Marshall County authorities are investigating the cause of a fatal Sunday morning motorcycle crash. It happened around 4:30 a.m. In the 2000 block of State Road 331, just east of Bremen, according to our reporting partners at WNDU-TV. A motorcycle driven by Stephen Kessenger, 39, of Bremen, crossed the center line, ran off the road and hit several mailboxes, according to police. Kessinger was found in the front yard of a home and pronounced dead at the scene. His bike was in the middle of the road. The crash is still under investigation, but police do not believe any other vehicles were involved. Toxicology results are pending.
The state’s unemployment rate has decreased.
The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percent to 5.7 percent which marked the ninth month in a row of unemployment rate declines in the state.
The rate has decreased by 2.1 percent over the past year and has remained below the national rate for the past four months.
Bella Vita Pregnancy Resource Center hosted its fourth annual banquet on Thursday to honor board members.
Several clients also shared their testimonials about the programs offered. Bella Vita was founded in January of 2010 and is a Care Net organization. Founder Susanne Lange shared the reason behind her choice of name for the organization. She faced a crisis pregnancy and was motivated through a series of events to choose life. She named her daughter Isabella, Bella for short. She’s the organization’s namesake and inspiration. Bella Vita means “beautiful life.”
The Oregon-Davis High School’s Student’s Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) organization teamed up with the school’s two resource officers to make the consequences of drunk driving eminent to students who will be attending prom this weekend.
They staged a two-vehicle crash with a fatality and multiple injuries in the school parking lot Friday afternoon. Some of the students wore prom dresses and were made up to replicate real car crash victims. Empty beer cans were also scattered across the cars and outside of the vehicles to imply the drivers were intoxicated.
Today marks a day of recognition to all the men and women serving our nation. Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson created Armed Forces Day in 1949 to combine separate holidays observed by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force. President Harry S. Truman officially established the holiday Feb. 20, 1950. Today we commemorate any individual who has or is currently serving in any branch of the United States military.
The Pulaski County Council and Commissioners want more information about a proposed electronic payroll system for county employees before committing to the expense. They have several options to consider, including electronic swipe cards and fingerprint recognition keypads for employees to clock in and out. Auditor Shelia Garling says such a system would much more efficient than the manual time cards and reports the county is currently using. The data will first go to the auditor’s office for review before it is sent to Adaptasoft to process payroll, taxes and direct deposits. Garling says this will alleviate the hassle of processing paper payroll reports and would cut down on the time department heads spend compiling that information from time cards. She told the council she would like to have the software in place by Oct. 1 if possible. The council and commissioners plan to discuss options more thoroughly in a joint session before making any decisions.
A bill sponsored by an Indiana lawmaker would require the Internal Revenue Service to notify nonprofit organizations before revoking their tax-exempt status. U.S. Sen. Dan Coats says the lack of notification creates uncertainties for charities, their donors and the people they serve. Under current federal law, charities and other nonprofits automatically lose their tax-exempt status if they do not file annual information returns for three consecutive years. The returns must be filed, even if the charity receives minimal money. According to Coats, 11,600 charities and nonprofits in Indiana have lost their tax-exempt status since 2010 because of this provision. It was originally enacted to clear defunct nonprofit organizations from the government’s tax rolls. Coats adds many community and faith-based organizations have stepped in to fill voids left by government spending reductions. If they lose their nonprofit status they have to file for tax-exempt status again and run the risk of losing donors while waiting for approval.
The driver of a car that ran off the road, struck an embankment and rolled over east of Knox early Wednesday morning is in serious condition at Memorial Hospital of South Bend this morning.
Brandon Owens, 29, was thrown from the car as it was rolling over, according to information released by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. The vehicle rolled on top of Owens and back off of him, landing on its top. Owens was apparently in the field for several hours before a passerby noticed the accident and called for help. Starke County EMS and first responders from the Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department assisted a deputy from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department.
The Starke County Humane Society is still open for business six days a week. Longtime employee Shanna Lloyd was named the director last week after Suzanne Crider resigned and says it’s business as usual.
“We’re still here for the animals that need a place to stay. We’re still going to remain a nonprofit. We are privately funded. We are not supported by any government funding, so we still need those donations coming in to help us keep the doors open and keep us running so we can take care of all the stray dogs and cats in our area and even outside our area,” Lloyd told WKVI News.
The Starke County Dispatch Center is launching a new way to notify dispatchers of an emergency.
The dispatch center is providing you with access to 911 through the use of text messaging.
The Text-to-911 service option is only a choice if calling 911 is not an option. Calling 911 is the most efficient way to alert dispatchers of an emergency. With a text message, it may take longer to dispatch emergency services due to delayed time in typing and sending a text between you and the dispatcher. Calling 911 may be a quicker option as dispatchers can get a location and other pertinent information in a swift manner.
A teenage boy from Hamlet was cited for a curfew violation early Wednesday morning by LaPorte Police.
They responded just after 3 a.m. to a report of suspicious activity at vacant home in the 1600 block of Stone Lake Drive. A witness told police a black vehicle with several young people in it had just left the area, but others were still nearby. Officers searched the adjacent wooded area, according to a news release, and found a bottle of cola and a bottle of alcohol. They also reportedly saw several juveniles walking nearby and found three 17-year-old boys and a 20-year-old woman hiding behind a shed in the back yard of a home in the 1500 block of Weller Avenue.
Three LaPorte County residents were arrested Monday after police from the LaPorte County Metro Operations Unit and LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department found drugs in a vehicle during a traffic stop.
At 6:14 p.m., a passenger car driven by Justin R. Jarrett of Rolling Prairie, was pulled over for a traffic violation in the 1300 block of Pine Lake Ave. The police service dog, Rambo, indicated the presence of drugs. Officers searched the vehicle and allegedly found heroin in Jarrett’s possession.
Formal charges are pending against a man and a woman in Marshall County after police there reportedly found drugs in their car after an early morning traffic stop. A vehicle driven by Joshua Ramirez was pulled over around 12:30 a.m. on U.S. 31 north of U.S. 6 in Lapaz. Marshall County K-9 Arras alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle, according to a news release from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department. Officers searched the vehicle and reportedly found 6 grams of white powder, several items used to make methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Officers also learned that the passenger, Tori A. Drubert, 18, had been consuming alcohol. Both Ramirez and Drubert were arrested on multiple charges, including dealing in and possession of methamphetamine and possession of precursors and drug paraphernalia.
The Starke County Humane Society has a new director.
Shanna Lloyd took over that role on May 6 after longtime director Suzanne Crider resigned the previous day. Lloyd has been an employee of the shelter since 2009 and a volunteer since 1998. The board also reorganized last week and elected new officers. R.J. Howard is now the president. Tom O’Day is the vice-president, and Amanda Pollard is the secretary.
The Medaryville Town Council will meet in special session tonight to pass and sign resolutions for their wastewater system improvement project. They are looking to build a biodome structure into their current lagoons to meet Indiana Department of Environmental Management standards. Town Council President Derrick Stalbaum tells WKVI news the project will cost around $800,000. The town is applying for a $450,000 grant and hopes to fund the remaining $400,000 by selling bonds. Tonight’s agenda also includes a vote to submit that grant application to the Indiana Office of Rural and Community Affairs. Continue reading
The Winamac Police Department plans to add another Dodge Charger to its fleet.
Chief Mike Buchanan told the town council the car will replace a 2008 Chevrolet Impala. He adds the Charger offers the best value for the money. He has $25,000 in his budget to purchase a new car. The Winamac Police Department qualifies for the state’s negotiated law enforcement fleet price but will still be able to take delivery of the car through Braun Chrysler in Winamac.
Veterans of all ages are invited to a free luncheon and informational session Friday, May 16 at Winamac VFW Post 1728 from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Northwest Community Action Agency, North Central Community Action and Pulaski County Human Services, Inc. are sponsoring the program. Information about assistance programs, transportation, employment, older American, veterans and nutrition services will be shared. The VFW Ladies Auxiliary is preparing lunch.
This weekend’s Sixth Annual TriAncilla race has been rescheduled due to weather concerns.
Saturday morning temperatures are supposed to be in the high 30s, and the water in Gilbert Lake is still a cool 62 degrees. The USAT Certified Sprint Distance Triathalon will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27 instead. It includes a 500 Yard Swim, 11.0 Mile Bike Ride, and 3.1 Mile Run through the grounds of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ Ministry Center.
A 16-year-old from Plymouth was treated at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Marshall County after he rolled his sport-utility vehicle Monday morning. Michael Slitter was northbound on Pine Road north of 5th Road and lost control of his 2003 Chevrolet Blazer, according to a news release from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department. The SUV landed on its top. Slitter told the officer he swerved to avoid hitting a deer.
