Starke – Page 275 – WKVI Information Center

The Starke County Commissioners and Linda Belork will be back in Jasper Circuit Court Wednesday June 6 at 9 a.m. Judge John Potter will hear oral arguments in the case that involves Belork’s removal from the treasurer’s office in August of last year. At the time it was announced that there was a discrepancy in funds in the office. Although the discrepancy was ultimately cleared up, Belork was never returned to the office as treasurer.

The key issue in the case in Rensselaer is whether the commissioners acted correctly under statute in removing Belork from office.

Affidavits of people with knowledge of the case will be presented.

It’s not known whether Judge Potter will render an opinion Wednesday or if he will take the information received under advisement and give his opinion at a later date.

Knox Man Arrested On Methamphetamine-Related Charges

Knox City Police officers arrested a Knox man Thursday on methamphetamine-related charges after executing an arrest warrant.

Police learned of the whereabouts of Anthony Clemons and confirmed that he had an active arrest warrant for Failure to Appear on narcotics-related charges in Starke Circuit Court. Police arrived at the residence and asked the homeowner if Clemons was there. He was seen on a bed in the home and was ordered to surrender to police before being taken into custody without incident.

Two INDOT Projects Nearing Completion

Two Indiana Department of Transportation construction projects are moving along in the Starke County area.

The Koontz Lake dam road project is nearing completion. Officials say the bridge deck has been poured and the road is expected to be open to traffic sometime in early July.

The Yellow River Bridge project on U.S. 35 in Knox is still in the beginning stages. Half of the bridge has been demolished and the beams should be set on the east side of the bridge in the next two weeks. The one lane restriction will remain in place until the completion of the project, which INDOT predicts will take place in November.

O-D Special Ed Teachers No Longer Employed By J.E.S.S.E.

dr disney final — Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney

Special education teachers in the Oregon-Davis school district are now being employed by the school itself instead of the Joint Educational Services in Special Education cooperative.

The switch is in response to a reorganization of the cooperative. Now being employed by O.D. are Heidi Temme, Robert Kleindeinst, and Roberta Salyer.

The announcement was made by Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney.

Knox Community Schools Begin Summer Food Service Program

The Knox Community School Corporation has started the Summer Food Service Program, and is offering free meals to any child 18 years of age and younger. Free meals are also available for any adults who are enrolled in a state-approved educational program for the mentally or physically disabled.

Breakfast and lunch will be served at the Knox Community High School Monday through Thursday until July 26, although the kitchen will be closed July 4. Breakfast is served from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and lunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT.

The USDA Summer Food Service Program for Children (SFSP) was created to serve nutritious meals to children when the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program meals are not available. To ensure that all children receive proper nutrition throughout the year, SFSP reimburses organizations that prepare and serve meals to eligible children during the summer.

The Fire Mission Controller – Part Two

Generations the Magazine recently presented an article on Jim Hardesty of Hamlet, a World War II veteran. The article chronicled Hardesty’s Army service during that war, and this week WKVI is presenting excerpts from that article.

Hardesty and his group landed in Swansea, Wales, and relocated to the south of England. Hardesty detailed his travel from the states to England.

“We boarded a cargo ship to take us across the Atlantic,” said Hardesty. “It took two weeks in rough North Atlantic weather worrying about submarine attacks. Nothing much happened except being sea sick. I was never so glad to see land in my life.”

David Hyatt Is IU Health Starke Hospital Interim CEO

David Hyatt takes over as the interim CEO of IU Health Starke Hospital today. Hyatt says that he is looking forward to the new opportunity and has some good changes in mind.

“I’ve been here at Starke Hospital for the past three years now. I really enjoy it, and love working with the people here. I’m just excited for this new opportunity, and making some good changes and taking Starke Hospital to the next level,” Hyatt said.

Statewide Smoking Ban Takes Effect July 1

The first statewide smoke-free air law takes effect July 1.

Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County and the Tobacco Free Coalition will be holding an Indiana Smoke Free Law Town Hall Meeting on Thursday, June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Bass Lake Community Center, where information will be provided concerning the new law and how it affects businesses and organizations. Information will be given on what the law covers, who to contact with questions and complaints, and who enforces the law.

Starke County Commissioners To Receive Bridge Update

The Starke County Commissioners will hear from Highway Commissioner Steve Siddall on the progress of bridge repair projects today.

Siddall said Friday that Bridge #9, located at 700 North and 500 East, is scheduled to be open within two weeks. The deck floor has been poured, with completion of the approaches and guardrail installation remaining.

Bridge #62 is probably five weeks behind #9 in being completed. Siddall said the end bents have been poured already. The bridge is located at Range Road and 500 East.

Finally, the commissioners will hear from the engineering firm contracted to provide services on the repair of Bridge #51 today.

Starke County Convention and Visitors Board Reorganized

The Starke County Convention and Visitors Commission Board has reorganized. Knox Mayor Rick Chambers is the new president, John Hensler will take the role of vice president, the treasurer is now Pat Mitchell, and Ed Hasnerl is secretary.

Hasnerl, Fred Boyer, and Marty Lucas were sworn in as new members.

Hasnerl was named by the commissioners, Boyer is the member from the Hoosier Valley Railroad, and Lucas represents the Innkeepers’ interests.

The board receives and distributes funds to promote tourism in Starke County.

The Fire Mission Controller

With the permission of “Generations the Magazine,” we are this week presenting a portion of an April – May story about Jim Hardesty of Hamlet. It’s entitled “The Fire Mission Controller,” and chronicles Hardesty’s WWII military career.

Raymond and Anna Hardesty were hard working Indiana farmers who tilled the soil on their land outside the village of Hamlet. On January 29,1922, the young couple had their first child, a son they named James. Growing up on an Indiana farm at that time was an ideal existence.

While growing up, young James was responsible for feeding the chickens, gathering eggs, and cleaning the barn.

Kindergarten Countdown Kicks Off Today In Knox

The Kindergarten Countdown camp begins today at Knox Community Elementary School.

Sponsored by IU Health Starke Hospital and Starke United, this session offers incoming kindergarten children with little or no prior prekindergarten experience a chance to get into a classroom setting and participate in activities to get them ready for school this fall. Breakfast and lunch will be provided and each student will receive a free book to take home each day.

Kindergarten Countdown begins today and runs until Wednesday, June 20.

NJSP Senior Receives Ed Hasnerl-WKVI Scholarship

North Judson-San Pierre High School senior Cody Hendershott is the recipient of the 2012 Ed Hasnerl-WKVI Scholarship. He lives with his grandparents Darroll and Susan Clavier in rural San Pierre.

Ed Hasnerl made the presentation Wednesday at the Senior Awards night program in North Judson.

Hendershott, who received half-a-dozen scholarship awards, says he has a passion for history and plans to study journalism and writing at Anderson University this fall.

Retirement Ceremony Held For Pastor Phil Emerson

A popular United Methodist minister who pastored the local UM church in Knox in the 70’s was feted at a retirement ceremony Saturday evening at the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Ft. Wayne.

Pastor Phil Emerson greeted congregants and former members of churches he pastored in his long career. His final sermon will be given next Sunday. Also honored was his wife, Phyllis, who is still a hair stylist in Knox two days a week.

Several people from the Knox congregation attended the ceremony. He also was the pastor of United Methodist churches in Michigan City, Lafayette, and Logansport.

Jury Convicts Hite On All Eight Charges

June 2, 2012June 1, 2012WKVI

The three-day trial for Dale Hite concluded today with the jury’s verdict of guilty on all eight counts.

Hite was found guilty of two counts of Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Death as Class B felonies, two counts of Reckless Homicide as Class C felonies, and counts of Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class D felony, Possession of Methamphetamine as a Class D felony, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign as a Class C infraction, and Failure to use Headlights From Sunset to Sunrise as a Class C felony.

The trial started on Wednesday and ended Friday afternoon. Hite’s bond has been revoked, and he is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 26 at 1 p.m.

Thorstad Says Jail Overcrowding Doesn’t Affect Probation Much

June 2, 2012June 1, 2012WKVI

WKVI has been focusing on the work of the Starke County Probation Office this week. The four-person office is directed by Chief Probation Officer John Thorstad.

Thorstad explained that his office receives some much-needed assistance from the Community Corrections Program.

“Community Corrections has had a huge impact. It has relieved jail overcrowding. They have a program called ‘Thinking For a Change,’ which forces people to look in the mirror and decide how they want to change,” Thorstad said.

Jury Convicts Hite On All Eight Charges

June 1, 2012June 1, 2012WKVI

The three-day trial for Dale Hite concluded today with the jury’s verdict of guilty on all eight counts.

Hite was found guilty of two counts of Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Death as Class B felonies, two counts of Reckless Homicide as Class C felonies, and counts of Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class D felony, Possession of Methamphetamine as a Class D felony, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign as a Class C infraction, and Failure to use Headlights From Sunset to Sunrise as a Class C felony.

The trial started on Wednesday and ended Friday afternoon. Hite’s bond has been revoked, and he is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on June 26 at 1 p.m.

When officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department were investigating a report of manufacturing methamphetamine, a vehicle approached the residence they were checking out and immediately sped off. Officers followed the vehicle, but its headlights turned off shortly before the vehicle went off the road, crashing into some trees at 124 mph, police say.

Two passengers died in the crash, and Hite was airlifted from the scene. Police reportedly found methamphetamine in Hite’s pockets, and it was later determined that he was the driver of the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Methamphetamine Prevalence In Starke County Adversely Affects Probation

June 1, 2012June 1, 2012WKVI

A post was recently made on the WKVI Discussion board that read, “I work at a local factory for minimum type wages. I have two children and a wife. We’re falling more and more behind every day. Selling meth is looking better all the time.”

Could the economy behind the methamphetamine epidemic in Indiana? John Thorstad, Starke County’s Chief Probation Officer, said the economy might be part of the answer, but fast, easy money is probably more of a reason for producing and selling methamphetamine. He did, however, say law enforcement is having great success in closing down operations here.

Starke County Companies Reduce Nation’s Reliance On Foreign Oil

June 1, 2012May 31, 2012WKVI

kruz trailer — Kruz currently produces four of these steel trailers per week.

Two Starke County companies have been making major contributions to the frac drilling industry, particularly in North and South Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Frac drilling is a term used for the procedure of extracting natural gas through a process known as “hydraulic fracturing,” along with both vertical and horizontal drilling. The process requires anywhere from one million to five million gallons of water.

Both Kruz, Inc. and Sabre Manufacturing, LLC are manufacturing tanks that are used in two different operations at frac drilling sites in those four states. Steel trailers used to carry 5500 gallons of water to these sites are manufactured by Kruz, which currently produces four trailers per week with plans to produce one per day beginning today.