MAY - JUNE 2015
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Summer is almost here! This month, I attended the Indianapolis 500 and then, the following day, I went to Cass County’s Memorial Day Parade. You’ll find pictures from both events later in this issue, but traditions are really something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit recently. As I went through the pictures from the Memorial Day Parade, I couldn’t believe how pretty downtown Michelle DIALS Editor/publisher Logansport looked, despite the gloomy morning. The beautiful pink baskets that INFO is a free, monthly newspaper line the streets of downtown, serving Cass County, Indiana and the surrounding areas. It is part of the southside corridors and the Cass County Communication Network, published by now, the west side, seemed Existential Media LLC. to appear overnight. We hear Published by Calendar Items Existential Media LLC from out of towners all the Community events that are open P.O. Box 314 to the public and have a specific Logansport, IN time that our downtown looks date, time and location can be 46947 submitted FREE to pretty, but when you see CassCountyCalendar.com. Editor/Publisher Use the submit link on the website Michelle Dials something every day, it’s easy or e-mail details to (574) 721-4636 contact@cassnetwork.com. (michelle@ to think the grass is greener We reserve the right to select existentialmedia. specific events to feature on our com) somewhere else. Facebook page, in e-mail Cover newsletters, in Cass County INFO I’ve started something new Phill Dials or in other community updates. on Twitter, because, as I’ve The views expressed CAUGHT ON CAMERA by our written before, I’m often the Photos posted on our Facebook writers are not fan pages may be selected, at recipient of random facts necessarily those of our discretion, to be published in Existential Media INFO. Photos can also be about our community. “Things LLC. e-mailed to contact@cassnetwork. com. I Learned Today” is my way of For advertising information, Advertising information sharing them. Every day, after contact The Cass County Communication Phill Dials Network offers print, web and Talk of the Town or the various (574) 721-4635 mobile advertising solutions. For (phill@ information about advertising, community meetings I attend, cassnetwork.com) e-mail contact@cassnetwork.com. I try to share something that I learned. If you want to follow Editorial Information Views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect me, I’m @malaird (my maiden the position of the Cass County Communication Network or its parent company, Existential Media LLC. Our publications provide information name, and the one I signed up about events and activities happening in or near Cass County, Indiana. The information is provided by Existential Media LLC for general inforfor Twitter with -- you know, mation purposes only. We strive to keep the information up-to-date and correct, however we make no representations or warranties of any kind, tradition.) express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, Anyway, one of the things I services, or related graphics contained in our publications for any purlearned during the 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 or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of our publications.
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Memorial Day Parade was that volunteers, including the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, helped decorate the graves of Cass County’s veterans with more than 1,700 flags! Mount Hope Cemetery -- the 2nd largest city cemetery in the state -- looked beautiful as the community paid tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This summer, libraries in Logansport, Walton and Royal Center will be holding summer reading and the theme is “Every Hero Has a Story.” Every community does, too, and too often it becomes a story of what we don’t have, rather than what we do have. So my personal mission is to share the things that I learn about our community with you. I’ve lived here my whole life, but I learn something new almost every day. I’m not saying that it’s all pink petunias around here, but maybe if we focused on the good as much as we do on the bad, we’d start to see the glass looking a little less empty. In the next few weeks, all kinds of fun community events will be happening — from Celebrate Logansport to Pioneer Days to a visit from the Indianapolis Colts and Civic Players of Logansport’s production of “Chicago.” We’ll keep sharing the events you post on CassCountyCalendar.com and sharing information on CassCountyOnline.com, and we hope you’ll share that information with people you know who could benefit. Here’s to a fun summer, full of amazing stories!
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Nominations being accepted for for Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay is now accepting torchbearer nominations from the public. Torchbearer nominations recognize Hoosiers who demonstrate exceptional public service, excellence in their profession, acts of heroism or volunteer service to their neighborhood, community, region or state. The online nomination form is available here: http://www.indiana2016. org/torchrelay/nomination-forms/. Paper applications can also be picked up in the Mayor’s Office at 601 E. Broadway, Rm #200, Logansport. “This is going to be a great event for Cass County. Our residents will be torchbearers during the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay. This will be an honor for those nominated and selected. The torch will come through Cass County on October 7, 2016 and will be in our county from 12:30pm – 2:30 pm making its way from White County, into Cass County, then to
Logansport, and on to Pulaski County. This entire event is going to be a wonderful experience for all Hoosiers” said Chris Armstrong, Cass County Coordinator. The nomination period ends on December 31, 2015. The Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay will start September 9, 2016 in Corydon, Indiana’s first state capital, and culminate with a celebration October 15, 2016 on the grounds of the statehouse in Indianapolis. The torch relay will touch each of Indiana’s 92 counties during the 2,300 mile journey across the state. Volunteer county coordinators are organizing torch relay activities in their respective counties. Additional volunteers will be needed to assist with the preparation and execution of relay-related activities. Hoosiers interested in volunteering can sign up at the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay website.
Lane closures on US 24/35 bypass
INDOT announces lane closures on the U.S. 24/35 Logansport Bypass through Tuesday, June 2 for chip seal and fog seal work to preserve the road surface. Drivers are encouraged to find another route due to the presence of loose stone and liquid asphalt. If you are driving through the area, slow down and allow additional space between vehicles. This project is dependent on dry weather and may be delayed if conditions aren’t ideal. Chip/fog seal projects prevent potholes and extend the life of roadways, which maximizes taxpayer dollars. The chip-seal process consists of distributing a liquid asphalt emulsion on the roadway and covering the liquid asphalt with crushed stone to provide a new wearing surface. Chip-sealing extends the life of a roadway by protecting it from moisture, ultra-violet degradation, and any other damaging exposures. The fog seal is applied on top of the chip-seal work. The fog seal is a light application of asphalt material that can lock in loose stone and help with dust problems. May 2015 | Cass County INfo: | 3
Miami Correctional Facility awards $5,000 in grants In its first round of grant distributions, the Miami Correctional Facility (MCF) awarded a total of $5,000 to five charities recently as a part of its Community Involvement Grant. The facility granted $500 to Junior Achievement serving Cass County for “JA’s Our City. This program introduces students to the intersection of financial literacy and thirdgrade social studies learning objectives, including the characteristics of cities and how people and businesses in cities manage their money. About 520 third grade students will benefit from the program. Pipe Creek Township Fire Department was awarded $1,000 to assist them in purchasing AED’s for their
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rescue trucks. The fire department has started running first responders to assist Dukes Hospital as requested. Denver Volunteer Fire Department also received $500 to purchase a new smoke machine to assist with training firefighters. The machine fills a building with smoke so firefighters can learn various techniques in search and rescue. Firefighters from Miami, Cass, Fulton and Wabash counties will benefit from the purchase. Vineyard Community Church in Logansport was awarded $1,000 for its Back to School Party for elementary age students. At this event, kindergarten through fifth grade students received backpacks filled with school supplies. Vineyard also provides free sack lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer to children in need. Harvesting Capability Inc. of Peru was awarded $2,000. The money will be used to purchase additional aluminum ramp parts to enable volunteers to provide ramps to people with disabilities and senior citizens in a short amount of time. The money allows the group to purchase parts needed to build ramps quickly as requests are received. The grants are one way that Miami Correctional Facility gives back to the community, according to Superintendent Kathy Griffin. “We are constantly trying to find
ways to be a good neighbor. We get several grant applications for these funds making the decision making process difficult. All are worthy of the grant monies. I’m pleased that we can give a little bit to make a difference in so many people’s lives.” The grant money comes from the facility’s Fresh Favorite sales to the offenders. The Indiana Department of Correction’s (IDOC) contract with Aramark, which provides offender food services, has an addendum which allows for five percent of the net profits from the sale of Fresh Favorites food to be put into a Community Involvement fund and to be given away to the community. Fresh Favorites is a special menu of items offered to the offenders for a price. Every IDOC facility using Aramark Food Services will receive this five percent and each gets to determine how they want to spend it to benefit the community. Grant applications are accepted at all times, and can be obtained via email by contacting Ann Hubbard, ahubbard@idoc.in.gov; or Robin Burton at rmburton@idoc. in.gov. The facility will accept applications from any agency/charity with a Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code within Miami, Cass and Howard counties.
New drop off locations for old/expired medications in Royal Center, Galveston Thanks to a cooperative effort, Cass County residents now have two new permanent MedReturn Drug Collection Units, which will allow citizens to dispose of medications; including prescription meds properly. Local citizens looking to dispose of excess and expired prescription and over-thecounter medications can now visit the safe and secure permanent drop off locations at the Galveston Police Department, and at the Royal Center Town Hall. The Cass County Solid Waste Management District has partnered with local law enforcement, and the local town boards to establish these new locations for the MedReturn containers, which will help reduce the supply of drugs that can potentially harm teens and adults. “Two years ago, we purchased a MedReturn Unit and had it placed in the Records Division of the Logansport Police Department,” Bob Ehle, Jr. the Director of the Cass County Solid Waste Management District indicated. “That is one of the best investments we have made. That unit is still in place and is open to the public Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. “But now there are two other options for Cass County residents,” Ehle added. “This is an effort to reach out, and provide a convenient, medicine drop off for people in the Southern and Northern portions of Cass County.” The location at the Galveston Police Department will be available
weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and some Saturdays also from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The MedReturn container at the Royal Center Town Hall is available from weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. Royal Center Town Marshal Brian Swartzell and “We receive Galveston Police Chief Shawn Durham with the new phone calls from MedReturn collection units. area residents frequently, askprescription pain relievers get them ing how they can properly dispose of medications.” Ehle through friends or family, a statistic that includes raiding the family medisaid. “The hope had always been to be able to expand this service, and we cine cabinet. Now more Cass County citizens won’t have to wait for a specertainly believe it will be a valuable cific take-back day to clean out their asset to the entire community.” About the only medications that that medicine cabinets. Some 1,000 MedReturn containers cannot be placed in these container are currently located across the counare sharps and inhalers. try. The drug collection unit is proAccording to the 2011 Substance duced by MedReturn, LLC of Grafton, Abuse and Mental Health Services WI. MedReturn, LLC is committed to Administration’s National Survey on providing a safe, secure and environDrug Use and Health (NSDUH), more mentally friendly way to help law enthan six million Americans abuse prescription drugs. Among youth who forcement agencies and communities collect unwanted or expired household are 12 to 17 years old, 7.4 percent medication, including prescriptions, report past year non-medical use of over-the-counter drugs and unused prescription drugs. pharmaceuticals. Properly disposing of excess drugs is everyone’s responsibility as a matter of public safety. More than 70 percent of young people abusing May 2015 | Cass County INfo: | 5
Ivy Tech sets summer ITEP opportunities for incoming juniors High school students from around Ivy Tech Community College’s Kokomo Region who are part of a federally funded manufacturing technology program sponsored by the college have a variety of opportunities this summer to gain experience, college credit and preparation to take recognized industry certification exams. And while the 46 participants from the first year of the program funded by the Youth CareerConnect are busy expanding their skills, leaders of Ivy Tech’s Integrated Technology Education Program in the Kokomo Region are busy sharing the opportunity with upcoming high school juniors who are eligible to join the program this fall. All the activity comes under the umbrella of a $3.2 million grant Ivy Tech Kokomo Region received last year through the federal Youth CareerConnect program of the United States Departments of Labor and Education. The program is designed to expand career education and job training programs for students in area schools, preparing them for good-paying high-demand jobs in the high-tech advanced manufacturing industry. The Youth CareerConnect grant covers the cost of the advanced technology education from the junior year in high school all the way through completion of an associate degree. “This summer, the ITEP participants will be able to take for-credit classes in welding and basic electricity, along with non-credit courses in quality and maintenance awareness, two requirements to complete the Certified Production Technician program,” said Jennifer Hughes, ITEP 6 | Cass County INfo: | May 2015
be sure they consider the opportunities the program offers as they choose their fall semester classes.” Hughes noted that the grant covers tuition, fees and books for adviser. “The CPT credential will certify all the summer classes, as well as for students have the skills and knowledge needed to take advantage of the the personal protective equipment (welding helmet and fire/flame resisinternships they will be offered with area manufacturing companies during tant clothing) needed for the welding class. “We want them to be safe,” she their senior year in high school.” said, “and we want them to have the The summer program will include field trips to the General Motors plant equipment they need as they further their education and start their cain Fort Wayne where Chevrolet Silreers.” verados and GMC Sierras are assemThe Shielded Metal Arc Welding II bled as well as Grissom Air Reserve class, taught by Ivy Tech instructor Base where students will visit the metal technology machine shop where Nellie Neal, will meet in the welding lab at Ivy Tech’s Logansport Campus parts needed to repair aging planes from 6 to 10:50 p.m. Tuesdays and are custom-fabricated. Thursdays from June 9 to July 30. “The 46 students enrolled in the The Basic Electricity class, taught by first year of the program come from Ivy Tech instructor Bob Sovacool, will the 13 area high schools and career meet in Ivy Tech’s Technology Building centers participating in ITEP,” Hughes said. “As they go through the program, on Touby Pike in Kokomo, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m., from June 9 to July they earn college credit along with high school credit and are able to com- 30, except for the week of June 20 to plete a number of certifications valued allow students to participate in Ivy Tech’s robotics camp for high school by prospective employers. students. “The program covers the junior For more information on Ivy Tech’s and senior years of high school and programming for high school students higher education through an Ivy Tech offered through the Youth CareerConassociate degree,” she continued. nect grant, contact Hughes by phone “We are talking with students who at 765-459-0561, ext. 7283, or by just finished their sophomore year in email at Jhughes32@ivytech.edu . these schools and career centers to Participating schools & career Centers: • Century Career Carroll HS Center, Logansport Eastern HS Elwood HS • John Hines Career Hamilton Heights HS Center, Elwood Maconaquah HS Northwestern HS • Heartland Career Peru HS Center, Wabash Tipton HS Tri Central HS Western HS
Regional educators honored with IUK Chancellor’s Medallions Indiana University Kokomo Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke continued a Commencement tradition, awarding Chancellor’s Medallions as part of the annual festivities. Two area educators were honored for their commitment to excellence in education. The recipients are Michele Starkey, superintendent of the Logansport Community School Corporation; and Marilyn Skinner, executive director of Kokomo’s Very Early Childhood Education Center. Starkey describes herself as a “home grown Berry,” as a Logansport High School graduate who has spent her entire career with the Logansport schools. She began her career teaching second graders, and moved up, serving as a school counselor, assistant principal, principal, and curriculum director, before being appointed superintendent in 2011. Under her leadership, the Logansport schools have focused on college and career readiness, with initiatives that include bringing all eighth graders and English language learners to IU Kokomo for tours, so they can see the college opportunity available in their own community. Sciame-Giesecke has now shared that idea with other area superintendents. “That has been so successful because of Michele’s leadership,” she said. “We are one step closer to being sure every child in the region is introduced to college. She is deeply committed to helping students find their pathway in life, whatever that may be.” Starkey gave credit to the leaders and teachers in her school corporation for her success. “This is all about the team I work with,” she said. “We look out for what will help our kids to be successful when they leave us.” The Chancellor’s Medallion is awarded to those who have provided exemplary service to IU Kokomo. Kokomo Opalescent Glass creates the awards from crimson-colored glass, etched with the image of the campus Well House.
i am
IVY TECH YOU CAN BE,
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Apply online today at IvyTech.edu/apply-now dkerrigan1@ivytech.edu 574-753-5101 May 2015 | Cass County INfo: | 7
IMS offers special ticket discounts for 2016 events INDIANAPOLIS — As a thank you to the greatest race fans in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is offering special pricing for selected days for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday, May 29, 2016. All ticket reorders for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 must be received no later than Monday, June 8. Fans who reorder their Indianapolis 500 tickets will be eligible for special pricing until Monday, June 8, for next year’s Coors Light Carb Day, Qualification Days, Practice Days, Firestone Legends Day and parking: Product Gate Price Fan Price Coors Light Carb Day $30 $20* Qualifications $20 $10* Practice $15 $10* Firestone Legends Day $10 $5* 2016 Indy 500 Parking Varies 2015 Early Prices* *Special promo rates expire June 8, 2015 Fans renewing their seats for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 may use two ways to order: 1. Visit www.ims.com/tickets, log in to your account, and reorder your tickets online. 2. Mail your 2016 Reorder Form (enclosed with your 2015 tickets) to: Indianapolis Motor Speedway P.O. Box 24152 Speedway, IN 46224-0152 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Skywriting over the Pagoda during the 2015 Indy 500, Patrol Unit in the 500 Festival Parade; Two-time Indy 500 Champion Juan Pablo Montoya and runner-up Will Power cross the finish line under the checkered flags, Honorary Starter Patrick Dempsey, Colts Quarterback Andrew Luck, Grand Marshal Nastia Liukin Photos by Phill & Michelle Dials
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Memorial Day Cass County’s Memorial Day Parade began at the Logansport City and included stops at the Cass County Government Building, 6th Street Bridge, Civil War Monument and Legion Circle in Mount Hope Cemetery. A large crowd walked the full length of the parade route. Merrill Louthain, pictured at right with his brother Donny, was the 2015 Grand Marshal. Volunteers including the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts and the Cass County Veterans Counciil decorated the graves of local veterans with 1,700 flags.
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PHOTOS BY MICHELLE DIALS May 2015 | Cass County INfo: | 11