Johnson said Leslie not only teaches the course for Family Consumer Science but she has also been managing the PowerSchool system for the corporation.
NJ-SP to Purchase Two New 72-Passenger Buses
Johnson said allowing the trade-ins was vital, as two buses were ready to be cycled out and the extra money would go a long way financially – especially since the buses will cost a total of $157,000.
Midwest Transit submitted the lowest bid, which the board accepted.
San Pierre Barn Fire Intentionally Set
Last Thursday’s fire that damaged a vacant barn south of San Pierre was intentionally set, according to fire investigators. The San Pierre Volunteer Fire Department was called to the structure at 8720 S. U.S. 421 around 11:30 Thursday night and remained on the scene for about 90 minutes. No injuries were reported.
This is the third intentionally-set fire in San Pierre in the past month. The first was a vacant house at 9360 W. 900 S., which was destroyed by flames on Sept. 11. The second structure fire was Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the vacant San Pierre Grain Elevator. Firefighters from San Pierre, North Judson, Bass Lake Medaryville and Wheatfield spent about four hours extinguishing that blaze. Fire department officials aren’t sure at this time whether the three fires are related.
Anyone with information about any of the fires is urged to call the state’s arson hotline at 1-800-382-4628. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest or conviction. Callers can remain anonymous.
Overnight Fire Destroys Vacant San Pierre Barn
Lightning from a storm that rolled through the area late last night may be to blame for sparking a fire that destroyed a vacant pallet barn on U.S. 421 in San Pierre. Dispatchers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office got a call about the blaze around 11:30. Firefighters remained on the scene for about an hour and a half. No injuries were reported. We’ll have more information later today.
San Pierre Grain Elevator Fire Ruled Arson
Tuesday’s fire at the San Pierre Grain Elevator on U.S. 421 was deliberately set. That’s the determination of investigators from the state fire marshals office. They spent two days digging through the rubble with assistance from the San Pierre, North Judson, Bass Lake, Washington Township and Medaryville Volunteer Fire Departments. Dispatchers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office got a call about the fire around 9 Tuesday night. Volunteers from the San Pierre Fire Department arrived a short time later and say the warehouse and silo were both fully engulfed when they showed up. The North Judson, Medaryville and Wheatfield Fire Departments also helped battle the blaze, which took about four hours to contain. A San Pierre Fire Department spokesman declined comment as to where the fire originated, as the incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is urged to call the state’s arson hotline at 1-800-382-4628. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest or conviction.
Cause of San Pierre Grain Elevator Fire Still Under Investigation
An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office has spent the past two days in San Pierre trying to determine the origin of Tuesday night’s blaze that destroyed the grain elevator on U.S. 421. The San Pierre Volunteer Fire Department was called to the scene just after 9 Tuesday night. Fire Chief Mike Korous tells WKVI news the warehouse and silo were both fully engulfed when they arrived. Additional firefighters from North Judson, Medaryville and Wheatfield were called in to help battle the blaze. Firefighters remained on the scene for about four hours. No injuries were reported.
Overnight Fire Destroys San Pierre Grain Elevator
Firefighters from four departments in three counties spent the night fighting a blaze at the grain elevator in San Pierre. Dispatchers got a call about the fire just after 9 last night and notified the San Pierre Volunteer Fire Department. They were assisted by North Judson, Medaryville and Wheatfield. No injuries were reported, and the firefighters cleared the scene at 1:12 this morning. There’s no word yet on the origin of the blaze.
NJ-SP Superintendent Responds to Bomb Threat
Police and school officials are following up leads as to who left a written bomb threat at North Judson-San Pierre High School last night. Superintendent Lynn Johnson says the perpetrator will be dealt with swiftly and severely both by the school and the authorities. The school handbook outlines punishment up to expulsion. If the person who left the note is over 18, he or she could be prosecuted as an adult. Continue reading
DeMotte State Bank Relay for Life Pageant Draws 33 Contestants
Sunday’s inaugural Relay for Life Pageant, sponsored by DeMotte State Bank, drew an astounding 33 contestants, ranging in age from 1 to 18.
Coordinator Candice Miller hopes to raise $1,500 for cancer research through a combination of entry fees, ticket and concession sales and other donations. Miller says many of the contestants are taking part because proceeds benefit cancer research. That’s also why the DeMotte State Bank is fielding a team. Miller is a cancer survivor, and says many members of the bank’s close-knit staff have been touched by the disease.
San Pierre Fire Department Search for Serial Arsonist
San Pierre Fire Chief Mike Korous said that beginning Friday night and each night through Tuesday morning, an hour later each time, an unknown person(s) has started a fire on 900 West south of 700 South, 900 West north of 500 South, and on 800 West and 500 South. No homes or other buildings have been threatened by the fires, but a grass and brush fire is started every night on the side of the roads mentioned.
March Madness Snowstorm Socks Kankakee Valley
It’s a whole different kind of March Madness across the Kankakee Valley this morning. Roads are slick and snow-covered after a late season overnight snowstorm. This is making for hazardous travel. If you do have to be out, allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination, and remember, ice and snow, take it slow. Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles, brake early and accelerate slowly. If you see a snow plow, stay back and give it plenty of room to operate. Don’t tailgate or try to pass a plow truck, as the roadway will be clearer behind the plow than in front of it.
You can check road conditions anywhere in the state by visiting www.trafficwise.in.gov or by dialing toll-free 1-800-261-ROAD (7623) for updated Indiana travel information, including road conditions, road closures, construction information and other traffic alerts.
Snow should taper off into flurries by midday, but additional snowfall is expected tonight and into tomorrow before temperatures warm up into the 40s by the middle of the week. Fortunately the snow will not be a factor for schools today, as most school systems within the WKVI listening area are on spring break this week. However, if we receive word of any other weather-related closings or delays we will pass it along on the closings and delays page at www.wkvi.com as well as on the air and on our Facebook page.
NJ-SP Academic Super Bowl Team Places Third at Lowell Invitational
The North Judson-San Pierre High School Academic Super Bowl Team placed third at the Lowell Invitational Academic Super Bowl Competition on Thursday, March 7. Answering questions about “The Glory That Was Greece,” the Bluejays placed second in Mathematics and Fine Arts and third in Interdisciplinary and Science. The total score for all NJ-SP teams earned them a third place finish behind Lowell and Munster. They will travel to River Forest High School tomorrow for the Conference Super Bowl Competition. NJ-SP will host the area competition on Tuesday, April 16. It will see 16 area schools competing for a chance to go to the state competition on May 4.
NJSP Students Participate in INPact Indiana
Approximately 200 eighth, ninth, and tenth grade band students participated in the INPact Indiana’s Future All-Star Band for the Drum Corps International championships this weekend.
The event, which took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Aug. 10 and 11, featured musicians from the West Point Academy, speakers by the Blue Man Group, and entertainment from Sean Cannon from American Idol Season 7 – and when they weren’t being entertained, the students spent their time rehearsing.
On Aug. 11, the INPact Band performed to begin the DCI Parade near the war memorial, and then finished out the evening with a performance with Sean Cannon in front of 10,000 fans in Lucas Oil Stadium to begin the evening’s DCI Championships. North Judson-San Pierre Band Director Matthew Hibbets was one of the instructors while percussionist Robert Miller and Caitlyn Barnes on clarinet participated.
San Pierre Home Destroyed From Fire Shortly After Storms
The San Pierre Fire Department responded to a house fire Tuesday morning, just two hours after the storms rolled through the area. The home was on State Road 10 west of the town of San Pierre.
San Pierre Fire Department Investigator Andy Tilleraas said that a large tree fell on electric wires by the residence and pulled the wires from the meter box, causing the fire. When firefighters arrived on scene, the house was fully engulfed and it was a total loss.
The fire does remain under investigation.
North Judson-San Pierre Schools To Endure Hefty Budget Cuts
The North Judson-San Pierre School Board discussed the budget outlook for the next two years and Superintendent Lynn Johnson said the school will take a major budget hit in 2012 and 2013.
“Close to one million dollars,” said Johnson. “One of the things we lost was the restoration grant and the small schools grant. Those two losses did come up to about a million dollars. Of course, it depends on enrollment. If we have an increase in enrollment, of course that will help us. There’s a lot of variables we have to look at, but right now we are looking at decreased revenue and I’m sure we’re not the only school corporation.”
On top of the budget cut, Johnson says they are also suffering from a decrease in enrollment.
Memorial Day Services To Be Held Sunday and Monday
Memorial Day Services will be held Sunday and Monday in North Judson, San Pierre, and La Crosse. The services will be conducted by the Harry Keller Post #92 American Legion, Harry Keller Unit #92 American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of American Legion Squad #92. The services will begin Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at Round Lake.
On Monday, May 28, services will begin with an 8:45 a.m. parade, followed by services at Pioneer Cemetery at 9 a.m. and the San Pierre Cemetery at 10 a.m. A wreath will be deposited in the river on State Road 421 at 11 a.m., and services will be held at Velmar Memorial Park in La Crosse at 11:15 a.m.
Taking part in the services will be the North Judson-San Pierre Band.
No Life Threatening Injuries in Fiery Crash in San Pierre
Starke County emergency personnel were called to an accident yesterday afternoon where two vehicles burst into flames.
When officers arrived at the scene at U.S. 421 in San Pierre, they found a semi and a car fully engulfed in flames. Both drivers had been pulled from the wreckage. Officers determined that the driver of the passenger vehicle crossed the center line causing the accident. The semi was hauling mattresses which took firefighters nearly three hours to extinguish.
Life Prison Term Sought for Former San Pierre Man
Federal prosecutors are asking for a life prison term for a man who pleaded guilty to making child pornography while living in San Pierre. A sentencing report was filed this week in U.S. District Court in Hammond.
Randall Fletcher, Jr. pleaded guilty in September of last year to taking pornographic pictures of a seven year old child in February 2002 in San Pierre. Before that, he was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder when he tried to have the mother of a 15-year-old girl he was having sex with killed. This was in 1995.
Robert Reed Initial Hearing Held in Starke Circuit Court
Robert Reed, of LaPorte, was in Starke Circuit Court last week where he pleaded not guilty to charges of Robbery, Receiving Stolen Property, and Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class D Felony and a Class A Misdemeanor charge.
The charges stem from an incident on May 22nd, 2011, when Robert Reed and Murriah Dailey allegedly stole items from Marvin Miller’s home. Police were alerted to the incident and they were found riding a motorcycle on State Road 10. An officer from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department attempted a traffic stop on County Road 750 West, they stopped and then took off and a pursuit began. The pursuit ended just past County Road 400 South. The motorcycle ran into soft dirt in a corn field and the pair fled from the motorcycle. A K9 unit was deployed and stopped Murriah Dailey, and Reed was detained by the K9 but later fled on foot. Dailey was in custody in the back of a North Judson Police car and she attempted to drive away in the car. The car was shot at and disabled and she was tased to gain compliance. She was taken to the Starke County Jail after she was medically cleared from IU Health Starke Hospital.
WKVI/Five Star Food Drive this Saturday
The 2nd Annual WKVI/Five Star Food Drive will be held Saturday, November 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Five Star in Knox.
We will be broadcasting live during that time and we will be accepting donations for the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry. Five Star has some good deals this week so stop in the store and buy a couple of extra items and donate them to the food pantry. You may also make cash donations.
