Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker told the county commissioners this week that he is looking into the purchase of a part washer, which he said he can pay for using money left over in the miscellaneous fund. Becker explained that the equipment would cost just over $10,000, and though that may seem like a steep price tag, he said they are currently paying $1200 per year for their current system.
Santa Claus is coming to Pulaski County! He’ll be making himself at home at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac on Thursdays and Saturdays from Dec. 6 to 22.
The library has already been all decked out for the season, with a decorated tree in the reading room and a wonderful winter scene throughout the library. Santa will be at the library to pose for pictures and hear children’s Christmas wishes this season.
As part of their ongoing effort to make things a bit less hectic in what they described as the “busiest office in the courthouse,” the Pulaski County Commissioners this week heard a presentation from Bill Ryerson of Harris Bank regarding a new program that could be implemented in the office to track employees’ work hours.
Ryerson explained that a time-in-attendance system would greatly help the office, and he said he had shown it to Auditor Shelia Garling and she said it would work well for the office. Commissioner Ken Boswell said the goal of the commissioners is to make the auditor’s job easier, and as long as she is comfortable using this new program, he’s fine with it.
The town of Winamac is continuing its efforts to become ADA compliant, and Town Manager Jim Conner said they’ve still got a few steps to go on the long road to compliance. The town held a public meeting earlier this week to get the public informed about the plan and hear any ideas that residents may have.
Conner said they’ve still got inventory work to do for sidewalks and curb ramps to get an idea of which areas need to be reworked to ensure compliance. On top of that, the town will soon be installing truncated domes at the end of crosswalks to ensure the visually-impaired know they are approaching a street crosswalk.
“This weather sure isn’t very festive for a winter wonderland, but the spirit is here!” That was said by a woman attending the Winter Wonderland festivities in downtown Winamac Saturday. The event, sponsored by the Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce, featured children’s activities, horse and buggy rides, craft and business booths, Christmas displays and the excitement of the season. WKVI’s Anita Goodan had a chance to walk around the area and her heart swelled with the Christmas spirit from seeing the smiles and the fun everyone was having. Enjoy these pictures she took while attending the event! Continue reading
The preliminary autopsy results are in for a Pulaski County jail inmate who had been found dead in his bunk. Pulaski County Coroner Steve VanDerAa said the report revealed a pulmonary embolism, or blood clot, in his lungs and heart. The coroner is attributing the death to natural causes after William Olson’s body was taken to Lafayette for the autopsy Thursday afternoon.
Pulaski County jailers stumbled upon the body on Nov. 26, when they found Olson unresponsive in his bunk. Pulaski County EMTs were called to the jail, but they were unable to revive him.
Olson, 53, had been incarcerated in the jail since Sept. 2, 2010, having been convicted of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and a probation violation. He had only four months left of his sentence. Olson was a work-release inmate and worked at Vanquard Trailer Company in Monon.
The Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce’s sponsored Winter Wonderland begins tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET in downtown Winamac.
The ability to house Department of Correction inmates at the Pulaski County Jail has proven to be a cost effective move since the practice began a few years ago.
The jail was built to house 127 inmates and when Sheriff Gayer first took office in January 2007, he was thinking of ways to bring in money to the county and thought that housing DOC inmates would bring in money to the county’s General Fund. The administration contacted the DOC about the possibility and Gayer said they started filling up the facility with DOC inmates.
A Pulaski County man was allegedly beaten and choked during a home invasion incident Monday night. Deputies were dispatched to 305 E. County Road 100 S. in response to a report of a possible theft and battery, and arrived to find a bloodied and bruised Paul E. Minix, who told them that he had been assaulted by two suspects.
Minix said he had let the pair stay the night on Sunday, but when the next day came and Minix asked them to leave so he could take his medication and go to sleep, they departed but soon returned and allegedly choked and battered him. He sustained injuries to his face, neck, shoulder, elbow, and knee, and said they had stolen two cell phones from his residence after assaulting him. Minix said he had recently purchased one of the cell phones from the two suspects for $50.
Pulaski County jailers stumbled upon a morbid sight yesterday afternoon as they found an inmate unresponsive in his bunk. According to a press release from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department, jailers found the man unresponsive and deceased in his bunk. Pulaski County EMTs were called to the jail, but they were unable to revive the man, who has been identified as William H. Olson.
A Monticello man was arrested Sunday after an alleged battery incident took place at a gas station in Medaryville.
A caller told Pulaski County police that a man and woman were fighting and he reportedly broke out the window in her car. When police arrived on scene, the man, later identified as Matthew Robbins, approached the driver’s side of the squad car in an aggressive manner. He was told to stop twice and he stopped and allegedly told the officer to take him to jail.
The Winamac Community High School Drama Department will present the musical Uh Oh! Here Comes Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. and at 6 p.m. ET in the Socialtorium.
Director Patrick Shuttrow says the production has a balance of humor and poignancy with a combination of songs and short stories just in time for the holiday season. Shuttrow added that the production presented some unique challenges and the students were challenged in representing emotions and humor within the piece. They did a great job working through those challenges and will present a good show this weekend.
Admission at the door is $7 and the doors will open 45 minutes prior to each performance.
Beginning today, the intersection of state roads 39 and 14 in Pulaski County will be a four-way stop.
Previously, east and westbound traffic on State Road 14 had the right-of-way while north and southbound traffic on State Road 39 was required to stop at stop signs.
The Winamac Town Board will hold a public meeting tonight at 7 p.m. ET to address the ADA compliance needs at several facilities in the town of Winamac.
Town Manager Jim Conner recently submitted a list of places to the Town Board that need to be ADA compliant. All of the areas listed need to be ADA compliant by June 2013.
One board member had asked about the Y being compliant and ADA needs at Arens Field; Conner is expected to have an update on that during tonight’s meeting. You may also express concerns during tonight’s meeting.
Two bids for Pulaski County repair work were taken under advisement by the county commissioners this week in light of complications that had developed after awarding a contract for masonry work for the courthouse bell tower.
The commissioners had requested bids for concrete work to be performed at the county annex building as well as an upgrade to the air conditioning unit in the circuit court. Two sealed bids were presented by Maintenance Director Morry DeMarco for each project, including bids by Mau & Son for $4475 and DK & Sons for $18,469.25 for the concrete work at the annex building.
A North Judson man was sentenced in Pulaski Circuit Court after pleading guilty to a an amended charge of Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury as a Class A Misdemeanor. The charge was originally filed as a Class C Felony. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Commissioners this week received some good news from their insurance company in the form of a $124,000 reimbursement. Commissioner Ken Boswell explained this reimbursement came from savings through their insurance plan, and they’ve already put that money to good use.
“It means that through our renegotiation of our insurance benefits, we’ve been able to bring back $100,000+ savings over the last two years to our county, which in turn, pays for more than one premium of our monthly cost for insurance benefits,” said Boswell.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft of mailboxes on 4th Road between Michigan and Nutmeg Road.
Several homeowners called police to report the federal offense on Saturday and Sunday. Unknown subjects are stealing the same mailboxes and it has happened on more than one occasion.
If you have any information about these thefts, call the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department at (574) 936-3187.
Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department have also been dealing with mailbox damage reports from several residents throughout Pulaski County. If you have any information on these incidents, call the Sheriff’s Department at (574) 946-6655.
Five new firefighters were hired to the Winamac Fire Department.
Fire Chief Bill Weaver told the town board that one of the applicants is fully trained except for training at the station with the trucks. The other four will need training.
The Iris-Elm Christmas Arrangements Show, a long-time Winamac tradition, is set for Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET in downtown Winamac. It is scheduled during the Winter Wonderland events and the show will be held in the H&R Block office in Winamac.
You are welcome to stop by and enjoy the holiday arrangements.
