Serving the Steuben County 101 lakes area since 1857
Singer, songwriter Rhon Van Erman releases first-ever Christmas CD
Weather Cloudy, rain expected, high 50. Tonight’s low in the upper 30s. Page A8
Page A2 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
Angola, Indiana
GOOD MORNING IMPACT director announces June 30 retirement plans KENDALLVILLE — Tim Holcomb, director of IMPACT Institute, will retire June 30, and a search has begun for his replacement, the DeKalb Eastern school board learned Monday night. Holcomb has served as director of the program since July 1997. The DeKalb Eastern board oversees the institute, which serves school districts in five counties. The IMPACT board is seeking applicants for the position, DeKalb Eastern Superintendent Jeff Stephens said. He said the hope is to have a replacement identified by the school board’s Dec. 16 meeting and in place by Jan. 1. The person hired would work alongside Holcomb until his retirement to learn details of the position, Stephens said.
Wife tries to poison spouse Rat killer allegedly put in capsules BY MIKE MARTURELLO mmarturello@kpcmedia.com
ANGOLA — An Ashley woman is facing a charge of Class B felony attempted aggravated battery after she allegedly tried to poison her husband. Renee Marie Mansfield, 25, allegedly substituted rat poison in her husband’s prescription seizure medicine. The incident was brought to the attention of Ashley Police and the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday. Her husband notified Ashley Police when he noticed a white
substance in Mansfield’s purse, which later turned out to be the drug she had been removing from her husband’s medicine, court records said. Mansfield is facing up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. She’s being held in Steuben County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. “I just snapped. I didn’t want to hurt him,� Mansfield told investigators on Tuesday, court records said. Mansfield and her husband reportedly had been arguing. During questioning by police,
Mansfield said she made the substitution in the pills so her husband would sleep in and have to stay home from work, which would allow them time to talk about their Mansfield differences. Initially Mansfield told police she was substituting a caffeine substance for the prescription medicine. Upon comparing the particular caffeine with the prescription medicine, they learned that Mansfield had not done what she had told police, court records said.
The Need For Speed ... And Fun
YMCA Turkey Trot has star power ANGOLA — This year’s Turkey Trot at the YMCA of Steuben County has a little star power behind it, with the national YMCA partnering with ReelFX and its new movie, “Freebirds� for a some added fun this year. The event is Saturday. READ MORE ON PAGE A6
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Index • Classified.............................................. B6-B8 Life.................................................................A6 Obituaries.....................................................A4 Opinion .........................................................A5 Sports.................................................... B1-B4 Weather........................................................A8 TV/Comics ..................................................B5 Vol. 156 No. 321
Investigators asked Mansfield’s husband if there was any rat poison in the house, and he produced a box. The substance in the pills matched the poison, court records said. After bringing Mansfield into the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department for questioning, she admitted putting the rat poison in her husband’s capsules. A not guilty plea was entered on Mansfield’s behalf by Steuben Magistrate Randy Coffey. She will faces a pretrial conference on Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. in Steuben Circuit Court. Lisa Dirig has been appointed to serve as Mansfield’s attorney.
Project sheds light at school
Coats staff visiting Angola on Monday INDIANAPOLIS — U.S. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., said a member of his staff will visit three sites in northeast Indiana on Monday to meet with local residents and assist Hoosiers experiencing problems with federal agencies. Times and sites for the staff visits are: • 9-11:00 a.m., LaGrange Public Library, 203 W. Spring St., LaGrange; • noon to 2 p.m., Carnegie Public Library: 322 S. Wayne St., Angola; and • 3-5 p.m., Eckhart Public Library: 603 S. Jackson St., Auburn.
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BY AMY OBERLIN aoberlin@kpcmedia.com
FRED WOOLEY
Costumed teams for last year’s Corporate Toboggan Speed Challenge at Pokagon State Park pose for a photo prior to the start of an evening of racing against the clock. This year’s
event, sponsored by the Angola Area Chamber of Commerce and Pokagon, will be held Thursday, Dec. 5.
Corporate Toboggan Speed Challenge returns to Pokagon FROM STAFF REPORTS
LAKE JAMES — The Angola Area Chamber of Commerce and Pokagon State Park will present the fourth annual Corporate Toboggan Speed Challenge on Thursday, Dec. 5, from 4:30-8:30 p.m. at the park. Area businesses and organizations are invited to enter a team of toboggan racers to compete for cash prizes. “The Toboggan Challenge is a fun, team-building activity that benefits the Angola Chamber of Commerce while celebrating one of Steuben County’s greatest treasures,� said Christina Koher, chamber executive director. Teams of four will race down Indiana’s only refrigerated toboggan track with speeds topping out at 42
mph. Cash prizes will be awarded at the end of the event for fastest speed, most entertaining and best costumes. Pokagon’s warming center will be open, as will the fire ring, to keep all attendees comfortable. Food and beverages will be available. Registration is $100 per team, due by Dec. 4. Register and pay online at TobogganSpeedChallenge.eventbrite.com. Registration includes two launches, transportation to the top of the hill and dinner for four. Additional dinner tickets are $15 each for teams wishing to bring fans and cheerleaders. A cash bar will be available. The toboggan run will be closed to the public that evening so that the track can be dedicated exclusively to the
chamber event. So far, 40 teams have registered. Businesses can sponsor the Toboggan Challenge as well: Tower Sponsors are $300 and include a team and promotional banners and acknowledgments. Toboggan markers are $75, and include a sign in the main event area. The event begins with registration at 4:30-5:30 p.m., followed by launching at 5 p.m. Food and beverages will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. Final rides end at 7 p.m., followed by awards at 7:30 p.m. at the warming center. For more information, call the Angola Area Chamber of Commerce at 665-3512 or visit TobogganSpeedChallenge. eventbrite.com.
ANGOLA — Angola Middle School is brighter thanks to free light fixtures supplied through Energizing Indiana. Energizing Indiana is a statewide energy efficiency effort by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, utility companies and consumer organizations. Last year, Energizing Indiana provided a free energy use inspection at Angola Middle School, which was among 170 schools in the state that received the benefit. AMS was the most expensive building to operate per square foot, said Metropolitan School District of Steuben County facility director Heath Wagner, so efforts were concentrated there. Recently, Energizing Indiana announced further benefits were available, and MSD took the opportunity to receive double rebates through an energy savings project. All the lights at the middle school — 1,890 fixtures and around 6,000 bulbs — are being replaced. SEE ENERGY, PAGE A8
Numbers good for retail sales
WASHINGTON (AP) — An increase in shopping last month during the partial government shutdown suggests that the U.S. economy may be more resilient than some have feared. Retail sales increased 0.4 percent in October, the Commerce multiple vendors and customers in the area and we also have great Department said Wednesday, after partners in this region. Our plastics being flat the previous month. That jump shows that many consumers plant in Michigan has reached full capacity and it made a lot of remain willing to spend as the sense to go somewhere far, but not all-important holiday shopping season nears. too far. Indiana is known to be a great place to do business and the At the same time, other data initial experience with the local released Wednesday point to an municipality is proving that notion economy that’s still struggling to accurate. Everyone is making us reach full health. feel incredibly welcome and that — Sales of existing homes gives us confidence that we made fell 3.2 percent last month from the right decision.� September, the National AssociTo begin operations in the ation of Realtors said. Higher recently purchased 120,000-square mortgage rates and a shortage
PADNOS finds Fremont welcoming BY JENNIFER DECKER jdecker@kpcmedia.com
FREMONT — After checking out 40 area buildings, PADNOS Iron & Metal Co. finally chose Fremont. Holland, Mich.-based, PADNOS is a third-generation, family-owned business recycling paper, plastics and metal. It will soon begin operations in the Fremont Industrial Park. PADNOS was welcomed to Steuben County Tuesday by receiving a special exception and
seven-year tax abatement from the Fremont Plan Commission and Fremont Town Council. Keith Noblett, PADNOS director of facilities and engineering, told the council the Fremont location will be its first venture outside of Michigan. He added Fremont and Indiana have both been most welcoming. “Growing into Indiana was a natural move for our plastics business,� said Jeff Padnos, PADNOS president. “We service
SEE PADNOS, PAGE A8
SEE RETAIL, PAGE A8
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