La Porte County Stepping Up Patrols For Prom

Posted on Author WKVI

The La Porte County Sheriff’s Office and the La Porte County DUI Task Force has announced that it will increase enforcement and patrols around prom and post-prom sites this spring, with a goal of deterring alcohol use and eliminating alcohol-related crashes among high school prom attendees.

With proms starting Saturday, April 28, for Marquette, New Prairie, South Central, and Westville High Schools, and continuing through Saturday, June 2 when Michigan City High School will host their prom and post-prom. The DUI Taskforce will saturate the areas around each prom and post-prom site in an effort to deter potential alcohol and drug use, with zero-tolerance toward the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages. Those who provide alcohol to minors will be targeted and jailed.

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Winamac Safe Routes to School Applies for Phase 2 Grant

Posted on Author WKVI

The Winamac Safe Routes to School Task Force recently announced that they have applied for a $250,000 Infrastructure Grant to fund the completion of the Panhandle Pathway through Winamac, as well as improvements along Riverside Drive and Superior Street. These improvements were deemed necessary by planning work that was done as a part of the Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant that was awarded in 2010. This project will enable safer walking and cycling environments, including roads and sidewalk improvements, and the grants will cover planning, design, and engineering expenses, including consultant services.

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Starke County Receives $503,000 Grant to Improve Access to Knox Industrial Park

Posted on Author WKVI
Back Row: Greg Matt, Mayor Rick Chambers, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Donald Kring, City Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

Congressman Joe Donnelly has announced that the Board of Commissioners of Starke County received a $503,000 grant to improve access to the Knox Industrial Park, an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The grant will partially fund the State Road 8 and County Road 300 East intersection project.

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Verdict Rendered in Trial of James Ritenour III

Posted on Author WKVI
James Ritenour III

A Starke County jury took just one hour to decide verdicts in the case of James Ritenour III.

The one-day trial occurred Wednesday in Starke Circuit Court and a 12 member jury found James Ritenour III not guilty on charges of Battery with a Deadly Weapon, a Class C Felony, and Criminal Recklessness, a Class D Felony. He was found guilty on two counts of Intimidation, as Class D Felonies, and one count of Interference with Reporting a Crime, a Class A Misdemeanor.

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West Central School Board Discusses IREAD Results

Posted on Author WKVI

The West Central School Board members discussed the results of the IREAD test at their recent meeting. The IREAD test was administered to the third grade students and if the students did not pass the test then they would need to get additional instruction and retake the test in June. If the students are not successful in their second attempt, they will be required to retake third grade reading next year.

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Turkey Tracks Event Begins Today!

Posted on Author WKVI

Gun sighting begins at 1:00 p.m. CT this afternoon for the Fourth Annual Turkey Tracks Hunt. The sighting of the guns will be at the Washington Township Community Building. Target practice will be allowed until the dinner at 6:00 p.m.

The doors open at 5:00 p.m. for the hog roast and during the dinner, those in attendance can place their bids on the silent auction items.

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200 Attend Victorian High Tea

Posted on Author WKVI
Ed Hasnerl gets ready to emcee the Victorian High Tea

Over 200 people attended the Victorian High Tea yesterday at the Knox Community Center. The event was held to raise money for the Starke County Food Pantry housed at Community Services of Starke County. Lois Bock and Debbie Popagain helped develop the activities.

Joan Haugh, the Director of Community Services of Starke County, commented on the turnout.

“I’m so impressed with the 35 ladies who put this together,” said Haugh. “The decorations are just fabulous. And as I’ve always said, if you’re going to have a fundraiser make it fun.”

We asked about the food pantry.

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Winamac Safe Routes to School Applies for Phase 2 Grant

Posted on Author WKVI

The Winamac Safe Routes to School Task Force recently announced that they have applied for a $250,000 Infrastructure Grant to fund the completion of the Panhandle Pathway through Winamac, as well as improvements along Riverside Drive and Superior Street. These improvements were deemed necessary by planning work that was done as a part of the Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Grant that was awarded in 2010. This project will enable safer walking and cycling environments, including roads and sidewalk improvements, and the grants will cover planning, design, and engineering expenses, including consultant services.

Continue reading →

LaPorte County Stepping Up Patrols For Prom

Posted on Author WKVI
LaPorte County Sheriff's Department
LaPorte County Sheriff's Department

The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office and the LaPorte County DUI Task Force has announced that it will increase enforcement and patrols around prom and post-prom sites this spring, with a goal of deterring alcohol use and eliminating alcohol-related crashes among high school prom attendees.

Proms will start Saturday, April 28th, for Marquette, New Prairie, South Central, and Westville High Schools, and will continue through Saturday, June 2nd when Michigan City High School will host their prom and post-prom. The DUI Taskforce will saturate the areas around each prom and post-prom site in an effort to deter potential alcohol and drug use, with zero-tolerance toward the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages. Those who provide alcohol to minors will be targeted and jailed.

Continue reading →

Indiana Court of Appeals Affirms Sentence for John Brooke

Posted on Author WKVI
John Brooke

The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the sentence that was handed to John Brooke in Starke Circuit Court by Judge Kim Hall. Brooke had appealed the sentence challenging his conspiracy conviction and his sentence.

Brooke was sentenced to 22 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections after a jury found him guilty on charges of Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Intimidation, Possession/Manufacturing of a Destructive Device (a Molotov Cocktail), Possession of a Destructive Device, Resisting Law Enforcement, Unlawful Use of Body Armor and Assisting a Criminal. The charges stemmed from an incident at Bass Lake on February 15th, 2010, where Brooke was convicted of harboring a fugitive, Michael Drogosz, and they developed a plan to kill police officers and rob banks in Starke County. Several other people were also involved in the plan.

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Monterey Man Arrested for Theft of Scrap Metal

Posted on Author WKVI

A Monterey man was arrested Tuesday after the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department received a report of stolen scrap metal.

Larry Leohmer told police that he had a scrap pile of metal near the old grain elevator in Monterey and he said on Monday night, he observed a 375 gallon fuel tank, an old washer and a metal threader on the scrap pile. Those items were missing Tuesday and he had not given permission to anyone to remove those items. He later saw a man driving a red pickup truck with those items in the back.

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Starke County Convention and Visitors Commission Looking for Board Members

Posted on Author WKVI

Pat Mitchell, representing the Convention and Visitors Commission (formerly known as Starke County Visitors Association), appeared before the Starke County Commissioners last week to report that the membership had met even though they are missing three members.

Only four of the six members were present, but they did make a transfer of funds to the Starke County Tourism Commission.

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Victorian High Tea Scheduled for Today

Posted on Author WKVI

It’s billed as “an affair to remember” and it will be held today at the Knox Community Center. The event is a “Victorian High Tea” and it’s being held as a fundraiser for the local food pantry. Those who attend are invited to join in the Victorian fun by wearing gloves, a fancy hat, a bowler, a top hat, or any other apparel you think might fit in with the tea.

The event is presented by local resident volunteers, and is sponsored by Christos Family Dining of Knox. The admission is $10.00 and no tickets are being sold at the door. If you hurry you might get a ticket at the Christos restaurant on Heaton Street in Knox.

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Indiana State Police Partners with DEA For Drug Take Back Initiative

Posted on Author WKVI

It’s time to clean out those medicine cabinets. The DEA is sponsoring their Fourth Annual “Prescription Drug Take Back” initiative, giving citizens the perfect opportunity to dispose of those unwanted or unused prescription medication. On Saturday, April 28th, citizens that wish to participate in the program may drop off their prescription drugs for disposal at any State Police Post throughout the state, except the Toll Road Post.

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Health Forum Scheduled for Tonight

Posted on Author WKVI

The second session in a community-wide forum on health will be held tonight from 5:00-8:00 p.m. CT at the Bass Lake Property Owners Association Building.  In the first session, four priority opportunities for improving health and preparing Starke County for a radically different health and jobs economy of the next generation were discussed. They included job readiness initiatives, county-wide healthy adult living initiative, healthy kids initiative, and healthy early childhood initiative.

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Bella Vita Offers Classes, Comfort to Pregnant Women

Posted on Author WKVI
Susanne Lange

Bella Vita Pregnancy Resource Center Executive Director, Susanne Lange, recently announced the organization’s upcoming fundraiser to be held May 17th at the Knox Community Center. This is the second annual event for the organization that was formed to give women valuable information about pregnancy issues. Susanne mentioned in that six young ladies had decided to carry their babies to term in the past year. But, she said, that isn’t the only reason for the center’s existence.

“We really exist to inform men and women of their options,” said Lange. “Of course, it’s your choice to make informed decisions. We are there as a resource to them. Also we have a baby bucks program. If a client enrolls in our program, she and her boyfriend or husband can go through these classes and earn baby bucks. With these baby bucks, they can purchase various supporting items such as baby clothes, cribs, car seats…things like that.”

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Three Injured in Two Vehicle Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

Three people were injured in a two vehicle accident around 8:30 p.m. last night on U.S. 30 just east of the Grovertown Truck Stop.

Starke County police say that a passenger car was northbound on 1100 East, crossed the median, hesitated in the median, and began to proceed into the path of an oncoming semi. The driver of the semi tried to stop and swerved to the right to attempt to avoid a collision, however the driver could not stop. The semi was loaded at the time of the accident.

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