Former Starke County Car Dealer Passes Away

Posted on Author WKVI
Leonard Rudd

As reported yesterday, Leonard Rudd, 85, passed away at his home Wednesday evening. For the better part of his life, he was involved in the automotive business, owning and operating his Chevrolet-Buick store in Knox from 1961 to 1989.

He was also an auctioneer, and for many years sang with the original Rudd Family Singers.

Leonard Rudd, age 85 passed away on Wednesday, August 10 at his home in Knox. He was born to Rev. Orban and Anna (Mullins) Rudd on June 13, 1926 in McGoffin County Kentucky. In 1939 the Rudd Family relocated from the mountains of southeastern Kentucky to the flatlands of northwest Indiana, making a home here in Starke County.
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Knox, Indiana Resident Shows Support on Today Show

Posted on Author WKVI

The city of Knox got its moment in the spotlight thanks to Jeannie Little, a Knox resident on vacation in New York City. During the broadcast of the Today Show, Little held up a large sign with the words “Knox, Indiana,” and caught quite a bit of attention.

After receiving an email with a mobile contact number for Little, WKVI’s Tom Berg was able to contact Little and ask her a few questions on the air.

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Starke County Commissioners Terminate Employees in Treasurer’s Office

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Treasurer's Office is now empty after the Commissioners terminated all employees

The Starke County Commissioners met in an emergency session this morning to address unresolved issues from a 2009 audit of the County Treasurer’s Office.

The Commissioners held an Executive Session meeting and then Commission President Dan Bridegroom read a prepared statement to the press and public.

“As a result of an unresolved issue from 2009 State Board of Accounts Audit of the Starke County Treasurer’s Office, county officials have instituted additional safeguards on county bank accounts. The safeguards will enhance review procedures that may result in modest delays in the availability of funds for payment of county checks. Delays should not exceed 48 hours.”

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Starke, Pulaski County 4-Hers do Well at State Fair

Posted on Author WKVI

Several area 4-Hers have done well on their projects at the Indiana State Fair.

The following Starke County 4-Hers received a Merit Ribbon for their projects: Mason Awald for his Electric project, Samuel Back for his Weather project, Alex Haney on a Foods project, Haley Hartmann for Cat Posters, Alivia Hesters for Foods, Rachel Lenig for foods, Gage Minix for Crafts and Shooting Sports Education, Hanna Shidler for Home Environment and Mia Shively for Photography.

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Stacie Brown to Appear for Initial Hearing in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Stacie Brown

Stacie Brown is due in Starke Circuit Court today for an initial hearing on charges brought against her in the death of her three-year-old stepson, Ethan Brown. Stacie Brown was arrested on Friday, August 5th and Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff filed official charges against her that include Battery Resulting in Death and Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death, both Class A Felonies.

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Rensselaer Man Charged with Theft in Starke County

Posted on Author WKVI
Jason Richie

A Rensselaer man was arrested Saturday after he was seen stealing a chainsaw from a garage in the North Judson area.

The suspect, who was later identified as Jason Richie, reportedly walked in a garage owned by Richard Anderson and walked out with a chainsaw, according to the Starke County Sheriff’s Department report. Anderson’s son-in-law, Samuel Denno, reportedly ran outside with a gun to stop Richie. Denno told police that the man allegedly threw the chainsaw in some weeds when he saw that Denno followed him into a wooded area. Denno later told police that he didn’t know the man but could identify the man if police apprehended him.

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Meth Problems Continue in Northern Indiana

Posted on Author WKVI

An Elkhart County man was killed in a mobile meth lab fire last week and that incident reminds us of the continuing problem of meth production for sale or personal use throughout Northern Indiana.

Porter-Starke Addictions Councilor, Leo Smith, says that this area has had meth issues for a long time and the process to produce meth has been refined so it’s a lot easier to make. Smith says that meth is one of the most highly addictive drugs that a person can abuse.

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2001: Starke County Commissioners Discuss New Jail

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

After months of avoiding the issue, the Starke County Commissioners have publicly acknowledged a new jail is needed to relieve ongoing overcrowded conditions. That may not surprise anyone who has followed the problems at the jail over the past couple of years.

That was the opening sentence to an article in The Leader exactly 10 years ago today. In that same article, the Commissioners were proposing a joint meeting with the Council to discuss building a criminal justice center.

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Lauren Jernas to Participate in the Indiana State Fair Pageant

Posted on Author WKVI
Lauren Jernas

Lauren Jernas, who was recently crowned Starke County 4-H royalty, will be competing in the Indiana State Fair Queen pageant August 19th-21st. Lauren will be competing with 88 other contestants from around the State for the honor of being the 2012 Queen.

Lauren was asked why she decided to be part of the pageant.

“I was chosen as one of the Starke County 4-H Royalty winners so I decided to go down to the State Fair to go to the pageant and have fun and meet a lot of different girls from around the state.”

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Stepmother Stacie Brown Arrested In Death Of 3-Year-Old Ethan Brown

Posted on Author WKVI
Stacie Brown

A Starke County woman was taken into custody Friday and charged with causing the death of 3-year-old Ethan Brown on June 18. Stacie Brown, 34, is being held under a $250,000 bond in the Starke County Jail for two Class A felonies: Count one, Battery Resulting in Death; and count two, Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death. She is the step-mother of Ethan. Continue reading →

Andy Howes to be Buried in Arlington National Cemetery Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes' casket will be transported his gravesite in a manner similar to this Army caisson

After being honored by his hometown Monday and Tuesday, Chief Warrant officer Andy Howes will be buried today in Arlington National Cemetery.

Services will be held at Memorial Chapel on the Ft. Myers property at 11:00 a.m. ET. Following the services, the procession will go to Arlington with the casket riding on a horse drawn caisson. Also participating in the services will be an Army band and a firing squad will fire the 21 gun salute.

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Debris Removal Project for Yellow River Approved

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Commissioners: Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom and Jennifer Davis

Edwin Buswell, Executive Director of the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission, approached the Starke County Commissioners and informed them of a grant they are seeking from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs to fund debris removal from the Yellow River, from the Knox area to the Marshall County line.

“Back in 2008, the state got funds from the disaster recovery program to take care of debris that is clogging rivers and causing erosion on the ditch banks,” said Buswell.

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Commissioners Approve Hire of Project Overseer for Bridge Project

Posted on Author WKVI
Steve Siddall

Starke County Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall and Ken Minett from Butler, Fairman, and Seufert met with the Starke County Commissioners regarding the hire of a project inspector to oversee the repairs on Bridge 156. The County has had an inspector for all bridge projects in the past, and the previous Superintendent was qualified to inspect and oversee these projects as well.

Minett told the Commissioners that hiring an inspector is paramount to the safety of the bridge, because it’s possible for contractors to leave out vital rebar, use incorrect steel, or make a small mistake that could sacrifice the integrity of the structure. Without an inspector, said Minett, the consequences are unknown and could be staggering.

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Andy Howes’ Remains to be Laid to Rest at Arlington National Cemetery

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes arrived in Knox Monday evening in a procession from Indianapolis. Photo by Jayme Goetz

The remains of Chief Warrant officer, Andy Howes, now move on to a final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery after Memorial Services were held in Knox yesterday. Those services will be Friday, August 5th.

The family had brought him back to Knox hoping the ceremonies would bring closure to the community that nurtured him in his formative years.

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Starke County Commissioners Tour Two More Jail Facilities

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Commissioners: Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom and Jennifer Davis

The Starke County Commissioners toured the LaGrange County Jail last week. Commissioner Kathy Norem, who is the contact official for the jail, said the LaGrange facility was older than the other three they have visited. Earlier they went to the Marshall, Jasper, and Fulton County jails.

One of the advances the LaGrange County Jail did not have was video conferencing.

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Tony Stewart Visits with Fans in Lakeville

Posted on Author WKVI
Tony Stewart talks to the fans during a question and answer session at the Lakeville event

NASCAR driver, Tony Stewart, was in Lakeville yesterday to speak to fans and sign autographs at the Newton Center. The event was sponsored by Hoosier Racing Tire and Stewart appreciates that the Newton family has always stood by him throughout his career. Tony talked about what it’s like to be both an owner and a driver:

“It’s just a lot of time, I mean it’s a ton of time, a ton of pressure, especially trying to do both roles as a driver and an owner,” said Stewart. “It makes you appreciate guys like Jack Rausch, Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, and Michael Waltrip and all these guys who have multi-car teams. It’s definitely not an easy business by any means.”

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