Farmers looking for good drying weather to finish harvest

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

While soaking rains the last week couldn't have come in any nicer fashion, farmers need another good drying spell in order for corn to dry down for the impending harvest says Jeff Lehman of Lehman Feed Mill.

"The bean harvest is about 75 percent done now," said Lehman. "Beans have been pretty good in the Berne area. We are very blessed, with a lot of yields in the 50's. Some areas away from here where they didn't get as much rain have only been getting in the 40's. We were so blessed by the rains we had earlier, right when the beans needed it. I believe that the corn benefited some from those rains, too."

Lehman said that a lot of beans have been coming in at 11-13 percent moisture, what he considers to be a normal moisture level for beans. However, he suspects that there might have been some soil compaction with some of the cutting earlier this week.

Dry night seen for parade

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The rain which fell in Decatur this morning is expected to be long gone by tonight, with some rather nice weather predicted for the Callithumpian Parade in Decatur.

The official start time for the annual event is 6:57 p.m.

The National Weather Services says parade-goers can expect mostly clear skies with temperatures in the low 40s — heading to an eventual low of around 32 degrees — for the start of the parade, which is expected to draw thousands of people to the downtown area. Various sizes and shapes of chairs were situated as early as Sunday night as people picked out their spots to watch the event.

Swiss Village residents find friendship at Kinder Haus

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Students attending Kinder Haus Day Care Center at Swiss Village Retirement Center are experiencing stories from at least three generations before their time.

Richard Beitler spends time these days volunteering to read to little children on a monthly basis.

"I ought to quit, I don't hear what they say to me anymore," mused Beitler. "I like to tell them little stories about my childhood. I bring a three-legged milk stool and sit on it while they gather around me. I like to read stories to them; my favorites are Mother Goose Rhymes and Bible stories.

Second draft of Heritage plans offered EA board

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The first of several proposed construction plans within the East Allen County Schools District, involving Woodlan Junior-Senior High School, will move ahead after a vote by the school board this week.

At a cost of almost $11 million, the Woodlan plan is large enough to be subject to a remonstrance by the taxpayers and voters in the East Allen district. The deadline to file a remonstrance is next Monday, October 24.

Businesses offer reward for information about downtown burglary

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Three local businesses are offering a combined reward of $1,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of an individual or individuals who broke into their establishments Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

State Farm Insurance, located on Water Street; Sport Form, located on Sprunger Street; and Bixler Insurance, located on Main Street were all broken into. Minimal amounts of money were stolen from State Farm and Sport Form. At Bixler Insurance, burglars attempted to unsuccessfully break into the safe. However, nothing was actually stolen from that business.

AC gearing up for Vets’ Day

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The annual Veterans' Day ceremony sponsored by the History Club at Adams Central High School will be held on Friday, November 11, starting at 1:30 p.m. in AC's main gym.

The event is open to all area United States military veterans and their families, as well as the public.

Prime eyeing Nov. 1 move

Decatur Daily Democrat:

With the date for Prime Inc. to move into its brand-new location in the city's Industrial Park III just around the proverbial corner, Decatur City Council on Tuesday night authorized work to be concluded on improvements to County Road 450 as well as adding and changing lane markings there.

The Prime site is located west of All American Homes and northwest of Walmart.

The Springfield, Missouri-based firm has replaced Ruan as the trucking operator for Bunge North America. Originally planning to get into its new site in the spring, Prime was constantly hampered by weather, though, and has been operating out of the former Ruan site on Washington St. for several months.

Semi tips over, steel rolls away from vehicle

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A semi tractor-trailer trying to make a turn from 13th Street onto Nuttman Avenue late Monday evening tipped over, causing a large roll of steel being carried by the semi to break away from the vehicle and also entrapping the driver for a short period of time.

The Decatur Police Department reported that Eric S. Lintermoot, 39, Decatur, was attempting to turn his semi at 11:30 p.m. when the semi turned over onto its side. The steel rolled off the semi and went up over the curb onto the property of the nearby Wendy's restaurant.

Showing blow of reality proves effective for SAAC students

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Members of the Berne Rotary Club sat silently last Thursday as their hearts were captured by a fictitious video of South Adams students involved in a fatal accident due to alcohol. Students had acted out an auto accident, which took the life of fellow students, for a production show to the student body just days before high school prom last spring.

To make things even more effective, a "live funeral" was held in the South Adams auditorium in order to demonstrate to students the matter of grief and pain caused to those around them whose heart was broken because of their death in the accident.

Rotary members looked on grimly as SAAC sponsor Sheila Graber explained the effect the video had on students last spring. She also noted the pain that gripped her heart during the filming as her own daughter (Lindsay) was "injured" in the accident.

Business looking at ex-Casting location

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Good news and better news were delivered on Monday to the Adams County commissioners about the former Decatur Casting site on Dayton Ave.

Larry Macklin, executive director of the Adams County Economic Development Corp. and the person who has been overseeing the cleanup and the marketing of the old Casting area, told the commissioners that the most recent technical analysis of the location found it does not have materials that pose a threat to humans or the environment.

He also said a business is seriously considering that 6.8-acre site for development, since it is on a rail line and has been zoned for industrial use. "A party is really interested in the site" and another firm is likewise looking at it," Macklin said.

Muensterberg Plaza continues to take shape

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Imagine a precision-designed plaza complete with quilt gardens, walks, historical figures, heritage reminders and one of two Canton trees in the world at the base of a Swiss Clock Tower replicating its sister clock in Bern, Switzerland.

For members of the Berne Community Development Corporation, and hundreds of other people who have contributed to the cause, the image is more than a Swiss blended dream; it is reality in motion at the Muensterberg Plaza these days.

Developers are in the process of marking out three quilt gardens which will incorporate various types of flowers selected in consideration of local flowers and those grown in Switzerland.

Heat aid fund takes big hit

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A large reduction in state funds for the Energy Assistance Program that's operated by Community and Family Services (CFS) has occurred and that loss will affect how much CFS will be able to assist people in need during the upcoming winter.

Millie Deaton, who heads the Adams County CFS office, said the agency received $4 million from Indiana for the winter of 2010-11, but was cut to $500,000 for the coming winter.

As a result, "mass days," when CFS personnel talk with older people and the disabled about the program, have been cancelled, as were appointments in the local CFS office.

Still no state action on NA elected board

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The state Department of Education failed to act as expected at its recent meeting on a citizens' petition that would change the method of seating North Adams school board members from the current appointment process to a seven-member elected board.

School board attorney Scott Ainsworth told the board at last month's meeting that the state was in the process of reviewing a citizens' petition that would change the method of seating North Adams school board members from the current appointment process to a seven-member elected board. A decision on the merits of that petition was expected at the state education board's Oct. 5 meeting.

NA numbers: down, down, down

Decatur Daily Democrat:

Enrollment at North Adams Community Schools continues to decline, with the student population throughout the school district this year reflecting the eighth consecutive year in which student numbers have been lower than the previous year.

Superintendent Wylie Sirk told members of the North Adams school board on Tuesday that 1,854 students are enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 this year.

That number is down from 1,977 at the start of the 2010 school year.

Park is Indiana’s ‘very best teacher’

Huntington County Tab:

Most of the people who filled the Riverview Middle School gym on Monday, Oct. 10, seemed a bit puzzled as to why Principal Curt Crago's mood was so upbeat at a convocation he called to talk about bullying.

Especially after Crago pointed out the school board members and the county commissioner who just happened to be in the audience.

And even more so when Crago introduced Indiana's superintendent of public instruction, Dr. Tony Bennett.
Bennett didn't waste much time in satisfying the crowd's curiosity, confirming their suspicions that he hadn't made the two-hour drive to discuss bullies.

"I have some very good news," he told the assembled teachers, staff, students and community members. "Seated with you today is the model of greatness ... greatness in teaching students."

CVS robbery drives up cost at Berne Police Department

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Clerk-Treasurer Gwen Maller asked city council to appropriate an additional $16,000 to the Berne City Police Department at Tuesday night's meeting. The first regular meeting of October was held on Tuesday rather than Monday due to observation of Columbus Day.

"They are running in the red and it's mainly because of overtime," Maller told council members. "The reason for that is a split between overtime and repair and maintenance expenses. We have cash in our general fund to cover for this amount."

Council member Mark Wynn asked where the extra hours were coming in; Mayor John Minch replied that some of it is due to the 24-7 coverage that is provided by the local department.

Trail Horse Show comes to Swiss Heritage Village

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

For the first time, a bit of the Wild West is coming to Swiss Heritage Village in the form of Versatility/Extreme Trail Horse Show.

The event, which will take place this Saturday, will begin at 10 a.m. and will feature various timed events for age classes. The timed event will be based on, fastest time wins, and there will be an 80 percent payback for the first three places, according to Kenya Habegger, who spearheaded the event.

"There will be penalties; basically, everyone will operate in one time, but so many seconds will be taken off for certain penalties," said Habegger. "Winning will depend on how fast the participant gets done and the fact that all obstacles are done correctly.

Memorial to Friedt planned

Decatur Daily Democrat:

The Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District is accepting donations for a memorial garden to be built at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Monroe to remember John Friedt, a longtime staff member of the agency who died suddenly on February 17 this year at age 56.

The garden will be located near the new building erected this year on the fairgrounds.

Lockwood makes her rounds as roller derby team captain

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

To her classmates at Adams Central, she is known by her given name, Lydia Lockwood. However, to those she slams into on the roller derby rink, she is better known as,"Malibruise Barbie."

It was just two years ago when Lockwood's grandmother purchased tickets for her birthday to attend roller derby bouts at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Within minutes after the opening bout started, she knew that she wanted to be on the rink doing the same thing.

"I looked at my family and said, 'I really want to do that,'" Lockwood said. "The women looked tough and beautiful. It made me feel empowered to watch them. After the bout, I talked to the coach. They gave me the website.

Huntington County Safety Council sets meeting

Huntington County Tab:

The Huntington County Safety Council will hold their monthly luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at Huntington University's Habecker Dining Commons.

The program will be "Safety in the Workplace" and will include videos to be utilized in workplaces. The program will focus on slips, trips, falls and dust combustion.

The program this month will be facilitated by Anna Marsh, safety coordinator for Parkview Huntington Hospital.

Berne woman handed near-3 years in prison

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A prison sentence of two years and 325 days was handed down in Adams Superior Court on Tuesday to Marlinda D. Moore, 49, Berne.

Moore pleaded guilty to domestic battery, battery, resisting law enforcement, disorderly conduct, and criminal mischief. The new charges also violated the probations she is serving for convictions of resisting law enforcement, intimidation, and invasion of privacy.

The domestic battery case involved Moore hitting her husband in the face and the battery case involved Moore kicking a Berne policeman in a knee, both on July 11.

Council agrees to expenditure for renovation work at Andrews Park

Huntington County Tab:

The Andrews Town Council has approved funding for renovations to be made to the town park.

Linda Wright, representing the town's park commission, brought the proposal for the renovations to the attention of the council. The work will involve clearing a back area of the park that is adjacent to railroad tracks. Zahm Excavating was chosen to do the work.

The decision was made during the council's monthly meeting on Monday, Oct. 3.

Trick-or-treating hours for the town have been set for Halloween. The council decided upon 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Monday, Oct. 31.

Fund planned to aid city’s depot

Decatur Daily Democrat:

It doesn't have a name as yet, such as Save The Depot, but a fund will be set up by the Adams County Community Foundation to which people, businesses, groups, etc. may donate in order to preserve — and put to use — the 99-year-old structure off Seventh St., near Monroe St.

Mayor John Schultz unveiled the plan at Tuesday night's city council meeting, with the notation, "We are asking for donations."

City targets sewage bill deadbeats

Decatur Daily Democrat:

A city crackdown is coming for a group of Yost Woods residents who aren't paying their sewage bills.

Mayor John Schultz raised the issue at Tuesday night's city council meeting, noting that the situation is unique in that the city has no direct recourse if a resident of that area does not pay his/her bill.

A city resident whose bill goes unpaid — and ignored — for three months gets their water shut off. "And that gets their attention in a hurry," the mayor said. Yost Woods residents, however, are not on the city water system.