Four Arrested after Fight in Downtown Knox

Posted on Author WKVI
Paul Bottomley
Christopher Bradley
Natasha Piper
Brian Greene

Four people were arrested in downtown Knox on Saturday after an alleged fight in front of O’s Tap.

Police were called to a fight where guns were reportedly involved. When officers from the Knox City Police Department arrived on scene, Christopher Bradley was ordered to the ground and he presented a full magazine clip for a semi automatic weapon and handed it over to police. The rest of the gun was removed from his waistband. Bradley told police he took the gun from Paul Bottomley who allegedly hit his sister, Natasha Piper, in the head with the gun. Piper was bleeding from wounds received in the incident. She was transported to IU Health Starke Hospital.

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Winamac Man Arrested on Domestic Battery Charge

Posted on Author WKVI
Ben Seman

A Winamac man was arrested Saturday on a Domestic Battery charge.

An officer from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call of a domestic battery incident at 132 E. Rays Road in Winamac. While the caller was on the phone, the dispatcher heard the suspect, Ben K. Seman, tell the victim to stop or he’ll kick her in the ribs again. The victim told police that she thought her ribs were broken. She told police that Seman had thrown her to the floor and she was transported to Pulaski Memorial Hospital for her injuries.

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Dan Wheldon Remembered by Davis Family in Winamac

Posted on Author WKVI
Dan Wheldon

Dan Wheldon lived to race. Unfortunately, his love of racing came with a certain amount of risk and Sunday in Las Vegas Dan Weldon was involved in a crash that took his life.

Lori and Dewain Davis in Winamac knew Danny very well. They met Danny through their daughter who dated the famous racer at one time.

“He had such a passion for racing,” said Dewain Davis. “I know the first time I met him, I asked him, ‘Do you think you’ll ever race in Indianapolis?’ He replied, ‘Oh yeah. I’ll be there.’ Sure enough, he was. I remember one time I asked him, ‘Daniel, what is your biggest fear of the race track?’ He said, ‘Dewain, coming up behind another car, hitting the back wheel that causes me to go airborne. When that happens, I’m toast.’ And that’s what happened Sunday. He went airborne.”

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Pulaski County United Fund Campaign Continues

Posted on Author WKVI

Donations for the Pulaski County United Fund may be dropped off at the Winamac office again this year at 602 S. Monticello St. and at the Alliance Bank branches in Francesville, Winamac, Monon, Monticello, and Rensselaer.

The Pulaski County United Fund helps raise funds during an annual fall campaign and then distributes those funds to 10 local agencies which serve the human service needs of Pulaski County residents. The 2012 campaign funds will be distributed to agencies that provide programs, services and events focusing on the finance, health and education of the community.

Winamac Town Board Receives Update on Sewer Separation Project

Posted on Author WKVI

Winamac Wastewater Superintendent, Brad Zellers, came before the Winamac Town Board this week to report on the $5.2 million dollar sewer separation project. Zellers said the project is actually ahead of schedule and that all of the pipes are in the ground. The installation of some manholes and catch basins have yet to be completed. Also to be determined is if the compaction is adequate to pave the streets. IDEM rules are that the pipes must be in the ground 30 days before the paving can begin, which would put it in the middle of November.

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Bridge Construction Project in Winamac Nearing Completion

Posted on Author WKVI

The Quigley Ditch Bridge replacement project on U.S. 35 in Winamac is nearing completion. This project began in July.

The bridge deck should be poured in the next week or so and if weather cooperates, the area should open up with the removal of the temporary traffic signal the week of October 24th. The Indiana Department of Transportation informed WKVI that there may still be some work beyond the last week of October, but any restrictions will be handled by flaggers.

Jim Carr Found Guilty of Murder in New Trial

Posted on Author WKVI

James “Jim” Carr, former Pulaski County Journal reporter, has been found guilty of Murder after a four day trial in Fulton Superior Court. A jury found him guilty in the death of Roy A. Shaffer in November 2006.

Shaffer was renting a home from Carr in Monterey when Carr shot Shaffer in the face with a shotgun. He then told a woman about the incident when she drove him home from a tavern.

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Ivy Tech Classes Could Return to Winamac High School

Posted on Author WKVI

Industry isn’t the only thing in Pulaski County with a positive outlook; education may also be receiving a shot in the arm thanks to Ivy Tech Kokomo. Through their Logansport campus, Ivy Tech had previously conducted classes at the Winamac High School for some time, but they ran into a snag. The administrative support staff could only be at the school until the guidance offices closed at 4:00 p.m. This caused a number of issues, particularly since the classes took place at night when no support staff was present.

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Unopposed Candidates to Remain off November Ballots in Starke, Pulaski Counties

Posted on Author WKVI

There are some counties in the state that are considering putting all candidates on the November Municipal Election ballot, although state law only allows contested races on the ballot.

Starke County Clerk Evelyn Skronski and Pulaski County Clerk Tasha Foerg told WKVI that only contested races will appear on the Municipal election ballots. Skronski indicated that legislators may reverse this decision for future Municipal elections with the confusion it may cause voters. The Starke County Election Board voted to follow the state statute to only allow contested races. The Pulaski County Clerk said she is also following state statute.

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Greenspace Winamac Report Given to Winamac Town Board

Posted on Author WKVI

The Winamac Town Board heard from Fred Zarht from the Greenspace Winamac organization.

The organization applied for a grant called “Make Your Trees Count Grant Program” and in 2009, they were selected to receive the grant to pay for trees on the streets. The inventory was completed this year and only 437 vacancies remain where trees could be planted and they’re working on closing that gap. 282 trees were planted this spring.

The street trees that they have are valued at nearly $2 million. The annual benefits of street tress are valued at $192,649 or approximately $119 per tree. The trees absorb 2,528,527 gallons of water which saves the town $68,528 in sewer fees.

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Winamac Town Board Discussed Sewer Separation Project

Posted on Author WKVI

The Winamac Town Board discussed the sewer separation project at their meeting this week.

The Board heard that the wastewater piping had been fixed and the sewer separation was now being done on Riverside Drive between Rowan and 13th streets. The Board opened bids for the paving part of the project and pending further review of the specs from the Board Attorney, the lowest bid will be approved and that came from Central Paving at $53,545. Part of Washington Street will be paved in addition to this project. The Board hopes the entire project can be completed by the end of November or before the weather prohibits the application of asphalt.

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Winamac Town Board Receives Grants, Hold Public Hearing for Budget

Posted on Author WKVI
Winamac Town Hall

The Winamac Town Board members held a Public Hearing for the proposed 2012 budget at their meeting Monday night. No comments were made during the hearing. The total of all funds proposed for 2012 is $1,470,882.

The Town Board also learned that the Town is the recipient of a fully-funded Safe Routes to School Green 3 grant worth $75,000. The Safe Routes to School grant allows a study to be done to see how students travel to school and, if needed, to provide a sidewalk or other gateway for children to safely travel to school. The Town will put up the money immediately and it will be paid back in full.

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Nathan VanDerAa’s Court Dates Postponed in U.S. District Court

Posted on Author WKVI
Nathan VanDerAa

Nathan VanDerAa’s plea agreement deadline date, as well as his trial date, have been postponed in U.S. District Court. No dates have been released from the U.S. Attorney’s Office but it is believed that his trial date has been moved to November.

VanDerAa has plead not guilty in federal court to two counts of Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition and one count of Manufacture of a Controlled Substance.

Kersting’s Cycle Center Holds Annual Fundraiser

Posted on Author WKVI

Kersting’s Cycle Center presented it’s 9th annual charity event Saturday. Jason Kersting said the Motorcycle, Music and Memories event was a success.

“It’s a big festival that we put on here at the shop and it’s only for one day,” said Kersting. “We have the food vendors come in, we had four live bands and the actual motorcycle ride took off at 1:00 p.m. ET and that ride collects donations to the MDA and it’s in memory of Nella Kersting. That raised $1,090 just from a few guys getting together to go for a ride. I know that my mother would be really honored to know that event is taking place in her name.”

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Winamac Brothers Arrested after Incident

Posted on Author WKVI
Brandon Gamblin
Nathan Gamblin

Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department officers arrested two brothers after an incident Monday.

Police learned of the whereabouts of Brandon Gamblin, of Winamac, and attempted to locate him as he had a warrant out for his arrest. Police arrived at the residence on U.S. 35 but he was not there. Later, officers observed a vehicle approaching the residence that matched the description of the vehicle that Gamblin’s brother, Nathan, drives. Police asked Nathan Gamblin where his brother was and he stated that he didn’t know. He was later found inside the residence and taken into custody.

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