The Starke County Commissioners approved the purchase Monday of two vehicles for the Sheriff’s Department and one for the Starke County Coroner for less than $40,000.
Continue readingTwo people lost their lives and another was injured in a single vehicle accident New Year’s Day.
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The Starke County Election Board members opened a public hearing Wednesday morning to hear testimony from candidates who filed Primary Election financial reports later than the deadline date of April 20, 2018. Of the eight candidates who were late with their reports, only three appealed their fines. The remaining candidates paid their non-compliant $50 daily fine in the clerk’s office without further objection.
The Starke County Coroner’s Office will soon have a permanent location. The county commissioners Thursday voted to hire Royal Star Builder to construct a pole barn-style structure with a poured concrete floor near the Starke County Jail for a cost of $35,000. The contractor agreed to pour the floor and lay the posts right away in case the weather turns bad. He advised the project should be complete by Dec. 1. Continue reading
The extensive renovations of the old Starke County Jail in downtown Knox will not include space for the coroner. The county council and commissioners made that decision Monday night when they formally agreed to proceed with reconfiguring that building for the probation department and Starke County Community Corrections. Continue reading
A fourth Democrat has filed to run for Starke County Coroner. Starke County Democrats will caucus tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Knox VFW to choose a successor to Adam Gray. He was elected in November but stepped down recently due to work and family obligations. Continue reading
A second victim of a Friday fire at a rural Knox home has died. A representative from the Allen County Coroner’s Office in Fort Wayne tells WKVI news Linda Manns, 51, died at 10:50 p.m. Saturday from complications due to that fire. She suffered extensive thermal burns, and her death was ruled accidental. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners are set to hire a new county EMS director. Keith Emigh has served in an interim capacity since Paul Matthewson resigned in July and was one of the applicants for the position. That hiring is one of the items on their agenda for today’s meeting. Continue reading
Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells has released the name of the man killed in a two vehicle accident in Knox Monday afternoon.
67-year-old Robert Freye, of Hamlet, was traveling north on U.S. 35 in Knox when he suffered a heart attack, causing him to cross over into the southbound lane by John Street and hit a minivan driven by Patrick McCarty, 39, of Knox. Freye died instantly of a torn aorta as a result of the accident. The passenger in his vehicle, Mary Hightower, 63, of Hamlet was injured in the accident and was flown to Memorial Hospital in South Bend. McCarty received minor injuries in the accident.
The North Judson-San Pierre student body is experiencing the loss of one of their own today. Superintendent Lynn Johnson made the announcement today (Thursday) at Noon.
“We are very saddened by the death of one of our students,” said Mrs. Johnson. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and their loss. Right now, our focus is assisting our students, staff and families during this difficult time.”
The school is not releasing the name of the student and an investigation into the student’s death is being conducted by the Starke County Coroner and the Indiana State Police.
Funeral arrangements are pending with the O’Donnell Funeral Home in North Judson.
The body of an 82-year-old North Judson man was found Wednesday morning after a Silver Alert was issued by the North Judson Police Department. Robert L. Lemke was found after he was reported missing when a family member went to check on him on Tuesday evening. Lemke was believed to have left home on foot sometime between the evening hours Sunday, January 2nd and Tuesday evening.
The Starke County Republican elected officials were sworn into office last night in the Starke County Circuit Courtroom. Superior Court Judge Patrick Blankenship swore in Judge Kim Hall. Judge Hall then swore in the rest of the candidates.
“It was a wonderful evening and a great opportunity to place these fine folks under oath to faithfully and impartially perform their duties,” said Judge Hall.
One person has died in a house fire that occurred at 7315 E. 100 N. in Starke County. Washington Township Fire officials, along with the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office, are investigating the fire that occurred at midnight.
