The West Central School Board members discussed Reduction in Force efforts at their recent meeting. Superintendent Charles Mellon said it’s not as bad as they had initially thought.
West Central School Board Discuss Reduction in Force Efforts
Two Arrested after Alleged Fight
Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department arrested two Wheatfield residents after an alleged fight on Monday.
39-year-old Tammy Grigsby allegedly pulled the female victim from a car while the vehicle was stopped at a stop sign at 300 North and 1400 West in Medaryville. The victim told police that Grigsby had reportedly beat her head against the car. Grigsby and Harrison Lovely, 36, were reportedly attempting to leave the scene when police arrived. The pair were ordered to stop and they were taken into custody. Prescription medication was located in Lovely’s possession and the pills were in a bottle with his name on it. A broken pill was found in Grigsby’s possession. They were both reportedly intoxicated.
Plymouth Police Arrest Man on Domestic Battery Charges
A Plymouth man was arrested on Domestic Battery charges after an altercation Sunday night in Plymouth.
Plymouth police were called to 215 1/2 W. Adams Street in Plymouth after a domestic fight was reported. The officer arrived and found a woman in the apartment who had been battered. After further investigation, Robert W. Warner, 31, was arrested on preliminary charges of Domestic Battery and Resisting Law Enforcement.
Tax Sale Scheduled for Today
Starke County will have a tax sale today at 10:00 a.m. CT in the Commissioner’s Room in the County Annex building. According to Interim Treasurer Kasey Clark, there will be 265 properties on the spring sale. Properties that are not sold will go on a later certificate sale.
Turkey Tracks Event this Weekend!
The Turkey Tracks event is upon us. Turkey Tracks is in its fourth year and is sponsored by the Eric Corey Foundation.
This will be the first year for the event since the death of the person who established the event. Eric Corey, who had ALS, was a young hunter who wanted others with disabilities to be able to enjoy the sport that he loved so much. His mother and father, Carol and Doug, plus numerous guides, and others, will be gathering at the Washington Township Community Building Friday for the opening of the weekend wild turkey hunt.
Bella Vita Fundraiser Set for May 17th
The Bella Vita Pregnancy Resource Center will be hosting its second annual fundraising event in May. Susanne Lange, the Executive Director, tells us about the scheduled event.
“On May 17th, Bella Vita will be hosting its second annual Chocolate Fountain Fondue Fund Raising Event,” announced Lange. “Vincey from WFRN will be the emcee. We will have some client testimony. I will be speaking, giving a yearly update. And of course we’ll have the chocolate fondue treat, and a lyrical dance number.”
From the WKVI Archives
One year ago Claude Slisher was announced as The Older Hoosier of the Year and Joan Chesak was selected as Senior Volunteer of the Year.
Also one year ago, the Executive Director of Marshall-Starke Development Center, Mike Lintner, was reporting a shocking statistic. 70% of people with disabilities are unemployed. Marshall-Starke Development Center has been working for many years to help those with disabilities to become employable.
Jonathan Hummel and Nathan Hummel Plead Guilty
Jonathan and Nathan Hummel pleaded guilty yesterday in Starke Circuit Court to several charges against them. The pair were involved in an armed robbery incident at the Knox CVS pharmacy on December 20th.
LaPorte Bank Robbed At Gunpoint
A man was arrested in Elburn, Illinois, after fleeing from police following his alleged robbery of the LaPorte Savings Bank. On Friday, April 20th, deputies from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office were called to the bank in response to a hold-up alarm. Within several seconds of the alarm, the LaPorte County Regional Dispatch Center received a telephone call from an employee of the bank who said that the bank had just been robbed at gunpoint, and he said that a single male had entered the bank with a handgun.
Bass Lake Residents Request Pier Placement at Shewski Road
Several Bass Lake residents got the answer they were seeking at the recent Starke County Commissioners meeting. The residents, who have placed a pier into the water at the end of Shewski Road in the past, petitioned the commissioners to allow them to do so again this year.
One of the sticking points was that the pier would be three feet over the access point in the lake. After several of the residents made points to the commissioners, a motion was made by Commissioner Jennifer Davis to allow the pier to be put in this year, and it will be studied and evaluated before the next season. That motion was approved unanimously as the room rang with applause.
New IU Health Starke Hospital President Will Not Affect Sale of Hospital
The news that IU Health Starke Hospital will have an Interim President will have no impact on plans of IU Health LaPorte Hospital pursuing the purchase of the Starke facility. Thor Thordarson, CEO/President of LaPorte Regional Health System said the commitment is still there.
Harlem Wizards Come to Knox!
The Harlem Wizards came to Knox last night appearing in a fundraiser for the Knox High School Band. Money raised was to be used for a band trip to Florida.
While the Wizards play almost every night, some of the “ringers” rounded up by Coach Craige Phipps left a little to be desired. Tom Berg tried to keep up with the Wizards star guard who was simply known as “The Roadrunner.”
Alice Kay is Laid to Rest
Knox’s First, First Lady was laid to rest yesterday at Crown Hill Cemetery. Alice Kay, 101, was the wife of Knox’s first Mayor, Glen Kay.
In services at the Catherine Kasper Home Chapel in Donaldson, Father Mike, Acting Priest for the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ Ministry, noted in his funeral mass that Alice liked to dance. He said, “I hope that someone will commission a mural painting of Alice dancing with Jesus in Heaven.”
Ted Hayes remembered that on her 100th birthday everyone at the party saluted her with a glass of expensive champagne. Alice didn’t say much but indicated to her caretakers that she would pass on the cake for another glass of “the bubbly.”
Seatbelt Patrols Amped Up in Marshall County
Seatbelt patrols throughout Marshall County have been stepped up since April 20th, as part of the state’s Rural Demonstration Project. State police officials have announced their participation in the annual effort, which aims to increase seat belt use by motorists in rural counties with the highest percentage of unrestrained fatalities.
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute says 64 percent of the state’s overall traffic fatalities occurred on rural roadways in 2011. In an effort to reduce that number, about 24 law enforcement agencies throughout the state, along with the Indiana State Police, will participate in the project that runs through May 17. Participating agencies will be tasked with looking out for unrestrained motorists in any vehicle, including pickup trucks.
Knox Harvest Days Committee to Meet Tonight
The Knox Harvest Days Committee will be meeting tonight at the H&R Block office in the Knox Mall. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. CT and anyone willing to help with the August Festival is encouraged to attend. Michelle Bachtel is in charge of the festival this year and says she would like to take it into Wythogan Park this year.
Mint Festival Planning Underway
Planning for the 35th Annual North Judson Mint Festival is in full swing, says Clerk-Treasurer Donna Henry. The festival will take place on Father’s Day weekend, as always, June 15, 16, and 17.
The committee is currently working on organizing the Mint Pageant, where people will vote for the Mint King and Queen, Prince and Princess, as well as Little Miss and Little Mister. The pageant will take place Sunday, May 20, at 6 p.m. in the North Judson – San Pierre High School Auditorium. For more information or to find out how to compete, contact Cortny Barnes at (574) 207-3719.
From the WKVI Archives
Former Congressma John Hiler is celebrating his 59th birthday today. Also born on this date 85 years ago was the late G. Edward Cook. Mr. Hiler represented Starke County as a U.S. Representative, and Mr. Cook represented us as a State Representative.
David Hyatt to Become Interim President of IU Health Starke Hospital
As reported Saturday, there is to be a change of leadership at I.U. Health Starke Hospital. Linda Satkoski will become the Chief Operating Office for the entire La Porte health system after serving as the president of I.U. Health Starke Hospital for three years. David Hyatt has agreed to become the Interim President at Starke, and this change will take place June 4.
Satkoski says a number of big changes have been made in the last three years.
28 Indiana Schools Receive Excellence Award
School corporations across Indiana will receive a total of $6 million to recognize and award their best teachers. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett announced that 28 recipients will receive Indiana’s “Excellence in Performance for Teachers” award.
“The real root and the soul of this grant was to recognize and reward the most important asset in our schools and those are great people who touch the hearts and the souls and the minds of children, and put their lives on course to be our next leaders,” said Dr. Bennett.
The grant was established by the Indiana General Assembly during the 2011 legislative session in an effort to help school corporations and charter schools recruit and retain effective teachers.
The Oregon-Davis School Corporation will receive $27,192 for incentives while the Fort Wayne Community School Corporation received the most money with $1.6 million. The Bremen Public School was another school in the area that will receive money. That school corporation will get $101,000.
Harlem Wizards Give Knox Band Boosters A Boost
The Harlem Wizards basketball team brings their high octane form of Hoops to Knox tonight to help raise funds for the Knox Band Boosters. The money raised will be used to fund a trip to Florida by the Knox High School Band.
Opposing players taking part in the game will include, among others, WKVI Morning Man Tom Berg. Berg has been saving himself for just this moment.
