Electronic Database Effectively Hinders Methamphetamine Production

Posted on Author WKVI

A nonprofit group says an electronic database used by Indiana pharmacists and police to track sales of cold medicines that can be used to produce methamphetamine blocked the sale of more than 57,000 boxes of medicine containing pseudoephedrine during the first six months of 2012.

The Lutherville, Md.-based National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators says data released by the National Precursor Log Exchange shows the system may have kept more than 132,000 grams of pseudoephedrine from being diverted by meth cookers.

A law that took effect Jan. 1 requires retailers selling ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to enter information about buyers and their purchases in the National Precursor Log Exchange. The system issues “stop-sale” alerts if buyers try to purchase more than the allowable limit within a 30-day period.

Prescription Drug Abuse On Rise In Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI

Experts say the abuse of prescription drugs is on the rise in Indiana – this after an IU Center for Health Policy report indicated in 2010 that 55 percent of Americans over the age of 12 who have used pain relievers were given them from a relative or friend. The report also says that more than one million Hoosiers over the age of 12 admitted to misusing prescription drugs at least once in their lives – a startling 21 percent.

According to Fairbanks Medical Director Dr. Tim Kelly, addiction treatment centers nationwide are also seeing upwards of a 500 percent increase in the number of reported motor vehicle accidents that have been linked to prescription drug abuse.

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Firefighters Called to House Fire in North Judson

Posted on Author WKVI

The North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Department was called to a house fire at 112 Lane Street Friday evening. Fire Chief Joe Leszek said the fire occurred at a multiple family dwelling and the structure sustained damage.

No preliminary cause of the fire has been given and it remains under investigation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office. More information on the fire will be released as the investigation unfolds.

Statewide 911 Fund Implemented July 1

Posted on Author WKVI

One of the new requirements that began July 1 was the statewide 911 Fund that replaces E911 and Wireless 911 funds. The Marshall County Council discussed the change at their recent meeting.

The state will now collect $0.90 for all landline and cell phones which replaces the current Marshall County-established landline fee of $1.53 and the $0.50 fee on cell phones. By statute, the county is guaranteed a “Hold Harmless” amount of $500,368, which is the average revenue for the past three fiscal years.

Remaining balances and budgets will be transferred from the two existing funds, E911 and Wireless 911 funds, into the new combined fund.

American Veterans Traveling Tribute Comes To A Close Today

Posted on Author WKVI

Today is the last day to pay tribute to the many service members who fought for America’s freedoms and paid the ultimate price. The American Veterans Traveling Tribute and Vietnam Wall Replica is an outdoor event held on the PNC baseball field, illuminated and open for 24 hours a day since Tuesday, July 3. The exhibit will close at 11 a.m. this morning.

The American Veterans Traveling Tribute exhibits cover every war and display unique dog tags of every service person who lost their life in the War on Terror. A 360-foot Vietnam Wall replica is also on display, and distinguished speakers, invocations, patriotic performers, and other attractions are available at the tribute.

Everyone is encouraged to pay tribute to all who fought and died for this nation, and the educational exhibits bring a great learning experience for entire families. Donations and volunteers are needed and greatly appreciated, and proceeds from the event will go to veterans’ causes. Donors will be listed on the American Veterans Traveling Tribute website.

Cops Cycling For Survivors Ride Begins Monday

Posted on Author WKVI

The 10th annual Cops Cycling for Survivors bicycle ride across Indiana kicks off Monday, July 9 with a departure ceremony at 9 a.m. ET. The ceremony will take place at the Law Enforcement/Firefight Memorial next to the State Capitol in downtown Indianapolis.

Fifty-three cyclists are participating in the ride and will depart shortly after the keynote comments of Terre Haute Police Chief John Plasse. The departure will take the group east toward Greenfield on the first leg of their 13-day journey to cover nearly 1000 miles bicycling the perimeter of Indiana.

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Temperature Exceed 95 Degrees Today – Stay Hydrated

Posted on Author WKVI

With temperatures still expected in the 90s today, it’s important to be safe while in the heat.

An excessive heat warning continues today so remember to stay hydrated and stay in an air-conditioned shelter during the hottest parts of the day. Check on homebound and elderly family members or neighbors several times a day to make sure they are staying hydrated and not showing signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Statewide, nearly 1.5 percent of all emergency department visits the past few days were heat-related. One person was admitted into the Emergency Room at IU Health Starke Hospital for heat exhaustion.

Hoosiers Suffering From Most Severe Drought In Years, Experts Say

Posted on Author WKVI

The dry conditions have put Indiana in the most severe drought Hoosiers have seen in a long time.

WKVI’s Accuweather.com Meteorologist Heather Zehr has been crunching the numbers with climatologists and while no records have been set, the amount of rainfall that fell in June was 2.25 inches below the normal June value of 3.79 inches. Only six days in June produced a measurable amount of rain with five days measuring .10 inches of precipitation. The only day that produced a greater amount was on June 28 with a half-inch of rain in that day. June was recorded as the 15th driest month on record at South Bend.

Cooler temperatures at the beginning of June helped hold the average temperature in South Bend at 71.5 degrees, which is 2.4 degrees above normal.

The entire state is experiencing drought conditions with 84 counties remaining under burn bans. The Starke County and Pulaski County Commissioners lifted the burn bans earlier this week. Officials continue to monitor the conditions.

Indiana Taxpayers To Receive Automatic Refund

Posted on Author WKVI
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels

According to Governor Mitch Daniels, a preliminary look at Indiana’s fiscal year data shows the state will close the year with reserves of more than $2 billion and a structural surplus, meaning annual revenue in excess of annual expenses of more than $500 million.

“Thanks to that amount and its overage beyond ten percent of next year’s budget, there will be a major infusion of money into Indiana pension funds, which are already the strongest in the country, and the first automatic taxpayer refund in state history,” said Governor Mitch Daniels. “So, what we can say today is that we have a double-digit discount for the typical Indiana taxpayer.”

Governor Daniels stated that you will receive the first automatic taxpayer refund when you file your state taxes in 2013. The Indiana General Assembly approved the Governor’s plan for an automatic taxpayer refund in 2011. The refund will clearly be in excess of $100 for a single filer or $200 for a joint return. The exact amount will not be known until the fall when the estimate will be made of how many tax returns will qualify. The median income tax payment was a little over $800 last year, so the refund will amount to more than ten percent.

For fiscal year 2013, the state is projecting a structural surplus of more than $400 million, resulting in the state’s reserves again exceeding $2 billion.

Indiana State Police to Step up Efforts This Holiday

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana State Police will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) from now until July 8. Statistics show that so far this year, 36 more people have lost their lives in accidents than this same time last year.

Operation C.A.R.E. is a federally funded program and will allow approximately 150 additional troopers to patrol area roadways during the Fourth of July holiday. Troopers will be targeting impaired drivers and motorists who speed, follow too closely, make unsafe lane changes, drive aggressively or fail to use their seat belt.

Starke, Pulaski Counties Lift Burn Bans

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Commissioners approved a motion repealing the county-wide burn ban on Monday, putting an end to the ban that lasted three weeks, from June 18 to July 2. Storms that had tore through the area last weekend had brought moisture back to the parched summer weather, alleviating some concern of fires caused by the dry conditions.

North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Chief Joe Leszek discouraged the commissioners from lifting the ban so soon, but the commissioners were also pressured by others to lift the ban in light of the recent rains. A motion was approved to lift the ban with the possibility of reinstatement in the future, and Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem says they will carefully monitor the situation in case conditions worsen.

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Monterey Bridge Project Pushed To October

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

The Pulaski County Commissioners received an update yesterday regarding the status of the Bridge 291 project. Jeff Larrison of United Consulting told the commissioners that the right-of-ways have been cleared through INDOT, and the necessary documents have been submitted, however, INDOT has pushed several projects back to October.

Larrison said that the county has met all the deadlines, but they have to play by INDOT’s rules – which means opening bids for construction of the new bridge will not take place until October, setting them back several months. Larrison explained that after the bid is let, there is a 30 – 45 day period to choose a winning bid, which means construction could be delayed to as late as November.

Because of this delay, Larrison says a minimal amount of construction will take place before winter, but the majority of the work will take place come spring.

Hearing Set For Monday In Case Against Connie Miller

Posted on Author WKVI

The Attorney General filed a civil lawsuit against former North Judson Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller last week.

The lawsuit stems from a special report for the Town of North Judson filed by the State Board of Accounts earlier this year citing alleged financial discrepancies totaling $74,408.67 during the period of time between Jan. 1, 2010 and Dec. 31, 2011. Miller was asked to reimburse the town for the alleged discrepancies.

Miller, in a letter to the state board of accounts, wrote that she “strenuously objected to any allegations or suggestions” that she had “done any wrong for personal gain.” She also wrote that she was confident that the discrepancies set out in the report can be rectified.

Two Arrested After Falling Asleep At Gas Pump

Posted on Author WKVI

Pulaski County police were called to the Good Oil Company in Winamac on Tuesday, June 26 on a complaint of a possibly intoxicated driver. The vehicle had been parked at a gas pump for nearly an hour. An employee told police that the driver nearly fell asleep while talking to her at the register.

When police arrived on scene, officers found the driver, 21-year-old Caitlin Shidler of Winamac, and a passenger inside the vehicle with two small children in the back seat. The officers noted in the report that they appeared to be asleep. Police asked Shidler what she was doing and if she needed medical attention and she said no. She told police that she was getting gas. She was asked to exit the vehicle where she was given sobriety tests and reportedly failed all of the tests given to her. She allegedly admitted to shooting prescription medication as did her passenger, 25-year-old Steven Decker of Winamac. Police reportedly found controlled substances during a search of the vehicle.

The Department of Child Services was called to the scene to take custody of the two children. Caitlin J. Shidler and Steven Decker were arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Neglect of a Dependent, Possession of Paraphernalia and Public Intoxication.

Crews Still Working To Clean Up Storm Aftermath

Posted on Author WKVI
Scenes like this one in North Judson were all too common in the wake of weekend storms.

Crews are still working diligently to clean up the damage from last weekend’s series of storms, but Bass Lake Fire Chief Les Jensen says the clean up efforts are going very well. The Starke County Highway Department has been removing branches from roads and power lines, and Jensen says the roads around Bass Lake that were previously closed are now open. However, some branches are still close to the road because cleanup crews had focused on getting the roads cleared and open, but those branches will soon be removed.

The NIPSCO Outage Center reports that only one customer in the Knox area is still affected by outages, with a total of 97 NIPSCO customers affected in Northern Indiana. KVREMC crews are also making efforts to clear lines and undo damages caused by the storm.

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Matthew Baker Receives Sentence In Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Courthouse

Matthew Baker was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Thursday after pleading guilty to four counts against him.

The Knox man was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections with two years suspended, on a charge of Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Class B Felony. On the Class D Felony charge of Attempted Battery, he was sentenced to 18 months in the DOC with none of that sentence suspended. He will spend one year in the Starke County Jail on each of the two misdemeanor counts of Taking a Child to a Nuisance. None of that sentence was suspended. The three lesser counts will be served concurrently, but the Dealing in Methamphetamine charge will be served consecutively to those charges.

He will also serve two years on probation. He will be applying to the home detention program when he is eligible to serve his sentence on probation, and if he successfully completes the CLIFF Program, he can petition the court to modify his sentence.

Starke County Burn Ban To Be Reevaluated Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Commissioners will discuss the burn ban during their regular meeting this morning at 9 a.m. The current ban expires today.

Despite the ban, the county’s fireworks celebration will proceed as scheduled. Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem confirmed that the event will be held at the Starke County Airport on Wednesday, July 4, regardless of the status of the ban.

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Miss Pulaski County Crowned

Posted on Author WKVI

Stefanie McGovern was crowned Miss Pulaski County in ceremonies Sunday night. She is the daughter of Michael and Cheryle McGovern in Winamac. Stefanie is a 2012 graduate of Winamac Community High School and she is planning to attend Ivy Tech this fall then transfer to IUPUI in Indianapolis to study nursing.

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Knox City Council Adopts Anti-Nepotism Policy

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council last week passed a motion to adopt a policy regarding conflicts of interest and nepotism in office, a policy required by new state law as of today. City Attorney David Matsey says this is the first step required to conform to Indiana’s new guidelines, and they will next pass a resolution and draft an ordinance reenforcing the policy.

The council adopted the minimum provisions required by state statutes for nepotism, prohibiting a person from supervising a direct relative. Matsey pointed out that the law does not prevent grandparents from supervising grandchildren in office, and it only affects direct supervisors.

The law only applies to future hirings, and Matsey told the council that a list of all employees will need to be made to note employees that are related.