Bloomfield News Blog

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Anna Rochelle, Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

Officers were already looking for an erratic driver when a 23-year-old Bloomington woman lost control of the car and crashed early Tuesday on the highway east of Bloomfield.

The car turned out to have been stolen and the woman was arrested on several initial charges including operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

Cristan Stankiewicz was booked into the Greene County Jail by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremy Inman on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in a manner which endangered a person, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to at least .15 grams of alcohol in blood or breath, plus possession of marijuana and possession of stolen property.

Inman reported the accident occurred on State Road 54 and County Road 375E in Richland Township at approximately 5:31 a.m.

The Sheriff’s Department had already received reports about the way she was driving and officers were looking for the vehicle, a 1995 Honda Civic.

According to the report, Stankiewicz told officers she struck a slick spot on the highway and lost control.

The car hit a ditch and then a culvert before it came to rest in the middle of the highway.

Inman reported Stankiewicz had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath and she said she had been drinking.

She was given field sobriety tests but reportedly failed them all and later tested at .19 BAC (blood-alcohol content).

Stankiewicz was also allegedly in possession of marijuana at the time of her arrest.

Inman said the vehicle she was driving had been reported as stolen out of Monroe County.

The Richland-Taylor Fire Department also responded to assist on the scene.

As of mid-day Wednesday, Stankiewicz remained in jail where she was being held in lieu of $9,000 bond.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Timberly Ferree Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

Budget cuts were a topic of discussion at the monthly meeting of the Bloomfield School Board on Tuesday.

“Cuts are coming…but it’s unclear how the cuts are going to come,” explained Bloomfield School Superintendent Dan Sichting.

Gov. Mitch Daniels recently announced a 3.5 percent cut to education.

But, it’s not clear if public schools will take an overall budget cut or if the cut will be to categorical funding or tuition support, Sichting said.

If it’s an overall cut, the Bloomfield School District would lose $227,000, he added.

“I say that saying I’m not sure (how the cut will be),” he stressed.

Race to the Top federal funds were also a topic of discussion at the December meeting.

“I apologize, this is going to happen very quickly,” Sichting said.

Bloomfield School must submit the Fast Forward Partnership agreement to the state by Jan. 12 to be considered for Race to the Top funds, he said.

“By signing the agreement you’re not locked into Race to the Top,” Sichting added.

But there are guidelines that must be adopted in order to qualify.

Schools must provide an annual evaluation of all building principals and professional teaching staff.

“This is significant. This will take a lot of time,” Sichting said.

Schools must also adopt performance-based pay.

“The current pay system would be amended,” he explained.

Pay is currently based on a system of seniority.

Schools would also have to adopt an evaluation instrument based on 51 percent of student performance data.

Lastly, schools would be required to adopt national core academic standards.

“We will have until April to submit a work plan on how to reach the four goals,” Sichting said.

But there’s a chance that Indiana will not receive the federal funds.

“Gov. (Mitch) Daniels and (Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction) Tony Bennett say we won’t be excluded,” he added.

Florida and Louisiana are in the same boat when it comes to qualifying for Race to the Top funds.

“This may be the only additional funding for four years,” Sichting also said. “Revenues will go away and this may be the only way to replace the revenues.”

After much discussion, the board agreed to move forward with the matter.

In other business the board:

* Accepted several donations of art materials as well a $500 check to the school’s art department.

* Declared 15 computers as surplus property.

* Gave Sichting the authority to hire teachers to provide ISTEP remediation for students. Remediation will be from 3:30 - 4:50 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from Jan. 19 through April 21. Transportation will be provided to students who live outside of Bloomfield.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Nick Schneider, Assistant Editor
Greene County Daily World

Weather forecasters are calling for the possibility of wintry mix of rain and snow as the New Year’s holiday weekend approaches.

Greene County Highway Superintendent Mike Hennette says his road crews will be on standby ready to hit the county roads to make them safe for travel.

Hennette says the county has an adequate supply of salt and sand to spread on the roads, if the need arises.

“We never have plenty (of salt), but we’ve got enough to get by with a sand/salt mixture,” he told the Greene County Daily World. “We’ve had to thin our mixture some.”

Hennette said the price of salt has leveled off this year from very high levels the last two years.

“It is better. We bought it for right around $62 to $65 a ton. That’s still a lot of money to pay for salt. It is down a little bit from what we have been paying,” Hennette said. “We’re kind of watching when we go out (on the roads) and when we don’t because we just can’t throw 800 tons on the roads this year. We just cannot do that. We have 400 ton on schedule and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Last year, when there was a nationwide road salt shortage, the county paid anywhere from $196 to $86 a ton.

The Greene County Highway Department has about 400 miles of blacktop county roads to maintain — which are generally the only roads that get salt/sand mix during freezing and snowy times.

He continued, “We’re expecting the possibility of snow this weekend and if it is we’ve got to be ready. You’ve got to play it by ear, but people just need to adhere to what the State Police are telling us. They are talking to us about slowing down, putting the cell phones down and allowing extra time to stop and allowing extra time for your trip. I think that is excellent advice.”

WTWO –TV’s Janet Van De Winkle says the Wabash Valley area should experience a rain/snow mix with areas north of I-70 likely to see more snow than rain.

Mostly cloudy skies are predicted for New Year’s Eve (Thursday) and a chance for some scattered snow showers. Highs will be in the mid to upper 30s.

Drastically colder temperatures will move in Thursday night with lows in the upper teens.

On New Year’s Day (Friday) highs will struggle to make it past 20 degrees, Van De Winkle said.

The rest of the holiday weekend looks dry with highs in the low 20s, and lows near 10 degrees.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Anna Rochelle, Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Nick Schneider, Assistant Editor
Greene County Daily World

A long-standing cooperative relationship between Richland and Taylor townships that has provided fire protection to residents and businesses for the past 32 years came to a sudden halt on Wednesday afternoon.

The Richland-Taylor Township Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. remains a viable firefighting unit. But several former and current members of the R-T department have split into a separate volunteer department at the prompting of the Richland Township Trustee’s office.

The new fire protection agency is called the Richland Township Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department.

By statute in Indiana, the township trustee is charged with providing fire protection to the citizens in the township in which he or she was elected.

The new department took a giant step on Wednesday during a mid-day meeting when the final action to dissolve the 1977 incorporation of the two departments was approved.

Richland Township Trustee Virgil Davis told the Greene County Daily World on Wednesday night that the action was approved by officials from the Indiana Secretary of State’s office and the Indiana Fire Marshall.

“We got it approved by everyone that it needs to be approved with,” Davis stressed.

Davis said he didn’t think the founders intended the joint department to remain that way.

“This fire department (R-T) was started in the 1970s by Mr. Wayne Moore (Richland Township Trustee) and Mr. Joe Stone (Taylor Township Trustee). At that time, I think they had to have it take way to support one another and get this thing going. I don’t think they never intended for it remain that way for always,” Moore said in a telephone interview.

Davis acknowledged that he was the one who originally entertained the idea of the split because he felt like it was more efficient and economical.

Davis said the incorporation that originated in the 1970s was formally dissolved at 11:59 a.m. Wednesday.

Terry Jackson, a former member of the Richland-Taylor Fire Department was named chief of the new department. The department has 13 other members, according to Davis.

So far, the split has not been a smooth one and leaves some questions unanswered, especially on the part of Taylor Township Trustee Lori Brown, who told the Greene County Daily World late Wednesday afternoon that she has not been included in the talks that resulted in the apparent spilt.

The joint township department has used two fire stations — one on Furnace Road in Bloomfield and another in the unincorporated town of Scotland.

Both stations will maintain three fire fighting apparatus.

R-T firefighters were given a 4 p.m. deadline on Wednesday to remove their equipment from the Bloomfield-based station, Brown said.

Brown said she didn’t learn about the plan for the immediate split or the deadline until 1 p.m. on Wednesday. She was not invited to that meeting.

Their own governing board made up of volunteer firefighters is still operating R-T Department. Kenneth Mendenhall of Bloomfield serves as board president. Randy Baker of rural Newberry is the fire chief.

Trustee Brown said the two township fire department has jointly operated for three decades with her office taking care of the assets and financial affairs of the Taylor Township part of the department and the Richland Township Trustee handled the fiscal affairs of his township role in the fire department.

Brown noted, “This really doesn’t have anything to do with me. I take care of the equipment down here at Scotland. What they’ve done doesn’t affect me. I still have a contract with the Richland-Taylor Volunteer firemen. I still have a contract with them. They will be servicing my township with my equipment. What’s going on with Richland Township, I truly and honestly don’t know. I wasn’t at the meeting.”

She added, “I can tell you Taylor (Township) is secure. We have men and we have equipment and we have a contract with Richland-Taylor Volunteer Fire Department to service our township. That was true yesterday and it is true today.”

R-T Fire Chief Baker echoed Brown’s sentiments.

“Taylor Township is covered. We’re still Richland-Taylor Fire Department, Inc. We are still the entity,” Baker said.

Davis, in a prepared news release issued Wednesday night, noted, “Today’s move — which became effective at 11:59 a.m. — cuts that coverage area nearly in half, giving the citizens of Richland Township an even better response by firefighters and medical personnel than ever before.”

He continued, “I have no ill feelings for Richland-Taylor Volunteer Fire Department,” said Davis. “Those folks did an admirable job for more than 30 years in protecting this township.”

Davis said the citizens of his township would benefit from this change.

“I feel by contracting with a fire department that covers only one township, we can better focus our efforts and our citizens should benefit in the long run.”

He added, “One thing that I insisted on was that both departments have enough equipment to effectively fight fires and perform rescues and they do…they (the citizens of Richland Township) are not going to notice any difference. We hope to make it better in the future.”

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Timberly Ferree Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

Several personnel items were approved during the Tuesday meeting of the Bloomfield School Board.

Bloomfield Superintendent Dan Sichting

Superintendent Dan Sichting’s contract was extended from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 for a total of 260 days.

School Board President Marvin Helms explained, “This is a continuation of his contract. He’s not asking for a raise. He realizes the situation (budget cuts) we’re in and the situation coming down the road.”

In other business, the board approved the resignation of Senior Chief Thomas W. Tippery as the naval science instructor effective June 30, 2010.

Bloomfield Jr./Sr. High Principal David Dean commended Tippery’s 26 years of service to the school.

“He’s been instrumental in the implementation of NJROTC here at Bloomfield,” Dean said.

He will be greatly missed. He’s been a great role model, Dean noted.

Sichting agreed and added, “This is a program that gives kids discipline when they need it … we have one of the best units around the state of Indiana for a school our size.”

Currently, someone is interested in the position, Sichting said.

“It’s a top-notch person,” Dean noted.

In other personnel business, the board gave authority to Sichting to hire a part-time speech pathologist.

“There’s a shortfall of these people,” Sichting noted.

Article seven regulating special education law in the state of Indiana requires school districts to provide speech and hearing services to identified students.

Sichting will bring the name of the part-time speech and hearing pathologist to the school board at the January board meeting.

The board also approved the hiring of Gerri Krusenklaus as a half-time special education instructional aide effective Nov. 30.

Sichting noted the position is paid through the Part B Special Education Stimulus Grant.

The board also approved:

* Kevin Gotts as girls assistant softball coach.

* Steve Jones as girls track (7-12)

* Jessica Lauderdale as girls softball coach.

* Susie Schulte as sponsor of other-school clubs — which includes weightroom supervisor.

* Sharon Sparks as girls track (7-8).

* Larry Zscheidrich as girls junior varsity softball coach.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Nick Schneider, Assistant Editor
Greene County Daily World

A recent 14-ton weight restriction placed on two bridges on State Road 57 — north of Newberry — was imposed by Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) officials as a safety precaution and a way to preserve the structural integrity of the bridges from further deterioration.

“The bridge is not dangerous, but is a safety concern. Therefore, INDOT must take immediate action to help preserve this bridge,” INDOT Vincennes District Assistant Commissioner Troy Woodruff wrote in a Dec. 23 letter to the Greene County Commissioners, Greene County Highway Department Superintendent Mike Hennette and District 60 State Rep. Sandy Blanton (D-Paoli).

He said the weight restriction would not affect school buses or emergency vehicles.

“We do ask that when emergency vehicles (fire trucks) must use the bridge they slow down to 5-10 miles per hour and allow one vehicle to cross at a time.”

Woodruff also pointed out that “vehicles that are not oversized or overweight are still able to use the roadway.

The INDOT spokesman said the state has plans to replace both bridges in early 2013, but felt the condition of the bridges warranted more immediate action — such as the weight restriction.

“These bridges are considered historical and INDOT must take in consideration all preventive measures,” Woodruff stressed.

Engineers in the Vincennes District are working on an action plan to remove the current weight restriction.

“INDOT is planning to place temporary signals on each bridge and restrict traffic to one lane. This resolution should take place sometime in January,” Woodruff stated.

Hennette said word of the weight restriction came as a surprise to him.

“They (INDOT) put the signs up and that is all we knew,” he said.

Hennette said he has concerns about the closure especially if it forces large truck traffic onto county roads as a detour.

The county road superintendent addressed his concern to INDOT officials through Rep. Blanton.

“We were concerned that maybe the restriction was not going to let semis cross it (the bridges). We obviously didn’t want all of that heavier truck traffic on our county roads. Let’s face it, we don’t have that great of county roads, but we don’t have that bad of county roads either, but we definitely don’t want to tear up what we got. We were concerned to the point that we asked the state (highway department) if they were going to do something where they were going to block the road or force traffic around on these county roads, if they would reimburse us. They declined that.”

Woodruff explained in his letter that since the state’s action is not a closure, and only a weight restriction, INDOT would not be reimbursing the state for any damage to county roads.

“INDOT will only reimburse local governments when there is a road closure for a minimum of seven consecutive days,” he said.

Rep. Blanton says she was contacted by Hennette and other local government officials concerning the unexpected weight limit restrictions on the two bridges.

Rep. Blanton is upset with the way the weight restriction was imposed on the county.

“These restrictions were imposed without any prior notice or conversations with either myself or local officials. I immediately contacted the state office of INDOT and our Vincennes district office to express concerns about the serious impact of these arbitrary weight restrictions to the county and the local residents who have to use these bridges on a daily basis,” Rep. Blanton explained.

The county road boss says he believes the bridges are safe to cross, if the state’s study is correct.

“They (INDOT) say the integrity of the bridges is being looked at,” Hennette said.

Hennette pointed out that having a viable means of transportation over the east fork of the White River is key.

“It’s a major concern because we only have three arteries across the river — Worthington, Bloomfield and Newberry. When you mess with them, then there are other concerns you have to think about. You obviously have to think about the safety of school kids and emergency vehicles. That’s something you really have to look at,” Hennette said.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Anna Rochelle, Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

John L. Daniel, 29, Bloomington, was arrested around 11 p.m. on Saturday after a deputy was dispatched to a residence in Timber Trace addition about a man who was brandishing a gun.

Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Marques said he was told by a dispatcher that the man had been tackled and the weapon taken away from him.

Marques said when he arrived, Deputy Brad Deckard had Daniel in custody and was in possession of the gun — a Walther .22 caliber pistol.

According to a probable cause affidavit, several subjects at the residence had been drinking.

Witnesses said Daniel had been arguing with another man and Daniel then allegedly held the loaded pistol to Daniel’s sister’s head.

Another man tackled Daniels to the ground and removed the pistol from Daniel’s possession and someone held Daniel down until the officers arrived.

Deputy Marques wrote in the affidavit that Daniel had apparently been drinking heavily and was very belligerent and uncooperative.

Daniel was also reported to be uncooperative at the jail.

The affidavit notes that Daniels has multiple felony convictions on his record, was on probation in Monroe County, and did not have a permit for carrying a weapon.

Preliminary charges filed Tuesday morning against Daniel in Greene Superior Court include: Pointing a firearm, a class D felony; possession of a handgun without a permit, a class A misdemeanor; and possession of a handgun with a prior felony conviction within 15 years, a class C felony.

Daniel is scheduled to appear at an initial hearing on Wednesday morning.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Jo Chiparo, Staff Writer
Greene County Daily World

The Roseate Spoonbill is one of the many rare birds spotted at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area by property manager Brad Feaster. Goose Pond is one of the many area attractions featured in this year's Discover Greene-Sullivan Counties publication that will be featured in Thursday's Greene County Daily World.

I felt a sense of pride and knew good things were happening as I viewed the new 2010 Goose Pond calendar and heard about Marsh Madness, a community-based bird festival scheduled in March. It made me wonder if “doubters” of the Goose Pond restoration project were having second thoughts as to its potential.

I have to admit I had a little twinge of doubt in the beginning but began to change my mind when Brad Feaster, GP property manager, took me on a tour of the wetland in its early stages and explained future plans for the marsh. However, having it explained to me and visualizing the finished product was still difficult to imagine.

I mentioned in a previous column that it wasn’t until I visited Crosswinds Marsh County Park (CM) in Michigan that I visualized what a viable entity that GP could become in Greene County and wished all “doubters’ could visit Crosswinds to see what the finished product could become as the GP restoration continues.

Crosswinds Marsh and Goose Pond share much of the same history. In the beginning, both were wetlands. Then the marshes were drained and the wetlands were turned into fertile farmland. After years, both farmlands were, once again, returned to wetlands.

Actually, Crosswinds, located in Wayne County not far from Metropolitan Airport came about because the airport expanded its runways taking some wetlands. It is the state law that for every acre of wetland that is taken in Michigan 1.5 of an acre has to be restored. The Metro Airport Authority bought the farmland, flooded it, and created a 304 acre marsh, Crosswinds.

While visiting Crosswinds one summer evening a little over a year ago, I joined many other visitors walking the boardwalks while enjoying the beauty of the park.

Visitors were of all ages — those pushing baby strollers, senior citizens, young families with children and strolling teens holding hands. Almost all of them had binoculars and cameras hanging from their necks getting a closer look at a bird or capturing its picture for future enjoyment. Other people were canoeing along the waterways.

It dawned on me that this could be Goose Pond in the future. In addition to what the wetland is already offering to birders, hunters and nature lovers, I visualize visitors strolling boardwalks on summer afternoons watching the sun dip in the West or getting a closer look at a bald eagle or an egret. For those who want to sit and enjoy the scenery or visit with friends, park benches are dotted along the boardwalks. I picture a gazebo that hosts so many weddings that reservations have to be made far in advance. I see visiting artists capturing all of it on their easels on a lazy summer afternoons or on a golden autumn day. I can even picture an equestrian trail encircling the area.

And what about an ice cream stand along State Road 59 South where visitors can enjoy a cool refreshment while going to and from the wetland.

Most of all, I can see that it has revitalized Greene County. Marsh Madness is only the beginning.

Goose Pond will be the most unusual recreation area in Greene County and most likely in all of Indiana.

“What do you say, “doubters?”

Jo is a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. She can be reached by e-mail at tojo631@sbcglobal.net

Tuesday, December 29, 2009
By Nick Schneider, Assistant Editor
Greene County Daily World

Three members of rural Scotland family and several pet dogs escaped their burning home unhurt early Tuesday morning.

However, the blaze that was reported about 6 a.m. ravaged the single-story ranch style home owned by Charles Procter.

The residence, located on State Road 58, east of the U.S. 231 junction, was termed a “total loss” by Richland-Taylor Township Fire Chief Randy Baker.

Baker said he believes the fire was electrical in nature and started in an utility room.

Three area fire departments — Richland-Taylor Township, Center Township and Owensburg-Jackson Township — battled the fire in sub-freezing temperatures.

“It was a normal winter-time house fire. The kind we don’t like to have,” Baker said. “It was pretty cold out there.”

Also assisting at the scene were personnel from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department and Greene County Emergency Management Agency Director Roger Axe.

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) assisted by putting sand down on the roadway near the fire site to assist the fire vehicles with traction.