Dec. 26—Tipton Mayor Dolezal suffers heart attack

Tipton Mayor Tom Dolezal is recovering after suffering a heart attack on Christmas Day.

According to a Tuesday press release posted to the mayor’s social media, Dolezal underwent successful surgery following the heart attack and recovering “well.”

“Mayor Dolezal and his family express their heartfelt gratitude for the outpouring of prayers and support received from the community,” the social media post states. “They would also like to thank the health care professionals at IU Health Tipton Hospital for their care and quick assessment. The Dolezal family kindly requests respect for their privacy as Mayor Dolezal focuses on his recovery.”

According to the release, all city department heads have been notified, and city services continue to operate.

Updates on the mayor’s condition will be posted on social media as they become available.

Dolezal’s term as mayor ends at the end of this year. The one-term Democrat chose to not run for reelection.

Republican Keegan Schmicker will be sworn in and begin his first term as mayor on Jan. 1.

Kokomo native promoted at ISP

Indiana State Police Trooper Kyle Miller, a Kokomo native, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant within the Peru District.

Sgt. Miller will serve as a squad supervisor for the Indiana State Police Peru Post, encompassing Cass, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Miami, Tipton, and Wabash counties. Miller received his promotion through written testing, job performance evaluations and a competitive selection process.

Miller is a 2010 graduate of Northwestern High School. After graduation, Miller attended Indiana University Kokomo, where he obtained his bachelors degree in criminal justice. Miller furthered his education at IUK by obtaining a certificate in public safety.

Miller is a nine-year veteran of the Indiana State Police. In December 2014, Miller graduated from the 74th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy and was appointed as a trooper assigned to the Peru District, where he primarily worked in Howard County. Miller has pursued additional responsibilities as an instructor in defense tactics, taser and tactical medical.

Miller is currently a member of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team (EOD) and the Clandestine Lab Team. Miller additionally serves as the north zone team leader for the Indiana State Police Honor Guard and as a field training officer.

Miller recently concluded serving as a counselor at the 84th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy. In 2021, he graduated from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Leadership Academy.

Miller joined the Indiana Army National Guard in 2010 and continues to serve with the rank of captain.

Miller currently resides in Wabash County.

New trooper assigned to Peru District

Dustin L. Smith, 35, of Rochester, is the newest Indiana State Police trooper to be assigned to the Peru District.

Smith was one of 28 new troopers who graduated from the 84th Indiana State Police Recruit Academy after completing a journey of 24 weeks of intense training. The recruits received over 600 hours of classroom instruction and nearly 400 hours of hands-on practical scenario-based training.

Smith will now begin three months of field training alongside several experienced field training officers. After completing this phase, he will be issued their police car and start solo patrol on Indiana roads. Smith will start Jan 2. and primarily patrol Cass County.

A 2006 graduate of Rochester High School, Smith worked as a heavy equipment operator after high school. He currently resides in Fulton County.

4C Health achieves Mobile Crisis State Certification

4C Health has received state level certification for mobile crisis through the Indiana Division of Mental Health & Addiction. Certification reflects that 4C Health’s Mobile Crisis services are aligned with state standards.

4C Health began providing mobile crisis services in the fall of 2020 during the public health pandemic. Since then, 4C Health mobile teams have completed over 4,000 successful mobile deployments and counting in Cass, Miami, Fulton, Pulaski, Howard, Tipton, and White counties. Mobile crisis operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

“It means so much to achieve this next benchmark in our journey to becoming a rural regional center of excellence for crisis care in Indiana, Carrie Cadwell, CEO of 4C Health, stated in a release. “Certification allows us to take the next step in sustainability by billing state Medicaid and Healthy Indiana Plans for these services as appropriate. We could not imagine life in our communities any longer without mobile teams, without our crisis stabilization services, without psychiatric urgent. It is simply an exciting time in the evolution of behavioral health in Indiana.”

To learn more about 4C Health visit www.4CHealthIN.org.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.