Emergency crews have completely shut down all lanes of traffic on Interstate 94 in Kalamazoo county, Michigan, after a fatal pile up involving more than 100 vehicles today. Multiple semis and passenger vehicles were involved. According to Michigan State Police, more than 70 vehicles in the westbound lanes and more than 20 vehicles in the …read more.

Upland Brewery staff with Chris Pratt The NBC show “Parks and Recreation” recently invited the crew from Upland Brewery in Bloomington to visit the television studio’s Hollywood set as a way of saying thank you to one of the Indiana businesses that has helped provide props for the show. The group from Upland said they …read more.

By ANN WOJAS Public Information Office, Indiana State Police A three-semi crash in the early morning hours today took the life of one of the drivers. Preliminary investigation by Trooper Erik Kocinski revealed at approximately 3:45 a.m., Friday, a 2010 Kenworth tractor bobtail with no trailer, driven by Ismael Flores, 32 of Chicago, was eastbound …read more.

J.C. Penney Co. Inc has announced that it plans to close approximately 40 US stores this year, including one in Indiana. The move will affect almost 2,300 workers throughout the country. Most closures will take place by April 4. The Indiana location that will be closed is in the Marquette Mall in Michigan City. The …read more.

Indiana State Police are investigating a crash involving a trooper that happened at 11:42 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, on the Indiana Toll Road. Trooper Andrew Kocsis, 32, was covering a single vehicle personal injury accident that had happened moments earlier at the 76 mile marker in the eastbound lanes of the toll road. He had …read more.

Heorot Pub and Draught House in Muncie has been named to DRAFT magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Beer Bars” for the fifth year in a row. The classic literature-themed establishment boasts nearly 70 different ales, ciders, lagers and meads on tap, as well as more than 300 available bottles. The magazine’s list included only …read more.

The consumer finance site NerdWallet has released its annual study on the best cities and towns in Indiana for young families to live. Rankings were based on factors such as home affordability, education quality, prosperity and growth and family friendliness. According to the website, Fishers, Westfield and Granger are at the top of the list. …read more.

Aaron Varner, 29, and Alan Winn, 23, were arrested in Lawrence, IN, on Monday Jan. 6 after a cell phone taken in an armed robbery led police directly to the apartment complex where they were located. The two men allegedly stormed into a T-Mobile store on Pendleton Pike around 1:45 p.m. Monday and ordered all …read more.

US News and World Report has included several Indiana colleges and universities on a list ranking the best online degree programs. The IU Kelley School of Business was rated number one among all online MBA and graduate business degree programs. Five schools from Indiana made the top 200 for bachelor’s degrees, based on factors which …read more.

A bill has been filed in the Indiana House that would allow Sunday alcohol sales at liquor stores, groceries and pharmacies. Co-authored by Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, and Terri Austin, D-Anderson, this is not the first time such legislation has been discussed. Similar efforts in years past have met with resistance from the state’s powerful liquor …read more.

Kirby Delauter, a Frederick county, Maryland, county council member has threatened to sue his local newspaper, the Frederick News-Post, for “unauthorized” use of his name and referencing him in an article about a council meeting. Now, the councilman who didn’t want his name in the newspaper is making headlines across the country. A Facebook post from …read more.

Elkhart police are asking for the public’s help in finding Ernest Lehman, 52, who went missing on Dec. 30. He is described as being approximately 5’10”, weighing 175 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone who might have information on Lehman’s whereabouts is asked to call the Elkhart Police Department at (574) 295-7070. Source: …read more.

Madeline Hayden, 18, of Hendricks county was crowned the 57th Miss Indiana state fair queen Sunday at Indiana Farmers Coliseum. She is the first contestant from Hendricks county to be named fair queen. Hayden is a freshman at Purdue University, majoring in speech language and hearing sciences. “I was hoping to make the top ten. …read more.

According to Indiana State Police, Richard Kingston, 59, of Norris City, IL, survived a single-engine plane crash in Selma, IN, Sunday afternoon. Authorities responding to a report of a plane crash in southeastern Delaware county had to be taken to the scene by tractor, where they found Kingston conscious and alert. Emergency workers extricated him …read more.

UPDATE: The missing hunter, Jackie Bellinger of Indianapolis, was located at approximately 11:20 a.m. Bellinger made his way to State Road 135 south of the Story area, where he was picked up by a passerby. Bellinger then contacted a family member to advise that he was ok. He was then transported back to the initial …read more.

New legislation proposed by state senator Mike Delph, R-Carmel, could allow Governor Mike Pence to run for both governor and president of the United States on the same ballot. To date, Pence has not yet declared an intention to run for president, but the proposal would allow him (or any other state lawmaker) to seek …read more.

William Gilliland, 67, of Pendleton, IN, has been arrested on child molestation charges. His business, the Old Fashion Candy Shoppe on Main St. in Pendleton, was also raided to gather evidence. Gilliland faces numerous allegations of child molestation, child exploitation and possession of child pornography for cases dating back to 2008. Three victims have come …read more.

Ink Free News has been hearing from readers that many people and businesses are receiving calls for this NIPSCO scam; not just in Nappanee.  We strongly suggest that if you receive a call claiming to be an official representative, that you verify the number and give the official company a return call. Original Release: The …read more.

Authorities say an inmate of Wabash Valley Correctional Facility has died after being stabbed Friday, Dec. 26. Kango Douglas, 25, was taken to an Indianapolis hospital after being attacked in a recreation yard and stabbed in the neck, face and head. The suspect in the attack was reportedly identified and put in restrictive custody at …read more.

The South Bend Medical Foundation, which supplies blood to area blood banks, is critically low on type A negative and type O negative blood. Supplies are so low, especially for O negative, that they will not be able to provide blood to emergency rooms and trauma centers that need it. “Over the weekend we really …read more.

Arthur Neal Jr., 86, of Detroit, has been reported missing after his family said he recently won $20,000 in a lottery game. Neal was last seen at his home on Dec. 20. According to family, he has never gone this long without communication. His 1998 Cadillac with Michigan license plate BMZ7786 is also missing. Detroit …read more.

A man in LaPorte county was arrested following an argument over a board game that escalated into a domestic dispute Saturday, Dec. 27. According to police reports, Richard Taylor, 48, of Mill Creek, IN, was playing the game LIFE with his family when he made some remarks that upset his wife. There was no physical …read more.

A newborn baby was found dead at Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis Sunday, Dec. 28. A hiker found the baby girl wrapped in a sweatshirt near a trail in the woods on the far north end of the park around 4:30 p.m. The infant was pronounced dead by EMS when they arrived to the scene. …read more.

Indiana Conservation Officers of District Seven are proud to announce Master Officer Mike Kellner has been selected as the District Seven officer of the year. District Seven includes ten southwestern counties in Indiana. Officer Kellner is assigned to Warrick and Vanderburgh Counties and has served southwestern Indiana for over 30 years. Mike was born in …read more.

Grouseland, the former home of William Henry Harrison located in Vincennes, IN, will be featured in an upcoming episode of the NBC comedy “Parks and Recreation.” The executive director of the historical home stated that a film crew for the show took interior and exterior footage of the mansion during a visit to Vincennes. However …read more.

Allen Stewart loves comic books so much that he built a replica of the DC Comics’ Hall of Justice in his backyard to store them all. Since then, the one-of-a-kind Hall of Heroes Museum at 58005 17th St., Elkhart, has amassed around 60,000 comics, with 40 more being added every week. And, yes, he reads …read more.

FISHERSBURG – Jared Rebuck, 25, of Elwood, IN, was arrested Christmas morning after allegedly attempting to poison a pregnant woman to induce a miscarriage, according to the Madison county sheriff’s department. Deputies were called to the woman’s home in Fishersburg where she said she smelled “a strange odor” coming from a drink Rebuck had prepared …read more.

The city of Kokomo has announced a new major development project to help revive its downtown and bring new life to the city. One of the first steps will be transforming a 100+ year old building into an upscale apartment complex designed to attract professions who currently commute to Kokomo from outside the city. The …read more.

Jennifer Redelman, 32, of Portage, IN, was arrested Dec. 22 after leaving her son with a stranger at Walmart. Police were contacted just after 1 p.m. when a woman alerted Walmart employees to the situation. The woman told officers she had met Redelman at the jewelry counter in the store and spoken with her for …read more.

Indiana has come in 41st in a national survey of state health rankings for the third year in a row. The report, released by the United Health Foundation, stated that Indiana was strong with concern to immunizations, infectious diseases and binge drinking, but needs to work on issues such as physical activity, obesity and air …read more.

A resident of Chicago, Ill., was sentenced Dec. 23 to serve 300 months in prison on federal racketeering charges. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David A. Capp for the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement. The sentence was imposed today by U.S. District Court …read more.

The family birthing center at Parkview Whitley Hospital welcomed it’s 400th baby of the year on Dec. 23, making 2014 the first time the hospital has delivered 400 babies in a single year. Parents Brandon and Kailee Weaver welcomed their third child, Nash. Baby Nash joins his family not only just in time for Christmas, …read more.

An Indiana soldier who had recently returned home from Afghanistan got a not so pleasant welcome from thieves when his house was ransacked Dec. 18 in Hope, Ind. Staff Sergeant Robert Hutson, who is also an Indiana State Police officer, couldn’t find his garage door opener, so he had left a side garage door unlocked …read more.

State health officials are reportedly seeing nearly ten times the number of shigellosis cases this year compared to the same time last year, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. Shigellosis is a contagious illness that causes symptoms similar to the flu, with fever, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Shigellosis is transmitted between people …read more.

The owner of the State Theatre in Logansport, IN, has made a YouTube video inviting the Foo Fighters to stop in and perform at his venue on their way through Indiana while on tour in 2015. The video is quite satiric in nature, making fun of the small space’s “amenities” and how popular bands don’t …read more.

Parry Clark of Jacksonville, FL, was sentenced Monday, Dec.22, for defrauding 34 people in Johnson County, Indiana. According to investigators, Clark hired a Johnson County man to help him solicit investors for his medical malpractice insurance company, Prosidian. Clark then used the money for personal gain. Officials learned of the scam after one of the …read more.

Domminich Shaw, 35, from London, England, has been extradited to Indiana to face charges in an extensive child pornography case. He has been a target of law enforcement officials in the US and Europe since 2011. Shaw is accused of conspiring to distribute child pornography and sexually exploiting children. According to acting US attorney Josh …read more.

Indiana attorney general Greg Zoeller and Indiana senator Jim Merritt announced new legislation at the statehouse this morning that is intended to help protect Hoosiers from online hackers and data breaches. The proposed law will require companies to improve data protection and dispose of customers’ information more frequently. With major data breaches nationwide from companies …read more.

The Indianapolis International Airport solar farm, the largest airport-based solar farm in the world, is now officially fully operational. The second phase of the project’s expansion has been completed. According to information from the project’s website, the 75 acre farm has 44,128 solar panels that are capable of producing more than 16.5 million kilowatt hours …read more.

A man threatening to jump off a bridge over Interstate 80/94 in Gary, IN, finally came down from the edge at about 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, after police negotiators talked to him for about an hour and 40 minutes. Indiana State Police closed both the east and westbound lanes of the interstate highway while …read more.

IU School of Medicine researcher William Sullivan, Ph.D., has been awarded a $1.9 million grant by the National Institute of Health to study Toxoplasma, a dangerous parasite that infects approximately 60 million people in the US every year. The parasite is able to transform itself into a latent cyst and avoid being attacked by the …read more.

The Illinois Tollway is currently testing two new smartphone applications that could provide travel information and allow drivers to pay tolls easily with their phones, if approved. One app is called SafeTrip and would announce traffic information over a phone’s speaker. The other would act as a “guest pass” for out-of-state or other drivers who …read more.

Robert Amonette, Indianapolis, has been arrested for allegedly stealing from an 86 year old man as many as 88 times. Investigators report that he forced the elderly man to withdraw money from the bank, sometimes as often as three times in one day. The withdrawal amounts ranged from $25 to $40 or more. The victim …read more.

Van Buren county, Michigan, police are asking for help in finding 15 year old Patty McDonald, who ran away from her home Wednesday, Dec. 17. Patty’s father told investigators that he fell asleep in the living room of their house around 8:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and when he woke up, Patty was gone. He found …read more.

Indiana State Police headquarters welcomed a delegation of Ukrainian law enforcement investigators for cyber crime training Wednesday, Dec. 17. The Ukrainian representatives also toured ISP’s cyber crime office, learning about the forensic work performed by officers there. The program was part of an exchange coordinated by the United States Department of Justice and Purdue University’s …read more.

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced that a major piece of the new US 31 freeway was completed Wednesday, Dec. 17, in Hamilton county. A flyover ramp from southbound US 31 to eastbound I-465 opened ahead of schedule. The flyover replaces the existing loop ramp on the southwest side of the interchange, providing a …read more.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced a 131-count criminal indictment was unsealed today in Boston, Mass., in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak. Barry J. Cadden, owner and head pharmacist of New England Compounding Center and NECC’s supervisory pharmacist Glenn A chin have been charged with 25 acts of second-degree murder in Indiana, …read more.

A trial began Monday, Dec. 15, in a previously unsolved abduction and rape case in Elkhart county from 26 years ago. Robert E. Quinn, currently serving a sentence for an unrelated child molesting conviction at New Castle Correctional Facility, was charged with felony child molesting, rape and confinement in 2013 after the case was reopened …read more.

A Middlebury woman was killed Tuesday, Dec. 16, in a three vehicle accident at the intersection of US 20 and CR 33. Police and fire crews responded at 11:48 a.m. after a vehicle slowing down to turn was struck from the rear, pushing it into the path of a semi head-on. The semi rolled on its side and went off the road, catching on fire.

KOKOMO – Children’s author Norman Bridwell, creator of the “Clifford the Big Red Dog” books, passed away Friday, Dec. 12, at the age of 86. He was born Feb. 15, 1928, in Kokomo, IN. He graduated from Kokomo High School and Herron School of Art in Indianapolis. Bridwell’s first Clifford story was turned down by …read more.

SOUTH BEND – Photos on Facebook have helped to identify a suspect in two South Bend armed robberies. Federal agents filed a criminal complaint Monday, Dec. 15, accusing Damon Watford and a Facebook friend, Jermont Moore, of robbing two businesses at gunpoint. The incidents in question occurred Nov. 15 at the OC Mini Mart on …read more.

Three rehabilitated eagles, one male and two females, were released back into the wild Monday, Dec. 15, in Hampton Township, MI. One of the females had been rescued from the Saginaw River in September suffering from West Nile virus, while the other two were emaciated due to not being able to capture prey. The birds …read more.

A Southern Indiana teacher was charged Sunday Dec. 14 with child seduction, a level five felony, stemming from a sexual relationship with a 16 year old student. Kellen Hubert, 28, of New Albany, reportedly engaged in consensual sex acts with the teen on multiple occasions in November according to a probable cause affidavit filed in …read more.

Police in Indianapolis have started using body cameras in a 60 day trial period to determine their effectiveness and work out issues such as staffing, storing data, how long to keep the video and who gets to request access to it. The plan is to start with 12 cameras, used primarily in traffic situations. Six …read more.

The Ball State University board of trustees approved new room and board rates for the 2015-2015 academic year Dec. 12. New students will pay a rate that is 4.5 percent higher than the current rate. Returning students will see no increase. “Ball State University continues its commitment to providing high-quality academic and student life experiences …read more.

Zachary D. Reinders, 23, of Fort Wayne was sentenced to 70 years in prison Dec. 15 for the bludgeoning death of a 78 year old woman earlier this year. He pleaded guilty to charges of felony murder and robbery causing serious bodily injury in November, admitting that he used a fireplace poker to beat the …read more.

Goodwill employees in Lafayette discovered two small white boxes filled with cremated human remains while sorting through a lot of donated household items Friday, Dec. 12. Each ash-filled box was wrapped in a velvet pouch and marked with a name and date, which police were able to use to track down family members to reclaim …read more.

A bottlenose dolphin calf was born at the Brookfield Zoo Dec. 12, according to the Chicago Zoological Society. The male calf was welcomed by first-time mom Allison at around 1:15 p.m., weighing in at approximately 40 pounds and measuring 3.5 feet long. Following the birth, staff observed key milestones including nursing and slipstreaming, which is …read more.

Terre Haute – An inmate serving a 10 year sentence in federal prison escaped Dec. 14 from a minimum security facility. Michael Ward, 61, was first noticed to be missing during a count Sunday morning.

At 10:11 a.m. on Saturday, Hazel Grace was born at a hospital in Cleveland and Quincy Kessler was born at a hospital in Billings, Montana, making their birth date and time 10:11 12/13/14. Hazel is the daughter of Leisha Campbell and Shawn Zimmerman, of Cleveland, said hospital spokeswoman Sabrina Powers. The couple has three other …read more.

Terrin Thomas, a former Miss Indiana pageant winner, was arrested Dec. 10 in Bloomington on several charges, including public intoxication. Officers responded to a call received at 3:30 a.m. regarding an intoxicated woman knocking on an apartment door on East 8th Street for half an hour, yelling to be let in. When they arrived, police …read more.

Two former Hendricks County Sheriff’s deputies who were fired for misconduct in March over missing money have now been arrested in connection with one of the biggest synthetic drug rings in the state. Police and Homeland Security agents have confiscated a safe belonging to Jason and Teresa Woods that contained more than $80,000 cash and …read more.

Acting United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced Dec. 5, the sentencing of Terry Joe Smith, age 38, of Greencastle. Smith, who served as a deputy with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department was sentenced to 14 months by U.S. District Judge William T. Lawrence. Smith was found guilty after a jury trial in September of …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Indiana State Board of Funeral and Cemetery Service today ordered an emergency suspension of Clark-O’Neal Funeral Home’s mortuary license. The South Bend business owes more than a quarter of a million dollars in unpaid taxes and has been operating without a Registered Retail Merchant Certificate for more than a year and …read more.

South Bend Woodworks president Mike Lindburg received a delightful surprise over Thanksgiving weekend … a giant sized version of his company’s child’s wooden train engine was chosen to be part of the White House’s 2014 Christmas decorations displays! This unexpected honor has Lindburg and the company’s seven employees ecstatic and the year-old shop abuzz with …read more.

(INDIANAPOLIS) December 2, 2014 – Hoosiers for Sunday Sales, a coalition of consumers and retailers from across Indiana, launched a campaign today in support of legislation to change Indiana law to permit the sales of adult beverages on Sundays in drug, grocery, liquor and convenience stores. The coalition rollout follows a recent poll showing that a majority of Hoosier consumers believe that state law should be changed to legalize Sunday alcohol sales at retail stores.

INDIANAPOLIS – Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann today accepted the donation of a Christmas tree for her office from representatives of the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association. The Fraser Fir was provided by Hensler Nursery which has been in business for over sixty years in Hamlet, Indiana. Later in the day, members of three Indianapolis Girl …read more.

The Friends of Ernie Pyle own and operate the Ernie Pyle World War II Museum. The museum, located in Dana, preserves the legacy of the war’s most famous correspondent and the legacy of that generation, which grew up during the Great Depression and won World War II.

By CAPT. JAMES L. BRADBERRY Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department Elkhart County Sheriff’s Detectives are continuing to investigate the death of a 58-year-old female who was found deceased inside of her home earlier this morning. At approximately 6:17 a.m. fire department personnel responded to a house fire  at a residence located at 28962 Kehres St., Elkhart. …read more.

AMBER ALERT CANCELLED: Shortly before 7 p.m. Friday, Warren police confirmed that Delilah Flores was found, and is reportedly unharmed. WLNS-TV in Lansing reported she was in Alachua County, Florida. Missing 3 year old, Delilah Flores. Delilah was last seen wearing a pink sweater, gray leggings with purple polka dots, and beige boots. The child …read more.

Fidel Salinas, 28, has admitted to attempting to hack into the Hidalgo County server in January 2012, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Salinas, of Donna, Texas, admitted that in the late evening/early morning hours of Jan. 4-5, 2012, he ran a script from his computer on the administrative website of Hidalgo County with the intent …read more.

A warm weather holiday has turned into a hot mess for a Saskatchewan couple. Jennifer Huculak-Kimmel gave birth nine weeks early while on holiday in Hawaii in November 2013. Her baby daughter had to be hospitalized. “My water broke two days into our holiday,” Huculak-Kimmel said. “I spent six weeks on bed rest and then baby …read more.

Two Illinois men were arrested by Plymouth Police Sunday after an armed robbery at The Cellular Connection, 1605 N. Michigan St., Plymouth. Brandon M. Terrell, 26, Kankakee, Ill., and Deshontay L. Lewis, 27, Bourbonnais, Ill., were booked in the Marshall County Jail on preliminary charges of armed robbery, a level 3 felony. Plymouth Police received …read more.

Devante Michael Halcomb, 20, Plymouth, has been arrested by Plymouth Police on a charge of child molesting, a level 3 felony. Plymouth Police Det. Sgt. Leo Mangus reports on Oct. 26, the department received a report regarding sexual activity involving a 13-year-old female and Halcomb. The investigation revealed two sexual encounters had taken place in …read more.