SCILL Center to Offer Welding Classes

Posted on Author WKVI

The SCILL Center will be offering a 16-week comprehensive welding class for adults. SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado says the course has been in demand.

“One of the things that is needed in our area, between Sabre, Kruz, Dragon Industries, and Hicks, is welding. We need good welders,” said Gurrado.

Gurrado said that a member of his board and others in the community agreed that an adult welding program is needed in the community. The plans now are for the class to be taught at Knox Middle School.

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Four Arrested for Methampetamine Lab in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

While serving three arrest warrants on Robert Singleton and Matthew Baker, officers found the suspects Friday at 415 N. State Road 23 in Knox—along with an active methamphetamine lab and a slew of drugs in the presence of two young children.

When they arrived at the residence, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox Police Department found Baker entering a vehicle and moved to detain him before finding an active one-pot methamphetamine lab in his hand. A brief altercation ended with a handcuffed Baker in the back of a squad car.

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Storm Water Project in Knox Ahead of Schedule

Posted on Author WKVI

Construction work on the storm water project in Knox is ahead of schedule, according to Mayor Rick Chambers. The $837,000 project is taking place at three locations: John Street and Roosevelt Rd., John Street from McGill, and Prettyman Street to John Street. The work is to install storm water sewer lines and the work is being done by H & G Construction out of LaPorte.

The Mayor told the Knox City Council last week that he has received some complaints about noise in the construction area.

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City of Knox and CADA Receive Grant

Posted on Author WKVI

A $424,620 grant was recently presented to the City of Knox by Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman. Knox Mayor Rick Chambers accompanied a number of members from the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, or CADA, to the Indianapolis presentation last Friday for the award ceremony.

The City of Knox applied for a Community Focus Fund Grant, in partnership with CADA. In previous meetings of the Knox City Council, Ruth Matsey explained the need for an addition to the Phoenix House building. Water ruined a portion of the building that was used for storage. The money from the grant will be used for the construction of the addition.

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Knox City Council Discusses Water Rate Study

Posted on Author WKVI
Back Row: Greg Matt, Mayor Rick Chambers, Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston, Donald Kring, City Attorney David Matsey. Front Row: Linda Berndt, Jeff Berg and Ron Parker

The Knox City Council discussed the need to do a Water Rates Study. Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston explained the situation to the Council.

“We’re asking Umbaugh to do a study on the last three calendar years to determine the trends and the amounts of revenue that we have for the operation, maintenance, cash expenses, debt service requirements in the water department. They will also come up with a capital improvement plan so that we know that we have enough money in the future to cover whatever we need.”

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Starke County Fireworks Committee Gearing up for July Event

Posted on Author WKVI

The Fourth of July is a little less than five months away and the Starke County Fireworks Committee is gearing up for the 2012 celebration at the airport.

According to Linda Berndt, Knox City Councilwoman, a meeting was held last week to solicit ideas for raising funds. A fish fry is already set up for April 20th at the Knox Moose Lodge and a Nelson’s Port-a-Pit Chicken sale is tentatively scheduled for June.

If you would like to help with the fireworks, you are invited to contact Linda Berndt at 772-2300.

Knox City Council Commends Officer, Fireman in Rescue

Posted on Author WKVI

Mayor Rick Chambers passed out praise at the Knox City Council meeting this week. Chambers thanked Knox City Police Officer, Chad Dulin, and Knox-Center Township fireman, Wayne Noah, for quick action in saving the life of a child in an accident that occurred Saturday at 200 East and State Road 8. The car went into the ditch and began filling with water. The pair arrived on scene and helped get the child out of the car. The fire department then arrived on the scene and extricated the driver out of the car.

The Mayor also praised the Knox High School Girls basketball team who brought home the first Sectional crown since 1995.

Stacie Brown Sentenced

Posted on Author WKVI
Stacie Brown

Stacie Brown, 35, of Knox, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for causing the death of her stepson, three-year-old Ethan Brown on June 9th, 2011.

Knox Police Department Detective David Combs was on the witness stand almost two hours describing the case in detail. Brown had been charged with one felony count of battery resulting in death. Another count of Neglect of a Dependent was dropped in a plea bargain arrangement.

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Knox Kindergarten Student Makes Valentine Cards for Walgreens

Posted on Author WKVI
Sarah Gillard and Emma Gillard. Emma proudly displays one of her Valentine's Day cards

Five-year-old Emma Gillard, of Knox, went with her father Monday night to pick out a Valentine’s card for her mother and noticed that the selection was getting low. Her mother Sarah picks up the story.

“When we tucked her in, we thought she was asleep and when we checked on her an hour later, she was working at her desk,” explained Sarah Gillard.  She had made 11 ‘Mommy’ Valentine’s Day cards.  She wanted me to send them to Walgreens. I emailed Corporate Walgreens and today we got a phone call from Knox Walgreens that they want to buy Emma’s cards and they want to display them in their store as well as the higher-up corporate stores. They also want to send a few of them overseas to the mommies that are serving in our military.”

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Two Knox Residents Arrested after Theft Incident at Plymouth Walmart

Posted on Author WKVI

Two Knox residents were arrested after they were allegedly caught stealing from Walmart in Plymouth Monday night.

Plymouth police were called to Walmart after Loss Prevention Officers found Sasha Glover and Colleen Henry trying to remove merchandise without paying. Glover was detained without incident, but Henry, who told police her name was Kelley Halt, fled from the scene. She ran toward the Bob Evans restaurant before police took her into custody. When she decided to flee, she left her four-year-old son unattended. Walmart employees tended to his safety.

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From the WKVI Archives

Posted on Author WKVI

Looking back in time, it was on this date in 1979 that Knox Fire Chief Pete Corey came before the Knox City Council to quote figures on a new $180,000 fire truck.
The 35 foot long, 10 foot high truck would be equipped with a telescopic unit, bucket and ladder. Corey said because of multiple story buildings being built locally the need for this type of fire protection is needed. City Attorney Henry Hart was asked to report back with a financing plan for such a truck.

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Two Lives Saved due to Swift Action Taken by Police Officer, Firefighter

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox City Police officer and a Knox fireman are being hailed as heroes after they freed occupants of a overturned car in a deep ditch filled with water.

On Saturday afternoon, the Starke County Sheriff’s Department received a call of a traffic accident on State Road 8 near 200 East. The caller stated he was following his wife, Tessa J. Haney, when her vehicle hit a patch of ice and she lost control of the vehicle. It landed on its top in a deep ditch on the south side of the roadway with water filling the car.

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Stacie Brown’s Sentencing Hearing Scheduled for Tuesday

Posted on Author WKVI
Stacie Brown

A sentencing hearing for Stacie Brown is scheduled in Starke Circuit Court tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Stacie Brown pleaded guilty in a plea agreement in January to Battery Causing Death, a Class A Felony. Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall will hear testimony in the case and will determine whether he will accept or reject the plea agreement. If the agreement is accepted, she could be sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison.

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Nancy Dembowski Will Not Seek Re-Election

Posted on Author WKVI
State Representative Nancy Dembowski

Democrat State Representative Nancy Dembowski has decided to end her 26 year political career. In her time, Dembowski served as a county councilman, mayor, state senator, and state representative.

Dembowski talks about her proudest moments as the Mayor of Knox.

“Everything from the Community Center and I’m especially proud of the police force that we were able to have for 11 years,” said Dembowski. “There are so many things. I think the accomplishments that we made and the improvements that we made in our community are some of the things I am most proud of.”

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Knox Woman Injured in Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox woman was injured in a single vehicle accident in the City of Knox.

19-year-old Rebecca Stacy told Knox City Police that she was driving on Pacific Avenue by Bender Street at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday night when the vehicle began to go off the road. She corrected and turned the wheel one way and the steering went the other way. She corrected again and the vehicle went sideways and left the roadway.

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Wife of Knox United Methodist Church Pastor Passes Away

Posted on Author WKVI

Following a valiant battle against cancer, Diane Squibb, 63, passed away yesterday.
Diane is the wife of Knox United Methodist Church Pastor Ray Squibb who has hosted the “Sunday Morning Day by Day” program for several years. Diane often accompanied her husband to the studio and occasionally was part of the program.

She worked at the Henry F. Schricker Library in Knox, until becoming too ill to fulfill her duties.

The Rannells Funeral Home, Hamlet Chapel is in charge of the services.

Knox Man Charged after Driving under the Influence

Posted on Author WKVI
John Lenig

A Knox man was arrested Sunday, January 29th after he reportedly hit a patch of ice and hit a tree while driving under the influence.

John Lenig told a Starke County Sheriff’s Department officer that he hit a patch of ice on Toto Road near State Road 23 and he hit a tree. After the vehicle hit the tree, it burst into flames. Josh Workman said that he drove upon the accident and saw that the car had hit the tree and was on fire. He saw Lenig out of the car and a female passenger, Amber Sheperd, still trapped in the car. Workman removed her from the wreckage and took her to IU Health Starke Hospital. She was later airlifted to a South Bend hospital for treatment of a broken neck and an internal injury.

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Two Arrested after Police Investigation

Posted on Author WKVI
Phillip Mullins
Angela McDougal

Two Knox residents were arrested this weekend as a result of a police investigation into a possible methamphetamine lab.

On Friday, February 3rd, officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Hamlet Police Department served an arrest warrant on Phillip Mullins in the 3000 block of 400 North in Knox, and found him, as well as a female and child, inside the residence. After Mullins was arrested, police also located an inactive methamphetamine lab, a hydrochloric acid generator, and several items associated with manufacturing methamphetamine, in addition to marijuana and other paraphernalia.

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