Jerry Gurrado is the new Director at the SCILL Center in Knox. Jerry is no stranger to Knox and he talks about coming back to the area where he grew up.
“Harry Chapin had one of my favorite songs called “Circle” where he talks about how life’s a circle and it kinda comes back. I was born and raised here in Knox and in those last couple of years of high school I couldn’t wait to get out because there was nothing to do and now in my middle age I find myself back here,” said Gurrado.
After being in jail almost a year under $150,000 bond, Jack Haut will be in Starke Circuit Court today to face a Reckless Homicide charge.
Haut is accused of causing the death of Thomas White, who was hit while on his motorcycle riding on State Road 35 north of Knox.
If convicted, Haut could receive anywhere from two to eight years on the Class C Felony charge.
For the second time, the Starke County Council has refused to approve an addition-renovation bond issue plan proposed by the Starke County Library Board. The bond issue would be for $2 million and would follow the pay-off of bonds on the Henry F. Schricker Library in Knox. Because of the payoff of that bond, there would be no increase in the levy. Councilman David Pearman talked about the Council’s hesitancy to approve the request.
The Starke County Plan Commission is scheduled to meet tonight in the Starke County Annex building to discuss a proposed Dog Kennel ordinance after it failed to gain approval at the June meeting of the Starke County Commissioners.
Over 60 owners objected against many aspects of the proposed ordinance at that Commissioners meeting that was presented by Administrator/Building Inspector, Bruce Williams.
On this date, Apollo 11 landed the first humans on the moon.
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first to step out onto the moon’s surface.
While that was going on, Harold Welter and Ted Hayes were testing the equipment at WKVI FM because the next day they would be broadcasting to the Kankakee Valley for the first time. Continue reading
A committee set up to select a new EMS Director made their recommendation last night at the Starke County Commissioner’s meeting. Paul Mathewson was selected to take over the duties most recently held by Lisa Burger. The Commissioners unanimously approved the recommendation.
One qualification that Mathewson had was that he is a professionally trained Paramedic. He has most recently been employed by Porter Hospital in Valparaiso.
A 1998 graduate of Knox Community High School is the new Starke County I.T. Director. Joe Short was recommended to the Commissioners by a committee assembled to select a successor to Bob Smith.
If you think you’re hot in this heat, consider how your pets are feeling. Suzanne Crider, from the Starke County Humane Society, reminds us about pet care during extremely hot weather.
“They dehydrate just like we do,” she said. “They need an adequate supply of water, shade if at all possible, but water is the very most important thing. If you have livestock, you need to have some kind of salt block because when they get dehydrated, they need salt the same way people do. If you use some common sense, and if you think about what would make you comfortable, that will usually translate right to your animal.”
Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff, said Friday that the death of a three-year-old Knox boy is still under investigation. The three-year-old died after being rushed to IU Health Starke Hospital by his father on June 19th. He was transferred to a South Bend Hospital where he passed away.
The Starke County Commissioners are expected to name a new IT Director tonight to replace Bob Smith who recently announced that he is leaving the position.
Also on tonight’s agenda is the possible naming of an EMS Director. That position might be a little more difficult to fill because the selection committee has been inundated by applications. Enticed by a $50,000 salary and car, the position has seen applications from far and wide. The committee advertised for a paramedic to take the EMS job, as it’s hoped that the new Director helps in a move from a basic service to Advanced Life Support. One of the goals is to have a paramedic chase vehicle in operation by the first of the year. Several codes have to be approved by the state before the move to ALS service. It’s expected that IU Health Starke Hospital will be the sponsoring hospital.
Jack Haut’s trial is expected to begin on Wednesday in Starke Circuit Court. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide.
In July 2010, it is alleged that Jack Haut was driving his pickup truck on US 35 north of Knox when he swerved into the other lane and struck Thomas White of Knox head-on. White was riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident. White died from injuries sustained in the accident.
The Starke County Courthouse elevator is still out of order.
“We finally got the hydraulic jack in and the crew did that last week,” said Courthouse Custodian Carl Goodrich on the progress of the construction. “Now, another crew is going to put in the hard-wiring, get the controllers hooked up and all of the handicapped part of it put together. They’re putting in new push buttons and kind of modernize it a little bit and they should be done with that by next week. All that’s left is to have an inspector come and see if everything’s been done right.”
The elevator will be in use once the State inspects it and gives the notice to proceed with operation. Oracle Elevator in Kentucky has been working on the project. Continue reading
The Starke County Forest, on Division Road between 1025 E. and 1100 E., will be open to the public beginning Saturday, July 23rd. The property was donated to Starke County for bird watching, hiking, cross country skiing and a chance for all to learn about nature.
Forester Bruce Wakeland says that there are five miles of trails leading through woodlands, meadows, tree plantings, and up to ponds. An observation tower will be open for you to look over an 18 acre marsh.
A Republican Presidential candidate was in Starke County yesterday. His name wasn’t Romney, Gingrich, Bachmann, Paul, Pawlenty, or Huntsman.
His name isn’t mentioned on the network nightly news.
He doesn’t show up in the polls.
He probably has no chance of becoming President of the United States, but he’s working the grassroots, and thinks he still has an outside chance for the nomination. His name is John Davis, and he was in our WKVI studio Friday. Continue reading
The Starke County 4-H Fair continues today.
The 4-H Round Robin showmanship contest is today at 9:00 a.m.; the 4-H livestock Judging Contest Entry is at 10:00 a.m.; the Open Class Entry for the Bake-a-Rama contest is at 11:00 a.m. with the judging at Noon; the Battle of the Barns is at 1:00 p.m.; and the 4-H Livestock Auction begins at 5:00 p.m. Don’t miss the Horse Pull at 7:30 p.m.
Jackie Walorski announced this week that she has raised more than $225,000 for her campaign for Congress during the 2nd quarter of 2011, and has more than $267,000 cash on hand.
Walorski’s report will be filed with the Federal Elections Commission today. Walorski has received donations from every county in Indiana’s 2nd District, and has nearly 1,000 donors so far this election cycle.
The Starke County Commissioners toured another jail this week. They had recently visited the Marshall and Miami County jails. On Monday, they went to Rensselaer to tour the Jasper County Jail.
The tour of the 128 bed facility was conducted by Sheriff Terry Risner. The Jasper County jail is two years old and was moved from its former downtown Rensselaer location to property north of the city on State Road 231. Continue reading
The Starke County Food Pantry received a $3,500 check from the Starke County General Unrestricted Endowment Fund of the Community Foundation for the purpose of purchasing meat and food for the food pantry.
Cecilia Torres, Services Coordinator, says that several more donations have come into the food pantry, but more is always welcome. You may drop off your donation at the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Warren Coffin, Jr. , 47, of Knox, has been brought into the Starke County Jail to face several methamphetamine related charges against him from an incident in August 2010.
According to police, in August, officers were called to 7125 E. 50 S. on a complaint that Warren Coffin, Jr. may have left drugs on the property. Officers looked inside a vehicle that belonged to Coffin and saw items used to manufacture methamphetamine. When a search warrant was executed, methamphetamine was reportedly found in the vehicle along with drug paraphernalia and precursors. When Coffin’s information was run through the Sheriff’s Department, officers were alerted that he was wanted on a warrant out of Marshall County.
One of the programs offered by the Starke County Community Corrections is presented by John Littman, of John Littman and Associates of Portage. Littman talked about the program yesterday to employees of Community Corrections, the Starke County Prosecutor, and part of the probation staff.
“The participants, as a result of a criminal offense, are assigned as part of their sentencing or a plea agreement they may be assigned the ‘Thinking for a Change’ program,” said Littman. “One of the guiding principles in ‘Thinking for a Change’ is that thinking, our thinking, controls our behavior. There’s a quote in the program literature that says that we are the authority of our behavior. What we do is we emphasize those principles in terms of the teaching and the practice of the cognitive restructuring which is about taking control, taking charge, being the authority of yourself and your thinking, your behavior and the consequences that come along as the result of the thinking and behavior.”
