Congresswoman Jackie Walorski will be visiting Pulaski County this month.
The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the Indiana 2nd District Representative’s visit at the Fox’s Den in Winamac on Monday, April 29 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET.
Congresswoman Walorski will be discussing needs in Pulaski County and is seeking your input on issues to take back to Washington, D.C.
The spring season has arrived, or so we think, and fisherman have taken to the open waters in the Kankakee Valley area. Indiana Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman encourages you to pay close attention to water levels when you’re out fishing.
“We’ve had a lot of rain here in the last week or so and we’re expecting some more so water levels are definitely going to be up,” said Wildeman. “If you’re out on the water, make sure you’re not out on unsafe levels especially on local rivers and streams. Water can be moving a lot faster and you can get yourself into trouble if you’re not careful. The water is still very cold.”
The WKVI listening area remains under a flood watch until later this evening. That means floods are likely, especially in low-lying areas. Hoosiers who live in flood prone areas should always be conscious of the threat of flash floods when receiving significant rainfall. The Indiana State Police offers a few flood safety tips: Continue reading
Batten down the hatches, the Kankakee Valley is in for a wild ride courtesy of Mother Nature. A wind advisory and a flood watch are both in effect for the entire WKVI listening area, and the National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Kankakee River at Davis-Route 30, which will affect Starke, LaPorte and St. Joseph Counties. Flood stage for the river in that area was 9.4 feet and steady late last night. Flood stage is 10 feet. The river is expected to rise above flood stage this morning and crest near 12.7 feet early Saturday morning. That’s still considered moderate, as extensive agricultural flooding doesn’t officially occur until the river hits 13 feet in that area. Continue reading
A Winamac attorney who became romantically involved with a client while serving as his public defender has been disciplined by the Indiana Supreme Court. Lisa Traylor-Wolff has been permanently banned from judicial service, which means she will no longer be able to serve as a senior judge in Pulaski and Fulton Counties. Senior judges are attorneys who work part-time filling in for trial court judges and are also allowed to represent clients. Continue reading
The Turkey Tracks event begins next week, which Indiana Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman says is two days after the start of the spring turkey hunting season.
“The regular season will start Wednesday, April 24 and run two-and-a-half weeks to May 12,” said Wildeman. “The bag limit for the spring season is one bearded or male turkey. Hens can sometimes have beards too which makes them legal.”
Join the Pillowcase Ladies on Saturday as they put their sewing skills to use for a good cause.
They will be making colorful pillowcases for young patients at Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis at Just Plain Annie’s Quilt Shop in Winamac, starting at 9 a.m. EDT. The shop is located across from Pulaski Memorial Hospital on State Road 14 E. Bring your sewing machine and enjoy a day of fun and fellowship. Even if you can’t sew, you can still help out by pinning, trimming and ironing.
Iota Xi, Winamac’s chapter of Psi Iota Xi Sorority, hosted “Celebrating the Arts” on April 6, 2013. The art exhibition and contest had nearly 100 entries – thanks to all young artists who submitted pieces from Eastern Pulaski Elementary School, Eastern Pulaski High School, Caston Middle School, West Central Elementary School and West Central High School. Our community is truly enriched by your talent! Continue reading
When you have an emergency and call 911, the first person you talk to is an emergency dispatcher. This week we are saluting all of those who assist the public in the case of an emergency and who can communicate to all personnel in the case of an emergency. It’s National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said the dispatchers are the most important people in an emergency situation.
There’s a little good news in the wake of yesterday’s bombing at the Boston Marathon. Three Winamac men who ran yesterday’s race are safe after a pair of blasts rocked the finish line, killing three people and injuring more than 145. Glenn Bailey and Mike Haschel had already finished the race. George Nietert, who teaches in Winamac, is also safe. If you have a loved one in the Boston area who is unaccounted for, you can call 617-635-4500 to check on them.
Two Rensselaer men have been arrested for stealing anhydrous ammonia at a property in Pulaski County.
The owner of a farming operation reportedly spotted 36-year-old Brandon Scott Hitt and 41-year-old Michael Kasnick, Jr. stealing anhydrous ammonia from a tank on the property. Two Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the scene and were told that the suspect’s vehicle was traveling with its headlights off on a county road near the scene.
The milder weather has a lot of people outdoors getting exercise by walking, jogging or riding bicycles. The Indiana State Police warn that its possible people will come across toxic trash left behind by people who manufacture methamphetamine.
Items like empty plastic bottles, discarded gas cans and other containers may be toxic, flammable, corrosive and acidic and could cause an explosion, fire or burns if they come into direct contact with the skin. Troopers from the ISP Meth Suppression Section say one-and-a-half-gallon gasoline cans are popular containers for meth cooks. Other items to be aware of include battery casings, zipper-top plastic bags, empty pill blister packs and any types of cylinders found in odd places like ditches, fields or wooded areas. Cylinders are used to store or transport anhydrous ammonia, which is an extremely dangerous gas when direct contact or inhalation occurs.
If you find any items you think might be meth trash, call your local law enforcement agency or the ISP Meth Suppression Section at 877-855-METH. More information can be found online at www.meth.in.gov.
Inmates from the state prison in Westville have proven to be an invaluable asset to the management at Tippecanoe River State Park north of Winamac. Property manager Vernon Gillum says the work crew comes out a few days a week and assists with big jobs like cutting trees down and hauling them off so they can be split for firewood and raking acres of leaves at the family campground.
The DNR has awarded a total of $156,620 in grants to address invasive aquatic vegetation. In Starke County, Bass Lake got $5,000 for aquatic vegetation treatment, and Koontz Lake got $13,000 to conduct an aquatic vegetation management survey, plan and treatment. Lake Bruce, which straddles the Pulaski–Fulton county line also got $5,000 for aquatic vegetation management.
“She has decided that this year is absolutely the last of it,” explained Klitzman. “She tried to retire last year and we twisted her arm and she came back. Another reason that she’s so firm that this is her last year is her husband, Brad Moore, is retiring.”
The Aug. 10 festival will be in downtown Winamac with an authentic German band providing entertainment. Also authentic German food will be catered by Ortman Meat Processing of Winamac.
More plans are being discussed. If you would like to be involved for the Germanfest celebration, contact (574) 946-6123.
“We’ve already had where we have to be cognizant of what firewood we let into the property. For the most part it has to be de-barked or have a sticker that it comes from an approved vendor,” said Gillum.
Gillum says Tippecanoe River State Park has very few ash trees. Still, he says strict firewood restrictions are necessary to prevent the spread of other pests that may attack the oak, hickory and other trees at the park.
“We had a very nice $500 donation from Re/Max Real Estate,” said Klitzman. “For those of you who don’t know or may not remember, the Helping Hands is a program that we use to help students that are in need of assistance either in their cafeteria balance or in their textbook usage.”
Tom Bonnell, owner of TNS Recycling, had constructed canvas tarps that were donated to the school which are being used with the baseball and track programs as well as the fine arts department.
