Starke County EMS Director, Lisa Burger, informed county officials this week that the ambulances were recently re-certified by the state. In an inspection, the trucks are gone over and the paperwork is audited.
Burger told the Commissioners that in the future the state will be doing random inspections, so their number could be drawn in six months, or maybe not again for three years.
Arrowhead Engineering has closed its doors! That was the news story we led with back in 1977 on this date. Precision pulleys for the auto industry were manufactured at Arrowhead Engineering. Although the shutdown was initially for a two week period, the workers were not optimistic. It eventually closed its doors for good putting 100 workers out of work.
The Starke County jail has been identified as the second oldest jail in the state and it is getting some attention by the County Commissioners. Commissioners Dan Bridegroom, Jennifer Davis and Kathy Norem toured two jails in surrounding counties to gain information on how they might configure a new jail in Starke County. The Commissioners visited the Marshall and Fulton County jails yesterday.
The Starke County Commissioners accepted the Property and Casualty and Workers Compensation Insurance policies as presented by First Source Insurance Agent, Bridget Markin yesterday. Markin said the loss ratio of 48% for the Property and Casualty was very good, but there would be an overall increase to the County of $12,017 in premiums because the company paid out $27,000 more in Workers Compensation claims than the cost of the insurance. The policies begin in July.
Starke County Commission President, Dan Bridegroom told Highway Superintendent Steve Siddall that, “It’s been a mystery to me how some farmers can plant their last row right up to the roadway.” Bridegroom told Siddall that the crews need to be out cutting down the intersections. Corn crops are a danger when its planted too close to the road. Many drivers in cars and trucks have to “nose” out into an intersection to see if all is clear.
The number of domestic violence calls to local police departments have slightly increased in the past few months. We asked Ruth Matsey, the President of the Coalition Against Domestic Abuse, what she has been seeing in Starke County.
“What we’re seeing a lot of in Starke County is the form of child abuse which is neglect, whether it’s due to financial circumstances or a lot of times it’s with meth,” said Matsey. “Kids are being left unsupervised, plus they’re around all of the dangerous chemicals.”
The annual Starke County Museum Ice Cream Social was held yesterday. Scores of people enjoyed the refreshments, toured the museum and listened to music.
Suzi Syznalski and her daughter, Nicki Mourer, entertained those in attendance with dulcimer music.
The Fireworks presentation at the Starke County Airport went off without a hitch Saturday night. It was a hot day to start off with, but a rain shower came through the area late in the afternoon and it cooled off nicely for the fireworks show at dusk.
Several representatives of organizations showed up early in the afternoon to present some information on their programs.
“Knee high by the Fourth of July.” The Fourth of July has historically been the measuring stick to judge the quality of the corn crop, but that isn’t the case anymore. Aside from a few areas damaged by water, most corn is at least knee high, some waist high in our listening area.
1/03/nunsense.jpg” alt=”” width=”202″ height=”240″ />
According to Assistant Director Charles Weaver, the sets are completed and the rehearsals have begun in earnest for the Maxinkuckee Players summer musical, Nunsense – The Mega Musical.
The show’s Director, Becky Liechty, had earlier said the performances this year will come with a larger cast and more music than the original production, seen at Culver a few years ago. The cast is rehearsing as Argos High School where six performances will be presented beginning Friday, July 22nd. Opening night tickets are just $5.00.
A suspect has been produced from DNA evidence retrieved from a burglary incident in Starke County.
Caroline Gregory reported a burglary at her residence in June of 2010 where she told police that her computer and a muzzleloader were stolen. Blood samples were retrieved as evidence from the scene was well as several fingerprints. The evidence was sent to the Indiana State Police Crime Lab in Lowell, Indiana and on June 17th, 2011, the Starke County Sheriff’s Department received notice that DNA evidence was recovered from one of the items. A hit in the DNA databank found Bruce Banks to be the suspect in the case.
Indiana’s texting while driving ban goes into effect today, and it carries with it a $500 fine if convicted. State Representative Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox) said it’s about time.
“Texting while driving is a very dangerous activity,” said Dembowski. “Last year, or a couple of years ago, we prohibited young people under 18 from doing that and I suppose they are the most frequent who misuse it, but it made no sense to me and the legislature that we should prohibit it for young people but not for all of us so it takes effect for all of us.”
Starke County Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff said yesterday 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.
Bourff said he still has not received the autopsy report from the St. Joseph County Coroner’s office.
Forty-three probationary troopers from the 70th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy were issued their state police cars recently at the Indiana State Police garage located at the Indiana State Police Indianapolis District. Five of the troopers have been assigned to the Lowell Post, including Ryan Hovarter from Starke County. Hovarter has been assigned to work Porter and LaPorte Counties.
Other probationary troopers assigned to the post are Corey Dupuy from Jasper County, Davonne Barlow from Lake County, Danielle Elwood from Whitley County, and Brandon Henderson from DuPage County, Illinois.
There’s finally some movement on the Sysco project in Hamlet. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, revealed yesterday that he has been securing information for three general contractors who have been asked by the Baugh Midwest Cooperative to submit bids for the construction of the massive redistribution center. Baugh Midwest Cooperative is the parent company of Sysco.
After a lengthy selection process, a jury of 12 citizens and one alternate juror was chosen in the case of Niki Hochstetler, charged with two counts of Battery with a Deadly Weapon, and one count of Criminal Mischief after allegedly stabbing Eric Amore at the Country Roads Bar and Grill in Walkerton last July. The defense had requested a motion to limit, requesting that witnesses be questioned outside of the presence of the jury to ensure that what the witnesses say is acceptable before the jury, but this request was denied by Judge Kim Hall in the Starke Circuit Court.
One of the exhibitors at Sunday’s Starke County Historical Society’s Ice Cream Social will be Wayne and Marilyn Alberding, showing their 1937 Chevrolet truck. It was originally owned by Cox Brothers as a gas delivery truck and has been converted to a flat bed truck.
There have been many stories about John Dillinger being in Starke County. The famous outlaw may well have been in Starke County on this date 77 years ago. He may not have been here long, as the Dillinger gang held up the Merchants’ National Bank in South Bend just before noon.
The man identified as John Dillinger entered the bank carrying a machine gun and announced the holdup. Dillinger fired the machine gun into the ceiling creating panic as he and his gang members took $28,500. Once on the street, they encountered Patrolman, Howard Wagner, and killed him.
They escaped and their getaway car was later found in Newton County in Goodland, about 100 miles away.
Goodland is southwest of Starke County and very well could have been on the escape route.
Starke County Coroner Kris Rannells has released the preliminary autopsy report on the victim of the drowning incident in Knox early Sunday morning.
Rannells said preliminary cause of death is being ruled as asphyxiation because of drowning. Mercan Lyncook, of Parma, Ohio, drowned after jumping off the abandoned train bridge near the historic Depot located on State Road 35.
Jack Haut appeared in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday afternoon for a final status hearing, and his jury trial has been scheduled for July 20 at 9am. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death, and Reckless Homicide. Haut told the court that he plans to have six witnesses, and will provide the court with a list of these witnesses by Friday, July 1. The jury status hearing for this case is set for July 8 at 9am.
