Starke Commissioners Approve Final Design, Estimate for Starke County Jail

Posted on Author WKVI
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.

The Starke County Commissioners last night approved the final design and estimate for the new Starke County Jail facility, allowing the bidding process to begin. Representatives from the Skillman Corporation and DLZ presented the commissioners with the documentation for their approval and requested authorization to issue CDs for bidding.

The bids are estimated to come in around $10,225,000, and officials hope to receive the bids on Oct. 10, allowing for a groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. CT. The commissioners approved their request, authorizing them to advertise for bids.

Continue reading →

Starke Commissioners Approve Expenditure for Water Improvements Near Jail Site

Posted on Author WKVI

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
The Starke County Commissioners approved a motion to fund the improvement of the water infrastructure near the site of the soon-to-be Starke County Jail across from Sabre Manufacturing on State Road 8. The water capacity for the building is not adequate for the facility, so larger water lines are needed to increase the width of the pipes from six inches to eight inches.

Continue reading →

Knox Man Arrested on Sexual Misconduct Charges

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A Knox man was arrested by Indiana State Police officers Tuesday morning after an investigation into an alleged sexual misconduct incident.

Indiana State Police Detective Chris Campione received information in August concerning a sexual misconduct incident involving a 15-year-old girl.

State detectives were able to determine that the sexual misconduct took place in July and the actions continued until police were notified on Aug. 6. The juvenile was living in Michigan City when the alleged misconduct occurred.

Continue reading →

Starke County Jail Project Remains on Schedule Despite Water Snag

Posted on Author WKVI

This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
Despite a philosophical difference between county and city elected officials regarding an infrastructure upgrade for the new Starke County Jail site, the project is still on schedule. The water capacity for the building east of Knox across from Sabre Manufacturing is not adequate, so larger water lines are needed. The county commissioners have agreed to spend up to $50,000 to run new lines to the facility and have obtained an easement from property owners Chuck and Dennis Estok to go through their property to do so. County officials want to get this work done as soon as possible in order to realize a potential savings of $500,000 to taxpayers by keeping the jail project on schedule. That means bid documents for the project have to be ready to go by mid-September.

Continue reading →

Starke County Council Approves Ordinances for Jail Funding

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Construction of a new Starke County Jail cleared another procedural hurdle with the adoption by the county council of a resolution and ordinance to commit to funding the project. Both are required before the county can sell bonds to finance the construction. They simply state that the additional economic development income tax the county has been collecting for the past year will be used to repay the bonds. The time frame for the project calls for the sale of bonds in November.

Knox City Council to Discuss Jail Water Project

Posted on Author WKVI
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building on SR 8 at CR 550 E will soon house the new Starke County Jail.

A necessary infrastructure improvement to keep the Starke County Jail project on schedule will be discussed during a special-called Knox City Council meeting this evening. The pressure from the water pipe that feeds the facility on State Road 8 east of Knox is not adequate to provide fire protection to the building, based on the results of a recent hydrant test. City and county officials are studying options to remedy that problem and have decided that running a loop from Henry Drive to Edgewood to the highway is the best option in terms of cost and the time frame necessary to finish the project. Dennis and Chuck Estok have agreed to donate an easement through their property in order to accommodate the upgrade. The work needs to be done by April 1, 2014 in order to keep the jail project on schedule. Other options include building an underground tank to hold water or constructing a temporary tank above ground until the water lines can be upgraded. However, both options are considerably more expensive than running a loop to join with the existing pipe. The county commissioners agreed to spend up to $50,000 for the upgrade, with the work to be done by the city. The city council will consider that offer during a meeting this evening at 7 p.m.

 

Starke County Officials Host Open House at New Jail Facility

Posted on Author WKVI

This building will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
This building will soon house the new Starke County Jail.
Starke County Commissioners should have final plans for the new jail facility within the next month. The architectural and engineering firms will consider comments from last night’s open house at the facility on State Road 8 across from Sabre Manufacturing as they put the finishing touches on the project. President of the Commissioners Kathy Norem says inmates will be brought in through a secure entrance.

“When inmates are brought to the facility, they will enter through the sallyport area. The doors go up, the car goes in, the door goes down again. They’ve got them secured, and then they take them through the sallyport to inmate booking,” said Norem.

Continue reading →

Indianapolis Teens Arrested for Bass Lake Boat Thefts

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A holiday weekend joyride around Bass Lake in two stolen boats ended with a trip to the Starke County Jail for at least two Indianapolis teenagers. ABC 57 reports two homeowners at the lake woke up Sunday morning to find their boats were missing from a public dock. They later learned three teenagers had stolen the watercraft the previous night and taken the boats for a ride around the lake and that witnesses to their late night sail had called the police. The teens reportedly ditched the boats and took off into a nearby campground. They were spotted the following day by officers from the Chicago Police Department who had seen them the previous evening. The off-duty cops tried holding them until the Starke County Sheriff’s Department arrived, but one of the boys ran away. It’s unclear whether he was captured, but the other two were arrested.

 

Starke Commissioners Approve Scope of Work, Bid Documents for Jail Project

Posted on Author WKVI

Scott Cherry
Scott Cherry
The Starke County Commissioners this week received an update on the probable costs and anticipated schedule of the jail project. An official with the Skillman Corporation presented the latest estimates on the project and explained that they are still sharpening up the costs, but they are coming in closer to their ideal price range.

Scott Cherry told the commissioners that the schematic estimate that had been presented a month prior came out to roughly $11 million, which was a bit high; he said the ideal range was within $10.2 million to $10.3 million. Now, however, after they tightened some of the expenses, they’ve brought the estimated cost down to roughly $10.3 million.

Continue reading →

Starke County Council Amends Payment for Jail Suit Legal Fees

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
Starke County officials have agreed to pay the fees stemming from the jail overcrowding lawsuit from a different fund than previously announced. Last month the council announced plans to pay the $90,000 from the County Adjusted Gross Income Tax, or CAGIT, fund. Instead the commissioners revisited their action and opted to use money in the CEDIT, or County Economic Development Income Tax, rainy day fund. Council President Dave Perman notes the money in the CEDIT fund was set aside for a purpose such as that, and using it will allow the CAGIT money to be used to cover other expenses in the county’s general fund.

The public will get a first look at plans for a new jail east of Knox on State Road 8 during the July 22 council and commissioners meeting. That presentation is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. at the county annex building.

Starke County Man Arrested after Pursuit

Posted on Author WKVI
 
 

A Starke County man was arrested after a pursuit incident that spanned two counties.

Early this morning, a Starke County detective was patrolling around 1100 East and 700 North just north of Koontz Lake when he recognized the driver of a black pickup as Julius Novitzke. Novitzke was known to be wanted on an active Starke County Circuit Court Warrant for Possession of Methamphetamine.

A traffic stop was attempted but Novitzke failed to stop.

Continue reading →

Court of Appeals Upholds Samuel Bradley’s Sentence

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the jury trial conviction of Samuel Bradley and the sentence imposed by Starke Circuit Court Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese.

Bradley appealed his conviction for Attempted Deviate Conduct as a Class B felony. He questioned whether the evidence was sufficient to sustain his conviction and whether his sentence was inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and its character.

Continue reading →

Starke County Council to Review Jail Settlement

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Sheriff's Department
Starke County Sheriff’s Department

County attorney Martin Lucas will present a proposed mediation agreement regarding overcrowding conditions at the county jail to the Starke County Council when they meet this evening. Jack Haut and several other inmates sued the county in April of 2011. Their lawsuit claims the cramped conditions violate their civil rights. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office has been sending prisoners to Pulaski County for the past year to alleviate the overcrowding, and the county is moving forward with plans to build a new jail east of Knox on State Road 8 and County Road 550 East.

Man Arrested After Moped Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A man was arrested Monday after driving his moped under the influence.

Jack Parker reportedly told police that he had a few drinks at a Bass Lake establishment and lost control of his moped on U.S. 35 just south of the Knox city limits. He was attempting to get back onto the moped when the officer arrived at the scene.

Continue reading →

Initial Hearings Set in Starke Circuit Court for Higdon, Melton

Posted on Author WKVI
Alfred Higdon
Alfred Higdon
Sheri Melton
Sheri Melton

Two suspects arrested in a month-long methamphetamine production investigation will have their initial hearings in Starke Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Alfred Higdon, 40, and Shari Melton, 39, were arrested Thursday night after Knox City Police officers reportedly found methamphetamine precursors in a home in the 300 block of Delaware Street in Knox. Investigators also found meth and marijuana inside the residence.

Higdon and Melton were arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Precursors and Possession of Marijuana. They remain in the Starke County jail with a $10,000 surety bond.

Meth Suspect Remains in Starke County Jail

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
A bond has not been set for Henry Wood who was arrested Thursday after Starke County police reportedly found an inactive meth lab in a vehicle he was in.

Detectives from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were conducting a meth investigation at 3131 S. State Road 39 in North Judson and found Woods sitting in a vehicle with his dog. Officers were given consent to search the vehicle and found an inactive meth lab and other items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine.

He was taken into custody and booked into the Starke County Jail on a preliminary charge of Dealing Methamphetamine, a Class B felony. He has not yet been in Starke Circuit Court for his initial hearing.

Starke Commissioners Review Jail Site Appraisals, Approve Offer

Posted on Author WKVI

 
 
The Starke County Commissioners this week reviewed two appraisals for the land they have proposed to use as the site for the new Starke County jail facility. Commissioner Kathy Norem explained that the appraisals came back roughly a week ago, and County Attorney Martin Lucas explained that the county cannot pay more for the land than the average of the two appraisals they’ve received.

Continue reading →