Archive - Jan 2011 - News Article
January 14th
COLUMBIA CITY â In a joint announcement, the firm of Bloom, Gates, Sigler and Whiteleather, LLP and Gates Law Office announced that effective Jan. 1, Benton E. Gates, Jr. has become âof counselâ to the Bloom, Gates, Sigler and Whiteleather, LLP. This means he will act in an advisory role with the firm while continuing to maintain an office in the Whiteleather building and to serve his clients and actively practice law.
COLUMBIA CITY â While family members of 5-month-old Taylor Creech continue to come forward with claims of official negligence regarding the drug case that may be connected to the little girlâs Jan. 3 death, the Whitley County Probation Department is saying all that could be done was done.
âThe Whitley County Probation Department is extremely saddened by the death of Taylor Creech,â said Chief Probation Officer Amy Motter Thursday.
âOur sympathies are extended to the entire Creech family.â
January 13th
COLUMBIA CITY â Family members mourning the loss of a five-month-old baby girl who died Jan. 3 say their grief is compounded by the knowledge that the childâs death might have been prevented.
âThis whole tragedy with my niece could have been avoided had the county officials listened to our family and taken our warnings seriously,â said Miranda Minear, whose sister Janel Creech is currently incarcerated on drug charges that were a result of a 911 call Jan. 3.
As a result of that call, Creechâs baby daughter Taylor was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
COLUMBIA CITY â Mayor Jim Fleck said there are several reasons behind his decision to not seek re-election for the post he currently holds.
Primary among those reasons are family, health and the state of the economy.
At the end of 2011, Fleck will have finished his second term in office, and he says itâs time for someone else to take over.
âThereâs lots about this job I like, but Iâve done it for eight years, itâs time for someone else to look at it,â he said, adding that he believes the city is a better place than when he started.
January 12th
COLUMBIA CITY â A routine probation search has netted yet another methamphetamine lab in Columbia City.
Just a little more than a week after a 911 call for a an unconscious infant led police to a suspected clandestine meth lab, county police entered the home of Kyle Lloyd Barker at 108 E. Hanna Street Tuesday night and discovered a meth manufacturing operation in his downstairs bedroom.
Barker, 24, was arrested at 3:50 p.m. and booked in Whitley County Jail on seven drug-related charges.
COLUMBIA CITY â State lawmakers representing Whitley County responded to Gov. Mitch Danielsâ State of the State Address, referring to his vision for Indianaâs immediate future as optimistic and ambitious.
According to Columbia City resident and State Sen. Jim Banks, Indiana Senate Republicans say their caucus stands ready to work with Gov. Mitch Daniels and other lawmakers to balance the stateâs two-year state budget and to consider reforms outlined in the governorâs Tuesday speech.
COLUMBIA CITY â One of the suspects in a case involving an alleged methamphetamine lab on Camden Drive in Columbia City is in custody.
Janel M. Creech, 36 was arrested by the Whitley County Sheriffâs Department at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday and booked in the Whitley County Jail on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance, possession of paraphernalia and violating probation.
On Friday, the prosecutorâs office filed charges against Creech and Travis A. Wonderly, 21.
January 10th
By
Ray Ranier, Special to The Post & Mail
COLUMBIA CITY â When the Peabody Public Libraryâs new building was constructed in 1999, it was with an eye to the future as well as the needs of the moment.
With large unfinished areas on the lower level, we knew that we had the option to respond to the changing world of library service.
COLUMBIA CITY â There is one organization that has the potential to help many. But how many are actually helped, depends on how the final push of its fundraising campaign turns out.
âThis year, the needs of people have greatly surpassed the resources that are available from the agencies, programs and services that are sponsored by the United Way of Whitley County,â said John Black, executive director of the United Way of Whitley County.
