The Pulaski County 4-H Fair begins today!
Several 4-H entries are due at the fairgrounds throughout the day and commercial exhibits and vendors will be moving into the fairgrounds today.
The Garden Tractor Pull begins tonight at 6 p.m. ET.
The Supreme Court has upheld President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. The law requires individuals not covered by employer or government-sponsored insurance plans to maintain minimal essential health insurance coverage or pay a penalty unless exempted for religious beliefs or financial hardship.
The drought is affecting everyone from farmers to outdoor enthusiasts.
Conservation officer Keith Wildeman said that because of the drought conditions, water levels are low in public freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams. You should be prepared to run into issues while visiting your favorite lake or river because of the low water levels.
After tabling the matter twice, the Knox City Council this week finally signed documents stating that Hoosier Custom Plastics is in substantial compliance to the terms of their tax abatement.
Council Attorney David Matsey said they were hesitant to sign the forms because documents that were necessary to ensure they were in compliance had been sent to the wrong department – some documents went to the clerk-treasurer’s office that should have gone to the auditor’s department, and vice versa. However, the council ultimately agreed that the company is in compliance, and approved the forms.
The Plymouth Police Department on Monday arrested 19-year-old Andrew Benson on charges of Theft, Credit Card Fraud, Forgery, and Resisting Law Enforcement following an investigation into items stolen from a vehicle parked at the Plymouth High School.
Police received a call on June 20 stating that a Dell laptop computer and a wallet containing credit cards and gift cards were stolen from a vehicle parked at the high school, and police soon learned that the cards had been used shortly after they were stolen. Three Plymouth businesses reported the cards were used at their locations.
The annual state jail inspection is coming up for the Starke County Jail. On July 17, state officials will inspect the facility, check the safety of its inmates, and ensure that the jail conforms to state guidelines for running a corrections facility.
Sheriff Oscar Cowen says that while they have in the past been written up for overcrowding issues, he’s confident they will not be flagged for it this year. He says the housing of prisoners in the Pulaski County Jail has allowed them to keep the population down to the jail’s limit of 62 prisoners.
The housing of prisoners at Pulaski County has an annual cost of roughly $72,000.
Cowen said he does not expect the inspection to have any impact on the jail committee’s decision. He says the results from previous inspections were actually what spurred the jail committee to begin working on a solution to the overcrowding issue.
The summer months usually mean a summer vacation for students, but not for the members of the Knox Redskin Brigade. Director Craige Phipps says the marching season and the regular band season is right around the corner.
“We start full-bore at the end of July and run through the end of May,” said Phipps. “We really do try and give them as much time as we can, but even with that, there’s things that need to be done through the summer.”
Phipps said the staff talked about what type of show to do this year and the music from “Cirque du Soleil”came up in conversation. He explains the show’s concept from there.
A six-state project for a DUI enforcement initiative is set for June 29 and June 30, and the Indiana State Police will participate in this effort.
The high-visibility enforcement effort will help reduce DUI-related vehicle crashes. The Indiana State Police will be joined by the Kentucky State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Pennsylvania State Police, Michigan State Police and the West Virginia State Police in this enforcement effort.
Troopers in Indiana will utilize sobriety checkpoints and high-visibility saturation patrols in an effort to deter impaired driving.
The National Weather Service has placed us under an excessive heat warning and a red flag warning until 7:00 p.m. CT tonight. A red flag warning means that today’s combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and the heat will create explosive fire growth potential.
With that, Knox-Center Township Fire Chief, Kenny Pfost, reminds you that proper disposal of cigarettes and safe handling of fireworks is critical to avoid accidentally starting a fire.
The Starke County Community Foundation recently distributed $30,000 in scholarships during their annual reception.
Twenty-two scholars received 29 scholarships. Cody Hendershott was named this year’s recipient of the Ed Hasnerl/WKVI Scholarship and received his award during the reception. The 2012 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar, Katelyn Schwenk of Oregon-Davis High School, was also recognized.
More than 50 Starke County students applied for the 29 Community Foundation scholarships and 15 students applied for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship.
The Indiana General Assembly approved 161 new laws this year, many of which will become effective July 1. The changes in state law taking place this summer impact a variety of issues including education.
Senate Enrolled Act 267, or, “Erin’s Law,” requires the Department of Education to work in cooperation with the Department of Child Services and other organizations to provide public school systems with a curriculum to educate teachers, school personnel and children about child sexual abuse and how to report suspected abuse of students. The Department of Education will provide schools with education materials, response policies, and reporting procedures for grades two through five.
Authorities are not yet ready to release the name of the driver of a vehicle who died in a Monday morning accident on U.S. 35 and John Street in Knox. Notification of the next of kin has to be made before that information can be released.
Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells and Forensic Pathologist Dr. Alan Griggs performed an autopsy Tuesday on the victim in Lafayette and confirmed that the driver of the passenger vehicle had a heart attack prior to the accident and died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident. The driver suffered a torn aorta.
The Starke County Jail Committee looked at plans for a renovated or new county jail yesterday afternoon, and one surprising figure presented was that renovation of the current jail would cost more than a new facility.
That’s because $750,000 to $1 million would be needed to house the prisoners for 18 months while the renovation is being completed. Also adding to the cost of renovation would be soft costs, as a renovation project would take longer than new construction.
Applause filled the room at this week’s meeting of the Knox City Council, as they approved a motion to allow an exercise group to resume use of the community center at no charge.
The group had been using the Knox Community Center free of charge since 1998, but were recently asked to move operations to the Girl Scout Cabin in order to avoid paying a fee to use the center. Virginia Wireman-Duncan, the leader of the exercise group, said they felt they should be able to use the center free of charge because they did not charge any of their members any kind of fee in order to exercise with the group.
A burn ban has been in effect in La Porte County since June 15, a fact that La Porte City Fire Chief Andy Snyder and City Police Chief Adam Klimczak say is due to dry conditions that have created a threat to the lives and property of the people of La Porte County. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.
While the ban is in effect, residents are prohibited from lighting campfires, bonfires, and unpermitted controlled burns. This includes the burning of yard waste as well as construction and organic debris, and the lighting of fireworks is also prohibited. The ban also prohibits the discarding of unextinguished, smoking materials of any kind on the ground or anywhere not within an enclosed fireproof receptacle.
The Knox support site of the 21st Century Scholars is closing its doors effective June 30. The Knox site supports students in Starke, Pulaski, Jasper and Fulton counties.
The 21st Century Scholars Program was initiated to ensure that every student who wanted to go to college could afford to do so. Income-eligible seventh and eighth grade students who enrolled in the program and fulfilled a pledge of good citizenship could receive tuition up to four years at any participating public college or university in the state.
The Regional Coordinator at the Knox site, Kelly Manning, said that even though the support site is closing, the scholarship will still be available.
“The promise of the scholarship is still there for the students, just not the support from the support sites,” said Manning.
The road project along the Koontz Lake Dam is nearing completion.
State Road 23 in Koontz Lake has been closed since April 9 as crews work to rebuild the Koontz Lake Dam and straighten the road crossing over it. Officials at the Indiana Department of Transportation predict the road will be open to traffic some time this week.
The Pulaski County Community Development Commission is sponsoring an Economic Summit Thursday, June 28 at 6:30 p.m. ET at the Medaryville Lions Club.
CDC Executive Director Nathan Origer explained the summit will include a presentation and discussion regarding business life in Pulaski County.
“We’re going to have our State of the County Economy Address and a panel of entrepreneurs will talk about what it’s like to start to run a business in Pulaski County, where they’ve succeeded in their market, where the county or local government has been an aid or hindrance, and their vision of the county’s economy in their own business future,” Origer explained.
Superintendent A.J. Gappa and three members of the Knox Community School Board recently attended a training session in Gary concerning the new superintendent evaluation model.
“According to the new law, it has to be implemented during the 2012 to 2013 school year,” said Gappa. “By the middle of September, we have to have an evaluation tool submitted to the State. We thought it was a valuable information session. It was information that we will need to proceed in that area.”
The session was facilitated by members of the Indiana School Boards Association.
The administration evaluation is a lot like the new RISE teacher evaluation which looks at a teacher’s professional practice and measures student learning.
The USDA Summer Food Service Program is in full force at the North Judson-San Pierre Schools. Superintendent Lynn Johnson encourages you to eat at the school – for free.
“Any student under the age of 18 can come and eat and there is no cost at all,” said Johnson. “I would encourage families, whether or not they fall under the guidelines of free and reduced lunch, it is open to every student, or every child, under the age of 18.”
The USDA Summer Food Service program continues through July 22. Breakfast is served from 7:45-8:15 a.m. CT and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT in the North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School. Meals are free for those aged 18 years and younger. Adults may eat lunch for $2.
Most of the schools in our listening area are participating in this program. Free breakfast and lunch are available at most sites.
