Light Snow Makes Roads Hazardous

The Q101 area received light snow overnight, but it was enough to make roads slippery – even the main roads. Police dispatchers had already received several reports of slide-offs even before the morning commute got underway. Even the National Weather Service reported that a car slid off the road in front of its office in North Webster. Police say the roads were slipperier than they looked and advise drivers to allow extra time and to drive much slower than normal.

Huntington County Jail Inmate Dies

Indiana State Police are investigating the death of an inmate at the Huntington County Jail. The Huntington County Coroner says initial autopsy results indicate that 64-year-old Bluffton resident Bradley Buzzard died of natural causes while incarcerated on a charge of failure to appear.

Ex-Prosecutor Faces Bribery Charge

In Muncie, an ex-prosecutor faces bribery charges this morning for allegedly paying witnesses to withhold or change their testimony in a criminal case. The 61-year-old former prosecutor could get four years in prison if convicted.

House Approves Property Tax Caps

The Indiana House of Representatives has approved a resolution that could lead to a constitutional amendment that caps residential property taxes. Governor Mitch Daniels opposes the House version, because it bases the caps on the income of the homeowner instead of the value of the property and because the House version would allow local government to exceed the caps to pay off existing debt. The issue now goes to a conference committee.

House Passes Illegal Worker Bill

The state would be able to revoke the business licenses of companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants under a bill that the Indiana House passed yesterday. The Senate has already passed a different version, so the final bill will be in the hands of a conference committee.

Houses Passes County Reorganization Bill

The Indiana House of Representatives has passed a bill that would replace boards of County Commissioners with single county executives. But the change would happen only if voters and the commissioners themselves decide to make the reorganization.

State Senate Passes Gambling Expansion

The State Senate has passed a bill that would allow Indiana bars and taverns to offer pull tabs and other low-stakes gambling to their customers. Tavern owners have argued that they should be able to offer the gambling, because nonprofit organizations that have bingo licenses already can. A version of the bill has already cleared the House. The Senate bill’s sponsor says he wants a conference committee to work out a compromise between the two versions.

High School Administrator Charged with Illegal Relationship with Student

An assistant principal at a Fort Wayne high school faces charges of felony child seduction this morning. The charges accuse the 36-year-old man of having an illegal relationship with a 17-year-old student.

State Supreme Court Schedule's Killers Execution

The Indiana Supreme Court has set a May 30 execution date for a 42-year-old man who murdered a Franklin College student in 1997. A federal court could still stay the execution of Michael Dean Overstreet.

18 Inches of Lake-Effect Snow Falls Near Michigan City

The Michigan City area got more than 18 inches of lake-effect snow Tuesday night and yesterday. The heavy snow closed the Indiana Toll Road in La Porte County for a while yesterday as several semi trucks were unable to gain traction and visibilities dropped to zero.

Car Breaks Apart After Collission with Wabash County Tree

Two people required airlift to a Fort Wayne hospital overnight after a one-car crash on a slippery Wabash County road. Police say the 25-year-old driver lost control of the car on ice on Old U-S 24 near the western Wabash County Line and crashed into a tree at about 12:40 this morning. When emergency responders arrived, they found the car in two pieces. At last report, the driver was in fair condition and doctors had not decided whether the 14-year-old passenger would require hospitalization.

FEMA to Open Disaster Units for Kosciusko, Huntington Counties

Flood victims in Kosciusko and Huntington Counties can get information about federal disaster assistance beginning tomorrow at two mobile disaster recovery centers that FEMA is setting up. The center for Kosciusko County will be at the Winona Lake town building and the center for Huntington County will be in Fort Wayne, at the Sears Pavilion in Foster Park. The centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, and Monday only.

Warsaw Man Faces Charges in ID Theft Case

A 30-year-old Warsaw man faces charges this morning of opening credit card accounts in a Fort Wayne resident’s name and then charging more than 64-thousand dollars in purchases to the cards. The man faces four counts of theft and four counts of fraud

South Whitley Company Add Jobs

A South Whitley company has announced it will expand, adding 40 new jobs at its facility there and up to 50 new jobs at other plants. Whitley Manufacturing builds modular commercial structures for schools, offices and dormitories, among others. The company says it will begin hiring immediately.

Zimmer Exec to Testify Before Senate Committee

An executive of Warsaw orthopedic company Zimmer plans to testify today before a U-S Senate Committee. The committee is investigating the gifts, royalties and other financial incentives that orthopedic device manufactures provide to physicians.

State Senate Passes Property Tax Bill

The Republican-controlled Indiana Senate has passed a property tax relief and reform plan. The bill now moves to a conference committee, where Democrat and Republican negotiators from the House and Senate will try to work out differences between the versions the two chambers passed.

Nursing Home Employee Faces Exploitation Charge

State Police say a 42-year-old employee of a Peru nursing home bilked a 75-year-old woman out of more than two thousand dollars. The Kokomo man faces charges of theft and exploitation of an endangered adult.

Whtiley County Declares Level 4 Snow Caution

Whitley County Emergency Management Agency director Cathy Broxton-Ball says the county has elected to warn the public concerning the recent snowfall and road conditions. Whitley County has placed the entire county under a Level 4 (White) CAUTION snow emergency level. This is not a declared emergency level and states the following:

A level 4 (White) Caution Snow Level may be activated when conditions may develop that limits or hinders travel or activities in isolated areas. No travel restrictions have been reported but citizens should be alert to changing road and weather conditions. (This is not a declared emergency, but an activation of the ordinance to alert the public of possible hazardous conditions).

Wabash County Crash Forces Evacuation

Emergency officials in Wabash County had to evacuate at least three homes overnight, after a vehicle crashed into a house and broke off the gas meter. The crash happened at 12:37 a.m. in the two thousand block of State Road 13, north of Wabash. Police say the vehicle left the scene and nobody got a look at it. By 1:45, NIPSCO had the gas shut off and evacuees returned to their homes.

Three Boys Die in Northern Indiana Rivers

Three northern Indiana boys have drowned in rivers. The four and nine-year-old Fort Wayne boys we told you about yesterday morning died at a hospital after rescuers pulled them from a river near their home. And yesterday, searchers found the body of a six-year-old Elkhart boy in a river in Elkhart County.

Legislators Resolve Impasse on Immigration Bill

Legislation aimed at curbing illegal immigration is now eligible for passage by the Indiana House after legislators resolved a partisan impasse yesterday. Republicans walked off the floor last Thursday in protest after Democrats used a procedural move to prevent Republicans from amending the bill.

State Senate Ties on Assessor Bill

The Indiana Senate voted 23-23 yesterday on a proposed amendment to shift all property tax assessment duties from townships to the county level. Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman could have broken the tie, but Senate leaders were confused about the procedure. It could come up for another vote today.

Barn Burns in Wabash County Village of Liberty Mills

A barn fire northeast of North Manchester required the services of three fire departments last night. The alarm came in from the village of Liberty Mills at 12:48 a.m. Firefighters remained on the scene until nearly 2:30. No injuries were reported.

Young Boys Found Unresponsive in Fort Wayne River

Police and firefighters pulled a four-year-old and a nine-year-old boy out of a river in Fort Wayne last night. Reports indicate that both children were unresponsive. Responders discovered the boys after police received a report that the children were missing from their home near the river.

ISU Raises Dorm Rates

Indiana State University has raised room and board rates at its dorms by up to four-and-a-half percent. That means the standard rate for students with less than 56 credit hours will be just under seven thousand dollars starting this fall.

Whitley Crash Kills Passenger, Seriously Injures Driver

One person died and another suffered serious injuries in a one-car crash northwest of Columbia City. Whitley County police say the driver lost control on snow and ice. The car went off the road, landed upside down in a creek and caught fire. At last report, the 18-year-old Fort Wayne woman who was driving was in serious condition at a Fort Wayne hospital with multiple internal injuries. A passenger in the car – whose identity police have not yet released – died at the scene.

Area Counties Added to Federal Flood Aid List

The federal government has extended disaster aid to flood victims in Kosciusko, Whitley and Huntington Counties. Those are three of the 12 counties the feds added to the list yesterday. People in those counties can now get federal help recovering from the flood that began January seventh.

Republicans Legislators Walk Out over Immigration Bill

Republican members of the Indiana House walked off the floor yesterday. They were protesting procedural moves by majority House Democrats. Republicans wanted to vote on changes to a bill that would penalize Indiana businesses that hire illegal immigrants. But Democrats took steps to prevent votes on any changes.

Hoosier Company to Shoot for the Moon

An Anderson company has announced it will enter a competition to be the first private company to send a remote rover to the moon. Google in sponsoring the $30 million Lunar X Prize.

South Whitley House Burns

Firefighters responded twice to the same house fire in South Whitley overnight. The first alarm came in at 9:30 p.m. and firefighters called the fire under control 40 minutes later. By 3:25 this morning the fire had rekindled, requiring a second response. At last report, no one had been injured.

Democrats Change Property Tax Caps

Democrat revisions to Governor Mitch Daniels’ proposed property tax caps would base the caps on homeowner income, rather than on the value of the property. The Democrats also want to exclude all local government debt from the caps. A House committee approved the revised plan yesterday.

27-Vehicle Pile-Up Near Michigan City

A pileup on Interstate 94 near Michigan City yesterday involved 27 vehicles and closed the highway for seven hours. State Police say no one was seriously injured.

Jail Supervisor Charged with Selling Time Out of Jail

A Lake County Jail supervisor faces charges of bribery and official misconduct this morning for allegedly selling time out of jail to inmates. Prosecutors say the supervisor allowed inmates to leave the facility in exchange for $10 an hour.

Democrats File for May Gubernatorial Primary

Democratic gubernatorial candidates Jill Long Thompson and Jim Schellinger both filed necessary petitions yesterday to be on the May 6 primary ballot. Republican Governor Mitch Daniels had already filed.

I-69 Head-On Crash Kills One

State police are investigating a fatal accident on Interstate 69 involving a car and a semi. The crash happened at about 2 a.m. just north of the Grant-Delaware County line. The crash forced police to shut down the passing lanes in both directions.

Fatal Crash partially closes Toll Road

A crash involving four semi trucks and a car closed the eastbound lanes of the Indiana Toll Road near LaPorte for nearly 12 hours yesterday. A 41-year-old trucker from Illinois died. Police blame ice on the highway.

Huntington Police Chase Man in Stolen Car

Huntington Police say a 33-year-old resident led them on a chase in a stolen car yesterday. They eventually stopped the man and arrested him on a variety of charges, including auto theft and operating while intoxicated. Police say the car’s owner had left it running unattended to warm it up.

Propety Tax Cap Advances in Senate

Indiana Senate Republicans have advanced their version of a property tax restructuring plan. The Senate Tax Committee passed the bill unanimously yesterday, sending it to the full Senate. The bill would limit homeowner's tax bills to one percent of their homes' values.

Committee Passes Amended Immigration Bill

A committee of the Indiana House of Representatives has passed an amended bill that would penalize companies that hire illegal immigrants. The committee added one-point-five million dollars in state money to help enforce the bill and removed an exemption for those who hire part-time or seasonal workers.

Same Sex Marriage Opponents Continue Pressure

Supporters of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in Indiana continue to press the issue, even though a key lawmaker says he won't give the proposal a hearing. Representative Scott Pelath says he won't budge, but conservatives say the amendment needs a hearing so it can appear on the November ballot.

State Senator Accusses Opponent of Stalking

A Republican state senator is accusing a political opponent of stalking him to try to prove he doesn't live in the district he represents. State Senator Brent Waltz filed the complaint with Greenwood police. The man he accused has said he plans to run against Waltz in the Republican primary.

Child Advocates Call for Independent Agency Review

Child advocates say the Indiana Department of Child Service needs the independent review of an ombudsman. They cite the deaths of three Indianapolis children who were under the care of the D-C-S.

Speaker: Economy Might Delay Property Tax Reform

The Democratic speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives says the state of the economy might make it impossible to fully implement the governor’s property tax relief plan on schedule. Patrick Bauer says he doesn’t think the state will be able to afford by next year to take over all local levies for school operating and transportation costs and child welfare expenses.

Committee Approves Voting Center Bill

More voters cast ballots at centralized polling sites instead of traditional neighborhood precincts, under a bill an Indiana House committee has passed. The bill also could let them submit absentee ballots by mail without providing a reason.

Lawmaker Question Illegal Worker Bill

Some Indiana House members are asking tough questions about a proposed bill to crack down on companies that hire illegal immigrants. Representative Trent Van Haaften questions whether the bill would really help solve the state's problems with illegal immigration.

Attorney General Supports Former Trooper's Murder Conviction

Indiana’s attorney general is trying to persuade the state supreme court that it should not overturn a former state trooper’s convictions for murdering his wife and two children. Attorney General Steve Carter has filed a 58-page brief with the court in support of the convictions.

County Officials Warn of Tax Cap Effects

An Indiana House committee heard from some county government officials yesterday, who warned about the effects of capping property tax bills. Some county officials say the caps could mean layoffs of local government workers and reduced services -- including public safety.

Columbia City Firm Gets Navy Contract

A Columbia City company has a contract to do 22-point-nine million dollars worth of work for the Navy. UnderSea Sensor Systems will build sonobuoys, which the Navy uses to detect of non-U.S. submarines.

Daniels to Speak at Columbia City GOP Event

Governor Daniels will be in Columbia City tonight. He’ll provide the keynote speech at the local Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner.

Biodiesel Plant Planned in Fulton County

A Delaware company wants to build a biodiesel refinery on a 32-acre site in Fulton County. Green Fuels LLC has requested rezoning of the land, which is just east of a planned ethanol plant. Officials say the biodiesel plant could create jobs for up to 18 people.

Pendleton Lockdown Eased

Prison officials have started lifting a lockdown at the Pendleton Correctional Facility. Guards implemented the lock down Friday night, after some inmates took over a housing unit. Several inmates suffered minor injuries, but none of the staff at the prison were hurt.

ND Trustees Give $16 Million

Two members of the Notre Dame board of trustees have donated $16 million to the university. Ten million dollars of that is from trustee Chairman Richard Notebaert and his wife, Peggy, and will go toward a new graduate school fellowship program.

Fog, Rain, Melting Snow Cause Problems

At least three people have died around the state in crashes linked to the dense fog we experienced yesterday and last night. One crash near Lafayette involved a car and a train. In west central Indiana’s Warren County, a semi struck a car. The combination of fog and thunderstorms caused problems for air travel this morning. Airlines canceled most early-morning departures from both the Fort Wayne and South Bend airports. The combination of overnight rain and melting snow caused high water problems on some roads in the Q101 area. Stay tuned for the latest weather information from meteorologist Tom Churchill and Ron Gregory.

State Senate Committee to Dicuss Taxes

The Senate Tax Committee plans to meet today to discuss a 900-page House property tax relief bill. The House will also soon take up several Senate bills dealing with property taxes.

Former BSU Cop Wins Federal Case in Student Shooting

A federal jury has found a former Ball State University policeman isn't liable for the shooting death of a drunken student. The student’s family alleged that the officer used excessive force when he shot the student four times in November 2003. But the jury found unanimously in favor of the former officer.

Fort Wayne Base Could Get New Fighter Jets

Military officials say the Air National Guard base in Fort Wayne could receive new advanced-technology fighter jets. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets would replace the F-16s the base has now, but that wouldn’t happen until six years from now at the earliest.

Indiana Blamed for Gulf Pollution

The U.S. Geological Survey says Indiana is among the worst polluters of a nearly 8,000 square-mile patch in the Gulf of Mexico. The survey says Indiana and eight other states are responsible for more than 75% of the nitrogen and phosphorous that deplete oxygen from that area of the Gulf.

One-Car Crash Injures Two Warsaw Residents

Police say a car crashed into a tree on Kosciusko County Road 250-North Saturday night. The crash seriously injured the two Warsaw residents inside, both of whom required airlift to a Fort Wayne hospital.

South Bend Resident Among Illinois Shooting Victims

One of five women shot to death in a suburban Chicago clothing store over the weekend was a South Bend resident. Thirty-four-year-old Jennifer L. Bishop was a nurse at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. Police are still looking for the man who killed the women.

Winter Storm Hits Area

A winter storm is bringing significant snow accumulation to most of the Q101 area with parts of the area receiving ice as well. Indiana State Police area reporting all state and county roads snow or ice covered, depending on the exact area.

Sergeant Don Wiesehan of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department gave The New Q101 a first-hand report from his squad car. "State Highway’s been out pretty much all night trying to keep the state roads cleaned off," Wiesehan reported, "And they’re not in very good shape at this time, but they’re trying to get ahead of it. Snow drifts are starting to accumulate with some of this wind. I’d recommend that if people are going to try to venture out, to take it slow and nice and easy because the roads aren’t in very good shape."

Wabash County Sheriff Leroy Striker told The New Q101 that road conditions in his county could be a bit deceptive. "All roads appear to be passable," Striker said, "There are dry spots, scattered dry spots which give the motorists the assumption that the roadways may be clear, but they need to drive with caution."

Police are requesting citizens not to call them for road reports because doing so can tie up phone lines that might be needed for emergencies. Instead, follow this link to get the latest Indiana State Police road report.

The storm is also affecting air travel. Airlines have canceled some flights out of both the Fort Wayne and South Bend airports. Airport officials are advising travelers to check flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport.

The Winter Storm Warning issued yesterday by the National Weather Service continues in effect until seven o’clock tonight. Forecasters say heavy snow will continue into this afternoon with total accumulations of eight to 13 inches in many parts of the Q101 area. The southeastern portions of our listening area are forecast to get some freezing rain with the snow this morning. Up to a tenth of an inch of ice could accumulate before the precipitation turns back to snow. Stay tuned to The New Q101 for the latest on this winter storm.

General Assembly Reaches Halfway Point

This year’s session of the Indiana General Assembly has reached its halfway point. Property tax relief continues to be the top issue among lawmakers as each house begins considering bills passed by the other.

Indiana Area Added to Terror Risk List

One Indiana area has been added to the list of cities and regions that are considered at high risk of a terrorist attack. The new list of funding priorities from the Homeland Security Department includes the area across the Ohio River from Louisville and Jefferson County, Kentucky.