The COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t enough to stop Starke County’s industrial growth, according to Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Lisa Dan.
Three Knox businesses are apparently doing a good job of meeting the conditions of their tax abatements. The city council last week approved the CF-1 forms from Traffic Control Specialists, Reagent Chemical & Research, and J.W. Hicks.
A few budget adjustments will be up for the Knox City Council’s approval tonight. Council members will consider granting permission for more money to be spent out of the cumulative sewer treatment fund, as well as for appropriations to be transferred within that fund. A reduction of appropriations in this year’s general, motor vehicle highway, and park funds for the 2021 budget will also be up for approval. Residents will have a chance to weigh in on those proposed changes before the council votes on them.
A few different documents pertaining to the J.W. Hicks property were considered by Knox City Council members Thursday night.
In the city council’s first meeting in May, a public hearing was held over the company’s request to annex a portion of property into the city of Knox. Continue reading →
The City of Knox plans to tackle a major project at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and officials are looking to receive some financial assistance through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.
As a part of the process to apply for a $600,000 OCRA grant, a public hearing was held in City Hall on Tuesday night. Community Development Planner Emily Albaugh spoke on behalf of the Kankakee Iroquois Regional Planning Commission (KIRPC) to provide some details about the grant and the application process. Continue reading →
A public hearing over a petition for annexation was held when Knox City Council members met on Thursday. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Special Projects Coordinator Ron Gifford spoke on the behalf of the petitioner, J.W. Hicks Holding LLC.
Gifford explained that the Hicks organization previously purchased some property on the corner of Pacific Avenue. He said that when the company started looking into potential expansion, some records were reviewed and they discovered the property to the south, formerly the Hewlett property, was never annexed into the city. Continue reading →
Knox City Council members will meet a little bit earlier than usual in order to cover the multiple items listed on tonight’s agenda.
Prior to the start of the meeting, a public hearing over the 5-Year Park Master Plan will be held at 6:45 p.m. Members will also consider a resolution to approve the Master Plan later in the evening.
The meeting will officially commence at 7 p.m. and another public hearing will be held over the petition submitted by J.W. Hicks for annexation into the City of Knox. Continue reading →
Chief Deputy Frank Thomas, Police Chief Kelly Fisher, James Dulin & Officer Rico Simpson (photo provided by Peggy Bohac)
Town Marshal Kelly Fisher recommended appointing James Dulin to the open position at the North Judson Police Department during last night’s North Judson Town Council meeting.
According to Fisher, the hiring process included a physical agility test that was structured after academy exit standards, a written exam and point-based interviews conducted by a seven person panel.
The panel included all three full-time officers with the NJ PD, a retired resident with past law-enforcement experience, a former Chief Deputy, a current officer with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Councilman John Rowe as the town council’s liaison. Continue reading →
A well-established business in the Knox Industrial Park has plans to significantly grow its local presence over the next few years. J.W. Hicks owner Jim Hicks told the Knox City Council he intends to expand the company’s two existing plants in the industrial park, add a stand-alone fabrication building and build a corporate office and research facility at the corner of Klockner Drive and Pacific Avenue. Continue reading →
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver will speak to the Knox City Council this evening on behalf of a local business. Continue reading →
Lt. Governor Becky Skillman made an appearance in Knox recently to meeting with the leaders of J.W. Hicks, a manufacturer of refractory products and services for the metals industry. Skillman said J.W. Hicks is one-of-a-kind in the United States, and there are only four other companies in the world that produce similar products.
Established in 1985, J.W. Hicks continues to thrive in Indiana, and Skillman said she was pleased to see their latest expansion: a second facility for refractory recycling production. She said there are few things more rewarding than seeing a company expand and grow at a time when Indiana is most in need of jobs.
A manufacturer in the Knox industrial park is looking to install fiber-optic cable beneath some streets in Knox to connect their two officers as if they were under one roof.
Jim Hicks of J.W. Hicks approached the Starke County Commissioners this week with a request to allow them to connect their facility at 20 S. Klockner Dr. in Knox with their new facility near the intersection of Klockner Drive and Pacific Avenue.
This is just a small portion of vandalism done to the buildings in the Industrial Park
Several cases of vandalism were reported in Starke County over the weekend. The vandals spray-painted buildings at J.W. Hicks and Toll Brothers, and a truck parked at M.P.I. was tagged as well.
Starke County Development Foundation Director Charles Weaver issued a statement yesterday condemning the acts, describing them as “despicable.” The foundation is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.
The Starke County Economic Development Foundation will play host to its “Prospectus and Achievements Night” on Thursday, November 10th at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Knox Community Center.
Several awards will be given that night, and over the next few days, Charles Weaver, the Executive Director of the Development Foundation, will announce the recipients.
The second expansion will be located at 501 S. 300 E. in Knox
J.W. Hicks, Inc., with locations in both Knox and Merrillville, has announced plans to proceed with two expansions in Knox while continuing the operation in Merrillville. The company has been in Knox since 1998 and these expansions will mark the third and fourth such expansions since the plant has been in Knox.
A well-established business in the Knox Industrial Park has plans to significantly grow its local presence over the next few years. J.W. Hicks owner Jim Hicks told the Knox City Council he intends to expand the company’s two existing plants in the industrial park, add a stand-alone fabrication building and build a corporate office and research facility at the corner of Klockner Drive and Pacific Avenue. Continue reading 
Starke County Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Charlie Weaver will speak to the Knox City Council this evening on behalf of a local business. Continue reading 
