The Starke County Environmental Management District will hold its two-day collection event in June.
The purpose of this event is to help residents get rid of unwanted and recyclable material from their households.
On Friday, June 13 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. CT, Starke County residents may discard tires, appliances, computers and televisions. Five tires will be accepted for free. One of those tires may be a farm-type tire.
The Knox fireworks committee will hold a fundraiser on June 21 to help gather funds for this year’s extravaganza.
The Saturday, July 5 celebration event will be at the Starke County Airport. The gates will open around 6 p.m. CT with the fireworks show at dusk. Several vendors will be available so you can go early and get a snack and listen to some music before the show begins.
The Starke County Youth Club is benefiting from Kankakee Valley REMC members who choose to round their monthly bills up to the nearest dollar. The organization received a $3,000 Operation Round Up grant from the electrical cooperative. SCYC Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says the money will provide supplies for the many science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) projects the club offers at sites across Starke County. She says the activities the club offers in an after-school setting help youngsters develop critical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving skills and build confidence. Visit www.thescyc.org for more information. Kankakee Valley REMC is a member-owned rural electric cooperative serving approximately 18,000 members throughout portions of Starke, Pulaski, Porter, Lake, Marshall, St. Joseph and LaPorte Counties. Members who take part in Operation Round Up donate an average of $6 per year, which is then distributed to local nonprofit organizations throughout the service territory.
The deadline to enter the annual North Judson Mint Festival Father & Grandfather of the Year contest is fast approaching. Entries are due Saturday, May 31. Any child from the North Judson – San Pierre School District can nominate their father or grandfather. The essay must be in a child’s handwriting and include the name of their father or grandfathers as well as their name, an address and phone number. All local NJ-SP children are encouraged to get involved. Proposals can be sent to Father/Grandfather of the Year, Mint Festival, P.O. Box 33, North Judson, IN 46366.
The Henry F. Shricker Public Library in Knox is offering programs for everyone this weekend. Elwood Staffing is sponsoring a job fair tomorrow from 10 a.m until 2 p.m. This program is open to all local adults and will take place in the meeting room of the library.
On Saturday, local man Jack O’Malley will be hosting a program and planting flowers that attract monarch butterflies. This opportunity is aimed at young adults but open to everyone. This special gardening event happening at 10 a.m Saturday, but it will run all weekend. This is the first of several summer programs in the butterfly garden at the library. For more information regarding library programs you can contact Andrea Brown at abrown@starkecountylibrary.org or call her at 574-772-7323.
The Starke County Election Board met Tuesday morning to discuss some issues that arose during the Primary Election.
Pat Mitchell, who has been a member of the Starke County Election Board for many years, tendered his resignation. He cited declining health as his reason for resigning, but noted that he’s enjoyed serving the county in this capacity for many years.
Golfers can take to the links for a good cause Saturday. The Demotte State Bank Relay for Life team is hosting a golf outing at Chesapeake Run Golf Course. There’s still time to sign up or sponsor a hole. All proceeds go to Starke County Relay for Life. Candice Miller says golfers will also have a shot at a large prize. Cambe Chevrolet has donated a new car, and the first golfer to hit a hole-in-one will win it.
The Demotte State Bank team is one of several taking part in the Starke County Relay for Life on June 21 and 22nd at the Hamlet Fairgrounds. Miller says it’s a very family-oriented event that raises money for and awareness of cancer research. She adds it’s special to her for personal reasons because a lot of her family members have been affected by or lost their lives to cancer. Miller is also a cancer survivor. She calls Relay for Life a “really excellent organization” and says she tries to promote it in any way she can.
Stop by Demotte State Bank to sign up for Saturday’s Relay for Life Golf Tournament or to get more information about hole sponsorship opportunities.
A Memorial Day accident on Bass Lake sends two people to the hospital. A personal watercraft driven by Jeremy Hershman, 33, of Willets, Calif. hit a watercraft operated by Amanda Marsh, 26, of North Judson, at a right angle, according to a news release from the DNR. Both were thrown into the water. Marsh was able to right her craft and drive it back to the shore. A boater helped Hershman into a pontoon boat and took him to shore for treatment. Starke County EMS took both to IU Health Starke Hospital. Marsh was treated for minor injuries and released. Hershman suffered broken ribs, fractured vertebrae and fluid on the lungs. He was transferred to Memorial Hospital of South Bend for additional treatment. Both Marsh and Hershman were wearing life jackets when the crash occurred. It’s still under investigation.
The Starke County Election Board members will meet today at 9 a.m. to go over several complaints issued during the Primary Election.
The board members will discuss complaints from the poll workers, from candidates and supporter and about the food vendor. Remedies will be considered for the General Election.
A candidate has withdrawn and more information will be available during the meeting.
The Starke County Election Board will meet in the second floor meeting room in the Starke County Courthouse.
Starke County residents are encouraged to take “another step forward” this summer. That’s the name of the second annual “Moving Starke County Forward” walking challenge. Last year 250 residents collectively walked 27,000 miles between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s enough to lap the globe three times. This year’s goal is a more ambitious 50,000 miles. Coordinator Ryan Greer hopes 500 people will sign up. He adds miles don’t have to be earned by walking. Other types of physical activity like swimming, bicycle riding and jogging can also be logged toward the total. A kickoff event will take place Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. at Wythogen Park in Knox. If you can’t make it, registration sheets are available at local libraries, city and town halls and can be picked up throughout the summer. More information about this year’s walking challenge and other initiatives is also available on the Moving Starke County Forward Facebook page.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation will take part in the federal summer food service program this year. Free breakfast and lunch will be available to all children through age 18 each Monday through Thursday from June 9 through 26. Food will also be served to adults who are enrolled in a state approved education program for the mentally or physically disabled. All meals will be served at the North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School cafeteria. Breakfast will be offered from 7:30 until 8 a.m. daily. Lunch will be served from 11:15 a.m. until noon. Adults may eat there for a nominal charge. Adult breakfasts cost $1, and lunches are $2.
The Town of North Judson now has a social networking policy on the books for its employees. It applies to all full and part-time workers, elected officials and any other person or persons or department in close association with the town. Board members adopted the policy when they met Monday night. It recognizes that people may use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites and reminds them that their postings may have an adverse effect on the town or themselves. Employees are urged to monitor content in which they are tagged and only post work-related information with permission. The policy does allow the clerk-treasurer to post information about upcoming town events or needs on social media sites with approval from the council. To read the policy, click here SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY-05-19-2014. Continue reading
The unemployment rate for the state and for individual counties was released this week.
The rate in Starke County dropped a point, according to the April statistics. The rate is 6.9 percent which is a 1.3 percent decrease. Starke County still ranks in the top ten in unemployment. All 92 counties reported a decrease in the unemployment rate.
The North Judson- San Pierre School Board approved a contract to add wireless Internet to the schools. They received two bids for the project. IT Solutions offered a lower price, but it did not include installation or tech support. Cubit Technology’s price includes both. Director of Media Services Sheila Akers is confident in their ability to successfully do their job. The school board voted unanimously to go with Cubit. The project will be paid for with a common school loan. Even though the board isn’t sure how much money they will get, they had to act quickly. Installation needs to begin by July 7 in order to be finished when school starts.
The North Judson – San Pierre school board has postponed definite decisions about how to slash $1.2 million from the corporation’s budget.
They’re awaiting more information about retirements and transfers. Monday evening the board members did approve a budget calender. Treasurer Guy Richie will present information to the school board and superintendent on July 15.
Officers from the North Judson Police Department, with the assistance of the Hobart K9 officers, conducted a drug sweep at the North Judson-San Pierre high school and at the middle school on Wednesday morning.
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely told WKVI that there was nothing found during the sweep. The four K9 handlers and dogs checked lockers and vehicles and officers did not find any illegal substances. The K9s did indicate on a couple of items, but Vessely believes it was a passive result as no evidence was found.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board will consider final recommendations to slash $1.2 million from the corporation’s budget when they meet this evening. Superintendent Lynn Johnson has repeatedly stressed the committee tasked with finding places to cut wants to eliminate positions and not jobs. She says several faculty members are retiring this year, and those positions likely will not be filled in order to bridge the gap.
The board may also move forward with the implementation of wireless Internet access this evening. The goal is to have that infrastructure in place when school starts in August. Other items on tonight’s agenda include approval of textbook fees and school meal prices for the upcoming year and discussion of the summer swim proposal at the high school pool. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the board room at the N.J.-S.P. central office.
Are you having trouble making ends meet? No need to worry about affording groceries this week because representatives from the Food Bank of Northern Indiana will be making rounds in the area providing food to less fortunate Indiana residents.
This Mobile Food Pantry works on a first come, first served basis. The only requirements needed are a valid Indiana driver’s license or ID and bags or boxes to carry your food.
The Crossing accredited alternative school in Starke County is moving along, according to Executive Director Rob Staley.
He told WKVI News that several community meetings have been held and he’s encouraged about seeing the leaders that are jumping on board in support of the school. He noted that there is a great need in the community to help educate students who may have been expelled, dropped out or home-schooled.
A North Judson resident was sentenced to four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections in a hearing in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning.
Cody Barnette, 20, previously pleaded guilty to charges of escape as a Class C Felony and misdemeanor charges of trespass and criminal mischief.
