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THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER S U N D A Y, A U G U S T 2 , 2 0 1 5
Family hopes public has info on missing man BY RYAN BERRY MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com GREENVILLE – The family of 36-year old Michael Bunger is searching for answers after he went missing on July 20 and is reaching out to the public for information. Pictures of Michael and a plea from the family have been appearing on Facebook since July 21, but the family’s search has hit a road block at every turn. Bob Bunger, Michael’s father, said, “Michael has a large family that is worried. If he wants to come home, it’s okay. If that’s not what he needs, that’s okay too.” They just want to be contacted so they know Michael is alright. Michael, a 1997 GHS graduate, served in the US Army until he was honorably discharged in 2002. He left the military to be a stay-at-home dad to his two sons, Jake and Josiah.
The decision to leave allowed his wife, Stacey, to continue her military career. The couple divorced in 2011. Nicole Stout, Michael’s sister, said his sons were his life. He adored his boys to the point he quit his job in Greenville to move to Florida to be closer to them. Bob noted his son began preparing to move to Florida about a year ago. He moved in with Bob and his wife, Patty, to save money for the move. At the end of March, Michael rented a U-Haul and headed to the Tampa area. Within a week he found a job. Over the next few months, conversation with the family gradually declined to the point where he would not take phone calls from his ex-wife or children. About four to six week ago, Michael stopped communication with Brandon Bunger, his
Michael Bunger
best friend and brother. The last conversation he had with anyone known to his family was on July 3. Michael talked to a girl he had briefly dated and she told family members he wasn’t acting like himself. Following that conversation, no one heard from or saw Michael for 17 days. On July 20, 2:30 p.m., Michael was spotted in Greenville by his sister-in-
law (Brandon’s wife) at the corner of Ohio and Martin Streets. She reported his car appeared to be packed full like he was moving back to the area. Family members were excited and thought they would finally get a chance to see and speak to him. Bob said he drove by his ex-wife’s house, Linnea Via (Michael’s mother) between 9 and 10 p.m. on the 20th,
but there was no sign of Michael. When Linnea got off work the next morning, around 8 a.m., July 21, Michael’s car was sitting in front of her house with a note inside. Bob recalled the note said, “Mom, here’s my car. You can have it. I won’t need it anymore. PS: Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Inside the car they found the car title and receipts that showed he was in Florida on July 15 and back in Ohio on July 17. A police report was made with the Greenville Police Department shortly after the car was discovered, but Officer Jesse Osswald pointed out there isn’t a lot his department can do. There isn’t an active investigation because Michael is an adult and his last known residence was in Florida. The department did put a BOL (Be on the Lookout) in Darke and
the surrounding counties for a welfare check. Officer Osswald noted the family would need to file a missing persons report where he was living in Florida. It’s possible he could be placed on the national missing persons register if that were done. According to Miranda Thompson, Michael’s sister, the police department told them, “There doesn’t appear to be any foul play. There are no warrants. There’s no reason to go pursue him.” Bob added, “The statement he made on the note... (led the department to believe) he wasn’t going to hurt himself.” However, in the police report it states he left a “suicidal note.” The family knows Michael was depressed about his divorce, but they’ve never had any cause for
MISSING MAN continued on page 3
County could welcome the World in 2019 GAYLEN BLOSSER
SPORTS WRITER gblosser@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – Darke County will take center stage as future plans call for the arrival of the World Plowing Competition the last week of July and the first week of August 2019. “We’re getting ready for a World match that is going to be in 2019,” said Darke County Commissioner Mike Rhoades. All that remains to be completed is the signing of the contract. “Future plans for the 2019 Worlds will take place at Dick Lavy Farms down by Continental Grain on State Route 503, contract pending,” said Rhoades. Rhoades is very active in competition plowing having just won the Ohio State plowing competition and will be representing Darke County at the Nationals in Belmont, Iowa this August. “We have to raise $2 million,” said Rhoades.
“Dave Knapp is helping me do that and we are going out for corporate sponsors.” “We have to pay the World Board… we have to pay all their expenses,” continued Rhoades. “There will be 38-40 countries come and each one has a world board member and then two plowmen… Rollover and Small. We have to pay for all their expenses to get them here and back home.” One item that is not included in the expense of the contestants is prize money. “There is no money in it. No prize moneyno prize money here,” said Rhoades. “All we are plowing for is a trophy and bragging rights. Big time.” “The problem I have right now, I need 400 motel rooms and we haven’t got that in Darke County,” Rhoades said. “That is why we picked Continental Grain in the Arcanum area.” “We have to be within 25 miles of a hotel to the
Approximately 40 countries will be represented during the World Plowing Championships.
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plow sight and we have to be within ten miles of a hotel for the airport, so Dayton International airport is right there. We are going to try to use those hotels.” Even though the World event is four years away, work must start now to be ready when the plowmen arrive in 2019. “We have to start raising money now,” Rhoades stated. “We’ve got it worked out with Dick Lavy that he’s going to put out 160 acres of four year old grass. We have to have four year old lawn grass, not alfalfa or clover. No deep rooted. It has to be manicured lawn grass established for four years.” “Then we have to have another 150 acres of wheat stubble,” said Rhoades. “Dick (Lavy) is going to sew the grass this fall… 160 acres and then the fall of ‘18 he’ll put the rest of the ground into wheat stubble.” “We have to furnish so much to practice,” Rhoades said. “A lot of these countries come in, several countries that will be in here a month ahead to practice.” Rhoades is familiar with the World Plowing competition having been to New Zealand and Croatia for the World event. “They will be here a total of 10 days,” said Rhoades. “The first seven days are the hardest. The first two days the plowmen and their coaches tour with
THE WORLD
continued on page 3
Greenville Park discovers fish kill RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – The City of Greenville Street Superintendent Ryan Delk has a theory as to what killed approximately 50 fish in one of the Greenville City Park’s lagoons. On the afternoon of July 21, fish began swimming to the surface seeking oxygen in the lagoon behind the Masonic Temple on Memorial Hill. By the time the street department discovered what was happening it was too late to save them. According to Delk, the street department had recently sprayed copper sulfate in the lagoon. This is a common practice to control algae and weeds and normally doesn’t affect the fish. Delk pointed out since he has been working with Greenville’s parks they have sprayed two to three
times a year without incident. The chemical does reduce the amount of oxygen in the pond, which is why only half of the pond is sprayed at a time. Normally, the fish would gather in the other half of the pond. The weather conditions, low water level, new equipment and the failure of old equipment may have combined to cause the recent fish kill. With temperatures soaring above 90 degrees and a low water level, Delk’s department decreased the amount of copper sulfate used this time. However, they were unaware the pump used to feed fresh water into the lagoon from the Greenville Creek had tripped a breaker and was inoperable. The ponds have a cement base, but are susceptible to leaking. The pump continually feeds water into the lagoons on both sides of the Greenville Creek to
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keep the ponds oxygenated and the water at appropriate levels. The city also recently added aerators to the ponds. Although city crews only sprayed half of the pond, Delk believes the aerators may have caused the chemical to be spread across the entire pond, which would have decreased the oxygen level throughout. Without fresh water coming in from the pump, the fish would have had no place to go. Once the street department noticed the fish swimming to the surface they fixed the pump, but it was too late to save the fish. Delk pointed out the fish kill primarily affected the larger fish in the lagoon. Approximately 90 percent of those killed were carp. The other 10 percent were small mouth bass and bluegill.
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