County resident was once responsible for grandstands

Berne Tri-Weekly News:

Mark Merkel and his wife, Judi, have been to many shows and events at the grandstands of the Indiana State Fair over many years. There were years when they lived in an apartment underneath of the grandstands at fair time but they had never seen anything like the collapse of the stage at Saturday's Sugarland concert. "I've been to at least a hundred shows or events and have seen various configurations over the years," said Merkel. "I never saw anything like that. There was a lot of weight on the top, lights, accessories and lots of things. When that thing came down, it was so high that it really came down with much force.