THURSDAY September 12, 2013
Outdoor Life Plants naturally adapt to changes
Friend Of Park
Sweep Avoided
Miller honored for years of service
Reds blank Cubs behind Leake
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Weather Chance of rain and storms, high of 80. Low tonight 50. Much cooler Friday. Page A6 Serving Noble & LaGrange Counties
Kendallville, Indiana
GOOD MORNING Woman’s plant mistaken for pot WARREN, Ind. (AP) — A northeastern Indiana woman put a sign that says, “Hibiscus, Not Pot,” in her front yard at a police officer’s suggestion. Kim Miller said the marijuana-looking plant outside her house in the Huntington County town of Warren is a flowering hibiscus plant has sentimental value since it was gift from a former neighbor. “It’s hurtful that people in town would think that I would be so bold as to plant marijuana in my front yard,” Miller told WANE-TV. A town police officer checked out the plant to make sure it wasn’t marijuana and the department suggested the sign to Miller. “We do come across (marijuana) in ditches and things like that but not in the front of someone’s yard,” town Marshal Dennis Spitler said.
Purdue receives $3 million donation WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) — Purdue University says it will create two endowed professorships in the history of science and medicine after a $3 million donation to its history department. Purdue officials announced the contribution Wednesday from a donor who is remaining anonymous. Purdue President Mitch Daniels says the donation will be matched with $3 million from a presidential discretionary fund. History department chairman Douglas Hurt says the donation is the largest the department has ever received and will allow it to establish a specialty in the history of science, medicine and technology.
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Index
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Classifieds.................................B6-B8 Life..................................................... A5 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion ............................................. A3 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A6 TV/Comics .......................................B5 Vol. 104 No. 251
kpcnews.com
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Board approves teachers’ contract BY DENNIS NARTKER dnartker@kpcmedia.net
KENDALLVILLE — East Noble teachers receiving “effective” or “highly effective” evaluations most likely will not receive pay raises from a new 2013-2014 contract approved by the school board until fall next year. Teachers rated “ineffective” or “needs improvement” may not receive pay raises at all. Those details are in new laws the Indiana General Assembly passed regarding public school teacher pay, guiding negotiations between the East Noble school corporation and the East Noble Education Association on a new
2013-2014 teachers’ contract. Wednesday night, the East Noble school board approved the one-year contract after hearing East Noble Superintendent Ann Linson explain the new law. The contract is effective from July 1 this year through June 30, 2014. Negotiations between the school corporation administration and the ENEA began Aug. 1 and had to conclude before Sept. 30. The state Legislature stripped most of the language from teacher contracts, with wages and benefits the only major components left, according to Linson. “There was not a lot of language change,” she said.
Teachers no longer receive an increment pay raise for each year of experience. ENEA president Charlie Barber said there were no sticking points. Major changes to teacher salaries have occurred as a result of the new state law. The state controls the school district’s general fund and dictates how much money East Noble will receive, based on enrollment. “One reason for the one-year contract is the complexities of the new process,” said Linson. “We will spend each year tweaking it.” As a result of a new teacher evaluation process, pay raises under the new contract will not come until the completion of
the school year and after teacher evaluations have been completed. ISTEP results are a component of the evaluations. Teachers will receive pay raises this fall from a performance grant the school district received last year. The pay raises are based on their 2012-2013 evaluations that have not been completed yet, Linson said. When the 2012-2013 evaluations are completed, those funds will be provided to teachers based on a unit system. Units were earned in the 2012-2013 school year for evaluations, attendance, perfect attendance, leadership and professional development activities.
SEE CONTRACT, PAGE A6
Russia key to peace WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House tried Wednesday to pin the success or failure of a diplomatic option to secure Syria’s chemical weapons on Russia rather than the United States as Secretary of State John Kerry headed for Geneva to work on a Russian proposal for international inspectors to seize and destroy the deadly stockpile. On a different diplomatic front aimed at taking control of the stockpile away from the Assad government, the five AP permanent members of the U.N. President Barack Obama lowers his head during during a ceremony to mark the 12th anniversary Security Council met Wednesday a moment of silence at the Pentagon Wednesday of the 9/11 attacks. at Russia’s U.N. mission to consider goals for a new resolution requiring Syria’s chemical weapons to be dismantled. They left without commenting, but whether a U.N. resolution should be militarily enforceable was NEW YORK (AP) — Life in the White House’s South Lawn already emerging as a point of “Our hearts still ache for the for a moment of silence at 8:46 lower Manhattan resembled any contention. ordinary day on Wednesday as Rebels who had hoped U.S.-led futures snatched away, the a.m. — the time the first plane workers rushed to their jobs in the struck the south tower in New strikes against the Syrian governlives that might have been.” York. Another jetliner struck the ment would aid their effort muggy heat, but time stood still at the World Trade Center site while Pentagon at 9:37 a.m. expressed disappointment, if not families wept for loved ones who “Our hearts still ache for the condemnation of the U.S., over perished in the terror attacks 12 futures snatched away, the lives President Barack Obama’s decision Barack Obama years ago. that might have been,” Obama to pursue diplomacy in the wake For the families, the memories said. of a chemical weapons attack in U.S. President of that day are still vivid, the pain A moment of silence was also the Damascus suburbs last month still acute. Some who read the held at the U.S. Capitol. that the U.S. says killed more than names of a beloved big brother or In New York, loved ones milled 1,400 people. a cherished daughter could hardly around the memorial site, making “We’re on our own,” speak through their tears. rubbings of names, putting flowers Mohammad Joud, an opposi“Has it really been 12 years? nearly 3,000 people who died by the names of victims and tion fighter in the war-shattered Or 12 days? Sometimes it feels the when hijacked jets crashed into the weeping, arm-in-arm. Former Gov. northern city of Aleppo, said same,” said Michael Fox, speaking towers, the Pentagon and in a field George Pataki, New Jersey Gov. via Skype. “I always knew that, aloud to his brother, Jeffrey, near Shanksville, Pa. They also Chris Christie and others were in but thanks to Obama’s shameful who perished in the south tower. recognized the victims of the 1993 attendance. As with last year, no conduct, others are waking up to “Sometimes I reach for the phone trade center bombing. politicians spoke. Mayor Michael this reality as well.” so I can call you, and we can talk Bells tolled to mark the planes Bloomberg watched the ceremony With the American public focus about our kids like we used to do hitting the towers and the moments for his final time in office. on diplomacy rather than military every day.” when the skyscrapers fell. Carol Eckna recalled the might, Vice President Joe Biden On the memorial plaza In Washington, President contagious laugh of her son, Paul and senior White House officials overlooking two reflecting pools Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Robert Eckna, who was killed in summoned House Democrats in the imprint of the twin towers, Obama, Vice President Joe Biden the north tower. and Republicans for classified relatives recited the names of the and wife Jill Biden walked out to SEE NATION, PAGE A6 SEE RUSSIA, PAGE A6
Nation pauses to remember
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Albion council grants tax abatement BY BOB BRALEY bbraley@kpcmedia.com
ALBION — An Albion business was granted a tax abatement by the Albion Town Council Tuesday in support of a proposal that would bring six new jobs to the city. B & J Specialty plant manager Kerry Leitch presented an application for tax abatement on three new pieces of machinery valued
at $894,000 to be added at 1120 E. South St. The machinery will bring work adding six new jobs, he said. The six new jobs are projected to have a combined salary of $210,000 per year, the tax abatement document said. The Albion plant adding the new equipment and jobs currently employs 26 people. B & J Specialty has multiple
plants in Noble County. All three pieces of equipment are expected to be in operation by Feb. 28, 2014. The council unanimously approved the phase-in of property taxes on the equipment over a period of five years. Also Tuesday, the council: • approved the town’s proposed 2014 budget of just less than $2.21 million on first reading after no
comment was made at a public hearing. The proposed budget includes $1.04 million for the general fund, $582,635 for motor vehicle highway, $140,925 for park and recreation, $128,000 for the Rainy Day Fund, $105,050 for debt payment, $98,000 for the Cumulative Capital Development Fund, $97,898 for the cemetery and SEE ALBION, PAGE A6
Celebrating 150 Years.
Sensible Banking for Sensible Lives
Community & Customer Appreciation Day
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Sept. 13
Main Office Orchard and Williams Streets Kendallville, IN
Free Porkburgers and Hotdogs 10:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.
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