Active Shooter Training Conducted at Monterey Elementary School

Police attempt to find an "active shooter"
Police attempt to find an “active shooter”

Multiple law enforcement and emergency personnel agencies participated in an active shooter training at the Monterey Elementary School Saturday.

It was an enlightening experience to witness the emergency personnel work in a potential deadly situation. Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer noted that he thought the overall turnout was a success.

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Francesville Man Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

Christopher Adam Wilhite

A Francesville man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of possession of child pornography.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department conducted an investigation and confiscated computers belonging to 32-year-old Christopher Adam Wilhite. An initial forensic examination of those computers showed incriminating evidence of child pornography. This violates the terms of his probation as a convicted sex offender.

Wilhite was placed on the Sex Offender Registry on Nov. 7, 2011 and that probation runs until November 2021.

Wilhite was arrested on a preliminary charge of Possession of Child Pornography. This case has been forwarded to the Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office for further review.

West Central Schools Prepare For Summer School

West Central School Superintendent Charles Mellon

Now that the regular school year at the West Central School Corporation is winding down, the staff is now gearing up for summer school. Summer school starts June 4, according to Superintendent Charles Mellon.

“We’ll have summer school June 4 through the 15,” stated Mellon. “It’s mainly for our IREAD people that have an opportunity to take the test again which will be taken on June 20.”

The School Board approved textbook fees for the 2012-2013 school year.

“The prices increased slightly because of the publisher’s cost. It really wasn’t a large year for textbook adoption because it’s mainly for vocational courses and fine arts,” said Mellon. “K-1 stayed exactly the same and there was just a minor increase for the other grade levels.”

Zachary Dix Arrested after Alleged Fight in Francesville

A Francesville man was arrested after striking a 15-year-old in the face, causing a half-inch laceration to the upper lip of the juvenile which required six stitches to close. 19-year-old Zachary D. Dix was arrested and faces charges of Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury as a Class C felony.

Officers from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to the 300 block of North Bill Street in Francesville in response to a physical altercation. When they arrived on the scene, deputies were told that Zachary Dix, had allegedly struck the victim in the face while the two were in the front yard of the residence. The juvenile reportedly said that attack knocked him unconscious and left him in a great deal of pain.

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Francesville Man Arrested after Crashing into House

A Francesville man was arrested on Saturday, March 3rd, after he drove a car into a house

Police were called to the accident site and the caller said the driver was trying to walk away from the vehicle. Police found the vehicle to have heavy front-end damage and rear damage. The windshield had a spider web crack which indicated the driver was not restrained and hit the windshield. The house also sustained damage.

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Pulaski County Police Find Wanted Man Underneath House

Randall Grigsby

A Francesville man was captured after police found him hiding underneath his house.

On Tuesday, February 21st, Pulaski County officers were notified of the whereabouts of Randall Grigsby who was known to have a warrant out for his arrest. The anonymous caller reportedly said he was out of control and that he was on something.

Officers went to Grisby’s house and one resident said she thought Grigsby had left the residence just moments ago. Officers searched the residence and didn’t find him. Officers searched a vehicle on the premises and found drug paraphernalia between the driver’s door and the seat. The item was seized and put into evidence. However, Grigsby was not hiding in the vehicle.

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Owner of Ortman’s Meat Processing in Winamac Dies

Jim Ortman

The owner of Ortman Meat Processing in Winamac passed away Monday in Pulaski Memorial Hospital.  James R. Ortman, with his wife Mary,
have owned the business for 23 years as well as Prairie Moon Orchard in Francesville.

Ortman won many awards for his products. He was a member of the Indiana Meat Packers Association and a Director and Chairman of the Cured Meat Show.  Jim had lived in Winamac since 1962 and when he was 13, he was adopted by George and Ann Ortman.

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Francesville Woman Arrested on Possession, OVWI Charges

A Francesville woman was arrested Thursday after she reportedly was operating a vehicle under the influence of controlled substances.

The Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department had received a call about an intoxicated driver and police found Samantha Davis’ vehicle at 1726 W. 560 S. The vehicle was off the road stuck in a large snow bank. Police found the driver, Davis, in the passenger side of the vehicle. The officer tried talking to her but he stated in the police report that she was having a hard time focusing and talking. She was asked to step back to the police car and she reportedly stumbled to the car. The officer asked for her ID and she had a difficult time retrieving her wallet from the car. The officer also reportedly found marijuana in her vehicle.

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Two Arrested in Pulaski County on Drug Charges

Brent Hughes
Dustin Hughes

Two Pulaski County residents were arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop on Monday, December 5th.

Officers in Medaryville pulled over a vehicle driven by Francesville resident, Brent Hughes. The reporting officer stated in the report that when he approached the vehicle, the driver appeared to be shaking and was very nervous. The officer learned that Hughes had a suspended driver’s license. Hughes and his passenger, Dustin Hughes, of Medaryville, were asked to step out of the vehicle and were restrained in handcuffs by other officers who arrived on scene for backup. One of the deputies reportedly found controlled substances in the car as well as a bag with marijuana in it. They were taken to the Pulaski County Jail.

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Pulaski County Ronald Reagan Republicans of the Year Award Winners Announced

Bud Cummins accepts the Ronald Reagan Republican of the Year Award

Bud and Alice Cummins were recently named the recipients of the first ever Pulaski County Ronald Reagan Republican of the Year Award. The award was given to the pair during the recent dinner hosted by the Pulaski County Republican Women at the Francesville Fire Station. The annual dinner and auction helps raise money for the county Republican party.

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Starke County and Pulaski County Election Results

The Municipal Election results from Starke County show that it was a breakthrough for the Republicans in the Democrat stronghold of North Judson and a new City Councilman in Knox was elected.

In the most thrilling race of the night, Republican Donna Henry defeated Incumbent Democrat Connie Miller for the North Judson Town Clerk-Treasurer position with a vote of 221 to 217. Henry waged a vigorous door-to-door campaign, visiting many of the homes numerous times. She was asked what did it for her.

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Today is Election Day!

Today is Election Day! Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. prevailing time today.

Knox residents will be voting at the Knox Community Center, North Judson residents will vote at the North Judson Community Building (the old firehouse) and Hamlet residents will be voting at the Hamlet Fire Station.

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Absentee Voting Count low in Pulaski County

Absentee voting in Pulaski County is slow but it is available to you if you need to utilize that way of voting.

Clerk Tasha Foerg told WKVI that about 12 people have voted absentee so far. Only a handful of contested races will appear on the ballot. Those races include the Winamac Clerk-Treasurer, Francesville Clerk-Treasurer, and Town Council races in Francesville and Medaryville.

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Francesville Woman Injured after being Hit by Car

A Francesville resident was injured last week after she was accidentally hit by a car.

Francesville Town Marshal, Jose Miramontes, told WKVI that Sandra Waibel was walking on James Street last Wednesday morning with her mother, sister and two children between Brown and State Street when Ronald Hooker, 80, hit her with his pick-up. Hooker said he did not see them. Waibel told emergency responders that she had a head injury and was pregnant. After examining the situation, she was airlifted from the scene to South Bend Memorial Hospital.

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Pulaski County United Fund Campaign Continues

Donations for the Pulaski County United Fund may be dropped off at the Winamac office again this year at 602 S. Monticello St. and at the Alliance Bank branches in Francesville, Winamac, Monon, Monticello, and Rensselaer.

The Pulaski County United Fund helps raise funds during an annual fall campaign and then distributes those funds to 10 local agencies which serve the human service needs of Pulaski County residents. The 2012 campaign funds will be distributed to agencies that provide programs, services and events focusing on the finance, health and education of the community.

Republican Town Convention Held in Francesville

The Francesville Town Convention was held last night at the Francesville Fire Station. Republicans Andy Durham, Steven Dee Sewell, Pamela G. Antrim and Kyle B. Trent filed for the three seats available on the Francesville Town Council. After a vote, Kyle B. Trent, Pamela G. Antrim and Andy Durham will be advancing to the General Election ballot.

The Democrat Town Convention for the Town of Hamlet has been set for Monday, August 15th at 7:00 p.m. CT at the Hamlet Fire Station. The Republican Caucus has not yet been determined. The North Judson Town Convention will be held on Tuesday, August 16th at 7:00 p.m. at the North Judson Community Building, better known as the old fire station.