Three Arrested after Alleged Burglary Incident

James Keller
Stephen Wood
David Miller

Three North Judson residents were arrested on Wednesday, January 28th after an alleged Burglary incident.

Starke County police received a phone call about a truck parked at a house on 300 East that wasn’t supposed to be there. Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Stephen Wood. Wood and his passenger, David Miller, told police that they were on their way to Miller’s house and the police let them go. The officer visited the witness who said that while the officer was conducting the traffic stop, a man, later identified as James Keller, was running southbound on 300 East. The officer got back into his car and found the suspect in the woods by using his thermal imager. A K9 unit was used to find him in the woods and he was taken into custody without further incident. Evidence at the scene suggested that he had stolen some items from a residence nearby.

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Jerrold Minix Appears for Initial Hearing

Jerrold Minix

Former Starke County resident, 31-year-old Jerrold L. Minix, was arrested on two active arrest warrants earlier this month in LaPorte County. One warrant was for incidents that occurred in Starke County in 2007.

Minix appeared in Starke Circuit Court last week and pleaded not guilty to charges of Burglary, two counts, two counts of Theft and two counts of Receiving Stolen Property. He is suspected of entering Carpenter’s Oil in North Judson on December 4th, 2007 and stealing tobacco products and convenience items from the store. He also reportedly broke into the Sporty’z Bar at Bass Lake and stole a computer. He also allegedly stole tools from the utility garage owned by the Town of North Judson and a black duffel bag from the North Judson Little League Concession Stand.

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Knox Woman Arrested after Battery Incident

Jennifer Czarnecki

A Knox woman faces seven charges after a battery incident on Saturday.

Starke County police were called to a residence in North Judson where it was reported a female had been battered. When the Starke County officer arrived on scene, he observed a woman in handcuffs attempting to leave the back of the police car. She had reportedly told her mother that she had been battered, but no evidence of the battery was indicated.

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Two North Judson Residents Arrested on Methamphetamine Charges

Two North Judson men were arrested on Tuesday, January 17th after Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department officers reportedly found items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine in their vehicle.

Police initiated a traffic stop at County Road 800 North and U.S. 421. The officer notified the driver, Donald Fletcher, that the license plates did not match the vehicle. Fletcher said he didn’t have the money to get the proper plates and he reportedly told police that he knew they weren’t the right plates and Starke County police recently towed the vehicle for the same reason.

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North Judson Woman Arrested on Battery Charges

A North Judson woman was arrested in Pulaski County on Tuesday, January 17th after reportedly hit a police officer as she was being placed into custody.

Pulaski County officers were called to a residence in Medaryville after Sharon Nielsen was in a verbal argument with her husband. Her husband told police that she came home from the bar and an argument began. Nielsen had gone out to her car and her husband locked the door behind her. She began breaking windows and he called police. He said he wasn’t going to let her back into the house if she continued her destructive behavior.

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Dorene Matzat Honored at Henry F. Schricker Dinner

Deb Mix, Dorene Matzat and Dorothy Osinski

Dorene Matzat was honored last night as this year’s Henry F. Schricker Award winner at the annual Starke County Chamber of Commerce dinner at the Bass Lake Property Owners Association building.

After hearing accolades given by several friends and her daughter before the award ceremony itself, those assembled heard the story of a woman who always put “service before self.” Whether it was taking an ill and lonely veteran to the VA for treatment, making a delicious meal for community events, singing in the Community Choir, or making a scared little girl feel comfortable on the first day of classes at the Lutheran School, Dorene was always there.

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Starke County Jail Committee Holds Second Informational Meeting

The second informational meeting held by the Starke County Jail Committee was held last night in North Judson.

Those in attendance heard Todd Samuelson of Umbaugh and Associates talk about the funding of a new jail, using the figure $13.5 million. If property taxes were used to fund the project, the tax implication would be $.12 per $100.00 of net assessed value. The bond issue would be for a maximum of 20 years according to Samuelson. Some members of the committee said they are looking into a combination of property taxes and income taxes if a new jail were built.

The Jail Committee stressed that no decision has been made on whether to build a new jail, or not.

It was pointed out that Starke has the second oldest jail in the state with many problems arising over the past year.

The final information meeting will be tonight at the Oregon-Davis High School at 6:00 p.m.

North Judson Town Board Makes Annual Appointments

The North Judson Town Board made several appointments at their meeting this week.

The Board appointed Marshall Horstmann as the Town Superintendent. Horstmann replaces Dan Anderson who had been the Town Superintendent for the past several years. The Board also appointed Anthony Benson as the Building Inspector, a position that had been held by Steve Ransom for a number of years.

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Spc. Robert Tauteris, Jr. Laid to Rest

Two children hold up signs to thank Spc. Robert Tauteris, Jr. for his service

Spc. Robert Joseph Tauteris, Jr. was laid to rest yesterday near his mother in a LaCrosse cemetery. Tauteris was killed in action in Afghanistan on January 5th, along with three other members of his platoon.

Hundreds of people attended the services at the Braman and Bailey Funeral Home in North Judson. Included was Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Congressman Joe Donnelly and State Representative Nancy Dembowski.

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Henry F. Schricker Award Dinner this Thursday

Dorene Matzat

The Henry F. Schricker Award dinner is this Thursday at the Bass Lake Property Owners Association building. The Starke County Chamber of Commerce is still accepting reservations for the dinner today. Social hour begins at 6:00 p.m. with the dinner beginning at 7:00 p.m.

This year’s award winner is Dorene Matzat. She has been a model of Henry F. Schricker’s motto of “service before self”. For the past 65 years, she has driven veterans to medical appointments to veterans hospitals, she has mowed lawns for the elderly in the North Judson area as well as her church and she is active in her church and the American Legion Auxiliary. She won the Aid Association for Lutherans Branch Award, the American Legion Auxiliary Member of the Year Award winner and she was also the recipient of the Patty Hunt Memorial Award.

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Church Group Looking to Protest Military Funerals

While our citizens here mourn the deaths of the four National Guardsmen who were killed in Afghanistan January 5th, there is a church group headquartered in Topeka, Kansas that uses military funerals as a way to espouse its hatred of homosexuals, and by extension, our fallen heroes. The congregation of the Westboro Baptist Church has included on its web site the names of Spc. Robert Tauteris Jr., and Spc Brian Leonhardt. They have urged their followers to demonstrate at the funerals of both men.

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Robert Tauteris, Jr.’s Body to Arrive in Indiana Saturday

A U.S. Army carry team transfers the remains of Army Spc. Robert Tauteris, Jr. at Dover Air Force Base

The body of Robert Tauteris, Jr. of Hamlet, will be arriving in Valparaiso from Dover, Delaware Saturday morning at approximately 9:20 a.m. A procession will leave Valparaiso between 9:45-10:00 a.m. and follow the route of U.S. 30 to U.S. 421 to State Road 10 into North Judson. If you wish to safely line the streets to greet the procession, you are welcome to do so.

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Funeral Services Set for Hamlet Soldier Killed in Afghanistan

Robert “Bobby” Tauteris Jr.

Funeral Services will be held Sunday at the Braman and Bailey Funeral Home in North Judson for Robert “Bobby” Tauteris, Jr., 44, who was killed when the vehicle he was riding in struck a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.  The funeral will be held Sunday, January 15th, at 1:00 p.m. CT.  Visitation will be held after 10:00 a.m. Sunday.

Tauteris was one of four soldiers killed in the explosion.

Yearly Statistics for Local Police Departments

police badge

The North Judson Police Department had a total of 3,820 calls in 2011. The department had 832 traffic stops, 162 theft-conversion calls, 64 accident calls, 201 juvenile-family disturbance calls, 75 mischief-vandalism calls, and 55 assaults, battery and fighting calls. The officers also completed 12 Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated reports, 27 battery reports, 23 alcohol-drug reports and 116 adult arrests. 538 traffic warnings were also given in 2011.

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North Judson Town Board Receives Fire Department Update, Independent Audit to be Conducted

Fire Chief Joe Leszek approached the North Judson Town Council and informed them that the hose training for the department was completed in December and everything is up-to-date. However, Leszek had some bad news for the board: Firefighter Todd Jackson was injured on the job recently. He refused medical treatment at the scene as the injury was not life-threatening; however, his injury worsened over the next day and he required medical attention. Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry said she will follow up with a workman’s compensation inquiry.

The council also discussed the possibility of conducting an independent audit. Henry told the council that it is recommended by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns to have an independent audit conducted as soon as possible, but Board Member Jane Ellen Felchuk disagreed, saying she felt it might not be necessary, especially when considering the cost. Previously, the cost for an independent audit was about $2,500, and is usually done every two years. A motion was made by Board member Tim Cummins to have an independent audit conducted, and it was approved.

North Judson Town Board Reorganizes

Wendy Hoppe

The North Judson Town Board reorganized during the Board’s regular meeting on Monday night. Wendy Hoppe was elected Board President.

The Board appointed Wendy Hoppe to the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board and Rich Akers was reappointed to the Park Board. The Board has many other appointments and re-appointments to make including the Board of Zoning Appeals, Planning Commission, Town Superintendent, Town Attorney, Building Inspector, Solid Waste Board, Emergency Board, and the Railroad Board.

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Starke County Youth Soccer Sign-ups begin this Week

The Starke County Youth Soccer League committee is already thinking forward to the 2012 season. Sign up begins Saturday, January 7th at the Henry F. Schricker Public Library in Knox from time is 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The youth sign up fee is $35.00 for grades preschool thru 8th grade and $90.00 for a family of three. After three children, the cost is $20 per child. You can also sign up on the web at this website.

Also we would like to remind you that the Qatar World Cup is next year, so if you are planning to go over there, this is the perfect time to look for the dates and times of the matches so you can create your itinerary accordingly.
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Two Arrested after Confronted with Intimidation Incident

Donald Benton, Jr.
Donald Benton, Sr.

A father and son were arrested Saturday night after the son was confronted about an intimidation incident.

Starke County police were called after Donald Benton, Jr. allegedly threaten to kill a North Judson man. Benton, Jr. went to a North Judson residence and asked the victim to call another individual to meet Benton, Jr. somewhere so he could kill him, according to the police report. The victim said he wasn’t going to do that and Benton, Jr. became upset and started screaming at him. Benton, Jr. allegedly held the gun up to his face and threatened him to not tell anyone about what just happened. The victim then told his mother who then called police.

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