We could see giant piles of snow like this one in some areas in the Kankakee Valley
With accumulating amounts of snow predicted to begin falling this evening, Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Indiana State Police officials are encouraging Hoosiers to prepare by having a few supplies available and consulting the State Travel Advisory Map before venturing onto roadways.
“As with any severe weather event, it’s always a good idea to gather a few essential supplies in case utilities are disrupted,” says IDHS Executive Director Joe Wainscott. “Know where your flashlight and extra batteries are in case of a power outage, and have a 3 day supply of food and water available in case you are unable to leave home for a few days.”
The SCILL Center has rescheduled the second session of the Ladies Car Care Clinic. The second class will be on Tuesday, January 18th, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. CT at the SCILL Center in Knox. The cost of the class is $5.00.
For the ladies who did not attend the first class, you are urged to attend the second class. A brief review from the first class will be conducted at the beginning of this session.
Representative Kevin Mahan (R-Hartford City) has introduced a bill in the state legislature that would make it possible for Indiana residents to discard expired prescriptions drugs as pharmacies. The pharmacies could accept the drugs and dispose of them safely.
Many times, outdated and unused drugs fall into the hands of youngsters who dangerously abuse them.
The Hamlet Town Board reorganized and made appointments at its recent meeting. Curt Simpkins was retained as the Hamlet Town Board President and as the KIRPC representative, John Goble, Sr. was retained as the Street Superintendent, and the Town Attorney is Martin Bedrock. Frank Lonigro Jr. was named the Street Building Code Enforcement Officer and the Jeremiah Patrick was retained as Town Marshal.
The Town Representative for the Starke Development Foundation is Bob Yung, the Water/Wastewater Operator is John Goble, Sr., and Bobby Goetz is the Hamlet Fire Chief. Mary Stone, John Jeffers, David Fretz and Carol Bracich were named to the Hamlet Park Board.
A special Prosecutor will be called in for the trial of Kimberly Hitchens and John Brooke. Hitchens appeared before Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall on Friday where the defense requested a special Prosecutor for the proceedings due to a conflict of interest. Judge Hall granted the request. The special Prosecutor has not yet been named.
Judge Hall also granted a request that would combine Hitchens’ trial with John Brooke. Hitchens trial was to begin this month. The combined trial will begin Monday, February 21st.
The Hoosier state going into one time zone! Well now that we have your attention, we might say the chances of that happening anytime soon are slim to none. Don’t think for a minute that Governor Mitch Daniels wants the legislature to spend any time on that issue again.
Because her District is split right down the middle, State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox) is going on a bill with Representative Hinkle of Indianapolis to bring up that proposal again.
New Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff is facing a ticklish situation as he is getting his feet on the ground in the office. His Chief Deputy, Todd Wallsmith, cannot appear before Judge Kim Hall in Starke Circuit Court. That is because Judge Hall is Wallsmith’s uncle. So, how does the new Prosecutor plan to work around this obstacle?
“There are some issues there,” said Bourff. “It’s going to take some work and some creativity on my part to make that work, but there are a lot of cases that get handled in the City Court here in Knox and those are cases that are dealt with County-wide. Todd can handle any case that is dealt with there.”
The Knox Community School Superintendent announced that the students will be making up two snow days so far this year.
“Unfortunately the weatherman did not cooperate in December of this year so we had to call off school twice,” explained Superintendent A.J. Gappa. “In our calendar for the year, we have three contingency days and the first two will have to be made up. The first one will be on President’s Day, which is Monday, February 21st, and the second contingency day would be on Friday, April 29th. We still have one day built in and hopefully we won’t have to use it.”
In a new law that began January 1st, 2011, Indiana households, public schools, and small businesses are no longer able to mix unwanted computer monitors, computers, televisions, printers, computer keyboards or mice, DVD players, video cassette recorders or fax machines with municipal waster that is intended for disposal at a landfill.
What does patriotism mean to you? Well to Lindsey DeBoer of Valparaiso, it means more since she lost her brother, Daane, in Afghanistan seven months ago. Lindsey recently won a VFW Speech Contest when she wrote about the day she and her family received the news that the 24 year old Marine Corps Corporal was killed in the line of duty.
An article in last Wednesday’s Post Tribune wrote of Lindsey’s essay in a way that described that terrible moment when two Marines in their dress blue uniforms pull up to the curb outside the family’s home.
Homecoming candidates Front Row: Jennifer Dolezal, Brittny Humes, Kierstynn Combs, Elisabeth Caudill, Brittany Tetzloff and Nicole Scherer. Back Row: Keisten Childers, Joshua Risner, Grant Warren, Austin Edwards, Partick Ambrose, Quinn Biddle
Knox High School students and staff will be participating in Homecoming activities this week. Students will be dressing in ugly sweaters today, Tuesday is Nerd Day, Wednesday is ‘80s Throw Back Day, Thursday is Red and White Day and Friday is Class Color Day with a school pep rally. During the pep rally, students will be voting on their favorite shopping cart float. The floats will also be displayed at the boys basketball game. The Knox Redskins will be playing the LaVille Lancers at 7:00 p.m. CT in Weinberg gymnasium.
State Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) filed a bill a last week in the state legislature that would regulate the staging and spreading of manure. The manure comes from large confined feeding operations or manure brought into the state to act as fertilizer on farm land.
If passed, House Bill 1134 would impose requirements on all confined feeding operations including covering, preventing runoff and setting back the operation at least 400 feet from homes.
Edith Gurrado accepted a job at Starke Memorial Hospital on this date in 1952. She says her starting pay was 85 cents an hour. Beginning in the housekeeping department, Edith moved to Dietary after six months. Yesterday, she completed her 58th year on the job. Still going strong, Edith Gurrado of Starke Memorial Hospital.
Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:
Andy Howes
Several bones that were returned to the Army in 1988 have been positively identified. They belong to Andy Howes, the young soldier from Knox who was MIA for over four decades after the helicopter he was in went down in Vietnam. Howes’ MIA bracelet is displayed in a case in the Knox Community School Board meeting room.
Starke County Courthouse
The new year brought new appointments to government boards. Dan Bridegroom was retained as President of the Starke County Commissioners, Mark Smith was retained as Starke County Council President, and Dan Anderson was retained as the President of the North Judson Town Board. Bob Howard was replaced as a member of the Starke County Health Board. Howard had served for 10 years on the board, 8 of them as President.
Amy Singleton and Ireland
Amy Singleton of Knox gave birth to the first Starke County baby of 2011. Ireland Rose Furlong was born on Saturday, January 1st at 6:26 a.m. CT at the LaPorte Regional Health System, LaPorte Hospital. The first baby in Pulaski County, Katilyn Michelle Baker, arrived on Tuesday afternoon at Pulaski Memorial Hospital. Lisa Nicholson and Levi Baker of Star City are Katilyn’s parents.
The Indiana General Assembly began its legislative session this week. One of the issues that the legislators will focus on is the state’s rapidly increasing prison population.
The body of Robert L. Lemke, 82, of North Judson was found Wednesday morning in a wooded area by his home. Police believe he left home on foot sometime between the evening hours of Sunday, January 2nd and Tuesday, January 4th.
And that is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.
