Archived NewsBytes located at the bottom of the page

August 31

• Labor Day Weekend is here.  For swimmers, this is the last weekend to swim in the public pool.  Shields Park pool will close Monday, September 3rd.

• Beetles on the move!  And it is not good news for Christmas tree growers in the state.  Pine shoot beetles have recently been discovered in four counties -- Brown, Fayette, Hendricks and Owen, bringing to fifty-five the number of counties now under a pine shoot beetle quarantine.  All counties north of U.S. 40 have been quarantined, which means that evergreen growers in each affected county can sell trees only within that county or to other quarantined counties unless they use pesticides and perform inspections.  According to the National Christmas Tree Association board, Indiana has 700 to 1,000 Christmas tree farms.

• State troopers are having a field day seizing pot plants this year.  Helicopters are used to spot the plants and then the ground forces move in.  As of July 31st, more than 6,000 plants had been seized, putting this year on target to surpass each of the past two years.  On Wednesday more than 334 from 34 plots in Marion County, Hancock County, and Shelby County were destroyed.   The plots were in cornfields and easy to see from the air.

• IBP Inc, the nation's biggest beef processor, is recalling 500,000 pounds of ground beef from 35 states and the District of Columbia, saying it may be contaminated with the deadly E. coli bacteria.  IBP said Wednesday, adding that it presents no danger if properly handled and thoroughly cooked. The government recommends cooking all ground beef to 160 degrees to destroy bacteria.  The beef was produced Aug. 7 in a Dakota City plant and distributed in 5- and 10-pound   The meat shipped to wholesalers bears the product code EST 245C SELL/FREEZE BY Aug. 25 A (or B) Box Codes D0271BH or D0371BH.  Consumers who think they may have bought some of the meat were advised to contact the store where the purchase was made.  E. coli O157 can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration and it can be deadly, especially in children, people with suppressed immune systems and the elderly. The bacteria kills an estimated 60 Americans each year and sickens an estimated 73,000.

August 30

• Clean up is needed in an area of the Hoosier National Forest where a tornado blew through in April of 1996.  Dead trees and brush are creating a fire hazard and increasing the risk of wildfires, so officials are proposing the use of controlled burning to clear out some of the downed vegetation. The area is south of Lake Monroe, in Jackson and Lawrence Counties.  Some of the downed trees were sold to loggers, but concerns about protecting habitat for the endangered Indiana bat blocked further salvage efforts.  The plan wouldn't be implemented until at least 2003.

• Two Indiana University football players have been arrested by police and accused of stealing $200 from an ATM account earlier this month.  Steven Patrick Thompson, 20, and Jamarkus K. Gorman, 21, each were booked on a preliminary charge of theft.  A bank customer had left an ATM card in a drive-up machine and learned that an unauthorized withdrawal of $200 had been made, according to a police report.  The suspects were identified from a surveillance tape.  Gorman plays right guard for the football team, and Thompson is a quarterback.

• Indiana's will receive more than $95,000 in a $4 million federal settlement with  CVS Corp.  The agreement settles allegations CVS submitted false prescription claims to federal and state health care programs.  The pharmacy chain billed the government for full quantities of prescriptions for beneficiaries of federal health insurance programs when they actually dispensed only partial prescriptions. The company cooperated with the investigation, officials said, explaining that pharmacies partially fill  prescriptions when enough medication is not available for the full prescription.  Customers are told to pick up the rest of the prescription later, but sometimes customers don't.

August 29

• High school graduates in Indiana have continued the upward trend in SAT scores.  Average scores from this year's high school graduates in Indiana increased a single point over last year.  Taken by sixty percent of the class of 2001, he average score on the math section was the same as last year -- 501, while the average verbal test score went up one point over last year to 499.  The national average was 506 on the verbal and 514 on the math.  Over the past ten years Indiana student scores have increased 30 points.

• The Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission voted Tuesday to let a 22-year-old rule that allows beer distributors to sell in each others' territories to expire on Dec. 31.  Under the change, breweries could authorize a single distributor to serve a specific area, and all retailers would have to buy that brand of beer from the designated source.  Some believe the current rule allows retailers to shop around for the best price and that by letting the rule expire beer prices will rise significantly.

August 28

• Otis Elevator Company may eliminate up to 460 jobs in Bloomington in order to reduce costs. Company officials say it could cut around 385 hourly and 75 salaried positions in the city by the end of 2002.

• The Jill Behrman Run for the Endzone will be October 6th. IU's Division of Recreational Sports expects more than 1600 runners and walkers to participate in the 5K run, 5K walk and one mile family walk. For more information, call 855-2371 or visit www.recsports.indiana.edu

• Another group, the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, has signed on Gov. O'Bannon's push for tax reform in Indiana because of concern that high property taxes will overwhelm homeowners in 2003.  The group is recommending the elimination of all property taxes for school and welfare spending and urging that they be replaced by increases in state sales, income or corporate income taxes.  New rules, using market values of properties, were adopted by the state Board of Tax Commissioners and Gov. O'Bannon for assessors to use in this years property re-evaluation, and the tax burden is expected to shift from businesses to homeowners.  Some homeowners may see their  property taxes triple.  During the last election for governor, state realtors groups warned voters about what might happen to property taxes, and it is reported that many property owners now will be shocked when they receive their statements next year. 

• Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation officials will vote Tuesday on a $115 million school construction project that includes two new school buildings -- a new elementary school and a new Central Middle School, renovating Lincoln Elementary and Northside Middle schools, and converting Southside Elementary to a middle school.  The school system has grown by 634 students in the past eight years and the superintendent stresses the need to act now.  This project is the largest ever by the school system.  If it is approved, construction would begin in the spring.

August 27

• IU's CFO says IU has a solid plan to pay for a retirement plan the university offered for 30 years -- but did not save for. A review found the university didn't put aside money to pay for the plan with the bill now coming due. It's expected to cost IU $2-billion over the next 30 years. IU's CFO says IU now has a plan to absorb the cost without harming the university.

• It may not be $ 295-million from the Powerball drawing, but a Lawrence County family is celebrating their winnings from the lottery. Because of being "camera shy", Monte Anderson asked his son Trent Anderson of Oolitic to serve as proxy for his appearance on the Hoosier Millionaire Show (which aired Saturday night). Anderson took home $275-thousand  by winning $ 25-thousand in the preliminary rounds and $250-thousand in the Millionaire round.

• This is week number six in the tax rebate mailing program.  If the last two digits of your Social Security number are "50-59", the check is in the mail to those who paid Federal taxes.

August 24

• A new concern!  A health advisory has been issued concerning an exotic subtropical strain of algae that has been found in Ball Lake in Steuben County and could pose a health risk to swimmers and animals.  Lab tests have confirmed that the algae is a subtropical strain of cylindrospermopsis.  The algae produces toxins that can affect the liver and nervous system and are known to cause skin irritations in swimmers, and high levels of the toxins have also caused animal deaths.  Health officials are urging people to avoid contact with the water and to keep pets and livestock away from it as well..  There is concern that the algae could appear in other places.  Further studies of the ramifications of the algae discovery are being planned.

• The last days of the fair, Kentucky State Fair will run through this weekend.

• The I.U. Varsity Club is not suffering from fallout over Bob Knight's firing.  In fact, revenues have risen about 7%.  It is reported that the club has lost some donors, but they have gained news ones as well.  The 14,500 members of the Varsity Club make annual donations to improve their chances on the waiting list for season basketball tickets.

August 23

• It's official!  Hunting and fishing license fees will be going up in 2002.  Wednesday =t The Indiana Natural Resources Commission voted unanimously to hike licensing fees by more than 60%, among concerns by some that the increase is too much.  General hunting, fishing and trapping fees will now cost $14.25, and deer hunting licenses will be $24.  The increases take effect January 1, 2002.   The increase was necessary to maintain programs.

• Indiana has received a $2.9 million grant for lowering its drunken driving standard to a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent.  The new standard was finally made into law after much arguing among legislators.  The grant can be used for highway safety or highway infrastructure projects.

• Area festivals -- The 8th annual Mum's The Word festival starts today and runs through Saturday in downtown Bedford. Tonight is bracelet night at the carnival. All of the action takes place on the square in Bedford.

• Those dreaming of spending 193.5-million dollars (or at least what's left after Uncle Sam takes his huge share), can dream a little longer and larger.  The Powerball resulted in no winner in last night's game. Saturday's jackpot is expected to come near the $300-million mark.

August 22

• Crews for "America's Most Wanted" are in Bloomington this week collecting film footage on the disappearance of Jill Behrman. Behrman disappeared during a bicycle ride May 31st of last year.  Investigators have said they are close to solving the case but no arrests have been made. The segment on AMW could air in mid-September.

• IU attorneys are asking the state appeals court to intervene in a lawsuit by fans of former basketball coach Bob Knight. The University wants the court to define the open-meeting requirement in hopes of avoiding a trial.

• It's official!  The West Nile virus now has spread to Indiana.  A crow found in Marion County has tested positive for
  the virus, the first time the virus has been identified in the state.  Although no human cases have yet been found in the state, the virus can be fatal to elderly persons or those with weak immune systems.  The mosquitoes that transmit the virus to humans often breed in tires, buckets, unused wading pools, and accumulations of sewage water, health officials said.  It is important for property owners to eliminate these breeding places.

• China, one of the pregnant dolphins at the Indianapolis Zoo delivered a calf Monday, and everything seems to be going well so far.  Mother and baby have been swimming and bonding.  Often the calves have problems after birth and cannot survive, but this one appears strong.  The other dolphins gather at the gates to watch.  Officials have canceled dolphin shows until at least Friday, but zoo visitors will be able to see the baby through a closed-circuit television display at the zoo as early as today.  Officials think the baby is a female, weighs about 35 pounds and is about 2 feet 6 inches long.  Two other dolphins are expecting.

August 21

• This is week number 5 in the tax rebate program.  If the last two digits of your Social Security number are between "40-49", your check is in the mail.  There are five weeks remaining in the program.

• It's Fair Weather!!  And the Kentucky State Fair will run through August 26th.  See their website for a schedule of events.

• Only the best!  The state lawmakers improved and expanded their health insurance and retirement benefits programs during the past session, and financial experts report those programs now are as good as full-time employees in big businesses are provided.  However, the lawmakers are only part-time.   Legislators get health insurance for themselves and their families and they can contribute to a retirement account with matching dollars from taxpayers.  What's more the health insurance coverage now includes ex-spouses who have not remarried, surviving spouses of deceased lawmakers, and and children to age 23--or 25 if they are in college.  The legislators are also allowed to borrow from their retirement accounts (much of it from taxpayers who pay $4 for every $1 the lawmaker sets aside).  Does the private sector offer such perks???  Businesses cannot afford it!!  Lawmakers reported the improvements were based on the claim that  a recruitment tool was needed to attract people to serve in the legislature.

August 20

• After two stints as president of the IU board of trustees, John Walda has turned over the reigns. James Morris, former president of the Lilly Endowment, was chosen as the new president of the IU Board of Trustees.

• Beware of a scam taking place around the area. Someone in Lawrence County has been trying to collect money on behalf of the highway department saying it is for pipe placement. Counties do not solicit money door-to-door and do not solicit money for pipe placement. If you are approached by someone claiming to be collecting money for "the cause", call the Sheriff's Department.

• Credibility gap? Strained relationships?  Gov. O'Bannon and Lt. Gov. Kernan are trying to garner support for an overhaul of the state's tax system by courting special interest groups, and the governor would like the tax overhaul to be addressed during a special session of the General Assembly this fall.  Although some groups, i.e. Indiana Farm Bureau, are being supportive, interest is lacking among legislative leaders.  Lawmakers believed they were going to be directly involved in formulating a new tax plan, but the governor and his administration are working on a plan internally, using private discussion and special interest group contact thus far.  He has yet to meet with Senate Republican Larry Borst, who has been instrumental in tax policy for the past 30 years, and other influential lawmakers.  Tax restructuring would likely involve raising sales and income taxes.  The public will have to be convinced as well.

August 17

• The weather for this weekend may be damp.  Cloudy skies and a chance of showers are in the forecast, as well as highs close to 80 and lows in the 60's.

• School has started for all area schools, and the 2001 High School Football Season starts tonight also.  Brownstown will host the Mitchell Bluejackets.

• Home Depot in Jackson County is now in the planning stage.  The new  facility would add about 150 jobs in Jackson County.  Approximately 75 percent of those jobs would be full-time positions.

• Almost 20,000 one gallon containers coded with a sell date "Dec 8 JD" of Bareman Dairy Crystal Clear Drinking Water in are being recalled in Michigan, Illinois Indiana.  The recall of almost 20,000 gallons of the water is because of possible contamination from an equipment sanitizer made of peroxiacetic acid and hydrogen peroxide.  Consumption could cause burning of the mouth and stomach.  People experiencing these symptoms should dilute it by drinking several glasses of tap water and contact their physician, the company said. Do not induce vomiting.  The water can be returned to the place of purchase for a refund. Customers with questions can call the company at 1-800-968-6600.

• An invasion of privacy?  Harassment?  An anti-abortion group has begun recruiting Indiana residents to photograph patients and staff members outside abortion clinics in hopes of publishing them online and on public access television.
  Photographs from abortion clinics in 21 states already are online.  It is reported that the photos from Indiana clinics could go online and on television within a month, according to Jonathan O'Toole, a Missouri resident recruiting correspondents in Indiana this week.  Legally, anyone can stand on a public sidewalk and take a picture of something in plain view.

August 16

• Ivy Tech State College has placed Bloomington Chancellor Willie Kimmons on paid administrative leave. School officials are refusing to discuss the nature of the problems under investigation. The Director of Human Resources on the Bloomington campus, Jim Heinzen will be acting Chancellor during the investigation.

• Today the Indiana State Fair everyone 18 or older will receive one free lottery ticket.  Unlimited kiddie rides will cost $8 from noon-3 p.m. and from 3-8 p.m. the midway ride special will be $15.  The Hoosier Millionaire TV Show will be taped in the Marsh Grandstand at 7:30 p.m.

• The Kentucky State Fair opens today and will run through August 26th.  Gate admission for adults is $7. Seniors over 55 and children ages three-to-12 get in for $3.  There will be a variety of demonstrations, educational exhibits, entertainment, and of course the popular Midway.  Free Daily Schedules are provided to visitors at the gates when they enter the fair, but  if you would like a preview of the events for each day to help in planning your trip to the State Fair, you will find it, as well, as other important fair information on their website. 

• It's all in the interpretation and that has been settled for now, allowing the I.U. Board of Trustees to deal with the business at hand.  A legal question about residency has been troubling the I.U. Board of Trustees recently.  State law states that no more than two of the nine trustees on the board may be from any one county.  Two members of the board now live in Monroe County, one having moved there in the past year and after he was selected to serve a 3-year term.  The problem arose when a new member was elected in June, also a Monroe County resident,  bringing the actual total from Monroe County to three.  The board has now determined, with legal counsel, that home and residency don't have to be the same place.  Residence is defined as "the county where you lived when you were appointed, so for now, at least,one of the Monroe County members is still actually a Lake County resident as far the the board is concerned.  The problem will resurface next year if that member is reappointed to another term, or perhaps the board will vote to change the requirement.

• The reunion starts today for the survivors of the USS Indianapolis -- America's worst wartime loss at sea.  For many years the organization has been trying to get the government to absolve their captain of the blame for the July 30, 1945, disaster in which only about 320 of the ship's 1196 crew made it home.  Last year there was a congressional exoneration and just last month the Navy Secretary absolved the ship captain, who killed himself in 1968.  The organization now will work on a presidential citation for the captain, the crew, and the ship.  About 800 people are expected to attend the reunion, which is held every two years.  Thos attending this year have had help with expenses from six airlines providing free airfare and two Red Lobster Restaurants in Indy.

• With the resignation this week of the state Department of Transportation commissioner Christine Klika,  Gov. O'Bannon has appointed J. Bryan Nicol to the post.  He says that extending I- 69 through southwestern Indiana will be his top priority.  As an employee in the department he is not new to the project, haveing participated in a study to select the route for the extension from Indianapolis and Evansville.  He reports that the study is on track to select three to five potential routes in late September for further review.  Nicol is the seventh commissioner since the beginning of the I-69 talks, and some are not pleased with his appointment.  He will assume the leadership of the department on September 10th.

• Not a new tack for the organization, the Indiana Farm Bureau wants the state lawmakers to overhaul Indiana's tax system and its reliance on property taxes, opting instead for raising sales and income taxes to replace the revenue.  The group's president supports raising the sales tax from 5 cents to 6 cents and increasing the individual income rate from 3.4 percent to 4.4 percent.  It is reported that the Governor and the Lt. Gov. are currently trying to build support among special interest groups and among lawmakers for major tax restructuring, it may be hard to sell the public on the idea.  The Governor will need support from some Senate Republicans to push a restructuring plan, and many Republican lawmakers doubt his motives

August 15

• Feel Like Getting Dirty?  Saturday Open House in the Crafts Barn at the Southern Indiana Center for the Arts (SICA) in Seymour means that for $10 anyone can "throw a pot." SICA's resident potter, Chad Ingram, is on hand to help those who have never ever touched clay and those who are professional potters take a stab at a potter's wheel. He even keeps a water hose handy to wash off the clay when finished. For only $10, potters can create works of art, glaze them and take them home. Chad is on duty from 12:00 noon till 5:00 p.m. Seymour is at 2001 North Ewing Street (SR 11) in Seymour. Tel: (812) 522-2278.

• Today at the State Fair features a celebrity milking competition, horse pull, and unlimited midway rides from 3-8 p.m. for $15.  Reo Speedwagon/Kansas will perform in the Marsh Grandstand at 7:30 p.m.

• The Indianapolis Zoo is hoping for a population explosion in its dolphin pod.  Three of the female dolphins are pregnant.  If all goes well, Kalei, the current baby Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, will soon have competition.  Dolphin babies, however, have a high mortality rate.  Most females lose their first three calves, perhaps due in part to the mother's inexperience, and the babies face many challenges in the hours and days after birth.   The calf must be born strong enough to swim and to keep swimming since it has to go to the surface for air immediately after birth.  There are several conditions offering zoo officials hope in the current prospective births, however.  These females have had a role model to show them how to care for a calf.  Furthermore, this is the third pregnancy for one dolphin and the fourth for the other two, and all three dolphins are at an age when pregnancies become more successful.    The gestation period for dolphins is 12-14 months, and the due dates cannot be pinpointed for these dolphins.  Careful watching and patient waiting is the order for now.

• During the summer we again discovered killdeer eggs in the driveway and joyfully followed their hatching.  We are currently parenting Monarch butterfly larvae.  This is the second year a few milkweed plants have been allowed to grow in the garden.  Last year an army of unidentified, colorful larvae devoured the leaves.  They did not return this year, but Monday I discovered larvae that I thought might be those of the Monarch, and a short search on the Internet confirmed those suspicions.  More information is available on Kidsites

August 14

• It's back to school for students in Brownstown and Medora today!  Drivers are cautioned to be alert for children and school buses.

• Today is VJ Day.  Some of us, even as children, can actually remember the elation felt at the end of hard war years  -- loss and separation from loved ones, food stamps, gasoline rationing, tin can drives, defense bonds, etc.  VJ Day meant that dads and uncles would be coming home and families could once again be whole units.  We might once again be able to buy a new car!  Younger people today have never lived in such a time, when one could not go to the grocery and buy sugar, flour, or margarine without food stamps, and there were no bananas available at all!  Not many communities celebrate VJ Day.  We salute those in Seymour who sponsor and support the VJ Day Parade.  It seems that most news media prefer to forget certain periods of history and focus instead on scandals, murders, and other current sensational topics.  Today it is with deep appreciation that we fly our flag at Seymour OnLine to honor the veterans of World War II!

• Police are searching for a late 1990s model Camaro allegedly taken by three people last week. According to the vehicle's owner, she stopped along Indiana 48 and got help from three people, two men and one woman, who helped start the car. But, according to the woman, the group hit her and took the car. If you have information, call the state police post in Bloomington.

• Another wonderful day to go to the State Fair, and today is Clown and Kids Day.  The midway special features unlimited rides for $15 from noon-5 p.m. and there are free clown faces for children at Brickyard Plaza.  Phil Vassar will perform in the Union Federal Bank Entertainment Park at 6:30 this evening..

• More checks are on the way to Federal Income taxpayers, this week to those with S.S. numbers ending between "30-39".

August 13

• Yesterday the Seymour VFW sponsored a VJ Day Parade.  The skies were clear and the temperatures moderated, providing a wonderful day for a parade.  See our Picture Gallery of Parade Pics!

• School starts this week for area schools.

August 14 - Brownstown and Medora
August 16 - Seymour

• Have you signed up yet? Residents in Indiana will have a chance to say no to telemarketers who call their numbers.  Attorney General Steve Carter has launched a newly designed website with an area allowing you to add your name online to the Telephone Privacy List and avoid telemarketers.   The registered list will go into effect January 1, 2002 to help reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive.  The site also contains the Unclaimed Property database which you may search for any money or property owed to you. 

• After some hot weather concern on the part of Indiana State Fair and that it might adversely affect fair attendance, the weather moderated and Saturday's attendance was a record breaker.  Great weather is the call for the remainder of the state fair.  Today features a family midway special with unlimited rides for $15, and Kenny Rogers will perform in the Marsh Grandstand tonight at 7:30 p.m.

• A recent study based on U.S. Census interviews and analyses by researchers at the National Cancer Institute ranks Indiana 48th among the states in providing smokeless workplaces.  Only Kentucky and Nevada ranked lower!   Some blame this dubious honor on state lawmakers and local officials as they show a reluctance to alienate constituents by adopting a smoking ban.  Centers for Disease Control Statistic show that 27 Hoosiers die every day from smoking-related illnesses and that Indiana has the sixth-highest rate of smoking-related deaths.  Furthermore, Indiana is second in the nation is second in the nation in prevalence of smoking.  A spokesman for Smokefree Indiana states that restaurants, hotels, and casinos are often the last to be granted protection from second-hand smoke.  Not only workers in these establishments, but non-smoking customers are also at risk.  Fort Wayne has banned smoking in all restaurants.  A few years ago Bloomington adopted a no-smoking ordinance for new restaurants.  The bottom line is that taxpayers foot the bill for healthcare caused by smoke-related illnesses.  There has been a major increase of tobacco-free workplaces even in major tobacco-producing states.  What are your lawmakers and local officials doing to further the cause in Indiana?    Where's the accountability?

August 10

• There is a Jackson County Blue Grass Jamboree at Fort Vallonia this Saturday night at 7 p.m.  It will be in the pavilion or shelter house on Main Street, and refreshments will be available.  Bring your own lawn chairs.  Those wanting to perform should call 812-522-8327.  The Jamboree is held the second Saturday of each month March through December.

• The 56th Annual VJ Day Parade will be held in Seymour this Sunday, August 12th.  It is sponsored by the VFW.  For more information, call 812-522-1207.

• Because of a $21 million project to repair and improve sections of I-64 east of Louisville will be closed on weekends for the next fifteen weeks.  Each weekend from August 10th through November 19th, all lanes of I-64 from spaghetti junction to the Watterson Expressway will be closed to traffic beginning at 9:00 p.m. each Friday night and reopen at 6:00 a.m. on the following Monday (two exceptions, there will be local access from Grinstead Drive to westbound I-64 only. Also on Labor Day weekend, roads will reopen Tuesday instead of Monday at 6:00 a.m.).  In order to accommodate traffic during the closings – carefully designated detours will allow motorists to reach their destinations. The preferred alternate route will be Interstate 71. Travelers headed eastbound on I-64 will be directed at spaghetti junction to take I-71 northbound to I-264 westbound and then reconnect with I-64 eastbound at the interchange on the east end of the project area. The reverse will apply to travelers headed westbound on I-64.

• There is a hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. today at which Indiana University plans to ask a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by The Indianapolis Star, accusing the university of violating the open records law.  The lawsuit seeks access to documents in former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight's personnel file.  The university claims it has the right to withhold such information because of exemptions in the state's public records access law.  The Star lawsuit is the second case filed against the university seeking access to its records about Knight's firing. Forty-six citizens also have filed a lawsuit claiming the firing violated the state open meetings law.

August 9

• Chamber members enjoyed a German picnic yesterday at One Chamber Square.  It helped emphasize the reality that Oktoberfest is only seven weeks away!!

• It was hot at the State Fair yesterday, and no one knows that better than the members and their parents in the thirty-two high school bands who participated in the Band Day competition yesterday.  At 92° the judges had told the bands they could wear t-shirts instead of their regular heavy band uniforms, but no one did that.  At the end of the competition it was Jay County who won.  Today is Senior Day at the Fair with free shuttle rides for senior citizens all day.  There is also a baton twirling contest on the agenda, but there probably won't be any senior citizens participating in that activity.

• A cold front will move across central Indiana late this evening and overnight which will allow cooler and drier Canadian air to spread across the area on Friday with pleasant outdoor conditions continuing through the weekend. Low temperatures by Saturday morning  at locations in central Indiana will fall to near 60 degrees. Afternoon highs for Friday through Sunday will be from 80 to the lower 80s at locations in central Indiana.  Much lower humidities will also make outdoor activities much more comfortable. 

• BumbleBar Inc. issued a voluntary recall of its organic energy bars that were sold in Indiana Tuesday after the company learned they contain milk and could sicken people who are allergic to dairy products.  They recalled 86 cases of the 1.6-ounce Chocolate Crisp BumbleBars and urged people allergic to dairy products not to eat them.  The cases were manufactured this year between March 31st and July 25th.  Consumers are asked to call 800-964-4832 for questions or return information.  On the Net:  http://www.bumblebar.com/

• Security firm Vigilinx Inc. is alerting customers of a first-ever worm that replicates using an Adobe portable document format (PDF). The PeachyPDF@mm worm mass mails itself through Microsoft Outlook. Not only does it send itself to 100 addresses from an infected users' address book, it also sends itself to the users' alternative E-mail addresses.  A user who opens a Peachy PDF sees a document that reads "You have one minute to find the peach!" An icon requests users to double click on an icon to  "show the solution." If the user does so, and is running the full version of Adobe Acrobat--not just the reader--the worm propagates. The only danger is jammed E-mail servers: Peachy doesn't pack a powerful  payload. Users can download the latest virus definitions from Symantec, McAfee, and Central Command.  

August 8

• Today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Seymour Chamber of Commerce members who have made reservations will enjoy a picnic with German food at One Camber Square.  The event is sponsored by Seymour Oktoberfest Inc. and the Community Relations Committee of the Chamber.

• The Indiana State Fair opened this morning with a hot air balloon race.  This is the day for Band Day competition in the Marsh Grandstand, and visitors may have unlimited midway rides or $15.  If you go, be sure to check out the $1 million renovation to the Agriculture/Horticulture Building and enjoy the new garden and walking paths.  Temperatures are expected to climb into the 90's again today with high humidity, so local health officials are cautioning people to drink plenty of fluids, eat less, and limit strenuous activity.

• The controversial play "Corpus Christi" will open as planned at Indiana University-Purdue University as a result of a federal appeals court ruling yesterday.

• A few weeks ago, Shapiro's deli announced plans to close and relocate their facility on the northside of Indy (86th Street) to the City Center of Carmel by the end of this year.  In fact, deli owner Brian Shapiro would like to begin construction next month.  However, there are still details to be worked out before that can happen, and perhaps the biggest detail of all is the purchase of the land.  Shapiro has offered to buy two acres of City Center land, but the Camel Redevelopment Commission says the land may be worth almost three times the offer.  The commission is in the process of getting the land appraised and will then seek offers from potential buyers.  The Redevelopment Commission will meet this evening.  The announcement of the closing and relocation has met with mixed views among current customers of the northside location.

August 7

• Two people suffered minor injuries Monday afternoon when the vehicle in which they were riding went off the road and struck a tree. 23-year-old Shanna K. Reynolds of Medora was heading west on U.S.50. Reynolds said a child in the back seat dropped an article and she tried to pick it up which led to the accident.

• This is not a good day to be working in the yard!  Hot and humid air will be over central Indiana this afternoon and again tomorrow. Heat indexes will be near 100 this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon, resulting from temperatures rising into the lower 90s and dewpoints in the humid lower to mid 70s. Nighttime temperatures will only fall into the lower 70s. Dress in light clothing and wear a hat when outside. Drink plenty of water to help your body Cope with the heat. Take frequent breaks in the shade...and get into a cooler area if you begin to feel weak due to the heat. 

• It all started with the Chicago Cows.  Then New York City decided to follow suit.  Now Bloomington, IN, is embarking on a "Hooked on Fish" project to attract tourists, and the gimmick will be nothing other than fish art!  By the summer of 2003, local artists hope to fill the city and Monroe County with a lot of decorated fiberglass fish.  The fish symbol was chosen because the county possesses several large lakes which will lend themselves to fishing tournaments, and other ideas are being considered for the fish theme project, such as a "sleep with the fishes" project for local hotels, specialty fish dinners at local restaurants.  Planning has begun and the local commission is currently applying for arts grants to finance the project.

• Friend or foe?  A lawsuit was filed Monday by a Wisconsin "friend" and hunting "buddy" of Bob Knight, alleging that Knight pressured him into falsifying details of a 1999 hunting accident to avoid potential legal problems and to avoid any problems with his job at I.U.  He says that Knight told him to tell IU's president he was not required to have a hunting license and that Knight knew otherwise.  Thomas Mikunda of Exeland, WI, was shot in the back and upper shoulder with Knight's shotgun while the two were hunting and had 16 pellets removed.  Knight was cited for failing to report the accident and for hunting without the proper license, to which he pled no contest and paid $582 in fines.   Knight claimed the gun fired accidentally, but the suit claims that Knight fired the gun intentionally.  The suit, seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as legal costs, has been mailed to a federal court, and a copy was sent also to The Associated Press.

• John Mellencamp and Stephen King have teamed up to write a musical, which they expect to finish next February.  Melloncamp reports that he has written five songs to date, not one of them being a rock song, and that he still has about ten more to do.  He is currently on a concert tour with his band, planning to return to Indiana late in September for the annual Farm Aid event, and his newest album will probably released this fall.

• A new trend in reaching out?  In an effort to spark religion in young adults who have lost touch with church and faith, four parishes of the Roman Catholic Church of Gary recently offered  a month-long "Theology on Tap" program, trying to involve young adults in dialogue about God.  Based on the rationale that many young adults in their 20's and 30's, known as "busters",  like to mix beer and talk, "Theology on Tap" offered finger foods, beer, wine, soda, music, candlelight, and talk about religion.  Many young people today have no interaction with the Christian faith, creating a challenge for churches, and some church people believe the church has an image problem.  The program was designed as an attempt to confront the challenge and change the image by attracting and meeting these young people on their own level.

August 6

• The check is in the mail!   Your tax rebate check is on its way IF you paid Federal taxes and IF your Social Security number ends with digits between "20-29".  See the table above.  If you filed jointly, the Social Security number of the first name on the return determines the mailing date.

• The Indiana State Fair opens on Wednesday and runs through the 19th.  Entertainment will feature concerts by Kenny Rogers, O-Town, REO Speedwagon, Kansas, Cornell Gunter's Coasters, Marvelettes and Platters.  Tickets are on sale NOW at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Box Office or any Ticketmaster location. Call charge-by-phone at (317) 239-5151, or you can visit the Indiana State Fair Box Office or call (317) 927-1482.  The fair will also offer entertainment for the entire family on their  many free stages. See the website for schedule of activities.

• Now that it's almost time for school to start, we're having great weather for swimming, so better take advantage of it while you can!  The week will be hot.  After all, it is August! Today's high will be 90, and the low for tonight will be 70, with a light SW wind.  Pollen is on the rise, at the top of the medium range for now.  Don't forget to use sunscreen!

August 3

• Racing fans who are heading to Indy this weekend for the Brickyard 400 are urged to take precautions against heat illness as temperatures will be close to 90°.  Tickets are still available.  Check the official website to find out about tickets, as well as who is going to be there and other related trivia.

• U.S. 31 is closed in Jackson County between SR 250 and US 50 and could be closed for up to five months while repairs are made to an overpass damaged last week.  While local traffic may use county roads to travel the area, US 31 trick traffic is diverted onto I-65.  The completion date for the repairs is dependent on availability of materials.  The bridge was damaged in July when an unsecured boom of equipment being hauled on a flatbed struck three of the bridge's steel beams.  The driver of the truck was not charged in the accident, but the trucking company will be billed for the damage.

• Just target practicing!  But a Jackson County sheriff's deputy was hit by bullet fragments and suffered minor wounds when a bullet fired from another officer's gun ricocheted off a metal target during monthly SWAT team training at a private firing range.  After receiving treatment for superficial wounds to his arm and abdomen, Deputy Tom Barker was released from Memorial Hospital in Seymour.  He returned to duty Tuesday evening.

• You will need patience if you are planning to travel I-64 East of Louisville for the next few months. Motorists will be rerouted away from a busy stretch of Interstate 64 for 15 consecutive weekends starting Aug. 10 so workers can repave the highway and repair a tunnel.  The work, which will close the Interstate between the Watterson Expressway and Spaghetti Junction, is part of $21 million project and will concentrate on a 3.3 mile-stretch between Grinstead Drive and the Watterson.  The work is expected to require closing the interstate in both directions from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday each weekend through Nov. 19.  Through traffic will be rerouted on a northern detour from I-64 in St. Matthews via the Watterson and I-71 and back to I-64 near Spaghetti Junction.  I-64 between Grinstead and Spaghetti Junction will remain open throughout the project -- but to local westbound traffic only.  I-64 will be shut down for three University of Louisville home football games and during both weekends of the Kentucky State Fair.

August 2

• The new Applebee's Restaurant which will open soon in Seymour is accepting applications for employment.  Those who are interested are asked to apply in person at 1705 Tipton Street.

• As part of a transportation appropriations bill,  the U.S. Senate has approved $5 million in funding for an environmental study to examine the proposed Interstate 69 extension linking Indianapolis and Evansville.  The Indiana Department of Transportation would use the money to help determine the best possible route for the road. The bill will now go to a conference committee composed of  leaders from the Senate and House of Representatives to work out difference between transportation bills. 

• Dumping is the the issue here, and it's between those who dump and those who get dumped on.  Some states, including Indiana, complain they are getting buried in trash imported from other states and that they have no power to limit the amount other states send them.  Federal courts have ruled that only Congress can regulate the flow because it is a type of interstate commerce.  The five states being forced to accept the largest amounts of trash are Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.  The largest trash exporters are New York (no surprise), New Jersey (also no surprise), Illinois, Missouri, and Maryland.  Congress is considering several bills that would allow states to freeze waste imports immediately and let them limit how much imported waste a new landfill could receive.  The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee is currently holding a hearing on the problem.  They are being told by some that New York sends trash only to municipalities that want it, that any new rules would have a profound adverse effect and would limit the right of individual municipalities to accept out-of-state trash.  Hmmmm.  Meanwhile, back home in Indiana, we are being told that our landfills are filling up and that we must establish responsible waste-disposal plans.  What have New York and New Jersey accomplished in the way of responsible disposal plans.  Do their citizens recycle?

• The numeric system now used for ranking schools in the state may soon be replaced by a labeling system "that is easier to understand".  Several members on the State Board of Education have voiced support for the switch at a meeting Wednesday.  After they vote today, they will get more public input.  The final decision may not come until October.  The labels under consideration are  -- exemplary, commendable, adequate, marginal, or unsatisfactory.  A labeling system is required under the new state accountability law, based on passing rates and improvement on the the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus test.  Several of the board members now believe that  people would better relate to word terms.  Whether numerical or verbal categories, the ranking system will cause some pain for schools, but Patrick Kiely, president of the Indiana Manufacturers Association believes the system will be used to focus resources and result in improved performance.

August 1 

• The Internet was not brought to its knees last night by the Code Red virus, but In the past few days there has been an increase of e-mails with strange messages and attachments.  If you open these attachments, your computer becomes infected and then it starts trying to send the virus to everyone in your address book.  Software companies are working overtime to come up with fixes.  DO NOT OPEN ATTACHMENTS, regardless of how curious you are!!!  Microsoft attachments are especially vulnerable.  For more information see http://www.sarc.com/

• Tired of telemarketers calling?  Is your name on the No Call List yet?  More than 204,000 Hoosiers have signed up since May.  In fact, so many Indiana residents have been calling to get on the list that they have overwhelmed the telephone hot line created in May to take care of the registration.  So starting Monday, the Indiana attorney general's office will launch its new Web site to alleviate calls to the hotline, providing another option for registration.  The list actually takes effect Jan. 1 and will bar most telephone salespeople from soliciting people in their homes.  The site also will include the state's unclaimed-property list and information about consumer rights, recalls and fraud protection.

• It's August!  The Indiana State Fair is August 8-19th.  Entertainment will feature concerts by Kenny Rogers, O-Town, REO Speedwagon, Kansas, Cornell Gunter's Coasters, Marvelettes and Platters.  Tickets are on sale NOW at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Box Office or any Ticketmaster location. Call charge-by-phone at (317) 239-5151, or you can visit the Indiana State Fair Box Office or call (317) 927-1482.  The fair will also offer entertainment for the entire family on their  many free stages. See the website for schedule of activities.

• Indiana's congressional representatives split 8-2 as the House voted Tuesday to pass a measure that bans human cloning.  Voting for the ban were Republicans John Hostettler, Brian Kerns, Dan Burton, Steve Buyer, Mike Pence and Mark Souder, and Democrats Baron Hill and Tim Roemer.  The Human Cloning Prohibition Act, passed by a vote of 265 to 162.  

• According to U.S. Representative John Hostettler no law prohibits Elkhart's Ten Commandments.  The battle over the public display of the Ten Commandments in Elkhart, Indiana, boils down to a simple but profound dispute over what the Framers of our Constitution intended when they crafted our nation's founding document. Both sides claim to fight in the name of the Constitution, though their objectives are diametrically opposed.  Read the complete text of his opinion piece on Forum.

• The Miami Nation of Indians of Indiana wants federal recognition of the tribe, but an appeals court ruled on June 15th that the Miami Nation was no longer a tribe.  On Friday the group filed a petition of rehearing with the 7th U.S. Court of Appeals iin Chicago, asking for a rehearing.  A federal treaty in 1840 called for the Miamis to be moved from Indiana by 1845, and since not many had left by that date, soldiers were sent in 1846 to force them out to Kansas.  Later that group was moved to Miami, OK, which is now the seat of the Miami Indians of Oklahoma and are federally recognized as an Indiana tribe.  The Miamis of Indiana believe a 1854 treaty ratified by Congress gave them federal recognition  and that only Congress can terminate the tribe.  The rehearing is being requested on the ground that U.S. attorneys misled the appeals court about the facts of the case.  Website.

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