The Knox City Police Department continues to investigate a break-in at the Starke County Abstract building on 14 E. Washington Street in Knox.
Suzie Gerretson called police on Wednesday, November 9th, when she entered the office and noticed that the safe was open and there were numerous papers scattered around the outside of the safe. Her desk drawer was also open.
The West Central School Board got an update from the Technology Committee at their recent meeting. The Board has wrapped up many of the Capital Projects it had planned for the year and now they can focus on technology. Superintendent Charles Mellon said that policies on social networking are being explored which includes cell phone use, Facebook usage and email. Other avenues are being researched as well.
The 4th Annual Turkey Tracks Hunt is coming up in April 2012. Eric Corey, who has Lou Gehrig’s Disease, has been instrumental in organizing a turkey hunt each year for handicapped hunters. Along the way he has met numerous people who have taken advantage of his generosity.
One of those people is motivational speaker LaDonna Brock, from Richmond, Kentucky. LaDonna got her first turkey last spring in this hunt and is back now trying to get her first deer.
The Starke County EMS family is currently accepting canned goods and non-perishable items at each of the county’s EMS stations. The emergency responders will be collecting items through Christmas. The donations will be given to the county food pantry.
EMS Director, Paul Mathewson, said that while they are collecting food at each of the stations in Grovertown, Knox, and North Judson, they are accepting donations of coats for those in need this winter season. They hope to get coats for children and adults in time for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. New or gently used coats will be accepted.
Several members of the Knox Zeta Eta Chapter of the Tri Kappa organization recently attended the Tri Kappa XXI Convention at the LaPorte First United Methodist Church.
Rhonda Cavinder gave a report and a Fine Arts competition was held. Brenda Krom and Shirley Fosler had entries in the photography division and Jennifer Frasure had made a Zeta Eta scrapbook.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department is seeking assistance in finding suspects responsible for a burglary that occurred in the 3500 North block of U.S. 35, north of the City of LaPorte.
Sheriff’s deputies found that sometime between Saturday afternoon and mid-morning Sunday, the detached garage on the property was forcibly entered and several items were stolen. A blue Miller portable MIG welder and a purple 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo were stolen. The Monte Carlo is very distinctive as it is a modified race car and has “NMCA DRAG RACING” on the front windshield. The vehicle has no license plate. Continue reading
A Medaryville woman was arrested Sunday after telling police of a battery incident that never occurred.
Heather Robbins reportedly told police that she was traveling on County Road 200 North just west of State Road 39 in Pulaski County when she saw red and blue lights behind her at approximately 4:00 a.m. ET. She said that she pulled over to the side of the road and an unknown person pulled her from the vehicle and beat her. She said she lost consciousness and woke up in her car. She returned home to North Judson to visit her family who urged her to go to the hospital.
The recent municipal election in North Judson had Republican Donna Henry defeating incumbent Democrat Connie Miller for Clerk-Treasurer by four votes. Even though it would be a very slim chance, that specific election could end up tied because there are still four provisional votes out.
“Provisional ballots are going to be looked at at 10:00 a.m. on Friday which is the ten day deadline to come up to the Clerk’s Office and show us your ID, or if it’s a voting line problem, then we would determine that also,” said Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski. “There’s four provisional ballots in North Judson and one provisional in Knox.”
The West Central School Board is considering eliminating the position of Middle School Principal. Superintendent Charles Mellon says that the action is being considered due to several reasons, mostly due to the Corporation’s financial outlook.
Candice Bernier from the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns made a presentation to the Knox City Council last week concerning the downtown area. She talked about creating a five year plan for the downtown portion of the city.
One person who was excited with the presentation, and looks forward to assisting in getting the project off the ground, is Debbie Mix, the Executive Director of the Greater Starke County Chamber of Commerce. Bernier talked about involving every segment of the population in the decision making for improving the downtown. Mix said she looks forward to bringing the business segment into the planning process.
Gas prices have been hovering around the $3.40 in Indiana lately. We asked Congressman Joe Donnelly what his thoughts are about the current state of gas prices:
“The more we become energy independent, the better we get control over our gas prices,” said Donnelly. “As we move forward, all of our policies that are based on American energy independence will make our economy continue to grow and will lower gas prices.”
With deer hunting season going on, we are thinking ahead to the Fourth Annual Turkey Tracks event that is scheduled for April 2012.
This event, organized by the Doug Corey family, is for disabled hunters and has grown three fold over the past three years.
Eric Corey talked what the event is all about.
“People with disabilities, handicaps and different diseases can get out in the outdoors and hunt for a weekend,” said Corey. “They can get their minds off hospitals and doctor’s appointments and let them have a good time.”
An article from Who Pulled the Plug on English Lake, by Bob Statchura —————-
1908
The farmers of LaPorte and Starke Counties can have a sigh of relief. The bear that has been destroying so much stock for the past year or so is no more. While two Indianapolis hunters by the name of Ed Longerich and J. C. Rickerts were fishing in the Kankakee at Indian Stretch last week they were startled by hearing a noise in the bushes on the opposite side of the river and were horrified to see a bear swimming across the river toward them. They abandoned the boat and with great difficulty made their way back to camp with all haste through the swamps to Riverside. After changing their clothes, which were badly torn in the mad haste, they borrowed a bear trap of Buffalo Bill and arming themselves with rifles went back to the place where they had seen the bear. They set the trap on Wambaugh‘s bridge and hung a large ham over it.
They proceeded to Wilder [west of Brems] and reported their experience to Fred Armt. Mr. Armt, being an old time bear hunter, was overjoyed to hear their story and he hastily organized a posse to go in search of the big grizzly. The great Dog King happened to be in his place at the time and volunteered the services of his famous pack of hounds. Bill Tesmer, Skinnie McDonald and Mr. Margin composed the balance of the party. All being heavily armed, they proceeded to where the Indianapolis hunters had set the trap.
The party arrived at the spot only to find that the trap had been sprung and that the bear in his mad struggle had gnawed off his leg at the first joint. The hounds took up the trail and followed it to Dunn‘s bridge. Here back of Burrow‘s abandoned camp in the swamps the bear was cornered by the faithful hounds. The dogs put up a good battle with the angry beast, which was clawing and tearing the hounds as fast as they came within reach of his terrible claws. The fight was so thick and fast that the posse was afraid to use their rifles for fear of killing some of the hounds. Finally the combined weight of the hounds made it possible for them to throw the monster to the ground, which enabled Mr. Longerich to administer his heavy hunting knife. The bear was carried by Mr. Tesmer (who declined all assistance) to Wilder and it was weighed in front of Smith‘s store. It tipped the scales at 694 pounds. Mr. Armt sent it to Chicago to have it mounted and will place it on exhibition in his buffet.
The Dog King is bemoaning the loss of seven of his best hounds as a consequence of the fight—valued at three hundred dollars—and his friends at Wilder are going to try to induce the county commissioners to reimburse him in view of his valuable assistance in ridding the county of the greatest pest it has known for a good many years.
Jim Shilling
Starke County Historical Society
http://www.starkehistory.com
http://www.scpl.lib.in.us/historical/
The votes from the 2nd District Democratic Precinct Committee are in: Mike Schmuhl, 28, has been chosen as the new Democratic Party Chair for the 2nd District.
“I think Mike’ll do a great job, and he’ll work with all ten counties in the district. One won’t be treated any differently than another; he’ll work for all of us and we got a good leader,” said Kenny Wallace, the Starke County Democrat Chairman.
Congressman Joe Donnelly was recently asked what he’s been hearing about the economic front.
“On the economic front, we are waiting on the report from the Super Committee which we’re hoping will be able to help us reduce the deficit, while at the same time, allowing us to continue to grow our economy,” commented Donnelly. “We saw that the jobless report shows the lowest number of jobless claims in seven months so it’s a step-by-step process, but we’re hoping that our economy gets stronger.”
Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa gave the School Board members a report from the recent Parent/Teacher conferences at the Elementary School.
“We gave an Elementary facility study update to the Board just to keep them updated on what’s going on, especially at the Palmer Wing,” said Superintendent Gappa. “During our recent Parent/Teacher Conference days in mid-October, the administrators from the Elementary School, along with some other staff members, opened up the Palmer Wing to any parents who came through at Parent/Teacher Conferences and wanted to see the state of the building. As we move forward and try to decide what we want to do with that buildling, we think the process is to sell the need and let parents actually see what shape the building is in and the part we’re talking about is almost 60 years old.”
Jennifer A. Wallace was recently arrested by police from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department on charges of Theft.
According to court documents, an investigation showed that Wallace allegedly stole tanning product inventory and cash from Ladybug Laundry and Tan in Winamac. She allegedly took cash from the moneychanger. She was an employee at the time of her arrest.
Pulaski County Prosecutor Stacey Mrak and the State of Indiana has filed two counts of Theft as a Class D Felony against Wallace. She has since bonded out of the Pulaski County Jail.
The SCILL Center is offering free winter car checks in exchange for a donation to the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry.
On Monday, November 21st, from 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. CT, the SCILL Center students will conduct a pre-winter inspection of your car or truck. Your car’s anti-freeze will be checked, along with the battery, belts, windshield wipers, lights, and tires. For every car that comes in, First Farmers Bank and Trust will make a cash donation to the food pantry. Your donation of a food item will ensure a check of your car by the students. You will also receive discount coupons from area auto supply stores for any replacement parts needed.
Dispatchers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department want to remind you that even if you retire a cell phone and cancel service, often times that phone can still call out to 9-1-1 centers.
Some parents give their retired cell phone to children to play with but if that phone still has a functioning battery and that child “pretends” to call 9-1-1, chances are that phone call will ring into the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department often receives these types of 9-1-1 calls and dispatchers can hear children and other people talking on the other end of the phone, but the caller is often not aware that they have actually dialed an emergency center. Dispatchers can not call the person back to determine if there is a real emergency because the phone has been disconnected from service and the number is not registered.
The Starke County Historical Society’s annual meeting is this Thursday, November 17th at the Knox High School Cafeteria.
The carry-in meal begins at 6:00 p.m. You bring a covered dish, and the Historical Society will furnish the meat, beverage, cups, silverware and plates. A short business meeting will be held at 6:50 p.m. with the election of officers and various reports.
The entertainment for the evening will be from Susan Ruth Brown. Susan will bring back many songs from the era of the Civil War. As multi-instrumentalist and songstress, Susan often performs on fretted dulcimer, guitar, zither, autoharp, piano, penny whistle, recorder and various rhythm instruments. She is known for expressive vocals; from Celtic tunes to hard-hitting country songs.
