The Pulaski County Commissioners will meet in special session tonight to discuss several items pertaining to the animal control office.
The commissioners will have time to openly talk about the Pulaski Animal Center and the animal control officer. The commissioners are attempting to decide which direction to take with each entity.
Pulaski County Building Inspector Dave Dare and David Weber presented a demolition order for an unsafe property on U.S. 421 in Francesville but it was tabled as property owner, Lawrence Sears, could not be located and wasn’t properly notified of the order.
Dare said he attempted certified mail and a response was not delivered. A public advocate for Sears said that he has not been able to respond due to a medical issue and the commissioners voted to table the order for 90 days until Sears has a chance to properly respond.
Members of the Fletcher Cemetery Association want to restore and expand the monument there dedicated to the memory of local men and women who served in our nation’s armed forces. The statue dates to the 1950s, and there is no more room to add names to it. Fletcher Cemetery Association Board Member Hobart Martin says the foundation is also giving way. The board hopes to raise enough money through private donations to move the monument east of its current location, pour a new foundation and add commemorative bricks nearby with more names. Fletcher Cemetery is located at the intersection of County Road 400 North and County Road 700 East. Martin says the cemetery gets no funds from the federal, state or local government. All maintenance and upkeep is done through lot sales and donations. Any business or individual who gives at least $500 to the monument restoration will have a commemorative block engraved to acknowledge their support. However Martin says gifts in any amount are welcome. The Hamlet American Legion and several local businesses have already contributed to the project. Click here Fletcher Cemetery Association to read more about how you can contribute to the monument restoration.
Starke County residents are encouraged to take “another step forward” this summer. That’s the name of the second annual “Moving Starke County Forward” walking challenge. Last year 250 residents collectively walked 27,000 miles between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s enough to lap the globe three times. This year’s goal is a more ambitious 50,000 miles. Coordinator Ryan Greer hopes 500 people will sign up. He adds miles don’t have to be earned by walking. Other types of physical activity like swimming, bicycle riding and jogging can also be logged toward the total. A kickoff event will take place Saturday, May 31 at 10 a.m. at Wythogen Park in Knox. If you can’t make it, registration sheets are available at local libraries, city and town halls and can be picked up throughout the summer. More information about this year’s walking challenge and other initiatives is also available on the Moving Starke County Forward Facebook page.
Kyle Larson was the man to beat Saturday afternoon as he took his No. 42 into Victory Lane in the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series.
He had been running in the five all afternoon but put the moves on Brad Keselowski on lap 119 and took the lead. Lapped traffic had closed the gap between the leader Keselowski and a charging Kyle Larson. In a daring move, Larson squeezed his Chevy close to the wall making it three-wide as Keselowski ran the bottom line to get around a lapped car. It appeared Larson didn’t lift the throttle and powered to the front where he stayed until the checkered flag was displayed.
It had been since November at Texas Motor Speedway when Jimmie Johnson last saw Victory Lane but he familiarized himself with the routine when he won Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The 2013 champion started the race from the pole and his determination didn’t waiver until he was the first to see the checkered flag. A late-race caution helped stack up the field and it was Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon at the point with 17 laps left in the 400-lap race. Kenseth was able to power to the front while Gordon slipped back and Johnson capitalized on Gordon’s change of track position.
A Winamac man was arrested early Friday morning on a Georgia state warrant for rape.
The Winamac Police Department took 21-year-old Jeffery Mack into custody on the charge. He is being held without bond in the Pulaski County Jail.
The information into the nature of the alleged offense was not made immediately available.
The Starke County Commissioners have revised their nepotism policy to mirror state law. The county has had an ordinance on the books since 2011 to address favoritism granted to relatives without regard to merit. The changes bring the county’s policy in line with a state law that’s since been passed. County attorney Marty Lucas says it defines a relative as a parent or stepparent, a child or stepchild, a brother, sister, stepbrother or stepsister, niece or nephew, daughter-in-law or son-in-law. For purposes of the ordinance, an adopted child is the same as a natural child. Brother and sister includes brother and sister by half-blood. It otherwise leaves the ordinance the same. Lucas says this change will make potential legal challenges to the law easier to defend. The policy only applies to county government employees who work in the same office or department.
The Starke County Council will consider a revision to the innkeeper’s tax when they meet on Monday, June 16. The county already has a tax on the books for hotels, motels and other rental lodgings. The proposed policy clarifies that taxes are to be reported on forms provided by the county treasurer and is due to that office no more than 20 days after the end of the month in which it is collected. An addition to the ordinance sets a civil penalty for non-payment at 100 percent of the amount of the annual uncollected tax, plus taxes due. The proposed change passed on first reading during Monday’s council meeting.
The 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.
Natalie Federer and Debra Winters from the Pulaski County Extension Office requested permission from the Pulaski County Commissioners this week to put together a community garden just east of the historical society museum.
A grant was received to start the program. Six to eight moveable, raised beds would be placed on the property.
Anyone in the community can plant seeds in the beds and help maintain the plants. Extra food will be donated to the food pantry.
Attending the garden makes it easier with the help of garden tools. There are tool and machine reviews online that helps people find the right garden and lawn tools for their money.
Rehearsals will start soon for the Maxinkuckee Players Production of Bye Bye Birdie.
The musical is set in 1958 where an Elvis-type rock star, Conrad Birdie, is being drafted. His agent cooks up a promotional campaign that has Conrad visiting Sweet Apple, Ohio to give a farewell kiss to the president of his local fan club.
The first of two new overlooks at Tippecanoe River State Park will be formally dedicated during a brief ceremony this morning. William and Sandra Goble of Winamac donated $4,500 for construction of the overlook in memory of their son, Greg. He worked the park and spent much of his life enjoying the river. Last year volunteers tore out the old overlook to build the new structure, and several local companies donated materials and labor. The Goble family will join Tippecanoe River State Park employees and Friends of Tippecanoe River State Park members at 11 a.m. EDT to dedicate the structure. It’s located behind the park’s nature center. The ceremony will be followed by a brief, catered meal.
If you’ve been looking for a creative outlet for your child who loves to build, look no further. The Henry F. Shricker Public Library in Knox offers a club the final Tuesday of every month that fits that description. It gives students the chance to show off their amateur architecture skills with Legos. Kids have the opportunity to build and name their own creation. This organization gives local children a chance to work with their hands and develop original work that will be featured in the library throughout the month. The next meeting will take place Tuesday, May 27 from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m.
Change of Location for June AM Starke County breakfast Wednesday, June 4
Breakfast June 4th – the location has changed!
On Wednesday, June 4, Welcome Mat Real Estate is sponsoring the Quarterly Breakfast at the Downtown Depot, 18 S Main St. (Entrance is in the back of the building), Knox. This breakfast begins at 7:30 am CDT and will have the 60 second format as usual.
Join the Fun of the Circus!
The Circus is coming to town on June 17, 2014. It will be held at the 4-H Fairground by the Yellowstone Trail Festival as a fundraiser. There will be two shows – a 4:30 pm show and a 7:00pm show.
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time from the visitors Center Depot, Back to Basics Organics in the Knox Mall or from any Yellowstone Trail board member. Pre-sale tickets cost $10 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets sold day of the show are $13 for adults and $7 for children. Pre-purchase your tickets and SAVE! Go to http://www.yellowstonetrailfest.com/ for more information!
The 19th Annual Ancilla College Golf Classic on June 9th at the Plymouth Country Club is sold out with 36 teams for the sixth year in a row. A hole sponsorship at the outing is a great marketing opportunity for your business. If you would like to sponsor a hole for this year’s outing, please contact Tom Sibal from Ancilla College at 574-936-8898, x355.
County Pride Concert
The County Pride Concert was held on Sun, May 18 at the NJ-SP High School. It was great! All 3 schools in Starke County came together and made beautiful music. The bands and choirs of all 3 high schools practiced the music separately and came together for the first combined practice on that day! One would never know they hadn’t practiced together before that day. The music was marvelous with a good selection of songs. At the end, the bands and choirs played together with a medley of patriotic songs that warmed the hearts of those in attendance.
A big thank you goes out to the schools, who without them, this couldn’t have taken place. Also, to the teachers, the students and to the Starke County Unity Leadership task force whose leadership through Mary Bendt was able to bring an idea to fruition. Many sponsors helped make this event a reality. Thanks goes out to those that helped with the cost of the t-shirts, the water and programs.
The Leadership group is recruiting members to attend the 2014-15 class. Call the Chamber office at 574-772-5548 or Community Services of Starke County at 574-772-7070 for an application.
The Town of North Judson now has a social networking policy on the books for its employees. It applies to all full and part-time workers, elected officials and any other person or persons or department in close association with the town. Board members adopted the policy when they met Monday night. It recognizes that people may use platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media sites and reminds them that their postings may have an adverse effect on the town or themselves. Employees are urged to monitor content in which they are tagged and only post work-related information with permission. The policy does allow the clerk-treasurer to post information about upcoming town events or needs on social media sites with approval from the council. To read the policy, click here SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY-05-19-2014. Continue reading
