Waste board makes change

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The Adams County Solid Waste District's board of trustees on Monday approved a change in financial trustees for the district's transfer station and landfill trust accounts. The process, prompted by the expiration of the two long-standing trust agreements with First Merchants Bank, ultimately will cost the district a significant amount of interest income annually.

According to solid waste district executive secretary Betty Garwood — who was filling in for district director Hank Mayer, absent due to the recent death of his mother — the new interest rate offered for certificates of deposits was well below that received by the district in recent years. "The days of excellent (interest) rates are not going to happen any more," Garwood told the board.

Big cuts...and more ahead

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The Adams County Council spent two and a half days last week working on the 2012 budget and reduced departmental budgets by more than $323,000. Council members will meet on October 11 to formally approve a budget that totals more than $11.6 million.

Among cuts next year are per diem payments made to the three county commissioners when they act in their capacity as members of the county drainage board. The council indicated that when the 2013 budget is prepared in 2012, all per diem payments will be eliminated except those required by state law.

Warren-area farm site of SWCD ‘Cover Crop Field Day’ on Friday, Sept. 16

Huntington County Tab:

The Huntington and Wells counties Soil and Water Conservation districts will host a "Cover Crop Field Day" tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon at the James Leazier farm north of Warren.

The event will include a demonstration plot seeded with 10 varieties of cover crops and guest speakers to provide information about the following topics:

Moves planned to save wear on North Adams buses

Decatur Daily Democrat:

In an effort to more evenly distribute the wear on fleet buses, North Adams Schools Director of Transportation, Facilities and Grounds Larry Carty told the schools' board of education on Tuesday that a plan has been developed to shift some of the vehicles between routes.

Based upon accumulated mileage on a particular bus, average annual mileage for each route and years of service remaining until the bus can be traded, moves are being planned, he said. Carty added that a retirement total mileage in the range of 120,000 to 150,000 is being targeted.

South Adams awarded an A by the state

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

South Adams superintendent Scott Litwiller gave a report at the school board meeting on Tuesday evening informing the board members of the scores given to South Adams by the state under Public Law 221. Public Law 221 is similar to the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) system but is different in that Public Law 221 is the state’s system and AYP is the federal system. They are both based on ISTEP and ECA (End-of-Course Assessments) scores.

Teen gets 14 years for molesting

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A 17-year-old Decatur boy who pleaded guilty on September 2 to two counts of child molesting received a pair of concurrent 14-year prison sentences on Tuesday from Adams Circuit Court Judge Frederick A. Schurger.

Patrick M. Scott, who admitted engaging in sexual intercourse early this year with two 12-year-old girls, was handed the sentence. Two other molesting charges, one each involving the same girls, were dismissed.

Vote centers may take place of polling locales

Huntington County TAB

This fall, voters across Huntington County may see a change in the way things operate during the municipal elections.

Voting centers, open to all registered voters, may take the place of the traditional assigned polling locations.

To address any questions residents may have about voting centers, a public forum will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at Heritage Hall in Hier's Park. During the forum, a vote center will be set up so those attending can view the process.

Drugs are stolen in Walgreen break-in

Decatur Daily Democrat:

An unknown amount of drugs was stolen from the Walgreen store at 13th and Monroe Sts. early today.

Decatur police said a break-in occurred at 2:28 a.m. when someone pried open a front door, took the drugs, then fled the scene.

Officers from the city and the Adams County Sheriff's Department arrived at the store less than three minutes after the alarm sounded, but found no one there, according to the city department.

The report noted that the burglary "appears well-planned."

The city's investigation is continuing.

Students have blast at Swiss Heritage Village education day

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

The cannon firing at the annual educational day at Swiss Heritage Village on Friday morning got the attention of over 1,500 students who arrived from area school systems for a full slate of activities carried out by a large group of volunteers who assisted with everything from teaching school to milking goats.

You didn't have to tell students from Willard Elementary School in Winchester that the cannon echoed through the trees in the Swiss Heritage forest and the houses of the north end of Berne.

"I liked the way the cannon made the loud sound all day," said Winchester fourth grader Isabelle Horn. "I really enjoyed making candles. I was interested to hear about the way people used to live. I don't think I would like to live like that."

Other Randolph Central students such as Stacy Cox, Makayla Cole and Denae Anderson enjoyed the field activities such as the swings and the rope ladder.

Sewage disposal issues highlighted

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Adams County health officials have released information as they seek to make the public aware of sewage-disposal issues in the county.

Terry Smith, a longtime county health department leader, said, To be more proactive in dealing with severe and costly pollution problems that can result from inadequate, illegal, or improperly-maintained septic systems, the local health board directed us to provide to the local media recommended guidelines for operation and maintenance of septic tanks and septic systems in hopes that the public, especially in rural areas, could be better informed.

Bellone and Barrett spent 257 days recovering bodies from remains

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

New York firefighters Bob Barrett and Mike Bellone told those in attendance at the American Midwest Healing Field exhibit at Bearcreek Farms on Wednesday evening that every remain (full or partial) exhumed from the destruction of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, received an honor guard, American flag and last rites, whether they were firefighters, law enforcement, or civilians.

"No matter the condition we found them in, we saw to it that everybody got an honor guard, American flag and last rites," said Barrett. "I was in charge of taking the news of the recoveries to the families that had lost the loved ones. When I arrived with the bad news, they would say, 'Bob, cheer up. You brought us a blessing. Now we know what happened to our husband or son.'

Hearty start opens United Way’s drive

Decatur Daily Democrat:

"Matters of the heart" is how this year's United Way of Adams County (UWAC) campaign chairwoman, Leslie Rhoades of Decatur, describes the 2011 drive toward a goal of $222,012.

At Wednesday's UWAC kickoff luncheon in downtown Berne, she also referred to the United Way campaign slogan, "When your gift becomes someone's lifeline," and used a simple demonstration to show how even a small amount of money can make a big difference.

More than 40 people attended the event at the Boys' and Girls' Club branch.

Geneva mourns loss of Puterbaugh, community ambassador

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

In spite of failing health, Rosemary (Rosie) Puterbaugh spent much of the past 10 days checking on her work as usual. She called Gretchen Lehman to check on a Wednesday night meal at the First Missionary Church. She checked with Geneva Clerk/Treasurer Bill Warren concerning correlation of certain financial figures and she had scheduled to assist with a wedding of 400 people.

The unique thing about Puterbaugh was that all of this follow-up work was coming from her room at Parkview Memorial Hospital where she was awaiting a heart surgery this past Friday. She had been at the hospital for over a week since it was discovered that a serious heart condition could only be solved through surgery.

Late Friday afternoon, it became evident that the surgery was not working out as hoped. Shortly after 5 p.m., doctors walked out of the operating room with the grim news, Puterbaugh's earthly mission had ended; she had not survived the surgery.

175th fest in the black

Decatur Daily Democrat:

So great was the enthusiasm for the event and so well-developed the sales ideas, the committee in charge of Decatur's 175th Anniversary Celebration turned a nice-sized profit, it was learned at Tuesday night's city council meeting.

Larry Isch, co-chairman of the committee along with Max Miller, told council that the group will wind up some $16,000 in the black, thanks to the sales of numerous 175th souvenir items. According to Isch, roughly $40,000 was taken in and expenses totaled around $27,000. Then "a few more dollars trickled in" and the final total came to the approximatelhy $16,000.

Pence announces $125,000 grant awarded to SAAC program

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

U.S. Congressman Mike Pence announced earlier this week that the Adams County Substance Abuse Awareness Council was awarded a $125,000 grant by the Office of National Drug Control Policy under the Drug Free Communities Support Program.

"This grant will be used to help Adams County in its goal of creating a healthy, safe and drug free community," observed Pence. "I commend the Adams County Substance Abuse Awareness Council for being one of 87 new grantees selected from 452 applicants."

Monroe may up water rates

Decatur Daily Democrat:

For the first time since the 1990s, the Monroe Town Council will consider raising monthly water rates.

At Thursday's meeting of the council, President Al Lehman said he will propose at the October 6 meeting a small increase, less than $2 more per month for minimal water users, to begin building up a fund to pay for replacing water equipment perhaps eight to 10 years from now.

Lehman and council members Debra Giessler and Mike Geels agreed that it's better to have a small increase over a longer time than a large increase when things have to be replaced at the water plant.