Columbia City Installing Security Cameras

Columbia City officials are installing video cameras to boost security in the city’s largest park and at utility centers. Mayor James Fleck says police dispatchers will monitor the cameras at Morsches Park and the city’s wastewater, electrical and water utilities. The city clerk says the project will cost about 98-thousand dollars.

Senate Approves Slot Machines

The Indiana Senate has approved a bill that would allow up to 15-hundred slot machines at each of Indiana's two race tracks. The version of the bill that the Senate passed is different from a version that cleared the House, so the legislation must now return to the House for consideration.

Serial "Dine and Dasher" Arrested

Police in Bloomington have arrested a man who allegedly skipped out on paying his restaurant bill five weeks in a row. Officials say every Wednesday, the same 56-year-old man went to the same restaurant and ordered the same meal – a rib eye steak and two gin and tonics. Every week, he left without paying -- until this week when police were ready and arrested him on charges of theft and resisting law enforcement.

Teen Movie Makers Prompt Police Response

In a rural area near Muncie, police from three departments rushed to a location where a passerby reported seeing a man holding another person at gunpoint. But when the officers got there, they discovered four teenage boys filming a movie for a school project.

Traffic Stop Leads to Meth Lab Bust

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department announced today that officers arrested a Warsaw man Tuesday evening for allegedly having a methamphetamine lab in the trunk of his car. According to a new release, an officer discovered a large number of items involved in the making of methamphetamine during an "Operation Pull-Over" traffic stop on Old U-S 30 East. Officers arrested the 30-year-old man on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of precursors and operating an illegal drug lab.

Wiggins Supports Local Taxes

Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins is joining other mayors from around the state in calling for the authority to increase local taxes. Wiggins and other members of the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns say the legislature should give cities and towns the power to raise sales taxes, food and beverage taxes, and local income taxes. The mayors also want the legislature to remove a cap on property taxes. Some state senators oppose the mayors’ proposal because it is not tied to reducing property taxes. Meanwhile, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee has proposed a new tax plan that would reduce property taxes, in part by using income taxes to pay for school building projects.

Senators Could Amend Minimum Wage Bill

State Senators are considering changes in a bill that would raise the minimum wage in Indiana. In its current form, the bill would raise the state minimum wage above the federal minimum wage. But Senators say they’re thinking about amending the bill to make the state minimum wage the same as the federal wage.

Debate Over Cigarette Tax Relighted

Republicans in the Indiana House say they’re willing to vote for an increase in cigarette taxes, if Democrats agree to dedicate the money to the governor’s health insurance plan, without changing it. Democrats call the offer “grandstanding” and say House Republicans should have voted for the cigarette tax increase when it was before the House earlier this year.

Judge Drops Charge Against Gun-Toting Second-Grader

In Indianapolis, a judge has thrown out a criminal charge against a second-grader who allegedly took a loaded gun to his elementary school. The judge says the school and the Department of Child Services should handle the matter, not a criminal court.

Sorority Sues DePauw University

A sorority has sued DePauw University over the school's decision to expel the organization from its campus. The university’s president took action after former Delta Zeta members accused the sorority of evicting members based on their appearance and popularity.

Company Declines to Confirm Milford Plant Decision

A South Dakota company has declined to confirm that it has abandoned plans to build an ethanol plant near the Kosciusko County town of Milford. Earlier this week, a Kosciusko County commissioner announced that VeraSun Energy had decided not to build the controversial plant. But yesterday, VeraSun officials declined to confirm that report for journalists.

February Crash Kills Silver Lake Man

A Silver Lake resident has died from injuries he received in a February crash in Wabash County. 88-year-old William Adkins died yesterday from a head injury he received in a crash on State Road 15 February 7th.

18 Arrested in Kosciusko "Warrant Blitz"

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department announced yesterday that its officers arrested 18 people Monday during a "warrant blitz." Police spent 12 hours searching for people in Kosciusko County who had outstanding arrest warrants on a variety of charges.

Dead Cats Left Near Huntington Shelter

The operators of a no-kill cat shelter in Huntington County say someone placed two dead cats on a fence near the shelter. Huntington County police are trying to find out who was responsible. They’re asking anyone who saw anything suspicious near the Helping Paws Pet Haven on Old U-S 24 to call police.

Columbia City Group Considers Community Center

A study group in Columbia City will seek public input tonight on whether the city needs a community center and if so, what services it should provide. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the conference rooms at Parkview Whitley Hospital.

1,000+ Rally for Same-Sex Marriage Ban

More than 1,000 people packed the Statehouse yesterday to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. The conservative group Advance America organized the rally. If the legislature approves the amendment this year or in 2008, Hoosiers could vote on its ratification in November of 2008.

State Wants Probation for Marion Nursing Home

State officials have taken a step toward putting a Marion nursing home’s license on probation, after a resident wandered out of the facility last month and died of hypothermia. The state Department of Health wants to require Bradner Village Health Care Center to hire a registered nurse consultant and a licensed administrator consultant for 40 hours per week while it’s on probation.

Businessman Admits Child Porn Possession

The former operator of a Columbia City computer shop has pleaded guilty to 62 counts of possession of child pornography. The Whitley Circuit Court plans to sentence 31-year-old Benjamin Sekel next month. He could get from six months to three years for each count.

Rising Costs Could Curtail "Major Moves"

A published report indicates that the three-point-eight-billion dollars the state got by leasing the Indiana Toll Road might not be enough money to pay for all the road projects in the governor’s Major Moves construction plan. Road construction costs are rising faster than the state planned when it created the list of 400 projects.

Second Grader Carries Gun to School

Police in Indianapolis say a second grade student carried a loaded handgun to school to scare other students who had teased him. The seven-year-old boy faces juvenile charges that the prosecutor says are intended to ensure that the child gets the help he needs.

Crackdown on Cherry Masters Proposed

Republican state senators have proposed increased enforcement and stricter penalties to stop businesses from using “Cherry Masters” illegal video gambling machines. The proposal would fund new excise officers and put in jeopardy the tobacco, alcohol and lottery licenses of businesses.

House Passes Next-of-Kin Funeral Bill

The Indiana House of Representatives has approved a bill that would prohibit people from making funeral arrangements for their spouses if they are accused in their deaths. The bill now goes back to the Senate for consideration of changes the House made.

Robbery Suspects Captured

Police have arrested two men who they say held up three Kosciusko County businesses over the past 10 days. According to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, police arrested a 21-year-old Elkhart man and a 25-year-old Goshen man Saturday morning. Police say the two held up a Warsaw tobacco store March 16th, a Milford liquor store last Tuesday and a Leesburg liquor store last Friday night. Police arrested the men after a business in Pierceton reported two suspicious people nearby. Police say that one of the men confessed to the robberies during questioning. Both men are held without bond in the Kosciusko County Jail this morning.

Daniels Withdraws Toll Way Plans

Governor Mitch Daniels has withdrawn most of his plans for two new toll roads. Daniels says there’s too much public opposition to his plan for a new outer loop around Indianapolis and a new expressway from Interstate 94 in Porter County to Illinois. Daniels still wants 10 miles of that highway, from I-65 to Illinois.

South Bend Police Officer Shot

A bullet grazed a South Bend police officer’s head last night while he conducted a routine search through vacant homes. Police returned fire and wounded the gunman. Police say the officer’s injury is minor.

Gas Kills Group Home Resident

A resident of a Hobart group home for people who have developmental disabilities died over the weekend of carbon monoxide poisoning. Four other residents and two police officers also became ill from the gas. The group home had a carbon monoxide detector but officials don’t know yet why it didn’t protect the residents. They also don’t know yet where the carbon monoxide came from.

Investigators: Fatal Fire Accidental

Investigators say a fire that killed a Wabash child yesterday started accidentally. Investigators say it was electrical in origin and that it started in the living room. Five-year-old Jasmyn Marie Easterday died in her bedroom. The fire destroyed the home.

Fake $100 Bills Passed in Columbia City

Columbia City police are investigating reports of counterfeit 100-dollars bills being passed at several stores. Police say a man and a woman used the fake money to buy merchandise and receive change. They believe the suspects are from out of state.

Senate Passes Seat Belt Bill

The Indiana Senate has approved a bill that would require nearly everyone to wear seat belts. That includes people riding in back seats and those in SUVs and pickup trucks. The Senate version of the bill is different from one the House passed earlier this legislative session. That means the bill now returns to the House for consideration.

Preliminary Plan Would Eliminate Property Tax Subsidies

Republicans in the Indiana Senate are working on a plan that would make major changes in how Hoosiers pay for schools and local government services. Senate Tax Chairman Luke Kenley says that under the preliminary plan, the state would pay for 100 percent of public school operating costs but it would stop subsidizing local property taxes.

Child Dies in Wabash House Fire

A five-year-old girl died in a house fire in Wabash this morning. According to a news release from the Wabash Police Department, firefighters discovered the body of Jasmyn Marie Easterday in her bedroom. Three other occupants of the house, including two adults and a 14-month-old girl, escaped the fire but required transport to a Fort Wayne hospital. The cause of the fire remains under investigation with the assistance of the Indiana State Fire Marshal’s office.

Police Release Info on U.S. 30 Crash

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department has released information about last evening’s crash on U.S. 30 near County Road 250 East. According to the Department’s news release, the collision involved a Ford Ranger pick-up truck and a tractor-trailer. Police say that at about seven o’clock last night, the driver of the pick-up turned across U.S. 30 into the path of the semi. The resulting collision pinned the pick-up driver in the wreckage and ejected a passenger from the pick-up. A 51-year-old Claypool man was driving the pickup. After the Warsaw Fire Department extricated him, EMS took him to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment of neck injuries. He was in stable condition at last report. His passenger was a 35-year-old Warsaw woman who sustained extensive head injuries. A helicopter flew her to a Fort Wayne hospital, where she was listed in critical condition at last report. The semi driver was not injured.

Evening Crash Backs up U.S. 30 Traffic

Some kind of crash caused traffic problems on U-S 30 just east of Warsaw last night. Dispatchers say they got the call at about seven o’clock from 28-54 East U-S 30, but they say they don’t have any other information. A listener reported to Q101 that the crash closed U-S 30 in both directions for a while.

Committee Hears Testimony on Same-Sex Marriage

A State House committee postponed a vote yesterday on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage in Indiana. After more than three hours of testimony yesterday, the committee chairman says his members need time to meditate on the issue.

Committee Approves HPV Information Bill

A committee of the Indiana House of Representatives has approved a bill that would require most schools to give parents of sixth-grade girls information about a sexually-transmitted virus and its link to cervical cancer. Supporters say the bill would encourage girls to become vaccinated against H-P-V. Some opponents say schools should not be involved.

Purdue to Update Electrical Warning Signs

Purdue University has announced plans to update the warning signs at all high-voltage areas on its campus, including the one where a student died in January. The University says crews will inspect all of the approximately 160 buildings on campus. A spokesperson also says Purdue will launch an independent review into the circumstances surrounding the death freshman Wade Steffey.

"Biotown" to Get Electricty from Organic Waste

A northwest Indiana town will soon get its electricity from organic waste like wood chips, manure and sewage. Officials broke ground yesterday on the new generating facility in Reynolds, which is being called, “Biotown USA.”

Officials: Missing Purdue Student Electrocuted

A coroner has confirmed that a body found on the campus of Purdue University this week is that of a freshman who had been missing since January. Now, school officials say they will investigate how a door to a dangerous utility area was left unlocked. A Purdue spokeswoman says it appears that 19-year-old Wade Steffey entered the room through an exterior door, tripped, fell behind a high-voltage transformer and immediately died of electrocution. Officials believe Steffey had been walking around the dorm, trying to find a way in to retrieve his coat from a friend’s room. The dorm is about 50 yards from where he was last seen alive after he attended a fraternity party.

Middle School Student Taints Teacher's Coffee with Urine

A Muncie eighth-grader faces expulsion this morning, for putting urine in a teacher's coffee. School officials say the boy admitted to the prank after they found a container of urine in his locker.

Senate Committee Approves Slot Machines

A committee of the Indiana Senate has passed a bill that would allow the state’s two horse tracks to install slot machines on their properties. The version the committee approved is significantly different from the one the House passed earlier this year.

Demarco's Child Molesting Sentence Halved

A judge has cut in half the prison sentence of Mentone resident Anthony Demarco, who a court convicted on four counts of child molesting last year. The judge reduced the sentence from 120 years to 60 years, after the Indiana Supreme Court refused to review a lower court’s ruling in the case. Last December, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled that Demarco’s original sentence was inappropriately harsh and ordered the Kosciusko Superior Court to reduce the sentence. The prosecutor unsuccessfully appealed that ruling to the Indiana Supreme Court. A jury convicted Demarco of molesting a teenage boy between 2002 and 2005. Before the investigation began, Demarco worked with youth as an employee of the Kosciusko County Y-M-C-A. He had also been a fourth- and fifth-grade basketball coach, a substitute teacher and a reserve police officer in Mentone and Silver Lake.

Body Discovered in Purdue Dorm

A worker has discovered a body in a high-voltage utility room in a Purdue University dorm. Authorities expect to identify the body later today. The dorm is near the last reported location of missing Purdue freshman Wade Steffey. The 19-year-old student disappeared January 13. This morning, officials are not saying whether the body is male or female.

Indianapolis Architect Runs for Govenor

The president of an Indianapolis architecture firm has announced plans to run for Governor. 46-year-old Jim Schellinger has been active in state Democratic politics for many years, but has never sought or held public office. He’s a native of South Bend and has been president of CSO Schenkel Shultz since 1996.

Governor to Visit Huntington, Columbia City

Governor Mitch Daniels will be in the Q101 area today. He’ll speak at a Huntington County Chamber of Commerce luncheon and hold a question and answer session with the senior class at Columbia City High School.

Colts to Display Super Bowl Trophy Locally

The Indianapolis Colts plan to bring their Super Bowl XLI Vince Lombardi trophy to Warsaw today. It will be at Center Lake Pavilion, 117 E. Canal Street from 10 a.m. to noon, which is one hour earlier than previously announced. Colts fans who lined up early enough will have a chance to see, touch and have pictures taken with the trophy. The team is advising fans that in order for the trophy to leave Warsaw on schedule, it might have to cut off the line as early as 20 minutes into the event. In addition, traffic or other problems could cause the trophy to arrive later than scheduled. More information about the trophy tour is available at www.colts.com/trophy.

Huntington County Barn Burns

Fire Departments from the Huntington County towns of Markle and Warren spent about four hours on the scene of a barn fire last night. The call came in just before 11:30 from the 27-hundred block of Huntington County Road 300-East. No injuries were reported.

Dog, Cat Food Recalled

The maker of more than 50 brands of dog and cat food has recalled the food. Menu Foods says an unknown number of cats and dogs have suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food. Purina and Hills have also recalled some products that Menu Foods made. To find out if a product you bought is affected, follow the links below:

• Menu Foods
• Purina (Mighty Dog dog food)
• Hills (Science Diet cat food)

Man Allegedly Stabs 11-Month-Old Son

Police and the F-B-I are looking for an Indianapolis man who allegedly attacked his eleven-month-old son during an argument with the baby’s mother. "He had thrown the baby out of the car," said Speedway detective Jim Thiele, "At that point she picked up the child and noticed the knife protruding from his back." Thiele says the kitchen knife missed all of the infant’s vital organs and doctors expect the child to recover. The 30-year-old father faces a charge of attempted murder, but police don’t yet know where he is.

Governor Backs Off on Tollway Plans

Governor Mitch Daniels has indicated he has no intention of forcing two new toll roads onto the public. "We will have to have the support of citizens and representatives from the two areas," Daniels said, "or I'm not interested in proceeding." Daniels was referring to his proposal for a highway in northwestern Indiana to link I-94 with I-57 in Illinois and a new outer loop around Indianapolis. The plans for both highways call for private developers to build and operate them.

Police Plan Extra St. Patrick's Day Patrols

The Kosciusko County D-U-I Task Force says extra police officers will be on patrol in the county for the Saint Patrick’s Day holiday. The task force is comprised of the Warsaw, Winona Lake, Syracuse and North Webster police departments and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department.

Protest Staged Against Proposed Cig. Tax Increase

About 100 people arrived at the Statehouse yesterday to protest Governor Mitch Daniels' proposal to raise cigarette taxes by at least 25 cents per pack. The governor wants the legislature to use income from the tax increase for health programs.

Kidnapping Attempted in Bourbon

Police are investigating an attempted child abduction in the Marshall County town of Bourbon. They say a masked man in a white S-U-V grabbed an eight-year-old girl by the backpack as she walked home from school. The girl struggled free and ran home to safety.

Goshen Officer's Killer Loses Appeal

The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld the sentence of a man who shot and killed a Goshen police officer in 1998. The court ruled that the local judge properly weighed aggravating and mitigating factors when he sentenced Frankie Salyers to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Paragon Gives to Ivy Tech Building Campaign

Paragon Medical has announced that it will donate 250-thousand dollars toward building a new Ivy Tech campus in Warsaw. The college hopes to raise two-point-eight-million dollars for the project.

Columbia City Looks into Downtown Apartments

Officials in Columbia City have taken a step toward developing affordable housing in downtown buildings. Yesterday, the Columbia City Redevelopment Commission hired an architectural company to study buildings along a two-block area, to find out what it would take to convert the upper floors into apartments. Officials say they hope that new downtown housing will lead to economic development downtown. A grant from Indiana Housing and Community Development will pay for the architect’s study. Officials say if any buildings are remodeled to house apartments, low-interest loans or grants would probably pay for that work.

Brief Evacuation in Columbia City

A hit and run collision in Columbia City yesterday afternoon created a gas leak that forced occupants of a restaurant, two office buildings and about eight homes to evacuate. A car struck and sheered a gas main behind the Richards Restaurant on Frontage Road at about four o’clock. Workers had the gas shut off about half an hour later. At last report, police were still looking for the car and driver.

Kendallville Death Ruled Homicide

Noble County’s coroner says someone killed a Kendallville man whose body was discovered in his apartment. The coroner says 48-year-old Patrick Biddle died of trauma and ruled the death a homicide. The coroner says Biddle had been dead for several days before he was found. Police say they found Biddle’s car in Rome City. Police say they have no suspects.

Man Gets 35 Years for Huntington Meth Sale

A Huntington judge has sentenced a man to 35 years in prison for selling methamphetamine in a home near a Huntington elementary school. 33-year-old Terry Cooley had pleaded guilty to several charges as part of plea agreement. Police raided the house last December.

Federal Emergency Declared for Snow Storm

President Bush has declared a federal emergency in Kosciusko, Fulton, Noble, Wabash and 30 other counties. The declaration will make federal money available to the state and local governments to help pay for their responses to the snow storms that hit between February 12th and the 14th.

Increased Seat Belt Restrictions Advance

A committee of the Indiana Senate has passed a bill that would increase the state’s seat belt requirements. It would require everyone in pickups and S-U-Vs to buckle up. The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

Highway Heroes Save Couple from Pond

Police say four passersby saved the lives of a couple whose pickup truck went off Interstate 69 and into a pond. It happened yesterday near Anderson. Police say the four men pulled the driver and his pregnant wife to safety as the truck began to sink in the 10-foot-deep pond.

Warsaw School Board Approves Building Plan

The Warsaw Community Schools board has approved a plan that would renovate, expand and reopen Claypool Elementary School, which it voted to close about three years ago. Its part of a four-phase, 120-million dollar construction plan the board unanimously approved at its meeting last night. In addition to Claypool, the school system plans to renovate and expand five other elementary schools and two middle schools. In addition, it will replace Leesburg and Madison elementary schools with new buildings and add a new elementary school in the northern part of the school district. By 2012, the building plan could increase taxes by 213 dollars a year on a property assessed at 100-thousand dollars.

The Plan at a Glance

Phase One

• Leesburg Elementary: Replace with new building
• Claypool Elementary: Renovate, expand and reopen
• Jefferson Elementary: Renovate and expand

Phase Two

• Madison Elementary: Replace with new building
• New elementary: Build in northern area

Phase Three

• Washington Elementary: Renovate and expand
• Lincoln Elementary: Renovate and expand
• Harrison Elementary: Renovate and expand
• Eisenhower Elementary: Renovate and expand

Phase Four

• Edgewood Middle School: Renovate and expand
• Lakeview Middle School: Renovate and expand

Eagles Lodge Robber gets 10 Years

A judge has sentenced a Columbia City woman to 10 years in prison for her role in robbing the Columbia City Eagles Lodge last December. 28-year-old Jenny Chapin had pleaded guilty to robbery as part of a plea agreement.

Arizona Sending Prisoners to Indiana

Arizona is sending up to 12-hundred-50 medium security prison inmates to the prison in the east-central Indiana city of New Castle. The New Castle prison currently houses nearly 14-hundred fewer inmates than its capacity allows. Arizona has about five thousand more prisoners than it has beds.

Girl, 6, Caught in Crossfire

Police in Indianapolis say a resident was exchanging fire with a man who had just robbed him in his apartment, when the resident’s six year old girl wandered into the middle of the shootout. At least one bullet struck the child and at last report she was in serious condition and doctors expected her to survive.

DePauw Kicks out Sorority

The president of DePauw University in west central Indiana has ordered the Delta Zeta sorority to leave campus by next fall. The university says its president took the action in response to the sorority's eviction of 23 of its members… allegedly because of their appearance. The sorority’s national office says the situation has been “mischaracterized.”

Warsaw Man Faces Voyeurism Charge

Warsaw police have arrested a man on a felony charge of voyeurism, for allegedly making video recordings of people in a bathroom with a hidden camera. Police say the victims were people who subleased rooms from the 47-year-old man in a house in Warsaw.

Girl, 14, Admits Serving Marijuana Brownies at Party

Police in Ligonier say a girl has admitted serving brownies laced with marijuana at her 14th birthday party. Police say the girl told them she did it for revenge against one of the party guests. They’re investigating where the girl got the marijuana.

Area Schools Make State's "Four Star" List

Two schools in the Q101 area have received the state’s Four Star School Award for the 2005-2006 school year. They are Huntington County’s Roanoke Elementary School and Southwood Junior-Senior High School near Wabash.

KCH Provides More Info on Surgical Error

Kosciusko Community Hospital has provided more information about the error it reported to the state’s new medical error reporting system. Yesterday, Q101 told you that KCH reported leaving a foreign object in a surgery patient during 2006. A hospital spokesperson tells Q101 that object was a small surgical cloth. The patient underwent a second surgery to remove the cloth, recovered and was discharged. The KCH spokesperson says the hospital conducted a full review of the incident and implemented additional measures to keep it from happening again, including additional education for staff members and physicians. The spokesperson says no such error has happened since. She says KCH supports the state’s new program to improve patient safety and will fully cooperate with it.