N-B Photos: Gov. Mike Pence visits Bluffton

Gov. Mike Pence visited Bluffton Thursday, first dining with fellow Hoosiers at Richard's and then visiting with students at Lancaster Central Elementary School. Learn more about both stops in the Friday, Jan. 29, News-Banner. (Photos by Jessica Williams and Matthew LeBlanc)

N-B Photos: 2016 Chamber dinner

The Wells County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the Educator of the Year, Business of the Year, and Citizens of the Year during its annual dinner Monday evening. Learn more in the Tuesday, Jan. 26, News-Banner. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Links: Wells County a pilot county for 'e-filing'

 Wells County is on the forefront of shaping how the electronic filing system for court cases will work in Indiana – as both a pilot county and with two members on a statewide committee. Learn more in the Monday, Jan. 25, News-Banner.

The following is a screenshot from the state's judiciary website, explaining how the process will work. (Click image to enlarge)

Learn more about statewide e-filing by clicking here.

N-B Photos: Two re-elected council members take oaths of office

Three pieces of the Tracy Street reconstruction project were removed Wednesday evening by the Markle Town Council in an effort to see the project awarded the next time around by the Indiana Department of Transportation. See a map of part of Tracy Street below, and learn more in the Thursday, Jan. 21, News-Banner.

Also Wednesday, Clerk-Treasurer Carolyn Hamilton administered the oaths of office to two re-elected council members, Jeff Humbarger and Mark Hamilton. (Photos by Jessica Williams)

N-B Links: Information about Criminal Rule 4, the Indiana death penalty, and DCS

Monday, Jan. 18, marked one year since 3-year-old Owen Collins' body was found in a wooded area outside of Bluffton. We recapped the case, including information on different state laws.

Learn more about Criminal Rule 4 by clicking here.

Learn more about the state's death penalty law by clicking here.


We also spoke with the local director of the Department of Child Services office about their protocols and child abuse and neglect investigation process. That was published Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 18 and 19.

Visit the state's DCS website here, where you can learn more about Child Protective Services, DCS policies, and child safety. This link will direct you to the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

N-B Video: Holdman speaks on his civil rights bills

Sen. Travis Holdman, R-Markle, spoke for about 10 minutes Saturday at Bluffton's Third House legislative update about the bills he authored, which – according to a handout he provided – are "good-faith attempts to balance religious liberty and the civil rights of gay and lesbian Hoosiers." Listen to him speak in full about the bills, and read the hand-out, below. Click the images to enlarge in order to read the text. Learn more about the Third House session in the Monday, Jan. 11, News-Banner. (Video by Jessica Williams)

N-B Links: United Way is 2016 Business of the Year

From "modest beginnings" 50 years ago to being recognized with one of the Chamber of Commerce's top annual honors, the United Way of Wells County has a lot to celebrate this year.
It has been named the Wells County Chamber of Commerce's 2016 Business of the Year, and it's also celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Executive Director Pamela Beckford called the announcement "quite an honor."

Learn more in the Friday, Jan. 8, News-Banner.

"United Way has been a very strong organization in our community and their initiatives are stronger than ever," said Chamber of Commerce Director Erin Prible. "It is an honor to celebrate and recognize them as Business of the Year. The community appreciates the many services provided by United Way."

To learn more about the United Way of Wells County, click here. To learn more about its "90by20" initiative, click here.