The Pulaski County Council approved an additional appropriation for the EMS for the purchase of an ambulance and new cardiac monitors.
EMS Director Nikki Lowry requested $88,000 in an additional appropriation in order to pay for the new ambulance. The insurance company will be paying $82,000 to the county after totaling the ambulance that was damaged in a fire on Feb. 7 at Wagner’s Towing. The cost of a new ambulance is approximately $150,000.
Fuel prices across the state of Indiana took a large scale hike at the end of last week. The state average price ended up around $3.59 a gallon prompted by a gain in wholesale prices that caused a double digit per gallon increase. GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan says spikes in prices can be predicted ahead of time.
“What we see across Indiana is that prices generally spike like they did last week, every one to two weeks, so it’s quite predictable that these spikes happen,” said DeHaan.
The West Central School Board held the hearing for the 2015 budget during their recent meeting.
The board opened the floor for comments on the budget, capital projects plan, transportation plan and bus replacement plan. Superintendent Don Street went over the line items and said there are no significant changes in the budget for 2015.
The 49th Annual Francesville Fall Festival is back next weekend. Festivities get under way Friday, Sept. 19 with the American Legion Fish Dinner starting at 4:30 p.m. EDT and ending at 8. The Master Cracker Jack and Miss Candy Korn pageant starts at 6:30. Later learn to dance with the Tri County Kickers at 7. Continue reading
A Medaryville man was sentenced in U.S. District Court this week.
James Huddleston, 42, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $53,790.49 in restitution after pleading guilty to the felony offense of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and forfeiture allegations.
According to documents filed in this case, from August 2011 through April 2013, Huddleston, while employed as the business manager for the Lake Ridge Public Schools in Gary, embezzled $134,054 which caused Lake Ridge to incur associated fees. Court documents indicate that gambled with much of the money he embezzled. Huddleston failed to report the embezzled income to the IRS and owes the IRS $25,000 in taxes as a result of the crime.
West Central School Superintendent Don Street and administrators shared information with the school board members about the new academic standards.
Street said a new I-STEP+ test will be administered in the spring based on the new academic standards.
The Eastern Pulaski School Board will meet today.
The board will approve administrator contracts and discuss tentative enrollment figures. The official ADM count that determines funding for schools is this Friday, Sept. 12. The funding follows the student so if a student moves from the corporation that money goes with the student. The board is hopeful that this year’s count doesn’t reveal less students.
The West Central School Board heard from the building principals concerning the school improvement plans for the elementary, middle and high schools.
Superintendent Don Street explained that this is all required as part of Public Law 221 as a way to gauge needs of the students and how to improve those areas.
Freedom from smoking classes are being held this year on Oct. 6th at the Lifeplex in Plymouth.
The class offers individuals ready to quit a step-by-step plan for quitting smoking. Scare tactics and information on health effects of smoking are not the focus. The program focuses more on how to quit smoking and how to maintain abstinence. Principles and methods that help individuals gain control over their addiction is what the classes will offer.
Officials at the Pulaski County Health Department are warning residents that they are not soliciting donations for cancer research awareness.
Administrator Terri Hansen told WKVI News that some residents have gotten calls from scammers who are announcing that they are from the health department and looking for donations when the department is not making these calls. Hansen said they would not call anyone for such a cause.
Pulaski County Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners this week that repairs to the roof on the justice center will begin this weekend.
Commission President Larry Brady told WKVI News that the long-awaited repairs will begin this weekend and will be done by Monday. The slate tiles on top of the courthouse that were damaged in last year’s hail storm will be replaced next weekend so the courthouse will be cordoned off for those repairs to be done.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is impressed with the workforce training that’s taking place at the SCILL Center welding lab. She stopped there yesterday as part of her district-wide education tour. Continue reading
The West Central School Board will meet tonight with several items of discussion on the agenda.
The public hearing concerning the 2015 budget, capital projects plan and the bus replacement plan will be held during the meeting that begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. The board members will also discuss P.L. 221 and the A-F grading system that the state gives every school corporation.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski’s education tour will make several stops in the area today and tomorrow. She wants to hear from education officials, community leaders and students about ways to improve opportunities and prepare students for a globally competitive workforce. Continue reading
September is National Preparedness Month.
Marshall County EMA Director Clyde Avery said this is the time of year that we should be preparing for emergencies including natural disaster events and potential terrorist attacks and to take action to protect ourselves and our families.
The 17th annual Monterey Days Festival continues today with a full schedule of events. Enjoy the Knights of Columbus pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. EDT. Free carnival rides start at 10 and will run to 6 p.m. The Loehmer’s Hardware Pedal Tractor Pull will begin at 11 a.m. The karaoke contests will start at noon and go until 3 p.m. The Monterey Days Parade will start at 5 p.m. followed by Kiss the Pig Contest. The evening will finish up with live pro wrestling. For a schedule of events got to the Monterey Days Festival Facebook page.
The Tippecanoe Arts Federation is looking for visual art exhibits to hang in the Wells Community Cultural Center galleries in 2016. All artists, art groups, arts organization and schools from the Region IV counties are eligible to submit an application and electronic portfolio for panel review. Artists in Pulaski, White, Jasper, Benton, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Fountain, Howard, , Montgomery, Newton, Tippecanoe, Tipton and Warren counties who are at least 18 are eligible to apply. Continue reading
The 29 students enrolled at Starke County’s newest school are thriving in the non-traditional learning environment. The Crossing alternative school opened recently and offers a second chance to students who have been expelled from or dropped out of public schools. Principal Quentin Bishop says the school is an extension of the students’ sending schools.
“This is like a classroom just down the road from their sending school. We have that type of relationship, that type of partnership to say we’re not only just The Crossing Education Center working as an independent school. We’re actually in partnership with our public schools,” Bishop said. Continue reading
The Operation Pull Over safe driving campaign will be in effect this weekend for the State and local law enforcement agencies.
Additional patrols on the road in high traffic areas as well as sobriety checkpoints will be arranged. Troopers will be looking for aggressive drivers that are speeding, following too close, making unsafe lane changes and not wearing seatbelts.
If you have business with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, you need to take care of it today or wait until Tuesday. BMV branches across the state are closing tomorrow and Monday in observance of the Labor Day holiday. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday. More information about BMV branches and services offered is available online at www.MyBMV.com.
