Pulaski County Man Charged with Level 5 Felony Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon

Ralph E. Cotner

Pulaski County, IN – On April 11, 2025, Ralph E. Cotner was taken into custody in connection with an incident that occurred at 6336 West 400 South, Winamac, involving alleged intimidation with a deadly weapon. The incident stemmed from a dispute over tire tracks left in a soft right of way, approximately 3–5 feet into an unplanted field owned by the victim.

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Winamac Water Department Superintendent Discusses Wellhead Protection with Town Council

A quote for a wellhead protection plan was presented to Winamac Town Council members when they met on Monday.

Water Department Superintendent Jeremy Beckner told members that the quote was from Peerless Midwest and it was for $26,250.

He explained that a wellhead protection plan is something that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management requires. Continue reading →

Winamac Town Council Agrees to Attend Joint Meeting With Umbaugh and Other Local Officials

Officials in the town of Winamac agreed to attend a joint meeting with Umbaugh and other local officials to discuss issues with the local income tax (LIT).

When town council members met in a special session on Monday, Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Berger informed them that Pulaski County Public Library representatives recently met with Umbaugh Executive Partner Todd Samuelson to discuss the problem.

Berger said they expressed an interest in holding a meeting where town and county officials, as well as any other agencies impacted by LIT levy freeze, could receive additional information from Umbaugh. Continue reading →

Winamac Town Marshall Mark Hoffman Addresses Recent Projects at the Department

Winamac Town Marshal Mark Hoffman has been quite busy since he took over for Mike Buchanan, whose retirement officially went into effect on July 1st.

Hoffman has been shadowing Buchanan over the last few months since his retirement was announced in February. Marshal Hoffman told town council members on Monday that there were a few projects that he wanted to get taken care of that have been completed. Continue reading →

America’s Run for The Fallen to Pass Through Pulaski County, Local Marine to be Recognized

America’s Run for the Fallen aims to commemorate the brave heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice by “blazing a tribute trail across our nation”.

Starting today and running through June 30th, the Run for the Fallen will make its way through Indiana. The established trail will be making a local impact; by utilizing IN-14, volunteers will pass through Francesville and Winamac, recognizing service members of the community along the way. Continue reading →

Request to Vacate Alley in Winamac Moves onto Next Phase

An alley in the town of Winamac will be vacated in the near future following a decision made by town council members Wednesday.

Town Manager Brad Zellers provided the council with an update about the request, which was initially submitted on behalf of Frain LLC and neighboring property owners Deborah Worrell and Mike and Peggy Vasa at the last town council meeting in May. Continue reading →

2018 H.J. Halleck Community Service Award Recipient Announced

Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce President Aaron Paulsen recently announced that Mr. Charles “Charlie” McKinley has been named the recipient of the 2018 H. J Halleck Community Service Award.

The award is presented annually to recognize an individual who has been active outside of their employment to improve the quality of life in Pulaski County through volunteerism, civic commitment and involvement in various organizations. Continue reading →

Winamac Town Council Approves Fire Department Contracts

Three township fire department contracts were approved during the Winamac Town Council meeting Monday night.

Town Council president Tom Murray asked if the contracts were the same as last year. Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Berger confirmed that the contracts remained the same with Franklin Township paying $9,283.92 as an annual service fee, Rich Grove Township has a yearly contract fee of $3,664.38 and the contract for Tippecanoe Township lists a $2,174.42 yearly charge. Continue reading →

Winamac Fireworks Display Donations Must Be Made at Clerk-Treasurer’s Office After Donation Collector Resigns

Winamac Town Council members were alerted of a major change that will be taking place with the collection of fireworks display donations when they met Monday night.

Clerk-Treasurer Melanie Berger provided members with a letter from Scott Roudebush where he announced that he will no longer be soliciting donations for the town’s fireworks display. Continue reading →

Winamac Town Council Approves Firefighter Recommendations

The Winamac Volunteer Fire Department is now two members stronger after town council members approved recommendations submitted by Fire Chief Bill Weaver at their meeting Monday night.

Weaver explained that officials with the Fire Department have recently been interviewing prospective applicants. He said the two individuals they found who seemed like they’d be a good fit were Brittany Rotering and Blake Sowder. Continue reading →