LaPorte Homeowner Finds Home Burglarized, Injures Suspect

Posted on Author WKVI
LaPorte County Sheriff's Department
LaPorte County Sheriff's Department

Two juveniles were arrested yesterday after they burglarized a home and the homeowner had wounded one of the suspects.

An officer from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department responded to a home in the 7800 North block of County Road 175 East, or Fail Road. The homeowner said that he discovered his home was being burglarized and the suspects were still inside the home. When police arrived on scene, the victim had shot one of the suspects in the hand. The suspect was transported to IU Health LaPorte Hospital and the other juvenile suspect was transported to the LaPorte County Juvenile Justice Center. After the injured suspect was cleared from the hospital, he was taken to the Juvenile Justice Center.

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New CASA Director Named

Posted on Author WKVI
Rhonda Adcock

Judge Kim Hall has named a new CASA Director for Starke County. The new director will be assuming the duties held for the past four years by Ron Henningsmith.

“Rhonda Adcock has been a CASA volunteer with our program for just over a year now and she’s a very capable young lady,” said Henningsmith. “I decided that I need to step aside and let someone else take the reigns at the helm and she has gracefully accepted that challenge.”

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West Central School Corporation Moves Forward with Technology Upgrades

Posted on Author WKVI

The West Central School Corporation is moving forward with technology upgrades. Infrastructure for wireless technology is almost complete and Superintendent Charles Mellon says this enables the Corporation to become prepared for some important projects.

“If we go with one-to-one computing down the road, the wireless is there, plus the wind turbine will be on wireless. That means that the people in Chicago will be able to control the wind from the city. If a component goes bad, there’s a red flag that comes up and they can give us some directions on how to fix it or how to reset it on site. So, this opens the door for a lot of things,” said Superintendent Mellon.

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Culver School Board Reorganizes

Posted on Author WKVI
Culver Community School Board
Culver Community School Board Members (from left, clockwise): Jack Jones, Ryan Seiber, Marilyn Swanson, Brad Schuldt, Eugene Baker, Jim Wentzel, Ed Behnke, Ken VanDePutte

The Culver Community School Board made a number of organizational changes at their recent meeting, including the appointment of a new Vice President. Jack Jones was originally nominated, but he declined the position, telling the board that he would be more comfortable in the Secretary position.

Ryan Sieber was ultimately nominated and elected with a unanimous vote.

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Knox Man Arrested on Possession Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Vernon Dale Chessor

A Knox man was arrested on possession charges after a traffic stop on Thursday, January 5th.

An officer from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department pulled over a vehicle driven by Jennifer Bonnell on 200 South East of 550 East in Knox. She had allegedly driven into the officer’s lane as she approached him. As the officer turned around and activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, the passenger, Vernon “Dale” Chessor, allegedly opened his door, dropped something outside of the car, and then shut the door. The officer called for another officer to see what the object was and continued with his traffic stop.

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Senate Committee Approves Animal Fighting Bill

Posted on Author WKVI
Indiana Statehouse

The Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters voted to approve a bill yesterday that would raise the penalty for attending an animal fighting contest from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class D felony. Democrat State Senator Jim Arnold, of LaPorte, authorized the piece of legislation, which aims to curtail animal fighting contests by imposing greater penalties on spectators.

Senate Bill 11 would give spectators the same punishment that currently exists for promoters and sponsors.

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Ed Hasnerl Recognized for Years of Service on Hospital Board

Posted on Author WKVI
IU Health Starke Hospital CEO Linda Satkoski, Ed Hasnerl and Board President Ben Bennett

Ed Hasnerl was recognized for serving 14 years on the IU Health Starke Hospital’s Community Board during a special meeting Monday night. At the same time Hasnerl was receiving his award, the board was welcoming his replacement, Martin Bedrock.

In board business, Ben Bennett was reelected the Board President, Sandy Hansen remains as Vice President, and Dr. Walter Fritz was selected to be the new Secretary taking the place of newly retired member, Ed Hasnerl. Continue reading →

Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Investigating Armed Robbery Incident

Posted on Author WKVI

An armed robbery incident is being investigated by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.

Police were called to the Bottle Stop Liquor Store on Michigan Street in Lapaz on Monday night where the employee said a man brandished a knife and demanded cash from the register. The employee was cut on a finger with the suspect’s knife. Police arrived on the scene within one minute, but the suspect had fled the scene and was not immediately found. The man had run out the front door toward the alley. An undisclosed amount of cash was stolen from the cash register.

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Flags to be Flown at Half Staff for Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Posted on Author WKVI

Although many flags are already being flown at half staff in honor of the servicemen from Indiana who lost their lives last Thursday in Afghanistan, the official mourning period begins at 8:00 a.m. this morning.

Starke County Service Officer Gordon Richie made the announcement yesterday. Richie was asked how long the period will last.

“Until the funeral day,” he said. “After the funeral, at the closing of the businesses and Courthouse, they will then take the flags down from half staff.”

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Winamac Woman Arrested on Possession Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
Michelle Hanson

A Winamac woman was arrested on Wednesday after police found her in possession of a controlled substance.

A Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy found a vehicle parked at the intersection of Adams and Monticello Street but didn’t initially see anyone in the car. The officer approached the vehicle and saw a woman, Michelle Hanson, sitting in a reclined seat in the vehicle. The officer knocked on the window several times until she opened the door. The officer asked what she was doing there and she replied that she had a few drinks with her friend and they went shopping. She said her friend stopped at that location and dropped her off. When the officer spoke to Hanson, he could tell that she had been drinking.

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Starke County Ambulance Service to be ALS Certified

Posted on Author WKVI
Paul Mathewson

Advanced Life Support service for Starke County may be only a few weeks away. That was the message the Starke County Commissioners heard last week from EMS Director Paul Mathewson.

“We found out that the application itself got accepted by the State for us to go ahead and move forward in becoming ALS certified,” said Mathewson.

Mathewson said he’s waiting on the state to come down and inspect the rigs and equipment before he can move ahead.

“We’re getting in equipment to stock the ambulance itself with all of the necessary equipment to run an ALS rig. We’re in the process of hiring on new paramedics to upgrade our service so that when the State is able to come down, we’re ready to go.”

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Toxicology Results Negative for Alcohol and Drugs in Fatal Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

The toxicology results have been released by the Marshall County Coroner’s Office and Coroner Bill Cleveanger said in the case of Richard Dennis III, alcohol and drugs were not a factor in accident that claimed his Dennis’ life on January 3rd.

On January 3rd, police say Richard Dennis III was traveling westbound on 9th Road, just east of Quince Road when he encountered a set of railroad tracks. He didn’t slow or stop at the tracks and went over the incline and over the tracks at a high rate of speed. The road conditions were slick at time and Dennis reportedly lost control of his vehicle and hit a tree. He was killed upon impact. State Police are investigating reports that Dennis may have been involved in a hit and run accident in Plymouth shortly before the fatal crash. The accident remains under investigation with the Marshall County Coroner’s Office and the Indiana State Police.

Ed Hasnerl Named Starke County Historian

Posted on Author WKVI

WKVI’s Ed Hasnerl has been officially named as Starke County Historian by the Indiana Historical Society. He replaces Marvin Allen who has moved to Florida. He was nominated by the local historical society last November.

The county historian acts as a contact person for people in the state and around the nation who have questions about county history. The position is a voluntary, working position.

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From the WKVI Archives

Posted on Author WKVI
The Hamlet United Methodist Church suffered a fire in 2007

It was on this date 1982 when we were in the throes of of tremendous winter storm. It actually began on January 9th, a Saturday, and went into January 10th.

It got down to 19 below zero on the 10th, coming in on the heels of 40 m.p.h. winds. People were stranded all over the place in the blinding snowstorm.

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Robert Tauteris, Jr.’s Body Arrives on U.S. Soil

Posted on Author WKVI
A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Spc. Robert Tauteris, Jr. at Dover Air Force Base

The remains of four National Guard soldiers, who were killed after their truck struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on Thursday, have returned to the United States. The remains of Spc. Robert Tauteris, Jr. 44 of Hamlet, Spc. Brian Leonhardt, 21 of Merrillville, Christopher Patterson, 20, of Aurora, Ill., and Staff Sgt. Jonathan Metzger, 32, of Indianapolis arrived in Dover, Delaware where a dignified transfer honors service was held. The fallen soldiers’ families were at the service along with senior military leaders of the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, the Army National Guard and the Indiana National Guard.

Hamlet Town Board President Dave Kesvormas, on behalf of the Hamlet Town Board, has declared that all U.S. Flags, in the town limits, be flown at half mast in memory of Army SPC Robert J. Tauteris, of Hamlet, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country in Afghanistan.

Video of the transfer service can be viewed by clicking here.

Photo provided.

Starke County Soldier Killed in Afghanistan IED Attack

Posted on Author WKVI
Robert “Bobby” Tauteris Jr.

A Starke County soldier is one of four from the Hoosier state who were killed in Afghanistan this week. Robert “Bobby” Tauteris Jr., whose home address was listed in a release as being from Hamlet, was apparently killed by an IED explosion while on patrol.

Tauteris was a 1986 graduate of North Judson-San Pierre High School and is survived by his children Robert and Matthew. He is the son of Robert Tauteris, Sr. His mother Marge preceded him in death.

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