Addressing the “revolving door” of repeat offenders in Pulaski County’s justice system is one of the goals behind its veterans treatment court.
Continue readingPulaski County Officials Tracking Veterans Court’s Impact on Recidivism
Veterans Treatment Court’s Impact Expected to Be Felt by Entire Community
Military veterans are a sizable part of Pulaski County’s population, but its veterans treatment court could have ripple effects throughout the broader community. Dr. Natalie Tucker is the program’s coordinator. “Pulaski County has about 12,500 residents, and we have over 1,000 veterans,” Tucker says, “so you’re talking almost 10-percent of our community has served in one of the branches of the military.”
Continue readingPulaski County Problem-Solving Court Helping Transform the Lives of Veterans
For veterans struggling with substance use disorder and mental health issues, a Pulaski County problem-solving court is giving them opportunities for change.
Continue readingRecreational Facility Upgrades Proposed with Constellation of Starke’s Stellar Finalist Money
Constellation of Starke is reporting positive feedback on its Regional Improvement Project. In an online community outreach event Thursday, Executive Committee Member Marty Lucas explained that the region got $333,000 for being a finalist in last year’s Stellar Communities Designation Program.
Continue readingKnox Mayor Touts Park Upgrades, Downtown Revitalization in State of the City Report
Knox Mayor Dennis Estok says his administration has accomplished much of what it set out to do when he retook office four years ago. The mayor gave a State of the City report to the city council Tuesday.
Continue readingPulaski County Council Member Calls for Commissioners’ Help in Stabilizing County Finances
As efforts continue to stabilize Pulaski County’s finances, some county council members are calling for help from the county commissioners. During Tuesday’s commissioners meeting, Council Member Ken Boswell said that while the council sets the budget, there are several things that only the commissioners can do.
Continue readingImpacts of Open School Enrollment Discussed with Hamlet Town Council
Open enrollment is leading students out of some smaller school districts. Ron Gifford with the Starke County Economic Development Foundation told the Hamlet Town Council Wednesday that the state is now giving more detail about where exactly students are attending school.
Kid’s Closet Ministry Looking for Volunteers
The start of the school year is right around the corner and Linda Lewandowski from the Kid’s Closet Ministry is looking for volunteers to help get kids in need get the supplies they need prior to the start of the school year.
Starke County Wants to be Designated a Regional Stellar Community and Officials Are Taking Steps to Get There
What will it take for Starke County to be designated a Regional Stellar Community?
That is the question that was answered Thursday night when various county, city and town officials met at the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Office to find out what steps they can start taking in order to submit a competitive application in the future. Continue reading
Oregon-Davis Superintendent Discusses Funding Options, As Referendum Approaches
If the Oregon-Davis school referendum fails to pass, property owners may still find themselves paying higher taxes in the coming years. That’s according to Superintendent Dr. Don Harman. The school corporation is asking voters to consider a property tax of up to 29 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for an eight-year period, replacing a 19-cent tax that’s set to expire next year.
Kankakee River Basin Commission Votes to Fund Preliminary Repair Costs
When Kankakee River Basin Commission members met Thursday morning, they permitted a total of $254,000 to be paid to three counties in order to assist with immediate repair needs resulting from the recent flooding.
Initially, members considered having all funding requests submitted at a meeting that would be held within the next 30 days but a few members said there were some issues with that idea. Continue reading
Metro Recycling Cancels North Judson Transfer Station Project
Metro Recycling has decided not to add a facility in the North Judson Industrial Park, after all. Complaints raised by a number of residents during last week’s North Judson Town Council meeting appear to have been successful in causing the company to reconsider its proposal to add a recycling transfer station, just outside the town limits. 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.
