Storm Water Project Begins in Hamlet

Work has begun on the storm water drain project in Hamlet. Workers from H & G Underground Utility have begun milling the road and placing pipe as they go.

Roads will be closed at different intervals during the project. Starke Street is closed today at Railroad Street around the Hamlet Library and north over the tracks to the stop sign on Plymouth Street. The contractors expect this section to be closed for about a week.

Knox Federation of Teachers President Discusses School Vouchers

Dick Wagner

Much of the controversy occurring at the Statehouse since the recent legislative session began involves the Governor’s education reform initiatives. For the next three days, we’re going to look at the reform issues through the eyes of Dick Wagner, President of the Knox Federation of Teachers, which represents a majority of the teachers in the Knox School System.

Vouchers, tenure, and collective bargaining will be discussed with Mr. Wagner.

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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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Knox School Board Approves the Purchase of One New School Bus

Gary Dulin, Jerry Fletcher, Harold Welter, Mary Lynn Ritchie, Kirk Bennett, Nathan Marcum, Mike Yankauskas, Superintendent A.J. Gappa

The Knox Community School Board approved the purchase of one new school bus at its meeting Monday night.

Transportation Director, Mark Jensen, asked the Board to approve the purchase of two new buses and trade in a bus. Superintendent, A.J. Gappa, encouraged the Board to purchase one new bus and no trade-in. The bus that would have been traded could be used a spare. The Board approved the Superintendent’s recommendation. A 2011 International CE will be purchased with a camera system, storage compartments and additional warranty for $85,498. The Board could purchase another bus later in the year if they so choose.

Knox City Police Department Report for February

Knox City Police Chief Clint Norem
Knox City Police Chief Clint Norem

Knox City Police Chief, Clint Norem, reports that in the month of February, the Department had 316 calls, responded to 11 accidents and completed 21 incident reports.

13 people were arrested on 20 traffic charges, 23 people were arrested on 31 criminal charges and 2 juveniles were arrested. Of those arrests, 2 included Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated charges, 1 Public Intoxication charge, 3 were Battery charges, 5 were active arrest warrants and 7 involved drug charges. No ordinance violations were reported in the month of February.

North Judson Farmer Wins $2,500 in America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program

A North Judson farmer was selected as a winner in the America’s Farmers Grow program. The America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program is sponsored by the Monsanto Fund that supports farming communities by offering farmers the opportunity to register to win $2,500 for their favorite community charity. Recipients could include FFA, 4-H, school or other civic organization. The program covers 1,204 counties across 38 states and winners are selected at random.

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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.

Plymouth Residents Evacuated due to Gas Leak; Plymouth Schools on Two Hour Delay

The Plymouth Police Department evacuated residents this morning in a three block radius of Pennsylvania and Liberty Streets in Plymouth due to a gas leak.

The Plymouth Fire Department, along with NIPSCO and the Plymouth and Argos Police Departments investigated and secured the scene.  The gas leak has been contained.  Plymouth Fire Chief, Andy Metsker, told WKVI that the gas leak occurred after a roof collapsed on an old storage building at the corner of Pennsylvania and Liberty Streets.  About 70 residents in a three block radius were evacuated as a precaution and taken to a nearby church.

The leak was discovered around 2:00 a.m. ET this morning.

Due to the gas leak, Plymouth and St. Michaels Schools will operate on  a two hour delay.

Plymouth Police Department Investigates Drowning

On Sunday, February 20th, just before 8:00 p.m. ET, Plymouth Police officers were called to the 2500 block of North Michigan Street after a call came in concerning a drowning at the residence.

According to police, a family member was giving 15-month-old Landen Sarabia a bath. The family member went to get a towel and was gone for approximately 15 seconds. When the person returned, the child was face down in the tub. CPR was administered at the scene. The child was taken to the hospital. The child died in Memorial Hospital in South Bend on Friday, February 25th.

The case will be presented to the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office for review.

The Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home in Plymouth is handling arrangements.

City of Knox Garbage Rates to Increase

Last week, Knox Mayor Rick Chambers reminded the City Council members that the cost of garbage pickup in the City would increase on August 1st. The total cost will go up just over $5,000.

“In 2010, it was $206,967.60,” the Mayor told the Council. “On July 31st, it will go up to 212,076.”

The increase per customers is only pennies.

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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.