A tax levy referendum will appear on the May Primary ballot for voters in the Oregon and Davis Townships in Starke County.
The referendum is asking voters to approve a property tax rate increase to help create more funds to keep the school corporation operating the way it is now. The increase will not exceed $.19 on each $100 of assessed valuation and it will be in addition to all other property tax levies imposed by the School Corporation.
Changes in state funded vaccines has changed operations at the Starke County Health Department.
Health Nurse Frank Lynch says that as of February 1st, the Health Department will no longer be able to provide vaccinations for those who have private insurance that covers vaccines.
Golf Carts Midwest, formerly Windy City Golf Carts, is moving out of Knox after being a viable business for over 30 years. Owner, Ed Arnold, talks about the departure of the business.
You have until Tuesday, February 14th to register your landline or cell phone numbers on Indiana’s Do Not Call list.
If you sign up before the deadline, you should see a reduction in calls or texts on April 1.
If you have already registered, you do not need to re-register. To sign up or to confirm a number is already on the list, visit this website or call (888) 834-9969.
The North Judson-San Pierre High School Drama Department is looking for you to participate in this month’s production of Les Miserables.
Choir Director, Donna Ness, is looking for singers of all ages to participate in the Les Miserable chorus. Sign-up will be on Thursday, February 16th at 5:00 p.m. You will be required to give information about yourself and pay $10 for a cast t-shirt. Rehearsal that night will be from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the High School Auditorium. You will need to attend additional rehearsals February 21st-23rd from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
A Plymouth man is in jail after he led police on a wild chase in South Bend and Mishawaka yesterday.
South Bend police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by 27-year-old Duane Longacre at 25th Street and Mishawaka Avenue in South Bend.
South Bend Police said they recognized the car as a stolen vehicle out of Marshall County. Police also found that he was wanted in Marshall County for two stolen cars and a handgun. Longacre didn’t stop and led police on a short police chase.
The Right to Work Bill has come down to one last vote to take place today, and the outcome is all but certain. If the bill is passed, Indiana will be the only state in the industrial Midwest with this kind of law.
The bill, House Bill 1001, is almost guaranteed to pass on Wednesday, since an identical bill was approved by the Senate earlier this year, 28-22, and Senate President Pro Tem David Long is confident he has the votes necessary for the bill to pass.
A Knox man was arrested after a search warrant was conducted at his home Monday.
Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department received a call Sunday about a burglary incident in the east 100 block of 400 South. The victim told police that a gun, a television and prescription medication were stolen.
After an investigation, detectives from the Sheriff’s Department applied for a search warrant for Jacob Hanselman’s residence at 309 Ruthie Dr. Apt. A-1 in Knox. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall approved the search warrant. On Monday, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox City Police Department executed the search warrant where they reportedly found items that had been reported stolen.
Facing eleven charges, four of which are Class A felonies, Shelby Thomas appeared in the Starke Circuit Court for a plea hearing. Defense Attorney Richard Ballard and Prosecutor Nick Bourff previously told the court that they plan to resolve the matter without the need of a jury trial, which was set for February 8th.
The deadline to file for the May Spring Primary Election is February 10th. A few races have already developed in Starke and Pulaski Counties.
Democrats Linda Belork and Kasey Clark have filed for Starke County Treasurer. For Starke County Commissioner District 3, a race has developed between Democrats Dan Bridegroom and Joseph Woods.
The days of students lugging backpacks stuffed full of books and folders may soon be at an end, thanks to the recent movement from traditional hardback textbooks to electronic books. Culver Community Schools Superintendent Brad Schuldt recently told WKVI that Apple has recently begun providing textbooks for the iPad, and as of last week, two textbooks that the high school currently uses have been ported to the iPad.
Schuldt said that they are very interested in gradually moving into the digital age with most, if not all, of their textbooks on the iPad, but it remains to be seen how fast book providers will release their books digitally.
Democrat State Senator Jim Arnold, of LaPorte, authored three bills that have been approved by the full Senate.
Senate Bill 193 improves local government transparency through public financial disclosures. This will requires any candidate running for a local or school board office to file a statement of economic interest. This will disclose personal or professional ties to businesses.
Senate Bill 11 curtails animal fighting contests by imposing greater penalties on spectators. The bill would raise the penalty for attending an animal fighting contest from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony.
Starke County Prosecuting Attorney Nick Bourff has moved to dismiss the charges against John Clemons due to a lack of evidence. Clemons was previously charged with Theft as a Class D felony after he was arrested on Sept. 10 for attempting to steal various scrap metal items from a residence in Knox.
The Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry considers itself blessed by all the generous donations from the community, but Director Joan Haugh says keeping the pantry stocked with food is an ongoing struggle and, as always, they need donations of paper products, dish soap, laundry detergent, and shampoo– things that cannot be purchased with food stamps.
The Medaryville Fire Department was called to a garage fire early Sunday morning at 6551 N. 1150 W. in Medaryville. Medaryville Fire Chief, Shaun Hauptli, said that when the firefighters arrived on scene, a massive garage was on fire and it was getting close to the back of the house.
The fire was so large Hauptli said he called for manpower and water assistance from the San Pierre and North Judson-Wayne Township Fire Departments. Water assistance was also requested from Bass Lake, Winamac, Francesville and LaCrosse Fire Departments.
Starke County EMS Director Paul Mathewson said the upgrade to Advanced Life Service, or ALS, is moving along. Crews have spent the last month getting equipment together.
“Our new truck came in so now we’re putting all of that together,” said Mathewson. “Really, we’re in the finalizing stages of finishing up this project so we can get the State down and clear it.”
The Winamac Fire Department was called to a house fire at Doug Sobczak’s residence at 626 N. Market Street on Tuesday, January 24th.
Winamac Fire Chief, Bill Weaver, said that the homeowner called and said there was a fire in the living room. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire. A representative from the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office was called to the scene and could not determine the cause of the fire. Damage was contained to the living room area.
No injuries were reported at the scene.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has received several complaints about a scam.
In this scam, the caller tells you that you’ve won $2.5 million in the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. The caller then tells you to go to a local store and buy a Money Pack Green Scratch card and put $225 on it and send it to them in order to collect your prize.
Nathan VanDerAa’s sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court has been continued to March. His sentencing hearing was scheduled for Friday, January 27th.
On June 3rd, 2011, VanDerAa was arrested on a charge of Possession of Methamphetamine after a traffic stop and a few days later, Starke County officers arrived at his home in Star City and found that he was in the presence of a meth lab, firearms and ammunition. Pulaski County Prosecutor Stacey Mrak filed methamphetamine related charges against him and the ATF was expected to file a federal charge for a firearm possession. Mrak recently dismissed the County’s charges against VanDerAa and they were transferred to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Bend.
Former Starke County resident, 31-year-old Jerrold L. Minix, was arrested on two active arrest warrants earlier this month in LaPorte County. One warrant was for incidents that occurred in Starke County in 2007.
Minix appeared in Starke Circuit Court last week and pleaded not guilty to charges of Burglary, two counts, two counts of Theft and two counts of Receiving Stolen Property. He is suspected of entering Carpenter’s Oil in North Judson on December 4th, 2007 and stealing tobacco products and convenience items from the store. He also reportedly broke into the Sporty’z Bar at Bass Lake and stole a computer. He also allegedly stole tools from the utility garage owned by the Town of North Judson and a black duffel bag from the North Judson Little League Concession Stand.
