To end the year, REAL News Michiana is breaking down our top 10 stories from 2023. The criteria is solely based on readership. Today, we will give you 10th through the 6th most read stories from the past year.
#10: Mishawaka City Clerk’s husband arrested for drunk driving after crashing truck — SBPD appears to conceal name
PUBLISHED 12/22/23
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The husband of Mishawaka City Clerk Debbie Ladyga-Block has been charged with drunk driving after crashing his truck in front of a school bus. According to charging documents, 68-year-old Donald Block had a bottle of vodka in his pocket when officers found him at the scene of the crash.
Block appeared uninjured and his vehicle did not sustain any damage, however, Block was not able to stand or walk and was taken to the hospital via ambulance where a blood sample was taken to determine his blood alcohol content (BAC). Block’s exact BAC will not be known until a toxicology report is completed.
Block was allowed to stay at the hospital for observation and was never sent to the jail to be processed — meaning there is no jail record of the arrest and he did not have a mugshot taken. Instead, officers processed Block using what is called a “long form arrest” in which evidence and testimony is sent directly to the prosecutor’s office to determine if charges should be filed. The prosecutor’s office filed charges two days later.
While a “long form arrest” is not uncommon, the South Bend Police Department also did not include Block’s name on its public call log. The call log typically identifies the location, incident type, victim and suspect. The log narrative in Block’s drunk driving incident provides all of that information, but excludes the suspect’s name.
You can read the rest of the story here.
#9: Edwardsburg Schools Superintendent Search
PUBLISHED 04/18/23-04/20/23 (A series of investigations outlining the search for a new superintendent of Edwardsburg Schools where RNM uncovered the radical backgrounds of top candidates.)
EDWARDSBURG, Mich. — REAL News Michiana has uncovered what appears to be the radical and obscene social media feed of one of the candidates for the Superintendent position at Edwardsburg Public Schools. Mark Brenton is one of the three final candidates who was interviewed by the Edwardsburg School Board on Tuesday night. He is currently the Superintendent of Bellaire Schools. And, appears to promote radical conspiracy theories and political violence in his social media feeds. Edwardsburg’s current superintendent is retiring at the end of June. Read more about Brenton in the full story here.
EDWARDSBURG, Mich. — REAL News Michiana has discovered one of the leading candidates to take the Superintendent position at Edwardsburg schools has a long history of pushing Critical Race Theory and radical Gender Theory onto teachers, staff and students in the classroom. Sarah J. Hickle is one of three of the final candidates who will be interviewed by the Edwardsburg School Board tonight. Hickle is currently the Assistant Superintendent at School City of Mishawaka. Read more about Hickle in the full story here.
#8: Warsaw coffee shop to host drag show for kids — One performer is named after sexual act
PUBLISHED 2/13/23
WARSAW, Ind. — REAL News Michiana has confirmed a local coffee shop is planning to host a drag show where children are able to attend. While the coffee shop’s ownership has claimed the event will be family friendly, one of the drag queens set to perform is named Natosha Salad, which said out loud sounds like “toss your salad” (a sexual act). Read the full story here.
#7: MPD Captain Covers up suspected DUI involving Mayor Dave Wood’s son
PUBLISHED 03/03/23
MISHAWAKA, Ind. — The Mishawaka Police Department has finally released the bodycamera video captured during a suspected OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) stop involving Mayor Dave Wood’s son, 21-year-old Joe Wood. In the video, the initiating officer says he can smell alcohol on the suspect. Joe Wood is also seen stumbling out of his car. At the beginning of the stop, Joe Wood almost immediately starts asking for the shift commander, Captain Eric Beckham. When Beckham shows up, Joe Wood excitedly calls out his name and walks over to him. Within seconds, Beckham tells Wood to lock up his car as it is being left on scene. He then tells responding officers that he will “take care of it.” Beckham then drove Wood to his dad’s house, who happens to be the Mayor of Mishawaka. While every officer on scene appears to have had their bodycamera running during the interaction, there was no video captured by Captain Beckham. Read the full story here.
#6: Actual “sex worker” organizes drag show for kids at Niles park — Her social media shows her pole dancing with toddler and calling cops “pigs”
PUBLISHED: 06/16/23
NILES, Mich. — REAL News Michiana has learned an actual sex worker is behind organizing a drag show for kids at a park in Niles planned for this weekend. The drag show is part of the first “Niles Pride Festival” being held Saturday, June 17th from 7:00-9:00pm at Riverfront Park. Part of the festival includes a drag show open to children being held at the park’s open-air amphitheater. The organizer is a woman by the name of Hailey Colpitts who admittedly makes money a “sex worker.” And, has pictures of herself pole dancing with a toddler on social media. Read the full story here.
MAKE SURE YOU CHECK BACK TOMORROW FOR RNM’S TOP FIVE STORIES FROM 2023.
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