CASS COUNTY - It took a Cass County jury less than three hours to find a 37 year old Logansport man not guilty of all eight felony counts of child molestation involving a girl under 14. Following the verdict in Cass Circuit Court, Genaro Luna had this reaction...
LOGANSPORT - No one was injured, but a significant amount of damage was done to a home on Logansport's West side Wednesday, as a result of a noontime fire. Logansport Police Officer Wes Peters called the fire in at 905 State Street...
INDIANAPOLIS - With the clock winding down, lawmakers at the State House came to an agreement on a two year budget, and in the process, appear to have given fire departments a real shot in the arm. Representative Rich McClain from Logansport voted for the document, along with the all of his fellow Republicans, and a handful of Democrats in the Democratically-controlled House...
CASS COUNTY - 64 year old Julie VanOrden has been sentenced to 50 years with the Department of Corrections. She was found guilty but mentally ill in late May to the charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery. She stabbed an employee at the Logansport State Hospital, Ted Schriver, in August of 2006. Prior to passing the sentence in Superior Court II, Judge Rick Maughmer vacated the aggravated battery count. Randy Head prosecuted the Case, but was unable to attend the sentencing because of his duties at the State House. Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Enyeart understands the judges decision...
The blades of the two knives that were used in the attack on Schriver, were both bent during the stabbing. VanOrden had been in prison for 20 years of a 40-year sentence for the 1980 shooting death of Russell Lloyd Sr, the former mayor of Evansville.
LOGANSPORT - Sunday, two students from the Logansport Juvenile Correctional Facility attempted to escape by climbing over the secure fencing that surrounds the perimeter of the facility. They were both from Marion County, and were incarcerated for Burglary and Residential Entry Charges. It didn't take authorities long to recapture them. The escape attempt occurred just after 10am, in the recreation yard of the facility. Both students managed to get over the razor wired fence but one was apprehended immediately after getting over the fence and before getting off of facility property. The other was also apprehended immediately with the assistance of the Cass County Sheriff Department K-9 unit along the South River Road that runs adjacent to the facility. Both students suffered cuts to the hands, arms and body as a result of being tangled in the Razor Ribbon fencing and were immediately treated at the Logansport Memorial Hospital. Assistance was provided by the Indiana State Police, Cass County Sheriff Department and Logansport Police Department. Logansport EMS was also activated to treat the student's wounds and transport them to the emergency room.
CASS COUNTY - A Logansport man has been sentenced to 10 years with the Department of Corrections, including six executed on drug related charges. Monday, the plea agreement involving 24-year-old Johon T. Coleman was accepted in Cass Superior Court II. He admitted to the Class "B" felony of dealing cocaine last month, as part of the plea agreement. Coleman was arrested in August of 2007 during a drug raid dubbed Bought & Paid For 2. Overall, 28 other suspects were arrested. Coleman said that on May 26, 2006, he dealt cocaine to a person serving as a confidential informant in an alley near 10th Street and Broadway.
LOGANSPORT - The announcement that the Logansport fire department may be losing 10 firefighters in the 2010 budget, is leaving some people wondering what to do next. Fire Chief Bob McMinn says he held a meeting Tuesday night with his men to talk about the situation...
LOGANSPORT - Next month, the Utility Service Board is expected to consider a resolution, that would allow a fee for trash pick up to appear on the monthly L-M-U bill for Logansport residents. John Davis, the Chairman of the Board says when a group, including himself, LMU Superintendent Paul Hartman, along with Logansport Mayor Mike Fincher and Council President Chuck LaDow looked at several options, placing the fee on the utility bill, seemed logical choice...
According to Davis, the Utilities are not getting in the trash business. Davis wants to stress that the fee would be set by the city, and L-M-U's only role would be to place it on the bill. Davis says if it passes the Utility Service Board next month, it will still take several months before it could be put in place.
LOGANSPORT - The temperatures, which are expected to top 90 degrees this week, can be dangerous. Logansport Pediatrician Dr. Craig Pawlowski says it's important to understand the signs that you may be becoming overheated...
LOGANSPORT - The Logansport Fire Department may be down 10 firefighters during the 2010 budget year. During a meeting between the City Administration, and the Police and Fire Departments representatives Tuesday, a number of topics were discussed. Mark Strong is the Firefighters Union President, and talks about what was presented to them...
Logansport Mayor Mike Fincher. Under the proposal from the administration, they would also offer 5,000 dollars to public safety employees with 20 plus years experience if they retire before December 31st. The city would also continue to pay towards their insurance.
LOGANSPORT - The Logansport Police Department is investigating another gang-related case, that may be tied to a shooting that took place on Wednesday, June 10th. On Sunday evening, officers were dispatched to the report of a 16 year old male who had reportedly been struck by a car while he was riding a moped. The subject had blood on his hands and left knee, and was limping. He said that he was struck by a car that had four people in it, while he was on George, between 17th and 18th. Lt. Ray Bean with the Logansport Police Department...
LOGANSPORT - Thousands gathered at Riverside Park in Logansport Tuesday for the Indianapolis Colts Fan Fest. Parks Administrator Jan Fawley says there were a number of highlights during the event...
LOGANSPORT - It's difficult to put a budget together when you don't have any idea how much money you have to work with. That's the case for a number of entities, including school corporations, because lawmakers have not approved, and the governor has not signed, a new state budget...
Julie Lauck. The current state budget expires at the end of the month. Lawmakers are meeting in special session, with the hope of having a new fiscal document approved by then.
The wife of PGA Tour regular Chris Smith, Beth Smith from Peru, was killed and two of their children severely injured in a motor vehicle crash Sunday. 42 year old Beth Smith was killed when the vehicle she was traveling in, collided with a bus that was transporting a semipro football team on Interstate 69 near Angola. She had been visiting family members in Ohio. The children, Abigail and Cameron, were flown to a facility in Fort Wayne, and were listed in critical condition.
LOGANSPORT - Some 30 current and former Logansport Firefighters were on hand to greet members of the City Council, as they went into executive session Monday afternoon. Union President Mark Strong explains why they were on at the city building...
CASS COUNTY - While the numbers won't be official until near the end of the summer, it appears that the goal for the Cass County Relay for Life may be reached. Christy Hagen, a spokeswoman with the American Cancer Society has the updated figures...
The event was held at Logansport High School. Christy Hagen says donations will actually be accepted through the end of August, towards the total for the Cass County Relay for Life.
CASS COUNTY - It did not come as a big surprise that the unemployment rate in Cass County, and in Indiana, jumped in May. Indiana's preliminary seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased to 10.6 percent; up seven tenths of a point. Cass County went from 11.9 percent in April to 13.8 in May. Skip Kuker, the President of the Logansport Cass County Economic Development Foundation explains why, the jump was not unexpected...
According to Kuker, the counties with the highest unemployment rate are not a surprise either. Howard County has the highest unemployment rate in the state, at 19.3. Daviess has the lowest at 5.5 percent.
INDIANAPOLIS - Members of the Indiana Senate are considering a measure they hope will prevent a government shutdown, if an agreement on a new budget is not reached by the end of the month. Senator Randy Head from Logansport...
The Republican Lawmaker is not sure what will happen when the proposal gets to the House. The Senate began work, during the Special session Friday, on their two year version of the new state budget. Members of the Democratically controlled House, approved a one year spending plan.
CASS COUNTY - Later this week, the new Zoning Administrator for Logansport and Cass County will be on the job. Plan Director Stan Williams, says there were more than 60 applicants for the position that has been held by Gary Scagnoli for more than two decades...
PERU - While it may be common place for people who work on the Grissom Air Reserve base to take part in refueling missions, it certainly isn't for members of the media. Wednesday Mix 102, WSAL and Hoosier Country News, along with a handful of other media representatives boarded a K-C 135 and connected with a huge military transport plane some 27,000 feet in the air near Charlotte, North Carolina. The training mission continued on to Birmingham, Alabama, and then back to Grissom. There was a four member crew led by Lt. Colonel Thom Pemberton...
Shortly after completing his portion of the refueling, the other boom operator, Master Sergeant Scott Ward said at times, it takes more than one attempt to connect the planes, which are only about 25 feet apart...
