City roads to see increased speed limits up to 15 mph
GREENFIELD — Speed limits on the city’s west side are increasing — as much as 15 mph in some spots — after studies showed many drivers already were exceeding posted speed limits in the area, officials said.
The Greenfield City Council recently approved new speed limits for sections of Meridian and McKenzie roads and County Road 100S on the city’s west side, and drivers should see new signs advertising those limits in the next few weeks. Speed limits will increase between 5 and 15 mph.
Meridian Road between County Road 100S and Main Street will increase to 50 mph. Currently, the speed limit is 35 near Main Street; it’s 45 closer to County Road 100S. On County Road 100S, the speed limit will be raised to 55 mph; currently, it’s 50, and McKenzie Road between Meridian and Windswept roads will be raised from 45 to 50.
Students tour local facilities during Career Exploration Day
HANCOCK COUNTY — This week hundreds of local freshmen got a glimpse into local workplaces, from manufacturing facilities to corner-window offices at several local businesses as part of Career Exploration Day. The event was organized by the Hancock County Career Success Coalition, a Greenfield-based committee that aims to increase educational opportunities for young people.
This year’s event included students from New Palestine and Greenfield-Central high schools. They were welcomed by business leaders, who encouraged them to start considering career fields that interest them early so they have time to plan their high school schedules to complement those interests.
Faith-based foster care program seeks volunteers
GREENFIELD — Safe Families for Children, a nonprofit organization that acts as a safety net for families in crisis, is seeking more local families to step up and foster children in need. The faith-based organization is a resource for parents who, for whatever reason, find they temporarily can no longer care for their children. The organization connects those parents with temporary homes to those children until they are back on their feet.
Host families neither seek nor acquire custody of the children they assist, and care can be offered for as little as a night or a multiple-month extended stay, depending on need.
Volunteers must be at least 25 years old and pass a background check. Outlook Christian Church in McCordsville and Park Chapel Christian Church in Greenfield are leading the charge to find more host families in Hancock County. For more information about Safe Families for Children, visit insafefamilies.org.
Police: Teen re-arrested after being caught with drugs
GREENFIELD — A teen charged with homicide after a cyclist in New Palestine was hit and killed is back behind bars after police said he was caught using drugs, violating an agreement that allowed him to be monitored at home pending trial, court records show.
Timothy Hughes, 18, was huffing canned air to get high, according to court documents — which officials say is evidence of the substance abuse issues that led to the accident in August in which 22-year-old Carla McCloud was killed. Police say Hughes has a history of substance abuse and was drunk when McCloud was hit; his blood-alcohol content tested at more than three times the legal limit following the crash.
Hughes admitted to inhaling the air, saying it helped him fall asleep, after first trying to convince the officer he used the product only to clean a gaming system, court records state.
Hughes being held in the Hancock County Jail without bond pending a hearing on Nov. 4.
