Knox Community School Board Approves Band Trip

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox Band Director, Craige Phipps, requested permission from the School Board for a band trip in 2013. Superintendent A.J. Gappa talks about the proposed trip.

“The band would like to take a trip to Orlando, Florida, to visit all of the Disney World theme parks,” said Gappa. “They will do performances at different times, both marching and on-stage performances. It looks like an educational and fun trip combined. The Board did give permission for the music department to take that trip so they can start making arrangements and start saving up their money.”

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Republicans Looking for Super Majority in Indiana Government

Posted on Author WKVI
Mike Pence

The state Democrat Party is in danger of losing even more seats in the 2012 General Election. Twelve Democrats have announced that they will not be running for the offices they hold now. One of them is Democrat Nancy Dembowski, of Knox.

According to the most recent Howey Political Report, the Republicans only need to pick up seven seats to have a Super Majority in the House. They already have a Super Majority in the Senate. Howey even said Republicans could end up with 70 of the 100 House seats.

With Congressman Mike Pence emerging as a very strong Gubernatorial candidate, the Republicans could be in the enviable position of having a clear path to whatever they want to enact in the next session of the legislature.

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Week in Review for February 20th-24th, 2012

Posted on Author WKVI

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

Robert Singleton, Samuel Singleton, Amber Rose and Matthew Baker were arrested on Friday after officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Knox City Police Department executed an arrest warrant at 415 N. State Road 23 in Knox.

Bridge #62, #9 and #51 that are now closed in Starke County are expected to see repairs early this spring and summer. 19 bridges are on a priority schedule in the county. Continue reading →

Suspect Shot by Police after Pursuit

Posted on Author WKVI
Police surround Albright's vehicle after he stopped and fled on foot

A Plymouth man is dead after a police pursuit in Marshall County.

Last night around 8:30 p.m. ET, an officer with the Argos Police Department attempted a traffic stop in the area of Michigan Road, north of Argos, and the driver did not stop. The officer was attempting to pull over the truck after the driver committed a traffic infraction. The officer pursued the truck, driven by Mark Albright, 62, of Plymouth.

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Starke County Sheriff Sues Merit Board

Posted on Author WKVI
Sheriff Cowen (R) discusses the lawsuit against the Merit Board with the Starke County Council

A feud between Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen and Merit Board President Ken Arnett has spilled over into a public squabble. Ken Arnett came before the Starke County Council Monday night requesting funds to fight a suit brought by the sheriff against the Merit Board.

“I’m here requesting funding for attorneys fees for the Merit Board,” said Arnett. “As I’m sure you’ve probably know, a suit has been filed against the Merit Board.”

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Equipment Problems Plaque Pulaski County Recycling Transfer Station

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

More trouble has found its way to the Pulaski County Recycling Transfer Station. Recycling Center Director Ed Clark told the Pulaski County Commissioners that the transfer station’s blade has rusted out with an estimated replacement cost of $4,000. At the same time, cylinders from their equipment have begun leaking oil, and Clark says that these cylinders need repaired immediately. A company has been hired to fix the equipment, but they have received no estimate on the repair.

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Two Arrested in Knox on Theft Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

Two residents were recently arrested by Knox City Police officers after the pair allegedly stole items from four different stores in Knox.

On Saturday, February 18th, Hiram Noble called police to report his cell phone was stolen and gave the names of Jeffery Levi Knoebel and Jeremiah Johnson as suspects. The next day, police received a call from an employee at the Next Door Food Store that Knoebel and Johnson just left the establishment without paying for items. Police caught up with them at Dollar General in downtown Knox.

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Central Time Zone Talk Stalls in Legislature

Posted on Author WKVI

The latest push to move all of Indiana to the Central time zone has stalled after lawmakers decided not to vote on the measure, effectively killing the issue until next year.

The House Transportation Committee discussed a resolution this week that would have urged the federal government to hold hearings on switching the entire state from Eastern time to Central time. Members of the Central Time Coalition argued that moving the state to Central time would help businesses that deal with Chicago and the West Coast.

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Knox School Board Discusses J.E.S.S.E. Reorganization

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board members discussed the J.E.S.S.E. reorganization at their meeting Monday night.

Superintendent A.J. Gappa explains the reasoning behind the reorganization of the special education cooperative.

“Some people thinks it’s to save money, but that’s not the case,” said Gappa. “It’s for the best interest of the students. We wanted students to travel less so we’ve tried to keep the students in their home schools as much as possible. If they do have to go to a different site, then we will make that travel as little as possible.”

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North Judson-San Pierre Senior Named National Merit Scholar

Posted on Author WKVI
John Eckert

North Judson-San Pierre High School Senior, John Eckert, has been named a 2012 National Merit Finalist. He talks about the program and how one is chosen as a National Merit Finalist.

“It’s a nationally sponsored program that gives scholarship money and recognition to top students around the country,” explained Eckert. “To become a semi-finalist, they look at your PSAT and SAT scores and if you do well there and you’re named a semi-finalist then you’re required to submit an application and an essay, basically like a college application. Then they take a look at all of the semi-finalists and they choose four or five thousand from around the country and they’re recognized as some of the top students in America in their graduating class.”

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From the WKVI Archives

Posted on Author WKVI
Glen Kay and Mike Gurrado

Knox’s first Mayor was Republican Glen Kay in 1955. Coming to Knox from Elgin, Ill., Kay worked first at the Ben Franklin store, eventually opening a Studebaker Dealership and then a clothing and shoe store named Glen Kay Clothing and Shoes. The store was in the building that now houses Fingerhut Bakery.

On this date 36 years ago, Glen Kay passed away of a heart attack. He was 62 years old.

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North Judson-San Pierre Academic Decathlon Team Finishes Sixth at State

Posted on Author WKVI
Academic Decathlon Medalists: Jacob Kieszkowski, Allyssa Thompson and Jonathon Hileman

The North Judson-San Pierre Academic Decathlon team earned seven medals and finished in 6th place at the State Academic Decathlon held on Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11 at Purdue University in West Lafayette.

On Friday evening, competitors wrote essays, underwent interviews, and presented prepared and impromptu speeches. Allyssa Thompson earned a gold medal in Essay and she and Jacob Kieszkowski earned bronze medals in Interview.

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Winter Storm Watch in Effect for Listening Area

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke, LaPorte and Marshall counties, along with other counties in Northwest Indiana, are under a Winter Storm Watch from 6:00 p.m. CT tonight through Friday morning.

A mixture of rain and snow is expected to develop this afternoon. Little or no snow accumulation is expected this afternoon, but precipitation will become more widespread this evening and will likely be in the form of a rain/snow mix before becoming all snow late this evening into the overnight hours. The snow may be heavy at times before gradually tapering off Friday morning. Heavy, wet snow may fall at rates greater than an inch per hour tonight resulting in slippery and potentially hazardous travel conditions.

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Jennie Carter Remains as Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County Coalition Coordinator

Posted on Author WKVI
Jennie Carter

The Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County Board voted 8-2 yesterday to have Jennie Carter remain as its Coalition Coordinator at least until an audit of the organization is completed. Two of the board members, Leo Smith and Clint Norem, voted no and Smith said he felt Carter should be suspended until the audit is received to show the community that the organization was transparent.

Another member, Diane Koenig, who made the motion, said she was of the opinion that because of the Double Dare event coming up, Carter was needed to plan and coordinate the activities.

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Starke County Council Freezes Drug and Tobacco Free Funds, Innkeepers Tax

Posted on Author WKVI
The Starke County Council discusses the issue of misappropriated funds

The recent revelation of misappropriated money from Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County and Starke County Tourism has caused embarrassment to members of several interlocking boards, and consternation on the part of county government officials. Those government officials expressed anger and frustration at this week’s Starke County Council meeting.

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Charges Filed Against Six in Pulaski County for Theft

Posted on Author WKVI

After a month of investigating into the scrap metal theft mystery in Pulaski, White, and Jasper counties, felony charges have been filed against six different people.

The thieves have allegedly stolen farm and semi tractors, farm implements, irrigation pump parts, and many other items – all adding up to tens of thousands of dollars being stolen. Pulaski County Detectives Dave Walters and Scott Taylor figured out that the stolen items had ended up in scrap yards. Since scrap yards are required to keep records of where and who their metals come from, they were able to easily find out who the perpetrators were.

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North Judson Town Board Discusses Increasing Number of Board Members

Posted on Author WKVI
Front Row: Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry, Board members Tim Cummins, Wendy Hoppe and Jane Ellen Felchuk, and Attorney Cassandra Hine. Back Row: Town Marshal Doug Vessely, Fire Chief Joe Leszek and Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann. Photo by Town Photographer Peggy Bohac

The North Judson Town Board discussed increasing the number of members on the Board to five.

Town Board member, Tim Cummins, recently met with a representative from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns and he has agreed to meet with the Board to explore the option. A public meeting will be held to discuss the procedure which includes meeting with the Starke County Election Board to include a referendum in an election year to give the voters a chance to determine the future of the Board.

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Knox Community School Board Updated on Situation at Door #7

Posted on Author WKVI
Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board members received an update from the facility study committee at their meeting this week. Superintendent A.J. Gappa said a report was given on the current situation at the Palmer Wing of the Elementary School.

“Most recently, we had a problem with the entrance with Door #7 so we had to reroute the walkers and the drop-off students both morning and afternoon. The problem was we had a cement slab that was in the doorway as you come through the foyer give way. That slab sits above a tunnel that was there for the purpose of carrying water pipes, heating ducts and other items like that throughout the building and to have access to those. We had a structural engineer look at the situation and give an update to the board and basically we’re going to have to have some people come in and fix that problem before it gets any worse,” said Gappa.

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