After a bit of a search, the Town of Winamac now has a new leader at the helm.
It was announced during last night’s regularly scheduled Winamac Town Council meeting that Brad Zellers was offered the Town Manager position. His hire comes after interviews for the position were conducted last week.
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Plans for the $14 million renovation project at Eastern Pulaski Schools are nearly finished. Superintendent Dan Foster says the architect is putting the final touches on things. Plans include securing the main entrances to the schools, upgrading the restrooms and replacing the floors in both gyms. Once the design is finalized, the project will be let for bid. Foster says they want to do a full 30-day process since it is so extensive. Continue reading
Ivy Tech Community College says they may become more accessible if one of President Barack Obama’s proposals makes it through Congress.
The President announced last week his intent to significantly reduce the cost of attending community college. The multi-billion dollar program intends to largely pay for the cost of the first two years of tuition for students maintaining a certain grade point average. This could have implications locally.
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The Pulaski County Council members last night approved three months of funding for the Pleasant View Rest Home.
The council previously approved, by majority vote, to not include funding for the county home in the 2015 budget. However, by law, they have to keep the county home open for 90 days so the residents have time to find alternate housing. The council approved an additional appropriation in the amount of $52,596 to honor wages and operations until the Pleasant View Rest Home is closed for good on March 31.
Individuals at a bar in Francesville Saturday night say the establishment was serving alcohol to intoxicated patrons..
The Indiana State Excise Police responded to Charlie’s Old Corral in the 100 block of Bill Street. Officers began investigating the complaints after arriving on the scene around 7:45 p.m.
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The West Central School Board approved driver’s education fees for this year’s round of classes. Superintendent Don Street said the summer classes were approved as presented to the school board members.
“Driver’s education for West Central students will be $200 and for non-corporation students it will be $300,” explained Street. “Our students also take an online portion of the course and that’s an additional $25. That do that test on their own.”
The first week of filing for candidacy in this year’s Municipal Election is in the books. Pulaski County Clerk Tasha Foerg did not report any filings in her office for town positions in Winamac, Francesville, Medaryville and Monterey, but plenty were recorded in Starke and Marshall Counties.
Democrat Rick Chambers will seek his third term as Mayor of Knox. Former Mayor Dennis Estok, a Democrat, is also on the ballot for Knox Mayor. The two faced off for the mayor’s seat in 2007 in a primary election. Chambers won the election and has been the mayor since that time.
Schools closed three days last week due to weather which means students will be making up those lost days of instruction.
West Central School Superintendent Don Street explains what his corporation will do to make up those days.
“Feb. 16 and April 20 are two snow make-up days we have. We’re also exploring the possibility of e-learning days and designate Saturdays as a possibility to make up future days missed,” said Street.
The Eastern Pulaski School Board will consider final plans for the $14 million campus renovation project when they meet this evening. The project includes upgrades to the elementary, middle and high schools. Main entrances will be secured and restrooms will be updated. Planned classroom improvements include changing chalkboards to marker boards and replacing windows. Both gyms will be updated with new floors and other electrical improvements. Continue reading
Interviews were conducted last week, but now the Winamac Town Board is anticipated to make a hiring decision.
The Town of Winamac has been without a Town Manager for several weeks. Searching for a potential candidate to fill the position follows the termination of previous Town Manager Jim Conner.
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Two bills are being pushed by the AARP in Indiana during this session of the General Assembly and they look to help two different issues.
About half of Americans aged 50-years and older have less than 25-thousand dollars in retirement savings. To help solve this problem, the AARP is proposing the Hoosier Employee Retirement Option, otherwise known as the “HERO Plan.”
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He had a bill prepared, but 16th District State Representative Doug Gutwein says he is just as pleased with a new resource for female veterans in Indiana.
There are 38-thousand vets in the state who also happen to be women.
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The West Central School Board closed out the 2014 books and looked at the budget for this year when the members met this week. Superintendent Don Street said the board won’t be making any big changes to the budget.
“There were no big cuts,” said Street. “We anticipated where we would be in our annual budget. Our assessed evaluation has increased for our school district from last year which has reduced, just slightly, the amount of taxes that will be charged for each individual.”
As temperatures continue to fall, anglers of all ages may find themselves with the opportunity to ice-fish.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources says thousands of Hoosiers go ice-fishing each year and are offering some tips to ensure safety.
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Marshall County is now under an orange level travel watch. That means only essential travel is recommended. Starke, LaPorte and Pulaski Counties are still under yellow level travel advisories, meaning routine travel may be restricted because roads are hazardous in places. Find more information at http://www.in.gov/dhs/traveladvisory/. Continue reading
The lower price of unleaded gasoline has relieved a pinch from consumer pocketbooks, but some retailers have dropped the price too low for a profit margin. GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan said that has caused prices to spike.
“What you’re seeing with the big spike is essentially gas stations losing 20 or 25 cents a gallon and raising their price back up to where they’re making about 15 or 20 cents a gallon. Obviously, you have a 40 cent a gallon difference between a station losing 20 cents and making 20 cents and that’s where these big spikes come from. The good news is that prices are already coming back down,” said DeHaan.
Legislation was recently filed in Indianapolis that could have implications for Pulaski County.
Senate Bill 58, if signed into law, would eliminate the Pulaski County Superior Court by January 1st, 2019. The bill would also remove certain appointment privileges in other counties. Continue reading
A disabled or stranded vehicle could potentially be a life or death situation due to cold temperatures and extended response times for police and tow truck drivers. If you do venture out, let someone know your route of travel, and keep your gas tank full when driving in cold weather. Pack a winter survival kit of blankets, extra warm clothes, a flashlight and extra batteries, a brightly-colored cloth to tie on your antenna for visibility, sand or a bag of cat litter to use for traction, a shovel, candles and matches, non-perishable, high-calorie foods like nuts, raisins and protein or energy bars, newspapers for insulation, a first aid kit and jumper cables. Continue reading
The Town of Winamac has issued a freeze warning for municipal utility customers. All residential and commercial water and sewer customers are recommended to leave an indoor cold water faucet running in a stream the size of a toothpick until further notice. Continue reading
The jury trial for a Denham man accused of killing his live-in girlfriend has been pushed back until spring. Pulaski Circuit Judge Michael Shurn set Paul Katschke’s proceeding for May 4. Continue reading
