People all around the world are affected by scams every single day.

This program will cover some common types of scams, provide you with proactive steps you can take to protect yourself and your information, and show you where you can go to report scams or
frauds that have taken place.

Join them for this free, educational program presented by Sonya Mitchell, Purdue University Health and Human Sciences Extension Educator in Washington County.

This program is being offered on March 18 at 11:30 am via zoom. Registration is required and can be completed at http://bit.ly/StayingScamSafe.

If the public needs further assistance or would like
more information, contact Sonya Mitchell at (812)883-4601 or via email at shmitche@purdue.edu.

Do you have type 2 diabetes? Would you like to learn more about your disease and how to live well while reducing your health risks? If so, Purdue Extension has a great program for you!

The Purdue Extension – Washington County office will be offering a virtual Dining with Diabetes program beginning April 6 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm via Zoom. 

Dining with Diabetes is a series of five sessions, which includes a three-month reunion session.

The Dining with Diabetes program is open to those with diabetes, their family members, and caretakers. The series of five sessions is $10 per household if registered before March 19, and $15 per household if registered after March 19.

Registrations need to be submitted by March 30. Pre-registration and payment are required. Participants are encouraged to attend all class sessions.

Diabetes is a very serious and costly disease. However, research has shown that those who learn to manage their blood glucose (sugar) levels by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, can lower their risks of complications and help to lead a healthier and more productive life.

Dining with Diabetes is offered statewide and is sponsored by Purdue Extension.

Meeting dates and topics covered are as follows:

• April 6: What is diabetes? /Snacks & appetizers 
• April 13: Carbs & sweeteners /Desserts
• April 20: Fats & sodium /Main dishes  
• April 27: Putting it all together! /Side dishes
• July 27: Three Month Follow-Up Session

For registration or more information contact Sonya Mitchell, Health and Human Sciences Extension Educator, Purdue Extension – Washington County by email at shmitche@purdue.edu, by phone (812)883-4601 or register in person at the
Washington County Extension Office.

Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags in Washington County to be flown at half-staff on Sunday, March 7, in honor First Lieutenant Scot Wayne Ames Jr.

Flags should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset Sunday, March 7.

Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents in Washington County to lower their flags to half-staff in memory of First Lieutenant Ames Jr.

Ames Jr., 24, of Pekin, died Friday, February 19, 2021 as part of the 50th Flying Training Squadron in Columbus, MS.

He was one of two pilots who lost their lives when their T-38C Talon crashed during a training mission to Tallahassee, FL.

He was born in Honolulu, HI on April 8, 1996 at Tripler Medical Center, and he grew up in Pekin.

He attended Eastern High School, graduating in 2014. While in high school, he excelled at football and baseball. He also graduated with academic and technical honors.

Additionally, he attended Prosser Vocational School for aviation where he received his private pilot’s license in 2014.

Then, he attended Indiana State University (2014 to 2018) where he was a leader for the ROTC program as the 218th Cadet Wing Commander and a Cadet Training Assistant (CTA) during the summer before his senior year.

He s survived by his wife Audra Dial Ames of West Point, MS; his mother Ginger Bailey Ames and father Scot Wayne Ames Sr. of Pekin; his sister Courtni (Zach) LaDuke, nieces Felicity and Gwen, and nephew Evan of Borden; his grandmother Lyla Dianne McLean of New Albany; his grandfather George W. Bailey Jr. of Madison; his grandparents Gerald and Patricia Ames of Henryville, IN; and his great-grandparents Doris and Emmett Wycoff of Otisco.

Funeral arrangements will be conducted at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 7 at Eastern High School with burial to follow at New Chapel Cemetery 6762 S. Bloomington Trail Road in Underwood. 

Military Honors and the Military Fly Over will be conducted in collaboration with the Columbus Air Force Base Honor Guard and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Honor Guard.

Visitation will be after Noon on Sunday at Eastern High School Gymnasium.  

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Fallen Wings Foundation, Lt Scot Wayne Ames Jr Memorial at www.fallenwingsfoundation.org/merch/lt-scot-ames-jr-memorial or c/o Adams Family Funeral Home & Crematory, 209 S. Ferguson St., Henryville, IN 47126.

Early this morning a Louisville man was arrested on drug charges after a traffic stop.

James Thomas Leffler, 33, of Louisville was arrested and incarcerated at the Harrison County Jail.

Leffler is charged with: 

1. Possession of a Firearm – Serious Violent Felon – Level 4 Felony
2. Possession of a Handgun without a License – A Misdemeanor
3. Possession of Marijuana – B Misdemeanor

Trooper Boley was assisted by Trooper Dakota Novak and officers from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and Corydon Police Department.  

At approximately 3:45 Thursday morning, Trooper Clay Boley stopped a vehicle for speeding and failing to signal a lane change in Corydon, Indiana.

Trooper Boley identified the driver as Leffler and observed criminal indicators in the car.

Trooper Boley requested assistance from Harrison County Deputy Daniel Evans and his K9 “Flynn,” which alerted to possible drugs in the vehicle.  

Trooper Boley searched the car and located eight firearms of various types and lengths in the trunk, along with $28,000 in US Currency.

Approximately three grams of marijuana was also discovered. A check of James Leffler’s criminal record revealed he was a serious violent felon through Kentucky.

Indiana Severe Weather Preparedness Week will run during the third full week of March. 

The Indiana Broadcasters Association (IBA) in cooperation with the National Weather Service (NWS) is conducting a test of the state Emergency Alert System (EAS) on Tuesday, March 16^th at 10:15 a.m. EDT (9:15 CT) that will include a Live Tornado Warning alert. 

The 15-minute alert is done to ensure the system is working properly in the event of an actual tornado.

“We’ve already seen extreme weather conditions across the country, recently, and with the season changing, Indiana is preparing for whatever may be in store, locally,” said IBA Executive Director Dave Arland. 

“Hoosiers depend on EAS alerts to respond appropriately and find safety.  With permission from the Federal Communications Commission, broadcasters will be listening for the Live Tornado Warning alert issued by the National Weather Service and alerting our listeners and viewers about the test.”
 
The test is part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week which runs March 14-20 and includes coordinated efforts to work with residents, businesses, and government agencies across Indiana on preparedness activities.

“Indiana averages over 20 tornadoes each year, along with hundreds of severe thunderstorms that produce damaging winds, large hail, and flash flooding. Hoosiers need to be prepared for all types of severe weather ahead of time and have a plan of action ready to be implemented when severe weather is imminent,” said Sam Lashley, Warning Coordination Meteorologist of the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

“Severe weather preparedness week is the time to think ahead and make plans for what you and your family would do, where you would go, and where you would meet if separated during actual severe weather. The test tornado drill conducted by the National Weather Service and Indiana Broadcasters Association is a great time to practice your plan and talk with your family about safety and sheltering options when actual warnings are issued.”

In the event of severe or inclement weather, the test will be rescheduled and held on the morning of Wednesday, March 17th.

Indian Creek Baptist Church, as part of its celebration of 100 years of ministry, will welcome Dr. Steve McNeil, Executive Director of the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana, to speak on March 14, 2021.

The worship service begins at 10:45 am

The public is invited to attend.

 “Dr. McNeil has served in ministry for many years,” says Pastor John Knuckles.  “He will be retiring at the end of June and leaving the area.  Our church is fortunate to have him visit at this time.”

Tickets for the PBR Louisville Invitational on sale Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. EST

For the first time in eight years, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) elite Unleash The Beast will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, holding the fan-attended PBR Louisville Invitational March 27-28, 2021 at the KFC Yum! Center.

For two nights only, the Top 30 bull riders in the world will battle the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting live sporting events to witness. The fearless riders of the PBR are eager to bring back to Louisville the only sport that pits a lightweight against a heavyweight in epic 8-second confrontations. 

PBR will follow all local and state health directives, as outlined in the organization’s “Be Cowboy Safe” plan for both bull riders and PBR staff. Additionally the KFC Yum! Center, part of ASM Global, will be using its ”Venue Shield” best practices guide that enhances fan safety protocols. Those protocols for the event include:

• All fans, as well as staff and competitors, will be required to wear face masks inside the KFC Yum! Center.
• All fans, KFC Yum! Center staff, and PBR staff, riders, and stock contractors will be subject to daily temperature checks. In addition to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-informed screening, all PBR personnel will also undergo medical testing for COVID-19 (coronavirus).  
• PBR will only sell a limited number of tickets to separate fans. 
• All fans will be in POD seating, which increases distancing and minimizes fan crossover when entering and exiting their seats.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the venue to promote hand hygiene.
• Increased sanitization of high-contact areas including bathrooms, concourses, concession stands, elevators, and handrails.
• Pre-wrapped or packaged concessions item, individual packet condiments and packaged utensils along with sealed-container beverages will be available.   

While the KFC Yum! Center has hosted more than 20 University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball games and the 11-game Wade Houston Tip-Off Classic with fans at limited capacity since November 2020, the upcoming PBR Louisville Invitational will mark the venue’s first touring event since the onset of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

In 2013, when the PBR’s premier series was last in Louisville, now 11-time PBR World Finals Qualifier Cody Nance (Paris, Tennessee) was dominant, going a perfect 3-for-3 to capture the event victory.

Having made two additional stops in the Derby City, 1996 PBR World Champion Owen Washburn (Lordsburg, New Mexico) won the elite tour event in 2002, while PBR Co-Founder Adam Carrillo (Stephenville, Texas) claimed the victory in 1999.

The PBR Louisville Invitational will mark the eighth Unleash The Beast event of the 2021 season. Prior to travelling to the Bluegrass State, the top tour in bull riding will have traveled to the like of Fort Worth, Texas, Glendale, Arizona, and Kansas City, Missouri.

With the new season already underway, the race for the 2021 PBR World Championship has gotten off to a feverish start.

Compliments of matching runner-up finishes at the tour stop and associated 15/15 Bucking Battle in Okeechobee, Florida, 2016 PBR World Champion Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas) surged to the world No. 1 rank for the first time in 2021, now leading No. 2 Junior Patrik Souza (Sonora, Brazil) by 130 points.

Recording a Top-10 finish at each of the three tour stops held to date, Davis has also notched two 90-point rides, led by a 91.25-point score aboard YETI World Champion Bull contender Ridin Solo. Chasing history, should Davis win the gold buckle again in 2021, he would become just the seventh multi-time PBR World Champion in league history.

Making history of his own, current world No. 5 Colten Fritzlan (Rifle, Colorado) has also had an electric year to date. Going a perfect 3-for-3 during his first-ever appearance on the elite Unleash The Beast in Okeechobee, Fritzlan became just the 10^th rider in league history to win their rookie debut on the premier series. He follows in the footsteps of three-time PBR World Champion Silvano Alves (Pilar do Sul, Brazil), reigning PBR World Champion Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil), Australian sensation Lachlan Richardson (Gresford, New South Wales, Australia) and surging sophomore rider Cole Melancon (Paris, Texas).

The bull riding action for the PBR Louisville Invitational in Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center begins at 6:45 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 27, and at 1:45 p.m. EST on Sunday, March 28. Each of the world’s Top 30 bull riders will get on one bull in Round 1 on Saturday, and Round 2 on Sunday. The 12 bull riders with the top combined ride scores will advance to the championship round on Sunday.

Tickets for the two-day event go on-sale Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. EST and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Positioned closest to the action, and including a Q&A session with top talent from the PBR, Elite Seats will also be available for $350. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the KFC Yum! Center Box Office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

For an enhanced PBR experience in a socially-distanced environment, fans can now purchase the add-on PBR Elite Experience on both Saturday, March 27 and Sunday, March 28 in Louisville.

The Elite Experience, available for $75, will include a Q&A session with a select group of the league’s top riders, bullfighters, and stock contractors, a merchandise voucher, a limited edition poster, and a commemorative lanyard.

For more information on PBR Premium Experiences and to purchase the Elite Experience for the PBR Louisville Invitational in Louisville visit https://pbr.com/tickets/premium-experiences/.

People all around the world are affected by scams every single day. This program will
cover some common types of scams, provide you with proactive steps you can take to
protect yourself and your information, and show you where you can go to report scams or
frauds that have taken place.

Join us for this free, educational program presented by Sonya Mitchell, Purdue University
Health and Human Sciences Extension Educator in Washington County.

This program is being offered on March 18 at 11:30 am via zoom. Registration is required and can be completed at http://bit.ly/StayingScamSafe.

If you need further assistance or would like more information, contact Sonya Mitchell at (812)883-4601 or via email at shmitche@purdue.edu.

A Jasper County man is in the Steuben County jail Monday evening after leading troopers on a lengthy vehicle pursuit earlier this afternoon. 

Arrested was Mark Allen Cates, 57, of DeMotte, IN

He was charged with:

• Resisting Law Enforcement – Level 6 Felony
• Operating as a Habitual Traffic Violator– Level 6 Felony
• Possession Stolen Property – Level 6 Felony (2 Counts)
• Possession of Marijuana – Class A Misdemeanor
• Possession of Paraphernalia – Class A Misdemeanor
• Reckless Driving – Class B Misdemeanor
• Criminal Mischief – Class A Misdemeanor
• Criminal Recklessness – Class B Misdemeanor

The incident began at approximately 1:30 pm Monday near the I-69 / SR-120 interchange after Senior Trooper Chris Kinsey (Fort Wayne Post) identified a black GMC Sierra pickup truck displaying a stolen license plate. 

Trooper Kinsey and Trooper Kody Buell initiated a traffic stop on Old 27 near SR120 to investigate the criminal matter. 

Prior to identifying the male driver, he sped off, initiating a vehicle pursuit that would run through central Steuben County for nearly a half-hour, running off-road several times through fields and wooded areas around Crooked Lake, crashing through a fence, running over a mailbox, and nearly striking one of the troopers.  

Trooper’s John Silver, Dave Poe, and Jacob Bill, along with deputies from the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department were able to join in the pursuit at various locations to assist with apprehending the driver. 

Officer’s smartly coordinated their efforts, taking every opportunity to employ de-escalation tactics to confine and attempt to safely end the pursuit. 

Stop sticks were deployed at several different locations, but the driver managed to avoid each attempt.    

Officers ahead of the pursuit were finally able to successfully deploy stop sticks on County Road 600 West north of US20, which deflated the truck tires. The driver continued driving on flat tires for a short distance, but eventually, his vehicle became inoperable near CR650W and US20.  A felony traffic stop was conducted and the driver, identified as Mark Allen Cates (57) was taken into custody without further incident.

Cates was transported to the Steuben County Jail, where he was booked into custody on numerous related charges, and will remain held pending an initial hearing.

Senior Trooper Kinsey was assisted by troopers from the Fort Wayne Post, Toll Road Post, deputies with the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department, and Countryside Towing Service.