Ted Hayes and Harold Welter to Talk about Their Broadcasting Days on ‘Ted Hayes Remembers’ Program

Ted Hayes and Harold Welter

TED HAYES REMEMBERS Ted & Harold 3-11

On “Ted Hayes Remembers” today, Ted will be joined by a man who he has worked with for 43 years. They began together in Rensselaer, worked two years there, then Ted went to Peoria, Illinois, and Harold to LaPorte.

When WKVI was granted a permit, Harold turned to Ted as his first hire. Ted was the morning man (Three for the Road was the name of the show) and Harold, who was also the manager, read the news across from him.

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Starke County Courthouse Elevator to be Repaired

Starke County Courthouse

The Starke County Courthouse elevator is scheduled for repairs. Courthouse Custodian, Carl Goodrich, talked with the Commissioners this week about this relic. Goodrich was asked exactly what’s wrong with the elevator.

“Basically, the hydraulic system is leaking and it needs to be replaced,” replied Goodrich. “It was put in in 1956 and it needs to be reworked. We’re going to modernize it and bring it up to code. The elevator car itself is going to be there but they’re going to repair the hydraulic systems and everything that goes with the unit.” They need some hydraulic equipment from places like www.cir.net/ to repair the elevator.

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WKVI to Host Blood Drive Friday

WKVI's Ted Hayes gives blood during a blood drive last year for the American Red Cross

WKVI will be hosting a blood drive tomorrow, March 11th.

March is Red Cross Month so it’s the perfect time to give blood.

The blood drive will be from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. CT on Friday, March 11th here at the WKVI Studios. The Red Cross staff will be in the Bloodmobile in our parking lot awaiting your important blood donation.

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Applications Available for Grants from Starke United

Starke United

Non-profit organizations have an opportunity to apply for grant money from Starke United.

A total of fourteen organizations received grants last year from $20,000 in available funds. Applications can be found on the Starke United website, or you may pick one up at the office at 52 W. Lake Street in Knox. Applications must be returned to Starke United no later than March 28th, 2011.

For more information, contact Executive Director, Julie Dessauer, at (574) 772-7506.

Oprah Winfrey Network to Feature Lisa Owens in ‘Breaking Down the Bars’ Program Tonight

Lisa Owens

The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) will feature former Knox resident, Lisa Owens, tonight on the “Breaking Down the Bars”. The program features eight inmates incarcerated at the Rockville Correctional Center.

Owens, who is eligible for release this year because of a modification of her 40 year sentence, was convicted of shooting her husband, Jeff, while he was in the shower. The crime took place on May 18th, 2001. The case was heard before then- Starke Circuit Court Judge, David Matsey and was prosecuted by then-Starke County Prosecutor, Kim Hall. She plead guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter. The modification order was signed by Judge Richard Kickbush.

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Starke County Jail in Need of New Roof and Furnace Unit

Starke County Jail

There are more problems at the Starke County Jail. Sheriff Oscar Cowen told the Starke County Commissioners yesterday that he has been advised that the furnace and air conditioning unit could go out at any time. If that would happen, all prisoners would have to be moved to another facility.

On top of that, the roof needs a new rubber roof to protect the building from leaks. A water pipe leak was reported last week that did damage on the lower floor of the Jail where the Prosecutor’s Office is located.

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Starke County Legacy of Women to Offer Grants

Starke County Legacy of Women Committee members

The Legacy of Women, a committee under the Starke County Community Foundation, is announcing some upcoming grants.

“After being in existence for three years, Starke County’s Legacy of Women Committee is able this year to give out money for grants and/or scholarships,” explained Sheri Bartoli, Chairperson of the organization. “We’re so excited to finally have the opportunity to help individuals and organizations fund an idea, project or education, to help women become leaders in our county.”

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Beulah Schoppel Dies at 86

Beulah Schoppel

Beulah Schoppel passed away this week at the age of 86.  Ted Hayes has this to say about Beulah:

“No one who knew Beulah will ever forget her.  he was one of those gals who you could meet and like immediately.  I attended church with Beulah for years.  What Beulah will probably be remember for the most was her involvement with the Starke County Crime Stoppers organization.”

“I’m sure when family and friends attend the visitation there will be many memorable stories surrounding the life of Beulah Schoppel.”

Four Arrested in Cock Fighting Ring Appear for Initial Hearing in Starke Circuit Court

Prisoners are escorted from Starke Circuit Court

Four individuals allegedly involved with the cock fighting ring in Starke County underwent their initial hearing Wednesday at the Starke Circuit Court. Benjamin Villicana, 32; Francisco Reyes, 37; Juan Gonzales, 33; and Francisco Fernando Reyes, 41 all entered preliminary not guilty pleas for their charges of one count Animal Fighting Contest, a class D felony after having their rights read and explained to them in Spanish by a DVD played in the courtroom because of their lack of fluency with English. The rest of the court session was translated by an interpreter over the phone.

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Dr. Sukhija Encourages Heart Cart Exams for Heart Health

Dr. Rishi Sukhija

Heart diseases are at an epidemic stage in the United States and I.U. Health-LaPorte and Starke Hospitals are providing early screenings for a number of related ailments.

Cardiologist, Dr. Rishi Sukhija, talked with Ted Hayes recently about Heart disease at I.U. Health-Starke Hospital and in the course of the conversation, discussed the importance of arranging for a Heart Cart exam. The Heart Cart will be at I.U. Health-Starke on Saturday, March 19th from 8:00-11:00 a.m. CT.

“We’ll do several tests for cardiovascular risk assessment and diagnosis where we can detect heart and vascular disease early and by doing so, we can slow down the progression of same at an earlier stage.”

Dr. Sukhija said that we need to watch our diets.

“To prevent cardiovascular disease, we have to cut down saturated fats in our diet and increase consumption of fruits and vegetables.”

A Heart Cart exam is by appointment only. Call (219) 326-2626 to schedule an exam. The cost is only $100 for the testing. It would cost over $1000 if you had the tests done individually.

Hanna Mlekodaj, Starke County’s ‘Bowling Queen’, to be Featured on the ‘Ted Hayes Remembers’ Program Friday

(L to R) Hanna Mlekodaj, Carol Johnson, Kay Jaskowiak, Sandra (Johnson) Hansen, Marcella Hauser

We call her the “Starke County Bowling Queen.” This week on “Ted Hayes Remembers”, Hanna Mlekodaj’s bowling career that spanned six decades will be featured.

Beginning at the Zingarelli Lanes and ending at Bowlaway Lanes, Hanna was a promoter of women’s bowling during the glory years of the sport in Starke County.

“Marcella Hauser, Carol Johnson who was Sandy Hansen’s mother, June Cruce and Martha Desmond are some of the first bowlers,” said Hanna of her team in 1950.

Hanna was always passionate about getting teams to go to the State Bowling Tournament. She got 37 teams to go one year.

“The State Tournament was in Indianapolis and I had always made all of the arrangements for applications and sent in the money, made the date and everything,” she said. “They decided that we would stay at a certain hotel. 37 teams were going down together so I went into the hotel at the Heartland Inn and told the desk clerk that I needed to make a reservation for 37 rooms. She looked at me kind of surprised and she said, ‘Let me get the manager’. She got the manager and she made arrangements for the 37 teams and gave our team a suite!”

But the next day they went to the 40 lane bowling alley to bowl and they thought the entire city was in attendance.

“The team lines up on the lane and they call off the name of the team and where they’re from,” she explained. “Naturally, we started out with lane one and all the way up to lane 37 and it was Knox, Knox, Knox. Somebody hollered out, ‘Is there anybody left in Knox?’ ‘Yes’ we said. ‘Our husbands!'”

Hanna Mlekodaj, Starke County’s Bowling Queen. She will be Ted’s guest on the ‘Ted Hayes Remembers’ program Friday at 12:20 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Driving Force Behind Creation of Starke County Economic Development Foundation Dies

Robert E. Hamilton

A driving force behind the creation of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation has died at his retirement home in Colorado. Bob Hamilton came to Knox as the President of the Farmer’s Bank and Trust Company which is now Key Bank.

Upon his arrival in the early 1980’s, Hamilton realized Starke County needed a way to attract industry. He once said, “How can the bank make loans if people don’t have jobs to pay the loan off?”

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Six Arrested in Cock Fighting Ring are Illegal Immigrants

Six prisoners in the Starke County jail who were arrested for their involvement in a cock fighting ring in Starke County are illegal immigrants are being held for immigration officials.  The six, along with five others, have been charged with Animal Fighting Contest, a Class D Felony. Four of those prisoners have bonded out of jail. Bonds were set at $10-15,000 surety in Starke Circuit Court Monday afternoon. For those facing similar charges, get legal representation by The Echavarria Law Firm – South Texas Legal Group.

Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas Bourff, said the Animal Fighting Contest charge was bumped up to a Felony charge because those eleven individuals brought in the birds to fight. More charges could be filed against those involved if the Prosecutor and the Sheriff’s Department can find that the same individuals were involved in a similar cock fighting incident in 2006 where 50 people were arrested. Prosecutor Bourff said that could be a challenge as many of these individuals change the spelling of their names and use many aliases.

Bourff said he hopes that he can get money through a citation or fine from those arrested to help pay the Starke County Humane Society for euthanization costs and the Starke County Sheriff’s Department for overtime pay. Bourff said that the Humane Society is requesting that a $75.00 fine be attached to every citation which numbers 65. Starke County Sheriff Oscar Cowen is to give Bourff a list of all of the Department’s expenditures for reimbursement.

Initial hearings for the eleven defendants charged with felonies will be held Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. CT in Starke Circuit Court.

Starke County Annex Re-Dedicated on This Date in 1999 after a June 1998 Fire

Starke County Annex

March 1st, 1999 was a happy day for workers in the Starke County Government Building. In June of 1998, a fire gutted the Annex building. On March 1st of 1999, a re-dedication ceremony was held. That re-dedication acknowledged the formal opening of the building.

Then-County Commissioner, Dan Bau, presided over the ceremony in which firefighters, County employees and the design team that oversaw the renovation of the Annex was honored.

Other Commissioners at the re-dedication ceremony were Kevin Kroft and Michaelene Houston.

Everybody involved lived through a trying time before the building was brought back to life on this date in 1999.

Police Arrest 76 Involved in Cock Fighting

Two of the 145 fighting cocks are rounded up to be euthanized

It was a scene reminiscent of an old time western movie. Police from throughout the County and State rounded up 76 individuals involved in “cock fighting”. The arrests were made on Saturday morning at 0480 North 100 West in Starke County.

Law enforcement officers were responding to an anonymous tip.

“The Sheriff’s Department received an anonymous tip of animal fighting contests out at a residence on 100 West,” stated Starke County Chief Deputy, Bill Dulin. “Along with the Sheriff’s Department, we responded with the Indiana Conservation Units, State Police, Knox City Police, and North Judson units. When we got there, we noticed 10 or 15 vehicles and when we approached, 50 to 60 people took off running toward a river in an open field.”

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Starke County Officials Hold Successful Tax Sale

Totals are in from last week’s tax sale held in the Starke County Annex. Two separate sales were conducted. One was a certificate sale and the other was a deed sale. The certificate sale is one in which the original owners might redeem the property by paying the back taxes. A deed sale is one in which the deed is held by the County where the County is attempting to get the property back on the tax rolls.

38 parcels were sold in the certificate sale for $11,400 and 24 parcels were sold on the deed sale for $2,400.

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Julie Dessauer Named Director of Starke United

Julie Dessauer

Starke United welcomes one of its own into the position of executive director. Julie Dessauer, who has been a part of the Starke United Executive Board since 2007, will begin as director for the organization on March 7th.

Mike Charbonneau, Vice Chair of Leadership for Starke United, said he thinks Dessauer will be a great asset to the organization.

“I and Todd Zeltwanger (Starke United Chairperson) both feel that Julie is a very qualified candidate,” he said. “She has tremendous support and respect in the community and can help us bring this organization to where we want it to be.”

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Starke Circuit Court Judge Accepts Plea Agreement for Rodney Craft; Sentences Carl Daugherty

Rodney Craft

Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall accepted a plea agreement Thursday morning for Rodney Craft, of Knox.

Craft agreed to plead guilty to Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana with a Prior Conviction, Possession of Methamphetamine, Failure to Appear, Escape, and Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors with the Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine. All charges stem from several different open cases in Starke County. Judge Hall has not yet set the sentencing hearing, but according to the Plea Agreement filed in Circuit Court, Craft could see a total of 10 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on the charges in which he plead guilty.

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