Archive - Dec 19, 2011
COLUMBIA CITY — A former Richland Township fire captain will serve 25 years of a 30-year sentence for child molesting.
Ronald. A Rostochak, a former Richland Township fire captain, appeared in Whitley County Circuit Court Monday after a 12-member jury found him guilty of child molesting, a class A felony, on Nov. 17.
His fate was in the hands of Circuit Court Judge James Heuer, who sentenced him to 30 years in prison, with 25 years to serve.
Rostochak was originally charged with sexual misconduct with a minor and child molesting.
An American bald eagle flies above the treeline Monday around noon near a wooded area at the vicinity of CR 150 N. between Johson Road and CR 550 East.
COLUMBIA CITY — Dean L. Mullett, 65, of Washington Township, died at 11:56 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne where he was admitted Nov. 16.
He was born Nov. 25, 1946, in Fort Wayne, a son of Donald R. and Phyllis Dean (Fleck) Mullett.
His formative years were spent on the Mullett family farm. He graduated from Columbia City Joint High School.
On Oct. 7, 1967, he was united in marriage to Judy Lynn Shearer. They made their home in Columbia City for five years before returning to the Mullett farm.
SOUTH WHITLEY — Richard D. Lancaster, 71, of South Whitley, died Monday morning, Dec. 19, 2011, at his home.
He was born Sept. 17, 1940, in South Whitley, a son of Gerald R. and Jennie M. (Williamson) Lancaster.
After his graduation from South Whitley High School in 1958, he considered playing professional baseball.
From 1968 until 1971 he served in the U.S. Army National Guard. He began his employment with Controls and retired from Investy with nearly 43 years of service. He also dealt in antiques for more than 35 years.
SOUTH WHITLEY — Robert E. Thomas, 81, of rural South Whitley, died at 1:20 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011, at Miller’s Merry Manor, Columbia City where he had been a resident since January.
He was born March 21, 1930, in Cleveland Township, a son of the late, Russell S. and Lillie (Kendall) Thomas.
His formative years were spent on the farm in ClevelandTownship. He attended South Whitley Elementary and graduated from South Whitley High School fourth in his class in 1948.
Former Whitko basketball Coach Bill Patrick, right, was inducted to the school's Wall of Fame Friday night. The Hall of Fame coach was presented a memento of the induction by current Whitko Coach Rob Irwin.
COLUMBIA CITY — A bald eagle was spotted between CR 550 E and Johnson Road on CR 150 N Monday at mid-day. It wasn't a partridge in a pear tree, but it was a visual Christmas present for those who observed it.
COLUMBIA CITY — Gene and Sandy Hoover have been lighting up their property on Airport and Etna roads for the holidays since 1997. The display that covers nearly one acre gets bigger and better each year.
Gene begins the annual ritual during the last week of October.
It takes a lot of extension cords and when in storage it takes two 40-gallon totes to store them.
The Hoovers store the hundreds of displays and lights in the walk-in attic over their two-car garage. But Gene ran out of room in the attic and had to buy a 10’ x 10’ storage shed.
COLUMBIA CITY — Two area men were arrested Saturday after a drug deal in northwest Whitley County.
At approximately 2 p.m., Noah Beck, 24, of Warsaw and Robbie Ramsey, 29, of Yoder, were arrested by Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputies after a citizen complaint of possible drug activity.
According to a press release from the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, the informant alleged that a large cash transaction had occurred and that such transactions had occurred on prior occasions.
Former Whitko Head Basketball Coach Bill Patrick, right, was inducted in Whitko’s Wall of Fame Friday night. He is presented a memento of the induction by Whitko Head Coach Rob Irwin. Patrick, current head coach at Tippecanoe Valley, brought his team of Vikings to South Whitley to pick up a win against his former team, in the gym he spent 24 years coaching in.
As a Whitko coach, Patrick was 19-3 against Tippy Valley.
In 2008, Patrick was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
