TUESDAY November 5, 2013
LaGrange Focus
Bears Down Packers
Delta Theta Tau
Mount Zion annual bazaar Saturday
Backup quarterback sparks 27-20 win
Sorority bingo fundraiser Sunday
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Weather Mostly cloudy, high 60. Low tonight in the upper 40s. Rain Wednesday. Page A6 Kendallville, Indiana
Serving Noble & LaGrange Counties
kpcnews.com
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Council to consider garage sale permits GOOD MORNING Stutzman-led group working to protect organic producers WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman said he is leading a bipartisan group of representatives in urging members of the Farm Bill conference committee to include due process protections for organic producers. “When small farmers face legal threats from the Department of Agriculture, they deserve nothing less than a fair and full hearing process,” Stutzman said. “Unfortunately, until Congress comes together to protect farmers, certified organic producers have no guarantee to a fair defense if the USDA suspends their license. My colleagues and I urge the conference committee to include the Senate’s due process protections for organic producers in the Farm Bill. It’s time for Congress to protect organic farmers.” Stutzman said under current law, an organic producer must obtain certification from a certifying agent accredited by the USDA. He said without a change to the law, a producer whose license has been suspended is not guaranteed an administrative appeal after receiving a ruling from an administrative law judge and before receiving a final judicial appeal.
Dude’s Dairy Treat to close this month KENDALLVILLE — Dude’s Dairy Treat, 848 Lima Road, is closing Nov. 26. Owners Lyman “Dude” and Karen Holbrook announced on Facebook the business has been struggling. They said with the landlord doubling the rent, they had no choice but to close. Anyone with gift cards from Dude’s Dairy Treat should use them before the closing date, they said. The Holbrooks thanked their customers and employees, saying many of them had become their friends.
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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
BY DENNIS NARTKER dnartker@kpcmedia.com
KENDALLVILLE — The City Council tonight will consider an ordinance requiring permits for garage or yard sales and establishing regulations for permit fees, terms of sale and removal of sale items. Anyone conducting a garage sale or similar event would be required to obtain a permit from
the clerk-treasurer’s office and pay a $5 permit fee, according to the proposed ordinance. Sales conducted for charitable, religious or educational purposes by a charitable, religious or educational organization would be exempt from the fee. Permitted sales could be conducted for more than three successive days. Only three permits would
be issued to any person, firm or corporation within any calendar year, and only two permits would be issued for any location within a calendar year. Sale items, display tables or sales equipment outside any structure would have to be moved indoors immediately following the last day of the sale. Signs posted promoting the sale would need to be removed within 24 hours
following the sale. A $20 fine would be levied for violations. The council is expected to consider a first reading of the ordinance. In other business, city officials will recognize citizens attending the latest Citizen Academy session. The council meets at 7 p.m. in City Hall.
Iran shakes its fist Thousands in rally against United States
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Randy Packer, foreground, the 2013 LaGrange County Heart of Gold recipient, is surrounded by this year’s other nominees. From left are Kathy Demerly, Jean Fremion-McKibben, Sharrita
Carpenter, Ryan Young, Roberta Markley, Holly Nater, Judy Dowen, Ingrid Lochamire, Jamelle Godlewski and Marie Dwight. Another nominee, Margaret Malone, is not shown.
Packer receives Heart of Gold BY PATRICK REDMOND predmond@kpcmedia.com
LAGRANGE — Randy Packer, president of the LaGrange County Council on Aging board of directors and a board member of LaGrange County United Fund, was named the winner of the LaGrange County Community Foundation’s Heart of Gold award Saturday morning. The foundation gives the award annually. A $1,000 grant in Packer’s name will be given to a charity of his choice. Packer was one of 12 people nominated for the award. “This is our chance to say thank you to these people who volunteer countless hours to help others in our community,” Laura Lemings, executive director of the community foundation, said before announcing the award winner. “They touch the
heart of our community.” Packer, a LaGrange resident, works at Parkview LaGrange Hospital. He also serves on several community organizations and at community events. In a letter she wrote nominating Packer for the award, Cheri Perkins, executive director of the LaGrange County Council on Aging said, “In everything he does for others on his own time… and that list is extensive, he is known for taking that extra step of service, making that additional commitment to others regardless of the hour of that day or limited resources. If there is a way to help others, Randy will find a way.” Packer called the experience of winning the award very humbling. “There certainly are lot of very qualified people on the list,” Packer said of his fellow
nominees. Packer said he will donate his $1,000 grant to the LaGrange County United Fund with a stipulation that half the money go the LaGrange County Council on Aging. This was the fourth year for the award. A community foundation committee first vetted all of the names submitted for the award before its board selected the winner. Joining Packer on the list this year were fellow nominees Sharrita Carpenter, Kathy Demerly, Judy Dowen, Marie Dwight, Jean Fremion-McKibben, Jamelle Godlewski and Holly Nater, Ingrid Lochamire, Margaret Malone, Roberta Markley and Ryan Young. “Every one of these people, its amazing how many hours they give,” Lemings said.
Controlled deer reductions set A total of 21 Indiana state parks — including two in northeast Indiana — will close temporarily to allow for controlled deer reductions in the coming weeks. The dates for the temporary closings are Nov. 18 and 19, and Dec. 2 and 3. The state parks affected include Chain O’Lakes in Noble County and Pokagon in Steuben County. Others are Brown County, Charlestown, Clifty Falls, Fort Harrison, Harmonie, Indiana Dunes, Lincoln, McCormick’s Creek, Ouabache, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Summit Lake, Tippecanoe, Turkey Run, Versailles, and Whitewater Memorial.
Department of Natural Resources biologists evaluate which parks require a reduction each year based on habitat recovery and previous harvest rates at each park. The state parks are home to more than 32 state-endangered plants and numerous significant natural communities. The reductions help control browsing by deer to a level that helps maintain habitat throughout the state parks for all plants and animals. The first deer reduction hunt was held in 1993, with 466 hunters harvesting 392 deer. Since 1995, as many as 21 parks have held reduction hunts in the same year. The DNR said 14 state parks required deer reductions in
2012. A total of 1,292 deer were harvested, including 81 at Chain O’ Lakes. Pokagon did not have a deer reduction last year. The state parks will close to the general public the evening before each of this year’s two sessions and reopen the morning after each two-day reduction. Only individuals drawn last September and those listed on their applications may participate at Chain O’Lakes, Pokagon and several other parks. There will be no standby drawings at those parks. Information on 2014 state park deer reductions, including online applications, will be available next summer at dnr.IN.gov/fishwild. The application deadline is usually the end of August.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — In Tehran’s largest anti-U.S. rally in years, tens of thousands of demonstrators joined Monday in chants of “death to America” as hard-liners directed a major show of resolve against President Hassan Rouhani’s outreach to Washington more than a generation after crowds on the same streets stormed and occupied the U.S. Embassy. Such American-bashing protests occur every year outside the former embassy compound to mark the anniversary of the 1979 takeover following the Islamic Revolution. But the latest demonstration had a dual purpose of sending the boldest warning yet to Rouhani’s government over whether it can expand dialogue with the U.S. or offer the concessions needed to possibly settle the nuclear impasse with the West. “Fighting the global arrogance and hostile policies of America is the symbol of our national solidarity,” said Saeed Jalili, who lost to Rouhani in June’s election and later was replaced as the country’s top nuclear negotiator. The choice of Jalili as the main speaker to the crowd showed how high the rifts reach in Iran. Jalili is a leading voice of dissent over Rouhani’s overtures to Washington, but he is also a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has given critical support to Rouhani’s initiatives. The growing tensions have left Khamenei — the ultimate decision-maker in Iran — in the unusual role of domestic diplomat. He had stood by Rouhani in apparent hopes that the nuclear talks and outreach can ease Iran’s isolation from the West and roll back painful sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear program. At the same time, he cannot ignore Rouhani’s critics and seeks a middle ground built around his comments that American remains untrustworthy but Iran is strong enough to pursue talks and exchanges. Another key test comes later this week when nuclear talks resume in Geneva between Iran and six world powers including the U.S. envoys. Negotiators left last month’s session expressing hope that Rouhani’s election — and full backing from Khamenei — could open room for progress in closing the gap between Western fears that Iran could eventually produce SEE IRAN, PAGE A6
Index
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Classifieds.................................B6-B8 Life..................................................... A5 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion .............................................B4 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A6 TV/Comics .......................................B5 Vol. 104 No. 305
LaGrange commissioners table new easement BY PATRICK REDMOND predmond@kpcmedia.com
LAGRANGE — Suggesting he’s had second thoughts, LaGrange County Board of Commissioners President Jac Price Monday morning helped table a proposal to create a new utility easement along S.R. 9 from the Indiana Toll Road south toward Howe. The state suggested the county spend the money for a new water
line so as not to hinder any future plans to widen the state highway. Price instead suggested the commissioners “consider rolling the dice on the easement issue ” and use the existing easement for the water line, as first planned. The county is extending a waterline from Fawn River Crossing business park south along the road to accommodate a new manufacturing operation moving into the now-vacant MultiPlex property
just north of Howe. Creating a new easement would add to the project’s cost. Price said he found the suggestion “interesting,” because the state was not concerned when plans were created to extend an existing water line north along S.R. 9 from C.R. 200N to C.R. 300N bringing water to the new Fillmore Equipment facility north of LaGrange. “It’s the same easement,” Price
pointed out. The state said if it widens the road, LaGrange County would have to shoulder the cost of moving its utilities. But Price asked his fellow commissioners to table the matter, saying he doesn’t see any signs the state will widen the road in the foreseeable future. “I’ve asked enough questions to know that the widening of that road isn’t on the Department of SEE EASEMENT, PAGE A6