Kokomo Tribune (Newspaper) - March 5, 1996, Kokomo, Indiana KOKOMO TRIBUNE Kokomo Ind Tuesday March 5 1996 SO cents Prison panel leans toward Grissom site Final vote scheduled for Wednesday By ANN HUBBARD Tribune Peru Bureau INDIANAPOLIS Although its not official Grissom near Peru may be the winner of the new million state prison according to the committees discussion Monday The committee was to make a formal recommendation to Gov Evan Bayh Monday But the group delayed making the tion because of concern it violated Open Door Law by not giving 48 hours notice of the meet ing The committee will vote at 1 Wednesday on constructing the prison at Grissom a downsized military base in Miami County The meet ing will be in the Conference Cen ter Room A of the Indiana Govern ment Center 302 W Washington Indianapolis Kathy Davis committee mem ber and state budget director pro posed the committee consider locating a juvenile facility on a site near the current Pendleton Reformatory in Madison County The juvenile facility which needs about 75 acres would employ about 350 people The adult prison would employ about 450 to 500 people Stan Jones committee member noted there were concerns at the Pendleton public hearing Jan 29 about the site the committee was considering there The committee first looked at three locations near Pendleton but narrowed it down to one after finding out one is in a flood plane The other is only 120 acres and is too small for the adult prison which requires 150 acres That left the present site which some believe would disturb a wildlife habitat The proposal to select Grissom will be written up and a final deci sion will be made Wednesday Any one wanting to give input to the committee in the next 48 hours may contact the Department of Correction at 2325780 Although the meeting sounded positive for Grissom Dan God dard Grissom Redevelopment Authority chief executive officer doesnt think anything has changed for Grissom The authority still plans to pursue the project and will be back Wednesday for the final vote Goddard will contact the Department of Correction to reit erate the position has not changed Were going to support this pro posed resolution I think it winds up with both communities being a winner Its a winwin situation Both communities will get an insti if it goes this Goddard added Jack Jackson authority board member was elated with the out come of the meeting It can really be a cornerstone a keystone for the redevelopment effort out there at But not happy with the way the committee seems to be swaying are LouAnn Shrock Kokomo 4 and Terri and Brian Bargerhuff Peru 5 who were present at the meeting Monday Brian and Terri stated they are not happy with the limitations a prison would place on other development at Grissom They also are con cerned about their family living so close to the proposed prison Shrock noted she was concerned the committee wasnt considering the rural community in its deci sion There were a lot of city peo ple at the public hearing in Janu ary at Peru but we all live in the country A rural areas not going to have as many people as in the city Its affecting the rural The rural community by major ity are against Terri added The three plan to let the committee know their concerns before the Wednesday meeting GOP foes race for big delegate prize Alexander says he might drop out By The Associated Press Republicans were awarding the biggest prize so far of the primary season 259 delegates in 10 con tests today A rebounding Sen Bob Dole told by supporters his nomi nation was looking more and more inevitable said a sweep this week could do it and clinch the nomi nation His rivals battled on but ed the Senate majority leader was once again in the drivers seat after a crucial victory in South Carolina over the weekend Former Tennessee Gov Lamar Alexander after a series of disap pointing finishes said he would press on through todays contests but would quit the race if he cant beat Dole in next weeks Florida primary And commentator Pat Buchanan conceded while campaigning in Georgia on Monday that if Dole keeps on winning a sense of inevitability will Eight states were holding pri maries today most of them in the Northeast Massachusetts Con Maine Rhode Island Vermont Maryland Georgia and Colorado And two states were holding caucuses Washington and Minnesota Delegates to be chosen today represent roughly one quarter of those needed to win the GOP nomi nation Wealthy publisher Steve Forbes who continues to say hell fight on to the GOPs August convention in San Diego sought sup port in New England on Monday but generally drew unenthusiastic crowds The newly rejuvenated Dole leads in polls in all eight states holding primaries today And forecasts of snow and messy rain across much of New England today were seen by GOP leaders as a potential boost to Dole who has establishment support in all five states in the region with primaries Inside TODAY Dear Dr Local News of Opinion A5 A4 Vol 145 No 181 Peggy Ogle a teacher reacts to an egg hitting her head Peggy covered with yolk Sycamore pupils scramble eggs on teachers heads teachers at Sycamore School motivated chil dren to raise during the 1996 Jump Rope For Heart pro gram by letting pupils smash eggs on the heads of eight Sycamore teachers Monday Thirtyone fifth sev pupils dropped 81 eggs on teachers heads Steve Heathcoat a cation teacher said that prior to starting the egg incentive in 1995 children had raised from to for 10 years When he and Linda Exley a teacher introduced the egg bonus the amount of funds raised jumped to about he said The motivation was this Every pupil who raised received one egg to smash Heathcoat said Then for every additional a pupil was given another egg he said Jeremiah Thompson who raised earned 15 eggs and dropped all of them on the same teacher Gary Town gets egged by Sherra McClung 11 Monday at Sycamore School KT photos by Brian Reynolds teacher he said Thompson a will also get to ride in a limousine because he raised the most money and will get to eat at Pizza Huts buffet for raising more than Heathcoat said As participants the Sycamore pupils are part of a national effort involving more than 1 million teachers and pupils Money raised during Jump Rope For Heart a program of the Amer ican Heart Association is used by the association for research and educational programs Funding shortfall prompts interim audit By JEFF Tribune staff writer A nearly funding short fall in the New London waste water treatment plant project has prompted an interim audit from Howard County commissioners The commissioners executive assistant Bernard Ampe is comb ing contracts and records to learn why the projects revenues arent meeting costs and what the dis must do to get back on solid financial ground Ampe told com missioners Monday he needs sev eral documents to complete his audit including copies of bond sale certificates and the contract that project manager Robert Stinchcomb entered with the New London Con District The district created in March 1993 in Howard Circuit Court is a board of New London residents appointed by county commission ers to administer the projects finances Despite initial projections that had the plant fully operational by now only a handful of homes have tied in Ten to 15 homes should connect this week according to Bud Temple district treasurer The plants tardy November instal lation date which came after repeated shipping delays from its Carbondale Pa manufacturer is blamed for revenues Because more revenue is expected Griffey called the audit He added he hopes it will help identify possible solu tions to the districts slowly trick ling cash flow The project mandated by state health officials in 1989 after nine homes were discovered to be discharging sewage into Honey Creek will link 59 homes in the rural community with a waste water treatment plant via sewer lines The prefabricated plant manufactured in Pennsylvania was installed in early November by Peerless Plumbing Heating Corp of Kokomo The district still owes Peerless about for its work but only has a fund balance of according to County Commissioner Dave Griffey Sanco Engineering Associates Inc has received thus far for project engineering and con struction management fees But Griffey said he only knows of a contract commissioners awarded company in November 1994 If Stinchcomb and the district board agreed to other contractual fees without commis knowledge Ampe wants to see documentation Griffey said Were not saying somebody has done something wrong but show me the verification that you should have received that much Griffey said may have them but if he doesnt theres going to be some Stinchcomb said this morning he can produce a contract that com missioners signed to pay him for his work Temple said he recalls the commissioners awarding Stinchcomb a contract for that amount A March 1993 Tri bune article reported projected engineering and accountant fees of I think Dave Griffey is forget ting some things but I need to talk with him before I say Temple said Project funding consists of a state commerce depart ment grant and a bond issue The bonds have already been sold and will be repaid over 20 years with revenues from tapon fees and to monthly sewer bills Minnie Pearl 83 dies of stroke NASHVILLE Tenn AP Min nie Pearl the country comedian known worldwide for her shrill and straw hat with its dangling price tag is dead at age 83 Miss Pearl died Monday night at Columbia Centennial Medical Cen ter after a week of unconscious ness following a Feb 25 stroke Another stroke in 1991 had ended her performing career and left her partially paralyzed Her loud cheerful Im just so proud to be here and her straw hat toothy grin and cali co and gingham dresses were her trademarks on more than a half century on the Grand Ole Opry country music show and 20 years on the syndicated TV show Hee Theres a lot of tears in the nation tonight and certainly quite a few in Grinders said Jerry Stroble manager of the Grand Ole Opry Miss Pearl laced her jokes with references to Grinders a railroad switching station near her hometown of Centerville 50 miles southwest of Nashville Miss Pearl also sang and played the piano but was best known for her humor which focused on a longstanding search for a Minnie Pearl wears her trade mark hat AP photo
