All posts by Anita Goodan

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over this Labor Day Weekend

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Labor Day weekend is filled with a variety of different celebrations including the Marshall County Blueberry Festival and the Monterey Days Festival. These types of events may lead to alcohol consumption. If you drink, don’t drive.

Four law enforcement agencies in Marshall County are in the middle of the state’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign through the Labor Day holiday. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, Bremen Police Department, Plymouth Police Department and Bourbon Police Department have increased sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols in an effort to take impaired drivers off the roads. Continue reading →

Two Injured in Two-Vehicle Accident

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Two people were injured in a two-vehicle accident in the area of U.S. 31 and 19th Road in Argos on Wednesday evening.

Marshall County police say William Reese, 60, of Argos, was traveling west on 19th Road approaching U.S. 31 when he pulled across the northbound lane into the median. He reportedly did not see the approaching vehicle traveling south on U.S. 31 and pulled into the path of the vehicle driven by Donn F. Whitenight, Jr., 47, of Rochester. Whitenight, Jr. reportedly told police that he could not avoid the collision with Reese.

Both drivers complained of pain as a result of the crash and they were transported to a South Bend hospital.

Pursuit Leads to Arrest

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

A Nappanee man was airlifted from the scene of a motorcycle crash after Marshall County police say the driver led a sheriff’s deputy on a pursuit.

A Marshall County Sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop late Wednesday night in the area of Michigan Road and 1st Road when the motorcycle driver reportedly refused to stop. Police say the driver, Jesse Elliott, turned east on Tyler Road when a high speed pursuit began. Elliott later crashed on Tyler Road west of Lilac Road.

Continue reading →

Bremen Man Arrested after Scuffle with Police

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
Devon Zillmer

A Bremen man was arrested Tuesday evening after allegedly attempting to move a disabled car and disobeying police orders.

A Marshall County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a report of disabled vehicle on East Shore Drive at Dill Street in the Lake of the Woods area in Bremen. Police say Devon Zillmer arrived at the scene to drag away the vehicle as the deputy was on his way to that location.

Continue reading →

Marshall County 4-H Fair Board Association Approves Agreement with County

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

A subrecipient agreement was approved and signed by members of the Marshall County 4-H Fair Board Association this week. The agreement is between the fair board and the Marshall County Commissioners that outlines the responsibilities of ownership and funding associated with a proposed multi-use building to be constructed on the fairgrounds in Argos.

The proposed structure is an 8,000 square foot steel frame building that will feature drywall and concrete flooring. It will accommodate a seating capacity up to 400 people. There will be 4,400 square feet of open space to hold wedding receptions or other large gatherings, a 30-person meeting room in the front of the building and regular building features such as a kitchenette and restrooms.

Continue reading →

Plymouth City Council Approves Two Ordinances, Resolution

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Plymouth City Council members did approve two ordinances and a resolution on Monday night.

An ordinance to annex approximately one acre into the City of Plymouth was unanimously approved on second and third readings. The Weir family is annexing a portion of their property on Lake Avenue into the city in order to put all of the parcels into the city limits. The eastern portion of the property is in the county’s jurisdiction. The family hopes to sell the house that’s on the property and use the rest of the property for a proposed daycare facility.

Continue reading →

Bremen Town Council Discusses Water Rate Ordinance

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Bremen Town Council may be raising the fire protection service rate on utility bills to take effect in 2018.

Director of Operations Trend Weldy said the rate increase will occur over three years.

“It’s a small increase,” stressed Weldy. “It will increase $1.10 a month starting in 2018, another $1.10 a month increase in 2019 and it’ll raise again $1.10 in 2020 to get up to where we need to be on our fire protection program.”

Continue reading →

West Nile Virus Increases across the State

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Officials with the Indiana State Department of Health are keeping an eye on the West Nile Virus activity in the state.

As of Aug. 18, 261 pools of water tested positive for the West Nile Virus in 58 counties this year. According to statistics compiled by the Indiana State Department of Health, three mosquito infections were separately reported in Starke County, La Porte County and Fulton County. One mosquito infection was reported in Porter County while there were no reports in Marshall County or Pulaski County.

Continue reading →

Municipal Excise Surtax, Wheel Tax Ordinance Dies

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

A proposed ordinance that would help raise revenue for the construction and rehabilitation of roads and streets within the City of Plymouth died for a lack of a motion Monday night.

The Plymouth City Council members held a public hearing on a municipal excise surtax and municipal wheel tax ordinance earlier this month and called a first reading on the ordinance. The ordinance was up for second reading during a specially-called meeting last week during budget discussions. It was tabled and brought up for discussion on Monday night.

Continue reading →

Bremen Town Council Approves Contract for Ambulance Service

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Bremen Town Council approved a two-year contract for ambulance services in a special session last week.

Bremen Director of Operations Trend Weldy said three companies submitted bids. Lutheran Ambulance Service submitted the low bid. The current provider, Tri-County Ambulance, withdrew its bid after the town council’s meeting on Aug. 14 so the town will have a new service after more than 10 years. Elite Ambulance submitted the third bid.

Continue reading →

Grant Round Announced for Drug Free Marshall County

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The 2017-2018 Drug Free Marshall County grant round is now open.

These grants are intended to support projects surrounding substance abuse prevention, education, enforcement and treatment in Marshall County will be awarded soon.

Applicants must address one or more topics in the application: high rate of methamphetamine production and abuse, high rate of alcohol use/abuse in Marshall County, high rate of marijuana use/abuse in Marshall County, an increased use of opioids and heroin in adults, or a high rate of tobacco use with a focus on its use by pregnant women and smokeless tobacco use in youth.

Continue reading →

Man Rushed to Hospital after Burglary

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Officers from the Plymouth Police Department are investigating a burglary incident at the Maax business at 1001 N. Oak Drive in Plymouth.

Police say a man entered the building in the overnight hours on Monday and was found by a worker at the bottom of the stairs inside the building with a change machine on top of him. Emergency responders and Plymouth firefighters responded to the scene and lifted the change machine off the man. The man was flown to a South Bend hospital by Med Flight.

Continue reading →

No Local Effort Needed Yet in Hurricane Harvey Aftermath

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

No local requests have been made in disaster aid in response to devastation from Hurricane Harvey in Texas.

While residents are wanting to help in the effort, Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Clyde Avery encourages all to stay put until the Indiana Department of Homeland Security can determine what needs may be. Avery says unsolicited volunteers or donations will hinder the ability to continue response efforts and the recovery process.

Continue reading →

Marshall County Highway Crews Continue Pavement Work

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Marshall County Highway Department will be closing South Michigan Street for a few hours this week in order to do more road work.

Highway Supervisor Jason Peters said crews will apply a fog sealant on South Michigan Street on Wednesday, Aug. 30 or Thursday, Aug. 31. The road will be closed during this process. They plan on beginning that work around 9 a.m. and dry time is about two to two-and-a-half hours depending on the temperature.

Continue reading →

Bourbon Police Arrest Two Juveniles after Pursuit

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

Two juveniles are in custody after allegedly leading police on a pursuit through two counties early Sunday morning.

A Bourbon police officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on State Road 331 at 11B Road after the driver reportedly committed several traffic violations. Police say the driver drove the vehicle off to the side of the road, turned around and led police on a 14-mile pursuit into Kosciusko County. Speeds reached 110 mph, according to the report.

Continue reading →

Plymouth BOW/Council to Meet Tonight

Posted on Author Anita Goodan
Plymouth City Building

The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety members are anticipated to award a proposal for a short term lease at 220 N. Center Street when they meet tonight. They also plan to discuss a resolution that authorizes the transfer of equipment from the clerk-treasurer’s office to the wastewater utility and transferring equipment to the Plymouth Park Department. In addition, a few requests for street closures and a stop sign will be before the governing body.

Continue reading →

BMV Announces Labor Day Closure

Posted on Author Anita Goodan

The Labor Day holiday will create a change in hours at all Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicle branches. All branches will be closed Saturday, Sept. 2 through Monday, Sept. 4.

The La Porte, Plymouth, Walkerton, and Winamac branches will open on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 8:30 a.m. local time while the Knox branch will open again on Wednesday, Sept. 6.

For online assistance, visit mybmv.com.