COVID tests kits are available from the Pulaski County Health Department and Pulaski Memorial Hospital clinics.

To obtain a COVID vaccination or booster shots, consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacy. Or visit the Indiana Department of Health website page on Where to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine.

Pulaski County Area 
Percent of resident population
who have completed
primary vaccination series

The breakdown by area zip codes:

(Indiana - 55.8%)

  • 46996 (Winamac) – 54.4%
  • 47946 (Francesville) – 37.3%
  • 47957 (Medaryville) – 32.5%
  • 46960 (Monterey) – 47.7%
  • 46985 (Star City) – 36.3%
  • 46511 (Culver) - 58.7%
  • 46939 (Kewanna) – 45.2%
  • 46978 (Royal Center) – 37.9%
  • 46534 (Knox) - 39.9%
  • 46366 (North Judson) – 40.5%
  • 47978 (Rensselaer) - 42.0%

Source: IDH Vaccine Dashboard
(Nov. 28)

A total of 3,866,223 individuals have completed the primary series of vaccines in Indiana, or a total of 55.8% of the state population. A total of 988,297 Hoosiers are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. (Up-to-date includes all individuals who have completed the CDC's most up-to-date recommended vaccination schedule as posted on its website (www.cdc.gov). The CDC's recommended vaccine schedule is based on your age, the vaccine you first received, and time since your last vaccine dose.)

In Pulaski County there are 5,793 residents who have completed the primary series of vaccines. A total of 1,320 county residents are up-to-date with booster shots. Pulaski County population 12,339 (2021)

(The IDH COVID Dashboard is updated every Wednesday.)

 

CDC Hospital Admission Levels

The CDC has replaced COVID-19 Community Levels with COVID-19 hospital admission levels to guide prevention decisions. Changes based on:

What You Need to Know

  • COVID-19 hospital admission levels can help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions they can take based on the latest information.
  • For each level, CDC recommends actions you can take to help you protect yourself and others from severe impacts of COVID-19.

Many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both. This immunity, combined with the availability of tests and treatments, has greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people.

At the same time, some people—such as those who are older, are immunocompromised, have certain disabilities, or have certain underlying health conditions—continue to be at higher risk for serious illness. Learn more about the factors that can affect your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 to better understand how COVID-19 could affect you and others around you.

The CDC reports that last week COVID-19 hospital admissions in the U.S. totaled 19,444, which is up 10 percent from the previous revised report. COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population is 5.86. The trend in COVID deaths nationally was up 2.5 percent in the most recent report (data through Nov. 25).

Area COVID-19 Weekly Hospital Admission Levels
CDC Data reported through Nov. 25 (posted Dec. 1
County New hospital admissions of confirmed COVID-19 past week % change from prior week New COVD-19 hospital admissions rate per 100,000 population in past week
Pulaski 29 222.2% 8.3
Starke 15 66.7% 11.3
Marshall 29 222.2% 8.3
Fulton 29 222.2% 8.3
Cass 26 188.9% 19.2
White 17 21.4% 6
Jasper 66 60% 9.4

The CDC hospital admission level continues at the "Low" designation for Pulaski County for the last reporting period. In the surrounding area, neighboring counties Marshall, Fulton, White and Jasper are also all at the Low level. However, Cass and Starke counties have moved to Yellow (medium). Fifteen Indiana counties are now at the medium level.

 

Individual-Level Prevention Steps you can take based on your COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level

 At all COVID-19 hospital admission levels:

 

Community-Level Prevention Strategies

At all COVID-19 hospital admission levels: 
  • Promote equitable access to vaccination, testing, masks and respirators, treatment and prevention medications, community outreach, and support services.
  • Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people.
  • Maintain ventilation improvements.
  • Provide communications and messaging to encourage isolation among people who test positive.
 

Local News Briefs

Indiana Primary Election May 7: When, where can I vote?

Early voting underway

Indiana’s 2024 Primary Election will be held Tuesday, May 7.

Early in-person voting in Indiana began Tuesday, April 9 and will run until 12 noon, Monday May 6.

State law requires counties to make early in-person voting available for 28-days before the election, ending at noon (local prevailing time), the date before the election. In addition, all Indiana counties must make in-person absentee voting available the two Saturdays immediately before the election.

PCPL announces May programs, activities

The Pulaski County Public Library has listed its programs and activities for May, which include observations of Mental Health Month, and Free Comic Book Day, as well as Reiki for the Caregiver, Chair Yoga, Hoosier Explorers and more.

For more information on any program, call the library at 574-946-3432 or visit the library’s website at www.pulaskicounty.lib.in.us.

Spring property taxes due May 10

Pulaski County taxpayers are reminded by the Pulaski County Treasurer's Office that the spring installment of property taxes are due Friday, May 10.

The taxes may be paid at the County Building or County Highway Garage in Winamac, at several banks around the county, paid online, or mailed to the temporary treasurer's office at the County Building in Winamac.

PC Tribe ‘Art in the Park’ May 11

Pulaski County Tribe (PCT) invites the community to celebrate “Community & Artistry” at its second Art in the Park event 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 11, at the the Winamac Town Park (west side of the Swinging Bridge).

This enriching community celebration, part of a biennial tradition that began in 2022 and will continue in 2026, aims to spotlight the enhancements volunteers have contributed to the Winamac Town Park and celebrate the power of art. 

Yakym district staff to hold mobile office hours locally in May

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02) has announced that his staff will hold mobile office hours in Pulaski County May 13 and 20, in Winamac and Medaryville, respectively.

Yakym’s mobile office will visit throughout Indiana's Second District in May to assist constituents with casework questions.

State Road 14 to be closed east of Winamac

PULASKI/FULTON COUNTIES - Indiana Department of Transportation contractor E&B Paving LLC will close SR 14 between U.S. 35 and SR 17 on or after Monday, April 15.

SR 14 will be resurfaced in this area through early November. This project will be done through Cold-in-Place (CIR) recycling, a method of removing and reusing the existing asphalt surface. It involves grinding off the top two to five inches of the existing asphalt surface and mixing the crushed asphalt with an asphalt recycling agent, and placing it back down with a paver.

Pulaski County Historical Society Museum open Saturdays

The Pulaski County Historical Society is open Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  (unless posted otherwise on Facebook). The museum is located in the “Carriage House” at 500 S. Monticello St. (U.S. 35), Winamac.

New to the museum are the interactive features which allow visitors to explore the extensive history of the county’s Native American peoples – from the Ice Age to the Indian removals in the 1840s. Other interactive displays feature stories of Casimir Pulaski, local historical sites, and Winamac “Bits and Pieces.”

 

Indiana News

Indiana soybean, corn planting progress at 8%

EAST LANSING, MI - Indiana farmers made planting progress where field conditions allowed last week, but some fields remained too wet to be worked,  according to Nathanial Warenski, state statistician, USDA NASS (National Agriculture Statistics Service), Indiana Field Office.

Topsoil moisture levels decreased from the previous week, with 94 percent rated adequate or surplus. The average temperature for the week was 54.0 degrees Fahrenheit, 0.9 degrees below normal for the state. The statewide average precipitation was 0.80 inches, 0.02 inches below normal.

Young, National Science Foundation director hold events with IU, Purdue, Notre Dame

INDIANAPOLIS (April 29) - Last week, U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan at events with Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame.

“Director Panchanathan is an incredibly talented and innovative leader, and we were honored to host him in the Hoosier state. As he saw firsthand, big things are happening in the heartland of Indiana. We are proud of the exciting ways IU, Purdue, and Notre Dame are contributing to our economic and national security and preparing students to work in critical technology fields,” said Senator Young.

Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11B to create a new data center campus in Northern Indiana

Announcement marks the largest planned capital investment in state history

NEW CARLISLE (April 25) – Gov. Eric Holcomb today announced that Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com. Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), plans to invest $11 billion to build a data center campus in north central Indiana and create at least 1,000 new jobs.

This planned investment marks the largest capital investment announcement in Indiana’s history.

Pulaski County unemployment dips to 3.5% in March

Pulaski County's unemployment rate dipped to 3.5 percent in March, down from 3.6 percent in February the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported Monday, (April 22). The rate was 3.5 percent a year ago.

The county had 6,376 employed persons in a labor force of 6,605 in March. In February those numbers were 6,444 of 6,683. A year ago the numbers were 6,368 of 6,602.

 

Indiana COVID-19 News

May 1: IDH reports COVID cases down in 7-day average, at 57

INDIANAPOLIS (May 1) – The Indiana Department of Health reported Wednesday that the state’s 7-day average COVID-19 count stood at 57 cases for the period of April 21-27. That number is down 20 cases from the previous revised count. The total state COVID deaths for the week was one. Indiana's all-time COVID deaths total 26,508.

Pulaski County reported no new cases and no deaths to IDH in the latest seven-day report. The county's all-time pandemic numbers are 3,725 (reported) COVID cases and 95 deaths.

According to the CDC, respiratory illness activity is now minimal in Indiana (reported April 26), as well as for neighboring states of Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Kentucky. Based on visits to emergency departments, illness trends in the Pulaski County area show all respiratory illnesses are at low levels (less than 2%).

 

Post News

1 dead, 3 injured in rural Winamac vehicle accident

WINAMAC (May 2) – A single vehicle accident Thursday claimed the life of an Illinois woman and injured three others in the incident. The accident occurred southwest of Winamac on CR 550S, west of CR 400W.

Carmen Corral Valdez Dowsett, 78, of Joliet, Ill., a passenger in the vehicle, died from injuries sustained at the scene. Her family has been notified. 

Elkhart man leads county police on chase following traffic stop

WINAMAC (May 2) - Pulaski County deputies conducted a traffic stop in Winamac Thursday which led to a police chase ending in Fulton County.

After K-9 Bobby alerted police to the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle, the driver fled the scene, according to a report from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department. Ultimately arrested in the case was Zachary Adams, 39, of Elkhart.

Michau presented with 2024 Halleck Community Service Award

The 2024 Halleck Community Service Award was presented to Ray Michau Jr. at the annual Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce banquet Monday (April 29), at the VFW Hall, Winamac.

Michau moved to Pulaski County in 1999 from Calumet City, IL. Since that time he has been an active volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, Gideons, the Humanitarian Distribution Center, Mobile Food Pantry and Pulaski County Human Services.  

Pulaski County steps up to address mental health, addiction crisis

By Karen Clem Fritz, editor

Pulaski County has a “drug problem.” We all know that. However, it’s ever so much worse than most of us imagine.

The Pulaski County Drug Free Council hosted a town hall discussion Wednesday on substance abuse and mental health issues in Pulaski County communities. There were tears. From men as well as women. From the sheriff, counselors, first responders and school principals. And parents.

Indiana Primary Election May 7: Who's on my ballot?

The Indiana Primary Election is Tuesday, May 7. Early voting runs April 9 until 12 noon May 6 (read voting procedure details in related article on this website). 

Update: To see the financial reports of receipts and expenditures for local candidates, visit gov.pulaskionline.org/2024primary/

Who will be on your Pulaski County Democrat or Republican ballots? The list (with links to many candidates' websites) follows:

County police log 155 calls for service April 19-26

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s office has released its April 19-26 police blotter report. During the seven-day period, deputies logged 155 calls for service. 

During the 7-day period, Deputies logged 155 calls for service. Of the calls, 60 were traffic stops. Deputies responded to several suspicious incidents, several domestic disputes, property damage crashes, a run-away juvenile, and medical related incidents.

Economic Summit: good news about county finances

Updated*
CDC reports $9.4 million county surplus
The news was upbeat and the speakers were animated at the annual Pulaski County Economic Development Summit Tuesday (April 23) in Winamac. The event is hosted by the Pulaski County Community Development Commission.

CDC executive director Nathan Origer had good news to report about county finances, while keynote speaker John Eric Bry, an award-winning leader in the Main Street America program, enthusiastically outlined usable tips for building dynamic communities.