WEDNESDAY January 15, 2014
War on Meth Page A3 Butler Police vow to keep fighting
Unbeaten No Longer Page B1 Ferrell, IU surprise Wisconsin
Weather Snow expected today with highs in the mid-20s. Cloudy and warmer Thursday, high 34. Page A6
GOOD MORNING Eight register as election candidates AUBURN — Seven Republicans and one Democrat filed as candidates for election at the DeKalb County Clerk’s office late Monday afternoon and Tuesday. In filings for the May 6 primary election: • Republican Sandra “Sandy” Harrison of rural Butler filed for re-election as Franklin Township Trustee. • Republican Mary Dangler of rural Waterloo filed for re-election as Grant Township Trustee. • Republican Amanda Stuller of Waterloo filed as a candidate for the Grant Township Advisory Board. • Republican Marvin L. Skelly of rural Ashley filed as a candidate for the Fairfield Township Advisory Board. • Republican Gregory S. Hook of rural Butler filed as a candidate for the Stafford Township Advisory Board. • Republican David Capp of Butler filed as a candidate for the Wilmington Township Advisory Board. • Republican Judy Watson of St. Joe filed as a candidate for state convention delegate. For the Nov. 4 general election: • Democrat Bradley Duane Thompson of Waterloo filed as a candidate for the Waterloo Council at-large seat.
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Call volume knocks out 911 center BY AARON ORGAN aorgan@kpcmedia.com
AUBURN — A flood of calls to DeKalb County Central Communications during last week’s major winter storm crippled the dispatch center for a short period. Director Paul Brewer said the tremendous volume of calls Jan. 6 and 7 effectively flooded the system of the center north of Auburn. One of the center’s two internal routers failed, and the other became overloaded trying to keep up with the call volume, Brewer explained. During the storm, Auburn lost electrical service for six hours on
the night of Jan. 6, and a generator failed at one of the county’s annex buildings, preventing dispatchers from being able to log onto the county’s network. The system was down for nearly 2 ½ hours, nearly all of which Brewer said he spent on the phone trying to get it repaired. A contractor replaced the failed router. The outage meant dispatchers could field only a fraction of the calls intended for them, Brewer said. Dispatchers were able to receive 480 non-emergency calls, 283 emergency calls and 2,675 radio calls from emergency personnel between Jan. 6 and 7,
but it’s anyone’s guess how many calls were lost and unanswered during the center’s down time, Brewer said. “I have no idea exactly how many calls we took, because we couldn’t answer them all,” said Brewer. Brewer said E-911 calls the center could not field were transferred to Allen County’s dispatch center, and service to residents was never compromised. “I think it was due to the overwhelming influx of phone calls,” Brewer said about the reason for the technical troubles. Much of the problem, Brewer said, was that many of the calls
State of the State
Hamilton principal resigns BY AARON ORGAN aorgan@kpcmedia.com
AP
Boy, 12, opens fire at school, wounds 2 ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — A 12-year-old New Mexico boy drew a shotgun from a band-instrument case and shot and wounded two classmates at his middle school Tuesday morning before a teacher talked him into dropping the weapon and he was taken into custody, officials and witnesses said. Gov. Susana Martinez says a boy was critically injured and a girl was in serious condition following the shooting at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell. The students were in the gym, where she said they typically hang out before classes start. The 12-year-old pulled a shotgun and opened fire there at about 8 a.m.
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Index
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Classifieds.................................B7-B8 Life..................................................... A5 Obituaries..................................A4, A6 Opinion .............................................B4 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A6 TV/Comics .......................................B6 Vol. 102 No. 14
during the storm were non-emergency calls. Brewer said his dispatchers were peppered with questions about a travel warning, area closures and road conditions. He urged residents to call 911 only with emergency needs. “People need to call us for emergency situations,” said Brewer. “Other than that, they need to pay attention to their local media for updates and information.” During a meeting Monday, the DeKalb County commissioners briefly discussed sending letters to residents who called 911 with non-emergency questions, explaining they could be fined.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence walks to the podium to give his State of the State address to a joint
session of the Legislature at the Statehouse Tuesday in Indianapolis.
Pence keeps it simple Business tax cut, marriage amendment highlight State of the State INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Republican Gov. Mike Pence held close to a carefully scripted message for 2014 during his second State of the State address, prodding lawmakers for a business tax cut and education items while asking them to take action on a controversial marriage amendment this year. Pence offered little in the way of new details Tuesday, sticking to what has become a defining hands-off approach with lawmakers and his legislative agenda. Instead, he asked them for a second year largely focused on continuing the same strategy of cutting taxes and expanding sweeping education changes. “We’ve made progress in jobs and schools, but with still too many Hoosiers out of work,” Pence said. “With our state lagging behind in per capita
income and health and too many kids in underperforming schools, I believe we must remain relentless, bold and ambitious to keep our state moving forward.” Although Pence left a proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage out of his formal agenda, he asked lawmakers to put the issue to rest in 2014. “Let’s have a debate worthy of our people with civility and respect. Let’s protect the rights of Hoosier employers to hire who they want and provide them with benefits that they earn. And then let’s resolve this issue this year once and for all,” he said, to applause from the assembled lawmakers, a majority of whom are Republicans. Pence spoke before a joint session of House and Senate members held in the House chamber. Just one day earlier in
the same space, a key House panel delayed a vote on the marriage amendment following hours of emotional testimony on the issue. Lawmakers first approved the proposed constitutional ban in 2011. It must pass again this year to be put to voters in November. If lawmakers don’t act, the process of amending the constitution would start from scratch. House Minority Leader Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said Pence had a chance to “douse the flames” on the gay marriage debate, but did not. Instead, Pelath said, the governor seemed more concerned about protecting his political career — noting the marriage issue could cloud his chances if it shows up with him on a potential 2016 ballot. “He wants finality before the 2016 election. That’s what he really means,” he said.
HAMILTON — Hamilton Junior-Senior High School principal Christy Haupert will leave her position at the end of the school year, school district officials said Monday. The school board accepted Haupert’s resignation at its meeting Monday night. It is effective June 30, 2014 — the end of Haupert’s two-year contract. Superintendent Jon Willman would not comment on Haupert’s resignation, saying the district does not discuss personnel matters. Haupert, who usually attends board meetings but was not present Monday night, said Tuesday that she has enjoyed her time at Hamilton working with students, parents and staff. She said she is looking forward to continuing her career in education or a related field. The school board hired Haupert in July 2012. It completed a restructuring of the administration that saw former K-12 principal Barbara Weber reassigned as elementary principal and the hiring of current Athletics Director and Assistant Principal Jesse Webb. Board president Scott Lucas said by accepting the resignation, the school district now can advertise for applicants for the position. Also Monday, the board held its annual reorganization meeting, and each current officer was re-elected. Lucas will serve as president, Robert Gaff as vice president and Lee Stoy as secretary. The board also: • approved the 2014-2015 school calendar, which mirrors the 2013-2014 version. The first day of school will be Aug. 13, 2014, with May 27, 2015, set as the final day of the school year. • learned the district has applied to the state for a waiver to avoid making up the first two days lost during last week’s winter storm. SEE PRINCIPAL, PAGE A6
Thieves take metal door from historic mausoleum BY KATHRYN BASSETT kbassett@kpcmedia.com
BUTLER — One of the historic metal entrance doors to the Butler Mausoleum has been stolen, DeKalb County Historian John Bry reported Tuesday. Bry said he received a call late Monday afternoon from Anita Shultz of Butler, who told Bry of the theft. Shultz has filed a report with the Butler Police Department, Bry added. Bry said the mausoleum, along with mausoleums in Garrett, Auburn and Waterloo, is about to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Butler Mausoleum is the first such structure built in DeKalb County. “More than likely the thieves took the door for its metal. Such felons target cemeteries to steal metal and iron work,” Bry said on the DeKalb County Historian
Facebook page. Bry said he posted to the Facebook page after receiving the call from Shultz, because he is in Muncie. Two posts concerning the door have been viewed more than 8,000 times in 24 hours and shared an additional 200 times by Facebook users, Bry said. “Efforts are under way to contact area metal recyclers in the region to locate the door,” Bry said Tuesday. “It is a sad situation. I have reminded people if they see suspicious activity in the area cemeteries to report it. Historic cemeteries are often a favorite target for metal thieves across the nation.” Bry is urging anyone who has contacts with metal recycling companies in the area to alert them to look for a large metal door with a small glass opening in the upper center of the door.
Bry said approval of the DeKalb County mausoleums’ National Register listing is expected to take place at the state Historic Preservation Office’s review meeting Jan. 22 in Indianapolis. “It has been a two-year process to list the structures. Overall, the community mausoleums in Butler, Garrett, Auburn and Waterloo represent 10 percent of the roughly 40 community mausoleums that survive in Indiana. We are the only county in the state where all four of the principal communities constructed such buildings. The Butler Mausoleum was the first to be erected in DeKalb County in 1915,” Bry said. “The one bright spot that has come of Butler Mausoleum situation is it has clearly shown there is a very high interest in preserving historic structures
in DeKalb County. The public does not like seeing our unique buildings being needlessly destroyed, or disrespectful actions, such as stealing their architectural features, for personal profit,” Bry added. “The outpouring of support seen on the Facebook Page for Butler has been from across the county and beyond, and that has been very heartwarming to see. It also tells me the time has arrived to begin leading the entire county in a larger positive, proactive conversation concerning the care, renovation, management and adaptability of our historic structures that lend to our quality of life in DeKalb County.” In the meantime, Bry said, he will be awarding the Butler Mausoleum a small grant from Preservation of DeKalb Heritage funds to secure the structure.