Christmas came early for Knox and North Judson officials. Lieutenant Governor, Becky Skillman, announced that 13 Hoosier communities will receive grants totaling almost $11 million dollars for storm water infrastructure projects. These grants are funded by an appropriation for disaster recovery efforts from the federal Community Development Block Grant program.
It is the end of an era in the Starke County Auditor’s office. Michaelene Houston spent 22 years either as a Deputy Auditor, or Auditor herself. She served as Deputy Auditor under Pam Fletcher and Mike Haugh.
“November 30th, 1984, I started as Deputy Auditor for Pam Fletcher and I worked for her for two years and one month and then Mike Haugh became Auditor and I worked for him for four years,” explained Michaelene Houston. “I then ran for the office and I was Auditor for two terms. I couldn’t run for a third consecutive term so I ran for Commissioner and I was Commissioner for four years. Then I ran for Auditor again and now I’m on my second and final term as Auditor.”
John Brooke, a suspect in events surrounding a shootout at Bass Lake in February, and his attorney, Dale Allen, told Starke Circuit Court Judge Kim Hall Monday afternoon that they have failed to come to a satisfactory plea agreement with the court so they will move forward to trial.
The trial will begin on Monday, February 21st, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. CT and will last the week. Allen said there could be up to 50 witnesses called to take the stand. A final status hearing will be held on January 26th to ensure all paperwork is prepared for trial.
After not running in the 2010 Starke County Primary Election, Gordon Richie was drafted by the Starke County Republican party to be its candidate in the election. In August, Richie was disqualified after the Election Board voted 2-1 that he did not properly file his candidacy in a timely manner.
Here’s good news from Edie Hall, Executive Director of Starke United. This year’s WKVI-Starke United Radio Auction netted $7,669.00. Immediately following the auction, which was held on December 3rd, the final amount was thought to be in the $6,000 range. Hall said other fund raisers are being planned to help attain the $75,000 campaign goal.
Knox Mayor, Rick Chambers, invites the Knox community to participate in an outdoor Christmas decoration contest.
Judging will be on Monday, December 20th, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. CT. Anyone wishing to take part in the contest are asked to make sure outdoor decorations are on during the judging hours. First place will receive $100, second place will get $50 and third place, $25. Winners will be notified and announced on WKVI on Wednesday, December 22nd.
At the end of each year the members of the WKVI staff select the top 10 stories of the year. This is story #10:
Tony Kerby lost his life in the Yellow River attempting to save his younger brother’s life. The good looking boy went in the treacherous waters to save his 8-year-old brother Dominick when the youngster slipped off a rock. Dominick was saved when a person in the park pulled him to safety, but Tony could not swim to the banks.
A jury found John Loftus, Jr. Guilty on four out of five charges against him in a trial this week in Starke Circuit Court. The jury deliberated nearly an hour-an-a-half. The trial lasted nearly two days.
Loftus, Jr. was found Guilty on the following charges: Domestic Battery with a Child Present, a Class D Felony; Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Battery, a Class B Misdemeanor. He was found Not Guilty on a charge of Attempted Robbery, a Class C Felony.
Starke County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested 33-year-old Donald Smith of Walkerton, Wednesday, on a preliminary charge of Intimidation, a Class C Felony, and more could follow.
The jury has gone into deliberations in the John Loftus, Jr. trial in Starke Circuit Court. The trial began Wednesday and the jury started deliberating at approximately 2:45 p.m. Thursday afternoon.
Have you noticed the Salvation Bell ringers at Five Star and at Bailey’s Discount on the weekends? Elaine Silvius, Service Representative for the Starke County Salvation Army Chapter, says the campaign seems to be going very well this season. Elaine said Starke County donates well to the bell ringers.
“The people of Starke County are real givers when it comes to the buckets,” said Elaine Silvius. “They always put something in.”
When Ted Hayes was told that Pat Dunn was talking with a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in his office this week, Ted naturally thought of the Jarheads his nephew brought home with him when he was in the Corp. Pat asked if Ted might be interested in interviewing his guest, and he said yes, because he’s so impressed with this generation of those who are in uniform now in all branches of the service.
State Representative, Nancy Dembowski (D-Knox), said the State Budget Committee approved a $5.8 million project for the major reconstruction of the Koontz Lake Dam.
The committee gave its approval during a Tuesday meeting at the Statehouse. The project will correct water seepage problems as well as upgrade the spillway to meet current standards.
Dembowski said that state crews worked to stabilize the dam’s northwest embankment in 2008. They cleared trees and brush, then placed about 100 cubic yards of stone over a geo-textile fabric on the embankment.
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Members of the Knox VFW and the American Legion laid wreaths at the War Memorial at the Starke County Courthouse. Organizer, Terry Turner, says this is a part of the national Wreaths Across America program.
A jury trial will begin in Starke Circuit Court today. John Loftus Jr. was arrested on August 19th by the Starke County Police and the Prosecutor’s office has filed five charges against him for which he has plead not guilty. He is charged with Attempted Robbery, a Class C Felony; Domestic Battery with a Child Present, a Class D Felony; Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; Battery, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Battery, a Class B Misdemeanor.
As previously reported on WKVI, Dr. Theresa Alexander will become the the new Starke County Health Officer on January 1st. She will be taking the place of long-time Health Officer, Dr. Walter Fritz, on that date.
John Hensler, of Hensler Nursery near Hamlet, Indiana, followed the trees he sent to Indianapolis, Monday. The trees make it on time for the ceremony, but the inclement weather prevented him from attending the affair. The ceremony for the tree provided for the Rotunda was hosted by Governor Mitch Daniels and the one for Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman’s office was hosted by the Lieutenant Governor herself.
Many churches and other organizations pitch in to help the less fortunate at Christmas time. Ted Hayes talked about two that were distributing toys and gifts Saturday, and that’s CLASP down at Winamac, and ABATE at Bass Lake.
Ted was at ABATE’s party on Saturday where the Bass Lake Country Club was packed with parents and children. Deb Young was there early signing in parents who were to receive gifts.
Trees from Hensler Nursery in Hamlet are going to Indianapolis today. Hensler’s will provide a 25 foot Concolor Fir for the Statehouse Rotunda. The tree is approximately 28 years old and had stood for years at Hensler’s main location.
A second tree grown by Hensler Nursery is an 8 foot Fraser Fir that is being presented to Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman.
When is a burn ban, not a burn ban? According to the Starke County Commissioners, it’s when a local ordinance is updated that would spell out the penalties for violations. Commission President, Dan Bridegroom, said this week that when the burn ordinance was discussed it came out as meaning a “burn-ban” and that is not what the commission wanted to convey to the public.
“I think the biggest misconception right away was the word ‘ban’ was in everything they read,” said Commission President, Dan Bridegroom. “As soon as I would explain to the people that called me and talked to me and stopped me, it’s not a ban, then they were ok. They were ok almost immediately to know that they can still burn their leaves and burn their brush. I guess that part of the blame should fall back on us in that we didn’t get it out, specifically, what we were looking at.”
