The trial of John Brooke is underway in Starke Circuit Court. In this mornings proceedings the State and Defense both gave opening statements. The Prosecution called three police officers to the stand who were on the scene during the alleged shoot-out at Bass Lake in February of 2010.
Taking the stand were officers Don Ferguson, Ken Pfost, and Bill Dulin. At one point Officer Ferguson presented emotional testimony stating that” he thought he would never see his wife again.”
Entered as exhibits were weapons, body armor, bullets, and ammo magazines that were taped together.
Brooke, who has several counts against him, was reportedly at work when he heard that police had arrived at his residence to arrest his friend Michael Drogosz. He drove home, and allegedly put on body armour and while armed attempted to come up the back-way to his house. He was eventually taken into custody.
The trial is expected continue all week in Starke Circuit Court.
Savanna – Now what is that? You have heard of savannas in Africa, but here in Indiana? Yes, right here in Starke County. In fact, there are several in Northern Indiana. For the most part, savannas occurred in Indiana’s main prairie region in the northwestern part of the state. The plant geography of Indiana is a transition between the wide open prairies of Iowa and Illinois and the deciduous forests of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Early Indiana had prairies (almost 15 percent of the state) and forests. Savannas were interspersed between and shared some characteristics of both prairies and forests. Savannas have trees like a forest and many of the same grasses and wildflowers as a prairie. Typical trees are black and white oaks with scattered wild black cherry and sassafras. Typical shrubs are winged sumac, blueberries, and huckleberries. Wildflowers in the savannas are very different from the typical forest ones. They are more of the prairie type flowers. Lupines, puccoons and bird’s-foot violets welcome the spring, while coreopsis, sunflowers, blazing star and butterfly weed accent the summer. Fall is heralded by asters and goldenrods. Prairie grasses are also highlighted in the landscape. We probably have several small savannas in Starke County, isolated on some of the sand ridges, but one that gets all of the attention is the Ober Savanna.
Ober Savanna – Located just west of Ober, Indiana, this 59-acre parcel is owned by The Nature Conservancy and contains a high-quality remnant of a black oak savanna. Clusters of large black oaks grow among prairie grasses and wildflowers, such as little and big bluestem, Indian grass, porcupine grass, June grass, and puccoons. The rare prickly pear, yellow wild indigo, globally endangered fame flower, and wild indigo are found here, as are some rare, prairie-specific butterflies.
To find the Ober Savanna, drive west of Ober on 200 S., cross the RR tracks, and within a few hundred feet there is a small parking area on the north side of the road with the Ober Savanna sign. Follow the instructions on the sign. See attachment.
Two Starke County residents were arrested this morning after a routine traffic stop.
A Knox City Police officer pulled over a vehicle on 300 E. and 250 N. in Knox. During the course of the traffic stop, a K9 was deployed to search for drugs. The K9 indicated that drugs were the vehicle and methamphetamine was seized. After an investigation, the officer found a handgun in the vehicle. Traci Jacobs and Paul Higdon were then arrested on preliminary charges of Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of Methamphetamine. They are currently being held in the Starke County Jail.
Knox residents were without power this morning after a storm blew through the area overnight. At one time, 795 residents were without power in Knox. According to NIPSCO.com, all power has been restored. Power outages were also reported in Pulaski County and in Culver this morning.
The trial of John Brooke, who was reportedly involved in an incident at Bass Lake in February of 2010, begins today in Starke Circuit Court. Brooke is facing seven charges against him. The trial begins at 9:00 a.m. in Judge Kim Hall’s courtroom. A jury of eight men and four women was seated on Friday.
Brooke was supposed to be on trial with Kimberly Hitchens but in a surprise development, Hitchens had charges of Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery and Possession/Manufacturing of a Destructive Device dismissed by the State of Indiana. She plead guilty to one charge of Aiding and Assisting a Criminal, a Class D felony. A sentencing hearing has not been set at this time.
The Indiana Wing of the Civil Air Patrol conducted a search and rescue exercise this past weekend at the Starke County Airport. Ted Hayes visited the site, and talks with Col. Mark Reeves who was directing the cadets through their exercise.
“We’re running an Air Force training mission,” said Col. Reeves. “The Air Force has authorized us to practice our skills in search and rescue. The cadets are from the age of 12 to 21. They can qualify in all sorts of things. Most of the time they are ground team members. They qualify by doing ground team type stuff, first aid, search and rescue, and line searches.”
They are the first person you talk to in an emergency. They are the calming voice in the time of extreme situations. They are emergency services dispatchers at your local law enforcement agency.
This is the week to thank those who have dispatched police, fire, or EMS as a result of your emergency call. This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
The Second District Republican Congressional Committee recently held a caucus to select a new Chairman. The caucus was held in the Fulton County Republican Headquarters in Rochester. Samuel J. Frain, of Winamac, was selected to fill the vacancy created following the death of longtime Chairwoman Joyce Smith in March. Frain had been serving as the District Vice Chairman and was a former District Treasurer. Frain was the unanimous choice of those participating in the caucus.
April is Autism Awareness Month and Linda Trent, who lives near Toto, is the grandmother of two grandsons who have been diagnosed with autism.
Although little is known about the care of autism, it is known that it affects information that is processed in the brain. Signs of the disease usually show up in a child between the ages of two and three, although some children regress into the disease as they get a little older.
Trent says that people have a hard time being around an autistic child.
“A lot of times when people see a child acting up they think, ‘Somebody should do something about that brat’, said Trent. “That brat isn’t a brat. That child can not help the activities they’re doing. Whether it’s clapping their hands or tapping on things, or making odd noises, they cannot help it. They need a lot of help in school. Many of them have a para-pro to assist them through the school system. It’s difficult for them because many of them don’t like to feel certain fabrics or certain sounds, or even smells. They might act up when things bother them. They might not hug you if you have that hair spray or cologne on. It might upset them.”
It’s not known if the disease is diagnosed more readily than in past eras, or if more children are born with a propensity for developing into an autistic child.
“We have one in every 110 children who are diagnosed as autistic,” said Trent. “It’s four times more common in boys. If you have an autistic sibling, you’re four times more likely to be autistic. It’s just growing in numbers. Cases of autism surpasses children that have AIDS, cancer and diabetes combined.”
Tomorrow we’ll explore whether vaccinations have anything to do with autism.
Prescription drugs have now passed street drugs as the method of choice for most drug abusers in the United States. There are more deaths caused by prescription drugs than cocaine and heroin each year. 20% of teens say they have taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription. Those facts don’t surprise Porter-Starke Addictions Counselor, Leo Smith.
“It’s one of the problems that people don’t see or that they don’t want to see,” said Smith. “When you get a drug from a doctor and it’s prescribed it’s like, ‘I got it from a doctor and everything’s good’ – until it starts to turn on you. This is a huge problem in Starke County. This is a huge problem everywhere. I don’t care if it’s Starke County, LaPorte County, or Porter County. It’s everywhere.”
Over 20 people died of overdoses last year in Starke County.
“That’s my understanding and in the last year, that’s 20 that they could verify,” continued Smith. “If you’re not on the front line, it does knock your socks off, but I’ve got to be honest with you, it doesn’t surprise me. I hear it first hand. I have the longest grapevine in the whole world as far as what’s going on with the prescription drug use and I hear about it all the time.”
“I got back from vacation after two weeks and the first client I saw said, ‘Did you hear about so-and-so?’ They had overdosed the Friday before I came back.”
“I haven’t fixed you after eight weeks of treatment. After eight weeks of treatment, hopefully you’ll walk out of there with some really good tools. I was laughing with some clients they other day and I said, ‘You know, I’m going to give you some Craftsmans and some Snap-ons, some Milwaukee and DeWalts, but you have to apply them and you have to use them.’ When you walk out of here, you’ll know what you are and what you need to do. Recovery is progressive. It’s a day at a time and it’s a life long process.”
Leo Smith will be talking more about drug abuse next week on WKVI. Leo Smith will be presenting a Lunch and Learn discussion on Tuesday, April 19th at the Knox Community Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. He will discuss relapse for persons recovering from substance abuse. Call 772-4040 for more information or to reserve a seat.
Two-time cancer survivor Paqui Kelly, the wife of Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, will share her story and personal experience with students of Culver Academies at an all-school assembly at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13th, at Eppley Auditorium.
Kelly’s appearance will serve as a prelude to the Academies’ fourth annual Relay For Life at 7 p.m. ET, Friday , April 15th, at Oliver Field, located at the corner of Indiana 10 and 117. The Academies’ Relay was the first in Indiana to be student-organized and has raised more than $350,000. This year’s goal, which will be donated to cancer research, is $130,000.
Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:
The Starke County Commissioners met with HJ Umbaugh and Associates and RQAW last week to go over a few capital projects at the county facilities including the jail roof and the Courthouse elevator. A slight tax increase is being discussed to repay any money that may be borrowed for the projects.
Students from the three Starke County schools were able to see Shakespeare’s Macbeth Tuesday at the North-San Pierre High School Auditorium. The play was performed by professional actors from the Shakespeare Theatre in Chicago’s Navy Pier. Continue reading →
A jury has been seated in Starke Circuit Court this afternoon consisting of 8 men and 4 women. The trial of John Brooke who is facing seven charges against him include Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Intimidation, Possession and Manufacturing of a Destructive Device, Possession of a Destructive Device, Resisting Law Enforcement, Unlawful use of Body Armor, and Assisting a Criminal, all felony charges. The trial will commence at 9.00 am Monday morning.
In a surprise developement Kimberly Hitchens had charges of Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Possession/Manufacturing of a Destructive Device dismissed by the State of Indiana but plead guilty to one charge of aiding and Assisting a Criminal a class D felony. A sentencing hearing has not been set at this time.
Starke County and North Judson police officers arrested a North Judson man early this morning after he allegedly hit and threatened his girlfriend.
According to the police report, the victim called police to report that her boyfriend, Jesus Pedroza, Jr. had battered her and threatened to kill her with a gun. Officers responded to 2683 W. and 500 S. and asked to enter the residence to find the suspect. Police found Pedroza, Jr. running away from the residence. When officers announced the K9 would be released, Pedroza, Jr.surrendered himself to police.
The victim told police that Pedroza, Jr. had punched her when returning home in the car from “The Pub”. He allegedly slammed her head against the passenger side window. Pedroza, Jr. was arrested and taken to the Starke County Jail on preliminary charges of Strangulation, Domestic Battery, Intimidation, and Resisting Law Enforcement.
Is Starke County going to get out of the ambulance business? That was one of the questions several County Councilmen and one Commissioner attempted to answer this week.
Getting out of the ambulance business was only one of the proposals made in a session on upgrading the county’s ambulance capabilities to Advance Life Service (ALS) status.
North Judson Town Board: Dan Anderson, Wendy Hoppe, Jane Ellen Felchuk, Attorney Cassie Hine and Clerk-Treasurer Connie Miller
The North Judson Town Board heard a presentation from Clerk-Treasurer, Connie Miller, about a 50/50 sidewalk program. The Clerk presented ordinances and other papers to the Board members for their consideration. It is a new program for the town and it mirrors the program in Knox where the property owner submits their project to the Board, the Utility Superintendent inspects the site and determines whether or not the applicant’s project is acceptable. The homeowner would pay for half the project and the Town would pay for the other half. The discussion was tabled until the April 18th meeting so the Attorney and the Board members can decide how to move forward.
The annual Starke United meeting was held last night at the Community Services of Starke County Building in Knox. The emcee for the evening, Megan Hamand, introduced the speaker of the evening, Marvin McLaughlin, of North Judson, who blended humor with an appeal to support the organization. Mr. McLaughlin set the stage for the rest of the evening which included the announcement of the Volunteer of the Year, Marilyn Zabinski.
