Knox Police Dept. Reports September Activity

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Police department had yet another busy month during September. There were a total of 384 calls for the month, which included 11 crash reports and 47 incident reports. The Knox City Police Department helped the Starke County police with five investigations.

There were a total of three counts of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and only one Public Intoxication charge reported. No cases of minor consumption were reported last month; however, there were eight different juvenile arrests.

A total of 22 traffic arrest charges were pressed on 17 people, 90 criminal arrest charges pressed on 45 people, eight charges pressed on seven juveniles, and one ordinance violation reported. There were a total of 10 battery arrests, eight warranted arrests, and 38 drug charges.

Week 8 Football Predictions

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Harold’s Picks: 30-10 (overall) 26-9 (with blind picks)

Culver-28  John Glenn-27

Knox-27  Triton-14

South Central-42  Calumet-12

West Central-44  NJSP-26

Winamac-41  Caston-27

Nathan’s Picks: 28-12 (overall) 25-10 (with blind picks)

Culver-17  John Glenn-14

Knox-42  Triton-21

South Central-33  Calumet-0

Winamac-28  Caston-21

West Central-35  NJSP-14

Sean’s Picks: 15-3

Culver-27  John Glenn-20

Knox-31  Triton-21

South Central-35  Calumet-3

Caston-35  Winamac-24

West Central-48  NJSP-28

Tom’s Picks: 13-23

John Glenn over Culver

Triton over Knox

Calumet over South Central

Caston over Winamac

West Central over NJSP

LaPorte Teen Arrested after Escaping from the LaPorte County Juvenile Detention Center

Posted on Author WKVI

A LaPorte teenager was arrested yesterday after escaping from the LaPorte County Juvenile Detention Center.

The teen escaped from the center and stole a truck in the Westville area with plans to pick up an ex-girlfriend at South Central High School. Police later located the vehicle near the school and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled.

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LaPorte Woman Arrested on Class A Felony Charge

Posted on Author WKVI

A LaPorte woman was arrested Tuesday after officers from the LaPorte County Metro Operations Unit served an arrest warrant.

Thirty-year-old Rachel M. Heaphy was wanted on a Class A Felony charge of Dealing in a Schedule II Controlled Substance. She was arrested without incident at her home in the 700 block of Maple Avenue in LaPorte. She is being held in the LaPorte County Jail with no bond.

This arrest is the result of an ongoing investigation into the sale and distribution of illegal drugs in the City of LaPorte. Additional arrests are anticipated.

Autopsy Inconclusive for Holbrook

Posted on Author WKVI

The autopsy results on Devin M. Holbrook are not conclusive at this time. Pulaski County Coroner Steven VanDerAa told WKVI that Holbrook’s death is being ruled accidental at this time pending the results of a toxicology test.

Holbrook and Anthony Gentry were working outside a residence in Francesville on Saturday and Holbrook said he didn’t feel well. They went inside to watch television and Holbrook fell asleep. Gentry went to wake up Holbrook and he wasn’t breathing. Gentry performed CPR until emergency crews arrived at the scene. EMS found that Holbrook couldn’t be revived and the coroner was called to the scene. Police did reportedly find drugs in the area where Holbrook was found and they field-tested positive for methamphetamine and heroin.

Toxicology results may determine Holbrook’s cause of death.

IDEM Proposes Order Against C&C Salvage Violations

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management conducted an investigation into Starke County Recycling, Inc., C&C Salvage and a number of other businesses in Knox owned by James L. Campbell. As a result of the investigation, IDEM has made a preliminary determination that violations were made of environmental management laws and rules, and the department has proposed an Agreed Order constituting a settlement.

The order proposed requires Campbell to submit to a site assessment plan to allow them to assess potential contamination of soil, ground, water, and vapors from the areas in question. Within 15 days of receiving notice from IDEM of approval of the site assessment plan, Campbell would be required to implement the plan, and submit within 45 days a remediation work plan identifying potential contaminates, receptors, and exposure pathways to allow IDEM to identify all contamination. He would then implement the remedial actions within 15 days after the work plan’s approval. Finally, within 30 days after implementation, Campbell would have to submit to an IDEM certification to ensure the actions have been completed.

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Medaryville Library Hours Cut Due to Decreased Circulation

Posted on Author WKVI

A beautiful wealth of information is in jeopardy due to a lack of patrons. Pulaski County Library Director MacKenzie Ledley said the Medaryville branch is suffering from a lack of circulation, and she said they aren’t sure what’s causing it.

“Annual circulation at the Medaryville branch dropped from 25,780 in 2007 to a year-to-date of 11,651 – that’s through the end of August,” said Ledley. “We’re really not too sure what’s changed to decrease the circulation; it could be the availability of information online and that patrons are able to access it at home.”

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Starke Co. Sheriff’s Department Antennas to be Replaced

Posted on Author WKVI
IT Director Joe Short

As a temporary solution, the Starke County Commissioners last month gave IT Director Joe Short the go-ahead to replace two antennas atop the sheriff’s department. Short said this will cost approximately $2200 per antenna, and said they can be moved later when a new tower is established.

The replacement will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 10, and Short said it should take only half the day. He explained that the engineers will check out the coax cable before performing the replacement to ensure that they are in good condition to prevent further problems.

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Pulaski Commissioners Approve Designating Employee Reps for Drug Testing

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

A few changes have been made to the drug testing policy currently in place for Pulaski County employees. Cathy Fritz Consulting is the business authorized by the county to conduct drug testing for employees who operate county vehicles.

Cathy Fritz told the commissioners that she wanted to clear up a few things in an effort to make the drug testing process smoother, which she said includes designating county department heads as “designated employee representatives.” Fritz said these representatives are responsible for sending the employees that have been chosen at random to undergo a drug screen.

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Water Shortage Warning Lifted Monday; Water Conservation Still Encouraged

Posted on Author WKVI

The statewide water shortage warning was lifted Monday. The warning had been in place since July. The multi-agency water shortage committee is still holding onto a water shortage watch level.

Historic drought conditions were reported all through the state with the driest conditions in July. Most of the state received normal or above normal rainfall in August and September.

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Knox School Board Discusses Work Session With Referendum Expert

Posted on Author WKVI
Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board recently held a work session with Dr. Mike Trego, a professor at Indiana-Wesleyan University and who is also an expert in school referendums.

Superintendent A.J. Gappa reviewed that work session during the school board meeting Monday night.

“We had Dr. Trego come in and give a report to the board and the board felt very positive about the information that Dr. Trego presented and they anticipate bringing him back to have a meeting with community members who are interested on being on an action committee, moving forward with an elementary project,” stated Gappa.

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SCILL Center “Food for Friends” Car Check Announced

Posted on Author WKVI
Community Services of Starke County
Community Services of Starke County

The SCILL Center will be partnering with WKVI and First Farmer’s Bank on Oct. 16 and 18 to present the “Food for Friends” Car Check.

All proceeds from this event will benefit the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry. Bring in one can or package of food to the SCILL Center and receive a free pre-winter inspection from SCILL Center students. This inspection will include an anti-freeze, battery, belt, and tire wear check. Attendees will also receive coupons from local auto supply stores.

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Lincoln History Traveling Exhibit To Visit CMA

Posted on Author WKVI

A traveling exhibit entitled “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” will start its five-week stay at Culver Military Academies on Oct. 14. The grand opening will be held on Oct. 14 from 2 to 4 p.m. ET. The exhibit will run through Nov. 16 with hours of Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sundays, noon to 7 p.m. There is no admission charge for the exhibit.

The exhibit will be at Huffington Library. Culver Military Academy students will be there in civil war dress to guide guests through the exhibit. The students will also give guests interesting details about all of Lincoln’s constitutional changes, civil war, and Lincoln’s presidency.

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Meet the Candidates Night Held at Knox Community Center

Posted on Author WKVI

With election time quickly approaching, last night’s Meet the Candidates presentation gave each candidate for contested state and county positions the opportunity to speak to the voters, allowing them five minutes to express themselves. The room was filled with interested voters at the Knox Community Center as candidates or their representatives made their cases to the audience.

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LaPorte County Drug Bust Leads to Two Arrests

Posted on Author WKVI

Two individuals have been arrested in connection with the seizure of a significant amount of drugs, guns and cash from a home in the 5600 East block of Nappanee Trail in the community of Saugany Lake in LaPorte County.

More than 100 pounds of marijuana, approximately 5.5 grams of suspected cocaine, and 1.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine were found Sept. 21 after a search warrant was conducted by the LaPorte County Metro Operations Units, the DEA, and Elkhart County Interdiction and Covert Enforcement team. Three handguns were confiscated along with $144,628 in cash. One of the handguns was reported stolen in Michigan.

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Pulaski County Sheriff Reports Increase In Heroin Activity

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department has investigated several cases in recent weeks that involve a drug that hasn’t been known to be in the area for a while: heroin.

Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer says heroin is a pricey drug and is not as obtainable as some of the other drugs that deputies have been confiscating from criminals.

“We’re still dealing with the prescription pill epidemic, methamphetamine and marijuana, but now here within the last couple of weeks, my officers have dealt with a couple of scenarios in which heroin has surfaced,” explained Gayer.

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Blankenship Sentenced, Extradited to Illinois

Posted on Author WKVI
William Blankenship

The Kouts police squad car thief from Knox is being extradited to Illinois where he will face other charges, after Porter Superior Court Judge Roger Bradford sentenced 23-year-old William F. Blankenship to five years total time served and the rest of his sentence on probation. Blankenship was arrested in January for stealing a police squad car after being handcuffed and placed into the backseat. He was able to free himself from the back seat while the officer was searching his car and took off with the vehicle.

Blankenship spent a total of nine months in the Porter County Jail, but because of good behavior in the jail, he received roughly 18 months’ credit to his sentence. However, he is being extradited to Illinois to face additional charges. Bradford said he felt further incarceration would not do Blankenship any good because of mental issues, including bipolar disorder.

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Starke County EMS to Introduce Vehicle History and Use Forms

Posted on Author WKVI
Paul Mathewson

Starke County EMS Director Paul Mathewson told the county commissioners this week that they are working on a number of changes to policies currently in place, including the implementation of a standardized vehicle report.

Mathewson explained that they are working on developing the vehicle report, which would keep tabs on all ambulances currently in service with details on each vehicle, including make, model, mileage, and years, in order to help facilitate a two-year rotation. Mathewson said he hopes that it will be standardized across the board for the sheriff’s department, highway department, and other departments that utilize county vehicles in an effort to monitor their use and ensure they are properly maintained and replaced when the time comes.

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Pulaski Commissioners Approve $1500 For New Circuit Court Phones

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn

A few technological upgrades may be in store for the Pulaski Circuit Court, as the county commissioners this week approved $1500 toward installing new phones in the courtroom, judge’s office, and his court administrator’s office.

Circuit Court Judge Michael Shurn told the commissioners that he has no working line in his office as a result of the switch to digital phones, and he has no way to tell his administrator to pick up the phone besides yelling down the hall. Shurn said this is not the ideal way for a phone system to operate, so he requested permission and funding to purchase two phones and a digital phone card to be installed.

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North Judson Water Towers Need Maintenance, Says Supt.

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board

The North Judson Town Council this week received a report from Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann, who informed them that the water tower inspections have been completed for both water towers in town. He said that although he is currently waiting on the final report, a number of maintenance issues will eventually need corrected. However, Horstmann explained that until they receive that final report, they will not know how much the repairs will cost. He will present the council with an update when he receives the final report.

Horstmann also told the council that he is currently reviewing a number of local streets that may be in need of paving this season. He said he is currently gathering quotes on paving the roads, and he will present a final list of roads to be paved and an estimated cost on that in the future.

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