WHITLEY COUNTY — Whitley County Highway Department reported this morning, Monday, Nov. 2, the bridge is out on CR 150S, between CR 600W and CR 200S. The bridge is being replaced and the roadway will be closed for approximately three months, starting today.

Lois Jean Bridegam, 84, of Columbia City, passed away at 8:56 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 at her home. Born Nov. 21, 1930 in Thorncreek Township, she was the daughter of Timothy Monroe and Bessie Bell (King) Bair. She has lived her entire life in Whitley County area, graduating from Columbia City High School with …read more.

  Junior Graves, 85, of South Whitley, Indiana, died at 7:13 a.m. Friday, October 30, 2015, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Junior’s family includes his wife, Geraldine Graves; daughters, Brenda (Jerry) Shilling of Syracuse, Becky (Junior) Martin of Claypool and Kimberly (Scott) Brown of Pierceton; grandchildren, Andrea Greer of North Manchester, Jodi …read more.

Marsha K. Elward, 62, Churubusco, died Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015, at Franciscan St. Francis Health in Indianapolis. Born on Nov. 8, 1952, to Robert and Florence Wafer in Fort Wayne, Marsha graduated from South Side High School in 1971. She married her high school sweetheart Robert Elward on May 25, 1973, and they had three …read more.

Arthur Van ‘Art’ Phagan, 66, died at 3:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 27, 2015, at his Columbia City home. He was born on April 17, 1949, in Chicago, Ill., to Arthur and Caroline (Cowen) Phagan, Columbia City, and was the Inspector for Cook County (Illinois) Health Department. He loved music, especially contemporary Christian and slow jazz. …read more.

Michael Eugene Whitesell, 13 months old, of Columbia City, passed away at 7:15 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23, 2015. Born Sept. 30, 2014 in Columbia City, he was the son of Cheyenne Whitesell. Michael was a charmer with his big smile, one that could brighten anyone’s day. He liked to watch Mickey Mouse and Barney in addition to playing …read more.

Elizabeth L. “Betty” Zumbrun, 86, of Columbia City, passed away peacefully at 5:24 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015 at Kingston at DuPont, Fort Wayne. Betty was born on Nov. 15, 1928, in Kokomo, Howard County, the daughter of Gilbert Bryan and Florence (Summers) Harvey. Betty lived in several locations as a child, including Bloomfield, MI …read more.

Nancy Sue Traxler, 78, a resident of Fort Wayne and formerly of LaOtto, passed away at 3:39 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne with her family by her side. Nancy was born on Nov. 13, 1936 in Swan Township in Noble County, a daughter of William D. and …read more.

Steven E. Shoemaker, 64, of rural Columbia City, died Friday evening, October 23, 2015 at Glenbrook Rehab and Nursing Center, Fort Wayne. He was born July 10, 1951, in Columbia City, a son of Edgar and Nadine (Heller) Shoemaker. His formative years were spent in Etna Troy Township, Whitley County. He graduated from Columbia City …read more.

John R. Ross, 57, of rural South Whitley, died Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, at his home. He was born Jan. 16, 1958, in Columbia City, the son of Donald R. and Bonnie L. (Warner) Ross. His formative years were spent in the Sidney area. He graduated from Whitko High School with the class of 1976. …read more.

Gene E. Herron, Jr., 63, Fort Wayne, passed away at 1:47 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, at VA Hospital in Marion Mr. Herron was born on Feb. 18, 1952, in Columbia City, a son of Gene E. Herron and Shirley (Shively) Herron. He spent his formative years in Churubusco and graduated from Churubusco High School …read more.

Lois Irene Martin, Columbia City, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, at her home. Arrangements are pending at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home, Columbia City.

Alvin J. Snyder, 79, South Bend, passed away at 8:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, 2015, at his home. Mr. Snyder was born on Sept. 21, 1936, in South Bend to the late John Delbert and Maude Pearl (Morrow) Snyder. He has been a lifelong area resident. On May 24, 1958, in Lakeville, he was united …read more.

Lester B. Worrick, 92, Columbia City, died at 8:02 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, at Sycamore Village, Fort Wayne. He was born Oct. 31, 1922, in Whitley County, a son of the late Wilbert and Carrie (Rhoades) Worrick. His formative years were spent in Union Township, Whitley County where he graduated from Union Township High …read more.

Barbara E. Evans, 68, of Columbia City, passed away at 5:17 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015 at her home. She is survived by her husband of 31 years: Bob Evans; mother: Ruth Sitton, Arcola; daughters: Jennifer Coy; Juliana (Steven) Johnson, both of Columbia City; sons: Scott (April) Frazier; William Lanier; and Robert (Shannon) Evans Jr., …read more.

Lois Mae Roby Nix, 89, a lifetime resident of Whitley County, died at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, at Renaissance Village where she had been a resident since October 2013. She was born April 9, 1926, in Columbia City, a daughter of Willie and Hazel (Leaman) Roby. She graduated from Columbia City High School …read more.

Phillip L. Lee, 66, of rural South Whitley, died at 10:05 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Nov. 5, 1948, in Warsaw, a son of Dallas O. and Lois V. (Brown) Lee. His formative years were spent in Monroe Township, Kosciusko County. He graduated …read more.

Estel L. Murphy, 81, a resident of rural Churubusco, passed away at 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, at the VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System in Fort Wayne. He had been in failing health for some time and had been a patient there for one day. Mr. Murphy was born on Dec. 13, 1933, in …read more.

Samuel Burton Meredith Sr., 68, Columbia City, passed away at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, at his home in Columbia City. Mr. Meredith was born on March 20, 1947, in Fort Wayne. He spent his formative years in Fort Wayne, and graduated from Central High School. On April 21, 2006 he was married in …read more.

WHITLEY COUNTY — One person has died, another suffered internal injuries following a one-vehicle accident at 10:23 a.m. today, Saturday, Oct. 10. The accident occurred at SR 5 and Cleveland Road in Whitley County. The Whitley County sheriff’s Department reports Veleda I. Shannon, 87, East Third Street, Hartford City, died from injuries in the accident. …read more.

Agnes Jane Plummer, age 101, of Columbia City, passed away at 5 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015 at her daughter’s residence.  Born on Oct. 9, 1913 in Warsaw, she was the daughter of James and Norah  (Syphers) Duncan. She lived in Warsaw all of her life, until moving to Columbia City to reside with her …read more.

COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County Sheriff’s Department has issued an advisory to residents regarding a phone scam.

Shannon J. Harrison, 45, Columbia City, passed away at 7:25 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Parkview Whitley Hospital, Columbia City. To most people that knew Shannon Harrison, it was apparent that his family came first. Shannon thought the world of his wife, Kathy; daughters, Kassee and Shari; and grandchildren, Addison and Brayden. He not only …read more.

Michael Andrew Beaver, 65, of rural Columbia City, died at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, at his home. He had been in failing health. He was born Oct. 5, 1949, in Kokomo, a son of Lawrence E. and Alice Josephine (Ulerich) Beaver. His formative years were spent in Kokomo where he graduated from Kokomo …read more.

Michael Andrew Beaver, 65, of rural Columbia City, died at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, at his home. Arrangements are pending at Smith and Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley.

Edwin L. Gordon, 80, Huntertown, passed away at 11:55 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Mr. Gordon was born on June 11, 1935, in Allen County, a son of Herbert and Wanda (Strite) Gordon. He spent his formative years in Churubusco, and graduated from Churubusco High School in …read more.

Bonnie Lou Tonkel, 72, Columbia City, passed away at 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, at Presence Sacred Heart Home in Avilla. Born Dec. 16, 1942, in Whitley County, she was the daughter of Betty (Cullers) Baker. Bonnie attended Whitley County Schools and graduated from Columbia City Joint High School with the Class of 1960. …read more.

INDIANAPOLIS — Whitley and Fulton counties are among eight counties the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved, Wednesday, Sept. 2, a secretarial disaster declaration. The request was made by Gov. Mike Pence, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, and Indiana Farm Service Agency Executive Director Julia A. Wickard in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack in August.