Oregon-Davis Graduate Writes Book, Donates Copies to School

 
 

A 2009 Oregon-Davis graduate has written a book and donated several copies to the school corporation.

Karly Keiper, who was recently chosen as the State of Indiana’s “Student Teacher of the Year,” has written a book with others entitled, “He Huffed and He Puffed But…”. It tells a tale of Tim BurWulf and his taste for pigs, but he can’t blow the pigs’ houses down because he suffers from asthma. He eventually learns about the symptoms and treatments of asthma.

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O-D School Board Recognizes Retiring Teachers

Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
The Oregon-Davis School Board honored several retiring staff members at their meeting this week.

Bonnie Guse was honored for her 40 years of service to the Oregon-Davis Corporation. She was a 1969 graduate of Oregon-Davis and later graduated from Indiana Central in 1973. From there, she began her teaching career at O-D.

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Fiery Crash Closes U.S. 35

Crash Scene Pic
 
 

A fiery Friday afternoon crash on U.S. 35 in front of Stelrema closed the highway and sent one person to IU Health Starke Hospital to be checked out. It happened around 3:15 this afternoon. Jennifer Bye, 40, of LaPorte, was southbound on 35 in a Chevrolet TrailBlazer and slowed for a farm implement crossing CR 250 N. William Trent, 36, of Hamlet, was behind Bye in a Buick and was unable to avoid rear-ending her, spinning her SUV into a ditch on the east side of the highway. Trent’s car burst into flames. Neither driver was injured. A juvenile passenger in Bye’s car was taken by ambulance to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Firefighters from the Knox-Center Township Volunteer Fire Department extinguished the blaze. The heat was so intense a portion of the pavement beneath the car melted.

 

 

 

 

Three Arrested on Meth Charges at Hamlet Motel

MethLaw enforcement officers conducting a welfare check at a local motel arrested three people on a cache of drug charges. Deputies from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and officials from Starke County Community Correction went to the Stay 4 Less Motel on U.S. 30 in Hamlet yesterday to check on 57-year-old Michael Campbell of Knox. When they arrived, they reportedly saw occupants of room 4 run into a bathroom and hide. The officers found Brian Back, 28, and Monica Hunt, 26, both of Plymouth, hiding in the bathroom and reportedly saw several items used to make meth in plain view. They contacted Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall, who issued a search warrant for the room. Members of the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team assisted with the search, which reportedly turned up precursors, paraphernalia and meth. Back, Hunt and Campbell are jailed on charges of possession of meth, precursors and paraphernalia, manufacturing meth and maintaining a common nuisance. Formal charges are pending.

Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Bus Purchase

Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney
Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney

The Oregon-Davis School Board approved the purchase of a bus for special education students. Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney commented that the deadline was approaching for the purchase of these buses before the prices go up.

“If we waited a new more weeks on it, the prices probably would have gone up about $1,500 per bus,” explained Disney. “It’s a 66-passenger special education equipped bus with harnesses and a lift. Our bus was nearing 145,000 miles and we did not have a backup special education bus. This way we will have a backup when needed.”

Disney added that it’s important that the school provide properly equipped state required transportation for special needs students.

Oregon-Davis School Board Approves Superintendent’s Resignation

Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney
Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney
The Oregon-Davis School Board will be searching for a new superintendent as Dr. Steven Disney submitted his resignation for approval during Monday’s night’s school board meeting which the board ultimately approved.

“It’s been a terrific experience here at Oregon-Davis,” stated Disney. “A lot of thought has gone into this with my family. I have two children that are in seventh grade and fourth grade and being a superintendent takes away a lot of the time as a father and as a husband. I’ve always had a dream of teaching at higher education and have decided to accept a professorship with Indiana University and be close to home and have more time to be family person and still stay within education.”

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Hamlet Police Bust Meth Lab, Arrest Resident

Meth BustA Hamlet man was arrested without incident at his Pearl Street home Sunday night after police there executed a search warrant and found a meth lab. The Hamlet Police Department obtained a warrant for Corbyn Gayheart’s home after an eight-month-long investigation. He’s facing charges of over-purchase of pseudoephedrine, manufacturing and possession of methamphetamine, possession of meth within 1,000 feet of a park and maintaining a common nuisance. The Indiana State Police Meth Lab Team was called in to assist with the cleanup.

 

Oregon-Davis School Board to Hold Special Meeting

Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
The Oregon-Davis School Board will be meeting in a special session this morning at 8 a.m. with a full agenda.

The board members will be discussing off-campus cooperative programs including Auto Tech I and II, Construction, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Graphic Imaging, and Health and Science Education. The School-to-School and School-to-Work Programs will also be presented for discussion.

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Newly Approved Principal Eager to Begin at O-D

Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School

The Oregon-Davis School Board recently named a new high school principal to take the place of Greg Briles.

Tim Pletcher has been in education for the past 19 years and has spent his entire career at South Bend schools – mainly at Washington High School. He completed his undergraduate work at IUSB and he got his Master’s Degree from the University of Illinois. He also completed a doctorate at the University of Illinois and licensing at Indiana Wesleyan.

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Oregon-Davis Students to Participate in Mini-Relay

Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School
Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School

Oregon-Davis students will be collecting money for the American Cancer Society and walking in a mini-relay event at the school.

The mini-relay will be on Friday, May 10 beginning at 7:20 a.m. CT and the students will be walking during school for one class period to help raise money in the fight against cancer and learn about ways to stay healthy.

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DeMotte State Bank Relay for Life Pageant Draws 33 Contestants

 
 

Sunday’s inaugural Relay for Life Pageant, sponsored by DeMotte State Bank, drew an astounding 33 contestants, ranging in age from 1 to 18.

Coordinator Candice Miller hopes to raise $1,500 for cancer research through a combination of entry fees, ticket and concession sales and other donations. Miller says many of the contestants are taking part because proceeds benefit cancer research. That’s also why the DeMotte State Bank is fielding a team. Miller is a cancer survivor, and says many members of the bank’s close-knit staff have been touched by the disease.

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Plans Formulating for Yellowstone Trail Fest

Yellowstone Trail

Organizers for the Yellowstone Trail Festival in Hamlet in August are getting things ready for the big event.

Bands have been contacted for entertainment and new events will be held including a corn hole tournament, Red Cross Citizens CPR and the appearance of the Emergency Response Vehicle and the blood mobile. More contests that will be featured include tug-of-war, pie eating, arm wrestling and more. The car show will be returning as well as the town-wide yard sales. A fashion show and pageant, a mounted gunrunners demo, a trail ride, karaoke contest and more are also planned.

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Oregon-Davis Kindergarten Screenings Set for This Week

 
 

Parents of incoming kindergarten students may register their child for kindergarten on Tuesday, April 16 from 8 to 11 a.m., and from noon to 1 p.m., as well as Wednesday, April 17 from 1 to 6 p.m. CT.

To be eligible for enrollment, the child must be five on or before Aug. 1, 2013. You are urged to make an appointment for your child’s screening. Screening will take 15 minutes per child.

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Hamlet Police Recover Stolen Vehicle

 
 
Hamlet police officers recovered a stolen vehicle on Tuesday.

Officers were conducting a drug activity call at a Hamlet residence and asked questions about a vehicle parked in the driveway. Nobody in the residence claimed ownership to the vehicle. Upon further investigation, the license plate numbers were ran and the plate did not match the vehicle. The VIN number was also covered up and wires were hanging from the broken steering column.

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Oregon-Davis to Upgrade Camera Security System

Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney
Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney
The Oregon-Davis School Board is looking to update its camera security system.

Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney noted that the current system is 11 years old and with the growing age of technology and the need to provide the best security available for the staff and students, the board will be upgrading its system. Quotes will be received and the system will be installed once a bid is accepted.

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Hamlet Town Board Receives Police Update from Marshal Lonigro

Hamlet Town Marshal Frank Lonigro III
Hamlet Town Marshal Frank Lonigro III

The Hamlet Town Board this week received a report from Town Marshal Frank Lonigro III, who informed the board that his department in March made 51 traffic stops, responded to 50 calls, and made six arrests. He said the department is also working on getting a car repaired because the car battery regularly goes dead, and he said they suspect the accessory cables were to blame. The department will return the car to the business where the lights were installed and have them rectify the problem, and Lonigro said they will also fix the siren box.

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Possible Urban Chicken Ordinance Discussed by Hamlet Town Board

 
 

Following the trend of cities and towns that have passed similar ordinances, the Hamlet Town Board this week held a public hearing to gain input on the proposed idea of an ordinance regulating urban chickens – that is, chickens within town limits. Board President Dave Kesvormas printed a copy of the small livestock ordinance currently in place for South Bend which regulates how many chickens are allowed at a residence and the requirements that must be met to house any livestock.

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Public Hearing Set for Small Livestock Ordinance Discussion in Hamlet

  
 
Another public hearing concerning the discussion surrounding the making of a proposed small livestock ordinance for the town of Hamlet is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2 at 6:30 p.m. CT at the Hamlet Town Hall.

Hamlet Clerk-Treasurer Kristina Pitts had earlier reported that the proposed ordinance would allow residents in the town limits to house chickens on their property. She stated that several people have been in favor of the ordinance.

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