All counties are changing ratings for virus spread
INDIANAPOLIS – All four counties in the northeast corner of Indiana received different color-coded COVID-19 spread ratings from the state this week.
For Counties Noble and LaGrange, ratings are better. For the districts of Steuben and DeKalb, the new ratings are worse.
Steuben and DeKalb counties reverted to orange for “high” spread of the virus, Noble County reverted to yellow for “moderate” spread, and LaGrange County became one of 11 counties in the state to receive a blue rating, with the best The representative rating was “Low” distribution.
For LaGrange County, the decline to blue has achieved a record turnaround for the county’s positive development. LaGrange County had an average positivity of only 2.34% over seven days. This is the best in the state among 92 Indiana counties. That’s a sharp drop from 9.34% a week ago. However, the number of cases per capita rose slightly from 42 per 100,000 to 50 per 100,000 this week.
Overall, Indiana improved again, with the vast majority of the state in the two lower ratings and no counties in the worst red rating this week. It’s not the best ever for Indiana, but it’s the best since early October.
Family donates land for railway overpass
AUBURN – The city of Auburn will soon own the Auburn Mobile Home Park on the city’s southern edge.
The Dickman family, heirs to the late Burt Dickman, a former mayor of Auburn, donate the 5 acre property to the town.
The city needs the front of the property along South Main Street for a planned overpass of the CSX railroad tracks north of the site.
The rest of the site will be returned to a natural state and could be used for future expansion of the city’s water pollution control facility next door, the mayor said.
The park’s estimated 28 residents will have three years to move, Ley said. Until then, the city will commission a company to manage the park. It will also provide help with relocation.
DeKalb Eastern says goodbye to the longtime superintendent
BUTLER – The DeKalb County’s Eastern Community School District thanked outgoing Superintendent Dr. Jeff Stephens for his service to the school system at the school board meeting on Monday.
Stephens spent 37 years at DeKalb Eastern, including the last 25 years as Superintendent. Monday was his last school council meeting before he retired in early March.
School Board President Leon Steury presented Stephens a plaque thanking him for his dedication, passion and commitment to the district.
He was also presented with a depiction of the school district’s main office, which the school board renamed him last fall for his years of service and leadership in the district.
The recovery center opens east of Kendallville
KENDALLVILLE – A new recovery option for Noble County residents held an open house Thursday at its 116 DeKalb CR 22 location east of Kendallville.
The 24-bed home will serve as a nine-month intensive care facility using a faith-based 12-step program model.
Inspiration Ministries from the DeKalb district, which already operate two facilities in this district with around 48 beds, will operate the facility.
According to the group, 80% of the men and women participating in the program were not actively involved in their children’s lives and did not pay child support. By the end of the program, 70% will pay child benefit and have become more active in their children’s lives.
According to the organizers, 85% of the new program participants do not have an active driver’s license. At the time of graduation, 85% have received their licenses.
Avilla selects a road improvement contractor
AVILLA – Avilla City Council on Wednesday hired Albion-based Pulver Asphalt Paving to fund community crossings.
Powder placed the lowest of four bids on the project at $ 497,668.
McDonald’s with new curbs, driveways and sidewalks. “
On December 8, the state granted Avilla $ 351,646 in funds, with the city responsible for the remainder of the related grant program.
“We’re going to be redoing West Albion Street between Haines Street (where we left off this spring) and Cherry Street with new curbs, sidewalks, driveways and sidewalks,” said City Administrator Bill Ley shortly after the grants were announced on December 8th “We will also be redoing East Albion Street 370 feet east of Progress Way (where we left off this fall) to the SR 3 right-of-way in front of McDonald’s with new curbs, driveways and sidewalks.”
Caucus elects new council member
KENDALLVILLLE – Local Republicans will gather on March 6th to select Kendallville’s next councilor to represent District 2.
Republicans will gather for the Council Caucus on March 6th at 10 a.m. at the Augusta Hills Learning Center, 2080 WCR 300N, Albion to find a replacement for Steve Clouse, who stepped down earlier this week to allow more time for to use his private law practice and family.
Republicans will meet in Augusta Hills that morning for a county restructuring meeting and holding the caucus on other party deals.
Kendallville residents interested in replacing Clouse on the council must reside in District 2, which generally covers the entire area west of Main Street and north of Drake Road in the city. Those interested should contact Noble County Republican Party leader Shelly Williams at 242-0351.
East Noble launches bus garage project
KENDALLVILLE – With the calendar moving to March, construction begins on the $ 5 million renovation and expansion of the East Noble bus garage on Ohio Street.
Brian Leitch, East Noble’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer, announced Wednesday evening to the Education Committee that Shawnee Construction & Engineering representatives will be on site from March 1st.
Shawnee Construction offers a guaranteed maximum price – any excess of the agreed amount will be charged – in exchange for greater autonomy in the selection of subcontractors and minor changes to the project without direct contribution from the district.
In preparation for the start of work, the board approved a significant part of the building applications for the project – $ 4,204,756. The bid sheet contained 22 project packages that companies from across the state had bid on.
The beginning of the trine is planned for May 8th
ANGOLA – Trine University has announced that it will hold a personal opening ceremony this spring in honor of the graduating class of 2021.
The ceremony, which is scheduled for May 8, marks the return to the university’s main annual event after a year-long absence, the university said in a press release.
“After an incredibly challenging year, our students deserve this opportunity to celebrate their many achievements with family, faculty, staff, and alumni,” said Trine President Earl D. Brooks II. “We have had these since we returned to sitting classes last fall Proven ability to safely raise our students and provide a meaningful, if slightly different, experience in residential and commuter areas.
“We will use the same care and caution in planning our opening events,” continued Brooks. “We all still feel the loss of not graduating last year, and I firmly believe that hosting a ceremony here on our campus this spring is the best way to recognize the hard work and dedication that were needed to get us here and move forward together towards a better post-pandemic future. “
Kendallville Seeks Solar Project Loans
KENDALLVILLE – With the help of other city councils donating $ 1 million in taxpayers’ money, Kendallville City Council members can better borrow the rest to fund a new solar field on the site of the former McCray refrigeration factory.
The city is currently considering a five-year funding plan that shouldn’t impact local taxes or sewage charges, so residents don’t have to provide additional funding to afford green energy development.
The members of the city council received an update on possible funding options for the project during their meeting on Tuesday evening.
The project is expected to cost around $ 2.35 million.
The proposed solar field would take up most of the 11 acre McCray property on Wayne Street, one block west of Main Street.
The solar field would include 1,174 tracking panels – the small, reflective blue-tinted glass that sits on top of the arrays – and 2,702 fixed panels for a total of about 1.55 megawatts of electricity.
Starbucks opens new location in Angola
ANGOLA – After more than a decade, Angola has a Starbucks again.
The new coffee house at 2991 Meijer Drive has been serving customers since Monday. A “now open” sign in front of the building indicated the gentle opening of the site.
The new location in Angola is the first stand-alone Starbucks in Steuben County and one of the few in northeast Indiana. The closest is in Auburn.
The coffeehouse’s drive-through window was manned Monday mornings and afternoons at different times, and vehicles pulled up to the entrance on Meijer Drive as residents gathered to visit the new Starbucks.
Starbucks previously had a store on 1426 N. Wayne St. in Angola, but it closed in October 2008 as part of a massive store closure for the Seattle-based company.
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