Boy on Go-Cart Dies in Collission with SUV

A 12-year-old Fulton County boy died last night after the go-cart he was driving collided with an S-U-V at the intersection of two county roads. Fulton County police say Jordan Horn of rural Akron was driving the go-cart on Fulton County Road 225-South at about eight o’clock last night and failed to yield at an intersection. The go-cart collided with an S-U-V that a 16-year-old boy was driving. The Fulton County coroner pronounced Horn dead at the scene. The boy in the S-U-V was not injured.

State Troopers Step up Patrols for Holiday

Indiana State Police say they will have extra patrols on the roads this holiday weekend. Troopers will be working overtime looking for drivers who are speeding, following too closely, driving aggressively, or operating a vehicle while impaired. State police say troopers will have zero tolerance for seat belt and child restraint violations.

New Penalty Against Indiana Welfare Program

Indiana faces another penalty of 10-million-dollar in lost federal funds for not moving enough welfare recipients into jobs and off public rolls last year. A spokesman for the Family and Social Services Administration says the agency will appeal the new penalty and a similar one levied this month for poor performance in 2005.

Motorboat Ban Extended on N.E. Indiana Lakes

High water levels at 21 northeastern Indiana lakes have prompted state officials to extend a ban on motorized watercraft into the Labor Day weekend. Officials say the restrictions are needed on the lakes in Noble, Steuben and LaGrange counties because motorboats could cause wakes that damage property. Rowboats, kayaks, canoes, sailboats and other watercraft that don’t have motors are permitted on the lakes. See a list of the lakes on which motorboats are banned on the state's Web site.

Souder Calls for Craig Resignation

Third District Republican Congressman Mark Souder, who represents northeastern Indiana, has joined G-O-P colleagues in calling for Republican Idaho Senator Larry Craig to resign. Souder released a written statement in which he says Craig "demonstrated that he is unfit to serve in the U.S. Congress when he pled guilty."

Another Inmate Escapes from Elkhart County Jail

Another inmate has escaped from the Elkhart County jail and officials say he might have been gone for up to 10 hours before guards realized he was missing. The jail was holding the 30-year-old man on drug charges when he escaped sometime Tuesday night. Last month, six other inmates escaped from the same jail. Four of them are still missing.

BSU Student Injured When Muncie Officer Crashes Squad Car

A city police officer in Muncie could lose his job after his squad car crashed while giving a ride to three female Ball State Students. Police say the officer was driving down a city street at a high speed when the squad car crashed into a light pole. One of the freshmen suffered a cut on her head. The police chief says the officer was showing off for the 19-year-old women.

SAT Scores Drop for Second Year

State education officials say they’re disappointed that SAT scores among high school graduates in Indiana have dropped for the second year in a row. Higher education commissioner Stan Jones says it’s an indication that the state has more work to do. Scores nationwide also went down this year but state officials say that doesn’t reduce their level of concern. Indiana’s SAT scores had been climbing steadily for several years until last year. That’s when the College Board began using a new SAT that takes students longer to complete. The College Board says the new test is not more difficult than the old one. Read the Indiana Department of Education's news release on SAT scores.

Wabash County Deputies to Begin Ticketing Pickup Bed Riders

Wabash County Sheriff Leroy Striker says his officers will begin ticketing people who ride in the beds of pickup trucks. Indiana’s attorney general recently issued an interpretation of the state’s new seat belt law in which he says the law prohibits people from riding in the beds of pickups, where there are no seat belts. Read the attorney general's official opinion (requires Adobe Reader).

State to Conduct Meeting on Proposed Wabsh County Farm

State officials plan a public meeting tomorrow regarding plans to build a concentrated animal feeding operation in Wabash County. The proposed facility would house more than 18-hundred dairy cows. The meeting takes place at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Northfield Junior-Senior High School. See more information on the Web site of the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

Police Capture Four Suspects in Two Home Burglaries

Kosciusko County police deployed police dogs and a helicopter yesterday afternoon as they searched for two suspects in a residential burglary near Leesburg. The manhunt began after officers who responded to a burglary call located a suspect vehicle with only one of the three suspects. Officers eventually found the other two suspects in a bean field. Police have withheld additional information about the case as they complete their investigation. Earlier yesterday, Deputies responding to a report of a suspicious vehicle at a house near Claypool arrived just as the suspect was attempting to leave. The Sheriff’s Department says the officers arrested the driver after they found items in the vehicle that had allegedly been taking from the house. A 35-year-old North Manchester man faces burglary and other charges in that case.

Motorcycle Crash Injures Wabash Man

A crash on U-S 31 in Miami County yesterday injured a 38-year-old motorcyclist from Wabash. At last report, the man was in good condition. Police say the motorcyclist crashed into the back of a car that had slowed for another vehicle that was making a left turn.

Central Indiana Farmer Dies in Grain Bin

In the central Indiana town of Bargersville, an 80-year-old farmer fell into a grain bin yesterday and died before rescuers could dig him out. It took them about an hour to recover the farmer’s body.

Increases in Sales, Income Taxes Could Replace Property Tax

The Commission on State Tax and Finance Policy heard two options yesterday for eliminating the state’s property tax. Representatives of the Legislative Services Agency told the commission that the state could raise the same amount of revenue by increasing the state's sales tax from 6 percent to 13.2 percent or by the raising the individual income tax from 3.4 percent to 9 percent.

Report: Indiana Among Most Obese States

A national report yesterday from the Trust for America's Health indicates that Indiana remains one of the nation's fattest states. The report indicates that only eight other states have higher percentages of obese residents.

Fire Heavily Damages Warsaw House

Fire heavily damaged a house on Warsaw’s south side last night. According to a report from the Warsaw Fire Department, neighbors and a passerby reported the fire 611 South Washington Street at 9:13. When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke and flames throughout the house. The fire was particularly heavy in the front living room. No one was home at the time and there were no injuries. Firefighters from Warsaw and Winona Lake had the fire under control in less than half an hour, but they were on the scene until past midnight.

Indiana Store Sells Winning Powerball Ticket

Someone who bought a Powerball lottery ticket in Richmond has won 314.3 million dollars. Lottery officials say the ticket that a Speedway store sold is the only one that matched all the numbers in Saturday’s drawing.

Man Disappears in Wabash River

A man disappeared in the Wabash River in west central Indiana over the weekend, after the ski boat he was in got caught in a log jam and capsized. Rescuers searched for the man’s body all day yesterday without success.

Whitko Seeks Input on New Superintendent

The Whitko Community Schools board wants to know what district residents think the board should look for in a new superintendent. The board will gather opinions at a meeting at 7 o’clock tonight at the administration office and a second meeting in South Whitley September fifth. Residents can also express opinions by completing an on-line form.

Weather Problems Continue

Weather continues to be a problem through the Midwest this morning. Yesterday afternoon and last night, severe storms hit the Chicago area and then rolled through northern Indiana and southern Michigan. Chicago officials responded to nearly 13-hundred calls of toppled trees. And in the suburbs, a warehouse roof collapsed, injuring 40 people. The storms forced airlines to cancel about 500 flights at O’Hare Airport last night. The planes that did fly were an average of two-and-a-half hours behind schedule.

As the storms rolled through northern Indiana, they brought down trees and power lines in several counties, including Noble and Huntington County. Nearly 50-thousand customers of Indiana Michigan Power lost electricity.

Downstate, extreme heat has forced schools in Indianapolis and other central Indiana cities to run on half-day schedules, because many of the schools have no air conditioning.

Boys' Raft Gets Trapped Between Tree, Huntington Dam

A dramatic water rescue took place in Huntington late yesterday afternoon. Three boys on a raft got trapped on the Wabash River between a tree and a dam. All three wore life jackets and were able to pull themselves to safety after rescuers spanned the 120-wide river with a rope.

Meth Lab Ges Kosciusko County Woman Probation

A judge sentenced a Kosciusko County woman to a year-and-a-half of probation yesterday, for having an illegal methamphetamine lab in her home. Twenty-year-old Brittnie McVoy had pleaded guilty under the terms of a plea agreement.

Warsaw Man Sentenced for Molesting 13-year-old

A 26-year-old Warsaw man got eight years in prison yesterday for molesting a 13-year-old girl last November. Abraham Garcia had pleaded guilty under the terms of a plea agreement.

Afternoon Rape of Albion Teen Alleged

Police have arrested a 23-year-old Albion man for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl. Police say it happened last week as the girl rode a bicycle alone in the middle of the afternoon from the Noble County Public Library toward Central Noble High School.

Former Kendallville Housing Director Sentenced

The former director of the Kendallville Housing Authority got four years in prison and four years of probation yesterday, for stealing more then 280-thousand dollars from the agency. Fifty-two-year-old Melanie Hart had also pleaded guilty under the terms of a plea agreement

Whitley County Assessments Get State Nod

A state agency has determined that properties in Whitley County and 13 others around the state were properly assessed and will therefore not require reassessment this year. Department of Local Government Finance Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave says Whitley and the other counties have conducted assessments adequately

Dodge Ball Tourney Opens United Way Campaign

The Kosciusko County United Way opened its 2007 campaign last night with a dodge ball tournament in which teams representing 15 businesses competed. The event raised $1,440 toward the campaign's goal of $1.75 million. A team sponsored by Zimmer won the tournament.

Police Arrest Three in Wabash Heroin Case

Police say they seized 156 bags of heroin from a vehicle in Wabash late last night. Officers from the Wabash Police Department and the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department stopped the vehicle in downtown Wabash just after midnight to execute a search warrant. At the same time, other officers began searching the Wabash apartment of the vehicle’s owners. Police say they found various narcotics in pill form in the apartment, as well as drug paraphernalia. Police arrested three people. An 18-year-old and a 24-year-old Wabash man who were in the vehicle both face charges including possession of three or more grams of a narcotic drug with intent to deliver. That’s a class “A” felony, punishable by up to 50 years in prison. A 24-year-old woman who lives in the apartment faces charges including possession of a narcotic drug. That’s a class “D” felony punishable by up to three years. Wabash police say this is their sixth case involving heroin this month.

Aerial Search Leads to Wabash County Pot

Police arrested a 49-year-old Wabash County homeowner yesterday on charges including cultivating marijuana, after an aerial search of the area. State police say one of their pilots spotted marijuana growing at the home in the southwestern corner of the county. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant. They say they found 321 suspected marijuana plants on the property worth 321-thousand dollars.

Company Dedicates Claypool Biodiesel Plant

A French agricultural company dedicated its biodiesel production plant near the Kosciusko County town of Claypool yesterday. A spokesman for Louis Dreyfus Commodities says the plant will begin production in October. The company says it’s the largest integrated soybean-based production plant in the world. Governor Mitch Daniels attended yesterday’s dedication. He says the plant will help lessen the nation's reliance on traditional petroleum-based fuels.

School Board Hires Architects for Columbia City High School

The Whitley County Consolidated Schools board voted last night to hire an architecture firm after a committee recommended that the board replace Columbia City High School. The committee reported that the current high school building has many problems, including classrooms that are too small and inadequate electrical wiring.

Purdue, Family Reach Settlement over Death

Purdue University and the parents of a student who was fatally shocked in a dormitory's high-voltage utility room have agreed to a settlement. The school will pay Wade Steffey’s family 500-thousand dollars and it will put up 100-thousand for a scholarship endowment. Steffey was the 19-year-old freshman who died in January.

Board Remains Mum on Principal's Departure

Four parents spoke at last night’s meeting of the Warsaw Community Schools board regarding the sudden resignation of Leesburg Elementary School Principal Marv Marino. The parents expressed support for Marino and asked for an explanation of the resignation. The board declined to comment, citing legal reasons.

Noble County House Explodes

Four people suffered injuries yesterday afternoon when a house near the Noble County town of Garrett exploded. Officials suspect that a propane heater had something to do with the explosion.

New Jobs for Kendallville

A company that prints school textbooks at a plant in Kendallville has announced plans to expand the plant and add about 100 jobs. Courier says it plans to complete the first phase of its expansion by next spring.

Blue Lake Development Plans on Hold

A developer has withdrawn a request to rezone land near Whitley County’s Blue Lake. The rezoning would have allowed the developer to put more than 120 manufactured homes on land that includes the former Shady Grove Mobile Home Park. The developer’s lawyer indicated that he might resubmit modified plans in the future.

United Way Announces Campaign Chair

The United Way of Kosciusko County has announced that Jim Tinkey of Mutual Federal Savings Bank will lead the United Way’s 2007 Campaign. The campaign officially begins tomorrow.

Sylvan Lake Tax Protest Recalls Boston Tea Party

A group of LaGrange and Noble County residents dropped a giant mock tea bag into Sylvan Lake yesterday. It was a protest of increases in property taxes and a reference to the historic Boston Tea Party in 1773.

Suspect Arrested in Alleged Garrett Murder

Police have arrested a 49-year-old man for the alleged murder in May of a 91-year-old Garrett woman. Police say evidence suggests the man beat the woman while burglarizing her DeKalb County home. She died about two weeks later.

Pilot Dies in Pulaski County Helicopter Crash

A helicopter crash in northwestern Indiana’s Pulaski County killed one person over the weekend. Investigators say 55-year-old pilot James Terpstra was dead when rescuers arrived. He was the only person aboard.

Ambulance Crash Backs up I-69

An ambulance on an emergency run and a car collided on Interstate 69 near Fort Wayne yesterday afternoon. The crash closed down part of the highway for more than an hour. Police say the ambulance was taking a patient from Steuben County to a Fort Wayne hospital when the car cut in front of it in a construction zone.

Huntington County Car-Semi Crash Kills One

A semi truck collided with a car in Huntington County yesterday, killing a passenger in the car. Thirty-seven-year-old Huntington resident Teresa James died at the scene at the intersection of County Road 100-North and State Road 9.

Wednesday Tornados Confirmed Near Argos

The National Weather Service has confirmed that two tornados touched down Wednesday night near the Marshall County town of Argos. One damaged the roof of a factory and the other blew down the canopy of the pumps at a gas station, damaging a Sheriff’s Department patrol car. The National Weather Service rated both tornados at E-F-One on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which means their wind speeds were between 86 and 100 miles per hour.

Hearing Planned on Proposed Barbee Sewer District

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management will conduct a hearing in North Webster tomorrow on whether to form a regional sewer district along the Barbee Chain of lakes in Kosciusko County. If the sewer district is formed, property owners could be required to connect to the new public sewer system, in stead of existing septic systems. A state official says some sewage systems around the lakes are inadequate and can allow sewage to leach through the ground and into the lakes.

Huntington Assessments Get State Approval

A state agency has determined that properties in Huntington County and 14 others around the state were properly assessed and will therefore not require reassessment this year. Department of Local Government Finance Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave says some taxpayers in those counties might still wish to appeal their assessments, but on the whole the counties have conducted assessments with what she calls “demonstrated due diligence.”

Storms Pound Area

A line of severe storms struck the Q101 area overnight. The biggest problems were in the Marshall County town of Argos. Police reported a tornado touched down there. The storm blew down the canopy over the pumps at a gas station, damaging a police car. And it damaged the roof of a factory. Police in Rochester reported several trees down. Less serious damage was reported at several other locations. No storm-related injuries were reported.

Indiana Soldier Dies in Iraq

The military says an enemy attack in Iraq killed a soldier from northern Indiana Tuesday. Army Private First Class Shawn Hensel was from Logansport. He was 20 years old.

Wabash County Sheriff Hires Two Deputies

Clark


Duecker

Wabash County’s sheriff has added to his department. Jeff Clark has rejoined the department after spending the past five years managing a tire store in North Manchester. Recent Indiana Wesleyan University graduate Benjamin Duecker has also joined the department and will attend the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in January.

Fort Wayne Mayoral Candidate Indicted

A grand jury has indicted the Republican candidate for mayor in Fort Wayne. Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler says the indictment charges Matt Kelty with five felony counts of filing fraudulent reports and two perjury counts for allegedly lying to the grand jury. "These are felonies," Sigler said, "they’re serious matters, the man charged is innocent until proven guilty, but there will be a trial in the case and that’s when it’ll all be resolved." In addition to the felony charges, Kelty faces two misdemeanor counts of commingling personal and campaign funds. Each of the felony counts carries a possible sentence of six months to three years in prison. Last night, Kelty told a gathering of more than 50 supporters that he still expects to win the mayoral election. "I’m very disappointed in the decision handed down by the grand jury today," Kelty said, "but if I’m disappointed, I am not defeated."

Leesburg Principal Resigns Suddenly

The principal of Warsaw’s Leesburg elementary school resigned suddenly yesterday. Superintendent Robert Hayworth says he won’t discuss why Principal Marv Marino resigned or whether Marino faced any kind of disciplinary action. Hayworth says that until the school system finds a replacement, Eisenhower Elementary Principal Chris Gensinger will help supervise Leesburg.

Trucker in Taylor University Crash Sentenced

A judge has sentenced the Michigan truck driver whose rig crashed into a Taylor University van last year. Thirty-eight-year-old Robert Spencer got four years in prison followed by four years of probation. He had pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and criminal recklessness under the terms of a plea agreement. With time served and time off for good behavior, Spencer could be out of prison in a little more than a year. Five people in the Taylor van died in the collision.

Mattel Recalls Toys

Mattel has announced the recall of nine-point-three more toys made in China. The nation’s largest toymaker says the some of the toys might have paint containing dangerous levels of lead and others contain small magnets that can harm the digestive tract. You can find more information on Mattel's Web site and the Web site of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

State Road 19 Crash Injures Three

Police say a head-on collision on State Road 19 in southern Kosciusko County injured three people yesterday afternoon. According to a news release late this morning from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, 25-year-old William Miller of Logansport was driving a car that crossed the centerline and collided with a van. Police say Miller suffered extensive extremity injuries. At last report, he was in serious condition at a Fort Wayne hospital. Fifty-five-year-old William Grimmer of Dyer was driving the van. He and a 55-year-old passenger received minor injuries.

Aqua Indiana Requests 100% Rate Hike

A private water utility that serves parts of Whitley, Huntington and Allen Counties has requested permission from the state to double its customers’ water bills. Aqua Indiana says it needs the rate increase to recoup 30-million dollars it spent on improvements to its infrastructure. The proposed rate hike would increase a typical customer’s water bill from just under 18 dollars a month to more than 35 dollars. Typical residential sewage bills would increase from about 25 dollars to nearly 50 dollars. If the state approves the increase, it would probably take effect in September of 2008.

Warsaw Man Sentenced for Voyeurism

A judge has sentenced a 48-year-old Warsaw man to six months on probation for hiding a camera in the bathroom of a rental house. James Conley had pleaded guilty to voyeurism as part of a plea agreement.

Huntington School Administrators get Raises

The Huntington County Community Schools board has approved a three and three quarters percent pay increase for district administrators. Superintendent Tracey Shafer told the board that the system was paying its administrators far less than other districts do and that was making it difficult to attract and retain them.

Panel Hears Pros and Cons of Property Tax Incentives

A legislative panel heard debate yesterday on the pros and cons of two property tax incentives that local governments use to promote economic development. Some speakers told the Commission on State Tax and Financing Policy that tax abatements and tax incremental financing are necessary to compete for new jobs. Others say giving such tax breaks to businesses is unfair to some taxpayers and that local governments can abuse the programs.

Governor Orders Environmental Law Review

Governor Mitch Daniels has asked a former Indiana University official to lead a review of state laws covering Great Lakes water quality and permits. Environmental groups have complained about a permit the state granted BP’s refinery in Whiting. It allows the refinery to increase the amount of ammonia it dumps into the lake by 54 percent and the amount of suspended solids by 35 percent.

Hoosiers Injured by Fireworks

The state Department of Health says more than 100 people across Indiana suffered injuries from fireworks during the week of July Fourth. That number is down by about 40 percent from last year. The department’s report indicates that 48 percent of the total injuries involved children and adolescents.

Kosciusko Co-op Provides Wind-Generated Power

Kosciusko REMC says it has begun providing wind-generated electricity to its customers. Kosciusko REMC buys electricity from energy wholesaler Wabash Valley Power Association. The association recently made a deal with Illinois company AgriWind to buy wind-generated electricity over the next 11 years.

State Clears Wabash County Assessments

State officials say Wabash County will not have to reassess properties. The Department of Local Government Finance reviewed the county’s assessment records and says it found that Wabash County had followed state guidelines. Wabash was one of 11 counties whose assessments were reviewed in response to increases in homeowners’ property tax bills.

Man Allegedly Shoots at Kosciusko Deputy

Kosciusko County police say a man shot at a deputy at the Hoffman Lake Campground west of Warsaw at about four o’clock yesterday afternoon. The bullet did not hit the deputy. He had just arrived to investigate a report of a person with firearms and a possible methamphetamine lab. The shooting led to a three-hour standoff with the suspect, who hid in a camper trailer. The 36-year-old Warsaw man eventually surrendered. Police say they found three firearms in the trailer as well as several items used to produce meth. He’s held without bond this morning in the Kosciusko County Jail on preliminary charges including criminal recklessness with a firearm and possession of a methamphetamine lab.

Heroin Intercepted Enroute to Wabash

Police say they intercepted a shipment of heroin early this morning that was on its way from Chicago to Wabash. According to a news release from the Wabash Police Department, a tip led to a search warrant for the vehicle that was to be used. A Cass County Deputy spotted the vehicle on U-S 24 east of Logasnport and stopped it with the assistance of Indiana State Police. Inside, police say they found 15 grams of heroin in 48 packets as well as paraphernalia. They arrested three Wabash men who were in the vehicle on a variety of charges. The suspects range in age from 21 to 28.

Columbia City Woman Charged with Child Selling

Police say the listened in as a Columbia City woman agreed to transfer custody of her two-year-old son in exchange for a check for a thousand dollars. They arrested the 21-year-old woman on charges of neglect of a dependent and child selling.

Montana Police Arrest Indiana Prison Escapee

Police in Montana have captured the man who escaped from the state prison near Valparaiso last week. They say they became suspicious after they saw 40-year-old Kelvin Fuller drop off a hitchhiker shortly after midnight yesterday morning. They stopped Fuller after a computer check of the license plate revealed that it belonged to a different vehicle.

State Fair Leads Way in Banning Trans-Fats

The Indiana State Fair has become the first state fair to ban trans fat cooking oils. Fair spokesman Andy Klotz said the ban didn't rattle food vendors because 70 percent were already using trans fat-free oils. The fair opens today.

ATV Flies, Crash Injures Two

Conservation officers say two Pierceton residents suffered injuries over the weekend after the all-terrain vehicle they were riding became airborne for about 52 feet. It happened shortly after midnight Saturday night. Officers say 29-year-old Jeremy Wheeler was driving the A-T-V and 24-year-old Kelly Ziegler was a passenger. They say Wheeler was going too fast for the conditions and apparently failed to see a slope leading up to a country road. An area hospital treated Wheeler for back pain and Ziegler for a possible collar bone fracture. Conservation officers say they suspect alcohol was a factor.

Claimed Escapee Calls Newspaper

A caller to an Anderson newspaper Saturday claimed to be the man who escaped from the state prison near Valparaiso last week. The man told the newspaper he ran from the prison to seek help for constant stomach aches after complaining to prison staff to no avail. The man told the paper he’s been spending time in Indianapolis. He provided the newspaper with the correct date of birth and social security number of escapee Kelvin Fuller.

Butler Officer Injured in Pursuit-Related Crash

DeKalb County police say a pursuit last night resulted in a crash that injured a reserve officer of the Butler Police Department. Police say 34-year-old Jeffrey Byanski lost control of his police car while attempting to assist with the pursuit. The car left the road and crashed into an unoccupied house. A hospital in Auburn released Byanski after treating a head laceration. Police have not released the reason for the pursuit. They ended it after Byanski’s crash.