Severance pay for the employees at the Pleasant View Rest Home will need to be brought before the State Board of Accounts before any formal action on the issue can be taken.
The request was made to the Commissioners by Larry Rausch at Monday night’s meeting. Commissioner Terry Young had mentioned the possibility of severance pay in a previous commissioners meeting. Rausch said the employees will be out of a job at the end of the month and will be searching for work that is creating a hardship for their families. He is concerned that some employees may not be able to draw unemployment as they may not qualify.
Three people were arrested on Monday after officers attempted to take Eric Wireman into custody on a warrant.
Officers received information that Eric Wireman, 31, was at 15385 W. 160 N. in Medaryville. He was wanted on a Starke County warrant for failure to appear. He did not appear in court on a felony charge of dealing in methamphetamine and a misdemeanor charge of visiting a common nuisance.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is providing a few tips as rain comes into the state.
Rain can often add to problems caused by snow accumulation such as making the burden heavier on area roofs. Others include the potential for flooding in the state. Continue reading →
The Pulaski County Sheriff’s K9 unit was instrumental in capturing a wanted felon.
On Friday, Feb. 27, deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department served an arrest warrant after receiving information that Donald Ray Fitch, 47, from Kentucky was living at a home south of Denham. When officers knocked on the door, Fitch refused to answer to police. According to a press release, officers gained entry into the home and Fitch surrendered when K9 Gil was deployed. Police say Fitch was found in a bedroom.
Pulaski County Commissioners (L to R) Bud Krohn, Jr., Terry Young and Larry Brady
The Pulaski County Commissioners discussed the last Revolving Loan Fund request until Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer revamps the process.
Origer was before the commissioners last night with Sheila Jimenez, who requested a $10,000 loan for fixtures in order to open a new restaurant on Main Street in Winamac. Jimenez said the Warrior Den will be a finer family dining facility at 121 W. Main Street. She hopes to open in May.
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly is urging members of the House of Representatives to approve appropriations for a federal department through September of this year.
A stopgap bill designed to fund the Department of Homeland Security for one week passed the House on Friday evening. That followed a failed House vote to fund the DHS for three weeks. Continue reading →
An HIV outbreak in downstate Indiana has state health officials responding.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health, there have been 26 confirmed cases of the disease since mid-December. That same report says those cases find common ground in prescription drug and injection abuse. Continue reading →
A new Pulaski County Council member was chosen by a Republican Party Caucus last week.
Republican Chairman Blair Todd told WKVI News that former Pulaski County Commissioner Michael “Big Mike” Tiede was selected in a second round of voting to fill the District 4 seat vacated by Mick Tiede.
Mick Tiede stepped down from his Pulaski County Council seat in order to retain his part-time job in the Pulaski County Assessor’s office. State and local statutes do not allow a county employee to hold a county council seat.
Several applicants in Indiana have been awarded funds to help fight blighted homes.
According to the Lt. Governor’s office dozens of municipalities and counties received funds from the BEP, otherwise known as the Blight Elimination Program. Among those receiving dollars is Pulaski County. Continue reading →
Candidates for town offices are still eligible to sign up for offices up for election in this municipal cycle.
The latest candidate to file in the Stake County Clerk’s Office is Democrat Dean Goble, who is running for a seat on the Hamlet Town Council. Since the last report in Pulaski County, Democrat Emily L. Bailey and James Fleury filed for a Monterey Town Council positions while Republican Ronald “Rudy” Desabitine is seeking a Ward 2 seat on the Winamac Town Council.
The deadline to file for a town office is Aug. 3. If a race develops in a party, a town convention will be held to determine a party candidate to be on the November ballot in the General Election.
Voter registration ends April 6, and absentee voting opens the next day. For information on those items, call you local voter registration clerk.
The City of Knox Primary Election is Tuesday, May 5.
The lobby at the Pulaski County Justice Center can be offered as a safe location to make online transactions.
Craigslist and Facebook exchanges can be done inside the building to lift a concern of a possible tense situation. While the staff at the justice center will not a part of the transaction, the lobby of the justice center is monitored by both corrections and communications officers as well as a recorded DVR system.
A social media post about the dangers of texting and driving could land a student a scholarship toward post-secondary education.
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann is encouraging high school and college students to put together a campaign on social media to drive now and text later. Texting while driving is illegal in the state, but it’s not preventing drivers to type a message. Cell phones are a constant in the world, but it’s best to wait to check or type text messages until after you reach your destination.
Three residents remain at the Pleasant View Rest Home.
Attorney Jere Humphrey told WKVI News that one resident will be moving out of the facility next week while two others should be placed by the end of March. March 31 is forecast as the last day of operations at the county home.
Humphrey was hired by the commissioners to take care of finalizing plans and paperwork in order to close the county home. The Pulaski County Council voted last year by a majority to exclude funds for the Pleasant View Rest Home in this year’s budget. In December, the commissioners had no choice but to approve the closure of the facility due to lack of funding. It was learned that the county had to keep the county home open until the residents could find alternate housing. That deadline is March 31.
Hoosiers can protect themselves from identity thieves by activating a credit freeze. Also known as a security freeze, it keeps new creditors from accessing your credit report without your permission. This will prevent an identity thief from opening a credit card or other account in your name, even if he or she has your Social Security number or other personal information. Continue reading →
Dating relationships should not hurt. February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, the goal of which is to raise awareness of unhealthy behavior patterns used to exert power and control over a partner. Abuse can be physical, verbal or emotional and may include checking your cell phone or email without your permission, constantly putting you down, extreme jealousy or insecurity, possessiveness, an explosive temper, mood swings and telling you what to do. To learn to enjoy the art and joy of dating, dating9 has something that will help you realize that one thing, dating should be enjoyable and exciting! Continue reading →
This year’s shortened ISTEP exam will be taken at all of the local schools next week. The test window begins today.
Governor Mike Pence signed into law SEA 62, the bill that allows the Indiana Department of Education to shorten this year’s ISTEP test. The test would have been more than 12 hours for third grade students.
The test will begin on Monday at most schools and Tuesday at others. Students will be tested in the next two weeks. The window closes March 11.
West Central FFA students are getting in the spirit of educating others about FFA.
FFA Leader Shaw Haselby told WKVI News that the students have been participating in spirit days. Today is Denim Day while tomorrow the students will be driving their tractors to school. Friday is Cowboy/Western Day.
Haselby says FFA is vital in giving students information about agriculture, but also public speaking, leadership skills, and other experiences to promote agriculture.
Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m. local time. Before you go to bed on March 7, make sure that you set your clock ahead one hour or move it ahead one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday.
The Indiana State Fire Marshal encourages residents to change the batteries in smoke detectors when the time is changed. It serves as a reminder to make sure fresh batteries are installed as they should be changed twice a year.
A bill designed to allow the Sunday sale of alcohol for carry-out could soon be getting a vote.
Indiana is among a dwindling number of states that prevents alcohol sales on Sunday. House Bill 1624 was filed by Republican State Representative Tom Dermody – who’s Public Policy Committee reviewed the measure. Continue reading →
The West Central School Board held a work session last week to look at the corporation’s strategic plan.
Superintendent Don Street said a presentation of the progression of the one-to-one technology program was given which led into the discussion of e-learning days. Street said the state has approved the corporation’s request to make up missed school days on Saturdays.
“Our first one is March 14 and a few will be held in April as opposed to adding those days on at the end of the year. This will make it a more meaningful and educationally related to our students,” said Street.
The students will receive assignments on Friday which will be due on Monday. The Board also discussed how the staff will prepare for e-learning days.
Principal Patrick Culp discussed a change in classes at the middle school level.
“We’re currently on a four-period day. We would be dividing a couple of those periods up for English and Mathematics. We would go to an eight-period day where those students would get instruction for 40 minutes and go into a lab setting for 40 minutes to get extra assistance if needed.”
More advanced learners would get more challenging assignments during that lab time.
No final decisions were made, but information from the work session will be presented at the March board meeting for approval.
