PLYMOUTH — On Sept. 8 at 2:36 p.m., Plymouth Police were dispatched to the Red D Mart for a man who was trying to steal from a vehicle.
Alvaro R. Flores, 41, of Warsaw, was seen trying to leave the area and refused commands to stop. Flores resisted arrest and bit an officer during the struggle.
He was taken into custody and transported to the Plymouth ER for medical clearance and lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — City of Plymouth Utility Superintendent Donnie Davidson updated the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety on the current city water main upgrade project.
The work has experienced several snags, one of which over the work to be done on Lake Avenue near the railroad tracks. The city needed the approval of the railroad to work in their right of way, and just which railroad company owned the ground was the first snag, with the city finally confirming that the Genesee and Wyoming Railroad had the rights to the right of way. After finally obtaining permission for the work, the delay had taken long enough that the city subcontractor for the work will not be able to get to the work before the end of the year.
Because of that delay, Davidson told the board that Gennesee and Wyoming may charge more money.
The work on Jefferson Street continues, and Davidson told the board that he was very disappointed with the speed and inconvenience caused by the contractor.
BREMEN — Marshall County Prosecutor’s office announces charges filed after an investigation for a report of a man and woman being stabbed on Jute Road in Bremen last week.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Officers with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call regarding a man saying he had been stabbed. Officers arrived on scene and located the man, who indicated he had been stabbed and had then stabbed a woman. Officers rushed to the home the man referenced and found one deceased woman. It was later learned that the man had not, in fact, been stabbed. The deceased woman was identified as Elizabeth Barrett Hite. After obtaining a search warrant for both the residence and the suspected offender’s vehicle, Officers executed multiple search warrants in the area of Jute Road, recovering a knife, drug paraphernalia, and a white powdery substance, among other items.
The man was arrested and identified as Justin Michael Brown of Bremen. He is currently being held at the Marshall County Jail for Murder with no bond. The initial hearing date has yet to be set in Marshall Superior Court.
Other agencies that assisted the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation were: the Indiana State Police, Bremen Police Department, Bremen EMS, Lapaz EMS, Marshall County Coroner, and Lapaz Fire Department.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Investigations Division.
This appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no threat to the community at large.
Readers are reminded that charging information supported by an affidavit of probable cause is merely an allegation that a crime has been committed. The person charged is presumed innocent throughout the proceedings and is entitled to be represented by counsel and entitled to a trial by jury at which the State is obligated to provide proof beyond a reasonable doubt before a judgment of guilt may be made.
PLYMOUTH — On the mentioned date and approximate time, Officers with the Plymouth Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that showed the registered owner was suspended and also had a warrant.
The vehicle pulled over in the CVS parking lot. The driver was identified as Brett Wagoner, 52 years old, of Elkhart.
He was wanted out of Elkhart County and was suspended with a prior. Wagoner was transported to Marshall County Jail.
PLYMOUTH — On Sept. 8 at 11:23 a.m. Plymouth officers were dispatched to the Marshall County Probation Department to take Jonas S. Bliler, 27 of Connersville, IN, into custody for an active warrant in Elkhart County.
He was lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
INDIANAPOLIS — If you know a young person who loves the outdoors, now’s the time to mark your calendar – Indiana’s Youth Deer Weekend is set for Sept. 27–28. The season gives kids a chance to experience deer hunting with parents, grandparents, or mentors.
Before heading to the woods, though, families are being encouraged to prepare early in Indiana’s new license system, called the Activity Hub. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) expects heavy online traffic on Sept. 10, 17, and 26 as hunters gear up for the weekends. To avoid any last-minute hiccups, officials recommend logging in and making sure youth accounts are properly linked ahead of time.
The new system works a little differently from the old one. If you’ve purchased licenses for a child before, you may need to reconnect their account. For kids under 13, parents or guardians will need to link their accounts to their own. Youth 13 and older will need their own account, but can still be connected so adults can purchase licenses on their behalf.
One big change: “youth” accounts now only apply to those under 13, instead of under 18 as in the past.
Taking a little time to sort things out now means less stress later—and more time to focus on making memories in the woods.
The Culver Townwide Cleanup Pick Up Day will be Monday, October 6.
Place items for disposal at the curb on Saturday and Sunday, October 4 and 5. The utilities crew will collect items on Monday, October 6. When placing items outside, please secure any that might blow away and set them apart from your trash and recycling cans. Tires and hazardous waste will not be accepted.
PLYMOUTH — On the morning of Sept. 7, just after 3 a.m., Plymouth Police attempted to stop a vehicle on Fifth and Jackson Street for disregarding a stop sign.
The vehicle fled from the officer before attempting to hide in the vehicle in the parking lot at the corner of Broadway and Harrison Street. The driver was apprehended and identified as 36 year 36-year-old Raul Castro-Carcamo of Plymouth. Castro-Carcamo was found not to have a license and was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and in possession of cocaine.
Upon the officer completing his investigation, Castro-Carcamo was lodged at the Marshall County Jail for Felony-Possession of Cocaine, Resisting Law Enforcement, Misdemeanor-Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Endangering, and Operator Never Licensed-Prior.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — During budget hearings for the coming year, Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel approached the County Council to keep in his proposed raise for his officers in the coming year.
The County Council previously advised Department heads to include a 3 percent raise across the board for county employees; Hassel would like to see his department get slightly more, citing the type of work they do.
Hassel told the Council that he felt his department’s pay scale should be compared with that of other police and sheriff’s departments, rather than with other Marshall County employees. Hassel pointed out that he was in competition with other law enforcement departments to retain his officers, especially those in the county, as his officers would not have to relocate to take a different job.
Council President Tim Harmon said the Council would discuss the matter before final adoption of the budget.
Final reading on the county budget will take place at the Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 13.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Senate Republican Caucus is offering paid spring-semester internships in its communications, information technology, legal, legislative, page, and policy offices during the 2026 session of the Indiana General Assembly, said State Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores).
Qualified candidates may be of any major and must be at least a college sophomore. Recent college graduates, as well as graduate and law school students, are also encouraged to apply.
Interns earn a $900 biweekly stipend and benefit from scholarship and academic credit opportunities, professional development, community involvement and networking.
Senate internships are full-time positions at the Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis that typically begin with a mandatory orientation in late December or early January and conclude at the end of the legislative session in March 2026.
“The Senate internship program is a great way for students looking to enter the workforce to gain real-life experience and network with professionals from various organizations from across the state,” Bohacek said. “I encourage any college students or recent graduates to consider applying for this internship opportunity.”
For more information and to apply, visit IndianaSenateRepublicans.com/Intern. More information can also be found on X, Facebook and Instagram at @INternSenGOP.
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Secured School Safety Board (the Board) unanimously approved the distribution of more than $27.1 million to support school safety initiatives to 494 school/districts across the state.
To date, more than $214 million in state funding has been dedicated to the matching grant program since it was created in 2013, and the Board has approved 4,599 grant requests.
“School safety is a top priority for my administration. Every student deserves a good education, and that starts with feeling safe and secure,” said Gov. Mike Braun. “That’s why Indiana continues to make unprecedented investments through the Secured School Safety Grant Program.”
Last year, 499 schools split an allocation of $24 million, of which $17 million was allocated to funding school resource officers.
This year, the total amount of eligible funding requests exceeded the amount of funding for the program. Priority was given to first-time applicant schools to the SSSG Program, which were fully funded for their top priority requests. Charter school groups were capped at $100,000 in funding for all schools in the group. Remaining schools that apply to the fund regularly were funded at 92% for their top priority items. Applicants to the program rank the priority of items to help the Board better understand the greatest need for school districts.
The Secured School Safety Grant Program is administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
The SSSG issues matching grants for eligible items, and then schools match those funds at a certain level, either 25 percent, 50 percent, or 100 percent. The match requirement is based on the average daily membership of the school district, the total amount of the project or what the request covers.
Eligible items in the grant include funding for school resource officers (SROs) and law enforcement officers in schools; equipment and technology; active event warning systems (no matching requirement); firearms training for teachers and staff who choose to allow guns on school property; threat assessments; and implementing a student and parent support services program.
The Indiana School Safety Hub also provides schools with a wealth of resources, training opportunities, and other information designed to give schools the tools they need to keep students and staff safe.
Local schools receiving grants:
Argos Community Schools Marshall $43,475.00
Bremen Public Schools Marshall $43,306.96
Culver Community Schools Corp Marshall $63,367.99
John Glenn School Corporation St Joseph $55,500.00
Plymouth Community School Corp Marshall $34,225.00
Triton School Corporation Marshall $46,250.00
Union-North United School Corp St. Joseph $13,875.00
PLYMOUTH — On Sept. 4 at approximately 8:37 p.m., Plymouth Police were dispatched to 312 S Walnut St. for a report of an unwanted guest.
Upon arriving on the scene, police discovered that an argument had broken out between multiple people. It was also reported that one of the parties had possibly been stabbed. Further investigation revealed that a domestic altercation had taken place.
Erika Avila-Luna, 31, of Plymouth, and Cesar Rangel Chavez, 35, of Plymouth, were both arrested for Domestic Battery.
Avila-Luna also had an active arrest warrant out of Elkhart County. Chavez was also arrested for Invasion of Privacy. Both were transported to the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — While on routine patrol, Marshall County Deputies observed a vehicle disregard a stop light the turn around, and head eastbound in the westbound lanes of US30 near Pioneer Rd.
After Deputies were able to catch up to the vehicle, the driver, Alfonso Macias of Springhill, TN, continued driving even with the Deputies’ emergency lights and siren activated.
Macias was taken into custody for reckless driving and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On Sept. 4 at 9:30 a.m. Plymouth officers were dispatched to Freedom Park on W Harrison St. in reference to a female acting strangely inside one of the pavilions.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Nicole D. Huling, 40, of Mishawaka, was in possession of methamphetamine and was then under the influence. She was taken into custody and placed in wrist restraints, and transported to the hospital emergency room to be checked and obtain clearance prior to being transported to the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On Sept. 3, at approximately 10:35 am, Plymouth Police officers were dispatched to the Oak Ridge Village Mobile Home Park on N. Michigan St for a physical domestic disturbance.
The suspect, 36-year-old Jony Ramirez-Hernandez, of Plymouth, left the scene before officers arrived. Officers were able to locate the vehicle Ramirez-Hernandez was riding in and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in the area of Western Ave and Markley Dr.
Ramirez-Hernandez was taken into custody without incident and was transported to the Marshall County Jail, where he was booked and lodged for Domestic Battery in the Presence of a Child Less Than 16 Years Old.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
CULVER — Friday and Saturday, September 26 and 27 will be this year’s Culver Town Wide Garage Sales.
If you plan to have a sale and want to be included on the map, please email your information to Culver
Clerk-Treasurer Karen Heim at kheim@townofculver.org, and be sure to include your name, address of the sale, days you will be open, and a brief description of what you are selling.
To be included in the map, you must have your information in by 4 p.m., Tuesday, September 23.
BREMEN — A death on Jute Road has been ruled a homicide by Marshall County Coroner Dean Byers.
On September 3, at 8:00 am, the Marshall County Coroner’s Office was contacted regarding a death in the 1400 block of Jute Rd.
The deceased was identified as Elizabeth Hite age 56 of Goshen. An autopsy performed on Thursday confirmed the cause of death was multiple stab wounds.
PLYMOUTH — On the evening of Aug. 30, at 8 pm, Plymouth Police Officers were conducting foot patrols in Centennial Park during the Blueberry Festival. They observed a man and woman who were identified in a separate, unrelated incident, and knew there was a protection order in place preventing the two of them from being around one another.
The woman was identified as Jayne Yakim, 28 years old of Plymouth, and the man was identified as Ridge Zimmerman, 27 years old of Plymouth.
After confirming that the protection orders were still active, both Yakim and Zimmerman were taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail on the criminal charge of Invasion of Privacy.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
CULVER — The Annual John R. Nelson Golf Outing is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 20, at Pretty Lake Golf Club in Plymouth. This golf outing fundraiser helps benefit the Culver Community Athletic Department and the Culver Community Scholarship Fund.
Organizers are seeking hole sponsors, door prizes, and teams to participate.
OPTION #1: A hole sponsor for $200: You will receive your business name on the hole and in the flier that day, as well as an advertisement in the 2025-26 Winter sports program for the upcoming season.
OPTION #2: Hole sponsor and a golf team for $400. This will get you option #1 and a four-person team in the tournament.
Donate a Door Prize(s) that are awarded at the Golf Tournament. Gift certificates, items, or any donations are welcome.
To register online, please follow this link: https://forms.gle/x2XhNsY1C1uTDhfu7
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is seeking applicants for its Engineering Scholarship Program, available for eligible undergraduate and graduate students in Indiana. Recipients receive financial assistance, as well as paid employment opportunities.
Students must be accepted or enrolled full-time in one of Indiana’s accredited Civil Engineering schools. The program must also be certified by Indiana’s Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Eligible universities with ABET-certified Civil Engineering programs include Purdue University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Purdue University Northwest, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Trine University, University of Evansville, University of Notre Dame, University of Southern Indiana, Indiana State University, and Valparaiso University.
INDOT’s scholarship program offers $3,125 per semester or $2,083 per trimester for up to five years of post-secondary Civil Engineering education. Scholarship funds may be applied to educational expenses, fees, and books. Recipients will also have the opportunity to work at INDOT in full-time, paid positions during summer breaks and upon graduation.
Learn more about the INDOT Engineering Scholarship Program and the application process at indotscholarship.in.gov. Applications for the 2026-2027 school year must be emailed or postmarked by December 31, 2025.
Questions regarding the scholarship can be directed to the contact information listed on the website or submitted via INDOT4U.com.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Commissioners took the next step to making CASA — Court Appointed Special Advocates, volunteers who advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect — a county department with county funding.
The Marshall County CASA program began in 2001 and has been operated as a not-for-profit organization that is governed by a board of directors. The program has broad-based community financial support, which comes from: State CASA, matching grants from Marshall County, grants, local service organizations, and individual donors. The donation of office space was the original contribution of the Marshall County government to the program.
Monday, the Commissioners voted unanimously to begin the process of making the program an official part of county government with commensurate financial support and benefits for the Executive Director, Chastity Keller, who is the only paid position of the program.
The request to create the new county department will go on to the Marshall County Council for their input.
