THURSDAY December 12, 2013
Waterloo Changes Page A2 Town manager leaving for new job
Scary Stuff Page A6 Area group exploring paranormal
Weather Partly cloudy, high 19. Low tonight 16. High near 30 Friday. Overnight low in lower 20s. Page A8
GOOD MORNING
The Auburn, Indiana
Eagle on ice
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kpcnews.com
Deputy-shooting sentence upheld Court agrees with 45-year term BY KATHRYN BASSETT kbassett@kpcmedia.com
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Serving DeKalb County since 1871
INDIANAPOLIS — While her expressions of remorse are “commendable,” a 38-year sentence handed down to a woman for her role in the shooting of Waterloo Deputy Marshal Steve Brady is appropriate, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday. Julie Marie King of Auburn pleaded guilty to aiding in attempted murder, a Class A felony, as part of an agreement filed in DeKalb Superior Court II.
On May 6, Judge Monte Brown sentenced King to 45 years in prison with seven years suspended and 38 years to serve — the maximum allowed under terms of the plea agreement. King appealed, contending the sentence was inappropriate in light of the nature of the offense and her character. Reviewing the case history, the Court of Appeals noted that in October 2011, King allowed a married couple, Ralph and Cassie Hardiek, to move in with her after the Hardieks became homeless.
The three friends regularly used methamphetamine, and Cassie Hardiek began serving time for a drug offense. King and Ralph Hardiek then began a casual sexual relationship. On Dec. 8, 2011, Ralph Hardiek failed King to appear for a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to dealing in methamphetamine. Between Dec. 8 and Dec. 11, Hardiek and King drove to Coldwater, Mich., where they had several guns illegally modified by Thomas McCauley.
An immature bald eagle stands on the edge of the ice on Hamilton Lake’s Muskrat Bay while eating a bite on Wednesday morning. There were mature eagles nearby, reports Brad Stevens. Birding enthusiast Fred Wooley, who is naturalist at Pokagon State Park, estimated the age of the bird at around 2 years old. It is not from the nesting family that has made its home at Pokagon.
Three Indiana sites join Superfund list INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The federal Environmental Protection Agency has added sites in South Bend, Indianapolis and Garden City to its national priorities list of Superfund sites. The EPA says being placed on the list doesn’t obligate it to pay for the cleanup, but does identify the size and nature of the cleanup challenges. Nine sites were added to the list overall.
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Index
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Classifieds.................................B6-B7 Life..................................................... A6 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion ............................................. A5 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A8 TV/Comics .......................................B5 Vol. 101 No. 341
SEE SHOOTING, PAGE A8
Health rolls lagging
Choirs plan holiday breakfast, concert DeKalb High School choirs are planning two holiday events in the next few days. DeKalb Show Choirs will serve breakfast Saturday from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at Applebee’s in west Auburn. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for ages 5-10 to dine on all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausages with drink. Santa Claus will greet children, and the DeKalb Dynamix choir will perform. The entire choir department will present the annual Christmas Spectacular in the school auditorium Monday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $4 in advance and $6 at the door.
McCauley filed the trigger guards off several handguns, including a .44-special revolver, and sawed the barrel off a shotgun, the Court of Appeals said. On Dec. 13, King drove to a gun store in New Haven, where she bought ammunition for the .44-special and gave it to Hardiek. The Court of Appeals noted King and Hardiek planned to move to another state, but they were low on money. On Dec. 13, 2011, they returned to McCauley’s home. In the early morning of Dec. 15, King and Hardiek began knocking on the doors of houses in DeKalb County. The inhabitants of two
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DENNIS NARTKER
In a ceremony Wednesday at American Legion Post 86 in Kendallville, state Rep. David Ober, R-Albion, announced the late Don Moore of Kendallville had been awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash by Gov. Mike Pence. Ober presented the honor to Don Moore Jr. From left are Noble
County Councilman Dr. Jerry Jansen, who was appointed to fill Moore’s unexpired term on the Noble County Council; Kendallville Mayor Suzanne Handshoe; Don Moore’s wife, Cindy; Don Moore Jr.; and Ober. Don Moore’s photo is at far right.
Governor honors area man Late Don Moore becomes Sagamore BY DENNIS NARTKER dnartker@kpcmedia.com
KENDALLVILLE — With family members and city and county officials looking on, state Rep. David Ober, R-Albion, presented Don Moore Jr. with his father Don Moore’s Sagamore of the Wabash honor in a brief ceremony Wednesday at American Legion Post 86. “It’s amazes me how influential he was to everyone,” Moore Jr. said about his father. Don Moore died Jan. 13. He was one of the community’s most energetic supporters and the owner of radio station WAWK-FM The Hawk in Kendallville. Moore served as an Army intelligence analyst in the Vietnam War. He was an entrepreneur, operating Don Moore Productions
and Minuteman Mowing Services. He served as Noble County Council president, Kendallville Chamber of Commerce president, Kendallville Downtown Business Association president and commander of American Legion Post 86. The Sagamore of the Wabash award is one of the most prestigious honors given by the office of Gov. Mike Pence. It recognizes Hoosiers for citizenship, distinguished service to humanity, leadership and inspiration of others. “We’re here to pay tribute to a man who was huge part of this community,” said Ober. “He gave me advice that I follow today. He said if you do your job right, you’re not a politician — you’re a leader.”
Ober, Kendallville Mayor Suzanne Handshoe and Dr. Jerry Jansen, who was appointed to the Noble County Council to fill Moore’s unexpired term, were influential in supporting Moore for the honor. “There was no R or D after Don’s name. He had a big heart for his community,” said Handshoe. Jansen recalled how he got to know Moore 30 years ago when they were in Kendallville Jaycees. He spoke about Moore’s service to his community. Don Moore Jr. said if his dad saw something that needed to be done, he did it. “If you want something done and done right, do it yourself, he always told me. He didn’t do things for the recognition or the glamour, he did them because of the cause,” Moore Jr. said.
WASHINGTON (AP) — With time running short, the nation’s health care rolls still aren’t filling up fast enough. New signup numbers Wednesday showed progress for President Barack Obama’s health care law, but not enough to guarantee that Americans who want and need coverage by Jan. 1 will be able to get it. Crunch time is now, as people face a Dec. 23 deadline to sign up if they are to have coverage by New Year’s. That means more trouble for the White House, too, after months of repairing a dysfunctional enrollment website. Next year could start with a new round of political recriminations over the Affordable Care Act, “Obamacare” to its opponents. The Health and Human Services Department reported that 364,682 people had signed up for private coverage under the law as of Nov. 30. That is more than three times the October figure, but still less than one-third of the 1.2 million that officials had projected would enroll nationwide by the end of November. The administration’s overall goal was to sign up 7 million people by next March 31, when open enrollment ends. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius assured Congress on Wednesday that “we are seeing very, very positive trends” now that HealthCare.gov is working reasonably well. She also announced that she’d asked the department’s inspector general for an indepenSEE HEALTH, PAGE A8
Budget compromise gains grudging support WASHINGTON (AP) — A newly minted budget deal to avert future government shutdowns gained important ground Wednesday among House Republicans who are more accustomed to brinkmanship than compromise, even though it would nudge federal deficits higher three years in a row. There was grumbling from opposite ends of the political spectrum — conservatives complaining about spending levels and liberal Democrats unhappy there would be no extension of an expiring program of benefits for the long-term unemployed. Yet other lawmakers, buffeted by criticism after last October’s partial government shutdown, found plenty to like in the agreement and suggested it could lead to future cooperation. The plan was announced Tuesday evening by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Rep. Paul Ryan,
R-Wis., and quickly endorsed by President Barack Obama. A House vote was expected as early as Thursday as lawmaker race to wrap up their work for the year. “A lot of folks will probably vote for it even though they would rather not support this type of legislation, but we have to get the spending issue completed so that there is some consistency in the future,” said Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the agreement “a breath of fresh air” that could lead to further progress. Added House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, “If you’re for more deficit reduction, you’re for this agreement.” Boehner also took a swipe at outside groups that helped steer Republicans toward the politically damaging shutdown and opposed SEE BUDGET, PAGE A8
Stutzman, Hoosiers undecided BY MATT GETTS mgetts@kpcmedia.com
WASHINGTON — As a budget hawk, U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Howe, says there is a lot not to like about the budget proposal he will be voting on today. It won’t shrink the national debt, which stands at $17 trillion and counting, Stutzman said. The budget will cut $23 billion into the budget deficit over the next 10 years, but actually will increase the deficit in the short term. “It’s still way out of balance,” Stutzman said of government spending. On the upside, the proposal would provide a degree of certainty and stability.
Those are the main issues Stutzman will be weighing before deciding how to cast his vote. He is not alone in putting some serious thought into his choice. Indiana’s delegation to the U.S. Senate is also waiting until more details are known about Stutzman the budget deal before deciding on a yay or nay vote. “While I look forward to reviewing the details, I am concerned that this deal may be another missed opportunity SEE STUTZMAN, PAGE A8