WARSAW — Beef-A-Roo will open its second restaurant in Warsaw today.

District Manager Kolton Lynas said they’ll start off with a soft opening today at 2401 E. Center St., which comes after the Midwest chain first opened a store in Warsaw at  408 N. Detroit St., about 11 months ago.

Beef-A-Roo has now renovated and opened four restaurants in north central Indiana, formerly owned by Penguin Point. The other two are in Auburn and North Manchester.

Lynas said they also hope to open a store in Logansport, possibly by the end of the year, in what had been known as Mr. Happy Burger.

The fast food business offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, side dishes and drinks.

The Center Street store will begin with 32 employees, he said.

Regular hours are 10 a.m. to midnight.

The chain, based in Illinois, now has 19 stores.

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WARSAW — A Syracuse woman was killed and a Milford man was injured in a two-vehicle crash Thursday afternoon.

According to a news release from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred near the residence of 2701 E. CR 700N east of CR 200  at 2:54 p.m. on CR 700N.

Emergency personnel arrived on scene and found a Nissan Altima, driven by Ranee Tom, 49, Syracuse, and a Ford F150, driven by Scott Smith, 74, Milford.

Preliminary investigation determined the Nissan Altima was westbound on CR 700N and crossed the center line, hitting the Ford F150.

Tom was pronounced dead at the scene by the Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office.

Smith was flown from the scene by Lutheran Air to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.

The crash remains under investigation by the Kosciusko County FACT.

The KCSO was assisted at the scene by the Kosciusko County 911 Dispatch Center, Plain Township Fire Department, Lutheran EMS, Lutheran Air, Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office and Crouse Wrecker Service.

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WARSAW — The ongoing photo exhibit featuring artwork from photographer Al Disbro has put a spotlight on the importance of local historic photos and led to hosting what might be called a photo scan-a-thon.

Kosciusko County Historical Society Director Teresa Jones said Disbro has shared a plethora of images of local happenings that span decades, and she realized that many others in the community likely have some old, unique photos they would also be willing to have their photos scanned.

[caption id="attachment_130887" align="alignright" width="300"] Al Disbro is seen at a 2018 Republican event in Warsaw with his camera. Some of his photos are the basis for an exhibit at the Kosciusko County Historical Society museum in Warsaw through the end of 2026. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Jones said they wanted to capitalize on the interest around the upcoming America 250 celebration and encourage the preservation of more local history that can be helpful to others a hundred years from now.

“I think people kind of forget when they're cleaning out old closets or cleaning up mom's house ... that we are very much interested in those old pictures," she said.

They're looking for images that capture landmarks, old schools, politics, local leaders, and historical events.

They're also looking for details and photos about family trees and local genealogy.

Photo Scan Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Historical Society at 121 N. Indiana Street in Warsaw.

She said it would help if people provided information about the photos when they bring them.

"History is all about stories, and so when we get the story behind the photos behind the documents, it helps us in our research," she said.

She said they'll have four scanners and volunteers ready to help on Saturday.

During the event, museum staff and volunteers will carefully digitize each photograph while owners wait, ensuring that all original items are promptly returned.

Residents are encouraged to contribute, if possible, to preserve local history.

Disbro, who retired from Lake City Bank years ago, has documented a wide variety of community and political events around Warsaw for decades.

Disbro's photos will be on display until the end of the year. 

“Our Al Disbro exhibit has been so popular," Jones said. "We did ‘Storytime with Al’ last week (and) filled the room to capacity. We're actually contemplating doing another one.

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By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The Warsaw Traffic Commission on Wednesday recommended to the City Council the passage of an e-bike ordinance that would set policy in several ways.

As the popularity of e-bikes continues, some of the new models can travel as fast as 50 mph, said City Planner Justin Taylor.

The proposal was developed by the Ride+Walk Advisory Committee and would limit e-bikes from traveling any faster than 35 mph on streets and 15 miles per hour on trails, according to a story from the Times-Union.

The bicycle industry is seeing robus sales of e-bikes across the country.

E-bikes accounted for approximately 30% of total U.S. bicycle revenue in 2024, generating roughly $1.63 billion, according to Ebikes International.

Taylor said the new policy is needed for safety reasons.

The estimated number of e-bike injuries in the U.S. jumped from 1,600 in 2018 to over 23,000 in 2022, according to the American College of Surgeons 

The proposal would also prohibit e-bikes from traveling on sidewalks in the downtown business district.

Fines would start at $25 for the first offense and $150 for the third offense.

City Council is expected to review the proposal over the next few weeks before voting.

You can watch the discussion from Wednesday's meeting at the beginning of this link provided by the city.

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Gov. Mike Braun not only extended the suspension of the sales tax on gasoline another 30 days Wednesday — he paused the state gas tax, as well.

The latter is 36 cents per gallon, meaning Hoosier motorists will save 59.3 cents a gallon for the next month.

The 30-day tax suspensions, combined, are expected to cost state coffers $104 million and local units $52 million. Braun’s initial 30-day suspension of the 7% sales tax on gasoline came at a separate $50 million revenue cost.

“Making life more affordable for Hoosiers will always be my top priority,” Braun said Wednesday. “Suspending both the gas tax and excise tax gives Hoosiers meaningful relief for the next month.”

The current 30-day sales tax suspension was set to end May 8.

Braun said the energy emergency will give Hoosiers a 12.4% discount on the average price of gasoline in Indiana.

When Braun took action in April, the average cost for a gallon of gas in Indiana was $4.14, according to AAA. That price has now risen to $4.76.

Braun also announced Wednesday that he will increase the mileage reimbursement rate for state employees who utilize their own vehicles for work-related travel. Details on that increase will be shared once confirmed by the governor’s office.

This story will be updated.

* * *

The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.

You can read the original version of the story here.

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WARSAW — The ML Community Impact Alliance (MLCIA) and The Freedom Fest Committee has announced that Super Seal of Warsaw will be performing seal coating work on the main entrance of the Kosciusko County Fairgrounds on Monday, May 11 (weather permitting).

This project is part of ongoing improvements and preparations for Freedom Fest 2026, celebrating America’s 250th birthday.

These enhancements are designed to improve safety, accessibility, and the overall experience for the large number of visitors expected for Freedom Fest and throughout the year for various events.

Important Access Information:

• The main fairgrounds entrance will be temporarily closed during this work.
• Visitors should use the west fairgrounds entrance.
• From there, proceed through the campground area and up the hill to access the fair office.

We appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation as we continue making improvements that will benefit the entire community for years to come.

For additional information about Freedom Fest, visit kcfreedomfest.org or contact us at info@kcfreedomfest.org.

Freedom Fest is a county-wide celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States, featuring live music, historical reenactments, family activities, and community events designed to bring people together in celebration of our nation’s heritage.

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WINONA LAKE — The Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams is eager to welcome Joel Petrie to the team.

In his new role of research technician, he will be responsible for collecting data, guiding college interns, and maintaining stream sensors placed around Kosciusko County.

"During his internship at the Lilly Center as an environmental studies student, Joel
honed his fieldwork abilities and grew a deeper understanding of data collection," said Dr. Nate Bosch, Creighton Brothers endowed director of the Lilly Center.

"His passion for aquatic research is evident in the quality work he’s done, and we’re excited to see how much more he’ll contribute to the Lilly Center in this new role," Bosch said.

Petrie attended Grace College for three years where he received his bachelor’s in science
with a focus on environmental studies. While at Grace, he also balanced his time as a Lilly Center intern, working on the field research team and eventually becoming the team lead.

As an intern, Petrie practiced ethical data collection and showed excellent supervising skills that will serve him well in his new position.

“I'm excited to have Joel step into the research technician role,” said Matt Burlingame,
assistant director of research at the Lilly Center.

“Joel has been a leader on the field team since he started, and he quickly became a knowledgeable and reliable part of the crew. His experience in the field, familiarity with our stream sensor network, and work ethic make him a perfect fit for the research team.”

By collecting weekly water samples and monitoring lakes and streams, the Lilly Center
ensures that Kosciusko County’s lakes and streams are clean, healthy, and safe for generations to come.

The Lilly Center is committed to gathering essential, high-quality data on Kosciusko
County waterways to help protect our natural resources and keep community members
safe on the water.

Beginning in May, the center will publish weekly microcystin toxin reports that residents can sign up to receive, so they can recreate safely on their lake.

Join the email list for microcystin toxin notifications or learn more about how the Lilly
Center is making Kosciusko County’s lakes and streams clean, healthy, safe, and beautiful by clicking here.

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WARSAW — Don Wiesehan won his Republican primary race against five-term incumbent Bob Conley for the Kosciusko County Commissioner's Southern District seat in what turned out to be the most anticipated contest in the county. 

Wiesehan claimed nearly 3,000 votes and a 56-percent margin against Conley, who was first elected 19 years ago.

Wiesehan campaigned against the proposed city-county parking garage, which faces a possible vote later this year.

He also pledged to serve no more than two terms in office and has proposed that one of the commissioner's monthly meetings be held at night to make it more accessible to the public. 

“I think the voice of the people really did speak tonight,” Wiesehann said at a Republican gathering at Matt Anthony's in downtown Warsaw after results were finalized.

He said he thinks the parking garage became a defining factor.

"A lot of the people out in the community don't want it,” he said. “I think some of it was how it may have been presented or not presented. I think that has to be educated across the people," he said.

"I still say it's not something that we need to venture out into because there's a lot of stress on our community people now," he said.

Warsaw leaders and the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce have been strong proponents of constructing a parking garage, which would be funded in part with $5 million from the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative.

The county has already acquired land for the project north of the Z Hotel.

This year's contest for commissioner marked the second time Wiesehan challenged Conley for the seat.

Four years ago, Wiesehan collected 26% of the vote in a four-way contest in which Conley won 50.5 percent of the vote.

Wiesehan worked for 25 years with the sheriff’s office and now works with Parkview Health, providing security.

Conley owns a barber shop on South Buffalo in Warsaw and has been a reserve officer with the sheriff’s office for some 50 years.

Meanwhile, in another contested county race, incumbent Kimberly Cates won 56% of the vote against challenger Thaddeus Du Bois for the county council District 1 seat.

Du Bois' campaign was complicated a few weeks ago after he announced he plans to soon move out of the district from his home in North Webster to a residence south of Warsaw.

His decision to move was prompted by opposition to a sewer district.

Two Congressional races also came into focus Tuesday.

Jamee Decio will be the Democratic nominee in the general election for Indiana’s 2nd Congressional District by capturing 72 percent of the vote against North Manchester resident Shaun Maeyens.

Kelly Thompson is the primary winner for the Democratic Party in the 3rd District Congressional race. She was unopposed and will face incumbent Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman in the general election

Stutzman won 72 percent of the vote against Jon Kenworthy.

Voter turnout in Kosciusko County for the election was just 12 percent.

Comparatively, the 2022 primary saw a 21 percent turnout.

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