Alliance Bank in Winamac is collecting donations for the Pulaski Animal Center to help out homeless cats and dogs in the community. Continue reading
Ed Clark Announces Retirement
The Pulaski County Commissioners learned from the director of the recycling and transfer station that he hopes to retire at the end of the year.
Ed Clark told the commissioners that he will be retiring Dec. 31 and asked them to advertise for the opening. He said he’d stay on as long as the new person would need to be trained. They approved the request.
Braun Mansion For Sale
Pulaski County’s largest and most expensive home is on the market. It was built in 1998 for Braun Corporation founder Ralph Braun, who died in February of 2013. The home sits on a 40 acre property just south of Winamac and features nearly 16,000 feet of living space. Indianapolis-based Encore Sotheby’s International is handling the listing. Continue reading
New Generator for Health Department to be Installed Soon
The new generator for the Pulaski County Health Department was to be delivered this week.
Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners Monday night that it will be stored until a company can properly install it. The Pulaski County council members approved the money for the generator at their meeting last week.
The commissioners previously approved the purchase of a similar self-starting generator for the county home in the amount of $3,500, but the council members did not bring the purchase request to a motion last week. Commissioner Terry Young expressed his frustration in that lack of action by the council.
High Water Plagues Pulaski County Roads
Farmers Market Festival Scheduled Today in Winamac
The Farmers Market Festival returns to downtown Winamac today.
Festivities begin with the Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast from 7 until 10 a.m. EDT in the AlightLife parking lot at the corner of Monticello and Pearl Streets. Live music gets under way at 11, followed by a puppet show at 1.
Local craftsmen and artisans will have their wares available, and food and treats will also be offered. Activities include face painting and games for the kids.
Pulaski County Council Holds Budget Public Hearing
The Pulaski County council members held a public hearing for comments on the 2015 budget.
The council members worked in budget sessions in July to cut over $2 million in the budget for next year. The county is asking for a 2.7 percent increase over last year.
Pulaski County Council Members Briefly Discuss Airport Issues
The Pulaski County Council has had several questions concerning the operations at the county’s airport, Arens Field, and manager Bud Widner was at the council’s Monday meeting to answer questions by the council members.
At the last meeting, the council members voiced concerns about the payment for fuel. There was a dispute over how much money the county should be receiving for the fuel that has been used and how much was in the fuel tank when the full-time employment began. That part has been ironed out and accounted for but the method of payment for fuel by customers was discussed briefly.
Eastern Pulaski School Board Moving Forward with Large Project
The Eastern Pulaski School Board members are looking to dive into a large-scale project soon. Gibraltar, a design and architectural engineering firm, talked to the school board Monday evening about the project that is anticipated in the next year.
Superintendent Dan Foster explained some of the things that are expected to be part of the project.
Farmers Market Festival Planned in Winamac
The Farmers Market Festival returns to downtown Winamac on Saturday. Festivities begin with the Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast from 7 until 10 a.m. EDT in the AlightLife parking lot at the corner of Monticello and Pearl Streets. Live music gets under way at 11, followed by a puppet show at 1. Local craftsmen and artisans will have their wares available, and food and treats will also be offered. Activities include face painting and games for the kids.
Pulaski County Council Approves Funding for Health Department Generator
The Pulaski County Council approved the purchase of a generator for the health department.
Terri Hansen had been asking for a generator for the department for several years. After working with county maintenance director Jeff Johnston, Hansen said they are ready to make the purchase.
“Jeff Johnston, I talked with him a couple of times and he said the generator that would run our office is about $2,900. I’m asking for an additional in equipment for $3,500 for the generator and for any cost for the hookup,” said Hansen.
Pulaski County Council Discusses Salary Ordinance Amendment at Sheriff’s Department
The Pulaski County Council discussed a salary ordinance change request with the sheriff’s matron, Carrie Avery, Monday night.
The situation is unique in that a dispatcher and his wife work at the department and officials want to move one into the chief dispatcher role. That would create a nepotism law violation. To get around that, Avery went before the county council to request that they approve the creation of co-assistant chief deputy positions and put the pair into those roles.
Pulaski County Council Approves Appropriation for New Ambulance
The Pulaski County Council approved an additional appropriation for the EMS for the purchase of an ambulance and new cardiac monitors.
EMS Director Nikki Lowry requested $88,000 in an additional appropriation in order to pay for the new ambulance. The insurance company will be paying $82,000 to the county after totaling the ambulance that was damaged in a fire on Feb. 7 at Wagner’s Towing. The cost of a new ambulance is approximately $150,000.
Eastern Pulaski School Board to Meet Today
The Eastern Pulaski School Board will meet today.
The board will approve administrator contracts and discuss tentative enrollment figures. The official ADM count that determines funding for schools is this Friday, Sept. 12. The funding follows the student so if a student moves from the corporation that money goes with the student. The board is hopeful that this year’s count doesn’t reveal less students.
Pulaski County Health Department Not Soliciting Donations
Officials at the Pulaski County Health Department are warning residents that they are not soliciting donations for cancer research awareness.
Administrator Terri Hansen told WKVI News that some residents have gotten calls from scammers who are announcing that they are from the health department and looking for donations when the department is not making these calls. Hansen said they would not call anyone for such a cause.
Pulaski County Justice Center, Courthouse Roof Repairs Planned
Pulaski County Maintenance Director Jeff Johnston told the commissioners this week that repairs to the roof on the justice center will begin this weekend.
Commission President Larry Brady told WKVI News that the long-awaited repairs will begin this weekend and will be done by Monday. The slate tiles on top of the courthouse that were damaged in last year’s hail storm will be replaced next weekend so the courthouse will be cordoned off for those repairs to be done.
Walorski Tours SCILL Center Welding Lab
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski is impressed with the workforce training that’s taking place at the SCILL Center welding lab. She stopped there yesterday as part of her district-wide education tour. Continue reading
West Central School Board to Meet Tonight
The West Central School Board will meet tonight with several items of discussion on the agenda.
The public hearing concerning the 2015 budget, capital projects plan and the bus replacement plan will be held during the meeting that begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. The board members will also discuss P.L. 221 and the A-F grading system that the state gives every school corporation.
Students Thriving at The Crossing
The 29 students enrolled at Starke County’s newest school are thriving in the non-traditional learning environment. The Crossing alternative school opened recently and offers a second chance to students who have been expelled from or dropped out of public schools. Principal Quentin Bishop says the school is an extension of the students’ sending schools.
“This is like a classroom just down the road from their sending school. We have that type of relationship, that type of partnership to say we’re not only just The Crossing Education Center working as an independent school. We’re actually in partnership with our public schools,” Bishop said. Continue reading
Three Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department Employees Retire
Three long-time employees at the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department will be honored today in recognition of their retirement.
Detective David Walters and dispatchers Susie Hemphill and Connie Haschel are retiring after serving the Pulaski County community for many years.
The staff will be holding an appreciation gathering today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET at the sheriff’s department in the training room. A baked potato bar will be featured and cake will be served.
