Hamlet Town Board Considers Purchasing E. Coli Testing Equipment

Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

The Hamlet Water and Wastewater Operator, John Goble, has put in a request to the Hamlet Town Board to order equipment so the department can test for E. Coli. Goble currently takes water samples to LaPorte several times a month and the tests are run there. The Town pays $30 for the testing fee, plus mileage and labor. The Board will look into the request.

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Firefighters Called to Two Fires Early Thursday Morning

Fire crews battle a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets

Firefighters from the Hamlet Fire Department were called to a structure fire at the corner of Davis and Main Streets in Hamlet shortly after 1:00 this morning.

It is not known at this time what caused the fire in the vacant building, but officials at the scene said no injuries were reported. An investigation is pending. The Koontz Lake and Knox-Center Township Fire Departments were called to the scene for mutual aid.

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Sysco Project Picking up Pace in Hamlet

There’s finally some movement on the Sysco project in Hamlet. Starke County Economic Development Foundation Director, Charles Weaver, revealed yesterday that he has been securing information for three general contractors who have been asked by the Baugh Midwest Cooperative to submit bids for the construction of the massive redistribution center. Baugh Midwest Cooperative is the parent company of Sysco.

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Hamlet Town Board Waits to Release Project Funds

Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

Van Janovic appeared before the Hamlet Town Board last week to request the release of funds for the sewer improvement project that was recently completed. The Board agreed to retain a small percentage of funds contingent upon KIRPC’s approval of the project. Once the project gets the ok, all of the funds will be released to H&G Underground.

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Residents Reminded of Fireworks Ordinance

Fireworks season has started and you are to be reminded of the fireworks law within city limits. The use, discharge or ignition of consumer fireworks by any person or other entity is prohibited in the corporate limits of the City of Knox, Town of North Judson and the Town of Hamlet, except during the following periods: Between the hours of 5pm and two hours after sunset on June 29th and 30th, July 1st-3rd, and July 5th-9th; between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and midnight on July 4th; and between the hours of 10:00 a.m. on December 31st and 1:00 a.m. on January 1st.

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Hamlet Town Board Takes Measures to Slow Traffic

Several complaints have been received about cars traveling too fast between Pearl Street and Indiana Street in Hamlet, and the Town Board approve changing the speed in that area to 20 miles per hour. Because there are often children playing nearby, the Town Marshal originally approached the Board to request the installation of a stop sign on Short Street to slow traffic, but Board Members Curtis Simpkins and Kerry Stone were uneasy about the idea. Instead, they changed the speed in that area from 30 MPH, and will put reflective tape on the sign to ensure drivers notice the change.

Starke County Mint Farmer Pleads Guilty to Discharging Pollutants without a Permit

A Starke County mint farmer has pleaded guilty to knowingly discharging pollutants without a permit in violations of the Clean Water Act.

Michael Materna, 56, of Hamlet was operating a still which harvests mint leaves and distills them to create mint oil. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, water that was heated to temperatures of 160 to 190 degrees and mint oil was also being discharged from the facility into a roadside ditch which then flowed into the stream. The water reportedly scalded a dog to death when Starke County resident, Pete Dailey’s, dog entered the heated water. Charges were filed May 31st as a result of an investigation by the Envrionmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Division and IDEM.

Storm Water Improvement Project in Hamlet Substantially Complete

Hamlet Town Board: Curtis Simpkins, Kerry Stone and Bob Yung

The storm water improvement project in Hamlet in now substantially complete, according to Territorial Engineering and the Hamlet Town Board. Van Janovic with Territorial Engineering, the firm that handled designing and overseeing the project, requested the Board to consider the project substantially complete and approve a change order. This would allow them to receive some of the final payments for the project.

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State Representative Tom Dermody Visits with Hamlet Town Board Members

State Representative Tom Dermody

Tom Dermody, the State Representative for District 20, was present at the Hamlet Town Board meeting Tuesday night. Because of redistricting, Dermody may soon be the representative serving Starke County, Knox, and Hamlet. Dermody has been attending town hall meetings in both the new district and his current district, which covers the majority of LaPorte, Pulaski, and Jasper Counties, along with some of Porter County.

“I will be hopefully having the opportunity to serve Starke County, Knox, the Town of Hamlet, and so I’m spending my summer here once session is over going around not only to the current district that I represent but also the new district to learn about the issues as we prepare for legislation, and seeing what we can do to help the local communities,” said Dermody.

Monday’s Memorial Day Services

The Knox VFW Post #748 will be hosting Memorial Day services until Noon on Monday, May 30th, where the the closing ceremonies and the retiring of the guard will be held at the Post Home. Several veterans, firefighters, police officers, and National Guard members will be standing vigil at the Post and a Civil War camp will be set up in the back of the facility.

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Memorial Day Services in Knox, Hamlet

The Knox VFW Post #748 will be hosting Memorial Day services beginning this Sunday, May 29th. Opening ceremonies begin at Noon on Sunday with the posting of the guard for a 24-hour vigil. Congressman Joe Donnelly will be speaking, along with State Representative Nancy Dembowski and Knox Mayor Rick Chambers. The Candlelight ceremony will be Sunday at 8:30 p.m. and all of the POW MIA soldiers’ names from the Iraq and Afghanistan War will be read. At Noon on Monday, May 30th, the closing ceremonies and the retiring of the guard will be held at the Post Home. Several veterans, firefighters, police officers, and National Guard members will be standing vigil at the Post and a Civil War camp will be set up in the back of the facility.

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Retired Military Animal to Receive Purple Hearts Saturday in Hamlet

Maya is pictured here with Neil Berg from the Hamlet American Legion

The Hamlet American Legion is holding a chili supper benefit for Retired Military Animals on Saturday, May 28th from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at the facility. Maya, a retired military dog who was rescued by Don Thomas of the Grovertown area, will receive three purple hearts during the benefit Saturday.

Maya, a 12-year-old veteran, served in the Army as well as the Marines. During her six years of service, she saved countless lives in Afghanistan and Iraq using her bomb detecting abilities. She was rescued by Don Thomas a few years ago and was able to do so by an amendment signed by then-President Bill Clinton that allows retired military canines to have owners found for them instead of being euthanized. Saturday’s benefit will help interested individuals to take things one step further and help with the expense of housing these animals, medical expenses and the cost of food.

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Storm Wreaks Havoc in Kankakee Valley

Francesville Fire Station Two sustained damage due to a tornado

Several buildings sustained damage after tornadoes touched down in Francesville Wednesday morning. Francesville Fire Chief, Tim Wuethrich, talked about the event.

“It appears that we had a tornado touch down in two spots in Francesville, maybe three,” said Wuethrich. “It took three poles out on the highway, leveled a building that we call Station Two, our other fire station. We had a fire truck in there that’s underneath the rubble. It took part of a roof off a house on the other end of town. I’ve been at Incident Command the whole time so I haven’t assessed the damage yet.” Homeowners with damaged roofs may need to hire local roofers to fix and restore their roofing systems. They may also need to find a supplier of timber roof trusses for their roof replacement project.

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Hamlet Storm Water Improvement Project Nearly Complete

At their meeting Tuesday night, the Hamlet Town Board members learned that the storm water improvement project is almost complete. Paving will be done this week on Starke Street, Pearl Street, and Davis Street and the project should be done. Work has been ongoing to extend storm drains along those roads to alleviate a standing water issue in the old downtown area in Hamlet. The project came in under budget and the Board was able to use the extra funds, plus $15,000, to pave the roads after the drainage equipment was installed.

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Ted Hayes Remembers Don Paul

Don Paul, Sr.

“We lost a good man last week,” said Ted Hayes. “Don Paul was one of those guys who was a good husband, a good father, and a good grandfather. He was good for 4-H in Starke County having devoted thousands of hours in his lifetime to making sure 4-Hers had good guidance, and better still, a good role model.”

“But when I think of Don Paul, I will remember him as a great team-mate with his wife, Mabel. If you know Mabel as I do, you know she’s a take charge woman in a good way. And that was alright with Don because he was always there for her. Her accomplishments, which were many, made him so proud.”

“I remember the night Mabel was honored with the Schricker Award. There wasn’t a person in the room who was happier for her, than her husband Don.”

“And his grandchildren, well, his shirt buttons popped when mentioning their accomplishments.”

“Yes, we lost a good man last week. He’ll be missed by all who knew him. But we were all richer because he lived among us. We were all richer because of the example he set.”

Hamlet, Knox Fire Crews Respond to Call Outside of Hamlet

Residents were tearing down a house at 2323 E. 480 N. outside of Hamlet Wednesday afternoon when a fire started and got out of control.

According to Hamlet Fire Chief, Bob Goetz, scrap from the destruction of an abandoned house on the property started on fire. The fire got out of control and spread to a garage. The Hamlet Fire Department responded to the scene as well as the Knox-Center Township Fire Department and the fire was extinguished. Minimal damage was reported to the garage. There were no injuries reported.

Hamlet Sewer Improvement Project Continues; Streets Affected to be Repaved

Crews work on Davis Street in Hamlet

The Hamlet Town Board met in special session to discuss the downtown sewer improvement project.

The Board learned that $80,000 will be left over from the project. The Board will contribute $10-15,000 to ensure that all streets affected in the sewer improvement project will be repaved curb to curb. Work is currently being done on Pearl Street and Davis Street. The project is expected to last through the summer.

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News from the Town of Hamlet

H&G Underground continues to work on the storm water improvement project in the Town of Hamlet. The project is improving storm drainage in the old downtown area of Hamlet.

Work is currently being done on Starke Street and the piping should be finished this week. Work has also started on Pearl and Davis Streets. At their meeting Tuesday night, the Hamlet Town Board expressed their gratitude to the community for being patient during this process. It will alleviate drainage issues in the Town which have been a problem for several years.

The Hamlet Town Board also approved May 21st and 22nd as the Town-wide yard sale dates.

Hamlet Police Department Recovers Stolen Vehicle

Adam Makowski

Hamlet Police Department officers recovered a stolen vehicle after a traffic stop Thursday night.

While on routine patrol, officers spotted a vehicle matching the description of a truck that was stolen in the Knox area last week. Officers ran the plate through the Starke County Sheriff’s Department and it was confirmed as the stolen vehicle. Adam Makowski was arrested and charged with Theft Receiving Stolen Property and Possession of Marijuana. Steven Sandoval was arrested and charged with Theft Receiving Stolen Property and False Informing.