Police Chase Begins in North Manchester

A 37-year-old Roann man faces a number of charges this morning after allegedly leading police on a pursuit that started in North Manchester last evening. Wabash County police say the man fled in a pickup truck when a deputy who was working on operation pullover attempted to stop him. State police eventually caught him on Wabash County Road 200 West, well after he crashed into a utility pole on State Road 114 at Ogden Road.

Huntington Officer Makes Court Apperance

Huntington Police officer William Wike appeared in court yesterday to face a charge of sexual misconduct with a minor. A judge set Wike’s bail bond at 20-thousand dollars and set Wike’s next court date for October 30.

Trucker in Fatal Taylor Crash to be Released

A newspaper reports that a truck driver convicted in a 2006 crash that killed four Taylor University students and a staff member is expected to be released from prison today. Michigan resident Robert Spencer has served about a year on charges of reckless homicide and criminal recklessness.

Jet Fuel Spill Forces School Evacuations

Officials in suburban Indianapolis evacuated seven schools yesterday while crews cleaned up jet fuel that spilled when a tanker truck tipped over. The accident happened in Avon west of Indianapolis.

Manchester Expects Unusually Large Enrollment

Manchester College says it’s about to enroll about 1,150 students -- its largest class in more than 25 years. Executive Vice President David F. McFadden credits an 18-month enrollment initiative in which faculty, coaches and recruiters made more than 18,000 personal calls to prospective students.

Double ISTEP Testing This Year

Students will spend more time taking standardized tests this year as the state begins its transition from fall to spring exams. ISTEP-Plus exams will be given in both the fall and spring this year to students in grades three through eight.

Update: Fiber Cut Distrupts Communications

My Q101 has received the following update from AT&T:

Telephone service has been fully restored to AT&T customers in Northeastern Indiana as of approximately 3:00 p.m. EST today. Some customers had disrupted service as a result of a fiber cut near Huntington, Ind. that was caused by a third party.

The outage, which occurred at approximately 9:30 a.m. EST, affected some AT&T customers in Auburn, Bluffton, Huntington, Kendallville and Spencerville.

AT&T technicians were immediately dispatched to the site and customers began to come back online early this afternoon with full restoration at approximately 3:00 p.m. EST.

Update: Fiber Cut Distrupts Communications

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has advised My Q101 that communications that were disrupted due to today's optical fiber cut have been restored.

Update: Fiber Cut Distrupts Communications

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security has provided the following additional information to My Q101 regarding today's communications outage:

Adams, Allen, Blackford, Jay, Huntington and Wells counties have reported disruption in fiber optic communications service. Repair work is in progress and a time of restoration of services has not yet been determined.

911 service is being affected in Huntington County.

911 service in Allen County is not experiencing any outages.

Jay and Blackford counties are expecting limited phone interruption.

Adams and Wells counties are having significant communications problems, including 911 service.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is receiving reports from the counties and is monitoring the situation. At this point, no assistance has been requested.

Huntington County has been able to communicate with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security via an 800 mhz radio, which is part of IDHS’s interoperability program.

Update: Fiber Cut Distrupts Communications

An AT&T spokesman has provided My Q101 with the following additional information about today's communications outage:

As of approximately 9:30 a.m. EST today, some AT&T customers in Auburn, Bluffton, Huntington, Kendallville and Spencerville may be experiencing disrupted phone service due to a fiber cut by a third party near Huntington. AT&T technicians were immediately dispatched and are currently working to restore service as quickly as possible.

Fiber Cut Distrupts Communications

CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE

Issue Time: 11:51AM EDT, Thursday Aug 28, 2008

Valid Until: 3:00PM EDT, Thursday Aug 28, 2008

Urgent - Immediate Broadcast Requested

Civil Emergency Message

Indiana Emergency Management Agency Northern Indiana Indiana Relayed By National Weather Service Northern Indiana

1151 AM EDT Thu Aug 28 2008

... Civil Emergency Message...

The following message is transmitted at the request of the Emergency Management Agencies in several Indiana counties including... Huntington... Jay... Blackford... Allen... Wells And Adams.

A fiber optic line has been cut and communications in these counties has been disrupted. Work is in progress and a time of restoration has not been determined.

Further information will be provided as it arrives.

Huntington Police Officer Faces Sex Charge

A Huntington police officer is scheduled to appear in court today to face a charge of sexual misconduct with a minor. The charge alleges that 41-year-old William Wike, Junior touched a 15-year-old girl in a sexual manner sometime between November of 2006 and January of 2007. Wike is an eight-year veteran of the Huntington Police Department. Special prosecutor Daniel Sigler of Whitley County says Wike’s job apparently did not play a role in his alleged crime. Huntington’s police chief has begun proceedings to suspend Wike without pay pending the outcome of the case. If a court convicts Wike of the class “C” felony, a judge could sentence him to two to eight years in prison.

Daniels Says State Can't do Much for Gary

Governor Daniels says there's not much the state can do to help the city of Gary with its $13 million budget shortfall this year. He says the city should do everything it can to get its financial house in order before asking for help from the state.

Grissom Plans Emergency Drill

Grissom Air Reserve Base plans a disaster drill that will include smoke and sirens at the base along U.S. 31 near Peru. Base officials say people shouldn't be alarmed if they see smoke or emergency personnel in the area today.

Ivy Tech Reports Enrollment Increase

More than 86,000 students are attending the 23 Ivy Tech Community College campuses in Indiana this year. That's an 11% increase from last year.

Train Strikes North Manchester Man

In North Manchester yesterday afternoon, a train struck a 52-year-old town resident as he crossed the tracks on West South Street. A helicopter flew Elmer Blevins, Junior to a Fort Wayne hospital, where he was in critical condition at last report.

Highway Worker Dies in Huntington County Crash

A Huntington County Highway Department worker died yesterday while mowing along a county road. Police say a van crashed into the back of the tractor that 56-year-old Dennis Klepper was driving. Klepper died at the scene on Huntington County Road 300 North, near County Road 500 East. Forty-two-year-old rural Huntington resident Neil Kline drove the van. A helicopter flew Kline from the scene to a Fort Wayne hospital for treatment of chest and leg injuries. Kline was in fair condition at last report.

South Bend Man Faces Murder Charge

A South Bend man has been charged with killing someone who shot him 17 years ago. Police are holding the 58-year-old man without bond on a charge of murder.

Local Police Dogs Place High in National Competition

A team of police dogs and their handlers from the Warsaw and Winona Lake Police Departments placed second in the Overall K-9 Patrol Team competition of the recent American Working Dog K-9 Olympics. The K-9 Olympics included more than 100 teams from 14 states and four countries.

State Commission Investigates Racial Disparities

A state commission examining racial disparities in government services to children will hold a public meeting tonight. The commission will host a statewide teleconference to hear comments from people in seven cities across the state.

SAT Scores Remain Low

SAT scores in math improved for Indiana's high school class of 2008, but reading and writing scores dropped. Nationwide, scores remained at the lowest level in nearly a decade, while a record number of students took the test.

Dissent Discouraged at Huntington Public Hearing

Huntington Mayor Steve Updike discouraged property owners from making negative comments about a controversial annexation plan during a public hearing last night. "If you can’t have anything nice to day, get out," Updike said during the public hearing. "You hear me? If you don’t have anything nice to day, get out." Despite opposition, Updike says his administration will present the annexation plan to Huntington City Council for approval. Property owners say they’re concerned that their taxes will go up but that they won’t get much more service from the city.

Income Tax Increase in Huntington County

Huntington County Council voted last night to increase the county’s income tax by point-three-five percent. The tax increase is set to take effect October first.

Parkview Whitley Operates on Wrong Body Part

Parkview Whitley hospital in Columbia City reported that its staff performed a surgery on the wrong body part in 2007. Parkview Whitley was the only hospital in the Q101 area that reported any 2007 event to the state’s medical error reporting system.

Warsaw Man Faces ID Theft Charges

A 31-year-old Warsaw man faces charges of identify theft in Allen County for allegedly opening several credit card accounts in another man’s name and charging more than 45-thousand dollars worth of purchases on the cards. Police say the suspect told them he bought the items to sell so he could support a cocaine addiction.

Kosciusko Sheriff Orders all Deputies to the Road

Kosciusko County Sheriff Rocky Goshert has ordered all deputies, including detectives, administrative officers and the Sheriff himself, to work at least one road patrol shift during the three day Labor Day weekend. According to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department, the plan will increase traffic enforcement without incurring overtime expenses.

Monaco to Keep One Elkhart Plant Open

Recreational vehicle maker Monaco Coach Corporation has decided to keep its chassis-building operation open in Elkhart. The plant is one of thee Elkhart County facilities for which the company had announced closures.

No Farm Bureau Endorsement in Gubernatorial Race

The Indiana Farm Bureau's political action committee says it's not endorsing a candidate for governor this year. Neither Republican Governor Mitch Daniels nor Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson received the votes needed to win the endorsement.

Legistlators Support State Bailout for Gary

State legislators from Gary are hoping the city's $13 million budget shortfall will persuade their colleagues to consider some kind of a bailout. Gary Mayor Rudy Clay estimates the city could be bankrupt by early October without drastic budget cuts.

Man Dies in Lake James

Medical examiners plan an autopsy today to find out why a 56-year-old Fremont man died in Steuben County’s Lake James over the weekend. Conservation officers say Douglas Zuber had been swimming near his pontoon boat Saturday afternoon when he began to have trouble and asked for a life jacket. Someone threw one to him but he went under before he could get to it. Divers recovered Zuber’s body Sunday morning.

Judge Sentenced for Drunken Driving

A Fort Wayne judge is on probation for the next year after he pleaded guilty in Indianapolis yesterday to a misdemeanor charge of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The sentence Allen Circuit Judge Thomas Felts received is typical for first-time offenders.

Officer Charged with Rape While On Duty

An Indianapolis metropolitan police officer allegedly forced a 19-year-old woman to have sex with him while he was on duty. The department has suspended the 36-year-old officer, who faces charges this morning of rape, criminal deviate conduct and other crimes.

Hoax Calls Warn of STDs

Someone programmed an automated phone system to make hoax calls claiming to be from the Saint Joseph County Health Department. The fake calls try to scare people by telling them they might have contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

Plan Would Increase Low-Income Prenatal Care

More low-income pregnant women would be able to get prenatal care under a new plan from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. The agency has reversed course and will apply for federal approval to make such women eligible for Medicaid.

Fuel Crunch Brings New Jobs to Ligonier

Increasing fuel prices have actually been a positive thing for a Ligonier auto parts manufacturer. Millennium Industries has created a new direct injection fuel system that it says will allow automakers to use smaller, more fuel-efficient engines in their cars, without sacrificing engine power. The company believes there will be so much demand for its product that it plans to expand its Ligonier plant and hire 170 new people. Millennium says it hopes to begin hiring this fall and to have all the new workers on the job by three years from now. It’s looking for everything from general laborers to engineers and plans to recruit workers through WorkOne Northeast.

Training Money Available to RV Workers

People who’ve lost their jobs due to cutbacks at northern Indiana recreational vehicle manufacturers will now have access to state dollars for new training. Governor Mitch Daniels announced yesterday that the state is making three million dollars in federal training funds available to laid-off R-V workers so they can work associate degrees or receive other job-related training.

Woman Pleads Guilty in IPFW Campus Murder

A suspect in the on-campus murder of an I-P-F-W student has admitted to committing the crime. As part of a plea agreement, the 36-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to murder. She could get up to 60 years in prison for stabbing her daughter’s roommate to death in the student’s dorm room last April.

Stray Bullet Wounds Indy Boy, 6

Indianapolis police say a 6-year-old boy riding in a van was hit by a stray bullet. Doctors at Riley Hospital say they expect the boy to recover fully from a shoulder wound. Police do not believe the van was the target of the shooting.

Former Sheriff Plans Guilty Plea

A lawyer for a former central Indiana sheriff says his client will plead guilty to federal program theft charges. A federal prosecutor says former Putnam County Sheriff Mark Frisbie misappropriated federal program money to pay expenses for his consulting firm, travel expenses for his wife's daughter and for campaign supplies.

LaGrange Native Dies in Iraq

Another Indiana native has died in Iraq. Twenty-nine-year-old Staff Sgt. Kristopher Dan Rodgers was a native of LaGrange. He died Saturday when a roadside bomb exploded near his vehicle.

Mentone Elementary Parents Informed of Viral Mengitis Case

The superintendent of Tippecanoe Valley Schools announced yesterday afternoon that a Mentone Elementary School student is hospitalized with viral meningitis. Superintendent Brett Boggs says the school sent a letter home with students yesterday explaining that viral meningitis, which the student has, is a relatively common but rarely serious infection of the fluid of the spinal cord and the fluid that surrounds the brain. Boggs says the parents should not confuse the disease with bacterial meningitis, which the student does not have and which is very serious and can result in brain damage or even death.

Job Announcement Planned in Ligonier

New jobs are apparently coming to an auto parts manufacturing plant in Ligonier. Governor Mitch Daniels plans to be at Millennium Industries today for the economic development announcement. Millennium primarily makes automotive and small engine fuel system components.

Police Use Taser on 14-Year-Old Boy

Elkhart police say an officer was forced to use a Taser electric shock weapon on a 14-year-old boy. A police department spokesperson says the Taser was the only way to subdue the six-foot-tall, 230-pound boy and get him to stop hitting another student at Elkhart Central High School.

Sheriff Resigns Under FBI Investigation

Commissioners in central Indiana’s Putnam County have accepted the resignation of the county’s sheriff, Mark Frisbie. He’s under investigation by the Indiana State Police and the FBI. Frisbie's attorney says his client is under investigation over unauthorized business related expenses.

State Police Plan Kosciusko Sobriety Checkpoint

Indiana State Police say they plan to operate a sobriety checkpoint somewhere in Kosciusko County sometime today. State police say motorists who encounter the checkpoint will be required to produce a valid driver’s license and vehicle registration and that drivers who are not impaired can expect only short delays of 2-3 minutes.

Hoosier Obesity Continues to Rise

An annual report by the Trust for America's Health shows obesity in Indiana has continued to increase. The new report indicates that 27.5% of Hoosier adults are obese. That's up from 26.8% in last year's report.

Men Indicted for Girl Scout Marijuana Patch

A federal grand jury has indicted two Goshen men for allegedly cultivating large plots of marijuana in northern Kosciusko County. Some of the marijuana was on property owned by the Limberlost Girl Scout Council.

Fire Destroys Warehouse Near Bourbon

Fire destroyed a construction material warehouse near the Marshall County town of Bourbon yesterday. Firefighters believe that no one was in the building at the time of the fire. Investigators still were working at last report to determine a cause of the fire.

Churusbusco Man Sentenced in Child Molesting Case

A judge in Fort Wayne has sentenced a 21-year-old Churubusco man to eight years in prison for molesting a young boy. Randall Barnes maintains his innocence and says he plans to appeal his conviction.

'Busco Man Gets Prison Time in Drunk Driving Case

A judge has sentenced a 35-year-old Churubusco man to 13 years in prison and three years probation for driving drunk and dragging a man 140 feet in Fort Wayne last April. Brock Geiger had pleaded guilty in July to felony charges of criminal recklessness and operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury.

Crash Partially Closes US 31 Near Peru

Police had to close northbound U-S 31 near Peru for two hours yesterday, after a crash at a traffic light. Police say a pickup truck was stopped at the light when a semi rear-ended it. They say a seat belt probably saved the life of the 58-year-old man in the pickup.

Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Bribery Case

A former Westfield police officer has pleaded guilty to a bribery charge. Prosecutors had charged 38-year-old Scott Fross with taking cash from Hispanic drivers who wanted to avoid traffic tickets or jail.

State Fair Announces Attendance

The Indiana State Fair attracted nearly 860,000 people over 12 days this year. Next year, the fair will be expanded to 17 days, and will cover three weekends.

Small Plane Crashes at Huntington Airport

A 57-year-old pilot suffered minor injuries over the weekend when a small plane crashed at Huntington Municipal Airport. Joan Dubois was trying to take off in the single-engine Cessna Saturday, but the plane rolled off the end of the runway, struck a ditch and flipped over.

Boy Nearly Drowns at Chain O'Lakes State Park

Doctors say they expect a two-year-old boy to fully recover after nearly drowning at Chain O’Lakes State Park near Albion over the weekend. Officials say the toddler was swimming with family members Saturday when a nearby swimmer noticed him face down in the water, pulled him out and administered C-P-R.

Fire Severely Damages House near North Manchester

A Saturday morning fire near North Manchester severely damaged a house but did not injure anyone. It happened on Wabash County Road 400-East.

Mold Forces Marion Judge from Courthouse

Grant Superior Court Judge Randall Johnson says a mold problem in the Grant County courthouse is so bad that he’ll no longer conduct court operations there. The judge says doctors have found high levels of several molds in his blood.

Roanoke Lotto Winners Announced

Roanoke resident Bobby Guffey says not wearing his glasses helped him pick the numbers for a Hoosier Lotto ticket that won him three million dollars. Guffey says without his glasses, he failed to pick the numbers he usually plays. He bought the winning ticket at a Roanoke convenience store.

Daniels Seeks Teacher Training Dollars

Governor Mitch Daniels says the state should spend five million dollars to expand a program that educates people willing to teach math and science in schools that have trouble getting teachers. A spokesman for Democratic challenger Jill Long Thompson says training new teachers won’t help much if the state doesn’t invest more in school technology and in keeping class sizes from growing.

High Rise Scaffolding Collapses in Indy

Safety harnesses saved the lives of three workers when their scaffolding collapsed yesterday, as they were working near the top of a 28-story building in downtown Indianapolis. The collapse left the workers hanging on the side of the building until firefighters rescued them.

Abortion Opponents Seek Local Ordinances

Abortion opponents are trying a new tactic in Indiana. They’re asking county governments to pass local ordinances that require doctors who perform the procedure to have admitting privileges at local hospitals. Their efforts to get the legislature to pass a state law to that effect have failed so far.

Crops Recover from Flooding

Indiana's crops seem to have rebounded well from the flooding this spring. Acting Agriculture Department director Ken Klemme says many of the crops have recovered to some extent, while other acreage ruined by flooding was replanted.

Impaired Driving Crack-Down Begins Today

State Police and local police agencies throughout the Q101 area are launching a crack-down on impaired driving today. Until September first, police will work overtime to catch people who are driving while impaired or intoxicated.

Police: Meth Lab Started Last Week's Milford Fire

Police are looking this morning for the person or persons who operated an illegal methamphetamine lab in a Milford home. The Kosciusko County Drug Task Force announced yesterday that a fire at the home last Friday was started by a meth lab.

One-Car Wabash County Crash Injures Akron Woman

An Akron woman suffered minor injuries in a one-car crash in western Wabash County last night. Police say 23-year-old Carrie Anderson overcorrected after crossing the centerline on Angling Road, drove off the road and struck a utility pole, which snapped.

Daniels Proposes Leasing Lottery

Governor Mitch Daniels has suggested leasing the Hoosier Lottery to a private company. Daniels says the state would charge an up-front fee of a billion dollars and use the money for college financial aid.

Long-Thompson Proposes Insurance Pool

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jill Long Thompson has announced a plan to make it easier for small businesses to get health care insurance for their employees. She wants to create a quasi-governmental agency to allow small companies to join a pool to buy insurance at the lower prices that large businesses pay.

Fake Sweepstakes Scams Hoosier of $250K

Indiana State Police say scammers got 250-thousand dollars out of a Southern Indiana man by tricking him into believing he’d won five-point-five million in a sweepstakes. The scammers told the man he needed to pay taxes on his winnings before he’d receive them. The letter appeared to come from a company called "Embassy International."

Boy Trapped Alone on Speeding Boat

Police say a 4-year-old boy was trapped alone on a speeding boat on Lake Michigan for nearly 45 minutes after his parents fell overboard. Police and Coast Guard officers tried throwing tow lines to stop the boat, but it eventually stopped after drifting near rocks that clipped the propeller and killed the motor. Police say the boy was shaken but wasn't injured.

Tallest Woman Dies in Indiana Nursing Home

The world's tallest woman has died in a Shelbyville nursing home. Fifty-3-year-old Sandy Allen was 7 feet, 7 inches tall.