Starke County Commissioner, Kathy Norem, was questioned by the County Council Monday on funding the defense in a Class Action Lawsuit filed against the County by Starke County Jail inmate, Jack Haut.
The Council asked Norem if she had any idea what range of funding would be needed for this lawsuit.
The annual Starke United Golf Tournament is Friday, and you can still reserve a space. Executive Director, Julie Dessauer, said yesterday that Kersting’s Cycle Center is the hole-in-one sponsor. Hit that hole-in-one and ride off on a motorcycle. Also win a $500 VISA Card, golf clubs, or T.V.
Call 772-7506 for more information. The tournament is at the Chesapeake Run Golf Course in North Judson.
A Child Passenger Safety Certification Course at IU Health Starke Hospital begins today at 1:00 p.m. CT. The class is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Riley Hospital for Children. Police officers, firefighters, healthcare providers and other interested individuals from the area are invited to participate in this 32 hour course.
The classes go through Saturday June 25th. Upon completion of the course, newly certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will assist with a free car seat check up event Saturday in the I.U. Health Starke Hospital parking area.
The Starke County Council last night approved the Starke County Commissioners’ request to transfer $100,000 into the Legal Fund from the Health Fund to defend the County in the Jack Haut Class Action Lawsuit. Haut, as previously reported, is suing the County claiming the jail does not meet humane conditions because of overcrowding.
Mike Materna is facing a possible prison sentence because he reportedly released hot water discharge into a ditch near his mint distillery, and that has many people “hopping mad.”
State Representative Tom Dermody (R-LaPorte) is one of the people who is outspoken in his feelings about this possibility. Dermody said, (and I quote),
“To be honest with you this scares me to death. This is nothing more than a rampaging federal government.”
The Washington Township Fire Department will be the location of a two-day training session for current fire officers and is open to firefighters. Topics of discussion include leadership, decision-making, risk management, strategy and tactics, root cause problem solving, customer service, training, and more. The sessions will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 25th and 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT.
Talk of a new Starke County Jail has surfaced again. The three Starke County Commissioners talked about visiting other county jails in Marshall, Fulton and Brown Counties to look at the configuration of the buildings.
The announcement of the fact that they would be touring these buildings was made during the June 16th meeting to discuss the Class Action Law Suit brought against the County by Jack Haut, a Starke County Inmate.
Starke County will be rolling out a new welfare application process today. Starke is one of 13 counties that will begin automating part of the process. This means it will be expanding into areas still operating only with paper intensive, face-to-face contact between case workers and clients receiving food stamps, Medicaid and other benefits.
The Arrow Head Country RC&D Forestry Committee and Forester Bruce Wakeland invite you to the Country Kettle in Knox, tomorrow, to discuss issues you may be having in your woodland areas. The event will be tomorrow, June 21st, from 7:00-8:30 a.m. CT.
Wakeland and representatives from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Purdue, Consulting, and Industry Foresters will be available for conversation and questions.
WKVI is announcing plans for its fall motorcoach tour to Branson. See the beautiful Ozark Hills burst into Fall colors. Listen to WKVI throughout the day for Ed Hasnerl with the details.
The four-day, three-night trip inclues shows in which you’ll see Andy Williams and Ann-Margaret at Andy’s “Moon River” Theatre, and the Oak Ridge Boys as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary of their hit, “Elvira!”.
You’ll enjoy a dinner and show cruise on the crystal clear waters of Table Rock Lake while on the Showboat Branson Belle and you’ll spend a morning at the “National Harvest Festival” in Silver Dollar City plus much, much more.
Call (574) 772-6241 and Ed will send you all the information in the mail.
The Starke County Commissioners met yesterday to discuss the Class Action Suit brought against the County by inmate Jack Haut. Because the suit is not covered by insurance, the County must come up with the money for legal expenses. County Attorney, Marty Lucas, advised the Commissioners that it will cost a minimum of $100,000 in attorney fees. And he said don’t expect a quick resolution.
Haut, in his suit, is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief because of the conditions at the Starke County Jail. One part of the suit is the claim that the jail is consistently overcrowded.
Four individuals in relation to the animal fighting contest that took place in February appeared before Judge Kim Hall in the Starke Circuit Court Wednesday morning with defense attorney Douglas Shaw. Gilberto Narravo, Salvador Reyes, Juan Carlos Rodriguez, and Arnoldo Perez were present with their spouses, who agreed to act as translators from English to Spanish and vice versa. The four men are charged with counts of Attending an Animal Fighting Contest, a Class D Felony.
In the state of Indiana, 800,000 Hoosiers a month rely on food stamps, including thousands in our listening audience. Yesterday it was announced that the Hoosier Food Stamp program has earned a $1.65 million dollar bonus from the Federal Government. Indiana’s 7.13% error rate in 2009 dropped to 2.6% in 2010. The national rate is 3.8%
Even though record numbers of Americans are relying on food stamps to make it through the recession, Indiana’s accuracy rate dramatically improved. Without better accuracy, the program would have paid $311 million too much and denied $45 million.
The food stamp program is the nation’s largest assistance program.
Starke Circuit Court Magistrate, Jeanene Calabrese sentenced Christina Orange yesterday. Orange was charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, Assisting a Criminal, Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors with Intent to Manufacture, Possession of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, and Dumping Controlled Substance Waste.
David Scarberry and Rose Martin, along with their attorney Richard Ballard, appeared in court Thursday in relation to methamphetamine charges, and requested a motion to suppress. Martin and Scarberry testified that they didn’t explicitly give officers permission to search the bedroom they rented from Amy Ahlenius.
Are you a college, or high school student looking for something to do this summer? If you haven’t found a job yet, maybe you could volunteer your talents. There is an online volunteer center in Starke County that can plug you into something you might be interested in doing. All you have to do is access the site at to look at the listings in not only Starke, but three other counties too. The program is open to all ages.
Kathy Wojkovich is the Volunteer Center Director for the United Way Region, and we asked her to talk about the site.
Since December 2007, IT Director Bob Smith has been overseeing all computer-related projects, repairs, installations, and countless other activities in Starke County, and with about 120 county PCs to maintain, he has certainly had his hands full. And so, when Smith announced his resignation to the county commissioners, they were compelled to accept his resignation with a heavy heart. Smith’s last day as IT Director of Starke County will be July 29. Because of the vast number of responsibilities that comes with being a one-man department, Smith announced his resignation over a month in advance to not only finish out some of the current projects, but also to give the county time to find a replacement.
The Starke County Board of Commissioners will be meeting Thursday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. to discuss funding for the class action lawsuit being brought against the County by Jack Haut, a prisoner in the Starke County Jail.
Haut has brought suit against the county alleging unconstitutional and unlawful conditions of confinement at the Starke County Jail. In his suit, Haut alleges that the conditions at the jail are consistently and dangerously overcrowded. Continue reading
State Senator Jim Arnold (D-LaPorte) and State Representative Tom Dermody (R-LaPorte) will host a community forum on June 22nd in LaPorte to discuss concerns about gasoline prices and the oil markets with local residents.
The meeting will take place at the LaPorte County Government Complex, 813 Lincolnway on June 22 at 6:00 p.m. CT. The event is free and open to the public.
Dorene Matzat, a 25-year member of the Starke County Choralaires, was awarded the Patty Hunt Award.
The Patty Hunt Memorial Service Award is presented to well-rounded members active in their chorus and community. Since 2006, the recipient has been chosen by the Melody Makers of Indiana Board from nominations submitted by the state choir of 400 members.
