Wells County prosecutors have filed formal murder charges against each of the four people implicated in the shooting death of a 19-year-old Uniondale man in rural Wells County on Wednesday. Cody Barkley, 18, Jonathan Thatcher, 18, Dustin Jackson, 22, and Cody Mendez, 17, each faces additional felony murder and conspiracy to commit robbery resulting in serious injury charges. They're accused of fatally shooting Justin Sprow as he sat in his car with a passenger at the intersection of county roads 800 North and 100 West around 8 p.m.

Police say the suspects, in a pickup, approached Sprow's car, opened fire, then fled. The passenger got out of the car, hid in a cornfield and called 911; he was not injured. Police suspect the shooting was drug-related. The four suspects were arrested Thursday in Decatur.

Fort Wayne Police released surveillance video of an armed robbery at a northwest-side McDonald's on Tuesday, and are seeking the public's help in apprehending the culprits. Two men, one with a long gun, are seen entering the fast-food restaurant at 1103 Goshen Ave. around 6:30 p.m. The armed thief then points the gun at a cashier and demands money while his accomplice removes cash from the register.

The men stole a customer's wallet before running from the restaurant. If you have information about this case, call CrimeStoppers at 436-STOP (436-7867).

An Auburn man faces a child molestation charge after police say he fondled a 12-year-old girl. Police say Billy G. Rowe, 64, inappropriately touched the girl between Sept. 1 and Oct. 21. Rowe is being held at the DeKalb County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bail.

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a city man accused of possessing child pornography.

Curtis R. Allen, 57, has been charged in a two-count indictment in U.S. District Court with receipt of sexually explicit materials depicting minors on or about July 21, 2009, and possession of sexually explicit materials depicting minors on or about July 22, 2009.

FBI's Cyber Crimes Task Force arrested Allen.

It's official. Signers of the yellow petitions favoring renovation of the New Haven Jury Pool won Friday by a certified vote of 2,528 to the 2,359 blue side opposed to the project. That means the New Haven-Adams Township Park Board will obtain a $3.5 million bond to update the pool, 1702 Glencoe Blvd., with a zero-entry leisure pool (zero to 12 inches deep); a variety of water-play structures; a triple slide; space for more deck chairs; and a landscaped park area with tables, chairs and umbrellas. Construction would likely start in the spring, and the pool would reopen in summer 2011.

Kevin Leininger's column does not appear today. It will return next week.

♦Woodburn Road between Sampson and Hetrick roads will be closed Monday-Friday to erect a beam for the U.S. 24 project.

♦St. Joe Center Road bridge between Clinton Street and St. Joe Road will be restricted Monday-Friday while the bridge is being repaired.

WARRENVILLE, Ill. — Truck maker Navistar International says it is exploring a joint venture with a Chinese vehicle manufacturer to build diesel engines for commercial vehicles in China.

Navistar, which has its Truck Design and Technology Center at 2911 Meyer Road, said Friday the proposed 50-50 joint venture with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. would establish a research and design center in China's Anhui province.

Diesel engines produced under the joint venture would be used primarily in China as well as certain export markets. Navistar says the joint venture would be governed by an eight-person board consisting of four members from each company.

The venture still requires approval by each company's board of directors, as well as other approvals before it moves forward.

Are you one of “Santa's Helpers” – that elite group that dons the red suit and white beard for parties and local businesses? If you would like to participate in the sixth annual Phil Steigerwald Santa's Helper contest, contact Natalia Bethea at The News-Sentinel at 461-8439 by Nov. 16 and leave your name and phone number. A Santa's Helper who wins three years in a row must sit out one year, so three-time winner Kip Lackey will not compete this year.