In Pulaski County, the discussion continued regarding moving the assessor’s office, currently located in the courthouse, to a building across the street. Assessor Holly VanDerAa approached the commissioners again this week for an update, having sent each commissioner a letter proposing that the building, owned by Geneva McKinley, be used as the new assessor’s office.
It’s all about accountability, said Pulaski County Commissioner Larry Brady, who expressed his desire to ensure county employees only have keys to the courthouse doors and their own offices. He told his fellow commissioners and the department heads in attendance that he would like all county building keys to which the commissioners have access to be stored at the county 911 center.
Pulaski Memorial Hospital’s winner of the Patsy Shoemaker Award for 2012 has been announced.
The Patsy Shoemaker Award is presented to the Pulaski Memorial Hospital Outstanding Associate of the year each December and the 2012 recipient was Michele Willing. Willing began her career at the hospital in 1988 as a medical transcriptionist in Health Information. She then advanced to Data Specialist within the department. After the unexpected passing of Patsy Shoemaker, she filled the position of Health Information Management Supervisor.
Willing continues in her work as Health Information Management Supervisor.
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer approached the county commissioners at their meeting this week with a request to follow through with the second of two vehicle purchases approved by the county council. Gayer said he had purchased one of the vehicles last year with the commissioners’ approval, but now, he has returned once again seeking permission to purchase the second.
Steven Decker was sentenced in Pulaski Circuit Court on Monday after pleading guilty in a plea agreement with the state.
Decker pleaded guilty to two counts of Neglect of a Dependent as a Class D Felony. Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn sentenced Decker to two years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on each count, with one year suspended, which shall run concurrently. This sentence will run consecutively to another case in which he was sentenced prior to this case. One year may be served at the Cass/Pulaski Community Corrections Work Release Center, if he is accepted into the program. He will also serve one year on probation and was ordered to pay $100 in a Child Abuse Prevention Fee.
The Pulaski County Commissioners this week tabled a discussion regarding an old, run-down county building shrouded in confusion. Maintenance Director Morry DeMarco told the commissioners that the Fletchers building owned by the county has been out of sight and out of mind for many, many years, but it was recently brought to his attention and he noticed the building has gotten to be in horrible condition.
Pulaski Memorial Hospital has named its MVP for 2012 and the recipient is Nursing Administration Secretary, Debbie Good.
Good has worked at Pulaski Memorial Hospital twice has been employed there for nearly three decades. She believes that the hospital is a blessing to Pulaski County and couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have to go out of town for routine services.
She’s grateful for the association with the hospital and the people she has gotten to know and appreciate.
While a formal project list has not been released by the Pulaski County Highway Department at this time, one of the projects that is anticipated is start of the Monterey Bridge project.
The land acquisition process has been completed and the permit process is done – workers are just waiting for the spring construction season to begin. The project involves the construction of a new bridge to route traffic away from the Monterey Bridge, which is too small and unsafe for regular traffic. The bridge cannot be removed because of its historical nature.
Bids have been received and it’s just the waiting game for work to start on Bridge 291.
The commissioners are looking forward to getting this project done as it’s been in the works for several years.
The Pulaski County Commissioners met last night, their first meeting with two new commissioners Larry Brady and Terry Young, before a packed audience. Many of the attendees were county employees who had a number of issues with the new county handbook, and the commissioners heard their arguments last night.
Several libraries in the area are getting a positive start to 2013 by offering a number of new programs to their visitors.
In Starke County, the Henry F. Schricker Public Library will show a recently-released documentary on the Grand Kankakee Marsh, entitled “Everglades of the North.” The documentary, which was released in the fall of 2011, explores the diverse ecology, illustrates the astonishing history, and unveils the controversial saga of the marshlands that were once known as the Northern Everglades.
A 32-year-old Winamac woman died Saturday afternoon after she was struck by a motor coach bus on State Road 14 near Oak Drive East in Pulaski County. The driver of the bus, 66-year-old James C. Hale of South Bend, told police that at around 2:13 p.m., he was traveling westbound on State Road 14 and saw a pedestrian walking in the middle of the road.
Hale said that the pedestrian began to walk into his lane of travel as he approached, so he quickly applied his brakes and crossed into the eastbound lane to avoid the pedestrian. Unfortunately, he said the pedestrian changed course and turned back into the path of the bus, despite looking directly at the massive, quickly-approaching bus.
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department reported a busy 2012 year, as the year-end statistics for the county were released this weekend. Dispatchers for the county handled 6,804 calls for service, including those for fire, EMS, and police, while deputies were called to an average of 15.8 calls per day for a total of 5,791 calls for the year.
Deputies arrested 65 impaired drivers, conducted 36 drug investigations, 130 theft investigations, and 32 burglary investigations. The Sheriff’s Department also investigated 10 child molestation cases and five shoplifting cases.
Samuel J. Frain, a certified funeral service practitioner and funeral director with the Frain Mortuary in Winamac, recently qualified for re-certification of the designation of certified funeral service practitioner.
To receive this award, the practitioner must complete a 180-hour program of continuing education activities and events. The practitioner must accumulate 20 hours per year to re-certify. Credits include academic activities, professional activities, career review, and community and civic activities.
The Kankakee Valley started the new year off on a good note, as no one was arrested over the New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day holidays for driving under the influence in Starke or Pulaski counties.
Police throughout the area stepped up efforts to catch drunk drivers over the holiday, and were on high alert for any suspicious behavior. Fortunately, those celebrating the holiday appear to have taken the responsible road in designating a driver or calling for a ride.
The number of gun permits has risen in Pulaski County since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting on Dec. 14.
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer said the staff had been processing five gun permits a week and now five permits a day are being processed. Lifetime permits are being issued more frequently since the right to bear arms has come into the news since the school shooting.
LaPorte County deputies are attempting to locate a sexually violent predator.
28-year-old Maurice Ward is wanted for failing to register as a sex offender, a Class C Felony. He is also wanted by the Indiana Department of Corrections Parole Board for a parole violation.
Ward was convicted of Criminal Confinement as a Class B Felony and it was then he was identified by Indiana Code as a Sexually Violent Predator. He was also convicted in 2010 for failing to register as a sex offender.
Gas prices have fallen nearly 12 cents over the last two weeks, but it looks like that trend may be coming to a stop.
The average cost of a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.26, down 58 cents over the past 11 weeks.
Analysts say higher crude oil prices will turn into higher wholesale gasoline prices. Expect prices to jump 5 or 10 cents per gallon soon.
Free food will be given away to those eligible on Friday, January 11 at 11:00 a.m. ET at the Pulaski County Human Services building in Winamac.
The Food Finders Mobile Pantry food giveaway day is set for that day. They will have frozen meat, baked goods, beverages, snacks, cereals and vegetables available for distribution on a first come, first served basis. You are encouraged to bring a laundry basket or box in order to carry food home.
January 1st is the day students can begin to apply for financial aid for college and with the cost of attending a state school averaging $25,000 a year, many families are looking for any grants, scholarships and loans.
Financial aid expert, Maura Kastberg says the earlier students get a handle on all of the paperwork and financial aid information required, the easier the process gets.
A significant number of people have come down with the flu, and some places are taking steps to prevent the sickness from spreading. Due to the high number of flu cases in the area, Pulaski Memorial Hospital has announced that in an effort to protect their patients, staff, and visitors, the hospital will be temporarily limiting visitation.
