The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 33, Milford, Kosciusko County, 30 September 1987 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., September 30,1987

Editorial

NIPSCO — mismanagement or a sign of the times? Is it mismanagement at the highest company levels, or is it a sign of the times? We’re speaking, of course, of the Northern Indiana Public Service Company’s decision to reduce its work force by about 9 percent which equates to a layoff of some 500 employees. We’ll leave this judgment to others who are more knowledgeable of the company’s problems. We do know that the utility, which serves gas and electricity to customers in 28 counties across the northern tier of Indiana, is having its difficulties. Any decision as to laying off of personnel touches most every community in this service area, and more to the point, touches every user of the company’s dual services. The Hammond-based utility has had an employee pruning program for the past four years, and since January 1983 has trimmed its work force 25 percent, from 6,661 to 5,050 employees. That’s really quite a reduction, enough to make critics of the company wonder if it hasn’t been overstaffed all along. The root causes to this dilemma are certainly many and varied. There’s been a heavy decline in heavy industry in northern Indiana, for one, in face of foreign competition in the steel industry. This puts the burden of the utility’s finances on the remaining commercial and residential users. But there are other reasons: the Bailly nuclear plant project and a lawsuit with a Wyoming coal company. The utility took a $95 million write-off on the Bailly project in December 1985. This huge write-off led to a suspension of stock dividends for seven quarters, but)in August the directors decided to resume dividend payments in November. Another was that NIPSCO was fined in a $193 million decision in the lawsuit involving the Wyoming coal company in September 1986. These things — the decline in gas and electrical usage, the abortive Bailly project and the Wyoming coal company dispute — all came crashing down on the utility company. And all this time salaries of employees, from the highest levels down to the linemen on the job, have remained high and continued getting higher. As someone noted: “Once hired, no one ever quits working for NIPSCO.” The implication is that the jobs are cushy with good salaries and benefits. Natural gas usage has also declined for the utility, to a point where the company asked the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to approve a 11.8 percent increase in gas rates, to generate S6B million in new revenues for the company. This decline in heavy industry, users of 60 percent of the natural gas sold by NIPSCO, has further impacted the company’s financial woes. The company wants to end subsidizing commercial and residential users by heavy industry. The proposed gas rate increase would affect 554,000 gas customers in 28 northern Indiana counties. NIPSCO reported gas sales to industrial customers fell to 120.7 billion cubic feet in 1986, compared to sales of 167.5 billion cubic feet in 1981. Gas rates have not increased since 1982, and are considered the lowest of any other comparable gas supplier. But, at the same time, the Citizens Action Coalition in August branded NIPSCO Indiana’s “worst natural gas utility” in terms of “denying residential customers the benefits of declining natural gas prices.” the CAC said between 1983 and 1986, the price of gas purchased by NIPSCO fell by 44 cents per 1,000 cubic feet. And during this three-year period NIPSCO raised the price for residential users by 7 percent per 1,000 cubic feet. New steel manufacturers in the area are locating “across the street,” so to speak, so they can become customers of IndianaMichigan Power Co., which has markedly lower electrical rates. Under these circumstances, one can see NIPSCO is faced with a belt-tightening across the board. One thing is sure: NIPSCO doesn’t want to frighten off big users from locating in its territory. We’re suggesting that if there is a belt-tightening, perhaps it should begin at Hammond and be uniform across the board. And not let the “little fellow” at the bottom of the ladder bear all the brunt of past mistakes and unavoidable circumstances.

What others say — Victimizing kids Is it okay to slam kids around in the name of discipline? Is it okay in the name of toughness, to physically and mentally abuse them? A bunch of laws say it can’t be done in the home. How then can it be allowed anywhere else? An instructor at the Young Marines training camp near Smyrna, Michigan is accused of— in just one instance — throwing a 14-year-old camp member to the ground, pouncing on him and slamming him against a tree. Such treatment, including purposeful humiliation and belittling, apparently is routine. The Michigan episode, unfortunately, is a repeat; methods of the organization have been criticized in other parts of the nation. Every state has an obligation to its children, whether they’re at home or elsewhere, to keep them safe from predators. We rely on state regulations to assure that such things won’t happen. When they do happen, the state has failed. The children themselves can’t do much. They may be afraid to tell their parents. Likely, they will be intimidated into believing that they deserve punishment, or that it would be unmanly to complain. The Young Marines, which has nothing to do with the United States Marine Corps, except for the filching of its name, is run primarily by retired military veterans and is supposed to make “men” of its subjects. What it is more likely to make of them, provided their brains are not permanently addled from pummeling, is sadists like themselves. Tough is okay. Using kids as outlets for twisted macho isn’t. If the group thinks cruelty and abuse are the way to install the value of heroes, it ought never be allowed a license to operate, anywhere. DANVILLE, IL, COMMERCIAL-NEWS

Court news

City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Speeding — Paul E. Warrick Jr., 24, Syracuse, S6B; Malinda A. Pinney, 38, Syracuse, $63 County Court Goshen Division The following fines plus court costs have levied and paid in Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding — Brenda J. Donat, 33, Syracuse, SSB; William L Brown, 22, Warsaw, $63; Shelton O. Parsons, 22, Leesburg, $56; Christopher J. Wolferman, 24, Milford, $63; Eddie J. Hutchinson, 26, Syracuse, $56 False/ficticious registration — Carolyn O. Flores, 28, Milford, dismissed upon the motion of the deputy prosecuting attorney pur suant to plea agreement Following too close to avoid collision — Donald R. Burkholder, 32, Syracuse, dismissed upon the motion of the deputy prosecuting attorney pursuant to plea agreement Criminal conversion — Charles S. Gradeless, 18, North Webster, $25 plus costs, 60 days in jail suspended on the condition the defendant be on non-reporting probation for six months, follow standard probation terms, and make restitution at one-third of the figure tendered by the van manufacturer for damages arising out of this incident Driving while intoxicated — Donald R. Burkholder, 32, Syracuse, SI,OOO plus costs with S6OO suspended, two years at the Indiana Department of Corrections, with all except one year suspended, the remainder of the sentence to be served on work release at the Elkhart County Security Center, the suspensions on the condition the defendant be on probation for two year s, follow standard probation terms, pay user’s fees, obtain an alcohol assessment within 30 days and follow recommendations, submit to drug/alcohol surveillance, driver’s license suspended one year County Court The following persons have paid fines and costs in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrett presiding: Speeding — Jeffrey S. Shields, 16, Syracuse, $65; Dennis J. McCormack, 38, Leesburg, S6O; Alan D. Rhodes, 34, North Webster, $65; Daniel Brown, 35, $65, Antonio P. Fuentes, Jr., 21, Milford, $80; Dixie C. Knisley, 26, Syracuse, $65 No operator’s license — William C. Helms, 38, Milford, S6O Expired plates — Charles C. Harris, 20, North Webster, S6O Cycler under 18 w/o headgear and eye protection — Scott Gardner, 17, Syracuse,slo3 Violation cycle learner permit — Chad S. Phelps, 20, Syracuse, S6O Exceed 10 mph after sunset — Adam Temple, 19, Syracuse, S6O Disobey stop sign — Mark R. Aker, 16, Syracuse, S6O Passing on yellow line — Christopher E. Albright, 18, Syracuse, S6O Disregarding red flash — Cynthia L. Chauncey, 22, Leesburg, S6O Failure to yield, PI $5,000 — Betty L. Bryant, 39, Syracuse, S6O Operating on beginner w/o licensed driver — Stacy Smith, no age given, Syracuse, S6O Unreasonabie v speed — David Jackson, 24, Syracuse, dismissed Hunting teal w/o consent — John D. Mock, 35, Leesburg, $l2B Operating while intoxicated — James J. Hampton, 18, Milford, $303 and driver’s license suspended 90 days; KCJ six days Leaving scene — Kenneth A. Weaver, 21, Syracuse, dismissed Driving while suspended — Kenneth A. Weaver, 21, Syracuse, dismissed Possession of marijuana — Christopher J. Slone, no age given, Milford, $203 Driving while suspended — David Jackson, 24, Syracuse, dismissed; Duane M. Maynard, 20, Syracuse, $l2B and driver’s license suspended 60 days; Francisco Delafuente, 24, North Webster, dismissed Leaving scene of property damage — David Jackson, 24, Syracuse, $153; Gregory L. Reed, 22, Syracuse, $153 and driver’s license suspended six months Illegal consumption — Todd Allen Wilson, 17, Milford, $153 and counseling; Bill Fulp, 17, Milford, $153 and KCJ 60 days, suspended. Probation one year. Furnishing alcohol to minor — William Hackleman, 20, Syracuse, dismissed George Cook, dba Cook’s Repair vs Eldon Burgess. Judgment for plaintiff $83.51 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Paul Snyder. Judgment for plaintiff $1,265 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Eugene and Elizabeth Warner. Judgment for plaintiff $2,327.16 plus costs Robert Reneker vs Victor Hernandez. Judgment for plaintiff $2,628.19 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Jerry Linville. Judgment for plaintiff $856.19 plus costs.

Robert Pojeta vs Wendy George. Judgment for plaintiff $450 plus costs. Bedelia Weirick vs Linda Hyden. Judgment for plaintiff $31.67 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Gilbert Perez. Judgment for plaintiff $822.04 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Ruby Hurley. Judgment for plaintiff $2,197.21 plus costs. Sears, Roebuck & Co. vs Thomas W. and Sharon Ryea. Judgment for plaintiff $1,319.76 plus costs. Sears, Roebuck & Co. vs Victoria Showe. Judgment for plaintiff $1,919.36 plus costs. Lakeview Mobile Home Park vs Jeff Ruff. Judgment for plaintiff $322.92 plus costs. Suburban Acres Mobile Home Park vs Janice Hively, a/k/a/ Janice Wilson. No judgment allowed. Costs S3O. Rockhill, Pinnick, Pequignot, Helm and Landis vs Mark Neeley and Ron Neeley. Judgment for Plaintiff $lB5 plus costs. Steve Ross Chevrolet, Inc. vs B.C. Conversions, Inc. Judgment for plaintiff $679.10 plus costs. Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand presiding: Complaint Duane Bartels, d/b/a/ Bartels Home Improverhent vs Courtney A. Blue and Shandra H Blue, 400 S. Lake St., Syracuse. seeks $5,349 plus costs and all other proper relief Small Claims The following judgments have been awarded in Small Claims Division, Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrette presiding: Tom D. Baker vs Orvin Thompson. Judgment for plaintiff $782.99 plus costs. Steven and Cindi Baumgartner vs Vanlaningham Construction, Mark Vanlaningham and Terry Vanlaningham. Judgment for plaintiff $1,407.82 plus costs. Max Beer vs Neal Anglin. Judgment for plaintiff $273.75 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Lori Stump. Judgment for plaintiff $229.71 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Robert C. Bollinger. Judgment for plaintiff $2,335.63 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Pat and Ernest Knight Judgment for plaintiff $2,319.14 plus cost. Pat Shaske vs Lester and Lucinda Hunt. Judgment for plaintiff $2,034.43 plus costs. Lois Poe vs Clyde Hicks. Judgment for plaintiff $84.68 plus costs. Hoffman Implement Sales vs Ed Armey, d/b/a/ Ed Armey Lawn Maintenance. Judgment for plaintiff S4OO plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Mario Rodriquez Judgment for plaintiff $649.68 plus costs. Pat Shaske vs Fred Meade and Martha Meade. Judgment for plaintiff $305.05 plus costs. Bruce’s Marathon/Vicki Hunsburger vs Belinda Burke. Judgment for plaintiff $173.40 plus costs. Jeffrey Boudin vs Rob Gast. Judgment for plaintiff $422.67 plus costs. Sears, Roebuck & Co. vs Gilbert C. Perez. Judgment, for plaintiff $410.17 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs Frank Hurd, Jr., and Penny Hurd. Judgment for plaintiff $239.54 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs Charles and Donna M. Sherwood. Judgment for plaintiff $143 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs George Dockery. Judgment for plaintiff $192.32 plus costs. George Cook vs Dean Green. Judgment for plaintiff $206.19 plus costs. George L. Cook, dba Cook’s Repair vs Joann Mayer. Judgment for plaintiff $154.16 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs David J. and Barbara Gardonio. Judgment for plaintiff $107.53 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs Sherlock and Barbara Harrison. Judgment for plaintiff $226 plus costs. Collection Bureau vs Roland and Mary J. Gonzalez. Judgment for plaintiff $163.40 plus costs.

THE MAIL-JOURNAL (U.S.P S. 3258-4000) Published by the Mail Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Otfice at Syracuse, Indiana 46567. Second class postage paid at 10J E. Main Street. Syracuse, Indiana 44547 and at additional entry offices. Subscription: *l6 per year In Kosciusko County; »22 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of address forms to The Mall Journal, P.O. Box IM, Milford, Indiana 44542 V

"CRUZIN ' AROUND 'CUSE"

OUR PIECE last week on funky acronyms raised some eyebrows, brought some laughs — and even prompted a few readers to come up with their own. But we have to go back to the Bob Swift piece in the Miami Herald where he comes up with SIMPs for Single Income Married Parents, then SPLIPs for Single Paycheck Leads Inevitably to Poverty. How about OWE ITs for One Week’s Earnings Invites Trouble, or SPADS for Single Paycheck Ain’t Diddly Squat? He added this: “Individually, we were commonly known as the Deucedly Underpaid Daddy (DUD), and the Mother Unhappily Dunking Diapers (MUDD) .” Swift wrote of himself: “With three children to support, we became a two-career, two-income family. But we soon discovered that while two incomes put more money in the checking account, the money drained out exponentially because of the mathematical fact that when you divide five people into two incomes there’s nothing left over.” Ever heard of DINE ON THIN GRUEL — Double Income’s Not Enough; Our Needs, Though Happily Inconsequential, Nessitate Gargantual Raises or Unexpected Excessive Largesse? Anyway, all this is something new in mental gymnastics, something like the old Knock, Knock jokes. Figure out where you stand. It can be fun. THIS COLUMN has a long list of voluntary informants. Some people call them “spies.” While we wouldn’t go that far, we do depend on these welcome “reporters’’ as our eyes and ears. Our north side reporter was playing the rviaxweitou Ui>U test Thursday morning when became across Merl Smith (of Smith-Walbridge band camp) and found him squatted near a pond, doing his thing with a long ball retriever. Merl said he lost a ball there the day before, and darned if he wasn’t going to try to retrieve it! “After all, those bails cost money.” Smith reportedly told our man. OVERHEARD IN Syracuse: One woman commenting to another, “Who would you want along if you were stranded on a small South Sea Island?” The other replied, “Why would I want to wish this on a friend, and lan enemy — WOOSH!” SOMETHING NEW coming up. In the early planning stages is a Syracuse Sesquicentennial book, projected to be over 100 8< 2 xll pages inside a colorful leather binding. Theme: Together We Made It Work. It will be full of stories and photos, many of them never seen before, from the early planning stages through the July 11th parade and after, covering the Sesquicentennial Week of July 2-12. The book will be a souvenir piece, and will be on sale in local stores on or before midNovember. Anyone with good, clear photos or any interesting facts concerning the sesquicentennial is asked to bring them to The Mail-Journal office in Syracuse. THE WORD iconoclasts might apply to members of the Syracuse Lions Club. Webster’s tells us this word has to do with people who tear down old and accepted customs of behavior. Last Wednesday night, at the club’s regular meeting at the Kale Island Beacon, four women appeared as guests, and there’s been talk among the four that they might—just might — apply for membership. They have shown a keen interest in the club’s various activities. Lions have been traditionally considered a men’s club, as is the case with the Kiwanis, Rotary and other clubs. These women must be voted into membership, but at this point there’s little reason to think they will be denied membership. If accepted, it could be an unprecedented move, and other clubs — Lions and others — might follow. We’ll see. NAPPANEE HAS been selected by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to be the site of a new FM radio station. The selection of Nappanee is part of an expansion in the number of FM frequencies across the country. The FCC has set October 23,1987 as the final date wfor submission of applications to be the owner of the new FM station. “Almost anyone is eligible to apply for the new FM station,” says Frederick A. Polner, a former FCC attorney, now practicing cwnmunications law with the Pittsburgh law firm of Rothman, Gordon, Foreman and Groudine, P.A., “but a preference will be given to local residents. No broadcast experience is required. In fact, the FCC favors newcomers to the industry.” IS IT possible that The Mail-Journal publish-

Court news

Marriage Licenses The following couple has applied for a marriage license in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Ruch-Rlchcreek» Darrel Blaine Ruch, 21, 1304

ed two editions last week? The regular Wednesday publication went on the news stands as usual just after noon on Sept. 23; then on Thursday an edition much like the first came out — except that page 1 touted the 70th birthday of our publisher. “70?” he said. “Who, me?” » The “dummy” paper was distributed at a surprise birthday party in the paper’s Milford plant Thursday afternoon, and some copies found themselves in a number of Syracuse coffee houses and places of business on Friday. “Some things are very hard to keep out of print,” said Arch Baumgartner, subject of the special edition. / Ar J 4 Im v 808 W. AT 18 AND 808 TODAY MY, HOW time flies! Bob Westfall would agree with this. We found the above photo of Bob, the NIPSCO man, when he was IX years of age and had just graduated from Arlington Heights (III.) High School. On the right is Bob today. The news in all this is the fact that Bob will reach the ripe old age of 40 on Saturday, Oct. 3. We’ve been trying to impress Bob for the four and one-half years he has lived here about howmany people read this column, and now we want to prove it. We’re asking everyone who knows the affable fellow to wish him a Happy Birtjiday on October 3. Just do it, either on Oct. 3, or before or after that date. That should convince him. Bob, his wife Pamela and sons Tommy and Michael reside in the Hunnicutt Addition in the Village. —6— AND SPEAKING of birthdays, Florence Reynolds Wise, of P.O. Box 221 X, Anderson, paid this office a pleasant call on Friday, to tell us she spent two weeks celebrating her 90th birthday, which occurred on September 2. She said she has spent the past 66 summers at her r 4 Syracuse home, and hopes to do it for a good number of summers more. t —o— ONLY TWO more commemorative sesquicentennial plates are left, officials of the committee inform us, at S2O per plate. Contact the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce, phone 457-5637. WE RECENTLY were the recipient of some of June and Bob Laudeman’s beautiful roses June told’us that she had given 285 roses to 102 of her friends this summer. Her goal is to give away 200. She is looking forward to next April because she has entered into an agreement with JACKSON & PERKINS ROSE COMPANY to be a panelist for five new unnamed roses in 1988. She will have to give them' TLC (tender loving care) and keep records of the roses they produce - and eventually name them at the end of summer. This hobby really pays off because she likes to see people happy when they receive the roses. “Roses to the living is better than waiting until my friends die,” she said. - THE NEW face at the Syracuse post office is that of Brian D. Graham, who comes aboard as Superintendent of Postal Operations. None of that “assistant postmaster” any more, Brian, at 38 and a resident of Warsaw, is married: Wife, Beverly; two children, Cory, 10; Colin, 6. He graduated from Warsaw High School in 1967, attended Manchester College for three years, and was a city carrier out of the Warsaw post office for 16 years. He began his new duties here August 29. He’ll be working closely with postmaster Tony J. Rudasics, who is currently sporting a Lincoln-like beard. Tony states there arc ix employees at the Syracuse post office, including the five rural carriers and three city carriers.

Brubaker St., Warsaw and Angela Jean Richcreek, 19, r 5 box 309A, Syracuse Marriage Dissolutions The following couple has filed for a marriage dissolution in Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts:

Knight — Ernest L. Knight, PO Box 706, Syracuse and Maranne Knight, 203 N. Ridgewood Dr., Sebring, Fla. The couple was married December 2, 1958 and separated February 20, 1984. There are no dependent children.