Pretrial Motion and Instruction Hearings Held in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI

Several pretrial motions and instructions hearings were held in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday. Jeannie Brewer, charged with Battery as a Class D Felony and Attempted Violation of a Custody Order, made her appearance in court with her attorney Richard Ballard. The state requested a continuance in this case, because the responding officer, Dave Combs, would be unavailable for the trial. The state said that they would like to have Combs take the stand and testify as to the statement he originally received from the victim because the victim has changed his story several times. Judge Kim Hall granted this continuation, and the trial has been scheduled for August 10th at 9:00 a.m. with a pretrial motions and instructions hearing on August 9th at 9:00 a.m.

Continue reading →

USDA Summer Food Program in Place until July 28th at Knox Middle School

Posted on Author WKVI

The USDA Summer Food Program is still available at the Knox Middle School. Free breakfast and lunch is available to children ages 18 and younger. Breakfast is served from 7:30-8:30 a.m. and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Knox Middle School.

Kit Ream, Food Services Director at the Knox Community School Corporation, says the Cafeteria staff has been serving between 100 to 170 students for lunch and a few less for breakfast. You are encouraged to take advantage of this free service weekdays from now until July 28th.

Continue reading →

Starke County 4-H Royalty Crowned

Posted on Author WKVI
Lauren Jernas (L) and Megan Hinds. Photo by Jayme Goetz

Royalty was crowned at the Starke County 4-H Fair last night. The two winners are 10 year 4-H members.

“I’m 18 and this is my sixth year as a Junior Leader,” said Lauren Jernas. “I went to Oregon-Davis High School and in the Fall I will be attending Purdue University. I will be studying Animal Science.”

“I’m 18 years old and I go to Oregon-Davis High School,” said Megan Hinds. “Next Fall I am going to Ivy Tech in Valparaiso to study Early Childhood.”

Continue reading →

Knox Man Arrested after Police Find Meth Lab in Car

Posted on Author WKVI
Fred Boggess II

Fred Boggess II, 30, of Knox was arrested Friday, July 8th after Starke County Police found a meth lab in his vehicle.

Boggess was pulled over on a routine traffic stop on Toto Road and 100 East in Starke County and officers found an active meth lab. The Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team was called to the scene to clean up the scene. Boggess II was arrested on preliminary charges of Illegal Drug Lab, Manufacturing Meth, False Informing, Possession of Meth, Possession of Precursors, Driving While Suspended-Prior and Habitual Offender. He is in the Starke County Jail on a $25,000 surety bond.

Continue reading →

Starke County Youth Club to Raise Money for Food Pantry

Posted on Author WKVI
Help fill these shelves at the Starke County Food Pantry

The Starke County Youth Club is coming to the aide of the Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry. Last week we announced that the food pantry was in dire need of food, and the Youth Club is stepping up.

Today from 12:10 until 1:10 p.m., twelve Knox Middle School students will be at Five Star to bag groceries. Donations will be spent at the store and donated to the food pantry.

Continue reading →

Services Scheduled for Andy Howes

Posted on Author WKVI
Andy Howes

Forty-one years after being listed as Missing in Action in Vietnam, funeral services for CW 3 George A. (Andy) Howes will be held Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at the Knox Community Center, 55 East Lake Street, Knox Indiana. Burial will follow on August 5th, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. ET in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. A service at the Chapel at Fort Myer will be held at 9:00 a.m. prior to his burial in Arlington National Cemetery.

Robert Howes, brother of CW 3 Howes, said, “We are bringing Andy home to Knox, the community that nurtured him as he grew up and never forgot him while he was Missing in Action. We were honored by the outpouring of affection when it was announced that he had been identified. The service is open to the community and to everyone who kept him in their hearts.” Howes added: “Anyone having a POW/MIA bracelet for Andy and who would like their bracelet to be interred with him at Arlington National Cemetery is welcome to bring it to the service.” Continue reading →

Starke County Community Foundation Offers Scholarships

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County Community Foundation is offering three unique scholarships this summer.

The Back Home Again in Indiana scholarship is for non-traditional students including those who want to advance in their current field or re-enter the job market. Applicants must live in Starke County.

The Legacy of Women Scholarship is also for non-traditional students and is exclusively for Starke County women who are invested in their communities as well as working towards a college degree.

Continue reading →

Starke County Commissioners Tour Jail Facilities in Marshall, Miami Counties

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke County Jail

Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem described the jail tour made by the Commissioners last week as worthwhile. The Commissioners and Sheriff Oscar Cowen toured the Marshall and Miami County jails and although both used the same “footprint”, Marshall County rolled more equipment into their bond issue.

Norem wanted it known that the trip was not made because of the Jack Haut class action suit against the County, claiming deplorable conditions in the Starke County Jail.

Continue reading →

Four New Directors Elected to BLPOA

Posted on Author WKVI

Four new directors for the Bass Lake Property Owners’ Association (BLPOA) will be learning the ropes after they were elected Saturday. Joe Ippolito, Chris Nawaczyk, and Jack Stvan will be serving two year terms as directors for the BLPOA, and Ron Vendel will be serving a one year term as director.

A total of seven directors control BLPOA, along with four officers: Gene Novello, President; Larry Collura, Vice President; Pat Von Bampus, Secretary; and Earl McGuire, Treasurer. These individuals are in charge of handling the affairs of BLPOA, as well as sponsoring the Neighborhood Watch organization. Seven volunteers patrol the area, and members make donations that help support this program.

Continue reading →

Starke County 4-H Fair Continues Today

Posted on Author WKVI

The Starke County 4-H Fair continues today. Lenny Dessauer will be broadcasting live from the Fair today from 2:00-6:00 p.m.

This is a big day at the Fair! The 4-H Club Parade is at 6:00 p.m. Opening ceremonies are at 6:15 p.m. where the 4-H Club and Leader Recognitions, Fairboard scholarships and the Jr. Leader Achievement Royalty will be announced. The Starke County Ministerial Association music is at 7:00 p.m. and the Pig Scramble is at 7:30 p.m. Celebrity Fun Night, sponsored by the Starke County Fairboard and WKVI, begins at 8:00 p.m. Other events today include judging for cake decorating, flowers gardening and crops; the 4-H Poultry, Waterfowl and Pigeon Show at 12:30 p.m.; the Open Class Bake Sale at 5:00 p.m., and the Fairboard’s Ham and Bean and Chicken and Noodle Dinner at 5:00 p.m.

Continue reading →

News from Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Jack Haut

Friday was a busy day for the Starke Circuit Court as Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese set several dates for many of the cases that appeared before her. In one such case, a jury status hearing for Jack Haut, a pre-trial motion and instructions date was set for July 19th at 1:00 p.m. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide after his pickup truck collided with the motorcycle of Tom White last July, causing White’s death. Continue reading →

Benefit Held for Tom Belcher

Posted on Author WKVI
Ted Hayes, Tom Belcher and Chris Milner

Although looking weak, former WKVI Morning Personality, Tom Belcher, greeted friends and neighbors at a benefit given in his honor on Saturday at O’s Tap in downtown Knox. Belcher has faced many ups and downs in recovery following 43 straight days in an Indianapolis hospital.

While not fully recovered, Tom told all that he felt that he was on the “road to recovery.” He promised those in attendance to follow the doctor’s advise on all medical instructions, and said he would stay positive in the days ahead.

Continue reading →

Military Veteran Canine Dies

Posted on Author WKVI
Maya is pictured here with Neil Berg from the Hamlet American Legion

A military veteran, and hero will be laid to rest August 13th. Ceremonies will be held for Maya, who served two tours in the middle east war on terror. Maya, a bomb sniffing dog that served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, mustered out of the military to eventually live out her life on the Don Thomas farm. She was 12 years old at the time of her death.

Maya was made a member of two military service organizations after moving to Starke County; the American Legion in Hamlet, and Knox VFW Post #748.

While not exactly Arlington Cemetery, the front lawn of the VFW Post will be Maya’s last resting place.

Continue reading →

Starke County Food Pantry Bare

Posted on Author WKVI

The Community Services of Starke County Food Pantry is in need of donations.

“Our shelves are just about bare, there’s nothing on them,” said Cecilia Torres, Services Coordinator. “More and more people are turning to the Food Pantry and donations are down. We receive no government subsidies at all except for commodities and we haven’t received those in almost three months. We get our food from churches, organizations, and individuals who open up their pocketbooks and their hearts to us. We’ve gotten a few dollar donations but we’ve been spending over $1,200 a month on meat alone. Right now I have a couple of packages of hot dogs and that’s it.”

Continue reading →

Starke County Officials Attend Summit on Offender Recividism

Posted on Author WKVI
Community Corrections staff
Robert Hinojosa, Shawn Mattraw and Kimberly Kennedy

Starke County Community Corrections Director, Bob Hinojosa, recently attended a summit in Indianapolis devoted to combating the high rate of offender recidivism. Also attending were Kim Kennedy and Shawn Mattraw from Community Corrections; Judge Kim Hall, Starke County Circuit Court Judge; Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese, Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff, Public Defender, Richard Ballard; Chief Probation Officer, John Thorstad; and Starke Circuit Court Probation officer, Kristi Nolcheff.

Continue reading →

Status Hearing for Jack Haut in Starke Circuit Court Today

Posted on Author WKVI
Jack Haut

Jack Haut will appear in Starke Circuit Court this morning for a status hearing. 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 and died at the scene.

His jury trial has been scheduled for July 20th at 9:00 a.m.

Archives: Bob Hanselman Killed in Vietnam in 1969

Posted on Author WKVI

Even though almost 60,000 Americans were killed in the Vietnam War, it was always shocking when a hometown boy was lost.

“July 8th, 1969, was a sad day in Knox. Bob Hanselman, 20, son of Helen and Harley Hanselman was buried,” said Ted Hayes. “Bob Hanselman was part of the 26th Engineering Battalion serving in Vietnam. He was killed on June 17th, 1969, and his body was flown back and he was buried on this date in 1969. Although I did not know Bob Hanselman, to his friends he will always remain 20 years old.”

Firefighters Called to Two Fires Early Thursday Morning

Posted on Author WKVI
Fire crews battle a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets

Firefighters from the Hamlet Fire Department were called to a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets in Hamlet shortly after 1:00 this morning.

It is not known at this time what caused the fire in the vacant building, but officials at the scene said no injuries were reported. An investigation is pending. The Koontz Lake and Knox-Center Township Fire Departments were called to the scene for mutual aid.

Continue reading →