Winamac Woman Dies After Reportedly Stepping in Front of Bus

Posted on Author WKVI

A 32-year-old Winamac woman died Saturday afternoon after she was struck by a motor coach bus on State Road 14 near Oak Drive East in Pulaski County. The driver of the bus, 66-year-old James C. Hale of South Bend, told police that at around 2:13 p.m., he was traveling westbound on State Road 14 and saw a pedestrian walking in the middle of the road.

Hale said that the pedestrian began to walk into his lane of travel as he approached, so he quickly applied his brakes and crossed into the eastbound lane to avoid the pedestrian. Unfortunately, he said the pedestrian changed course and turned back into the path of the bus, despite looking directly at the massive, quickly-approaching bus.

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Pulaski Sheriff’s Department Reports 840 Book-Ins at Jail for 2012

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department reported a busy 2012 year, as the year-end statistics for the county were released this weekend. Dispatchers for the county handled 6,804 calls for service, including those for fire, EMS, and police, while deputies were called to an average of 15.8 calls per day for a total of 5,791 calls for the year.

Deputies arrested 65 impaired drivers, conducted 36 drug investigations, 130 theft investigations, and 32 burglary investigations. The Sheriff’s Department also investigated 10 child molestation cases and five shoplifting cases.

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Marshall County Commissioners to Reorganize This Morning

Posted on Author WKVI

The Marshall County Commissioners approved several appointments during their recent meeting.

The commissioners approved the following reappointments: Clyde Avery as EMA Director, Neal Haeck as the Highway Superintendent, Chuck DeWitt as Building Inspector, and James Clevenger as County Attorney.

Pam Schweizer-Betz was approved as the veterans service officer by a unanimous vote. She will begin in the full-time position today.

The commissioners will meet again this morning at 8:30 a.m. ET when the board members will reorganize, Haley Kittrell – the new CASA director – will give a report, and several other appointments will be approved.

North Judson Police Department Responded to Nearly 4000 Calls in 2012

Posted on Author WKVI
Doug Vessely
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely

The North Judson Police Department responded to 3,899 calls in 2012.

Town Marshal Doug Vessely reported year-end statistics that showed 850 citizen assist and house check calls, 717 traffic stops, 27 battery reports, 12 Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated reports, 7 burglary/robbery reports, 69 thefts/conversion reports, 15 alcohol/drug reports and 22 mischief/vandalism reports.

North Judson Officers made 107 adult arrests, wrote 136 ordinance violation tickets and issued 467 traffic warnings in 2012.

Proposed Legislation May Add to Voucher Program, Put Cops in Schools

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana General Assembly may soon propose another expansion to what is already the nation’s largest school voucher program as lawmakers convene Monday. More than 9000 students are expected to receive vouchers this year.

In the next few months, legislators are expected to consider the possibility of removing the requirement that students attend public school for a year before being eligible for the voucher program, and they will also consider increasing the amount of aid available to younger students.

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Federally-Extended Unemployment Insurance Continues This Week

Posted on Author WKVI
Indiana Workforce Development

If you are eligible to receive federally extended unemployment insurance benefits, you will be able to continue filing for those this week.

In order to receive payments on time and to make sure there are no issues with any claims or vouchers, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development advises you to check the agency’s homepage on Uplink, Indiana’s online filing system, once a day for the next few weeks and respond to any links requiring more information for a claim or voucher.

If you have previously exhausted state regular unemployment benefits and the federally extended benefits, you are not eligible for any further weeks of benefits.

La Porte County Police Bust Three For Dealing Cocaine, Heroin

Posted on Author WKVI

Three people were arrested in La Porte County as the result of an investigation into the distribution of illegal narcotics within the city of La Porte. Police arrested the three suspects in a home in the 100 block of Jefferson Avenue. The suspects have been identified as 21-year-old Vandaze Buchanan of Chicago, 23-year-old Brittany Chapman of Chicago, and 26-year-old Brett Tanksley of La Porte.

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Break-In Reported At Marshall County Home

Posted on Author WKVI

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a burglary that took place at a residence on 5B Road on Thursday.

Officials say the homeowners had left their home between 12:30 and 5:30 p.m., and returned home to an unexpected sight – someone had pried open the door to their home and helped themselves to a number of items, including multiple firearms, jewelry, and money.

Police were notified of the break-in at the residence in the 20000 block of 5B Road around 5:30 p.m. The investigation continues.

Former LaPorte County Man Arrested as Suspect in String of Burglaries

Posted on Author WKVI
Jason Hurt

A former LaPorte County man has been arrested as a suspect in several burglary incidents that occurred in January in 2012.

Jason Hurt, 33, has been wanted for an outstanding warrant for violating his probation, and on Dec. 28, officers with the LaPorte County Detective Bureau and the LaPorte County Metro Operations Unit learned that Hurt was at a home in rural LaPorte.

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Marshall County Criminals Scrapping Utility Wire

Posted on Author WKVI

Criminals in Marshall County are looking to make some quick money by scrapping wire from utility poles, but officials say their efforts are in vain – utility companies have been swapping out the old copper wiring for inexpensive copper-clad steel, which has no real scrap value.

Over the past several months, Marshall County REMC workers and their customers have noticed that the copper covered ground wire has been removed off a number of poles, which raises a number of concerns. The ground wire is a safety device to ensure that extra electricity will flow into the ground, rather than destroying electronics, causing fires, or harming those working on the power lines.

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IEDC Reports Largest Increase in Job Commitments Ever

Posted on Author WKVI

More than 250 companies from across the country and around the world that will create more than 27,600 new jobs secured job commitments with the Indiana Economic Development Commission in 2012, which is an increase greater than any other year on record.

Indiana welcomed commitments from companies like Amazon, Toyota, Magnetation, Angie’s List, Sugar Creek Packing, Supreme Industries and Sweetwater Sound in 2012. This amounts to $6.41 billion in capital investment in 2012. The new positions that will be offered over the next five years, pay an expected average hourly wage of $21.88 which is above the state’s current hourly wage of $19.74.

Since Governor Mitch Daniels established the IEDC in early 2005, the agency has worked with 1,474 companies to locate or expand their operations in the state.

Week in Review for Dec. 31, 2012-Jan. 4, 2013

Posted on Author WKVI

Here is a look at some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.

Pat Dunn

WKVI’s General Manager, Pat Dunn, passed away Tuesday at his home in Knox. For over 25 years, Pat had been a member of the Kankakee Valley Broadcasting Board of Directors, and was most recently placed in the position of General Manager. He was at the forefront of positive changes here at the station and we will continue to move forward with his vision. Pat was also the former owner of the Knox Insurance Agency. Funeral services were held Friday at the M.C. Smith Funeral Home in Knox.  Continue reading →

Plymouth Police Arrest Two For Illegal Drug Lab

Posted on Author WKVI

Plymouth police arrested a Plymouth woman and a North Judson man on several drug charges on Wednesday.

Police received a tip that a man and woman were purchasing precursors for the manufacture of methamphetamines at Martins Supermarket in Plymouth. The suspects, 47-year-old Earlana Jones and 28-year-old Henry M. Ruiz of North Judson were located in the parking lot and were found to be in possession of an illegal drug lab.

The pair was arrested on a preliminary charge of Illegal Drug Lab. Ruiz was also booked on two active warrants out of Marshall County.

They are being held in the Marshall County Jail on $1,500 bond.

Deputy Saves Two Family Pets From Burning La Porte County Home

Posted on Author WKVI

A house fire in La Porte County late Wednesday morning startled the family, but no one was injured – not even their two pet rabbits that the family was unable to grab before fleeing the burning building.

Three La Porte County fire departments were dispatched to a house fire on Severe Road, east of County Road 100 West, shortly after 11 a.m. CT. A witness said the fire began in the home’s garage before spreading to the rest of the home.

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Knox School Board To Welcome New Members Monday

Posted on Author WKVI
Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The new year brings new appointments to various governmental boards.

The Knox School Board will be appointing a new president during their meeting Monday night, as well as a vice president and secretary. Harold Welter held the position of president for the past two years. He was not elected back onto the board so the members will be making a new selection.

Two new members will be welcomed Monday night: Kurt Kemble and Wendy McIntire. They will be sworn into office and several other appointments and memberships will be made. Conflict of Interest Statements will be signed and the 2013 board meeting dates will be approved. Other business that comes before the board will also be discussed.

No Impact on Gas Prices Expected From Fiscal Cliff Negotiations… Yet

Posted on Author WKVI

Now that Congress has passed legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff, many people are breathing a sigh of relief, but many others are asking the age-old question: what does this mean for gas prices?

Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.Com, said there have been some rumors and small talk about a possible increase to the federal gas tax, but nothing solid has been presented at this point. However, he said just the fact that the talk is up in the air may be grounds for some concern, as this may be a sign of whats to come over the next few years as politicians continue to search for new sources of revenue.

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