DOG DASH DONATIONS delivered to humane shelter Friday, MORE ON PAGE 5
The Garrett Clipper An edition of The
MONDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2013
VOL. 127 ISSUE #88 On the web at: kpcnews.com
75 cents Garrett, Indiana Established in 1885
Man charged in string of break-ins BY KATHRYN BASSETT kbassett@kpcmedia.com AUBURN — An Auburn man is facing multiple criminal charges involving a string of break-ins at properties including two churches. Nicholas Wilson, 24, of the 900 block of Griswold Court, is charged in six separate cases with two counts of burglary of a structure used for religious worship, a Class B felony; burglary of a dwelling, a Class B
NEWS IN BRIEF
felony; burglary, a Class C felony; forgery, a Class C felony; and five charges of theft, a Class D felony. One of the charges — burglary of a structure used for religious worship — was filed in September. The remaining charges were filed Oct. 29. During an initial hearing on the newer charges in DeKalb Superior Court II Friday, Judge Monte Brown set bail at $33,500, According to police affidavits of probable cause for Wilson’s arrest,
Wilson is accused of breaking into the Garrett Presbyterian Church on Sept. 1. Police were called to the church on a report of a suspicious person walking around the church, attempting to open windows. When police arrived, they saw a man, later identified as Wilson, inside the church with something in his hand, an affidavit said. Ultimately police found Wilson under a pew, the affidavit said. Wilson told police he was there to
sleep because his apartment was 91 degrees. He said the item in his hands had been a soda cup from a gas station. However, police did not locate a soda cup, the affidavit said. While serving the warrant for Wilson’s arrests in that case, police recovered items that had been reported as stolen in other cases, documents say. Those cases involved; a July break-in at the Auburn Alliance
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
City meetings planned Tuesday GARRETT — Two city meetings are planned Tuesday in City Hall. The Board of Works will meet at 5:30 p.m. Agenda items include: • a report from Jim Smith of Republic Services (National Serv-All); • quotes for a new water well; • police quotes for carpeting; • chaplain approval for the police department; • McAllister maintenance agreement approval for all city generators; • electric utility rate study by Rod Sibery of Spectrum Engineering; and • a drainage plan for the proposed Dollar General store by DeKalb County Surveyor Mike Kline. The Common Council will meet at 7 p.m. Agenda items include; • a public hearing on F&H Associates, Walt Fuller, for tax abatement; • a confirming resolution for F&H Associates, Walt Fuller; and • introduction of an ordinance amending Operation Pullover amount.
J.E. Ober open house Thursday GARRETT — An open house is planned from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday at J.E. Ober Elementary School. The event offers an opportunity for parents to visit their children’s teaching teams and let children show off project they have been working on. An optional parent meeting will be from 6:30-7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center for anyone interested in learning more about the school’s personalized learning program. Refreshments will be available in the J.E. Ober cafeteria.
County Veterans Day Parade is Nov. 9 GARRETT — The DeKalb County Veteran’s Day Parade is planned in Garrett on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. The parade will begin at the Garrett American Legion Post 178, 515 W. Fifth Ave. and end at the Veterans of Foreign Wars at 118 N. Cowen St. Line up will be at noon at the Legion. The parade will travel east on Fifth Ave., and then north on Cowen St. to the VFW Post where auxiliary members will host a luncheon. Following a short break, parade units will return to the Legion on West Quincy St., and then south on Peters Street, where a ham and bean dinner will be served.
Got news? Send your news and photos to scarpenter@kpcmedia.com
The Garrett Clipper P.O. Box 59 Garrett, IN 46738 Phone: 925-2611 ext. 45 Fax: 925-2625 attn: Garrett Clipper
Staff members Kathy Johnson and Catina LaMotte set up computers Friday in preparation for today’s opening at St. Martin’s Healthcare at it Garrett location. The clinic was temporarily housed at DeKalb Health since a fire in March. Sue Carpenter
St. Martin’s reopens in Garrett Resuming normal clinic hours starting today GARRETT — St. Martin’s Healthcare will open today at 9 a.m. at its Garrett location at 1359 S. Randolph St. The clinic has operated from the Auburn site since a fire on March 29 gutted the Garrett office. Walk-in medical clinic hours are Mondays 9 a.m. to noon; Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and
Thursdays 4-8 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to clinic hours. New patients must arrive within the first two hours. Medications can be picked up Mondays 9 to noon or 1-3 p.m.; Wednesdays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Thursday;s 4-8 p.m. Dental clinic hours are by appointment only.
Due to rising costs, St. Martin’s Healthcare is asking patients make a donation to assist with their care. Recommended donation amounts are $5 per visit for the medical clinic; $10 for dental appointments. A community open house at the free clinic’s renovated office is planned for a later date. The clinic will be closed Nov. 28-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Community foundation offers internship The Community Foundation of DeKalb County is offering a paid internship for a current college student for the Spring 2014 semester. Full- or part-time undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in accredited twoor four-year Indiana colleges and universities are eligible to apply. An internship with the community foundation offers real-life work experience for a student wishing to advance his or her educational and personal development. The student selected for the position will be introduced to the roles community foundations and philanthropy play in our community’s quality of life. During the Spring 2014 term,
an intern will assist community foundation staff with their education initiative, Learning Link DeKalb County. The intern will help the foundation enhance its service to donors and expand its interactions with local charitable organizations. Further details are available at the Indiana INTERNnet website, www.indianaintern.net. Students may apply through the INTERNnet website or directly to the community foundation by emailing a résumé and introductory message or letter to Judy Sorg, Learning Link Director, at JSorg@DeKalbFoundation.org, by Monday, December 2, 2013. Funded by a $2.2 million Lilly
Endowment Inc. grant, this position is offered as part of the Community Foundation Internships (CFI) program, which is administered through the GIFT (Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow) program at the Indiana Grantmakers Alliance. CFI will further the Endowment’s efforts to build healthy community foundations and provide high-quality internship opportunities in Indiana. Information about the program, as well as job postings, are available at the Indiana INTERNnet website. For more information, contact Judy Sorg, JSorg@DeKalbFoundation. org, (260) 925-0311, or visit: http:// www.indianagrantmakers.org/ cfinternships.
Church where items including a safe, Blue Ray player, vacuum, keyboard, tool box, tools and an alarm clock were stolen; and the Aug. 30 break-in of a home in the 1100 block of North Walsh Street in Garrett where a laptop, cigarettes and $80 were reported missing. Wilson also is accused of the Break-ins, Page 4
Fall property taxes are due Nov. 12 AUBURN — DeKalb County fall property taxes are due Tuesday, Nov. 12, DeKalb County Treasurer Holly Albright said. The courthouse will be closed Monday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day, she added. Taxpayers will not receive separate bills for the fall installments. Both the spring and fall installments were mailed in April. Anyone who has billing questions may contact the treasurer’s office at 925-2712 or visit its website at co.dekalb.in.us to view property tax information online. Albright said paying taxes recently became easier. People now may pay taxes online directly from a checking or savings account. Albright said the county is pleased to present a new, online tax payment system that is quick, easy and free of charge. “We have tried to make tax payment as convenient as possible and offer a variety of payment options in one stop,” she said. To pay online, visit co.dekalb.in.us. Tax payments may be made in person at the treasurer’s office on the second floor of the courthouse in downtown Auburn. Business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Payments also may be mailed to the DeKalb County Treasurer, 100 S. Main St., Auburn, IN 46706. Payment is considered on time when postmarked by the U.S. post office on or before the installment due date of Nov. 12. A taxpayer may enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a receipt. Otherwise, a canceled Taxes, Page 4
Crash course: officers learn emergency operation skills By Sue Carpenter scarpenter@kpcmedia.com GARRETT — Garrett police reserve officer Chris Rowe sits behind the wheel of a police cruiser. His mission is to complete a obstacle course set up in the Auburn Auction Park parking lot at a speed of 35 mph as part of an exercise is to his earn Emergency Vehicle Operation certification. Garrett Police Chief Keith Hefner, a certified EVO trainer, set up dozens orange cones on the asphalt parking area where drivers weave in and out of the lanes and follow last-minute instructions to turn left or right, stop, and back up — all within a 4 minute, 45 second time frame. The instruction was conducted three days last week, with Garrett officers training during the day, and Auburn police officers at night. Hefner said the exercise tests skills drivers use every day on the highway, whether an emergency worker or a private motorist driving to-and-from the store or to work. “The course incorporates
Sue Carpenter
Garrett Police Chief Keith Hefner demonstrates the obstacle course set up for police training at Auburn Auction Park Tuesday. backing up, controlled braking and evasive maneuvers,” Hefner said while riding “shotgun” in the Ford Crown Victoria police cruiser Tuesday morning. The goal is to avoid hitting the cones and not touching the brakes during the entire course, while maintaining an even speed of 35 mph. “The smoother the ride, the faster you go,” Hefner said while instructing Rowe to turn sharp into
the turns. “This simulates lane changes, and the multi-tasking officers need to do when driving to a call,” Hefner said. “Officers need to control their driving, listen to the police radio and plan their approach to the call they are responding to.” Trainees also practice back-up skills using side mirrors, as is needed with the department’s Dodge Chargers and SUVs where
rear view mirrors do not provide a clear view at all times. Rowe completes his second turn at the course, weaving around the pylons, stopping, turning on a dime and backing up without knocking down any cones. All within 4 minutes 40 seconds. By the end of the week, Hefner hopes to have all 13 full-time members of his department Skills, Page 4