Storms Rock Northern Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI
This image was taken on U.S. 35 north of Knox. Photo by Kim King, Editor of the LaPorte Herald Argus

A massive storm went through the Kankakee Valley this morning. Currently, over 64,338 NIPSCO customers and 14,800 Kankakee Valley REMC customers are without power.

The Starke County EMA Director Ted Bombagetti, Starke County Commission President Kathy Norem and Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall urges Knox residents to stay where you are for the time being as many roads in the county are impassable. The storm hit hardest in the Knox, Bass Lake and eastern Starke County areas.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has communication issues, but the 911 system is working.  A dispatch tower was damaged in the storm.

The Starke County Airport sustained major damage.  Several hangars were destroyed and several planes were damaged.

Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer reports roads closed as trees and electric lines are down.

Listen to K99.3 for updates and check the closing and delays section on this website for closures. Continue reading →

Medaryville Man Arrested For Alleged Domestic Battery

Posted on Author WKVI

A Medaryville man was arrested Saturday after an alleged domestic dispute.

Larry Minarik, Jr. reportedly got into an argument with a 26-year-old woman over a cell phone. During the argument, Minarik allegedly pushed the woman down in their home and pressed his hand over and into her mouth and yelled at her to be quiet. The woman told police she couldn’t breathe and struck Minarik in the face to get him to stop. The woman’s eight-year-old son reportedly heard his mother scream.

The woman called her father who then called police. By that time, Minarik left the residence. The officers learned that the woman had filed a protective order against Minarik but it had not yet been served.  Minarik reportedly called the woman later and asked to get some things from the residence and officers were able to come back to the home to arrest him.

Minarik reportedly told police that he put his hands in front of her mouth but did not actually touch her. He said she was screaming for no apparent reason.

Minarik was arrested on a preliminary charge of Domestic Battery with a Minor Present. He was served with the protective order while being booked into the Pulaski County Jail.

NIPSCO Offers Credit For AC Cycling Program

Posted on Author WKVI

With extremely hot temperatures outside over the last several weeks, the electric grid is under a great deal of stress. To combat this, NIPSCO is partnering up with customers to manage the load by utilizing the Air Conditioner Cycling Program.

The program works by using a remote-controlled switch on or near the outside unit of a home’s central AC unit, allowing the compressor to be cycled for short amounts of time during periods of high electric demand. This cuts down on the use of electricity while allowing the blower motor in the air handler to continue to circulate already-cooled air.

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Starke County Airport Looking Forward to Expansion

Posted on Author WKVI

There’s not a lot of activity now at the Starke County Airport but Airport Manager, Pam Beharry said a runway extension and the introduction of a different jet fuel will keep the area busy next year.

“We’ll be getting an extension to the 5,001 foot runway,” said Beharry. “We have introduced Jet A fuel for the oncoming turbine operations – turbine as in turbo-prop or jet aircraft. We’ve got a few coming in on a regular basis. We’re just looking forward to a lot of business and improvements coming in the future.”

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Voucher Program Informational Meeting Planned for North Judson Parents

Posted on Author WKVI

School Choice Indiana representatives will be hosting an information session to inform North Judson parents and families of educational options for their children through the state’s school voucher program, tax credit scholarships, tax deductions, and other forms of school choice. The session will be held at St. Peter Lutheran School on Thursday at 6 p.m. CT.

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Weak Demand Causes Drop In Oil Prices

Posted on Author WKVI

Oil prices fell below $92 yesterday due to weak demand.

The oil market is responding to a series of events that have raised concerns that Iran will try to block oil shipments through a narrow waterway in the Persian Gulf – a pathway where the world’s oil travels every day.

Analysts say Middle East tensions could cause further spikes for oil but they might not be long-lasting. The world’s two biggest crude consumers, the U.S. and China, are both struggling with economic slowdowns that are crimping demand for oil.

The good news is supply is in good shape.

Indiana Continues to Add New Private Sector Jobs

Posted on Author WKVI

The number of private sector jobs in Indiana is still on the rise for the eighth consecutive month. In June alone, 1400 jobs were added in the private sector.

Indiana continues to outpace the U.S. job growth average of 0.9 percent with its average of 1.5 percent, and since July 2009 – the low point of employment – Indiana has added 140,000 private sector jobs. This 3.3 percent increase significantly exceeds the national rate of growth of just six percent.

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LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Shooting

Posted on Author WKVI

A LaPorte County woman was injured and her ex-husband was later found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department officers were called to a residence in Coolspring Township on Monday on a call that shots were fired. A 41-year-old female was found at the scene with a soft tissue injury to her back and side. The victim had been shot at while inside the home. The suspect reportedly fired at her and barely missed her. Police believe that the victim was injured by glass fragments and window fragments caused by the bullet that went through the window.

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KVREMC Reports Another Rampant Scam

Posted on Author WKVI

Another scam has hit consumers in the area.

A scam artist is calling electric utility consumers, like those who utilize Kankakee Valley REMC’s services, claiming that their utility bill could be paid under a federal government program – but no such program exists.

These solicitations have been made door to door, online, and by phone. Members are being asked for personal information and then given a fake bank account number to use for making a payment on their utility bill.

If you receive a phone call from someone representing themselves as a Kankakee Valley REMC member informing you that you can get help paying your electric bill, hang up! Do not give out any personal information. REMC will not call you asking for your account number or password.

Cooling Stations Open in Culver

Posted on Author WKVI

The Town of Culver welcomes you to cool off at two designated cooling stations. You may stop in at Town Hall on 200 E. Washington Street or at the Beach Lodge on Lake Shore Drive. Those locations will be open Tuesday, July 17 through Thursday, July 19 during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Town Hall at (574) 842-3140.

Hamlet Fire Crews Battle Garage Fire

Posted on Author WKVI

Hamlet firefighters were called to a garage fire in the area of 102 W. Pearl Street in Hamlet around 11:00 a.m. Knox and Koontz Lake Fire Departments were called to assist. At 11:40 a.m., the fire was reportedly under control.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Donnelly Appreciative Of Emergency Grazing During Drought

Posted on Author WKVI
Joe Donnelly
Congressman Joe Donnelly

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Indiana Farm Service Agency announced yesterday that 22 counties throughout Indiana have been authorized for emergency grazing of Conservation Reserve Program lands.

Congressman Joe Donnelly says he’s pleased with the recent decision to allow grazing, which he says will greatly benefit farmers.

“I am pleased that the USDA and the Indiana Farm Service Agency authorized the emergency grazing of CRP acres,” Donnelly said. “The drought has caused Indiana’s fields to suffer, limiting the food options for the livestock that rely on those crops from those fields for food. Today’s announcement authorizing 22 counties for emergency grazing will give farmers more flexibility as they seek to provide adequate hay and forage to feed their livestock.”

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Thieves Steal Backhoe to Demolish Knox Business

Posted on Author WKVI

A Walkerton man is among three men accused of stealing a backhoe from the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Kingsbury to tear down the building that formerly housed Windy City Golf Carts in Knox.

According to a published report, three men bid on a demolition job but didn’t have the equipment to tear down the building. Instead, they reportedly stole a backhoe from the U.S. Army Reserve Center.

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NIPSCO Reports Credit Scam Throughout Northern Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI

A credit scam has been reported to NIPSCO officials.

NIPSCO customers have been receiving phone calls where a scammer asks the customer to provide personal information and says that after all that information is submitted, the customer will receive energy credits from the government. The scam artist will ask for your Social Security number and then give you a fraudulent bank routing number to pay utility companies.

NIPSCO reminds you to never give out personal information to unconfirmed sources. NIPSCO only asks for a Social Security number when a customer is applying for new service.

Utility companies are working with law enforcement to bring an end to the scam.

Two Important Pieces Of State Legislation Now In Effect

Posted on Author WKVI
State Senator Ed Charbonneau

It may be summertime, but State Senator Ed Charbonneau is certainly not taking a break. He says this is the time of year to ramp up summer study committees, whose job is to focus on various topics that were initiated in bills filed during the previous legislative session. When some of those legislative items are too lengthy of a project to address during the legislative session, they are deferred to summer study committees that meet a number of times to take an intense look at issues referred to them by the legislature.

Charbonneau says that with the committees and the large number of county fairs, he’s kept fairly busy.

“It’s a good time, it’s an interesting time, and it’s a time when you can really get out and talk to constituents and really hear firsthand about a lot of issues that are on peoples’ minds. And certainly now, as you might expect, it’s jobs, economic development, job creation, and how do we get things turned around so that we can get on the right track. If we can create the jobs, it’s going to help local government, it’s gonna help schools, it’s gonna help everybody,” said Charbonneau.

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Eastern Pulaski Schools Elated Over ISTEP Scores

Posted on Author WKVI

The ISTEP scores were released yesterday by Indiana State Schools Superintendent Dr. Tony Bennett and Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman says the students did very well on the state standardized test.

“They did absolutely outstanding,” said Klitzman. “In terms of English and Language Arts, these are the percentages of students that passed the state test, third grade 95.4, fourth grade 92.2 and fifth grade 97.8. In Math, third grade 93.8, fourth grade 96.7 and fifth grade 97.8. In our middle school, they did well and they showed good growth.”

And that’s not even the best part!

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