February 23 — March 31, 2015
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Change has to be one of the scariest words in our vocabulary. We talk about it all the time, but when it comes time to actually take action, that’s another story. As I’ve written in this space before, we’ve really been listening to what the people who live in our community are saying about their goals, dreams and aspirations. We MICHELLE DIALS want change. We want progress. But we EDITOR/PUBLISHER claim that we don’t know INFO is a free, monthly newspaper how to get there. serving Cass County, Indiana and the surrounding areas. It is part of It’s a little bit like the Cass County Communication Network, published by shopping for clothes to Existential Media LLC. wear on Spring Break. Published by CALENDAR ITEMS Existential Media LLC Community events that are open Everything looks great P.O. Box 314 to the public and have a specific Logansport, IN date, time and location can be 46947 on the rack, so we load submitted FREE to CassCountyCalendar.com. Editor/Publisher our arms up with as Use the submit link on the website Michelle Dials or e-mail details to (574) 721-4636 much as we can carry to contact@cassnetwork.com. (michelle@ We reserve the right to select existentialmedia. the dressing room. And specific events to feature on our com) Facebook page, in e-mail we try them on, only to Cover Photo newsletters, in Cass County INFO Michelle Dials or in other community updates. realize that The views expressed CAUGHT ON CAMERA Thanksgiving, Christmas by our Photos posted on our Facebook writers are not fan pages may be selected, at and football Sundays necessarily those of our discretion, to be published in Existential Media INFO. Photos can also be have caught up with LLC. e-mailed to contact@cassnetwork. com. us. There’s a way to fix For advertising information, ADVERTISING INFORMATION that, but it involves daily contact The Cass County Communication Phill Dials Network offers print, web and activity and trips to the (574) 721-4635 mobile advertising solutions. For (phill@ information about advertising, gym and it’s a whole cassnetwork.com) e-mail contact@cassnetwork.com. lot easier to camp out EDITORIAL INFORMATION on the couch with our Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Cass County Communication Network or its parent leftover Valentine candy company, Existential Media LLC. Our publications provide information about events and activities happening in or near Cass County, Indiana. and watch as everyone The information is provided by Existential Media LLC for general information purposes only. We strive to keep the information up-to-date and else’s vacation plans correct, however we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitabilunfold in front of us on ity or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in our publications for any purFacebook. pose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. In no event will Existential Media LLC be liable for any loss And that’s kind of or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or where I feel like we are profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of our publications. as a community right Interested in advertising with Cass County Communication now. Network? Call (574) 721-4635 for more information!
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What we want is mired in what we know, and we know it’s a lot of work to get to where we want to be. “Autumn turns to winter, and then winter turns to spring,” the Bradys told us in the early 70s. “When it’s time to change, you’ve got to rearrange, move your heart to what you’re gonna be.” Start with the “Man in the Mirror,” Michael Jackson told us in 1988. “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.” We made a big change to our website this month to help you get more involved in what’s happening in the community, and we have more in the works. The elephant in the room right now is the plan for downtown on the opposite page. A lot of people read a headline about it and immediately formed their opinions based on that alone. Don’t get me wrong —I’m not saying that we should immediately embrace every single idea that’s proposed. I’m saying we shouldn’t immediately discount every idea that’s proposed. There’s a big difference. We should educate ourselves and engage ourselves in what’s going on. Start with reading more than just the headlines and then let’s move some of the discussion off of Facebook and into the real world. Come to meetings. Do some research. Talk to your friends, neighbors and elected officials and take a position on the issues. We’ll do what we can to keep you informed. It’s a change that will do us all good.
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City pursuing grants to revitalize downtown Logansport Next month, the City of Logansport, in partnership with Logan’s Landing, plans to apply for two grants. If Logansport is selected, the grants could inject millions of dollars into the city’s downtown. A committee has been meeting since August to organize the visions outlined in the city’s comprehensive plan, completed in 2009, and Logan’s Landing’s downtown revitalization plan, completed in 2010, into a workplan. For the last few years, there’s been a heavy emphasis on creating an arts district in downtown Logansport. Funds raised by the “Dancing with our Stars” event helped purchase public art, including “The Dancers” sculpture on Market Street. Pocket parks have been
installed on both Market and Broadway, and signage for the LoLa Arts District was installed. Now, the committee is focusing heavily on Fourth Street, specifically creating a civic center that could host large groups for weddings, conferences and other functions. They’d like to see more parking in the area, where visitors to the Cass County Government Building often circle the block several times to find a parking space. They also envision a fixed-route bus system, like Kokomo’s trolleys which saw a 35% increase in ridership last year. SEE DOWNTOWN, PAGE 5
The City of Logansport and Logan’s Landing are conducting an online survey about the public’s perception of downtown Logansport, what their favorite downtown businesses and events are, and how and when they are most likely to visit downtown. “The survey is anonymous and takes only about five minutes to complete,” Logan’s Landing Executive Director Becki Harris explains. “A similar survey was conducted several years ago, and we want to measure the impact of changes that have occurred since that time. We encourage everyone to complete the survey so that everyone’s opinions are heard.” The survey can be accessed via • the Logan’s Landing website (www.loganslanding.com, click on “news”) • the City of Logansport’s website (cityoflogansport.org, click on “breaking news”) • or directly at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6695P3P. You can also request an e-mail with a direct link to the survey by contacting Logan’s Landing at lldirector@loganslanding.com or 574-722-9345.
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CCRN Task Force Brings CSA to Cass Cass County area residents can now sign up for a membership in a CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture program, offered by Silverthorn Farm of Rossville. Membership entitles participants to a broad range of fresh picked, chemical-free produce delivered weekly. CSA’s have become increasingly popular in recent years as consumer demand for local, sustainably produced foods has surged. The CSA concept benefits farmers by providing cash flow early in the production period, and while members assume production risks, they are relatively assured of fresh foods and can claim the satisfaction of knowing where and how they were produced. After choosing a level of participation from $200-$800 (valueadded, e.g. the $800 level is a $920 value), members place orders online from the farm’s availability list and then pick up their produce on Thursday afternoons from 3-5:30 at Bodyworks in Logansport. Members are not obligated to take weekly delivery, have the option of choosing only the produce items they want, and have up to two years to redeem their investment. Eat FRESH Cass County, a task force operating within the Cass County Resource Network, has been instrumental in making the local CSA a reality. Information on Silverthorn Farm, sign-up, and FAQ’s are available at the farm’s website: www.silverthornfarm.com.
Logansport HS seeking Hall of Distinction noms Logansport High School is currently taking nominations for the annual Hall of Distinction. This honor is reserved for LHS graduates who have distinguished themselves through outstanding accomplishment on a local, state, or national level of prominence. Graduates are not eligible until more than five years has elapsed from graduation. The recipient will be asked to be the
guest speaker and address the Class of 2015 at the LHS Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at 2:00PM. All nominations are due by Friday, March 13, 2015. For more information, go to the LHS Website: http://lhs.lcsc.k12.in.us and click on the LHS Hall of Distinction link. The nomination form may be submitted online or printed off and mailed.
Get your replacement SSA-1099 online Soon, you may be joining the millions of taxpayers who will be gathering the forms they need to file their federal, state, and local tax returns. If you receive Social Security benefits, one of the forms you may need is your Social Security Benefit Statement, SSA1099/1042S. Social Security mails these forms to all beneficiaries on or before January 31. If you have not received yours—or if you cannot find the one that was mailed to you—there’s a new way to get instant access to a printable SSA-1099/1042S to help you complete your tax return: with an online my Social Security account. You will need to pay federal taxes on some of your benefits if your total income, including Social Security and all of your other taxable income, is $25,000 or more, and you file federal taxes as an individual. Married couples filing joint returns need to pay federal taxes on income of $32,000 or more. Visit http:// www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/taxes. htm for additional information about income taxes and your Social Security benefits.
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If you didn’t receive the SSA1099/1042S for tax year 2014 by January 31, 2015, or if you misplaced yours, don’t fret. You can get an instant replacement SSA-1099/1042S by going online to my Social Security at www. socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and selecting “Replacement Documents.” You can view, print, and save the forms immediately! If you don’t already have a my Social Security account, opening one is quick, safe and easy. It only takes a few minutes. In addition to getting an instant replacement SSA-1099/1042S, you can get a benefit verification letter, change your address, telephone number, start or change direct deposit information, and get your Social Security earnings record from the convenience of your home. Simply go to www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount.
DOWNTOWN, From page 3 The piece of the project that has generated the most conversation among residents, however, is the idea of moving the Cass County Carousel downtown. Planning director Arin Shaver says the carousel’s current location, Riverside Park, is in a floodplain and that the proposed location downtown is no longer in a floodplain, after recent revisions at the federal level to the floodplain maps. Brent Mather, with R&B Architects, is a consultant for the project and said the current location limits the availability of federal and state grants for further improvements to the carousel or its facility. Plus, Shaver says, the carousel is a large part of the city’s identity, and is also a piece of art itself. Members of the committee, who include Shaver, community development director Chris Armstrong, Logan’s Landing executive director Becki Harris, councilman & Redevelopment Commission Executive Director Bob Bishop, arts advocate Pam Leeman, among others, plan to host another meeting for the public to learn more on March 9. Logan’s Landing and the City of Logansport invite residents to participate in a survey about the downtown or to share their thoughts via e-mail at stellarlogansport@cityoflogansport.org. More information about the next public meeting will be released at a later date, and a PDF of the Feb. 9 presentation is available on Logan’s Landing’s website.
Ballot set for primary election On Tuesday, May 5, Republicans and Democrats will select their candidates for the November General Election. Offices on the ballot will include Logansport Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer and all seven seats on the city council. Voters can call the clerk’s office and ask for an absentee ballot at any time. They’ll be mailed out beginning March 20. Voter registration for the May 5 primary ends Monday, April 6. If you’ve moved or changed your name since the last election, you may need to update your voter registration information. Visit indianavoters.com for more information. Anyone wanting to run for an office in any of the small towns has until Monday, August 3 at noon to file to be a nominee at a town convention. REPUBLICAN Mayor of Logansport Mike Berkshire Ted Franklin -incumbent Larry B. Hood
DEMOCRAT Mayor of Logansport Dave Kitchell Matt Meagher Rick Ricks
Clerk-Treasurer Carol Sue Hayworth - incumbent Tyler Ness
Clerk-Treasurer Stacy Cox - Democrat
City Council, Ward 1 Bob Bishop - incumbent
City Council, Ward 1 Dave Morris - Democrat
City Council, Ward 2 Joe Buck - incumbent
City Council, Ward 2
City Council, Ward 3 Gary Fox - incumbent City Council, Ward 4 Mike Stajduhar City Council, Ward 5 Teresa Popejoy City Council, At Large (2 Seats) Chris Martin
City Council, Ward 3 Amy R. Densborn - Democrat City Council, Ward 4 Scott G. Peattie - Democrat City Council, Ward 5 City Council, At Large (2 Seats) Terry Doran - Democrat
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IVY TECH
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Registration for summer and fall semesters begins March 16.
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6 | Cass County INfo: | February 2015
New nurse practitioner joins ExpressMed
Logansport Memorial Hospital Foundation receives grant to provide free mammograms Logansport Memorial Hospital Foundation was recently awarded a grant from the Indiana Breast Cancer Awareness Trust to provide free digital screening mammograms to 45 low-income, uninsured Cass and surrounding county residents. In addition to providing screening mammograms, educational information will be made available to the community. Early detection is the best prevention for breast cancer and by focusing our efforts on a comprehensive solution, uninsured community members will have access to a potentially lifesaving service. To schedule an appointment for a screening mammogram, call Logansport Memorial Hospital Registration at 574-753-1488. Annually, Logansport Memorial Hospital Foundation supports breast cancer awareness by hosting the River Bluff Run. These funds supplement the IBCAT grant that the Foundation receives, allowing the Foundation to expand the number screens provided.
Long-time physician retiring in April lDr. David Morrical, an internal medicine physician with the Logansport Memorial Physician Network, has announced his plans to retire this year. He will take his leave from the hospital effective April 10, 2015 after nearly forty years of service to his patients and community. “This was not an easy decision for me to make,” commented Dr. Morrical. “I have enjoyed my time in medical practice at Logansport Memorial Hospital and I will miss taking care of my patients. But I want to take the opportunity to spend time with my wife, my adult children, and my grandchildren. Although I will no longer be practicing medicine, I still call Logansport ‘home’ and I plan to remain in the community upon my retirement.” “As Dr. Morrical prepares for this transition, we thank him for his years of service to our hospital, our patients, and our community,” comments David Ameen, CEO of Logansport Memorial Hospital. “He has also been a well-respected community member, donating many hours of community service to the Boy Scouts and to other local organizations. We wish him well in this new phase of his life.” If you are a patient of Dr. Morrical and would like to find a new provider, please call our Find-a-Doc service at (574) 725-3463. LMH staff will answer your questions about your healthcare needs or concerns and help place you with a provider who can meet them for you. We will work to ensure that you do not experience a disruption in your care and are placed appropriately as soon as possible. Please talk with staff about any other questions you may have.
Logansport Memorial Hospital is pleased to welcome Laura Hess, FNP-C to the medical staff as part of the Logansport Memorial Physician Network. She will join the providers at ExpressMed Logansport, providing urgent care for patients in Logansport and Cass County. Laura received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Indiana. She went on to receive her Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Indiana Wesleyan at the Fort Wayne, Indiana campus. She is a registered nurse with the Indiana Board of Nursing, and is certified in CPR and First Aid. She is also a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She is looking forward to serving this community in a new way, as a bilingual nurse practitioner who speaks fluently in Spanish. She will be a welcome addition to the ExpressMed team. ExpressMed is open for patients Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday from Noon – 6 p.m. ExpressMed is a walk-in clinic, so no appointments are necessary. If you have questions about being seen as a patient, please call the clinic directly at (574) 722-9633.
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2015 Lilly Scholarship Finalists announced Cass County Community Foundation President Deanna Crispen is pleased to announce Cass County’s 2015 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Program finalists: • Joseph Bean, of Pioneer High School • Kayla Brandt, of Logansport High School • Brittany Gehlhausen, of Lewis Cass High School • Jonathan Phillips, of Pioneer High School • Emily Overway, The Indiana Academy • Noel Widup, Lewis Cass High School Applications were received from students attending the high schools serving Cass County. Students who are Cass County permanent residents but attending high school outside the county
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are also eligible. All identifying information, such as student’s name, school name, gender, etc, was removed from the applications for the finalist selection process. CCCF President Deanna Crispen stated, “Each year, we receive an outstanding pool of applications for the highly competitive award. These six remarkable young men and women are TOP ROW: Joseph Bean (Pioneer); Kayla Brandt truly some of the (Logansport); Brittany Gehlhausen (Lewis Cass) best and brightest BOTTOM ROW: Emily Overway -(The Indiana Academy); students residing Jonathan Phillips (Pioneer); Noel Widup (Lewis Cass) in Cass County. The finalists were Endowment Community Scholarship selected based solely on the criteria, recipients will also receive $900 per which include academic ability, achieveyear for books and required equipment. ments, activities and citizenship; howevCrispen shared, “Lilly Endowment Inc. er, financial need is not a consideration continues to be a generous benefactor in Cass County,” said Crispen. to our outstanding local students and From the six finalists, one Cass their educational goals. We are grateCounty resident will be awarded the ful for this incredible program that has Lilly Endowment Community Scholmotivated and provided funding for arship which will pay their full fourthirty-three previous Lilly Endowment year tuition at any Indiana college or Community Scholars in Cass County university, plus required fees. The Lilly since 1998.”
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Calendar Saturday, FEBRUARY 28 BOWL FOR KIDS’ SAKE
Bowl For Kids’ Sake is Big Brothers Big Sisters biggest fundraiser. By registering before February 6, all bowlers will receive a FREE Bowl For Kids’ Sake t-shirt. Cost is $150 per team, a mere $30 per person. For more info call 574722-2222 or visit bbbscass.org. Saturday, FEBRUARY 28 BRANDT CARMICHAEL & CLARRISSA LUSE
Brandt Carmichael Entertainment presents Brandt Carmichael with special guest Clarrissa Luse at The State Theatre in Logansport Doors open at 6:00 p.m. show starts at 7:00 p.m. Seats $5.00 Friday, March 6 Women’s world day of prayer
Join women in our community in a time of prayer at The Salvation Army (615 Heath Street Logansport)! Starting at 12:30PM there will be a free lunch served. Then at 1PM until about 2PM, we will join together in a time of prayer and worship. This will be a time to prayer for our world, our community and our loved ones through prayer stations, songs, and corporate prayer. Please tell your churches, small groups, family and friends and join join us!
March 6, 7 & 8 “THE LOTTIE & BERNICE SHOW”
Civic Players of Logansport presents “The Lottie & Bernice Show,” directed by Ben Colsten. This comedy tells the story of a two grumpy old Polish ladies who become trapped in a television studio by a blizzard and end up taking over Western New York’s favorite morning show, “Buffalo Yak.” Performances are at 7:00 p.m. on Friday March 6 and Saturday March 7, with a matinee at 4:00 on Sunday March 8. All shows are at the Historic State Theatre in downtown Logansport. All tickets are $10. For more information, call Ralph Anderson at 574-722-3000.
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MARCH 28 THIRD HOUSE SESSION
The Logansport/Cass Co. Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 3rd House Session at Westside Diner. Senator Head along with Representatives Lehe and Friend will be in attendance to talk about the issues that are before them at the State House. Reservations are not required.
MARCH 7
PILGRIM PLACE
The Salvation Army in Logansport will be having a young adult night called “Pilgrim Place” on the first Saturday of the month starting March 7th. This is a free event including snacks, coffee, tea, and live music. The band “Building Nations” will be the guests on March 7th. Event begins at 7pm and ends at 9pm. The Salvation Army is located at 615 Heath Street Logansport. For more information, visit The Salvation Army Logansport on Facebook or call 574-722-1979 and speak with Lt. Amanda.
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Why does the date of Easter change every year? Because it falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full moon, which, according to the Farmer’s Almanac, is the first full moon after the spring equinox. Paschal means “Passover” in Greek. The explanations beyond that are a little more complicated, but thanks to Google, finding the answer to “When is Easter this year” is always just a few clicks away. Here are the 2015 dates you need to know: March 29 Palm Sunday April 2 Maundy (Holy) Thursday April 3 Good Friday April 5 Easter Sunday As always, we invite area churches and organizations to post their Easter events on CassCountyCalendar.com. We love it when Easter Egg Hunts, breakfasts with the Bunny, cantatas and worship service times spring up on our website. Just go to www.casscountycalendar.com and click submit to enter the details.
Solid Waste District announces dates of 2015 recycling events It certainly won’t be news to any Indiana residents if I make the statement that it has been cold lately. And yes white-out conditions existed on Valentine’s Day. That just happened to be our regularly scheduled R-Day at Pioneer Elementary in Royal Center. Despite the weather that morning, turnout was good, with just under a ton collected for recycling. Like I mentioned last month, the total volume of recyclables collected during our R-Days in Logansport and Royal Center, which are held every other month, is down. However, this is a valuable and viable service that we provide. They used to be held every month, but a few years back, when the money we receive went down, the board decided to go to an every other month plan. Our next R-days, where we collect commingled recycling, including paper, plastics, cardboard, glass bottles and cans, along with metal and tin cans is set for April 4th at Spencer Park in Logansport and April 11th at Pioneer Elementary. I mentioned funding and that is a question I receive a great deal from Cass County residents, and with the recent budget approval by the state, it may be a good time to go over where funds for the Cass County Solid Waste Management District come from. We receive absolutely no tax money whatsoever. The Solid Waste District is a taxing entity and has the authority to tax or impose a user fee. However, the board is unanimous in the sentiment that it never has, and never intends to use either of those options. Some other counties, for a variety of reasons, have enacted one or both of those options.
pointed out to me, that we need to be. We are a non-profit, and as such don’t need to bring in much more money than we are spending on programs for the citizens of Cass County. In looking forward, we would certainly like to be able to expand our programming. In fact, one area that is presented in our five year plan is to consider hosting a second Household Hazardous Waste Event annually; and hold it in either the Northern or Southern portion of Cass County. However, to do that, we have to have the resources. Last year we were able to significantly reduce the cost of that program, and should that trend continue, it would be my hope in a couple of years, that we could offer a second collection event annually. There is also the possibility of some state funds becoming available that could assist districts throughout Indiana in offering this type of expanded service to the citizens they serve. Should they be made available, we will certainly be looking into applying for them. Just as a reminder, we are accepting electronics five days a week by appointment, by contacting the district office at (574) 732-9253. The office has moved to the warehouse, where the e-waste is taken, so the chances are, that if you call the office, you will be able to bring your old computers and televisions in, quickly. For up to date information on collections and events, feel free to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
And finally, if you are wondering about our annual tire collection program, please stay tuned. It is not that far off. I’ll be sending out information on that effort within the next few We receive a host or tipping fee from the Oak Ridge Landfill, weeks. which accounts for the vast majority of our funding. In 2014, that amounted to just over $188,000. We also receive a small amount from Logansport’s trash that’s taken to the landfill in Wabash County. In addition, we have an account at the Cass County Community Foundation that brought us just over $7,200 last year, interest on a CD which amounted to about $300, and we also take donations during our major events, and have a fee schedule for tires. So once you figure in the costs of the programs we facilitate, including over $70,000 annually for the roll offs, we are close to the break-even point. And that’s where one board member 10 | Cass County INfo: | February 2015
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