Starke County Commissioners To Receive Bridge Update

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Commissioners will hear from Highway Commissioner Steve Siddall on the progress of bridge repair projects today.

Siddall said Friday that Bridge #9, located at 700 North and 500 East, is scheduled to be open within two weeks. The deck floor has been poured, with completion of the approaches and guardrail installation remaining.

Bridge #62 is probably five weeks behind #9 in being completed. Siddall said the end bents have been poured already. The bridge is located at Range Road and 500 East.

Finally, the commissioners will hear from the engineering firm contracted to provide services on the repair of Bridge #51 today.

Speed, Alcohol Major Factors in Tippecanoe ATV Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

Indiana Conservation Officers say speed and alcohol were factors in an ATV accident near Tippecanoe on Saturday.

Forty-year-old Clint R. Beldon is suspected of driving his ATV and rolling it on 18th Road near Tippecanoe. Witnesses say Beldon was thrown from the ATV and he sustained head trauma and other injuries in the accident. He was transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend due to his injuries.

Indiana Conservation Officers want to remind you to always wear a helmet when operating off-road vehicles.

Starke County Convention and Visitors Board Reorganized

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers

The Starke County Convention and Visitors Commission Board has reorganized. Knox Mayor Rick Chambers is the new president, John Hensler will take the role of vice president, the treasurer is now Pat Mitchell, and Ed Hasnerl is secretary.

Hasnerl, Fred Boyer, and Marty Lucas were sworn in as new members.

Hasnerl was named by the commissioners, Boyer is the member from the Hoosier Valley Railroad, and Lucas represents the Innkeepers’ interests.

The board receives and distributes funds to promote tourism in Starke County.

The Fire Mission Controller

Posted on Author WKVI
Jim Hardesty

With the permission of “Generations the Magazine,” we are this week presenting a portion of an April – May story about Jim Hardesty of Hamlet. It’s entitled “The Fire Mission Controller,” and chronicles Hardesty’s WWII military career.

Raymond and Anna Hardesty were hard working Indiana farmers who tilled the soil on their land outside the village of Hamlet. On January 29,1922, the young couple had their first child, a son they named James. Growing up on an Indiana farm at that time was an ideal existence.

While growing up, young James was responsible for feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, and cleaning the barn.

Continue reading →

Kindergarten Countdown Kicks Off Today In Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

The Kindergarten Countdown camp begins today at Knox Community Elementary School.

Sponsored by IU Health Starke Hospital and Starke United, this session offers incoming kindergarten children with little or no prior prekindergarten experience a chance to get into a classroom setting and participate in activities to get them ready for school this fall. Breakfast and lunch will be provided and each student will receive a free book to take home each day.

Kindergarten Countdown begins today and runs until Wednesday, June 20.

NJSP Senior Receives Ed Hasnerl-WKVI Scholarship

Posted on Author WKVI
Cody Hendershott

North Judson-San Pierre High School senior Cody Hendershott is the recipient of the 2012 Ed Hasnerl-WKVI Scholarship. He lives with his grandparents Darroll and Susan Clavier in rural San Pierre.

Ed Hasnerl made the presentation Wednesday at the Senior Awards night program in North Judson.

Hendershott, who received half-a-dozen scholarship awards, says he has a passion for history and plans to study journalism and writing at Anderson University this fall.

Retirement Ceremony Held For Pastor Phil Emerson

Posted on Author WKVI

A popular United Methodist minister who pastored the local UM church in Knox in the 70’s was feted at a retirement ceremony Saturday evening at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Ft. Wayne.

Pastor Phil Emerson greeted congregants and former members of churches he pastored in his long career. His final sermon will be given next Sunday. Also honored was his wife, Phyllis, who is still a hair stylist in Knox two days a week.

Several people from the Knox congregation attended the ceremony. He also was the pastor of United Methodist churches in Michigan City, Lafayette, and Logansport.

Jury Convicts Hite On All Eight Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Dale Hite

The three-day trial for Dale Hite concluded today with the jury’s verdict of guilty on all eight counts.

Hite was found guilty of two counts of Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Death as Class B felonies, two counts of Reckless Homicide as Class C felonies, and counts of Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class D felony, Possession of Methamphetamine as a Class D felony, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign as a Class C infraction, and Failure to use Headlights From Sunset to Sunrise as a Class C felony.

The trial started on Wednesday and ended Friday afternoon. Hite’s bond has been revoked, and he is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 26 at 1 p.m.

Thorstad Says Jail Overcrowding Doesn’t Affect Probation Much

Posted on Author WKVI

WKVI has been focusing on the work of the Starke County Probation Office this week. The four-person office is directed by Chief Probation Officer John Thorstad.

Thorstad explained that his office receives some much-needed assistance from the Community Corrections Program.

“Community Corrections has had a huge impact. It has relieved jail overcrowding. They have a program called ‘Thinking For a Change,’ which forces people to look in the mirror and decide how they want to change,” Thorstad said.

Continue reading →

Drunk Argos Man Arrested For Residential Entry

Posted on Author WKVI

An Argos man was arrested Thursday night after he reportedly entered a home without permission.

Plymouth police were called to 907 W. Monroe St. in reference to a suspicious male looking in the windows. When police arrived on scene, Corey A. Loveless was found to have gotten into the home and he was intoxicated.

Police arrested Loveless on preliminary charges of Residential Entry and Public Intoxication. He was taken to the Marshall County Jail.

Argos Student’s Hard Work Wins Her A Bike

Posted on Author WKVI
Gina Young, Diann Bradley, Argos Elementary Principal Holloway, Dot Taiclet and Susan Wagner stand proudly with Kendal Ferguson and her new bike.

Getting good grades can get you a new ride.

That’s what Argos Elementary student Kendal Ferguson found out after she was reported to have gotten good grades and won a drawing for a new bike. The drawing is part of the Plymouth Kiwanis’ Bringing Up Grades, or BUGS, program.

The BUGS program uses charts to track a student’s success and uses incentives to encourage students to work hard in class and bring up their grades. Students set goals and compete against themselves in this contest. One student’s name from each school was drawn and put into the drawing for the bike.

Young’s TV and Appliance donated the bike.

State Police Release Meth Lab Seizure Stats For 2011

Posted on Author WKVI

The Indiana State Police recently released statistics of methamphetamine lab seizures in the state for 2011.

With 24 seizures, Starke County had the most in Area 1 District 13, followed by Pulaski and Jasper counties reporting eight, LaPorte County with seven and Lake and Porter counties with five each. In Area 2 District 24, Marshall County had 41, Kosciusko County had 58, and Elkhart County had 71.

The county with the most dismantled methamphetamine labs by state police officers in 2011 is Vanderburgh County with 72. There were no meth labs seized in Warren County.

More Than 200 Tickets Issued By Conservation Officers Over Holiday Weekend

Posted on Author WKVI

Indiana Conservation Officers who cover seven counties including Fulton, Kosciusko and Marshall Counties, issued over 220 tickets over the Memorial Day weekend.

Officers spent the majority of their time on boating patrol enforcement, with 159 boating tickets given as well as 11 boating while intoxicated custodial arrests. One person was arrested on a felony count of intimidation with a deadly weapon. Other charges include disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana, and resisting law enforcement, along with other infractions. Twenty-five fishing violations were also discovered.

Sixteen officers logged 461 hours of patrol which included patrols at Potato Creek State Park and Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area.

Annual Fallen Officers Blood Drive Campaign To Be Held June 4

Posted on Author WKVI

Marshall County Sheriff Tom Chamberlin has announced that he will be hosting the annual blood drive campaign to honor fallen officers. Last year, 23 units of blood were collected, benefiting over 69 people.

Chamberlin said this year’s goal is to surpass last year’s collection both locally and nationwide. The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department parking lot at 1400 Pioneer Drive in Plymouth on Monday, June 4 from 1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET. Appointments are encouraged, but not necessary. Call 1-800 REDCROSS for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Week in Review for May 28th-June 1st, 2012

Posted on Author WKVI

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

Joshua Hunnicutt

Fugitive Joshua Hunnicutt turned himself into the Starke County Jail on Sunday. He had escaped from the facility on Wednesday, May 23rd by climbing the outside rec area wall. He reportedly told police that he turned himself in because he realized he would eventually be caught. He is currently being held in the Starke County Jail on his previous charge of possession of methamphetamine and a new charge of Escape as a Class C felony. Continue reading →

Jury Convicts Hite On All Eight Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Dale Hite

The three-day trial for Dale Hite concluded today with the jury’s verdict of guilty on all eight counts.

Hite was found guilty of two counts of Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Death as Class B felonies, two counts of Reckless Homicide as Class C felonies, and counts of Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class D felony, Possession of Methamphetamine as a Class D felony, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign as a Class C infraction, and Failure to use Headlights From Sunset to Sunrise as a Class C felony.

The trial started on Wednesday and ended Friday afternoon. Hite’s bond has been revoked, and he is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 26 at 1 p.m.

When officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were investigating a report of manufacturing methamphetamine, a vehicle approached the residence they were checking out and immediately sped off. Officers followed the vehicle, but its headlights turned off shortly before the vehicle went off the road, crashing into some trees at 124 mph, police say.

Two passengers died in the crash, and Hite was airlifted from the scene. Police reportedly found methamphetamine in Hite’s pockets, and it was later determined that he was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Police Recover Meth Trash from Yellow River

Posted on Author WKVI
Police removed this trash left from a meth lab from the Yellow River

Methamphetamine trash was recently removed from the Yellow River in Marshall County by members of the Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Section and the Underwater Search and Rescue/Recovery Team.

A local fisherman reported seeing several suspicious items floating in the Yellow River near Peach Road and 14th Road that he believed could be trash from a meth lab. Officers searched nearly three miles of the Yellow River and Indiana State Police Sergeant, Trent Smith, said the amount of meth trash the officers found “would make your stomach turn”.

Continue reading →

Methamphetamine Prevalence In Starke County Adversely Affects Probation

Posted on Author WKVI

A post was recently made on the WKVI Discussion board that read, “I work at a local factory for minimum type wages. I have two children and a wife. We’re falling more and more behind every day. Selling meth is looking better all the time.”

Could the economy behind the methamphetamine epidemic in Indiana? John Thorstad, Starke County’s Chief Probation Officer, said the economy might be part of the answer, but fast, easy money is probably more of a reason for producing and selling methamphetamine. He did, however, say law enforcement is having great success in closing down operations here.

Continue reading →

Starke County Companies Reduce Nation’s Reliance On Foreign Oil

Posted on Author WKVI
Kruz currently produces four of these steel trailers per week.

Two Starke County companies have been making major contributions to the frac drilling industry, particularly in North and South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Frac drilling is a term used for the procedure of extracting natural gas through a process known as “hydraulic fracturing,” along with both vertical and horizontal drilling. The process requires anywhere from one million to five million gallons of water.

Both Kruz, Inc. and Sabre Manufacturing, LLC are manufacturing tanks that are used in two different operations at frac drilling sites in those four states. Steel trailers used to carry 5500 gallons of water to these sites are manufactured by Kruz, which currently produces four trailers per week with plans to produce one per day beginning today.

Continue reading →

City of Knox May Soon Purchase Marsh Manor, Vacant Laundromat

Posted on Author WKVI
Marsh Manor

Knox City Attorney David Matsey says the city may soon be purchasing two properties. The properties belong to Don Nordstrom, and the city is currently waiting on a proposal from the owner regarding the purchase price.

Matsey identified the properties as 304 S. Main St., formerly known as Marsh Manor, and the vacant laundromat located across the street from the Knox Community Center.