Government

A proposal to ban drivers from using handheld cellphones on Indiana roads is advancing in the state Legislature. A state Senate committee voted 8-1 Tuesday to endorse the bill that only permits cellphone use with hands-free or voice-operated technology, except in emergencies. Tina Smith of Indianapolis testified from a wheelchair about how she and her husband had stopped their motorcycle …

A motorist has been killed in northwestern Indiana after a car was struck by a stolen SUV whose driver was fleeing police. State police say a trooper attempted to pull over the SUV about 7:30 p.m. Friday after seeing it travel about 99 mph near the Elkhart and St. Joseph county line. Other officers joined the pursuit and as they …

Democrats are putting Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the national stage Tuesday to rebut President Donald Trump’s State of the Union message. By elevating a fresh face and casting an election-year spotlight on the Midwest, the party looks to win back states Trump narrowly captured. The 48-year-old’s ascendance comes as Democrats hope to solidify gains with female voters and as …

A northern Indiana woman who pleaded guilty for her role in a hit-and-run crash that killed three people has been returned to jail after violating probation. Forty-three-year-old Penelope Grosswiler pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for hiding evidence related to the August 2017 crash, in which a vehicle driven by her husband, Leonard Grosswiler, struck and killed a man and …

State police troopers are investigating a breaking-and-entering incident at the Three Rivers Community Players Club in Lockport Township. The group’s building is located by Walmart. Authorities said the incident occurred between 9 a.m. Jan. 13, and 6 p.m. Jan. 14. Further details about the theft were not available in a department media release.

A woman was arrested after she allegedly stole a recreational vehicle in Cass County. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 6 p.m. Sunday to a field on Osborn Road, near Eagle Point Road in Calvin Township. Behnke said the nature of the call centered on a suspicious vehicle parked in the vicinity. Deputies located the RV stuck in …

Representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation will be in Three Rivers in March to provide an update on the second year of the U.S. 131 renovation project in Three Rivers. The luncheon presentation starts at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18 and concludes at 1 p.m. at the Carnegie Center for the Arts. The 2020 portion of the work …

A woman and her daughter died in a fire Monday night at their Fabius Township residence. State police said the victims were 37-year-old Michelle Bixler and 16-year-old Cheyenne Bixler. Due to the location of the fire in the residence, responding police and fire personnel were unable to enter the home until after the blaze was extinguished. The fire took place …

A bicyclist was struck by a car earlier this week in Cass County’s Newberg Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called shortly after 6:30 p.m. Sunday to M-40 near Hoffman Street. Behnke said a car driven north on M-40 crested a hill and struck a bicycle ridden by David Hutchins, age 57, of Jones. Hutchins was transported to Three …

A plan introduced by state Rep. Aaron Miller, and signed into law in October updating and clarifying Michigan counseling practices, took effect this week. Updates were needed because the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs proposed a rule that would have precluded many licensed professional counselors from using counseling techniques and psychotherapy to treat patients. LPCs are invaluable to …