The 2017 Deer Reduction Zones have been established and Indiana DNR Law District 10 has reduction zone opportunities in portions of Lake, Porter, and LaPorte Counties this year. It is important to check whether or not your specific location within your county falls within the established reduction zone. Reduction zones provide an opportunity for hunters with an abundance of deer in their area to better manage their herd if needed by taking more deer than areas outside of the reduction zones.
For more detailed information on Indiana's deer reduction zones click the link: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/8534.htm
Friday, August 11, 2017
New Basic EMTs, Paramedic Hired (8/11)
Posted on August 11, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Starke County EMS personnel roster is getting a facelift.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary informed the commissioners on Monday night that he recently hired three basic EMTs and a paramedic. Clary was promoted to director in July which left his paramedic job open. Clary conducted other interviews this week to fill other part-time paramedic positions within the department.
Following a CPR training class at the highway department, Clary mentioned that he and Rik Ritzler discussed Automated External Defibrillators. Ritlzer expressed interest in purchasing one for his department, but Clary said he had one that he gave Ritzler to satisfy the request. It’s an older model but is in working order. Three others are available for departments who may want them.
Clary added the ambulance repair issues continue to plague the EMS staff. The newest ambulance is experiencing an issue with a system to that is required on diesel vehicles for cleaner air.
“We continue to have ambulance repairs,” said Clary. “Ambulances continue to be in and out of service. Last week we were down to no spare ambulances again. The newest truck is out right now. It had to be sent to Chevy. That one has about 30,000 miles on it. We’re being told that it could cost quite a bit but we’re hoping everything’s under warranty.”
The county council will review the EMS budget when they meet later this month.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Starke County EMS personnel roster is getting a facelift.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary informed the commissioners on Monday night that he recently hired three basic EMTs and a paramedic. Clary was promoted to director in July which left his paramedic job open. Clary conducted other interviews this week to fill other part-time paramedic positions within the department.
Following a CPR training class at the highway department, Clary mentioned that he and Rik Ritzler discussed Automated External Defibrillators. Ritlzer expressed interest in purchasing one for his department, but Clary said he had one that he gave Ritzler to satisfy the request. It’s an older model but is in working order. Three others are available for departments who may want them.
Clary added the ambulance repair issues continue to plague the EMS staff. The newest ambulance is experiencing an issue with a system to that is required on diesel vehicles for cleaner air.
“We continue to have ambulance repairs,” said Clary. “Ambulances continue to be in and out of service. Last week we were down to no spare ambulances again. The newest truck is out right now. It had to be sent to Chevy. That one has about 30,000 miles on it. We’re being told that it could cost quite a bit but we’re hoping everything’s under warranty.”
The county council will review the EMS budget when they meet later this month.
Public Hearing Scheduled for North Judson Sewer, Water Projects
Posted on August 11, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
North Judson residents will have a chance to weigh in on proposed water and sewer upgrades. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the town hall, before the regular town council meeting at 6:30. It’s a required step before the town can pursue financing for the projects.
To pay for the water upgrades, North Judson hopes to get a loan through the State Revolving Fund, as well as grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The project would rehabilitate the two water towers, add a well, and upgrade the existing well pumps, among other improvements.
At the same time, the town is also planning $3.1 million in wastewater upgrades. That work will include modernizing the wastewater treatment plant and bringing the town’s combined sewer overflow into compliance with Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulations. The town hopes to get a 40-year bond through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Office to pay for the upgrades.
If all the funding arrangements fall into place, town officials expect to be able to make the upgrades without increasing water and sewer rates again.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
North Judson residents will have a chance to weigh in on proposed water and sewer upgrades. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the town hall, before the regular town council meeting at 6:30. It’s a required step before the town can pursue financing for the projects.
To pay for the water upgrades, North Judson hopes to get a loan through the State Revolving Fund, as well as grant funding from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs. The project would rehabilitate the two water towers, add a well, and upgrade the existing well pumps, among other improvements.
At the same time, the town is also planning $3.1 million in wastewater upgrades. That work will include modernizing the wastewater treatment plant and bringing the town’s combined sewer overflow into compliance with Indiana Department of Environmental Management regulations. The town hopes to get a 40-year bond through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Office to pay for the upgrades.
If all the funding arrangements fall into place, town officials expect to be able to make the upgrades without increasing water and sewer rates again.
Starke County Park Board Requests Repairs to Bass Lake Beach House Patio
Posted on August 11, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The operator of the Bass Lake Beach is being asked to make some improvements to the beach house patio. A group of local residents and Starke County Park Board members has been working on a plan to stabilize the seawall surrounding the site. To help find a solution, they’ve obtained the original drawings from the seawall’s installation in 1988.
Resident Rick Anderson presented them during Tuesday’s park board meeting. “So the building foundation is good, but here’s all this fill that was put in here, a lot of it’s gone,” he explained. “And so you got just the concrete, and if it goes, you could have a collapse there. So that’s got to be refilled, and this is how it was originally done.”
He said repairing the wall shouldn’t be too difficult. “If I was doing this repair, what I would do is just get a little of this concrete out, enough to get in there, and sandbag it all the way up,” Anderson said. “I’ve done this before with sandbags, just fill them and get them loose and up against that expansion joint, which is very wide, and then put the sand back and put the concrete back. It’s not a huge job to fix that.”
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has also suggested installing glacial stone around the seawall, to protect it from incoming waves and also help prevent sand erosion. The installation of the stone is estimated to cost about $5,000.
There was some discussion Tuesday about who is responsible for making the upgrades. In the end, board members agreed that the improvements should be considered maintenance. That means it’s up to Callahan Development, LLC to do the work, under the terms of its lease with the county.
What exactly counts as maintenance and what is a capital improvement has been an ongoing debate between Callahan and county officials. Park board member Roger Chaffins and County Attorney Marty Lucas agreed to draft a letter to Callahan, detailing the requested upgrades.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The operator of the Bass Lake Beach is being asked to make some improvements to the beach house patio. A group of local residents and Starke County Park Board members has been working on a plan to stabilize the seawall surrounding the site. To help find a solution, they’ve obtained the original drawings from the seawall’s installation in 1988.
Resident Rick Anderson presented them during Tuesday’s park board meeting. “So the building foundation is good, but here’s all this fill that was put in here, a lot of it’s gone,” he explained. “And so you got just the concrete, and if it goes, you could have a collapse there. So that’s got to be refilled, and this is how it was originally done.”
He said repairing the wall shouldn’t be too difficult. “If I was doing this repair, what I would do is just get a little of this concrete out, enough to get in there, and sandbag it all the way up,” Anderson said. “I’ve done this before with sandbags, just fill them and get them loose and up against that expansion joint, which is very wide, and then put the sand back and put the concrete back. It’s not a huge job to fix that.”
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has also suggested installing glacial stone around the seawall, to protect it from incoming waves and also help prevent sand erosion. The installation of the stone is estimated to cost about $5,000.
There was some discussion Tuesday about who is responsible for making the upgrades. In the end, board members agreed that the improvements should be considered maintenance. That means it’s up to Callahan Development, LLC to do the work, under the terms of its lease with the county.
What exactly counts as maintenance and what is a capital improvement has been an ongoing debate between Callahan and county officials. Park board member Roger Chaffins and County Attorney Marty Lucas agreed to draft a letter to Callahan, detailing the requested upgrades.
Shop with a Cop Event a Success
Posted on August 11, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #129 recently held an event to assist children in the Starke County area.
FOP President Chris Kisela said that the members of the organization took 60 children shopping at Kohl’s in Valparaiso for back-to-school clothing on Sunday, Aug. 6.
Fundraising efforts helped in this endeavor to help children get something new for the new school year. Fundraisers to help more children next year will be coming soon.
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #129 recently held an event to assist children in the Starke County area.
FOP President Chris Kisela said that the members of the organization took 60 children shopping at Kohl’s in Valparaiso for back-to-school clothing on Sunday, Aug. 6.
Fundraising efforts helped in this endeavor to help children get something new for the new school year. Fundraisers to help more children next year will be coming soon.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
North Judson Compliance Officer Has Issued 16 Warnings, Town Council Discusses 214 Lane Street
Posted on August 10, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Town of North Judson is seeing results with its new compliance officer. So far, Joe Leszek has written about 16 warnings, leading to 12 responses, according to Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins. She says the new part-time position has improved communication, when it comes to getting people to cut their grass or move their vehicles, after they’ve been neglected for a length of time.
Additionally, the owner of 214 Lane Street met with the town council Monday to address safety concerns at the building. Collins says the owner plans to fix the exterior and roof. Council members expect to get an update on the progress during their September 5 meeting.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Town of North Judson is seeing results with its new compliance officer. So far, Joe Leszek has written about 16 warnings, leading to 12 responses, according to Clerk-Treasurer Alicia Collins. She says the new part-time position has improved communication, when it comes to getting people to cut their grass or move their vehicles, after they’ve been neglected for a length of time.
Additionally, the owner of 214 Lane Street met with the town council Monday to address safety concerns at the building. Collins says the owner plans to fix the exterior and roof. Council members expect to get an update on the progress during their September 5 meeting.
Starke County Forest to Proceed with Timber Sale
Posted on August 10, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Park Board is moving ahead with a timber sale at the County Forest. On Tuesday, board members voted to let Forester Bruce Wakeland start soliciting bids from timber buyers.
He said he’s marked trees in two sections of the forest, totaling 20 acres. Wakeland said that while the timber in the Starke County Forest is not of the best quality, the fact that it can be harvested at any time to the year will help boost demand.
Potential buyers will be given about a month to look at the timber before bids are due. The park board plans to open the bids at its October 10 meeting.
Wakeland expects the timber sale to bring in $5,000 to $10,000. Some of that money may be used to help fix the forest’s access lane.
Wakeland said he discussed the issue with Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler. Ritzler recommended that glacial stone be installed to help prevent the roadway from washing out, which may cost up to $20,000. Park board member Roger Chaffins suggested exploring the possibility of using donated railroad ballast instead, to lower the cost.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The Starke County Park Board is moving ahead with a timber sale at the County Forest. On Tuesday, board members voted to let Forester Bruce Wakeland start soliciting bids from timber buyers.
He said he’s marked trees in two sections of the forest, totaling 20 acres. Wakeland said that while the timber in the Starke County Forest is not of the best quality, the fact that it can be harvested at any time to the year will help boost demand.
Potential buyers will be given about a month to look at the timber before bids are due. The park board plans to open the bids at its October 10 meeting.
Wakeland expects the timber sale to bring in $5,000 to $10,000. Some of that money may be used to help fix the forest’s access lane.
Wakeland said he discussed the issue with Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler. Ritzler recommended that glacial stone be installed to help prevent the roadway from washing out, which may cost up to $20,000. Park board member Roger Chaffins suggested exploring the possibility of using donated railroad ballast instead, to lower the cost.
North Judson-San Pierre School Board Reviews 2018 Budget Proposal during Work Session
Posted on August 10, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board got a look at the corporation’s 2018 budget Monday. The proposed budget totals just under $12.5 million, including a General Fund of more than $7.8 million.
Superintendent Annette Zupin says a big priority is making sure the number of teachers stays in line with the number of students. “Every year, we need to look at our staff and how that relates to our enrollment,” she says. “That’s our biggest expense is salaries, and so we need to make sure that we are managing the decline in enrollment, if we do indeed have that. We just need to manage that.”
She says the school board had a chance to learn about the proposed budget during a work session Monday. “Mr. [Guy] Richie, our business manager, went over each fund, the historical information on that and then what he would like to propose for the new budget coming up,” Zupin says. “And that was a very good session because we did have new board members, and so I think that was really good for them to get an idea of where we have been historically, and where we’re moving.”
A public hearing on the budget will be held during this month’s Starke County Council meeting. It will take place Monday, August 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Starke County Annex Building No. 1 in Knox. Council members are scheduled to adopt North Judson-San Pierre’s budget in September.
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board got a look at the corporation’s 2018 budget Monday. The proposed budget totals just under $12.5 million, including a General Fund of more than $7.8 million.
Superintendent Annette Zupin says a big priority is making sure the number of teachers stays in line with the number of students. “Every year, we need to look at our staff and how that relates to our enrollment,” she says. “That’s our biggest expense is salaries, and so we need to make sure that we are managing the decline in enrollment, if we do indeed have that. We just need to manage that.”
She says the school board had a chance to learn about the proposed budget during a work session Monday. “Mr. [Guy] Richie, our business manager, went over each fund, the historical information on that and then what he would like to propose for the new budget coming up,” Zupin says. “And that was a very good session because we did have new board members, and so I think that was really good for them to get an idea of where we have been historically, and where we’re moving.”
A public hearing on the budget will be held during this month’s Starke County Council meeting. It will take place Monday, August 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Starke County Annex Building No. 1 in Knox. Council members are scheduled to adopt North Judson-San Pierre’s budget in September.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
8/22 & 24/2017 Ancilla Domini Children’s Choir Open Auditions
DONALDSON, IN -- Auditions will be held for the Ancilla
Domini Children’s Choir on August 22 and 24, 2017 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
EDT. Auditions are open to children of all faiths ages 7 to 10 and will be held
at The Center at Donaldson’s main building both days. No music experience
necessary. This is tuition free.
Andrew Jennings, MSM, is the Director of liturgy and music
at The Center at Donaldson. Andrew received his master of sacred music degree
in choral conducting from the University of Notre Dame. He is an experienced
music educator with previous experience as a conductor with the Notre Dame
Children's Choir and teacher at The Music Village.
To register or for more information, please contact Andrew
Jennings at ajennings@poorhandmaids.org or 576-935-1723.
Visit www.TheCenteratDonaldson.org to learn more about The
Center at Donaldson, sponsored by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. The
Center’s physical address (gps) is 9601 Union Rd. Plymouth, Indiana.
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