Central Indiana Couple Arrested for Allegedly Caging Children

Indiana State Police say they have arrested a central Indiana couple for allegedly confining two of their adopted children in a horse stall they converted to a cage. According to an ISP news release, the couple had installed wire cage material on the horse stall to prevent escape and had done nothing else to the stall, which housed horses when the children were not locked in it. The couple are residents of rural Greentown, near Kokomo. The 47-year-old man and 45-year-old woman face multiple counts of Neglect of a Dependent.

Two from WCHS Win Lilly Scholarships

The Kosciusko County Community Foundation has announced the Kosciusko County recipients of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship for 2006. Lauren Cooper and Kyle Watson are both students at Warsaw Community High School. Cooper is the daughter of Shayna and Gary Cooper. She plans to study Economics and International Relations in college. Academically, she is ranked number one in her class. Watson is the son of Joyce and Toby Young. He plans to study Biochemistry/Pre-Medicine in college. Academically, he is ranked in the top four percent of his class. The scholarship provides tuition and a fee stipend for four years toward an undergraduate degree at any accredited college or university, public or private, in Indiana. Recipients are selected based on academics, school and work activities, community service, essay responses and letters of reference/recommendation.

Warsaw Announces Good Friday Trash Schedule

In observance of Good Friday the City of Warsaw will not collect trash on Friday, April 14. Residents who normally receive trash pickup on Fridays will instead need to put out their trash for pickup on Thursday, April 13.

Reward Offered in Huntington Arson Case

Intentionally set fires have done so much damage to a Huntington factory that the company has offered up a 10-thousand-dollar reward. The most recent fire happened Tuesday evening at the C-F-M U-S Corporation plant, formerly known as the Majestic Company. Since last November, arson fires have done about 250-thousand dollars worth of damage to the factory.

Middlebury Woman's Killer Gets Life

A 19-year-old man got a sentence of life in prison without parole yesterday, for killing a Middlebury woman and leaving her body in a Kosciusko County corn field. Spenser Krempetz had pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy, and criminal confinement. The victim was Barbara Keim, who was the mother of Kremptetz’ girlfriend. The girlfriend and another conspirator are still awaiting sentencing.

Demo. Congressional Candidates Debate

Two of the four Democratic candidates for Congressman Mark Souder’s seat debated in Kendallville last night. Among the topics was campaigning. Presbyterian minister Kevin Boyd proposed limiting the amount of time congressman are allowed to campaign for reelection. But physician Tom Hayhurst disagreed, saying that congressmen could be found in violation of such a restriction by merely talking to constituents.

Ammunition Explodes as Trooper's Car Burns

Bullets began flying in Interstate 70 in western Indiana yesterday, after a state trooper’s car caught fire. As the car burned, ammunition inside began to explode, so police shut down the Interstate for about half an hour. No one was hurt. State Police say the car’s catalytic converter caught fire after the car got stuck in mud while the trooper tried to cross the median.

DST Won't Steal Time from Taverns

One minute after 1:59 a.m. this Sunday, it'll be 3 a.m., the time Indiana taverns close for the night. That would mean the swtich to daylight savings time would steal an hour of Saturday night business from Hoosier bars. But Governor Daniels says he's not going to let that happen. According to a news release from the governor's office, Indiana taverns will be allowed to keep their clocks on standard time and stay open until 3 a.m. Sunday morning, which will officially be 4 a.m. EDT.

CANI Announces Location, Hours Changes

Community Action of Northeast Indiana (CANI) has announced that its Warsaw office has moved to a new location. Beginning March 31, CANI'’s Warsaw office will be at 501 E. Arthur St. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays only. The telephone numbers remain the same: (574) 267-4492 or (877) 287-7840. In addition, CANI'’s Whitley County office will reduce its days of operation, effective April 3. The Whitley County office will be open Wednesdays, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located at 333 N. Oak St., Suite K, Columbia City. During other times, persons seeking assistance may call the main Fort Wayne office at (260) 423-3546 or (800) 589-2264. CANI is a private, nonprofit social service agency that administers several programs to help low-income people become self-sufficient.

Whitley Students Excel on Science Test

Seventh grade students in Whitley County Consolidated Schools did far better than average on the new ISTEP science test. According to figures released yesterday by the Indiana Department of Education, 52 percent of the state’s 80-thousand seventh graders passed the new science test. But at Whitley County Consolidated, 70 percent passed. Here’s the percentage that passed at other school districts in the Q101 area: Whitko, 58 percent. Huntington County Community, 55 percent. And students at Warsaw Community Schools matched the state average with 52 percent passing. Complete ISTEP results are available on the DOE's web site.

Board Approves Whitley Shooting Range

Indiana State Police have gotten the go-ahead from Whitley County zoning officials to build a new shooting range. Although neighbors objected, I-S-P will build the facility on Hiler Road, near County Road 700-East. The zoning board did restrict the hours of the shooting range and the number of agencies that can use the facility.

Sampson Officially Named IU Coach

Indiana University President Adam Herbert and IU Athletics Director Rick Greenspan officially announced this afternoon that IU has hired Kelvin Sampson to be the university's next men's head basketball coach. Sampson replaces Mike Davis, who stepped down at the end of the 2005-06 season after leading the Hoosiers to the NCAA Tournament. Sampson is a two-time national coach of the year who led Oklahoma to 11 NCAA Tournament appearances (three Sweet 16, two Elite Eight and one Final Four finish), 10 20-plus win seasons, three Big 12 Tournament titles and a share of the 2004-05 regular season league crown during his 12 years with the Sooners. See the official announcement on IU's web site.

Staff Sgt. Beery, Kosciusko Co. Native, to be Buried in Ky.

Funeral and burial arrangements have been announced for a Kosciusko County native who died while serving in Iraq last week. Funeral services 30-year-old Staff Sergeant Brock Beery will take place in a funeral home in Bowling Green, Kentucky Friday. He’ll be buried with full military honors in a Bowling Green cemetery. Beery was a full-time member of the Kentucky National Guard who had volunteered for duty in Iraq. Last Thursday, an improvised explosive device along a road near Baghdad killed Beery. He was a graduate of Tippecanoe Valley High School and his parents still live in the Warsaw area.

Electrical Fire Reported in Warsaw Apartment

A report of an electrical fire sent Warsaw firefighters to an apartment on Walter Way early this morning. Not much information is available yet, but we do know that firefighters called E-M-S to the scene to check out the resident.

Hunting Preserve Gets Injunction

A judge has ordered the state to keep its hands off a high-fence hunting preserve in southern Indiana. The judge granted a temporary injunction that keeps the state from using new rules to stop hunts at the preserve. The order does not protect a similar business near Pierceton.

Report: IU Has New Basketball Coach

ESPN is reporting that Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson has agreed to become the new head basketball coach at Indiana University. An ESPN report earlier today said that Sampson had informed Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione about his plan to leave the school. ESPN reported that a news conference announcing Sampson's hiring at Indiana could take place as early as tomorrow afternoon in Bloomington.

Manchester College Among "Best Overall Values"

Manchester College announced this morning that The Princeton Review has listed Manchester among the nation’s “best overall values – based on cost and financial aid – among the most academically outstanding colleges in the nation.” Seven Indiana colleges made the annual list, which appears in a guidebook that hit newsstands today. Ball State University, Earlham College, Indiana University, Indiana State University, Purdue University and Wabash College also made the list.

Kosciusko Community Hospital CEO Resigns

Kosciusko Community Hospital (KCH) announced this morning that C.E.O. Michael Mullins has resigned to take a job at a Tennessee hospital. Mullins has lead KCH for five years. His last day on the job is April 28.

Board Investigates Reopening Claypool Elementary

The Warsaw school board continues to consider reopening Claypool Elementary School. Last night, the board voted to find out how many students would attend Claypool Elementary if it reopens fall. The board also voted to find out how much reopening Claypool would cost.

Governor Signs Fireworks Bill

Indiana’s fireworks law has officially changed. Yesterday, the governor signed into law a provision that makes it legal for Hoosiers to ignite what used to be known as “out-of-state” fireworks. But it has to be on your own property, unless you have the permission of the property owner.

Biomet Chief Retires

Warsaw orthopedic company Biomet, Inc. announced today that Dane A. Miller, Ph.D., the company's President and Chief Executive Officer and a co-founder, has retired. Miller has held the positions since Biomet was formed in 1977. He is 60 years old. Biomet's board of directors has appointed Senior Vice President Daniel P. Hann, the Company's General Counsel and a member of the Board, to be President and Chief Executive Officer on an interim basis.

Guilty Verdict in North Manchester Murder

A North Manchester homicide has led to the conviction of a Peru man on charges of burglary, robbery and murder. Saturday, a jury determined that 24-year-old Jacob Malone broke into 30-year-old Leodegario Rodriguez’ home last July, killed him as he slept by striking his head with a baseball bat and then stole 326 dollars from Rodriguez’ wallet. Malone could get up to 65 years in prison on the murder charge. The prosecutor has also charged four other people with being involved in the crime. He says he expects the other defendants to accept plea agreements.

Kosciusko Native Dies in Iraq

The war in Iraq killed a Kosciusko County native last week. An improvised explosive device killed 30-year-old Staff Sergeant Brock Beery of the Kentucky National Guard. Beery most recently lived in Tennessee. He graduated from Tippecanoe Valley High School. His family says they plan to hold a memorial service in Warsaw.

School Board to Discuss Overcrowding Solutions

The Warsaw Community Schools board plans to discuss solutions to overcrowding in some of its elementary schools tonight. The board holds a work session at seven o’clock at Edgewood Middle School and the main item on the agenda is a report by the School Status and Options Committee.

Huntingon Co. Semi Crash Traps Trucker

Huntington County rescue crews needed more than an hour to extricate a trucker from the cab of his semi this morning… after the rig rolled over on State Road Five. The crash happened just before 5:30 about four miles north of Huntington. A helicopter flew the trucker from the scene to a Fort Wayne hospital. No word yet on his condition.

HHS Secretary Warns of Pandemic at State Conf.

The nation's top health official urged Indiana's local governments, hospitals and businesses yesterday to plan diligently for the threat of an influenza pandemic. U-S Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt says it’s only a matter of time before the world sees a global outbreak from the bird flu or some other virus. About 400 people attended a flu pandemic summit at Purdue University yesterday.

President in Indy Today

Indianapolis gets a visit from President Bush today. Mr. Bush will attend a fund-raiser for ninth-district Republican Congressman Mike Sodrel… who is involved in one of the closest Congressional races in the country.

Plane Crash Kills J.D. Byrider Auto Chain Founder

The founder of Indiana’s J-D Byrider used car chain died yesterday in a plane crash in Florida. James DeVoe was one of three people aboard a twin-engine Cessna that crashed as it approached an airport.

Insanity Defense Filed in Sword Death of Mother

A court has ordered psychiatric exams for a 19-year-old Cromwell man who allegedly stabbed his mother to death with a sword. The man has filed an insanity plea in the case. Court records accuse him of stabbing his mother at least three times with a 24-inch sword during an argument February 23rd. 53-year-old Rene Smith died in her home on Enchanted Forest Lane, near the east shore of Lake Wawasee. The son faces charges of murder and involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he could get up to 65 years in prison.

Crash Kills North Webster Man

A 39-year-old North Webster man died in a two-vehicle crash on U-S Six in Noble County yesterday afternoon. State police say Jerry Burkhead’s pick-up truck rear-ended a car that had slowed or stopped for traffic. Police say the occupants of the car suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

Whitley Inmate Admits Trying to Kill Cellmate

An inmate in the Whitley County Jail has admitted trying to kill his cellmate in January. The 25-year-old man pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder. He could get from 20 to 50 years in prison when a court sentences him in May. The man was originally in jail on charges of burglary, attempted burglary, theft, violating probation and being a habitual offender.

Gov. Signs New Self-Defense Law

Governor Daniels has signed into law legislation that clarifies when Hoosiers can protect themselves with deadly force. The new law explicitly states that people do not need to retreat before they use deadly force in self-defense.

Designated Driver Busted for OWI

State Police say a bouncer from a tavern in Rochester was giving two patrons a ride home early this morning, because they customers had too much to drink… but a trooper stopped the car and busted the bouncer for operating while intoxicated. Police say the 25-year-old Rochester resident had a blood-alcohol content of more than twice the legal limit.

New Scholarship for Kosciusko IU Students

The Indiana University Alumni Chapter of Kosciusko County has established a new scholarship through the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. I.U. students who are residents of Kosicusko County and meet other criteria are eligible. The application deadline is April 1. Contact the Kosciusko County Community Foundation for more information.

Fenced Hunting Ban Approved

New state regulations could force a business near Pierceton to stop allowing so-called canned hunting within the next couple months. Yesterday, a state commission gave final approval to new regulations that would ban the hunting of deer inside fenced areas. State law allows Hoosiers to own, breed and sell white-tailed deer… but the director of the Department of Natural Resources says that law does not permit the hunting of such animals. The new regulations probably won’t take effect for about 60 days… and there’s a chance that a court could issue a restraining order that would block enforcement of the new regulations.

Daniels: Full-Day Kindergarten More Likely

Governor Daniels says an improvement in the state’s finances means full-day kindergarten could get started statewide by the fall of 2007. Daniels has supported the concept for a while, but he says so far, the state hasn’t been able to afford it.

Central Indiana Storm Drops 7+ Inches of Snow

The heaviest accumulation from yesterday’s snow storm in central Indiana was 7.4 inches, which fell in the city of Brazil, near Terre Haute. State police say no one received life-threatening injuries in any of the dozens of crashes that happened.

Fort Wayne Residents Allegedly Dealt Cocaine in Warsaw

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force announced this morning that it has arrested three Fort Wayne residents for allegedly dealing crack cocaine. Two of the suspects are 25 years old and the third is 29. All three face charges of dealing cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school in Warsaw. According to a news release, a month-long investigation led to the arrests.

Spring Snow Storm Arrives in Cent. Indiana

A major snow storm arrived in central Indiana this morning. It’s the same storm that dumped more than two feet of snow on the Plains yesterday and led to the deaths of at least five people. In the Hoosier state, forecasters say the biggest problems will be south and west of Indianapolis. Those areas could get six inches of snow. Here in the Q101 area meteorologist Tom Churchill says we won’t see any significant accumulation. That sure wasn’t the story further west, where the storm dropped 25 inches of snow on Nebraska yesterday. South Dakota got up to 18 inches and up to 10 inches fell in Kansas.

City Council Member Dies

Veteran Columbia City Council member Robert Phillips has died of an illness. Phillips was serving his fourth term on the council. He was 77. A Republican caucus will elect someone to complete Phillips’ term on Council.

Robber of Warren Store Sentenced

A Huntington judge has sentenced a 19-year-old Marion man to 10 years in prison, for robbing a store in the Huntington County town of Warren last August. Billy Jack Holder had pleaded guilty to charges related to the robbery of the Dollar General store.

VA to Open Clinic in Peru

In Peru, a local Veteran’s Affairs official says the V-A plans to open a clinic there in 2008. The official says the new clinic will offer primary health care and prescription drug services.

Biomet Posts Record Sales, Earnings

Warsaw’s Biomet, Incorporated has reported record sales and earnings for its third quarter, which ended February 28th. According to a company news release, net sales increased five percent, operating income increased nine percent and net income increased 10 percent.

String of Deadly Fires Prompts Advice

Indiana has just experienced the deadliest two-week stretch of house fires in at least a decade. Now, the state's top firefighter urged Hoosiers Thursday to install smoke detectors and take other commonsense steps to avoid tragedy. State Fire Marshal Roger Johnson says 19 people… including 11 children have died in Indiana house fires in two weeks. Johnson says in more than half of the homes, investigators could find no sign of working smoke detectors.

Appeals Court Reduces Huntington Man's Sentence

The Indiana Court of Appeals has reduced the sentence of a Huntington man who stabbed his girlfriend to death last year. The appeals court cut 10 years off Clint Barrus’ 50-year sentence. It agreed that the circuit judge who sentenced Barrus considered aggravating factors that weren’t supported by the facts of the case.

Daughter Pleads Guilty in Mother's Murder

A 17-year-old girl from Middlebury has pleaded guilty to murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and criminal confinement in the death of her mother. According to testimony, one of the conspirators walked Barbara Jo Keim into a Kosciusko County cornfield in August of 2005 and shot her to death. Under the terms of a plea agreement, the daughter would be sentenced to 100 years in prison.

Daniels Expects Fast Movement on Road Projects

Governor Daniels says he expects officials in the state highway department to move ahead quickly on road projects… now that the state is about to receive three-point-eight billion dollars for leasing the Indiana Toll Road. Yesterday, Daniels signed into law the bill that authorizes the Toll Road lease. He expects to close the deal with a private consortium of Spanish and Australian companies by June 30. And that’s when the state will get the big check… which it will spend on nearly 200 road projects around the state. Among the projects: improvements to U-S 31 and completion of the Hoosier Heartland Corridor between Fort Wayne and Lafayette.

Crash Closes U.S. 24 Near Ft. Wayne

A section of U-S 24 east of Fort Wayne was closed down most of the night and police said they expected it will remain closed through the morning rush hour. A head-on crash between two semi trucks killed at least one person and injured others. State Police say if you’re headed toward Ohio this morning, you should get off I-469 at State Road 37 or U-S 30. If you need to, you can cut back to U-S 24 via State Road 101.

Fire at Huntington Factory

Huntington City firefighters responded to a structure fire last night at the Majestic fireplace factory on the city’s east side. The fire reportedly started in a storage room and no on was hurt. No further information about the fire is available this morning.

Bayh to Introduce Federal Funeral Protest Bill

Senator Bayh says he will introduce federal legislation to limit protests at military funerals across the country. Bayh says his bill is modeled on new state laws in Indiana and other states.

Senior Agencies Get Foundation Grants

The Kosciusko County Community Foundation announced this afternoon that it has awarded two grants benefiting area seniors. The Kosciusko County Council on Aging and Aged was awarded a $6,000 grant for age and mobility appropriate furnishings for their Senior Activity Center. Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, located in North Webster, received a $10,000 grant for the purchase of new computers for their computer and digital camera classes.

Toll Road Lease Passes

Despite a poll that showed less than a third of Hoosiers approved, the legislature has passed a bill that will allow the state to lease the Indiana Toll Road to a private company. Just before last night’s midnight deadline, the Senate passed the bill by a 12-vote margin, but the House vote was closer… 51 to 48. In the House, Representative David Wolkins of Winona Lake was the only Republican who voted against the bill. All House Democrats opposed it. When the Governor signs the bill into law, the state will get nearly four billion dollars for road projects, by leasing the Toll Road.

Property Tax Credit Passes

A bill passed by legislators during the final hours of their session last night assures that many Indiana homeowners won't see huge increases in their property tax bills this year. If Governor Daniels signs the property tax bill , it will provide one-time tax credits for about 1.5 million owner-occupied homes. The tax credits would cost state about 100-million dollars.

Fireworks Bill Passes

A bill that would allow Indiana residents to shoot off fireworks on their property won final legislative approval yesterday. The legislation also includes an extra tax on fireworks, which would bring in money that would go toward public safety.

Abortion Bill Dies

One bill that did not gain passage before the midnight deadline dealt with abortion. The bill would have required clinics to inform women seeking an abortion that human physical life begins at conception and that a fetus might feel pain. The House passed the bill, but the Senate didn’t vote on it. Abortion rights activists had spoken against the bill Tuesday, saying it injected religious beliefs into law and did not rely on solid medical science.

Daniels Signs Telecom Bill

Governor Daniels has signed into law a bill that will allow phone companies to set their own rates, without government oversight. Supporters say the bill will promote high-speed Internet development in Indiana, but opponents say it will lead to higher phone bills.

Hostage-Taker Shoots Self

A hostage situation in the DeKalb County town of Garrett ended yesterday with the hostage-taker shooting himself. Police say the 51-year-old man had taken his estranged wife hostage in the home of her parents. He shot himself after four hours of negotiations with police. He’s in critical condition this morning at a Fort Wayne hospital. No one else was hurt.

Worker Injured in Columbia City Industrial Accident

An industrial accident near Columbia City reportedly injured one worker yesterday. Few details are available this morning, but the accident happened at the Fort Wayne Foundry plant at about five o’clock yesterday afternoon. E-M-S took the man to a Fort Wayne hospital.

Insurance Company Repeats as Quiz Bowl Champs

Warsaw’s Source One Insurance took top honors, for the second year in a row, in the sixth annual Warsaw Education Foundation Community Quiz Bowl. The Quiz Bowl was held last night at Warsaw Community High School with thirty-three teams vying for top honors. Ivy Tech Community College was the second place team and a combined Lakeview Middle School and Depuy team took third in the competition. The five-person teams answered questions from the categories 2005 in Review, Indiana Facts, Academics, and “Etcetera.” The Community Quiz Bowl raised nearly $7,000 for the Warsaw Education Foundation, which provides Red Apple Grants to Warsaw teachers for outstanding academic projects.

Bourbon Resident to Run for Ind. House

Rahe

A Bourbon resident has announced his candidacy for the district 23 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. Chris Rahe will run as a Democrat for the seat now held by Republican William Friend of Macy, who is running for reelection. Rahe works in his home as a webmaster for a non-profit organization. District 23 includes portions of portions of Kosciusko, Fulton, Miami, Marshall and Elkhart Counties.

Kosciusko to Get Major Biofuels Plant

According to a news release this morning from the Warsaw Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce, Governor Daniels is expected to announce today that Louis Dreyfus Agricultural Industries, LLC will build a major biofuels plant near the Kosciusko County town of Claypool. The Chamber reports that Phase one of the project will be a soybean processing facility that will initially employ approximately 80 workers. The second phase of the Dreyfus plan is an 80-million-gallon-per-year biodiesel plant, which would be the largest biodiesel plant in the United States.

Lawmakers, staffers to speak in Columbia City

The Columbia City Area Chamber of Commerce will present a "Legislative Overview," Saturday, March 11 at the Parkview Whitley Hospital Auditorium, 353 North Oak Street, Columbia City. The event begins with a free continental breakfast from 8 to 8:30 a.m. A meeting with legislators and/or their staff members runs from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The following plan to attend:

• U.S. Congressman Mark Souder
• Regional Director for US Senator Lugar, Phil Shaull
• Regional Director for US Senator Bayh, Hodge Patel
• State Senator Dr. Gary Dillon
• State Representative Dan Leonard

Dana Corp. Files Bankruptcy

Dana Corp., an auto parts manufacturer that has plants in the Q101 area, announced today that the company and 40 of its U.S. subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Dana Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Burns said, "The Chapter 11 process provides the company an opportunity to fix our business comprehensively -- financially and operationally. This will be fundamental change, not just incremental improvement. The Chapter 11 process allows us to continue normal business operations, while we restructure our debt and other obligations and enhance performance."