The Indiana General Assembly is anticipated to consider certain reforms to funding education, and Knox Community Schools is considering their options.
Governor Mike Pence has said he wants the legislative session that started Tuesday to be an “education session.” Discussions have included lifting the cap on education vouchers and reforming the school funding formula.
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The Marshall County Commissioners and EMA Director Clyde Avery have implemented an advisory level travel restriction.
The advisory level is the lowest level when talking about travel restrictions. The advisory level means that routine travel or activities may be restricted in areas because of a hazardous situation and individuals should use caution or avoid those areas.
Avery explained that the primary concern that officials have are that the roads are snow covered, slick and hazardous. Visibility is reduced due to blowing snow.
With wind chills dipping well below zero for the next couple of days, protect yourself against the effects of hypothermia.
Your body temperature drops after prolonged exposure to the cold which causes abnormal activity of the heart, nervous system and other organs, according to information released by the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms of mild hypothermia include: shivering, dizziness, hunger, nausea, trouble speaking, slight confusion, fatigue, and increased heart rate
An older person may develop mild hypothermia after prolonged exposure to cooler indoor temperatures that may be tolerable by younger people. Signs and symptoms in these cases may not be as obvious.
The Marshall County Commissioners discussed a contract with the Great Lakes Lab through the prosecutor’s office.
The Great Lakes Lab provides forensic services for Marshall County. All of the law enforcement agencies in the county may send drug samples or alcohol tests for analysis with this lab company. The number of tests that have been requested through the lab by Marshall County officers has dropped since 2013. As a result, the contract price has decreased.
Today is the first day to file for candidacy for the Municipal Election. Candidates may file in the county clerk’s office.
Municipal offices up for election in Marshall County include the mayor of Plymouth, clerk-treasurer in Argos, Bourbon, Bremen, Culver, LaPaz, and Plymouth. Voters will also elect three council members in Argos, two in Bourbon, four in Culver and three in LaPaz. All five city council seats in Plymouth are on the ballot as well as two additional at-large seats.
Legislators are now in Indianapolis for the long-session of the General Assembly.
5th District State Senator Ed Charbonneau offered comment on the issue of reversion reform which could result from projected revenue increases over the next two years. Reversions allow the Governor to withhold spending in the instance of an economic downturn or other revenue shortfall.
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The Knox Center Township Fire Department is reminding residents to follow a few key rules when operating a space heater this winter.
The devices use electricity to help warm various spaces in homes, typically during colder months. Keeping the device too close to flammable household items can result in structure fires or other damage.
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01-06-15
Wind Chill Warning In Effect for Kankakee Valley
Bundle up before you head out, as a wind chill warning is in effect through Thursday. A combination of very cold air and strong winds will make temperatures feel like they are in the 15 to 30-below-zero range. Frostbite, hypothermia and death are possible if precautions are not taken. Continue reading
The Marshall County Emergency Management Agency, sheriff’s department and highway department are prepared for any type of weather situation, including snow.
Director Clyde Avery said he and the Marshall County Commissioners will be following the state criteria when coming to decisions about travel restrictions. There are three categories for those restrictions. The lowest level is advisory.
Winter weather can pose a danger to your four-legged friends.
The Starke County Humane Society says that exposure to the elements should be limited and house pets should be brought indoors when possible.
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The Marshall County Commissioners have approved a measure to help the City of Plymouth move forward with the Greenway Trail.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi told the commissioners last week that the city is attempting to complete phase two of the grant-funded project. Officials with SEH Engineering need GIS data in order to continue with the design work.
“In order for them to prepare the plans, they would like to have some GIS data for that area,” explained Surrisi. “We’ve made a similar request before and we were able to put together a contract where we signed off and said we were guaranteeing that the contractors were just going to use the information for this project and not for any other commercial purposes.”
The Culver Community School Board elected officers for 2015 after the swearing-in of recently reelected members Jack Jones, William Sonnemaker and Ryan Sieber. Ken Vandeputte replaces Jack Jones as president. Jim Wentzel succeeds Vandeputte as vice president, and Mark Maes took over Wentzel’s previous seat of secretary.
Slick roads are to blame for an Sunday evening accident on U.S. 31 at 13th Road that sent a South Bend woman to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth. Continue reading
The Marshall County Commissioners received clarification on a proposed contract for 2015 with the Muskegon River Youth Center in Logoda.
James Pheibush from the probation department explained that he negotiated with the detention center for point to point transport.
“For $149, they will transport a kid from point A to point B which I think is cheap,” stated Pheibush. “If they exceed eight hours in a transport, it’s $238 and I thought that was a bargain compared to having one of our road officers tied up for that many hours and other legal questions involved.”
The Marshall County Commissioners reappointed department heads last week.
Doug Masterton was retained as buildings and grounds maintenance supervisor, Jason Peters as supervisor of county highways, Laurie Baker as highway administrator, Chuck DeWitt as building inspector, Gary Masterson as jail maintenance supervisor, Clyde Avery as EMA director, Michael Marshall as IT director Linda Rippe as museum director, Pam Schweitzer-Betz as veteran’s service officer, and Jim Clevenger as county attorney.
The commissioners will meet this morning at 8:30 a.m. ET for their first regular meeting of the new year with Julie Fox as the newly elected auditor and Kurt West Garner who is beginning a four-year term in the commissioner in District 1 seat.
The Monterey Fire Department is purchasing Culver Fire Department’s old squad truck for $50,000. The money will go toward the purchase of Culver’s new squad truck expected to arrive later this month.
Revenue projections for the state of Indiana have area representatives thinking about items to tackle during the upcoming session of the General Assembly.
The state budget committee reviewed revenue forecasts in December, showing a 2.3-percent uptick in 2015 and a 2.4-percentage point increase the following year.
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A state law passed fairly recently may start having implications for elected officials in Starke County.
House Enrolled Act 1005 states that an individual may not hold elected office if they are working, or volunteering, for a fire department providing services to that unit of government. The language may have consequences for several individuals about to serve in county, city, and township government.
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Warmer weather experienced in the Kankakee Valley during fall and winter has been good for keeping potholes repaired on Starke County roadways.
Crews have used zero time or money to clear snow this year. That opens up some room for Starke County Highway Department staff to fill damaged road surfaces.
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Officials from the Indiana State Police, Bremen Post and Plymouth Police Department have released the names of the officers involved in a shooting in Plymouth. Trooper William B. Ennis and Plymouth officer Matthew Emenhiser were involved in firing shots at Lane Dodson of Plymouth Monday evening.
Trooper Ennis conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Dodson. Dodson pulled his van into the Kmart parking lot and Trooper Ennis waited for a Plymouth officer, Emnenhiser, to assist at the scene. The pair walked up to the driver’s side window to question Dodson about an alleged domestic issue that occurred earlier in the day. When Dodson was asked to step out of the vehicle, Dodson reportedly raised his gun at police and the officers fired their guns.
