INDOT to Begin Mowing Rights-of-Way in LaPorte District

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced it will soon begin mowing operations along state rights-of-way in the LaPorte District, which covers Carroll, Cass, Fulton, Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, Starke and White counties. According to a press statement issued by the department, INDOT mowing operations are designed to minimize costs and risk to highway workers while maintaining the vegetation on INDOT’s roadways at a safe height for driver visibility.

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30 Students Approved for KCES Preschool Program

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Knox Community School Board members received an update on the Title 1 preschool screening process at their meeting this week.

Instructor Jana Hazelton explains the process.

“We did a two-day screening for preschool where families brought in their little one in. The screening consisted of language, math concepts and gross and fine motor concepts. We had a testing team consisting of three teachers and we did the evaluation of the results based on readiness for our program,” explained Hazelton.

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Local Director Issues Call-Out for Extras at Cruizer’s in Winamac on Sunday

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Anyone interested in being an extra in a locally filmed movie may find it in their best interest to visit Cruizer’s in Winamac around 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, as Director Daniel Murphy told WKVI that they are looking for extras to help fill up the restaurant for a scene. Murphy said they’re looking for adult extras, but the younger crowd isn’t being left out; he’s looking for extras for two more scenes, one to be shot at Star City Bar and another at a fabricated house party in Winamac.

Murphy said the restaurant should seat about 40 people, so if too many people show up, he said they’ll have to turn people away. The dates for filming the other two scenes have not yet been set, but Murphy explained they have received permission to do the filming; it’s just a matter of setting a schedule.

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NJ-SP Schools Hire Seven New Teachers

Posted on Author WKVI

North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Lynn Johnson
North Judson-San Pierre Superintendent Lynn Johnson
The next school year at the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation will introduce some new faces to the students, as Superintendent Lynn Johnson explained they’ve hired several new teachers. Johnson said the board hired teachers for the elementary school, middle school, and the high school, so every building will feature new instructors for the next school year.

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Curfew Ordinances in Place Throughout Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
It’s summertime and everyone wants to be outside, but keep in mind that curfew laws are in place throughout the state of Indiana. The state law mandates that children ages 15-17 cannot be in a public place between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, or between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on other days. Children under 15 are prohibited from being in public places between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. on any day of the week.

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Representative from Sen. Coats’ Office to Visit LaPorte

Posted on Author WKVI

U.S. Sen. Dan Coats
U.S. Sen. Dan Coats
A staff member from U.S. Senator Dan Coats’ office will be in LaPorte on Wednesday, June 26 to answer any constituent questions experiencing problems with a federal agency.

The representative will be at the LaPorte City Hall, 801 Michigan Ave., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to help you with problems you may have.

Taxpayer Appeals Medaryville Mowing Ordinance Violation, Demands Rescindment

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The town of Medaryville’s mowing ordinance is under review after an appeal by taxpayer Brian Capouch, who claimed he received notices of 10 violations on what the town claims is his property, though he raised a number of questions and complaints regarding the ordinance. Capouch told the council that he has been mowing his properties on a regular basis but still received notices of violations, and when he tried to find out what the violations were, he said he was unable to get anyone to give him a straight answer.

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Novitzke Pleads Not Guilty; $1 Million Bond Remains

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Courthouse
Starke County Courthouse

A Starke County man who was taken into custody following a pursuit incident spanning two counties received his initial hearing in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday. Julius Novitzke, who is currently held in the Starke County Jail on a $1 million bond, pleaded not guilty to charges of Resisting Law Enforcement, Receiving Stolen Property and Reckless Driving and requested a public defender due to his inability to pay for his own counsel.

Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall appointed attorney Timothy Lemon to Novitzke’s case due to the fact that Lemon is representing Novitzke in another case in the court. Novitzke will have to pay a $100 public defender fee to the clerk.

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Grovertown Man Sentenced on Manufacturing Methamphetamine Charge

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A Grovertown man was sentenced Wednesday in a hearing in Marshall Superior Court I.

Adam Wagers, 23, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Manufacturing Methamphetamine, a Class B felony. Judge Robert O. Bowen sentenced Wagers to 14 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with four years suspended. In exchange for the plea of guilty, four other methamphetamine-related counts filed against him were dismissed.

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Kirby Spokeswoman Responds to WKVI Inquiry

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A spokeswoman for the Kirby Company tells WKVI news the company conducts background checks on all of its independent distributors prior to authorizing them to sell the company’s products. However,
“since distributors of Kirby products are independently owned and operated businesses, the background checks run on their salespeople or ‘dealers’ are done by the distributors themselves. Distributors of Kirby products sign contracts, which require them to conduct background checks on all of their dealers entering consumers’ homes for purposes of demonstrating and/or selling Kirby home cleaning systems. Once a year, the distributors sign certifications that they are running background checks on all members of their sales force.”

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Aaron Brewer Sentenced on Drug Charge

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall

A man who admitted to having a lengthy drug abuse problem was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning.

Aaron Brewer, 23, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to a charge of Possession of a Narcotic Drug (Heroin) as a Class D felony. He was incarcerated on May 27 of this year after he violated the terms of home detention by abusing heroin. A charge of Residential Entry from another case was dismissed.

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Donnelly Proposes Change to Affordable Care Act Full-Time Worker Definition

Posted on Author WKVI
Joe Donnelly
U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly

Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly is the co-sponsor of a bipartisan measure to redefine full-time workers for purposes of the federal Affordable Care Act. Starting Jan. 1, the controversial health care law mandates employers with more than 50 employees offer insurance to anyone who averages 30 hours per week in order to avoid hefty fines. Donnelly and Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine are proposing the Affordable Care Act redefine a full-time employee as one who works 40 hours per week. Donnelly says this is the standard definition in all other aspects of the federal government. He adds several of his constituents have had their hours slashed from 35 to 29 hours per week and are facing financial challenges as a result of the 30 hour definition. The two senators have also sent a letter to President Obama asking for flexibility and time for small businesses to adjust to the changes without penalties.

 

LaPorte Man Sentenced to Four Years on Burglary Charge

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Courthouse
Starke County Courthouse
A LaPorte man was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning on a charge of Burglary.

An amended plea agreement between Christopher Webb, 26, and the Starke County prosecutor was accepted by Judge Kim Hall after a plea agreement submitted Tuesday was rejected. The previous plea agreement called for probation and Judge Hall would not accept a plea agreement with probation as Webb had not completed probation successfully in a prior sentence.

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LaPorte Woman Arrested after Alleged Battery Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
Kristina Yacconi
Kristina Yacconi

A LaPorte woman was arrested late Tuesday evening after an alleged assault.

A witness and one of the victims reportedly told LaPorte police that Kristina Yacconi, 34, came home intoxicated. Yacconi allegedly went into the kitchen and proceeded to assault one adult and the victim’s 10-year-old daughter. The witness pulled Yacconi off the victims and sat on her until the victims could leave the room. Yacconi left the residence.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Approve Maintenance Expenses

Posted on Author WKVI

Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
Pulaski County Commissioners Larry Brady, Vice President Terry Young, and President Tracey Shorter
Jeff Johnston, maintenance director for Pulaski County, request the approval of purchases from the county commissioners this week that he claims will help improve the condition of the county annex building.

Johnston told the commissioners that he is working on completing a number of maintenance projects, including some deficiencies that were found while repairing the air conditioning at the courthouse. The electrical work at the courthouse has also been completed, though they need to perform some follow-up tasks such as labeling the breaker box.

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Meals on Wheels Funds Questioned by Marshall County Sheriff

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The Marshall County Commissioners heard from Sheriff Tom Chamberlin about a State Board of Accounts issue with the Meals on Wheels payments.

The Meals on Wheels program is run out of the Marshall County Council on Aging organization and they have a contract with the sheriff’s department. The staff at the sheriff’s department prepares the meals for the Meals on Wheels program at a cost of $3.25 plus an overhead charge of 70 cents which includes labor and use of equipment.

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