Posted on April 7, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Spring means storms, floods and other unpredictable weather are imminent. Starke County Emergency Management Agency Director Jacob Lippner is harnessing social media and technology to share information about preparedness with residents. He posts quite a bit on the Starke County Emergency Management Facebook page, including severe weather watches and warnings and other information from the National Weather Service along with videos and information about emergency preparedness.
Lippner also shares a lot of information via the Nixle mass messaging system. It allows messages about things like bad weather to be disseminated quickly via email and/or text message to subscribers. He says the service is free and is used by government agencies around the state and across the country. Visit http://www.nixle.com/ for more information or to sign up.
Friday, April 7, 2017
North Judson Council Approves Zoning Variance for Doctor’s Office
Posted on April 7, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
A doctor’s office will be able to move in at 701 West Talmer Avenue in North Judson, following action by the town council Monday. Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins says a zoning variance was approved, changing the designation from Single-Family Residential to Local Business.
She says an abandoned house has been demolished on the property. Now, the owners are turning their attention to constructing a new building.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
A doctor’s office will be able to move in at 701 West Talmer Avenue in North Judson, following action by the town council Monday. Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins says a zoning variance was approved, changing the designation from Single-Family Residential to Local Business.
She says an abandoned house has been demolished on the property. Now, the owners are turning their attention to constructing a new building.
Starke County EMS Refining Electronic Claims Submission
Posted on April 7, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The electronic billing process Starke County EMS is using to submit claims to BlueCross BlueShield is going well so far. Director Keith Emigh told the county commissioners Monday the service is tracking the time from billing to payment. He says the insurance company pays claims in the same time frame, regardless of whether they are mailed or submitted electronically.
The biggest difference is Starke County EMS is able to submit claims faster. Also, Emigh says the electronic filing process catches errors right away so they can be corrected and resubmitted.
Emigh also told the commissioners he’s in the process of applying for grants to purchase new equipment for the ambulances. Specifically he’s looking to upgrade the cots and monitors.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The electronic billing process Starke County EMS is using to submit claims to BlueCross BlueShield is going well so far. Director Keith Emigh told the county commissioners Monday the service is tracking the time from billing to payment. He says the insurance company pays claims in the same time frame, regardless of whether they are mailed or submitted electronically.
The biggest difference is Starke County EMS is able to submit claims faster. Also, Emigh says the electronic filing process catches errors right away so they can be corrected and resubmitted.
Emigh also told the commissioners he’s in the process of applying for grants to purchase new equipment for the ambulances. Specifically he’s looking to upgrade the cots and monitors.
Move Over for Stopped Emergency Vehicles
Posted on April 7, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Indiana is gearing up for highway construction season as Work Zone Awareness Week wraps up. The goal is to raise awareness of both motorist and worker safety in work zones.
Indiana’s Move Over Laws are in place to protect all workers performing necessary duties on Indiana’s roadways.
Motorists are reminded to reduce their speed and increase their distance from the vehicle in front of them as soon as they see flashing emergency lights. This increases visibility and the ability to safely react to whatever situation is ahead.
If you are on a mutli-lane highway, change lanes away from the emergency vehicle if it is safe to do so. If you can’t change lanes, slow down to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit, move as far away as possible within your lane and proceed with caution. Do not stop in the road, as doing so can cause a chain reaction crash.
Motorists should watch for police vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks and rescue equipment, incident response, highway maintenance and utility service vehicles, tow and garbage trucks.
Violating the state’s Move Over Law can result in a fine and license suspension of up to two years if the driver causes damage to emergency equipment. Injuring or killing an emergency worker can lead to a prison sentence.
Drivers should also give motorists who are broken down on the side of the road ample room to safely repair their vehicles.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Indiana is gearing up for highway construction season as Work Zone Awareness Week wraps up. The goal is to raise awareness of both motorist and worker safety in work zones.
Indiana’s Move Over Laws are in place to protect all workers performing necessary duties on Indiana’s roadways.
Motorists are reminded to reduce their speed and increase their distance from the vehicle in front of them as soon as they see flashing emergency lights. This increases visibility and the ability to safely react to whatever situation is ahead.
If you are on a mutli-lane highway, change lanes away from the emergency vehicle if it is safe to do so. If you can’t change lanes, slow down to at least 10 miles per hour below the posted speed limit, move as far away as possible within your lane and proceed with caution. Do not stop in the road, as doing so can cause a chain reaction crash.
Motorists should watch for police vehicles, ambulances, fire trucks and rescue equipment, incident response, highway maintenance and utility service vehicles, tow and garbage trucks.
Violating the state’s Move Over Law can result in a fine and license suspension of up to two years if the driver causes damage to emergency equipment. Injuring or killing an emergency worker can lead to a prison sentence.
Drivers should also give motorists who are broken down on the side of the road ample room to safely repair their vehicles.
Thursday, April 6, 2017
4/29/2017 Kersting's "Blessing of the Bikes"
Mark your calendars! Kersting’s Annual “Blessing of the Bikes” Saturday, April 29, Noon. Live Music & Food Vendors.
Rev. Adam Speicher will share the message and blessing at 1pm. All event times are Eastern time. Sponsored by Heartland Christian Center and Kersting's Cycle Center, 8774 W 700 N, Winamac, Indiana 46996.
Rev. Adam Speicher will share the message and blessing at 1pm. All event times are Eastern time. Sponsored by Heartland Christian Center and Kersting's Cycle Center, 8774 W 700 N, Winamac, Indiana 46996.
N.J.-S.P. School Board Schedules Facility Tours, Work Session
Posted on April 6, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Residents of the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation are invited to go through the buildings prior to a Tuesday evening school board work session to discuss future projects.
Maintenance Supervisor Wilbur Collins will offer a guided tour of the facilities and discuss needs. Anyone interested in taking part should meet in the high school cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the junior/senior high school media center for a work session to discuss proposals and review the corporation’s strategic plan. That meeting is open to the public, but no formal action can be taken.
Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin previously said the board will formally discuss the preliminary project scope, tax impact, which should be zero, and potential financing options at that meeting. She adds the bond for the auditorium project is almost paid off, which will allow the corporation to maintain the debt service rate and take care of some other needs on the campus.
A special called community meeting will take place later this month at the auditorium to provide more information about estimated costs and savings and get community input with regard to the proposals.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
Residents of the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation are invited to go through the buildings prior to a Tuesday evening school board work session to discuss future projects.
Maintenance Supervisor Wilbur Collins will offer a guided tour of the facilities and discuss needs. Anyone interested in taking part should meet in the high school cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The school board will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the junior/senior high school media center for a work session to discuss proposals and review the corporation’s strategic plan. That meeting is open to the public, but no formal action can be taken.
Superintendent Dr. Annette Zupin previously said the board will formally discuss the preliminary project scope, tax impact, which should be zero, and potential financing options at that meeting. She adds the bond for the auditorium project is almost paid off, which will allow the corporation to maintain the debt service rate and take care of some other needs on the campus.
A special called community meeting will take place later this month at the auditorium to provide more information about estimated costs and savings and get community input with regard to the proposals.
North Judson Council Considers Funding Options for Infrastructure Projects
Posted on April 6, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The North Judson Town Council continues gathering information about how to pay for potential water and wastewater upgrades. Commonwealth Engineers is suggesting nearly $1.9 million in improvements to the town’s combined sewer overflow system and another $1.5 million for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. Water infrastructure upgrades are also planned.
David Hacker with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development office met with the town council Monday to discuss potential grant opportunities to help cover the costs. Grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs is also a potential option. Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins says accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates will further analyze the potential grant opportunities.
Funding the upgrades will also involve issuing bonds and possibly refinancing existing ones at a better interest rate. Covering the future bond payments could require a significant increase in utility rates, depending on how much grant funding the town gets. Even without the additional expense, the rates are already due for an increase, having stayed the same since 2003.
Town officials have been working with Umbaugh to minimize the impact. Additionally, Collins says Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann is fine-tuning the infrastructure projects, to prioritize which items absolutely need upgrades and which can wait.
She adds a preliminary engineering report was approved by council members Monday.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The North Judson Town Council continues gathering information about how to pay for potential water and wastewater upgrades. Commonwealth Engineers is suggesting nearly $1.9 million in improvements to the town’s combined sewer overflow system and another $1.5 million for upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. Water infrastructure upgrades are also planned.
David Hacker with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development office met with the town council Monday to discuss potential grant opportunities to help cover the costs. Grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs is also a potential option. Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins says accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates will further analyze the potential grant opportunities.
Funding the upgrades will also involve issuing bonds and possibly refinancing existing ones at a better interest rate. Covering the future bond payments could require a significant increase in utility rates, depending on how much grant funding the town gets. Even without the additional expense, the rates are already due for an increase, having stayed the same since 2003.
Town officials have been working with Umbaugh to minimize the impact. Additionally, Collins says Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann is fine-tuning the infrastructure projects, to prioritize which items absolutely need upgrades and which can wait.
She adds a preliminary engineering report was approved by council members Monday.
Local Group Works to Raise Awareness During Child Abuse Prevention Month
Posted on April 6, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and a local organization is working to raise awareness of the issue.
Annette VanSchoyck with Prevent Child Abuse Starke County and the Starke County Coalition Against Domestic Abuse says there are a few signs to look out for. “The yelling, the screaming, the cursing, the name-calling – if you see that, it’s definitely a red flag that that parent or that person doesn’t have real good impulse control or control of their anger,” she says, “especially if they’re doing it in a public place where other people are seeing that and hearing that and that child is then being publicly humiliated.”
She says sometimes, parents simply don’t know any other way. “It’s the way they were raised, and it’s the parenting skills that they’ve been handed down,” VanSchoyck says. “So once they learn some other more positive, less abusive parenting skills, the better off they’re going to be, and the less child abuse there’s going to be.”
VanSchoyk says there are resources available to help people learn more positive parenting techniques. “Tips for tears, tips for stress, talking about parenting being the most stressful job that you can ever have, and tips for not lashing out in anger and what you can do to stop that and take a timeout yourself as a parent to think about it, take a deep breath, to take a break, to walk out of the room, and then come back and deal with that,” VanSchoyck says.
She adds that organizations like Prevent Child Abuse Starke County seek to educate the public and prevent abuse before it happens. “A lot of programs all over the country are turning funds towards prevention, versus band-aids after the fact, and I think the earlier you start, the better,” she says. “That’s why a lot of the programs are prenatal programs and all those things are starting so much earlier because they’re learning that the sooner you start, the less likely that you are to have a problem later on down the line.”
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the organization is placing pinwheels at libraries and other public buildings around the area, along with informational packets. The pinwheel is the national symbol of child abuse prevention. Additionally, representatives of Prevent Child Abuse Starke County will be at the Starke County Preschool Fair on Tuesday, April 18.
VanSchoyk encourages anyone who’d like to help raise awareness of child abuse to join the group by calling 574-772-3331.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and a local organization is working to raise awareness of the issue.
Annette VanSchoyck with Prevent Child Abuse Starke County and the Starke County Coalition Against Domestic Abuse says there are a few signs to look out for. “The yelling, the screaming, the cursing, the name-calling – if you see that, it’s definitely a red flag that that parent or that person doesn’t have real good impulse control or control of their anger,” she says, “especially if they’re doing it in a public place where other people are seeing that and hearing that and that child is then being publicly humiliated.”
She says sometimes, parents simply don’t know any other way. “It’s the way they were raised, and it’s the parenting skills that they’ve been handed down,” VanSchoyck says. “So once they learn some other more positive, less abusive parenting skills, the better off they’re going to be, and the less child abuse there’s going to be.”
VanSchoyk says there are resources available to help people learn more positive parenting techniques. “Tips for tears, tips for stress, talking about parenting being the most stressful job that you can ever have, and tips for not lashing out in anger and what you can do to stop that and take a timeout yourself as a parent to think about it, take a deep breath, to take a break, to walk out of the room, and then come back and deal with that,” VanSchoyck says.
She adds that organizations like Prevent Child Abuse Starke County seek to educate the public and prevent abuse before it happens. “A lot of programs all over the country are turning funds towards prevention, versus band-aids after the fact, and I think the earlier you start, the better,” she says. “That’s why a lot of the programs are prenatal programs and all those things are starting so much earlier because they’re learning that the sooner you start, the less likely that you are to have a problem later on down the line.”
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the organization is placing pinwheels at libraries and other public buildings around the area, along with informational packets. The pinwheel is the national symbol of child abuse prevention. Additionally, representatives of Prevent Child Abuse Starke County will be at the Starke County Preschool Fair on Tuesday, April 18.
VanSchoyk encourages anyone who’d like to help raise awareness of child abuse to join the group by calling 574-772-3331.
IRS Turning Seriously Delinquent Accounts Over to Collections
Posted on April 6, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Internal Revenue Service is preparing to turn seriously delinquent accounts over to private-sector collection agencies. The agency notes these are unpaid individual tax obligations that are not currently being worked by IRS collection employees and often were assessed by the tax agency several years ago.
Affected taxpayers will first receive mailings and subsequent telephone calls from the agency advising them of the pending collections. The mailing will contain the contact information for the private collection agency and include a copy of Publication 4518, What You Can Expect When the IRS Assigns Your Account to a Private Collection Agency.
IRS officials note only four private groups are participating in the program: CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Conserve of Fairport, N.Y.; Performant of Livermore, Calif.; and Pioneer of Horseheads, N.Y. The taxpayer’s account will only be assigned to one of these agencies, never to all four. No other private group is authorized to represent the IRS.
After the IRS letter is sent, the designated private firm will send its own letter to the taxpayer and their representative confirming the account transfer. To protect the taxpayer’s privacy and security, both the IRS letter and the collection firm’s letter will contain information that will help taxpayers identify the tax amount owed and assure taxpayers that future collection agency calls they may receive are legitimate.
The private collectors will be able to identify themselves as contractors of the IRS collecting taxes. Their employees must be courteous, respect taxpayer rights and follow provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
They are authorized to discuss payment options, including setting up payment arrangements with taxpayers. However, payments must be made electronically or by check to the IRS. Payments should never be sent to a private firm or anyone besides the IRS or U.S. Treasury.
Additionally, private firms are not authorized to take enforcement actions against taxpayers. Only IRS employees can file notices of Federal Tax Lien or issue a levy.
Private firms are not authorized to take enforcement actions against taxpayers. Only IRS employees can take these actions, such as filing a notice of Federal Tax Lien or issuing a levy. Visit the Private Debt Collection page on IRS.gov for more information.
IRS officials concede scammers may pose as private collection firms. They remind taxpayers such firms will only be calling about a tax debt a person has had and been aware of for several years. In all cases, the IRS will have contacted the taxpayer previously. If you have paid your taxes and get such a call, it is probably a scam.
Taxpayers who are unsure whether they have an unpaid balance from a previous year can go to www.irs.gov/balancedue. If the account balance says zero, that means nothing is due, and you typically wouldn’t be getting a contact from the IRS or the private firm.
Author Mary Perren, WKVI
The Internal Revenue Service is preparing to turn seriously delinquent accounts over to private-sector collection agencies. The agency notes these are unpaid individual tax obligations that are not currently being worked by IRS collection employees and often were assessed by the tax agency several years ago.
Affected taxpayers will first receive mailings and subsequent telephone calls from the agency advising them of the pending collections. The mailing will contain the contact information for the private collection agency and include a copy of Publication 4518, What You Can Expect When the IRS Assigns Your Account to a Private Collection Agency.
IRS officials note only four private groups are participating in the program: CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Conserve of Fairport, N.Y.; Performant of Livermore, Calif.; and Pioneer of Horseheads, N.Y. The taxpayer’s account will only be assigned to one of these agencies, never to all four. No other private group is authorized to represent the IRS.
After the IRS letter is sent, the designated private firm will send its own letter to the taxpayer and their representative confirming the account transfer. To protect the taxpayer’s privacy and security, both the IRS letter and the collection firm’s letter will contain information that will help taxpayers identify the tax amount owed and assure taxpayers that future collection agency calls they may receive are legitimate.
The private collectors will be able to identify themselves as contractors of the IRS collecting taxes. Their employees must be courteous, respect taxpayer rights and follow provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
They are authorized to discuss payment options, including setting up payment arrangements with taxpayers. However, payments must be made electronically or by check to the IRS. Payments should never be sent to a private firm or anyone besides the IRS or U.S. Treasury.
Additionally, private firms are not authorized to take enforcement actions against taxpayers. Only IRS employees can file notices of Federal Tax Lien or issue a levy.
Private firms are not authorized to take enforcement actions against taxpayers. Only IRS employees can take these actions, such as filing a notice of Federal Tax Lien or issuing a levy. Visit the Private Debt Collection page on IRS.gov for more information.
IRS officials concede scammers may pose as private collection firms. They remind taxpayers such firms will only be calling about a tax debt a person has had and been aware of for several years. In all cases, the IRS will have contacted the taxpayer previously. If you have paid your taxes and get such a call, it is probably a scam.
Taxpayers who are unsure whether they have an unpaid balance from a previous year can go to www.irs.gov/balancedue. If the account balance says zero, that means nothing is due, and you typically wouldn’t be getting a contact from the IRS or the private firm.
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