Winona Lake Man Charged with Child Molesting

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department announced today that they have arrested a 39 year old Winona Lake man on two counts of child molesting. Sheriff Rocky Goshert says detectives arrested the suspect after interviewing him and two girls who accused him of fondling them. Goshert says the suspect could face additional charges after the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office reviews the detectives’ case.

Winona Lake Teens Shocked While Lowering Tower

Three Winona Lake teens received an electric shock while helping the owner of an antenna service remove a 50-foot tower from their home. According to a news release the Winona Lake Police Department issued yesterday, the tower came into contact with an electrical line as the teens helped to walk it down. The shock injured 15-year-old Jacob Cole, 17-year-old Samuel Cole and 19-year-old Thomas Cole. At last report, Jacob and Samuel were in serious condition at a Fort Wayne hospital. Kosciusko Community Hospital has released Thomas. Police say Ray Frost of Frost T-V and Antenna Service was on the roof of the house and was not injured.

Biomet Stockholders Urged to Reject Buyout

An independent proxy company is recommending that Biomet shareholders reject a 10-point-nine billion dollar purchase offer. In December, a group of private investors offered $44 per share for the Warsaw orthopedics company, but the proxy company says Biomet’s value has increased since then.

Fire Kills South Bend Girl, 10

A house fire in South Bend yesterday killed a 10-year-old girl. Fire officials say the fire was contained to her bedroom, but they don’t know yet how it started.

Ivy Tech Increases Tuition

Trustees at Ivy Tech Community College have approved a 3.9 percent increase in annual tuition over the next two years. Fees for full-time students will increase by $53.25 per semester this fall and by $55.50 per semester in the fall of 2008.

One-Car Crash Injures Three, One Critically

A one car crash on Kosciusko County Road 100 South critically injured a 22-year-old Pierceton woman today. According to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Tistan Schultz was a passenger in car that rolled over after its driver lost control. A helicopter flew Schultz to a Fort Wayne hospital, where she was listed in critical condition at last report. EMS took two other passengers to Kosciusko Community Hospital. They are 18-year-old Christy Anglano and 16-year-old Adrienne Anderson, both of Pierceton. Twenty-one-year-old Warsaw resident Jonathon Canterbury was the driver. The release does not indicate whether Canterbury was injured. Police say they suspect that high speed and alcohol use were factors in the crash.

"America's Most Wanted" Helps with Search for Homicide Suspect

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department says the “America’s Most Wanted” television show has agreed to help locate a man wanted for two homicides committed last week. The show has put a photograph of the suspect and information about the shootings on its web site.

Trucker in Taylor Crash Enters Plea Agreement

A Michigan truck driver has entered a plea agreement in the case surrounding last year’s fatal crash with a Taylor University van. The 38-year-old man agreed to plead guilty to five counts of reckless homicide and four counts of criminal recklessness. Grant County Prosecutor James Luttrull says that in exchange, the man would get four to 24 years in prison, rather than the 18 to 72 years he could have gotten if a jury convicted him of the crimes. In April of 2006 the man’s semi crossed the median on I-69 in Grant County and collided with the van. Officials say the trucker had driven at least nine hours more than federal rules allow before he fell asleep behind the wheel.

High School Choir's Treasurer Gets Jail Time

The former treasurer of Churubusco High School’s show choir got three months in jail yesterday for stealing thousands of dollars from the organization. In addition, the judge ordered 29-year-old Christie Barkley to serve 90 days on home detention and 180 days on probation and to pay restitution of more than 17-thousand dollars. Barkley had pleaded guilty in April to theft.

Biomet Restates Earnings

Biomet restated its earnings for the past four years in a report to the Securities Exchange Commission yesterday. The restatement shows net income for the Warsaw orthopedics company to be as much as seven-point-four million dollars lower than originally reported. An investigation into stock option irregularities led to the restatement.

Duke Energy Worker Receives Serious Shock

A worker for Duke Energy was seriously injured by an electrical shock in western Wabash County yesterday. Police say the Wabash County man was working on a utility pole when he received the shock but they don’t know yet how it happened. At last report, he was in stable condition at a Fort Wayne hospital.

Pierceton Toddler's Death Ruled Homicide

A 34-year-old Pierceton man could face new charges this week, now that a coroner has ruled that a two-year-old girl’s death was a homicide. Police arrested the man Friday on a preliminary charge of battery. Over the weekend, an autopsy indicated that two-year-old Samantha Muchowicz died of blunt force trauma. The suspect is the boyfriend of the child’s mother, but he is not her father.

Reports: Trucker in Taylor U. Crash to Plead Guilty

Reports indicate that a Michigan truck driver will plead guilty today to charges resulting from a crash last year that killed four Taylor University students and one staff member. The trucker is scheduled to appear in court in Portland. He faces five counts of reckless homicide and four counts of criminal recklessness.

Fatal Whitley Crash Brings New Charges Against North Manchester Teen

A 19-year-old North Manchester man faces new criminal charges now that the victim of a Whitley County crash has died. According to a news release from the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, the prosecutor has charged the man with Causing the Death of Another Person While Operating with a Blood Alcohol Level Greater than .08, a class C felony; Causing the Death of Another Person While Operating While Intoxicated, a class C felony; Reckless Homicide, a class C felony and Minor in Possession of Alcohol, a class C misdemeanor. The penalty for a class C felony is two to eight years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000. The North Manchester man is accused of causing a collision Wednesday night that killed 29-year-old Columbia City resident Nikki Alford. She was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by 38-year-old William Brisentine IV, also of Columbia City. Brisentine reportedly lost control of the motorcycle after it hit a power line on State Road 14 in eastern Whitley County. According to the prosecutor, the power line fell after the North Manchester man’s car struck a utility pole. An initial hearing for the defendant is scheduled for Tuesday morning in Whitley Circuit Court.

Whitley Motorcycle Crash Victim Dies

Read an update to this story.

Whitley County Sheriff's Department dispatchers have confirmed that a female motorcycle passenger has died of injuries she received in a crash on State Road 14 Wednesday night. At the time of this writing, police have not, however, released the woman's name.

Kosciusko Police Identify Van Driver in Motorcycle Crash

The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department has provided additional information about yesterday's collision on County Road 400W between a van and a motorcycle. According to Sgt. Chad Hill, the driver of the van was 16-year-old Bruce Stichter of Warsaw. Stichter was not injured.

Murder Charges Filed in Warsaw Shootings

Kosciusko County’s prosecutor has filed murder charges against a 31-year-old Warsaw man who police say shot and killed his wife and another man Wednesday. At last report, police had not found the man and they’ve alerted law enforcement agencies nationwide to be on the lookout for him. Police say they have received numerous tips from the public about the man’s whereabouts. Some of the tips have come from as far away as Chicago, where the suspect is believed to have relatives. Police say some tips also indicate that the man might have fled to Mexico. But none of the tips had led police to the suspect. The shootings happened late Wednesday afternoon at a Warsaw convenience store and the suspect’s home.

North Manchester Man Arrested After Whitley Crash

Read an update to this story.

A 19-year-old North Manchester man faces a variety of charges this morning after a crash on State Road 14 in eastern Whitley County. Police arrested the man on charges including “operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury or death” and “failure to stop after a personal injury accident.” Police say the car he was driving struck a utility pole, causing a power line to fall onto the road. A motorcycle behind the man’s car struck the power line and crashed. At last report, a female passenger on the motorcycle was in critical condition at a Fort Wayne hospital.

Official Questions Mayoral Candidate's Campaign Finances

A member of the Allen County Election Board has launched an investigation into the campaign finances of a Fort Wayne mayoral candidate. At issue is whether Republican mayoral nominee Matt Kelty violated any laws by failing to report loans he received from people on his campaign staff.

Van vs. Motorcycle Crash Critically Injures Rider

A 34-year-old Atwood man suffered critical injuries today in a collision southwest of Warsaw. According to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Rickey Howard was riding a motorcycle on County Road 400 W when a van apparently made a left turn into the path of the motorcycle. Howard suffered head and neck injuries. A helicopter flew him from the scene to a Fort Wayne hospital. Police identify the driver of the van only as a juvenile male. The news release does not indicate whether the boy was injured or whether police cited him for a traffic violation.

Daniels Administration Explores Gasoline Tax Options

The administration of Governor Mitch Daniels has asked the state attorney general for an opinion on whether Daniels could legally suspend the state sales tax on gasoline, as Governor Frank O’Bannon did in 2000. A spokeswoman for the Governor says he still opposes suspending the tax, but the administration wants to know what its options are.

Crash Closes State Road 14 in Whitley County

A crash on State Road 14 in eastern Whitley County forced police to close the highway for several hours overnight. Initial reports indicate that the crash broke a power pole and seriously injured a motorcyclist. At last report, Whitley County police had not issued any further information.

Power Outage Strikes Three Counties

A power outage affected about 12-thousand customers of Indiana and Michigan Electric Company in three counties yesterday. The outage lasted for about 35 minutes. Utility officials blame a fallen tree and overloaded circuits when power was rerouted.

Police: Victim of First Shooting Dead

Warsaw Police have released more information about today’s shootings. According to their news release, 38-year-old Harpal Singh, manager of the Philips 66 convenience store and laundry at 2518 East Center Street, died of numerous gunshot wounds at his business. Police say no one else at the business was injured. Police say Singh was involved in a relationship with the wife of the suspect, 32-year-old Lisa Heather Mora, who died from a second shooting at her home on Vicky Lane. At last report, the suspect was still at large.

Shooting Update: One Victim Dead

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department has reported that the victim of a shooting on Vicky Lane in Warsaw today has died. According to a news release, the victim was 32-year-old Lisa Heather Mora. Doctors at a Fort Wayne hospital pronounced Mora dead at 10 p.m. this evening. Police say Mora was the wife of the suspect in her homicide, as well as an earlier shooting at a gas station on Center Street. At last report, police were still looking for the suspect and his black Chevy pickup truck. Police have not released any information about the victim of the first shooting.

Police Investigate Two Shootings in Warsaw

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and the Warsaw Police Department are currently investigating two separate and possibly related shooting incidents that happened today. According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department, the Kosciusko County Dispatch Center received a call at 05:11 p.m. reporting a shooting at the Phillips 66 Service Station at 2518 E. Center Street in Warsaw. Witnesses told police they saw a black Chevy pickup truck fleeing the scene. At 5:17, the dispatch center received a report of second shooting incident, at 1844 Vicky Lane in Warsaw. When Kosciusko County officers arrived, they learned that a pickup truck that matched the description from the Center Street shooting had fled the Vicky Lane scene. At last report, police were searching for 31-year-old man who they consider to be a person of interest in both shootings. They were also looking for a black 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup truck with a black, hard-style flat cover over the truck bed. The Sheriff’s Department release provided no information about the shooting victims or their conditions.

Colubmia City Rape Gets Defendant 16 Years

A judge has given an Albion man 16 years in prison for raping a woman in a Columbia City alley. Thirty-seven-year-old Donald Rollins had pleaded guilty to felony criminal deviate conduct.

Indianapolis Loses Super Bowl Bid

Indianapolis has lost its bid to host the Super Bowl in 2011. A new stadium in Dallas won the bid. It will be able to seat about 27-thousand more people than the new Indianapolis stadium will.

Statehouse Security to Increase

New security procedures at the statehouse will prohibit visitors from bringing weapons into the building beginning June 4. The new rules will also require visitors to enter through metal detectors and have all bags and packages X-rayed.

Big Crawfordsville Fire Ruled Arson

Investigators say someone set a fire that destroyed buildings in downtown Crawfordsville and killed a 24-year-old man May eighth. They based their determination on lab work performed on evidence from the fire.

Governor Opposes Gasoline Tax Suspension

Governor Daniels says he has no plans to suspend the state’s sales tax on gasoline, even though state and national average prices have reached new records. Daniels says suspending the tax would not be a responsible thing to do, because it would reduce the state government’s fiscal strength. Daniels also says it would benefit wealthy people who don’t really need the relief. A Democrat who plans to run for Governor supports suspending the tax. Former U-S Representative Jill Long Thompson says the state should suspend the tax for 60 days.

Warsaw School Building Project to Continue

The Warsaw Community Schools board voted last night to continue with the first phase of a building project. The vote came after a two hour public hearing at which most speakers voiced support of the project. The first phase will cost 65-million dollars and raise property taxes by 117 dollars a year on a property valued at 100-thousand dollars.

Indiana University Increases Tuition

Indiana University trustees voted Monday to raise tuition and fees for in-state students by 5 percent in each of the next two years. The trustees also voted to raise tuition for out-of-state students on the Bloomington campus by nine percent this year and 11 percent next year.

Gas Leak Forces Ligonier Evacuation

Officials evacuated a 10-block are of Ligonier yesterday after construction workers broke a gas main. NIPSCO had the main repaired about an hour later.

Warsaw School Board to Conduct Hearing

The Warsaw Community Schools board will conduct a public hearing this evening on the first phase of its 102-million-dollar building project. The board approved the project in March, but state law requires tonight’s hearing before the project can proceed. The first phase would cost 65-million dollars. It would include new buildings for Leesburg and Madison Elementary Schools and expansions of Claypool and Jefferson Elementary Schools. Tonight’s hearing begins at 7 p.m. at the Central Instructional Materials Center.

BMV Worker Busted in False ID Investigation

Police have arrested a worker at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch on charges of issuing fraudulent identification. It’s the same branch where burglars stole a 500-pound safe earlier this week, but officials say they’re not aware of any connection between the crimes.

Elkhart County Gun Dealer Pleads Not Guilty

A gun dealer from the Elkhart County town of Bristol has pleaded not guilty to illegally selling a gun with which a man killed a South Bend police officer. A federal judge set a trial date of September 24 for the 71-year-old man. Corporal Nick Polizzotto was shot to death April 24th.

Janitor Charged with Making False School Shooting Call

In the central Indiana city of Franklin, a high school janitor faces criminal charges this morning for allegedly falsely reporting that a gunman had fired shots in the school. The call to 9-1-1 led to the evacuation of the school. Police say the janitor told them students at the school had disrespected him.

"Click it or Ticket" Begins Today

Beginning today, Kosciusko County police officers will participate in a statewide “Click it or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign. Until June third, officers will be watching for and ticketing people who are violating the state’s seat belt laws.

Suspects Arrested in Dept. Store Theft

Warsaw police arrested an Elkhart man and two juveniles yesterday in connection with a theft from a department store and the vehicular assault of a store employee. The incident happened early last week at the Warsaw Elder-Beerman store. Four people stole about a thousand dollars worth of clothing. Police say one of the juvenile suspects struck a store employee with a car as the suspect fled.

Weak Tornado Confirmed from Tuesday's Storms

The National Weather Service says Tuesday’s thunderstorms in northern Indiana spawned one weak tornado. It touched down briefly about 15 miles west of South Bend. Meteorologists rated the tornado an EF0 on the new enhanced Fujita scale. Straight-line winds caused the remaining storm damage around the area.

Elkhart Mother, Murder Suspect, Ruled Incompetent

A judge has ruled that an Elkhart mother accused of killing her four young children last November is incompetent to stand trial. The judge ordered that the woman be committed to the state Division of Mental Health to determine if there is a probability she could become competent to stand trial in the "foreseeable future."

Buglars Steal 500-Pound Safe from BMV

In Indianapolis, someone broke into a branch office of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and stole a safe containing more than 24-thousand dollars. The burglary has police puzzled because the safe weighs 500 pounds.

Thunderstorms do Damage in Area

Yesterday’s powerful thunderstorms blew down trees and power lines and caused major power outages around the Q101 area. And lightning from one on of the storms might have started a house fire in Warsaw. At one point, 52-thousand electric customers of NIPSCO lost power. The NIPSCO outage also affected about 42-hundred Kosciusko R-E-M-C customers. The National Weather Service says some of the storms had winds of up to 70 miles per hour. One of them blew down one of the spires from the top of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame.

Car-Semi Crash Seriously Injures Leesburg Girl

A one-year-old Leesburg girl suffered serious head injuries yesterday, when a semi hit the car she was riding in at an intersection in Warsaw. Police say the traffic light at U-S 30 and Commerce Drive was inoperative and the driver of the car did not notice temporary stop signs at the intersection. The 37-year-old woman drove her car into the path of the semi. She sustained minor injuries. The trucker was not injured.

Rome City Soldier Killed in Iraq

The family of a soldier from Rome City says he died in a battle in Iraq. Private First Class Nick Hartge was 20 years old.

Gasoline Prices Jump

Gasoline prices in the Q101 area shot up about 20 cents per gallon at many stations yesterday. The price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is as high as $3.39 at some stations this morning. You can find the lowest prices in your area by following this link.

County Buys Advertising to Fight Methadone Abuse

The Kosciusko County Health Department has paid for a billboard designed to warn people about the dangers of overdosing on a prescription painkiller called methadone. The billboard is currently along State Road 13 south of North Webster. Kosciusko County’s coroner says seven residents who died of overdoses recently had methadone in their bodies.

Autopsy: No Medical Reason for Columbia City Crash

Whitley County’s coroner says an autopsy shows that a 79-year-old LaPorte man died from injuries he received Friday after his minivan rear-ended a semi in Columbia City. The coroner says the autopsy did not turn up any medical condition that would have caused the crash.

State Budget Director Resigns

State Budget Director Chuck Schalliol has announced his resignation. He has had the position since January of 2005 and says he wants to move into the private equity and venture capital business.

Fort Wayne Hospital to Begin Kidney Transplants

Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne will become the only Indiana hospital outside of Indianapolis that performs kidney transplants. The hospital announced yesterday that it has received approval to perform the procedure.

Mild Winter Saves State Money

The Indiana Department of Transportation says the unusually mild winter we just experienced saved the state 166-thousand dollars on snow and ice removal as compared to the previous year.

Fireworks Set Fraternity House on Fire

Fire officials say a fire at a fraternity house at Tri-State University in Angola yesterday was started by people lighting fireworks in the basement. No one was hurt but the fire did about 15-thousand dollars-worth of damage to the building.

Govenor Signs New Seat Belt Law

Governor Mitch Daniels signed into law yesterday a bill that will require almost everyone to wear seat belts in Indiana. Indiana's previous law required only front-seat passengers and children under age 16 to wear seat belts and allowed adults in trucks to avoid wearing them.

Governor Signs Cigarette Tax Increase

Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill yesterday that will increase cigarette taxes by 44 cents per pack. The state will use the extra revenue to pay for health insurance for more Hoosiers and to pay for other health care programs.

Stamp Out Hunger

The National Association of Letter Carriers conducts its annual “stamp out hunger” food drive tomorrow. The association is asking you to put a study bag of non-perishable food by your mailbox tomorrow before your regular mail delivery. Your letter carrier will pick it up and see that it gets to a food bank.

Pit Bull Becomes Hero

In Kokomo, a pit bull saved a 70-year-old man from an apartment fire. The dog alerted the man’s neighbor to the fire by barking, howling and jumping. The neighbor pounded on the man’s door and helped him to safety.

Man Drowns in Noble County Lake

A 71-year-old man drowned in a southern Noble County lake yesterday. Officials say they believe the New Haven man fell from a pier on High Lake, which is near the town of Wolf Lake.

Governor to Make "Major Announcement"

The campaign committee for Governor Mitch Daniels has sent out invitations to what it calls a major announcement in June. The committee has declined to say whether Daniels will announce that he’s running for a second term as governor.

Governor Signs Massage License Bill

Governor Daniels signed a bill yesterday that requires massage therapists to be licensed. Daniels said he considered vetoing the bill but signed it because police say it will help them fight prostitution.

Daniels Vetoes Accident Report Bill

Governor Daniels has vetoed a bill that would have regulated fees for accident reports. Daniels says the bill would have jeopardized an estimated 1.1-million dollars in savings from the state’s new electronic reporting system.

Board Rejects Auburn Church Building Plans

A zoning board in Auburn voted against a congregation’s plan to build a new church. Board members say the church would restrict what businesses could locate in a nearby shopping center, because state law requires that any business that sells alcohol be at least 200 feet from a church.

Incumbents Unseated in Primary

Yesterday’s municipal primary elections unseated several incumbents in the Q101 area. In Huntington, Mayor Terry Abbett lost the opportunity to run for reelection in November. Abbett has held the office for eight years, but Republican voters chose challenger Steve Updike instead, by a 28 percent margin. Republican Huntington City Council member Wayne Powell also lost yesterday. Voters chose Jason Fields to run for Powell’s seat in the fall. Winona Lake Republican town councilman Jerry Clevenger lost to challenger Terry Howie. And in Columbia City, Republican Councilman at Large Donald Langeloh lost to challenger Daniel Weigold.

Power Outage Affects Northern Whitley County

Northern Whitley County experienced a large power outage this morning. Dispatchers say it happened just after four a.m. and affected the Big Lake and Tri-Lakes area.

Crawfordsville Fire Destroys Historic Block, Kills 1

Yesterday morning’s fire in downtown Crawfordsville leveled much of block of buildings dating to the 1880s and killed one person. The buildings housed apartments and stores, including a gun shop where ammunition exploded. Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire.

Daniels Signs Fireworks, Open Door Bills

Governor Mitch Daniels has signed several more bills into law, including one that will allow local governments to restrict or ban the use of fireworks except during 12 days of the year. The governor also signed a bill that closes a loophole in the state’s open door law, which allowed Indiana University's trustees to meet without public notice to discuss basketball coach Bob Knight's fate shortly before his firing in 2000.

City, Town Primary Elections Today

Primary elections take place today for city and town offices, but many candidates are unopposed in the primary. For example, the only primary race for mayor in the Q101 area is in Huntington, where the incumbent is running against two challengers for the Republican nomination and two Democrats are competing for their party’s nomination. Elsewhere there are races for some city council seats in Warsaw, Columbia City and Wabash. The towns of Winona Lake and Andrews also have contested races. The polls will be open until six p.m.

Utilities Face Lawsuit over Fatal Huntington Explosion

The husband and daughter of an explosion victim have sued Comcast and Indiana Gas. They claim the utilities were negligent in actions before a November explosion that killed 75-year-old Emilie Wilson.

Officials Study Moving Columbia City EMS Station

Whitley County officials are deciding whether to move Columbia City’s E-M-S base when Parkview Whitley Hospital moves to a new location. The current base is located at the current hospital on North Oak Street, but the hospital plans to build a new facility at the intersection of U-S 30 and State Road 205.

Exploding Ammunition Forces Firefighters to Back Off

In the west central Indiana city of Crawfordsville, a gun shop reportedly caught fire this morning. Officials say firefighters had to withdraw from the scene after ammunition began exploding.