FRIDAY August 30, 2013
Auction In Gear
Rare Opportunity
Bidders see 200 cars on first day
Big Numbers
Trine offers chance to view historic books
Page A10
Hoosiers humble ISU in opener
Page A2
Page B1
Weather Sunny today with a high of 88. Overnight low in the upper 60s. Page A10 Kendallville, Indiana
GOOD MORNING Woman, 83, arrested after pointing gun at police officer YORKTOWN (AP) — Central Indiana police said an 83-year-old woman who pointed a handgun at a police officer during a confrontation is lucky the officer showed restraint and didn’t shoot her. Yorktown police Chief Todd St. John said officer Blake Barnard would have been “fully justified” if he had opened fire on Loraine Greer when she pointed a gun at him Wednesday outside a business. He told The Star Press the officer showed “tremendous restraint” in not shooting Greer, who was arrested and faces preliminary charges of pointing a firearm, intimidation with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief. Court documents said officers were called to a tool and die business after Greer allegedly threatened to shoot its owner.
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Burglar strikes as owner sleeps BY MATT GETTS mgetts@kpcmedia.com
AVILLA — The Avilla Police Department is investigating a burglary that occurred while the homeowner slept early Wednesday morning. At 4:34 a.m., police were dispatched to the 500 block of
Teders Street to investigate a burglary. Deputy Marshal Eric Lawson discovered someone had cut a hole in a screen door to enter the residence. The interior door was unlocked. A flat-screen television and wallet were stolen in the incident. Lawson’s K-9 partner was
able to track a scent to the area of Fourth Street and Water Street, but the track ended in that area. Avilla Town Marshal Glen Wills said a burglary while a homeowner is sleeping is relatively rare. “It is pretty odd,” Wills said. Police canvassed the neighbor-
Info • The News Sun P.O. Box 39, 102 N. Main St. Kendallville, IN 46755 Telephone: (260) 347-0400 Fax: (260) 347-2693 Classifieds: (toll free) (877) 791-7877 Circulation: (260) 347-0400 or (800) 717-4679
Index
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Classifieds....................................B5-7 Life..................................................... A8 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion ............................................. A5 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather..........................................A10 TV/Comics .......................................B4 Vol. 104 No. 239
hood Wednesday, but were unable to develop any leads after conversing with neighbors. Wills said anyone with information about the crime should call the department at 347-0654. He encouraged citizens to be alert and to report any suspicious activity.
U.S. to go it alone
hundreds of tasty treats. A classic car show will be held on Main Street, from Third Street up to West Union Street. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 100 cars and trucks are expected to be shown. Awards will be presented at 3 p.m. The marshmallow bake-off begins at noon in the fire station, with three different age groups for entrants. Cash prizes are awarded to the top winners, and the public is invited to watch the judging and stick around for free samples. Avalon Village hosts a euchre tournament at 2 p.m., and at the same time there will be a pizza-eating contest in Gazebo Park. Ligonier police officers will conduct a bike-safety rodeo at 3 p.m. in the parking lot of West Noble Primary School on West Union.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday prepared for the possibility of launching unilateral American military action against Syria within days as Britain opted out in a stunning vote by Parliament. Facing skepticism at home, too, the administration shared intelligence with lawmakers aimed at convincing them the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its people and must be punished. Despite roadblocks in forming an international coalition, Obama appeared undeterred and advisers said he would be willing to retaliate against Syria on his own. “The president of the United States is elected with the duty to protect the national security interests in the United States of America,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. Even before the vote in London, the U.S. was preparing to act without formal authorization from the United Nations, where Russia has blocked efforts to seek a resolution authorizing the use of force, or from Capitol Hill. But the U.S. had expected Britain, a major ally, to join in the effort. Top U.S. officials spoke with certain lawmakers for more than 90 minutes in a teleconference Thursday evening to explain why they believe Bashar Assad’s government was the culprit in a suspected chemical attack last week. Lawmakers from both parties have been pressing Obama to provide a legal rationale for military action and specify objectives, as well as to lay out a firm case linking Assad to the attack. In London, Prime Minister David Cameron argued a military strike would be legal on humanitarian grounds. But he faced deep pressure from lawmakers and had already promised not to undertake military action until a U.N. chemical weapons team on the ground in Syria released its findings about the Aug. 21 attack. The prime minister said in terse comments after the vote that while he believes in a “tough response” to the use of chemical weapons, he would respect the will of the House of Commons. Caitlin Hayden, Obama’s National Security Council spokeswoman, said the U.S. would continue to consult with Britain but Obama would make decisions based on “the best interests of the United States.” It was not certain the U.S. would have to act alone. France announced that its armed forces “have been put in position to respond” if President Francois Hollande commits forces to intervention against Syria. Hollande does not need French
SEE GRAND MARSHALS, PAGE A10
SEE SYRIA, PAGE A10
Panel to revamp grading of schools INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana’s top elected leaders are launching a panel to oversee the rewriting of Indiana’s school grading system one month after it was revealed former School Superintendent Tony Bennett changed the formula for a top Republican donor’s school. Gov. Mike Pence, School Superintendent Glenda Ritz, House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long signed off on the new panel Wednesday. The 17-member group will consist of teachers, principals and superintendents and be co-chaired by Ritz. Lawmakers had already tasked Indiana’s State Board of Education with re-writing the school grades earlier this year. But emails published by The Associated Press last month show Bennett secretly altered the formula last September to benefit a donor’s Indianapolis charter school. Two separate state reviews of the school grades are still underway.
75 cents
DENNIS NARTKER
Pickin’ under way at bluegrass event Rock Island Plow Co. from Dayton, Ohio, opened the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association’s Fall Tri-State Bluegrass Festival Thursday night at the Noble County Fairgrounds in Kendallville. The
festival continues tonight from 6:15-10:25 p.m. Saturday 11:10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday noon to 10:30 p.m.
Marshmallow grand marshals honored for decades of service BY BOB BUTTGEN bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com
LIGONIER — This year’s grand marshals for the Ligonier Marshmallow Festival are Dr. Robert and Lura Stone. The festival organizing committee chose the couple as a way to honor them for all they have done in the West Noble community for the past 55 years. The festival starts tonight and continues through Labor Day. Dr. Stone retired in May, after having his medical practice in Ligonier for 54 years. Both he and Lura have put in countless hours of service to their community through their church, the Ligonier Rotary Club and other endeavors. As grand marshals, they will ride at the front of the Labor Day parade and have seats of honor on the viewing stage for the parade that starts at 2 p.m. Monday in downtown Ligonier. Festival chairperson Margarita White and her committee are confident the event will be a success. “The committee is working hard this week putting those last-minute things in place for this weekend’s festival,” White said. “We, as a committee, expect to have a great festival weekend!” Thousands of marshmallows, donated by Kraft Foods of Kendallville, arrived in Ligonier on Thursday. The committee and other volunteers will be kept busy handing out the 1-pound bags to festivalgoers all weekend from the information tent, set up at Gazebo Park, next to the Ligonier Fire Station. Official festival T-shirts will be for sale, along with new commemorative items such as travel mugs, koozies, tote bags and coasters. The weekend’s highlights: Friday The festival moves to Kenney Park for a free concert by OLP, consisting of local musicians Jon Ness, Frank Hawks and Kirk Scott. In addition, there will be a free marshmallow roast and good times, with everyone invited. The evening will be capped off with a fireworks display sponsored by Communications Wiring Specialist, a Ligonier-based company. Saturday Marshmallow games will be played on the lawn of the Ligonier Public Library from 10 a.m. to noon, with all types of contests, games, food, carnival rides and much more going on all day. Dozens of food vendors will be set up offering
BOB BUTTGEN
Dr. Robert Stone and his wife, Lura, have been selected to serve as grand marshals for this year’s Ligonier Marshmallow Festival and its grand parade on Labor Day. The Stones are active in many community causes and have contributed greatly to the quality of life in Ligonier for more than 55 years.