Though the recent emergency call for blood and platelet donations from the American Red Cross has drawn thousands of people to respond to the growing need for blood, an urgent need yet remains for platelet donors, as well as donors with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood. Blood produts are being distributed to area hospitals almost as quickly as donations are coming in.
One person was airlifted from the scene of a single-vehicle wreck early this morning near Lake Maxinkuckee. It happened in the 2800 Block of East Shore Drive, according to our reporting partners at WNDU-TV. A vehicle struck a cement wall or embankment, and the occupants had to be cut from it. Two other people were taken to an area hospital for treatment. All three were male, but we don’t have their names or ages yet or any information about the extent of their injuries or where they were taken for treatment.
With INDOT spuriously rushing to get state highways repaired throughout the state as they seemingly announce road closures on a daily basis, many area residents are left wondering when county roads will get some attention. For Starke County, roughly 45 miles of road have already been chip sealed and the process finished today, according to Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler, while Pulaski County is just getting started on their chip sealing process.
After the bid approval process was put on hold on June 26, the Knox Board of Public Works was able to approve the bid for the demolition of the old Knox theater and the former office of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation in the downtown area at their meeting yesterday morning. The process was postponed due to the discovery of asbestos in the two buildings, as the board learned that the federal wage would have to be used by bidders.
A Bremen man was sentenced in Marshall Superior Court No. 1 to 10 years imprisonment for Manufacturing Methamphetamine and an additional year for Resisting Law Enforcement. Shawn E. Brown, 27, will serve those sentences concurrently.
Brown admitted that on Feb. 15, he and several other people were manufacturing methamphetamine at the Country Place Apartments on West Madison Street in Plymouth. The property is not only a family housing complex but is immediately adjacent to a public park, both factors of which enhance the seriousness of the offense to a Class A felony. Brown, through a plea agreement, pleaded guilty to a Class B felony and to the offense of Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor
The city of Knox turned some unused equipment into cash after selling the equipment on eBay, a method that Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston described as a good method of liquidating out-of-use items. Houston said the city sold a GMC van for $1183, which will go into the General Fund, as well as a snow plow blade for $185.66 toward the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund. A mosquito fogger was also sold for $1785.60.
In all, the city made $3154.26, after calculating eBay fees, and Mayor Rick Chambers agreed that it is an easy, inexpensive way of selling spare or old equipment.
It’s street sweeping time again for the city of Knox, and Mayor Rick Chambers wants to remind city residents of the sweeping routes and their hours and regulations. It is unlawful for the owner, driver or operator of any vehicle to park or stop a vehicle during the street sweeping hours and there are penalties in place for any violating this ordinance.
Randall Rowe, 36 of Hamlet, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state in a previous hearing to charges of Robbery as a Class B felony, Battery as a Class C felony and Receiving Stolen Property as a Class D felony. Ten other charges would be dismissed. He was to be sentenced on June 25 but it was continued to allow the state and defense to prepare arguments for the judge to make his decision as to whether the sentences on the counts should be consecutive or concurrent.
The city of Knox will be receiving another rebate from their life insurance company to the tune of $8309.98, according to Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston.
Houston explained that the city had received a letter from Trustmark Life Insurance Company explaining that the city would receive the rebate as required under the Affordable Care Act. The company had spent more than 20 percent of its premiums on administrative costs, salaries, sales, and advertising, and as a result, that extra amount spent must be returned to the city.
A Fish Lake man faces multiple felony sex offenses after an extensive investigation by the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office. They arrested David G. Kaufman, 57, without incident last night at his home. He’s charged with three counts of attempted sexual misconduct with a minor and one count each of attempted possession of child pornography and false informing. Kaufman is scheduled to appear in LaPorte Circuit Court on Friday, July 26.
