Man to plead guilty in bludgeoning death
KOKOMO — A central Indiana man has agreed to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the bludgeoning death of his 75-year-old father.
A plea agreement filed by James Clingenpeel’s court-appointed attorney and prosecutors calls for a 40-year prison term with two years suspended.
A Howard County judge is expected to rule April 13 whether he’ll accept Clingenpeel’s plea.
Governor names new health commissioner
INDIANAPOLIS — A retired Eli Lilly medical director and former family physician is the state’s new health commissioner.
Gov. Mitch Daniels announced Wednesday that Dr. Gregory N. Larkin will replace current commissioner Dr. Judy Monroe beginning April 1.
Monroe will leave her state position March 8 to become a deputy director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and head a new CDC office.
Fort Wayne might close Elmhurst High
FORT WAYNE — Fort Wayne’s school superintendent is recommending that Elmhurst High School be closed as the district works to make $15 million in budget cuts.
The proposal also calls for closing an elementary school and saving $6 million by increasing the class loads of teachers.
Chief financial officer Kathy Friend says Elmhurst was selected among the district’s six high schools for closure because its academic offerings and about 950 students could be dispersed to other schools.
Marion school ending high school
MARION — The private Lakeview Christian School in Marion has decided to end classes beyond fifth grade after this school year.
Lakeview Christian will graduate its final senior class this spring, with the decision forcing 67 students in this year’s grades 4-11 to change schools for next year.
Fire guts bowling alley, other businesses
SELLERSBURG — A fire that started in a bowling alley spread to destroy several neighboring businesses in a southern Indiana strip shopping center.
No injuries were reported from Tuesday’s fire at the Silver Creek Plaza in Sellersburg. Flames burned through the structure’s roof, sending huge plumes of black smoke into the sky.
Teen facing charges that he killed family
LEBANON — The teenager who investigators believe fatally stabbed his twin brother, father and stepmother in their central Indiana home has been returned from Texas.
Police officers arrived in Boone County early Wednesday with 19-year-old Barney Jose Chamorro. Authorities say he was arrested at a rest stop near Midland, Texas, on Saturday, the day after officers found the bodies of Judy Schindler, Alejandro Chamorro Sr. and 19-year-old Alejandro Chamorro Jr. in the family’s Whitestown home.
Police agencies to blitz impaired driving
INDIANAPOLIS — More than 250 Indiana law enforcement agencies plan to crack down on impaired and dangerous driving with a blitz starting Friday that runs for more than two weeks.
