GARRETT GRAPPLERS look at building season, MORE ON PAGE 6
The Garrett Clipper An edition of The
NEWS IN BRIEF
Fourth-grader Lane Sutton wraps up his Christmas gift selections at the Santa Shoppe sponsored by the J.E. Ober PTA.
Cookies with Santa event tonight
BY KATHRYN BASSETT kbassett@kpcmedia.com AUBURN — Judge Kevin Wallace Wednesday dismissed criminal charges filed against a former police officer, ruling the charges are barred by Indiana’s statute of limitations. Sean Kahkola, of the 15000 block of Towne Park Run, Huntertown, stood trial in DeKalb Superior Court I Tuesday for two counts of criminal conversion, both Class A misdemeanors. He was accused of knowingly or intentionally exerting unautho-
rized control of a truck owned by the City of Auburn and a camper owned by the City of Garrett. But the original charges were filed more than two years after Kahkola allegedly took control of the property, Wallace said. That was too late for misdemeanor charges under Indiana law. During Tuesday’s bench trial before Wallace, Indiana State Police Detective Kevin Smith testified he was asked to investigate the case by Garrett Police Chief Keith Hefner, who checked a list of military-surplus items that
his department was supposed to have and became concerned. Hefner became Garrett’s police chief in January 2012. Smith said he first interviewed Kahkola 0n March 30, 2012, and again on April 11, 2012. Charges were filed Sept. 12, 2012, and because they were felony charges, a five-year Kahkola statute of limitations applied. When the charges were reduced to misdemeanors two weeks ago, a two-year statute of limitations took effect. The prosecution did
AfterProm fundraiser raffle in progress
Santa Paws pet event is Dec. 15 GARRETT — The Garrett Parks Authority is sponsoring a Santa Paws event at the Eastside Park Pavilion across from the school on E. Houston St. on Sunday, Dec. 15 from 2-4 p.m. Bring your pet to have a photo taken with Santa Claus. Donations from the event will benefit the Garrett Parks Department. Refreshments will be served.
Sue Carpenter
High school choir members gather around a piano as part of Saturday’s “A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol” presented in the Performing Arts Center. From left are Ariel Kittle, Jenny Cleveland, Jenna Schmidt, Donavan Stone, Wesley Totten, Casey Taylor, Alexis Doster and Kristina Kellen.
Choirs presenting Christmas musical GARRETT — Garrett middle and high school mixed choirs will present “A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol” in two performances Saturday in the Performing Arts Center with a matinee at 2:30 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30 p.m. This heartfelt musical is set in December 1943 in Newark, New Jersey at a small radio show broadcast of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ featuring Christmas music from the early 1940s era. The event begins with a dessert cabaret served in the high school cafeteria —the first at 1:30 p.m.
prior to the 2:30 show, and the second at 6:30 p.m. before the 7:30 p.m. show. Audience members will be greeted by live carolers and invited to choose from a wide variety of desserts and fruit salad, including kid-friendly and sugar free options. Coffee, hot chocolate, punch and water will also be served. Audience members will be entertained by Christmas songs sung by the middle and high school choirs prior to being guided back to the Performing Arts Center
for the musical. Reserved seating tickets are $10 each and include the dessert cabaret and the musical performance. Tickets can be purchased in the high school choir room from Jennifer Fast at 357-4114, ext. 3124 or through e-mail at jfast@ gkb.k12.in.us. Tickets will also be sold at the door on Saturday, 30 minutes prior to each dessert time. Audience members can park in the Performing Arts Center parking lot and enter door No. 10.
Parade of Lights winners named GARRETT — Twenty wagons pulled by teams of horses from the DeKalb Horsemen’s Association participated in the Garrett Parade of Lights sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 23. Four entries were recognized with awards: • Best Decorated Wagon — Miller’s Merry Manor pulled by Dick Griffis; • Best Decorated Team — First Baptist Church pulled by Randy Yountz; • Best Decorated Team and Wagon Combination — New Life House of Worship pulled by Clayton Hursh Sr.; and • Garrett Chamber of Commerce Best Originality — Garrett FFA pulled by Myron Stackhouse.
The Garrett Clipper P.O. Box 59 Garrett, IN 46738 Phone: 925-2611 ext. 45 Fax: 925-2625 attn: Garrett Clipper
VOL. 127 ISSUE #97 On the web at: kpcnews.com
75 cents Garrett, Indiana Established in 1885
Sue Carpenter
Eight Garrett churches are featuring decor and music of the season during a Showcase of Churches Sunday. This lighted mural can be seen in the Church at Garrett at 1370 S. Randolph St.
“Showcase of Churches” Christmas walk Sunday GARRETT — Eight Garrett churches have joined together to present the first “Showcase of Churches” on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 1-4 p.m. The community is invited to take a Christmas walk through these churches in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The event is at no charge to the public, but each church will have a basket for a freewill offering that will be combined and then equally divided between St. Martins’ and Community Care food pantries. Participating churches are • First Baptist Church, 1357 S. Randolph St.; • First Church of Christ, 213 E. King St.;
• Church at Garrett, 1370 S. Randolph; • Garrett Presbyterian Church, 201 S. Franklin St.; • Garrett United Methodist Church, 110 W. Houston; • St. Joseph Catholic Church, 300 W. Houston St.; • Living Waters Community Church, 711 S. Randolph St.; and • Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1349 S. Randolph St. The Garrett community has a long history of supporting each other whenever a need arises. This tradition has been passed down from generation-to-generation, from family-to-family, and from the fellowship of Garrett’s community of churches.
not offer an explanation for the reduction to misdemeanor charges. During the trial, special prosecutor Joe Rowe said Kahkola had been a police officer first in Garrett and then at the Auburn Police Department. He had been authorized to screen for items through a program that gives police departments items the federal government no longer wants, free of charge. He was accused of obtaining a 1988 Chevy truck that he indicated he was obtaining for the Auburn Police Department and a 2002 Rockwood camper Charges dropped, Page 4
Five arrested in meth busts
RADIO CHRISTMAS CAROL SATURDAY
GARRETT — The J.E. Ober PTA will host a Cookies with Santa event Thursday, Dec. 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in room 17A-B. Enter door No. 2 at the high school. The Santa Shoppe will be open during this time where elementary students will have the opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts for family and friends. The Santa Shoppe will also be open during the school day today and Friday.
GARRETT — The Garrett High School After Prom Committee is holding a Christmas fundraiser through Dec. 13. This year, two prizes will be given away — first prize is an Apple iPad mini; second prize is a Fill the Freezer pack from Albright’s in Corunna with 60 pounds of meat. Tickets are available for a cost of three for $5 at the three school offices or by contacting Julie Christensen at 357-7003. The winning tickets will be drawn at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13 in the superintendent’s office. All proceeds will benefit the 2014 After Prom Event.
DECEMBER 5, 2013
Judge drops charges against officer Case beyond statue of limitations
Sue Carpenter
THURSDAY
Sue Carpenter
The United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church both feature mitten trees with items to be donated to the local Christmas Bureau and to needy children at J.E. Ober Elementary School in Garrett.
By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com GARRETT — Garrett Police officers have arrested five people since Thanksgiving on charges of manufacturing and/or possession of precursors of methamphetamine, according to police reports. At 4:36 a.m. on Thanksgiving day, Garrett officer Jeff Arnett made a traffic stop at the corner of S.R. 327 and S.R. 8. Arnett recognized the passenger, Nathan Sturges, 27, of Garrett, as wanted on a warrant for possession of methamphetamine, officials said. After stopping the vehicle, the officer allegedly discovered two packages containing white powder that tested positive for meth. Arnett also discovered two handguns, one of which was reported stolen in DeKalb County, according to reports. The female driver of the vehicle, Braidon M. Hall, 19, of Columbia City was arrested for alleged possession of the handguns. During an investigation of the vehicle, a plastic tote containing several precursors to meth and a hydrochloric acid generator also were found by authorities. Indiana State Police officers were called to secure the materials, and the pair were taken to the DeKalb County Jail on multiple charges. Hall, of South Eagle Glen Hall in Columbia City, was charged with dealing in methamphetamine, a Class B felony; possession of precursors, a Class C felony; possession of a controlled substance and receiving stolen property, Class D felonies; possession of paraphernalia and carrying a handgun without a license, Class A misdemeanors; and visiting a common nuisance, a Class B misdemeanor. Sturges, of the 6900 block of C.R. 9-A, Garrett, was charged with dealing in methamphetamine, a Class A felony; and possession of methamphetamine, possession of precursors and maintaining a common nuisance, Class D felonies. Tuesday at 12:30 p.m., Garrett officers Jeff Arnett, Kevin Peeper and Justin Cornejo acted on information received from another agency and their own investigation and obtained a search warrant for a residence in the 900 block of South Randolph Street, police said. Two men were in the yard of the home when police arrived. Officers later found lab trash in the yard associated with production of meth, according to the report. During the search, officers reported numerous precursors to meth and several pieces of drug paraphernalia were at the scene. An active, one-pot meth lab allegedly was also found in the attic of the residence. The Garrett Fire Department was sent to the scene due to the Meth busts, Page 4