Starke County officials are seeking nominations for volunteers to serve on the county park board. Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall and the Starke County Council each have two nominations – one Democrat and one Republican. The Starke County Commissioners will select the fifth member. Political affiliation is not a consideration for the commissioners nominee. Continue reading
Starke County’s local option income tax rates are not going up. The county council Monday set the rates for the County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT) and County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) Funds and the Starke County Jail CEDIT. Continue reading
A Michigan City native with extensive hands-on welding experience is set to join the staff of the SCILL Center welding technology program. Starting Monday, Elizabeth Tylisz will be teaching the morning vocational welding class and some of the adult welding classes. Continue reading
Many local preschools still have openings for children to ensure your child is ready for kindergarten.
Full and partial scholarships are still available at several local preschools through the Starke County Community Foundation’s Preschool Scholarship Program. Preschools participating in the scholarship program that still have openings include Foundations Preschool and Little Lambs Preschool, both located in Knox plus adventure Island Preschool and St. Peter Lutheran Preschool in North Judson.
The organizers of Starke County’s newest festival are meeting this afternoon to get ready for the upcoming event. The WoodStarke Committee will convene from 3 until 5 p.m. at the Starke County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center Office, which is located in the depot on U.S. 35 at the north edge of the city. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners will get their monthly management report for the Bass Lake Beach and Campground when they meet this evening. Manager Richard Callahan and his attorney Dave Wallsmith are first on the agenda for tonight’s 7 p.m. meeting at the Starke County Annex Building. The commissioners voted recently to limit camping to 15 days instead of allowing season-long leasing of campsites. Continue reading
The cupboards are bare at the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry. They are in need of canned fruits and vegetables, macaroni and cheese dinners, pancake mix, spaghetti noodles and all varieties of breakfast cereals. Continue reading
Starke County high school students wishing to pursue a career in either welding or automotive technology can get a head start on doing so without leaving home. The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning offers courses in both fields of study to high school juniors and seniors. Continue reading
The current Starke County Jail in downtown Knox will still be owned by the county and used for correctional programs once the new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center east of Knox on State Road 8 opens next year. Commissioner Kathy Norem says the building is part of the collateral for the loan to build the new structure, so it cannot be sold or torn down and must be used in the justice arena. She says the county set aside money to renovate the building. Continue reading
Several local residents have been getting phone calls that their grandson or granddaughter is in jail and they need bail money but Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen said this is a scam.
The caller will tell the victim that the person is in jail and explains ways to send money to get them out of jail. Cowen warns that this is a way to scam you out of money and to not give out any personal information.
The new Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center east of Knox on State Road 8 is still on schedule for a spring 2015 completion. The project is also on budget and features a number of state-of-the-art amenities like video visitation. Commissioner and Starke County Building Corporation President Kathy Norem says it will be much safer and will cut down on the import of contraband into the jail. Continue reading
Members of the Starke County Association of Firefighters will be active in the visitation and funeral for New Carlisle Assistant Fire Chief Jamie Middlebrook.
Middlebrook died Tuesday while fighting a fire at a LaPorte County business, K-Fex, near the intersection of U.S. 20 and 800 East. Visitation is Sunday from 2 until 7 p.m. ET at the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium at Bethel College while the funeral service will be on Monday, Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. at the college.
Uninsured youngsters who still need back-to-school physicals and shots can get both at HealthLinc in Knox. The facility is celebrating National Health Center Week today with an open house from 3 until 6 p.m. Appointments are necessary to get physicals and shots, but a number of other services are available to walk-in customers. Continue reading
Summer is almost over for students attending area schools.
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the staff is nearly ready for the start of school.
“Everybody is trying to get everything ready,” said Gappa. “The building administrators are getting things going. We have some professional development days this week for all of the staff members. New teachers are coming in Friday and all staff members will report on Monday, Aug. 11. We also have back to school night from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in each of the buildings. Parents can come in and meet the teachers and see what the classrooms are like and get going from there.”
The Starke County EMS base in North Judson will soon have a paramedic on duty around the clock. The county commissioners approved the expansion of Advanced Life Support, or ALS, service to that base immediately and to Grovertown starting Jan. 1. Knox already has 24-hour ALS coverage. Continue reading
Indiana students overall showed improvement on their ISTEP scores in both math and language arts. Scores released yesterday by the Indiana Department of Education indicate 80.7 percent of students passed English, compared to 79.5 percent in 2013. Math scores went up from 83 to 83.5 percent statewide. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners will discuss the salary for the new county EMS director when they meet this morning. They’re still searching for a replacement for Paul Matthewson, who resigned from the director’s position July 1. Keith Eimgh is serving as director in an interim position until a permanent replacement is hired. First though the commissioners want to review the salary for the job. Continue reading
It is back to school season and if you’re struggling to acquire some supplies for your child there’s no need to worry. The Kid’s Closet ministry Pack-a-Backpack event can supply you with a back pack chock full of all the supplies your child needs.
Representatives from the Starke County Assessor’s Office are visiting homes throughout the county to conduct the state-mandated cyclical reassessment process. They are required to physically inspect 25 percent of the properties in the county each year to ensure property records contain accurate information. County Assessor Rhonda Milner says this is done to make sure taxpayers receive accurate assessments. Continue reading
The IU Health La Porte and Starke hospitals’ mobile health clinic is offering free cervical and breast cancer screenings in the area. Screenings are held inside the mobile health unit, which has two private exam rooms.
Screenings will take place in Knox from 8 a.m. until noon, on Aug. 1, in North Judson from 9 a.m. until noon on Aug. 6 and in La Porte from 9 a.m. until Noon on Aug. 17.
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