Officials Meet to Discuss Hamlet West Infrastructure Project

Posted on Author WKVI
This water tower was constructed as part of the Hamlet West Infrastructure project

A meeting was held yesterday with county officials to discuss the funding of the Hamlet West Infrastructure project. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, has a synopsis of the meeting.

“The meeting came about because we’ve finalized the grant reimbursement with the Economic Development Administration (EDA) which we turned a little more than $128,000 this last last draw for the project. With the completion of the EDA part of the project, we can now go back and do the final billings to the State of Indiana under the Industrial Development Grant Fund, as well as to TIF bonds managed by SYSCO. This will allow the county to be reimbursed, in whole, for the project.”

Continue reading →

Names Released from Friday Accident Near Hamlet

Posted on Author WKVI

The names of those involved in an accident at 600 East and 700 North have been released. The moped driver, Divvad Nieburrt of Grovertown, was hit by a pickup truck on Friday. His condition has been upgraded from critical to stable. Nieburrt was hit by a pickup truck driven by Brandon Ferch. Nieburrt apparently failed to stop at the intersection, pulling into the path of Ferch.

Ferch was not injured in the accident.

Starke County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Accident Near Hamlet

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an accident that occurred Friday at 600 East and 700 North.

The accident involved a pickup truck and a moped. The driver of the moped, whose name has not been released by police, was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital and later airlifted by Med Flight to Memorial Hospital Trauma Center where he was listed in critical condition. The driver of the pickup truck was not injured in the accident.

The names of either individual have not been released. The Starke County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the Hamlet Fire Department, Starke County EMS and the Koontz Lake Fire Department.

Oregon-Davis Students Return to School

Posted on Author WKVI
Oregon-Davis Jr/Sr High School

There was excitement in Superintendent Steve Disney’s voice as he talked Friday about the beginning of the school year at Oregon-Davis. The school ended the summer on a high having seen ISTEP scores increased greatly in the 2010-2011 school year. Disney said the staff is building on the momentum of that accomplishment. He talked about walking through the elementary school last week, and feeling that excitement.

Continue reading →

Hamlet Yellowstone Trail Festival Begins Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The residents of Hamlet have their arms wide open welcoming all to the annual Yellowstone Trail Fest. The three day event begins today at the fairgrounds, and ends Sunday with a parade at 3 p.m.

Today the 1840s Rendezvous participants will be setting up camp, and the vendors will be in setting up their booths. The vendors should be ready for business at about 4 p.m., and for those of you who enjoy clogging there will be a demonstration at 6 p.m.

Saturday the fest will start in earnest with a pancake breakfast, car show, a magician, bands, gospel singers, and more. Times for those activities will be available tomorrow. One thing you won’t want to miss on Saturday is the Chili Cook Off. Tasting starts at 12:30 p.m., and for $2 you can sample many chili delicacies.

There will also be a townwide garage sale throughout the festival itself, and Richard Jensen will have his military museum open for all to tour as well.

Grand Marshals Chosen for Hamlet Yellowstone Trail Fest

Posted on Author WKVI

Robert and Susan Rowles have been selected as the Grand Marshals for the Hamlet Yellowstone Trail Fest parade this weekend.

Robert has lived in Hamlet since he was 2 years old. Growing up in Hamlet he was very busy; in his lifetime he has worked at his stepfather’s car dealership and the Thompson Smith Company. He also served in several positions with the county, and was a Hamlet Town Board member for 12 years.

Continue reading →

Town Conventions to be Held in Hamlet, North Judson

Posted on Author WKVI

Town Conventions will be held in Hamlet and North Judson as several contested races have surfaced for town offices.

In Hamlet, Republicans Debra Goble and Jill Hovarter have filed for the Clerk-Treasurer’s office. A Town Convention will be held to determine the lone Republican candidate who will face Democrat candidate is Kristina Pitts on the November ballot. Brian Jeffrey Earnest, a Democrat, is the only candidate who filed for the Ward 1 seat on the Hamlet Town Council. Democrats Kerry Stone and Dean Hoy Goble have filed for the Ward 2 seat along with Republicans Dave Kesvormas, Sr. and Todd Leinbach. Democrats Frank Lonigro, Jr. and Leo Robert “Bob” Yung are on the Ward 3 seat.

Continue reading →

Candidate Filing Deadline Approaches for Municipal Election

Posted on Author WKVI

Potential candidates wanting to file for a Clerk-Treasurer or Town Board position in the towns of North Judson, Hamlet, Winamac, Monterey, Francesville or Medaryville have until Monday, August 1st at Noon to file.

So far, the towns of Hamlet, Winamac, Francesville and Medaryville will be conducting Town Conventions. A Town Convention is held when there is competition between candidates in the same political party for any town office. In the Town of Hamlet, there is a race on the Republican ticket for Clerk-Treasurer and two Town Council seats are contested on the Democrat ticket. In Winamac, there is a race for Clerk-Treasurer on the Republican ticket. In Francesville, there are four people seeking a seat on the Town Council and only three seats are available so one candidate will be eliminated in that Town Convention. In Medaryville, four Democrats filed for a seat on the Town Council and a Town Convention will determine the candidate for that party for the General Election.

Continue reading →

Deadline to File for Candidacy is August 1st for Town Offices

Posted on Author WKVI

North Judson and Hamlet residents wishing to file for candidacy for the position of Town Clerk-Treasurer or Town Board have until Monday, August 1st at Noon to file in the Starke County Clerk’s Office. Clerk Evelyn Skronski talks about the current filings.

“North Judson has a Clerk-Treasurer race going for the General Election right now and they also have their three Council seats. The incumbents are all signed up for that and there’s nobody running against them. Hamlet has got some races coming up for a caucus in August. The Clerk-Treasurer and the Council seats all have opposition so they’ll have to eliminate a candidate in that particular party so that they can have a ballot for the November General Election,” said Skronski.

Continue reading →

Military Veteran Canine Dies

Posted on Author WKVI
Maya is pictured here with Neil Berg from the Hamlet American Legion

A military veteran, and hero will be laid to rest August 13th. Ceremonies will be held for Maya, who served two tours in the middle east war on terror. Maya, a bomb sniffing dog that served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, mustered out of the military to eventually live out her life on the Don Thomas farm. She was 12 years old at the time of her death.

Maya was made a member of two military service organizations after moving to Starke County; the American Legion in Hamlet, and Knox VFW Post #748.

While not exactly Arlington Cemetery, the front lawn of the VFW Post will be Maya’s last resting place.

Continue reading →

Hamlet Town Board Considers Purchasing E. Coli Testing Equipment

Posted on Author WKVI
Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

The Hamlet Water and Wastewater Operator, John Goble, has put in a request to the Hamlet Town Board to order equipment so the department can test for E. Coli. Goble currently takes water samples to LaPorte several times a month and the tests are run there. The Town pays $30 for the testing fee, plus mileage and labor. The Board will look into the request.

Continue reading →

Firefighters Called to Two Fires Early Thursday Morning

Posted on Author WKVI
Fire crews battle a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets

Firefighters from the Hamlet Fire Department were called to a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets in Hamlet shortly after 1:00 this morning.

It is not known at this time what caused the fire in the vacant building, but officials at the scene said no injuries were reported. An investigation is pending. The Koontz Lake and Knox-Center Township Fire Departments were called to the scene for mutual aid.

Continue reading →

Sysco Project Picking up Pace in Hamlet

Posted on Author WKVI

There’s finally some movement on the Sysco project in Hamlet. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, revealed yesterday that he has been securing information for three general contractors who have been asked by the Baugh Midwest Cooperative to submit bids for the construction of the massive redistribution center. Baugh Midwest Cooperative is the parent company of Sysco.

Continue reading →

Hamlet Town Board Waits to Release Project Funds

Posted on Author WKVI
Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

Van Janovic appeared before the Hamlet Town Board last week to request the release of funds for the sewer improvement project that was recently completed. The Board agreed to retain a small percentage of funds contingent upon KIRPC’s approval of the project. Once the project gets the ok, all of the funds will be released to H&G Underground.

Continue reading →

Residents Reminded of Fireworks Ordinance

Posted on Author WKVI

Fireworks season has started and you are to be reminded of the fireworks law within city limits. The use, discharge or ignition of consumer fireworks by any person or other entity is prohibited in the corporate limits of the City of Knox, Town of North Judson and the Town of Hamlet, except during the following periods: Between the hours of 5pm and two hours after sunset on June 29th and 30th, July 1st-3rd, and July 5th-9th; between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and midnight on July 4th; and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. on December 31st and 1:00 a.m. on January 1st.

Continue reading →

Hamlet Town Board Takes Measures to Slow Traffic

Posted on Author WKVI

Several complaints have been received about cars traveling too fast between Pearl Street and Indiana Street in Hamlet, and the Town Board approve changing the speed in that area to 20 miles per hour. Because there are often children playing nearby, the Town Marshal originally approached the Board to request the installation of a stop sign on Short Street to slow traffic, but Board Members Curtis Simpkins and Kerry Stone were uneasy about the idea. Instead, they changed the speed in that area from 30 MPH, and will put reflective tape on the sign to ensure drivers notice the change.

Starke County Mint Farmer Pleads Guilty to Discharging Pollutants without a Permit

Posted on Author WKVI

A Starke County mint farmer has pleaded guilty to knowingly discharging pollutants without a permit in violations of the Clean Water Act.

Michael Materna, 56, of Hamlet was operating a still which harvests mint leaves and distills them to create mint oil. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, water that was heated to temperatures of 160 to 190 degrees and mint oil was also being discharged from the facility into a roadside ditch which then flowed into the stream. The water reportedly scalded a dog to death when Starke County resident, Pete Dailey’s, dog entered the heated water. Charges were filed May 31st as a result of an investigation by the Envrionmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division and IDEM.

Storm Water Improvement Project in Hamlet Substantially Complete

Posted on Author WKVI
Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

The storm water improvement project in Hamlet in now substantially complete, according to Territorial Engineering and the Hamlet Town Board. Van Janovic with Territorial Engineering, the firm that handled designing and overseeing the project, requested the Board to consider the project substantially complete and approve a change order. This would allow them to receive some of the final payments for the project.

Continue reading →