BOURBON — On April 13, at 4:35 a.m., Marshall County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop in the area of US 30 and Gumwood Rd.
The driver Rachel S. Harris, 49, of Decatur, was found to have been driving on a suspended license. Harris was taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail for driving while suspended with a prior within 10 years.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) is hosting a mobile blood drive with the South Bend Medical Foundation on Friday, April 18 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Plymouth Medical Center.
Blood donations play a vital role in saving lives and improving the health of our community. Whether it’s for surgeries, traumas, or cancer treatments, there is always a constant need for blood donations. By donating blood, you can make a difference in someone’s life and help ensure that our healthcare system has the resources it needs to provide the best possible care.
To schedule an appointment visit givebloodnow.com.
PLYMOUTH — On Monday, April 14, at 2:16 p.m., Marshall County Central Dispatch received a call from a woman advising she saw a vehicle drive off the roadway and was down in the ditch. The caller advised the woman involved was moving but did have a laceration to her head.
LaPaz Fire and EMS were on the scene when Marshall County Sherriff’s deputies arrived. It was learned that Janice Berrier, 82, of Lakeville, was traveling north on Michigan Road, south of Tyler Road.
Due to an unknown reason, Berrier’s 2012 Toyota Prius left the roadway and drove off the east side of the road. Berrier was transported to Memorial Hospital. Reichert-Knepp was called to the scene to remove the vehicle.
Average gasoline prices in Indiana have fallen 15.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.10/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 3,271 stations in Indiana. Prices in Indiana are 16.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 48.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.
The national average price of diesel has decreased by 4.8 cents in the last week and stands at $3.546 per gallon.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Indiana was priced at $2.62/g yesterday, while the most expensive was $4.11/g, a difference of $1.49/g.
“After oil’s sharp drop over the last couple of weeks— driven by concerns over the impact of U.S. tariffs and OPEC+ restoring production faster than expected — gasoline prices have posted a notable weekly decline, with nearly every state seeing prices fall,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “While I do expect gas prices to continue trending lower, any abrupt change in the current tariff situation could eventually bring the decline to a halt. For now, the good news is that gas prices typically reach their yearly peak around April 10, so we may have already witnessed ‘peak pain’ at the pump for 2025. As refiners near the end of seasonal maintenance and supply begins to rise— and with the changeover to summer gasoline nearly complete — it’s increasingly likely that gas prices have already hit their high for the year.”
GasBuddy’s averages, graphs, maps, and historical pricing data covering the U.S. and Canada are available 24/7 at http://prices.GasBuddy.com.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Community Foundation will hold a press conference on Wednesday, April 16, at 4 p.m. to announce the recipients for the Spring 2025 MCCF Community Fund Grant Round.
Unrestricted (community) fund endowments are the most flexible and responsive of the Foundation’s funds in addressing current and emerging needs.
Grants from unrestricted endowment funds typically support projects focusing on the arts, education, health and human services, recreation, and the environment. The first grants from the MCCF Community Fund were awarded in 1995; since then MCCF has awarded nearly $5.5 million in total grants to the community from unrestricted funds alone.
In addition to the MCCF Community Fund, there are also a few named unrestricted funds that support emerging needs in Marshall County. These funds include the Alan and Barbara Neidlinger Community Fund, the Barbara and Ralph Winters Community Fund, the Billy and Vickie Ellinger Community Fund, the Brian and Patricia Kitch Family Community Fund, the C & M Overmyer Unrestricted Endowment Fund, the Constance K. Danforth Community Fund, the Earl and Susie (Lemler) Houin Community Fund, the Eleanor & Randy Danielson Community Aesthetic Improvement Fund, the First Merchants Bank Community Fund, the Gibson Community Fund, the Janet Newberg Community Fund, the John and Kay Finlay Community Fund, the Philip and Sylvia Bieghler Community Fund, the Paul and Carol Nye Community Fund, and the Will and June Erwin Community Fund.
TIPPECANOE — On April 11, at 4:33 a.m., Marshall County deputies were dispatched to a vehicle accident in the 3000 block of 18B road in Tippecanoe.
Deputies discovered a maroon 2012 Ford Fusion had struck a utility pole. The driver, Kay-Lee Ferry, 21, of Tippecanoe, was uninjured and had been found to have been drinking. After initial tests, Ferry agreed to a certified test, which resulted in her blood alcohol content being over twice the legal limit.
Ferry was taken to the Marshall County Jail, where she was charged and booked for Operating a vehicle over .15% BAC and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On the evening of April 13, at 10:45 p.m., Plymouth Police were dispatched to the area of 1200 Baker Street for reports of a man and woman yelling.
The pair were located in an alleyway. It was determined the man was attempting to leave the home with his child, and the woman, 44-year-old Jessica Truex of Plymouth, was actively preventing him from doing so.
As a result of the officer’s investigation, Truex was taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail for criminal confinement and disorderly conduct.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On April 10 at 8:35 a.m. Plymouth Police were dispatched to the probation department for Roberto Alejandro Navejar, 42 of Plymouth for an active warrant through Marshall County.
He was taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Driving while suspended
4-10-25
Rusty Nixon
PLYMOUTH — On April 10 at 12:17 p.m. a traffic stop was conducted for an infraction on a vehicle being driven by Osa Ma, 23 of Ft. Wayne.
He was found to have a license status of suspended with a prior. He was lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
LAPAZ — On Saturday, April 12, officers with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department responded to a residence in the 100 block of Vandalia Street in Lapaz for a battery complaint.
Officers observed items in plain view within the residence that qualify as “destructive devices” under Indiana state statute. A search warrant was then applied for and granted.
During that search, officers recovered numerous “destructive devices,” and materials used to manufacture said devices. Officers also recovered firearms, ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and gunpowder along with suspected methamphetamine and evidence of dealing in methamphetamine.
Arrested at the scene was 48-year-old Scott Avila of Lapaz. Avila is currently being held at the Marshall County Jail for dealing in methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of destructive devices.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Department was assisted by the South Bend Police Department Bomb Squad, ATF, and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Drug Task Force.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On April 12 at 7:30 pm, The REES welcomes back Brooklyn Charmers to the Bob Pickell stage in Plymouth.
Comprised of some of Chicago’s top players, who inject new energy into the beloved catalog with masterful precision and an obsessive dedication to the music, bridging the gap between new and lifelong fans alike.
Steely Dan’s blend of rock and jazz, along with their infectious hooks and poignant lyrics, put them in another league in the eyes of critics and fans. Their prolific and consistent output throughout the 1970’s cements them as classic rock royalty. Brooklyn Charmers are excited to carry the torch into the new generation.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $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.
BREMEN — Bremen Schools will have a resource Officer for the coming school year as the Bremen School Board voted to ratify the contract with the town of Bremen in their meeting on Wednesday.
Superintendent Jim White told the board that the town of Bremen was generous in funding the officer for the first three years.
The question of where the office will be for the SRO was brought up and White said that there was currently an unused space in the school that could be utilized for the present. The school corporation is in the process of reconstructing and reconfiguring the entrance to the school to secure the entrance at the high school and said that an office for the SRO would be part of those plans.
White also updated the board on property tax legislation currently being considered by the Indiana General Assembly and how it will affect school funding.
White said that the bill in its current state would “flatline” the budget for the coming three years. He added that it wasn’t great news, but not “gloom and doom” either and that the corporation will work to stay within the budget.
CULVER — Culver Elementary School has been recognized with a Level 2 certification in Marzano High Reliability Schools.
Level 2 certification means Culver Elementary School has established “Effective teaching in every classroom,” which focuses on the responsibility of both school leaders and teachers to ensure high-quality instruction.
The high-reliability school (HRS) program was created by Marzano Resources to help transform schools into organizations that take proactive steps to ensure student success. This framework defines five progressive levels of performance that a school must master to become a high-reliability school where all students learn the content and skills they need for success in college, careers, and beyond.
Schools must collect data and validate their performance to climb each level of the hierarchy.
Certification is determined by Marzano Resources analysts in cooperation with school data teams.
Using the HRS framework and indicators, schools can drive sustained, positive, and significant impacts on student achievement by synthesizing multiple complex initiatives into one harmonious system.
CULVER — An outdoor, walking version of the centuries-old practice of praying the Stations of the Cross will be presented by St. Mary of the Lake Catholic Church on Friday, April 11, starting at 6 p.m.
Participants will start at the Church at 124 College Ave. in Culver, to Cavalier Park, located across School Street from the Culver Community High School, just north of the superintendent’s office building at 700 School Street. Fr. Stephen Felicichia, pastor of St. Mary’s, will lead the Stations.
The longstanding practice of praying at the Stations of the Cross during Lent has its origins in Christian pilgrims visiting the path Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion in Jerusalem. In the 1300s and 1400s, the practice developed of praying what became the 14 Stations of the Cross in local churches, with Stations typically illustrated with statuary or other artwork.
While St. Mary’s prays the Stations in the church building weekly during Lent, this is the only instance this year for this special, outdoor iteration. The public is welcome to attend, and a meatless soup and bread supper will follow in St. Mary’s parish hall.
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Coroner’s Office was notified of a death in the 11,000 blk of Hawthorn Rd. east of Plymouth in Marshall County.
A 911 call was placed shortly before 10:00am. Plymouth & Bremen Fire Depts responded to the call of an individual caught in a grain bin.
Investigation has found the deceased was working inside a grain bin working to loosen grain that was stuck. Victim was pulled into the grain when the grain began to move downward towards the auger.
Autopsy has been scheduled to assist in determining the cause of death.
Deceased has been identified as Marilyn K. Miller, age 58 of Mishawaka, IN
PLYMOUTH — The Marshall County Board of Zoning Appeals gave a variance of use to a Bremen farmer to add to his CFO business on Grape Road in Bremen.
Caleb Coffel came before the board for a third time seeking to add two barns for broiler chickens to his current business. Just as in the first two attempts several neighbors opposed to the expansion also made their voices heard.
The variance of use was to amend a setback of 1320 feet from a neighboring structure part of the Marshall County ordinance for such an operation. The state of Indiana only requires a 400-foot setback for such an operation.
In his last attempt, Joseph Stoller, who owns property across the street from Coffel, objected since the neighboring structure belonged to him and voiced his objection, saying that the setback should be adhered to.
Since that unsuccessful attempt at a variance, Coffel has purchased an adjacent property for the purpose of expansion. In this case, there is also a neighboring structure that is not quite in the required setback for a neighboring structure and Coffel asked for the variance to 500 feet. He also had the written approval of the two neighbors, Michael Leeper and Audra Berg, owning the structure and the adjacent property for the allowance.
Stoller again expressed his objection based on increased truck traffic saying that each month 30 to 40 more trucks would be on the road to haul the 80,000 birds out and bring new birds in. He also restated his objections based on the smell of the operation and the lowering of property values.
The area is currently zoned for agricultural activity, but the town of Bremen again voiced their objection to the expansion citing the town’s plans to develop property to the north for housing.
While there is no “imminent” development planned the town says feels that the expansion less than a mile outside of the city limits would be a long-term impediment to any such development.
Coffel has obtained the needed IDEM permits for the expansion and meets all the other standards of the county ordinance.
The board voted for the variance 4-1 with Trent Bennett voting no.
BOURBON — On April 7 at 12:10 p.m. Marshall County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a Silver Honda at US 30 and Fir Road.
The driver, Luis G. Lara, 26, was found to never have had a driver’s license and speeding. He was taken to the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — The REES Theatre in historical Plymouth, invites you to their March Seasoned Citizen movie matinee featuring “The Happiest Musical Ever Made” Easter Parade starring Judy Garland and Fred Astaire on Wednesday, April 9th at 2 p.m.
For just $8, “Seasoned” citizens aged 55 and up can enjoy an afternoon out with pop and popcorn included.
The Seasoned Citizens series is presented on the second Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m.
The Family Matinee series continues in April with Nanny McPhee starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth on Sunday, April 13.
Kids 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paid adult.
Tickets for both movies are available at the door one hour before the show, at Na Rie Simple Treasures, or in advance at reestheatre.org.
PLYMOUTH — On April 6 at 12:34 p.m., Plymouth Police made a traffic stop at Michigan and Skylane on a vehicle driven by Wilmer Daniel Rodas Alvarez, 43 of Goshen.
He was found to be driving without ever having received a license. He was lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
PLYMOUTH — On the evening of April 4, at 10:10 p.m., Plymouth Police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in the area of Michigan and LaPorte Street for driving with no lights on.
The driver was identified as 53-year-old Exal Cruz-Meda, of Plymouth. Cruz-Meda was found to have never been issued a driver’s license and was taken into custody and lodged at the Marshall County Jail.
Suspects are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
