Pulaski County CDC Director Calls for Change in Culture, during State of the Economy Address

Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer delivers the 2019 State of the County Economy Address.

Pulaski County is its own worst enemy. That was the theme of the State of the County Economy Address delivered by Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer Tuesday. “This speech is supposed to be about the state of the Pulaski County economy, but ultimately, our problems are not economic,” he said. “They’re not even just about our fiscal health. It is time to admit what I have long been loath to acknowledge. The underlying problem hurting Pulaski County is cultural.”

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Pulaski County Commissioners to Hear from ‘Save the Courthouse’ Representative Tonight

The Pulaski County Commissioners will hear from a representative of the Save the Courthouse group tonight. The group formed after county officials unveiled a proposal last month to demolish the county’s 123-year-old courthouse and replace it with an addition to the Justice Center. At the time, Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston said the plan would address security and accessibility concerns, as well as a number of other issues, at about a third of the cost of renovating and expanding the existing courthouse.

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Local Fire Departments Organize Temporary Coverage for Railroad Township

Three local fire departments are teaming up to provide temporary coverage to Railroad Township. The North Judson-Wayne Township Volunteer Fire Department announced on Facebook Thursday that Chief Joe Leszek, along with the chiefs of the LaCrosse and Medaryville-White Post Township volunteer fire departments, have agreed to cover Railroad Township on a non-contracted basis.

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Facebook Helps Reunite Knox Man with Nurse Who Saved His Life

A 92-year-old Knox man was reunited Monday with the nurse who saved his life. It was Memorial Day when Leroy Gudeman, his wife, and two friends were having dinner at Applebee’s in Valparaiso, and he began choking on a piece of steak. He was able to indicate that he was not okay, and a member of the group began the Heimlich maneuver. Gudeman says that’s about all he remembers until he woke up in the hospital two days later.

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School Safety Update Given to Eastern Pulaski School Board

Local school officials continue reevaluating their safety procedures, following last month’s school shooting in Florida. The Eastern Pulaski School Board got an update Monday from the corporation’s school safety specialists, Middle School Principal Ryan Dickinson and High School Principal Rick DeFries, along with Chris Schramm from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office.

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Pulaski County Launches Government Facebook Page

Pulaski County residents can now keep up with county government on Facebook. Last week, the county commissioners agreed to let Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer set up a Pulaski County Government Facebook page. “That way, agendas, everything can be shared as soon as they go live on the website, that sort of thing,” Origer explained. “It’s just another way, for no cost other than the two minutes it might take to post something on there, to be more transparent and to communicate with the public better.”

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Pulaski County Commissioners to Consider Proposals for TV Tourism Commercials

Pulaski County Commissioners: Mike McClure, Jerry Locke, Kenny Becker

The Pulaski County Commissioners may be willing to consider a return to television advertising, as a way to promote tourism. The county ran tourism ads in the Chicago market back in 2016, but decided against doing it again last year. Instead, they opted to go with a cheaper online-only advertising package.

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