Serving the Steuben County 101 lakes area since 1857
Man, woman guilty of meth crimes, having counterfeit money sentenced Monday
Weather Rain possible with a high of 47 today. Low tonight about 39. Page A6
Page A2 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2013
Angola, Indiana
GOOD MORNING Kiwanis hosting toy drive on Saturday ANGOLA — Kiwanis Kares for Kids will host a toy drive Saturday at the Steuben County Community Foundation, 1701 N. Wayne St. The event encourages people to bring new toys to be distributed by Project Help of Steuben County as part of its Christmas Adoption Program Steuben. CAPS matches local family and business donors with needy families in Steuben County. Those interested may call 665-9697. The toy drive is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes the opportunity to meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
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Angola seeking grant funds Money would pay for razing old Wendy’s, new convenience center BY JENNIFER DECKER jdecker@kpcmedia.com
ANGOLA — The city would like to finish what it started years ago in the Downtown 20/20 plan with a public restroom/travel center and parking facility. The Angola Common Council Monday approved seeking a federal grant with the Indiana Department of Transportation toward the cost of a $729,000 pedestrian improvement, public restrooms and parking project. The city is interested in
acquiring the downtown site of the former Wendy’s restaurant that has sat vacant since 2002 at the corner of East Gilmore and North Wayne streets. In doing so, the city would tear down the existing building to develop the site into a restroom and travel center with public parking for the downtown. Vivian Likes, the city’s plan director, said a grant will be sought. “The number one thing would be to acquire the property,” Likes said. “We have to do an SEE ANGOLA, PAGE A6
JENNIFER DECKER
If Angola receives a federal grant to purchase this longtime vacant former Wendy’s restaurant site on North Wayne Street, the city will turn it into a $729,000 travel convenience center and public parking.
Planner’s politics are questioned
State senator won’t seek re-election INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A longtime state senator from southeastern Indiana isn’t seeking re-election next year. Republican Sen. Johnny Nugent of Lawrenceburg announced Monday he would retire at the end of his current term. Nugent was first elected to the Senate in 1978. He has held numerous leadership positions and sponsored many gun rights measures. Republicans Allen Paul of Richmond and Tom Wyss of Fort Wayne and Democrat Lindel Hume of Princeton have also said they won’t see new terms next year.
Attorney to study law on board appointments BY MIKE MARTURELLO mmarturello@kpcmedia.com
Deer hunter bags ‘Back Trouble’ GREENSBURG (AP) — A southeastern Indiana deer hunter who bagged a 21-point buck says he named his trophy “Back Trouble” because he strained his back dragging its 300-pound carcass out of the woods. Phil Hadley shot the deer last Tuesday while hunting in Decatur County. He tells the Greensburg Daily News the buck was by far the biggest deer he’s shot in his long hunting career. The Greensburg man says the buck yielded so much meat he may have enough venison to last his family through Christmas.
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Angola Mayor Dick Hickman, from left, Jon Seeman, Kelly Butler and Greg Burns, president and CEO at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital, pose in the front of
the Seeman-Butler home in Angola, which was recently honored for its exterior work with a Mayor’s Beautification Award.
Home’s exterior work lauded ANGOLA — Angola Mayor Richard Hickman and Cameron Memorial Community Hospital officials announced the latest Angola Mayor’s Beautification Award to Jon Seeman and Kelly Butler. Seeman and Butler were awarded the honor for their exterior at 415 Williams St. “I am so pleased to present this honor,” said Mayor Hickman. “What wonderful work they have done!” Jon Seeman bought the property about 20 years ago and his fiancée, Kelly Butler, moved in a year and a half ago. “She really prompted a lot of this,” said Seeman. In their time in the home they have removed
35 trees, paved the driveway, poured new sidewalks and patios, added new windows, added gardens in the back and reconstructed the retaining walls — by hand. “I didn’t think getting a permit for a backhoe to sit on Williams Street was going to be easy,” said Seeman, “so we did it by hand.” They recently painted the exterior, which was intended to be a different color originally. “It was a happy mistake,” said Butler. Additionally, they have remodeled the interior of the home. “I drive by this home every day on my way to work,” said Greg Burns, Cameron president and CEO. “I have enjoyed watching the SEE AWARD, PAGE A6
ANGOLA — Steuben County attorney Don Stuckey is going to research whether an appointment to the Steuben County Plan Commission meets political requirements. The issue came up at the insistence of Judy Rowe, chairwoman of the Steuben County Democratic Central Committee. She said an appointment to the Plan Commission, John Brooks, does not qualify as a Democrat. The board can’t be made up of more than three members of a political party. “As party chair, would you like us to take remedial action,” asked Ron Smith, president of the Steuben County Commissioners, which makes political appointments to the Plan Commission. Rowe agreed, but Stuckey said it wasn’t just a matter of looking at one’s voting record to determine party status. Commissioner Jim Crowl, who sits on the Plan Commission as representatives of the commissioners, said Brooks has told him he would sign an affidavit to declare his party status. “The question is whether he was in compliance when he was first appointed,” Stuckey said. Brooks was appointed some 12 years ago. His appointment comes up again in 2015. Rowe has been reviewing political appointments of several boards over the past several months to make sure they are in compliance with state law. She has said that her questioning of appointments has not been about the people, but making sure the law is followed properly. Monday was her second visit with commissioners concerning political board appointments this year. She also has been working actively with the state Democratic Party on monitoring board appointments.
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Contact Us • The Herald Republican 45 S. Public Square Angola, IN 46703 Phone: (260) 665-3117 Fax: (260) 665-2322 Classifieds: (toll free) (877) 791-7877 Circulation: (800) 717-4679
Index • Classified.............................................. B6-B8 Life.................................................................A5 Obituaries.....................................................A4 Opinion ........................................................B4 Sports.................................................... B1-B3 Weather........................................................A6 TV/Comics ..................................................B5 Vol. 156 No. 332
Americans click for deals on Cyber Monday NEW YORK (AP) — Power up and shop. Millions of Americans took advantage of online deals ranging from free shipping to hundreds of dollars off electronics and half-price clothing Monday, which was expected to be the busiest online shopping day of the year. The spending surge on so-called Cyber Monday came after a disappointing holiday weekend in stores. And it showed that Americans are increasingly comfortable buying items on tablets and smartphones. Early results showed online shopping was up 18.7 percent compared with the same time last year, according to figures by IBM Benchmark. Mobile traffic, which includes smartphones and tablets, accounted for 30 percent of all online traffic. Brandon Harris, 27, from
Memphis, Tenn., started shopping at midnight Sunday and by Monday had spent around $300 and completed half of his Christmas shopping, including a Barbie doll for his niece and a TV for his mother. “I haven’t shopped for a Christmas present in a store in three years,” he said, making purchases from his iPad instead. “It’s a lot more convenient to be at home and shop.” The National Retail Federation, a trade group, predicts more than 131 million people will shop online Monday, up about 2 percent from last year. Meanwhile, UPS expects to pick up more than 32 million packages on Monday, about a million more than Cyber Monday last year. And research firm comScore expects Cyber Monday sales of $2 SEE CYBER, PAGE A6
AP
In this Nov. 26, 2012, file photo. packages are ready to ship move along a conveyor belt at the Amazon.com 1.2 million square foot fulfillment center, in Phoenix. Millions of shoppers are expected to click on items on Monday, Dec. 2, 2013, as retailers rev up deals to grab online holiday shopping dollars on the first working day after the busy holiday weekend.