A passenger in a vehicle that was stopped because it did not have a windshield ended up taking a ride in a police car. Starke County Sheriff’s Office Chief Detective Rob Olejniczak pulled over a vehicle driven by 34-year-old Shannon Watts of North Judson on 500 North at 750 East in Hamlet on Wednesday, May 26, according to a news release. Continue reading
Time is running out for students in the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation to nominate their father or grandfather for honors during the Mint Festival. Handwritten Father and Grandfather of the Year essays are due tomorrow. Continue reading
The Knox High School marching band had quite a busy Memorial Day weekend. After completing and submitting the nomination form sent by Purdue University, the Knox marching band was selected to march in the Indy 500 parade. Saturday evening head band director Craige Phipps hosted a “lock-in” at the high school, where students had a chance to swim and play basket ball, but most importantly rest up for their endeavor the following day. Band members left the high school around 2 am on Sunday in order to make the trek.
Phipps shared the excitement of the experience once they arrived on the scene. The band received a police escort into the track, got everything ready to go and then we marched a parade on the two and half mile surface that the cars race on. The students marched across the yard of bricks, had their names announced their picture put up on the big screen TVs that are stationed around the track. After that they were given a box lunch and got to go into the stands and watch the race
Phipps explained the intensity didn’t end there, “What made it even crazier, was the very next day we had to come all the way back here to do the Knox Memorial Day parade. So it was a pretty long weekend.”
This was the third time the Knox marching band shared the track with the NASCAR drivers. It first happened in 2002 and then again in 2009. Phipps says he leaves it up to the band members to decide whether or not to march in the event but based on the positive responses from students he expects to return next year for the 100th Indy 500 race.
The Hamlet Park is being prepared for the summer season. When the Park Board met recently, members took action to replace the old water fountain and to provide a proper drain for the excess water. A number of new trees may be planted after the Board reviews prices. Park security will be updated with new and improved cameras, and consideration will be given to providing a cold drink machine in the shelter. The Board also approved a $1000 donation to support this summer’s Yellowstone Trail Fest.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is encouraging hiking, riding, and other activities next weekend.
Saturday June 6th is National Trails Day and the DNR is celebrating by offering clean-ups, hikes, and other events at several state parks. The state is largely using the event to open several trails at a park in Indianapolis, but events are still being offered around Indiana.
Starke County’s April unemployment rate hits a seven-year low. The local jobless rate tumbled from 7-point-6 percent in March to 5-point-8 percent in April. That’s the lowest it’s been since November of 2007. All 92 counties saw drops in unemployment, according to figures released by the state. Continue reading
A one percent decrease in city employee raises was a topic on the docket during the deliberation over the 2016 city salaries that took place Tuesday evening at the Knox City Council meeting. Previously 3 percent, it was proposed that the raise be 2 percent in the future. This raise applies to all city employees excluding those on the board and council members who will not receive a raise. An end of the year bonus was brought up, but Houston said because of the way that is taxed most people generally do not like end of the year bonuses. Continue reading
Starke County department heads will soon begin work on their annual budgets for the upcoming year. Auditor Kay Chaffins says preliminary budgets need to be submitted to the state Department of Local Government Finance by the end of June. This will be the first budget session for Sheriff Bill Dulin and Clerk Vicki Cooley, both of whom were elected last fall and took office in January. Continue reading
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health is taking steps to limit the spread of avian influenza.
During a special meeting this week, the Board decided to cease all bird movements to events that allow co-mingling. That includes shows, exhibitions, and public sales.
Continue reading
Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin is still collecting donations to add a second drug and search dog to the force. The dog and training for its handler will cost about $16,000. Dulin says the sheriff’s office is about $3,000 short of that goal. Fundraisers will be scheduled later this summer. Meanwhile, cash donations or money orders made out to “Starke County K9 Fund” can be dropped off at the jail. Personal checks will not be accepted. All contributions are tax deductible. Continue reading
Rather than a senior prank, the Knox High School 2015 graduating class opted for a senior project instead. The deliberation over what to do began back in October as senior project coordinator John Poindexter inquired about what the students would like to do.
Poindexter said, “The students decided to go for the beautification of that lot down there at Main and Lake street. Normally we just do the paper work stuff and figure out that in class but they wanted to do it hands on. So we went through all the permissions of the school board and city council. Then we started fund-raising.”
They received enough donations to purchase seven park benches and two picnic tables. The class succeeded in selling more than 200 personally engraved bricks for $30 each. Flowers and plants were donated by local businesses and various members of the community. The economic development committee paid for a brick gazebo to be installed.
Since construction is still ongoing, some graduating students have volunteered to continue working on the project into June. Poindexter urges other seniors to assist in finishing up. Future senior classes may take on responsibility for replanting flowers and foliage and potential new additions. Currently the city of Knox is responsible for the upkeep of the area which is located behind the Nancy J. Dembowski community center.
Starke County Recycling owner James Campbell will soon be in the market for new attorneys, as the two who represented him in his recent arson trial plan to withdraw their representation due to a lack of payment. Continue reading
A North Judson man who admitted to driving drunk and critically injuring four people when he hit their vehicle was sentenced to five years in prison. Dennis Lee Bair Sr., 64, pleaded guilty to a merged count of operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. The charge stems from a Sept. 20, 2014 wreck on State Road 10. Continue reading
The Starke County Council last night approved two amendments to the salary ordinance to reflect changing job duties. The county highway bookkeeper/clerk will work eight hours per day instead of seven. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler says the first and last hours of the work day are the busiest, and this will ensure efficient work flow. He adds the department administrator has taken on more responsibilities due to internal restructuring and needs the additional hour to get everything done. Continue reading
The hearing to re-establish the Town of Hamlet’s Cumulative Capital Development Fund, originally scheduled for last night’s regular Board meeting, was postponed to a special meeting Monday, June 15th. The postponement was necessary due to an error in the published notice of the hearing.
The fund has been an ongoing levy, but needs to be re-established every three years by the Town Board. Continue reading
A Walkerton man who admitted strangling his ex-girlfriend during a feud over a security department and a Knox man who admitted driving in spite of a lifetime license suspension were both sentenced yesterday in Starke Circuit Court. Continue reading
The Starke County Prosecutor’s Office is still investigating a case involving several animals. The incident occurred earlier this month in the area of 200 South and 550 North in Starke County. According to a press release from the Sheriff’s Department, officers were called to investigate a report that horses had escaped from their enclosure. Continue reading
The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay is scheduled to pass through Starke County on October 7, 2016. Citizens may nominate local persons to carry the torch up to 1/4-mile through the county. Starke County may have 20 or more torchbearers. Continue reading
The Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning is hosting an award ceremony to recognize the accomplishments of their 2015 class. The program takes place tonight at 1300 Kloeckner Drive in the Knox Industrial Park and will commence at 6 pm (CST) .
