Knox Man Indicted on Federal Charges

Posted on Author WKVI

A Knox man was charged in an indictment with accessing with the intent to view child pornography in South Bend’s U.S. District Court last week.

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department investigated allegations that 40-year-old Jeffrey Farmer was involved in a child molestation incident and officers obtained a federal search warrant to search his computer. Agents discovered images depicting child pornography. Charges were brought about as a result of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Custom Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Starke County Sheriff’s Department and the Hammand Police Department.

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Christmas Lights Contest Tonight in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

The annual Christmas decoration contest in the City of Knox will be held on Monday, December 19th and judging will be from 6:00-9:00 p.m. CT.

Any homeowner wishing to have their decorations judged must have the lights turned on during the judging hours. The first place winner will receive $100, second place $50 and third place will get $25.

Winners will be announced on WKVI.

Senator Arnold Discusses Right to Work with Knox City Council

Posted on Author WKVI
Senator Jim Arnold

Democrat Senator Jim Arnold, of LaPorte, visited with the Knox City Council this week. Senator Arnold has picked up five townships in Starke County with redistricting, and he wanted to alert the council and other city officials of possible issues coming up in the 2012 session of the legislature.

Of course the biggest issue is the right to work legislation.

“This issue is going to be coming up again. It’s going to be House Bill 1001. Speaker Bosma has already set it as a priority issue to the Senate in this session. It’ll probably be brought up on Tuesday, January 4th and begin consideration of it because they want to get it addressed and get it out on the floor for a vote and hopefully put it to rest. I would encourage you to pay particular attention to this issue because it could be a session killer.”

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Knox Kiwanis Baskets to be Delivered Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Members of the Knox High School National Honor Society and Student Council helped assemble the Christmas baskets

Since the 1970’s, the Knox Kiwanis Club has helped those in need with Christmas food baskets and yesterday, members of the Knox National Honor Society and the Student Council, plus North Judson and Knox Kiwanis members, helped assemble those baskets at Community Services of Starke County.

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Maxinkuckee Singers Perform at Knox United Methodist Church

Posted on Author WKVI
The Maxinkuckee Singers perform at the Knox United Methodist Church

The Maxinkuckee Singers performed last night at the Knox United Methodist Church. It was the next to last performance of the season for the Singers whom have entertained audiences for over two decades with their Christmas show.

The compact one hour show is filled with the traditional, sacred, and humorous songs of the season.

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Car Catches Fire in Five Star Parking Lot

Posted on Author WKVI
This car caught on fire in the Five Star parking lot Wednesday night

The Knox-Center Township Fire Department was called to a vehicle fire last night in the Five Star parking lot.

Fire Chief, Kenny Pfost, said that when they arrived at the scene, flames were coming from the engine compartment. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to the engine area. No foul play is suspected.

Photo provided.

Owner of Golf Cart Company in Knox Sells Business

Posted on Author WKVI

Ed Arnold, of the Golf Cart Company in Knox, announced at the Knox City Council meeting this week that he has sold the building on Heaton Street and must vacate soon.

Arnold gave a history of the building and business to the council members.

“Sixty-one years ago, my father decided to build a plant here in Knox, thirty years ago I purchased the building from him and the building has now been sold,” said Arnold. “We have relocated to a new facility in Grand Beach, Michigan, but it is our intent to keep a facility here in Knox as well because I have employees here that are important to me.”

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Applications for Housing Rehabilitation Grant are Due Today

Posted on Author WKVI

Today is the deadline to submit applications for the Indiana Department of Housing and Community Development Authority grant for an owner-occupied rehabilitation grant. The grant is open to Knox residents.

Knox Mayor Rick Chambers said that he hopes to partner with the Housing and Community Development Authority to help six to ten low-income or elderly homeowners in this project with home repairs. These repairs may include energy efficiency, accessibility and safety. If you are interested and believe you may qualify, call the Mayor’s Office at 772-4553.

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Two Arrested in Knox on Several Counts of Possession of Controlled Substances

Posted on Author WKVI

Two people were arrested on Saturday on several counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance after pills were found in the vehicle without a prescription.

A Knox City Police officer noticed a van parked at Zingo Express and noticed two people sitting in the car. The officer went on about his patrolling duties and when he came back by the gas station, the driver had moved the vehicle to the front of the building. The officer looked at the cashier and she reportedly pointed at the vehicle. The officer got out and questioned the two about their business at the gas station. Vergie Smith, of Walton, told police that she had been chased to Knox by her husband. She stated that they were allegedly having problems and she and Jason Record were sitting at the gas station waiting to go back to Walton. Record said that he was with her to help her.

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Debris Removal, Sediment Control Planned for Yellow River in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI

Along with debris clean up along the Yellow River in Knox up to the Marshall County line, Starke County Surveyor Dennis Estok said that more work is planned for the Yellow River.

The projects on the drawing board include sediment control along the Yellow River and work on the Yellow River at Wythogan Park. Last summer, a drowning occurred at the U.S. 35 bridge on the Yellow River, and Estok said that area is really dangerous.

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Knox Residents are Urged to Recycle

Posted on Author WKVI

Knox residents are being urged to recycle as much as possible. At a meeting with the Knox City Council and a representative from Waste Management two months ago, it was stated that the company would like to get the recycling percentage up to 30%. More tonnage is going into the garbage which could be recycled and that is keeping up garbage costs.

“We got a monthly tonnage report for September and there was 121.10 tons of trash and 13.2 tons of recycling,” said City Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston. “In October, there was 118.40 tons of trash and 14.2 tons of recycling.”

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Grant Received to do Work on Yellow River

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County is the recipient of a grant for debris removal on the Yellow River in the amount of $190,000. The grant money came from the Disaster Recovery Fund.

Starke County Surveyor, Dennis Estok, said there has been no removal of trees or debris in the Yellow River.

“That’s our main concern,” said Estok. “From Highway 35 in Knox going to the Starke/Marshall County line hasn’t been touched. In talking with some of the land owners, I don’t think it’s ever been touched. What we will do with this money, since it was for debris removal, we’re going to take the fallen trees and logs out of the river which will help tremendously.”

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Digital Books to Replace Libraries?

Posted on Author WKVI
Henry F. Schricker Library

What’s the future of libraries in the digital age? We posed that question recently to Shelia Urwiler, Director of the Starke County Library system.

“E-books are changing the library landscape quite a bit and no one is one hundred percent sure how that’s going to work out,” said Urwiler. “We do know that we are going to transition more to e-books and less print eventually. I heard a speaker say that he thinks it will be in the next two to three years – I think that’s a little overestimating. I think we’re looking more at 15 to 20 before print really is more for special collections and archives.”

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Local Nursing Student Receives $1000 in Scholarship Funds

Posted on Author WKVI

The Legacy of Women organization in Starke County recently awarded scholarship money to local students. The organization’s spokeswoman, Sherri Bartolli, told WKVI more about the funding.

“We have, this Fall, offered scholarship money to women who are going back to school and trying to promote themselves, either in a different career path or going back to school and finishing something that they haven’t been able to since high school. And I do have Rae Humphrey here, she was awarded the most amount of money. We gave her $1000 to apply towards tuition and books or however the school felt that she would need it,” said Bartolli.

Humphrey enrolled in college later in life, but that didn’t put her at a disadvantage.

“I was 44 when I enrolled, and sometimes I was the oldest kid in the class,” she said.

Humphrey says she has always had a passion for the medical profession.

“As a mother, I’ve always taken care of people and nursing fascinates me. I’m always watching medical shows on TV,” laughed Humphrey. “That’s one of my passions.”

Humphrey said she was ecstatic when she won the award, and said it’s going to be put to good use.

Also receiving scholarship money were Kristy Nolcheft in the amount of $750; Dawn Bailey, $500; and Rebbeca Poindexter, $250. This is the first year that the Legacy of Women has distributed money for scholarships.

If you would like more information on how to become a member of the Legacy of Women, contact Sherri Bartolli at the 1st Source Bank office in Knox.

Knox VFW, American Legion to Participate in Wreaths Across America

Posted on Author WKVI

The Knox VFW and American Legion posts will participate Sunday in the Wreaths Across America program. Three wreaths, donated by Hensler Nursery, will be laid at the Courthouse Memorials at 1 p.m. CT. There will be a short ceremony conducted by the veteran’s organizations.

Wreaths Across America is a national campaign to honor our fallen heros, and Knox is one of 545 locations across America that will participate in the program.

Most of wreaths will be laid at Arlington National Cemetery.

Knox Students Do Well In Poetry Competition

Posted on Author WKVI

Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa
The Knox Community School Board recently heard from five children during its Spotlight on Education portion of the meeting. Superintendent A.J. Gappa explains more.

“At our recent meeting, our spotlight on success was Charles Ratliff, who’s our writing teacher at the elementary school. I think we’re one of the few area schools, or maybe in this part of the state, that offers as a special in the elementary a writing class, so every student in our elementary gets to visit Mr. Ratliff on a regular basis and get instruction specifically in writing,” said Gappa.

Gappa explained more about a special writing project the students completed.

“Last spring, as a project for the writing classes, Mr. Ratliff submitted 500 poems that our students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade had written to the national schools project which is based out of Boise, Idaho, and what they do is only publish student works from throughout the nation and we had 200 students in our elementary school that had been selected to be published in their annual edition of their poetry work,” Gappa said.

Knox World War II Veteran Remembers Pearl Harbor

Posted on Author WKVI

WWII Veterans Joe Smrt and Perry Lucas salute the flag.
The 70th anniversary off the attack on Pearl Harbor was observed around the country and locally yesterday. The day had been proclaimed as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by President Barack Obama.

At Knox VFW Post 748, veterans and others observed the anniversary. World War II veteran Joe Smrt, who said he was attending church choir practice when he heard the news, remembered the attack.

“Twenty-one ships of all kinds were attacked, damaged, or sunk in the sneak attack. In addition, there were 2400 or more casualties of military personnel. There were eight ships in battleship role that were badly damaged with the Arizona being sunk,” Smrt said.

Smrt said after the attack, President Roosevelt asked congress to declare war on Japan. In a little-remembered account, Smrt said two of the United States high command were relieved of their duties.

“Admiral Kimmell and General Short, commanders of the naval and army forces respectively, were promptly accused of dereliction of duty, and were relieved of their command. They were falsely accused, as facts later discovered would prove. The truth is that the administration and higher brass in Washington, having had information from intercepted Japanese intelligence reports, had withheld the information for one reason or another from Kimmell and Short,” Smrt explained.

Pearl Harbor Day, December 7, 1941– a day that will live in infamy.

Pearl Harbor Services to be Held at Knox VFW Today

Posted on Author WKVI

Americans are encouraged to take a moment today to remember the attack of Pearl Harbor that occurred seventy years ago to the day.

The attack by the Imperial forces of Japan targeted the largest naval installation of the U.S.: Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The next day President Franklin D. Roosevelt, addressing a joint session of Congress, said a state of war existed between the United States of America and Japan. He called December 7, 1941, “a day which will live in infamy.”

Special services will be held at Knox V.F.W. Post 748 this afternoon at 2 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend.

Knox Man Ejected From Vehicle During Crash

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Police responded to an accident call at 1:00 a.m. Monday morning that occurred at 4570 South and 100 East. Upon arrival, officers found a single vehicle and determined that the driver was 43-year-old Thomas Guy of Knox.

Guy had been ejected from the vehicle during the crash and was transported to I.U. Health-Starke Hospital where his condition was unknown yesterday.

It appeared to the responding officer that Guy was northbound on County Road 100 East when he came over a hill and lost control of his vehicle, leaving the roadway and striking a tree. Assisting the Sheriff’s Department were the Knox Police Department, Bass Lake-California Township Fire Department and Starke County EMS. Alcohol results are pending at this time.