Fort Wayne Couple Convicted in Infant's Death

A jury has convicted two Fort Wayne parents in the death of their two-month-old daughter. It found 21-year-old Misty Lee Jones guilty of neglect causing death and 22-year-old Marshawn Wilson of both neglect causing death and battery causing death.

Churubusco Man Pleads Guilty in Pedestrian Strike

A Churubusco man has admitted hitting another man with his S-U-V while driving drunk in downtown Fort Wayne last April. Through a plea agreement, 35-year-old Brock Geiger pleaded guilty to felony criminal recklessness, operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury and other charges.

Bridges Still Need Repair

The Associated Press reports that it has conducted a review that has found that Indiana's 20 busiest structurally deficient bridges are still in need of repairs. The review comes a year after a deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis.

Feds Order State to Halt New Welfare System

The Associated Press is reporting that a federal official has told the state to halt any further rollout of its automation of welfare eligibility because it is taking too long to process and approve food stamp applications. The federal Food and Nutrition Service has ordered the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to delay any further rollout of the welfare changes until it improves its timeliness in processing applications. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson says Governor Daniels and his administration have ignored complaints from people who’ve had problems with the new welfare eligibility system. At last report, neither the Governor’s office nor the Daniels campaign had responded to Thompson’s criticism.

Thompson Seeks Green Jobs

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson has announced a "green jobs initiative" that she says would bring thousands of new jobs to Indiana. Part of her proposal would direct state investment toward companies developing clean-energy technologies.

Crash Kills South Whitley Woman

A South Whitley woman died in a two-vehicle crash southeast of Columbia City yesterday. Sixty-year-old Marilyn Coy died at the scene. Police say Coy failed to stop at a stop sign on County Road 300 West at Raber Road. An S-U-V struck Coy’s car on the driver’s side. A passenger in Coy’s car suffered a minor head injury. The driver of the Jeep was not hurt.

Warsaw Restaurant to Stay Open Despite Bankruptcy

The company that owns the Bennigan’s restaurant chain has filed bankruptcy and shut down its company-owned stores. The Warsaw Bennigan's is a franchise store and remains open.

Hoosier Soldiers Might Have Been Exposed to Carcinogen

The Indiana National Guard is notifying nearly 600 soldiers who served in Iraq that they may have drunk water tainted with a carcinogen at an Iraqi treatment plant.

Alligator Captured in River Near Anderson

A couple canoeing down the White River near Anderson over the weekend found a 3-foot long alligator in the water. An Indiana state conservation officer captured the animal, and an Anderson pet store owner is caring for it.

Famous Indiana Pilot Dies

A Fort Wayne woman who has famous for serving as a pilot during World War II and for around-the-world air races has died. Margaret Ray Ringenberg was 87. She died of natural causes at an aviation event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin yesterday. Tom Brokaw devoted a chapter to Ringenberg in his book, "The Greatest Generation."

Manchester College Leads Eel River Clean-Up

Manchester College is leading a project to clean up the Eel River, which runs near its campus. Excessive levels of e-coli, PCBs, mercury and other pollution have put the river on the Environmental Protection Agency’s "impaired" list.

Wabash Crash Seriously Injuries One

A two-vehicle crash at the intersection of U-S 24 and Falls Avenue near Wabash yesterday seriously injured a Wabash man. Fifty-nine-year-old William Hartley was in fair condition at last report in a Fort Wayne hospital.

Stueben Crash Kills Two

A single vehicle crash in Steuben County killed two people and seriously injured a third over the weekend. Police say the driver of a minivan failed to negotiate a curve on U-S 20 and struck a tree head-on. Police say alcohol might have been a factor in the crash.

No Appeal in Sex Offender Law Case

Indiana's attorney general says he will not appeal a federal court ruling that overturned part of a new state law on sex offenders. Attorney General Steve Carter says the legislature must instead develop laws that don’t violate the constitution.

LaPorte Woman Not Guilty of Baby's Killing

A jury has acquitted a woman of murder and neglect charges in the death of her newborn child. Doctors testified they couldn't say whether the baby had been born alive. The girl's body was found in 2006 in a field near the LaPorte County home of the suspect.

Helicopter Crashes Near Lafayette

Officials in Tippecanoe County a helicopter crashed into a cornfield yesterday as the pilot was spraying the field with insecticide. The pilot walked away from the crash near Lafayette.

Bat at Whiltey County Fair had Rabies

State officials say test results have found rabies in a bat that bit a calf at the Whitley County 4-H Fair over the weekend. The state Board of Animal Health says common-sense precautions can help protect families and pets against the disease.

Armed Robbery Suspect Spotted near Lagro

Police got a report last night that a suspect in the armed robbery of a Wabash home had been seen at an address near Lagro. The 17-year-old boy was gone when a Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived. Wabash police say the boy and a 17-year-old South Bend boy pushed their way into a Wabash home last Thursday, locked a female resident in a closet at gunpoint, and fled with cell phone and a gun safe. Police say the boy should be considered armed and dangerous.

Churubusco Man Convicted of Child Molesting

A jury has convicted a Churubusco man of molesting a boy who he was baby sitting. A judge scheduled sentencing for 21-year-old Randal Barnes for August 18th.

Judge Charged with Drunken Driving Keeps License

A judge in Indianapolis ruled yesterday that Allen Circuit Court Judge Thomas Felts can keep his driver’s license – at least for now. A lawyer appeared for Felts at an initial hearing yesterday and entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of drunken driving.

Indiana High on Oil Vulnerability List

A national organization says Indiana is among the top 10 states in terms of vulnerability to oil price increases. The report from the National Resources Defense Council says Indiana ranks seventh in the percentage of income that drivers spend on gasoline. The group is recommending that states take steps to reduce oil dependence.

Three Die in Indy Shootings

Police say an Indianapolis man shot and killed his former wife, her boyfriend and himself. The shooter was 44 years old.

Construction Workers Fall into Lake Michigan

Seven construction workers who were working on a casino in Hammond fell into Lake Michigan. They were working on an enclosed walkway between two buildings when it came loose.

Zimmer Announces Expansion

Zimmer Holdings, Inc., a designer, manufacturer and global distributor of orthopedic devices, announced today it will expand its Warsaw operations, creating nearly 100 new jobs by 2011. Zimmer plans to invest more than $19 million to add approximately 50,000 square feet to its foundry operations, boosting automation of the facility and increasing annual output by approximately 1.3 million castings a year. Zimmer will begin hiring engineers, supervisors and machine operators in 2009 to staff the expanded metal-making facility. The company currently employs approximately 2,800 at its Warsaw operations.

Trap Detects Emerald Ash Borer in Kosciusko County

State workers have found the invasive insect emerald ash borer (EAB) in a trap in Kosciusko County. The Department of Natural Resources says the insect was found in a trap in Plain Township near Warsaw. The DNR says Plain Township is now under quarantine, which means that no regulated ash products--including ash nursery trees, ash logs and all types of hardwood firewood--can be transported out of the township. In addition, all of Kosciusko County is under quarantine; ash products may move within the county, but not outside it. Kosciusko is the 18th Indiana county with confirmed EAB infestation and is part of a cluster of counties in the state's northeastern corner now under quarantine. Other quarantined counties include Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Hamilton, Huntington, LaGrange, Marion, Noble, Porter, Randolph, St. Joseph, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, White and Whitley. More information about EAB, including quarantines and identification materials, can be found online at www.in.gov/dnr/2509.htm, www.in.gov/dnr/entomolo/5817.htm and www.entm.purdue.edu/eab.

Thunderstorms Clobber Central Indiana

Severe thunderstorms clobbered central Indiana yesterday, cutting power to more than 30-thousand utility customers. The biggest problems were in Hendricks County, just west of Indianapolis.

BMV Reports Improved Service

State officials say the Bureau of Motor Vehicles has improved significantly over the past two years. The average wait time at B-M-V branches has dropped from 28 minutes in 2006 to less than nine minutes this year. And the B-M-V says its surveys of customers indicate that about 97% rate their experience at a B-M-V branch as either excellent, above average or satisfactory.

Contractors to Inventory KREMC Equipment

Kosciusko R-E-M-C has announced that it has hired a company to create an inventory of all of its facilities, including the meters on houses and barns. The utility says the inventory will take up to two years to complete. It asks customers to cooperate with the contractors, who will be identified with signs on their trucks.

Monaco Coach to Close Elkhart County Plants, Move Some Work to Warsaw

Monaco Coach announced yesterday that it’s closing recreational vehicle plants in Wakarusa, Elkhart and Nappanee and that it’s moving some of their production to its plant in Warsaw. The company says the Elkhart County R-V plants will close in September. Those closings will cost about 14-hundred workers their jobs. Monaco says the economy and weak demand for R-V’s is forcing it to reduce production. And the company says it sees no signs of big improvements in the market any time soon.

Cold Medicine Buys Lead to Arrests

Police arrested nearly 30 people in the Auburn area yesterday for buying too much cold medicine. It’s illegal to buy more than more than 3 grams of ephedrine or psuedophedrine in one week. The medicines can be used to make the illegal drug methamphetamine.

Falling Garage Door Kills Indy Boy

Police say a 13-year-old Indianapolis boy died yesterday in a freak accident involving a garage door. They boy was tinkering with an electric car when a board he'd used to prop open a garage door broke, allowing the door to fall on his neck.

State Ends Year in the Black

Despite economic problems, for the third fiscal year in a row, state government ended up in the black this year. State Auditor Tim Berry says Indiana closed the books on the fiscal year that ended on June 30 with revenues exceeding spending by about $321 million.

Teens Busted in Alleged Fuel Theft

Two Rural Peru teens face theft charges in Wabash County this morning for allegedly stealing fuel from a construction business. Police say the 18-year-old men had been putting fuel into a 15 to 20-gallon tote in their car.

Drug Bust in Warsaw Trailer Court

The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force reported late yesterday morning that they arrested three men Tuesday night at an apparent drug house in Warsaw. The task force says its members found large amounts of money, drug paraphernalia and a substance that appears to be cocaine when they searched the house on Levi Lee Road. The suspects are 32, 46 and 48 years old.

Bayh Appears with Obama

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared at Purdue University yesterday and for the first time, Indiana senator Evan Bayh joined him. Some people consider Bayh a contender to be Obama's running mate. But Obama declined to answer questions about whether Bayh is on his short list or whether yesterday’s appearance was a “try out” for Bayh.

Huntington County Crash Kills Andrews Man

A 19-year-old Andrews man died in a crash in northwestern Huntington County yesterday afternoon. Police say Mark Crickmore apparently ran a stop sign at the intersection of State Roads 105 and 114 and a semi truck crashed into his car.

S. Bend Teen Sentenced in Columbine-Style Plot

A 16-year-old South Bend boy told a juvenile court judge yesterday that he never intended to carry out a Columbine-style attack he planned at Penn High School near Mishawaka. The judge sentenced the boy to a juvenile prison, where he could end up staying until he’s 21.

Akron Man Charged with Sex with 15-year-old

State Police say a 23-year-old Akron man had sex with a 15-year-old girl after getting her intoxicated on booze and a controlled substance. The man faces a charge of sexual misconduct with a minor this morning.

Judge Faces Misconduct Charges

In Fort Wayne, a superior court judge faces charges this morning – of judicial misconduct. Judge Kenneth Scheibenberger allegedly caused a disturbance in another judge’s courtroom.

Cop's Car Wrecked 29 Minutes into the Job

A crash nearly totaled a Hobart police officer's squad car less than a half hour after he started his new job. Police say a driver with drugs in his blood stream crashed into Officer Tim Pochron's car while it was parked outside his house.

Obama to Visit Purdue

Barack Obama plans his first Indiana appearance since before the May primary. He’ll visit Purdue University with Senator Evan Bayh tomorrow.

I-69 Protesters Arrested

Police arrested more than a dozen people yesterday who blocked the entrance to an asphalt plant in a demonstration against an extension of Interstate 69. The new section of the highway will link Indianapolis and Evansville.

Shot Indy Officer Remains Critical

An Indianapolis police officer remains in critical condition three days after being shot in the head while pursuing a homicide suspect. A police department spokesman says 29-year-old Jason Fishburn has shown some signs of improvement and that doctors are cautiously optimistic.

Lottery to Stop Selling Games When Prizes Gone

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that the Hoosier Lottery has instructed retailers to stop selling certain scratch-off tickets. The Lottery is pulling tickets for games whose top prizes have already been won.

Flood Creates New Wabash River Island

The force of June's record flooding on the Wabash River created a new island that's left about a dozen farmers cut off from some of their cropland. The change in the river's course cut a channel that created an two-thousand-acre island.

CCHS Custodian Dies in Storm Clean-Up

A custodian at Columbia City High School died yesterday while cleaning up tree damage from Tuesday’s thunderstorm. Officials say 52-year-old John Clifford was using a bucket loader to move a large fallen branch yesterday afternoon, when the branch somehow struck Clifford.

NWS Confirms Tuesday Tornado Near Coesse

The National Weather Service has confirmed that a weak tornado touched down in eastern Whitley County during Tuesday’s thunderstorms. The tornado destroyed a barn on Lincoln Way near its intersection with County Road 500-East.

Indy Officer Critically Injured in Shooting

An Indianapolis police officer was critically injured in a shooting last night. Twenty-nine-year-old narcotics Officer Jason Fishburn was trying to serve a warrant on a murder suspect. Fishburn was in critical condition at last report with a bullet wound to his head.

FEMA Adds 14 Counties to Disaster Declaration

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved seven more counties for federal public assistance in recovering from recent storms and flooding. None are in the Q101 area. The announcement brings to 41 the total number of counties approved for public assistance.

Residents Oppose Dairy Farm Expansion

Huntington County residents complained last night about a dairy farm’s plans to expand from three barns and 14-hundred cows to five barns and 25-hundred cows. State officials conducted a hearing last night regarding the expansion permit request from the new owners of the former DeGroot Dairy. The state ordered the farm’s previous owners to sell it, because of a history of environmental violations.

Wabash County Crash Injures Two Teens

A 19-year-old North Manchester man lost control of a pickup truck on a curve last night and crashed into a tree. A helicopter flew Buddy Livesay and his 18-year-old passenger to a Fort Wayne hospital. The crash happened on Wabash County Road 850-North.

Angola Firewood Business Burns

A rural Angola business that sells firewood caught fire yesterday. It required a response from 17 fire departments. Fire crews were on the scene for six hours. One firefighter suffered a minor injury.

Storm Brings Wind Damage to Whitley County

Thunderstorms did some damage in the Q101 area yesterday. In South Whitley, a tree fell on a house and several large trees fell across State Road Five. Officials in Columbia City reported several trees and power lines down. And near Coesse in eastern Whitley County, the storm uprooted several trees, blew down four utility poles and moved a large horse trailer.

Officers Struck While Trying to Stop Pursuit

Two police officers in Richmond suffered minor injuries yesterday when they were struck while setting up spikes to stop a pursuit. Police say the suspect’s pickup truck hit one of the officers and then crashed into a squad car, which struck the other officer.

Garbage Truck Runs Over Girl, 6

Police in southern Indiana say a six-year-old girl died after she and her bicycle went under a garbage truck, which then ran her over. Police say it appears the child died instantly when the accident happened late yesterday afternoon.

Man Arrested after Hiding in Tree

State Police say a 48-year-old Tippecanoe man fled on foot after a traffic stop last night and hid for several hours in a tree. Police say the man was wanted on felony arrest warrants, so they waited quietly nearby and arrested him after he came down, thinking the police had gone.

CCHS Remonstrance Period Ends

In a few weeks, we’ll know whether Whitley County Consolidated Schools can move ahead with plans to build a new Columbia City High School. Yesterday afternoon was the deadline for opponents and supporters of the project to turn in petitions from property owners. Now, government workers will check each signature to verify that it belongs to a property owner in the school district and to eliminate any duplicates. If opponents collected the most verified signatures, the 60-million building project will be dead for at least a year.

Train Hits Car in Gary, Kills 3

Three people died in Gary yesterday after a CSX freight train crashed into a car at a railroad crossing. Police say the driver drove the Ford Taurus around the crossing gates. The crash killed an 18-year-old and a 21-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man.

I-65 Crash Kills Three

Three people died yesterday in a crash on Interstate 65 near Frankfort. Police say a small car heading south on the highway crossed the median during a rain storm. A semi truck traveling north hit the vehicle and the impact tore the car into two pieces, killing everyone inside.

State Creates New Disaster Recovery Office

A new office will lead the efforts of Indiana’s government to repair and rebuild following the recent storms and flooding that struck the state. The new Office of Disaster Recovery will coordinate state agency relief efforts and work with the federal government as well as other public and private entities and local governments.

Report: Indiana Slow to Grant Disability Benefits

Indiana residents unable to work because of medical or psychiatric ills are forced to wait far longer than most Americans for disability payments. The Indianapolis Star reports today that Indiana has 1 of the nation's worst records for processing disability claims that on average provide recipients with $1,000 a month in aid.

Huge Increase in Mosquitoes Bugging Central Indiana

A byproduct of recent flooding in central Indiana is mosquitoes. Officials say four times the usual number of the insects are bugging the area.

South Shore Ridership Increases

High gasoline prices have led to a significant rise in the number of people who ride the South Shore commuter railroad, which runs between South Bend and Chicago. Ridership has reached levels not seen since 1957.

Hoosiers Turn to Gardening for Food

A growing number of Indiana residents are dusting off their spades to fight high food prices by planting vegetable gardens. Vegetable plant sales have surged at nurseries in Terre Haute, where some customers say they're planting their first vegetable gardens.

Three Hurt in Whitley Crash

E-M-S took three victims – all younger than 21 – to a Fort Wayne hospital this morning, after a single-vehicle crash northeast of Columbia City this morning. It happened at the intersection of Widman Road and County Road 200-East at about 2 a.m.

Highway Section Dedicated to Slain Trooper

State officials dedicated a section of U-S 24 near Wabash yesterday in honor of a state trooper who was killed in the line of duty there last year. Master Trooper Detective David Rich was shot when he stopped to help what he thought was a stranded motorist.

Driver Charged in Hit-and-Run to Squad Car

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department reported late yesterday morning that the driver of a pickup truck fled Wednesday night after crashing into a squad car. The deputy was not injured and a 57-year-old Warsaw man faces charges this morning of resisting and/or fleeing law enforcement and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Indy Police Officer Charged in Prostitution Case

Prosecutors have accused an Indianapolis police officer and his wife of running a prostitution ring from their home. Court documents say the officer collected cash from prostitutes hired by his wife while wearing his police uniform.

Two Arrested in Shooting of Gary Girl, 12

A man and a teenager from Gary face charges this morning of attempted murder and battery in the shooting of a 12-year-old girl who may lose her sight in one eye. The girl’s stepfather has said she was shot in front of her house by two people who had been involved in an argument with the girl's next-door neighbor.

Wabash County Police Solve Rash of Thefts

Wabash County Sheriffs Deputies have interviewed two juvenile suspects in a series of thefts in the Laketon and Sandy Beach areas of northern Wabash County. Police say the 15 and 16-year-old North Manchester boys stole numerous items from vehicles. Police have turned the case over to the Juvenile Probation Department.

State Adult Bookstore Law Ruled Unconstitutional

A state law regarding the sale of sexually explicit material took effect yesterday, but before the day was over, a federal judge ruled that the law is unconstitutionally vague and overly broad. The law would have required bookstores and other retailers to pay a registration fee if they want to sell adult materials. The judge ruled that the way the legislature wrote the law, it could apply not just to pornography, but also to classic literature and great works of art.

Natural Gas Prices Rising Again

NIPSCO says its average residential customer will pay nearly 15 percent more for natural gas this month than in June. The utility blames increasing wholesale prices.

Motorcyclist Hits Deer

A Wabash County motorcyclist suffered serious injuries late last night after he collided with a deer on State Road 124 near County Road 600-West. E-M-S transferred 48-year-old Jerry Eakright to a Fort Wayne hospital.

Runaway, 14, Accused of Stealing Charter Bus

State Police in northwestern Indiana caught a 14-year-old boy yesterday after he allegedly stole a charter bus and drove it on Interstate 80. The boy was a runaway from Chicago. Police say he stopped the bus after he hit a wall and a small fire broke out.<