Veteran’s Day Flag to be Given to Collector after Observance

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
Matthew J. Foster shows the commissioners one flag he will give Sergeant Lardino for his flag collection

The Starke County Commissioners considered a request from Matthew J. Foster to fly an American Flag at the Starke County Courthouse at the war memorial on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, and retire that flag the next day to give to a Starke County soldier.

Foster plans to give it to E7 Sergeant First Class Ronald James Lardino II. Sergeant Lardino is a Knox native and has spent the past 17.5 years in the U.S. Army. His service includes two combat tours in Iraq and one tour in Kuwait. He is currently stationed in Georgia. Continue reading →

Knox Graduate Proudly Serves Country as a U.S. Army Lt. Col.

Posted on Author WKVI
Julie Simoni (middle) was promoted in 2011 to lieutenant colonel.
Julie Simoni (middle) was promoted in 2011 to lieutenant colonel.

A local graduate is now a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army and works as the regional defense counsel for Central Command stationed in Afghanistan.

Lt. Col. Julie Simoni was born and raised in Knox and was on two weeks R&R when she came in to give us an update on how she’s been doing since she graduated from Knox High School in 1989. She is proud to have had some of the core values she learned in her small town to take with her as she moves through the ranks in the Army.

Continue reading →