Judge Sets Bond for Businessman Charged with Arson

Posted on Author WKVI
James Campbell
James Campbell

Bond has been set at $2 million for the owner of a Knox business destroyed by fire on Thursday, March 20. Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall found probable cause to charge James Campbell, 46, with arson, which is a Class A felony, during a Sunday afternoon hearing in his courtroom. He also ordered Campbell to surrender his passport. Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office arrested Campbell late Friday. He owns Starke County Recycling, also known as C&C Salvage. The business, located on U.S. 35 just south of Toto Road, caught fire on Thursday, March 20. Starke County dispatchers were notified at 5:17 p.m. The Bass Lake, Knox-Center Township, Hamlet, Washington Township, Koontz Lake, North Judson-Wayne Township, San Pierre and Monterey Fire Departments all responded to the blaze and spent several hours getting it under control. One firefighter was injured. Black smoke was visible for miles, and a brigade of tanker trucks hauled water to the scene. Continue reading →

Knox Board of Public Works Tables Property Discussion

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Knox Board of Public Works members agreed to table discussion on the property located at 409 and 411 Lewis Drive until another time.

The members want to demolish the duplex that is located on those properties. The situation is rather interesting in that the duplex is situated on two different lots and were sold separately in a tax sale. The owner purchased one lot in a previous tax sale and the other half in a more recent tax sale.

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Starke County Emergency Services Board Receives Money to Help Those in Need

Posted on Author WKVI

Community Services of Starke CountyThe Starke County Emergency Services Board recently received $11,262 to help low-income households.

Half of those funds were allocated to Community Services of Starke County for households in emergency situations that need help with utilities. You may apply for assistance now at Community Services of Starke County from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.

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Earned Income Tax Credit Among Most Popular, Most Abused

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The deadline to file federal income taxes is almost here. H&R Block Senior Tax Advisor Michelle Bachtel says many low and middle-income families benefit from the Earned Income Tax Credit. “Basically depending on the number of children you have, the credit can range anywhere from $2 to $6,044. The Earned Income Tax Credit is also available for people who don’t have children. They do need to be considered low income according to the IRS, but there is also a credit available for them.” The amount of the Earned Income Tax Credit varies depending on the size of the household. For an individual who does not have any children, they can make up to $14,340, or if they are married they can make up to $19,680. For people that do have children, they can make up to $37,870 or $43,210 if they just have the one child. From there the amounts increase, but the maximum amount for three children they can make up to $51,567. The Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the most lucrative. Unfortunately, Bachtel says  it’s also one of the most widely abused. Continue reading →

Money Saving Program to be Featured at Pulaski County Public Library

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Next week is Money Smart Week and the staff at the Pulaski County Public Library in Winamac is hosting a program to help you get a hold of your finances.

Lisa Thompson from Fort Wayne will be presenting a program entitled “How to Save Money and Pay off Debt” on Thursday, April 10 at 5 p.m. ET at the library. She and her husband went through David Ramsey’s Financial Peace University Membership kit and found their $80,000 debt disappear.

This program will help veterans dealing with debt, failed businesses, or individuals who have been dealing with money problems. It not only discusses how to get out of debt but also touches topics on money saving and control.

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Ancilla College Offers Early Bird Classes for High School Students

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Area high school students can get a jump on their higher education at Ancilla College as early as this summer. The school is following the national trend of offering Early Bird Courses. Local high school students who will be juniors or seniors this fall can take college courses during the summer. Executive Director of Admissions Eric Wignall says students get a huge tuition discount and can take fully transferable introductory college courses. “If you’re going off to IU or you’re going off to Harvard, it doesn’t matter. The English writing and literature and the micro-and macro- economics courses are going to transfer,” Wignall says. He notes one Plymouth High School student started taking classes during her junior year of high school, continued taking one or two credits per semester at $125 per credit hour, took a full load of courses during the summer sessions and graduated from Ancilla with an associate’s degree at the end of the summer after her high school graduation. As a result, she was able to start college at IU that fall as a junior. Continue reading →

New Sustainability Endowment Grant Offered

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Community Foundation is offering a new award for organizations called the “Sustainability Award”.

Executive Director Sarah Origer says any organization can apply for this $5,000 endowment grant.

“It’s a simple, two-page application,” said Origer. “We just want to know about your organization, about your priorities, about your long-term goals, and long-term planning. The top candidates will be invited to come in for an in-person interview.”

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Dog Recreation Park Proposed in the City of Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

dog picA meeting to gather interest in a dog recreation park in Knox will be held April 19 at 6 p.m. at the Henry F. Schricker Public Library in Knox.

Chuck Richardson told WKVI that he presented a list of names on a petition to start a dog park at the Knox Park Board meeting last week, but the board members reportedly told him that they would like to see people at their next meeting in favor of the incident.

Richardson proposed that the fenced-in dog park be located in Wythogan Park in Knox. If that location isn’t feasible, then another location could be sought.

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Crafton Clocks in at Martinsville Speedway

Posted on Author WKVI
Matt Crafton, driver of the #88 Ideal Doors / Menards Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2014 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images
Matt Crafton, driver of the #88 Ideal Doors / Menards Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2014 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images

Matt Crafton survived two green-white-checkered attempts and captured his fourth career win Sunday night in the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Martinsville Speedway.

The race had been postponed after rain washed out the chance to race Saturday night. In fact, qualifying was called off due to rain and the field was set by how drivers finished in practice. That gave Darrell Wallace, Jr. (Bubba) the pole. He led the first 11 laps and then the caution came out. Timothy Peters took the lead away from Wallace, but he took it back on lap 30. A caution came out five laps later which would be used as the competition caution.

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Kurt Busch Finds Victory Lane at Martinsville Speedway

Posted on Author WKVI
Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2014 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images
Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2014 in Martinsville, Virginia. Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

In a surprise move late last season, Gene Haas, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, brought Kurt Busch into the fold with Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and newcomer Kevin Harvick. It was questioned by most, but Busch proved that he’s found his home at Stewart-Haas Racing with the win in the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Martinsville Speedway is often dominated by Hendrick Motorsports drivers with current drivers Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon with eight wins apiece at the track. Johnson led the most laps in Sunday’s race but couldn’t seal the deal in the last 30 laps of the race. Johnson clearly had a dominant car with everyone chasing him down throughout most of the afternoon. He led 296 laps on the day.

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Tax Deadline Approaching, Don’t Forget to File

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The deadline to file federal and state income taxes for 2013 is quickly approaching. H&R Block Senior Tax Advisor Michelle Bachtel says anyone who has federal income tax withheld from their income should file regardless of the requirement to file. She says by doing so they can either receive a refund or properly credit any tax obligation they owe. This includes many teenagers who work part-time after school or during the summer.

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Melody Drive In Set to Open for the Season

Posted on Author WKVI

Melody Drive In PhotoA sure sign of spring in the Kankakee Valley is the opening of the Melody Drive In Theater at Bass Lake for the season. Fred Heise says they’re all set to open Friday, April 4 with a blockbuster and have several other popular flicks scheduled throughout the spring and summer. For Friday, Screen 1 will feature Captain America 2 and Need for Speed. Mr. Peabody and Sherman and Non-Stop will be showing on Screen 2. Other movies lined up for the summer include Rio 2, which is scheduled the week of April 11. Fred Heise is excited about the lineup for later in the season.

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Wastewater, Water Reports Given to Knox Board of Public Works Members

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Knox Wastewater Superintendent Kelly Clemons told the Knox Board of Public Works this week that some snow melt and rain water got into manholes around the city and that issue will need to be addressed in the future. Some violations were also noted at the plant which are being remedied. Clemons said they could be fined for the violations, but she hasn’t received any penalties yet.

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Ancilla Offers Summer School Tuition Discounts

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Students looking to get a jump on their college careers or maybe take a course during a less-stressful time of the year may want to see what Ancilla College has to offer. For starters, they offer a hefty discount on per-credit-hour tuition during the summer. Executive Director of Admissions Eric Wignall says a lot of students who struggled with a course during the regular school year use summer school as a do-over.

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IU Health Starke Hospital Celebrates Doctors Day

Posted on Author WKVI
Dr. Mangalore Subba Rao and IU Health Starke Hospital President Craig Felty
Dr. Mangalore Subba Rao and IU Health Starke Hospital President Craig Felty

Local physicians were the guests of honor Friday morning at IU Health Starke Hospital. The administration hosted a breakfast in the cafeteria to celebrate Doctor’s Day, which is actually Sunday, March 30.

Doctor’s Day was first celebrated in 1933. That date was chosen because on March 30, 1842 Dr. Crawford Williamson Long first used general anesthesia in surgery. He used ether on a patient who was having a tumor removed from his neck. Long went on to use anesthesia in both amputations and childbirth. In 1990 President George H.W. Bush officially made the date a holiday to recognize the nation’s physicians.

Winamac Residents Remined to Be Timely With Trash Containers

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Town of Winamac recently decided to outsource the collection of trash and recycling. Advanced Disposal is now in charge of both. Residents are reminded to have their trash and recycling containers at the curb by 6 a.m. on the morning of their scheduled pickup. Also, anyone who no longer wants the small recycling containers provided by the Town of Winamac can put them out empty with their trash on either April 7 or April 8and the town will pick them up. Anyone with questions can call the Winamac Town Office at 574-946-3451.

Missing Knox Man Found

Posted on Author WKVI
Joshua Simpkins
Joshua Simpkins

A Knox man who was reported missing early Friday evening was located a few hours later.

Joshua Simpkins, 32, was reported missing around 5:30 p.m. Friday evening.  He was last seen by his home in Knox.

Officials from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department told WKVI News that he was safely located several hours later.

 

Knox Man Reported Missing

Posted on Author WKVI
photo
Joshua Simpkins

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department are looking for a 32-year-old Knox man with Down Syndrome who was reported missing Friday night.

Joshua Simpkins was last seen on John Street and 500 East in Knox just east of the cemetery around 5:30 p.m. or 5:45 p.m. CT.  He was wearing blue jeans, a black and gray t-shirt, a neon yellow and green coat with a white and red baseball  cap.  He is just over five feet tall and weighs 120 pounds.

If you see him, call 9-1-1 or the Starke County Sheriff’s Department at (574) 772-3771.

C&C Salvage Owner Jailed Without Bond on Arson, Insurance Fraud Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
The owner of C&C Salvage/Starke County Recycling, James Campbell, 46, is charged with arson and insurance fraud in connection with the March 20 fire that destroyed his business.
The owner of C&C Salvage/Starke County Recycling, James Campbell, 46, is charged with arson and insurance fraud in connection with the March 20 fire that destroyed his business.

The owner of a Knox business that was destroyed by fire last week is jailed without bond, charged with arson and insurance fraud. James L. Campbell, 46, of Knox, was arrested this afternoon by officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana Department of Homeland Security’s Fire Investigation Division. Campbell owns Starke County Recycling, also known as C&C Salvage. The business, located on U.S. 35 just south of Toto Road, caught fire on Thursday, March 20. Starke County dispatchers were notified at 5:17 p.m. The Bass Lake, Knox-Center Township, Hamlet, Washington Township, Koontz Lake, North Judson-Wayne Township, San Pierre and Monterey Fire Departments all responded to the blaze and spent several hours getting it under control. One firefighter was injured. Black smoke was visible for miles, and a brigade of tanker trucks hauled water to the scene. Continue reading →