Meet the Candidates for Knox City Council District 1

Knox City Council President Ed Blue will be stepping down from his council seat at the end of the year. Republican Thom Morin and Democrat Donald Kring are vying for the District 1 seat in the November 8th election.

Republican Morin was asked why he decided to run for the position.

“When you love a city and you see the things that you don’t feel are right, you want to do something,” said Morin. “We have a growing drug problem in the City of Knox and there are so many other areas of the city that need to be fixed and need attention. We have a growing senior citizen population in this city so we need to be able to address those issues. That’s why I’m running for City Council because I feel that’s where I can help and be a value to my community.”

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Knox Man Arrested after Barging into Ex-Girlfriend’s Residence

Anthony Rose II

A Knox man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly barged into his ex-girlfriend’s home and threatened to take items from the residence.

Police were called to a home on Ruthie Drive after a woman called to report that her ex-boyfriend, Anthony Rose II, barged into her apartment after he she opened the door to him. The victim told police that he wasn’t supposed to be there and while inside, he told her he was going to take the couch. When she told him he couldn’t have the couch, he threatened to take a video recorder. She told Rose that nothing was leaving the apartment and she called police. After the police were called, Rose allegedly starting hitting himself in the face and told her that he would tell police that she hit him.

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Knox City Council Approves Transfer of Funds to Pay for Health Insurance Premiums

The Knox City Council learned this week that the General Fund does not have enough money to pay the health premiums through the end of the year. The Council members had to allow a $70,500 transfer from the city’s EDIT fund into the General Fund.

Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston talked about one of the reasons the premium costs have escalated.

“We’ve added several new members to the plan and just by adding one employee and a spouse results in an almost $18,000 increase per year,” reported Houston.

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Knox Residents are Encouraged to Increase Recycling Efforts

Residents in Knox are being asked to do a better job of recycling. Kevin Boyce, of Waste Management, appeared before the Knox City Council this week to talk about a new five year contract. In the course of the presentation, Boyce talked about landfill tons collected, in comparison to recycle tons.

Boyce said he would like to see more people participating in recycling, hopefully getting the percentage of landfill waste to recycle items to around 30%.

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Five Fire Departments Called to House Fire in Knox

A fire consumed the home of Elizabeth Sallee at 1520 E. 100 S. in Knox last night.

When firefighters arrived at the home shortly before 10:00 p.m. last night, the fire was fully engulfed at the east end of the home. High winds caused the fire to spread quickly throughout the structure and soon it was fully engulfed. Elizabeth Sallee was not home at the time of the fire, but her daughter and two-year-old son escaped the home without injury.

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Knox Man Sentenced in Federal Court

Taylor Wagers, of Knox, was recently sentenced in U.S. District Court in South Bend on a charge of a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He plead guilty to the federal charge and he was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.

He will serve 12 months on home detention and fined $100. Wagers was charged in Starke County in December of 2010 after police found that he was on probation on a felony sentence for maintaining a common nuisance and that he in possession of a variety of firearms while living at his residence.

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Ladies Car Care Clinic Begins Tonight

SCILL Center

A Ladies Car Care Clinic begins tonight at the SCILL Center in Knox.

“Rod Dawson and Mark Anderson had initiated that a number of years ago and we’re expanding it just a tad bit this year,” said SCILL Center Director Jerry Gurrado. “We’re going to be holding it evenings on October 25th and then a follow-up on November 8th, both from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There’s only a $5.00 donation for that.”

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Special Events Planned after Trick-or-Treat on Halloween

The North Judson Town Board approved a request by the Cross-Town Collision band to host a concert and get-together at the North Judson Community Building after Trick-or-Treat.

The band will provide music to the kids and several door prizes will be awarded throughout the evening. Trick-or-Treat in North Judson is on Monday, October 31st from 5:00-6:30 p.m. CT.

In Knox, the Friends of the park will sponsor costume judging and refreshments at the Knox Community Center after Trick-or-Treat on Monday, October 31st. Trick-or-Treat in Knox is from 5:30-7:00 p.m. CT on Monday.

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Knox Redskin Brigade’s Season Comes to a Close

The Knox Redskin Brigade ended its season Saturday after placing 11th in the Semi-State Marching band competition at Decatur High School in Indianapolis. The top 10 bands went on to the State Finals.

Director Craige Phipps said it was tough, but the students did a great job and got a standing ovation for their performance.

Knox City Police Continue to Investigate Five Star Burglary

The Knox City Police Department continues to investigate the burglary at Five Star.

Police say they are looking for two male suspects who are approximately six feet tall. The vehicle used by the suspects is said to be a gold, late 1990s model Chevy Caprice with dark tinted windows. Detectives say that they have been receiving tips from the security footage that was posted on this website and are following up on the information given to them. Evidence was collected at the scene and is being analyzed by the Indiana State Police Crime Lab.

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Free Seminar for Women this Saturday

Danny Russo

A free seminar for women will be presented on Saturday at the New Millennium in downtown Knox at 10:00 a.m.

Saturday’s instructor, Danny Russo, a certified master trainer, will be giving women advice on how to naturally become stronger, firmer, healthier, happier and look great. You will learn how to flatten lower abs and how to firm thighs and to answer the question of whether or not your medications and foods you eat are helping or hurting you.

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Four Arrested after Fight in Downtown Knox

Paul Bottomley
Christopher Bradley
Natasha Piper
Brian Greene

Four people were arrested in downtown Knox on Saturday after an alleged fight in front of O’s Tap.

Police were called to a fight where guns were reportedly involved. When officers from the Knox City Police Department arrived on scene, Christopher Bradley was ordered to the ground and he presented a full magazine clip for a semi automatic weapon and handed it over to police. The rest of the gun was removed from his waistband. Bradley told police he took the gun from Paul Bottomley who allegedly hit his sister, Natasha Piper, in the head with the gun. Piper was bleeding from wounds received in the incident. She was transported to IU Health Starke Hospital.

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Three Arrested after Search Warrant

Amber Watts
Timothy Hampton

A search warrant at a residence in Knox resulted in the arrest of three people for drug possession.

The warrant was executed at 404 E. New York Street where police reportedly found drug paraphernalia and marijuana in the residence. Some of the marijuana was found to be individually packaged. The Indiana State Police gathered the evidence to be processed through the Crime Lab.

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Wythogan Park to Stay Open until Winter Weather Arrives

Wythogan Park

With cooler weather in the air, many people have wondered when Wythogan Park in Knox would be closed.

WKVI News posed that question to George Byer, the Park Superintendent, last week.

“The way things have been going and the way the weather is, we usually do it on a year-to-year basis,” said Byer. “The way it looks, with the Indian Summer that we’ve had here the past week, we’re going to keep the park open until we’re forced to by Mother Nature and the snow. It’ll be open until it gets cold enough to where the water lines may freeze.”

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Funeral Services Held for Drew Shearin

Drew Shearin

On the first Sunday following the death of a popular student a week ago, the clergy of the community used the occasion to pray for and ask comfort for the family and friends. By the outpouring of sorrow all last week, the student body of Knox High School and the community at large showed what an impact Drew Shearin had on all who knew him.

Before hundreds of those in his services Friday night, his youth pastor, Rev. Rick Martin, put it best in his closing prayer.

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Bluegrass Jam held at Knox Community Center

Country music fans, especially of the Bluegrass persuasion, turned out Friday night for Mayor Rick Chamber’s Bluegrass Jam at the Knox Community Center.

Mayor Chambers said the event gives musicians, and fans alike a chance to get out and enjoy their music of choice.

“We had a great turnout as usual,” said Mayor Rick Chambers. “We had about 270 people here. We had donations for the Food Pantry and my pickup truck is full of food. We probably have 700 or 800 pounds of food. It’s a really great turnout. We hold these events about twice a year and we’d like to do more, but the Community Center is usually rented out, so we do one in early spring and late fall.”

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Knox High School Students Remember Drew Shearin

Drew Shearin

The following piece was submitted by WKVI Intern and Knox High School student, Makayla Dillard.

We’ve all heard the saying, “only the good die young.” This was undoubtedly proved true this past Monday night. The tragic untimely death of Drew Shearin affected the entire community. His life touched nearly everyone’s life in some way, shape, or form. He was the nicest young man, the most successful young musician, and the most talented young actor. But that’s just it – he was so young. As Ms. Miller, his best friend’s mother, said, “God needed someone to teach the angels how to play music.” The amount of people that showed up to his candle light vigil Wednesday evening was absolutely incredible. “Each of the candles represented someone that he touched,” said Ms. Miller. And that was inevitably true. Drew Shearin’s life affected hundreds upon hundreds of people. Everyone from his peers, to the entire community.

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Knox Kindergarten Student Makes Donation to Fraternal Order of Police

The Kankakee Valley Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #129 in Starke County received a donation from a Knox Elementary student, Kindergartener Jack Guzman.

The student collected money he found around the house and collected small donations from family members. He donated his money in support of the F.O.P.’s program “Shop with a Cop”, which is a program that allows officers and auxiliary members of the F.O.P. to take children from throughout Starke County shopping for school clothes and supplies.

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