No Harvest Festival This Year

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers

Bad news for festival-goers: there will be no Harvest Festival in Knox due to the lack of a coordinator. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that they still hope to have a parade and car show as well as a number of other events that weekend, but no formal festival will take place because no one stepped up to take the reins.

In October, Chambers announced that he was looking for a coordinator for the event after he learned the previous coordinator, Michelle Bachtel, would not be able to handle it this year. The event’s coordinator is responsible for putting together events, contacting vendors, lining up entertainment like live bands, getting dumpsters in town, and gathering volunteers to pick up trash, set up and tear down booths, manage the parade, and a variety of other tasks.

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Knox City Council Approves Salary Ordinance on First Reading

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

Knox officials may soon receive a three percent raise, as the city council this week approved a salary ordinance on its first reading that included the raise for all elected officials and salaried employees. Mayor Rick Chambers explained that a few corrections do need to be reflected in the ordinance before it is passed on its second reading, however.

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Culver Building Trades Class Finishes Project

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Culver Building Trades class recently finished a project at Bass Lake. Vocational Director Jerry Hollenbaugh said a beautiful home – and one of the largest the class has worked on – was built for A.J. Gappa and his family. Students from Culver Community Schools, North Judson-San Pierre Schools and Knox Community Schools participated in this project under the direction of Kyle Elliott.

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Four-Way Stop to Be Installed at Washington, East Intersection in Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers

Drivers on Washington and East streets in Knox will soon notice a bit of a change as the city council this week approved a resolution to install a four-way stop at the intersection of the two streets. Mayor Rick Chambers read the resolution aloud at their meeting Tuesday night and explained that due to the proximity of the streets to a nearby school, it creates a hazardous condition to the pedestrians and vehicle traffic in the area.

Consequently, the council unanimously approved a resolution to install a four-way stop, a change to the current two-way stop at the intersection. Signs will soon be installed.

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SCYC Plants Tree at WKVI in Memory of Pat Dunn

Posted on Author WKVI
Pat Dunn's family thanks the Starke County Youth Club for their generous donation
Pat Dunn’s family thanks the Starke County Youth Club for their generous donation

A special ceremony was held Saturday afternoon to honor the memory of Pat Dunn.

Pat passed away on Jan. 1 of this year and the Starke County Youth Club planted a tree in his memory.  He was a great supporter of the youth of the community and was reflective in his support of the Starke County Youth Club.  A plaque was also donated which was placed in front of the tree by Pat’s wife, Karen.  Pat had been a board member of Kankakee Valley Broadcasting, Inc. and served as the General Manager of the station from 2009 until his death.  He was always a driving force here at the station and continues to be in the staff’s thoughts as the work days go by.

This plaque was donated by the Starke County Youth Club

Many of Pat’s family were in attendance at the ceremony as well as many of the staff and board members at WKVI.

The tree was planted in the front yard at WKVI.

 

Kindergarten Camp in Progress at KCES

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Early education is important to a child’s development and the Knox Community School Corporation is currently conducting a kindergarten camp for children who have not had any prior education experience. Eighteen students are enrolled in the camp that runs through the end of June.

The school corporation has partnered with IU Health Starke Hospital and United Way to present this unique opportunity to low-income and under-served children so they can get caught up with the skills recommended before they enter kindergarten.

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Knox Middle School Student Honored at School Board Meeting

Posted on Author WKVI

Amie Flora, Sophie Flora and Travis Flora
Amie Flora, Sophie Flora and Travis Flora
Knox Middle School student Sophie Flora was honored at the Knox Community School Board meeting Monday night. Middle School Principal Dave Miller said she had quite an athletic accomplishment at a recent track meet.

“Sophie came back from the Northern State Conference meet and I found out that she ran the fastest time in the history of the Northern State Conference in the 400-meter and she also missed the 200-meter dash by two-tenths of a second,” explained Miller. “She scored more points than another athlete in the Northern State Conference meet this year. It’s a great accomplishment for an eighth grader at Knox Middle School.”

The board commended Sophie on her accomplishment and told her that she has raised the bar for other students.

Sophie attended the meeting along with her parents, Travis and Amie Flora, her sister Josie Flora and her grandmother Kathy Norem.

Knox Community School Board Approves Cafeteria Prices for 2013-2014 School Year

Posted on Author WKVI

Superintendent A.J. Gappa
Superintendent A.J. Gappa
The Knox Community School Board approved several business items for the next school year.

Superintendent A.J Gappa announced that the breakfast and lunch prices will not change for the next school year. The breakfast price will stay at $1.15. The lunch price at the elementary school will remain at $1.75 and the lunch price at the middle and high schools will remain at $2. The board approved the prices.

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Knox School Board Approves Handbook Changes

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

The Knox Community School Board took action to approve several handbook changes for the next school year.

Changes were made to the handbook regarding cell phone use. High School Assistant Principal Dr. Michael Bendicsen noted that the current handbook states that students are to turn off their cell phones and keep them in their locker throughout the school day.

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Knox Mayor Rick Chambers Signs Relay for Life Proclamation

Posted on Author WKVI
Mayor Rick Chambers and Relay for Life Event Coordinator Samantha Sims
Mayor Rick Chambers and Relay for Life Event Coordinator Samantha Sims

The Starke County Relay for Life is this Friday and Saturday at the Starke County Fairgrounds in Hamlet. Opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m., the luminaria ceremony is around 9:30 p.m. Friday night and several fundraisers are planned throughout the event. Several teams have signed up to help in the fight against cancer.

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Melody Drive In Owner Hopes to Reopen Soon

Posted on Author WKVI
Wind from Friday's storm reduced screen one at the Melody Drive In to a pile of rubble.
Wind from Friday’s storm reduced screen one at the Melody Drive In to a pile of rubble.

The Melody Drive In should be back in business by the weekend. Co-owner Fred Heise, Jr. tells WKVI news the goal is to open with movies on screen two Friday, a week after strong winds ripped down screen 1 and caused extensive damage to the ticket booth at the popular Bass Lake attraction. Meanwhile, Heise is waiting for an insurance adjuster to assess the damage before the piles of debris can be hauled off. Nobody was injured.

Heise says his long-term goal is to replace the damaged screen, but until then he says movies will rotate through on the remaining one.

“We’re going to have to shuffle a little bit as far as the types of movies and when we’re going to play certain movies, so if people can just be a little patient we will play everyone’s movies. We may have to wait on a few of them, but we will eventually get around to them,” Heise says.  Before opening for the season, the Melody Drive In underwent a digital upgrade. Heise says the past weekend has been quite trying for his parents. He adds the entire family will be fine, and says they appreciate the outpouring of support from friends and neighbors.

 

Two Knox Residents Arrested on Narcotics Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

Two people were arrested Tuesday after the execution of a search warrant in the 300 block of Fisher Street in Knox.

Officers from the Knox City Police Department arrived at the residence and presented the search warrant. During the search, officers reportedly found several types of narcotics including heroin. A five year old child was also in the home at the time the narcotics were located and collected.

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Two Knox City Officials Apply for Sidewalk Reimbursement

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox City Council
Knox City Council

Two city officials from Knox have applied for the 50/50 sidewalk reimbursement program, and now the pair must file conflict of interest statements as recommended by the city attorney. Attorney David Matsey told the council that Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston and Councilman Jeff Berg have applied for the program and the council must now approve the statements before filing them with the State Board of Accounts, circuit court clerk, and the Indiana State Ethics Commission.

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Knox Man Killed in Marshall County Crash

Posted on Author WKVI

 

 
 

A single-vehicle crash in Marshall County Tuesday afternoon claimed the life of a Knox man. It happened on State Road 17 near the intersection of 10B road south of Plymouth. Manis Stacy, Jr., 57, had just left work and was southbound on 17 when a piece of metal from a northbound trailer came loose and crashed through the windshield of his truck, according to Marshall County Coroner Bill Cleavenger. Stacy drove off the road into a field and hit a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers from the Marshall County Police Department and Plymouth Fire and EMS responded. Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen notified Stacy’s family.

 

Knox WWTP Staff Asks You to Prevent Clogged Sewer Systems

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Board of Public Works
Knox Board of Public Works

The Knox Board of Public Works was notified by Waste Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Kelly Clemons that her staff is having trouble keeping lift stations clear of garbage that some residents choose to dispose of in their waste systems.

Her staff has been to a lift station on Washington Street and they’ve had to clear it of disposable wipes that aren’t meant to be flushed into the sewer system. Clemons asks that residents not flush disposable wipes, diapers, sanitary napkins, prescription medications, plastic, syringes, underwear, kitty litter, grease or oils in the sewer system.

You are asked not to flush those items down the toilet or get rid of them down the sink. The equipment is not meant to process those items and thus goes through unnecessary wear and tear.

If you have questions, contact Clemons at (574) 772-2961.

City of Knox Seeking Grant to Replace Squad Car

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Efforts continue for the city of Knox to replace a police cruiser that had been totaled when an officer struck a deer, and Clerk-Treasurer Jeff Houston is working on getting a grant for the city to help cover the cost of a new squad car. Houston said that because of the per-capita income for the city, they may be eligible for a larger grant than what he had originally anticipated.

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Bass Lake Beach is Open!

Posted on Author WKVI

Bass Lake Beach
Bass Lake Beach
It’s Memorial Day weekend and that means the Bass Lake Beach is once again open! The beach officially opened yesterday, just in time for the holiday weekend as people flock to Bass Lake to enjoy the quarter-mile of beach and the campsite just across the road.

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Knox High School Honors Day Held Friday

Posted on Author WKVI

Harold Welter and Makayla Dillard
Harold Welter and Makayla Dillard
The Knox High School Honors Day program was held yesterday morning in the high school gymnasium.

Many scholarships were given out to seniors from the Starke County Community Foundation and other worthy organizations in the community and several colleges. Congratulations to WKVI intern, Makayla Dillard, who received the Cheryl Lyn Welter Memorial Scholarship and one of six Indiana Broadcasters Association Scholarships.

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