Higher Wages Suggested To Cover Starke County Residents’ Basic Needs

January 14, 2016AuthorTyler Maffitt, WKVI 

 

It takes a bit more pay to support a family in Starke County than some of the surrounding areas.

That’s according to data in a report released by the Indiana Institute for Working Families. A team of researchers from the University of Washington helped develop the standard which attempts to define salary levels for residents to attain self-sufficiency.

According to the report, self-sufficiency includes paying for costs like housing, child care, food, transportation, and healthcare without receiving assistance. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Special Projects Coordinator Ron Gifford says daycare is an area Starke County tends to be out of line.

“We’re $300 to $400 to $500 more for someone who’s an adult with one preschooler,” says Gifford. “And that continues across the board no matter how many kids somebody might have. Our childcare costs, for some reason, seem to be way high compared to the other, neighboring counties.”

According to the 2016 report, the average cost of living between 2005 and 2016 has increased by 60-percent in the Hoosier state. Meanwhile, median earnings have only risen by 9-percent.

For a household with one adult and one child, Starke County was on the higher end in the state for self-sufficient earnings: requiring an hourly wage rate of $17.82 cents. That compares to $14.58 in Pulaski County and $14.53 per hour in Marshall County. The required wages change based on family composition.

Gifford says many of their grant funded programs are currently attempting to increase the wages paid to new workers in Starke County, but also incumbent workers.

“We’re looking to train some of those folks and give them some additional skills so they can move up and take higher paying jobs in that particular business which will also then give rise and a need for hiring additional people at the lower level,” says Gifford. “That’s what the grant that we just got for SCILL from OCRA is all about.”

Researchers who developed the report recommend wage increases alongside access to post-secondary education. Job training was also recommended as a way to increase earning power.

The Starke County Community Foundation says it takes time to address some of these economic issues while being faced with demographic differences.

1/19/2016 Ag. Workshop to Detail Cost Cutting in Face of Lower Commodity Prices

January 13, 2016AuthorTyler Maffitt, WKVI 

It may be winter, but Purdue Extension in Starke and Pulaski Counties is encouraging local farmers to prepare for changes in the price of commodities.

A workshop is being held on January 19th at the Bass Lake Community Center that hopes to detail how farmers may avoid financial difficulty over the next five years.

Purdue Extension Agricultural Educator Phil Woolery says commodity prices have fallen, recently – which is putting downward pressure on cash rent prices. The presentation hopes to help farmers do one thing in particular.

“Evaluate how it affects different situations so they can make decisions on farming a certain property or not,” says Woolery.

Because certain contract arrangements have already been signed, the tools developed by Purdue University are designed to help farmers calculate their yields with falling prices in the face of a previous time’s cash rent prices.

The workshop is also bringing local lenders to discuss what they look for in analyzing potential lending prospects.

Woolery says the presentation will also cover topics such as reducing costs on seed and fertilizer. That could have an effect on farmer’s bottom line.

“We’re going to be talking about different ways to cut those kinds of costs without cutting your yields,” says Woolery.

Purdue Extension requests that participants register ahead of time by calling their offices.

State Officials Offer Safety Tips for Winter Weather

January 12, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

 

With snow and frigid temperatures moving into the area, state officials are reminding residents to stay safe during winter weather.

The Indiana State Department of Health says to be prepared for slick conditions when walking outdoors. They recommend removing snow and ice as soon as possible to keep steps and walkways safe, but to use caution when shoveling or using a snow blower.

Since shoveling can put a lot of strain on your heart and muscles, the State Department of Health has a few tips to avoid potentially serious injuries. Before you start shoveling, warm up your muscles by stretching and doing a few exercises. Dress in layers and cover your head and neck. Avoid shoveling right after eating a large meal or smoking. Take your time; shovel heavy snow in layers and take frequent breaks to stretch and drink water. Use a shovel that’s comfortable for you, and push the snow instead of lifting whenever you can. Otherwise, lift with your legs, not with your back, and don’t throw snow over your shoulder or to the side.

Most importantly, if you have a history of heart disease, ask a doctor before shoveling, and stop immediately if you feel dizziness or tightness in the chest. Health officials say snow blowers bring their own hazards, including finger and hand lacerations as well as finger amputations, if the user isn’t careful.

Additionally, take steps to keep pets safe by limiting their time outside if possible, to avoid frostbite and hypothermia. Animals who must stay outdoors should have sufficient shelter, and owners should make sure their water doesn’t freeze. Consider using straw to provide a covering on the ground, since blankets can retain moisture and make animals even colder.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s Division of Fire and Building Safety urges residents to stay safe inside their homes, especially when using space heaters and other alternative heating sources. Space heaters should be kept at least three feet away from flammable objects like clothing, curtains, and furniture. Fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected on a regular basis by a certified professional, and a working carbon monoxide detector and fire extinguisher should be kept nearby. Always put out fires and unplug space heaters before going to bed or leaving the home.

State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson says to consider other options besides alternative heating, such as adding insulation to windows and doors, wearing warmer clothes, and using more blankets. Greeson also recommends checking smoke alarms to make sure they work and changing their batteries regularly.

North Judson Narrows Down List of Potential Contractors for Water Tower Project

January 11, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

The Town of North Judson is moving ahead with efforts to choose an engineering firm for its water tower rehabilitation project.

The six proposals received by the town were reviewed Friday by a committee made up of town council members Jane Ellen Felchuk and Justin Davis, along with town superintendent Marshall Horstmann. They were able to narrow that list down to three potential contractors.

Horstmann says each firm will be brought in to meet with the committee members, as well as a representative from the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission. Those meetings are tentatively scheduled for Monday, January 25, depending on the companies’ availability.

North Judson has qualified for grant funding to pay for the project to paint and rehabilitate the town’s two water towers.

1/13/2016 Residents Invited to Starke County Career and College Success Coalition Meeting

January 11, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

The Starke County Career and College Success Coalition will be hosting a meeting this week.

Steering committee member and Knox High School director of guidance Shirley Fosler says it will be an opportunity for local residents to share their ideas about how to give more residents the resources they need to go to college and have successful careers, “Everyone’s invited, and we just need to get some ideas going and some people that are enthusiastic about helping out and making sure people make good choices [that] can lead to a positive career, so that way they can support themselves and their family and have a good future life for their family and their children.”

She says the immediate goal will be to help students fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, as well as college applications. In the long term, the Starke County Career and College Success Coalition aims to achieve a 25-percent college completion rate by 2025. To help accomplish that, Fosler says they’re working to connect local residents with the resources that are already available, “There’s people out there that want to help our residents and want everyone to be successful in their career, whatever it may be, as well as in college. But some of the people who have questions are not sure how to do that. There’s people who are trying to give guidance and support to everyone, so they can make the best lives possible for themselves and their family.”

However, she says they can always use more help, “We need, of course, business representatives because even businesses in town or in the whole Starke County – and people from outlying areas, too, need to get involved, as well as the government because they can promote things like encouraging students and parents to fill out the FAFSA form and talk about the 529 Savings Plan, encourage employees to do that. So if they get the information, they could possibly pass it on to their employees and even their customers.”

Fosler says this week’s meeting will also include a recap and evaluation of some of the activities in which the Starke County Career and College Success Coalition has already been involved. “The schools support College Go Week in the fall, in which they promote colleges and have different college reps come in and talk to their students,” she says. “Last year at the [Starke County 4-H] fair, we had a table that answered questions. Ivy Tech and IUSB and PNC had tables set up there to answer questions and talk to potential students about their programs and some of the ways they could help the students be successful in those programs. Ancilla College was there, too.” She adds that organizations have also been hosting guest speakers and job training programs. Some have also been setting up job shadowing opportunities for people interested in different careers.

The Starke County Career and College Success Coalition meeting will be held Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. at the Starke County Economic Development Office at 1915 South Heaton Street in Knox.

Red Cross Observes National Blood Donor Month

Posted onJanuary 8, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger

 

The American Red Cross is reminding people of the importance of donating blood during the month of January, which is National Blood Donor Month. The goal is to increase the number of blood and platelet donations over the winter, a time of year when severe weather can cause blood drives to be canceled and seasonal illnesses may keep regular donors from giving.

The Red Cross says it needs blood donations of all types to maintain supplies, but they encourage eligible donors with types O, B negative, and A negative blood to make a double red cell donation when it’s available. It’s a process which collects two units of red cells, while returning most of the plasma and platelets to the donor.

To find a blood drive near you and schedule an appointment, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or download the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

North Judson to Review Proposals for Water Tower Project

January 8, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

The Town of North Judson is narrowing down the list of potential contractors for its water tower rehabilitation project.

A committee made up of town council members Jane Ellen Felchuk and Justin Davis, along with town superintendent Marshall Horstmann, is meeting this afternoon to review the six proposals submitted by engineering firms. They plan to narrow it down to a list of three, with the full town council making the final selection.

North Judson has qualified for grant funding to pay for the project to paint and rehabilitate the town’s two water towers.

3/2/2016 2016 SKYWARN Spotter Training

Wednesday, March 2,  2 PM at the Knox Fire Dept 1190 Heaton St, Knox In.  

To register go to http://starkeinspotter2016.eventzilla.net/web/event?eventid=2139084620.  By registering you express your interest in becoming or remaining a SKYWARN Spotter for the National Weather Service and Starke County Indiana. 

The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain critical weather information, NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, established SKYWARN® with partner organizations. SKYWARN® is a volunteer program with nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.

Although SKYWARN® spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN® spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms. In the average year, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States. These events threatened lives and property.

Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods.

SKYWARN® storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the Nation’s first line of defense against severe weather. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time–seconds and minutes that can help save lives.

Local Resources Available to Help Students Fill Out FAFSA

January 7, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

 

College students and those thinking about going to college this fall have until March 10 to apply for state and federal financial aid.

Eric Wignall, vice president for enrollment at Ancilla College, says there are plenty of resources available to help students of all ages pay for college. These include state and federal educational grants, scholarships, and loans. But in order to have a chance to get this help, students need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Ancilla College director of financial aid Marcy Hopple adds that filling out this form also helps colleges build financial aid files for students to determine if they’re eligible for even more programs.

The FAFSA is available online at fafsa.gov, and takes about 40 minutes to complete. Additionally, Ancilla is offering free workshops with some tips for filling it out:

• Wednesday, January 13 at 7:00 p.m. EST, in Triton High School’s media center in Bourbon
• Wednesday, January 20 at 6:00 p.m. CST, in the Knox High School cafeteria
• Monday, January 25 at 6:00 p.m. CST, at Oregon-Davis High School in Hamlet
• Wednesday, February 3 at 6:30 p.m. EST, in the Culver High School cafeteria
• Monday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m. EST, in the Argos High School media center
• Thursday, March 3 at 10:30 a.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C146
• Monday, March 7 at 11:00 a.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C144
• Tuesday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C144
• Wednesday, March 9 at 4:30 p.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C144
• Thursday, March 10 at 8:30 a.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C146
• Thursday, March 10 at 1:00 p.m. EST, at Ancilla College, room C146

For more information, visit the Ancilla College website.

North Judson Council Makes Additional Appointments for 2016

January 7, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger, WKVI 

Council Member Justin Davis, President Wendy J.Hoppe, Council Member Josh Brown, Council Member Jane Ellen Felchuk, Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins, Council Member Nathan Bradley, Town Superintendent Marshall Hortsmann, Town Attorney Rachel Arndt , Town Marshal Douglas Vessely, not pictured is Fire Chief Joe Leszek. Photo by North Judson Town Photographer Peggy Bohac

The North Judson Town Council reorganized and made some additional appointments when it met Monday for the first time in 2016. Wendy Hoppe has once again been selected to serve as council president. She will also remain the council’s representative on the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board of Directors.

Newly-elected council member Nathan Bradley was officially appointed as the the town’s representative on the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission, and Jane Ellen Felchuk was appointed to the Starke County Environmental Management Commission.

North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins says council members were also appointed to serve as liaisons with the various town departments.