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Tonight in high school football Brownstown will play at Springs Valley, starting at 7:30 p.m. Last week Brownstown beat the Mitchell Bluejackets 41-14. The Seymour Owls play at Jeffersonville at 7 p.m.
Labor Day weekend! This always seems like the last weekend of summer, although officially that is still three weeks from now. Several festivals are on the agenda for those who like to shop till they drop.
Worthington, a small town in Greene County, is planning its annual town-wide yard sale this Saturday. Breakfast will be served at the town hall, the garden club will have plants to sell on Main Street, and child care will be offered by local churches. Shoppers are encouraged to park downtown and walk to the sales. Thousands of people are expected to show up for the event, spending an estimated $100,000. The event is a fund-raiser for the Worthington-Jefferson Ruritan service club.
August 28
Ronald Allen, Jr. of Mitchell, IN, was killed Monday in Iraq. He had been traveling in a convoy when the humvee in which he was was riding sustained a flat tire. While changing the tire, a passing Iraqi vehicle involved in a traffic collision, spun out of control and struck him. At this time, the Army is treating it as a hostile act.
Police continue to search for a 2-year-old northwest Indiana boy who was allegedly abducted yesterday by his mother, who did not have legal custody of the boy. An Amber alert was issued for Taylor Evans, who was last seen in Merrillville.
Isiah Thomas, who led the Indiana Pacers to three consecutive playoff appearances, was fired today in a surprise move yesterday. Thomas was with the U.S. men's basketball team at the Olympic qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico and could not immediately be reached for comment. Walsh and Larry Bird, President of Basketball Operations, said they were unhappy with the way the team ended last season and that they didn't think the chemistry was right with Thomas. Bird said his first choice to replace Thomas was Rick Carlisle. Carlisle was an assistant during Bird's time as Indiana's coach and spent the past two seasons as coach of the Detroit Pistons before being fired in May. Bird said he planned to talk to Rick Carlisle Wednesday or Thursday about the open coach position. He said the person he is seeking would bring freshness and a new style to the franchise.
August 27
Indiana University officials have placed a ban on cigarette smoking within 30 feet of the entryways to campus buildings, in hopes that it will do away with the secondhand smoke that accumulates between classes. The change will take effect when students return to class on Monday. It will also establish smoke-free zones in doorways and fully or partially enclosed walkways, as well as prohibiting smoking near open windows.
Monday Joseph
Scott Plummer, a 2002 Medora High School graduate, died at a Louisville
Hospital as a result of an ATV accident Sunday.
Indiana's class of 2003 continued the state's steady improvement in SAT results, but the gain was small--math was up by one point over last year, and the verbal section was up by two points. Over the past 10 years, Indiana scores have improved 30 points, but the scores always are under the national average. This year the Indiana scores were 16th among the 24 states where at least half the high school seniors take the SAT test. State Superintendent Reed said educators must encourage students to take more challenging courses that would better prepare them for the test and for college. She reported that students who followed the college prep sequence of math, science, language arts and social studies classes performed better than those who did not. The College Board considers core classes to represent four years or more of study in English, and three years or more in mathematics, science and social studies. The math and verbal sections of the SAT are each graded on 200-800 point scale, with a perfect cumulative score of 1,600. Indiana had no perfect scores.
August 26
"Hoagy", a rough-cut, unfinished documentary on the life of one of the state's most famed songwriters will be shown Wednesday at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater during the second annual Hoagy Carmichael Festival. The film, which has been more than eight years in the making, had been accepted by PBS for one of its series, but it was canceled after PBS was forced to make some budget cuts. Tracing Hoagy's music from his beginning in Bloomington, though his time at I.U., and finally through his life in New York and Hollywood, the film is a blend of commentary and analysis of his life and music with archival footage. The film's producer is hoping that someone will see the need and be in a position to help get the film finished.
August 25
August 22
August 21
There is a company called Central Communications making calls in the area. The caller begins by identifying the company and asking to verify the model number of your office copier. Be aware, do NOT give the model number of your copier out without being familiar with the company or person with whom you speak. Often, these companies will send and bill you for toner and ink supplies that you never ordered.
Power Company officials say a sophisticated circuit breaker in the northeast corner of Indiana prevented last week's big power outage from spreading to our state. The device disconnected the Northern Indiana Public Service Company from the grid in Michigan.
Saying that loyalty was the biggest factor in his decision, yesterday Reggie Miller has signed a new two-year contract with the Pacers, and he say it will be the last NBA contract he'll sign. The details of the deal were not made public. Miller will be 38 years old on Sunday. Although he missed the several games last season, he is the Pacers all-time leading scorer. He expects to be ready for the regular-season opener on October 29th.
August 20
The Hoosier Daylight Coalition, an alliance of business, trade, and labor groups, has spent 18 months trying to convince the General Assembly to pass a daylight-saving time measure. They have had no success and are finding it difficult to raise money to support the effort, so at this point, they are giving up the fight for now. Indiana is one of three states that do not change their clocks in the spring and fall. Seventy-seven counties stay on Eastern Standard Time all year long; 15 counties in the state's northwest, southwest and southeast corners observe daylight-saving time.
Did you know that Lafayette had the nation's second electrified streetcar system, which started in 1888. The electric streetcars were phased out, however in the 1940's, but a recent economic development plan resulted in a new bus designed to resemble the 100 year-old electric trolley cars. On Monday, the first day of operation, riders lined up for the first ride on a new trolley bus linking Lafayette and neighboring West Lafayette. Officials estimate the trolley will draw about 800 passengers each day. Not everyone is pleased about the new development, however, because, although the trolley is free to ride, there is a bottom line. That bottom line is that officials plan to raise property taxes one cent per $100 of value for the next five years, and some citizens who live within miles of the cities' limits claim the public transportation does not provide service in their areas.
The Indiana Pacers may be close to a deal to re-sign free agent Reggie Miller and keep him with the team where he has played his entire 16-year NBA career.
More problems for Indy's Lafayette Square Mall. J.C. Penney Co. has announced if is leaving Lafayette Square Mall in Indy because it was "not meeting profitability standards". It will close before December 31st, leaving only two J.C. Penney stores in the the Indianapolis area. Lazarus closed its Lafayette Square store in mid-April, MCL closed in July, all leaving still empty spaces. So what is left? L.S. Ayres, Sears, and Burlington Coat Factory remain as the anchors at Lafayette Square. The owners of the mall hope to get a Target, a Best Buy, of Home Depot to move to the mall.
August 19
Rural areas provide plenty of cover for the lawbreakers that manufacture methamphetamine. Green County has had 40 labs discovered this year. Jackson County has had 20, and Orange County has had 10. This part of the state is experiencing an epidemic of drug cases. The addiction level continues to climb. Once addicted, a very small percentage of people on methamphetamine ever kick the habit.
An 18-year-old Paoli teenager, Brandon Richardson, is in critical condition following a gunshot wound that struck his liver. He had intended to go squirrel hunting at 3:42 a.m. last Wednesday morning. As yet, he is not conscious and will likely spend months in the hospital. Richardson is a great-grandson of Lotus Dickey and is in the critical care until of the Bloomington Hospital. His mother, Tami Lemond, and his grandfather, Steve Dickey, are constantly at his side.
This time last year Indiana University received the dubious distinction by being named the nation's No. 1 party school in the Princeton Review. This year the the University of Colorado at Boulder is No. 1, and IU is now in the No. 2 slot.. Does that mean the students are not partying as much? The designation is based on survey question concerning the amount of alcohol and drug consumption, the amount of time students spend studying, and the popularity of fraternities and sororities. DePauw University in Greencastle was listed 9th for partying and No.1 for the "biggest fraternity and sorority scene".
An AK Steel Corp. subsidiary, AK Tube LLC, has bought Central Tubing Facility in Columbus for $67 million, AK Steel said Monday. The Indiana plant produces stainless steel tubing used for passenger car and light truck exhaust systems sold in the United States and Canada. The plant has about 120 employees, began production in 1996 and was expanded in 1998. AK Steel is based in Middletown, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati in southwest Ohio. AK Tube is in the Toledo suburb of Walbridge.
In the 1860's a steamer sank in the Atlantic Ocean southeast of Savannah, GA, taking to the bottom thousands of gold coins, worth as much as $180 million. All the passengers on board were saved, but the coins, intended to help pay for reconstruction of the South after the Civil War, have been found in 1700 feet of water about 100 miles southeast of Savannah.
August 18
August 15
Seasonal is the weather word of the day. That means hot and muggy! There is a chance of thunderstorms through tomorrow with high temps in the upper 80's. After all, it IS August and time for school to start!
The major news is still the largest blackout in U.S. history. Northern Indiana emergency officials did contact hospitals to be sure they were prepared, but fortunately no one was affected. The blackout did cause delays for some Indiana travelers, however, because flights in some cities were halted. At Indianapolis International it was reported that about on-quarter of the scheduled 79 evening fights were delayed or canceled. An occurrence such as this blackout causes one to stop and think about how many things in the home require electricity. Are you prepared? Do you have a flashlight, matches, candles, emergency water supply?
August 14
Daviess County commissioners debated whether to add buggy paths to a county highway after an Amish girl was killed by a suspected drunk driver on a road previously considered a possible route for such a path. Commissioners learned in March that a $545,000 grant from the state through the federal Transportation Enhancement Fund had been awarded for the paths. The county would be responsible for matching some of the funds. At a meeting between the commissioners and local Amish bishops in July, the bishops themselves were leery of the proposed buggy paths, commenting that they would prefer the road be widened. They expressed fear that entering and leaving the buggy paths would be dangerous because a horse would have a tendency to keep walking into traffic.
An infant baby walrus, abandoned by his mother off the Alaskan coast, is expected to arrive Monday at the Indianapolis Zoo. It was found July 6th with puncture wounds and abrasions and was underweight. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is bringing it to the Indy Zoo because of the zoo's success in the the past. The walrus will grow to about 2,000 pounds but will never be released into the wild since he will not have learned the skills to survive in the wild. The walrus will be quarantined for about 30 days and will eventually be viewed by the public.
August 13
An 11-year-old Michigan City boy was playing with lawn darts and lost sight of the dart in the sun after he tossed it in the air. When it came down, it pierced his skull, causing a brain injury. Lawn darts are about 12 inches long with a heavy weighted metal or plastic tip, heavy enough to puncture a skull. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission banned lawn darts in 1933 because several children had been killed or severely injured, and it now illegal to sell the darts. The lawn darts that caused the accident Tuesday had been purchased at a garage sale.
August 12
Saturday night
Hayleigh Hurt from
Brownstown was crowned Jackson County’s 2004 Junior Miss, receiving a $3,500
cash scholarship.
Saturday between 3-8 p.m. the United Way of Lawrence County is sponsoring "A Taste of Lawrence County" event. The event, which will be at the Stone City Mall on West 16th Street and S.R. 37, will feature food, games, entertainment, and a car show. Tickets $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and $3 for children ages 2-12. All proceeds will go to the United Way of Lawrence County.
In rural Daviess County a horse-drawn Amish buggy from Odon was rear-ended by a truck Sunday night, throwing out the five occupants of the buggy. Nine-year old Regina Wittmer was killed, and the other four family members were injured. The driver of the truck, Ronald L. Wagler of Loogootee, was released from the Daviess County Jail Monday on a $10,000. Charges against him include drunken driving and causing death while driving intoxicated.
Based on the belief that I-65 from Chicago to Indy is a major pipeline for bringing illegal drugs into Marion County, fake drug checkpoints were set up last week. After getting some unfavorable publicity, as well as the Indiana Civil Liberties Union questioning the legality of the move, Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson decided Monday not to use more phony drug checkpoints on interstate highways until he reviews their effectiveness. Actual drug checkpoints are not allowed in Indiana because of a U.S. Supreme Court decision. The bogus checkpoints snared no big drug dealers during the operation.
August 11
A dubious distinction unless it's a hog! Last week at the State Fair a hog named Statesman weighed in at 1,227 pounds to win the most coveted of titles in the world of male hogs: World's Largest Boar. Now five years old, the Yorkshire hog won the weigh-in last year also. Brothers Tom and Steve Disque of Seymour bred and raised Statesman. Steve Disque, 53, has raised Statesman for the past couple of years on ground corn, soybean meal and greens from the garden. Although Statesman's weight is impressive, the record holder was "Spots Stallone" weighing in at 1,410 pounds in 1992, and he won the contest every year for five years until he died in 1995 at eight years of age.
Although the week begins with the possibility of showers, there is sunshine on the way.
A motor boat traveling at a high rate of speed, which some witnesses estimate at 70 mph, capsized in the Ohio River in Aurora yesterday, throwing the five occupants into the river. Three adults and one child were rescued and taken to area hospitals. Last night divers were still searching for the missing Indiana man who was driving the boat.
August 8
Bug experts say all the rain in early July soaked dormant eggs laid by mosquitoes over the past several years in wooded areas. Although these mosquitoes are not the ones that are main carriers of West Nile virus, they are causing considerable discomfort to people who like to be outside in the evening. Although there is not much to do about the mosquitoes hatching in wooded areas, property owners are encouraged to take a look around their property for any standing water--old tires, flower pots or any small container that can hold enough water for breeding mosquitoes.
August 7
August 6
Under the No Child Left Behind law, schools receiving federal Title I aid that fail to reach state targets are subject to sanctions, including a provision that allows students to transfer to better-performing schools. The Indiana Department of Education has targeted 117 Title I schools in the state for improvement, based on the 2002 ISTEP scores. Area schools on that list are Seymour Community Schools Redding Elementary and Jennings County School North Vernon Elementary.
Salem and members of an anti-abortion group have settled a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of an ordinance that regulates how and when groups can hold protests, which was to have gone into effect July 8th. The law, requiring protestors to pay a $100 fee four weeks before a scheduled rally, was enacted because of complaints from residents who objected the the demonstrators from the Old Paths Baptist Church, led by John Lewis. The group pickets with signs depicting aborted fetuses and rants against homosexuals. Attorneys in the case said they have not formally agreed on changes to the ordinance. The Salem City Council is scheduled to vote on a modified ordinance Aug. 12.
You can always expect traffic delays in the summer as road crews work to maintain the roads. Renovation of the Clark Memorial Bridge across the Ohio River is affecting traffic. The work, an $8.9 million project, involves normal maintenance to repair the deck of the bridge, which was built in the 1920's. Of course, the delays are especially bad during the morning and evening rush hours, so some drivers are finding alternate routes between Louisville, Ky., and southern Indiana.
The Indiana State Fair opens today. Fair time means Fair food--with lots of fat and calories. Here is something to think about! It is easy to consume more calories in one meal at the fair than one normally would consume in one day at home. What's the alternative? Dieticians suggest sharing a serving with someone, choose grilled versions instead of fried, and you might go the healthier route by choosing dairy products and soy nuts.
August 5
Hi! Ho! Come to the Fair! The Indiana State Fair opens tomorrow, August 6th, and continues through August 17th at the Fairgrounds located at 1202 E. 38th St in Indy. Gates will open at 6 a.m. Where can you park? Parking is free when available on the fairgrounds or near the Indiana School for the Deaf on 42nd St, and there is paid parking available in lots on 38th Street. Admission is $6/person, with children 5 and under admitted free. More information is available at www.indianastatefair.com or phone 317-927-1482.
State biologists report that a wild wolf was found dead in a soybean field in eastern Indiana's Randolph County last month, the first of its kind found in the state since 1908. The animal was identified by a radio tag and the information indicates it traveled more than 400 miles from its birthplace near Black River Falls, WI. Apparently leaving his pack to try establishing his own territory, this is the most southern movement to date. Officials are trying to determine the cause of death.
August 4
August 1
Would you believe there is a chance of thunderstorms throughout the weekend? That's just what we need to make the grass grow some more!
If you are traveling to Bedford, you will see a Road Closed sign at S.R. 446. The road is actually open to J Street in Bedford, but US 50 is closed at the railroad crossings on the downtown square. Track is being replaced for a for a 2-block area. However, you can get around those crossings if will will take 13th Street to the north or 18th Street to the south. Currently traffic is being routed over IN 58 from IN 446 all the way to IN 37. This is a difficult route for the big rigs needing to pass through Bedford because IN58 is a narrow road with no shoulders, many hills and sharp curves, etc. On Wednesday, communications were cut when a semi clipped an overhanging fiber-optic cable on IN 58 near Mt. Pleasant Road. Customers found out quickly how much we all relay in the Internet, long distance, and email!
Having arrived in Bloomington this week, Adam W. Herbert, Indiana University's new president, will begin his duties today with a session to answer reporters' questions, followed by a full schedule of meetings with school officials and staff. He comes to Indiana from the Florida state university system where he was chancellor.
The world's largest astronomical camera has been installed on Mt. Palomar's observatory telescope. Indiana University's Mark Gebhard helped handle the delicate installation of the camera and its electronics. The new upgrade on the telescope will help push the limits of the unknown for years to come.
July 31
Introduce your kids to some World War II history!! On Sunday two historic WW II planes, a B-24J Liberator "Dragon and His Tail" and the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine", will be flying in to the Monroe County Airport for a three-day stopover as part of a "Wings of Freedom" nationwide tour to honor veterans of that war. The scheduled arrival is 3 p.m. Sunday, and they will depart at 1 p.m. August 5. The planes will be open for the public to tour, or if you are willing to spend $400 you can even take a 30 minute flight on one of them. Tickets for such a flight are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution to the Collings Foundation which is sponsoring the event and may be obtained and a ride reserved by calling (978) 562-9182. If you are just wanting to see the old bombers, the foundation is requesting donations of $8/adults and $4. For people visiting the airport to tour the 60-year-old bombers, the foundation is requesting donations of $8 for adults and $4/children, which includes sitting in the cockpit, climbing through the bomb bay, sitting at the crew members' positions, and getting to handle the machine guns. Tours are 3-7 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday. The Collings Foundation's mission is to keep the memory of World War II alive and to pay homage to its veterans and combat victims by preserving the bombers that played such a role in defeating Germany and Japan. The B-24 is the only airworthy bomber of its class still left flying, and the B-17. is one of only nine surviving airworthy Flying Fortresses.
An advisory issued by the Dept. of Homeland Security
is intended to get the word out that the Microsoft vulnerability originally
announced on July 16th is both extremely serious and that there is the potential
for attack. The vulnerability could allow an attacker to install code
of his choice, change or delete data, and create new accounts on the PC. "The
Dept. is concerned that a properly written exploit could rapidly spread on
the Internet as a worm or virus in a fashion similar to Code Red or Slammer."
Although Homeland Security didn't disclose the reasons why it released
the advisory, it did say that the "exploits are being developed for malicious
use." It recommended that system administrators update at-risk systems
as soon as possible, and block TCP and UDP ports 135, 139, and 445 for inbound
connections unless they're absolutely necessary for business.