Bloomfield News Blog

Police are investigating a burglary at the Burger King restaurant in Linton early Monday.The culprit got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Linton Police Cpl. Paul F. Clark responded to the scene on State Road 54 on the east end of Linton when the break-in was reported.

According to Clark’s report on the incident, when management arrived to open the store Monday morning, they discovered the safe was open and money was missing. The money taken was from cash drawers and a nightly deposit bag.

The report notes the office door was locked at closing the night before and was also locked when management arrived back to work.

The deposit bag had been torn open and cash removed. A deposit slip that had been placed in the bag with the money was wadded up and put back into the empty bag.

The point of entry and possible exit was the back door of the store. Officer Clark found pry marks along the back door and the office door — all documented by photograph.

Other details about the incident have not been released by the police department as the investigation is ongoing. However, the report does say they have recovered several items of evidence from the scene.

A Solsberry native has gardening in her genes.Janice Bean spends most of her time outside on her 17.5 acres of ground tending to perennial gardens.

“I’ve been gardening for six to eight years and for the past five years I’ve been doing plant and seed exchange… I have all kinds of plants, flowers and seeds,” she explained.

She’s always had a green thumb and grew up tending the family gardening.

“I really like gardening. Whenever I was a kid we had a vegetable garden at home. We always worked in the garden. I really like being outside and making things look nice,” Bean explained.

Now that she has daylillies and hostas galore she’s planning her first garden show — slated for July 3.

“This is the first year for the show. All of my stuff is getting really big now. It’s grown for three years,” she said.

That means if you’re interested in buying or just browsing you are more than welcome to visit her perennial gardens.

“People can come anytime (throughout the day) and look,” she said.

Bean has several acres of full-sun perennials and even more shade perennials.

“I pretty much have plants from all over the United States. I’ve got about every color of daylillies that you can imagine,” she added.

There’s yellow, red, purple and more.

She also has several varieties of hostas and irises.

“I have perennials potted and I have perennials I can dig right out of the ground,” Bean added.

To get to her garden take State Road 43 near Eastern Greene School and follow the signs.

The show is planned from 10 a.m. - dark on July 3. Prices will vary from $5 to $15 per perennial depending on the size.

Restrooms, parking and refreshments will also be available.

For more information call (812) 825-6143.

Linton police officers arrested a 23-year-old Lyons man, Jonathan K. Quillen, in the Linton City Park late Monday evening during the first night of the annual carnival.Quillen allegedly pulled a knife on another male, held it to his throat and threatened to kill him. The victim was a 16-year-old juvenile.

According to a police report on the incident, the juvenile victim tried to pull the knife away and cut his thumb in the process.

Linton Police Det. Josh Goodman and Reserve Officer Randy Raney approached and apprehended Quillen at the carnival and placed him under arrest.

LPD Cpl. Chad Crynes, Officer Jayson Smith and Reserve Officers Mike Harroll and Brian Sparks also assisted on the scene.

Quillen was transported to the Greene County Jail where he was booked in on a preliminary charge of intimidation - pulling a deadly weapon, a class C felony.

The report states that after the incident took place in the carnival area, Quillen passed the knife to a male juvenile in an attempt to conceal it from police.

The juvenile’s name cannot be released but officers also stopped the him as he was attempting to get away with the knife used in the incident. He was later released into the custody of a parent.

Quillen’s bond was set at $10,000.

During a meeting of the Eastern-Greene Board of School Trustees conducted Monday evening, a bid of $210,370 from Graves Plumbing was accepted to replace the aging, and failing, boiler at the elementary and middle school campus.Five bids were submitted on the project which had an estimated cost of $250,000. Graves was the low bidder with a figure that was almost $40,000 lower than what was expected.

Graves Plumbing is now expected to start work as soon as possible to install a new Aerco boiler — the same as what is installed in the new high school.

Superintendent Ty Mungle told the board the current boiler runs on seven pumps, two of which are original 1960s models and there is concern that the two older ones could fail at any time.

The board was familiar with the ongoing problems with the system. Several parts have had to be replaced in the past year and in April, the board voted to pursue a proactive replacement over the summer months rather than risk a system failure in the middle of the school year.

The installation should be completed without causing any disruption of loss of school days.

Mungle said the money to replace the system has been built in to the budget and the board transferred money out of the Capital Projects Fund into the Rainy Day Fund in preparation for paying for the project.

Mungle noted that once the project is completed, energy efficiency will improve and the system should result in a 40 percent cost savings over the old system.

The board also voted to spend close to $80,000 for a new 2010 International 72-passenger school bus as a replacement for an older 66-passenger bus. The additional room in the larger bus will allow some rear seats to be removed to provide more cargo storage — useful when the bus is used by athletic, band or other school groups. The bus may also be used by contractors at times when their own bus is not running.

Mungle gave the board information on three bids received for a replacement bus including the International, a Blue Bird and a Thomas bus. Mungle recommended the International for several reasons including lower ongoing maintenance costs and ease in getting parts and service.

The money for the new bus will be spent out of approximately $95,000 that has accumulated in the school bus replacement fund. Mungle noted that the money in this fund cannot be transferred out or spent for anything other than bus replacements.

The board also discussed entering into a contract for a photographer to take school pictures.

Mungle said on the recommendation of the school’s principals, he suggested using a company called Lifetouch for school pictures and the elementary and middle school yearbooks.

Pictures services have previously been provided by Janelle Spencer/Ball-Spencer Photography, a local business but Mungle said he has had several conversations with parents concerned about the price of the pictures and the yearbooks, but not the quality of the work. Lifetouch has offered a lower price.

Board member Shelly Patterson said when Spencer recently spoke to the board about her services, she offered to meet the lower price. Patterson said she was in favor of using a local business if possible and was not in favor about contracting with Lifetouch until after Spencer had been given the opportunity to meet their price.

After some discussion, the board tabled the issue until after Mungle has prepared a bid sheet and given Lifetouch, Ball-Spencer and Indiana School Pictures the opportunity to submit a bid on photography services.

In preparation for adopting a revised transfer policy regarding students who live outside the district but want to attend Eastern-Greene, the board waived the first reading of the policy.

Mungle said the policy is similar to ones being adopted by other schools in the county. Basically, the student will apply and the principal and superintendent will then decide whether to accept the student. The policy differs from some others which require a transfer student to apply by a certain deadline. Mungle said Eastern-Greene’s policy will allow for transfers at any time during the year.

Starting Wednesday, Indiana young drivers — under the age of 18 — will be breaking the law if they use a cell phone while driving.Those teens caught ignoring the cell phone ban could face a fine of up to $500.

The ban includes the use of any telecommunication devices — cell phones or pagers, etc.

These young drivers are not to use any type of telecommunication devices while driving, except to call 911 in the case of an emergency.

“I think the state has been working up this for quite a long time. I don’t think it’s anything new to say the least. For years now, they have been asking on accident report if any electronic device was used during the time of a traffic accident. I think for the most part it makes sense. Adults have a hard time talking on the (cell) phones, let a long a teenager who is not as experienced,” Linton Police Chief Troy Jerrell said. “I think it makes sense to give them some time and some years and experience behind the wheel and maybe it will prevent a few accidents.”

Jerrell says enforcement will be a challenge, but his officers will uphold the law.

“You have to realize that we have a lot of other things to go after and be involved with besides this,” the chief said. “I can’t say it’s going to be a priority, but it’s something that we are going to enforce. It’s law and that’s what they’ve passed down and it makes sense. Teenagers probably shouldn’t be trying to text message while they are driving down the road.”

Jerrell added, “Hopefully, it will slow some accidents down. If we do catch somebody, we will write a citation.”

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Major Mike Hasler agrees the cell phone law is probably a good one.

“We’ll enforce whatever we run across,” Hasler said. “If we have an incident that would involve that specific situation and the elements of the crime are there, we’ll take the action on that. If it for 18 years and below then that is what we will do. I think it ought to apply to all people. That is just another distraction that motorists don’t need. You mind gets on the call instead of your driving.”

Two other new laws — effective July 1 — also affect young drivers.

*For the first 180 days after getting a license, drivers under the age of eighteen may not drive between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

*After the first 180 days, drivers under the age of 18 may not drive between the hours of 11p.m and 5 a.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

On Friday and Saturday, drivers may not drive between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Driver under the age of 18 may drive at anytime if driving to, and only to the following places: work, school or a religious event. Drivers under the age of 18 may also drive at anytime if, and only if they are accompanied by a person with a valid Indiana driver’s license who is 25 years or older.

*Drivers under the age of 18 — obtaining a license on July 1, 2009 or thereafter — may not drive with a passenger for the first 180 days after getting the license, unless accompanied by a licensed instructor, an individual with a valid Indiana driver’s license who is 25 years or older, or a parent, guardian, or step-parent who is over the age of 21. You are, however, allowed to drive with your child, sibling or spouse during the driving times allowed by the law.

In addition, school bus drivers who fail to make sure all students are off the bus at the end of their routes will be in violation of state law that goes in effect today.

School bus drivers also could face $500 fines if they fail to check for children on board at the end of their routes.

The law arose after three South Bend students were left on school buses last year and a 4-year-old was left alone inside a parked school bus in Richmond earlier this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

History never repeats, at least for the Greene County Historical Society.If it does, it’s headed for someone else’s collection.

Historical Society members have solved the mystery of what to do with someone else’s history, choosing Sunday to “re-gift” materials they receive that are better suited to be elsewhere.

“Sometimes we get things which would be better suited to say Owen County or Martin County,” historical society member Marsha Cline said during the society’s June meeting. “The people who come looking for that history aren’t going to look here.”

Members emphasized that they appreciate all donations of records, photos, artifacts and memorabilia linked to the county.

Problems arise, however, when the society receives records which aren’t associated with Greene County, or those which duplicate what already exists in the archives.

“We believe that if it’s available elsewhere, or if it doesn’t pertain to Greene County, we don’t need it and we should re-gift it,” Cline said, opening

Storage space for the society’s records is limited, Cline told members at Sunday’s session. However, no policy was in place to relocate the surplus or ill-suited donations until members voted unanimously to allow it to be sent elsewhere.

No opposition arose to the proposed plan.

The giving won’t stop there, either. Cline said when the society receives materials which duplicate what they already have, they will seek other appropriate places to send it.

Those twinned archives could possibly be sent to county schools, area colleges, scholars or returned to donors, per the discussion.

Society members also suggested maintaining a book which would record what’s been given to the group as donations, the better to direct those seeking information where the materials can be found. Such a record might also cut down on duplicated gifts to the society.

The society welcomes donations and memberships, which can be sent to the Greene County Historical Society, P.O. Box 301, Bloomfield, Ind., 47424-0301. The society’s treasurer is Charlis Crays.

Annual membership fees are $10. Membership fees include six newsletters, historic articles, and an informal Christmas party at a Greene County Restaurant, per its website www.greenecountyhistoricalsociety.org.

The Bloomfield-based society also maintains 30 township and county books for sale in their 27 S. Washington St. office and offers family research by computer for only $15 to nonmembers.

Research will be done for $10 an hour and those seeking data should include a self-addressed stamped envelope, per society members. They also ask those seeking data to give dates and as much information as possible.

Additionally, the society maintains files on the ancestry of many Greene County families.

The Eastern-Greene Board of School Trustees will soon be searching for a new Athletic Director and Assistant High School Principal.The board accepted the resignation of current AD and Assistant Principal Jeff Cochren at their meeting on Monday evening in the high school cafeteria.

Superintendent Ty Mungle said he had received a resignation letter from Cochren, who wrote that he had thoroughly enjoyed his time at Eastern-Greene.

“Cochren said the resignation was no reflection on Eastern-Greene and that Eastern-Greene was a first class organization, but he has accepted a position as assistant principal at another school,” said Mungle.

Cochren’s resignation will be effective on June 30.

Mungle said Cochren will be going to Heritage Hills High School in southern Indiana.

The board also accepted the resignation of Ali Meyer from her position as a high school English teacher, also effective on June 30.

Mungle told the board that Meyer also said she really enjoyed teaching at Eastern-Greene but she was accepting a position closer to her home.

Meyer will be going to Southridge High School in Huntingburg.

A slate of several extracurricular coaches to serve during the 2009-2010 school year was presented to the board and approved including the following: Paul Carter, Greg Anderson and Mike Adams, all assistant high school football coaches; Stacey Ivey, assistant high school volleyball coach; Brian Spice, girls’ cross country coach; and Jim Rose, varsity assistant girls’ basketball coach.

The slate was approved by a vote of 5-0-1.

Board member Shelly Patterson abstained from the vote and board member Kim Waldridge was not present at the meeting.

A 16-year-old Bloomfield teen, who was riding a bicycle, collided with a pick-up Sunday afternoon and suffered head injuries.The boy, Matthew Jordan Whitmer, was airlifted to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis with head trauma after the incident.

Whitmer was traveling westbound at 2:59 p.m. through Grandview Cemetery in Bloomfield approaching State Road 57 when he struck a northbound 1996 Ford F-250 pickup on the passenger side as he entered the highway, according to an accident report filed by Greene County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Brad Deckard.

After impacting the pickup, driven by John Jarrett, 44, of Bloomfield, Whitmer was thrown from his bicycle.

According to witnesses and Jarrett, the bicyclist failed to slow down when he entered the roadway, Deputy Deckard said.

Greene County Ambulance E-2 transported Whitmer to the Bloomfield Fire Department station on Mill Street, where he was transported to an Air-Evac medical helicopter out of Brazil for transport to the Indianapolis hospital.

Monday afternoon, Whitmer was listed in “critical” condition after undergoing emergency surgery on Sunday night.

Also assisting at the scene was personnel from the Bloomfield Police Department and Bloomfield Fire Department.