A busy meeting Tuesday morning for the Fulton County Commissioners was dominated by the discussion of the Fulton County Building Corporation. Dave McGowen will serve as President, Jim Mulligan will serve as Vice President, and Rex Robison will serve as Secretary and Treasurer. Fulton County Commissioner Bryan Lewis explains the duties of this committee.
 

Lewis knows how difficult it can be to fill these three positions but is thankful for these three taking up the cause and knows they will do a good job.

The Fulton County Building Corporation will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 8 where the committee will vote yes or no to approve the lease for the new jail.

December 7th saw a big turnout at the Goodwill in Rochester as the Bar Association was helping collect donations and help get some clothes suitable for court dates. President and CEO of Goodwill of Michiana Debie Coble says the event went very well with over 50 donations being received.

Coble knows this week is a busy week as some old toys are being recycled into the Goodwill stores. Coble wants to see donations continue to roll in and explains some of the items that would be appropriate to donate.

 At 11:10 pm on December 26,  ISP Trooper Derek Rine was patrolling in Fulton County when he observed a white 2011 Jeep Patriot driving northbound on CR 850 W at a high rate of speed.  Trooper Rine observed the Jeep turn onto CR 600 N without coming to a stop at the stop sign.  Trooper Rine positioned himself behind the Jeep and activated his emergency lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle but the Jeep failed to stop. 

The Jeep continued travelling on numerous county and local roads and through residential yards running several stop signs and disregarding traffic laws before coming to a stop approximately 12 minutes later in the area of Virginia St and Old SR 17. 

The driver then fled on foot through a wooded area but wasn’t fast enough as he was apprehended by officers within two minutes without further incident. 

The male subject was identified as Brandon King and found to be wanted on arrest warrants out of Fulton and Marshall Counties.  King was transported to the Fulton County Jail on multiple charges resulting from the vehicle pursuit as well as the charges from his arrest warrants.

Trooper Rine was assisted by deputies from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department and ISP Trooper Andrew Baldwin. 

ARRESTED -

Brandon King, 36 of Rochester, IN

Resisting Law Enforcement – Vehicle (Level 6 Felony)

Resisting Law Enforcement – On Foot (A Misdemeanor)

Possession of Marijuana (B Misdemeanor)

Reckless Driving (C Misdemeanor)

Marshall County Warrants – Burglary and Failure to Appear

Fulton County Warrant – Possession of Marijuana

Police are investigating two bank robberies that took place hours apart on Monday.

The first happened around 11:30 AM at the First Federal Savings Bank in Warsaw, where a man made off with an unknown amount of money. Police believe the suspect in this robbery is the same as the one in the previous two robberies in the past six weeks, one on December 3 at Indiana Lakes Federal Credit Union and one on November 12 also at First Federal Savings Bank.

The next robbery happened just after 2:00 pm at Lake City Bank in Pierceton, where a man displayed a handgun and ordered bank employees to the ground. The suspect here also made off with an unknown amount of money in a red drawstring backpack.

Police did not state if the two robberies were connected. There have been four bank robberies in the past six weeks in Kosciusko County, three in Warsaw alone.

If your Christmas tree catches on fire, it will only take seconds to for it be fully engulfed in flames. That's unless you take the proper precautions, say Carmel firefighters.

Tim Griffin with the Carmel Fire Department told WISH-TV they recently conducted two tests of what would happen if a Christmas tree caught fire in your living room. One with a dry un-watered tree and another properly watered.

Griffin said the dry tree went up in seconds, but the watered tree took longer to fully catch fire. He added that extra time could mean the difference in making sure the rest of your house doesn't catch fire as well.

"Imagine in your home, curtains, carpet, couches, kids toys anything like that right away those things are going to catch fire," Griffin said.

He encourages you to water your tree with at least a gallon of water a day for as long as you have it standing. He also said to pay attention to your Christmas lights and check for any frayed wiring.

"Throughout the holiday season, when it’s over, we take all our lights we hopefully roll them up and put them away, but we take them out just like anything they get tangled and you start pulling and trying to get them apart," Griffin said. "You may not know that you’ve frayed some of those wires and with that happening those wires can cause some sparks."

Finally, he said not to place any space heaters or candles near your tree. On average, one of every 31 home Christmas tree fires results in a death, according to the International Association of Firefighters.

You'll continue to see temperatures reach into the 50s during the holiday season.

The National Weather Service says Wednesday will likely be the warmest Christmas Indianapolis has seen in 37 years.

"Right now, our current forecast for Christmas day looks like a high of 55. Any snow that's left on the ground will melt and be gone. Maybe by the time we get to New Year's, we might see a break in it and get back a little closer to normal, but we're looking at 50s for the next several days," says National Weather Service of Indianapolis Meteorologist Crystal Pettet.

The same goes for the rest of the state too. Pettet says if the current forecast for Christmas Day holds, it will be the 11th warmest Christmas in the past 140 years.

But why is it getting warmer?

"We've seen an upper ridge of high pressure that's been building over the eastern U.S. and that's bringing that warmer air. It's coming up out of the Gulf. That's bringing us a lot warmer temperatures than what we've had before that ridge was parked a little off to the west. We were in a storm track that we're just not in right now," Pettet said.

She says this weather pattern will hold for another week or two. Pettet also says there will not be any snow or freezing rain in the immediate future.

Gas prices are heading down as we get closer to Christmas.

That's good news if you are driving to your Christmas destination this week. The cheapest gas in Indiana is in the northwestern part of the state. Two Speedway stations in Hobart have gas as low as $2.22 per gallon.

In the Indianapolis area, the cheapest gas is $2.35 at a Thornton's off Pendleton Pike and Shadeland Avenue. Oil expert Trilby Lundberg said the decline in prices is thanks to their being more oil available than what is needed to meet demand.

"We have so much gasoline versus demand," she said. "This is our lowest demand season. Crude oil prices are up and what is also up is the churning out of gasoline by refineries here in the US. Inventories are bulging."

Lundberg expects the lower gas prices to stay put through the holiday season. After that you will likely see gas prices go back up a bit as retailers around the country face higher costs.

The Outlet Youth Center was granted $5,000 on Wednesday, December 18th by the Fulton County Community Foundation. This grant is offered as a match incentive through the end 2019. These matching grant dollars will assist the youth center in their growing organization. The Outlet will be using the funds to renovate a facility that caters to teens and preteens during the most vulnerable part of their day, 3pm-6pm. The youth center’s goals are to partner with other local organizations to provide haircuts, laundry services, personal and professional development resources, and healthy relationships. This grant will be a great asset to helping The Outlet Youth Center fulfill its goals of improving the lives of Fulton County’s youth.

At Rochester City Council Mayor Denton says keep an eye out for a potential new stop sign on its way to 9th Street and Fulton Avenue. 

The bulk of the discussion at the meeting revolved around the amendment for the 2020 salary ordinance in terms of the effect it will have on the golf course in Rochester. Mayor Denton says when he got word back on how much money the course was losing he was alarmed.

Marty Smith voted yes on the amendment after carrying a bulk of the conversation before the vote he says he still has some worry going forward.

Mason Heyde voted no on the amendment saying he thinks the council is on the right track but not quite all the way there.

The amendment passed at City Council 4-2

Four years in prison and three years house arrest followed by three years probation. That is the sentence handed down by Judge Heller to Alyssa Shepherd on Wednesday afternoon. An emotional  day for all involved saw Alyssa’s husband Neal take the stand to plead his case to reduce Alyssa’s sentence. Michael Stahl along with Brittany and Shane Ingle took the stand to oppose Alyssa getting a lighter sentence with the three of them pleading Shepherd get the maximum of 21 and a half years. 

Michael Schwab spoke with media following the hearing saying while the family is relieved to hear that consequences will follow Shepherd’s actions from accident they think it might be a little light of a sentence.
 

After media left the courtroom more fireworks as emotions boiled over for the mother of the deceased children. Fulton County Prosecutor Mike Marrs explains what he saw as Shepherd was leaving the courtroom.

On top of the four year prison, three year house arrest, and three year probations sentence Shepherd will also have her license suspended for 10 years.

Shepherd has 30 days to appeal conviction and sentence.

A restitution hearing is scheduled for 1:15 in the afternoon on February 14.

The woman who hit and killed three kids at a bus stop in Fulton County last year will be sentenced today.

Alyssa Shepherd could be facing more than 20 years in prison.

Shepherd was convicted in a jury trial in October on reckless homicide and criminal recklessness charges. Investigators said she drove through the bus stop on a state highway while a school was stopped with its stop arm extended. In doing so she hit four children crossing the street, three of which were killed.

The judge's sentence today will likely set a precedent for other stop arm violators under new, stricter stop arm laws.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, several Indiana county income tax rates will change.

Among those:

• Fulton County: 2.68% (increased from 2.38%)

• Cass County: 2.7% (increased from 2.6%)

Local income tax rates are determined by county officials and reported to the Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR). Once reported, they are then reviewed for compliance with Indiana law.

These tax rates affect businesses with employees who live or work in any of these counties and have income tax withholdings. County tax rates for individuals are based on an employee’s Indiana county of residence as of Jan. 1, 2020.

The list of rates for all Indiana counties is available on DOR’s website in Departmental Notice #1 at www.dor.in.gov 

Employers with questions about these county income tax rates can contact DOR at (317) 233-4016.

Opening day for the new Wings Etc in Rochester on Monday has the community excited for the wings voted number one in Northern Indiana for nearly a quarter century. District Manager Nick Radecki oversees five Wings Etc stores with Rochester added. He says he will draw on past experience opening those stores to ensure Rochester gets off on the right foot.

General Manager Heather Rohyans says the store is ready for business and for the next couple of weeks the best of the best have been pulled from surrounding stores to get the staff up to speed.

A good turnout Tuesday morning in the cafeteria at Woodlawn Hospital in Rochester as a meet and greet was set up for the four new doctors on staff. Lori Checkley is a family physician at Argos Medical Center she cannot wait to start seeing patients as she loves rural medicine.

A Warsaw man was arrested following a police pursuit Sunday afternoon.

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy observed a red pickup truck, driven by 27-year old Joseph Eugene Trump, heading down Old State Road 15 at a high rate of speed around 1 PM. When the deputy attempted a traffic stop, Trump continued to flee.

During the pursuit, Trump was said to damage property in the Leesburg and Milford areas and also hit a car while turning onto Levi Lee Road. Trump was eventually apprehended at his home in the Whispering Pines Trailer Park while he attempted to unlock the door.

There were no injuries during the pursuit. Trump has been charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, resisting law enforcement, and leaving the scene of a crash.

Recently, a traffic stop by an Indiana State Police trooper resulted in the recovery of a stolen vehicle and the arrest of a South Bend, IN man.

Sunday evening, Trooper Chad Babbs stopped a 2015 Dodge Charger that was allegedly traveling 77 miles per hour in a posted 60 miles per hour zone on U.S. 31, near Miami County Road 1050 North. The Charger also purportedly had a head light that was out along with a false and fictitious license plate. Further investigation revealed that the Charger was reported stolen, from South Bend, IN, on December 6, 2019.

The driver, identified as Nathaniel Graham, 26, South Bend, IN, was incarcerated in the Miami County Jail for possession of stolen property. He was also issued citations for speeding, improper head lights, and having a false and fictitious license plate.

Trooper Babbs was assisted by Trooper Andrew Smith.

Work continues on Main Street in Rochester for the new Outlet Youth Center.  President of the Outlet Board Jason See says there is plenty of excitement behind this youth center and they are looking forward to making a difference in some kids’ lives.

Vice President of the Board Terry Lee says rather than have adults try to decide what the kids want they decided to survey the youth in the community to hear what they are looking for in a youth center.

It took 45 minutes to read through all the bids at the Fulton County Court House Annex Building for the new Fulton County Sheriff Office and Detention Center. Seven categories were read including, general trades, metals, drywall and acoustic, fire suppression, mechanical, electrical, earthwork, concrete, and food services. For general trades bids ranged from $11,767,000 to $14,197,500. Low bids will be contacted as early as tomorrow to set up scope meetings next week.

Joshua M. Agnew of Rochester was arrested Tuesday on three counts of child molesting. Fulton County Sheriff Chris Sailors says once they had the appropriate level of evidence against Agnew the arrest was made.

Bond for Agnew has been set at $75,000 

A man in Munice didn't find the prank funny and pulled out his gun.

Christopher Rodriguez was charged with pointing a loaded firearm at teenagers Quintin Jones and Raymone Davis. Rodriguez said he was trying to sell a pair of shoes to the teens, who instead took the shoes from him. He chased after the pair and once he caught them, he pointed his gun at Davis and ordered him to the ground. Davis told police he and his friends were filming a prank video for YouTube and that he planned to return the shoes afterwards. Charges have not yet been filed against Davis.

Rochester Students are counting down the hours till they get to leave the halls for winter break. Rochester High School Principal Chris Keisling says with the end of the semester in sight there is still work to be done for both students and staff, especially with next week being finals.

The last day of the first semester for students will be December 20 and the second semester will start January 6.

Wings Etc is coming to Rochester and soon will be open and ready for business as the finishing touches are being put on the building. CEO of Wings Etc Rob Hensmann explains why a store is opening in Rochester saying this was a no brainer in their mind.

Hensmann is excited to see the store open in Rochester and expects it to do quite well and says while the wings are great there are plenty of other reasons to stop by.

A ribbon cutting is planned for Tuesday, December 17, the first day of business for the new restaurant.

The parents of an 18-month-old girl who died by falling from an open window on a Royal Caribbean Cruise ship said Wednesday they are suing the cruise line. Alan and Kimberly Weigand of South Bend were on that ship in Puerto Rico in July when their daughter, Chloe, fell out of an open window from the ship's 11th story while she was being watched by her grandfather, Salvatore "Sam" Anello.

Anello, the lawsuit says, did not know that this was not a wall of fixed glass. Instead, some of the glass panes in the middle row could be slid open by anyone, including other passengers. "The crux of the complaint is essentially that, this was an unsafe wall of glass that shouldn't have been there within feet of a children's play area," said Michael Winkleman, the attorney representing the Wiegand's in the lawsuit. Winkleman says this is not some "freak accident."

"This is something that became well-known in the early 90s, so much so, that they formed a commission that was actually tasked with preventing kids from falling out of windows," Winkleman said.

The family did not specify what damages they are seeking from the cruise line. Instead, they focused on their desire to see Royal Caribbean and others make safety and signage changes to prevent future problems.

"If they weren't going to follow these window fall prevention laws, then, at a minimum, there should have been some type of warning or some type of decal. Just four simple words that would have alerted Sam to this hidden danger and Chloe would still be here today," Winkleman said.

Winkleman says cruise lines all across the world work hard to prevent deaths like Chloe's.
"Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines, and even newer Royal Caribbean cruise ships have windows that are wholly compliant with these window fall prevention codes," said Winkleman.
In October, prosecutors in Puerto Rico charged Anello with negligent homicide.
"We do not support this misdemeanor charge or any charges whatsoever. Not then. Not now. And not ever," Kimberly Wiegand said.

Anello spoke briefly at Wednesday's press conference. “I sit here broken. We all sit here broken,” Anello said. “But our family is strong and we will stay strong together.”
If convicted, the charge carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Anello is supposed to appear in court in Puerto Rico on Dec. 17.

Winkleman also says the cruise line failed to "provide reasonably safe children entertainment areas," failed to "adequately mark the open windows," and failed to "install safety prevention devices on windows."

Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags in Peru and Miami counties to be flown at half-staff to honor former Peru Mayor Richard “Dick” Blair.

Flags should be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on the day of his funeral, Thursday, December 12, 2019

Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents in Peru and Miami counties to lower their flags to half-staff on Thursday to honor former Mayor Blair and his service.

A Fulton County Council Meeting Tuesday night lasted roughly an hour and a half with the bulk of the discussion revolving around the new jail. With a new jail comes the new dispatch center and concerns arise with cost and how the new dispatch center will be implemented. The Council agreed to approve a design study for the dispatch room at the new jail that will cost $25,000 of the $350,000 budget allocated for the dispatch room.

Fulton County Sheriff Chris Sailors says bids are due on Thursday for the new jail coming to Fulton County, at this time the hard costs will be realized. 

The meeting ended with Fulton County Commissioner Steve Metzger taking the floor pitching his idea to the council for a new salt storage building for the county. In total the project should cost $110,000 and will allow the county to have a two year supply of salt on the over 5 acres of property.

Saturday night in the Arlington room at Jaretty’s Place in Rochester nearly 150 people gathered to show support for the Woodlawn Hospital Foundation at the Holiday Gala. President of the Woodlawn Hospital Foundations Alison Heyde shares what the goal of the foundation has been since it was establish in 2009.

Heyde knows how popular the Holiday Gala is and knows that it is one of the biggest fundraisers for the foundation.

With an off year scheduled for the Holiday Gala next year everyone is looking forward to 2121 for the next time this event comes around.

78 years after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor veterans from Fulton County gathered Saturday at the VFW in remembrance of the event. Commander of the VFW Gene Maners thanked everyone for coming before the opening prayer. After a 21 gun salute and the flag was set to half mast a single wreath was placed into Lake Manitou for those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country.

A great breakfast and the chance to tell Santa firsthand what you want for Christmas at Jarrety’s Place in Rochester. A packed house Saturday morning as a buffet style serving of all your favorite breakfast foods drew out quite the crowd. Owner of Jarrety’s Dawn Peterson says for over a decade they have looked forward to this event.

Days after warnings from Warsaw Police about counterfeit $100 bills it appears the money trail has made its way down 25 to Rochester as Thursday morning McDonalds reported to Rochester PD they had received a fake $100 bill as payment on Tuesday. For checking to see if a bill might be counterfeit hold a bill up to a light and look for a holograph of the face image on the bill. Both images should match. Looking at the bill through a light will also reveal a thin vertical strip containing text that spells out the bill's denomination.

A Miami County woman who owns a medical transportation company was sentenced after the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) brought formal charges of money laundering and Medicaid fraud.

As part of a plea agreement, Patricia Schaaf received a four-year sentence with two years executed on home detention and two years on probation. She also must pay $11,262.18 in restitution to Indiana’s Medicaid program. 

Through her company, Blue Sky Transportation, Schaaf billed Medicaid for providing patient rides to and from medical appointments. After patients raised concerns to authorities about certain aspects of her business, Schaaf eventually became the subject of a joint investigation conducted by the MFCU, the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS/OIG), the FBI and the IRS.

Based on the investigation, Schaaf faced allegations of routinely inflating reported mileage; charging for services after the clients had canceled their appointments; and falsifying the nature of services provided in order to maximize reimbursement amounts.

“Exposing waste, fraud and abuse is part of our responsibility as stewards of the public trust,” said Attorney General Curtis Hill. “Our MFCU investigators work every day to recover taxpayer funds taken wrongfully through fraud and other illegal means. We must continue working to ensure that funds set aside to help society’s most vulnerable members are truly used for that purpose.”

The Ronald McDonald House hosted their Home for the Holidays Open House on Thursday. This popular event located in Indianapolis every year is a great moment for everyone involved says Marketing and Communications Manager Adam Lowe.

Rene Dulworth, 32, was arrested early Wednesday morning on domestic battery charges after she showed up to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office barefoot, upset, and intoxicated with a BAC of .219. According to Rochester Police Chief Andy Shotts an officer was dispatched to the residence of Dulworth where upon further investigation it was determined that the partner of Dulworth with whom she shares residence showed signs of bodily harm from Dulworth. 

On Wednesday, December 4th police were on scene at the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office as a woman showed up barefoot and upset. The woman reported an incident involving battery in the 700 block of Madison Street. The woman was given a portable breathalyzer test and registered a .219. The woman was then taken into custody on domestic battery charges.

This morning at approximately 12:50 a.m., officers from the Indiana State Police and the Miami County Sheriff’s Department responded to a residence at 285 North Allen Street, Macy, IN on a reported battery and a possible hostage situation.

When officers arrived, they found the home owner, Jess Sampson, 36, Macy, IN, had barricaded himself in the residence with his 14-year-old son.

Prior to officers’ arrival, Sampson had allegedly battered his adult girlfriend, his 17 year-old son, and a 19 year-old family friend. The trio was able to leave the residence, but Sampson purportedly would not allow his 14-year-old son to leave the home.
Indiana State Police hostage negotiators tried to get Sampson to release his son and exit the home.

Sampson did not respond to the negotiators. Troopers were able to secure a Miami Circuit Court search warrant for the residence. At approximately 4:40 a.m., officers from the Indiana State Police SWAT entered the residence. They were able to take Sampson into custody. The 14 year-old boy and his 17 year-old brother were released into the care of the Miami County Division of the Indiana Department of Child Services.

During a subsequent search of Sampson’s residence, officers allegedly found methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Sampson was incarcerated in the Miami County Jail to face charges for criminal confinement, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, battery, two counts of domestic battery, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Sampson was also wanted on an arrest warrant from Fulton County, IN for neglect of a dependent.

Warsaw Police are seeking information on a suspect following an attempted bank robbery Tuesday afternoon at Indiana Lakes Federal Credit Union.

Detective Sergeant Brad Kellar says they responded around 1:38 PM to the bank, located at the corner of Winona Avenue and Detroit Street.

Kellar says they believe the suspect is the same one that was involved with the robbery at First Federal Savings Bank on November 12, just two blocks away. The description of the suspect is a male in his 20,s with a slender build.

Detective Kellar said no money was handed over and the suspect fled .

Giving Tuesday is a day all about giving back and helping those less fortunate than you and the Central Indiana Community Foundation had their doors open accepting donations. Director of Development Brian Johnson explains how much Giving Tuesday means to the community.

Andy Perkins serves on the Board of the Central Indiana Community Foundation; he is also on the Grant Committee which handles the finances when it comes to handing out grants through the organization.

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors announces the 2020 Men’s Induction Class to be honored on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

Encompassing success on the Indiana basketball landscape including high school state championship players and coaches, an Mr. Basketball, Indiana All-Stars, All-Americans, professional careers, more than 2,800 coaching wins and outstanding contributions to the sport and our state, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame proudly announces their 59^th men’s induction class.

Bill Berberian’s name is so synonymous with West Lafayette High School basketball that the Red Devils play in Berberian Gymnasium.  Spending 28 of his 31-year head coaching career at West Lafayette, from 1953-1980 his West Lafayette teams won 374 games, four Hoosier conference titles and a 1979 regional title – the first regional win in school history and their first sectional championship in 43 years.  He won a sectional title and South Central Conference championship in his first season at Greensburg, where he coached the first three seasons of his career, bringing his career total to over 400 wins.  Berberian was a standout in Illinois high school basketball, setting the Thorton H.S. (Harvey, IL) career scoring record on a 28-1 squad his senior year, earning all-state honors as a junior and senior and earning induction in the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame.  Following military service – he earned the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge and Presidential Unit Citation for his role as an artillery forward observer during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II – he was a team captain and team MVP at Purdue University.  The 95-year-old resides in West Lafayette.

Wally Cox set scoring records at Broad Ripple High School, followed by more scoring records at Butler University.  Setting the Broad Ripple career mark for scoring (750) and single-season points (429), he was the leading scorer in Indianapolis as a senior, earned 1^st team all-city honors and was a 1954 Indiana All-Star.  Setting the Butler University record for freshman varsity scoring (254 points), he would total 999 career points while playing alongside four other Indiana Basketball Hall of Famers (fellow 2020 HOF inductee Ted Guzek, as well as Keith Greve, Bobby Plump and Ray Craft).  Noted for scoring 19 points in Butler’s 1958 N.I.T. win over St. John’s in Madison Square Garden and 19 points in a win over Indiana in the 1957 Hoosier Classic, Cox was named to Butler’s five-man 1950’s all-decade team and to the Butler Athletics Hall of Fame.  Continuing to play competitive basketball until age 75, he was a member of two National Senior Championship & AAU National Senior Championship teams (1991 & 1996).  Retired from a career in education and insurance, he resides in Pittsboro.

The late Alan Darner led Pike teams to two IHSAA championships in his successful head coaching career.  A native of Ohio, where he won 167 games in 15 seasons, his Indiana coaching career was launched at Anderson Highland.  From 1986-1995, Darner’s Highland teams were 142-59 (.706), winning four Olympic Conference championships, 1991 sectional and regional championships and a 1991 Hall of Fame Classic title.  Taking over at Pike in 1995, his teams would accumulate a 109-37 record (.747) in six seasons including three conference championships, one Marion County championship, three sectionals, two regionals, two semi-state titles and 1998 and 2001 IHSAA 4A championships.  His record as an Indiana high school head coach was 251-96 (.723) and he won 418 games in Ohio and Indiana high school basketball in 30 seasons.  In his 15 seasons in Indiana high school basketball, he coached 10 Indiana All-Stars - including sons Linc (1990) and Tige (1994) - and two Indiana Mr. Basketballs.  Darner died September 22, 2019.

The late Ted Guzek was a Hoosier native who made a name as a standout at Butler University.  A 1954 graduate of Hammond Morton High where he averaged 18.5 points per game as a senior for the 18-5 sectional runners-up, he joined a talented group of playersunder Tony Hinkle at Butler (fellow Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Keith Greve, Bobby Plump, Ray Craft and Wally Cox).  A three-year starter at Butler, Guzektwice set the Bulldogs’ single-game scoring record with 37 points against Notre Dame as a sophomore and then 38 his junior year at Notre Dame, set thesingle-season scoring record of 531 points his junior year and graduated 3^rd in school history with 1,311 career points despite missing time his senior year with a broken ankle.  He set a Butler and NCAA record with a 13-13 shooting performance from the field at Michigan as a junior, was a three-time all-conference pick and a 1957 Helms All-American after averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 rebounds his junior season.  Named to Butler’s five-man all-1950’s team and a member of the inaugural Butler Athletics HOF induction class, he was one of ten players named in 1998 to the All-Time Butler Men’s Basketball Team.  An educator, he and his wife Peggy were tragically killed in an auto accident in 1974.

Mark James entered the 2019-20 season among the 20 winningest head coaches in Indiana high school basketball history.  Currently in his 2^nd season leading the Perry Meridian program, the 1973 Martinsville graduate began his head coaching career with three seasons at Covington.  From 1985-2010, he was a fixture as the head coach at Franklin Central, followed by seven seasons leading Ben Davis to successes including the 2017 4A IHSAA championship.  In all, James entered this season with 568 career wins, 13 sectional championships, two regional titles, six conference championships, five Marion County Coach of the Year awards, two Marion County championships, and numerous holiday tournament titles, including winning the 2009 Hall of Fame Classic.  He resides in Indianapolis.

Lyndon Jones earns accolades as one of the best players from one of Indiana’s most successful high school basketball programs.  The 1987 co-Mr. Basketball after helping the Marion Giants to three consecutive state titles in 1985, 1986 and 1987, he was a 1987 McDonald’s All-American and Parade Magazine All-American, leading the Giants to an 84-4 record over his final three seasons, a 21-0 record in the esteemed North Central Conference, 40 consecutive wins his sophomore and junior seasons and a #1 national ranking by USA Today in his senior season.  Further cementing his place in Indiana high school basketball history, Jones was one of three men ever to start on three consecutive one-class state championship teams.  A four-year letterman at Indiana University, he played in 117 games for the Hoosiers, playing in every game his sophomore and senior years for two Big Ten champion and two NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 teams and serving as a 1991 team captain.  He played in the Continental Basketball Association from 1991 through 1993 before entering the workforce.  Has been employed at Cummins, Inc. since 2005.  He resides in Fishers.

John Lee set scoring records at New Castle Chrysler High School and continued with All-American honors at Ball State University.  His senior year coinciding with the opening of the New Castle Fieldhouseset single-season Trojan records of 575 points, 23.9 points per game, 217 field goals, 141 free throws, a single-season FT% mark of .821, a single-game record of 18 made free throws, his 52 points scored vs. Lewisville in the 1960 sectional remains the highest point total in the venue’s history and his career scoring average of 19.1 points per game remained the best in program history for 23 years.  At Ball State, he scored 1,134 points in 65 game, equating to a career average of 17.4 points per game, averaging no less than 16.7 ppg in each of his three seasons of varsity eligibility.  As a senior, he earned all-Indiana Collegiate Conference and UPI Small College All-American recognitions.  Making a living in education, he worked at Marion, Shenandoah and New Castle schools before retirement in 1999.  He resides in New Castle.

The late Davage Minor is noted for multiple basketball firsts.  A 1941 graduate of Gary Froebel, Minor had gained notice as the first player in Northwest Indiana to develop a jump shot before, as a senior captain, he led Froebel to their first and only state finals appearance, earning himself all-state honors.  Enrolling at the University of Toledo, he averaged 16 points per game and gained 2^nd team All-American recognition by Sporting News in 1943 before World War II service in the U.S. Army.  He resumed his college career at UCLA, where he was 1947 and 1948 1^st team PCC all-conference.  A member of the 1949 Oakland Bittners AAU National Champions, a participant in the Pan-American Games in Buenos Aires and playing briefly with the Harlem Globetrotters, he made further history in 1951 when he joined the Baltimore Bullets, becoming the first African-American to play for an NBA team south of the Mason-Dixon line, the 1^st African-American from Indiana to play in the NBA and one of the first five African-Americans ever to play in the NBA.  In two seasons with Baltimore and the Milwaukee Hawks, he totaled 877 points and 527 rebounds in 116 games.  He became a business owner before retiring to Orlando, Florida.  He died in 1998.

Dick Nyers made his mark as a standout in 1950’s Indianapolis high school and college basketball.  A three-time 1^st team all-city player at Manual High School, he set the school single-season scoring record three times, totaling 262 points as a sophomore, 331 as a junior and 385 as a senior.  He was the leading scorer in Indianapolis as a junior at 17.4 points per game, and was the 2^nd leading scorer in the city as a senior at 18.9 points per game.  He also set school single-game scoring records with 30 in his junior season and a game of 34 as a senior.  At Indiana Central College (now UIndy), he isamong program greats, graduating 2^nd in career scoring with 1,754 points, 2^nd in career scoring average (16.5 ppg), 1^st in career FG attempts (1,971), 2^nd in career FT made (494) and FT attempts (654) and 2^nd in games played (106).  He still holds the school record forsingle-season FT made (180).  He was a starter for the 1955-56 Greyhounds squad that went 23-6, setting the school record in scoring (2,625 points; 90.5 ppg) and wins, winning the Hoosier College Conference title and NAIA District Championship.  Playing professional football for one season with the Baltimore Colts, his place in football history is as the receiver of Johnny Unitas’ first NFL touchdown pass.  Coaching football at Carmel and Edinburgh high schools, as well as Ball State University and the University of Indianapolis, he retired from business ownership in 2016.  He resides in Columbus.

Kirby Overman is noted as the head coach of the New Albany 1973 state championship team, among a lengthy coaching career.  Leading the programs at Otterbein, Benton Central, North Dearborn, Batesville, New Albany, Hamilton Heights, Bluffton and Cloverdale high schools, he earned 230 wins at Indiana high schools, 173 wins at high schools in Florida and Virginia and 36 wins as the head coach at IUPUI.  Reaching the pinnacle of Indiana high school basketball success, he coached the New Albany Bulldogs to a 21-7 season and won the 63^rdIndiana state championshipwith wins over Franklin and South Bend Adams on March 17, 1973 at Assembly Hall in Bloomington.  Overman was the first high school coach to be tabbed to lead the Indiana All-Star team, leading the Hoosier squad to two wins over Kentucky in 1974 and a win against the Russian Junior National team.  Throughout his career, he was a five-time Conference Coach of the Year and won six statewide Coach of the Year awards, including 1973 Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters, Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, Bloomington Herald-Telephone and Ball State Alumni Coach of the Year.  Retired, he resides in Lancaster, Kentucky.

The late Bob Purkhiser took Hoosier hardwood success to additional fameoverseas.  A 1961 Indiana All-Star and four-sport letterman, he was a member of Bluffton’s 21-6 1960 semi-state finalist team as a junior and 18-7 regional finalists his senior season.  A three-sport athlete at Purdue University, he was the6^thBoilermaker to surpass 1,000 career points, graduating 5^th in program history with 1,060 points in three seasons after averaging 20.0 points per game as a senior and earning all-Big Ten honors.  Also starring for the Boilermaker baseball program, he had a Big Ten-best 0.76 ERA as a senior and was drafted by the Minnesota Twins.  Serving in the United States Army, where he was an accomplished player in Army leagues, he became a standout player and coach in French professional leagues gaining national recognition and status as a basketball icon as a multiple-time All-Star and league MVP and referenced in the New York Times in 1972 as “about the best player in France.”  He was coaching in France when he was killed in an automobile accident in Le Mans in 1982 at the age of 39.

Jerry Reynolds has led a notable career in high school, college and professional basketball.  A two-time honorable mention all-state player at Springs Valley High School, he was a member of teams at Vincennes University that were 51-14 over two seasons.  His coaching career began at Vincennes, were he was an assistant from 1966-1971, including their 1970 NJCAA National Championship season and where he recruited future NBA players Bob McAdoo, “Foots” Walker and Ricky Green.  As an assistant at West Georgia College, he was a member of their 1974 NAIA National Championship coaching staff.  10 years as the head coach at Rockhurst University and Pittsburg State University produced 192 wins and four District Coach of the Year honors.  The longest tenured employee in Sacramento Kings history, his now 35-year career began as the franchise relocated from Kansas City in 1985 and has included the roles of head coach, assistant coach, scout, director of player personnel, general manager and television analyst.  His influence is also noted as the first general manager of the WNBA Sacramento Monarchs, earning his name in the rafters for his impact on that franchise.  He was also a member of the 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Team Selection Committee that won the gold medal.  He resides in Roseville, California.

The late Ray Roesner earned accolades as a high school and college player as well as notable coach and administrator roles.  A 1953 graduate of Holland High School, he set school records in single-game points (41), season scoring (617) and career points (830).  He averaged 23.7 points per game his senior season, leading Holland to their first sectional championship and was the state’s leading scorer in the 1953 regionals, totaling 62 points in two games.  His college career included 858 points in two seasons at Oakland City College (21.5 ppg), setting the school’s season scoring record (541).  His senior year 25.8 point per game average was 2^nd best in Indiana, trailing only Hall of Famer Bailey Robertson.  He coached 18 seasons at Chrisney, Orleans, Princeton, Holland and Southridge high schools, totaling 201 wins and five sectional championships and was an assistant coach for the Southridge 1998 IHSAA 2A girls champion squad.  Also serving 15 years as the last Principal of Holland High School and first Principal of Southridge High School, he served two terms on the IHSAA Board of Control.  He died in 2018.

The late Mark Siegelset numerous records at Pike High School before his life was tragically cut short.  A 1976 and 1977 honorable mention all-state player and 1^st team academic all-state selection, he earned 1^st team all-Marion County honors twice and 1^st team all-conference honors twice, averaging nearly 14 points per game as a junior and 19.5 points his senior season.  Along the way he set six school records including 13 assists in one game, 180 assists in one season and 271 career assists, along with 11 steals in one game, 103 steals in one season and 184 career steals.  Siegel had played in the first four games of his freshman year at the University of Evansville when he was among the 29 people killed in the December 13, 1977 plane crash that claimed the lives of all 14 UE players and their coaching staff.

Terry Stottshas had notable success as a high school and college player and professional coach.A 1976 Indiana All-Star and all-state selection after averaging 24.4 points and 13.6 rebounds per game as a senior, he led the Cougars to the first sectional championship in school history and was the first Bloomington North player to be named an Indiana All-Star.  He holds high school career averages of 21.2 points and 12.2 rebounds per game.  A four-year player at the University of Oklahoma, he totaled 1,104 points and 414 rebounds in 91 games, earning 1^st team all-Big Eight Conference honors as a team captain his senior year in addition to recognition as an Academic All-American.  A 2^nd round pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, he played 10 seasons professionally in Italy, Spain, France and the United States’ CBA before embarking on a professional coaching career now in its 30^th year.  An assistant for two seasons in the CBA and 16 in the NBA, he is in his 12^th season as an NBA head coach.  After two-year stints as head coach of the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks, Stotts is in his 8^th season leading the Portland Trailblazers, where he has led them to six consecutive NBA Playoffs appearances – including a 2019 Western Conference Finals appearance – and is the 2^nd winningest coach in franchise history.  He began this season with 345 wins in Portland and 440 as an NBA head coach.  He resides in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

Joe Sutter led one of Indiana’s storied programs to state tournament success.  A three-year starter, he led Marion to a 70-13 record, three regional championships and two state finals appearances in his prep career.  After his undefeated and #2 ranked Giants fell to eventual state champ Indianapolis Washington in a 61-60 loss in the state semifinal game, he was named the 1969 Trester Award winner for mental attitude.  Averaging 14.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a senior, he was a starter for the 1969 Indiana All-Star squad that beat Kentucky twice.  In two seasons at Davidson College, he totaled 820 points (15.8 ppg) and 392 rebounds (7.5 rpg), twice earning 1^st team all-Southern Conference honors and 1971 AP honorable mention All-American selection while his team won two conference championships.  Playing professionally for three seasons in Belgium, Switzerland and Italy, he averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.  After earning a masters degree in physical therapy, he founded and was President of Tuckahoe Physical Therapy, which grew to be the largest private provider of outpatient physical therapy services in the central Virginia area for two decades.  Retired, he resides in Boulder, Colorado.

Steve Yoder netted success at Indiana high schools and an Indiana college.  A 1958 graduate of Plymouth High School, his lengthy coaching career includes notable success in his native state.  The head coach of his alma mater, Plymouth, from 1967-73, his teams there won three conference titles, three sectionals, two regional championships and twice ended the season ranked in the top 10 in the state.  Including one season at Penn High School, he led teams to a 115-49 (.701) record in seven seasons in Indiana high school basketball.  Briefly an assistant coach at Furman University and Ball State University, he was head coach at Ball State from 1977-82, leading teams to 77 wins, including two Mid-American Conference championships, a 1981 MAC Tournament title, 1981 NCAA Tournament appearance and twice earning MAC Coach of the Year honors.  From 1982-1992, he was the head coach at the University of Wisconsin, totaling 128 wins and leading the Badgers to their first postseason appearances in over 40 years with 1989 and 1991 NIT Tournament berths.  In 1989 he earned NABC Kodak District Coach of the Year and Basketball Times Midwest Coach of the Year recognition.  From 2000 – 2011, he was a scout for the NBA Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks and from 2014-2017 was director of operations for the University of Houston men’s basketball.  Retired, he resides in Sarasota, Florida.

Paul White is recognized with the Centennial Award,created to recognize those who contributed to Indiana high school basketball at least 100 years ago, which includes induction.White was a 1920 graduate of Franklin High School, where he was a starter for their state championship team his senior year, the first of three consecutive state titles for the “Wonder Five.”  White scored 10 points in the 1920 state championship win, nearly as many as Lafayette’s team total of 13 points.  Named the captain of the 1920 high school all-state team, he was a four-year Indiana college all-state team selection at DePauw University, where he was team captain and called “the most versatile man in the state” in 1924 by the Indianapolis News.  He played professionally for one season with the Fort Wayne Hoosiers and coached 14 seasons at Fairmount and New Haven high schools.  He died in 1952.

The recipient of this year’s Indiana Pacers Silver Medal award, which includes Hall of Fame induction, is former Grace Collegehead coach Jim Kessler.  The head men’s basketball coach at Grace for 42 years, his teams won 788 games, making him the 28^thwinningest men’s college basketball coach in America.  His teams had eighteen 20-win seasons, three 30-win seasons, won ten conference championships, made nine NAIA National Tournament appearances, won the 1992 NAIA Division II National Championship and four times finished as NCCAA National runners-up.  Kessler was named the 1992 NAIA National Coach of the Year, 1983 and 1992 NCCAA National Coach of the Year and received numerous Conference Coach of the Year honors.  He is an inductee of the NAIA Hall of Fame, NCCAA Hall of Fame and an inaugural inductee in the Grace College Athletic Hall of Fame.  He has served as a court coach for USA Basketball, hosted a coaches clinic at the NCAA Final Four, led Grace on international missions trips to at least eight countries and has directed over 20,000 campers at the annual Lancer Basketball Camp.  He is a 1966 graduate of  Northwest H.S. in Hughesville, Missouri.  He resides in Winona Lake, Indiana.

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame’s 59^thAnnual Men’s Awards Banquet will be held on Wednesday, March 25, 2020.  The day’s events will include a reception at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame museum in New Castle that afternoon with a banquet that evening at the Primo Banquet Hall in Indianapolis.

Reservations are available online now or through mail order in early 2020.  Call the Hall at 765-529-1891, visit www.hoopshall.com or email info@hoopshall.com for more information.

An arrest in a Starke County homicide.

James Campbell, 52, was arrested for the incident that happened on Thanksgiving at the birthday party of Randall Bailey, 75.

Law enforcement was called to a Starke County home in the 2000 block of County Road 550 East Thursday afternoon.  By that time, Campbell had already left the scene and was captured after a pursuit with Starke and Knox County authorities.  Campbell was taken into custody with the use of a Taser and aid from a K9 unit after he tried to escape on foot.

No cause for the shooting has been released at this point beyond an argument taking place between Campbell and Bailey.

Campbell was initially held without bond and scheduled for a court appearance this week.

The Warsaw Police Department is warning area residents about fake $100 bills that were used on Monday.

The fake bills were used at several businesses. Police say while the bills look pretty close to a real one, there are two big giveaways, the magnetic strip is on the wrong side of the bill, and the watermark face is that of Alexander Hamilton and not Ben Franklin.

They say also look for the serial number, D-F-4-5-2-4-8-9-9-1-A, which has been on all the fake bills so far.

Anyone with information, or if you have received one of the bills, is asked to contact the Warsaw Police Department.

Saturday was a day all about the small businesses in Fulton County. Residents had the opportunity to visit during the kick-off for the day in both Akron and Rochester. Executive Director of the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce Jillian Kreamer says the day was a success.

The passport program through the Chamber will continue through the end of the week. If you didn’t get a chance to pick one up there are still some available at the Chamber offices in Rochester.

Even with Small Business Saturday in the past Kreamer is hopeful residents will continue to shop local and support Fulton County Businesses.