Etna Green Bank Robbed, Suspects Captured

Police arrested three men and a woman today after an armed robbery at the National City Bank branch in Etna Green this morning. After the 11 a.m. robbery, witnesses observed the suspects leave in two get-away cars. A short time later, police found one of the cars abandoned and saw two men walking nearby. Police arrested both men without incident. A Warsaw police officer spotted and stopped the other get-away car. Police arrested a man and a woman who were inside the car. According to a news release, police recovered clothing and two firearms at the Etna Green cemetery. The suspects are all in their 20s. Two of the men and the woman have Warsaw addresses. One man has a Leesburg address. They are all held without bond on preliminary charges of armed robbery.

Shooting Kills South Bend Police Officer

A South Bend police officer who was shot Friday night has died. Police say 36-year-old Corporal Scott Severns saved the life of a female friend by stepping between her and an armed boy who was trying to rob them. Severns died yesterday of brain injuries related to the shooting. Police have two suspects in custody, including the male juvenile they believe shot Severns three times while trying to rob him his friend. The woman was not injured.

Small Plane Disappears Near Bloomington

A six-seat Cessna aircraft disappeared near Bloomington last night. Air traffic controllers say the plane was preparing to land at the Monroe County Airport when it dropped off their radar screens. Rescue crews have picked up an emergency radio beacon, but at last report, rain and fog had kept them from finding the aircraft.

Update: State Police say rescuers have found the plane just south of the Monroe County airport and that all five people aboard died. Police have not released any names, but they say at least some of the people on board were Indiana University students.

Biodiesel Plant an Answer to Councilman's Prayers

Officials near the southern Kosciusko County town of Claypool broke ground yesterday on what will be the world’s largest biodiesel plant. Town Council President Don Miller says the plant greatly exceeds his expectations…

Hear Miller talk about his prayers for Claypool's revitilization:

Several V-I-Ps, including Governor Daniels and Lieutenant Governor Skillman attended yesterday’s ceremonies. It’ll take about a year and a half to build the new plant.

Southern Indiana Child Killer Sentenced

The man who admitted abducting, molesting and killing a 10-year-old southern Indiana girl last year learned his fate yesterday. A judge sentenced 39-year-old Anthony Stockelman to life in prison without parole for the crimes against Katie Collman. Stockelman avoided the death penalty through a plea agreement.

Knox Police Search for Child Abductor

Police in the northwest Indiana town of Knox are looking for a child abductor this morning. They say a man pulled a plastic bag over his head and pulled him into a van yesterday. The boy escaped a short time later.

Officials Break Ground for Claypool Biofuel Plant

Governor Daniels, Lt. Governor Skillman and other officials broke ground this morning on the world’s largest biodiesel production plant near the southern Kosciusko County town of Claypool. At the groundbreaking ceremony, Daniels said, “Agribusiness is a core element of our economic comeback plan, and renewable energy production is the lead item in the agricultural component of our strategy.” Plant owner Louis Dreyfus Agriculture Industries expects the facility to produce up to 250,000 gallons of biodiesel per day, totaling more than 80 million gallons per year. An integrated on-site soybean processing plant will provide about 260,000 metric tons of soybean oil for the biodiesel production.

Groundbreaking Today for Claypool Biodiesel Plant

Groundbreaking ceremonies this morning will officially begin construction of a huge biodiesel plant near the southern Kosciusko County town of Claypool. When it’s finished, the plant will be the largest facility of its kind in the world. Construction will employ about 300 people and take about a year and a half. Once the plant is up and running, about 85 people will work there. Governor Daniels, Lieutenant Governor Skillman and Congressman Souder will be among the V-I-Ps at this morning’s groundbreaking ceremonies.

New Voting Machines Present Problems

Kosciusko, Whitley and other counties in the Q101 area could have major problems counting the vote during the May 2nd primary election. That’s because a company installed uncertified software in electronic voting machines those counties bought. If state election officials don’t certify the software in time, the affected counties might have to use hand-counted paper ballots instead. The voting machine company didn’t even submit the software for certification until this week – only two weeks before the election. State officials have threatened heavy fines against the company.

V.P. to Visit Indy

Vice President Dick Cheney plans a brief visit to Indianapolis tomorrow to attend a private fundraiser for the Republican National Committee. The Indianapolis Star reported that tickets for the lunch-time event start at $250 per person.

State Unveils New Tourism Slogan

“Enjoy Indiana” is out and “Restart Your Engines” is the state’s new slogan to promote tourism. State officials say focus groups connected the slogan to both the state's motorsports industry and a reference to rejuvenation.

Teacher's Union to Sue Over School Funding

Indiana’s largest teacher's union says it will sue the state over how it funds public schools. The Indiana State Teacher’s Association says it will file suit on behalf of nine parents in eight school districts around the state. The suit will name Governor Daniels, State School Superintendent Suellen Reed and the State Board of Education has defendants. The I-S-T-A says the suit will claim that the state does not give public schools enough money to meet mandated performance standards. And I-S-T-A officials say the state’s funding formula is "arbitrary" and "irrational" when it comes to spending on students who have special needs.

Mumps Epidemic Reaches Indiana

A mumps epidemic has reached the Hoosier state. Now, Indiana is one of nine Midwestern states in which residents have come down with the disease. Iowa has at least 815 cases so far this year. It's the nation's biggest mumps epidemic since the late eighties. There have been no reports of deaths from the current epidemic.

Fewer Hoosier Teens Buy Tobacco

The state has just issued a report on the number of retailers who sold tobacco to minors in 2004. During that year, sales to minors reached a record low, with less than 13 percent of the state’s stores getting caught. No numbers are available yet for 2005.

Parents Charged for Teen's Truancy

The parents of a 13-year-old girl in Portage could end up going to jail, for allegedly allowing their daughter to skip school. Prosecutors have charged the couple with educational neglect of a dependent. School officials say the girl has missed 102 days of school this year and she missed another 58 days over the past two years.

Train Derails, Disconnects Phones

About 53-hundred Goshen residents lost telephone service yesterday, when a freight train derailed. Eight cars left the tracks, but the derailment did not injure anyone or spill any hazardous materials.

State Rep. Plans Syracuse, Pierceton Meetings

State Representative Bill Ruppel (R-North Manchester) will hold town hall meetings in Syracuse on Wednesday, April 26 and in Pierceton on Thursday, April 27. The meetings will provide opportunities for constituents to ask questions about the recent legislative session and about state government in general. The April 26 meeting runs from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Syracuse Town Hall. The April 27 meeting runs from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Pierceton Community Building. For more information, contact Ruppel's office, (800) 382-9841, or via email, h22@in.gov.

Wabash County Sheriff Promotes Reserves

Wabash County Sheriff Leroy Striker has announced four promotions within the Wabash County Sheriff's Reserve Unit. Following the recent retirements of Lieutenants Terry Niccum and Kent Terrill, Reserve Captain Walter Woods and Sheriff Striker promoted former Sergeants Chris Reynolds and Troy Stout into those administrative positions. Following the promotions of Reynolds and Stout, Reserve Officers Stacy Frehse and Mark Lighthner were selected to fill the vacant Road Sergeant positions.

Middlebury Teen Gets 100 Years for Killing Mom

A judge in Goshen sentenced an 18-year-old woman to 100 years in prison yesterday. Hannah Stone had been convicted of murder, conspiracy and criminal confinement in the death of her mother, Barbara Keim. Keim’s body turned up in a Kosciusko County cornfield.

Appeals Court: Hoosier Same-Sex Couples May Adopt

The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that same-sex couples can legally adopt children in Indiana. The court overturned a lower court that had barred a lesbian couple from adopting an infant girl.

State Sued Over Toll Road Lease

Two separate lawsuits seek to keep the state from turning the Indiana Toll Road over to a private company. Both suits claim that leasing the Toll Road violates Indiana’s constitution. A spokesperson for Governor Daniels says the claim is “without merit.” Officials from the state and the private company signed on the dotted line yesterday. Unless the lawsuits delay the process, state officials expect the private company to take over the Toll Road by June 30th.

U.S 31 Project Ahead of Schedule

A state lawmaker says the state could begin buying land this summer for a project to turn U.S. 31 between Plymouth and South Bend into a limited-access highway. Republican Representative Jackie Walorski of Lakeville says the state has completed a final environmental impact statement, and that could allow the state to begin buying land three years earlier than expected.

Video Leads to Molesting Charges

In Southern Indiana, a 50-year-old man allegedly videotaped himself molesting a young boy. Police arrested him yesterday, after a highway worker found the video tape along a state highway. Police had to search elementary schools and child care centers around Columbus to identify the victim on the tape.

Toll Road Lease Signed

The Indiana Finance Authority and ITR Concession Company LLC, the joint venture formed by Cintra and Macquarie, today executed the lease agreement for the Indiana Toll Road. According to a news release from the Governor's office, the parties will now move toward closure of the $3.8 billion, 75-year Toll Road lease by June 30. The lease includes an addendum, which provides for:

• a “toll freeze” for passenger vehicles at current rates until electronic tolling is put in place;
• a 40 percent discount through June 30, 2016, for passenger vehicles utilizing electronic tolling;
• and continuation of commuter discount cards until the availability of electronic tolling.

Lightning Strikes Q101 Radio Tower

Lightning struck the transmission tower of radio station Q101, WLZQ-FM at about 8:30 a.m. today, damaging the station’s main transmitter beyond repair. The tower is located in southeastern Kosciusko County and its signal serves Warsaw, Columbia City, North Manchester, South Whitley and other parts of Kosciusko, Whitley, Wabash and Huntington Counties. From about 8:30 a.m. to about 11 a.m., The New Q101 was off the air completely. At about 11 a.m., the station returned to the air, using a backup, low-power transmitter. The back-up transmitter is operating at approximately five percent of the station’s normal power, according to The New Q101 General Manager Chris Larko.

“We still have a good signal in Warsaw, Columbia City, North Manchester and South Whitley,” Larko said, “But listeners in outlying areas and inside buildings might have some difficulty receiving our signal until we replace the main transmitter.”

Larko said the station continues to make its program available to listeners via its web site, TheNewQ101.com. He said it is too early to know how soon a new transmitter might be on the air.

Gasoline Price Increases Expected to Continue

Gasoline prices in the Warsaw area are up to 2-68 a gallon for regular unleaded this morning. And experts say prices will just keep going up at least through the month of May. Despite high prices for the summer vacation season, the U-S Energy Department and the Triple-A says it’s unlikely that many Americans will cut back on driving… and that’s about the only thing that could make prices go down.

Women Sentenced for Whitley Drunken Driving Death

A judge in Columbia City has sentenced an Albion woman for killing a 19-year-old man by driving drunk last October. The judge ordered 44-year-old Lori Pulley to serve two years on work-release, followed by two years of probation. She’d been convicted of hitting Grant Reilly as he walked along State Road 1-09 and then leaving him along the side of the road.

Two N.E. Indiana Wheel Plants to Close

About 500 workers in Steuben and Grant Counties are about to lose their jobs. Amcast Industrial Corporation has announced plans to close its aluminum wheel plants in Fremont and Gas City. The company blames a loss of revenue from General Motors.

Another I.U. Student Dies Mysteriously

For the second time in a week, an Indiana University student has died mysteriously. Authorities in Kentucky say an autopsy has failed to reveal the reason a 21-year-old Portage woman died after a fraternity event in Louisville. Last week, another I-U student was found dead in her bed in a sorority house … and her autopsy also failed to establish a cause of death.

Fire Destroys Albion Home

Fire destroyed a house in Albion yesterday. A man and his three sons were already outside when the man noticed smoke coming from the roof. No one was hurt and the cause remains under investigation this morning.

Warsaw Chamber Plans Candidate Forum

The Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce and the Warsaw Rotary Club will host a “Meet The Candidate” event Tuesday, April 18, 2006 at 7:00 a.m. at the Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw. The sponsors have invited every candidate whose name will appear on the primary ballot in Kosciusko County May 2. Each candidate will have an opportunity for a two-minute presentation. Voters will also have opportunities to meet candidates and ask questions. Fore more information, call (574) 267-6311 or visit the Chamber's web site.

Forum Planned for Whitley Candidates

Three Whitley County chambers of commerce will host a county election forum Tuesday, April 18. The forum, at 7 pm in the Carver Center at Indian Springs Middle School, will provide voters an opportunity to meet candidates for all county offices up for election this year. The event is sponsored by the Columbia City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Churubusco Chamber of Commerce and the South Whitley Chamber of Commerce.

Thousands Participate in Indiana Immigration Demonstrations

Thousands of people marched in Indianapolis and South Bend yesterday as part of nationwide immigration reform demonstrations. Indianapolis officials estimate that 10-thousand people participated in a demonstration there. Several thousand more marched in South Bend. Hundreds of thousands of people across the country also demonstrated in support of a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. They also rallied against a House bill that would make it a felony to be an illegal immigrant or to help one.

Police-Action Shooting in Kokomo

Kokomo police say an officer shot a man yesterday. Police say the man pointed a gun at the officer after the officer arrived at an apartment to investigate a reported armed robbery. The man with the gun ended up in an Indianapolis hospital, where his condition is not available this morning. The officer was not injured. The resident of the apartment told police that just before the officer arrived, armed men had beaten him while trying to rob him.

Indictment Returned in Murder of I.U. Student

A grand jury in Martinsville has indicted a man in the 2000 murder of 19-year-old Indiana University student Jill Berhman. Police have arrested the 30-year-old Ellettsville man, who officials say did not know Berhman. The college student's skeletal remains were found in 2003.

State Reports Stream, Lake Pollution

A new report from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources says nearly 1,600 streams and lakes in Indiana so polluted; it’s not safe to fish or swim in them. The D-N-R blames pollutants such as bacteria from animal waste, fertilizer, chemicals, mercury and sediment.

Federal Team Returns to Fight TB in Kosciusko

The Indiana State Department of Health announced this morning that a team from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has returned to Kosciusko County to assist in managing the cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in the county. As part of the current outbreak, at least 26 people in Kosciusko County have contracted TB since 1999. Several of those patients have finished their treatments. Treatment lasts an average of nine months. In the winter of 2005, the CDC provided a team of staff members and the Indiana State Department of Health provided a grant to the county health department that allowed the hiring of a nurse and an outreach worker to help with the management of the current cases and further contact investigation. Because of the ongoing investigations and treatment of cases, the CDC has sent a team back to continue their assistance to the county and state and the CDC is also looking to hire a public health advisor to work with the state and area local health departments in continuing the fight against the spread of this disease.

Good Friday Affects Warsaw Trash Collection

Warsaw residents who normally receive trash collection on Fridays will need to put out their trash a day early this week. Because of the Good Friday holiday, crews will make Thursday and Friday collections on Thursday, April 13.

Tanker Crash Closes Interstate

The northbound lanes of Interstate 69 this morning were closed all night at the Angola exit. A gasoline tanker truck overturned last night and spilled some of its load.

10-Year-Old Nearly Drowns in Tub

Fort Wayne police are investigating the near-drowning of a 10 month old boy. Police say the child’s father briefly left him unattended in a bathtub and returned to find the boy unconscious and not breathing. At last report, the child was in critical condition.

Mishawaka Hotel Guests Gassed

A carbon monoxide leak at a Mishawaka hotel sent 22 people to hospitals over the weekend. The manager of the Country Inns and Suites called 9-1-1 after she noticed children becoming ill and collapsing in the dining area. The hotel is closed while workers try to find the source of the deadly gas. The hotel is a part of the same chain as a Fort Wayne hotel that had a bad fire last week.

Grant County Raid Uncovers Possible Explosives

Police say they found what might be military-grade explosives during a drug raid at a home in the Grant County town of Fairmount. The materials were labeled “T-N-T” and “C-4,” but investigators are waiting for a lab to confirm that’s what the materials are.

Local Memorial Service Conducted for Native Soldier

Hundreds of people gathered at a Warsaw church over the weekend, for a memorial service for Staff Sergeant Brock Beery. Beery was a Warsaw native who died while serving in Iraq with the Kentucky National Guard. He was buried in Kentucky a couple weeks ago. Family members who still live in the Warsaw area planned Saturday’s service.

Pursued Driver Crashes into Police Cars, Semi

A crime suspect crashed into two police cars and several other vehicles during a pursuit in the Warsaw area early this morning. Dispatchers say the chase began at about 4:20 a.m. as officers were responding to a report of an unwanted subject northeast of Warsaw. Along the way, a person matching the description of the unwanted suspect fled when police tried to stop him. The pursuit ended about 16 minutes later when the suspect’s vehicle crashed into tractor-trailer rig. That happened on U-S 30 near County Road 200-North on the north side of Warsaw. E-M-S took the suspect to Kosciusko Community Hospital, but dispatchers say no one else was hurt.

Fire Tears Through Ft. Wayne Apartment Building

A two-alarm fire broke out in a Fort Wayne apartment building early this morning. Reports indicate that the fire damaged as many as 10 apartments in a complex on Fort Wayne’s southeast side. So far, no reports of injuries.

Fort Wayne Hotel Burns

Fire heavily damaged a hotel in Fort Wayne yesterday afternoon. No one was hurt when fire broke out The Country Inns and Suites hotel on the city's north side. Investigators say an electrical problem caused the fire.

Autopsy Fails to Determine Cause of Student's Death

The death of an I.U. student remains a mystery this morning. A coroner says an autopsy has ruled out foul play and infectious disease as causes of the death of a 21-year-old student from Grant County. But the autopsy has not provided the cause of the woman’s death. The coroner hopes toxicology results will help. They’re due in four to six weeks.

Andrews, Lagro to Get High-Speed Internet

The Huntington County town of Andrews and the Wabash County town of Lagro are among 33 rural communities to which AT&T Indiana says it is bringing high-speed Internet service. The company credits a new state law that frees much of the telecommunications industry from state regulations.

Biomet Confirms Investment Bank Deal

Biomet, Inc. (NASDAQ:BMET) confirmed today that it has hired investment bank Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated to help Biomet explore "strategic alternatives focused on enhancing shareholder value." In a news release, the Warsaw orthopedic company stated that it has made no decisions and "there is no assurance that this exploration will result in any specific action." Earlier this week, two news sources reported that Biomet had hired Morgan Stanley to advise it on the possible sale of Biomet. Today's news release from Biomet does not confirm or deny that the sale of the company is a possible outcome.

Marine, Indy Native, Dies in Iraq

The military says a Marine who grew up in Indianapolis has died in Iraq. Twenty-nine year old staff Sergeant Eric McIntosh was among three Marines killed in an attack west of Baghdad Sunday.

Toll Road Lease Opponents Have Short Deadline

Opponents of the state's plan to lease the Indiana Toll Road have fewer than 10 days to legally challenge the validity of pending deal. Under a law that authorizes the state to lease the Toll Road, a 15-day window for challenging the lease started March 29 and closes April 13.

I.U. Student Dies Mysteriously

An Indiana University student has died mysteriously in her room in a sorority house. Nichole Birky was a 21-year-old junior from the Grant County town of Jonesboro. Police say another sorority member last saw Birky before she went to sleep. They say Birky had been feeling ill a few days before her death.

Dog Returned After Nearly Five Years

A South Bend couple says they are thrilled to have their dog back nearly five years after it disappeared. Their lhasa apso ran away in 2001, but the South Bend animal control department called them last week to say someone had left the dog tied to the shelter’s front door. She still had the collars and tags she was wearing when she disappeared.

Truck Seat Factory Coming to Whitley County

An auto parts maker has announced plans to open a new plant near Columbia City. Integrated Manufacturing and Assembly plans to hire 260 employees in the next year. They’ll work in the former Superior Essex building along U-S 30 east of Columbia City. The company will build seats for new trucks that General Motors will build at its Allen County assembly plant. Company officials say production at the new seat factory could begin by this November. The company received three million dollars in tax credits from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and 175-thousand dollars in training grants from the state.

Reports: Biomet Gets Advice on Sale

Two news services are reporting that Biomet is taking steps toward a possible sale of the company. The reports indicate that the Warsaw orthopedic company has hired investment bank Morgan Stanley to advise Biomet on a possible sale.

SDI Gets Abatement to Expand Whitley County Plant

The company that operates a steel mill along the Whitley-Allen County line plans to expand the operation. Last night, the Whitley County Council approved a tax abatement for Steel Dynamics. The company says the expansion will create up to 160 new jobs by the second half of 2007.

Columbia City Man Accused of Molesting

Court records accuse a 34-year-old Columbia City man of fondling a 13-year-old girl last October. The man faces a charge of child molesting this morning.

Weather Service Confirms Three Hoosier Tornadoes

The National Weather Service has confirmed that three tornadoes touched down in Indiana during Sunday's storms. Two of the tornadoes were in southern Indiana, around the Lawrence County town of Mitchell and at Seymour in Jackson County. The other tornado touched down southeast of Lafayette in Tippecanoe County.

Smith-Green Hires Interim Supt.

The Smith Green School Board chose an interim superintendent last night. The board hired Jacqueline Beery, who retired in January from an administrative job with East Noble Schools. She takes over for former Superintendent David Martin, who lost his job after his superintendent’s license expired.

Sunday Night Storms Destroy 19 Indiana Homes

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) released results this afternoon of its assessment of damage from severe thunderstorms Sunday night. According to a news release, the storms destroyed 19 homes statewide, caused major damage to 172 homes, minor damage to 232 homes and affected another 125 homes. The storms also destroyed a business in Randolph County, caused major damage to 29 businesses and minor damage to 20 businesses. The IDHS reports that the storms resulted in no deaths in Indiana, but numerous people suffered injuries. The IDHS says none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening. Local emergencies have been declared in Daviess, Jennings, Knox, Greene and Marion Counties, and the local emergency for Shelby County from Friday night’s storms also remains in effect. Shelters have been established in Lawrence County, Jackson County, and Orange County.

Voyeurism Suspect Turns Himself In

Warsaw Police say a 47-year-old rural Akron man turned himself in today to face charges of voyeurism and child exploitation. According to a news release issued this afternoon, The suspect was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail in lieu of a $250,000 bond. Arrest warrants accuse the man of using hidden video equipment to make recordings of a young girl undressing. Police say they obtained DVD made with the equipment and found a video camera hidden in the bedroom of a 10-year-old girl. According to the news release, police found evidence that the recording activity had gone on for several months. Police say the investigation is continuing and that it will likely result in charges of child pornography. Reports indicate that the suspect is a former executive with a Warsaw orthopedic company.

Storms Kill, Cause Damage

Severe storms across the Midwest and South last night killed at least 14 people. In one county in Tennessee, eight people died. Victims also died in Missouri and Illinois. No one died in Indiana, but some minor injuries were reported in central and southern parts of the state. People reported seeing a tornado in downtown Indianapolis and a storm blew out windows from the 20th floor to the 32nd floor of a downtown bank building. The National Weather Service says it won’t know for sure whether tornados touched down in Indiana until meteorologists survey the damage today.

Vacant Warsaw House Burns

Warsaw and Winona Lake firefighters responded to a fire in a vacant house last night. The alarm came in at 10:30 p.m. in the 200 block of South Wood Street. Dispatchers say firefighters reported heavy smoke and flames visible when they arrived. No injuries were reported. Firefighters were on the scene for nearly three hours.

Warsaw Police Looking for Voyeurism Suspect

Warsaw police say they’re looking for a 47-year-old rural Akron man this morning, so they can arrest him on charges of child exploitation and voyeurism. Court records indicate the man allegedly used hidden video equipment to make a recording of a young girl undressing. Reports indicate that the suspect is a former executive of a Warsaw orthopedics company. As of early this morning the Kosciusko County jail reported that the man had not yet been arrested.

Fort Wayne March Protests Immigration Reform

Hundreds of people marched through downtown Fort Wayne yesterday, to protest proposed immigration reform legislation. The demonstrators oppose a bill that the House of Representatives already passed. Among other provisions, the bill would make it a felony to assist a person who is in the country illegally.