, to determine whether Doug Cassel can safely remove several pieces of his personal property. Continue reading
Starke County Commissioners Terminate EMA Director
The Starke County Commissioners are looking to hire a couple of department heads. They voted last night to terminate Emergency Management Agency Director Jacob Lippner, after being advised by the EMA Advisory Board that they have the authority to do so. Continue reading
Garbage Remains at Medaryville Property, Two Years After Owner’s Death
A Medaryville man reportedly left behind large amounts of garbage at his home when he passed away over two years ago, with no heirs willing to claim it. Now, town officials are asking for advice from the Pulaski County Commissioners on what to do next. Continue reading
N.J-S.P. School Board Planning for 2017-18
The North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation is planning for the next school year as the current one draws to a close. Continue reading
Culver School Board Hires New Dean of Students
The Culver Community School Board Monday night approved the hire of Mike Zehner as the new corporation Dean of Students.
Interim Superintendent Chuck Kitchell said that Zehner has been with the corporation for a year and feels that his move to administration is the best fit for the school as a whole. He will be taking the place of Julie Berndt who is moving to the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation as the new elementary school principal.
County Opioid Profiles Released by State Health Officials
Health problems related to opioid use are being tracked by the Indiana State Department of Health. County-level statistics on things like opioid overdoses resulting in a trip to the emergency room or death, as well as diseases like Hepatitis C that may indicate the sharing of needles, are all included in the new county opioid profiles. Continue reading
Structural Engineer to Evaluate North Judson Building Before Demolition
Demolition of a partially collapsed North Judson building is on hold until a structural engineer can be brought in to determine whether it’s safe for the owner to remove personal items from inside.
Part of the roof and upper floor of the structure at 205 and 207 Lane Street fell in last Thursday afternoon. The town sought an emergency demolition order to tear the structure down without having to go back through the bid process. Continue reading
Hadden Accused of Violating Pretrial Release Terms
The woman charged in connection with the March 3rd murder of a Knox man is back in jail.
Augusta Hadden, 39, is charged with the Level 5 felony offense of assisting a criminal. Court documents indicate she threw a cell phone out of a truck driven by murder suspect Edward Blackburn after he fatally shot Cord Colgrove at a rural North Judson residence. Continue reading
Starke County Truck Route Ordinance Set for Adoption Tonight
The Starke County Commissioners will consider a proposed heavy truck route ordinance on third and final reading when they meet tonight.
It looks to maximize three-to-one matching money from the state to pave nearly 120 miles of county roads with hot mix asphalt over the next decade.
Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says the eventual goal is to have all locations in the county within a mile of a hot-mix asphalt road. Right now Starke County has 10 miles of locally maintained hot mix asphalt roads. Continue reading
Five Year Infrastructure Plan Includes Knox Industrial Park Improvements
Updates to the roads through the Knox Industrial Park are included in the Starke County Highway Department’s five-year infrastructure plan. Continue reading
