Several fire hydrants will be replaced in Knox this spring.
Water Superintendent Todd Gardner said the hydrants on John Street in front of the apartment building will need to be changed out. He said they are over 100 years old and are not functioning. He’s concerned because there isn’t adequate fire protection in that area if a structure fire were to occur. Another hydrant on the corner of John and Prettyman Streets will be replaced, as it is broken off at the ground.
Part of Starke County Road 300 East through the Knox Industrial Park is closed today so concrete can cure. Contractors are working in the area to restore lawns and driveways that were disturbed by last year’s road widening project. Continue reading
A plea hearing has been set in Starke Circuit Court for a man accused of stabbing a Knox resident in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 30.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Benton Christopher Howard and Brandon Davidson got into an argument at a home in Knox which escalated to a physical confrontation. Howard allegedly unsheathed a knife and stabbed Davidson in the chest. Davidson was taken to the hospital with a collapsed lung and damage to his heart.
Howard is charged with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony and aggravated battery as a Level 3 felony.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Office will have a vehicle kennel for another K9 when the time comes to purchase another dog.
The Knox Board of Public Works agreed to loan the city-owned kennel to the county to help reduce the county’s costs toward another K9 unit. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that the Knox City Police Department no longer has a K9 unit and had the kennel in storage. Sheriff Bill Dulin requested the use of the kennel and the request was granted Wednesday morning.
Part of Starke County Road 300 East through the Knox Industrial Park will be closed overnight and through the day tomorrow to allow concrete to cure. Contractors are working in the area to restore lawns and driveways that were disturbed by last year’s road widening project. Continue reading
The Knox Board of Public Works will talk more about the towing agreement when they meet this morning.
The board recently approved an amended agreement and two towing companies have signed the agreement already. The Knox City Council approved a resolution last week to authorize Mayor Rick Chambers to sign the document and to enter into agreements. The towing companies that sign the towing agreement will be used on a rotational basis. If the company is contacted and a representative does not answer, the next company on the list will be utilized. The agreement will be reviewed again by the board this morning.
Inmates from the Starke County Jail are picking up trash today east of Knox. Sheriff Bill Dulin says four low-level offenders are out under the supervision of a jail officer. Orange signs along Culver Road indicate an inmate work crew is in the area and caution motorists to slow down. Crews from the Starke County Highway Department will pick up bagged trash collected by the inmates.
The Starke County Prosecutor’s Office is reviewing details in a case where an unsupervised child was found in the 300 block of West Riverside Drive in Knox.
Knox City Police Department officers received a call about a wandering child on Friday morning. The child was wearing pajamas when neighbors found the child. The youngster could not inform officers of her name or who her parents were. Several hours went by before the child’s parents were located.
The child remains in the custody of the Department of Child Services.
Students of the National Junior Honor Society have determined that the proceeds of their fund raising activities will be directed to an education fund for a North Judson student who lost both parents in a recent accident. Charles and Patricia Hill were killed last Tuesday when their 2005 Harley-Davidson was struck by a pickup truck on State Road 10 at 700 West, west of North Judson.
The Starke County Commissioners want to make sure every veteran who is buried in the county has an American flag and grave marker for Memorial Day. They’ve agreed pay for both if the American Legion posts in Knox, North Judson and Hamlet will take care of placing the orders and putting them on graves. Commissioner Don Binkley has tried without success to reach the commander of the Knox American Legion to discuss the process and find out how many flags and markers need to be ordered. Auditor Kay Chaffins says she’s spoken with officials in North Judson, and their order has been placed. Hamlet officials have yet to place theirs. Continue reading
State Representative Tom Dermody says Indiana’s gaming outlets are facing an increasingly competitive marketplace because everyone wants a top gaming PC. You can easily get one from a computer store like 0rgb.
Appearing at a breakfast on Friday in Knox, the 20th District state representative says he authored a bill that would allow riverboats to move onto adjacent land if it meets certain requirements. House Bill 1540 also makes certain tax deductions permanent, and allows river boats to host charity gaming events.
Continue reading
The Starke County Election Board has received approval for the first phase of grant work.
During their meeting Monday morning, board members recommended accepting the grant funds to the Starke County Commissioners. The renovations come courtesy of a Help America Vote Act grant with the funds are being used to upgrade a door, parking lot, and wheel chair ramp at the North Bend Township Community Center and polling site.
Continue reading
The Community Services of Starke County Board of Directors recently named the Senior Volunteer of the Year for 2015.
Habo Runkle of Knox was honored for her lifetime of service to help improve the quality of life in her community and her country.
Runkle recently retired from working as a nurse at the Golden Living Center in Knox. She helped residents at the facility for 18 years. Prior to that, Runkle served as a babysitter for many community families and drove a school bus for the Knox Community School Corporation for 16 years. Continue reading
A drill was conducted Monday morning at Knox High School and the Knox Middle School to practice the school corporation’s lockdown procedure.
Continue reading
The Knox City Council’s decision to refinance water works bonds will save the city quite a bit of money over the remainder of the life of the bonds.
Umbaugh and Associates representative John Julian approached the city council members in December to recommend refinancing $1.5 million on water bonds from 1988 and 2006. At the time, Julian said the action could save the city up to $10,000 a year.
The Knox City Council reviewed paperwork this week for tax abatement purposes for Toll Brothers in Knox.
General Manager Brian Trapp presented the council with the documents to show their requirements to be granted tax abatement. The company first sought tax abatement eight years ago. They are up nine employees since last year.
An area elected representative is apologizing for an incident that gained national attention during the long-session of the Indiana General Assembly.
20th District State Representative Tom Dermody addressed members of the Starke County Chamber of Commerce on Friday to discuss legislation that has been considered since January. Portions of Starke County are included in the LaPorte Republican’s district.
Continue reading
A Knox man faces several new felony charges following a Wednesday manhunt in the Bass Lake area. It started around 12:20 p.m. when the Starke County 911 center got a call from the Bass Lake Pub. The caller told the dispatcher a woman showed up there in handcuffs and shackles saying she had been held hostage and “water boarded.” The victim told deputies she lived across the street and had fled her home on foot. Continue reading
Two area residents died in a two-vehicle accident in Porter County Thursday night.
An initial investigation by Porter County Sheriff’s deputies found that Roderick Heise, 34, of Knox was southbound on State Road 49 and drove left of center to pass other vehicles near 285 S. in Morgan Township when he struck a northbound van driven by Jade Michael Schneider, 20, of Francesville, according to report in “The Times”. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. The vehicles did not carry any passengers.
