Fires Destroy Homes in Knox and Francesville

Posted on Author WKVI
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Toto Road Fire

A pair of house fires kept firefighters from five area departments busy last night. The Knox-Center Township and California Township Volunteer Fire Departments responded to a fire on Toto Road at Lart Lane near Fletcher’s Carpet and spent three hours battling that blaze. They were called out around 8:10 p.m., according to dispatchers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office.

In Pulaski County, the Francesville and Medaryville Fire Departments spent several hours fighting a fire at 6055 S. County Road 1100 W. The Buffalo Fire Department also provided manpower and water support, and Pulaski County REACT set up a warming station with coffee for the firefighters and EMS personnel on the scene. No injuries were reported at either fire scene. We’ll have more information about both later this morning.

 

Cold Weather Possible Culprit for Widespread Power Outage

Posted on Author WKVI

Kankakee Valley REMCLast night’s sub-zero temperatures are likely to blame for a widespread power outage that left more than 1,300 Kankakee Valley REMC customers in the dark. The initial outage was reported around 6 p.m. in the Bass Lake and Monterey areas and affected more than 450 members. REMC crews identified the problem but had to cut power to additional customers in order to safely make repairs to the damaged source that was feeding an REMC metering point. Kankakee Valley REMC spokeswoman Amanda Steeb told WKVI news The cold makes the metal wire contract or shrink and break at a weak point or where a prior repair has been made. The Bass Lake Fire Station opened last night as a temporary warming shelter for affected residents. IU Health Starke Hospital is the county’s permanent warming center for the duration of this cold snap. The hospital lobby is available 24 hours to anyone who needs to get in out of the cold.

 

Temperatures Continue in the Negative; Wind Chill Warning in Effect

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning for northern Indiana, predicting occasional snow, blowing and drifting snow, and bitterly cold temperatures. However, the Winter Weather Advisory has been allowed to expire for areas outside of lake effect snow showers. Steady or slowly falling temperatures will keep wind chills bitterly cold. A very slow improvement can be expected today and Wednesday.

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Starke County Highway Department Still Assessing Roads

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Highway Superintendent Stephen "Rik" Ritzler
Starke County Highway Superintendent Stephen “Rik” Ritzler
The temperature is hovering right around 0 degrees but it feels like -19 degrees with the bitter wind chill, and the high winds are giving road cleanup crews a run for their money. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told WKVI this afternoon that crews have been busy since 5 a.m. wrestling with the drifting snow, but it’s hard going.

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Starke County To Evaluate Emergency Declaration Later Today

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Bombagetti says county highway crews are doing their best to clear the roads.

“They are having a heck of a time trying to get through the drifts from last night. The winds did not subside as early as anticipated. Once plows do go through, being that it is so cold, abrasives are not working all. All of the roads have ice packs underneath them. That’s why we’ve gone to a state of emergency,” said Bombagetti.

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Winter Weather, Wind Chill Advisories In Effect for Kankakee Valley

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A winter weather advisory is in effect until noon Central today for the WKVI listening area. We’re also under a wind chill advisory until late Wednesday morning. Strong gusting winds of around 35 miles-per-hour will cause snow to blow and drift this morning. This in turn could make some roads impassable and cause localized white-out conditions in open areas. Please do not call county dispatch centers for updates on road conditions, as dispatchers are busy fielding emergency calls and sending help. Call 1- 800-261-7623 for road condition information or visit the Indiana Department of Transportation’s website at www.trafficwise.in.gov.
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Marshall County Issues Emergency Declaration, Upgrades to Travel Warning

Posted on Author WKVI

 

 
 

An emergency declaration and warning level travel advisory are in effect for Marshall County. The City of Plymouth is also included, and the Marshall County Building and Courts are CLOSED as well. Strong winds are causing extensive blowing and drifting of roads making them hazardous to travel or, in some cases, impassable. If you drive in Marshall County with this warning in effect, you are subject to receiving a $500 ticket.

Fire Truck Crashes En Route to Call

Posted on Author WKVI
Plow Truck 1
This INDOT plow truck was destroyed by fire Saturday morning on SR 39 north in Pulaski County.

Three Medaryville Volunteer Firefighters were taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries after their truck hit a patch of black ice Saturday morning on County Road 175 North just west of County Road 1400 West, struck a NIPSCO pole and came to a stop in a field. They were responding to a report of an INDOT snow plow truck that had caught fire on northbound State Road 39 just south of County Road 200 North. Plow driver Jimmy Collins, 26, of Winamac, came upon a large snow drift as he was heading north, and his plow got stuck. Collins got out of the truck to get a tow chain and saw that the rear tandems were on fire. The small fire extinguisher in the cab of the truck was no match for the high wind that was fanning the flames. The plow truck was a total loss, according to the accident report from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The fire truck sustained repairable damage.

Candidate Filings Guarantee Sheriff’s Races in May and November

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Starke County voters will narrow the field of nominees to replace term-limited Sheriff Oscar Cowen in May and select his replacement in November. Deputy William “Bill” Dulin is the latest candidate to file his intention to seek that office, according to a list provided to WKVI news by the Starke County Clerk’s Office late Friday afternoon. He will face Democrat Harold Smith in the May 6 primary. Republicans Billy Bope and Greg Wireman have also filed their candidacy for Starke County Sheriff.

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Passenger Injured in Pulaski County Rollover Wreck

Posted on Author WKVI
A passenger in this 2005 Buick Ranier was taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital following a Saturday morning rollover wreck.
A passenger in this 2005 Buick Ranier was taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital following a Saturday morning rollover wreck.

A Winamac man was taken to Pulaski Memorial Hospital by ambulance after being involved in a Saturday morning rollover wreck northwest of Winamac. A deputy from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office discovered the crash on County Road 200 North just west of County Road 450 West around 11:30 a.m. Lisa Vonville, 45, of Winamac, reportedly hit a patch of black ice and lost control of her 2005 Buick Rainer sport utility vehicle. It rolled over at least once before landing upright in a field, according to the crash report. Charles Vonville, 59, was a passenger in the truck. He complained of pain in his knee, lower leg, foot and head.

Pulaski County Recycling Center to Look Into Snow-Clearing Options

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
The Pulaski County Highway Department may soon have slightly less work to do when it comes to snowing, as the commissioners this week instructed Recycling Center Ed Clark to look into the purchase of a skid-steer plow to be used to plow his own lot. Highway Superintendent Mark Fox approached the commissioners and explained that Clark has been contacting him after snowfall and asks to have his lot plowed as soon as possible, which has become a bit of a burden on his plow crew.

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Fort Wayne Woman Killed in Marshall County Crash

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A Saturday morning crash on U.S. 30 north of Bourbon claimed the life of a Fort Wayne woman. A vehicle driven by Jarica Tyson, 21, of Ft. Wayne was southbound on Fir Road and pulled into the path of a westbound tractor-trailer, according to deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department. Tyson’s vehicle slid under the semi trailer. She had to be cut from the car and was pronounced dead at the scene. Toxicology results are pending.

 

Number of Meth Labs Seized Continues to Rise

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The Indiana State Police has released the state-wide law enforcement clandestine lab seizure incidents reported for 2013. The number of labs keeps growing and the one-pot method of manufacturing the drug continues to be the number one type of lab found.

A total of 1,721 lab incidents were reported last year which is a 3.48 percent increase from 2012. The most lab incidents were recorded in April with 207. Police arrested 1,507 people in meth lab incidents last year.

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