The Starke County Economic Development Foundation has decided to keep Larry Wickert as its executive director. Wickert has been serving as interim executive director since the beginning of the year. Now, the foundation’s board of directors has decided to make his appointment permenant, according to a press release issued Wednesday.
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation will soon be looking for a new leader. Charlie Weaver has retired, after serving as the foundation’s executive director since 2005.
A rough railroad crossing in Hamlet continues to draw the attention of economic development officials. The town council has been complaining about the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern’s Starke Street crossing for years. Last month, Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver offered to speak to railroad officials, but the town didn’t get an immediate response.
This week, Weaver told council members that he’s still working with the railroad’s parent company, but he needs to get all the details straight. “I’m in communication with the Genesee & Wyoming railroad. They like to know exactly who you had conversation with, so we can pin it down, and I need to verify the absolute nature of the complaint. It’s a rough crossing right?” Continue reading
Snack food producer Gary Poppins is moving closer to starting operations in the former Stelrema building north of Knox. But Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver now says it probably won’t happen until 2018. Continue reading
The Hamlet Town Council is once again calling for repairs to the Starke Street railroad crossing. During Wednesday’s meeting, Council President Dave Kesvormas said the crossing continues to get worse. Continue reading
The Starke County Council members discussed an additional appropriation request made Monday night by Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver.
Last week’s Starke County Job Fair was deemed a success. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver gave the county council a full report Monday night. He said several companies attended the event.
“We had about 88 people there,” said Weaver. “I’ve got to tell you that both the quantity and the quality of the persons who walked in looking for jobs this year compared to last year was just phenomenally different. Most of them had attended sales training bootcamp, and were highly qualified.” Continue reading
Snack food producer Gary Poppins is still expected to move into the former Stelrema building north of Knox by the end of this year.
Gourmet snack food producer Gary Poppins could be moving into the former Stelrema building north of Knox by the end of this year, but there are still a few issues that need to be resolved first. The sale is in the “final stages of due diligence,” according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver.
Manufacturing Day is just over a month away, and economic development officials are getting ready. Seventh graders from around Starke County will once again have the chance to meet with representatives from local industries, during an event hosted by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation.
Precision Waterjet Concepts (PWC) was founded in 2002. The company founders saw a need for quality abrasive Waterjet Cutting in many industries and started the company to meet that demand.
The North Judson Town Council will get an update from Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver tonight. Recently, Weaver’s been discussing plans to bring U.S. 30 up to freeway standards in the northern part of Starke County, as well as efforts to develop properties around North Judson and elsewhere.
Plans are in the works at the state level to turn U.S. 30 into freeway within the next decade. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver says a public meeting is scheduled Wednesday, June 28 at 5 p.m. in the Oregon-Davis Junior-Senior High School Cafeteria. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners will consider additional updates to the courthouse when they meet this evening. Their agenda includes discussion of an ADA-compliant elevator, which would be paid for with a grant from the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission. Continue reading
The Knox City Council will get more information tonight about how to pay for improvements to the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center. The HVAC system and roof both need to be replaced. So does the carpeting. Continue reading
The Knox City Council will hear from a couple organizations working to improve Starke County. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners have taken a first step towards adopting a truck route ordinance. It restricts routes for vehicles with a gross weight of more than 36,000 pounds to specified county-maintained roads or highways. Continue reading
A well-established business in the Knox Industrial Park has plans to significantly grow its local presence over the next few years. J.W. Hicks owner Jim Hicks told the Knox City Council he intends to expand the company’s two existing plants in the industrial park, add a stand-alone fabrication building and build a corporate office and research facility at the corner of Klockner Drive and Pacific Avenue. Continue reading
