INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation is aware of a tolling-related text message or “smishing” scam targeting Hoosiers statewide.
False messages appearing to come from INDOT or tolling service providers alert recipients of a “final notice” regarding unpaid tolls and mention additional fines, late fees, suspension of vehicle registration, vehicle impoundment, and further legal action, in addition to a link for payment. “INDOT does not and will not notify drivers of unpaid tolls via text message,” said INDOT Strategic Communications Director Natalie Garrett. “We urge members of the public to exercise extreme caution before opening suspicious links. The best thing to do is delete these messages.” Various “smishing” scams have been ongoing since the spring of 2024. The FBI issued a warning on April 12, 2024, citing over 2,000 complaints of false text messages representing toll collection services. The agency encourages victims of fraudulent messages to report them to its Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and to delete the texts.
STARKE COUNTY – On March 23, the Starke County Sheriff’s Office responded to a multi-vehicle crash with injuries at the intersection of State Road 10 and 300 E. Upon arrival, deputies secured the scene and closed the intersection due to the severity of the crash.
The collision involved four vehicles, each sustaining major damage. Two vehicles required the extrication of occupants. An investigation by the Starke County Sheriff’s Office Patrol and Detective Division determined that a westbound vehicle driven by Coral Rogers (19) was stopped, preparing to turn south onto 300 E. At that time, another westbound vehicle, driven by Lori Craft (62), failed to stop and rear-ended Rogers’ vehicle. The impact caused Craft’s vehicle to spin into the eastbound lanes, where it was struck by an oncoming vehicle driven by Kaitlyn Dombrosky (29). Following the collision, Dombrosky’s vehicle rolled and landed on another vehicle stopped at 300 E, driven by Abigail Thomas (22), who was waiting at the stop sign to turn onto SR 10. All drivers sustained injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment. Additional passengers involved — Nicole Furlong (38) and a juvenile — were also transported for medical care. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Starke and Pulaski EMS, MedFlight, Samaritan air ambulances, Bass Lake and Knox Fire Departments, the Indiana State Police (for accident reconstruction), the Starke County Sheriff’s Office Drone Team, and INDOT for traffic control. This crash remains under investigation. Further details will be released as they become available.
KNOX — The Knox Board of Public Works and Safety will meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Knox City Hall.
The Board will discuss NIPSCO pole replacement, parking at 8 N. Main and 60 E. Washington, Jack and Diane’s, as well as hold a public hearing regarding 307 W. Bender.
Four La Porte County Sheriff’s Office deputies recently took part in a traffic safety project on US Highway 20, to increase travel safety and public awareness along the highway, which runs through La Porte County. The effort was part of a multi-state-and-agency project that saw 100 law enforcement officers working together to bring awareness to travel safety. The officers were spread out over 12 different states, including Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.
Special Olympics Marshall & Starke Counties program is wrapping up their first season of 2025. This season included Basketball, Cheer, Powerlifting, and this was also the first year that MSSO participated in Winter Games! The Basketball teams participated in tournaments at Goshen High School, the Area 4 tournament held at Caston High School, and our very first locally hosted Basketball Tournament in Plymouth.
The Cheer Team participated in the local Tournament in Plymouth, traveled to the Goshen Tournament and cheered at the Area 4 Tournament in Caston. The Cheer Team consists of 3 athletes from Marshall County and 1 unified partner from Starke County. Coaches Amber Jones and Temple Kipper have been working with their spirit filled Cheer Team since early January.
Winter Games was held at Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Athletes competed in Skiing, Snowshoeing, and Snowboarding. 2 athletes from Marshall County headed down this year. Ian Radican participated in Snowshoeing and Christian Radican participated in Skiing- both receiving medals in their divisions.
Three individuals with significant ties to Indiana high school basketball will be recognized with Virgil Sweet Awards from the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association in 2025, it was announced Monday (March 17). Harold Welter of WKVI Radio in Knox, Greg Rakestraw of the ISC Sports Network in Indianapolis and Mark Brochin of WWBL Radio in Washington are the recipients of this year’s awards. One person is honored from each IHSAA district — Welter in District 1, Rakestraw in District 2 and Brochin in District 3.
Virgil Sweet Awards are presented to those who have provided meritorious service in the promotion of basketball across Indiana. The award is named in honor of Sweet, a former Valparaiso High School basketball coach and executive director of the IBCA from 1974 through 1984. Sweet passed away on June 7, 2023.
This is the 50th year that the IBCA has presented an award or awards for service to basketball beyond coaching. A single winner was named from 1974 through 1979. Multiple winners have been named from 1980 to the present, although no winners were named in 1991 (no clinic was held that year) or 2021 (when the 2020 winners were honored because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
This year’s awards will be presented as part of the 2025 IBCA Clinic on April 24-25 at Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Ind.
Harold Welter has been best-known as a play-by-play announcer who began covering high school sports in 1965 at WRIN Radio in Rensselaer and continued at WLOI Radio in LaPorte. Over 57 years and in part of six decades, he broadcast more than 3,500 sporting events, traveling more than 250,000 miles to 147 different locations to call games.
Since establishing WKVI Radio in Knox as its first general manager at age 24, Welter has concentrated on covering high school sports at nine area schools – Knox, North Judson, Oregon-Davis, Winamac, West Central, John Glenn, Culver Community, South Central (Union Mills) and Tri-Township (formerly known as LaCrosse). Welter’s radio play-by-play on WKVI has been featured on ABC-TV’s “NightLine” and his signature shout of “unbelievable” when witnessing exciting plays has been a familiar refrain for three generations of players in the Kankakee Valley area.
Welter stepped away from his radio career in 1973 to become a congressional assistant in Washington, D.C. He returned to Knox in 1975 to start Financial Partners of Knox LLC and to return to the airwaves on WKVI. Welter has also covered college sports, but his main focus has been high school sports. He has done play-by-play for basketball, football, baseball, softball, volleyball and wrestling.
He also has hosted the “Saturday Sportsline” coaches’ interview show on WKVI for more than 50 years with guests including six Hall of Fame coaches. He continues to contribute to the Saturday show by interviewing players he has covered with a weekly segment called “Where Are They Now?” He has used radio sportscasting as a positive vehicle for listeners and for promoting young people. He has taught classes for high school-age students at his church and frequently speaks with high school classes about life’s challenges and their destination of greatness.
Welter received an IHSAA Distinguished Media Service Award in 1989-90. The 1963 Knox High School graduate was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. He received the Broadcaster of the Year Award in 2004 from the Indiana Football Coaches Association, which was memorialized in the Congressional Record for the 108th Congress by Indiana representative Steve Buyer. Welter also was inducted into the Indiana Sportswriters & Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 2023.
He and his wife, Becky, have four children, Susan, Laura, Cheryl and Nathan – and five grandchildren. Cheryl was killed in an auto accident the night before homecoming during her senior year of high school. In memory of her, Welter and his wife established the Cheryl Lyn Welter Charitable Foundation to help teachers who work with underprivileged children in rural Indiana schools. Welter published a book in 2024, “Joy in the Mourning (Growing Through Grief),” which tells Cheryl’s story and the story of how and why the Foundation was established.
On Match 17th at approximately 16:14, the Knox-Center Township Fire Department responded to Burger King in Knox for a reported structure fire. Engine 3 and Ladder 1 responded. Units arrived on the scene to find no fire conditions showing from the exterior of the structure. A light haze was present throughout the structure. KFD members investigated and determined a small grease fire had caused the automatic fire suppression system to activate. There was no fire upon our arrival and very minimal damage was done.
Starke County EMS and Knox Police Officers also responded to the scene.
The Hamlet Fire Department and the North Judson Fire Department also responded as part of our Box Alarm System however were disregarded after no fire was found.
Picture and Story provided by The Knox Center Township Fire Department.
The Starke County Commissioners, with recommendations from the Emergency Management Agency and local fire departments, have issued a “Burn Ban” for Starke County effective immediately.
Pulaski County EMA and the Commissioners signed a disaster emergency declaration where they found that Pulaski County is at risk of widespread fire hazard because of ongoing wind conditions.
The Eastern Pulaski School Board members took action Monday night to approve the distribution of Early Literacy Grants, according to Superintendent Dara Chezem.
The Culver Town Council members were reminded this week that the Town of Culver was awarded Community Crossings Matching Grant Fund money in the amount of $1,011,810.75.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a School Resource Officer (SRO) position was presented to both the Eastern Pulaski School Board and the Winamac Town Council during their respective meetings Monday, March 10.
Mayor Tom Dermody swore in Matthew Drangmeister as the new Chief of Police for the City of La Porte Police Department in a ceremony Wednesday, March 12.
Don Darda, on behalf of Pulaski County Tribe, reminded the Winamac Town Council members Monday night that the organization is holding an Arts and Culture Creative Conception Celebration Thursday, March 20 at One Eyed Jacks Celebration Station from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
Special Olympics Marshall & Starke Counties program is wrapping up their first season of 2025. This season included Basketball, Cheer, Powerlifting, and this was also the first year that MSSO participated in Winter Games! The Basketball teams participated in tournaments at Goshen High School, the Area 4 tournament held at Caston High School, and our very first locally hosted Basketball Tournament in Plymouth.
