INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Scores released Tuesday show Indiana students made modest gains on the state’s ISTEP tests this past school year and one South Bend school improved enough to avert a state takeover. The state Education Department said that of the 500,000 students taking the standardized tests, 71 percent passed both the language arts and …read more.

In a special session of the Syracuse Town Council, bids were awarded to H + G Underground Utilities of LaPorte for just under $2 million. The bid was for offsite construction work on the Syracuse industrial and technology park located at SR 13 and U.S. 6. Cripe Excavating was the winning bidder for onsite work …read more.

Individuals representing various businesses and organizations, and even private individuals will be supporting the future leaders of the community during the 2012 Kosciusko County 4-H Livestock Auction on Friday, July 13. This year, the 4-H livestock auction will start promptly at 10 a.m. in the show arena. The auction continues with no breaks throughout the …read more.

Livestock shows and grandstand acts aren’t the only entertainment planned for the Kosciusko County Community Fair this week. Between circuses, talent shows and science exhibits, there is plenty of free entertainment to be found on the fairgrounds. Zerbini Family Circus will be putting on daily shows at 8:30 p.m. starting July 10. On July 11-13 …read more.

Dixie Days was first and foremost on the minds of the members of the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce when they met at their monthly meeting Monday at the North Webster American Legion. The fourth annual three-day Dixie Days will run from Thursday, July 26, through Saturday, July 28, and there is literally something …read more.

The 200 Block of West Fort Wayne Street in Warsaw is closed due to a gas leak in that area and police say it will be remain closed for most of the day. Warsaw Fire Department was called to the location around 7:30 a.m. for the odor of natural gas and found natural gas bubbling …read more.

Discussion continued Monday night on proposed changes to Warsaw’s existing sign ordinance, but this time the general mood of those in attendance was one of appreciation. Prior to the start of the Warsaw City Plan Commission meeting, Warsaw City Planner Jeremy Skinner  had provided copies for the audience of the existing ordinance and bullet points …read more.

An 18-year-old Elkhart man has been identified as the driver who fatally injured a bicyclist in June. The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department today announced that Kevin William-Dean Meyer was the driver of the vehicle that struck a bicycle at 3:35 a.m. June 7 on CR 17, just south of the U.S. 20 underpass in Elkhart. …read more.

Winona Lake Police Chief Paul Schmitt continues to ask for the public’s help in finding a suspect wanted for theft and fraud. This photo, taken from a surveillance camera at a Walgreens, shows the suspect who is wanted for taking debit/credit cards from a parked vehicle in Winona Lake on May 10. The suspect had …read more.

At approximately 4:10 a.m this morning, Warsaw Police say two masked men entered the Warsaw CVS Pharmacy at 100 N. Detroit St., and displayed handguns and terrorized three employees. According to police, the suspects forced two female employees to the pharmacy area and had them lay on the floor. A male pharmacist was then ordered …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s decision to deny Planned Parenthood Medicaid funds because it performs abortions denies women the freedom to choose their health care providers, a federal hearing officer said. The state had asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in Chicago to reconsider its June 2011 ruling that found changes in Indiana’s Medicaid …read more.

(AP) – When Edward and Mary Weidenbener went to vote in Indiana’s primary in May, they didn’t realize that state law required them to bring government photo IDs such as a driver’s license or passport. The husband and wife, both approaching 90 years old, had to use a temporary ballot that would be verified later, …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Officials in three Indiana counties are blaming a total of five deaths on near-record heat that lingered across the state for days. Elkhart County Coroner John White told WSBT-TV on Sunday that an elderly woman was found dead Friday night in her home in the northern Indiana city and a 45-year-old man …read more.

The 2012 Wawasee Flotilla is in the record books as another year with spectacular entries. Enthusiasm from participants as well as those on shore was evident throughout the two-hour journey around the lake. Commodore Bob Myers chose the entry of “Lake Wawasee History,” entered by the nonprofit group Women of Today, as his choice for the Commodore’s Trophy. The Pontoon …read more.

Grandstand events at this year’s Kosciusko County Community Fair promise to offer something for everyone. And, depending on the event, tickets range from free to just $25. A Wild West Review will start at 6 p.m. Monday, July 9. The review features: Ohio Top Hands, trick rider Linda Nealy, Indiana Mounted Shooter, Wayne Ithier, and …read more.

A Warsaw man died this morning after sustaining injuries in a car accident. Steven Eigsti, 21, of Warsaw was a passenger in a truck pulling a travel trailer headed south on SR 15 just south of New Paris. The truck, driven by Brandon Eigsti, 25, ran off the road just south of CR 50, hitting …read more.

An airplane crash landed in a field east of Nappanee Thursday, but the pilot escaped injury. According to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, officers were called at approximately 8:50 p.m. to investigate the crash in a cornfield east of the Nappanee Airport and north of U.S. 6 and east of CR 13. David Cooper, 50, …read more.

Police are responding tonight to an accident on State Road 25 near Palestine. A car was reported to have crashed into a utility pole, halting traffic on the road while the accident is investigated. We will have more details as they are provided.

According to a press release from the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, inmate visitation at the Elkhart County Correctional facility will be down this weekend due to technical difficulties with the video visitation systems. The temporary restriction on inmate visitation will last the entire weekend and will be looked at again on Monday, July 9, 2012.

A hearing in Kosciusko Superior Court 1 today was held in the Dr. Dane Miller v. Brent Wilcoxson case. The hearing was set to determine a permanent restraining order on 13 properties at the center of the lawsuit. Dr. Miller is suing his former business partner in Winona Restoration Partners LLC, accusing Wilcoxson of wrongfully obtaining …read more.

The Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club will be having a  criterium bike races on Aug. 3 and it will be held during the Warsaw First Friday event. This morning, the Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety approved an expanded area of the downtown roads that will be closed for the Aug. 3 event. The extended …read more.

The 96th annual Kosciusko County Community Fair begins Sunday with a free day. The midway opens on Monday. This year, the fair is offering themed days and will honor a particular group or sponsor for each day. These days often mean discounted admission or themed activities. Sunday is Family Day Families will be able to …read more.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugrLoWbVYyo] Warsaw Police Officer Trenton Shively was sworn in today as the newest member of the police force. The event took place during the Warsaw Board of Public Works & Safety meeting. Shively served as an officer with the Plymouth Police Department for four years prior to coming to Warsaw one year ago. Today’s …read more.

A North Webster man is in serious condition this morning in a Fort Wayne hospital after being stabbed several times shortly after midnight. Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to various 9-1-1 calls early this morning at approximately 12:54 a.m. after witnesses said a man came to their door bleeding and seeking help.  As officers converged …read more.

An Illinois woman critically injured in a motorcycle accident near Pierceton Thursday has died. Paula M. Harwood, 39, of Bourbonnais, Ill., passed away in Parkview Regional Trauma Center, Fort Wayne, where she was flown following the crash. The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department said Harwood was a passenger on a motorcycle operated by her husband, Thomas …read more.

One person is dead after a single car crash west of Warsaw. It happened at 9:16 p.m. Thursday on CR 350 West just north of CR 200 North. When emergency personnel arrived, they located a 1996 Ford Contour that had disintegrated upon impacting a utility pole. Shaun C. Owens, 32, Warsaw, had been partially ejected …read more.

Two people killed in Fort Wayne on the Fourth of July holiday had ties to Kosciusko County. James R. Hendrickson Jr., 56, of Fort Wayne, and his wife, Mary Catherine Hendrickson, 50, died after their motorcycle was struck head-on by a car on Covington Road, Wednesday. James was a graduate of Warsaw Community High School. …read more.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, have issued a Water Shortage Warning for 32 Indiana counties that continue to be severely affected by the prolonged drought. The warning was issued Monday, July 2, to operators of public water systems in the norther one-third of the state, …read more.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating a boat accident that injured 11-year-old Morgan Rodman of New Paris. The accident occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. this afternoon on Dewart Lake in Kosciusko County. CO Joseph Tenbarge and officers from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department responded to the call regarding a juvenile being struck by a PWC. According …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Purdue agricultural experts say the drought that’s hitting much of the Midwest this summer will hit consumers in the pocketbook by next year. Economist Chris Hurt says food prices tend to go up whenever production decreases in a major farm state like Indiana, which he says the drought has hit hardest. Hurt …read more.

An Illinois woman is in very critical condition following an accident on U.S. 30 at CR 450 East, Pierceton. According to Kosciusko County Sheriff”s Department officers, a motorcycle crashed when witnesses say a rear wheel of the bike blew. Upon arrival, emergency responders located the driver, Thomas C. Harwood, 44, Bourbonnais, Ill., and his wife, Paula …read more.

The town of Mentone has extended the ban on no open burning or fireworks through July 9. The Kosciusko County Commissioners on Tuesday extended a burn ban for the entire county which omitted fireworks from the ban. Mentone Town Council President Tim Croy says they are enforcing the ban on fireworks in the town by citing …read more.

The National Weather Service of Northern Indiana is reporting that dry conditions starting 2012 have impacted much of the region. June’s hot and dry weather only intensified on-going drought conditions across the area. According to the NWS Drought Monitor, moderate to extreme drought conditions are present across much of northern Indiana, southern lower Michigan and …read more.

More arrests are expected as an investigation following a June 30 methamphetamine bust has continued. Following the arrests of Charles Dove, 28, of Warsaw, and Jason Sheppard, 33, of Roann, made Saturday at a residence on South Detroit Street, police found evidence linking the men to several thefts. According to police, property taken during a …read more.

In recent weeks Warsaw Police have been called to the Economy Inn in Warsaw numerous times, and several times have made drug arrests. It was the same scenario Tuesday. On Tuesday, July 3, while officers were at the motel at 3521 Lake City Highway, Warsaw, for an unrelated matter, they noticed the strong odor of …read more.

Smoldering insulation in a metal building at Tranzstar Inc. trucking company in Warsaw, had firefighters battling extreme temperatures to prevent a fire. The fire department was called shortly before 1 p.m. to the business at 1406 W. Winona Ave. Winona Lake was called for assistance, but the fire was contained within minutes and no structural …read more.

Warsaw Plan Commission will meet in a public session Monday, July 9, to further discuss amendments to the city’s sign ordinance. Monday’s meeting is an opportunity for members of the public to voice their input on the proposed changes. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be in the city council chambers, 302 E. …read more.

During this week’s First Friday event in downtown Warsaw, KCV Cycling Club will be offering free valet bicycle parking as part of the community’s Ride + Walk Warsaw + Winona Lake Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly Community initiative. From 5 p.m. to  9:30 p.m., people are encouraged to ride their bicycles downtown to enjoy the evening’s …read more.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces that SR 13 in Syracuse is scheduled to close at 8:30 a.m. Saturday due to a parade. The closure is between West Railroad Avenue and West High Street. The road will re-open after 11:30 a.m. The detour will be West Railroad Street to North Main Street, to North Mill …read more.

The National Weather Service is reporting record high temperatures have been reached today. As of 4 p.m., the NWS reported a record high of 101 degrees at Fort Wayne. That ties a record for this day set in 1955. In South Bend, the thermostat hit 100 degrees. The last time temperatures reached that high there …read more.

Following is a list of area events and fireworks displays for the 4th of July. Akron Fireworks at dusk on July 4, in downtown Akron. Syracuse Lake Syracuse Lake Association is sponsoring fireworks over Syracuse Lake again this year. The show will be held at dusk Wednesday, July 4. View the display at Lakeside Park, 1014 N. …read more.

The Indiana State Police will be increasing patrols this upcoming holiday period.  Motorists are reminded to do their part while traveling during the Fourth of July holiday.  So far this year there have been 36 more people who have lost their lives on Hoosier highways than during than this time last year. To help ensure …read more.

During Friday’s storm, the Kosciusko Communications Center reported receiving 440 emergency calls for service in a one hour period. That was an average of about 7.3 calls per minute and did not include non-emergency lines which were largely not answered while the storm was in progress. KCC Director David Rosenberry told the Kosciusko County Commissioners …read more.

The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Detective Division is alerting the public in light of recent incidents that they have been investigating. Internet scammers are posting listings on Internet based classified ad websites such as Craig’s List posting they have a home for rent in the Kosciusko County area. The scammer provides contact information to a …read more.

Kosciusko County Commissioners this morning extended a burn ban in light of the continued drought conditions. Emergency Management Director Ed Rock recommended the commissioners sign a new disaster declaration extending the ban for another two weeks. Unanimously, commissioners president Bob Conley and Ron Truex and Brad Jackson approved the ban, which is now in effect …read more.

The persistent hot and dry weather resulting in drought conditions across most of Indiana has prompted a call for high-capacity water facilities in 32 counties to implement voluntary water conservation measures. Kosciusko County is one of those counties with area farmers, towns of Syracuse and Milford being affected. However, notifications have yet to be received. According to a press …read more.

The National Weather Service near North Webster, Ind., has issued an excessive heat warning in effect for Kosciusko  County beginning Tuesday and extending through Saturday. The heat warning will go into effect from noon Tuesday, July 3, to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 7. The heat warning means hazardous weather is impending. Very hot conditions will …read more.

Mentone Town Council met Monday night and voted against the newly amended county burn ban by continuing a ban on personal fireworks usage in the town limits. Mentone Town Council President Tim Croy notified StaceyPageOnline.com after the meeting saying the board is ” … upholding our decision to ban all open burning and fireworks, due …read more.

Former Syracuse resident Brock Boyts and his wife, Nellie, learned today they were the winners in the Union Pacific Railroad commercial contest for June. Boyts and his commercial was featured on this website on June 22. A freelance animator and motion designer now living in Los Angeles, Calif., Boyts is continuing his education in a …read more.

A woman test driving a car from the Warsaw Auto Plex was taken to Kosciusko Community Hospital for treatment after a collision at SR 15 and CR 250 North near Walmart. According to a police report, Cindy Stiver, 56, Warsaw, was northbound on SR 15 returning to the auto dealership when Stanton Frantz, 61, of …read more.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV1wzpw8Lx0] Brandon Evans, 30, of Vincennes was riding his bicycle on Center Street at Bronson Street in Warsaw Monday and was struck by a vehicle. Evans was airlifted shortly after the crash. The accident happened at approximately 6:20 p.m. in the eastbound lane of Center Street. Medics tending to Evans at the scene then …read more.

Wawasee Community School Corp. plans to begin work in early fall on a second parking lot for Milford School. Between 25 and 30 parking spaces will be added by the construction, which school officials hope will also facilitate the flow of people who want to visit the school office. “The big problem over in Milford …read more.

Recently the weather has been anything but a mundane, routine conversation piece. It has taken on an extremely serious tone, particularly for anyone dependent upon rainfall. Local area drought conditions are being compared to 1988, another benchmark year. Last week, the U.S. Drought Monitor placed Kosciusko County and other areas nearby in northern Indiana in …read more.

“Cartoon Mania” and this year’s Wawasee Flotilla will go as scheduled Sunday in spite of Wawasee Lake’s levels being almost 2-feet below normal. Entries will gather in Conklin Bay at 1 p.m. Sunday with the Flotilla beginning its clockwise trek around the lake at 1:30 p.m. The route may not motor as close to shore as in the …read more.

Volunteers from all around the Webster Lake area have contributed toward the building and locating of five additional fish cribs or habitats, according to organizer Gary Dant. “People have come to help us build, given money and local businesses have really contributed their services to make this possible. It is a community project that has …read more.

Grace College students participating in applied learning experiences this summer are thriving in environments where they get a chance to practice real, experiential-based work and interaction. Applied learning initiatives aim to take the principles taught in the classroom out into the real world where otherwise solely academic concepts are put to practical use. This summer …read more.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Fireworks retailers around Indiana say they’re seeing a big hit to sales because of the fireworks bans being put in place amid the state’s drought conditions. Some retailers maintain that many customers are confused by some counties prohibiting fireworks even though they believe state law allows them to be set …read more.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — It is expected to take utility crews a couple more days to have all electricity restored in Fort Wayne, where city officials say more than 500 trees were toppled by a severe storm. Indiana Michigan Power reports nearly 50,000 customers around Fort Wayne remained without power Monday morning following Friday’s …read more.

Drought conditions that are ravaging crops and landscaping across Indiana are also responsible for keeping area beaches open. Bob Weaver, administrator and chief scientist for the Kosciusko County Health Department, theorizes that the lack of rain has actually kept E. coli bacteria levels in area lakes down because there has not been the runoff associated …read more.

Manchester College is now Manchester University, a new milestone for the 123-year-old campus that has grown from a small liberal arts college into a complex institution of higher education with two campuses and advanced degrees. July 1, 2012, marks the date the college became Manchester University, a decision of its Board of Trustees last April. …read more.

As StaceyPageOnline.com was the first to report on Saturday, an attempted abduction was reported in Warsaw. The 12-year-old victim told StaceyPageOnline.com that she was playing at the end of her driveway, in the 800 block along CR North 175 East, when she was approached by a man. The man allegedly told her he had a …read more.

A warrant investigation Saturday by Warsaw Police resulted in the discovery of a methamphetamine lab and the arrest of two local men. WPD says at 3:40 p.m. Saturday, Warsaw detectives received information that a subject wanted on a warrant was at a home at 415 S. Detroit St. Upon arrival, officers discovered four people in …read more.

Just when KREMC and visiting linemen had nearly restored all of the electric service wiped out by Friday’s storm, a second system Sunday packing high winds caused further scattered outages throughout Kosciusko County. At the present time KREMC is not able to determine the number of members affected from today’s weather, but continue to work …read more.

Approximately 500 NIPSCO customers in Warsaw and Winona Lake and 125 in North Webster, and about 500 Kosciusko REMC customers are still without power as of 2 p.m. Sunday. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallamer says NIPSCO has been working around the clock to restore electricity and now expect everyone to be back online by this afternoon. …read more.

StaceyPageOnline.com has received several reports of a serious accident at New Paris Speedway, CR 46, late Saturday night. According to witnesses, a crash in the front stretch resulted in a lot of debris thrown into the crowd, which reportedly injured several spectators. One person claims a baby was taken from the scene in critical condition …read more.

StaceyPageOnline.com has learned that within the last hour a 12-year-old girl was the victim of an attempted abduction. It occurred in the 800 block of CR North 175 East, Warsaw. According to the victim, she was approached by a man and told he had suckers in his car and asked if she wanted to go …read more.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE – On Friday afternoon, an intense, long-lived windstorm called a derecho formed in northwest Indiana and began carving a path of destruction over 600 miles long. Winds approaching 100 miles per hour were reported during the most intense part of the event (between Fort Wayne, Ind., and Columbus, Ohio). At the peak …read more.

Due to power outages and the extended time that NIPSCO and Kosciusko REMC need to restore all electricity, the city of Warsaw has announced it will again opening a cooling center on Sunday. Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer says the Pete Thorn Center, 800 N. Park Ave., Warsaw, will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. …read more.

Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating why a North Webster woman drove into Backwater Lake today. At approximately 2:40 p.m., Kosciusko County Central Dispatch received a call of a vehicle in the lake. According to witnesses, 58-year-old Mary Neibert drove her vehicle into the public access boat ramp parking lot, circled the lot, then drove into the …read more.

Kosciusko REMC reports restoration efforts continue this morning after a severe storm tore through Kosciusko County Friday afternoon and says some customers could remain without power until early Sunday evening. As of 10 a.m. about 400 to 500 members were still without power. KREMC workers reported finding more poles and lines down than initially expected. …read more.

NIPSCO crews are still diligently working to restore electricity in Kosciusko County after a severe storm swept through the area Friday afternoon. As of 7 p.m. Saturday, NIPSCO reported they hope to have all power in Kosciusko County restored by Sunday afternoon. Approximately 1,500 customers in Warsaw are still without power. There are still about …read more.

A viewer of StaceyPageOnline.com contacted The Papers to provide and seek information. Amanda, who was at a location on Center Street, near Today’s Headlines in Warsaw, reported her tree on a neighbor’s house and that she lost power before the storm hit. She also reported a fence at the substation near Donnelley’s was wrapped around …read more.

At about 2:15 p.m. Friday winds as strong as 70 mph, according to the National Weather Service, began ripping through downtown Warsaw bringing down trees, limbs and power lines. A Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy also reported seeing a rotation in the skies over the City-County Athletic Complex, but the National Weather Service is not …read more.

Amendments to a growing lawsuit filed by Dr. Dane Miller against his former business partner, Brent Wilcoxson, were filed this morning in Kosciusko Superior Court 1. In the amendment, Dr. Miller was awarded injunctions against Wilcoxson which not only prevent him from removing or destroying any more property referenced in the lawsuit, but also from …read more.

FORT WAYNE — It could not have been any hotter inside Piere’s Nightclub Thursday night. Jacoby Shaddix didn’t care – he demanded the club owners crank up the heaters. The temperature on the bank thermometers around the Canterbury complex were reading near 100 all day, and were still stuck in the 90s as the sun …read more.

Kosciusko Red Cross Nursing Volunteer and Warsaw resident Mary Hoffer is deploying to Colorado as a Staff Services Nurse. This is Mary’s first deployment. Staff Services volunteers take care of the volunteers who are giving their time to help the Red Cross. A nurse deployed in the area of Staff Services will provide nursing services …read more.

Since StaceyPageOnline.com broke a story Thursday that numerous employees of at least one local business were finding their bank accounts hacked, more reports have surfaced. Symmetry Medical this morning called for a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputy who took reports from at least 31 first-shift employees, all who have reported fraudulent purchases on their accounts. The …read more.

Despite a language barrier, a Kosciusko 911 dispatcher was able to summon help to an area of CRs 800 West and 400 North near Atwood early this morning where one victim was hurt in a one vehicle crash. Shortly before 1:30 a.m., dispatchers received the initial 911 call from a male Hispanic who was reportedly …read more.

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug addiction to date and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department is urging all residents to check their homes and medicine cabinets for unused or expired prescription drugs. Residents are encouraged to safely dispose of those drugs in a special drop box located in front of the sheriff’s department …read more.

The public is welcome to join in the festivities as the Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory celebrates 100 years of service. As part of Warsaw’s July 6 First Fridays event, the fire department will be hosting a hog roast and other festivities beginning at 5 p.m. at Warsaw Fire Station One, 109 E. Main St. There will be a charge …read more.

Kosciusko County Commissioners today have again extended the burn ban but they have backed off of the restriction on personal fireworks. In an email, Kosciusko Emergency Management Director Ed Rock says, “Due to the confusing nature of the fireworks laws in the state of Indiana, and to be consistent with our ongoing position which states, ‘We …read more.

StaceyPageOnline.com is receiving reports that numerous employees of local businesses are finding their bank accounts have been hacked. According to the reports, accounts at Teachers Credit Union, Lake City Bank and Mutual Federal banks are among the hardest hit where many customers are claiming someone fraudulently used their accounts to purchase airline tickets and iPads. …read more.

(AP) Here is a look at where Indiana stands on implementing President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul, which the Supreme Court ruled today can go forward: NUMBER OF UNINSURED: 850,000 state residents are uninsured, or about 13.4 percent. WHERE THE STATE STANDS: Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels ordered state agencies to build a framework for …read more.

The Kosciusko County Coroner’s office is in support of the public safety with our citizens who live, work and play in Kosciusko County. Accidental death can occur from extreme temperatures, dehydration, and over exertion in temperatures as we are experiencing. INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is reminding Hoosiers that overexposure to summer …read more.

Nearly quarter of Indiana labeled extreme drought INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A federal report now lists nearly a quarter of Indiana as being in extreme drought as much of the state faces the driest June on record. The new U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday shows counties in the Evansville area and much of the area …read more.

On July 10, 2001, Sgt. Dan R. Starnes of the Morgan County Indiana Sheriff’s Department, lost his life as a result of gunshot wounds sustained during a line of duty gun battle with a burglary suspect four weeks earlier. To keep his memory alive his surviving spouse, Janice, organized the Sgt. Dan R. Starnes Memorial …read more.

Are you struggling with programing your Weather Alert Radio? Kosciusko County Emergency Management can help. Again this year, KCEM will conduct a Weather Alert Radio Programing session from 7 a.m. to noon this Saturday at Walgreens, 2400 E Center St, Warsaw. Kosciusko County Emergency Management and the Hoosier Lakes Amateur Radio Club will be on hand to …read more.

Both petitions at Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals were approved at Thursday evening’s meeting. James and Debra George’s petition for an exception to allow an oversized accessory building, 3,220 square-feet, where ordinance would allow 864 square-feet, was approved. The property is located on the south side of Medusa Street, just east of Front Street. The petition was approved as petitioned. …read more.

Kosciusko County and surrounding areas are expected to brave a big heat wave this week beginning Thursday and into the weekend. The American Kosciusko County Red Cross urges residents to take precautions to guard against heat stroke and other heat related illnesses. Sweltering summer weather can be just as dangerous as the frigid Indiana winters …read more.

Friends and farmers joined members of the Wolferman family Tuesday evening to witness the transfer of 160 acres of Earl and Mabel Wolferman’s farmland to new owners. About 50 bidders and a few onlookers joined the proceedings at the Milford Community Building. Tom Farms was the high bidder on 105 acres just south of Milford, …read more.

At least two of three fires responded to by Milford Fire Department during the past week were caused by firecrackers, which are currently banned from being used under Kosciusko County’s burn ban. The first call was at 4:27 p.m. Friday, at 202 Turkey Creek Drive, when neighbors heard the sound of firecrackers then spotted a fire in …read more.

Stefanie Brickey, 36, and Justin Baker, 31, both of Fort Wayne, were arrested by Syracuse Police and the Kosciusko County Drug Task Force at 8:55 p.m. Tuesday after an undercover purchase of prescription medication. The undercover purchase occurred at 201 Greenhaus Drive, Syracuse. Officers allegedly purchased pills from Brickey and after the purchase she was taken into custody as she …read more.

An amended lawsuit is expected to be filed in Kosciusko County Superior Court 1 by week’s end and it may accuse a former Winona Lake developer of theft, fraud and conversion. On Dec. 21, 2011, Dr. Dane Miller filed the initial case against his former business partner, Brent Wilcoxson. The two men formed The Winona …read more.

The National Weather Service in northern Indiana has issued a fire weather watch for increased fire danger from Thursday morning through Thursday evening for most of northern Indiana. Indiana counties included in the watch are Adams, Allen, Blackford, Cass, DeKalb, Elkhart, Fulton, Grant, Huntington, Jay, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Marshall, Miami, Noble, Pulaski, Starke, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, …read more.

The term ‘Olympic Dream’ is often tossed around every four years as athletes from around the world make their bids to redefine greatness. While the ‘Olympic Dream’ is a real long shot, a Wawasee High School sophomore is still afforded a chance to turn ‘dream’ into ‘reality’. Breanna Robinson knows her chances to swim in …read more.

In observance of Independence Day, all city of Warsaw offices and departments will be closed Wednesday, July 4. Wednesday’s trash route will be picked up on Thursday, July 5. All other routes remain the same. As a reminder, all trash needs to be out by 7 a.m., bagged and placed in a container no larger …read more.

By MICHELLE SOKOL Staff Writer The statewide Indiana smoking ban goes into effect in just a few days, but some local businesses are still struggling with how to comply. Although the ban will prohibit smoking in public facilities such as restaurants, nursing facilities and mental health facilities beginning Sunday, bars, casinos and other private clubs …read more.

In support of the public safety with our citizens who live, work and play in Kosciusko County, The Kosciusko County Coroner’s office is in support of the following press release in reference to the extremely dry weather. County fire departments, along with the coroner’s staff, are extremely concerned about accidental fire causes. The Indiana Department …read more.

Kosciusko County Emergency Management Director Ed Rock today provided the county commissioners with a renewed disaster declaration pertaining to the drought. With little, if any rain in the forecast for the next 10 days, it should be a year without fireworks. A burn ban is currently in effect and if the hot and dry forecast …read more.

  A crash in the eastbound lane of U.S. 30 near the K-Mart plaza caused traffic problems for approximately 30 minutes. Three vehicles were involved and there is a report that one person suffered minor injuries. Warsaw Police investigated and will have more information tomorrow.