Starke County Commissioners, Council To Discuss Prosecutor’s Claims

Posted on Author WKVI
Julianne Havens

When the Starke County Commissioners and Council get together tonight, they will be questioning Prosecutor Julianne Havens about claims submitted for the purchase of law enforcement equipment. Havens, who will be leaving the office at the end of the month, told the Commissioners in a special meeting December 10th, that she had to “speed up” her commitment to various law enforcement agencies because her timeline had shortened after her defeat in November.

Some of the equipment reportedly has already been purchased without the claims being approved.

City of Knox and Town of Hamlet Outdoor Christmas Decoration Contests Tonight

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox Mayor, Rick Chambers, invites the Knox community to participate in an outdoor Christmas decoration contest.

Judging will be on Monday, December 20th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. CT. Anyone wishing to take part in the contest are asked to make sure outdoor decorations are on during the judging hours. First place will receive $100, second place will get $50 and third place, $25. Winners will be notified and announced on WKVI on Wednesday, December 22nd.

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Knox City Council Tables Final Reading the Ordinance Banning Sale of Synthetic Marijuana

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

At their recent meeting, the Knox City Council members tabled the third and final reading of a synthetic marijuana ordinance. The Mayor suggested the delay because the Federal government is getting involved and the state legislature will be looking at a possible law in the next session. Synthetic marijuana is normally smoked by users and has, in some cases, proven fatal.

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Eastern Pulaski School School Board Learns AYP and PL 221 Results

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

The Eastern Pulaski School Board recently discussed the AYP and Public Law 221 results in a public meeting.

“In terms of AYP, our Elementary School and Middle School made the AYP cutoff score, but our High School did not make it as they missed two categories by roughly one-tenth of a point,” explained Superintendent, Dr. Robert Klitzman. “In terms of Public Law 221, once again our Elementary and Middle School scored Exemplary, which is the highest rating you can get, and our High School is on probationary status because they did not make AYP.”

Top 10 Stories of 2010; Story #10

Posted on Author WKVI

At the end of each year the members of the WKVI staff select the top 10 stories of the year. This is story #10:

Tony Kerby Memorial is placed by the Yellow River

Tony Kerby lost his life in the Yellow River attempting to save his younger brother’s life. The good looking boy went in the treacherous waters to save his 8-year-old brother Dominick when the youngster slipped off a rock. Dominick was saved when a person in the park pulled him to safety, but Tony could not swim to the banks.

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Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle Branches Closed for the Christmas Holiday

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox License Branch

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner, Scott Waddell, has announced that full service license branches normally open Tuesday through Saturday will be closed on Friday, December 24 and Saturday, December 25th in observance of the Christmas holiday. Branches will resume normal hours of operation at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 28th.

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Week in Review for December 13th-17th, 2010

Posted on Author WKVI

Here is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week:

IHS Board of Trustees Chair Thomas Hoback and Marvin Allen

Marvin Allen of Knox is this year’s recipient of the Indiana Historical Society’s Hubert Hawkins History Award. The award is made annually to a local historian for his or her distinguished service and career in local history.

Picture provided by Hensler Nursery

Two trees from Hensler Nursery were delivered to the Statehouse this week.

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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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