Starke County Jail Offers Green Thumb Gardening Class as a Part of F.A.R.M Program

Posted on March 7, 2018
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

According to Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin, more than 30 jail inmates recently started a gardening class instructed by Starke County Purdue Extension Educator Phil Woolery.

Sheriff Dulin shared that a total of 32 inmates will be attending the month-long class where Woolery will teach lessons about agriculture, horticulture and other skills related to botany.

He said the “green thumb” gardening class is a part of a Starke County Jail program called F.A.R.M., which is an acronym that stands for Focusing A Recovery Mindset. He said the goal of the programs is to give inmates the opportunity to learn a set of skills that they can use when they integrate back into the community.

Sheriff Dulin said that according to the most recent statistics, the F.A.R.M Program coupled with the Substance Abuse Program has 78 graduates, counting the current class. Of those 78 individuals, only 9 have re-offended resulting in a 15 percent recidivism rate. Dulin commented that the Starke County Jail’s recidivism rate is tremendously lower than the national rate which is currently at 67 percent.

Starke County Jail Inmates Making Christmas Wreaths for Senior Citizens, Veterans

Posted on December 5, 2017
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI

Inmates at the Starke County Jail have been spreading some holiday cheer by making Christmas wreaths. Jail Warden Phil Cherry says the project was inspired by the jail’s popular garden program. “It was just kind of a natural extension from what we did all summer, and the guys thought it would be something admirable to give back to the community,” he explains. “It was mostly focused on senior citizens and veterans.”

Cherry says 176 wreaths and 52 centerpieces had been given out, as of Monday afternoon. “We dropped off 20 or 25 at the Council on Aging, and there’s home-bound people, some terminally-ill people. They said they’d pass them along to them,” he says. “The sheriff went over next to the VFW, the seniors over there. A lot of them are home-bound. And then we went to the one on Williams Street, dropped some stuff off there, and then he had some deliveries that he actually personally made, too.”

On top of that, he says the VFW and American Legion were each given 10 wreaths Monday. Cherry says the inmates still have enough material to make a few more.

RSVP Necessary for Next Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County Meeting

Posted on October 30, 2017
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

The next Drug and Tobacco Free Starke County meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 15 at 9:30 a.m. at the Starke County Jail.

Sheriff Bill Dulin graciously offered the alternate location to the organization. Chairperson Judy Jelinek said that following the meeting, the Sheriff will treat everyone in attendance to a free lunch. He advised everyone to bring along a guest to get informed, check out the jail facility and share a meal with the local authority figure and other community members.

Individuals must RSVP prior to November 13th so they can have a head count for the lunch. You can contact organization coordinator Linda Molenda with your reservation by calling 574-241-2024 or send an email of interest to dtfscinc@yahoo.com

Starke County Inmates Graduate from Nurturing Fathers Program

Posted on October 11, 2017
Author Anita Goodan, WKVI

Fourteen students in the Nurturing Fathers program formally graduated yesterday. They attended the program while incarcerated in the Starke County Jail.

The program was facilitated by Jerome Kelly of Family Focus, Inc. out of Valparaiso who said that he gives the attendees the understanding of how to change behavior.

“They’re learning how to communicate better to their children,” said Kelly. “They’re trying to have a better understanding with their children and to be able to know that they’re still the parent and they’re still in control. There shouldn’t be any argument of moments. I’m not saying that they will never yell or argue. But if you’re in control of things, especially yourself, then where is there room to argue?”

He mentioned that he does not have all of the answers to each individual problem that arises, but he can relay the tools to those attending the class to make the right decisions in the moment.

“You have to make up your mind and make good, healthy decisions for yourself first which will then domino effect down to your children.”

Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin applauds the benefits of the program.

“I think it’s a huge asset for what we do here as far as trying to rehabilitate the inmates that will re-enter society and be a productive citizen,” said Sheriff Dulin.

The Nurturing Father course is approximately 12 weeks long. The program graduated seven men in the same program in April.

Starke County Sheriff’s Office Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative

Posted on August 30, 2017
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

The Starke County Sheriff’s Office will be working with community members to combat prescription drug abuse with their Prescription Drug Take-Back event today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Prescription pills that sit in your medicine cabinet or around your home can be susceptible to theft, misuse and abuse. To prevent these types of crimes, the Sheriff’s Office is asking individuals to bring in potentially dangerous, expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs.

This event is very important to the community for a number of reasons. This initiative addresses the alarmingly high rates of prescription drug abuse, accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs while also giving people a safe way to dispose of unwanted prescriptions. The current method of disposal, throwing pills in the trash or flushing them down the toilet can potentially pose significant safety and health hazards.

The event is for prescription pills only; other drugs or needles will not be accepted. Pills for disposal can be brought to the Starke County Jail at 5435 E St Rd 8. The service is free and anonymous with no questions asked. According to Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin, the pills will be incinerated.

Seeds Started for Starke County Inmate Garden

Posted on January 26, 2017
Author Mary Perren, WKVI

Inmates at the Starke County Jail are getting a jump on this year’s garden. Warden Phil Cherry says they planted 15 flats of flower and vegetable seeds this week. Right now they’re in a hallway at the jail and will be moved into the greehouses behind the facility once they get a little bit bigger.

This will be the second year of the garden program. Inmates tend the plants, pull weeds, make sure everything is adequately watered and assist with the harvest. Fruits and vegetables grown by the inmates are prepared in the kitchen and served as part of their meals. Last year surplus items were donated to local nursing homes.

The county’s efforts were recently recognized by the Indiana Department of Correction, which presented the facility it’s Heartland Award. The Starke County garden program received the most votes of any facility in the state in a Facebook contest.

In addition to tending crops, inmates also look after 36 chickens, which produce 20 or so eggs daily.

First Starke County Jail Drug Treatment Program Participants Graduate

Posted on December 15, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI

The first graduates of the Starke County Jail’s substance abuse treatment program for inmates awaiting sentencing were recognized during a ceremony yesterday at the facility. The voluntary, grant funded program launched in September as a partnership with Porter/Starke Services.

It’s separate from the Indiana Department of Corrections Therapeutic Community, which is also based at the local jail. That program is for area inmates who have been sentenced to the intensive rehabilitation program while in prison. The local program is offered to county jail inmates with a history of substance abuse problems who are waiting to be sentenced.

Participants meet three times a week in a jail conference room with program coordinator Leo Smith from Porter/Starke Services and his staff. As part of their graduation, each member of the class wrote a letter to his addiction and read it out loud to the assembled room of dignitaries. Each man’s story was deeply personal, but many shared common themes about how choosing drugs over loved ones cost them relationships, jobs and freedom.

Another recurring message in the letters was that of deep gratitude to Sheriff Bill Dulin, Warden Phil Cherry, Jail Commander Nate Caudill and Program Coordinator Leo Smith for offering the program.

Graduates also spoke candidly about having a path to addiction recovery they didn’t believe was possible before entering the treatment program and building relationships with Jesus to help them stay strong.

Participants will transition to outpatient recovery services through Porter/Starke’s Knox office after they are released from jail and will also have resources available through Starke County Community Corrections and the probation department.

WKVI will air the entire therapeutic community graduation program on Sunday at noon on Kankakee Valley Viewpoints.

Starke County Jail to Offer Drug Treatment for Local Inmates

Posted on August 18, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI 

Starke County Jail inmates who are awaiting sentencing will soon have access to voluntary drug treatment while they are locked up. The county recently got a grant from the Indiana Department of Correction to add a local program.

Porter-Starke Services addictions counselor Leo Smith says criminal behavior and substance abuse go hand-in-hand.

“Probably 80 percent or so of people incarcerated have an identifiable substance abuse problem, so we want to tackle that part,’ Smith told the county commissioners. “Part of the treatment program is about letting them identify what it is they’re dealing with and how they can deal with it when they get out of there.”

He adds the goal is to help people learn to stay clean and sober and to quit reoffending in order to reduce recidivism through the intensive outpatient program.

Basic addiction identification will be covered, along with relapse prevention triggers for both addiction and criminal addictive thinking. Smith says addressing those issues are critical components of treatment.

Smith plans to conduct two to three groups per week of male and female inmates. He adds treatment doesn’t stop in jail.

“A lot of times people think they get a paper and they’re fixed. Well, we want to take it from the jail into services and keep that continuum of treatment where this person has an opportunity to step out and actually follow up with not coming back.”

Porter-Starke Services will work closely with Starke County Community Corrections and the probation department to ensure inmates continue treatment after they get out of jail. Aftercare components include individual, family and group therapy.

The drug treatment program will formally launch as soon as a memorandum of understanding between Porter-Starke Services and Starke County is signed.

The local program is in addition to the Department of Correction Therapeutic Community that is also housed at the Starke County Jail. It’s for inmates who have been sentenced to the intensive inpatient drug treatment program and is the first of its kind not housed in a prison. The therapeutic community inmates are housed in a separate area of the jail and are not mixed with the county population.

Starke County Sheriff, Jail Staff Donate Produce to Nursing Home Residents

Posted on July 23, 2016
Author Mary Perren, WKVI 

Patients at a local nursing home are enjoying fresh vegetables, thanks to the efforts of the staff and inmates at the Starke County Jail. Their garden is in full bloom with green peppers, zucchini and cabbage. Yesterday Sheriff Bill Dulin and Maintenance Supervisor Tony Mildice brought vegetables to Golden Living Center in Knox.

Administrator Nan Folkers says they’re a treat for the residents.

“We do provide that, but we have a budget. So anything we get extra we really, really appreciate,” Folkers said. “It’s just like being at home and picking it out of your own garden, because, face it, a lot of these folks from our area had gardens, and that’s something I know they miss. They lose certain things when they come to a long-term care facility, and having this is fantastic.”

Sheriff Bill Dulin says helping the nursing home is one of the ways the jail staff and sheriff’s office give back to the community.

In addition to zucchini and green peppers, Dulin says inmates have harvested potatoes, onions, cantaloupe and watermelon. The cook at the jail is incorporating the vegetables into meals. Dulin says they’ve been very well received so far.

He hopes to share more of the harvest with other local facilities throughout the summer.

Starke County Council to Resume Discussion of Sheriff’s Budget

June 20, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The Starke County Council will consider Sheriff Bill Dulin’s request to transfer money within his budget when they meet this evening.The sheriff’s budget was the subject of a special-called joint meeting of the council and commissioners last week. At the time they noted the operating budget for the new jail is based on a study done by the Indiana Sheriff’s Association. However it did not take into account the fact the old jail was understaffed or that Starke County was paying Pulaski County to house inmates due to the conditions at the old facility.

The council will also consider a request for a tax abatement and get an explanation from Starke County Economic Development Foundation President Diane Thalmann of that organization’s website. Their meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed at 6 by a meeting of the Starke County Commissioners.

Their agenda includes review of quotes to replace the third floor air conditioning unit at the courthouse and a request from EMA Director Jacob Lippner for an intern. Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler will present plans and specifications for a bridge replacement.

Both meetings will take place in the meeting room at the annex building.

Starke County Jail Inmate Garden Growing Strong

June 15, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The inmate garden at the Starke County Jail is thriving. Zucchini should be ready to pick by the end of the week, and cabbage and potatoes are also coming along well, according to Jail Warden Phil Cherry. He says it offers inmates an incentive to behave so they can come outside and work. Steven Pastorcik has been a part of the garden program since the first seeds went into the ground. He and his fellow inmates weed, plant and water the garden.

They also care for the chickens the county recently added as part of the farm operation. They’re still a little young to lay eggs. As soon as they start to produce the eggs will be used in the jail’s kitchen.

Pastorcik says the garden provides a nice change of pace.

“It’s good to get outside, plus it’s therapeutic out here, making something happen, making something grow, taking pride in it.”

Joseph Bihlmayer has been working in the garden for the past month or so.

“I pick the weeds and tend to the plants and make sure they’re all going, growing good and groom them a little bit, tie them up and care for ‘em.”

Bihlmayer also enjoys spending time outside and admits he’s looking forward to enjoying the fruits of his labor, especially the jalapenos and tomatoes.

Once the garden comes in, produce will be incorporated into the meals served to inmates.

Sheriff Launches Inmate Garden at Starke County Jail

April 7, 2016AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

Inmates at the Starke County Jail will be learning life skills while putting food on the table this summer. Sheriff Bill Dulin says they’re taking advantage of the 22 acre site east of Knox.

“We’re going to raise some produce and have the inmates work it, plant it, produce it, harvest it, and we’re also going to serve that produce to the population in the jail. We’re going to have potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes and some melons, too.”

Dulin says they’re starting out with vegetables but are looking to expand to growing flowers in a greenhouse if one can be purchased with grant funds or donated. He envisions putting them in planters in downtown Knox, North Judson and Hamlet. Dulin adds if anyone has a greenhouse to donate the inmate work crew can come dismantle it and set it up at the jail. Shaw’s Fertilizer and Grow Your Own Garden Supply have already provided fertilizer and plants for the project, and local farmer Bruce Bennett offered his tractor to till the soil. Inmates have already planted potatoes and onions. Additional crops will be planted when the weather warms up.

 

Dulin says working in the garden will give inmates a chance to get some fresh air and learn life skills they can use after they get out of jail. A few other counties, including Pulaski, have inmate vegetable gardens. Once Starke County’s is fully established it will be one of the larger ones in the state.

Starke County Jail Prepares for D.O.C. Inmates

Posted onFebruary 1, 2016AuthorMary Perren

Officials at the Starke County Jail are preparing for an influx of inmates this week. They are Department of Correction prisoners who have been sentenced to an extensive drug treatment program. Starke County was approved late last year for the state’s first non-prison-based therapeutic community, thanks to the efforts of State Sen. Jim Arnold, Starke Circuit Judge Kim Hall and others. Sheriff Bill Dulin says there’s plenty of room in the jail for up to 48 D.O.C. inmates without displacing any local prisoners.

They will be housed in separate cell blocks because of their offense levels and participation in the treatment program, which can last between 8 and 12 months. The program is regional in nature, with inmates from Porter, Starke, LaPorte, St. Joe, Marshall, Pulaski and Fulton Counties participating.

Department of Correction staff will run the class portion of the program, but the Starke County Jail officers will provide security. Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin recently hired Phil Cherry as a therapeutic community coordinator/jail warden. He’s been the jail commander in Pulaski County for the past several years and will serve as a liaison between the county and the state. Dulin also hired Starke County native Nathan Caudill to fill the existing jail commander vacancy. Both have been on the job for about two weeks.

The sheriff is taking a wait-and-see approach before adding more jail officers. He says additional kitchen staff may also be needed.

As for expenses, Dulin says the county already purchased more uniforms, shoes, bedding and toiletries for the new inmates. He says the food bill will also go up as a result of the population spike. Additional medical costs are also anticipated. The state will pay the county $35 per inmate per day to cover the cost of their housing and care.

In addition to the therapeutic community, Dulin is also working with Starke County Community Corrections to offer drug counseling services for in-custody inmates awaiting trial. He says that program will start this spring.

Coroner Space Scrapped from Old Jail Renovatoins

December 23, 2015AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The extensive renovations of the old Starke County Jail in downtown Knox will not include space for the coroner. The county council and commissioners made that decision Monday night when they formally agreed to proceed with reconfiguring that building for the probation department and Starke County Community Corrections.

Money left over from building the new jail will be used for the project, along with $100,000 from community corrections. Those funds were offered on the condition that the existing sally port space will be turned into a conference room. That area was being eyed as a permanent location for the coroner.

County officials had discussed enclosing the recreation area at the jail for use by the coroner, but scrapped that idea due to the expense. No final decisions have been made about where to put an office and body storage and viewing area, but the possibility of building a pole barn-type structure on the 22-acre jail site east of Knox was discussed. County officials agreed that could be done fairly quickly and inexpensively by a local contractor or contractors.

Work on the old jail renovations is expected to start in the spring. The commissioners told coroner Dannie Hoffer the sally port upgrades can be done closer to the end in hopes they won’t have to relocate his department.

Historically one of the county’s funeral directors has served as the coroner and used his own facilities, so the need for morgue space only became an issue recently.

Starke County Officials Prepare For Building Renovations

December 18, 2015AuthorMary Perren, WKVI 

The Starke County Council and Commissioners are almost ready to proceed with renovations to the courthouse and old jail building across the street. They’ve got money left from the construction of the new jail east of Knox to make upgrades to both buildings for continued correctional use.

The old jail will become office space for Starke County Community Corrections and the probation department. Community Corrections Director Bob Hinojosa told the county council and commissioners Monday his board has committed $100,000 toward the renovations on the condition that the former sally port can be turned into a conference room.

That space was being eyed as a spot for the coroner, as the county does not have a permanent area for body storage and viewing. Now the county is looking into the feasibility of enclosing the outdoor recreation area and adding utilities to turn it into a morgue. They’ve asked the architects for a price to reconfigure the yard.

Another option is to add space for the coroner to a new EMS base which will eventually need to be constructed in Knox. The current Medic 3 base on Main Street between Culver Road and Redskin Trail sits on land that’s included in the plans for the new hospital, according to IU Health Starke Hospital President Craig Felty. There’s also been confusion as to whether those plans include morgue space for the county. Felty tells WKVI news that was discussed early on in the process but never promised. It has since been eliminated from the design.

The council and commissioners were waiting on word about the coroner space before giving final approval to the renovation proposal. They could make a final decision during Monday’s joint meeting.

Money from the jail bond can also be used for work at the courthouse that is directly connected to criminal justice, such as the relocation of the prosecutor’s office from the basement of the old jail. Prosecutor Nicholas Bourff has also committed $10,000 from his pretrial diversion fund to the project. He says an additional $15,000 may be available for the project if it can be used solely for expenditures that relate to child support enforcement and collection.

5/21/2015 Fundraisers Become Inmates Through Relay For Life

Published: May 19, 2015

By: Tyler Maffitt, WKVI

The facility is not being fully used, presenting an opportunity to fundraise for a good cause.

Starke County Relay for Life will be hosting an event on May 21st that mimics being jailed. Individuals can surrender themselves at the new Starke County Jail on that date, or issue a “warrant” for someone’s “arrest.”

Starke County Relay for Life Event Chair Ericka Taylor-Joseph says participants would indeed be physically in a cell.

“They have to try and drum up some business and get people to come bail them out. They can either pay cash, check, or credit card to the bail bondsman that will be on site,” says Taylor-Joseph. “And hopefully they’ll raise enough money to get out of jail.”

Once that person has been placed inside the jail, funds have to be raised to bail that person out. The funds are used as fundraising dollars through Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.

Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin came up with the idea according to Taylor-Joseph. The event is designed to show the public the new jail, but also give back to the community.

The Relay for Life teams have a goal of $250 each during the event. Taylor-Joseph says those funds go straight into a Relay for Life account.

“Relay for Life is part of the American Cancer society and that is used for cancer research as well as services for some of our cancer patients in our area,” says Taylor-Joseph.

Inmates facing prosecution from the state are expected to be moved-in shortly after the jail opens to the public. That means the fundraiser is likely a one-time experience.

Those still interested in donating to cancer research can participate in the Relay for Life event taking place on June 12th at the Starke County Fairgrounds.

Starke County Commissioners Lower Speed Limit on State Road 8

Published: February 9, 2015
By: Mary Perren, WKVI

The speed limit on State Road 8 east of Knox has been lowered from 55 to 45 miles per hour in anticipation of opening the new Starke County Jail in a few months. INDOT did a quick study based on a request from local officials and agreed to reduce the speed limit out to the railroad tracks due to the increased traffic count that the jail will create.

Tentative plans call for the facility to open in June, but new speed limit signs are already in place. Starke County Highway Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners he believes the lower limit will make it safer for officers entering and leaving the facility.

Prescription Drop-offs Continue Hazard Prevention Efforts

Published: January 26, 2015
By: Tyler Maffitt, WKVI

The Starke County Sheriff’s Department says their prescription drug drop-off program continues to bode well.

A box sits in the lobby of the Starke County Jail that’s intended to act as a receptacle for the prescriptions. Drop-off programs are designed to protect water supplies, prevent taking expired medication, and reduce the spread of medications used as an illegal narcotic.

Starke County Sheriff Bill Dulin says this streamlines the process.

“Well you don’t want to flush them down in the stool,” says Dulin. “This, it’s just an easier way for us to dispose of them in the proper way rather than discarding them in the septic or the toilet.”

Starke County says its busiest time of year for prescription drop-offs is typically during warmer weather when individuals perform annual spring cleaning.

Typically, any prescription drugs received at the county level are kept in a locked box until they can be cataloged. Dulin says there is a person on staff designated to handle those tasks.

“The person that’s going to be assigned to it does log them down, and then their duties are just a basic chain of evidence, then they give them to me and we dispose of them with the state,” says Dulin.

Prior to the program, Dulin says there was no systematic way for individuals to properly get rid of their prescriptions.

If individuals find it difficult to come to the Starke County Jail, the Food and Drug Administration says there are items that can be mixed with certain prescription drugs prior to disposal in your household trash.