Week in Review for April 9th-13th, 2012

Here is a look at some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.

Oregon-Davis Jr./Sr. High School

Starke County Farm Bureau President Brad Lawrence told Oregon-Davis School Superintendent Dr. Steve Disney that the Farm Bureau is encouraging its members to vote with their conscience when it comes to the tax levy referendum on the May 8th ballot.

Kurt Kemble was recently appointed as the Grant Green Knox Post Office Postmaster. 

Jerry Nenycz

Jerry Nenycz has been named the Indiana Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year. He now will represent Indiana in the Regional Competition at Camp Grayling, Michigan. Nenycz is a 1999 Knox High School graduate and he enlisted in the National Guard when he turned 20. He served a one year tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2004 and he is now a recruiter for the National Guard.

Beam, Longest and Neff has recommended the abandonment of the bridge over Eagle Creek on 600 East at County Road 25 North in Starke County. If the bridge is abandoned, it would be turned over to the farmers in the area who use it and they would be in charge of maintaining it. The bridge would not be open to traffic.

Leobardo Campos

Leobardo Campos was arrested in LaPorte County after a K9 reportedly found 13 ounces of cocaine, worth $16,800, in a vehicle he was driving. Campos was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Deliver, a Class A Felony. He has bailed out of the LaPorte County jail on a $15,000 cash bond.

Walk to School Day in Winamac was held on Thursday, April 12th. Eastern Pulaski School students, law enforcement officials, Kiwanis & Key Club members, Friends of the Panhandle Pathway, and the Safe Routes to School Task Force members joined in the walk.

Robert "Ryan" Corbin

Knox High School gym teacher, Robert Ryan Corbin, pleaded not guilty in an initial hearing setting in Starke Circuit Court this week. He is charged with two counts of Attempted Child Seduction after he allegedly sent inappropriate Facebook messages to a student, requested pictures and a meeting. His attorney intends to file a motion to dismiss the charges.

Nathan Hummel was in Starke Circuit Court this week for a jury status hearing. Nathan Hummel and his brother, Jonathan Hummel, are accused of robbing the Knox CVS pharmacy on December 20th, 2011 by knifepoint and the State has filed a motion to join their trials together on April 25th. The motion has not yet been approved by Judge Kim Hall.

David Heineman

David Heineman, 55, was arrested Friday after police reportedly found him in the possession of eight meth labs in a room in a house on Lake Street. Heineman has charges of Dealing/Manufacturing in Methamphetamine, two counts of Reckless Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Precursors, Possession of Methamphetamine and Resisting Law Enforcement. All of those charges carry the weight of being within 1,000 feet of a school.

Harshly-worded graffiti against a student has been removed from property at the Winamac Town Park. Winamac Police Chief, Mike Buchanan, told the Town Board this week that extra patrols are being performed at the park.

Eastern Pulaski School Superintendent Dr. Robert Klitzman gave a report to the school board Monday night concerning student discipline and behavior.

Alexander Kleronomos was arrested Sunday after he allegedly broke into a Winamac woman’s home, stole from her, strangled her and attempted to rape her, all while in the presence of a nine-year-old child. Pulaski County Prosecutor Stacey Mrak has charged Kleronomos with Attempted Rape, a Class A Felony; Burglary, a Class B Felony; and Strangulation, Domestic Battery and Theft as Class D Felonies.

Mike Aulby

The Starke County Junior Achievement Bowl-a-Thon was held Wednesday night at Bowlaway Lanes in Knox. Several teams enjoyed the competition while raising some money for the Junior Achievement organization. The highlight of the evening was a visit from Pro Bowler and PBA Hall of Fame member, Mike Aulby. He got to participate on a team and threw a few balls during the event. He signed autographs and said he had a great time.

The Winamac Town Hall hours are changing May 1st. The Winamac Town Board approved the change proposed by Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Parish-Berger. The Town Hall will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET and closed on Saturdays.

Brittany Griffith and Jason Brooks were arrested Wednesday after officers found them in possession of a stolen vehicle. Griffith was arrested on preliminary charges of Possession of Marijuana and Receiving Stolen Property and an active arrest warrant for Probation Violation. Jason Brooks has preliminary charges of Receiving Stolen Property and an active warrant through Missouri for a Parole Violation.

Third grade students state-wide recently took a new exam called IREAD and in order to move onto the fourth grade, the students have to pass the test. Knox Community School Superintendent A.J. Gappa said of the 147 students tested, 122 passed. Ten students who did not pass will receive remediation in a summer school reading class and retake the test in June.

Michael Dorn

Michael Dorn, author of “Weakfish: Bullying through the Eyes of a Child”, was the guest speaker Thursday at Oregon-Davis and South Central Schools. He said that children are getting good information about bullying and they need to report bullying if it is happening.

And that is just some of the news that made the news in the Kankakee Valley this week.