Starke, Pulaski Counties Join Juvenile Justice Initiative

Posted onJanuary 29, 2016AuthorMary Perren

 

Starke and Pulaski Counties will have more options for juvenile offenders thanks to an expanded state program. They are among 13 counties the state is adding to the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) this year. It seeks to improve outcomes for underage offenders while ensuring public safety.

‘In Starke County, juvenile probation officer Kristi Nolcheff will oversee the program. Chief Probation Officer John Thorstad says she’s familiar with the structure, as the county has been utilizing sentencing alternatives for the past few years to cut costs. Last year Starke County spent about $2,000 on juvenile incarceration. In 2009 that figure was $30,000.

Money for juvenile detention comes from the Starke County Commissioners budget. Nolcheff says the JDAI will allow local funds to be redirected into programs aimed at curbing recidivism.

Thorstad says there still will be a need to detain kids. He adds the county will now be able to follow state program guidelines to determine just who they are.

Indiana implemented the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative in 2006. State officials say it and other reforms have allowed the Department of Correction to save more than $15 million annually. They also note re-arrest rates have gone from 25 to 10 percent in JDAI counties. The expansion brings that number to 32.

Starke County CASA Receives National Certification

Posted onJanuary 29, 2016AuthorMichael Gallenberger

 

A program to help abused and neglected kids in Starke County through the court system has gotten national certification. The Starke County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program is made up of volunteers who give of their time to help these children.

Director Rhonda Adcock says the advocates help the court make the best decisions. “As CASAs, we have two concerns, and these two concerns are always our priority and our only priority,” she says. “First of all is the wishes of the child. Whatever the child wants, it’s our responsibility to report that to the court. Now sometimes, that’s the same as our second thing, which is the best interest of the child. So, if their wishes and best interests are the same, then we report that. If not, we report what the wishes of the child are and also what we believe is in the best interest of that child.”

That often involves going out and gathering information by spending time with the child and possibly talking to parents, foster parents, or teachers. Adcock says CASAs then use all that information to compile a report for the judge, “The judge takes those very seriously. He reads each of them and considers them. They carry a lot of weight because this is a volunteer who’s not getting paid for what they’re doing. The volunteer is just in it for the benefit of the child, so the CASA report can be a very powerful thing in the life of a child, as far as making a difference.”

As proof that the Starke County program is providing a quality advocacy for these children, Adcock says it’s now been certified by the National CASA Association, “They have a long series of standards that we have to meet. They’re pretty high, and even though Starke County’s kind of remote and a smaller county, we believe that the children that we serve are worthy of the best volunteers, the best volunteer CASA program that we can get them.”

She says to keep the certification, the Starke County program will have to go through all of its policies and programs every four years to make sure they continue to meet the national standards. Meanwhile, the organization continues to be certified at the state level.

For more information or to volunteer, visit casaforchildren.org or contact Starke County CASA at starkecountycasa@yahoo.com or 574-772-7200.

Knox Mayor Authorizes Purchase for TCS Expansion

January 28, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The construction of a new facility for an expanding Knox business will remain on schedule after Knox Mayor Dennis Estok administratively authorized the purchase of a lift station to serve the site. City officials previously agreed to run water and sewer lines to the new Traffic Control Specialists, Inc. location west of Toll Brothers and Knox Fertilizer in the industrial park. The company broke ground on the project in November. A May 27th ribbon cutting is scheduled.

Estok’s action was necessary due to a lack of quorum at yesterday’s board of works meeting. Bob Aloi from Territorial Engineering told the members in attendance it needs to be ordered within the next few days so it can be delivered by mid-March. They decided Estok is administratively allowed to follow the previously approved agreement.

The city is using county economic development income tax money to buy and install the lift station and force main. After it’s installed, TCS will maintain the grinder. The Starke County Economic Development Foundation has agreed to pay all engineering costs. Executive Director Charlie Weaver noted they are paid to date.

Traffic Control Systems has outgrown its current location on 300 East between White Flyer and the railroad tracks. The company specializes in work zone safety and is the leading provider of signs and service throughout northern Indiana. TCS currently has 65 employees, most of whom are local. Company officials expect to add at least 22 more when the new facility opens.

1/25 to 3/15/2016 Firewood permits available at Tippecanoe River State Park

The public is invited to cut certain downed, dead trees for firewood from picnic areas, roadsides, and campgrounds at Tippecanoe River State Park.

In January, February and March, hazardous trees and those damaged by the emerald ash borer (EAB) insect will be dropped and placed where the general public may come in, cut up, and haul it away as firewood at a cost of $10 per pick-up truck load. All revenue from these sales will be used to enhance the natural resource areas of the park.

A firewood permit must be obtained for each load at the park office between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, EST. Wood may be cut and removed between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, EST. Permit sales and cutting both begin Jan. 25 and end March 15. For further information, call the park at (574) 946-3213.

Firewood cut at Tippecanoe River State Park is for personal use only. No downed trees will be removed from dedicated nature preserves.

The ban on transporting ash between Indiana counties is being removed because the EAB insect is now widespread in the state. Regulatory tools and funding will be directed to other potential threats to forest resources.

Rules for bringing firewood to DNR properties remain in place and are detailed at firewood.dnr.IN.gov. The DNR does not recommend long-distance movement of firewood of any species due to the potential for moving other insect pests and tree diseases beyond locally impacted areas. “Long-distance movement” is moving beyond the immediate county or surrounding counties.

Any ash firewood obtained at the property should be burned before spring (mid-April to early May at the latest) to help limit EAB movement within your home area. EAB larvae are generally dormant in the winter—living under the bark—and emerge in late spring as adult beetles. So, if the firewood is all gone, no EAB adults could emerge from the wood if the larvae are present. If you cannot use all the wood before spring (mid-April to early May), keep it completely covered while storing it.

Tippecanoe River State Park (stateparks.IN.gov/2965.htm) is at 4200 North US 35 Winamac, 46996.

To view all DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.

Contact Information:

Name: Vernon Gillum
Phone: (574) 946-3213
Email: VGillum@dnr.IN.gov

North Judson Area Baseball Sign-Ups

North Judson Area Baseball Sign-Ups @ North Judson Civic Center.  PLEASE bring a copy of the child’s birth certificate to sign up. 

2/6 from 12 noon to 2 p.m.2/15 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 2/21 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.2/22 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

If you are unable to sign up by February 22nd there will be a $20 late fee per child.  NO sign ups after March 13th. 

Cost:    $50 per child (+ MUST sell 5 Raffle Tickets)
             $30 per each additional child (+ MUST sell 10 Raffle Tickets)

League Ages

4-5 = T-Ball (must be 4 by May 1st)

6-7 = Rookie

8-10 = Minor

11-12 = Major

13-15 = Junior 

Questions?  Call: 

Mike Wilcox @ 574-249-8615 

Michelle Ginder @ 574-806-0331

Amanda Reeve @ 219-816-1146

Blake Radtka @ 574-806-6285

Championship Pictures @ North Judson-San Pierre High School

From the Facebook page of:  North Judson-San Pierre High School - JayFeed 

Our newest champion picture was recently hung in the PE hallway--The 2015 Sectional Volleyball Champions! This is right down the hall from the oldest pictures in the hallway from the 1970's!

Starke Commissioners Approve Hospital Lease Transfer

Posted onJanuary 27, 2016AuthorMary Perren

 

The soon-to-be new operators of IU Health Starke Hospital now have a signed lease in effect with the county for the facility. The commissioners last night unanimously approved an assignment of lease for the building and the land on which it sits to Knox Hospital Company, LLC. It’s a wholly-owned subsidiary of LaPorte Health Systems, LLC. The assignment of lease is necessary because Tennessee-based Community Health Systems is purchasing 80-percent of the rights to operate the hospital. IU Health will retain the other 20 percent. Starke County Attorney Marty Lucas says such arrangements provide a combination of financial backing and management expertise.

“CHS is asserting it is responsible for the obligation of Knox Hospital, LLC. It has the capability in terms of knowledge of operation, and that you can rely upon that assertion,” Lucas told the commissioners.

The land and building are still owned by the county. CHS has committed to build a $15 million structure between the current hospital building and medical offices within the next five years. Once it’s finished the old building will be torn down and used for parking.

No changes have been made to the lease at this time. Now that it has been transferred to CHS, the county council and commissioners are in a position to consider their request for tax incentives as part of a new land lease arrangement. The current contract expires at the end of September. Hospital and county officials believe a new lease can be worked out before then.

ACA Deadline Brings Information to Rural Indiana Residents

Posted onJanuary 27, 2016AuthorTyler Maffitt

 

The deadline is approaching for Indiana residents to sign-up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, and several organizations are hoping to target rural Hoosiers.

Those eligible to receive health insurance on the marketplace have until January 31st. A conference call on Wednesday was used to explain why rural Hoosiers are an area of need for uninsured populations in the United States.

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Region 5 Director Kathleen Falk says it’s a critical time to meet the sign-up deadline, especially for those may be at-risk of not receiving health insurance.

“For those who don’t sign up for 2016 and have the opportunity and can afford to do so, there’s a fine that will be imposed in 2017 and we don’t want that to happen to anyone,” says Falk. “The fine is $695 or 2.5% of your income, whichever is larger.”

The U.S. has seen 18-million citizens insured as part of the ACA that were previously uninsured.

According to Falk, prior to the passage of the ACA, rural uninsured residents were paying 50-percent of their healthcare costs out of pocket. In addition, one in five farmers were carrying some form of debt to pay for medical bills.

Falk says this is particularly important because rural residents typically suffer from chronic diseases at a higher rate than those living in urban areas.

“We know they are likely to be older than their urban counterparts, they tend to have lower incomes, and they’re more likely to be self-employed – which means less likely to have health insurance through their jobs,” says Falk.

Residents have until the end of the month to sign-up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

By dialing 211 on their phones, rural Indiana residents may also be put in touch with an in-person counselor to help them navigate the healthcare market place.

State Board of Education Releases 2014-15 A-F Grades

Posted onJanuary 26, 2016AuthorMary Perren

Schools throughout the WKVI listening area fared well overall on the A through F grades approved Tuesday by the State Board of Education. The scores reflect changes fast-tracked through the Indiana General Assembly to hold corporations harmless due to last year’s significant drop in ISTEP+ scores.

According to Senate Enrolled Act 200, no school could earn a lower accountability grade during the 2014-15 academic year than it did during the previous year. Under this law, school grades could improve but no school’s A-F accountability grade would drop. The General Assembly and Governor Mike Pence also signed into law House Enrolled Act 1003 which prevented individual teachers from being negatively impacted in their performance evaluation by lower ISTEP+ scores.

In Starke County, Knox Elementary and High Schools got A’s, while Knox Middle School received a C. North Judson-San Pierre Elementary School got an A as well. N.J.-S.P. Middle and High Schools both received C’s. Oregon-Davis Elementary posted a B, and O-D Junior-Senior High School got a C. Culver Community Elementary and Middle Schools both earned A’s, while the high school got a B.

All three Eastern Pulaski Schools received A’s, as did West Central Elementary and High Schools. West Central Middle School got a C.

Both LaCrosse and Wanatah posted A’s. South Central Elementary got an A as well, while South Central Junior-Senior High School got a B.

Visit 2014-15 Final A-F Grades Statewide for a complete list of grades.

Statewide the number of A ranked schools increased and the number of failing schools decreased over the previous year.

Starke Commissioners Poised to Approve Hospital Lease Assignment

January 26, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The Starke County Commissioners will clear the way for the sale of IU Health Starke Hospital during a special meeting later today. They will formally approve the assignment of the hospital lease to Knox Hospital, LLC during the special-called 4:30 p.m. session. That’s the limited liability company set up by IU Health and Community Health Systems. The Tennessee-based company is in the process of buying IU Health LaPorte and Starke Hospitals.

Starke County owns the hospital and leases it to IU Health. CHS officials say the assignment of the lease needs to be done this week in order to keep the acquisition on track. They’ve expressed a desire to work with the county to switch it to a land lease in order to allow for construction of a new hospital between the current building and doctors offices in what is now the parking lot and helipad at the existing site.

Tentative plans call for construction to start two years after the sale closes later this year and finish in five. The current hospital will stay open until the new building is complete and later be torn down to accommodate parking.

CHS officials have asked the county for some tax incentives as part of the process and said they would like to sign an initial 25-year lease with five 10-year renewal options, for a total of 75 years. Details of those plans still need to be worked out. If they aren’t finalized by the March 31 deadline to renew the current lease, the county commissioners have verbally agreed to a six-month extension of the current terms.

Community Health Systems operates 199 hospitals in 30 states.