Starke County Council Approves Money for Special Legislation in Funding Jail Project

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

The Starke County Council approved a $25,000 request from the Commissioners that would be used to secure the assistance of Umbaugh and Associates and Ice Miller, LLC in pursuing special legislation that would help in the funding of a jail project once the scope of that project is determined.

The committee selected to study how to correct problems at the jail was brought up to date this week on what would happen if a Federal Court judge was to mandate that a new jail be built. Starke County already has a class action suit against it, and with the condition of the jail it is not out of the realm of possibility that other law suits could be forthcoming in the future.

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Medaryville Residents Arrested on Charges of Theft

Posted on Author WKVI
Kurt Timberlake
Benjamin Fitch
Tyson Matthews

Three Medaryville residents were arrested Tuesday after an ongoing theft investigation by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department.

Eight thefts were reported between the months of March and October in 2010 from rural farms in Rich Grove and Cass Townships on U.S. 421 in Pulaski County. Two operational semi-tractors, two inoperable cars and one pickup, tractor weights, and several other items and farm implements were stolen. Scrap steel was also reported stolen from the FTC business in Francesville.

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North Judson Town Board Discusses 2012 Budget, Trash Removal Services

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board members approved the 2012 budget this week. All funds, including the general fund, local roads and streets, motor vehicle highway, parks, cumulative capital improvements, and cumulative capital development funds total $785,360.

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Starke County Commissioners to Decide on Snow Emergency Policy for County Employees

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Commissioners: Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom and Jennifer Davis

The Starke County Commissioners are trying to decide on a snow emergency policy involving employee pay if the county is under a no travel order due to snowy conditions. The Courthouse had to close once in December of 2010 and again in January of this year because the county roads were closed due to snow. A funding mechanism was in place through the state and federal governments where the county could get funding to make the roads passable if an emergency is declared in the county.

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Winamac Man Arrested after Stolen Items Found in Residence

Posted on Author WKVI
Jason Creque

Jason Creque, of Winamac, was arrested Tuesday in Pulaski County on Theft charges after a search warrant was executed by Pulaski County police.

An ATV, hunting clothing, household items, toys, and tools were reported stolen by a homeowner on 475 W., south of 900 S. in Pulaski County. When Pulaski County officers investigated the shooting incident between Creque and Josh Isom on October 5th, detectives observed the stolen items at Creque’s residence at 7948 S. 475 W. in Winamac. Detectives obtained a search warrant and some of the stolen items were recovered at the residence. The ATV was recovered in Carroll County and some of the hunting items were recovered in Monticello.

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Knox City Police Continue to Investigate Five Star Burglary

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox City Police Department continues to investigate the burglary at Five Star.

Police say they are looking for two male suspects who are approximately six feet tall. The vehicle used by the suspects is said to be a gold, late 1990s model Chevy Caprice with dark tinted windows. Detectives say that they have been receiving tips from the security footage that was posted on this website and are following up on the information given to them. Evidence was collected at the scene and is being analyzed by the Indiana State Police Crime Lab.

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Local Principal Named District 2 Principal of the Year

Posted on Author WKVI
Greg Briles

Greg Briles, Principal at Oregon-Davis High School, has been named the District 2 Principal of the Year. Briles said representing Oregon-Davis High School every day is an even greater honor than the award.

“It doesn’t come without hard work from the students, the parents, the community, the teachers that are around me and it takes those people to make this honor possible,” commented Briles.

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Local Marching Bands to Perform in Semi-State Competition

Posted on Author WKVI
The Knox Redskin Brigade performs during Regional compeition at Chesterton

The Knox Redskin Brigade and the John Glenn Marching Band will be performing in the Semi-State Marching Band competition in Class C tomorrow at Decatur High School in Indianapolis.

John Glenn will perform at 5:20 p.m. ET and the Knox Redskin Brigade will perform at 5:46 p.m. ET. Awards for all of Class C, which contains 20 bands, will be at approximately 6:12 p.m. ET. 10 bands will advance to the State Finals which will be on Saturday, October 29th, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Starke County Treasurer’s Books almost Balanced

Posted on Author WKVI
Linda Belork

The discrepancies in the Treasurer’s office have almost been solved. It was reported at this week’s Starke County Commissioners meeting that the Treasurer’s balance, and bank balance were in sync within pennies. The figures came from the monthly 47TR report given to the commissioners.

“The 47TR form is basically the form that compares our Treasurer’s balance to the bank balance to the Auditor’s balance,” explained Commission President, Dan Bridegroom. “The Auditor’s balance will be somewhat different than the Treasurer’s because of how the funds are received. In the bottom line, that form out of the Treasurer’s Office should balance with our bank. That is where we had the huge discrepancy of almost $900,000 and that’s what led us to where we are today. As of Tuesday of last week, the Auditor, Kay Chaffins, and Casey in the Treasurer’s Office have got that down to somewhere around $.33 and they will find that portion of that also.”

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North Judson Town Board Discusses Safety

Posted on Author WKVI
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller

The North Judson Town Board members held a lengthy discussion about safety at their meeting this week.

A picture of a utility employee hanging by his feet off a backhoe sparked the discussion as some thought a safety violation had occurred. WKVI learned that the owner of American Oak had requested the assistance of the North Judson Utility Department to help unclog a sewer line that his contractor could not successfully complete. It was found that a root ball was clogging the line. Due to the compact sewer area and the success of a previous similar issue, an employee of the department volunteered to be strapped to a strap by his feet suspended by a backhoe and he was lowered approximately 16″ into the four-and-a-half foot manhole to retrieve the root ball. There was no sewage in that area at the time and it had been vacuumed and cleared at the time. The employee successfully retrieved the obstruction within a matter of seconds and no injuries were reported.

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Pulaski County Commissioners Sign Grant Application for Narrow-Band EMA Radios

Posted on Author WKVI
Pulaski County Commissioners Tracey Shorter, Kenneth Boswell, Michael Tiede

Pulaski County EMA Director Larry Hoover was given confirmation by the county commissioners to go ahead with the application process for their narrow-band radio grant.

According to Hoover, the EMA has been on this grant for over a month and they’re still in the application stage. Signatures are required by the commissioners in order to ensure the grant, which involves a 50/50 match by the county, will be paid for.

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Free Seminar for Women this Saturday

Posted on Author WKVI
Danny Russo

A free seminar for women will be presented on Saturday at the New Millennium in downtown Knox at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday’s instructor, Danny Russo, a certified master trainer, will be giving women advice on how to naturally become stronger, firmer, healthier, happier and look great. You will learn how to flatten lower abs and how to firm thighs and to answer the question of whether or not your medications and foods you eat are helping or hurting you.

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Donations Needed for Pulaski County Shop with a Cop Program

Posted on Author WKVI

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a “Shop with a Cop” program this year during the holiday season.

An account has been established for families needing assistance at the Alliance Bank branches in Winamac and Francesville. Donations to the “Shop with a Cop” fund will be used by officers to help others less fortunate with clothing and toys for children this Christmas. Individuals, businesses and clubs are encouraged to donate.

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Economic Summit to be Held in Winamac Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The second in a series of economic summits for Pulaski County is scheduled for today. With a focus on “Branding Your Business,” the economic summit will be held today at 11:30 a.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Winamac.

Marketing Consultant Jim Walton of Brand Acceleration from Indianapolis will be present to make a presentation and explain how businesses can improve their image, and keep their current clientele while expanding to new clients as well.

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Starke County Council Approves IU Health Starke Hospital’s Capital Spending Request

Posted on Author WKVI
IU Health Starke Hospital

A capital spending request presented by officials from IU Health Starke Hospital to the Starke County Council was approved Monday night, but it didn’t exactly turn out the way the hospital administrators present wanted it to. The administrators wanted a straight approval on the $2,001,776 request, but the council put a restriction on the $250,000 contingency part of the petition.

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Francesville Woman Injured after being Hit by Car

Posted on Author WKVI

A Francesville resident was injured last week after she was accidentally hit by a car.

Francesville Town Marshal, Jose Miramontes, told WKVI that Sandra Waibel was walking on James Street last Wednesday morning with her mother, sister and two children between Brown and State Street when Ronald Hooker, 80, hit her with his pick-up. Hooker said he did not see them. Waibel told emergency responders that she had a head injury and was pregnant. After examining the situation, she was airlifted from the scene to South Bend Memorial Hospital.

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Starke County EMA Recognized for Improvement

Posted on Author WKVI
Ted Bombagetti

Starke County has been recognized as showing the greatest improvement in the EMA Office in the state. EMA Director, Ted Bombagetti, received the award in Indianapolis recently.

“All of the Directors of the EMAs throughout the state work off the state’s rating system where we do specific projects for our county, classroom participation and a host of other items,” said Bombagetti. “We get a report card on it at the end of the year and fortunately, my department was able to score enough points and we received an award from the state for the most improved county.”

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