PIERCETON — Leaders in Pierceton gathered on Sunday afternoon to celebrate a handful of new amenities at the Pierceton Washington Township Community Park.

[caption id="attachment_136581" align="alignright" width="233"] Taylor See, with 440 Dirt, raises the US flag on a new flagpole at Pierceton Washington Township Community Park during a ceremony on Sunday. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Improvements include new pickleball courts, a resurfaced tennis court, and a nine-hole disc golf course.

The 17-acre park is located behind Pierceton Elementary. 

Park Board President Carla Quintero thanked those involved in the multi-project endeavor and said the pickleball courts have already proven to be popular.

"I'm out here normally every Sunday, and the pickleballers, when they found out we were doing a ribbon cutting, they were like — 'Oh, our hidden secret is going to end up going away,'" Quintero said after Sunday's ceremony.

The event included a ribbon cutting and the raising of a flag on a new flagpole installed by 440 Dirt Co.

Financial support came from K21 Health Foundation, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation and a private donation.

"The Thomas Kubacki donation of $5,000, a private donation, kind of got it started to get pickleball courts, and then we applied for the grants with K21 and Kosciusko County Community Foundation," said Town Council President Glenn Hall.

In a short address, Quintero extended her deepest gratitude to K21 and Kubacki.

Keaton Cornell initiated the disc golf course as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Quintero said about 20 people, including a large number of firemen, turned out to help spruce up the park recently, planting flowers and adding mulch and flowers in several areas.

"Pierceton shows up for stuff," Quintero said. "When you put something out that, hey, we need help doing something, it never fails. People will show up for it."

Quintero said more improvements to the park are in the works. Those include plans for repainting parts of the playground and upgrading the nearby amphitheater.

[caption id="attachment_136585" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Park Board President Carla Quintero spoke briefly at Sunday's event. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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LAPORTE — A Warsaw woman was killed, and two men were injured after a two-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon in La Porte County. 

According to a news release from the La Porte County Sheriff's Office, the accident happened shortly after noon on North Fail Road in rural LaPorte. 

A preliminary investigation shows that a Toyota driven by a 38-year-old LaPorte man was traveling north on Fail Road when his vehicle crossed the center line and crashed into a Kia.

Both the driver and passenger in the Kia were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

The passenger, 77-year-old Lana Pratt, died shortly after arriving at the hospital. 

No other details were immediately available.

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WARSAW — Slate Auto will be one of 14 companies participating in a job fair hosted by OrthoWorx and other groups on Thursday, Oct. 1.

Job seekers looking for their next career opportunity will have the chance to connect directly with some of Kosciusko County’s leading employers at the upcoming HireKosciusko Hiring Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 pm at Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion in Warsaw.

Sponsored by OrthoWorx in partnership with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, KEDCO, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, the Kosciusko Human Resource Association (KHRA), and WorkOne Northern Indiana, the county-wide hiring fair is being held.

Participating employers include:

• Avalign Implants & Instruments
• Cardinal Services
• Danco Medical
• Goodwill Industries
• Hoosier Racing Tire
• LeGrand AV
• Maple Leaf Farms
• Micropulse
• Paragon Medical
• Seasons HomeCare
• Slate Auto
• Tecomet
• Wildman Business Group
• Zimmer Biomet

With employers from manufacturing, medical devices, technology, services, healthcare, and more, the HireKosciusko Hiring Fair offers job seekers an opportunity to explore careers they may not have considered and connect directly with organizations hiring in the community.

Slate Auto, in particular, has already hired more than 500 people for its future electric pickup truck manufacturing plant that will open later this year at the refurbished former home of RR Donnelley and Sons facility on Old Road 30.

The company hopes to hire upward of 2,000 people for the Warsaw plant.

“This is a great opportunity for job seekers to get in front of some of the major employers in our community, while also discovering the many different career paths available right here in Kosciusko County,” said Allyn Decker, VP Operations & Engagement, OrthoWorx.

“Whether someone is actively looking for a new position or simply curious about what opportunities are available, we encourage them to come prepared to make connections and have conversations.”

In addition to employer representatives, Ivy Tech Kosciusko, Grace College, and WorkOne Northern Indiana will be on site to provide education, employment, and career resources to attendees.

Prospective employers are seeking applicants with a variety of skill sets and backgrounds for roles throughout their organizations. Job seekers are encouraged to pre-register and come prepared with resumes, although walk-ins are welcome.

To learn more, view participating employers and register, visit hirekosciusko.com.

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By David Slone
Times-Union

NOBLE COUNTY — Kosciusko County Councilwoman Kimberly Cates was arrested early this morning in Noble County for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with a prior.

She was booked into the Noble County Jail at 1:45 a.m. for the level 6 felony, according to the jail officer there.

No further information on her arrest was available as of this morning.

Cates, the incumbent for District 1, won the Republican May primary over challenger Thaddeus DuBois. She is uncontested in the November general election.

The deadline for a candidate to withdraw from November’s election has passed.

This was Cates’ second incident in a little over two years involving drunk driving charges.

Around 11 p.m. March 9, 2024, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy was traveling north on Ind. 13, just north of North Webster, according to the probable cause affidavit in that case. The deputy noticed a vehicle in front of him weaving within its lane and frequently crossing the road’s fog line. The deputy followed the vehicle for 5 miles and witnessed the driver continuing to drive erratically.

He pulled the vehicle, driven by Cates, over, near the intersection of Ind. 13 and North Grandview Drive, Syracuse. She exhibited physical signs of intoxication, and failed three sobriety tests and was unable to provide a sample through a portable breath test. She consented to a certified chemical test and was taken by law enforcement to a local hospital for a blood draw.

Prior to the blood draw, Cates’ vehicle was moved to a nearby business and secured, the court documents state. She was then taken back to her residence by deputies after the blood draw. Cates registered a 0.20 BAC.

On Aug. 30, 2024, Cates pled guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated - endangering a person, a class A misdemeanor. A second misdemeanor OWI charge was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

She was sentenced by Marshall Superior Court II Judge Dean Colvin to 365 days in the Kosciusko County Jail, with six days to be served in KCJ and 359 days on non-reporting probation. Her probation was under the jurisdiction of the Kosciusko County Probation Department.

The court suspended Cates’ driving privileges for three months, with the term of suspension already completed by Cates by her sentencing.

At her sentencing, she testified in court that she sought alcohol and substance abuse treatment at the Bowen Center on her own accord.

She also had an ignition interlock device on her vehicle for almost six months.

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Winona Lake — Community Arts Program is hosting the 5th annual Java, Jive & Pie event at Rodeheaver Auditorium, 901 Park Ave., Winona Lake, on Saturday, Oct. 24.

A dance lesson will be offered from 6 p.m., followed by the musical program beginning at 7 p.m.

This year, the program, “The Village Canteen,” will feature songs to evoke a feeling of the 1940s when swing was king and USO shows supported the troops across the globe.

Attendees are invited to dress in period apparel and enjoy the dance floor.

This year we welcome Matt and Cindy Smith, dance instructors of “Art of Dance Warsaw," who will offer dance instruction to all levels of dancers.

Ticket holders are encouraged to come early for a dance lesson to learn some basic steps and to give you the confidence to take a chance and dance. Don’t miss this fun opportunity to learn some new moves.

Vocal Vibes adult vocal jazz ensemble will sing a selection of songs from the period. Wally Brath and “The Village Canteen Band” will also perform instrumental music from the era. In addition to live musical performances, attendees are encouraged to dress in the style of the 40s and 50s.

During the evening, patrons will enjoy charcuterie, coffee, pie, and the dance floor.

A silent auction will feature a variety of unique items donated by community individuals and businesses. The evening will close with an exciting live auction of significant and interesting items.

Vocal Vibes director, Dr. Ardis Faber, eagerly anticipates this annual event and encourages the community to attend. “You won’t want to miss this evening filled with dance music, familiar ballads, up-tempo vocals from the swing era, and the easy-listening jazz from Wally Brath and The Village Canteen Band!” Dr. Faber continues, “What better way to relax than to enjoy an evening out with friends while listening to some great jazz!”

“This is our fifth year conducting the Java, Jive & Pie fundraiser. We are growing it into a premier event.” Lori Widman, Community Arts Program President, states. “We want to fill the Rodeheaver Auditorium this year.”

“This will be an evening to enjoy good company, listening and dancing to live jazz music within the Winona Lake town limits, all while supporting our artistic programs; you won’t want to miss this opportunity.”

Tickets are available at the Community Arts Program website and are $40 for an individual and $300 for a table of eight. Corporate sponsorships and donations are also welcome.

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CHESTERTON — A 19-year-old motorcyclist, apparently racing at an extremely high speed on I-94, died Thursday night on I-94 near Chesterton.

The accident happened at 8:11 p.m. on I-94 westbound two miles east of the Chesterton exit, and involved two motorcycles and a passenger car, according to Indiana State Police.

Police believe two motorcycles had been traveling at an “extremely high rate of speed,” coming from the Michigan City area.

One motorcyclist, Matthew Lowenthal, 19, of Valparaiso, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The second motorcyclist, Luke Tilford, sustained serious injuries after he was struck by another unknown passing vehicle. 

Tilford had pulled his motorcycle onto the shoulder and was dismounting when the collision occurred. Authorities believe a passing vehicle was trying to avoid the initial crash and may not have realized they struck the motorcyclist on the shoulder. 

Tilford was transported for emergency treatment of serious injuries. The driver of the passenger car, a Tesla, reported no injuries.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or may have video footage of the incident is asked to contact the Indiana State Police Lowell Post at (219) 696‑6242.

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News Release

WARSAW — Heartline Pregnancy Center’s annual Donut Dash 5K Walk/Run fundraiser
returns Saturday, Oct. 10, bringing together runners, walkers, families, and friends to
make a difference for local moms, dads, and babies.

The race begins at 10 a.m. at the Health Services Pavilion, 1515 Provident Drive in Warsaw, with a course along the Beyer Farm Trail.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., and prize drawings and awards will start at 11 a.m. The upcoming race is on pace to draw over 400 registrants, continuing its run as the largest 5k event in Kosciusko County.

This year’s Donut Dash aims to raise $30,000 to support Heartline’s free services.

Participants can help reach that goal by making a donation when registering, becoming a fundraiser, or forming a team. Everyone who donates or fundraises is entered into the exclusive “Difference Makers” prize drawing on race day. All donations are tax-deductible.
And then there’s the optional donut challenge.

Participants can run or walk the 5K, or take on the full Donut Challenge by eating a donut at each of the three mile markers. Donut Challenge finishers are entered into a special prize drawing, and every participant — donut challenge or not — receives an official finisher’s medal at the finish line.

Participants who register by midnight on Sept. 30 are guaranteed an event shirt in
their size. Online registration is open through 9:30 a.m. on race day.

Heartline is a faith-based nonprofit organization serving women and families in Kosciusko
County from the first pregnancy test through the youngest child’s 5th birthday. Heartline’s free and confidential services include pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, STI testing, parenting classes, a fatherhood program, the B.A.B.E. Store, and pregnancy-loss support. Heartline’s mission is to encourage pregnant women in need of hope, equip moms and dads for parenthood, and empower decisions for life.

Learn more bout the event and how to register on this website.

Event Sponsors are James Bausch Team / ReMax Results, First Source Bank / Esther Pfliederer Trust, Great Lakes Home Inspections, Winona Wealth Management, Bass Audiology, Wildman Business Group, American Family Insurance (Natalie Burke), Grace College, Cloud 9 Multisport, Community Animal Hospital, Lakeland Christian Academy, Grossnickle Eye Center, Beacon Pointe Advisors, The Spectacle Shoppe, Indiana Sportscard Guys, Kroger, T.L. Jackson Construction.

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WARSAW — There appears to be some movement in Kosciusko County aimed at improving the way officials approach drainage issues.

Overall, drainage problems, which can often impact farmers, is being exacerbated by continual growth and development, which reduces the amount of permeable ground that can absorb the runoff.

The process of dewatering, in which water is pumped out to reduce the water table in order to allow for construction, is a standard process, but can occasionally cause problems.

One farmer who felt the effects this year is Don Zolman, who has farm operations around much of Winona Lake, including property near a residential development that's part of the Raccoon Run subdivision.

He says the developer installed 28 well heads to pump water out almost continuously, starting in March and continuing into May, leaving some of his property flooded.

"I didn't realize the quantity of water that they were planning on removing," Zolman said. "It was almost 11 million gallons of water a day when the pumps were running at full capacity."

Zolman took his concerns to numerous elected officials in the county and Winona Lake and was frustrated by the apparent lack of authority to force the developer to stop endlessly pumping water onto other properties.

"In reviewing everything going through the process, it seemed like there were some gaps in who was responsible and who could determine whether the water could continue to pump or not," Zolman said during an interview for In The Know, a public affairs show that will air this weekend.

Zolman was joined by Jim Moyer, the county surveyor who works closely with the drainage board and has talked extensively about Zolman's plight.

"Don is right," Moyer said. "There was no overlying government entity, either the town or the county, that could really regulate this," Moyer said.

Possible change, though, appears to be on the horizon.

Zolman has proposed a long-term drainage modernization plan, a multi-faceted plan that would take years to implement and would be expensive.

Among the proposals is a countywide drainage inventory and hydraulic modeling initiative that would address existing drains, some of which were designed nearly 100 years ago.

Another would be a ten-year phased in drainage upgrade plan.

Moyer is working on another plan.

"My staff in the area plan office is working right now to craft a dewatering ordinance and procedures that would help prevent this from happening in the future," Moyer said.

"The main thing would be knowing the amounts of water that's going to be transferred, where it's going, who's going to handle it, and a time frame for how long it's going to be done," Moyer said.

Zolman said he believes fixing the overall drainage problem should be a top priority for trhe county and scoffs at the idea the county commissioners were contemplating earlie this year with the idea of using millions of dollars to construct a parking garage in Warsaw while drain issues continue to be ignored

*  *  *

Below are broadcast times for this weekend's In The Know on Kensington Digital Media radio stations in Warsaw.

Now Warsaw (99.7 FM and 1480 AM):

Friday at 9 am and 5 pm

Saturday at 7 am

Sunday at 7 am

WRSW (107.3 FM)

Sunday at 6 am

WILLIE (103.5 FM)

Saturday at 7 am

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WARSAW —  State Sen. Ryan Mishler on Thursday distanced himself from a proposal that would eliminate property taxes and replace them with revenue from a sales-for-service tax.

In a conversation with local media Thursday afternoon, Mishler was highly critical of a plan proposed by State Representative J.D. Prescott that would eliminate all property taxes.

Mishler then pivoted to discuss his own proposal, set to be discussed Tuesday in Warsaw, that would significantly change the homestead tax.

Mishler didn't mention Prescott by name, but talked about the meeting he hosted July 31 that attracted about 50 people in Warsaw.

The idea of eliminating property taxes sounded more like a fantasy just a few years ago, but the state Republican Party has embraced the notion earlier this year during a GOP state convention.

Mishler said Presscott's plan has numerous problems. He almost sounded offended that the east-central Indiana lawmaker included Warsaw as part of a multi-city tour to promote the idea.

"Had that not happened, I wouldn't be doing it this way," Mishler said. "But I feel like because of that, my folks need to hear ... why it's not good for their community."

Kosciusko County benefits greatly from the large number of lake homes owned by people who live elsewhere.

But if the county chooses to shift to a Local income tax (LIT), they would only collect the tax from residents who reside in the county. LIT from those outside the county would go to where they reside.

"So what happens to Kosciusko County? That means every single lake home that's a non-homestead won't pay a dime in taxes to Kosciusko County — that basically wipes us off the map," he said.

"That alone, representing Kosciusko County, how do I support that?" he added.

Mishler will be joined by State Rep. Craig Snow of Warsaw, as well as State Sen. Chris Garten, for a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion to talk about tax reform.

All three Republican lawmakers will play a key role in developing the next state budget next year, and Mishler is expected to tout his plan to adjust the homestead property tax significantly.

Garten is poised to become president pro tem when lawmakers convene in January

Mishler, the Senate Appropriations Chairman, has been reluctant to reveal details of the plan, but it appears it would scale back part of the homestead tax.

He pitched a similar plan a few years ago, but it did not gain much support, and said Thursday that they've come up with a way to provide replacement revenue.

He did not provide details on Thursday.

The plan, he said, would adjust the homestead "without putting us in a bind with the bondholders."

State lawmakers have worked for two years trying to come up with a workable tax reform plan, but concerns and confusion, especially at the local level, have complicated the process.

"All the things that have been done so far is so confusing that nobody really seems to understand. So, first of all, I’m trying to simplify it a little bit," he said.

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INDIANAPOLIS — One former officer and four current officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department have been charged with misusing the Flock camera system.

On Wednesday, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the five have been charged with fraud and official misconduct. One has also been charged with stalking.

The officers charged with misusing the automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology have been identified as Matthew Binford, Abigail Cramer, Cassandra Crawley, and Michael Rogers. One person has not been named, but is an 18-year officer.

Four of the officers have been suspended with a recommendation from IMPD Chief Tanya Terry that they be terminated. Cramer has resigned.

“These individuals’ actions went far beyond a clerical error or a violation of department policy,” Chief Terry said on Wednesday. “These actions crossed into criminal conduct and shook the foundation of trust that our agency is built upon.”

In September, IMPD investigators presented their findings in each of the five cases to the prosecutor’s office for review. The alleged misuse occurred prior to the implementation of IMPD’s new ALPR policy in August, in which every ALPR user was required to sign the policy to keep access. Those who did not had their access shut off.

All searches must now be tied to a case or incident number as well as a National Incident-Based Reporting System offense code. IMPD has also adopted single sign-on for ALPR technology and has implemented stronger auditing to more quickly identify and investigate potential misuse and ensure every search is for a legitimate law enforcement purpose.

Chief Terry called this news “deeply disheartening and disappointing” for IMPD, but said the department will continue serving with courage and compassion.

“I refuse to let the actions of a few define the work of this department and the hundreds of officers who show up every day with one mission: to protect our community,” Chief Terry added. “They put others before themselves. They run towards danger as others run away. They wear this badge with pride and serve with integrity and respect. They do the right thing.”

IMPD is only sharing ALPR data with law enforcement agencies within Indiana. Access is no longer provided to agencies outside the state.

IMPD is currently converting the ALPR SOP to a General Order, which will be presented to the General Orders Board for feedback before a final version is issued. Once finalized, the General Order will be available to the public.

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