Week in Review for January 10th-14th, 2011

Posted on Author WKVI
Kimberly Hitchens
John Brooke

Kimberly Hitchens and John Brooke, both reportedly involved in the event surrounding a shootout with police at Bass Lake in February 2010, will be tried in a joint trial beginning February 21st.

Lisa Owens

It was announced this week that Lisa Owens, who shot and killed her husband Jeff in 2001 and who plead guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, could be released from the Rockville Correctional Facility as early as May of this year. She was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison. She is also scheduled to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Network program “Breaking down the Bars” to air sometime this year. Continue reading →

Burglary Suspect Arrested In Pulaski County

Posted on Author WKVI

          The Pulaski County Sheriff Office arrested Kelly D. “Pete” Rowe on 1-12-11. He was arrested for Burglary a Class C Felony and Theft a Class D Felony.  The arrest was the result of a month long investigation into a burglary in the area of C.R. 725 N. and 625 E. in Monterey. A utility trailer and four-wheel ATV have been recovered by Pulaski County Detectives Dave Walters and Scott Taylor.

          The Pulaski County Sheriff Office is asking for help from anyone who may have knowledge of this burglary or anyone who might have purchased any items from “Pete” Rowe in the last couple of months. These items may be stolen. Several citizens in the Monterey area have already come forward to assist the Sheriff’s Office with returning the property to the elderly victims.

          “Pete” Rowe is a male, white, 42 years old, 5’8”, and 178 Pounds. He has blondish brown hair and blue eyes.  

Any individuals with information may call the Sheriff’s Office at 800-283-3341 and ask for Detective Scott Taylor. If individuals wish to remain anonymous they can also contact the WeTip hotline at 1-800-78CRIME.

                                         Kelly D. “Pete” Rowe

WKVI’s Anita Goodan Bowls 225 Game

Posted on Author WKVI
Tom Berg reluctantly gives up his top bowler "trophy" to Anita Goodan.

WKVI’s Anita Goodan has reached the top of the leaderboard in the WKVI Bowling Standings after she bowled a 225 Thursday night, beating WKVI’s Tom Berg’s game of 224. The station “trophy” for the highest game bowled in a season by a WKVI bowler was moved into her office early Friday morning.

Continue reading →

Winamac Coil Spring Suffers Significant Fire

Posted on Author WKVI

Several fire departments responded to a fire at Winamac Coil Spring at Kewanna Thursday.

According to Plant Manager, “Doc” Russell, the fire was significant. All of today’s shifts are canceled because of the blaze. Winamac Coil Spring employs 167 workers and is a $25 million a year concern. The plant covers 125,000 sq. ft. with another 12,500 on the drawing board to be added to the complex.

Continue reading →

Three Fire Departments Battle House Fire in Koontz Lake

Posted on Author WKVI
Fire crews assess the damage done to the Frye residence in Koontz Lake

Three fire departments responded to a house fire in the 8100 block on State Road 23 in Koontz Lake Thursday night at approximately 7:30 p.m. CT.

The Koontz Lake, Hamlet and Walkerton Fire Departments were called to the Frye residence and Koontz Lake Fire Chief, Randy Collins, told WKVI’s Anita Goodan that a fire had started in the 2nd story of the home. The three occupants of the home, their pets and the firefighters were not injured. The Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office has been called into investigate the cause of the fire. Collins said the home was a total loss.

Starke County EMS assisted at the scene.

Shocking News Reported in the Three Months

Posted on Author WKVI
Samuel Hewitt
Andy Howes

“Three months of news that has shocked the community.” Think of it, since the remains of Sam Hewitt were found in Vietnam, and the identification of the remains of Andy Howes from the same war were made, and now the scheduled release of Lisa Owens from prison.

All three have elicited extreme emotions. From shock, to joy, to bewilderment, and anger. We have probably never had a period of time like this in the history of WKVI Radio.

Lisa Owens

Continue reading →

How Did Lisa Owens’ Sentence Modification Occur?

Posted on Author WKVI
Lisa Owens

The Lisa Owens story this week has brought up an interesting question. How did the sentence modification occur?

On May 23rd of 2001, Lisa Owens killed her husband Jeff. On August 8th, Owens and the State entered into a plea agreement that provided that she plead guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. The agreement called for the Starke Circuit Court to sentence her to 40 years in the Department of Corrections.

Continue reading →

Fluoride Levels Could Dilute in Knox’s Water Supply

Posted on Author WKVI

Those old enough to remember the early days of fluoridation of drinking water also remember the controversy it caused. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, many people thought it was a communist plot to undermine public health.
Most public officials that added fluoride to the town or city’s drinking water claimed that it helped prevent tooth decay.

Whatever side you were on, fluoridation continued.

Continue reading →

Pulaski County Council Approves Sheriff’s Request to Replace One Deputy

Posted on Author WKVI

After much discussion at its recent meeting, the Pulaski County Council approved Sheriff Michael Gayer’s request to replace one departing deputy.

The Council approved the hiring of two deputies to fill vacant positions that are funded in this year’s budget, but Sheriff Gayer will hold off on one of the hires until the Council examines the legality of filling the position. Hiring two new deputies would give the County nine patrol deputies.

Continue reading →

Starke County Health Board Reorganizes; Discusses Meeting Agenda Items

Posted on Author WKVI
Deb Hansen, Brenda Stanojevic, Dr. Bartush, Jennifer Davis, Dr. Lochner, Donna Bailey and Bev Fraine

Deb Hansen is the newly elected President of the Starke County Health Board. Dr. Joe Bartush was elected Vice President and Brenda Stanojevic was elected as the Secretary.

Most of the meeting was devoted to a discussion of the Food Inspector’s position. David Kesvormas was in attendance. He was to begin duties soon as the Food Inspector, but the contract he produced for the Starke County Health official, Dr. Teresa Alexander, expired December 31st, 2010.

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Retiring Koontz Lake Firefighter to be Honored Saturday

Posted on Author WKVI

Retiring Volunteer Firefighter Robert L Fraine will be honored this Saturday at the Koontz Lake Association Clubhouse from 2:00-4:00 p.m. CT.

Fraine will be honored for 50 years of service to his community and surrounding townships. He has held every office within the Koontz Lake Volunteer Fire Department. He has devoted thousands of hours to training, responding to calls and fund raising activities.

Continue reading →

Services for Andy Howes to be Decided at the End of the Year

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes

We have an update on our Andy Howes story. Andy’s brother, Rob, has returned to India where he is employed as an Aeronautical Engineer. He will not return until Christmas of 2011 so no decision on services or burial site will be made until then. It’s felt the services will be held in 2012.

As earlier reported Andy’s great-nephew, Michael, is serving in Afghanistan and will accompany the remains home from Hawaii.

Continue reading →

Starke County Animal Control Officer Responds to Animal Cruelty Call

Posted on Author WKVI
Tom Bazant

Ever feel like putting duct tape over a barking dog’s mouth or worse? In this monthly report, new Starke County Animal Control Officer, Tom Bazant, told of responding to a call that an individual duct taped his dog’s mouth shut.

After some discussion, the Starke County Commissioners decided that was not a call the Officer should be responding to. They decided this was inhumane treatment of the animal and should have been responded to by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.

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Two Charged in Injuring Trooper

Posted on Author WKVI

TWO CHARGED IN INJURING TROOPER

King
Maldonado

Porter County-Two men were charged today, by Porter County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Matthew Frost, in the hit and run of Trooper George Hornsby on the Indiana Toll Road on Monday, January 10, 2011. One of the men was charged with Attempted Murder.

At approximately 6:27 p.m. (Central Standard Time), January 10th, a driver called the State Police Toll Road and told them of a hit and run crash that had just occurred west bound on I-90 at the 51 mile marker (this is near the LaPorte State Road 39 exit).  The driver was able to give a description of the vehicle that fled the scene.  A trooper saw the vehicle west bound at the 42 mile marker (this is just east of the Michigan City U.S. 421 exit).  The vehicle started to pull over, and then took off.

Continue reading →

Devastating Fire Strikes Winamac Coil Spring In Kewanna

Posted on Author WKVI
Several Fire Departments responded to a fire at Winamac Coil Spring at Kewanna
yesterday.  According to Plant Manager “Doc” Russell the fire was significant.
All of today’s shifts are cancelled because of the blaze.
Winamac Coil Spring employes 167 workers, and is a $25 million dollar a year concern.  The plant covers 125,000 square feet, with another 12,500 on the drawing board to be added to the complex.
The plant has as main customers John Deere, and Palaris a maker of snowmobiles.
Among the departments on hand to fight the fire were Winamac, Grass Creek, and Rochester.