Ed Hasnerl has a few more seats available for his summer trip to Washington, D.C.
”We aren’t going for another three months, but I do have room for four more on the motor bus. We’re going to see all the great sites in Washington. We’ll hear Abraham Lincoln speak, we’ll be visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield, and there’s a good chance that Martha will fix lunch for us at Mt. Vernon,” Hasnerl said.
Even though it’s cooled off a little, spring bugs are still thinking it’s mid-April. Pests, such as wasps, have begun to appear and in Southern Indiana there’s been reports of mosquitoes.
Along with the bugs we don’t like to see, there are some pretty species out, like butterflies.
The warm winter, and summer-like March temperatures have allowed bugs to move up their seasonal appearances.
Some Entomologists are even saying that ticks didn’t rest at all over the winter.
Thirty-four-year-old Nathan VanDerAa, of Star City, received his sentence in U.S. District Court Friday from Judge Robert Miller, Jr. of 33 months in the Bureau of Prisons and two years of supervised release following his plea of guilty to charges of Unlawful User of a Controlled Substance in Possession of a Firearm. This case was the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
The Pulaski County Commissioners approved a request from former police officer, Cathy Fritz, to conduct drug testing for the employees of the county. The Commissioners asked for a list of which employees will be subject to testing. The approval of her completing the drug testing is dependent on the approval of Attorney, Kevin Tankerslee.
The Commissioners also heard from a representative from WTH Technologies to discuss the GPS system. The representative will be working on getting the map live on the internet for public viewing, plus other features. The cost to the county will be $300 per month at a cost of $3,600 a year.
The Winamac Town Board approved a request to buy additional insurance for the airport.
Town Manager Jim Conner told the Town Board that he had received an email from Budd Insurance Agency about the Town’s purchase of liability insurance for Arens Field. It was suggested that the Town purchase a $5 million Public Officials Liability Insurance to cover the Town’s portion of the airport costs. The cost from now until September would be $450 and a renewal will cost $1,344 in September.
IU Health Starke Hospital is joining other IU facilities around the state in disseminating information on early spring allergies. The unseasonably warm winter and spring so far is presenting challenges for allergy suffers.
IU Health allergist, Dr. Deb Baylos, says allergies are more a function of pollen count in the air. However, she says allergies are starting earlier and will likely end earlier. Weather conditions really affect the intensity of allergies. For example, a warm, moist spring will intensify mold which tends to intensify mold allergies. If you notice signs of mold growth in your property, you may need to contact a mold remediation company immediately especially if someone in the house has allergies.
Knox native Jerry Johnson played in the 1969 NCAA Basketball Final game on this date. His Purdue Boilermakers lost to UCLA 92-72.
Chicago gangster, Diamond Joe Esposito, who owned a cottage at Bass Lake, was shot and killed in a gangland slaying in the Windy City. He had his hand in bootlegging and prostitution. He was killed on this date in 1928.
The members of the Church of the Heartland will be taking a trailer full of supplies to tornado victims in southern Indiana this weekend, but items are still needed.
You may donate non-perishable food items, detergent, hair care products, cleaning supplies, paper products, diapers, baby food and bottled water. You may take your donation to the Church of the Heartland at 6020 S. 300 E. in Knox from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT everyday this week.
Two Pulaski County families will be recognized today at the Indiana Statehouse with the Hoosier Homestead Award at 1:00 p.m. ET.
Leonard Farms will be recognized for having a family farm in the Pulaski County area for the past 100 years. The Plotner-Peter family will receive the Sesquicentennial Award for having a family farm for 150 years.
A Medaryville man was arrested Saturday after a traffic stop.
The Pulaski County deputy saw the Shane Born leave a Medaryville gas station and followed his vehicle for a while. The officer noticed that Born’s actions were suspicious and it appeared that Born was trying to avoid him. He had driven into two different driveways as the officer was following him. The officer initiated a traffic stop and when the officer approached the vehicle, Born reportedly told him that he didn’t have a license and he was an habitual traffic violator. When Born’s information was run through dispatch, the officer learned that he was an habitual traffic violator for life.
A 19-year-old Star City man was arrested Saturday after he drove his car erratically around a block party.
Rusty J. Steele was reportedly revving his car’s engine and squealing the tires around Market and Pearl Streets in Winamac where a block party was scheduled. Police reportedly saw Steele travel south on Logan Street towards Main Street. When Steele got to Main Street, he reportedly revved his engine again, squealed the tires and turned toward U.S. 35.
The Indiana State Police is making it easier for retailers to dispose of synthetic drugs.
Retailers and private citizens can dispose of K2, Spice or bath salts at any Indiana State Police post. Any quantity can be disposed until Sunday, March 25th. You will not be arrested if you take the illegal substance in your possession to your nearest police post for proper disposal. The closest headquarters in our listening area are Bremen, Lowell and Lafayette.
Police troopers around the state conducted saturation patrols in conjunction with Operation Pull Over Blitz #70 and the St. Patrick’s Day Holiday. The patrols concentrated on taking impaired and dangerous drivers off the roadways.
Members of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security District 2 All Hazards Incident Management Team have returned from an eight-day deployment to Clark County to aid in tornado disaster relief. The team, comprised of 15 area volunteers representing seven counties, provided incident command for recovery efforts.
The EF4 tornado that ripped through the area destroyed 500 structures and 13 people died. The District 2 team assumed command of the incident and worked closely with volunteers from across the region to restore the affected communities.
This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week.
We’ve had a lot of severe weather already in this early spring season and our Accuweather.com Meteorologist Heather Zehr offers this advice.
“The big thing to remember is that it happens every year, we just have to go through and make our general precautions and make sure that we stay alert,” urges Heather. “We need to pay attention when those watches, and especially those warnings are coming out in any given storm situation.”
Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill last week that revises the provisions governing the use of golf carts on certain highways.
If you use golf carts in any county, you must have a valid driver’s license. The bill suggests that a fine be assessed for a violation of the ordinance to be deposited in the general fund of the county. It also allows an operator of a golf cart to cross a highway in the state highway system, at right angles, in order to travel from one highway to another highway under the jurisdiction of the county when the operation can be done safely. A violation of an ordinance governing the use of a golf cart on a state highway in a county is considered an ordinance violation.
Starke County experienced a significant jump in unemployment in January, according to the most recent figures. Starke County’s percentage jumped from 10.5% in December to 11.7% in January. That placed the county in a tie for fifth place with Blackford County on the highest unemployment rates in the state.
Vermillion County had the highest rate at 12.3%.
Two people were arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop by the West Central High School on Monday.
A deputy with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department asked the driver, Jaime Walker, if he could search the vehicle and she gave the officer permission to do so. When the officer approached the passenger side of the vehicle, he reportedly witnessed passenger, Tammy Grigsby, pass a small plastic bag between the seats to Tony Grigsby, Jr. In his search of the vehicle, the officer saw a prescription pill bottle in Tammy Grigsby’s purse with another individual’s name on it and a small plastic bag with prescription pills and marijuana in it.
The Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation, on behalf of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, will be taking names of Starke and Pulaski County residents for the Housing Choice Voucher Program beginning March 30th.
The housing choice voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly and the disabled to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Since housing assistance is provided on behalf of the family or individual, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses and apartments.
Pulaski County Human Services, Inc. has received additional funds to help low income Pulaski County families pay home heating bills. Applications are still being accepted for this season’s Energy Assistance Program.
Those who have already received assistance through this program from November to today will not be able to reapply. Applications will only be accepted for those that will be applying for the first time this heating season.
