This a reminder that tomorrow, July 4, is a national holiday and because of that, a majority of establishments will be closed.
Celebrate the Independence Day weekend with the annual Starke County Historical Society Ice Cream Social. It will take place Sunday, July 6 from 1 until 3 p.m. at the museum on Main Street in Knox. Collectors of historic items are urged to bring them along to share them with friends and neighbors. In the past, antique cars, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, fire engines, arrowheads, firearms, military vehicles, native wood turnings, fishing lures and dolls have been on display. Continue reading
There’s no time like the summertime! 8 person hot tubs are a must-have accessory for a family party. It’s finally warm enough to go swimming. As you’re breaking out your bikini or swim trunks, take some time to remember certain safety measures to practice when it comes to water. The Red Cross has a number of helpful tips for disaster prevention.
Never leave a child unattended! Even if lifeguards are present, there should be a designated familiar adult easily accessible to the child. Have young or inexperienced swimmers wear a life jacket or some kind of flotation device. Teach children to always ask permission before going near water. Practice the “buddy system” when swimming, even if at a public pool or beach.
NIPSCO officials say most customers in their service area should have electricity by 10 p.m. tonight, and service to the rest should be back on sometime tomorrow. Monday night’s storms left 128,000 total customers across northwest Indiana in the dark. NIPSCO crews and workers from other utility companies in Indiana and surrounding states have been working around the clock since to restore power. As of 11:30 a.m. CDT, 32,000 customers are still without power. Continue reading
There’s no evidence a tornado touched down in Starke County Monday night, according to Emergency Management Agency Director Ted Bombagetti. He met yesterday with officials from the National Weather Service after conducting an initial damage assessment. Continue reading
NIPSCO officials say it could take several days to restore power to areas affected by Monday night’s storms. As of 4:30 this morning, nearly 35,000 customers are still in the dark. That number includes more than 700 in Starke County, more than 600 in Marshall County and a handful in Pulaski County. Nearly 2,000 NIPSCO customers in LaPorte are without power as well. Continue reading
Crops took a hit during straight-line winds that wreaked havoc in the area on Monday night.
According to Purdue Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator Chad Rushing, some fields in the northern part of Pulaski County, specifically north of State Road 14, sustained spotty damage.
A line of severe storms that ripped through the WKVI listening area Monday night left a path of destruction in their wake. Significant property damage has been reported in several areas. Jim Collins with Collins Insurance Agency in Knox urges owners to document everything and take necessary steps to protect property from further damage. Continue reading
If you sustained damage to your home or have large trees in your yard that need to be removed due to the storms that came through the area Monday night, be on the lookout for contractors seeking to cash in on the damage.
Fly-by-night contractors often go door to door after storms offering to help victims clear debris or patch up homes.
With Fourth of July weekend coming up, it’s important to keep safety in mind. If you’re a pet owner who will be shooting fireworks yourself for the holiday, there are a few tips to keep in mind in order to assure your pet is safe. Continue reading
Do you have what it takes to make it as a singer? Here’s a chance to show off your skills! WKVI is hosting a singing competition for kids at the upcoming Starke County 4-H fair.
The deadline to submit entries for the competition is Thursday, July 3. Continue reading
The Hickory Creek at Winamac hosted their annual Little Miss and Little Mister Pulaski County Pageant this week at the fair.
Arrest warrants have been issued for president and chief financial officer of a now-defunct Plymouth company. Stone Creek Homes, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer David A. Ferguson and Chief Financial Officer Alan G. Donohue are each charged with numerous felony offenses in Marshall Superior Court. Continue reading
Storms with winds in excess of 80 miles per hour caused quite a bit of property damage in downtown LaPorte last night. A 2002 Saturn and a 2007 Chrysler in the 600 block of D Street sustained serious damage when a large tree branch fell. A 2004 Saturn and the roof of a home at 1001 Madison Street were flattened when a tree fell near the intersection of Madison and Harrison Streets. Widespread power outages were also reported in LaPorte after the storms tore through.
Power is still out this morning across much of the Kankakee Valley after two lines of strong storms tore through the area last night. NIPSCO and Kanakee Valley REMC crews are working as fast as they can to restore power to affected areas. About 3,800 REMC customers in Starke, Pulaski and Marshall Counties are in the dark. More than 86,000 NIPSCO customers across the northern Indiana are without power as well. Continue reading
After nearly 37 years, the criminal codes in Indiana will change today which will create six levels of felonies. Credit time will also change.
Robert Hinojosa, Director of Operations at Starke County Community Corrections, said the change stemmed from a lack of proportionality.
More than half of the citations issued by patrolmen from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department during a recent “Click It or Ticket” blitz were for seatbelt violations. The stepped-up enforcement took place between May 9th and June 1st and concentrated on seatbelt and child safety seat violations. Patrolmen issued a total of 70 tickets, and 37 were for seatbelt violations. They also handed out 13 speeding tickets and made three criminal misdemeanor and one criminal felony arrest.
A LaPorte man is heading to federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. David Diederich, 58, was sentenced last week to 3 years and 5 months in prison, one year of supervised release and fined $1,000. Court documents indicate Diederich possessed an Empire Ejector shotgun while in LaPorte County. He was convicted of a felony in 1976 in St. Joseph Superior Court.
