Starke County Jury Finds Loftus, Jr. Guilty on Four out of Five Counts

Posted on Author WKVI
John Loftus, Jr.

A jury found John Loftus, Jr. Guilty on four out of five charges against him in a trial this week in Starke Circuit Court. The jury deliberated nearly an hour-an-a-half. The trial lasted nearly two days.

Loftus, Jr. was found Guilty on the following charges: Domestic Battery with a Child Present, a Class D Felony; Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Battery, a Class B Misdemeanor. He was found Not Guilty on a charge of Attempted Robbery, a Class C Felony.

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Starke County Election Board Discusses Voting Machines at Recent Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski

Stiff buttons could be a problem in the spring.

The Starke County Election Board met last week and one of the topics of conversation was whether to have an inspection of the voting machines.  Clerk, Evelyn Skronski, said among the problems noticed on some of the machines was that the buttons to cast votes were sticking.  Also, it’s felt that some of the connections are bent.  In the end, it was decided to being the MicroVote company in to give certain machines a thorough cleaning.  If any of the machines do not pass, they will have to be replaced or repaired.  The cost for going over the machines is $50.00 apiece.

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News from the Knox City Council

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

During its meeting Tuesday night, the Knox City Council approved the final payment to close out the rehabilitation project at the Wastewater Treatment Facility. Even with the change orders presented, the total project came in $9,991 under budget. Mike Strang, from Bonar and Associates, said he and Wastewater Superintendent, Kelly Clemons, were happy with the work done by the contracting company, R. E. Crosby.

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Eastern Pulaski School Board Holds Budget Hearing

Posted on Author WKVI
Dr. Robert Klitzman
Dr. Robert Klitzman

The Eastern Pulaski School Board held its budget hearing during its meeting Monday night.

“We’re one of just a few schools in the State of Indiana that operates on a fiscal year budget so our budget year is from July to June, whereas the vast majority of schools in Indiana have a budget year of January to December,” explained Superintendent, Dr. Robert Klitzman. “In January, we will ask for action on our budget and after that, we send it to Indianapolis and the folks in Indianapolis do what they do to mess with it and ultimately we’ll get our budget order and we’ll go with that.”

Starke County Volunteers Keep the Bell Ringing for Salvation Army

Posted on Author WKVI
Elaine Silvius

Have you noticed the Salvation Bell ringers at Five Star and at Bailey’s Discount on the weekends? Elaine Silvius, Service Representative for the Starke County Salvation Army Chapter, says the campaign seems to be going very well this season. Elaine said Starke County donates well to the bell ringers.

“The people of Starke County are real givers when it comes to the buckets,” said Elaine Silvius. “They always put something in.”

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North Judson-San Pierre Graduate Doing Well in Marine Corps

Posted on Author WKVI
Claudia Gheorghiu

When Ted Hayes was told that Pat Dunn was talking with a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in his office this week, Ted naturally thought of the Jarheads his nephew brought home with him when he was in the Corp. Pat asked if Ted might be interested in interviewing his guest, and he said yes, because he’s so impressed with this generation of those who are in uniform now in all branches of the service.

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Students and Teachers Get Ready for Winter Break

Posted on Author WKVI

Friday, December 17th, marks the last day for students at some schools before they embark on winter break. Friday is the last day for students at the Knox Community School Corporation. Teachers will return to classrooms on Monday, January 3rd and students on Tuesday, January 4th. The Knox Community School Board canceled their meeting for Monday, December 20th and will not meet until Monday, January 3rd.

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Extensive Damage Done at Knox Community Center

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Community Center

The Knox City Police are investigating damage done to the Knox Community Center after a Saturday event at the facility. During Tuesday night’s Knox City Council meeting, Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, told the Council that 112 chairs were damaged, the dance floor was ruined and 25 of the 32 tables were damaged. The carpets were stained and the walls had marks on them.

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Knox Kiwanis Food Basket Promotion a Huge Success

Posted on Author WKVI
Members of the Knox Student Council, National Honor Society and dedicated volunteers separate donated food into groups before assembling baskets

A big thank you goes out to many people from the Knox Kiwanis Club. President, Todd Wallsmith, was in Wednesday to thank Knox Community Schools, Knox High School teachers, Dean’s Food of Rochester, the Knox Center Township Fire Department Auxiliary, Community Services of Starke County, the SCILL Center, and members of the Kiwanis, among others.

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Koontz Lake Dam Construction Project Approved

Posted on Author WKVI

State Representative, Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox), said the State Budget Committee approved a $5.8 million project for the major reconstruction of the Koontz Lake Dam.

The committee gave its approval during a Tuesday meeting at the Statehouse. The project will correct water seepage problems as well as upgrade the spillway to meet current standards.

Dembowski said that state crews worked to stabilize the dam’s northwest embankment in 2008. They cleared trees and brush, then placed about 100 cubic yards of stone over a geo-textile fabric on the embankment.

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Knox City Council Discusses the Budget at Recent Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox City Council #2
Back Row: Mayor Rick Chambers, Ed Blue, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Greg Matt and Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council learned that the budget order came back from the State and the Council will need to cut $71,932 from the 2011 budget.  During the Council meeting Tuesday night, Clerk-Treasurer, Jeff Houston, recommended that the Council cut the purchase of a new backhoe that was put in the budget for 2011.  That budgeted item was approximately $72,000 and the Council unanimously approved Houston’s recommendation.  Houston added that the budget is at the “bare bones” and spending will be tight in 2011.  Election costs had to be added to the 2011 budget as well.

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