Travel Advisory Initiated in Marshall County

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Marshall County Commissioners have initiated a warning level travel advisory, which is the highest level of local travel advisory. During a warning level travel advisory, travel is restricted to emergency personnel only.

Individuals are directed to refrain from all travel, comply with necessary emergency measures, cooperate with public officials and disaster services force in executing emergency operations plans, and obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified officers.

Winter Weather Advisory in Effect

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Marshall and Starke Counties are under a winter weather advisory until 7 a.m. ET Sunday.

The National Weather Service is forecasting snow accumulation between one and four inches, but due to the nature of lake effect snow those totals may vary. Snow bands may set up and create further accumulations. Northwest winds could gust as high as 45 mph that will result in significant blowing and drifting snow with reduced visibilities. Wind chills will drop to dangerous levels below zero.

Officials are urging motorists to take extreme caution when traveling today.

Culver Wind Ordinance Tabled Amid Uncertain Language

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The matter was heard on first reading when they last met, but the Culver Town Council ran into additional problems with their wind energy ordinance when it came back for a vote.

The Town has been working to craft an amendment to the zoning ordinance focusing on Wind Energy Conversion Systems for some time. The proposal has run into problems with residents on a consistent basis.
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Culver Winter Fest Continues Today

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

snowflakesCulver residents are welcoming neighbors into town this weekend for the Culver Winter Fest.

Start things off this morning with the Lion’s Club pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., an ice carving demonstration is at noon and a free ice fishing camp for kids is at 1 p.m.

Tomorrow, the NAIFC Ice Fishing Tournament begins at 8 a.m. Weigh-in is at 2 p.m. The Lion’s Club will have lunch available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the Culver Beard Club Polar Plunge is at 3 p.m.

Sledding and ice skating is free all weekend long.

If you need more information, call 1-800-626-5353 or visit www.culverchamber.com.

State Revenue Sources Fall Short, Wagering Beats Estimates

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The state of Indiana has gained a bit of revenue for January compared to the previous year, but fell short of revised estimates.

According to the monthly revenue report from the State Budget Agency, General Fund revenues were $1.3-billion in January. That’s 2.4-percentage points above revenue collected for the same period last year. Those figures are still below estimates for the 2015 fiscal year published in December.
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State Parks Seeking Volunteer Campground Hosts

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Enjoy free camping at Indiana state parks and reservoir properties in exchange for doing volunteer work. Hosts work a minimum of 20 hours per week and do tasks like cleaning fire rings and restrooms, painting signs, picking up trash and welcoming and assisting campers. Volunteer periods vary at sites based on the number of applicants and amount and type of work needed. Continue reading →

IDEM Offers Free Earth Day Presentations For Schools

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Hoosier schools can celebrate Earth Day by scheduling a presenter from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) to visit with their students. They will talk about their careers and share lessons about air, land and water quality. The interactive presentations are between 30 and 50 minutes long and include interactive activities like building an edible landfill or “Environmental Jeopardy.” They will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis from April 6-17. Each school may request up to four presentations.

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K9 Assisted Drug Investigation Leads to Two Arrests

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer
Tiffany Frazier
Tiffany Frazier
Jeffery Dickson
Jeffery Dickson

A man and a woman face numerous drug charges after officers from the Hamlet Police Department and Starke County Sheriff’s Department reportedly found a one-pot meth lab and more inside their residence Wednesday afternoon. They were investigating a report of drug activity at the Hamlet Apartments at 205 South Main Street, according to officials with the Hamlet P.D. They say the residents agreed to a search of the apartment, and Starke County Sheriff’s Department K9 Terror indicated narcotics were present. The officers reportedly found a one-pot meth lab, methamphetamine, marijuana, heroin, drug precursors and paraphernalia. Continue reading →

Marshall County Council Approves Chief Deputy Coroner Job Description

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Marshall County Council approved a recommendation from the personnel committee to include a job description for the chief deputy coroner in the handbook, a task that has been pending for a long time.

The position description submitted includes duties, job requirements, responsibilities, and physical effort. The chief deputy coroner is a part-time position and is appointed by the coroner. The appointee is responsible for assisting in investigating and certifying cause and manner of death in any suspicious, unusual or unnatural human death.

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Prosecuting Attorneys Support Amendment to Meth Bill

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

There is support for an amendment to a bill that would help prosecutors attack the epidemic of methamphetamine labs and the dangers that meth production impose on residents.

The amendment to Senate Bill 536 sponsored by Senator Brent Steele targets meth production by making ephedrine and pseudoephedrine schedule IV controlled substances. The pills would only be available by a doctor’s prescription.

Delaware County Prosecutor Jeffrey Arnold told the Indiana Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law this week that the production of meth is a greater issue to law enforcement and the public. According to statistics in an Indiana Prosecuting Attorney’s Council press release, it takes an Indiana State Police mobile lab eight hours to dispose of a lab at a cost of $160,000. The local fire department is usually on standby in case the volatile chemicals explode. If a meth lab is in a rented house or apartment, the dwelling must be decontaminated. It could be too costly for the landlord to clean up so then the structure would be deemed a blighted property.

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Riverside Intermediate Students Teach Others about Climates

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The sixth-grade students at Riverside Intermediate School in Plymouth presented information about different climates in the world Thursday afternoon. The students set up different stations in three different rooms to tell fellow students, parents and teachers about their specific knowledge about the region.

Zane Cooper, a Project Based Learning (PBL) educator at the school, said the students set up the areas just like the regions they are studying.

“They’re explaining the colder sections of the world like the tundra icecaps, a Mediterranean climate, and some of the warmer areas like the desert,” said Cooper. “We’re really focusing on all of those different climate regions of the world. We’ve separated it by classroom to make it a progression as you go from one room to the other.”

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Triton School Board Discusses Additional Preschool Program, Combining Services

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Triton School Board learned this week that two students wish to start a peer helper program as a service project. The board appreciated the presentation and were proud of the leadership initiative, according to Superintendent Donna Burroughs.

Burroughs told MAX 98.3 FM News that the board is considering the addition of a preschool program next school year. The program would be shared with the other schools who participate in the special education program.

Burroughs also commented that the board will be looking to share services with other corporations to help with the lack of funding. The Corporation hosted a presentation on the lack of funding for schools late last year. She stated in a previous interview that the biggest catalyst in the lack of funding is the state takeover of the General Fund, which pays salaries, insurance, and operating costs. Burroughs said the Triton School Corporation is receiving $1.7 million less than it did ten years ago.

No decisions were made at this week’s meeting.

Bill Signing Scheduled Today for Walorski-Sponsored Legislation

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski will attend a signing ceremony at the White House today for a bill she cosponsored. The Clay Hunt SAV Act provides greater access to mental health care for military veterans. It’s named in honor of Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran Clay Hunt, who committed suicide after battling with post-traumatic stress disorder brought on by his service overseas. He sought care from the VA and received a 30 percent disability rating for his PTSD. He appealed and encountered administrative obstacles, including the VA losing his files. Hunt took his life weeks later, and five weeks after his death his appeal was approved. Continue reading →

Street Parking Creates Problems During Snow Situations

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Inoperable cars parked on the sides of city streets create a hazard for snow plow drivers trying to clear roads. That topic was raised during Monday’s Plymouth City Council meeting. Mayor Mark Senter told the council he’s reached out to the mayors in other communities to gather information about their snow emergency route parking policies. Some restrict parking to even or odd numbered sides of the street to give plows room to work. Residents are asked to please move their cars if possible so roads can be cleared.

Marshall County Council Discusses Commissary Fund Resolution

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Marshall County Sheriff Tom Chamberlin presented a resolution regarding commissary fund expenditures to the county council this week.

Sheriff Chamberlin explained that the funds are spent by guidelines set forth in the state statute. He felt that a resolution be enacted to have a better understanding of how the money can be spent out of certain line items. Detailed information would be provided on active expenditures.

Councilman Steve Harper asked about the cap on expenditures in a single purchase of $1,000. Sheriff Chamberlin said purchases would need to come before the county council for approval.

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Triton Students to Make up Missed Days

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Students at the Triton School Corporation will be making up days missed due to snow. Superintendent Donna Burroughs said two days were built into the calendar and four days have been missed so far this semester that will be made up.

“We have for of those scheduled,” explained Burroughs. “Next Monday is one of those days and Good Friday is the second one. May 26 and May 27 are days three and four. Hopefully, we don’t have anymore.”

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