Starke County’s Jefferson Jackson Dinner will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox.
Joe Bock, the Democratic candidate for the Second District Congressional seat in November’s General Election, will speak along with Richard W. “Rich” Ludington who is running for the seat in the Indiana House of Representatives in District 16.
Social hour will begin at 3 p.m. with dinner following an hour later. Route 10 Bar and Grill is catering the meal.
Knox crews are making the transition into the fall and winter seasons.
Street Superintendent Jeff Borg told the Board of Works members this week that crews are prepping the leaf vac for leaf pickup beginning Oct. 14. The street sweeper will be operation for just a little while longer before they need to winterize the machine for storage during the off season.
Firefighters from the Washington Township and Knox-Center Township Volunteer Fire Departments spent four hours battling a structure fire at a rural residence Wednesday night. They responded to the home at 1120 S. 1025 E. between 10:30 and 11 p.m. Continue reading
The Knox City Council heard a request from a homeowner on Giles Court in the Parkview area about buying the trailer and lot in the amount of $4,500.
Destiny Breeze previously offered the property for $6,500, but the council denied the request. She was back before the council Tuesday night with an offer she thought was fair, but Councilman Greg Matt said a similar transaction the city completed was at an even cheaper price. The city would have to demolish the dwelling as well as an outbuilding which means more money spent by the city.
Parents of youngsters with autism are encouraged to attend a community meeting this evening in Plymouth to gauge interest in the establishment of an Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy center in Marshall County. Lighthouse Autism Center currently has facilities in Warsaw and Mishawaka. Co-founder and Controller Sandy Maggioli says they offer intensive, one-on-one therapy for children with autism.
“Typically a child will receive between 20 and 40 hours of therapy per week. There is no age requirement, but typically we try to get to children who are in the preschool age of three to four years old to prepare them for school, but we also see clients that are in school as well,” Maggioli said. “We may pull them out of school for a period of time to get intensive therapy and then transition them back into the school environment.”
The Knox Board of Public Works members received an update on two properties that were recently ordered for demolition.
Cleon Wagner presented the board with a statement of a timeline for the clean up of the property at 353 E. Mound Street. Outside work has been done and the building has been sealed. Building Administrator Bruce Williams said he has looked at the foundation in the basement and it looks pretty solid. The Wagners explained that it will be six months or so before all of the work is done, but the building will be remodeled and the property will be cleared of blight.
Knox Elementary School has a new science club program. Members meet once every seven school days with science teacher Marge Wood. Students get to visit the outdoor lab and see different forms of wildlife in the area. A pond with minnows and frogs is also part of the lab. Approximately 120 kids have signed up to be in the club. Principal Glenn Barnes says the students are really getting into the program.
The Knox City Council members tabled discussion on the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center for free meals catered by local church groups.
The request was made by Deb McIntire who offered the idea that the community center be used one day a week for four hours to prepare and serve free meals. The members of different churches would take turns each week and clean up afterwards.
Homecoming and College Go Week are keeping Knox High School students busy. Activities have been developed by guidance counselors to help educate students about colleges. One of those activities includes a college fair to be held today during lunch.
Students will get to visit with different college representatives to fill out applications free of charge and to ask questions. Principal Dr. Elizabeth Ratliff said they have set up a great opportunity for the students to get information on their futures.
Work on the new bridge over Eagle Creek is under way. LaPorte Construction Company won the bid to replace the bridge on Starke County Road 800 East. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler tells WKVI News 800 East will be closed between 25 North and 50 South for the next couple of months. Take 25 north to 700 East down to 50 South and back to 800 East to get around the road work. Detour signs are up.
IU Health Starke and LaPorte Hospitals are in search of health care delivery partners to provide the best care possible to the residents they serve. IU Health Starke President Craig Felty says they’ve sent out requests for proposals and are keeping their options open.
“Our goal would really be to maintain a relationship with IU Health,” Felty said last week during an interview at WKVI. “We cherish that relationship, but we also just identify that over the years as health care has changed we need to look for somebody additional who might be able to help us meet that need.” Continue reading
Superintendent A.J. Gappa reported that balanced calendar discussions for the 2015-16 school year continue with other area schools, many of whom have expressed interest in a coordinated calendar. That schedule would feature four nine week sessions and
two-week breaks at Christmas and in the Spring, with the school year ending around Memorial Day. Continue reading
The Indiana State Police is partnering with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for the ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. Continue reading
The Knox City Council members will meet in regular session tonight where they will discuss the use of the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center by area churches for free meals.
The council entertained the request at a meeting in September but tabled approval until more information was obtained about cost and liability.
Starke County’s Park Board is now fully populated. Judge Kim Hall named Mike Meadows and Skyler Ellinger to the five-member panel. They join Starke County Council appointees Debbie Mix and Rosemary Rose and Starke County Commissioners appointee Marsha Bedrock. Continue reading
HealthLinc is offering a new service to area schools this year. They got a federal grant for a mobile, school-based health center. This mobile unit will go to schools during the day to offer dental and medical care such as school physicals, checkups, immunizations and more. You can check this link right here now to understand more about how they are going to go about the process of providing healthcare services. Continue reading
The Knox Community School Board will meet in special session tonight to discuss regular business and to hold a public hearing regarding the all funds budget.
If anyone has any comments on the published budget, the board will take them under consideration during the hearing. A budget adoption will occur in October.
The board will also consider an authorization for a project hearing and approve a teacher document of agreement.
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a two-vehicle accident Friday afternoon on U.S. 35 at 500 North. Continue reading
A Knox man with an extensive criminal history is headed back to prison for the sixth time in his life.
James Royce, 44, pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to felony charges of residential entry and escape and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief in two separate cases. The state and defense argued Royce’s sentence to Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall.
In one case, Royce admitted that he forced his way into his aunt’s home without an invitation. In the second case, he admitted to escaping the custody of a jailer who was escorting him from the courthouse to the Starke County Jail. Royce had appeared for a hearing in Starke Circuit Court and Judge Hall ordered him back to jail. Royce admitted that he “panicked” and ran. The jailer suffered an injury chasing after Royce. Royce was apprehended approximately 20 minutes after he escaped custody. He also admitted to tampering with the GPS ankle bracelet he was wearing as he had been on home detention through Starke County Community Corrections.
