USDA Financial Assistance Available to Rural Homeowners Highlighted by NJ Town Superintendent

Through the USDA’s Rural Housing and Repair Loans and Grants program, assistance can be provided to very low-income homeowners to help repair, improve and modernize homes or remove health and safety hazards from rural dwellings. Residents also have the option of obtaining a loan through hard money lenders.

North Judson Utility Superintendent Marshall Horstmann highlighted this opportunity at Monday’s town council meeting and provided members with some additional information about the terms. Continue reading

Summer Food Service Program Sites for Starke and Pulaski Counties

More than 250 Indiana schools and community sponsors will be kicking off their Food Summer Service Programs this week, with a number of local sites included.

June is the busiest month for the program since many families begin seeking additional nutrition assistance in the summertime. For that reason, Governor Eric Holcomb issued a statewide proclamation, declaring the week of June 4th through the 8th Summer Food Service Program week.

For more than 40 years, the program has provided eligible children and teens ages 18 and under with access to free, nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months. Last year, more than 3 million meals were delivered across the state. This year there are various sites set up across Starke and Pulaski County to help hungry kids here in our community. Continue reading

Knox Mayor Provides Update About Reducing the Scope of the Wastewater Treatment Plant Rehabilitation Project

Knox Mayor Dennis Estok provided a brief update about the city’s wastewater treatment plant rehabilitation project when city council members met last Tuesday.

Mayor Estok explained that the city was initially trying to obtain a USDA grant. However, that grant was not received and the project had to be reworked to be more financially feasible. Continue reading

Knox Set to Proceed with Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Funding

The City of Knox is ready to apply for a federal grant and loan to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant.

Much of the infrastructure is more than 20 years old and no longer runs efficiently. At a minimum the city is looking at upgrades to the headworks to better deal with grit removal and screening. The necessary equipment carries an estimated cost of $500,000, according to a study done last year for the city. Improvements to the aeration side of the plant are also proposed. Continue reading

Pulaski Commissioners Show Support for Federal PMH Financing

 
 

The Pulaski County Commissioners have provided a letter of support for a project upgrading Pulaski Memorial Hospital.

Officials have already sought special financing from the county to help pay for certain upgrades in the form of a storage facility and upgrades to the parking lot. This is only one part of the project, according to discussion during Monday night’s Commissioner’s meeting.

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USDA Approves State’s Request for Secretarial Disaster Declaration

Crop lossFarmers throughout the state who suffered crop losses due to excessive rainfall can apply for low-interest emergency loans from the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture yesterday approved a secretarial disaster declaration for 53 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Gov. Mike Pence, Lt. Gov. Sue Ellsperman and Indiana Farm Service Agency Executive Director Julia A. Wickard made the request in late July after farmers suffered significant crop damage and losses as a result of flooding and excessive rain that started May 1st. Continue reading

N.J.-S.P. Hosts Summer Food Service Program

NJ-SP ElementaryThe North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation will take part in the federal summer food service program this year. Free breakfast and lunch will be available to all children through age 18 each Monday through Thursday from June 9 through 26. Food will also be served to adults who are enrolled in a state approved education program for the mentally or physically disabled. All meals will be served at the North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School cafeteria. Breakfast will be offered from 7:30 until 8 a.m. daily. Lunch will be served from 11:15 a.m. until noon. Adults may eat there for a nominal charge. Adult breakfasts cost $1, and lunches are $2.

Marshall County Commissioners Approve USDA’s Use of GIS Data

  
 

Giddeon Nobbe from USDA requested the use of Marshall County’s GIS data.

He told the Marshall County Commissioners this week that the computer system has changed and using the GIS data will help the representatives look at boundaries for insurance purposes. Ownership of the right amounts of land would be able to be calculated easier. It would be helpful for crop information and insuring animals.

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USDA Grant Will Help Local Schools Offer Local Foods

 
 
The Indiana State Department of Health is a recipient of the USDA’s Farm to School Program grant to assist officials in connecting schools with local food producers.

This $100,000 grant will help the ISDH to conduct strategic planning to expand and better support the Indiana Farm to School Network efforts and assess school food service infrastructure and readiness to incorporate local products into school meal programs. Scholarships will also be made available for small farmers and school food service staff members to attend trainings that provide skills and information that support farm to school.

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Healthier Foods to be Served at Schools

Dr. Robert Klitzman
Dr. Robert Klitzman
The menus are constantly changing at schools to encourage healthier choices.

More vegetables are being offered to students to help improve healthy eating and to tackle child obesity issues. Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman noted that changes were made last school year and more changes are expected on plates this coming school year.

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Pulaski County Designated Drought Disaster Area

Pulaski County has been designated as a primary disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, joining 13 other counties alongside the existing list of 50 counties considered primary natural disaster areas. The USDA on Wednesday also designated 16 contiguous counties as eligible for assistance, bringing the grand total to 80 Indiana counties that now qualify for assistance from the Farm Service Agency.

Representative Tom Dermody of LaPorte says he’s pleased that the USDA expanded their assistance to more counties, because he feels it will be critical to helping Hoosier farmers make it through next year. He says he will continue to advocate on behalf of LaPorte County to make it eligible as well for federal assistance due to the drought conditions.

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