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Angola woman arrested for allegedly molesting girl, 12
Weather Rain today with a high in the low 40s. Low in the 30s. Page A7
Page A2
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2013
Angola, Indiana
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Home for the Holidays
GOOD MORNING
“This tops the list and couldn’t be a better Christmas.” Kim Harris, Prairie Heights High School math teacher, surprised by her son’s early arrival home from Afghanistan
CHRISTMAS
Travel could be impacted by weather FORT WAYNE — The Indiana Department of Transportation is warning drivers to be on the lookout for high water and potentially slick conditions this weekend, due to changing weather patterns in the forecast. Today, significant snowfall from the past week is melting because of the above-freezing temperatures and heavy rain forecasted through this weekend will increase the potential for high water on roadways. Motorists need to practice extreme caution. “If you come across a flooded roadway, turn around,” said INDOT spokeswoman Mary Foster. “Never drive through standing water. According to the National Weather Service, most flooding deaths occur in automobiles. Six inches of standing water is enough to stall a car and a foot of water will float many vehicles. Temperatures are predicted to fall Sunday night and into Monday, increasing the chance for freezing on the roadways. Any roadway remaining wet from precipitation and areas of high water could become slick when temperatures again fall below freezing.
SURPRISE Army soldier surprises mother
BY JENNIFER DECKER jdecker@kpcmedia.com
BRUSHY PRAIRIE — Kim Harris thought she won a poinsettia in a Prairie Heights Schools’ staff Christmas breakfast lottery Friday, but instead, she ended up with the best gift ever. A Prairie Heights High School math teacher, Harris won a rigged lottery, as Superintendent Alan Middleton drew her name. Because of that, Harris had the chance to sit on Santa’s lap in front of all her colleagues. Only, she didn’t know who donned the red Santa suit and beard. Harris sat on Santa’s lap and telling him what she wanted for Christmas, she said, “Peace on earth, goodwill to men. I have a long list.”
Topping the list and the gift she already had received, Harris told Santa, “My son is safely on U.S. soil from Afghanistan.” SEE SOLDIER, PAGE A7
See the moment at kpcnews.com
PHOTOS BY PATRICK REDMOND
U.S. Army Spc. Ethan Harris gave his mother, Kim Harris, a Prairie Heights High School math teacher, quite the Christmas present Friday in coming home early from an Afghanistan tour. Ethan removes his Santa beard at a Christmas breakfast for Prairie Heights Schools’ staff, to his mother’s tearful surprise. Once he removed his Santa suit, Ethan gave his mother a big hug.
Video of Spc. Ethan Harris surprising his mother, as well as interviews with Ethan and his parents, Kim and John Harris, is online at kpcnews.com. Scan the QR code to watch it on your tablet or smartphone.
Unemployment rises in NE Indiana FROM STAFF REPORTS
Coming Sunday Nativity Scenes
See a couple remarkable manger scenes, living and handmade, in our area Sunday.
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INDIANAPOLIS — The four counties of northeast Indiana saw their labor force numbers rise in November as the unemployment rate rose, said a report released Friday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The statewide unemployment declined in November, the DWD said, dropping 0.2 percentage points to 7.3 percent, lower than all neighboring states. “Today’s job numbers are welcome news to every Hoosier and are a testament to the hard-working people of our state and the businesses that power Indiana’s economy every day,” said Gov. Mike Pence. “The continued downward trend in unemploy-
ment and the significant growth in private sector jobs demonstrate that Indiana’s economy is strong and growing stronger every day.” DeKalb, Noble and Steuben counties saw the number of people employed in those counties rise for the month, but those numbers were offset by the labor force increases. DeKalb County’s unemployment rate rose from an October figure of 6.7 percent to 6.9 percent. Noble County’s unemployment rose 0.4 percentage points from October to 7.2 percent. Steuben County saw a similar rise, with a November unemployment rate of 7.3 percent. Steuben County was tied for 36th in the state’s monthly unemploy-
ment ranking of its 92 counties. LaGrange County’s unemployment rate rose from 5.9 percent in October to 6.4 percent in November. Allen County’s unemployment rate saw a 0.2 percentage point rise in November to 6.9 percent. Indiana gained 25,300 private sector jobs in November, the largest one-month increase on record, the DWD said. Fewer Hoosiers are now unemployed (232,400), than in November 2008 (240,600). “November was a historic month of job growth in Indiana,” said Scott B. Sanders, commissioner of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. “It is encouraging that fewer Hoosiers are unemployed than in November of 2008, and the unemployment rate has dropped by
Unemployment rates In percentages COUNTY DeKalb LaGrange Noble Steuben Allen Elkhart Indiana* U.S.*
NOV. 2013 6.9 6.4 7.2 7.3 6.9 7.6 7.3 7.0
OCT. 2013 6.7 5.9 6.8 6.9 6.7 7.4 7.5 7.3
NOV. 2012 8.6 7.7 9.1 8.7 7.8 9.2 8.4 7.8
*seasonally adjusted SOURCE: INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
more than a percentage point over the past few months. However, we need to keep the ball moving by strengthening Indiana’s pro-growth climate.”
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.................................................................A3 Obituaries.....................................................A4 Opinion .........................................................A5 Sports.................................................... B1-B3 Weather........................................................A7 TV/Comics ..................................................B5 Vol. 156 No. 350
Local school officials talk about grades
Obama optimistic for 2014 WASHINGTON (AP) — Citing strong progress on the economy, President Barack Obama said at his annual year-end news conference Friday that 2014 “can be a breakthrough year for America” after a long season of recession and slow recovery. Yet he suggested that given widespread criticism, he may alter the power of the National Security Agency to collect information on Americans. And when it came to the
FROM STAFF REPORTS
AP
universally panned roll out of his health care law, Obama conceded that “we screwed it up,” and said, “I’m going to be making appropriate adjustments once we get through this year.” It SEE OBAMA, PAGE A7
Local school superintendents for the most part were pleased with the state grades released Friday by the Indiana Department of Education. Fremont Community Schools ended up with two A’s and a B, an improvement from an A and two B’s last year. The district’s overall rating was an A. “We continue to be extremely proud of our students and staff and the continued efforts they put forth daily,” Fremont Superintendent Lori Vaughn said. “Our administrators and teachers work very hard tracking student data
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December 24 6 PM
and performance in order to better plan for and adjust curriculum and course offerings. Students, under the guidance of dedicated teachers and staff, are gaining an appreciation and understand the importance of working hard and doing their very best every day.” Prairie Heights Schools Superintendent Alan Middleton said the corporation was thrilled with the Prairie Heights Elementary School grade climbing to an A from last year’s D. “It’s an excellent move from leadership and teachers working together,” Middleton said. “The credit goes SEE GRADES, PAGE A7
Fairview Missionary Church Phone: 260-665-8402 •www.fairview-missionary.org
525 E 200 N, Angola, IN (1 mile east of Meijer and Menards)