Hensler Nursery Recognized by Lt. Gov. Skillman

Posted on Author WKVI

For the last eight years, Hensler Nursery in Hamlet has graciously donated trees to Indiana’s capitol. This year, Lt. Governor Becky Skillman recognized their commitment by presenting forest John Scheetz of the nursery with the “Partner in Progress Award,” as he presented the eight-foot Fraser Fir Christmas tree to her office.

Skillman also recognized the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association, thanking them for their service and commitment to Indiana for bringing real Christmas trees to the Capitol for all the years she has served as Lt. Governor.

Skillman commented on how much the real Christmas trees meant to not only her, but her staff as well, throughout the eight years she has been in office. She said the building is always busy throughout the holidays, and the tree is admired by everyone who visits her office.

KES Students’ Letters to Santa Will Serve An Even Better Cause

Posted on Author WKVI

The familiar words, “Dear Santa,” will soon be written by nearly one thousand elementary students at Knox Elementary School as the Parent-Teacher Organization turns hundreds of letters into donations for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

PTO member Tammy Taulbee said the elementary school students will each write a letter to Santa that will be dropped off at Macy’s as part of their “Believe” holiday campaign. For each letter addressed to Santa that Macy’s receives, they will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Taulbee said the PTO received information about the campaign and thought it would be a great class project with an even better message.

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Man Says IU Health Wellness Center Turned His Life Around

Posted on Author WKVI
Rob Dickey

A man who once said he had given up on life is now 68 pounds lighter and a whole lot happier, thanks to the new Wellness Center at IU Health Starke Hospital. Rob Dickey said he had lost his will to live after a number of job opportunities didn’t pan out, his health was going downhill, and worst of all, his wife Wendy had died from complications following a weight loss procedure.

Fortunately, Dickey’s life turned around when his mother convinced him to give life one more shot for not only her, but for his son.

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CLASP Distribution To Take Place Tomorrow

Posted on Author WKVI

The Coordinated Local Assistance Project, coordinated by Pulaski County Human Services, will soon be distributing the donated items to families in need. Today is the last day the organization will take donations, and tomorrow, the Annual Toy Store food and gift distribution will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pulaski County Human Services building.

Individuals who only registered for a holiday food bag must pick them up by noon today at the PCHS Food Pantry, and families who are being served by ABATE today will receive all of their items at the ABATE party.

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Indiana Farm Bureau Pleased to Welcome Sen. Donnelly to Ag Committee

Posted on Author WKVI
Joe Donnelly
Congressman Joe Donnelly

Senator-elect Joe Donnelly received his committee assignments this week for the 113th Congress. Donnelly will serve on the committees for Armed Services, Agriculture, and Aging, and said he is pleased to have the opportunity to working on such a diverse group of committees.

Donnelly is set to be sworn in as Indiana’s next U.S. Senator on Jan. 3, 2012.

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BMV Commissioner Announces Holiday Hours

Posted on Author WKVI

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner R. Scott Waddell today announced that license branches will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 22, Monday, Dec. 24, and Tuesday, Dec. 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday. All license branches will resume normal hours of operation on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

In addition, license branches will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1 in observance of New Year’s Day. All license branches will resume normal hours of operation on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

Construction Still Underway At Starke County Public Library

Posted on Author WKVI
Henry F. Schricker Library

The construction efforts at the Henry F. Schricker Public Library are still going strong, but that is subject to change depending on the weather. Director Sheila Urwiler said the construction crews are currently finishing up the pouring of concrete footings and the foundation walls. Within the next two weeks, Urwiler said the crews will complete the excavation and backfilling for more of the concrete for floors.

Once the foundation walls and footings have been completed, Urwiler said work will begin on installing the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system, plumbing, and rough framing – that is, assuming the weather holds.

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Winamac Beverage Company To Soon Close Up Shop

Posted on Author WKVI

A Winamac beverage company has announced plans to close up shop after they were bought out by two wholesalers.

Tippecanoe Beverages, Inc., owned by brothers Fred and Dave Zahrt, has been in business for more than 50 years in Winamac. Fred said the “time was right” to sell the business, and though they weren’t actively looking for someone to purchase the business, a deal was made.

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Plymouth Man Caught Manufacturing Meth, Arrested

Posted on Author WKVI
Andrew White

A Plymouth man was arrested after police walked in on him allegedly manufacturing methamphetamine. On Dec. 6, Plymouth police officers and Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 7000 block of Rose Road as part of an investigation into a burglary and vehicle theft that had occurred at Stone Creek Homes on Markley Drive in Plymouth in September.

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Knox City Council Discusses Ordinance Regulating Outdoor Merchandise Displays

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week tabled an ordinance because of some confusion over how to proceed with approving it. The council had previously discussed the ordinance, which provides deadlines that outdoor seasonal displays must be removed and provides a fee for allowing them, but an issue arose. Mayor Rick Chambers explained the ordinance had to be revised because it did not provide actual dates before which seasonal displays must be taken down.

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Eastern Pulaski Schools Hold Public Hearing On Budget

Posted on Author WKVI
Dr. Robert Klitzman
Dr. Robert Klitzman

The Eastern Pulaski School Board this week held a public hearing regarding the corporation’s budget. Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman explained that as a fiscal year school, they do things a little bit differently.

“We are a fiscal year school, so what we are working on now is a budget that will come into play in July. Here we are in December, we’re doing this thing for July, but we have to work that far in advance,” said Klitzman.

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Plymouth Police Make Three Arrests For Theft

Posted on Author WKVI

Three Plymouth residents were arrested this week on charges of Theft after they allegedly shoplifted from Walmart.

The first arrest took place on Sunday, when Charles Salach, 39 of Plymouth, was spotted stealing lithium batteries – a key ingredient in manufacturing methamphetamine – from the business. He was forcefully detained after attempting to flee Walmart Loss Prevention officials. Police quickly arrived on the scene and transported him to Marshall County Jail, where he was booked on charges of Theft as a Class D felony. He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 18, and is currently held on a $3000 bond.

Police made two more arrests the next day, when the Plymouth Police Department received a call around 4:10 p.m. from Walmart Loss Prevention officials who advised they had two female shoplifters in custody. Kasie Miller and Kristina Shelby of Plymouth were detained after allegedly stealing baby items from the store. The women were taken to Marshall County Jail on charges of Theft as a Class D felony.

SCILL Center Honors Its Welding Student of the Month

Posted on Author WKVI
Isaac Haimbaugh was recognized as the SCILL Center Welding Student of the Month.

A Culver Community High School student was honored recently as the SCILL Center vocational welding class Student of the Month. Isaac Haimbaugh was selected based on classroom performance in addition to performance in the welding lab, a great attendance record, stellar cooperation with other students, and all the hard work he’s put into the program.

Welding Instructor Andrew Odle said the decision was tough, but Haimbaugh really set the bar high for the other students. With a number of very gifted students in the running, Odle said any of them would have been a great selection, but Haimbaugh earned his award.

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KVREMC Assists Hensler Nursery With Cutting, Loading Trees

Posted on Author WKVI
Kankakee Valley REMC crews sturdy the tree in preparation for cutting it down.

Every year, the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association presents their real trees to the top officials in the state, and this year is no different. Hensler Nursery in Hamlet will be bringing a freshly-cut 26-foot Concolor Fir to the Statehouse Rotunda, alongside an eight-foot Fraser Fir for the office of Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman.

Kankakee Valley REMC was excited to once again give their assistance to Hensler Nursery with the task of cutting and loading the tree. KVREMC agreed to provide a bucket truck and digger truck, along with skilled operators, to assist in the felling of the tree and transportation.

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Manhunt Continues In Marshall County

Posted on Author WKVI
William Newman

The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department is still hunting for a wanted suspect for outstanding warrants. According to the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency, Marshall County deputies are still searching for 42-year-old William Newman after he fled from police attempting to serve a Fulton County felony warrant yesterday morning.

Around 10:15 a.m., deputies attempted to serve the warrant on Newman but he quickly fled, leading deputies on a vehicle pursuit that finally ended in the area of 4th and Rose roads. The suspect then exited his vehicle and fled on foot.

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Two Knox Residents Arrested Following Brief Pursuit

Posted on Author WKVI

Two Knox residents were arrested after the driver of a vehicle refused to pull over. On the afternoon of Dec. 7, a city police officer noticed a vehicle traveling westboud on John Street and recognized the passenger in the vehicle as Elliot Earnest, a man with an active arrest warrant.

When the officer turned his vehicle around and turned on his emergency lights, he reportedly noticed the driver look in his side mirror and and speed up. Even when the officer activated his siren, the driver refused to stop and continued to accelerate.

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Knox Police Department Learns Resale Value of K9 Unit

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

Discussion regarding what to do with the Knox Police Department’s K9 Marco continued last night as Police Chief Clint Norem told the city council that a dog handler valued the animal at $0. Norem explained he took the animal to a dog handler with the Hobart Police Department to try to get an idea of the dog’s value so the city could decide whether or not selling the dog was an option.

Corporal Simon Gresser of the Hobart Police Department wrote a letter to the council explaining that Marco, the four-year-old K9, doesn’t have any resale value. This is due in part to his age and medical issues, as the dog was previously diagnosed with lyme disease. The condition can often cause stiff joints and kidney failures, which would hinder the dog’s ability to work.

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Plymouth Man Arrested After Dumping Meth Lab in Dumpster

Posted on Author WKVI

A Plymouth man was arrested on charges of Manufacturing Methamphetamine as a Class B felony after he allegedly dumped a smoking box in a dumpster.

The Plymouth Police Department received a call from a man who told police that he had witnessed a man drop a box that was expelling smoke into a dumpster near 314 Kingston Ave. Officers quickly arrived at the location and found the discarded items, which were identified as a methamphetamine lab.

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IU Health LaPorte, Starke Hospitals Welcome New Department Director

Posted on Author WKVI

IU Health Starke and La Porte hospitals welcomes a new director of quality, patient safety, and satisfaction. Registered Nurse Sharon Rundle will oversee the departments, which includes infection control for both hospitals. On top of that, she will oversee the cancer registry program as well as handle nurse coordination, education, and research programs affiliated with Michigan Hematology Oncology in Westville.

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