Wabash Company's Georgia Plant Explodes

A smelting furnace at a Wabash company’s Georgia plant exploded yesterday, injuring seven workers. It happened at the G & S Metals plant, about 60 miles south of Atlanta. The plant melts and purifies aluminum for reuse. Company officials say they believe the explosion was caused by some moisture that somehow got into one of the furnaces.

Lagro Convenience Store Robbed

Wabash County police say a man held up the Junction Food Mart in Lagro last night. Dispatchers got the call at midnight. No one was hurt. The clerk described the robber as a man wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt. Dispatchers say the clerk did not provide a description of a get-away vehicle.

Fire Levels Churubusco Barn

Fire destroyed a barn on Whitley Count Road 550-East near Churubusco this morning. The alarm came in at 4:19 a.m. and it took three fire departments about an hour to bring the fire under control. No one was hurt.

High Court Hears Huntingon Convict's Appeal

The Indiana Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in the appeal of a Huntington County man who pleaded guilty to child molestation. 49-year-old Timothy Creech wants the court to shorten his six-year sentence.

Prosecutor Questions Child Welfare in Child's Death

A prosecutor in Indianapolis says he wants to know why child welfare officials returned a three-year-old girl to her mother and boyfriend and didn’t call police despite evidence of abuse. Later, the couple allegedly beat the child to death.

Gary Officer Struck Shoots at Fleeing Vehicle

A Gary police officer who was hit by a sport utility vehicle fired his gun at the fleeing vehicle and apparently hit a passenger. Police say the passenger later showed up at a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound.

Purdue Conducts Alarm System Trial

Purdue University tested a potential campus-wide emergency alert system yesterday. If the university buys the system, it will include sirens that will also have the ability to issue verbal warnings regarding a campus emergency.

Kidnapper Convicted in Elkhart

An Elkhart jury has convicted a Chicago man of attempted murder and criminal confinement. The jury found Jerry White guilty of breaking into the Elkhart home of his ex-girlfriend in January, shooting a man who was there, taking the woman and their four children to an Elkhart motel and holding them hostage.

Reward Increased in Eagle Death

The reward has increased for information about the killing of a bald eagle found in LaGrange County. The Humane Society of the United States added a 25-hundred-dollar reward to the five thousand dollars already offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Armadillo Blamed for Zoo Fire

A fire at the Indianapolis Zoo is being blamed on an armadillo that apparently pushed combustible material or bedding too close to a heat lamp. A fire investigator's report says there was no indication that the lamp fell or malfunctioned.

Snowman Becomes Hit-and-Run Victim

The victim of a hit-and-run crash in LaPorte was a snowman. The 33-year-old man who was driving the pickup truck might have gotten away with it, but Frosty’s head crashed through the window of a parked car. Witnesses helped police found the driver. They decided not to charge him after he agreed to pay for the repairs to the car window.

Sheriff Warns of Holiday Scams

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department says scammers have recently targeted elderly residents with false stories of a family tragedy in an attempt to get donations. According to a news release, Sheriff Rocky Goshert advises citizens who get such requests to call the city-county dispatch center at one of the following numbers: 267-5667, 372-9511 or 457-5757 (Syracuse/North Webster area).

State: Whitley, Huntington County Assessors Delinquent

Whitley and Huntington County’s assessors are in trouble with a state agency. The Department of Local Government Finance says the state might revoke the assessors’ certifications for failing to provide data required by law.

Whitley Orders Old Gov't Documents Shredded

Whitley County officials have decided to have old government documents shredded because they contain information that could be used by identity thieves. About 100 boxes of the documents had been at the county’s recycling facility.

Manchester Announces Fast Degree Program

Manchester College says it has become the first in Indiana to make it possible for students in any major to earn a four-year degree in three years. The new program requires students to do some coursework online in the summer.

State Road 25 Crash Injures Three

A three-car crash on State Road 25 about three miles north of Logansport last night injured three people and closed the highway for at least an hour. The victims were from Logansport, Rochester and South Bend. Two required airlift to area hospitals.

Schools Get Grants for Career, Tech. Ed.

Warsaw and Wawasee Community Schools have received federal “moving forward” grants to pay for new career and technical education programs. The Warsaw system received 41-thousand dollars and Wawasee received 32-hundred.

Teacher's Union Opposes Property Tax Reform Plans

The Indiana State Teachers Association says it opposes proposals to reduce property taxes by shifting school funding away from them. The teacher’s union says other forms of funding are not as stable as property taxes.

A North Webster man now faces a charge of obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to police about being shot by a stranger. Police say 30-year-old John Miller reported the shooting October 30th but later admitted he shot himself. Kosciusko County police say the alleged false report cost them at least 59-hundred dollars worth of officers’ time.

Bald Eagle Killed in LaGrange County.

Indiana Conservation Officers say they’re looking for a poacher who killed a bald eagle at the Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area in LaGrange County. Officers say some hunters discovered the dead eagle. A federal wildlife agency is offering a five-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of whoever killed the bird.

Former Gary Officer Faces Federal Indictment

A former Gary police officer has been indicted on federal civil rights charges after he was accused of assaulting a suspect. The indictment states that 35-year-old Robert Irving assaulted an arrestee at a hospital and then in the police department's booking area in 2005.

Poll: Hoosiers Willing to Pay More Sales Tax

A poll shows that a majority of Indiana residents support an increase in the sales tax -- if it means a decrease in their property taxes. The Indianapolis Star and television station WTHR conducted the poll, which found that 62% of adults in the state are willing to pay more sales taxes.

Applications for new State Health Plan Available

Low-income adults who have no health insurance but do have access to the Internet can now download applications for the new Healthy Indiana Plan that begins January 1st. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration estimates more than 550-thousand people are eligible. You can get the application form here.

Poll: Daniels would Lose to Either Democrat

A new statewide poll shows that Republican Governor Mitch Daniels would lose the general election next year, no matter which Democrat gets that party’s nomination. A poll by the Indianapolis Star and Indy T-V station W-T-H-R shows that Daniels would lose to former U.S. Representative Jill Long Thompson by at least a percent and he’d lose to Jim Schellinger by four percent.

Indiana Congresswoman has Terminal Cancer

U.S. Representative Julia Carson has revealed that she has terminal lung cancer. The 69-year-old congresswoman told The Indianapolis Star the cancer had gone into remission but was recently discovered again while doctors treated a leg infection. Carson represents the Indianapolis area.

Local, State Officials Plan Appeal of FEMA Decision

City, county and state officials said they plan to appeal the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to withhold federal disaster aid from Nappanee and other areas hit by last month’s tornado. FEMA says the area’s private sector didn’t suffer enough damage to warrant a major disaster declaration and assistance.

Deer Hunter Falls from DeKalb County Tree

Indiana Conservation Officers say a Fort Wayne man fell 23 feet from a tree yesterday while climbing to a tree stand to hunt deer. It happened near the DeKalb County town of Garrett. A helicopter flew the hunter to a Fort Wayne hospital for treatment of neck and back injuries.

FEMA Denies Disaster Declaration for October Tornado

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Dave Paulson notified the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) that FEMA has denied Indiana's request to declare a major disaster as a result of the severe storms and F3 tornado of October 18. The state requested the disaster declaration based on preliminary assessments of damage in Kosciusko, Elkhart and Marshal Counties. In its letter, FEMA indicated that the damage to the private sector was not severe enough to warrant the a disaster declaration and assistance under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

Lawmakers Begin Tax Work

Both chambers of the General Assembly suspended rules during their organization day yesterday and overwhelmingly ratified steps Governor Daniels took earlier this year to help homeowners deal with property tax increases. The Republican governor had extended to Oct. 15th the deadline for homeowners to apply for homestead property tax exemptions and moved to Dec. 31 the deadline for counties to adopt local option income taxes. Both chambers also introduced the governor's property tax reform plan.

Former AG's Firm to Monitor Zimmer

A New Jersey federal prosecutor has picked the law firm of former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft to help monitor a $311 million settlement involving knee and hip replacement manufacturers, including Zimmer Holdings of Warsaw. The monitoring is tied to a $311 million settlement by the manufacturers to settle allegations they illegally paid surgeons millions to use and promote their knee and hip replacements.

Apartment Security Guard Shoots, Kills Intruder

Indianapolis police say a security guard apparently acted in self defense when he shot and killed an Illinois man who lunged at him from a closet with a power saw. Police say the man with the saw might have been trying to steal copper pipe from the vacant apartment.

Man Get 130 Years for Killing Mother, Stepfather

A Lake County judge has sentenced a Hammond man to 130 years in prison for killing his mother and stepfather with a hammer and knife. The crimes happened last January.

Indiana Officer Faces Robbery Charges

A former Police Lieutenant from the central Indiana town of Westfield will stand trial on charges he took cash from Hispanic drivers who wanted to avoid traffic tickets or jail. Scott Fross faces four counts of armed robbery. He has denied the charges.

State Parks to Close for Deer Hunts

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources plans to temporarily close 18 state parks and one nature preserve in coming weeks for deer hunts. The properties, which include Chain O’Lakes State Park in Noble County, will be closed Nov. 26-27 and Dec. 10-11.

U.S 31 Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Charges

Indiana State Police say they confiscated approximately 150 grams of suspected marijuana with a street value of approximately $900 after they stopped a speeding car on U.S. 30 in Fulton County last night. According to an I.S.P. news release, a trooper's radar measured the car's speed at 80 miles an hour just north of Rochester. The driver was a 32-year-old Elkhart man. Police arrested him on a felony charge of operating a vehicle while being a habitual traffic violator. They arrested the 32-year-old Indianapolis man who was a passenger in the car on two felony charges of dealing marijuana over 30 grams and possession of marijuana over 30 grams, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possessing a handgun without a permit.

Lawmakers Promise Assessment Overhaul

Indiana House and Senate leaders say the state's township-based property tax assessment system will be overhauled in the upcoming General Assembly session. But they’re avoiding other specific predictions about property taxes as they prepare for the legislature's Organization Day today.

Two Hurt in Firearms Accidents

Conservation officers reported yesterday afternoon that separate firearms accidents injured two rural Wabash men over the weekend. Conservation officers say 31-year-old Randall Turner suffered a foot injury when his muzzle-loading rifle discharged. Thirty-seven-year-old David Runkel suffered an arm injury when another hunter’s shotgun discharged while he was unloading it.

Tanker Spills Hundreds of Gallons of Gasoline

A tanker truck leaked hundreds of gallons of gasoline on a Muncie street after a crash yesterday. City workers had to flush the sewers to get the gasoline out of them.

New Jobs Coming to Angola

Three companies plan to bring 152 new jobs to Angola by 2010. Quality Trailer Products will locate its first Midwest manufacturing facility there and Supreme Building Technologies will locate its headquarters and manufacturing operations in Angola. Also, C & K Tool will expand its operations in Angola.

Indiana Turkeys to Received Preidential Reprieve

As he usually does just before Thanksgiving, President Bush will pardon two turkeys during a Rose Garden ceremony today. And this year, the birds will come from an Indiana farm. After the turkeys receive their pardon, they’ll head to Disney World to be grand marshals of the park’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Wabash County Sheriff's Dept. Honored

The Wabash County Sheriff’s Department has received a statewide award for its participation in a program designed to reduce impaired driving and increase seat belt usage. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute has named it the best sheriff’s department in the state’s Operation Pullover campaign.

Hoosier Soldier Dies in Iraq

The Pentagon says a 25-year-old soldier from southeastern Indiana has died while serving in Iraq. Officials say an improvised explosive device exploded near the vehicle in which 25-year-old Sergeant Kenneth Booker was traveling.

Teen Killed in Pursuit-Related Crash

A 17-year-old west-central Indiana boy died over the weekend during a high-speed chase by Indiana State Police. According to a news release from the I-S-P, the boy was a passenger in a car driven by an 18-year-old friend who was fleeing police to avoid a speeding ticket. During the pursuit, the car left the road, became airborne and struck some trees.

Man Hurt in Deer Hunting Accident

Deer hunting season began Saturday and almost immediately conservation officers reported the first accident of the season. A 57-year-old Fort Wayne man fell about 13 feet when his homemade tree stand collapsed near Angola. Conservation officers say the man could have avoided back and neck injuries had he used a safety harness.

Weather Confuses Leaves

Indiana's mild fall has produced an unusual late display of foliage, with many trees hanging onto their leaves well into November. Experts say leaves typically turn early after hot, dry summers like the one we had this year. But the opposite happened this fall.

Roann Clerk-Treasurer Arrested

The clerk-treasurer of the Wabash County town of Roann is in jail this morning for allegedly pocketing money residents paid her for water, sewage and trash pick up bills. Forty-four-year-old Janet Lyons faces one count each of official misconduct and theft. According to a news release from the State Police, Lyons allegedly stole about 95-hundred dollars from the town. Both the charges she faces are class “D” felonies, which are punishable by fines of up to 10-thousand dollars and up to three years in prison.

Near Collision in Skies over Q101 Area

The Federal Aviation Administration says two airliners came within seconds of colliding over the Q101 area earlier this week. The F-A-A says an error by an air traffic controller near Chicago sent a Midwest Airlines plane into the path of a United Express jet at 25-thousand feet Tuesday evening. They could have crashed within 10 to 15 seconds had the Midwest jet not sounded an alarm. Midwest V-P of Corporate Affairs Carol Skornicka says the pilots did exactly what they were trained to do and it was a very smooth transition from a descent to an ascent in order to avoid a potential convergence.

Coalition Rallies for Property Tax Repeal

A coalition of taxpayer organizations rallied at the Statehouse yesterday to urge support for a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes in Indiana. The new Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance wants the state to increase income and sales taxes to make up the difference and to cap state spending.

Alleged Burglar gets Stuck in Air Shaft

Police in the central Indiana town of Thorntown say a man became stuck in a grocery store’s ventilation shaft for four hours while trying to burglarize the business. After someone heard the 19-year-old man scream for help, rescuers poured vegetable oil down the shaft to lubricate it enough to pull him out.

North Webster Man Admits Shooting Self-Inflicted

Kosciusko County Police say it turns out a rural North Webster man was not shot by a stranger last month – he shot himself. Police say 30-year-old John Miller has admitted that his gunshot wound to the chest was self-inflicted. On October 30th, Miller originally told police that another man shot him as Miller stepped out of his mobile home near Backwater Lake. At the time, police searched in vain for the alleged gunman. Police say they’ve forwarded the case to the prosecutor’s office for review and they’re not releasing any more information about it.

ACLU Appeals Statehouse Prayer Ruling

The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider a decision that would allow the return of sectarian prayers in the state House of Representatives. The agency is asking for a hearing before the full U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mastodon Bones on Display

Mastodon bones that were dug up from a Fort Wayne-area peat bog are now on display at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. The Ice Age relative of the elephant was nine feet tall and weighed 6,000 pounds. An Allen County man discovered the mastodon on his family farm in 1998.

Grant to Increase U.S. 30 Traffic Light Enforcement

A national highway safety expert says drivers blowing red lights are making U-S 30 in Kosciusko County one of the deadliest highways in the state. A state agency has granted the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and the Warsaw Police Department 31-thousand-dollars to pay for overtime so officers can increase patrols. The grant money will help pay for around 20 extra man hours of traffic light enforcement per week.

Commission Proposes Property Tax Cuts

A state legislative commission that has been studying Indiana's property tax problems thinks most homeowners should see a 50 percent reduction in their property tax bills. The bipartisan commission also wants to reduce taxes by 25 percent for other residential properties like apartments and second homes. The commission’s plan would balance these cuts with increases in local option income taxes and by creating a broader base for the state sales tax.

Man Claims Record Hoosier Lotto Jackpot

A retired steelworker from East Chicago has claimed the cash option of the Hoosier Lotto's record 54-and-a-half-million-dollar jackpot. Peter Gilbert says he played the numbers based on the ages of his grandchildren and pet pit bull, Caesar. The cash option will pay out 40-point-four million dollars before taxes.

Fire Destroys Huntington Business, Forces Evacuations

A Huntington factory went up in flames yesterday. No one was hurt but the owner of Midwest Industrial Metal Fabrication says the fire destroyed the business. Smoke from the fire forced officials to evacuate a nearby apartment complex, a nursing home and a dairy. The Fire Department says the fire started at about 8 a.m. when workers used cutting torches to remove steel racks. They thought they had the fire out and didn’t call the fire department until they discovered flames after a lunch break at noon. It took 30 firefighters from Huntington plus another 11 from Bippus and Mount Etna to bring the fire under control.

President Bush to Visit Indiana

President Bush will be in southern Indiana today talking about the budget. Bush will speak in New Albany at the invitation of a combined chamber of commerce and economic development organization for Clark and Floyd counties.

Kenley to Announce Property Tax Reduction Plan

State Senator Luke Kenley says he plans to make recommendations that could cut homeowners' property tax bills in half. Kenley is chairman of a commission studying Indiana's property tax problems. He plans to make his recommendations at a meeting today.

Huge Mail-Order Pharmacy Coming to Central Indiana

Three central Indiana counties are trying to land a new company that fills prescriptions through the mail. Medco Health Solutions says it will locate in Johnson, Hendricks or Boone County. The company could create 13-hundred jobs by 2012.

Bill Changer Acts Like Slot Machine

A bill changer at a car wash in the central Indiana city of New Castle acted like a slot machine. After a customer put in a dollar bill, the machine delivered 260 dollars worth of quarters. The man caught all the coins in a trash can and took them to the local police department.

Syracuse Pursuit Leads to Meth Investigation

A pursuit by Syracuse police early this morning led to a methamphetamine lab investigation. Police say someone threw active meth lab components out of the car while they were chasing it in southern Elkhart County. A State Police team responded to handle the items.

Veteran's Day Closes Offices, Bring Congressman to N. Webster

Today is the governmental commemoration of Veteran’s Day. That means most government offices are closed and there will be no mail delivery. U.S. Representative Mark Souder will meet with veterans of Kosciusko County today, to discuss the status of the Fort Wayne V-A hospital and the Goshen outpatient clinic, as well as other issues. Souder and a V-A official will be at the American Legion Post in North Webster at three o’clock this afternoon.

Police Begin Two-Week Enforcement Blitz

Seven Kosciusko County police departments are participating in a statewide traffic safety enforcement blitz that began yesterday and runs until the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The departments will use federal funding to put additional officers on the roads to enforce Indiana’s impaired driving and seat belt laws.

Logansport Man Shot During Robbery Attempt

Police are searching for a suspect this morning in an attempted robbery and shooting near Logansport. It happened at about 11:15 last night and the home of an 87-year-old man. Police say the man suffered a gunshot wound to his hand and required transport to an Indianapolis hospital. The suspect reportedly drove off in a white Chevrolet Impala with a paper license plate. Call the Peru Post of the Indiana State Police if you saw anything that would help police find the suspect. The number is (800) 382-0689.

North Manchester Convenience Store Robbed

North Manchester Police say a man help up the Huck’s Food and Fuel convenience store just west of downtown last night. Town Marshall David Young says the suspect entered the store just before 11 o’clock and waited until other customers left. "and then demanded that he needed money from the attendant. The attendant then opened the cash register and the man left with an undetermined amount of money." Young says no one was hurt. He describes that suspect as a heavy set or muscular white man, about five feet, eight inches tall, with short, dark hair and tattoos on both arms. The suspect was wearing a short sleeve shirt and a hat and fled in what might have been a dark blue Mercury Mountaineer S-U-V. Young is asking anyone who saw anything that would help with the investigation to call the North Manchester Police Department at 260-982-8555.

Convicted Man Dives from Courthouse Balcony

A Fort Wayne man threw himself off the third floor balcony in the Allen County Courthouse yesterday after a jury convicted him of child molesting. At last report, the man was in critical condition.

House Democrats Plan Early Work on Property Tax Reform

House Democrats say they want to start work on Governor Mitch Daniels' property tax relief proposal before the legislative session begins in January. Speaker Pat Bauer says they want to file it on an organization day November 20th and hold at least one or two hearings in December.

Bayh Bill Would Allow Property Tax Deductions

Senator Evan Bayh is getting support in Congress for legislation that would allow homeowners who do not itemize their federal tax returns to deduct local and state property taxes anyway. The bill would be retroactive to property taxes payable this year, and continue in future years.

Governor Announces New Science Prize

A new state prize in science is named for a Purdue researcher. Governor Mitch Daniels says the new Nelson Innovation Prize is named for Purdue scientist Philip Nelson, who developed new ways to process, transport and store large amounts of fruits and vegetables.

Incumbents Win Reelection in Warsaw, Columbia City and Wabash

Yesterday’s municipal elections were good for incumbent mayors in the Q101 area. Voters reelected Republican Warsaw Mayor Ernest Wiggins with 65 percent of the vote, Columbia City Democrat Mayor James Fleck with 59 percent and Wabash Republican Mayor Robert Vanlandingham with 53 percent of the vote. In Huntington, Republican County Commissioner Steve Updike won 74 percent of the vote to move into the mayor’s office. Updike had defeated incumbent Terry Abbett in the primary. In Fort Wayne, Democrat Tom Henry won 60 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Matt Kelty, who faces criminal campaign finance and perjury charges. In the state’s largest city, two-term Democrat Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson lost to Republican Greg Ballard, even though Peterson’s campaign spent more than 10 times as much as Ballard’s.

Argos Couple, Daughter Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Police in the Marshall County town of Argos say a 39-year-old man apparently shot his wife and their 19-year-old daughter to death and then killed himself. The couple’s 12-year-old son discovered the bodies.

Exploding Rifle Injures Columbia City Man

Conservation officers say a Columbia City man’s muzzleloading rifle exploded in his hand at the Tri-County Fish and Wildlife area near North Webster. Thirty-seven-year-old Jason Sauder suffered an injury to his right thumb and index finger.