WARSAW — With numerous fluctuations in the cost of oil and gas prices, how exactly are pilots and the Warsaw airport faring?

Turns out, fuel sales are on the rise.

News Now Warsaw reached out to Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King and learned that fuel sales are up significantly.

"We're not as volatile as auto gas," King said. "We still do have fluctuations, but we're actually up over 30 percent in fuel sales from last year, year-over-year.

He says it's a result of economic development, namely the soon-to-begin operation's of Slate Auto, the electric vehicle startup company that is in the midst of opening a manufacturing facility on Old Road 30, and Autocam Medical, an orthopedic firm that's building a new facility along US 30.

“As we see these new companies coming into town like Autocam, Slate, we are seeing a big uptick in aircraft traffic,” King said.

Slate Auto has headquarters in Michigan and California.

Autocam headquarters are near Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Both companies expect to begin production later this year. Combined, the two job sites are expected to generate about 2,200 jobs.

Revenues from fuel sales go to support airport operations, and 5% is set aside for capital improvement projects.

King also offered some other news about airport activities.

Self-serve

Plans to establish a self-serve fueling station for pilots are back on track.

The change would allow pilots to fuel their aircraft much like a gas station any time of day, 24/7, with the use of a credit card.

A tank for the project arrives this week, but the airport still needs to meet some permit-related requirements, King said.

King said he believes it will be ready for use later this year.

He’s uncertain how much demand there is for self serve, but is optimistic.

He said he thinks it could be popular with pilots who like to go flying in the early evening after getting off work.

"We could potentially “see a pretty big increase,” he said.

Agri-business

The airport is also seeing to boost traffic from crop dusters and recently approved discounts for ag-related fuel sales as a way to offset struggles for farmers who have been hard hit by rising diesel prices.

"The fuel price affects them a lot more than it does a lot of the businesses, and so my board actually authorized a pretty steep discount for agri-flight aircraft," King said.

The new discounts went into effect last week.

He said he believes its a way to help out the local ag community."

Also last week, the city board of works approved a plan to accept $500,000 from Kosciusko County Commissioners for use at the airport, marking the third consecutive year for identical contributions from the county.

The money comes from the county's economic development income tax and will be used for the second of a three phase improvement project on one of the runways.

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WARSAW — Slate Auto has announced the starting price of its future electric pickup truck that will be manufactured in Warsaw.

The company announced the price this morning on its Facebook page, saying the starting price point is $24,950. 

The company is also starting to take pre-orders beginning today, and has included a link you can find here.

The company also said that pricing excludes taxes, title, license, registration, governmental fees, destination charges, documentation fees, and any optional equipment. 

State and local incentives may also be available.

The $24,950 figure meets the goal established last year when plans were first announced.

Production is expected to begin late this year, with deliveries quickly following.

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WARSAW — There were no fireworks or celebrations, but as of Tuesday, Kosciusko County now has its first county park.

That follows the county commissioners' approval of a deed transfer of a 1.8-acre area near the historic Chinworth Bridge along Old Road 30 West.

The property, now known as the Old Chinworth Bridge Trailhead Park, had previously been owned by the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

County Parks Board member Aggie Sweeney said it's a significant moment because the county can now improve the park and the historic Red Bridge.

The basics of a park have existed for years at what was a former rest area. Amenities include the Kiwanis Club pavilion, a kayak launch and a walking path that connects with the Chinworth Bridge Trailhead and the Lake City Greenway.

The first stretch of a newly constructed trail was completed last year and heads further west.

“With the river also running through it, it's a really wonderful opportunity for us to develop it into a park for even more uses,” Sweeney told the county commissioners Tuesday morning.

The commissioners also signed off on a plan to use $8,500 in EDIT money for a conceptual design needed as the county seeks grant money for improvements through the Community Amenities Program.

Slate Auto is expected to begin production later this year at the old RR Donnelley plant a quarter-mile to the east, and new pavement along that stretch of Old Road 30 was recently added.

“That park is really a gateway into Warsaw for anyone traveling along that road,” she said. “And as Visit Sitewe see how that side of Warsaw develops, we're anticipating a significant increase in jobs along that route and in that area. 

“It's pretty exciting,” she added.

The Friends of Trails, a volunteer group, has already started doing work to remove some of the invasive species and clean up the river shoreline.

The Kosciusko County Highway Department also has been tremendous in helping with that, Sweeney said.

The Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board was established by the county in 2022 with an understanding that any land improvements would be done with minimal expenses, and future plans seem to embrace that approach.

Much of the past work has relied on grant money.

Some of the planned improvements include:

• Establish a temporary restroom enclosure. 
• Expand the walkway that connects to the bridge over to the pavilion.
• Improve access for canoes or kayaks into the river.
• Improve lighting near the bridge.

“And we want to implement a long-term plan related to invasive plant and aggressive plant removal, both to shore up the shoreline along the river, but also to, in some places, open up the view to the river,” Sweeney said.

A view

[caption id="attachment_132605" align="aligncenter" width="854"] This map of the Chinworth Bridge Park area is from Beacon.[/caption]

Below is a chronological history of the Chinworth Bridge and some photos taken on Thursday by Dan Spalding, News Now Warsaw.

[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="132601,132597,132598,132600"]

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ELKHART — Slate Auto says it will begin deliveries of its future electric pickup trucks from its plant in Warsaw beginning in December.

Slate Auto’s Christian Kreipke, who serves as the company's Government Sales Lead, also said Wednesday that details about reservations and distribution will be announced on June 22 in Warsaw.

Kreipke made the comments during a speech on sustainability that was part of a luncheon hosted by MACOG, the Michiana Area Council of Governments, at the Matterhorn Conference Center in Elkhart.

The startup auto company is not aligned with any dealerships and is thereby cutting out the middleman to keep the pricetag to a minimum.

“The bottom line is, we chose to do direct-to-consumer (distribution) so we can control the price,” Kreipke said. “For a vehicle at this cost, it could easily get out of hand with increased price, service agreements.” 

The company announced last year that it intends to employ nearly 2,000 people with operations beginning this fall at the old RR Donnelley and Sons plant on Old Road 30.

More than 160,000 people have put down a $50 deposit.

Slate is seeking to disrupt the auto market with a lower-than-normal price point for its electric vehicles, which are highly customizable.

The vehicles don't rely on steel parts, won't rust, and are designed to last.

He said he envisions parents can eventually hand off the vehicle to their children, who can then customize it to their preferences.

"What we're really talking about here is building the future of sustainability on many, many facets from the powertrain and materials that are sustainable," he said. "EV tends to be really conducive to longer term because there's much less parts, there are a lot less moving parts, and they're a lot easier to fix."

James Turnwald, the executive director for MACOG, says it's good to have another major manufacturer in the region.

“To be able to then have, hopefully, a lower cost electric vehicle that the general consumer could purchase, I think that is wonderful, and I hope that they do very well,” Turnwald said.

So sustainability here goes just beyond emissions to now talk about having a vehicle that isn't going to contribute to the Rust Belt.

Many of the parts can be added or adjusted by the owner, or they can opt for a professional.

The Clean Air Luncheon celebrated air quality improvements in the region.

Three groups were honored — the South Bend Link Trail, Seed to Feed, and the South Bend City Church.

The South Bend City Church is working to advance energy efficiency with the renovation of its new location, a building that was once home to a South Bend Tribune printing press.

The church installed a 44kW solar array that utilizes Crossroads Solar panels, a local manufacturer of solar panels in South Bend that employs citizens returning to the workforce. 

The Link Trail is recognized for providing a bike and pedestrian option to residents. The city of South Bend, Visit South Bend Mishawaka, and the University of Notre Dame collaborated to develop the Link Trail, a shared-use pedestrian and bicycle trail connecting downtown South Bend to the Notre Dame campus. 

Seed to Feed is recognized for driving sustainability forward with impactful initiatives. The organization continues to transform local food systems through an innovative, community-driven model that grows and shares more than 100,000 pounds.

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WARSAW — There are more signs that Slate Auto continues to move closer to beginning production of its electric pickup truck plant in Warsaw.

Slate recently announced that it had secured $650 million in additional funding to help launch its refurbished facility in Warsaw at the old R.R. Donnelley & Sons plant on Old Road 30.

A publication known as The EV Report said the funding will pave the way for Slate to begin taking pre-orders for trucks starting in June.

The Michigan-based company has already been taking $50 reservations, with 160,000 people already stepping up.

The Warsaw plant is expected to employ about 2,000 people.

The first electric pickup trucks are expected to begin rolling off the assembly line late this year.

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WARSAW — Slate Auto, the Jeff Bezos-backed electric vehicle startup that plans to open a new manufacturing facility in Warsaw later this year, has announced it has raised $650 million to fuel its efforts.

Investment firm TWG Global led the round, and the cash infusion will be critical to developing the Slate truck and scaling up manufacturing to ensure production begins later this year. 

The startup was founded in 2022 and originally banked on the $7,500 federal EV tax credit to bring the electric truck's starting price under $20,000. With that credit now gone, the target price has crept up to around $25,000. 

The truck model is an innovative platform so customizable that it can transform from a two-seat pickup to a five-seat SUV.

Established in 2022, Slate was founded on a disruptive business model that simplifies the manufacturing process with the idea of building an affordable vehicle that owners can take pride in driving and customizing.

Slate will produce trucks at a reindustrialized the old R.R. Donnelley & Sons catalogue factory on the west side of Warsaw. 

Every Slate truck will be built in the same configuration, ready for accessorization after delivery.

The manufacturer’s retail price will be announced in June 2026.

Last year, Slate pledged to invest nearly $400 million in the factory, create over 2000 jobs in Kosciusko County, and contribute up to $39 billion to Indiana’s economy over 20 years.

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By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — Attracting a new start-up car manufacturer with the financial backing of Jeff Bezos — one of the richest men in the world — would be a grand slam story for almost any small community in the country.

But add to that the separate announcement of Michigan-based Autocam Medical’s decision to expand with a new orthopedic facility in Warsaw, and you have a memorable year in economic development likely unmatched in local history.

Combined, Slate Auto and Autocam Medical's plans easily represent the biggest story of the year in Kosciusko County.

Peggy Friday, the executive director for Kosciusko County Economic Development Corp., said she thinks efforts in industrial growth merit an A+ grade.

[caption id="attachment_124829" align="alignright" width="400"] Slate Auto CEO Chris Barman speaks during an open house in late August at its facility on Old Road 30 in Warsaw. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

"Landing Slate, making a case for Autocam and finding a location for them — that doesn’t just happen overnight or by chance," Friday said. "It’s very intentional."

KEDCO worked closely with Kosciusko County officials on an incentive plan to lock in Slate's consideration.

Friday was hired in May of 2024 to replace KEDCO's previous leader, Alan Tio.

"For the first year of KEDCO that I’ve been here. I think it’s been phenomenal. We have a lot to be proud of," Friday said.

[caption id="attachment_124742" align="alignright" width="400"] Construction of Union Station Lofts on McKinley Street is progressing. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Slate is investing around $400 million over two decades to transform the former national printing plant and plans to employ upward of 1,900 people.

Autocam Medical, which became enamored with the local workforce after using part of Medtronic’s facility over the past year or so, announced plans to construct a new plant in the Warsaw Technology Park that will employ 300 people with a promise of good wages.

Slate's arrival also checks the proverbial box in terms of working to diversify the economic base beyond orthopedics — a goal held by many local leaders who worry about relying too much on a single industry, even though medtech's future trajectory for sustained growth continues to look bright.

[caption id="attachment_124735" align="alignright" width="400"] Lake City Bank's $12 million renovation of a building west of its headquarters will result in an Innovation and Technology Center ready for occupancy in 2026. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Slate’s reconfiguration of the 1.4 million square foot property on Old Road 30, which began last summer, is also a huge victory in terms of reinvigorating a massive industrial property that went silent just over two years ago and could have easily fallen into decay.

The plant is expected to start making the electric pickup trucks in late 2026.

Those two instances of industrial growth also coincide with significant development in or near downtown Warsaw, much of which is expected to come to fruition in 2026.

Those include the construction of the Millworks apartment complex planned for the old Owen's grocery store west of downtown.

Another apartment complex, this one on the site of the old Gakte property, Union Station Lofts, is currently under construction on McKinley Street just north of Winona Avenue.

Another huge investment involves Lake City Bank's $12 million renovation of a 35,600-square-foot building west of its headquarters along Center Street for an Innovation and Technology Center.

At the same time, the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission lined up a company to significantly redevelop the old Marsh grocery store on South Buffalo Street for a future large antique mall and other proposed retail uses.

The city acquired the land for $1.25 million in hopes of somehow reinvigorating the commercial property and is now expected to eventually recover nearly all of its investment.

Renovations to the old Marsh building are expected to continue into much of 2026.

The city also pulled off a victory in convincing the owners of Hobby Lobby to build a new store in the Marketplace of Warsaw, which has been on the rebound in the past two years after officials worried it could eventually become entirely vacant.

Fans of Hobby Lobby had been hoping to see the company have a presence in Warsaw for years, and the future store should open late next year after several storefronts on the east end of the shopping center are razed to make room for new construction.

In terms of economic development, Friday said there's more to come in 2026.

"We’re going to have a lot to celebrate in ‘26," Friday said. "There are so many projects that are in the hopper for right now, and we look forward to the momentum that we’ve gained.” 

She also points out that the recent 'County of the Year' from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce underscores what’s happening.

“That was just a rubber stamp that we must be doing something right,” she said.

[caption id="attachment_124737" align="aligncenter" width="781"] The early stages of construction for the Millworks apartments west of downtown began this fall. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The post 2025 was a banner year for business growth in Kosciusko County appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

The following story does not reflect that development.

By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw

WARSAW — The following is a recap of the top stories from 2025 in Kosciusko County.

Slate Auto

The announcement of plans for an electric pickup truck maker to establish its manufacturing operations in Warsaw is probably the biggest modern economic development news in the county’s history, assuming the company can solidify itself in the evolving EV market.

The new electric vehicle company seeks to shake up the industry by selling stripped-down models that a highly customizable at a price level not seen previously in the industry

The announcement is a major reversal of fortunes for the old massive R.R. Donnelly and Sons property that sat empty for just two years after LSC Communications announced its closing.

The massive property is currently being revamped, and the company plans to hire 1,900 workers.

Autocam Medical

The company, which has its headquarters outside of Grand Rapids, got its start in the automotive industry but has branched out into orthopedics.

The company had planned to take over the Medtronic property along US 30, but that changed after Medtronic reversed course and decided to keep a presence in Warsaw.

Autocam recently broke ground for a facility in Warsaw’s technology park this fall and plans to employ 300 people.

Winona Lake audit

The audit by the state board of accounts encompassed four years of town finances, raising eyebrows and questions.

The report detailed sloppy bookkeeping, failure to follow standard policies, and led to the discovery of a very loose policy related to the use of town credit cards.

The audit also exposed an undisclosed decision by the town to construct 11 wells for private residents.

The audit did lead to changes in policies by the town council and pledges to do better in the future

A former and current employee were asked to repay the town for improper credit card use.

Data center defeat

Kosciusko County was also on the cusp of a major national trend this year in the sudden growth of data center proposals deemed necessary to support the fast-growing AI industry.

Opposition to the data center proposed near Leesburg led to an outpouring of opposition from area residents, and the county plan commission, after hearing several hours of testimony, unanimously turned down the zoning request that would have opened the door to construction.

Political protests 

It began shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office in January as opposition to new policies and approaches began to bother many area residents.

Within a few months, protests began to grow and shifted from the courthouse square to the corner of Detroit and Center streets, and grew as Trump’s authoritarian approach became more apparent.

One protest late this summer attracted about 300 people, was likely the biggest such political rally the county has ever seen.

Small town projects

This is a story that has gained momentum in recent years and is led by Amy Roe, the county’s community coordinator, who was hired several years ago in part to coordinate development of projects in smaller communities, an idea led by county commissioner Cary Groninger.

After laying the groundwork on several projects, the county celebrated the completion of several, including:

• Chinworth Bridge Trail extension west of Warsaw
• A new mural in Etna Green
• New electric meters in Milford
• A sidewalk project in Pierceton

Roe’s role has now transitioned and is now focusing on using money from the Community Amenties Program, which is an offshoot of the Orthopedic Industry Retention Initiative, and is tapping into some of the $30 million made available to OrthoWorx from the state legislature.

Downtown businesses, ups and downs

Downtown Warsaw continues to grow in different ways, but one highlight involved The River Coffee House, owned and operated by Amanda Meerzo and her husband, Jamel, who started with a coffee shop in North Webster.

Last year, they opened a coffee shop on Center Street in Warsaw and then moved it to a bigger storefront across the street. That was followed this year by the opening of a new coffee shop in the Village at Winona, as well as a new shop that’s part of an innovative child care facility at the YMCA along US 30.

At the same time, several stores in Downtown Warsaw also closed. 

One Ten Craft Meatery, an upscale restaurant, began to struggle and eventually closed, but is being replaced by a new restaurant, Hoosier Proper.

The downtown also lost the short-lived B+B Courthouse Market, which closed within a matter of months

Major projects

Some major projects that started in 2025 will continue in 2026. Those include:

• The Millworks apartment project finally got underway at the site of the old Owen's grocery store west of the downtown business district. It’s taken longer than expected and promises to be the biggest development in downtown Warsaw in a long time, creating 86 new apartments 
• Construction of another apartment complex of similar size, Union Station Lofts, is progressing quickly on McKinley Street and will add another 80 or so units.
• A redevelopment project at the old Marsh grocery property on South Buffalo is underway. The property sat empty for several years before the city bought the land for $1.25 million in hopes of reversing the property’s decline. Earlier this year, the city found a company that wants to revitalize the main building as a large antique mall that is expected to reopen next year after major renovations.
• Lake City Bank is renovating the office building west of its headquarters for an Innovation and Technology Center, which will lead to more jobs.

State redistricting efforts fail

This was a statewide issue that would have significantly changed the second and third congressional districts — all in an effort to give Republicans control of all nine districts in the state at the request of President Trump.

Lobbying by President Trump put enormous pressure on state lawmakers, but public opinion led to the defeat. Two state senators, Ryan Mishler and Blake Doriot, opposed the plan.

Notable deaths 

The year will also be remembered for past figures who passed away.

Those included Kosciusko County Councilman Mike Long, who died on his property in an ATV accident; Longtime political leader Jean Northenor who was a key Republican figure for decades; Dr. Ron Manahan, former president of Grace College; Philanthropist Mary Louise Miller; attorney and former prosecutor David Kolbe and former Kosciusko County Sheriff Ron Robinson, who went on to become the county’s first county administrator.

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WARSAW — Slate Auto, the electric truck startup, has now attracted more than 150,000 refundable reservations for its low-cost, innovative electric pickup truck that is scheduled to begin rolling off the assembly line in Warsaw in late 2026.

The company announced the milestone on Wednesday during a Q&A video with CEO Chris Barman, according to several news organizations, including Techcrunch.org.

The update was made available to those already holding a reservation, the website reported.

The achievement matches the level of full-year production previously announced by the company.

The Michigan-based firm, which has the financial backing of billionaire Jeff Bezos, is currently retrofitting the old RR Donnelly and Sons property west of Warsaw, which closed several years ago after serving as a national catalog production hub for decades.

The company plans to hire upward of 1,900 people for the Warsaw plant.

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WARSAW — Eighty-six new apartments in downtown Warsaw should be ready by the time Slate Auto revs up its new electric pickup production a year from now just west of Warsaw.

That little fact was aired at Tuesday’s groundbreaking for Millworks, which will offer market-rate apartments where the Owens Supermarket once stood.

The $21 million project will feature numerous amenities, including a rooftop deck, bike storage and pet-friendly facilities.    

There will be a courtyard in the middle, angled parking around the entire development, and a restaurant on the southeast corne of the lot.

The proposal faced numerous delays, and AP Development President Jon Anderson sounded eager to see construction commence.

He spoke at Tuesday's groundbreaking as a nearby construction crew began some initial work.

"I apologize for the noise, but that's why we're here. This project will go fast now ... Once we go vertical, it will go fast, and you will see it go up quickly. We plan to be open by this time next year if not sooner," Anderson said.

When complete, the apartment complex will make the downtown feel a little bigger, says Jeremy Skinner, the city's director of community and economic development.

"Our intent was to create housing opportunities, create density, and to support our downtown. This project does those three things," Skinner said.

Expanding housing options has been a top issue that took root under former mayor Joe Thallemer and into the Jeff Grose administration, as Slate and another orthopedic manufacturer, AutoCam, announced expansion plans earlier this year.

Millworks is one of two apartment projects currently under construction. The other is Union Lofts on Jefferson near Argonne Road and Winona Avenue.

[caption id="attachment_119964" align="alignright" width="220"] Peggy Friday[/caption]

Millworks will arrive at a good time as the community works to provide housing to a fast-growing workforce.

"Slate Auto will be opening at the end of 2026 for full production, so we really want those folks to live here and be engaged ... spend those dollars here in our community rather than leave the county," said Peggy Friday, the CEO of Kosciusko County Economic Development Corp.

Anderson was complimentary of the city's support, saying officials stood out mightily against other communities the company has worked with in the past.

Likewise, city officials said they found a good partner in AP Development for the project.

Funding came from several sources, including Indiana's Regional Development Authority (for $3 million) and money from the city of Warsaw.

Mayor Jeff Grose, whose family shopped at the Owen's store decades ago, thanked various people for their support in the project but said much of the credit goes to Skinner and former Mayor Joe Thallemer.

Thallemer also attended the ceremony and reflected on the lengthy efforts behind redeveloping the property.

"The moment it became available, that was the whole thought — that it would expand our urban core ... we had a great opportunity to get it done," Thallemer said.

Thallemer also tipped his hat to Rob and Nancy Gast, who owned a beloved bike shop behind the grocery store for many years.

"They owned a nice hunk of that property and they were very excited about the project and were willing to sell the old Tarkio Road bicycle shop," Thallmer added.

[caption id="attachment_119952" align="aligncenter" width="770"] An architectural rendering of the future Millworks apartments. Artwork provided.[/caption]

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