The Marshall County Council members approved the 2015 budget after making over $300,000 in cuts.
They initially cut $177,654 out of the General Fund with the sheriff’s budget and the prosecutor’s budget getting hit the hardest. The council also decided to move $216,859 in the sheriff’s pension to the certified shares portion of the budget. With those changes, the $9,041,321 all-funds budget was approved.
A Plymouth man will serve 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of manufacturing methamphetamine.
Brock Biddle pleaded guilty in a plea agreement with the state to the charge and was sentenced in Marshall County Superior Court 1 on Thursday. He admitted to manufacturing the drug at his home on Loon Court which is near Webster School in Plymouth. Continue reading
An Indiana National Guardsman who was killed in the line of duty will be memorialized today in Marshall County. Indiana Adjutant General Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger will join family and friends of Spc. Arronn Fields at the Indiana National Guard Armory in Plymouth at 11 a.m. EDT to pay tribute to his life and military service. Continue reading
The investigation into Wednesday’s high-speed pursuit through Grovertown and into Marshall County is continuing. A Starke County Sheriff’s Deputy initially tried to stop a car driven by Paul Coffin on U.S. 30 at 1200 East. Coffin drove for another mile before pulling over, according to information released by the Starke County Sheriff’s Department. As the deputy was getting out of his car, Coffin reportedly backed into it, causing the patrol car to strike the deputy. Continue reading
The Starke County Sheriff’s Department has released more information about a high-speed pursuit that started near Grovertown and ended in Marshall County. A sheriff’s deputy tried to stop a vehicle on U.S. 30 west of 1200 East, but the driver kept going. He finally stopped at 1100 East but put his car into reverse when the officer got out of his patrol vehicle. The suspect backed into the police car, causing the vehicle to strike the deputy. Continue reading
An attempted traffic stop in Starke County last evening ended with a crash in Marshall County after the driver fled from police. Dispatchers at the Starke County Sheriff’s Department tell WKVI News the chase began on U.S. 30 at 1100 East at 6:15 p.m. CDT last night and ended on 7th Road east of Union Road in Marshall County. Continue reading
The Metronet project in Marshall County is on schedule.
Marshall County Auditor Penny Lukenbill told WKVI News that Bart Trester of USI reported to the commissioners on Tuesday morning that the county’s portion of the project is 85 to 90 percent complete. The hang-up right now surrounds the construction along Kern Road and Ireland in South Bend with the new U.S. 31 project. The company continues to work with INDOT in moving along that portion of the Metronet project.
A Rochester woman was injured in a two vehicle accident Tuesday night.
According to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, a teenaged Plymouth resident was traveling north on Michigan Road north of 15th Road and turning left into a driveway behind another vehicle. Judy Pritchett, 50, of Rochester was traveling south on Michigan Road and was struck in the driver’s side by the teenager’s vehicle.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski’s education tour will make several stops in the area today and tomorrow. She wants to hear from education officials, community leaders and students about ways to improve opportunities and prepare students for a globally competitive workforce. Continue reading
Authorities are investigating the botched landing of a small airplane at the Marshall County Airport on Sunday night. WSBT-TV reports the pilot was blinded by the sun as he was coming in for a landing around 8 p.m. The plane skidded across Lilac Road and stopped in a grassy area near the airport. The pilot was treated at a local hospital for a minor eye injury. No other injuries were reported.
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet today.
Plan Director Ralph Booker will present the commissioners with a Brownfield Assessment grant agreement. The Brownfield Assessment grant gives the county a chance to identify abandoned buildings, vacant fields and problematic areas to rehabilitate them and clean up the sites. The grant money would repair blighted areas by preparing them for potential business sites. The money would also be used to test areas for possible contaminates. Continue reading
A man suspected of presenting a counterfeit check to two businesses has been arrested.
The investigation began Wednesday, Aug. 27 where Plymouth police officers were notified of the incident. A man who identified himself as Jason Milton attempted to purchase a Polaris Ranger at Turn One Motorsports in the amount of $11,000 with a check. The suspect was to pick up the item the following day. Further examination found that the check and the man’s identity were counterfeit.
Other businesses that sell these off-road vehicles were notified of the incident.
The next day, North End Cycle Shop in Elkhart reported that the same man entered their store and attempted to buy a Polaris Ranger. An officer with the Elkhart Police Department took the check into evidence.
The suspect was later identified as Armen Jerome Sylvester and he was arrested and incarcerated in the Marshall County Jail.
Sylvester, 53, has preliminary charges of forgery, counterfeiting, attempted theft, and identity deception. His bond has been set at $10,000 cash.
The American Red Cross is hosting blood drives during the Marshall County Blueberry Festival. They will be set up at 1600 N. Michigan St. in Plymouth today and tomorrow from noon until 6 p.m. EDT. Donors are encouraged to “sip in style.” They will receive Mason jar tumblers while supplies last. Continue reading
The Plymouth City Council discussed two property issues in Monday’s meeting. An affirmation of order to take action regarding an unsafe building at 414 West LaPorte Street in Plymouth was taken. The building was going to be sold but after damage was assessed the person interested in purchasing it did not want to follow through with the agreement. There has been a dispute over the money but the deeded owner will meet with his attorney to resolve the conflict with the transaction. The next step that needs to be taken is to get permission from the board to affirm a peace order to demolish the building. The motion was unanimously approved.
The 48th annual Marshall County Blueberry Festival continues today with many activities on the schedule for anyone to enjoy.
The Elks Blueberry Breakfast will start at 6:30 a.m. EDT while the Blueberry Bicycle Cruise starts at 7 a.m. The festival officially kicks off at 9 a.m. with tennis, volleyball and softball tournaments throughout the morning. A blood drive will start at 12 p.m. and run through 6 for anyone who would like to donate. Music all day will be provided by different artists from country to blues and Christian rock.
A hot air balloon launch will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by the K-9 dog trick show. The festival will continue through Monday. Click here for a complete schedule of events.
If you’re looking for something to do this Labor Day Weekend there will be plenty going on at the 48th annual Marshall County Blueberry Festival.
The fun gets under way this evening. The Little Miss and Mister Blueberry Contest will start at 5:30 p.m. EDT and will be followed up by Daphne’s Dolls. Country music duo Montgomery Gentry with Frankie Ballard will cap off the first night’s festivities with an 8 p.m. show. Blueberry Festival activities continue through Monday.
Click here for a complete schedule of events.
The Friendship Quilters group will hold a quilt show beginning Saturday, Aug. 30 through Thursday, Sept. 18 at the Heartland Artists Gallery.
The club members will display their traditional and modern quilts plus fabric art during their sixth quilt show.
Besides getting together on the second Monday of every month to discuss quilting, to schedule workshops and to offer demonstrations, the Friendship Quilters support community organizations and donate quilts to the Linus Project, a blanket program for children; Memorial Hospital Children’s Ward; Quilts for Kids; and Quilts of Comfort and Quilts of Valor for injured military personnel.
The grand opening of the new U.S. 31 highway between Plymouth and South Bend was held Wednesday afternoon with Governor Mike Pence and Congresswoman Jackie Walorski in attendance plus the engineers behind the project and the crews that worked on the highway.
Governor Pence said the new U.S. 31 will be a great asset to the economy of not only Northern Indiana but the whole state.
“I think it’s really incalculable,” said Pence. “When I say that roads mean jobs, I mean that having the right infrastructure creates conditions that invite more investment that will put Hoosiers to work for generations to come. The vision for what used to be called the expressway that now is the Mangus Memorial Highway is a result of decades of effort here in Indiana. I believe that it’s going to put not only Northern Indiana, but all of Indiana in a position to attract more investment, create more jobs and opportunities in addition to creating a safe and more accessible thoroughfare.”
Marshall County police are investigating a recent report of a police impersonator in the area.
The victim told police that he was pulled over for erratic driving after he swerved to miss a dog in the roadway. The vehicle the impersonator was driving was a tan Ford Taurus with an older style full light bar on top which displayed flashing red and blue lights. There were no grill lights, spotlights or decals on the vehicle.
The impersonator was described as a Caucasian male, 5’11”-6’ in height, muscular build with short blonde hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a uniform with brown pants with a dark stripe down the side, but there were no patches, badges or other law enforcement identification on the uniform.
U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski will visit Pulaski, Starke, Marshall, St. Joseph and LaPorte Counties next week as part of a district-wide education tour. She wants to hear from education officials, community leaders and students about ways to improve opportunities and prepare students for a globally competitive workforce. Continue reading
