Starke County Council, Commissioners to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Starke County Council members will consider several fund requests this evening.

They will have a presentation of a refund from NIPSCO and consider transfer requests from the auditor’s office and the clerk’s office. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler will present transfer and additional appropriation requests and the sheriff’s budget will be discussed along with Sheriff Bill Dulin’s requests for fund transfers. The council members will also consider the 2018 salary ordinance and receive information from Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director Charlie Weaver. Continue reading →

Knox City Council Votes to Shed Some Light on Reported Darkness Downtown

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

The downtown area in Knox will be getting a little bit brighter thanks to a decision made by the Knox City Council last night. The council members voted unanimously to approve Mayor Dennis Estok’s request to replace 10 bulbs in the downtown area with new LED bulbs.

Mayor Estok started looking into new lighting options after receiving continuous complaints about the darkness downtown. He has been working with a representative from Herrman and Goetz, discussing the best route to take.

Estok started by installing one bulb on Main Street to have council members weigh in with their opinions. They all agreed that there was a noticeable difference. Estok said now that they know the bulbs are brighter, he wants to test out more in order to see how multiple bulbs would illuminate the area. Continue reading →

NIPSCO to Seek Increase in Natural Gas Bills

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

More than 25 years have gone by since NIPSCO has increased natural gas base rates, but that may change.

NIPSCO along with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission are looking to increase natural gas base rates as the cost to comply with state and federal safety standards has increased. According to a NIPSCO press release, the company has made additional investments in its aging gas system to improve service to 820,000 customers while maintaining more than 17,800 miles of pipelines.

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Free Trees Available to NIPSCO Customers

Posted on Author Jacque Ryan

Did you know strategic tree planting can help conserve energy and reduce energy bills? The Arbor Day Foundation program Energy-Saving Trees is offering 375 free trees to NIPSCO customers to simultaneously assist clients and the environment.

An online tool helps customers estimate the annual energy savings that will result from planting trees in the most strategic location near businesses or residences. The Energy-Saving Trees tool uses peer-reviewed scientific research from the USDA Forest Service’s i-Tree software to calculate estimated energy savings. Additionally, the tool estimates other benefits including cleaner air and reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Continue reading →

Starke County Council Creates Fund for Park Donations

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger

You can now make a donation to the Starke County Park Board. While the park board oversees a few different facilities, including the Bass Lake Beach and Campground and the Starke County Forest, it does not have a dedicated funding source from the county government. However, the county council last week created a “special non-reverting park and recreation fund,” designed to let the park board accept “gifts, donations, and subsidies.”

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NIPSCO Officials Stress Severe Weather Preparedness

Posted on Author WKVI

Now that summer appears to be here to stay, NIPSCO officials remind customers to prepare for possible severe weather.

Get a storm preparedness kit together before inclement weather strikes. It should include essential medicines, nonperishable food, water, flashlights, a fully-charged cell phone, portable radio and extra batteries. Make prior arrangements for a backup power supply if someone in your family requires life support equipment. Continue reading →

Markovitz to Celebrate 20 Years of South Shore Line Posters with Gallery Talk in Hammond

Posted on Author Michael Gallenberger
Artist Mitch Markovich in his Knox studio

Art and train enthusiasts will have a chance to learn more about the popular South Shore Line posters this weekend. Knox resident Mitch Markovitz is the artist behind the “Just Around the Corner” poster series. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, he’ll host a gallery talk Saturday morning at 10:30 at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond.  Continue reading →

Investment in Energy Efficiency Earns N.J.-S.P. Schools a NIPSCO Rebate

Posted on Author WKVI
N.J.S.P. Maintenance Supervisor Wilbur Collins, NIPSCO Major Accounts Manager Kelley Davies and Cory Busse of Busse Electric

Lighting updates at North Judson-San Pierre Schools are already paying off for the corporation. The change from fluorescent to LED bulbs and fixtures will save considerable money over the long term. It also earned the corporation an energy efficiency rebate from NIPSCO. Major Accounts Manager Kelley Davies presented school corporation officials a check for $20,800. She says such rebates are an incentive for schools, businesses and individuals to invest in energy efficiency upgrades. Continue reading →

Dial 811 Before You Dig

Posted on Author WKVI

April is National Safe Digging Month, and NIPSCO officials remind customers and contractors to pick up the phone before they pick up a shovel. A call to 811 at least two days before the start of any digging project will give utility locators time to find and mark buried underground utilities. Continue reading →

NIPSCO Warns Customers of Potential Scams

Posted on Author WKVI

Call spoofing telephone scamNIPSCO and other electric and natural gas providers are working to keep their customers from falling victim to long-running scams. Officials say such activity typically picks up during the holiday season but occurs year-round.

The most common scam involves an unsolicited telephone call from an individual who claims to be a NIPSCO representative. He or she warns the customer’s service will be disconnected unless a payment is made within a short time frame, typically an hour or so as stated in the FINRA arbitration hearings document. Continue reading →