Trial Set For Man Accused of Pushing a Woman Out of Moving Car

Posted on Author WKVI
Jason Cooke

The jury trial for a man accused of pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle has been scheduled for Nov. 28 at 9 a.m. in the Starke Circuit Court. Jason Cooke of Plymouth was arrested Sept. 3 on charges of Residential Entry and Trespass, and was arrested again the very next day on charges of Aggravated Battery.

Police say Cooke entered the home of Linda Draper and refused to leave despite her repeated orders to get off her property. When police were called, Cooke left the property but was soon taken into custody and arrested on preliminary charges of Residential Entry as a Class D felony and Criminal Trespass as as Class A misdemeanor.

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Unspecified Threat Made To Valparaiso University; Classes Unfazed

Posted on Author WKVI

Valparaiso University students were shocked to learn yesterday morning that an unspecified threat had been made to the school. School administrators sent students an email urging them to be alert and report any suspicious activity in light of the threat.

The university told students that the threat was made through graffiti and suggested that dangerous criminal activity would take place at the school during chapel break on Friday, but made no indication of the location or nature of that activity.

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Knox City Council Discusses Backlash of IDEM Burn

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council

The Knox City Council this week discussed the results of their controlled burn to dispose of tree waste from the June and July storms. Mayor Rick Chambers explained to the council that he had received several complaints concerning ash and soot from the fire, and one resident had filed a police report regarding damage to his vehicle from burning ash that had fallen on the car.

Chambers told the council that he sent the incident report of the damage to the city’s insurance company. The man is claiming $492 in damage, stating that the car requires a “wash and buff job,” and while Chambers feels that’s a little expensive for such a job, he has forwarded the information to the city’s insurance company to allow them to deal with sorting it out.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management granted the city’s burn permit on Aug. 9, allowing the city 30 days to conduct the burn. According to the permit, the city was allowed to conduct the controlled burn at the Starke County Highway Garage, Knox City Dump, or Wythogan Park, and the council decided that the dump was the safest place for the burn.

Eastern Pulaski Schools To Adopt Reading, Handwriting Textbooks

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

The Eastern Pulaski School Board approved the textbook adoption committee for two elementary subjects. Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman said a group of educators and parents will choose the material.

“The curricular area that we’ll study leading to adoption is in the area of reading and handwriting,” commented Klitzman. “For those who have followed our data, we have had exceptionally good data in the area of reading so we’re going to be hard-pressed to come up with new materials that will help us do a better job.”

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Sign Up Now For the Quit Now Indiana Contest

Posted on Author WKVI

Tobacco Free Starke County is promoting a statewide stop smoking contest known as “Quit Now Indiana.”

This contest is designed to encourage smokers to make an attempt to quit using tobacco products and have a chance to win cash prizes up to $2,500 for remaining tobacco free for 31 days. To be eligible to win, you must be 18 years of age and older, be a legal resident of Indiana, be a current tobacco user and stay tobacco free from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31. The registration period concludes Sept. 30. Contest winners will be drawn at random and will be tested to make sure you are tobacco free to be eligible to claim a prize.

Anyone interested may sign up at First National Bank of Monterey in North Judson, First Farmers Bank and Trust in North Judson, the North Judson clerk-treasurer’s office, or at the North Judson-Wayne Township Library. In Knox, you can sign up at the Starke County Health Department, the Health Linc office, Dr. Alexander’s office, Dr. Browne’s Office, Porter-Starke Services or the WIC office. In Winamac, sign up at the Pulaski County Health Department, Dr. Curtis’ office or Dr. Kauffman’s office.

Free Seminar Offered For College Prep In Plymouth

Posted on Author WKVI

Preparing for college is by no means an easy task, but a seminar planned for this month might make it a little easier. Financial Advisor Rodney L. Jacobs will be hosting a free seminar on college preparation in Plymouth, and he encourages any and all parents to attend.

Jacobs says the seminar will focus on preparing for college, and two speakers will explain the process of planning for college costs, preparing FAFSA forms, and finding scholarships. He says they will also talk about helpful tools to help with the process, and give a several different tips on planning for the child’s college education.

Jacobs say this seminar is ideal for parents, especially those with children in sixth grade and up, as ell as grandparents who are interested in learning what they can do to help without impacting any aid the child may be eligible for.

The seminar will take place on Thursday, Sept. 20, from 6–8 p.m. at Memories Reception Hall, located at 401 E. Jefferson St. in Plymouth.

RSVP is necessary. Call (574) 936-2571 for more information, or email brenda.s.abair@ampf.com.

Week in Review for Sept. 10-14

Posted on Author WKVI

Here is a look at some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:

Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells released the identity of a man who was found dead in his home at Bass Lake on Saturday, September 8. 52-year-old David Griffin was found by his brother who went to Griffin’s home to check on him as no one had heard from him in some time. A forensic autopsy was performed at the Northeast Indiana Forensic Center in Fort Wayne but no cause of death has been announced. Rannells says the cause of death will be released when the autopsy report is finalized. He did say that foul play is not suspected.  Continue reading →

Area Football Coaching Leaders

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Football Coaching Leaders: Through 9/14/12

Tim Roth-Winamac (32 years): 197-129 .604

Justin Bogunia-John Glenn (15 years): 99-63 .611

Andy Thomas-Culver (13 years): 84-57 .595

Kevin Cox-NJSP (11 years): 74-45 .621

Dan Klimczak-South Central (7 years): 62-13 .826

Darren Rodriguez (5 years): 19-27 .413

Chris McGowen-Knox (1 year): 1-4 .200

Week 5 Football Predictions

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Harold’s Picks: 15-7 (overall); 13-5 (with blind picks)

Culver-21  Bremen-14

Knox-38  LaVille-12

Pioneer-41  NJSP-20

South Central-48  Wheeler-7

John Glenn-42  Triton-0

West Central-42  South Newton-14

Winamac-48  Tri-County-6

Nathan’s Picks: 14-8 (overall); 12-6 (with blind picks)

Bremen-28  Culver-20

Knox-21  LaVille-13

Pioneer-42  NJSP-14

South Central-35  Wheeler-7

John Glenn-21  Triton-20

West Central-28  South Newton-14

Winamac-49  Tri-County-7

Sean’s Picks:

Bremen-31  Culver-21

Knox-17  LaVille-10

Pioneer-38  NJSP-31

South Central-28  Wheeler-17

John Glenn-31  Triton-10

West Central-45  South Newton-10

Winamac-38  Tri-County-13

Tom’s Blind Picks: 5-13

Bremen over Culver

LaVille over Knox

NJSP over Pioneer

Wheeler over South Central

John Glenn over Triton

South Newton over West Central

Tri-County over Winamac

Knox Man Arrested After Alleged Stabbing Incident

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox man was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly attacking and stabbing a woman during an argument.

Knox City Police officers were called to 305 Bender Street after a caller reported a domestic disturbance. When police arrived on scene, Dennis Hamilton and the female victim stated that they didn’t need any help and the officers left. A short time later, police were called back to the scene after Hamilton and the victim allegedly continued arguing to the point where it got violent.

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Knox Man Arrested For Possession of Methamphetamine

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox City Police officers arrested a Knox man Tuesday after receiving an anonymous tip of an alleged drug deal in the Knox Post Office parking lot.

Officers arrived at the post office to find persons on a moped and in a car. The suspects were known to police as having been involved with narcotics in a prior setting. The officers approached the suspects in the car who were identified as Kurtis Singleton and Aaron Brewer, and noticed a smell of burnt marijuana emitting from the vehicle. They were asked to exit the car and as Singleton stepped out of the car, a cigarette package and a piece of foil hit the ground. He reportedly picked up the cigarette package and stepped on the foil. Officers were able to retrieve the foil package and it contained a white powdery substance that later field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Singleton, 20 of Knox, was then taken into custody and transported to the Starke County Jail. As he got out of the squad car to be processed into the jail, he allegedly dropped another piece of foil that contained a white powdery substance that also field tested positive for methamphetamine. He was booked on a preliminary charge of Possession of Methamphetamine.

Ribbon-Cutting For Chester, Inc. In North Judson Today

Posted on Author WKVI

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for this morning for Chester Agricultural Systems in North Judson. This division of Chester, Inc. announced plans in July to locate to the North Judson area.

The town will be home to an additional structure for the Agricultural Systems Division of Chester, Inc., which will house a growing inventory of necessary parts for servicing irrigation systems. The division was established in 1970 when Chester, Inc. first added center-pivot irrigation systems to their line of products and services; they now service over 1500 irrigation systems, as well as grain dryers and drying bins.

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Foul Play Not Suspected in Death of Bass Lake Man

Posted on Author WKVI

Foul play is not suspected in the death of a Bass Lake man who was found dead in his home Saturday morning. Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells says they won’t have a conclusive cause of death for at least four to six weeks as the official autopsy report is compiled and processed, but he says they do not suspect foul play at this time.

The body of 52-year-old David Griffin was discovered by his brother Saturday morning when he had gone to check on Griffin because nobody had heard from him in several days. The body was found in a Bass Lake home and was reported to be badly decomposed, indicating that he had been deceased for some time.

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North Judson Working To Comply With ADA Requirements

Posted on Author WKVI
Doug Vessely
North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely

North Judson Town Marshal Doug Vessely was recently appointed as the town’s coordinator for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry explained that the town must now review their municipal buildings and sidewalks to ensure they are ADA-compliant, because if they aren’t, the town will be unable to receive federal grants.

Henry explained that the town will be required to draft a plan to become compliant with ADA requirements, and then they will have to implement that plan as soon as possible. The deadline for a plan to be developed and submitted is Dec. 31, and any municipality that does not have their ADA plan implemented soon thereafter will be disqualified from receiving federal funds. As ADA coordinator, Vessely will work closely with Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann to ensure they meet the requirements.

Horstmann is also staying busy, having scheduled a water tower inspection for both towers this month. Both the tower on the west side of North Judson and the tower downtown will be inspected Sept. 19.

No School For Eastern Pulaski Students on Sept. 24

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

There will be no school for students at the Eastern Pulaski School Corporation on Monday, Sept. 24. That day has been set aside for parent/teacher conferences and professional development opportunities.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman explained that it will be a full day of conferences at the elementary school, but only a half day of conferences at the middle school and high school.

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Tony Semple Foundation Brings Turkey Tracks Program To Mich.

Posted on Author WKVI
Eric Corey and his parents

Eric Corey’s legacy lives on, as eight physically-challenged hunters who have been part of the Turkey Tracks program held each spring in Starke County travel to the small community of Millersburg, Mich. to hunt deer.

The trip was arranged by the late Eric Corey’s parents, Carol and Doug Corey, through the Tony Semple Foundation. Semple was a star linebacker for the Detroit Lions who established this foundation to help provide hunting activities for hunters with disabilities.

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Free Prostate Screenings In North Judson, LaPorte

Posted on Author WKVI

IU Health LaPorte Hospital and IU Health Starke Hospital will be offering free prostate cancer screenings on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 8–11 a.m. CT.

The screenings will be offered at two locations: one in LaPorte and the other in North Judson. You must preregister in order to receive the free screenings. To schedule an appointment in LaPorte, call (219) 326-2073 and in North Judson call (574) 896-5533.

Prostate screenings are recommended annually for men age 40 and older.

The screening is made possible through funding provided by the LaPorte Hospital Foundation, the philanthropic arm of IU Health LaPorte Hospital and fiscal manager of the Starke Health Fund.

Two Accidents Within 45 Minutes in Starke County; Two Airlifted For Treatment

Posted on Author WKVI

Two people were airlifted to medical facilities for serious injuries after two separate vehicle collisions were reported on State Road 10 within 45 minutes of each other on Monday.

According to the crash report filed at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, the first collision took place at 4:30 p.m. on State Road 10 near the intersection of Range Road. Connie Boyer, 58 of North Judson, was reportedly traveling east on State Road 10 in a 2005 GMC SUV with two passengers when she slowed to make a left turn onto Range Road. She told police that she did not see the green 2001 Chevrolet car traveling toward her on State Road 10, operated by 46-year-old Michelle Howard of North Judson. Boyer made her turn into the path of Howard, causing a head-on collision.

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