Winamac Council Agrees to Split Panhandle Pathway Spur Paving Cost

Posted on Author WKVI

Panhandle Pathway LogoFriends of the Panhandle Pathway President John Bawcum says even though funds are available to extend the paved trail north to the depot at the corner of Main and Logan Streets in downtown Winamac, that project won’t be done until 2014.

“The Safe Routes to School money kicks in, the R.T.P. money kicks in, and we start heading down to the depot and beyond. The holdup is because of all the red tape, the environmental study and all that business. We have to get all that in place, get all that covered this year,” said Bawcum.

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Star City Fire Department Called to Car Fire

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Firefighters from the Star City Fire Department were called out to a fire at 4882 W. 550 S. in the town of Pulaski Tuesday afternoon.

Star City Fire Chief Mark Fox said seven or eight cars caught fire and it is undetermined how the fires started. Fox does not know if he will continue with an investigation at this time.

The Winamac Fire Department assisted at the scene along with the Buffalo Township Fire Department. Firefighters were on the scene for two-and-a-half hours. No injuries were reported.

Several Fires Reported over the Weekend

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Firefighters were busy responding to various calls this weekend.

Spring fever has hit and everyone has been out cleaning yards and burning unwanted brush and leaves. Firefighters ask that you not burn anything outside on days where the gusty winds are forecast. It’s safer to put off until a calm wind is predicted in order to burn things outside.

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WCHS to Present Tarzan the Musical

Posted on Author WKVI
Winamac Community High School
Winamac Community High School

The Winamac Community High School will soon present Tarzan the musical, and the socialtorium stage has recently undergone a transformation into an African jungle as parents, students, and staff work diligently to bring the bigger-than-life legend of Tarzan to the stage. The production stars Winamac junior J.T. Garnett in the title role and includes co-stars Taylor Smith, Emerald Blankenship, Andrew Brandon, Ralph Thomas and Joshua Tankersley.

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Winamac Resident Seeks Support for Chicken Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A Winamac resident is leading the charge to allow chickens within the town limits. Arwen Fair says lots of large cities, including Fort Wayne, South Bend and Chicago, allow backyard chickens. She and her husband, Gene, didn’t realize chickens were prohibited in downtown Winamac when they first moved here. The town only allows residents to keep dogs and cats as outdoor pets. Fair has spearheaded a petition drive to gauge support for her plan before approaching the Winamac Town Council. She says she favors reasonable limits on the number of chickens that can be kept and thinks they need to be appropriately fenced and contained.

Pulaski County Commissioners Hire New Maintenance Supervisor

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter

Pulaski County has a new maintenance supervisor. The commissioners voted unanimously last night to hire Winamac native Jeff Johnston, contingent on his passing a pre-employment drug screening. He will oversee maintenance and upkeep of all of the county’s buildings. Commissioner Larry Brady noted that a number of qualified individuals applied for the job and says their resumes will remain on file with the county. Johnston replaces longtime maintenance supervisor Morry DeMarco, who was fired last month by the commissioners.

Court Filing Seeks Release of Names of Kenny Becker’s Accusers

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter

The legal battle over longtime Pulaski County Highway Superintendent Kenny Becker’s firing continues. He was reappointed by the county commissioners on January 7th, suspended with pay on January 22nd so allegations raised by a current and a former employee could be looked into and reinstated as highway manager on February 4th following an investigation by an outside consultant. Commissioner Larry Brady served as interim superintendent, and Becker was subsequently fired by the commissioners on March 4th. He’s since hired an attorney and filed a $500,000 notice of tort claim against the county commissioners for slander and defamation of character.

Pulaski County attorney Kevin Tankersley reluctantly released a copy of the consultant’s investigation report after being ordered to do so by the state Public Access Counselor’s office but redacted the names of Becker’s accusers. The new filing seeks to force the release of that information, noting “the Commissioners have failed to comply fully with the requirements of the Open Door Law.” It also states the names are necessary for possible legal action by Becker for slander and defamation of character.

 

 

 

March Madness Snowstorm Socks Kankakee Valley

Posted on Author WKVI

It’s a whole different kind of March Madness across the Kankakee Valley this morning. Roads are slick and snow-covered after a late season overnight snowstorm. This is making for hazardous travel. If you do have to be out, allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, and remember, ice and snow, take it slow. Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, brake early and accelerate slowly. If you see a snow plow, stay back and give it plenty of room to operate. Don’t tailgate or try to pass a plow truck, as the roadway will be clearer behind the plow than in front of it.

You can check road conditions anywhere in the state by visiting www.trafficwise.in.gov or by dialing toll-free 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) for updated Indiana travel information, including road conditions, road closures, construction information and other traffic alerts.

Snow should taper off into flurries by midday, but additional snowfall is expected tonight and into tomorrow before temperatures warm up into the 40s by the middle of the week. Fortunately the snow will not be a factor for schools today, as most school systems within the WKVI listening area are on spring break this week. However, if we receive word of any other weather-related closings or delays we will pass it along on the closings and delays page at www.wkvi.com as well as on the air and on our Facebook page.

 

“Celebrating the Arts” Event Planned For April 6 in Winamac

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Winamac’s chapter of Psi Iota Xi Sorority, Iota Xi, will once again be “Celebrating the Arts” in the Winamac community on April 6. The event, which will be held at the Church of the Heartland at 890 E. Highway 14, will take place 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. ET with free admission, but the sorority is welcoming a suggesting $1 donation, the proceeds of which will support the event.

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Winamac Students Working on Space Project

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Community High School
Winamac Community High School
Dr. Darlene Gordon, a middle school science teacher, gave the Eastern Pulaski School Board an update on the Student Space Flight Experiment Program last week.

Gordon said the program is funded out of Washington D.C. and that the middle school students have partnered with students from Crown Point in this program. All of the students are working together, with the two schools competing against each other, to come up with experiments that could be chosen to go up on the International Space Station.

“This is open to fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grade students and a few other students that we have in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program,” explained Gordon. “So, we’ve come up with everything from biological to physical experiments.”

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Winamac Council Approves Monument Placement at Pocket Park

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Town Hall
Winamac Town Hall
The Winamac VFW and American Legion plan to place a monument at the new pocket park on Memorial Day. Greenspace Winamac turned the vacant corner lot at the corner of Monticello and Washington Streets across from Dairy Barn into a park and dedicated it to Pulaski County’s veterans. American Legion Commander Chuck Webb sought and received approval from the Winamac Town Council to place a 15-by-15 monument at the park. The veterans service organizations plan to dedicate it on Memorial Day.

Winamac Man Arrested After Traffic Stop

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A Winamac man was arrested Wednesday after a traffic stop in Marshall County. A Marshall County Sheriff’s Department officer stopped a vehicle for a moving violation on State Road 17 near 15th Road.

During the course of the traffic stop, a K9 unit was requested at the scene. K9 Arras indicated the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. When the officer searched the vehicle a substance believed to be methamphetamine was found along with drug paraphernalia.

Dennis Bell of Winamac was arrested and booked into the Marshall County Jail on a preliminary charge of Possession of Methamphetamine. His bond was set at $3,000.

Winamac Park Superintendent Prepares for Busy Season

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Town Hall
Winamac Town Hall
The Winamac Town Council has decided to keep the back part of the town park locked for now. That’s where the annual Northern Indiana Power from the Past and Pulaski County 4-H Fair are held, but the park is also a prime spot for mischief, particularly from youngsters who like to drive through the grass and tear the area up. Town Council members advised Park Superintendent Rick Dilts to keep the gates to the back locked for awhile in hopes of heading off vandalism. Meanwhile, Dilts says he’s staying busy bringing the shelter house restrooms at the park up to ADA compliance standards and preparing the concession stand for the upcoming Winamac Community High School softball season.

Winamac Council Ponders Pool Options

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Town Hall
Winamac Town Hall
The Winamac Town Council isn’t sure how long maintaining the community swimming pool at the Pulaski County Family YMCA will be feasible this year. The state scaled back the town’s recreation budget by about $9,000, leaving about $38,000 to cover the necessary chemicals and other maintenance costs. The operating loss is offset with the money the Y pays the town to operate the facility. Town Council members say they would like to keep the pool open through Labor Day but simply won’t have the money to do so this year. Keeping the pool open evenings and weekends for an extra three weeks will cost an extra $4,300. Council members discussed the matter Monday but did not take action.

Blood Drive to be Held During Winamac Block Party; Donations Needed!

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The second annual Downtown Winamac Block Party, sponsored this year by H&R Block, will not only be benefiting the local food pantry, but the Indiana Blood Center as well! The Blood Mobile from South Bend will be present at the block party from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, and Jennifer Shank-Maxwell from H&R Block said it’s just another way to give back to the community.

“The block party is all about giving back to the community, and what better way to give back to the community than to have a blood drive? This will be the first year that the blood drive will be part of the block party; there have been other blood drives in Winamac, which also was part of why it seemed like a great idea,” said Shank-Maxwell.

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Winamac Council Gives Tentative Blessing to Hotel Developer

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Town Hall
Winamac Town Hall
Area travelers could have a new place to hang their hats by the end of the year after the Winamac Town Council gave a tentative blessing to a proposed 44-room hotel. Wisconsin-based Cobblestone Development wants to open a hotel for business travelers in Winamac. Developer John F. Seibert says the proposed 44-room facility would be comparable to a Holiday Inn Express or Hampton Inn.

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Downtown Winamac Block Party Planned This Weekend

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Winamac H&R Block office is sponsoring this year’s second Annual Downtown Winamac Block Party, with donations going to support the Pulaski County Food Bank. Event Coordinator Amy Hoover said the event has drawn a lot of attention from local businesses, with a variety of activities offered in exchange for donations of money or canned items to benefit the food pantry.

“Everything that we collect is going to the food pantry – either the canned goods or the money,” said Hoover. “It was just something that I knew that they were in short supply, so we wanted to do what we could to give back to the community by giving to the food pantry.”

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WCHS to Host Bi-County Choral Festival

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Community High School
Winamac Community High School
Winamac Community High School will be hosting the fourth annual Bi-County Choral Festival on Monday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the socialtorium. There will be a free-will admission at the door, with all proceeds going to benefit all choirs involved.

The event was first planned four years ago when choral directors from Rochester, Caston, and Winamac sought to introduce students to guest conductors with an afternoon of singing and educational fellowship. Caston Choral Director Michelle Byrn and Winamac Choral Director Patrick Schuttrow will be back again this year, welcoming Rochester’s new choral director, Autumn Dalton, who will accompany the performance.

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