Banner Graphic, Volume 21, Number 34, Greencastle, Putnam County, 12 October 1990 — Page 1

BannerCHHßhic ; Greoncastle, Putnam County. Friday. October 12. 1990. Vol 21 No. 34 35 Cents

Parents fight to keep both son, home care alive

By ANGIE HOWLAND Banner-Graphic Staff Writer Eight-year-old Micah Rees is going to die. It is just a matter of time until the fatal disease ends his life but until then, Micah’s parents are fighting to keep him alive and at home. Heritage Lake residents Glenn and Pamela Rees, are waging a war in Putnam Circuit Court against the Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance Association to continue Micah’s 24-hour, 365-day home medical care. SINCE HE WAS six months

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Ueber State Recreation Area property manager Don Albeitz (above) plants a tree during ceremonies marking the opening of the new Cagles Mill Lake office/information center at Lieber. Watching Albeitz’s shoveling techniques is Patrick Ralston, director of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Secondgraders from Cloverdale Elementary (at right) and Jones School in Greencastle also took part in the dedication program by planting flowers along the walkway. (BannerGraphic photos by Gary Goodman).

Board ponders quake insurance

By LISA MEYER Banner-Graphic Staff Writer With the prediction of an early December earthquake creating a rumble of concern in the Midwest, the Putnam County Hospital Board took a lode Wednesday at the coverage its building would have if the earth does decide to move. Rick Bittles of HBG Insurance told the board that the hospital has no earthquake coverage and will not be protected under its current policy if damage is sustained during a tremor or its aftershocks. THE BOARD COULD,

Sunny-side up Saturday

Partly cloudy overnight with low in the lower to middle 40s. Mostly sunny and mild Saturday with high in the middle to upper 60s. Winds light and variable during the period. Indiana Extended Forecast Sunday through Tuesday. Partly cloudy and mild on Sunday, followed by a chance of showers on Monday and a return to dry conditions on Tuesday. Lows around 50 all three days; highs from the middle 60s in the north to the middle 70s in the south on Sunday, in the 60s on

old, Micah has suffer id from Menkes syndrome. The terminal condition is accompanied by progressive cerebral deterioration and neurological dysfunction. He is very susceptible to infections, temperature fluctuations, easy breakage of his bones and muscle atrophy. The disease progressively breaks down the body over time. And the life-expectancy, once being diagnosed with the disease, is one year. Micah has far surpassed that time frame. Since 1987, Micah’s condition has deteriorated even worse. He is

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however, opt to add $5 million in coverage through its current insurer, CHUBB, Bittles said. That policy would carry a SIOO,OOO deductible, he said. It also covers all damage done within a 72-hour period from multiple tremors and aftershocks as one occurrence. An additional carrier could be added with another $lO million in coverage, Bittles said. Fireman’s Fund Insurance does not write primary earthquake coverage. If more than $5 million in damage occured, he explained, the Fireman’s Fund would cover up to

Monday and from the middle 60s in the north to the middle 70s in the south on Tuesday. Abby A 4 Calendar A 4 Church A 7 Classifieds A10,A11,A12,A13 Comics A 6 Crossword a 13 Heloise 44 Horoscope Al 3 Letters A 6 Obituaries Al 4 People A 6 Sports AB*A9,AIO B section Theaters Al 4

now fed through a gastrostomy tube inserted in his stomach. In February, he received a permanent tracheostomy that allows him to breathe and requires minute to minute attention. Twenty-four-hour nursing care is necessitated to remind Micah to breathe, suction him after he vomits, help him go to the bathroom and other processes. ACCORDING TO Micah’s doctor, Joe M. Hannah, without skilled nursing supervision at home, the boy could die. Since 1984, ICHIA has provided insurance for the Reeses to pay for

$lO million beyond the CHUBB insurance. Combining the insurance policies would give replacement cost coverage up to sls million, Bittles said. THE HOSPITAL IS a sl7 million business, including its building and equipment, administrator John Fajt told the board. The premium for the CHUBB policy is $5,133. The additional policy has a $6,000 annual premium. Bittles cautioned the board that several insurance companies have Col. 1, Back Page, this section

Area mayors throw support to Crosby in District 44 race

Susan Crosby, the Putnam County Democrat challenging 12term incumbent John Thomas for the District 44 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives, has received the endorsement of the mayors in the district’s three largest cities. Pete Chalos of Terre Haute, Norval Pickett of Brazil and Mike Harmless of Greencastle met in Clay County to throw their support to Mrs. Crosby. ALL THREE MAYORS said

the majority of medical costs. The not-for-profit company was established by Indiana Code 27 to provide insurance coverage for seriously and terminally ill patients who cannot receive coverage from any other company. Currently, 3,000 people in Indiana are covered by the insurance. Micah is the only known Menkes’ syndrome patient in Indiana and one of 80 cases worldwide. According to the state statute, 270 days of in-home skilled nursing care is covered by the in-

Nov. 3 tree-planting project first step toward reforestry

By ERIC BERNSEE Banner-Graphic Editor With Bob Haymaker actually doing the speaking from behind its branches, the McDonald’s Talking Tree introduced the Greencastle Civic League’s tree-planting project to the public at the 1990 Putnam County Fair. A month later on Aug. 29 to be exact Mother Nature did the talking in Greencastle. WINDS IN EXCESS of 80 mph tore the city’s tree population limb from limb. The hundreds of trees damaged and lost in the storm only underline the importance of the tree-planting project the Civic League has been planning for the past year, spokesman Barb Boese stressed. On Saturday, Nov. 3, members of the Civic League and volunteers from the community will join forces to plant the first 42 trees of a planned 2,000 trees by the year

Thredteens implicated in thefts from car, stolen checks incident

Three Greencastle teen-agers face a variety of charges in connection with a series of thefts from local vehicles in recent weeks. Arrested Wednesday and arraigned. Thursday in connection with the iheftjt were: A 17 year-old male juvenile, whose name has not been released at this point in the investigation. Mike Skinner, 18, 812 N. Madison St. John Bradley Inman, 19, 6 Kentwood Drive. ALL THREE WERE charged with theft and conspiracy to commit theft, Assistant Chief Jim Hendrich of the Greencastle City Police reported. Skinner, however, also could face forgery and attempted theft charges in Indianapolis, Hendrich said. At least one of the suspects is also implicated in a number of thefts of audio equipment from local vehicles. Charges of possession of stolen property and receiving stolen property are also pending, Hendrich said. WHAT BEGAN AS a routine investigation of thefts from vehicles took a sharp tarn Saturday. It was then that a Shenandoah Industries employee reported the theft of a black mail satchel from her car, which was parked outside her Castlebury Apartments residence.

Mrs. Crosby is the person they could work with in a positive and productive way to help their communities and counties. All three mayors are Democrats. The endorsement coincided with the official opening of the Clay County Democratic headquarters, and the mayors were joined by Democrat county chairmen Gene Clodfelter of Putnam County and Bill Tozier of Clay County while Dora Mae Abel represented Bob Col. 3, Back Page, this ‘’ection

surance. But Micah’s condition has seriously deteriorated since 1987 and he requires around the clock attention, 365 days a year. In 1987, the Reeses received a letter from ICHIA stating they would make an exception to the 270 day limit and extend it to 365 days a year. DURING THAT time, ICHIA was associated with Mutual of Omaha Insurance company. Now, ICHIA is working with Blue Cross Blue Shield. In June, the Rees’ received a letter that Micah’s 24-hour care is “no

2000. THE CIVIC LEAGUE has made a commitment to planting new street trees (those in the area between the street and sidewalk) along major thoroughfares, namely Bloomington, Washington and Jackson streets and Indianapolis Road. The Nov. 3 planting will finish most of Jackson and Washington streets. The ultimate goal, Mrs. Boese said, is to replant all along Jackson Street from the Monon bridge on the north side of town to Berry Street on the south; Washington Street/Indianapolis Road from the square to Round Bam Road; and south on Bloomington Street from Washington Street to the Southern Highway. THE TREES TO BE planted will be IV4-2 inches in diameter, Mrs. Boese said, calling them “fairly substantial” trees. With roots balled in burlap, the trees

Inside the mail pouch, Hendrich said, were 58 vendor checks written by Shenandoah. The checks totaled $380,310.70. Meanwhile, Shenandoah controller John Lanie had been contacted by a check-cashing firm on North Keystone Avenue in Indianapolis that a young individual had tried to cash at least two checks written to vendors by Shenandoah. OFFICER HENDRICH identified those as a $1,300 check to Dave’s Heating and Cooling and a $195 check to Service Glass. Both are Greencastle firms. Skinner, he said, is accused of endorsing the backs of those checks in an effort to obtain cash in exchange. The suspect was turned down by the check-cashing firm and when he departed, a person inside the office obtained the license number of the vehicle he left in, Hendrich said. Tracing the plate and using suspect descriptions, police linked the vehicle to a Clay County address. Hendrich and DeL Sonny Wood attempted to serve a search warrant there, only to learn that the vehicle had been transferred to another owner. The trail, however, led back to Greencastle and the juvenile suspect, who was arrested Wednesday morning. AUTHORITIES recovered all but five of the checks from a

Throwing items off overpasses can result in fe ony charges: ISP

PUTNAMVILLE—Indiana State Police investigated several cases of pumpkins and other objects being thrown from overpasses cm Interstate 70 during the week of Oct. 8. IT IS BELIEVED the same individuals are responsible for the criminal mischief. “Tosslcg anything from an overpass is criminal mischief (class A misdeamonor) and will result in jail time,” Sgt. Bruce A.

longer medically necessary” and much of his-care can be done by a family member. ICHIA said they would wean the care from 24 to 16 hours a day over a period of three to four months. However, in a letter dated Sept. 13, ICHIA stated the full 270 days would be used up by Oct 4. No provision was made about the weaning process. TO CONTINUE the 24-hour care, a temporary restraining order was granted by Judge Vaughn on Oct. 4, the day the insurance care Col. 3, Back Page, this section

weigh approximately 200 pounds. That’s why she said, “Volunteers, especially muscular ones, are needed.” Street Commissioner Jim Wright and his crew will be digging and preparing the sites the week prior to planting. The Greencastle Jaycees will be lending support in the actual planting, although anyone is welcome to come alone or bring the family and be assigned a planting site. Also assisting will be Elaine Myers, a Fillmore resident who is a seasonal naturalist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Plans call for the 42 trees to be planted as follows: JACKSON STREET Columbia to Liberty: East side, one hawthome, one green ash; west side, one hawthome, one crabapple. Liberty to Jacob: East side, Col. 1, Back Page, this section

dumpster at Jaycee Park, Hendrich reported. They also recovered other evidence from the dumpster pertaining to a theft that occurred in the same time frame. A billfold, credit cards, savings book and other personal items were stolen from Christie Lee Isenbarger’s 1986 Toyota as it was parked outside her Round Bam Manor apartment Oct. 5 or 6. “Last night we recovered stolen property that also implicates one of the suspects in trying to sell stolen items,” Hendrich said. HE SAID ONE OF the thefts linked to the trio of suspects occurred sometime after Oct. 4 at the Muffler Connection, where audio amplifiers valued at S7OO-SBOO were stolen from a Camaro owned by Brandon Ferrand of Greencastle. One of those amps has been recovered, the assistant chief said. Authorities have also recovered speakers and audio equipment that remain unidentified. A rash of vehicle thefts had been occurring locally, Hendrich said, noting that the suspects apparently “got into the cars and went through them looking for cash and anything they could take and sell.” Assisting Hendrich in the investigation were Det. Wood, Chief Jack Hanlon and Officers Darrin Cox and Don Rumley.

Canal of the Putnamville State Police Post said. “This crime could be a felony if anyone is injured as a result. “The ISP plans to patrol those overpasses and other state and county roads more often looking for these types of offenses,” Canal said. IF ANYONE witnesses such an act or any other criminal activity call 653-4114 for assistance.