Culver Community Students to Receive iPads Next Year

Posted on Author WKVI
Culver Community School Board
Culver Community School Board Members (from left, clockwise): Jack Jones, Ryan Seiber, Marilyn Swanson, Brad Schuldt, Eugene Baker, Jim Wentzel, Ed Behnke, Ken VanDePutte

With the use of technology in public schools on a quickly increasing trend, Culver Community School Board has approved a lease with Apple, Inc. to provide iPads for all high school and middle school students. Culver Community Schools will be spearheading what they’ve called the “One-to-One Technology Initiative,” which gives students the equipment and opportunities to “learn by doing.” Students would be able to bring these devices home at the end of the day, but they would be returned to the school at the end of the school year.

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Services for Andy Howes Set for August

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes

Services will be held in Starke County in August for Chief Warrant Officer, Andy Howes. Although complete details are not available at this time, it is known that services will be August 2nd and that his remains will be taken on to his final resting place, Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. Those services will be held August 5th. Howes’ partial remains have been in U.S. possession since 1988. They were identified through DNA samples.

Originally, plans were set for 2012 but were moved up to August of this year.

Howes was on a mission in November of 1970 when his helicopter failed to return to base.  He was a Knox High School graduate.

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Officials from Starke, Pulaski Counties Participate in Earthquake Exercise

Posted on Author WKVI

The largest ever Indiana exercise and the first ever national level exercise designed around a natural disaster was held last week. Starke County EMA Director, Ted Bombagetti and Pulaski County Chief Deputy Sheriff, Ron Patrick, who is the District Two Task Force Commander for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, were involved in the exercise that took place at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center. Pulaski County Sheriff, Michael Gayer, attended the training and he talks about the training center in Jennings County:

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Five Star to Display Historical Starke County Pictures

Posted on Author WKVI
A worker puts up the first historical Starke County picture at Five Star

The Five Star store in the Knox Mall is going to house 40 to 50 four by six foot pictures depicting Starke County’s history. The first picture went up yesterday and Jim Shilling was there to describe the scene.

“We’re putting up the first picture above some of the produce on the northeast corner of the store,” said Shilling. “It’s a picture of the Charles Windisch store that was in Starke County about 100 years ago. If you look closely to the left, that’s Charles Windisch and if you look in the back, you’ll see the cooler. That’s not a cooler like you think of now. That storage above it is filled with two or three hundred pounds of ice and that’s the cooler. He butchered his own meat, it was always fresh and it was quite a grocery store. On the bottom right, you can almost pick out a Red Delicious apple.”

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Former Owner of Gutwein Seed Company Dies at the Age of 92

Posted on Author WKVI
Harvey F. Gutwein

The former owner of Gutwein Seed Company in Francesville has passed away at the age of 92. Harvey Gutwein passed away Sunday in the Jasper County Hospital in Rensselaer. Mr. Gutwein said before he passed that his pleasures were simple: flying his plane, picking citrus in Florida, and spending time with his family.

Spending time with his family could have been a full time job as Mr. Gutwein had 5 living sons, 5 living daughters, his wife, 4 living sisters, 1 living brother, 31 grandchildren, 55 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren.

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Assistance for Employees Affected by La Porte Hospital Reducation in Staffing

Posted on Author WKVI

There will be a special information session today for Indiana University Health LaPorte Hospital employees affected by the recent reduction in force at the WorkOne office in LaPorte. The session will introduce you to the many transition services available through the WorkOne system.

WorkOne services, including assessment such as Work Keys; free workshops; e-learning and training opportunities; labor market information and job search assistance through Indiana Career Connect; and information on unemployment insurance will be featured. Today’s information session will be offered at four different times at the LaPorte WorkOne office from 8:30-10:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. to Noon, 1:00-2:30 p.m. and 2:30-4:00 p.m. CT.

If you are interested in attending one of these sessions and would like to reserve a spot, call Shelley Cottrell at (219) 362-2175 ext. 258.

Fifth Grade Choir Spotlighted during Knox Community School Board Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI
Maria Hasnerl, Chastity Reed and Riley Hart were only three members of the choir who appeared at the School Board meeting to receive certificates

Elementary Principal, Glenn Barnes, brought in members of the fifth grade choir to be recognized during last week’s Knox Community School Board meeting.

“He brought in some of the the fifth grade choir to receive certificates and the Board got to see a video that Miss Guzman and the choir students put together where they sang three of the songs that they have been practicing,” said Superintendent A.J. Gappa.  “Keep in mind that the fifth grade choir is not a requirement and it’s not all the fifth graders. It’s a volunteer group that came in early in the morning one day a week for the last semester on their own time to practice and pick out songs. They did a nice job singing on the video they presented to the Board.”

Graduation Services Scheduled for June 3rd for Three Starke County Schools

Posted on Author WKVI
Top Ten (L to R) Darienne Griffith, Hayley Windbigler, Katelyn Peters, Kaitlyn Betz, Tiffany Friedlund, Tabitha Tepes, Elisabeth Caudill, Brittany Shannon, Carole Surfus and Heather Rogers

The Knox Community High School Seniors will graduate on Friday, June 3rd, at 7:00 p.m. CT in the Weinberg Gymnasium. The Valedictorian for this graduating class is Darienne Griffith. The Salutatorian is Hayley Windbigler. The rest of the top ten students in the class include: Katelyn Peters, Kaitlyn Betz, Tiffany Friedlund, Tabitha Tepes, Elisabeth Caudill, Brittany Shannon, Carole Surfus, and Heather Rogers. Continue reading →

Airport Association Board Public Hearing Not Quite What Was Expected

Posted on Author WKVI

Many of the individuals who attended last night’s public hearing regarding the Pulaski County Airport Expansion Project were a bit surprised. Most of the people expected a more direct form of a question and answer session, but were instead greeted with a court stenographer to whom they could address their questions, or a “question box” in which to drop their query. Various information displays on whiteboards were propped up throughout the snow removal building for people to glean information from, along with several tables with plans, layouts, and other displays set out. Individuals were free to roam the snow removal building to examine all the information.

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Starke County Sheriff’s Department Receives Transfer for Pension Fund

Posted on Author WKVI
Sheriff Oscar Cowen
Sheriff Oscar Cowen

The pension fund for the Starke County Sheriff’s Department has received its necessary fund transfer, thanks to Sheriff Oscar Cowen and the County Council. At their joint meeting with the Commissioners, Cowen asked for $108,514.32 to be transferred to the Sheriff’s Pension Fund. This transfer has been requested annually for several years.

“We call it the riverboat money. It comes in, it goes into an account. The only way it can come out of that account is the sheriff has to ask for it. And if the sheriff doesn’t ask for it, it can’t be taken out,” said Commissioner Dan Bridegroom.

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Pulaski County EMS Requests Funds for New Ambulance

Posted on Author WKVI

A new ambulance may be en route to the Pulaski County EMS. Jason Rogers of the EMS told the Commissioners that they’ve been having a large amount of ambulance problems: One of their trucks has broken down and needs a new fuel injection system for the third time, another truck also needs repaired, and a third truck is unable to be used because the state no longer commissions it.

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Man Arrested after Threatening Starke County Woman with Knife

Posted on Author WKVI
Tony A. Glover

Tony A. Glover, of Nappanee, Indiana, was arrested by officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday, May 17th after he allegedly placed a knife against the throat of a Knox woman and threatened to harm her.

According to the police report, three witnesses told police that Glover had placed a knife against the victim’s throat and threatened her. Glover was in possession of knife at the time police questioned him about the incident. He told police that he never threatened the victim or the witnesses.

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North Judson Town Board Approves Bid Ordinance, Sewer Separation Bid Deadline Extended

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board approved the final reading on an ordinance that establishes the requirements for responsible and responsive bidders that bid on a town project. The Board is required to accept the lowest bid received. Under this ordinance, if the Town Board members receive a low bid on a project and the lowest bidder is found to not be the best company for the job and it can be documented, the Town would have the right to accept the next lowest bid.

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Starke County Election Board Reviews Spring Primary Election

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Election Board: Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski, Brenda Stanojevic and Kenny Wallace (sitting) Pat Mitchell and Jim Henriott

The Starke County Election Board met yesterday in its first meeting since the Spring Primary Election where the Board members discussed the election.

Board President, Pat Mitchell, was asked if he thought the first election with the consolidation of the four Center Township precincts was a success.

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Starke County Law Enforcement to Participate in Operation Pull Over Blitz

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Hamlet Police Department, Knox City Police Department and the North Judson Police Department will be participating in an Operation Pull Over Blitz that begins today and goes through June 5th. Officers will be on extra patrols to conduct a campaign on seat belt safety.

This enforcement period is designed to save lives and the officers encourage all occupants in a vehicle to wear their seat belts. Anyone not wearing their seat belt when stopped by police will receive a ticket. 250 other police agencies throughout the state will be focusing on this seat belt enforcement. Officers will also be watching for drivers who follow too closely, make unsafe lane changes, drive aggressively, fail to properly restrain children in child seats, and operate a vehicle while impaired.