Chief Warrant Officer, Andy Howes, returned to Starke County yesterday 41 years after he left for the war in Vietnam.
Howes left Hawaii yesterday morning in a trip that ended in Knox at 8:10 p.m. last night. Hundreds of people turned out along the way home, especially in Knox.
Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff said that he and Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan and two detectives will be headed to South Bend to gain information into the death of a Knox toddler that happened June 19th
“We’re meeting with the pathologist who did the forensic autopsy,” said Bourff. “It has taken him longer to do the autopsy than we originally anticipated because he’s done more work than we originally knew he would be doing.”
EMS Director Paul Mathewson approached the Starke County Commissioners Monday and requested the purchase of a vehicle for EMS use, as per their original agreement when he was hired. Mathewson says that the car would be used to come to work, go home, respond to calls, visit hospitals and other business use, and could also be used as a chase vehicle.
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem will lead a delegation from the County to the National Institute of Corrections Conference in Colorado. The conference, transportation, and lodging is paid by the Institute.
Joining Norem on the trip will be Starke County Councilman David Pearman, Sheriff Oscar Cowen, Jail Commander Greg Hewitt, and Chief Deputy Bill Dulin.
Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall told WKVI News that Bridge #156 over the Robbins Ditch at Range Road and 400 North is scheduled to go into the construction phase soon. Bids will be opened for construction work on August 4th.
Some immediacy was put on this bridge after it was closed because it is so heavily used by farmers. The fall season is a critical time for moving grain. The County Commissioners put a priority tag on #156 for this reason.
Engineering for the project is being done by Butler-Fairmont and Seufert, with Ken Minot, the representative.
Once construction begins, the bidder has 80 days to complete the work on the bridge.
An investigation into a call received by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department regarding a sexual assault turned up enough evidence to arrest Brett Kersey for several charges including rape. At about 4 p.m. on July 28, the SCSD was informed that a victim of sexual assault was at I.U. Health Starke Hospital, and an investigation returned enough information for a search warrant to be granted for the residence of 0440 N. 700 E. in Knox.
Cecilia Torres, Services Coordinator at Community Services of Starke County, says the community has stepped up to the plate with donations to the Food Pantry.
Only three weeks ago, we were reporting that the Food Pantry had no food on the shelves and only one package of hot dogs was in the meat section.
Torres especially wanted to thank officials of the Starke County 4-H Fair Livestock Auction for directing bidders to the food pantry. A number of the winning bidders gave their purchases to the Food Pantry.
Cecilia said the bidders had turkeys, ducks and chickens dressed for distribution.
The Bass Lake Summer Splash Festival was held over the weekend and officials are calling the event a huge success. The Bass Lake Summer Splash parade was held Sunday and George Mammarella was the emcee. Enjoy these pictures from the parade! The photos were provided. Continue reading
The Starke County Election Board met Wednesday morning where the Board discussed consolidating voting precincts beginning with the 2012 Primary Election.
Several precinct voting locations would change for the Primary Election in May.
Several plea agreements were rejected by the Starke Circuit Court as Judge Kim Hall turned down submitted agreements from Richard Wilbert, Allen Krock, and Richard Longacre.
A plea agreement was submitted for Krock, charged with Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury as a Class C Felony. The agreement would have sentenced Krock to four years in the Department of Corrections with one year suspended. One year of probation would follow his release, and he would be required to complete alcohol and substance abuse programs.
Starke County Police officers arrested James Campbell, 43, of Knox early Thursday morning after he failed to comply with police when officers ordered him to get out of his vehicle and away from loaded weapons.
Police were called to a church on Toto Road after a citizen reported a male subject acting suspiciously on the property. When police arrived, the reporting officer found James Campbell in his vehicle. The officer got out of his vehicle and approached Campbell’s vehicle and asked him to step out of the truck. Campbell ignored the officer. Campbell was asked several more times to exit the vehicle. The reporting officer noted in his report that he asked Campbell to show him his hands and Campbell reportedly started to fidget with something underneath his seat. The officer drew his weapon and told Campbell to show him his hands. He did show his hands and had nothing in them at the time.
WKVI has learned some of the details of the services for Chief Warrant Officer Andy Howes, a Knox native whose remains are being transported from Hawaii to Indianapolis on Monday. He was lost 41 years ago in a helicopter crash in Vietnam, and although his remains were sent to Hawaii in 1988, they were only recently identified through DNA analysis.
Services will be held in Knox on Tuesday, and then the body will be sent to its final resting place in Arlington National Cemetery on August 5th. Services are scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Tuesday night, with calling after 5:00 p.m. at the Knox Community Center.
The Miss Harvest Fest Pageant is tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. at the Knox Middle School. Last year’s Miss Harvest Fest Queen, Kayla Bailey, says there are three categories in this year’s pageant:
“We have Tiny Miss, which is for ages 5-8, Little Miss Harvest for girls ages 9-13, and the Miss candidates are for ages 14-19,” said Bailey. “The contestants will be judged on interviews, summer wear, on-stage question, and evening gowns. All contestants are girls that live, work or attend school in Starke County.”
The winner of the Miss Harvest Fest Pageant will have a free entry into the Miss Kankakee Valley Pageant this fall.
Classmates from as far as Florida, New York and Delaware and throughout Indiana are coming to Knox for memorial services for Chief Warrant Officer, Andy Howes. Many of his Knox High School classmates have MIA bracelets that they wore for a number of years, or put away in a known chest awaiting his return. The family has invited all who have bracelets to put them in the casket with the remains.
Howes will be returning to Knox on Monday, with a Patriot Guard escort, and memorial services will be held at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening at the Knox Community Center.
School will be starting for area schools in less than a month and Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, is encouraging parents to make an immunization appointment at the Health Department as soon as possible so your child is ready for the start of school.
Addictions councilor, Leo Smith of Porter-Starke Services, presented a Lunch and Learn program yesterday on distinguishing drug and alcohol abuse from drug and alcohol addiction.
“We talked about the difference between social usage of drugs or alcohol, abuse of drugs and alcohol and dependence and addiction,” said Smith of the presentation. “We really tried to separate what the differences are and the importance of knowing the differences.”
The Starke County Election Board will be meeting this morning to discuss a number of items needed for the General Election on Tuesday, November 8th.
Clerk Evelyn Skronski says the Board will touch on a few other items including the consolidation of some precincts.
“We’re going to try and consolidate some so we can eliminate some of the precinct costs,” said Skronski. “We’re also going to talk about a grant that’s available to make the precincts more handicapped accessible. Those are available through the State. We received one last year so I don’t know how good our chances are this year, but we’re going to discuss putting in for that. Of course, the public is always welcome to attend our meetings.”
With the Bass Lake Festival coming up this weekend, the DNR would like to remind you that a new law went into effect July 1st that prohibits “Wake Surfing” or “Teak Surfing” behind certain motorboats.
Teak Surfing is now illegal behind all motorboats powered by an inboard engine, an inboard-outboard engine, or an outboard engine while the boat’s engine is running. This includes just hanging onto the swim platform with the motor is running.
Three people were arrested after an alleged harassment and stabbing incident.
On Friday, July 22nd, Knox City Police officers were called to a residence on Bender Street in reference to a harassment and battery. Kayla Thompson reportedly told police that she and Jeff Gibson were being harassed by Shayna Howard, Geoffrey Madison and Ed Diersen who were driving by the property. Thompson said that Shayna Howard allegedly came up to her and hit her. When Thompson was screaming for help, Jeff Gibson came from a bedroom inside the home and was walking toward the back door when Geoffrey Madison allegedly walked into his house and hit him when he was coming around the corner. Gibson then reportedly grabbed his pocket knife and stabbed Madison in the stomach.
Dusty Kasten, 40, a Washington Township Volunteer Firefighter, was killed in an ATV accident on Friday, July 22nd. A firefighter service will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. and the service will be at the Washington Township Community Center. The DNR is reportedly investigating the accident.
