A group of county officials plans to sit down next week to discuss a new contract with the Starke County Economic Development Foundation. Executive Director Charlie Weaver has worked under the same agreement for 16 years. He agrees it’s time revisit the agreement and exactly what kind of work it entails on behalf of the county. Continue reading
The Starke County Council will discuss a how a proposed change to employee longevity will affect the 2017 budgets during their regularly scheduled meeting this evening. They will also review the salary ordinance for the upcoming year. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners intend to ask the county plan commission to review the zoning designation of the North Judson Industrial Park. The issue came up at last night’s meeting during a discussion of the controversial and now defunct Metro Recycling transfer station project. North Judson residents Aaron Simerly and Carol Silhavy asked the commissioners how the project was kept so secret for so long and raised concerns about the environmental and economic effects such a business would have on the community. Continue reading
Metro Recycling has decided not to add a facility in the North Judson Industrial Park, after all. Complaints raised by a number of residents during last week’s North Judson Town Council meeting appear to have been successful in causing the company to reconsider its proposal to add a recycling transfer station, just outside the town limits. Continue reading
Starke County eighth graders will get a taste of the “real world” next week. The annual Reality Store event will take place next Wednesday at Knox Middle School. Continue reading
A proposed recycling transfer station in the North Judson Industrial Park drew several complaints from residents during a contentious North Judson Town Council meeting Monday. The planned Metro Recycling facility would handle municipal solid waste, as well as construction debris like concrete and untreated wood. Continue reading
North Judson residents will have the chance to learn more about a planned recycling transfer station during tonight’s North Judson Town Council meeting. It’s been moved to the North Judson–San Pierre Junior/Senior High School Auditorium to handle the many residents expected to be in attendance. Officials from Metro Recycling as well as the Starke County Economic Development Foundation are scheduled to discuss the new transfer station and address residents’ concerns. Continue reading
Concerns with a recycling transfer station planned for the North Judson area have led to a response from the company, as well as local economic development officials. Metro Recycling is currently moving ahead with a permitting process with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The company plans to add a recycling transfer station on Oakwood Street in the North Judson Industrial Park. Continue reading
The planned addition of a recycling transfer station in the North Judson Industrial Park has some residents organizing a protest. Metro Recycling currently operates three facilities in Northwest Indiana and one in Illinois. Continue reading
The State of Indiana expects a million jobs to open up over the next 10 years, but finding people to fill them remains a challenge. That’s the message the Indiana Department of Workforce Development shared with Starke County manufacturers, educators, and elected officials last week. Continue reading
A North Judson business was honored for 100 years of operation by the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Thursday. American Oak Preserving Company was founded by Frederick and Charley Vorm in 1916, specializing in the preservation of oak leaves for decorative uses. Continue reading
A job fair will be held in Knox later this month. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation is teaming up with WorkONE to host the event on Wednesday, August 24. Continue reading
The Starke County Council this week took preliminary steps to clear the way for the relocation of a Chicagoland-area business to North Judson. Continue reading
Starke County’s May unemployment rate is equal to that of the state for the first time in at least a quarter of a century. Both are 5 percent for the month. County unemployment records were first maintained in 1990, according to officials with the Starke County Economic Development Foundation. Continue reading
The Starke County Council will consider a proposal from the highway superintendent with regard to additional state transportation funds when they meet this evening. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler assembled a road funding committee to discuss options for the one-time appropriation from the state. He also hopes to come up with the required local match to draw down additional funds in order to free up $1 million for additional uses throughout the county over the next five years. Continue reading
Giving residents easy access to healthy food choices is a challenge in many of the rural communities in the local area, but during the past year, officials in Starke County found a way to keep one town’s grocery store open. Continue reading
The Knox Board of Works received a lone bid for installation of a lift station to serve the new Traffic Control Specialists facility. Culver-based Thomas Excavating and Welding submitted a total bid of $39,574. That includes $19,638 for installation of the lift station and an additional $19,936 for a force main. Continue reading
The construction of a new facility for an expanding Knox business will remain on schedule after Knox Mayor Dennis Estok administratively authorized the purchase of a lift station to serve the site. City officials previously agreed to run water and sewer lines to the new Traffic Control Specialists, Inc. location west of Toll Brothers and Knox Fertilizer in the industrial park. The company broke ground on the project in November. A May 27th ribbon cutting is scheduled. Continue reading
Starke County’s unemployment rate increased in November, climbing to 5.6 percent. That’s up from the previous two months, when the rate bottomed out at 5.0 percent. Continue reading
The North Judson Town Council reorganized and made some additional appointments when it met Monday for the first time in 2016. Wendy Hoppe has once again been selected to serve as council president. She will also remain the council’s representative on the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board of Directors. Continue reading
