The Independent-News, Volume 111, Number 44, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 3 April 1986 — Page 8

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- THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS - APRIL 3. 1986

REV. NICKEL TO GIVE FAREWELL SERMON SUNDAY i The Rev. Edmund Nickel, left, Elkhart, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, North Liberty, and the Rev. David Schoop, co-pastor with Rev. Edward Meyer, St. John’s Lutheran Church, LaPorte, Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.

Sunday, April 6, at 10:00 a.m., the Rev. Edmund J. Nickel will preach his farewell sermon to the congregation of Grace Lutheran (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) Church, 106 West Harrison Street, North Liberty. The pastor will speak on “Commend Yourself To God And His Word”. Communion will be celebrated. Pastor Nickel would have concluded five years in June as pastor of Grace Lutheran. He formerly served seven years as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Elkhart. Prior to that time, he totaled 31 years in the ministry in Missouri, New Mexico and Nebraska. After April 6, the St. John’s

Pumpkin Bread Pudding Courvoisier a Winner Rich pumpkin, sweet raisin bread, heavenly whipped cream and fine cognac blend beautifully in this truly award-winning recipe developed by Judith Garfunkel of Brookline. Massachusetts. For her original recipe. Judith won a trip for two to Paris and $5,000 in the 1985 Courvoisier Culinary Classic, a national cooking competition for amateur cooks saluting American cuisine. This year, your original recipe using Courvoisier Cognac could win you a trip to Paris and $5,000! All you have to do is write for an entry form at the address below, but be quick - all entries must be postmarked no later than April 30, 1986. Courvoisier Culinary Classic P O Box 3165 Grand Central Station New York. New York 10163 PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING COURVOISIER 4 slices raisin bread 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp butter I tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs 1/2 tsp nutmeg 2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp ginger 2/3 cup pumpkin, cooked 3 tbsp Courvoisier Cognac and pureed, or canned 2 cups whole milk Pre-heat oven to 375° Butter raisin bread and cut into halfinch cubes Place in buttered 6-cup baking dish Beat eggs slightly and blend in sugar, pumpkin, salt, vanilla and spices. Add Courvoisier to milk and heat to scalding Slowly add to pumpkin mixture Blend well and pour over bread cubes Set baking dish into a pan of hot water Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until custard sets and bread cubes are lightly browned on top Serve slightly warm or cold topped with Creme Courvoisier Serves 6 CREME COURVOISIER: 1 cup heavy cream, chilled 1 Up vanilla extract 2 tbsp confectioners' sugar 3 tb*p Courvoisier Cognac Whip cream until soft peaks form Add sugar, vanilla and Courvoisier and whip or stir until blended

Congregation of LaPorte and its pastors, the Rev. Edward Meyer and the Rev. David Schoop, and Vicar Dennis Juengel will serve the Grace Lutheran Congregation. They may be reached at the LaPorte church office, 111 Kingsbury Avenue, phone 362-3726. Sunday School teacher at Grace Lutheran is Mona Wille, 67350 Tamarack, North Liberty, phone 656-8582. A farewell dinner for the Rev. Nickel will follow Sunday’s service at Andy’s Drive-in, State Road 23. The average person utters 4,800 words during the course of the day.

LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP By Sen. V. Richard Miller The 30-day session of the Legislature is considered a time to cope with matters of an emergency nature. This year, lawmakers not only dealt with urgent issues of statewide significance, but also addressed situations causing hardship in several Indiana communities. The following is a review of a few of the 248 new laws which will have the greatest affect on Indiana citizens. Liability Issue Addressed In Several New Laws Among the bills enacted into law in 1986 were measures addressing the issues of civil liability and liability insurance. Court judgments in liability claims involving government, business and individuals in Indiana have been mushrooming in recent years. As a result, liability insurance coverage for both the public and private sectors has become very expensive and, for some types of coverage, not available at all. One such bill provides that a court may award attorney’s fees to a defendant in a lawsuit if the defendant wins the suit and the court finds that the suit was frivolous or brought in bad faith. The intent of the measure is to curb the number of liability lawsuits which are brought to trail under questionable terms by leaving open the possibility that the plaintiff may be ordered to pay the defendant's legal fees. On the subject of liability in al-cohol-related cases, a new law restricts the circumstances under which a third party may be held liable for damages alleged to have been caused by an intoxicated person. Effective April 1, it must be proven that the third party, such as a bartender, waiter, or social host, had actual knowledge that the person to whom the alcoholic beverage was furnished was visibly intoxicated at the time the beverage was furnished. The Legislature also enacted a bill to create a state risk management commission and fund to assist local units of government in protecting themselves against liabilities. The new law will allow counties, cities, townships, towns and other political subdivisions in the state to opt into the risk management fund as a hedge against skyrocketing insurance premiums and liability claims. Improving Education The Goal Os Legislators Four of five dollars appropriated by the supplemental budget bill are earmaked for public education. More than half of the SIB.B million supplemental budget is dedicated for direct support to public school coprorations in Indiana, and several educational initiatives sought by the state Department of Education were funded. Besides funding for education, the Legislature approved establishing a Governor’s Scholars Academy for Indiana high school students with exceptional intellectual ability. The accelerated summer learning program will be conducted at a state institution of higher learning under the direction of the state Department of Education. Students accepted into the academy will be provided tuition, room and board. Another successful component of the governor’s legislative package for education will create a Principal Leadership Academy. The primary objective of the program will be to improve teacher and student performance by strengthening the leadership and management skills of public school principals. State Lottery Still Year* Down The Road The lengthy process of amending the Indiana Constitution to permit a state lottery was started this year by the passage of a resolution to remove from the Constitution a provision prohibiting a lottery. The

resolution must be approved by the Legislature again in 1987 or 1988 for the question to be placed before the voters of Indiana. The ballot referenedum could come no sooner than 1988 and, if the amendment is approved by the voters, the way would be cleared for the 1989 session of the General Assembly to enact legislation creating a state lottery. License Branch Reform Reflects Public Opinion During the 1986 session, the license branch issue was a good example of the effect public opinion can have on the legislative process. According to opinion surveys, a majority of Indiana citizens favored action to remove the license branch system from partisan political control even if it meant an increase in fees for services provided at the branches. The license branch reform bill enacted with Governor Orr’s support establishes a state bureau of motor vehicles commission consisting of two Republicans, two Democrats, and the commissioner of the bureau of motor vehicles to oversee the transition of license branches from private to state operation. The commission will develop policies, submit budgets, determine the number and locations of branches, and set minimum branch standards. Effective January 1, 1987, the commission will assume the responsibility for the operation of ten pilot branches as a means of determining the projected cost to the state of operating all license branches. A report on the pilot branches and the conclusions of a study into alternative methods of operating license branches will be prepared by the commission for the Legislature. By July 1, 1988, the state will take control of the staffing and operation of all license branches in Indiana unless alternate methods prove to be more feasible. The legislation also prohibits political contributions from license branch accounts beginning in 1987. Welfare Change* Should Lower Carts In response to increasing federal rules concerning the local administration of welfare programs, legislation was enacted this year authorizing the state to assume the responsbility for many of the administrative functions of welfare programs currently being performed by county welfare departments. Effective July 1, county welfare departments and their employees will become part of the state department of Public Welfare, with the operating costs being paid from a state fund to which each county will contribute. The move is designed to increase the uniformity of welfare operations from county to county, and reduce the overhead required to administer welfare programs. Additionally, the bill sets up a mechanism to deal with the problems of funding hospital care for the indigent (HCI). Presently, the costs of indigent hospital care are incurred totally by counties, and many have become overburdened with such claims. This situation has left some county governments with two options, either borrow through bonding to pay the bills or leave the claims unpaid. Unpaid claims must be absorbed by the hospital which provided the care, raising the costs for many hospital services charged to patients covered by insurance, resulting in higher insurance premiums. The new HCI scenario calls for the establishment of a new state fund to collect money from each county based on a formula taking into account the county’s HCI expenditures over the past three years. The state will take over the administrative responsibility for handling claims involving indigent health care, including distributing money from the fund to hospitals filing the claims. In addition to removing from counties the financial burden of administering health

care for the indigent, the new law places a cap on the total amount of local tax dollars which the county must spend on indigent health care. The long-term effects of the new law should include some measure of control over unpaid hospital bills which now must be subsidized by private citizens and employers through higher insurance premiums for hospitalilzation coverage. Forecast Calls For Caution In Future Spending Looking ahead, it appears that many tough decisions concerning the allocation of money are on the horizon. State revenue collections for this year lag behind projections by over SSO million, and the situation will be compounded further when the state begins feeling the effects of the Gramm-Rudman federal deficit reduction measure. Federal assistance cuts are expected to affect Indiana in areas including sewage and wastewater treatment, highway funding, student aid, welfare, services for the socially disadvantaged, and senior citizens programs. As a result of these circumstances, indications point toward the 1987 General Assembly having to consider holding the line on spending, reducing services or looking for other sources of revenue. Indiana traditionally has taken a cautious approach to spending, and we currently have a lower rate of state and local taxes paid per SIOO of personal income than all but one other state. Figures show that between 1971 and 1983. Indiana's total state and local tax revenue per SIOO of personal income declined, primarily due to the effectiveness of the property tax control program. Even after the state income tax rate was raised in 1983 during the national recession, data indicated that Hoosiers’ share of state and local taxes was less than the growth in income, and a smaller percentage of income than was consumed by state and local taxes in 1972. Indiana has done well through good years and bad years, and I am confident that any problems which lie ahead will be examined carefully and dealt with accordingly. As your State Senator, I am available throughout the year to provide information or assistance on matters involving the state. Please let me know if I can be of assistance to you or your family. In the meantime, 1 wish you an enjoyable summer. COMMUNITY CALENDAR THURSDAY, APRIL 3 5:15 p.m. — John Glenn track teams to open their season by traveling to Knox. Epsilon Chi chapter of Tri Kappa to meet. Walkerton Masonic Lodge to meet. American Legion Auxiliary to meet. MONDAY, APRIL 7 12:00 noon — Senior Fellowship Group to meet at the Walkerton Community Building. 7:00 p.m. — Walkerton Historical Society to meet at the Library. TUESDAY, APRIL 8 4:30 p.m. —- John Glenn baseball teams to travel to South Bend Adams. 4:30 p.m. — John Glenn track teams to host New Prairie. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 Lincoln Township Jaycees to meet. THURSDAY, APRIL 10 4:15 p.m. — John Glenn girls tennis team to host Plymouth. 7:30 p.m. — Oregon Township Firemen’s Auxiliary to meet. Th® most snow on record as ever having fallen in a single day did so on Silver Lake, Colorado. Seventysix inches on April 14 to 15, 1921.