Bailey’s is Featuring the Indiana Heart Gallery for National Adoption Awareness Month

Nearly 400,000 children are currently in foster care nationally. More than 100,000 of those kids are legally available for adoption. November is National Adoption Awareness month and one local business is doing their part to help connect children in need to individuals who may be looking to make an addition to their family.

From now until November 10th, Bailey’s Discount Center will feature a photo exhibit from the Indiana Heart Gallery. The Indiana Heart Gallery is an organization that travels around the state with compelling portraits and stories of children in need of adoptive families. In 2007, the program was started by the Indiana Department of Child Services in order to put actual faces on a need that sometimes seems invisible. Continue reading

New Program Aims to Curb Truancy

  
 

The Starke County Prosecutor’s Office, juvenile probation department and child protection services are joining forces with local schools in an effort to address truancy issues. Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff says this is becoming a significant problem in some schools, where students have anywhere from 30 to 40 unexcused absences. Beginning with the new semester that starts this week, he says the new program will offer a step-up approach. Continue reading

Father Speaks Out About DCS Investigation Into Daughter’s Death

 
 

A prescription dosing error and an apparent rush to judgment by state officials nearly a decade ago following the 2005 death of a Francesville girl cost her family their livelihood, home and reputations. Roman and Lynette Finnegan and their surviving children recently won a $31.5 million judgment against DCS officials and others involved in the investigation of their 14-year-old daughter Jessica’s death. She suffered from congestive heart failure and died as a result of an accidental overdose due to a prescribing error, according to court documents. Earlier this week Roman spoke exclusively with WKVI News and said he had no idea he and his wife were suspects in their daughter’s death.

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Candlelight Vigil Planned to Honor Victims of Child Abuse

 
 
April is Prevent Child Abuse Month and the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, CASA and the Department of Child Services in Starke County will be holding a candlelight vigil to honor victims of child abuse on Tuesday, April 16. CADA Representative Wendy Elam invites you to participate.

“We will have a moment of silence led by Pastor Heyboer from the First Baptist Church in Knox,” said Elam. “It will be held in the municipal parking lot adjacent to the Knox police station. Everyone is welcome.”

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