The North Judson Town Council members approved the purchase of a new fire truck for the North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department.
According to Fire Chief Joe Leszek, the department will be purchasing a used KME pumper truck with a five-man cab. The truck will be the first truck out on structure fires and auto accidents.
Bipartisan legislation has been introduced that aims at stopping the abuse of prescription pain medication while giving law enforcement the tools needed to prevent heroin use and addiction.
U.S. Senators Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) are working on the legislation. According to Donnelly, prescription drug abuse remains a serious problem in the state and it’s going to “take coordination and partnerships on the local, state and federal levels in order to begin to combat the increasing levels of heroin and prescription drug abuse.”
Indiana’s electrical cooperative are among the first to file opposition to proposed federal changes to the way coal-fired power plants are regulated. REMC officials say the restrictions on emissions are too strict and will drive the cost of power significantly higher for all utility customers. They also fear Indiana will lost its competitive edge in recruiting and retaining businesses because of the state’s current low-cost electricity. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register this week, which marks the beginning of a 120-day public comment period. Continue reading
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program used the majority of available funds during this year’s harsh winter.
Over the winter, more than 47 million dollars in home heating assistance was provided to approximately 130 low-income households. Unfortunately, this means there is little left for summer cooling assistance. Assistance can only be offered in crisis situations or if health is a factor.
A graduate of North Judson-San Pierre High School has been cast on the first season of a reality show called The Reel Deal.
Christine Barger said she was cast as a result of online voting and she will be working with some celebrity mentors.
“It’s up-and-coming actors and actresses hat get to work with celebrities in different aspects,” said Barger. “We have Judy Norton, Eric Roberts, Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Tim Russ, Dustin Diamond, and Holly Fields. What we’re going to do is work together in teams to compete against each other to create short films.”
Organizers of the annual Starke County Relay for Life hope to raise $67,000 for the American Cancer Society during this year’s event. It starts tomorrow at noon at the Hamlet Fairgrounds and continues until 6 a.m. Sunday. Fundraising chair Ericka Taylor-Joseph says all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to help cancer patients in need.
“It may be getting them back and forth to their treatments. It may be buying a wig for somebody who has lost their hair. Support services – Hope Lodge if they have long-term treatments that they need to have, they can stay in the Hope Lodge with their families. It also goes to cancer research. Besides the United States government, the American Cancer Society is the number one fundraiser for cancer research in America,” she said. Continue reading
The Marshall County Commissioners talked with Interim Highway Superintendent Jason Peters this week about offering dirt at the jail to residents who may need it for projects.
The offer was made to residents last year who may have wanted some dirt for various outdoor needs and Commission President Kevin Overmyer asked Peters if that program could continue.
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board members unanimously approved a donation from a local business.
Chester, Inc., a company that specializes in irrigation systems with manufacturing plants in Valparaiso and North Judson, donated $500 to the school.
A Plymouth man was arrested in the overnight hours on Tuesday on a preliminary charge of child molestation as a Class C felony.
Timmy Sexton, 42, was taken into custody and he is being held in the Starke County Jail.
The charge stems from an investigation by the Indiana Department of Child Services on June 4 and a subsequent investigation by the Knox City Police Department. No other details are being released at this time as the incident remains under investigation.
A Marshall County man spent the night in jail after allegedly brandishing a firearm at his wife in front of their child during an argument. Deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department arrested David A. Tanner, 46, on a charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon. His wife called the police just after 11 p.m., according to a news release from the sheriff’s department. Deputies say Tanner admitted possessing a toy firearm. His bond was set at $1,500. Tanner is due in Marshall Superior Court on July 22nd.
The Knox Redskins have no plans to change their nickname any time soon. The school corporation has used the nickname since the 1890s. Superintendent A.J. Gappa is quoted in a Network Indiana story as saying “at this point, there has been no conversation about changing it at all.” Continue reading
Starke County Council members want more information about costs associated with setting up a park board before agreeing to do so. Tony Radkiewicz chairs the county park board committee, which was set up to gather information. Their proposed mission statement indicates there will not be a cost to the county to provide oversight to Bass Lake Beach and Campground, the Starke County Forest and other publicly dedicated lands not under municipal control. The board would be comprised of volunteer members with a personal interest in parks and recreation and a desire to be proactive in service to the community. Continue reading
The Director of Maintenance for Pulaski County gave an update on the generator situation to the commissioners Monday night.
Jeff Johnston has talked with officials with Hyre Electric out of Valparaiso to give him details about connectors to hook up generators to the courthouse, annex, county home, recycling center and highway department. He’s also gathering information whether or not what the county has is sufficient enough to work or if generators will need to be purchased.
The Marshall County Commissioners are moving forward with deeding property to the city of Plymouth.
There are three lots that were on the county’s tax sales for years that failed to sell. Mayor Mark Senter approached Treasurer Deb Vandemark about the possibility of the county deeding those parcels to the city for the city’s use and she brought it to the attention of the commissioners earlier this month.
The Pulaski County Human Services Food Pantry is in need of supplies to help many families in need.
The food pantry staff helped 135 families totaling 404 people in the month of May. That’s 16,968 pounds of food. According to Pulaski County Human Services officials, the commodities from the Lafayette Food Bank are minimal so community support is key.
The annual 1st Source Bank Ernestine M. Raclin Award is given to people in the community who display exceptional selflessness. Cathie Jessee was one of the recipients of the 16th annual community leadership award. She was personally awarded $1,000 and another $1,000 was to be donated in her honor to the organization of her choice. Jessee chose to donate the charity portion to Knox Community Elementary School. Of that, $500 is being donated to the nurse’s office to provide extra clothes in case of accidents. The other half of the money will go into a fund to help under-privileged children afford field trip fees.
A Tuesday afternoon motorcycle crash in rural White County claims a Winamac man’s life. Travis Hunt, 32, was northbound on County Road 650 East, just north of Buffalo, when his bike was struck by a southbound vehicle. Hunt was pronounced dead at IU Health White Memorial Hospital, according to WLFI-TV. He was not wearing a helmet. The driver of the car, Raul Salazar Diaz, 37, of Idaville, was not injured. Salazar was arrested on a charge of operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license.
