Jeff Allen Plans Return to North Judson

Posted on Author WKVI
Jeff Allen

After his last visit to Starke County, Christian comedian Jeff Allen was featured in the Chicago Tribune Arts and Entertainment section. He’s on his way back to the North Judson area this Saturday to present more hilarious stories to all in the area.

His “Happy Wife, Happy Life” anecdotes will be featured in a special program sponsored by Love in the Name of Christ on Saturday, May 12 at 7 p.m. CT at the North Judson-San Pierre High School Auditorium. Allen has been through a lot in his life, including alcoholism, atheism, and a failing marriage, and he will tell you about his comical comeback into a life worth living during Saturday’s presentation.

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Knox High School Football Team to Host Relay For Life Dodgeball Tournament

Posted on Author WKVI

“If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!” That advice will come in handy at the Inaugural Starke County Dodgeball Tournament, hosted by the Knox High School football team. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Relay for Life Foundation.

Brady Jones of the high school organized the event, and he told WKVI that he chose to benefit the Relay for Life Foundation to give back to the community with the help of the Knox football team.

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Starke County Jail Committee Receives Timeline

Posted on Author WKVI

Lisa A. Lee, partner at Ice Miller LLP, presented a draft timetable for the Starke County Jail project to the jail committee on Friday. The timetable included a list of dates for important steps that must be completed for the project to move forward.

The next committee meeting is scheduled for the afternoon of June 15, when the committee will receive an update from the DLZ Architectural Firm and the Skillman Corporation regarding cost proposals and budgets. Community meetings are expected to be held June 25-30, but that date could be moved sooner if the committee decides to move a month early.

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Services To Be Held For Two Prominent Starke County Residents

Posted on Author WKVI

Funeral services will be held for two prominent Starke County residents today.

Seventy-three year old Bill Schacht was a lifetime resident of North Judson, where he raised his family and made a living farming, excavating and trucking. He was one of the original founders of the North Judson Jaycees. Schacht retired after 20 years from both the North Judson-San Pierre School Board and the Starke Memorial Hospital Board. Services will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

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Starke County Youth Club Radiothon Exceeds Goal

Posted on Author WKVI
Irene Szakonyi

They did it. The Starke County Youth Club successfully raised over $40,000 during the radiothon on WKVI, and they’re still counting donations.

Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi thanked everyone involved in the six-hour fundraiser that took place yesterday.

“Thank you so much, and really, it isn’t me– it is the combination of all of these wonderful people in our community. WKVI, you guys are awesome. It is our board of directors, our staff, the families, the communities, friends, and neighbors, that we have who opened up their checkbooks today and really came through for our kids,” said Szakonyi.

The club provides services every year for more than 600 students in each of the Starke County school systems.

Local College Graduate Finds Calling in Jewelry

Posted on Author WKVI

She’s always loved jewelry, just like Bijouteriehidous.com, but it wasn’t until recently that Stacey Horan of Knox began to dabble in its creation. Horan says jewelry-making was something she essentially stumbled into after attending I.U. Bloomington for four years, earning herself a degree in Apparel Merchandising and Business. Following college, Horan applied to several corporate apparel chains– but didn’t have much luck.

“In apparel merchandising, you basically learn how to merchandise anything retail; the apparel part was just a focus. So, I had to take a textiles class, a manufacturing and quality class, but essentially it was business: how to sell, retail, how to develop a brand image, and all that good stuff. And so I learned all that, applied to all those places that turned me down, so jewelry was kind of like a last option,” she said.

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Youth Club Radiothon To Take Place Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Irene Szakonyi

It’s finally here: The Starke County Youth Club Radiothon will take place today to raise funds for the organization that helps over 600 Starke County children. With four sites throughout the county that provide after-school, summer, and recreational programs, more than 200 students use the after-school program each and every day.

Youth Club Executive Director Irene Szakonyi says they will be accepting pledges for six hours.

“We take over the station at 10 in the morning, and we are live on the air until 4 p.m. taking calls. Thank you WKVI and all of our donors out there,” said Szakonyi.

The key aspects of the SCYC program are education, enrichment, relationships, and community. Everyone is encouraged to make a pledge for this very worthwhile cause.

Sentences Handed Down in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Shelby Thomas

After pleading guilty to two counts of Intimidation as a Class C felony, Shelby Thomas received his sentence in the Starke Circuit Court Thursday. Thomas had pleaded guilty to the felonies and admitted to threatening to kill Officers James Upsall and Dave Combs while armed with a 10-inch knife.

Thomas was sentenced to seven and a half years for each charge to be served consecutively, giving him a sentence of 15 years in the Department of Corrections. The court recommended to the DOC that he be entered into the CLIFF program. None of his sentence was suspended.

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Starke County Traffic Safety Partnership to Participate in Click it or Ticket Campaign

Posted on Author WKVI

Officers from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and Knox and North Judson Police Departments will be participating in the “Click it or Ticket” campaign beginning May 18th through June 3rd.

This blitz, coordinated by the Indiana Governor’s Council on Impaired or Dangerous Driving, allows officers to patrol during this seat belt enforcement period. All drivers and passengers are encouraged to wear their seat belts at all times in a motor vehicle. If you don’t wear your seat belt, you will receive a traffic citation. No warnings will be given.

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Lift Station “Could Fail Tomorrow,” Says Chambers

Posted on Author WKVI
Knox Mayor Rick Chambers

Knox Mayor Rick Chambers reminded the city council members that the lift station at Clabaugh Drive and U.S. 35 is going to have to be replaced in the near future. That information came out of a report by Wastewater Superintendent Kelly Clemons.

“I had her get some figures. We need to know how much growth is expected south of that point. A new lift station would cost $188,000,” Chambers said.

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Knox Mayor Wants Flags to Fly For Memorial Day

Posted on Author WKVI

With Memorial Day a little more than three weeks away, Mayor Rick Chambers is trying to get flags up on U.S. 35 to show the city’s patriotism. Chambers says a large number of items are required to mount the flags.

“We need brackets, poles, flags, stainless steel bands– everything to get flags up on 35. There are 35 light poles on the highway with lights on them in the city limits,” said Chambers.

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Legacy of Women To Hold Spring Event Sunday

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Legacy of Women Committee members

The Legacy of Women will hold their spring event Sunday, May 6 at the Knox Middle School. Sherri Bartolli explained that the event will include a number of programs and speakers, as well as prizes and food.

“We have entitled the program ‘Extreme Coupon, More Bang for Your Buck.’ We do have three speakers who are going to be our entertainment this year, plus we will have silent auction baskets, vendors, food and some door prizes,” Bartoli said.

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