Winter weather occurring earlier this week affected schools in more ways than canceling classes.
The wintry mix that descended on the area also delayed ISTEP testing for several schools. The ISTEP test has been discussed for some time in the General Assembly with reforms to the test approved by lawmakers.
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The Starke County Highway Department has plenty of salt and sand on hand to finish winter operations. Superintendent Rik Ritzler says even with the significant amount of snow that fell in February they’ve used considerably less than last year. Continue reading
Visitors to the Starke County government website now have access to information about incidents reported to the sheriff’s department. County information technology director Joe Short recently added the Crime Mapper tool to the existing Starke County GIS on the website. Visitors can click the crime button and view calls from the last seven or 30 days or can search a customized date range.
Sheriff Bill Dulin hopes sharing this information will raise awareness of the types of incidents his department deals with on a daily basis. Continue reading
Plans are in the works in North Judson to rehabilitate a couple of water service structures.
The North Judson Town Council discussed a grant application during their meeting Monday night so work can begin to improve the town’s water towers and treatment system.
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Several students from a local career center were able to test their skills after participating in a regional auto competition.
It was the first time participating in the SkillsUSA Regional Auto Service competition for four of the students. They attend the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning – which partners students, educators, and industry to enhance workforce skills.
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The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is providing a few tips as rain comes into the state.
Rain can often add to problems caused by snow accumulation such as making the burden heavier on area roofs. Others include the potential for flooding in the state.
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Starke County officials are making plans for a May 22nd open house to celebrate the completion of the Starke County Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center. Contractors are putting final touches on the new facility east of Knox on State Road 8 and will have the building ready to turn over to the county by May 1st. Continue reading
Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin will hire two additional part-time jail officers for now in anticipation of the new jail opening in a few months. They may eventually be promoted to full-time once the facility is online and the county is housing more prisoners.
Dulin is also looking to hire a part-time maintenance person for the new jail soon. The position will require quite a bit of technical expertise to handle the state-of-the-art correctional facility. Applications for that job close Friday. Dulin says he’s already gotten a dozen or so resumes. He plans to review them all with the commissioners in an executive session after the application deadline. Continue reading
A federally funded program that allows law enforcement officers to work additional hours will not be in use in Starke County this year.
Operation Pull Over is designed to target areas that are considered problematic by enforcing traffic laws and seatbelt violations more aggressively. The Knox City Police Department oversaw the program’s operation last year in conjunction with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.
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U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly is urging members of the House of Representatives to approve appropriations for a federal department through September of this year.
A stopgap bill designed to fund the Department of Homeland Security for one week passed the House on Friday evening. That followed a failed House vote to fund the DHS for three weeks.
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An HIV outbreak in downstate Indiana has state health officials responding.
According to the Indiana State Department of Health, there have been 26 confirmed cases of the disease since mid-December. That same report says those cases find common ground in prescription drug and injection abuse.
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The deadline is drawing near for students interested in applying for federal student aid.
More workshops will be held in the area for students and their families who may require help filling out FAFSA documents properly. Deadline for applications in Indiana is March 10th.
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Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin will discuss the staffing needs for the new jail with the county commissioners when they meet this evening. The facility east of Knox on State Road 8 is scheduled to open in June and will house nearly twice as many inmates as the existing jail. The advance agenda for the 6 p.m. meeting indicates Dulin will ask for permission to hire two more full-time jail officers. He will also review the revised listing of needed equipment with the commissioners. Continue reading
The clock is ticking for prospective college students to complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Ancilla College Executive Director of Admissions Eric Wignall encourages anyone who may be considering college next year to fill out the FAFSA.
“There’s no age limit. There’s no income limit. You may not qualify for aid. You may make more money or your family make more money so you don’t qualify for the need-based scholarships, but the FAFSA is your way to get into the financial aid system,” Wignall said. Continue reading
Candidates for town offices are still eligible to sign up for offices up for election in this municipal cycle.
The latest candidate to file in the Stake County Clerk’s Office is Democrat Dean Goble, who is running for a seat on the Hamlet Town Council. Since the last report in Pulaski County, Democrat Emily L. Bailey and James Fleury filed for a Monterey Town Council positions while Republican Ronald “Rudy” Desabitine is seeking a Ward 2 seat on the Winamac Town Council.
The deadline to file for a town office is Aug. 3. If a race develops in a party, a town convention will be held to determine a party candidate to be on the November ballot in the General Election.
Voter registration ends April 6, and absentee voting opens the next day. For information on those items, call you local voter registration clerk.
The City of Knox Primary Election is Tuesday, May 5.
Neighboring businesses are commenting on an alleged incident that landed a Knox man in jail on Child Molesting and other counts.
According to police, 67-year-old Robert Wisilinski was arrested after a couple of missing juvenile calls led officers to his Heaton Street address. After refusing to answer the door, Wisilinski was spotted exiting the home with one of the missing juveniles.
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A Knox resident may soon be helping area residents with their travels.
According to a press release, a CruiseOne franchise will soon be operating in Knox. CruiseOne has been in business since 1992 and helps individuals planning their travels, largely by cruise ship.
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A social media post about the dangers of texting and driving could land a student a scholarship toward post-secondary education.
Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann is encouraging high school and college students to put together a campaign on social media to drive now and text later. Texting while driving is illegal in the state, but it’s not preventing drivers to type a message. Cell phones are a constant in the world, but it’s best to wait to check or type text messages until after you reach your destination.
Indiana Senate Democrats say the halfway point of the long session in Indianapolis has been reached.
That mark was reached on Wednesday according to a release from the caucus this week.
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Additional charges could be filed against a Knox man accused of molesting a young boy at his Heaton Street home. Robert M. Wisilinski, 67, is charged with child molesting as a level 1 felony, child solicitation as a level 5 felony and child pornography as a level 6 felony. Detective Dave Combs with the Knox Police Department says officers traced a young boy reported missing on over the weekend to Wisilinski’s home Sunday evening. Continue reading
