The News Sun – September 25, 2013

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WEDNESDAY September 25, 2013

Terrific Tribe Giambi’s walk-off beats White Sox Page B1

A Good Man

Proud Panthers

Ex-officer has had full life of service

Heights spikers top Central Noble

Page B4

Page B1

Weather Partly cloudy with a high of 72. Low tonight in 40s. Sunny on Thursday. Page A6 Serving Noble & LaGrange Counties

Kendallville, Indiana

GOOD MORNING One injured as plane crashes near Wabash WABASH (AP) — Authorities said one person was hospitalized after a small plane made a hard landing Tuesday in a northern Indiana soybean field. The Federal Aviation Administration said the Beechcraft 33 had engine failure and landed near Urbana, about 40 miles southwest of Fort Wayne. Sixty-two-year-old pilot Rex Ott of Danville, Iowa, told investigators the propeller came off the plane but he was able to glide the 1963 Beechcraft into the field. The Wabash County Sheriff’s Office told WRTV-TV two others were aboard, including 52-year-old Tracy Swift of Washington, Iowa, who was airlifted to Fort Wayne’s Parkview Hospital with a possible broken leg.

kpcnews.com

Ligonier firm adding 100 jobs BY BOB BUTTGEN bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com

LIGONIER — A year-long, combined effort between Tenneco, the city of Ligonier and local economic development groups has started paying off with the announcement Tuesday that Tenneco is hiring 100 new employees. Tenneco, a manufacturer and distributor of clean-air and ride-performance products and systems for the automotive market, currently employs 600 workers at its Ligonier facility on Gerber Street in the city’s industrial park. It is believed to be the city’s largest employer. The new jobs will help the company build products for a new

line for Chrysler vehicles. Most of the factory’s current products are made for Chrysler and Ford, including catalytic-converters and exhaust systems. “This is what we’ve been working for, to help them grow,” Ligonier Mayor Patty Fisel said Tuesday after hearing the news. “They are just doing awesome work out there, and we are just real pleased with Tenneco,” Fisel said. “The stronger they are in the community, the more chance they will stay here and continue to grow. This is good news all the way around.” News that the hirings have started was made in a press release issued Tuesday by the Northeast

Indiana Regional Workforce Investment Board. “This is an exciting time for folks to join Tenneco and get in on the ground floor of a brand new product launch,” said Tenneco plant manager Doug Bonecutter. “We’re pleased to expand our workforce here in Ligonier. An increase of this size creates promotional opportunities for both existing and new employees.” The open positions include machine operators, welders, material handlers and equipment set-up operators. Starting wages for the full-time positions range from $13 to $14.50 an hour, and length-of-servicebased wage increases are offered

PHOTO GALLERIES Prep girls volleyball, soccer kpcnews.com Multimedia > Photo Galleries

Info • The News Sun P.O. Box 39, 102 N. Main St. Kendallville, IN 46755 Telephone: (260) 347-0400 Fax: (260) 347-2693 Classifieds: (toll free) (877) 791-7877 Circulation: (260) 347-0400 or (800) 717-4679

Index

Classifieds.................................B7-B8 Life..................................................... A5 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion .............................................B4 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A6 TV/Comics .......................................B6 Vol. 104 No. 264

DENNIS NARTKER

Participants in Tuesday’s annual Light the Night Walk for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

begin their 1.5-mile walk through Kendallville streets.

Community glows together BY DENNIS NARTKER dnartker@kpcmedia.com

KENDALLVILLE — It’s a community event. It’s the greatest community event in northeast Indiana for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, according to Melanie Kruth, of the Northeast Indiana Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Kruth passed out balloons to Tuesday to participants in the annual Light the Night Walk fundraiser for the society — white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for the memory of a loved one. Caleb Davis, 10, Josh Davis, 6, and Megan Davis, 8, visiting their grandparents from Lake George, Mich. accepted white balloons prior to taking their place among the walkers. “We’re walking for our cousin Ally, a survivor,” said Caleb. The three youngsters were keen to complete their first Light

DENNIS NARTKER

Melanie Kruth from the Northeast Indiana Leukemia & Lymphoma Society staff hands balloons to Light the Night Walk participants Caleb, Josh and Megan Davis visiting from Lake George, Mich.

the Night Walk. When told it was 1.5 miles, Megan responded: “We’ve walked two miles before.” Grandma Dianna Davis said her grandchildren were very active

every six months until top pay for the jobs is reached, Bonecutter said. The city of Ligonier’s Redevelopment Commission helped Tenneco fund an expansion of its plant last year. Funds from the tax-increment financing (TIF) district, in which Tenneco is located, were used to help build an addition to the existing plant. Prospective employees must have achieved high-school equivalency. In cases where a specialized skill is needed, Tenneco training will be offered. Tenneco, in partnership with WorkOne Northeast, will be holding hiring fairs this Saturday, Oct. 19 and Nov. 9.

Kenya claims victory

Kendallville Gets Brighter

Building supplier opening Elkhart distribution center ELKHART (AP) — A lumber and building materials supplier is planning to open a new distribution center in northern Indiana and potentially hire about 70 people in the next couple of years. Zeeland Lumber Operations said it will spend nearly $1.6 million to buy and equip a facility in Elkhart. The Zeeland, Mich.-based company said that site will allow an expansion of its business in southern Michigan and northern Indiana. The company plans to open the Elkhart center early next year and begin hiring employees — including material handlers, truck drivers, and salespeople — next month.

75 cents

and the walk is good for them. The children walked with the DeKalb Health team from Auburn. The 2013 Northeast Indiana

SEE COMMUNITY, PAGE A6

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president proclaimed victory Tuesday over the terrorists who stormed a Nairobi mall, saying security forces had “ashamed and defeated our attackers” following a bloody four-day siege in which dozens of civilians were killed. President Uhuru Kenyatta said the dead included 61 civilians whose bodies have been recovered so far and six security forces, while some 175 were injured, including 62 who remain hospitalized. Three floors of the mall collapsed and several bodies were trapped in the rubble, said Kenyatta. His office later said a terrorist’s body was among those in the debris. Five other extremists were killed by gunfire, he said in the televised address to the nation. He said 11 other suspects had been arrested; authorities had previously announced the arrest of seven at the airport and three elsewhere. “These cowards will need justice as well their accomplices and patrons, wherever they are,” Kenyatta said. Kenyatta declared three days of national mourning starting Wednesday. At the Westgate mall, there were no immediate signs of the Kenyan Security forces closing their operation. Two Kenyan soldiers who had recently been inside the mall told The Associated Press shortly before the president spoke that the operation was effectively finished, but they said security forces were still combing the facility and had not definitively cleared all the rooms inside. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were under orders not to speak to the media. Kenyan forces had for two days SEE KENYA, PAGE A6

Patient pursuit nabbed abduction suspect BY MATT GETTS mgetts@kpcmedia.com

ROME CITY — A tip from a citizen and patience from a local police officer led to the apprehension Monday of a man suspected in the abduction and battery of a Peru woman. Noble County Chief Deputy Chad Willett and Rome City Town Marshal Steve Heltzel took Steven Gail Gose, 40, into custody Monday at 1:10 p.m. in Rome

City, following a traffic stop near the intersection of C.R. 150E and C.R. 1000N. Friday, LaGrange County Superior Court Judge George Gose Brown issued a warrant for Gose on charges of criminal confinement, a Class C Felony, and two Class D

felony offenses, domestic battery and strangulation. He also was wanted for a parole violation. Gose is suspected of abducting Jennifer Lee Bitzel, of Peru and formerly of Rome City, late Wednesday night. Rome City Police found her safe in Rome City early Friday morning, police said. She had bruising to her head, face and throat, police added. Police previously said the incident began Wednesday at a

residence in the 3000 block of LaGrange C.R. 600E, where Bitzel was battered severely. She then was removed forcefully from the residence by a man who allegedly made death threats to Bitzel before forcing her into a car. Bitzel’s two young children were left behind at the residence. Monday’s arrest came after someone called the Noble County Sheriff’s Department with a tip SEE PURSUIT, PAGE A6

Celebrating 150 Years.

Sensible Banking for Sensible Lives

TM

Community & Customer Appreciation Day

Sept. 27

304 S. Orange St. Albion, IN

Free Porkburgers and Hotdogs 10:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

NMLS # 416300 ©2013 Campbell & Fetter Bank.


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