Courtesy Scot Shearer https://www.lavillelancers.com/

MUNCIE – This weekend LaVille freshman Caden Christy will participate in the Indiana eSports Network state championships Chess Tournament at Ball State University.

He started the 30-person field as the No. 1 seed, and after three rounds, the tournament is down to the Final Four contenders.
Caden, a freshman at LaVille Jr-Sr High School, has his eyes set on his upcoming round, with a chance to bring the state title back to Lakeville, IN.
“This weekend, the 4 people left in the bracket are going down to Muncie to play. The 4 people are seeded 1, 2, 6, and 12. Unfortunately, I only know their username on chess.com and their school,” said Christy. “Saturday’s games will be decided by a best out of 5 match, with a 10|3 time control—which means each side has 10 minutes plus 3 seconds per move to make all of their moves. The winners of the matches will play to decide the 1st and 2nd places, and the losers will play to decide the 3rd and 4th places. I hope to take it all this weekend for LaVille, and I think I have a great shot at it, based on my opponents’ ratings.”
According to Caden, players can earn rating points from chess.com based on whether they win a game or lose a game.
“All the opponents that I will be facing on Saturday are rated below 1300,” noted Christy. “As I am writing this, I am rated 2054 in the specific time control we are playing, praise God! The opportunity to play this weekend in a state tournament for LaVille means a lot to me. I see this as an opportunity to show that God can work through those who follow His will to do anything that He wants to do. I have faith that God will help me win this weekend for LaVille and for His glory.”
The final four chess players are from Knightstown, Michigan City, and Kankakee Valley, along with LaVille. Caden opens against Knightstown in a best-of-five series beginning at 9 am ET at Ball State University. Winners advance to the state championship match, while the consolation round will also be played. Both those matches are scheduled for 11 am ET.
Early on, when he was just learning, his older sibling Colin would get the best of him.
Caden got away from the game because he didn’t like to lose.
Then, after a short hiatus, Caden returned to chess in middle school.
He was able to find a website that allowed him to work on his craft and continue to advance in his rating via IEN (Indiana eSports Network).
“I have been playing chess for a long time, starting when I was young,” Caden recalled when asked about how long he has been playing. “Back then, I wasn’t great at it. Unfortunately, my brother Colin beat me every time, and I did not enjoy the game. This was before I was in 2nd grade, if I am remembering correctly. I then didn’t play chess for a long time, because I would rather win than be defeated all the time.
“In 6th grade, I found a website that was unblocked, and it had chess on it. I decided to play some people in school, and I started winning. That was when I got back into chess. Later, in my 7th grade year, I asked the head of the technology department, Mr. (Brandon) Shafer, if he could unblock chess.com. For some reason, he did. I don’t remember why. Aside from that, I have been playing chess almost daily on chess.com since the day they unblocked it. Fast forward to high school, and I am still playing it today.”
Going into Saturday’s IEN state Final Four, the roller coaster continues its way up for Caden.
It could end up going to the top of the ride as he competes for an Indiana state title.

PLYMOUTH — On April 23,​ at 9:22 pm Marshall County Deputies were advised of a white utility van all over the roadway.

Deputies located the van in the area of US30 and US31. The driver of the van,​ James P. Obrzut, 47, ​of Chicago, was stopped for traffic infractions. During the investigation of the stop, Obrzut was found to have a Schedule IV controlled substance. He was arrested and taken to the Marshall County Jail for processing, where he was charged and booked.

CULVER — The town of Culver is having its annual town-wide garage sale Friday and Saturday.
A map of all the sites participating is available at the Culver at Town Hall, First National Bank of Monterey, Phillips 66, and BP.

You can also access a map online at https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1FJKlpqDtZJmDjbrLTFJ8RB5ol20oR9g&usp=sharing

BREMEN — A Bremen woman has been charged with practicing medicine without a license.

Aurelina Kiefer, 38, is also charged with being a corrupt business influence. Both of those charges are felonies. She is also charged with a misdemeanor related to massage therapy licensure.

Neither Indiana State Police nor Bremen Police discussed the details of the case publicly. But, records show Kiefer had multiple business interests, which were all searched during the investigation.

Those included the Aurelina Spa, which is in Bremen and another business in Goshen.

A home on State Rd. 331 in Bremen was also searched.

The investigation began with the Bremen Police Department, whose officers asked for assistance from state police. The penalty for the level five felonies, with which Kiefer is charged, is six years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.

Suspects are considered innoncent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Commissioners approved a new tool for detectives to use in their investigations.

Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel asked the Commissioners to allow his department to enter into a three year contract with “Leads Online” as a tool for detectives. The service would allow deputies investigating a case to search for stolen property being sold online.
Hassel told the board that his detectives had informed him that the service would be a valuable tool for them in gathering evidence in many cases.
Present at the meeting to talk on another issue, Marshall Superior Court 1 Judge Tami Napier came forward to address the Commissioners, stating that the service had proved invaluable to her and investigators on several cases in her time as Chief Prosecutor, including a murder investigation.
The Commissioners unanimously approved the contract which is at a rate of $3103 for the first year, $3199 for the second, and $3219 for the third.

In other action, the Sheriff also obtained the go-ahead from the Commissioners to increase the department’s charges to provide records and evidence on specific cases.
Most requests come from lawyers and can include every 911 call, all radio traffic and all video recorded that relates to the case.
Hassel said that the processing of the electronic data can be time-consuming and requires an officer to review each item in order to redact areas that would be covered under privacy laws.
The Sheriff will increase the amount to $30 per hour up to $150 per request.

PLYMOUTH — On April 12,​ at 12:47 pm,​ Marshall County deputies stopped a 2013 Ford Escape on US31 north of US30 for a speeding infraction.

The driver,​ Domingo Escobar, 22, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, did not have a license nor ever obtained one to drive.
Escobar was arrested for operating a vehicle without a license and was ​taken to the Marshall County Jail.

Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

PLYMOUTH — On April 16, at 6:00 pm Plymouth Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for an equipment violation at the Love’s Truck Stop.

During the course of the investigation, sixty-six-year-old Seberino Arroyo Jr. was found to be driving without ever receiving a license. Arroyo was transported to the Marshall County Jail where he was booked and lodged for: Knowingly or Intentionally operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license.

Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

LAPAZ — On April 19 at 9:11 P.M., Marshall County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on US 31 in the area of US 6.

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The driver, Demetrius D Jones, 37, was found to have been operating a vehicle without ever receiving a license. Jones also ​had a warrant for his arrest out of Johnson County. During the investigation, a bag of suspected marijuana was recovered. ​ ​

Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Commissioners will explore a high-tech solution for efficiency in the Highway Department’s road management.

Commissioner Adam Faulstich approached the board with information on a software company called vialytics Americas, based in Edison, NJ, which provides “fleet services” for highway departments to make management of highway work more efficient.
Faulstich told the board that the company outfits cameras on fleet vehicles that record to software that records potholes, street signs, ditches, any damage, to or alongside the road, records the locations on GPS, and can generate work orders for their repair. It can record all the vehicle speeds, and even go as far as to record when a snow plow is raised and lowered on a vehicle.
As a result, Faulstich said that the software could be used to create a map of which county roads have been plowed in the winter, and record it to a map that could be made available online for county citizens to know which roads have been cleared during a storm, or are clear during summer storms that may cause flooding.
He said that the software could also record PASER (Pavement Surface Evaluation and Rating) ratings on the roads the vehicle travels, which could be used by INDOT’s Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) regarding road repair and funds for such.
Mike Miley, the county’s insurance advisor, voiced a concern for possible liability to the county for unaddressed road issues that may lead to lawsuits. County Attorney Sean Surrisi stated that he felt that the concern could be addressed by establishing a clear process on how issues are addressed and the priority of each hazard.
Highway Superintendent Jason Peters will ask the company to make a presentation during an upcoming public meeting of the Commissioners.

By Becca Shepherd, Kankakee Valley Broadcasting

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Senator Mike Bohacek welcomed Ciniah Llovet, from Culver, who is homeschooled, and Gabe Smith, from Bremen, who attends Leo Jr./Sr. High School, to the Statehouse as Senate Pages in March.

Pages spend a day at the Statehouse touring the historic building, observing debates from the Senate floor and interacting with their state senator.
“The Indiana Senate Page program is a great way for young Hoosiers to learn more about the legislative process and visit our state’s capitol,” Bohacek said. “I encourage any eligible student in my district with an interest in government to sign up.”
Students in grades six through 12 participate in the page program on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the legislative session. Groups serve on Wednesdays.

Marshall County Sheriff Matthew Hassel announced today that the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department will be participating in the DEA National Drug Take Back on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 10 am until 2 pm.

Residents will be able to drop off their expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs to the Marshall County Sheriff’s officers in the parking lot of Walgreens Drug Store 2014 N. Michigan Street in Plymouth.
Drug abuse costs the U.S. more than $740 billion every year in costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Some experts think that more people are abusing prescription medications because there are more drugs available. Doctors report writing more prescriptions than ever before. Also, it’s easy to find online pharmacies selling these drugs. Teens may take medication from their parents’ medicine cabinets for themselves or their friends to use. Most young people have no idea what medications they’re taking, and which ones may cause serious problems — even death — if used with other drugs or alcohol.  They might also believe that the medicines are safe because they’re prescribed.
A survey indicates that there were more Americans abusing psychotherapeutics than the number of cocaine, heroin, and hallucinogen abusers combined. Expired, unused, or unwanted medications in our homes are a potential source of supply to drug abusers, making it a risk to public health and safety. Please take a few moments to clean out your medicine cabinets and bring them to the Walgreens Drug Store on Saturday April 26th between 10 am and 2 pm.

PLYMOUTH — Monday morning, the Marshall County Commissioners took a first look at a new way of funding the court’s public defenders.

Appearing before the Commissioners Circuit Court Judge Janette Surrisi and Tami Napier, Judge of Superior Court 1, asked them to consider moving to a Public Defender Commission Board for the county. The board would have three members, one appointed by the Commissioners, a second by the four county judges, and a third independent member. The state would set the standards of how many cases a public defender could handle and the amount of support services allowed. The state Public Defender Commission Board would then reimburse the county up to 40 percent of the expenditures.
Surrisi said that, in a look at the numbers from 2023, the state would have seen a reimbursement of $55,000. The judges told the Commissioners that in a major case, such as the current Delphi murders case, the costs to Carroll County have run to $2.5 million, with $1.3 million for the defense. A county using the Public Defender Commission model would be able to see a significant reimbursement of those costs.
The judges told the Commissioners that the model provides faster processing of cases and, in child cases, quicker permanency to resolution of return to the home or even adoption, depending on the case.
Currently, in Marshall County, the Judges choose the public defender and set the terms for reimbursement.
The Commissioners heard and approved a first reading of an ordinance that would start the process by setting up the initial board, whose first action would be a comprehensive plan on the budget.

CULVER — On April 20 at 2:38 a.m., Marshall County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a residence on Peach Road for the report of an intoxicated woman who had broken into a house.

Police arrested Renata M. Heisen, 51 was taken into custody for residential entry and taken to the Marshall County Jail.

Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

PLYMOUTH — Marshall County Sheriff Matt Hassel released his monthly jail report listing the population of the jail at 134 as of April 15. The jail has a total of 233 beds.

The average population of the Jail in March was 128 as compared with an average population of 142 a year ago.
Most of those were incarcerated awaiting trial, a total of 90, with 24 sentenced inmates in the facility. Of the 134, 108 were men and 26 were women.
Failure to appear, along with operating while intoxicated, were the top offenses for the month of March, with operator never licensed third.
The MCPD made the most arrests in April, with 77, Plymouth PD made 43, and Bremen made 11.

Average gasoline prices in Indiana have fallen 8.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.01/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 3,271 stations in Indiana. Prices in Indiana are 17.2 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 66.0 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has decreased 2.7 cents in the last week and stands at $3.519 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Indiana was priced at $2.59/g yesterday while the most expensive was $4.11/g, a difference of $1.52/g.
“The national average has seen its second straight weekly decline, with gas prices falling in over 40 states. However, some states have seen increases due to localized price cycling,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “With oil prices rallying over the past week, we may start to see the downward trend in gas prices begin to stall. So far, 2025 has been relatively calm at the pump for most Americans, thanks in part to OPEC’s ongoing restoration of oil production and continued uncertainty surrounding tariff policy and its potential impact on the global economy. Regardless, Americans are currently spending over $200 million less per day on gasoline compared to this time last year.”
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 — PS Dump Your Boyfriend takes the stage to rock The REES on Friday April 25th at 7:30pm.

PS has been knocking the socks, shoes, pants and halter-tops off mid-west club goers for years with no real end in sight.
This seamless show of non-stop entertainment is no accident. This multimedia show with freaky and hilarious video clips, is woven into a rambunctious cocktail shaker of Top 40, Pop, Rock, Dance, Hip Hop, and everything else under the sun up to, and including the proverbial kitchen sink! With the giant LED wall, this show will be like no other.
Tickets are $25 for general admission or $50 for the balcony VIP, which includes a meet-and-greet with band members and a VIP bar. Tickets are available online at reestheatre.org, in person at Na Rie Simple Treasures, and at the door one hour before the show.

TIPPECANOE —  Friday, April 18,​ at 7:58 P.M.,​ the Marshall County Deputies, along with Bourbon Police, were dispatched to the area of 17B Trail Tippecanoe,​ Indiana 46570. A witness had reported that ​a male had crashed his motorcycle,​ was seen ​cleaning up the debris,​ and had ​fled the scene of the collision on foot.

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The offender in the case,​ 36-year-old Clint R. Woodward of Tippecanoe,​ was the registered owner of the motorcycle. ​He was also later found hiding in a field in the area of State Road 331 and 18th Road by K-9 Bear and his handler who apprehended Woodward during the search.
It ​was found that Woodward had consumed alcohol prior to the collision. ​He was later taken ​to the hospital for a certified chemical test and medical treatment of minor injuries. Woodward was transported to the Marshall County Jail where he was booked and lodged for operating a vehicle while intoxicated prior,​ resisting law enforcement,​ and leaving the scene of an accident.

Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. ​ ​ ​

ARGOS — On Tuesday,​ April 15,​ at approximately 4:47 pm,​ Marshall County Central Dispatch received a call regarding a two-vehicle accident in the westbound lanes of US 30,​ west of Iris Road.

When Officers arrived on scene,​ it was determined that a 2000 Dodge Dakota driven by Chad Hensley,​ of Plymouth,​ failed to slow down for stopped traffic and ran into the rear of a 2017 Ford F-250 driven by Tom Smith,​ of Argos. The two drivers involved in the collision were injured and transported to Memorial Hospital.
The Marshall County Humane Society was called to the scene to take possession of a dog in Hensley’s vehicle at the time of the collision. ​
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department was assisted at the scene by Plymouth Fire & EMS,​ Lyons Wrecker Service,​ and the Marshall County Humane Society.

By Anita Goodan

Culver-Union Township Fire Chief Terry Wakefield informed the Culver Town Council members last week that work is being done to coordinate repairs on two tornado sirens in the immediate area.

He said it is his main concern at this time to make sure there is an effort to repair the sirens at 16th Road and 19th Road as soon as possible, but stressed that there is no timeline, nor repair costs available at this point, and it will take time to get it done.

Meanwhile, EMS Director Michael Hasselfeldt presented a proposal from Stryker to perform preventative maintenance on equipment in each ambulance that would cover the repair, labor, travel, and batteries of the cots, power loads, physio controls, cardiac monitors, and Lucas Devices. He said the proposal was for $10,820.50 each year for a three-year contract. The council members asked to review the proposal before voting on the request. It will be revisited at an upcoming meeting.

PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Community Foundation (MCCF) announced the Spring 2025 grant awards from Community Funds totaling $217,550.

Twice each year, nonprofit organizations are invited to submit funding requests for projects that improve the quality of life in Marshall County. MCCF Grants Committee members evaluate the proposals during a competitive application process. The Spring 2025 grant awards will fund a variety of projects and programs.
From now until December 31, or until the match dollars are exhausted, MCCF will match gifts made to Community Funds with $2 for every $1 donated. These matching dollars are made possible from a matching fund grant totaling $750,000 as part of the eighth phase of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s initiative.
Receiving grants in this round were:
•Heartland Artist, Inc. $150,000 to transform the historic Montgomery Ward building into an arts and economic hub, supporting artists, attracting tourism, and driving economic growth — strengthening Marshall County as a center for arts and culture in the region.
•David’s Courage. $23,550 for the installation of windows in an apartment building renovation project to house graduates of David’s Courage.
•Bread of Life Community Food Pantry. $6,000 for computer upgrades and new computer with office software, and to remodel flooring in the distribution area.
•Garden Court Inc. $25,000 to establish a fully equipped computer lab within the GC Horizons apartments to give residents access to technology, digital literacy training, and online resources to enhance telehealth, education and employment opportunities.
•Wild Rose Moon. $10,000 for equipment to launch and increase video production capacity for emerging Marshall County collaborations with The Rees, Heartland Arts and similar organizations across Marshall County and within South Bend-Elkhart region.
•Carter’s Ride, Inc. $3,000 for suicide prevention services including Lifeline Connections (Alternative to Suicide) Peer Support Group for individuals who experience suicidal thoughts, ideations, or attempts and for community prevention trainings including Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Training, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASSIST) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).