PLYMOUTH — On the afternoon of July 1, Plymouth Police were dispatched to the area of Hillcrest Ave. and Oak Rd. for a motor vehicle accident.
While speaking with the driver, Miguel Gonzalez, 68, of Plymouth, it was determined that he had never received a Driver’s License. Gonzalez was transported and lodged in the Marshall County Jail and charged with knowing or intentionally operating a vehicle without ever obtaining a license.
On June 30 at 10:26 a.m., a vehicle being driven by Marroquin Perez Felix Estuardo, 21, of Ft. Wayne was stopped for a traffic infraction. Estuardo was found to have never been issued a driver’s license. He was lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Commissioners will meet on Monday in the Commissioners meeting room on the second floor of the County Building in Plymouth.
On the agenda are reports from Highway Superintendant Jason Peters, Deb VanDeMark on Mashall County Park Board projects and Greg Hildebrand with the quarterly report from the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation. EMA Director Jack Garner will have his quarterly report along with County Attorney Sean Surrissi, and County Auditor Angie Birchmeier. The meeting can be streamed live at : https://www.youtube.com/@MarshallCountyIN
CULVER — The Marshall County Coroner’s Office was notified of a death on July 3 at 9:33 a.m. in the 300 block of Clover St., in Culver.
The deceased, Billy McCarty, age 54 of Culver, was found at his home. McCarty was pronounced dead by Deputy Coroner John Lampkins. Investigation led by Culver Police Chief Chad Becker and assisted by the Indiana State Police and the Coroner’s Office has determined that foul play is not suspected in the death. An autopsy has been scheduled to assist in determining Mr. McCarty’s cause of death.
Thursday July 3 •Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth will host an Independence Day Fireworks Show starting at dusk. Food carts and trucks will be available, and you can make dinner reservations. Spectators should use designated parking areas.
•New Song Church in Plymouth will have community fireworks at dusk. The event starts at 7 p.m. with fun and food trucks.
Friday July 4 •The Etna Green 4th of July Celebration will feature a parade at 11 a.m., followed by a festival in Heritage Park with vendors and a fireworks display in the park in the evening.
•Walkerton will have a 4th of July Parade starting at 7 p.m. at Urey Middle School, followed by fireworks at dusk. Due to construction, spectator seating will be at the practice field on the west side of Georgia St.
Saturday July 5 •Culver will have a fireworks display on July 5, at 10:15 p.m. The best spot to view the show will be from on Lake Maxinkuckee, or from the Park. Tune in to 98.3 FM to hear the accompanying music for the show. The July 5th Fireworks display is hosted by Lake Maxinkuckee Freedom Fireworks Inc., a 501c3 non-profit organization. All contributions go toward future 4th of July weekend fireworks shows.
PLYMOUTH — The Plymouth Plan Commission cleared the way for the next step in a proposed housing development on Dora Lane on Tuesday night.
Habitat for Humanity made an application for a preliminary subdivision of Neidlinger Park on Dora Lane. The area was part of a previously planned unit development (PUD), and the action will revitalize a Habitat project that stalled due to COVID. The development will provide affordable housing for the city, but not “traditional” Habitat for Humanity Homes. The multi-home development will be similar to the development Habitat did on West Harrison Street several years ago in partnership with a contractor. A maximum of nine residential lots will be created along with sidewalks on each side of Dora Lane and adjoining street hookups in the neighborhood. Habitat is currently seeking a grant to help move the project forward.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Community Foundation is now accepting applications for the second of two 2025 Community Funds grant rounds. Applications for the Fall 2025 grant round are due on Friday, August 1, 2025. Applications must be submitted online on the MCCF website.
These grants support specific projects or programs throughout Marshall County typically focusing on the arts, education, health and human services, recreation, and the environment. Community members who serve on MCCF’s Grants Committee evaluate the grant proposals and conduct site visits during a competitive application process. The first grants from unrestricted funds at MCCF were awarded in 1995; since then, the MCCF has awarded over $5.6 million in total grants to the community from these funds alone. For more information, contact the Marshall County Community Foundation at 574-935-5159 or go to marshallcountycf.org.
On Wednesday, the Marshall County Highway will be chip-sealing Lincoln Highway from the city limits to Highway 30.
Also, Wednesday Milestone Contractors will be paving 16 C road from Redwood Road to Peach Road. Both roads will be closed to through traffic. Access will be limited to local traffic and emergency services only while work is being done. Please use caution, slow down, and be alert when traveling near or through construction zones.
According to a press release from the Indiana Farm Bureau, Hoosiers can expect to see higher food prices than last year as we head into Fourth of July celebrations.
The release states that Indiana Farm Bureau’s annual summer cookout market basket revealed Hoosiers are paying an average of $71.49 for a cookout feeding 10 people this summer, or $7.15 per person – a 5% increase compared to last year. Indiana’s market basket price is approximately 1%, or 6 cents, more than the U.S. average price of $7.09 per person. “Inflation is slowing slightly, prices are leveling out, and supply chain issues that have been prevalent for the last few years are slowly getting worked out, so we are seeing just a slight increase in prices compared to the last few years here in Indiana,” explained INFB Chief Economist Dr. Todd Davis. The total market basket price of $71.49 includes ground beef, cheese, hamburger buns, pork chops, chicken breasts, pork and beans, potato salad, strawberries, chips, ice cream, cookies and lemonade. The two items that saw the largest increase in price were ice cream and strawberries, which increased 31% and 19% respectively from the 2024 price. However, those items were right in line with the national averages this year. In fact, most items on the shopping list this year in Indiana were similar in price to the national averages with the biggest differences being hamburger buns and lemonade which were about 8% less than the national prices. Only ground beef and pork chops were more affordable in Indiana this year. “When you’re shopping, look for the bargains on the protein side,” noted Davis. “According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), there’s more pork in cold storage so the prices you’re seeing at the supermarket are generally going to be a bit lower. Ground beef, on the other hand, our shoppers found the price to be just about the same as last year, which is encouraging because cattle herd numbers remain low across the country.” According to the USDA, just 16 cents of every retail food dollar spent goes back to farmers. The rest is for food processing, packaging, transportation, wholesale and retail distribution, and food service preparation. “Farmers are price takers, not price makers – just like consumers,” said Janis Highley, INFB 2nd vice president. “Margins are still tight for farmers due to high supply costs because the amount farmers are being paid isn’t covering the increase in expenses. But Indiana farmers are committed to streamlining their operations to decrease costs of production as best they can, all while providing safe, affordable food not just for Hoosiers, but for families all over the world.” The INFB summer cookout market basket survey was conducted in early June by volunteer shoppers across the state who collected prices on specific food items from one of their local grocery stores. Volunteer shoppers were asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals. Indiana’s survey was completed in conjunction with a national survey administered by the American Farm Bureau Federation. More details about AFBF’s national summer cookout market basket results can be found at fb.org.
Marshall County Deputies stopped a vehicle on US 31 at 14C Road and while talking with the driver, Matthew D. Fetter, 37, it was found that he had never been licensed.
When the Marshall County Deputies attempted to place Fetter in custody, he attempted to flee the scene of the traffic stop in the vehicle and later resisted arrest. Fetter was ultimately placed into custody and transported to the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — In a special session on Monday, the Plymouth City Council heard from Eric Walsh of Baker-Tilly with a city-wide economic analysis.
Walsh reported the good news: due to good management and conservative fiscal strategy, the city is in “very healthy” financial shape. He then went on to advise caution in the coming years, based on the Indiana Assembly’s passage of SB1 in their last session, saying that some “hard decisions” may be on the horizon. While the property tax caps in the bill — phased in over the next six years — will have a negligible effect on city finances in the short run, according to Walsh, by 2027, it could cause problems. While there is no way to come up with exact numbers for the future, lost tax revenue caused by the tax caps imposed by the legislature’s bill could cause significant enough shortfalls for the city to have to consider other revenue possibilities to make ends meet. Walsh said that while road repair money will still be available from the Community Crossings Matching grants, the bill will give a larger sum of money to those communities that have already instituted a wheel tax. The bill also allows cities the size of Plymouth to adopt their own income tax of up to 1.2 percent. Plymouth currently has neither of those taxes. Walsh said that the legislature would likely take no action to fix the local shortfalls caused by the bill, but the bill had given Indiana’s cities and towns “the tools to take the heat and fix it locally” with added local taxes. He said the places the budget would be toughest were in personnel and in capital projects, including city vehicles and police cars. Walsh said that the city’s TIF money would be a way of easing the capital projects money crunch when it came to building projects, but some hard decisions might be necessary regarding hiring any additional personnel or replacing vacated positions. While the city is in very sound financial shape, Walsh encouraged discussions to have a proactive approach to what might be on the horizon in 2027. The board accepted Walsh’s report and voted to have those discussions moving forward.
Average gasoline prices in Indiana have risen 14.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.24/g according to GasBuddy’s survey of 3,271 stations in Indiana. Prices in Indiana are 14.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 34.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 2.7 cents in the last week and stands at $3.676 per gallon.
GasBuddy today also released (https://go.gasbuddy.com/july-4-2025) its 2025 Independence Day gas price forecast, projecting the national average price of gas to fall to $3.15 per gallon on July 4, down nearly 35 cents from last year’s July 4 average to the lowest Independence Day tally since 2021. Though recent events have caused some turmoil and volatility in energy markets, gas prices have returned to decline due to cooling Middle East geopolitical tensions and increased oil production from OPEC in recent months. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Indiana was priced at $2.67/g yesterday while the most expensive was $3.69/g, a difference of $1.02/g. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.14/g today. “The national average price of gasoline has resumed its decline, with falling prices driven by easing tensions in the Middle East—just weeks after those same tensions had pushed prices higher,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “For motorists planning to hit the road for Independence Day, gas prices are expected to continue falling nearly coast to coast in the lead-up to July 4. Relief could expand as the holiday weekend approaches, with the national average on track to hit its lowest July 4 level since 2021 at $3.15 per gallon, we project. As long as tensions in the Middle East remain contained and the U.S. avoids a major hurricane, we could see the national average fall below $3 per gallon later this summer.” GasBuddy’s averages, graphs, maps and historical pricing data covering the U.S. and Canada is available 24/7 at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
PLYMOUTH — On June 29 at 2:38 p.m., the Marshall County 911 Center was notified of an injury accident on the exit ramp to Veterans Parkway from southbound US 31.
Evidence at the scene and witness statements indicated a Harley-Davidson motorcycle was traveling south on US 31 and was unable to properly negotiate the exit ramp to Veterans Parkway. The motorcycle ran off the exit ramp on the east side, and the motorcycle and driver, William D. Wallace Jr., 40, of Rochester, came to rest in the grass. Wallace was transported to Memorial Hospital via helicopter to be treated for his injuries. His condition is unknown at this time. Deputies were assisted by Indiana State Police, Lapaz Fire and EMS, Plymouth Fire and EMS, Lutheran Air, and Lyon’s Towing
On Thursday, June 26, at 4:52 P.M., the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department received a call about an intoxicated man driving on his property. Initial information was that the man had run a vehicle into an outbuilding at a property on 7th Rd.
Marshall County Deputies responded and found Jeffery E. Samuels, 50, who appeared to be pouring gasoline into the cab of the truck, apparently intending to set the vehicle on fire. Samuels was detained at the scene without incident and during continued investigation, was found to be intoxicated. He was arrested and lodged for Operating While Intoxicated – Endangering and Operating While Intoxicated – BAC at/above 0.15%.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
BOURBON — According to the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, on Monday, June 30, there was a motor vehicle vs. horse-drawn buggy collision in Bourbon, on 8th Road west of Apple Road.
At 5:43 pm Eastern Time on June 30, the Marshall County Coroner’s office was notified of a motor vehicle fatality on 8th Road in Bourbon. The deceased were occupants of a horse-drawn buggy traveling westbound on 8th Road when they were struck from behind by a pickup truck. The deceased include 62-year-old Aden W. Chupp of Etna Green, and his wife Mary Sue Chupp, age 60, also of Etna Green. There were no additional details available at the time of this news report. The investigation is ongoing.
At 423 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Plymouth, moving east at 25 mph. HAZARD…Wind gusts up to 40 mph. SOURCE…Radar indicated. IMPACT…Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include… Plymouth, Bremen, Bourbon, La Paz, Inwood, Linkville, and Lake Of The Woods.
CULVER — On June 26 at 9:29 p.m.,Marshall County Central Dispatch received a 911 call of a fight that had occurred at a residence in the 16,000 block of 20B Rd.
Upon arriving, it was found that both offenders, Michael J. O’Brien, 61, and Dennis M. Cook, 42, both of Culver, had battered each other during an argument at the residence, resulting in minor injuries to both. They were detained at the scene and later transported to Saint Joseph Medical Center in Plymouth for medical treatment, then lodged at the Marshall County Jail for Domestic Battery resulting in Moderate Injury, a level 6 felony. Formal charges are pending through the Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
DONALDSON — Marshall County Sheriff’s Deputies, Indiana Conservation Officers, and Plymouth Fire responded to an accident on June 26 at 9:35 a.m. on Lincoln Highway just east of Tulip Road.
Jason Slocum, 45, of Kewanna was driving an ATV westbound on Lincoln Highway, east of Tulip Rd., for utility work in the area. For an unknown reason, Slocum lost control of the ATV, and it rolled, ejecting him. Slocum had complaints of pain in his right shoulder, back, and head as a result of the collision. Slocum was transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for evaluation and treatment.
PLYMOUTH — During their meeting on Thursday night, the Marshall County Plan Commission began discussions on developing an ordinance about carbon capture systems in the county.
A carbon capture system is a technology that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial sources like power plants or factories, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. The captured CO2 is then either stored deep underground in geological formations or utilized in various other applications. During the discussion of other items at the end of the meeting, the subject of beginning work on how the county should view and handle such facilities was addressed, as it is currently in part of a larger two-year moratorium on other projects such as farm-scale solar projects, utility-scale battery energy storage systems, and data centers in the county. During that moratorium, the Plan Commission will need to address the final form of ordinances on how all those projects should be handled in Marshall County and make its recommendation to the County Commissioners. The initial discussion centered on whether or not to simply ban the projects. Plan Director Nicholas Witwer told the board that even if they did institute a ban, the action would only be in effect as long as the board decided to keep it in place. The Commission voted to proceed with public meetings and discussions to begin drafting an ordinance regarding carbon capture.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Museum will be hosting a sale extravaganza on July 10,11, 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Vintage artifacts, rare books, collectibles, and more will be available with great deals on one-of-a-kind items. All proceeds will go to support the museum’s exhibits, educational programs and technology. For more details visit the Marshall County Museum website or call 547-936-2306.
PLYMOUTH — On the morning of June 21, at approximately 2 a.m., Plymouth Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle at the intersection of Oakhill Ave and Nutmeg Rd after witnessing multiple moving violations.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Angel Lingle, 20 years old, of LaPorte. During the officer’s investigation, impairment was identified, resulting in Lingle’s being taken into custody. Lingle was lodged at the Marshall County Jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated on a controlled substance and OWI-endangerment.
On the afternoon of June 24, Plymouth Police observed a vehicle traveling west on Highway 30, going 81 miles per hour in a posted 50 miles per hour zone. During the traffic stop, Officers located THC cartridges inside the vehicle. Lanijah Hargrave (21) was transported and lodged into the Marshall County Jail for Possession of Paraphernalia.
Suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
