Serving the Steuben County 101 lakes area since 1857
Youth being served by Angola High School’s swim team
Weather Mix of sun and clouds today with a high of 48 and a low of 34. Page A6
Page B1
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013
Angola, Indiana
GOOD MORNING NWS: At least 26 tornadoes confirmed in Indiana on Sunday INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The National Weather Service says at least 26 tornadoes touched down Sunday in Indiana, making it the third largest tornado outbreak in state history. The weather service said Tuesday that its survey teams’ preliminary findings show 26 tornadoes struck the state on Sunday. It says Indiana’s most active tornado day was June 2, 1990, when 33 tornadoes touched down, followed by 29 twisters on April 19, 2011.
Animal refuge fined $69K for violations BLOOMINGTON (AP) — Indiana workplacesafety regulators have fined a western Indiana animal refuge $69,000 for safety violations discovered after a woman was mauled by a tiger at the center. Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators visited the Exotic Feline Rescue Center after an employee was badly injured in a June tiger attack at the center. That worker had failed to secure a sliding cage gate. The Herald-Times reports that the state agency fined the center $56,000 for “knowing” violations and another $13,000 for “serious” violations. The agency’s reports cited concerns with fence height, gaps in the cages and the operation of sliding gates at the Center Point refuge. Owner Joe Taft says he stands by the safety of the center, which is home to more than 200 big cats.
Muncie consolidating 2 high schools into 1 MUNCIE (AP) — The Muncie School Board has approved plans to close one of the city’s two high schools in a consolidation move that will create a single high school with more than 1,700 students. School board members voted 4-1 Monday night in favor of turning Southside High School into a middle school and moving its students to Central High School. The district has said consolidating the two schools would save an estimated $1.7 million annually.
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Index • Classified.............................................. B7-B8 Life.................................................................A5 Obituaries.....................................................A4 Opinion ........................................................B4 Sports.................................................... B1-B3 Weather........................................................A6 TV/Comics ..................................................B6 Vol. 156 No. 320
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kpcnews.com
NE Center losing $60K monthly Delayed federal funds causing shortfall for mental health facility BY DENNIS NARTKER dnartker@kpcmedia.com
KENDALLVILLE — The Northeastern Center is losing approximately $60,000 in revenue per month due to a federal agency’s delay in renewing support for a pilot state program. The program permits increases in hospital inpatient and outpatient reimbursement. John Cox, a member of the center’s board of directors from DeKalb County and chairman of
the board’s finance-building-audit committee, reported the revenue loss at Tuesday’s noon board meeting. The center has a year-to-date operating loss of $159,935 for fiscal year 2013-2014 that began July 1, Cox said. The center is showing substantial losses largely due to the shut down in facility payments through the Hospital Assessment Fee program. While it was renewed by the state legislature last spring, the two-year
program terminated June 30 pending approval by the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services of a new four-year extension. CMS is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and works in partnership with state governments. The center showed operating losses of $63,514 in July, $56,524 in August and $42,948 in September, with a surplus of $6,038 in October. While some of the losses can be attributed to
Recycling firm lands in Fremont
SEE NE CENTER, PAGE A6
MSD to beef up policing
Town council OKs abatement
2nd resource officer landed through grant
BY JENNIFER DECKER jdecker@kpcmedia.com
FREMONT — The Fremont Town Council welcomed a Holland, Mich.-based recycling company to town by granting a special exception and seven-year tax abatement to start operations. PADNOS Iron & Metal Co., recycler of paper, plastics and metal, purchased the 120,000square foot building that formerly housed Indiana Wire, 803 S. Reed Road, Fremont. in the Fremont Industrial Park. Up to eight new jobs could be created right away and as many as 22 jobs by 2016 At the Fremont site, post-industrial plastic waste will be recycled. The Fremont Plan Commission granted PADNOS a required special exception to operate a recycling facility in an industrial-2 zoned area. The seven-year tax abatement entails PADNOS adding $715,000 in manufacturing equipment for personal property and $480,000 in building improvements toward real property. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered PADNOS up to $75,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $40,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. PADNOS is a third-generation company that has operated for more than 100 years with 24 locations in Michigan.
inpatient revenue from the center’s hospital in Auburn not meeting expectations, a majority is due to the federal renewal delay, Cox said. “If you consider $60,000 more in revenue each month since July 1, we would have an $80,000 surplus,” he told the board. Jerry Hollister, the center’s chief operating officer, expressed confidence CMS would renew support for the HAF program,
BY AMY OBERLIN aoberlin@kpcmedia.com
FRED WOOLEY
Deer reduction wait Hunter James Womak, Waterloo, can be spotted by his required orange clothing as he sits patiently in his tree stand Monday during the first of two days of controlled deer reduction hunts at Pokagon State Park. On Monday, 25 deer were taken by the 45 hunters registered for the hunt aimed at equalizing the ecological balance of the park. There were 15 deer taken by 31 hunters Tuesday. Womak bagged an eight-point buck that dressed out at 157 pounds Tuesday. The hunt will continue on Dec. 2-3 and the park will be closed to the public. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has been conducting the hunts at Pokagon since 1995.
ANGOLA — The Metropolitan School District of Steuben County will have twice the police presence starting in December. MSD received a Secured School Safety Grant to cover half the cost of an additional police officer on school grounds, announced Superintendent Brent Wilson at Tuesday night’s school board meeting at Hendry Park Elementary School. The grant will provide half the cost of an additional officer assigned through Angola Police Department, with the total cost estimated at $43,200. The second patrol will likely be a rotating slate of reserve and off-duty officers. Officer Clay Rust is MSD’s school resource officer, a service provided at no charge to the district by APD. His office will be moved to Carlin Park Elementary School, said assistant superintendent Mike Christ, and Rust would concentrate his efforts at the elementary level; MSD has four elementary schools. Rust can do programs such as bicycle safety and “stranger danger” in the classroom, said Wilson. “We’re trying to get more exposure, more visibility at all the schools,” said Christ. In other business, the board SEE MSD, PAGE A6
Fake pot raid leads to arrest FROM STAFF REPORTS
ANGOLA — A one month undercover investigation that involved federal authorities resulted in the arrest of a man from Angola and Coldwater, Mich., for the alleged sale of synthetic marijuana, a Steuben County Sheriff’s Department news release said. Newsome Richard Newsome, 33, was arrested following a series of events. Officers checking on a Steuben County Community Corrections offender who was believed to have illegal substances led to turning over information about the sale of synthetic SEE ARREST, PAGE A6
AMY OBERLIN
Making sure the show goes on Angola High School seniors Sadie Miller, left, and Shay Harmon are an experienced sound and light crew, providing technical assistance from the sound booth above the high school auditorium. The two are working on the upcoming production
of “Arsenic and Old Lace” that’s being performed this weekend by the Angola High School Mainstage Players. A story about the upcoming play appears on Page A2.