Starke County Health Board Introduces New Fee Schedule

Posted on Author WKVI
Frank Lynch

Starke County Health Nurse, Frank Lynch, presented a new fee schedule for the Commissioners’ final approval.

The fees to obtain copies of birth and death records have been slightly increased to a flat-fee of $10 each. Previously, the fee to obtain birth certificates was $8 for the first copy and $7 for each additional copy, while the fee for death records was $10 for the first and $9 for any additional copy.

A fine of $250 for food establishments operating without a permit has also been approved. This is a very important step in cracking down on food-related infractions, as David Kesvormas, the Starke County Contract Food Inspector, is conducting inspections and will now be able to issue these fines.

On the other end of the spectrum, fees for septic permits have been decreased significantly from $200 for a new install and $40 for repair to a flat rate of $60. This change is due to the retirement of the previous Environmentalist, David Singleton, who was certified and able to perform borings and soil samplings. Because he will no longer be doing so, contractors and home owners will need to hire a soil scientist to perform these procedures, which can get pricey.

Three Sentenced in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI

Three defendants were recently sentenced in Starke Circuit Court.

Judge Kim Hall sentenced Michael DeWitt on charges of Bribery, a Class C Felony, Public Intoxication and Criminal Mischief. He was sentenced to serve four years in the Indiana Department of Corrections with two years suspended on the Bribery charge. DeWitt will serve six months in the Starke County Jail with three months suspended on the remaining charges. The sentences will run concurrently. In a second case, DeWitt was given six months in the DOC with none suspended for a probation violation which will be served consecutively to the first case. The first 20 months shall be served in prison and the last 10 months will be served on electronically-monitored home detention. He also serve 24 months on probation.

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Miss Sandie’s Dance Students to Present Recital this Weekenie

Posted on Author WKVI
Sandie Martinkus

Students of Miss Sandie’s Dance Studio will present the 33rd recital this weekend at the Knox High School Auditorium. The performances will be Saturday, May 21st at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 22nd at 2:00 p.m. CT. There are 125 students in the recital and the theme this year is “Dancing Through Life”.

“It’s about life’s experiences from childhood to adulthood, the happy times and the sad times and the good and the bad times,” explained Miss Sandie. “You’ll be seeing creative musical theater numbers, dynamic jazz, really cute tiny tots, beautiful lyric and ballet, humorous novelty numbers, some tap, and ethnic dance. There will be serious moments and deep spiritual expressions.”

Starke County Bridge Project Moving Along

Posted on Author WKVI
County bridge #156 over the Robbins Ditch

Starke County Highway Superintendent, Steve Siddall, approached the Starke County Commissioners last night with some good news: The DNR has given them a bit of leeway in the bridge repair situation. IDEM and CORE permitting will not be involved as long as construction stays above the water line, and only the DNR permit will be needed.

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Judge Hall Approaches Starke County Council for Fund Transfer

Posted on Author WKVI
Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall came before the Starke County Council last night to request a transfer of funds to help cover the cost of hiring court-appointed attorneys for defendants who cannot afford a lawyer. Because of the increasing number of criminal cases, particularly those dealing with methamphetamine, the costs for appointing these public defenders are becoming staggering. Hall mentioned that the percentage of defendants who cannot afford an attorney and request to have one appointed has also gone up; 75-80% of defendants now need a public defender.

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IU Health Starke Hospital to Allow College Nursing Students to Shadow Registered Nurses at Facility

Posted on Author WKVI
IU Health Starke Hospital

IU Health Starke Hospital is helping prepare the next generation of nurses by allowing college nursing students to shadow registered nurses at the hospital.

“We are having two clinical rotations each semester and these are usually second or third year Med-Surg students that are coming,” said Clinical Manager of Patient Care Services, Janet Gillon. “We’re very excited about the relationship because it’s something that brings about the autonomy of nursing – bringing them forward from where they are in their school curriculum into the actual working patient care centers.”

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State Senator Ed Charbonneau Achieves Perfect Voting Attendance Record

Posted on Author WKVI
State Senator Ed Charbonneau

State Senator Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso) was recognized Monday by Senate President Pro Tempore David Long (R-Fort Wayne) for achieving a perfect voting attendance record during the 2011 legislative session.

In addition to votes on bills, there are also votes on amendments, committee reports and procedural motions. Charbonneau’s floor votes totaled 535.

State records show this session, 118 Senate bills moved to the governor’s desk and 94 percent of third reading roll-call votes in the Senate were bipartisan in nature.

Ted Hayes Remembers Don Paul

Posted on Author WKVI
Don Paul, Sr.

“We lost a good man last week,” said Ted Hayes. “Don Paul was one of those guys who was a good husband, a good father, and a good grandfather. He was good for 4-H in Starke County having devoted thousands of hours in his lifetime to making sure 4-Hers had good guidance, and better still, a good role model.”

“But when I think of Don Paul, I will remember him as a great team-mate with his wife, Mabel. If you know Mabel as I do, you know she’s a take charge woman in a good way. And that was alright with Don because he was always there for her. Her accomplishments, which were many, made him so proud.”

“I remember the night Mabel was honored with the Schricker Award. There wasn’t a person in the room who was happier for her, than her husband Don.”

“And his grandchildren, well, his shirt buttons popped when mentioning their accomplishments.”

“Yes, we lost a good man last week. He’ll be missed by all who knew him. But we were all richer because he lived among us. We were all richer because of the example he set.”

Local Representatives Attend State Tri Kappa Convention

Posted on Author WKVI
Rhonda Cavinder and Shirley Fosler

Rhonda Cavinder and Shirley Fosler of the local Zeta Eta chapter of Tri Kappa recently attended the 59th State Convention of Tri Kappa, held in Indianapolis. As delegates, they attended business sessions and educational workshops, and sold the local chapter’s Tri Kappa ribbon, vinyl clings, and handmade cards. The Fine Arts winners from Province Conventions were on display, and Joan Byer of the Knox Zeta Eta Chapter received a second place on her entry in the Green Craft category, a quilt made from neckties. Continue reading →

Fire Destroys Bass Lake Home

Posted on Author WKVI

The Bass Lake Fire Department was called to a house fire at 6560 S. State Road 10 at Bass Lake. Fire Chief, Les Jensen, told WKVI that the two-story brick home was a total loss. The Fire Department battled the blaze for about 45 minutes before it came under control. Jensen said the home was a summer home owned by an Illinois resident. The preliminary cause of the fire is a lightning strike. The home was valued at at least $500,000. Continue reading →

John Brooke Sentenced to 22 Years in the Indiana Department of Corrections

Posted on Author WKVI
John Brooke

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall sentenced John Brooke this morning. Brooke is the last of the suspects involved in the police shootout at Bass Lake in February 2010.  Brooke was found guilty of six charges in a jury trial in April. Judge Hall categorized Brooke’s counts into three different criminal episodes and sentenced him according to those elements.

Brooke was sentenced to 15 years on the count of Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery and 4 years on the count of Possession/Manufacturing of a Destructive Device. Those sentences will be served concurrently. Brooke was sentenced to 4 years on the Intimidation charge, 1 year on the Resisting Law Enforcement charge and 1 year on the Unlawful Use of Body Armor charge. Those sentences will run concurrently together. Brooke will serve 3 years on the Assisting a Criminal charge. All of those sentences will be served consecutively for a total of 22 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. None of the sentence was suspended and he will be credited for 452 already served in jail.

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SCILL Center Students Perform Well on ASE Certification Tests

Posted on Author WKVI
SCILL Center

The students at the SCILL Center recently took ASE classes for certification.

“There were 152 tests that were given over a week’s period of time, which included steering, suspension, brakes, electrical and electronic systems, engine performance, engine repair, automatic transmission systems, transaxles, manual drive line, axles and heating and air conditioning,” explained SCILL Center Instructor, Rod Dawson. “In each of the categories, we had actually 19 students that were taking each one of these tests, and they scored over a fifty percent in each of them with a pass rate. I was quite impressed with the students and it was an excellent showing for the first time around. I felt that the students needed to take all eight areas and it just validates what they actually are doing here for training.”

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Starke County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Fatal Accident

Posted on Author WKVI

Starke County Sheriff’s Department officers responded to a one vehicle car accident Wednesday on 600 E. near 400 North in Hamlet. A red pickup truck was located in the ditch and was occupied by Don Paul, 74, of Grovertown. Paul was taken to IU Health Starke Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A medical condition is believed to have caused the accident. Assisting at the scene were the Hamlet and Knox Fire Departments.

John Brooke to be Sentenced Today in Starke Circuit Court

Posted on Author WKVI
John Brooke

John Brooke, who was found guilty by a jury in his actions surrounding a police shootout at Bass Lake in February 2010, will be sentenced this morning in Starke Circuit Court.

Brooke was found guilty by a jury of six of the seven counts against him on April 15th. Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery, Intimidation, Possession and Manufacturing of a Destructive Device, Resisting Law Enforcement, Unlawful Use of Body Armor, and Assisting a Criminal were among these counts. The jury found him not guilty of the count of Possession of a Destructive Device.

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Kevin Eggert Pleads Guilty to Intimidation

Posted on Author WKVI
Kevin Eggert

After his first plea agreement was denied by Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall on April 20th, another plea agreement was reached in the case of Kevin Eggert who has plead guilty to one count of Intimidation, a Class C Felony. Eggert has been incarcerated for 148 days since his arrest, and the victim, Misty Ross, was present to give her approval of the plea agreement.

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Random Act of Kindness Event Scheduled for June 12th

Posted on Author WKVI

The annual Random Act of Kindness event will be held June 12th. Do you know of someone who should be recognized for a single event or continued kindness efforts? If you do, submit them to Darla Cook at the Knox Mayor’s office. The sooner she gets your nomination, the sooner she can invite your nominee to the June 12th celebration. A non-partisan committee will judge the entries.

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Starke Circuit Court Judge Denies Donald Smith’s Plea, Returns to Jail

Posted on Author WKVI
Donald Smith

After being released from jail on his own recognizance on April 20th, Donald Smith was given a plea and sentencing hearing Wednesday in Starke Circuit Court. His plea was not only denied, but in an unexpected turn of events, he was immediately returned to jail.

Smith is charged with Intimidation, a Class D Felony; Dealing Methamphetamine, a Class B Felony; Possession of Precursors with a Firearm, a Class C Felony; and Theft, a Class D Felony. His bond was originally set at $75,000 before he was released.

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Former Starke County Man Dies after Fall from Building

Posted on Author WKVI
Tom Bridegroom

A young man who left home to follow his dreams of a career in Hollywood is dead after falling from a roof while taking photos of a model. Tom Bridegroom was a talented musician and actor who had appeared briefly in a T.V. series.

The fall was from the fourth story of the building.

Bridegroom was originally from Starke County, but had graduated from Culver Academy in 2000. After graduation from Vassar College, he headed west.

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