Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Knox City Police Keeping Eye on Gas Prices

Posted on Author WKVI

The national average of a gallon of regular gasoline is over the $4.00 mark and that hurts the pocketbook of all consumers in the United States. It also affects the fuel line item in County, City and Town budgets.

Starke County Sheriff, Oscar Cowen, told WKVI that the Sheriff’s Department staff is keeping an eye on the prices, but services to the citizens will not diminish because gas prices are high. He said that when we saw a spike in prices in 2008, the Sheriff’s Department made it through and hopes to come within the fuel budget this time around.

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Another Flooding Incident at the Knox Wastewater Treatment Plant is Not Likely

Posted on Author WKVI
Kelly Clemons

Flood watches remain for several area rivers, including the Yellow River in Knox that flows through Wythogan Park and by the Wastewater Treatment Plant. When the river reached a flood stage of 12 feet one year, the Treatment Plant had flooding issues. Wastewater Superintendent, Kelly Clemons, explained the situation that occurred at the plant at that time:

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Linda Berndt Runs Unopposed in Knox City Primary Election

Posted on Author WKVI
Linda Berndt

The Knox City Primary Election is May 3rd and there are several candidates running unopposed for seats on the Knox City Council.

One of those candidates is Linda Berndt, who has served on the Council for 16 years, and she is running for the At-Large seat on the Council. She was asked what she thinks will be a challenge for the Council in the next four years.

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Turkey Tracks Hunt Begins Saturday Morning

Posted on Author WKVI

The third annual Turkey Tracks hunting event gets underway in Starke County this weekend. The hunt allows physically handicapped youngsters to experience a turkey hunting experience with assistance from local Adopt-a-Hunter volunteers. Carol Corey outlines some of the events planned for the young hunters.

“They come to the Knox VFW Saturday morning before daylight to go out and find the turkeys coming off the roost and then in the evening, we invite all of our Adopt-a-Hunter volunteers and landowners there for a dinner. If you are an Adopt-a-Hunter or landowner, we would appreciate it if you would come and join us and meet our hunters.”

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Hitchens Receives Sentence for Assisting a Criminal

Posted on Author WKVI
Kimberly Hitchens
Hitchens, after her sentencing, is escorted back to the jail.

Kimberly Hitchens received her sentence Tuesday morning in the Starke Circuit Court. Hitchens plead guilty to one count of Assisting a Criminal, a Class D Felony, which carries a sentence between 6 months to 3 years in the Department of Corrections.

Judge Kim Hall noted a few aggravating factors, as well as mitigating factors, in the case. Judge Hall stated that while Hitchens was called as a witness, she lied under oath, thereby committing perjury in the courtroom. He also noted that since Hitchens admitted there was a conspiracy, and that three others had been convicted of conspiracy to commit armed robbery from the same incident, Hitchens’ criminal activity far exceeded the crime for which she has been convicted. Judge Hall also mentioned two mitigating factors: she had previously lived free of crime for a reasonable amount of time, and she did admit to the conspiracy.

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Starke County Commissioners to Open Bids for Jail Roof Repair

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

While there is talk, pro and con, about expanding the existing Starke County Jail at the current site or constructing a new jail at a remote site, action to repair of the current facility continues.

The Starke County Board of Commissioners has scheduled a special meeting today at 1:00 p.m. to open bids for repair of the roof on the jail on North Pearl Street in Knox.

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Senator Charbonneau Discusses Changes in Redistricting Map

Posted on Author WKVI
State Senator Ed Charbonneau

Every ten years the Indiana General Assembly reviews the state’s House and Senate Districts and draws new boundary lines after determining that each has an appropriately equal number of voters. 2011 is one of those years. Senator Ed Charbonneau comes in today to tells us of the latest readjustment to his Senate district.

“My District is going to change rather significantly,” said Senator Charbonneau. “The one county where I had the entire county was Starke County and then parts of the six counties that surrounds Starke County. Under the new map, I will lose the townships that I had in Marshall County, I’ll lose some of the townships in LaPorte County, and have all of Pulaski County and then the four townships along the bottom of Starke County.”

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Donald Kring Runs Unopposed in Knox City Primary Election

Posted on Author WKVI
Donald Kring

The City of Knox Primary Election is less than a week away. Donald Kring, a Democrat, is unopposed in his District for a seat on the Knox City Council. He talks about what his main focus will be if elected into office in the November Election.

“I’ve been listening to the people in our community and it seems that unemployment is a big concern,” he said. “By working with the local businesses, as well as other City Council members, we can bring back lost jobs. I will work hard to bring new business, big or small, to our City.”

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Starke County Environmental Collection Event Begins Four Day Run

Posted on Author WKVI
Workers prepare computers to be hauled away during last year's environmental collection event

The Starke County Environmental Management District’s Collection Event begins today at the Starke County Highway Garage. Household appliances, computers, televisions, fluorescent lamps and PCB ballasts, and tires will be accepted from 2:30-5:30 p.m. CT today through Friday and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

On Saturday, April 30th, household hazardous waste will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. only. Flammable liquids, pesticides/herbicides, corrosive liquids/acids, non-conforming waste, paints, toxic solids, motor oil and antifreeze are some of the hazardous chemicals that will be accepted. For a complete list of acceptable products and limits, visit the ad on this website.

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Spring Turkey Season Begins Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Keith Wildeman

The spring turkey season opens today and runs through May 15th.

“To hunt turkeys in the spring, residents need a resident turkey license and a game bird stamp for 2011,” said Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman. “Birds that are harvested are required to be checked in within 48 hours at an official check station and there are several throughout Starke County.”

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Volunteer Fair this Saturday in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

The annual Volunteer Fair is this Saturday, April 30th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Knox High School. The Volunteer Fair is sponsored by the Community Services of Starke County, Northwest Indiana Action Corporation, United Way of Porter County and Healthlinc.

Do you know where you can volunteer in Starke County? Over fifteen agencies will be present with volunteer opportunities for persons of all ages.

Public Speaks Out Against Monterey Elementary Closure

Posted on Author WKVI

Emotions were running high at the Culver Community School Board meeting this week, as supporters of the Monterey Elementary school vehemently defended the school in the face of possible closure. This issue was discussed because of a need to reduce expenses in order to meet budget cuts from the state level in the amount of $855,928 over two years.

Culver School Board
Culver Community School Board Members (from left to right) Jack Jones, Ryan Seiber, Ken Vandeputte, Brad Schuldt, Eugene Baker, Marilyn Swanson, and Ed Behnke.

The Culver Community School Corporation has a number of options to explore in order to meet this new budget. Some of the options mentioned included increasing revenue through a referenda, in which the school tax rate would be raised $0.11  per $100; the use of the Rainy Day Fund, which has a current balance of $980,000; and decreasing expenses through budget reductions, such as closing Monterey or cutting positions.

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2011 General Assembly Required to End April 29th

Posted on Author WKVI
State Senator Ed Charbonneau

Yesterday Ed Hasnerl talked with State Senator Ed Charbonneau to inquire about the deadline for ending the 2011 Indiana General Assembly.

“We’re required to end the session this Friday, April 29th,” said Senator Charbonneau. “Things are ratcheting up and there will a lot done between now and midnight Friday. The big issue is the budget. The other issue that still needs to be voted on are the redistricting maps. That seems to be moving very close to finalization.”

Later in the week, Senator Charbonneau will talk in detail about the boundary lines of his newly re-drawn district in which he will represent voters in only a portion of Starke County but all of Pulaski County.

Starke County Treasurer Struggles with Handling Tax Payments without Second Deputy

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork

Starke County Treasurer Linda Belork says she is struggling with handling a flood of tax payments and inquiries without a second deputy to assist her in the office.

“It makes it impossible for us to answer every phone call. In a day’s time, we get a hundred messages left on the phone and we try to contact the caller the next morning and things just get backed up,” said Belork. “We have a lot of farmers that come in with many parcels and they’re having to wait. It kind of puts everybody behind. I don’t know if it’s to do with our second Deputy that we’ve been asking for that’s the biggest topic, or if it’s the carpet in here that’s got the wrinkle that several people have tripped on. They don’t feel that’s an emergency item, but it’s an emergency to me in case one of my taxpayers does fall here.”

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Voters Question Eligibility in the Knox City Primary Election

Posted on Author WKVI

Some residents around the edges of Knox seem to be confused about if they are eligible to vote in the 2011 City Election, since campaign posters are appearing all over the County, well beyond the city limits. County Clerk, Evelyn Skronski, says potential voters should have been notified by mail.

“We sent out 2,855 letters to all the registered voters in Centers 1, 2, 3, and 4,” said Skronski. “Some of them came back to us as ‘unknown’ so some of the voters may not have gotten a notice. Those that we could relocate, we sent out letters. There are jagged precinct lines throughout these four precincts so the best thing to do is call the Clerk’s Office at 772-9160 and see what precinct you are in.”

Voters in all 4 Knox precincts will cast their primary ballots in the downtown Knox Community Center.