HU men's hoop game for Tuesday moved to Thursday

Huntington County Tab:

Based on information regarding a winter storm on its way to the area, Mid-Central Conference Commissioner J.D. Collins has postponed all Tuesday night conference games.

The Huntington University men's basketball game originally scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Grace College has been moved to Thursday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m....

MarkleBank makes $26,000 gift to HU endowment

Huntington County Tab:

MarkleBank recently made a gift of $26,000 to Huntington University to be placed in the MarkleBank Presidential Endowed Scholarship.

The scholarship was established by the bank's board of directors in 2009 to honor three MarkleBank presidents, and the first scholarship was awarded in 2010.

The scholarship is available to Huntington University students who are majoring in business or communication-related areas of study, although a first-time freshmen who is undecided about a major may also apply. The student, a parent or grandparent must be a customer of MarkleBank, and the student must have and maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or higher.....

Ivan Lebamoff Reservoir Pond closed

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - In its efforts to keep residents safe this winter, the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department announced Monday the skating pond at Ivan Lebamoff Reservoir Park is closed.

The skating pond was closed due to weak ice that has developed along its south wall. East Swinney Park pond also remains closed at this time. The red flag indicating the surface is not safe for ice-skating is displayed at both locations.....

State agencies prepare for winter storm arrival

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — Numerous state agencies are preparing to respond to the winter storm that forecasters expect could dump up to 18 inches of snow in northwestern Indiana and an inch or more of ice in the state's midsection.

Gov. Mitch Daniels on Monday directed the state Department of Homeland Security to coordinate preparations for the storm, which was expected to move into the state Monday night. The governor's office says meetings were being conducted with utility companies, local emergency agencies, the state highway department and National Guard....

Essay contest to send deserving teens to prom

East Allen Times:

Fort Wayne - Looking back on prom night is often a fond memory. But for some, the expense of the evening was simply too much to attend. A new contest in the area may change that for a few lucky students and entires can be submitted beginning Tuesday.

Bennacht Counseling and Consulting's essay contest, “Be the Change You Want to See" offers disadvantaged teens an opportunity to go to prom. The contest is meant for teens who make positive contributions to the community and are dedicated to family, friends, school, academics and community organizations. ....

Voluntary candy recall issued for traces of lead

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS - An Indianapolis candy company issued a voluntary recall of all Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge products Monday due to possible traces of lead.

Circle City Marketing and Distributing, which does business under the name Candy Dynamics, issued the recall on all Nuclear Sludge flavors in its 3 ounce sized pieces of candy, which are imported from Pakistan.

The company previously recalled all 7 ounce flavors of its Toxic Waste Brand Nuclear Sludge on Jan. 13. ....

Storm prompts group to provide snow removal assistance

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - With snowfall predictions increasing each hour, residents in Fort Wayne are bracing themselves for what could be the worst storm of the season and the daunting task of shoveling heavy snow.

One local non-profit organization announced Monday it is there to help residents in need of shoveling assistance.

Volunteers at NeighborLink Fort Wayne help those who are unable to handle snow removal due to a disability or physical limitation. NeighborLink does its best to connect volunteers with those who need someone to clear sidewalks and driveways. ...

Home Squaws, Jets draw into girls sectional semi-finals

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Basketball pairings for the 36th annual high school girls state basketball tournament were drawn Sunday evening by officials at the Indiana High School Athletic Association with both Adams Central and Bellmont drawing into the bye game of their respective tournament.
Play is scheduled to open at both the South Adams (class 2A, sectional 38) and Peru (class 3A, sectional 22) sites on Tuesday, February 8 with both events being a five-team tournament. The Peru site formerly included six teams but with Elmhurst closing this year, the number of teams is dropping with realignment of all sectionals coming later this year.....

Braves top Stars for 21st straight mat sectional title

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Bellmont earned four championships and advanced 12, rolling up 266.5 points to hold of a solid effort by South Adams Saturday at Jay, winning a 21st straight sectional wrestling crown and a spot across from Yorktown in Wednesday's Team Regional.
"We had to have every thing go perfect to have a shot, and everything went pretty well and we still fell quite a bit short," stated South Adams Coach Eric Myers, whose Starfires stacked up 228.5 points.....

History with your ice cream?

Decatur Daily Democrat:

From the beaten path to the eatin' path is what you could call the latest vision of downtown Decatur business owner Charlie Brune and his wife Jean.
The Brunes, who operate Complete Printing Service on Second St., recently branched out into the ice cream field by buying a building less than a half-block away at the corner of Second and Jefferson Sts. that had been Beavers Creamery, an ice cream shop, for several years.
The owner of the Beavers business, Keith Ward, closed it after the 2010 season, but the Brunes got the idea to reopen it as the first part of a move to make downtown "a buy zone" by promoting the city's longtime connection to US highway 27, which once ran right through downtown on Second St.....

Education dominates meeting with lawmakers

Decatur Daily Democrat:

At least 50 people showed up for a legislative discussion on Saturday morning in Decatur with the two men who represent Adams County in the Indiana General Assembly, State Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne, and State Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle.
The biggest issues, dominating half of the hour-long event, were educational, such as charter schools vs. public schools and teacher vs. school board contract negotiations.
Both legislators chastised Gov. Mitch Daniels and Education Department Superintendent Tony Bennett for the ways they make their points in public speeches, including the recent State of the State address.....

Teachers pour out concerns at Saturday morning press conference

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

A large group of residents, including teachers from South Adams and the surrounding area, asked tough questions to State Representative Matt Lehman and State Senator Travis Holdman at a Saturday morning press conference held at the Berne Chamber of Commerce building.
Most of the questions centered around charter schools and news that consideration is being given to limit collective bargaining rights for teachers. Those teachers attending were not unaware that a state senate committee recently advanced a bill that would limit collective bargaining rights for teachers....

Bellmont claims sectional title, Stars advance 12, Jets seven

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Bellmont maintained its dominance Saturday in the IHSAA Jay County wrestling sectional, scoring 266.5 team points to keep South Adams from claiming its first team title in the event.
South Adams managed to advance as many wrestlers as Bellmont – both moving 12 onto next Saturday’s Jay County Regional – but fell short of the team title with 228.5 points. Jay County was a distant third with 161 points and Adams Central finished fourth with 146 points.
Adams Central advanced seven wrestlers onto the regional level of the state tournament.....

Woman chased going to work

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - A man in a truck who approached a woman waiting at a bus stop, followed her as she made her way to work Tuesday morning, and then chased her down a Fort Wayne street when she got off the bus. Thursday she talked to NewsChannel 15 about the terrifying experience.

According to a Fort Wayne police report, the incident began around 5:30 Tuesday morning when 29-year-old Cherrese Bass left her apartment to catch a Citilink bus near the Radcliff Ct. and Paulding Road intersection when she noticed a mid-1990’s dark blue Chevy pickup truck drive past the bus stop several times. Bass said she was catching the bus like she does every morning to head to her job at Arby's on Fulton and Jefferson......

Man due in court in officer's fatal shooting

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — A 60-year-old Indianapolis man is scheduled to appear in court to answer the charge that he fatally shot a police officer during a traffic stop.

Prosecutors on Thursday filed charges of murder, robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon against Thomas Hardy. He's is scheduled to appear in court Friday in Officer David Moore's death.....

Former Fort Wayne area priest reported missing

East Allen Times:

SOUTH BEND - Father Dominique Carboneau spent more than ten years serving at several parishes in the Fort Wayne area. Last September, he was transferred from Saint Aloysius in Yoder to the Holy Family Catholic Church in South Bend.

But, on Tuesday January 4, his secretary found a note on her desk.

"It was two or three sentences. It indicated that something had come up suddenly that he had to go and take care of and gave her some ideas of covering the masses for a day or two while he was gone. That's it," Ginger Carboneau, Father Carboneau's sister-in-law, said.....

Catholic radio station to found network

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE — A 5-year-old Catholic radio station in Fort Wayne announced plans to form a regional radio network in thw wake of a successful fundraising drive.

Redeemer Radio has concluded its “Building Faith, Sharing Christ: The Campaign for Redeemer Radio” drive, which had a goal to raise $900,000 in support of specific capital projects focused on future growth. On Jan. 18, Redeemer Radio announced that it had raised $964,066 — 107 percent of its goal.

The campaign began in December 2009 with a Major Gifts phase, followed by a public phase beginning in April 2010. In total, Redeemer Radio received financial support from 1,500 donors spanning 36 parishes around the Redeemer Radio listening area....

State superintendent says FWCS leading the way

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Dr. Tony Bennett, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction made his department's top priority clear Thursday at the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce. “There’s no question, teacher quality is job one.”

Two dozen local business and education leaders, including Fort Wayne Community Schools superintendent, Dr. Wendy Robinson, attended a lunchtime talk with Bennett. Guests gathered to hear his education philosophy and ideas.....

Josh Ehr commits to Tech, Mike Ester

Decatur Daily Democrat:

FORT WAYNE — Indiana Tech, with official competition set for the fall of 2011, will get a commitment today from South Adams' unbeaten 152-pound senior Josh Ehr.
One of the most successful wrestlers in South Adams history, Ehr is 138-24 for his high school career. Over the past two seasons, Ehr is 75-1, having fallen at the ticket round to state a year ago at the Woodlan Semistate.
He is the top seed at 152 pounds at the Jay County Sectional, slated for Saturday. Ehr has qualfied for the IHSAA State Individual Wrestling Tournament two times and was a sectional and regional champion last year.....

Watters sets mark as BHS tankers roll on

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The Bellmont boys, led by the record-breaking swim of Jay Watters, dominated Bluffton 128 to 52 in prep swimming action Thursday, while the BHS girls also came through with seven different girls take individual honors in a 117-68 rout of the visiting Tigers on Senior Night.
Watters sizzled with a 21.86 for the 50 free win, then added the 100 freestyle victory later with a 50:44.
"Another record fell!" exclaimed BHS coach Drew Norby. Jay broke Vinnie Verrone’s record of :21.98. A great swim!" stated BHS coach Drew Norby.....

Big turnout for ag event

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The fourth annual Ag Extravaganza held Thursday night at Riverside Center in Decatur brought together some 160 people for supper and meetings of three local groups: Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District, Adams County Farm Bureau, and Adams County Pork Producers.
The soil and water conservation district elected Randy Roe to a fourth consecutive three-year term as a supervisor. He was unopposed.....

Home said a total loss

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A house fire that created smoke visible for several miles destroyed a relatively new home near Cross Creek Golf Course on Decatur's northwest side late Thursday morning.
The home at 1209 Eagle Ridge Ct. is owned by Jerry and Wanda Selking and was deemed a total loss, although a spokesman for the Decatur Fire Department said today that some items from the house were saved by firefighters.
In addition, two garages on the property were damaged, but can be repaired, and two vehicles inside the garages were not damaged.
No one was in the structure at the time. The Selkings reportedly are in Australia, visiting a daughter....

Walker gains insight into Porter as Limberlost program coordinator

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Annie Walker, new program coordinator at the Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva, has quickly gained deep appreciation for Gene Stratton Porter in two dimensions. As a natural outdoors person, Walker loves the pioneer outdoor spirit that Porter initiated while she lived in her beloved Limberlost swamp area around Geneva.
Walker also enjoys the musical, pictorial fine arts side of Porter as exhibited in the musical conservatory room of the late author's home in Geneva.
"Once I started learning about Gene Stratton Porter and her property, it was amazing how much I could relate with her," said Walker. "I majored in fine arts. With my fine arts background and her outdoor pass...

Farm Fresh forms available

The Blackford County Extension Service now has the 2011 Farm Fresh forms available to sign up for the Farm Fresh Directory for Blackford County and surrounding communities.
The directory can help local residents and consumers to find locally grown produce, flowers and other farm commodities. The directory lists the grower/producer, products available and their contact information.
Those interested in being in the directory can stop by the Blackford County Extension Office at 119 N. High Street in Hartford City.
There is no cost to be in the booklet. Forms are due by March 1. For more information call 765-348-3213.

Huntington County declared natural disaster area

Huntington County Tab:

Huntington County is one of 52 Indiana counties to be declared as natural disaster areas because of losses caused by drought that occurred Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 2010.

United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the designation on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

Qualified farm operators in the designated areas may be eligible for low interest emergency loans from the USDA's Farm Service Agency.....

Stoffel, Nunemaker will perform at Victory Noll

Huntington County Tab:

As part of its 10th anniversary celebration in 2011, Victory Noll Center will host "An Evening with the Pipes" on Feb. 12, featuring a pipe organ concert in Our Lady of Victory Chapel.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a reception at the center including hors d'oeuvres and drinks. At 8 p.m., the concert will begin in the chapel in the Our Lady of Victory Building on the Victory Noll campus.

Local musicians Rosemary Stoffel and Sue Nunemaker will share performing duties during the concert......

Board recommends tourist town stays dry

East Allen Times:

LAGRANGE — Shipshewana residents made it clear Wednesday morning they want to keep their small town dry.

The LaGrange County Alcoholic Beverage Board backed up that sentiment by unanimously voting to recommend denying a permit to sell warm beer and wine at GasAmerica’s Shipshewana location.

“The outcome was very encouraging for us as a community and me as an individual as well,” said Shipshewana resident Kevin Lambright. “We are happy because of the adverse effects it could have on the community if it was to pass.”.....

Greatbatch will invest $17M in new Allen Co. facility

East Allen Times:

ALLEN COUNTY - Greatbatch Medical, a surgical orthopedic product and medical instrument manufacturer, will move its Whitley County operations to Allen County, where it will build an 80,000-square-foot facility and create up to 76 jobs by 2014, state officials announced.

The manufacturer plans to begin construction this spring at a 20-acre site on Kroemer Road near U.S. 30 and Sweetwater Sound. It will invest more than $17 million in the project.

“With a record number of new deals last year, Indiana’s life sciences sector is on a roll,” Mitch Roob, secretary of commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., said in a statement. “(The) significant investment from Greatbatch is even more proof that Indiana is home to the orthopedics capital of the world.”....

Waterloo man dies in car crash

East Allen Times:


WATERLOO — A Waterloo man died Thursday at 1:30 a.m. when he crashed after swerving to avoid a deer in the roadway, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department said.

Cody S. Collin, 23, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by the DeKalb County Coroner, a news release said. The report said Collin died of blunt-force trauma and internal injuries.

Police said Collin was driving southbound in the 3100 block of C.R. 27, just north of C.R. 32, when he approached a deer that was in the roadway or had crossed the road in front of his 2001 Pontiac Grand Am.....

Wrestler transfers to Yorktown

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Senior Cole Vanhorn will make his debut for Yorktown High School at 140 pounds Saturday in the Delta Sectional, it was noted today by Delta Athletic Director Chris Conley.
Vanhorn transfered at semester from Franklin High School, where he was 7-3 for the season. Two years ago, Vanhorn made it to the individual state finals, and last year he was eliminated in the semistate.
"He passed all the IHSAA requirements," stated veteran Yorktown coach Trent McCormick on Vanhorn's status.....

BHS after 21st straight sectional wrestling crown

Decatur Daily Democrat:

"We need a little more attitude on the mat," stated Bellmont coach Brent Faurote on his evaluation of his team from last week's narrow loss to Carroll at the NHC Tournament.
"We didn't have that extra toughness. It was attitude more than anything. In some of the key matches we had kids that looked like they were going through the motions instead of wrestling with pride and guts."
Bellmont will be looking for it's 21st straight sectional wrestling championship, all under Faurote, Saturday at Jay County.....

Two women are handed prison terms

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Two women, one of whom is a Decatur resident, were handed prison terms by Adams Superior Court Judge Patrick R. Miller on Tuesday.
A term of two and one-half years went to Deborah S. Leeson, 39, Decatur, who pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated, endangering a person. It was her second conviction of intoxicated driving, the first having occurred in 2008 in Adams County.
Leeson was also suspended from driving until November 24, 2012 and was ordered to pay $364.50 in court costs. A charge of driving while suspended was dismissed.....

Suggested solution settles snowplow set sites

Decatur Daily Democrat:


A solution, suggested by officials in Wells County, has been found to handle the placement of Adams County Highway Department drivers so they can quickly assist fire departments, ambulances, etc. during massive snowstorms.
The solution, outlined by highway superintendent Mark Mitchel to the county commissioners this week, is to select four of the 16 drivers who live no more than a mile from Decatur, Berne, Preble, and Geneva and let each of them take a county dump truck with a plow home when a big winter storm is in the forecast.....

GOP votes in Phillip Zahm as new county coroner

Huntington County Tab:

Precinct committeemen from the Huntington County Republican Party selected current Chief Deputy Coroner Phillip Zahm as the new Huntington County Coroner in a single round of voting on Tuesday, Jan. 25, at the Huntington Township Trustee Office.

The position needed to be filled after the previous coroner, Leon Hurlburt, became a Huntington County Commissioner effective Jan. 1. Because of Hurlburt's party affiliation, the Republican Party was tasked with filling the opening.....

Apartment Association responds to rash of robberies

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE – The Apartment Association of Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana (AAFW-NEI) is taking action after a rash of robberies at area apartment communities on Fort Wayne's north side.

The AAFW-NEI, along with local law enforcement officials, compiled a list to help residents remain safe and assist authorities in solving and preventing crime.

“While crime can happen anywhere, apartment residents need to be more aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity,” executive director of AAFW-NEI, Beth Wyatt, said in a statement.....

Fire forces motel evacuation

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - A Fort Wayne motel was evacuated early Wednesday after a fire broke out in an upstairs room.

The Fort Wayne Fire Department responded to the Regency Inn on 1004 West Coliseum Boulevard just after 6:00 a.m. Heavy smoke was spotted on the second floor. Firefighters forced open the room door and extinguished the fire from the inside.....

Inmates' rights claims spur possible class-action lawsuit

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Allen County Sheriff Ken Fries said his jail violated inmates' rights to go before a judge within 48 hours and he wants a judge to approve a class-action lawsuit.

Along with attorney Christopher Myers, Fries said in court papers filed last week that the class-action lawsuit should cover each person arrested over a more than two year period ending March 20, 2010 during certain hours on those weekends.....

Biden touts advanced technology vehicles in Ind.

East Allen Times:

GREENFIELD, Ind. — Vice President Joe Biden thanked workers at an electric car battery plant in Indiana Wednesday for doing their part to lift America's auto industry from its dependence on foreign oil into a high-tech future.

"We have to create whole new industries in the 21st century," Biden told a crowd of workers, company officials and politicians at Ener1's car battery plant about 25 miles east of Indianapolis.....

Braves’ 200 team sets school mark

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The Bellmont 200 freestyle relay team, of Jay Watters, Austin McCord, Matt Mock, and Zac Torrey, broke the record last night going 1:32.69, beating the existing record of 1:33.39 as the BHS boys beat the Knights 98-87 in an NHC meet.
The boys move to 7-2 on the season and finish the conference season with a 3-2 record. The girls easily won that meet, 110-75 over the Lady East Noble Knights.
This meet had the boys having 19 personal best. Austin McCord having three, Mason Schultz, Zac Torrey, Harrison Jacobson, and Sawyer Boyd had two each.....

Squaws hold off Generals 48-46

Decatur Daily Democrat:

FORT WAYNE—Two teams with nearly identical records collided in non-conference girls varsity basketball action Tuesday night and the Bellmont Squaws returned to Decatur with a narrow 48-46 win over the Wayne Generals.
The Squaws moved to 8-9 on the season while dropping the Generals to 7-9 with the setback.
Bellmont led by 10 points at one stage in the third period but the Generals rallied to narrow the gap to 34-30 at the end of the quarter. The Wayne group scored the first five points of the fourth stanza including a trey by Victoria Thomas and actually led 35-34.....

Tickets on sale for 41st ND Smoker

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Tickets are now on sale for the 41st annual St. Joe-Notre Dame Smoker, to be held on Sunday, February 13, starting at 2:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Lodge 864 on High St.
Seniors from last year's Notre Dame football team, including backup quarterback Brian Costello, will be the guests of honor. The players will also visit St. Joseph Catholic School to sign autographs and pose for pictures.....

Jobless rate tumbles

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The unemployment report for the final month of 2010 provided an upbeat spin on the just-completed year: Joblessness in Adams County during December hit its lowest level since October of 2008.
Statistics released Tuesday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development showed the county's December unemployment rate of 8.7 percent was nearly a full percentage point below November's 9.6 percent reading. The county's October 2010 jobless rate was 9.1 percent. Adams County began 2010 with an 11.8 unemployment rate in January.....

Kauffman carries Braves by Starfires

Berne Tri Weekly News:

Allison Kauffman cozied up with the foul stripe at the Stardome Tuesday night, connecting on 20-of-24 foul shots and carried Blackhawk Christian to a 60-29 victory over South Adams in varsity girls’ basketball.
Kauffman finished with 31 points, and, according to South Adams coach Brandon Bradley, could have finished with many more. She settled for posting two more points than South Adams entire team combined and evened her team’s mark at 8-8 this season......

Council to look into curb side recycling pickup

Berne Tri Weekly News:

Berne City Council gave considerable discussion to the possibility of curbside recycling pick up at Monday night's bi-monthly meeting. The discussion was spurred by a request at the last meeting by residents Naomi Muselman and Tammy Velasco to consider the matter.
The request has come up several times, according to Councilman Ronald Dull.
"This has come up three times in the last three years," said Dull. "I think it is time to decide whether or not we want to continue proceeding with it or not."....

Four Vikings claim NCC wrestling crowns Saturday

Huntington County Tab:

Earning four championships out of the 14 weight classes, the Huntington North High School varsity wrestling team earned 207.5 points to take second at the North Central Conference Meet at New Castle Chrysler on Saturday, Jan. 22.

Kyle Jolas at 112, Sebastian Eckert at 130, Colin Downey at 135 and Alex Evans at 189 all won their classes.

In addition to the wins, however, the Vikings' score was supported by a second-place finish and four third-place results to put Huntington North in the top three slots in nine of 12 weight classes.

Jolas defeated New Castle's Tim Anderson by fall in 2:27 to win the 112 class. He beat Logansport's Sheldon Corcoran by fall in 3:53 to advance to the match with Anderson.....

GIS fix is on the way from county council

Huntington County Tab:

Inaccurate information on Huntington County's Geographic Information System is half-way to being fixed.

The Huntington County Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 25, to take $39,325 out of its Rainy Day Fund to pay half the cost of correcting data in the computerized mapping system.

Huntington County Surveyor Jay Poe, who heads a committee of county employees responsible for maintaining the GIS system, plans to ask the city of Huntington to fund the remainder of the cost.....

Former TinCaps among Padres’ top prospects

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE – Fort Wayne Tin Caps alums comprise over half of the San Diego Padres’ top ten prospects according to Baseball America.

RHP Simon Castro, who helped lead the TinCaps to a Midwest League championship in 2009, is one of six Fort Wayne alums who made the list.
Castro, 22, was the highest-ranked former TinCap, slotting in at No. 3. He pitched at Double-A San Antonio in 2010 and was the starting pitcher at the Futures Game, which showcases the top prospects in all of baseball.

RHP Matt Lollis was ranked fifth. The 20-year-old joined the TinCaps late in 2010 and went 5-2 with a 1.66 ERA, then dominated in a playoff win against Great Lakes.....

Area unemployment rates fall in December

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — Unemployment rates in the four-county area dropped in December, nearly offsetting or more than offsetting a jump in November, according to figures released today by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Unemployment in DeKalb County dropped from a revised November figure of 10.6 percent to 10 percent; the county's unemployment rate had jumped 0.4 percent in November. Steuben County unemployment dropped from 10.7 percent to 10.5 percent; it also had seen a 0.4 percent increase in November.....

Spend Wednesday lunch hour living well at the chamber

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Member businesses of the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Wednesday will showcase products and services at the lunch hour that promote workplace wellness.

The chamber hosts "There's a Member For That" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow in its historic building at 826 Ewing Street downtown. The free event is open to the public and provides visitors an opportunity to discover what local businesses offer in the way of healthy living and taking care of oneself. The event is also a backdrop for networking opportunities.....

Allen County unemployment rate falls

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — Unemployment rates in the four-county area dropped in December, nearly offsetting or more than offsetting a jump in November, according to figures released today by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Unemployment in Allen County dropped to 9.4 percent in December from a revised figure of 10.4 percent in November. Elkhart County led the state in December with an unemployment rate of 12.8 percent.....

Bellmont’s A.J. McCoy needs final ‘9’ to grab sectional pin crown

Decatur Daily Democrat:

On the final roll of the sectional championship roll-off, Bellmont's A.J. McCoy knocked down nine pins and it was just enough as he successfully defended his individual singles sectional crown by beating Huntington North's E.J. Tackett 204-203.
It was a step-ladder playoff, so McCoy had to win three head-to-head matches after a 629 (256, 193, 180) series to qualify fourth among the final four. It was held at the Bowling Center in Bluffton.
The Bellmonter defeated teammate Justin Hamrick (646 qualifier) 243-226. He then downed Huntington's Eli Little 218-158 to earn a shot at Tackett, who had rolled a spectacular 793 series to qualify first and wait for the final challenge....

Five top seeds for Braves, 4 for Stars

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Bellmont had five No. 1 seeds and South Adams four after the Jay County Sectional Wrestling Seeding meeting Monday night.
Brooks Faurote at 140, John Mahlan at 160, Ryley Hankenson at 171, Travis Thatcher at 215 and unbeaten heavyweight Daniel Meyer are the top seeds for the Braves as they seek a 21st straight sectional crown Saturday at Jay County.
Jacob Girod at 112, Bobby Keuneke at 119 and Ben Baker at 189 are the seconds seeds for the Braves.....

McKean plans 2nd mayor bid

Decatur Daily Democrat:

After coming up a mere three votes short in the 2007 general election, longtime Berne city council representative and local businessman Bill McKean has once again announced his intention to run for mayor in that city.
McKean, a Republican, seeks to fill the void left when current Mayor John Minch completes his second and final term in office at the end of 2011. Minch, who defeated McKean by a razor-thin margin in the November general election four years ago, has said he will not seek a third term. Despite coming up just three votes short in that 2007 mayoral contest, McKean opted not to seek a recount following the balloting.....

FSA post filled by Pinkerton

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Anya Pinkerton is the new executive director for the Adams County Farm Service Agency.
She began her duties on January 18, replacing longtime director Jay H. Gould, who retired.
Pinkerton is from Liberty, Indiana, south of Richmond, where she and her husband have a grain and beef cattle operation.
She is a graduate of Purdue University and is no stranger to the Farm Service Agency. Pinkerton served as a program technician in the Franklin County FSA Office for 10 years before her selection as a county operations trainee last year, training in several FSA county offices throughout Indiana. ...

Decatur's business vitality illustrated

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Decatur's industrial diversity was shown today as this huge concrete I-beam made by Prestress Services filled the largest intersection in town as it was turned south onto US 27, heading for a bridge project somewhere. Prestress Services is one of the many different types of industries in Decatur....

Parkview YMCA offers open gym for volleyball

Huntington County Tab:

The Parkview Huntington Family YMCA is offering open gym for adult volleyball every Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m.

The open gym will continue until the adult co-ed league begins play on Feb. 24.

Men's, women's and co-ed volleyball teams may play on Court 1 during open gym sessions, There is no charge for YMCA members, although non-members will be charged a fee.

For information, contact Rob Miller at 359-9622 or rob.miller@huntingtony.org.

Markle council votes in new officers for 2011

Huntington County Tab:

The Markle Town Council voted in new officers and welcomed a new council member on Wednesday, Jan. 19, during the first meeting of 2011.

Jeff Humbarger was reelected as president and Mark Hamilton was elected vice president. Eric "Rick" Bower began his term on Wednesday night as well.

The council also unanimously approved renewing the annual Huntington County United Economic Development contract for 2011. The council said the contract included the same terms as last year, including a $3,700 fee.....

Arts Council awards honors to four HNHS students

Huntington County Tab:

The LaFontaine Arts Council presented four Huntington North High School seniors with artists of the month awards for the month of January on Thursday, Jan. 20.

Receiving awards were Jessica Sroufe, Alex Herber, Megan Ness and Russell Moriarity.

Sroufe was nominated by art teacher Jerry Wright.
In nominating her, Wright commented that, "Jessica has shown more improvement this year than anyone else and has very high character."....

Vote expected Monday on Ind. charter school bill

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — A bill aimed at expanding charter schools in Indiana is expected to clear a House committee Monday.

The bill is part of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels' extensive education agenda. Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma of Indianapolis is the bill's sponsor and says he expects the House Education Committee to make some changes to the bill Monday before voting on it.

Republicans who control the committee will likely support the charter school expansion, which has been opposed by some Democrats and education leaders who say the bill would take money away from traditional public schools.....

Jackknifed semis, other accidents delay traffic

East Allen Times:

HUNTINGTON COUNTY - Despite snow predictions of less than one inch Monday morning, traffic moved slowly and highways were spotted with traffic accidents. The Indiana State Police (ISP) warned drivers of areas to avoid while crews worked to resolve the situation at each scene.

On northbound Interstate 69 in Huntington County, two jackknifed semi tractor-trailers were reported at 8:28 a.m., temporarily closing the roadway to traffic. The incidents occurred at the 83.5 and 87 mile markers and were separate incidents. ....

Harding students' decisions in, notified Friday

East Allen Times:

ALLEN COUNTY - Paul Harding High School students faced with choosing another area high school to attend next year have made their requests.

Our partner in news, WANE-TV, obtained the results and broke down the final count to give an idea where students could end up after Harding High School closes and transforms into a magnet school at the end of this school year.

Students had until Tuesday to decide which school they wanted to attend beginning fall 2011.....

Announcement on more Steuben County jobs coming February

East Allen Times:

ASHLEY, Ind. - A deal that started back in 2006 was finalized this month and now up to 350 jobs will come to northeast Indiana.

Family Dollar is investing nearly $70 million dollars to set up a new distribution center in Ashley in Steuben County.

The Fortune 300 retailer plans to build an 815,000 square-foot, highly automated distribution center aimed at serving its Midwest region stores.....

ISP makes 66 drunk driving arrests in December

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - The Indiana State Police (ISP) in Fort Wayne released Monday its December 2010 statistics including a total of 66 drunk driving arrests.

Last month, troopers made 220 criminal arrests. Among the ISP's four K-9 teams, a total of 19 searches yielded arrests in all incidents. In addition, teams seized 2 grams of ecstasy, 5 grams of cocaine, 12 grams of marijuana and money totaling $539.

ISP released the following traffic related incident statistics: (more)

Starfires cop ACAC wrestling crown

Decatur Daily Democrat:

WOODBURN — South Adams had three champions and all 14 wrestlers placed Saturday as the No. 19 Starfires captured the ACAC Wrestling Tourney title with 221.5 points to the 190 of Garrett and 186.5 of Adams Central.
The tourney win gives the Starfires the outright ACAC wrestling championship as it goes along with the 7-0 record for the Stars in the ACAC dual-meet competition.
Todd Batt at 125, Josh Ehr at 160 and T.J. Burnfield at 145 earned championships for the Starfires. Burnfield, out most of the year with a broken finger, knocked off returning Adams Central champ Zeke Schultz 9-4 in the title round. Ehr, who went up a weight to help his team, scored a 3-2 win over defending champ Cody Conrad of Heritage....

Spartans withstand Braves’ run for 57-42 NHC victory

Decatur Daily Democrat:

An unlikely hero stepped forward to hit a critical three-point shot for the Homestead Spartans with 5:12 to play in the fourth period Saturday night at the Teepee and the shot propelled the Spartans to a 57-42 Northeast Hoosier Conference boys basketball win over the Bellmont Braves.
The Braves had just cut an 11 point Homestead lead down to seven at 39-32 on a pair of foul shots by Kyle Lehrman and a Logan Smith basket. On their next possession down the floor, Homestead got the ball to sophomore guard Trevor Osborn and his 20 foot shot from the left side of the key found nothing but net and put the Spartans back into a double digit lead, one they would not forego for the rest of the game.....

Carroll tops Braves for NHC crown

Decatur Daily Democrat:

FORT WAYNE — "We just had too many fifth places," admitted Bellmont coach Brent Faurote Saturday evening after Carroll knocked off the No. 8 Braves to win its first-ever NHC wrestling crown.
The Chargers, with all 14 placing and only one fifth place, compiled 240 points with four champions to the 228.5 points of Bellmont, which had three champs, but four fifth-pace efforts.
It was only the third time since the NHC was formed in 1989 that Bellmont did not win the NHC Wrestling Tourney. East Noble won in 1990 and Columbia City nipped the Braves in 2004.....

Big biz winner Ideal launched in ’59

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Ideal Suburban Homes and Ideal Realty has been named recipient of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce's Large Business of the Year award, while the Small Business of the Year winner is Rebecca Cochran's certified public accounting firm.
Both will be honored at the organization's annual meeting on Thursday, February 3, at the Knights of Columbus pavilion.
Reservations for the Chamber event must be made by January 25 by calling the office, 724-2604. Tickets are $25.
Established in 1959, Ideal Suburban Homes focuses on building entry-level houses for first-time home buyers, Chamber officials said.....

Park Center report given

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A report by and about the Park Center counseling business in Decatur was given at the January meeting of the Adams County Council, since Park Center gets an annual $172,116 subsidy from the county.
Paul Wilson, chief executive officer of Park Center, and Tonya Eiden, the manager of the Decatur office, gave the following figures about the agency's operations here from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010....

McKean declares as Republican candidate for mayor

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Local businessman Bill McKean has decided to run for the office of mayor of Berne as a Republican candidate in this fall's election. The local barber said that he has given the position much thought and would like to serve the community in that capacity, if elected.
"After losing a close election four years ago by three votes, many people have asked me if I would run again," said McKean. "The (Republican) party has encouraged me. I have decided this time that I am going to run."
McKean served for 24 years on the Berne City Council, and he was council president for sixteen of those years.
"During that time I worked with four mayors and had the opportunity to work with bot...

Starfires claim outright ACAC title

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

WOODBURN – It’s official. After coming close on several occasions, South Adams finally has its hands on an outright Allen County Athletic Conference wrestling championship. The Starfires, regular season champions with a 7-0 mark, scored 221.5 points Saturday in the conference tournament at Woodlan, outdistancing second place Garrett by 31 points and wrapped its hands around both conference trophies – with no one else hanging on.....

City asks for help to name city-county building

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Mayor Tom Henry announced Thursday he would seek the public's help to name the new government center located downtown at 200 East Berry Street.

The future home of Fort Wayne and Allen County government is currently under construction. While contractors work on physical improvements to the building, which has been known to the community as Renaissance Square, the mayor is setting his sights on finding a proper new name....

Murder suspect found, awaits extradition to Ind.

East Allen Times:

SAN DIEGO, Texas - A man wanted for the murder of his wife in Fort Wayne is behind bars in Texas this morning.

During a routine traffic stop Thursday, police in San Diego, Texas, discovered a passenger in the car had a warrant out for his arrest.

Thomas Howard Manjarez, 36, has been a person of interest in the murder of his wife, 33-year-old Carmen Ramos, since she was found shot to death in their Fort Wayne home at 1307 Huestis Avenue in April 2010. Police then filed a warrant for his arrest in her murder.....

Identities released in Fort Wayne meth lab arrests

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - When Allen County police officers went to serve a warrant Wednesday, they found two one-pot method meth labs inside a Fort Wayne apartment.

The arrest warrant was for 38-year-old Sean Yoder for failure to pay child support in Noble County. When police arrived at 2719 Fairfield Avenue., Beth Walda, 29, opened the door.

"She opened the door and allowed officers inside," Steve Stone, public information officer for the Allen County Sheriff's Department, said.....

Leo clears air about EACS transition: 'Harding students welcome'

East Allen Times:

ALLEN COUNTY - Paul Harding students and parents are welcome at Leo Junior-Senior High School. That was the message Thursday at a press conference from Leo principal Dr. Neal Brown and a panel of speakers.

This comes after racially charged comments saying Harding students should stay out of the Leo community surfaced on the Internet. Brown dismissed the comments and said it does not reflect the majority of the Leo community.

“We live in a society that sometimes adults say things they shouldn't say that are awful and hurtful,” Brown said, adding that there is no way to know if the comments were actually made by someone from the Leo community.....

Economic experts say Indiana still has a long road

East Allen Times:

MUNCIE — From the floor of his company's sleek new manufacturing facility west of Muncie, Todd Murray can see the recovery.

As Murray shows visitors around the 170,000-square-foot Mursix Corp. facility still being completed along Interstate 69, his enthusiasm is evident.

"Less than two years ago we had 88 employees," Murray said. "By the second week of February we plan to have 190."....

Team State Wrestling pairings out

Decatur Daily Democrat:

It will almost certainly be No. 8 Bellmont vs. No. 5 Yorktown in the first round of the Adams Central Team Wrestling Regional on February 2.
The IHSAA announced pairings for the Team Wrestling Tournament Thursday afternoon, and it pits the winner of the Jay County Sectional against the winner at Delta, then the winner at Carroll vs. the winner at New Haven....

Bellmont tankers take all 3 relays, sweep Jets

Decatur Daily Democrat:

MONROE—The Bellmont swim team captured all 12 first place finishes in the boys meet and nine in the girls meet to easily post victories over Adams Central Thursday night at the AC pool.
The Bellmont boys tripled the score on the AC team by a 136-42 count while the Squaws doubled the Jets by a 120-60 count.
Ali McClain scored two of the three first place finishes for Adams Central with a 1:06.70 swim in the 100 butterfly and :27.29 effort in the 50 freestyle. The other Jet triumph was a 1:15.42 time posted by Whittney Landis in the 100 breaststroke.....

Myers moves Ehr to 160 for ACAC mat tourney

Decatur Daily Democrat:

"For us to win the ACAC tourney, we need to have excellent placement. I feel we have a deeper team than most in the tourney, so if we can get solid placement in all of the classes we'll be in good shape," stated South Adams coach Eric Myers on the chances of SA adding the tourney crown to its 7-0 dual meet record.
The Stars do have more seeds than the other major players for Saturday's 40th annual ACAC Wrestling Tournament, slated for Woodlan High School at 9 a.m. Defending champ Garrett has eight seeds, including four No. 1s, while Adams Central has three top seeds among eight seeds and Leo has two top seeds among its eight seeded wrestlers.....

Possible need for zoning compliance officer is debated

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Does the City of Decatur need a hired hand to enforce its zoning laws? That question came up at this week's city council meeting and became the subject of a discussion.
Councilman Matt Dyer sparked the question when said the plan commission had talked earlier in the day about getting the city cleaned up for the 175th anniversary celebration in August. The question also was raised, Dyer said, about who would do the enforcing: the plan commission or the city.....

Lake’s algae bloom subject of meeting held in Decatur

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Regional health officials on Thursday received an update on the devastating toxic algae bloom in a nearby Ohio lake and were offered tips on how to handle similar health-related incidents should they occur locally.
Michelle Kimmel, director of environmental health for Mercer County, Ohio, was a guest speaker at a meeting of the northeast chapter of the Indiana Environmental Health Association held at The Galley restaurant in Decatur. She related to the dozen health officials present how the two-year battle against toxic algae in Grand Lake St. Marys — which lies between Celina and St. Marys, Ohio — has been addressed by the county health department there.....

Bellmont sinks Central swimmers

Berne Tri Weekly News:

Bellmont cruised to a pair of easy wins at Adams Central Thursday night, taking the girls’ half of the meet 120-60 and the boys’ side of things 136-42.
Central was limited to just three wins in the meet – all in girls individual events. Ali McClain claimed two of those, winning the 50 yard freestyle in 27.29 seconds and the 100 yard butterfly in 1:06.7.
Whittney Landis claimed the 100 yard breaststroke for the Jets in 1:15.42.....

Concert to benefit "Dots in Blue Water" mission team

Berne Tri Weekly News:

Students involved with the "Dots in Blue Water" project geared towards delivering a water treatment device to the Nehemiah Vision Ministries, located close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, are hosting a benefit concert at Burkhalter Auditorium at South Adams High School on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.
The lead guest singer will be Christian contemporary artist, Jeremy Casella.
Other singers include local musician Tom Frye, and Rocky Evans and the worship band from the Bridge Community Church in Decatur.....

HU women’s hoop team to host ‘Pink Out’ Feb. 12 against Goshen

Huntington County Tab:

The Huntington University women's basketball team will host a "Pink Out" Saturday, Feb. 12, at 1 p.m. at the University's Merillat Physical Education and Recreation Complex.

The event will honor and celebrate breast cancer survivors during halftime of the Huntington University versus Goshen College women's basketball game.

"Pink Out" is a nationwide initiative of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association to support breast cancer research and awareness programs.....

Rep. Leonard’s plate is full for 2011 legislative session

Huntington County Tab:

Restructuring unemployment, the state's budget and redistricting will be keeping Rep. Dan Leonard (R-Huntington) busy during the 2011 legislative session, the representative says.

Leonard was re-elected last year to represent House District 50, a position he has held since 2002. District 50 encompasses all of Huntington County and the bulk of Whitley County.

Leonard says his priority is to make unemployment fairer for businesses as well as the unemployed.

"There are a lot of inequities in the system the way it's structured now," Leonard says....

Zahm, Snowden gather hardware at chamber dinner

Huntington County Tab:

Two long-time Huntington County residents who have worked tirelessly on behalf of the Huntington County Chamber of Commerce were honored before a record crowd during the chamber's 87th annual dinner meeting on Monday, Jan. 17.

The evening's awards went to Bob Zahm, who was named volunteer of the year for 2010, and Gene Snowden, who was honored as ambassador of the year.

Each was presented a plaque by Seth Marshall, who would normally have been installed as chairman of the board at the annual meeting. Marshall, however, stepped into the chairman's role six months early when his predecessor in that position, Joel Jerabek, was transferred to Texas in his position with United Technologies Electronic Controls.....

Not just tourists 'Discover Fort Wayne'

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - When it comes to Fort Wayne, Mayor Tom Henry doesn't believe it when he hears from residents there is nothing to do in the Summit City.

In a meeting Tuesday at the Botanical Conservatory, the mayor along with president and CEO of the Fort Wayne Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Dan O'Connell, sat down with local media representatives to talk about Discover Fort Wayne, a campaign meant to motivate the community to explore the city and share with others the many opportunities there are right where they live.

According to O'Connell, 20 percent of those visiting Fort Wayne are here to see family or friends....

Police find meth lab in Fort Wayne home

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Police serving an arrest warrant Wednesday afternoon at a home in the 2700 block of Fairfield Avenue found two one-pot meth labs.

The Allen County Sheriff's Department said Allen County Warrants detectives arrived at the home around 2 p.m. The man who answered the door allowed officers to enter the home and investigate. That's when officers discovered the meth labs.....

Fort Wayne woman testifies in favor of texting ban

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS - Drivers wouldn't be allowed to send or read text messages on cell phones under a bill approved by an Indiana House committee.

The House transportation committee voted 10-2 Wednesday for the bill extending the state's current texting ban for drivers younger than 18.....

Mayoral campaign finance reports in

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - As more candidates in the 2011 race for mayor of Fort Wayne emerge, so do 2010 campaign finance reports.

Republican Eric Doden, director of investments at Ambassador Enterprises, raised $109,713.04 from 66 donors last year. Doden's mayoral campaign focuses on increasing jobs, improving quality of life and city government efficiency, according to his campaign's website.

Former Allen County council president and Republican candidate, Paula Hughes, showed $147,409.89 was raised in 2010 from 243 donors. In a statement, Hughes' campaign said the candidate has strong grassroots support, citing 97 percent of donations were from Allen County and Fort Wayne residents......

Panthers slam Jets 59-26

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Lauren Heeter poured in 30 points, leading the Eastbrook Lady Panthers to a 59-26 rout of Adams Central in girls high school basketball action Tuesday at the Central court.
The Panthers jumped out 18-7 at the first stop and cruised to the victory. Kerri Guffey and Danielle Gerdt both put in eight points for the winners while Halee Bischoff added six and Megan Sizemore two.
Alyssa Keller paced Central with nine points while Bess Fiechter and Lindsey McDougall both scored three. Madison Carroll was held to one point. Briona Case, Abby Busse, Leah Spangler and Olivia Macklin all had two points for the Jets.....

Carroll goes into NHC Tourney with 14 seeds

Decatur Daily Democrat:

If things work out Saturday at the NHC Wrestling Tournament even close to what the coaches predicted with the seeding process, Carroll will march to the NHC tourney crown with Bellmont second.
Of course, things don't always go as they're supposed to, especially when it comes to Bellmont wrestlers achieving above their seeds.
Carroll has all 14 of its wrestlers seeded to the 10 of Bellmont, Both have five solid No. 1 seeds. Besides the three top Homestead seeds, Bellmont or Carroll will not get much help from a weaker-than-normal field.....

City awarded major signs grant

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Decatur Street/Sewer Superintendent Jeremy Gilbert announced at Tuesday night's city council meeting that the City of Decatur has been awarded $261,900 in federal funds as a sign replacement grant.
The actual grant is $291,000, of which the City of Decatur is responsible for 10 percent, or $29,100. Through the funds, most of the signs in the city will be replaced and some added.
Decatur was one of 10 communities that was granted a total of $2,481,500 to make sign replacements, the grants to be administered through the State of Indiana.....

Where to put plows during big snow?

Decatur Daily Democrat:

After a long talk at Tuesday's session of the Adams County commissioners involving the five fire departments in the county, the Emergency Medical Service, and the county highway department, it was decided to announce a decision at next Monday's commissioners' meeting about how to allocate county snowplows to help get fire trucks and ambulances through deep snow......

City workers save $614,000

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Those two words, "fiscal restraint," which have become so popular these days weren't spoken at Tuesday night's meeting of Decatur City Council, but they certainly could have been.
Meanwhile, it was learned at the same meeting that the city may soon take another step to join the latest trend and go on Facebook.
The fiscal restraint was initially mentioned by Board of Works member Bill Karboch and then expanded upon by Mayor John Schultz, who pointed out a huge savings produced by the heads of the various city departments. In all, the department heads were able to get by spending $614,000 less than they had budgeted for 2010....

Foresters' big comeback bid falls short against USF

Huntington County Tab:

After being down by as many as 19 points, the Huntington University men's basketball team got within one but was held off and wound up losing to visiting University of Saint Francis, 85-83, on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

Huntington, now 15-6, 4-4 in conference, initially controlled the scoreboard for the first 15 minutes of the game, getting as much as an eight-point-gap, but St. Francis wouldn't have it as the 12th-ranked Cougars, 17-5, 6-2 in conference, commenced a six-minute, 16-6 run to gain the lead at the 4:26 mark. USF kept HU at bay to close the half up by one at 33-32.

Huntington again drew first blood in the second half, but St. Francis steadily assembled its first double-digit lead, 56-45, by the eighth minute of the half. Huntington crept closer, but an 11-0 run over three minutes gave the Cougars a 19-point lead with five to go....

Sculpture park plan revealed; funding sought

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - The empty former Dimension Ford site off West Jefferson Boulevard in Fort Wayne within a few years could be a gateway park welcoming visitors to the downtown area.

The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department first unveiled a master plan Thursday to members of the Nebraska Neighborhood Association. Slides contained early glimpses of the layout and design of the proposed Fort Wayne International Sculpture Park.

“It’s always a concern when you put something out there, but it came from input from two communities and has received some very positive response so far," Al Moll, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, said of the proposal.....

UPDATE: Weather-related crashes close sections of interstates

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE — The northbound and southbound lanes on Interstate 69 at the 102 mile marker are now open. Indiana State Police (ISP) said that while Indiana Department of Transportation crews are working to keep major thoroughfares open, ramps to and from I-69 are very slick.

According to ISP Sgt. Ron Galaviz, I-69 northbound traffic is moving slowly and could at times experience stopped traffic because of a semi that is having trouble getting up the hill south of the GM plant.....

Ind. panel approves mobile numbers on no-call list

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana House committee has endorsed a bill that would allow residents to add their cell phone numbers to the state's do-not-call list for unwanted telemarketing calls.

The bill approved Tuesday by the Judiciary Committee would also prohibit marketers from sending text or photo messages to cell phones that are included on the list.

Indiana's no-call list started in 2002, with residents able to add their numbers through the state attorney general's office to a roster that is updated four times a year....

Professional thieves suspected in luxury car thefts

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) detectives said professional thieves likely stole five luxury automobiles from O'Daniel Automotive Group over the course of a few days.

Detectives believe all five vehicles were driven right off the dealership lot at 5611 Illinois Road between the hours of 5:00 p.m. Saturday and 8:00 a.m. Monday. The following vehicles were described in the incident....

Ice everywhere; schools closed

Decatur Daily Democrat:

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, North Adams and Adams Central schools were closed and South Adams was on a two-hour delay as ice covered streets and roads throughout Adams County....

Chamber of Commerce celebrates year of great achievements

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

A large contingent of area business representatives gathered at Swiss Village Auditorium on Tuesday evening to hear reports of business progress and celebrate success in the local community.
With the local chamber's mission statement never far away, Chamber leaders passed out awards and gave reports that reflected the motto, "to promote quality of life through economic vitality and family values."
"This has been quite a year for our community," said the chamber's new executive director, Sheree Barkley. "We've seen the dedication of the clock tower and the progress on the Muensterberg Plaza, changes in many area businesses and changes in the local chamber.....

Seeds set for Saturday tournament

Berne Tri Weekly News:

South Adams enters Saturday’s Allen County Athletic Conference wrestling tournament with just one number one seed, but with five number two seeds the Starfires have more wrestlers in one of the top two slots in their respective weight classes than any other team in the eight-school field.
The ACAC tournament is this Saturday at Woodlan High School with the first round starting at 9 a.m. The championship round will be carried as a live webcast at bernetriweekly.com. The webcast will begin at approximately 2 p.m.....

Trails merger meant to make area 'more vibrant, prosperous'

East Allen Times:

ALLEN COUNTY - Aboite New Trails (ANT) announced Monday it will merge with the Greenway Consortium and Northwest Allen Trails to expand its regional scope in Fort Wayne and Allen County as Fort Wayne Trails (FWT).

ANT's executive director, Lori Keys, was selected as the executive director of FWT. In early 2011, Keys will head up FWT's efforts to create a new office space, administration and board of directors. ....

More details on FiOS rate hike Tuesday

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - Company representatives will release more information Tuesday regarding a big rate hike for Frontier FiOS TV customers.

According to a sample customer letter sent to New Haven Mayor Terry McDonald, the hike goes into effect Feb. 18, 2011 for all existing FiOS TV service. FiOS local TV service will go up by $12 per month. The rate hike does not affect FiOS Broadband High Speed Internet or Frontier voice services.

The letter explains Frontier made the decision because of a rise in programming costs.....

Loud mystery 'boom' heard Tuesday

East Allen Times:

ALLEN COUNTY - Residents in New Haven and northeast Fort Wayne may have heard a loud "boom" Tuesday just before 3:00 p.m.

Allen County and New Haven police checked out those areas, but didn't find anything.

Some think it could have been a sonic boom from a jet. For an official at the Fort Wayne Airport said there weren't many planes in the air around the time of the boom and are skeptical that would be the source....

Fort Wayne Farm Show begins Tuesday

East Allen Times:

FORT WAYNE - The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum plays host to the Fort Wayne Farm Show beginning today in Fort Wayne and runs through Jan. 20.

The Farm Show brings the farm community together with agri-business leaders to learn and compare the latest equipment and products in the marketplace. Exhibitors present the latest farm technology in the industry and features one of the area's largest varieties of farm machinery and equipment. Educational seminars are presented daily by Northeastern Indiana Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Purdue Cooperative Extension Services.....

Stars complete regular season a perfect 27-0

Decatur Daily Democrat:

South Adams, rated No. 19 in the state, completed a perfect wrestling regular season over the weekend by capturing the Tri Invitational with a 5-0 mark.
For the season, the Starfires finished 27-0, going 5-0 at Tri, the ECIC at Jay County, the New Castle Super Duals, the Spencer Haworth Invitational at SA, and at the Homestead Super Duals.
The Stars had one close match Saturday, defeating Alexandria 37-31. The Stars also defeated Hamilton Heights 54-15, Southridge 58-9, Northeastern 72-9 and Tri High 76-6....

Braves’ 400 team cements victory at Jay County

Decatur Daily Democrat:

PORTLAND—Bellmont's 400 freestyle relay teams left nothing to chance Saturday by sweeping the top two positions in the final race of the day and the Braves captured the boys title of the Jay County Swimming Invitational over four other teams.
With the Bellmont team turning in 20 personal best efforts of the day, the Braves entered the 400 freestyle relay ahead of a strong Connersville team by just eight points. Matt Mock, Michael Miller, Zac Torrey, and Jay Watters made sure the team title would go home with the Braves as they turned in a 3:27.75 finish for first place and for added insurance Mason Werling, Trey Schisler, Harrison Jacobson, and Mason Schultz notched second in 3:43.53....

IU fan wants school to return to red

Decatur Daily Democrat:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — An Indiana University fan is pressing the ‘‘Cream and Crimson’’ school to dump its team uniforms’ traditional deep red color and return to the brighter shade of red the Hoosiers sported for decades after adopting that hue in the 1970s.
New Albany dentist William ‘‘Woody’’ Oakes has started a website calling on the university to ‘‘Return the Red.’’ The IU grad says 63 percent of poll respondents to his site agree with him that the school should switch its uniforms back to red....(more)

Work on new docs’ building near

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Plans for work on the new physician's office building being constructed by the Adams Health Network (AHN) adjacent to the Adams Memorial Hospital were discussed at the monthly meeting of the AHN board of trustees.
Officials said foundation work will be started within a month or so and after that is done, work packages will be bid out to get as many local contractors as possible involved with the project....(more)

Baker places fifth overall to lead Lady Vikings to fifth at Valpo Invitational

Huntington County Tab:

Jessica Baker scored 34.825 all around to place fifth overall as the Huntington North High School gymnastics team totaled 98.025 points for fifth place among seven teams at the Valpo Invitational hosted by Valparaiso High School on Saturday, Jan. 15.

Baker recorded a 9.150 at the vault for sixth place, 9.175 on the uneven bars for fourth place, 7.625 at the balance beam for 15th place and 8.875 on the floor exercise for sixth place.

Stephanie Freeman came in second for Huntington North, scoring 32.750 points for 11th overall. She scored 8.55 on the vault for 13th place, 8.3 on the uneven bars for 11th, 7.975 on the balance beam for 12th and 7.925 on the floor exercise for 17th.

Totaling 30.450 points for 15th overall and third for the Lady Vikings was Olivia Eckert. She scored 8.2 at the vault, 7.325 on the uneven bars, 7.1 on the balance beam and 7.825 at the floor exercise.....

Banks having productive first session as rookie state senator

Huntington County Tab:

Sen. Jim Banks, (R-Columbia City) filed his 21st and final piece of legislation on Tuesday, Jan. 11, marking a productive first session for the senator.

Since the Indiana General Assembly opened its session on Jan. 4, Banks has filed bills on topics ranging from the elimination of the death tax to changing how school board elections are conducted. The deadline for senators to file bills was Thursday, Jan. 13, and the 2011 session must be adjourned by April 30.

This is the first time Banks has held a state senate seat. He won an uncontested 2010 general election to replace former Sen. Gary Dillon (R-Columbia City) in representing District 17. The district includes all of Huntington and Whitley counties, over half of Wabash County and small pockets of Grant, Kosciusko and Allen counties.....

UW’s Horoho eases into retirement; her ‘student’ steps up to the plate

Huntington County Tab:

The roles are now reversed at the United Way of Huntington County.

Jenna Strick, who has served the agency under Executive Director Pat Horoho for the past three years, is the agency’s new executive director.
Horoho, who is easing into retirement, will remain in the office until late April to serve as a mentor and coach for Strick.

Horoho served as executive director of the local United Way for 15 years.
“She’s been a champion for the cause, the mission of the United Way, to improve the quality of life for the people in Huntington county,” Strick says of Horoho. “Always making sure that is what we are doing … She’s going to be greatly missed.”....

Indiana senator proposes lowering corporate tax

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana senator wants to lower the state's corporate income tax from 8.5 percent to 5 percent.

Republican Sen. Brandt Hershman of Lafayette says Indiana already has a relatively low cost of doing business, but that the corporate income tax is seen as a hindrance to job creation because it is one of the highest in the Midwest. He says lowering the corporate income tax would make the state a more attractive place for companies.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency is working to determine how much the state might lose if it lowered the tax rate. Hershman says there will be an up-front cost to the state but believes other parts of the legislation can help offset that price tag without raising taxes elsewhere.....

License plate sales get 'Pet Friendly'

East Allen Times:

INDIANAPOLIS – As pet overpopulation numbers continue to rise and the number of pet adoptions fall, a new program allows Hoosiers to help by making a purchase.

This month launches the sale of the Pet Friendly license plate, a portion of which goes to Spay-Neuter Services of Indiana (SNSI) and comes after a tough year for the organization.

For much of 2010, SNSI, an organization providing spay and neuter financial assistance to low-income dog and cat owners, was forced to suspend all financial assistance programs due to overwhelming requests and decreased donations and grants, according to its website.....

AM General cutting 300 jobs at N. Ind. factory

East Allen Times:

MISHAWAKA, Ind. — AM General plans to lay off 300 workers from the northern Indiana factory that makes Humvees for the military.

Company spokeswoman Celeste Ross says the jobs cuts at the Mishawaka (mish-ah-WAH'-kuh) factory were needed because the military has been ordering fewer of the hulking all-terrain vehicles. The new round of layoffs will start Feb. 14 and follow the layoffs of about 250 workers a year ago.....

Transitions Dental to take on former Ind. AllCare patients

East Allen Times:

LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Transitions Dental Company is announcing Monday that all former AllCare Dental and Dentures patient charts across the state of Indiana are being transferred to Transitions Dental Company.

A press conference held in Lafayette Monday informed patients where they can access patient records and receive patient care.

The following is a letter on the Transitions Dental website to former Allcare patients in Indiana...

Cougars finish strong, beat Braves 67-50

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Bellmont charged out of the locker room and outscored visiting Van Wert 8-1 to start the third period, taking a 41-40 lead, but the unbeaten Cougars regrouped, found their offense and outscored the Braves 27-9 the rest of the way for a 67-50 win Saturday afternoon.
"They came to play a little bit and obviously shot it better than they did last night, and they were a little comfortable early," stated veteran Van Wert David Froelich.
"We we just had to keep at it and we did a little bit better job in the second half of getting out on the shooters and containing the ball. We made a couple of jump shots when things got going. Once we do that we can get some space and get our shots.
They're tough, they're physical, so Bellmont's a difficult match for a team like ours."....

Knights take out Squaws 72-51

Decatur Daily Democrat:

For the most part Saturday night, the Bellmont Squaws' gas tank was running fairly smooth on 87 octane.
Unfortunately for the Squaws, their opponents, the Norwell Knights were running full tilt on 93 octane and the Knights, now 14-1 on the year, polished off the Squaws, now 7-8, by a 72-51 count at the Teepee.
With different options to choose from, the Knights engaged in race horse basketball with the Squaws for the first four minutes with baskets by Madison Schultz and Payton Schultz giving Bellmont respective leads of 9-7 and 11-10, the latter coming with 4:04 to play.....

Fire destroys mobile home; no injuries

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Fire destroyed a mobile home in the Country Acres area, southwest of Decatur, late Sunday night and killed two dogs that were in the residence.
No people were home when the fire started.
A spokesman for the Decatur Fire Department said today that the mobile home was owned by Michelle Colbert and that the blaze remains under investigation.
Damage also was incurred by a parked pickup truck and the exterior of a neighboring mobile home.
The department was called out at 8:55 p.m. and found the trailer "fully involved" in fire upon arrival, the spokesman said......

No one hurt as NA bus struck

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The second accident involving a school bus in Adams County in less than a week occurred Friday in downtown Decatur at 3:20 p.m.
A Decatur Police Department report said Lydia A. Lockwood, 16, Hickory Road, Decatur, was eastbound in her van at the intersection of Monroe and Third Street. She told police she thought she had the green light and entered the intersection.
Witnesses said, however, the green light favored a northbound North Adams Community Schools bus driven by Fred J. Kunkel, 54, rural Decatur, the report said. Kunkel said he tried to get stopped to avoid a collision when he saw the van was not stopping, but the vehicles collided causing $2,501-$5,000 in damage.
Lockwood was cited by city police for disregarding an automatic signal....

Starfires finish unbeaten campaign

Berne Tri Weekly News:

South Adams completed its dual meet season with a perfect 27-0 record after a win at Southern Wells Friday night and by sweeping its five matches Saturday at the Tri High Invitational.
South Adams, still ranked as the No. 1 (Class A) team in the state by the coaches association class polls, scored a 47-29 victory over Southern Wells Friday to cap a 7-0 season in the Allen County Athletic Conference. The Starfires will vie for their first ever outright conference championship Saturday when they take part in the ACAC tournament at Woodlan High School. The opening round begins at 9 a.m.
Southern Wells held a 29-20 lead over South Adams after nine matches, but South Adams claimed ...

Baird says hospital positioning itself for healthcare changes

Berne Tri Weekly News:


Adams County Hospital executive director Marvin Baird told those attending the local Rotary Club last week that the county hospital is positioning itself to be a magnet to try to provide physicians the community needs and deserves.
"Now, because of the government edict as to how health care is to be carried out, we have lots of work to do," said Baird. "They (government) hold the purse strings and they determine how things are carried out."
Baird said that hospital officials receive mail everyday with rules and regulations pertaining to the health care bill that is to be fully instituted in 2014. He noted that government officials are starting to institute things now.....