North Judson Town Marshal, Doug Vessely, reports that in the month of January, the Department received 17 citizen assist calls, conducted 35 traffic stops, responded to 6 theft-conversion calls, 3 accidents, 11 juvenile-family disturbance calls and 2 assault calls.
Officers completed 3 battery reports, 4 theft-conversion reports, and 1 alcohol-drug report. In addition, the officers gave 13 ordinance tickets, 11 traffic warnings and made 6 adult arrests.
After announcing his reelection last week, Republican Knox City Court Judge Charles Hasnerl made it official this week when he filed his candidacy in the Starke County Clerk’s office.
Hasnerl has been the Judge of the City Court since 1996 and said in a prepared release that he looks forward to facing the challenge of handling 3,000-4,000 cases a year with new technology. He also praised the establishment of the Starke County Community Corrections organization for giving him sentencing alternatives that he did not have in the past.
A pregnancy resource center will be opening in a few weeks. Susanne Lange, a registered nurse, will be the administrator of the crisis center that has been named Bella Vita, which means beautiful life. If you’re an expectant mother, a site like adatewithbaby.com – a 3D ultrasound provider in Toronto, offers baby gender reveal services for all expecting mothers.
“What we’re going to have what we call crisis counseling,” Lange explained. “When a woman or girl comes in and she’s trying to make a decision, we’ll have trained counselors that she can sit with and talk about her options and make a decision. Our ultimate goal is to save the life of the unborn child”
WKVI Radio began broadcasting in 1969. It’s unusual for a station this size to have two of the original members of the announcing staff still broadcasting. Ted Hayes and Harold Welter were the first voices ever heard on the air in July of 1969. Between them, they have a lot of memories.
How many remember the tag line, “All Roads Lead to Weinberg’s in Toto?”
Weinberg’s was known as one of the first of the great discount stores. Harold Weinberg and his sister Rose could be seen on a daily basis running the store every day except Tuesday, when Harold went to Chicago to shop for merchandise.
The Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office has amended charges against Glen Sommers of Winamac who allegedly wielded a knife to his victim at the victim’s home in Pulaski County on February 4th. Sommers also allegedly stole a guitar from the victim.
Prosecutor Stacey Mrak told WKVI that Sommers is being charged with Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury and Battery with a Deadly Weapon, both felony charges. He is in the Pulaski County jail with a $50,000 bond. Sommers had preliminary charges of Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery.
Sommers’ initial hearing was Monday in Pulaski Circuit Court where a plea of not guilty was given. A pretrial hearing will be held March 31st.
Indiana State Police officials closed southbound Interstate 65 near the Winamac exit Tuesday afternoon in order to investigate a series of crashes that involved seven cars, semitrailers and SUVs.
George G. Kallis, 88, of Knox, caused several accidents on the interstate by driving the wrong way about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Kallis met several vehicles on the interstate and they all swerved to miss Kallis as he traveled northbound in the southbound lanes in I-65. James Denton of Oak Lawn, Illinois was the only injured driver and he was taken to Jasper County Hospital in Rensselaer with neck and back pains. His car was totaled. He had driven his Jeep between two semis and hit one semi’s drive tandems and diesel fuel tanks. This action caused another semi to rear end his vehicle.
The question of when Sysco is breaking ground at the Hamlet site was brought up at the Starke County Commissioners meeting this week. Commission President, Dan Bridegroom, said to Starke County Development Director, Charles Weaver, in a lighthearted way, “I don’t know what to tell people who ask me.”
Bridegroom said he read in last week’s Leader that groundbreaking for the distribution center could be this summer.
Weaver said that he has “no” word that the summer is a consideration for groundbreaking. The last conversation he had with Baugh Midwest Cooperative Inc. is that the project is still viable, but that nothing is going to be done until the economy returns. He said that this added distribution center will cover 12 to 13 states and at the moment with the economy down those states can be serviced through existing centers.
Settling disputes regarding county employee policies in Pulaski County is going to become a lot simpler, thanks to the development of a new personnel policy manual for the county. Paula Reimers of Wagner, Irwin & Sheely appeared before the commissioners to discuss revising the county’s policy handbook. The current handbook, which has not been modified since 1997, may contain current policies that are not compliant with federal standards. The commissioners signed a contract to begin the construction of a new county handbook and policies.
Officers from the Hamlet Police Department arrested Brandon White, of Hamlet, on methamphetamine charges, Friday, February 4th, after conducting a search warrant in the Hamlet Trailer Court.
According to Police Chief Jeremiah Patrick, Hamlet police received a tip concerning drug activity at the Hamlet Trailer Park at lot #15. Officers went to the residence and spoke with the homeowner concerning the tip. Based on information received, officers were granted a search warrant. The search warrant was executed and officers discovered illegal drugs as well as items used to manufacture illegal drugs in the home.
A group is being assembled under the direction of Knox Middle School Principal, Steve Cronk, to preserve the old Jackson Township School. If the school is actually preserved, it would possibly be placed on a slab behind the WKVI building on property owned by the Knox Community School Corporation.
Later this month, Todd Ziker from the Indiana Landmarks Organization will come to Knox to meet with the group Mr. Cronk is organizing to explore the feasibility of moving and remodeling the building, which would turn into a one-room school museum. Jerry Jernas, whose property the building is on, has the old bell that called the students to come in for the start of school and from the playground.
Mr. Cronk, who is retiring at the end of the school year, said this is something he has wanted to do for some time.
The Starke-Pulaski Junior Achievement Organization is gearing up for a night of bowling at Bowlaway Lanes in Knox. This is the first of what is hoped to be an annual fund-raising event, and it will be held Wednesday night, February 23rd.
Each County is organizing teams to bowl.
The Knox Community School Board received bids on January 11th to purchase buses. The Board received two bids – one from International and one from Thomas. The Board members took the bids under consideration and will approve a bid at their next meeting.
Knox Middle School teacher, Amie Flora, was approved to be the school’s representative on the Starke County Library Board.
A Winamac man was arrested, Thursday, February 3rd, on preliminary charges of Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery.
According to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department log, an unidentified male complainant called police to report that Glen Sommers was at his home and allegedly tried to stab him. The victim defended himself and was cut on the underside of his thumb. Sommers left the residence and it took the victim 20 minutes to call police because his phone lines were reportedly cut and he could not call out. Sommers also allegedly stole the complainant’s guitar.
Sommers is currently in the Pulaski County Jail.
Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall, appeared before the County Commissioners Monday. One item on Siddall’s agenda was the number of mailbox complaints he has received. He said well over 100 people have complained about mailbox damage. Siddall said it could not be helped during the snowstorms. Most of the damage was from the heavy snow hitting the boxes. Siddall told the Commissioners that he checked with Marshall County and they do not respond to such calls. It’s basically the homeowner’s responsibility to repair the post and box. INDOT also does not repair or replace mailboxes.
On another topic, Siddall said that there is probably going to be a problem with fences at Bass and Koontz Lakes when they start rolling the snow back. The right of way is 40 to 60 feet, and Siddall said there are a number of fences that will probably be damaged because they’re too close.
“In our right-of-ways, yes we are encroaching on people’s yards, but we still own that right-of-way,” explained Siddall. “Where we’re having the biggest trouble or concern is at Bass Lake and Koontz Lake where we can’t stack it any higher and I informed the Commissioners that we might be coming through there with a grader. What we do is what we call benching. If there’s two feet of snow, we may roll a foot of that back so when the snow plow truck comes back through in another big snow event, we have room to put it. Otherwise, it just keeps piling up and we have nowhere to go with it. Another concern was fences or trinkets left in people’s yards that we can’t see. I told the Commissioners that we weren’t going in with a bulldozer and trying to clear property, we were trying not to damage anything.”
Newsman Ted Hayes complimented Siddall on the performance of the highway crew over the winter storm, and he also praised his staff.
“I feel the guys did an excellent job,” replied Siddall. “We have an excellent crew out at the County Highway and I want to give them thanks. I know Scott and Sue and everybody that works out there that are in the offices that weren’t out there battling the elements did a great job. The guys did a wonderful job.”
Mark Smith for Knox Mayor. That was news a couple of weeks ago when Mark Smith, local funeral home operator, signed to run in the Democrat Primary against Rick Chambers.
Yesterday WKVI got a chance to talk with Smith about why he was running.
“I’ve had an interest in the Mayor’s office in Knox for the past two or three elections,” stated Smith. “Two elections ago I had committed to the Democrat Central Committee that if Oscar Cowen were elected as Sheriff, that would vacate two years worth of his seat on the County Council and I committed to that seat and I did not want to go back on my word.”
The West Central Technical Review Committee met prior to the School Board’s work session Thursday to review the wind turbine construction proposal, as well as the price proposal presented by Performance Services.
The West Central School Board is looking to erect one wind turbine on the FFA plot on the school grounds. One turbine will power the entire school and there would be some power left over to sell.
No commitment has been make at this time. Further information is needed from Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) before any contractual agreement can be reached. If an affirmative agreement can be reached in March, it is very possible that the wind turbine can be in operation in November of 2011.
The Knox Community School Board discussed technology at its meeting Monday night.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Peggy Shidaker, explained to the Board that the current generation of students is all about technology. Schools are turning into a digital learning environment. Students use electronic devices and computers on a daily basis and it is becoming apparent that all students need to have their own computer to use throughout their school career. In the future, it appears that students will be tested on technology knowledge in addition to English and Math on standardized testing.
The Board is looking toward the goal of furnishing each student grades 6-12 with their own computer to use at all times. A team will be assembled to attend a meeting in March with Apple technicians to gain more information on the process and cost of equipping the Middle and High Schools with 1,100 computers for student use. The Board realizes that this is the future of education.
Director of Technology, Jim Landrum, told the Board that the school has the infrastructure capable of supporting this transition. The High School is completely wireless and the Middle School will be wireless before the start of the new school year.
In actions before the Starke County Commissioners Monday, they approved the lease for office space for Community Corrections.
The Commissioners tabled a request by Ed Truty to have his medical leave extended from February 27th to April 30th. This request was based on his doctor’s recommendation. Truty fell at home and broke his leg. Since no one was at the meeting to comment and answer questions on the request it was tabled to the February 21st meeting.
The West Central School Board held a work session, Thursday, where the Board decided to focus on repairs and improvements with no new construction in the near future.
For the sixth time in seven years, the North Judson-San Pierre Academic Decathlon team has qualified for the State Finals in the Small School Division. The NJ-SP competitors scored 25,314.9 points, earning the Blue Jays a 10th place finish in State rankings and the last qualifying spot. The team will compete in the State Finals on Friday and Saturday, February 11th and 12th, at Purdue University in West Lafayette.
