Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff hopes to file formal charges today against the Knox man accused of stealing two cars and leading police on a high speed chase Friday afternoon. Police say Gary Chavez, 57, of Knox, commandeered the first car in the Mark Bailey’s Discount Center parking lot at 3:41 p.m. He switched vehicles in English Lake, according to authorities, and left the owner of the first stolen car behind when he took a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Continue reading
A defendant was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning.
Kaila Rose, 20 of Plymouth, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the State to an amended charge of possession of methamphetamine as a Class D felony and possession of precursors or chemical reagents as a Class D felony.
The Pulaski County Council discussed Monday night, at length, the number of military vehicles in possession in the county and their use.
Sheriff Michael Gayer was asked about the county highway department’s use of dump trucks acquired from the military. Sheriff Gayer said it’s not illegal for the county highway to use those trucks after two years of acquisition.
The Knox City Council had final action on the outdoor storage ordinance last night.
The Knox plan commission members met on June 3 and discussed the city council’s recommendation on adding wording to allow a business to go before the board of zoning appeals and request a special use variance for outdoor displays. The council members felt that the ordinance was a blanket ordinance and businesses are different in how they operate so that could be an option for those businesses.
Members of the Eastern Pulaski School Board did not reach a definite decision Monday evening about whether to allow firearms on school property. Last year a change in Indiana law allowed concealed weapons with a permit to be in locked cars on school property. This prompted school boards all over the state to consider whether weapons should be allowed within the schools. The policy would not apply to students, just to a designated group of faculty members who would have to undergo training and psychological evaluation.
Superintendent Dan Foster offered his opinion to the board. Continue reading
WKVI news has received word of a new scam using a popular discount store chain as a ploy to access people’s money. If you get a card or letter in the mail stating that you’re set to receive a $100 credit from Wal-Mart but need to pay $4.19 to claim it, throw it in the trash. Continue reading
Winamac Municipal Utilities customers will soon see a new charge on their water bills. The town council adopted a Public Fire Protection Surcharge to offset the cost of maintaining the hydrants and ensuring adequate water pressure. Eric Walsh with accounting firm Umbaugh and Associates says it will allow the town to shift the cost from property taxes to a user fee of $6.65 per month for residential customers. Industrial customers with larger water meters would pay more. Continue reading
One piece of good news that parents and students will like for the next school year at West Central schools is the book rental prices at the corporation will not increase.
The board also discussed summer school for this year and Superintendent Charles Mellon said those classes are mainly for elementary school students.
The Moving Starke County Forward Coalition wants input from the entire community about how to best address addiction issues. They are hosting a community discussion on addiction and recovery tomorrow evening at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in downtown Knox. Board member Jordan Morris from Starke County Community Corrections hopes people from all walks of life will come be part of the dialogue and not worry about being profiled or judged. She says although people who have struggled with addiction will speak, the event is not limited to that population. Morris adds the entire community has been touched by the issue as taxpayers, business owners, health care providers, farmers and teachers. Continue reading
This weekend during the North Judson Mint Festival, patrons will have the opportunity to ride the rails at the Hoosier Valley Rail Road Museum. Passengers have their choice of riding in a vintage caboose, an open-air car or a vintage commuter coach. The train will leave the depot for the 10-mile round-trip excursions to English Lake/Kankakee River at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The longer, 20-mile round-trip excursion to LaCrosse, lasts approximately two hours and leaves the depot at 2 p.m. Continue reading
The Psi Iota Xi Sorority will be holding a Rummage Sale this Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. CST at the Knox United Methodist Church. The proceeds from this sale will be used to fund preschool and college scholarships for Starke County residents. Psi Iota Xi contributed over $3,000 to Starke County scholarships this year and are looking to increase that number. The Sorority is constantly looking for ways to give funds throughout our are with events like their Rummage Sale. Donations are made to worthy causes by Psi Iota Xi on a monthly basis. If you would like to get involved with their charity events, contact Tammy Fletcher at 574-772-4348.
The estranged wife of the Knox man accused of stealing three vehicles and leading police on a high-speed chase through four counties Friday afternoon was murdered. Kimberly Chavez, 50, of Portage, was found dead Friday evening at the home of her estranged husband, Gary. Continue reading
The first of several charges has been filed against the Knox man police say stole two cars in Starke County Friday afternoon, led police on a high-speed chase, stole a third vehicle in Porter County and shot himself after officers in Lake County used stop sticks to flatten the tires of the truck he was driving. Gary Chavez, 57, is still in critical condition at Christ Advocate Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill. Continue reading
The Pulaski County Council approved, by a majority vote of 6 to 1, Sheriff Michael Gayer’s request to transfer funds to pay for the two K9s at a cost of $25,165.38.
The payment of the K9s had to be done a different way than initially proposed but Auditor Shelia Garling, the sheriff and representatives from the State Board of accounts told the council that they could take the money out of the user fee of the law enforcement continuous education fund to the continuing education fund.
The dogs are in service with one officer and K9 working the day shift and the other officer and the K9on the night shift to give 24 hours of continuing coverage.
The Marshall County Council members discussed at length the purchase of an asphalt zipper at a cost of almost $160,000 to come out of the rainy day fund.
Marshall County Commissioner Jack Roose first spoke to the council members and explained his opposing vote for the asphalt zipper at the commissioner’s meeting last week. He feels that a purchase such as this should be tabled until a highway superintendent is hired and not by the interim superintendents.
The Winamac Town Council has put off a decision on building a new town swimming pool for at least another month. The necessary repairs to bring the existing pool at the Pulaski County Family YMCA up to code were deemed too expensive for such an old structure. Continue reading
One of the projects that the staff at the West Central School Corporation hopes to accomplish this summer is the improvements to security at the school.
Superintendent Charles Mellon said the project has been delayed due in part in not being able to retrieve the Secured School Safety Grant money to finish the project.
In honor of the upcoming retirement of West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon, an open house is planned for next week.
Help the West Central School Corporation staff and students celebrate his career as an educator on Tuesday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the West Central School Corporation Office at 117 E. Montgomery Street in Francesville.
Mellon will leave as the superintendent of West Central Schools on Monday, June 30. High School Principal Don Street will be taking over in that position on July 1. Patrick Culp, a 1995 graduate of West Central High School, will fill Street’s position as high school principal.
The Knox City Council members will again be discussing the outdoor storage ordinance during their meeting tonight.
The ordinance was sent back to the Knox Plan Commission after the council’s last meeting. The council members thought that the ordinance was like a blanket ordinance and didn’t fit each business as they are different in the way they operate. The council wanted wording to allow for a business owner to go before the Knox Board of Zoning Appeals to request a special use for outdoor storage at their business as each case is different.
Participants ranging from ages 5 to 18 competed for the crown in their category at the Mint Festival Pageant Sunday evening. The North Judson-San Pierre High School had a plethora of young ladies in pretty dresses and sharply dressed young men all competing for a title. Continue reading
