Initial Hearings Held in Starke Circuit Court

Accused of firing a gun in the Wythogan Park in Knox, Dustin Spencer was present for his initial hearing in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday. Spencer pleaded not guilty to the charges against him: Criminal Recklessness as both Class C and Class D felonies.

Spencer requested a court-appointed attorney and was granted Attorney Timothy Lemon. These charges stem from an incident on April 10th in which police say Spencer fired a gun in the park with several bystanders, including juveniles playing on a baseball diamond, and he also allegedly fired the gun toward an occupied dwelling.

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North Judson Town Board Discusses Highland Cemetery

North Judson Town Board

The Highland Cemetery was discussed once again at the recent meeting of the North Judson Town Board. The board discussed the possibility of adding an additional entrance to the cemetery, but it was mentioned that a second entrance already exists on County Road 300. That entrance has not been used in a very long time, and it has become overgrown and is in a state of disrepair. The board is looking into what expenses they can expect to get the entrance re-opened and cleaned up.

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North Judson-San Pierre School Board Learns IREAD Results

North Judson-San Pierre High School

The North Judson-San Pierre School Board got an update on how the third grade students performed on the state mandated IREAD test. This is a new test and if the students do not pass the test the first time, they will have a second chance in the summer. If the student cannot pass the test the second time, the child will be held back to retake the third grade reading class.

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Knox Mayor Names New Water Superintendent

Knox Mayor Rick Chambers has announced the employment of a new Water Superintendent for the city. Todd Gardner has been chosen and he has been the maintenance man for the LaVille School for the past five years and before that he was employed in the Maintenance Department at Ancilla College. He replaces Gordon Burger who has retired from the position. He has all of the proper licenses.

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Starke United Annual Meeting Scheduled for Tonight

Starke United

The Starke United Annual Meeting will be held this evening at the Community Services of Starke County building. The event is being sponsored by IU Health Starke Hospital.

Executive Director Julie Dessauer will give a review of 2011, including a report of the campaign total. Testimonials will be given by Rhonda Adcock of CASA and Barbara Miller of Community Services. An announcement of distribution will also be made.

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Starke County Students to See Shakespeare Play

Seventh and eighth grade students from Knox, North Judson-San Pierre and Oregon-Davis will be attending professional Shakespeare play today at the North Judson-San Pierre High School Auditorium.

Tri Kappa gave the schools a grant for $4,105 in order to have the Navy Pier traveling Shakespeare group perform “Taming of the Shrew” at the North Judson-San Pierre Auditorium. 465 students will be able to see how the Shakespeare plays are presented and learn more about Shakespeare and the era while attending this event.

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Starke County Officials Discuss the Money Value of IU Health Starke Hospital

How much is IU Health Starke Hospital really worth?

Starke County officials have agreed to hold a hearing on May 14th to consider adding an addendum to the Save the Hospital document to help answer that question. By adding an addendum to the ordinance, the officials would be able to dip into the fund to finance the hiring of a consultant firm that would place a value figure on the hospital, equipment and more.

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Vast Majority of O-D Elementary Students Pass IREAD 3 Test

The IREAD 3 results are in, and Oregon-Davis Elementary Principal William Bennett has announced some good news: 97.5 percent of Oregon-Davis Elementary students passed the test. The 2.5 percent of students that did not pass the test will be given extra instruction, and will have one chance to retake the test this summer. If they fail the test a second time, they will be required to receive reading instruction at the third-grade level for the 2012-2013 school year.

Bennett says he is extremely proud of all the third-grade students, parents, and staff, for “making sure students have the essential skills to become lifelong readers.” He credits early Title 1 reading interventions, full-day kindergarten, parental support, and the school’s dedication to the 90-minute reading block as key factors that led to this great success on the IREAD 3 test.

Knox City Police Arrest Man for Alleged Theft, Another Involved Hit by Vehicle

Casan Bogan

A Valparaiso man was arrested after a theft incident at Sabre Manufacturing in Knox on April 9th.

Knox City Police responded to Sabre Manufacturing after a call came in about a suspicious vehicle. When police arrived on scene, two forklifts were parked next to the vehicle. According to police, the vehicle’s back glass window was open and wire was hanging out of the back. The employees said they blocked the vehicle in so it couldn’t leave. The employees reportedly told police that they saw a man, later identified as Michael Bundy, Jr., and Bundy reportedly said to the employees that he was intoxicated and he did something bad. He then left he area on State Road 8. After an investigation, it was learned that the wire in the vehicle was stolen from the factory. The vehicle that had the wire in it returned to a relative of Bundy Jr.’s. The employees said that Casan Bogan, Bundy, Jr.’s cousin and a janitor at Sabre, was also seen in the area where the wire was taken. Both had reportedly been drinking earlier in the evening.

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Plymouth Police Arrest Man Twice in One Day

The Marshall County Jail staff booked in the same person twice in one day.

On Monday, Plymouth police were called to Dollar Tree after a caller reported seeing a man, later identified as 39-year-old Seth Enders, of Plymouth, going through a car and removing items. The officer found Enders and after a pat-down search, found drug and paraphernalia in his possession. He was booked into the Marshall County Jail on preliminary charges of Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substances and Possession of Marijuana. His bond was set at $3,000.

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North Judson Police Investigate Scam

The North Judson Police Department recently investigated another scam going around the area.

Police say a resident on Lincoln Avenue received what appeared to be a legitimate check in the mail for around $3,800 from a nationally-known insurance company. The person was asked to deposit the check and wire $1,900 back to the company to receive the remainder of the money. This is a scam. If you deposit the check and wire the money, the check will bounce and your money will already be claimed by the scammer.

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Starke County Environmental Assessment Bills to be Sent this Week

The staff at the Starke County Environmental Management office will be sending out Envrionmental Assessment bills by the end of this week.

The estimated $20 fee is the state’s effort to reduce waste to landfills. It also allows recycling sites in the county and the fee helps provide the county-wide Environment Day. This year’s Environment Day event is scheduled for June 15th and 16th. More information on that event will be released at a later date.

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Space Shuttle Discovery Takes Final Flight

Space shuttle Discovery

The space shuttle Discovery completed its final flight yesterday and now it will be grounded as a museum relic. The Discovery took several victory laps above the Capital.

Second District Congressman Joe Donnelly described the thrill of watching Discovery as it took the victory laps around the White House, the Capital and Washington Monument.

“It was amazing to see,” said Donnelly. “It was sitting atop a 747 and it flew right over the Capital. As I saw it, it put a chill down my spine.”

The shuttle left at daybreak Tuesday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and three hours later made its final flight around Washington, D.C.

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Alice Kay, Wife of First Knox Mayor Glen Kay, Passes away at Age 101

Alice Kay

The wife of the first mayor of the City of Knox, Alice Kay, passed away Tuesday at the age of 101. She had lived for many years at the Catherine Kasper Home in Donaldson. She would have been 102 on May 8th.

“She was just a wisp of a lady, but her personality was that of a person twice her size,” stated Ted Hayes. “Alice Kay was devoted to her husband Glen, daughter Judy, grandson Dirk, son-in-law Herb, St. Aquinas Catholic Church and her many friends. She was a partner with her husband in Glen Kay Clothing and Shoes which was located in the building that now houses Fingerhut Bakery in Knox.”

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Frozen Entrees Recalled Due to Mislabeling

A South Carolina firm has issued a recall for frozen entrees due to a mislabeling and because it contains an undeclared allergen.

Nestle Prepared Foods Company is recalling roughly 16,890 pounds of Stouffer’s lasagna frozen entrees that may contain stuffed peppers with Worcestershire Sauce made with anchovies, a known allergen that is not declared on the lasagna labels. Subject to recall are the 19 1/8-oz. Cartons of “Stouffer’s Lasagna Italiano,” with a best before date of “Jan. 2014,” and shipping cases of “Stouffers DS STFD Peppers,” each containing 12 cartons that may be labeled with “Stouffer’s Lasagna Italiano.”

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