Community Services of Starke County to Increase Transportation Fares

Posted on Author WKVI
Community Services of Starke County
Community Services of Starke County

Community Services of Starke County is announcing a fare increase for transportation beginning July 1st.

“The reason why we had to do an increase is because of the cost of gasoline,” said Director Joan Haugh. “We put this off and we’re not seeing a break. We’re already six months into this year and we’ve almost spent as much as we did last year. With that cost increasing, we felt that we had to do something so we are increasing as of July 1st. The people that we’ve already told are regular riders and they’ve been asking us for some time when we are going to be raising our rates. How can we afford not to? I think they understand but I just wanted to let the public know too that there is a slight increase.”

Continue reading →

Gas Price Forum Held in LaPorte

Posted on Author WKVI
Senator Jim Arnold talks with a constituent following the forum

Over 75 people attended a meeting to address gasoline pricing in LaPorte last night. The meeting was arranged by State Senator Jim Arnold (D-LaPorte) and State Representative Tom Dermody (R-LaPorte).

Presenters were Scot Imus, Executive Director of the Indiana Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, and Maureen Hellman-Ferguson, Executive Director of the Indiana Petroleum Council.

Continue reading →

Pulaski Memorial to Sign Agreement with Private Ambulance Firm

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski Memorial Hospital

For the Pulaski Memorial Hospital, some decisions could mean the difference between life and death. When CEO Rick Mynark approached the commissioners this week, he knew that his proposal could mean the very same for patients at the hospital. Mynark informed the commissioners that PMH would be signing an agreement with Keeney Ambulance and Transport Service (KATS), a private ambulance firm, to provide patient transfer service, cutting down drastically on the time required for patient transfers.

Continue reading →

Ritenour, Jr. Sentence Upheld by Indiana Court of Appeals

Posted on Author WKVI
James Ritenour, Jr.

James Ritenour, Jr. recently appealed his Starke Circuit Court conviction of eight-years for Attempted Battery, a Class C Felony to the Indiana Court of Appeals. Ritenour, Jr. questioned whether sufficient evidence supports his conviction, and he also claims his eight-year sentence for the charge is inappropriate in light of his character and the nature of the offense. Ritenour, Jr. was sentenced to the maximum sentence of eight years, and he requests that his sentence be revised down to the usual term of four years. He also argues that the lack of ballistics tests and conflicting testimony would require a reweighing of the evidence, but the State disagrees.

Continue reading →

Knox School Board Anticipates Contract Agreement with Knox Federation of Teachers

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 has set a tentative meeting with the Knox Federation of Teachers on Monday, June 27th, at 4:00 p.m. CT. Superintendent A.J. Gappa said the Board hopes to approve the ratification of the teacher’s contract during this meeting.

“We came to a conclusion of agreement and we’re trying to beat the July 1st deadline where many new laws take effect and it’s going to effect how schools can operate,” said Gappa. “At this point in time, we’ve come to an agreement and we hope to ratify on June 27th.”

Continue reading →

Pulaski County Relay for Life this Weekend

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Relay for Life will be Friday and Saturday, June 24th and 25th at the West Central High School. Opening ceremonies begin Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET and the closing ceremonies will be Saturday morning at 6:00 a.m. ET. The theme this year is “Rock around the Clock” and those attending will be dressed in 1950s and 1960s attire. Event Chair, Stephanie Parish, says there are many activities planned during the event.

Continue reading →

Phil Shabi Named Head Boys Basketball Coach at North Judson-San Pierre

Posted on Author WKVI

North Judson-San Pierre High School’s athletic department is pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Phil Shabi as its new basketball coach. He is a 1996 graduate of Wheeler High School and 2001 graduate of Purdue University. Last season, Shabi served as assistant boys basketball coach at Canyon Springs, Nevada High School which captured the 2011 Class 4A State Championship. From 2006-2010, he was head boys basketball coach at Clark, Nevada High School. Prior to that, Shabi was Director of Physical Education and Athletics as well as the head boys basketball coach at Unity Middle School, in Delray Beach, Florida.

Mr. Shabi will serve as a Health and P.E. teacher at the North Judson-San Pierre Middle School.

Starke County Commissioners Fail to Approve Dog Kennel Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Commissioners ( L to R ) Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom, Jennifer Davis

Starke County Commission President, Dan Bridegroom, said that the County might be back to square one this week after a dog kennel ordinance failed to gain approval for the third time.

Over 60 dog owners crowded into the County Annex building Monday night to disagree with many aspects of the proposed ordinance that was being presented by Administrator/Building Inspector, Bruce Williams.

After an hour of discussion and comments from the audience, the Commissioners, on a motion by Kathy Norem and seconded by Jennifer Davis, voted to deny the ordinance as presented, and sent it back to the Plan Commission.

Continue reading →

Starke County Library Board Seeks $2 Million for Renovation and Expansion

Posted on Author WKVI
Curt Pletcher and Ellen Dodge

The Starke County Library Board asked the Starke County Council this week for permission to enter into a bond issue for $2 million to renovate and expand the Henry F. Schricker Library in Knox.

“We’ve had several focus groups and at each one of the meetings, the two main things that came up were more room for the children and meeting rooms,” said Library Director, Ellen Dodge. “Those are our two key points.”

Continue reading →

Server Crash Causes Pulaski County Recorder’s Office to Seek New Software

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

Pulaski County Recorder Lynn Wilder received approval from the Commissioners to get quotes on a new recording system for her office because of issues with the current software. Wilder explained that a server crash completely disabled their main server, which provides service to many of the county offices. A temporary server has been in use since the crash, but this server is newer than the software on the computers accessing it, causing the recorder’s office to experience various issues in the service.

Continue reading →

Knox Community School Board Approves Student Handbook Changes

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 approved student handbook changes at all building levels at their meeting Monday night.

Elementary Principal, Glenn Barnes, requested that the handbook reflect changes for telephone use by the students. Beginning in August, students may have cell phones with the restriction that they are kept in backpacks during class time and on bus rides.
Also, students who ride the bus on longer bus routes will now be able to use electronic devices while riding to and from school.

Continue reading →

Starke United Golf Outing Set for Friday

Posted on Author WKVI

The annual Starke United Golf Tournament is Friday, and you can still reserve a space. Executive Director, Julie Dessauer, said yesterday that Kersting’s Cycle Center is the hole-in-one sponsor. Hit that hole-in-one and ride off on a motorcycle. Also win a $500 VISA Card, golf clubs, or T.V.

Call 772-7506 for more information. The tournament is at the Chesapeake Run Golf Course in North Judson.

Child Passenger Safety Certification Course Begins Today

Posted on Author WKVI

A Child Passenger Safety Certification Course at IU Health Starke Hospital begins today at 1:00 p.m. CT. The class is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Riley Hospital for Children. Police officers, firefighters, healthcare providers and other interested individuals from the area are invited to participate in this 32 hour course.

The classes go through Saturday June 25th. Upon completion of the course, newly certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will assist with a free car seat check up event Saturday in the I.U. Health Starke Hospital parking area.

Continue reading →

Pulaski County Recycling Center Seeks Grant Money for Repairs

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

Ed Clark of the Pulaski County Recycling Center approached the county commissioners yesterday, seeking approval of a $20,000 grant for the recycling center. The grant, which is actually the second installment of a $40,000 grant that is received each year, can be transferred to the recycling center at the discretion of the commissioners and the recycling center manager. The other half goes to fuel, tire repairs and other expenses. Clark said that there are several problems that the recycling center needs to fix, and the $20,000 would go to repairing these issues.

Continue reading →

Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Accidental Shooting

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department was called to an accidental shooting on Sunday, June 19th.

Robert Avery, of Winamac, told police that he saw a chipmunk on a woodpile they have by the house and decided he was going to shoot at it. According to police, his girlfriend, Dawn Vanaman, knew he was going to shoot at it but she was trying to keep her kitten from running into the line of fire and instead, Dawn got into the line of fire. Avery reportedly told police that parts of the projectile shot from a rifle hit Dawn in the neck area. Vanaman was airlifted to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne. Vanaman told police that the shooting was an accident. Avery was reportedly drinking the day of the incident.

The reporting officer forwarded the case to the Detective’s Division for further review.