Archive - News Article
March 2nd, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS — Columbia City’s lone representative in the Indiana Senate has spearheaded a campaign designed to make one of Whitley County’s most harrowing intersections a little safer.
Freshman Sen. Jim Banks R-Columbia City reported this week that officials from the Indiana Department of Transportation plan to install “rumble strips,” or traffic control devices that produce an audible vibration for motorists, at the intersection of U.S. 30 and state Route 205.
COLUMBIA CITY — Police in South Whitley, assisted by the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department and Indiana State Police, parlayed a routine traffic stop into the discovery of yet another methamphetamine lab in Whitley County.
According to a press release from the Whitley County Drug Task Force, South Whitley Deputy Marshall Chuck LeWallen conducted a traffic stop on Isaiah A. Neer, 26 of South Whitley.
COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County Circuit Court Judge James Heuer told a man suspected of child molesting he would have to quit dragging his feet and face trial.
“This case will be tried on the court’s schedule, not on yours,” said Heuer to Ronald A. Rostochak in court Feb. 22.
Rostochak has been awaiting trial for child molesting, a Class A felony and sexual misconduct with a minor, a Class B felony, since late 2009.
Since then, the court has granted Rostochak several continuances for pre-trial conferences and trials and Rostochak himself has been represented by five different attorneys.
February 28th
COLUMBIA CITY — In terms of geography and population, Whitley County ranks as the smallest county in the 10-county Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, but as the 2010 Business Dynamics report released Monday shows, the county holds its own within the region.
“Overall Whitley County has fared very well within northeast Indiana,” said Alan Tio, president of the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation.
Like the rest of the 10-county region, Whitley County showed growth in 2010, seeing three new businesses and 11 expansions within its borders and bringing in more than 350 jobs.
COLUMBIA CITY — The suspect charged with drug crimes has dismissed his public defender and hired independent counsel.
Travis A. Wonderly, 21, was in Whitley County Circuit Court Monday for a pre-trial conference after being arrested by the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department in January and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of chemicals with the intent to manufacture, maintaining a common nuisance and neglect of a dependent resulting in death.
In court last month, Wonderly was assigned Public Defender Brad Baber by Circuit Court Judge James Heuer.
COLUMBIA CITY — Several weeks after hearing a presentation by local electronics company J & K Communications, Columbia City’s Common Council listened to a sales pitch from the Columbia City-based company’s main competitor.
Brian Reilly of Motorola addressed the board during its regular meeting Tuesday and touted the abilities of the APX 7000, a radio designed to help the city’s emergency personnel transition to 800 MHz technology.
COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County Engineer Brandon Forrester presented plans last week to the county commissioners for county bridges in need of repair or replacement.
“Every two years I come to you and present a plan,” said Forrester who handed out the county’s bridge plan for 2011-2015.
“(Bridge) 36 is at the top of our list,” he said.
Bridge 36, located on County Road 550 South near Collamer, had an initial estimated cost of $200,000, according to Forrester.
COLUMBIA CITY — Two men were arrested Sunday evening after the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department found marijuana in their rental truck.
Jonathon Aranburo, 24, and Archie Joseph Brady, 20, of Fort Wayne were pulled over while driving a U-Haul truck, rented by Aranburo, to move the pair to Warsaw.
After receiving a tip on the vehicle, the truck was pulled over by Sergeant Mike Engle for unsafe lane change at the Marathon parking lot on Armstrong Drive and U.S. 30.
COLUMBIA CITY — Rising gas prices and this season’s heavy snowfall are causing more than just a nuisance for drivers this winter.
The Whitley County Highway Department is taking blows to their budget every time gas prices jump, every time snow falls.
Not only do jumps in gas prices provide more cost to run the trucks, the highway department’s funds come out of gas tax.
“Most people think our money comes from property tax, but our money comes from gas tax,” Whitley County Highway Department Superintendent Mike Barton said.
COLUMBIA CITY — Teachers got a chance Saturday to let their state representative know exactly what they thought about some education-related legislation making its way through the General Assembly.
Rep. Kathy Heuer (R-Columbia City) represents the 83rd District, which includes parts of Whitley, Noble and Allen counties, and sits on the education committee.
About 90 educators from schools across her district took up Heuer on her invitation to a public forum to share with her what they thought was wrong with education-reform bills.
