hayes partial reporter entry

INDEX: Weather / A12 r Business / A9 Community / A5 Dear Abby, Astrograph / A5 Local & State / A3 Obituaries / A4

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Senior Day 8/17/11

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By Brandi WattersThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — When 13-year-old Tyler Murray arrived at High-land Junior High School’s openhouse Monday, he was promptly instructed to sign a red card that read: “I am W.I.T.H. it.”

Red pledge cards signed by other students surrounded himon the walls of the main hallway.

Eighth-grade science teacher Melanie Mechem said the pledgecard is part of the school’s new focus, and the acronym stands for “Whatever it takes, Highland.”

Mechem said students wereasked to sign the card, indicatingthat they would do whatever it takes to bring up their ISTEPscores, classroom grades andgeneral academic performance.

The focus, she said, is improv-

ing ISTEP scores.In July, test results revealed

that just 54.9 percent of ACS stu-dents passed both math and Eng-lish ISTEP exams in 2011. That was down from 55.5 percent in 2010.

The dismal scores landed theschool corporation on a list of theworst-performing districts in thestate. It was ranked seventhworst.

As a result, the school district is focusing on raising ISTEP scoresand has decided to build thisyear’s curriculum around that goal.

“That’s all that seems to matter in a lot of people’s eyes. I’m not saying that’s all that matters,”Mechem said.

Students attending Highlandthis year will get a very different learning experience than years

past, she said.At the start of each day, stu-

dents will spend 30 minutes inenrichment and remediationhomerooms where students will focus on English or math, which-ever subject they need to improve.

These groups will be composed of eight to 10 students, she said,and the students will be groupedbased on academic need.

Students struggling with frac-tions will be paired with other students seeing the same strug-gle, and their teachers will tailor the 30-minute work sessions tothe group’s needs.

Mechem said the junior highschool launched a pilot of the 8 Step Process in 2010 and found great success with the 162 stu-dent participants.

Highland students in for a change of pace

Aaron Piper / The Herald Bulletin

From left to right, Trajan Dixon, his brother, Gregory Dixon, andOrlando Graham look over a map of the school and their schedulesto plot out their school day Monday at the Highland Junior HighSchool open house. Both Graham and Trajan Dixon will be going intothe seventh grade, while Gregory will be entering eighth grade.

Junior high school tries new ISTEP program, students to be grouped

TRAGEDY AT THE STATE FAIR

Retirees take legalaction over health plan

By Michael D. DoyleThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — More than 80Anderson Community Schools retirees have filed a lawsuit alleg-ing the district breached a con-tract over health insurance rates.

The former employees, includ-ing teachers, claim they are pay-ing an additional 16 percent inhealth insurance premiums that they did not agree to when they retired.

Plaintiffs named in the case are84 former ACS employees whotook early retirement and electedto continue their health insurance.

As part of the agreement, those participating in the early retire-ment plan were to receive the same benefits as they did as activeemployees. The agreement stipu-lated that the school district wouldpay the full cost of insurance for the first year of retirement. But any increase over 9 percent was to be paid by the retiree.

However, a revision to the school’s collective bargaining agreement required retirees to contribute 25 percent of healthinsurance premiums, the lawsuit claims. On March 30, a letter wassent by Superintendent Felix Chow to many who participated inthe Early Retiree program inform-ing them of the increase. The let-ter was signed by Chow and Anderson Federation of Teachers President Tom Forkner.

On Monday, Anderson attorney Kevin Eads, who represents the retirees, called the case a “clear breach of contract.”

“There were efforts made to resolve this before filing suit,” Eads said. “Going to court was not something that anyone wanted to do.”

Under the new rates, retireeswould be responsible for a $151 monthly payment for a single indi-vidual, $351 for two, or $401 for family coverage. The plan took effect on July 1 for non-certified and administrative staff retireesand will start Sept. 1 for those who retired as certified staff members.

The lawsuit claims that thosewho took part in the early retire-ment program were no longer represented by the Anderson Fed-eration of Teachers that negotiat-ed the new collective bargainingagreement.

According to the lawsuit, retir-ees are “not union members, do

ACS suedby formeremployees

See ACS / A2

See HIGHLAND / A2

Submitted photo

Andrea Vellinga (right) and Kendra Stock (left) took a photo of themselves before the Sugarland concert at the Indiana StateFairgrounds on Saturday. That night the stage collapsed, critically injuring Vellinga. Stock was not injured.

Pendleton woman remains critical after

concert stage collapse

By Melanie D. HayesThe Herald Bulletin

PENDLETON — Andrea Vel-linga was so close to the Indiana State Fairground’s stage, where Sugarland was about to per-form, that she could touch it.She was thrilled that she might be able to reach out and graze lead singer, Jennifer Nettles, her idol.

But her proximity to the stage and the severe storm and winds Saturday night are what led tothe head injury that put her in critical condition at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

The 30-year-old Pendleton mother was one of more than 40 who were injured when the stage collapsed onto itself andthe crowd. Five people died as a result of the disaster.

Vellinga, a 1999 Pendleton Heights graduate, had dreamt

of being in the front row to watch her favorite band, andshe was finally getting to do it.

After the opening act left thestage, Vellinga and her friends stood around talking and laugh-ing about how close they wereto the performers, said Kendra Stock, Vellinga’s best friendsince childhood. She was at theconcert with her.

Then a man came on stage and informed everyone that a storm was coming, but that theshow would go on, she said. If it got dangerous, people would beevacuated.

A dream turned nightmareTo help

To help cover Andrea Vellin-ga’s medical costs and her family’s stay at the hospital’shotel, donations can be madeto her church at www.iam-catalyst.org. Once on the website, click on CatalystOnline and click on Vellinga Support.

By Maureen HaydenCNHI Statehouse Bureau

INDIANAPOLIS — Thirty-six hours after she rushed towardvictims trapped under a col-lapsed stage at the Indiana StateFair, nurse Joy Travis returned to the fair-grounds to say a prayer.

She was having diffi-culty block-ing the imag-es that kept flooding her mind: They began with o m i n o u s l y dark clouds in the dis-tance, flashesof lightning, and a sudden andmassive burst of gravel-filled

wind that made the stage infront of her seem to swoon.

What followed still seemedlike a nightmare to the Plain-field nurse who’d been sittingin the grandstands with morethan 12,000 other Sugarlandfans Saturday night.

The stage’s lights, riggingand scaffolding toppled for-ward, crashing down on scoresof people. By the time Traviscould push her way forward,through a panicking crowd,she could see one man wasalready dead and many morewounded. The death toll wouldsoon climb to five, with morethan four dozen people trans-ported to area hospitals.

What still clung to Travis on Monday, after an emotionalmemorial service at the fair-grounds, was the fear on thefaces of the injured and the

Victims and heroes rememberedat state fair memorial service

See PENDLETON / A2 See MEMORIAL / A2

INSIDE » Local venues keep emergency plans up-to-date / Page A2

For video of Monday’smemorialservice fromthe TribuneStar, scan thistag, with your smartphoneor visit her-aldbulletin.com/videos.

A2 Tuesday, August 16, 2011 | The Herald Bulletin

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COPYRIGHT 2011 • VOLUME 143 ISSUE 58

For three weeks, theselected students workedin the 30-minute home-rooms and had regular conversations with teach-ers regarding ISTEPassessment topics.

The result, according toan ACS flier handed out toparents Monday, was a marked improvement inthose students’ scores.

The school reports that 52 percent of seventh-grade students in the groupthat had failed the Englishin the previous year wereable to pass.

The same thing hap-pened for 53 percent of eighth-graders who weretested in that subject.

The school reported that 84 percent of eighth-gradestudents, and 66 percent of seventh-grade students,improved math scores thanks to the program.

“If we can accomplishthis in 45 days, imagine what we can accomplish inone year,” the flier reads.

The 8 Step Process hasbeen shown to dramatically improve scores in other school districts around thecountry.

Parent Angela Murray welcomes the change inprotocol.

Her son, Tyler Murray,recently attended theAnderson Preparatory

Academy but begged to be allowed to attend High-land.

At the first sign of trou-ble, he’ll be pulled out and sent to APA, she said.

Just four in 10 black males graduated from Anderson High School last year.

Murray doesn’t want her son to be one of the six who doesn’t graduate, but sees hope in the district’s deci-sion to change things up.

According to ACS, stu-dents at Highland will be placed in teams this year. Students on the same team will share the same teach-ers throughout the day. “This enables us to do a better job of serving our students, communicating with parents and it pro-vides a small school atmo-sphere where students feel a part of the school because they belong to a small group,” the flier read.

Parent Vikki Barron con-sidered sending her son, 12-year-old Dylan, to anoth-er school after witnessing ACS scores decline. So many of her friends have done so.

But this year, Barron is giving the school district a shot. “Until I have a reason to leave, I’ll stay.”

Dylan is a high-achieving student, and she believes he will thrive in any envi-ronment. “He’s smart enough to make good choices.”

HIGHLANDContinued from Page 1

Corrections◆ In Sunday’s History

page story titled “St. Mary’sserved Catholic students,”Lawrence “Bud” Wulle’sname was misspelled.

The Herald Bulletin correctsits errors promptly on Page A2. Call (765) 640-4800 tobring mistakes to our atten-tion.

not pay union dues and arenot entitled to vote in unionelections” and that an indi-vidual’s relationship withAFT is severed upon the endof his or her employment.

The lawsuit states that therequirement of the retireesto pay the new rate is “with-out legal merit,” calling for Anderson Community School Corp. to pay for legalfees taken on to refute theaction.

The suit also asks that ACS reimburse each of the84 individuals for money paid to continue health cov-erage plus 8 percent of that sum in damages to eachplaintiff.

On Monday, Chow saidhe could not comment onthe case, but that his sidewas “waiting to proceed.”ACS will be represented by attorney Charles Rubright of Indianapolis. A call placedto Rubright’s office Monday was not returned.

ACSContinued from Page 1

“Within seconds, welooked over to the left of thestage and saw a huge dust storm,” said Stock, 30,Pendleton. “It was twirlingtoward us. The top of thestage, the tarp, started togo up and down and we saw the stage moving.”

One of their friends, Hai-ley Padgett, 30, Pendleton,screamed: “Oh my god!Run!”

The group of friends scat-tered, running toward thegrandstand and away fromthe stage.

“I looked back and saw it falling on me,” Stock said.“I just made it. It scrapedmy back and I fell to theground.”

Stock drew herself upand one by one found her friends. But Vellinga wasmissing.

“People were downeverywhere. It was a night-mare,” she said. “And thenI just stood there, lookingfor my best friend. She wasnowhere.”

After an exasperatingsearch, the group of friends

went to Methodist Hospital because they had heard the injured were being taken there. Another person in the group, Hillary Holt, 30, Pendleton, also received treatment there for a small skull fracture and cuts on her face. She was released Sunday, Stock said.

When they arrived at Methodist, they found out Vellinga was already there.

Apparently, a steel beam fell on her and crushed her skull. Her shoulder bone was broken and several vertebrae were cracked. She remained medically sedated and in critical con-dition at the hospital Mon-day, she said.

The hospital has been filled with friends and fam-ily members. Dozens of others have covered Vellin-ga’s Facebook page with prayers and words of hope and love.

Vellinga’s brother, Tyler Voss, has been updating people through Facebook posts. In a long message he wrote Sunday night, he reminded people that Vel-linga is a fighter and will get through this. He thanked people for their

prayers and concerns, andurged them to keep it up.

“I also want to thank thepeople at the concert whorescued my dear sister,”Voss wrote. “I don’t know who you are or if you may be reading this, but thank you for your selflessnessand courage to find it with-in yourself the resilient fer-vor to lift her limp body from the collapsed rubbleand get her to Methodist asquickly as you did.”

It wasn’t until Monday that Vellinga’s family andfriends learned how sheended up at Methodist.

A woman approached thefamily at the hospital andtold them she had been at the concert, sitting at thevery top of the grandstandwhen the stage crumbled.She sprinted down thesteps and onto the disaster zone, her husband right alongside her.

The woman is a surgery resident at Methodist Hos-pital, and her husband anEMT. Paramedics gavethem a bag of supplies andthey attended to Vellinga.

“They began working onher within two minutes. If they wouldn’t have, she

(Vellinga) wouldn’t be withus today,” Stock said, her voice cracking. “They rushed her to an ambu-lance and begged to put her on there. She needed to beone of the first ones out.”

Her husband, Mike Vel-linga, has spent every night at the hospital, and their 4-year-old daughter, Lydia, doesn’t quite understandwhat happened to her mother.

“She (Andrea Vellinga) isone of the most incrediblepeople I’ve met in my entirelife,” Stock said. “She is a real good-hearted person, a hard worker, extremely outgoing. She is the best friend you could ever wishfor. She is an amazingmother.”

The next 72 hours arecrucial to Vellinga’s recov-ery, Stock said doctors aresaying.

“We need continuedprayers,” she said. “Weneed a miracle.”

PENDLETONContinued from Page 1

shouts of police officersclearing a path for make-shift gurneys on which thewounded were beingrushed to waiting ambu-lances.

“They kept shouting,‘make a hole, make a hole,make a hole,’” Travis said.“I kept hearing that over and over in my head allnight: those police officerstrying to get people out of the way. It seemed like it would never stop.”

During Monday’s ser-vice, Daniels praised thosewho rushed to help theinjured, including many from the crowd who tried tolift the tangled mess of met-al and lights off thosetrapped underneath the col-lapsed stage.

“My heart is full for thosewho acted in courageousways ...,” Daniels said,choking back tears.

“There was a hero every 10 feet on Saturday night. I cannot tell you how proud I am to be the employee of 61/2 million people likethat.”

Indiana Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman opened the ser-vice with a prayer that con-tained a plea to God to helprelieve the anxieties of those left behind. The anxi-ety was evident among theState Fair staff at the ser-vice. They’re grappling with

tough questions about whether Saturday’s concert should have been canceled,due to the approachingstorm. State Fair director Cindy Hoye openly wept during the service. In a timeline released over theweekend, State Fair officialsacknowledged that theNational Weather Servicehad notified them late Satur-day afternoon that badweather was approaching.But Hoye and othersbelieved they’d have moretime to clear the crowd oncethe severe thunderstormwarning had been issued.They were wrong. Theweather service issued a warning for Marion County at 8:45 p.m.; the stage col-lapsed four minutes later.

Among those at the ser-vice were family members of Nathan Byrd, a 51-year-old stagehand from India-napolis who was on top therigging when the stage col-lapsed. He later died from injuries.

There were other family and friends of victims at theservice, but many whoattended were like Travis:They didn’t know the peo-ple who were killed but were feeling a deep sense of grief.

“There’s a big sense of family here,” said Misty Price, a concession stand worker. “I keep thinking,‘maybe I met one of thepeople who died. Maybe I talked to them that night.’”

MEMORIALContinued from Page 1


ANDERSON — Thetragic and terrifying stageffcrash at the Indiana StateFairgrounds on Saturday has made people nervousabout outdoor events anddangerous weather.

But many venues haveemergency plans in caseof severe storms.

With Colts training camptaking over Anderson Uni-versity campus for a few weeks, the Madison County Emergency Management Agency has been workingdaily to make sure visitorsare safe. Anderson Univer-sity also has its own emer-gency weather plans that it adjusts for various events.

The Madison County Emergency Management Agency creates an updat-ed action plan for each day of Colts camp, said theagency’s director, C.R.Brown. They research theweather conditions, theexpected crowd and other factors to fit the needs.The plan is updated beforeeach day of training andthen they keep an eye onthree different radars.

The plan includes theresponsibilities of each pub-lic safety department that isinvolved, including the

Anderson police and firedepartments, AndersonUniversity’s security offi-cers, and EMA, Brown said.

It includes the processthe teams would follow toalert people to severeweather, how to evacuatethem, or how to move themto safe shelter — such asresidence halls — if thereisn’t time to exit the prem-ises. It even includes flight and drive times to severalhospitals.

Last year, people wereevacuated from a night practice when there was a threat of severe weather,and it went smoothly, said Walter Smith, the director of police and security ser-vice at the university.

Hoosier Park also has anemergency plan in placefor its outdoor concertsand events, said its spokes-man, Grant Scharton.

Designated officials canchoose to evacuate people“based on a constant stream of the most up-to-date weather informationfrom dedicated weather radios, the national weath-er service and other sources. An announce-ment would be made fromthe concert stage notify-ing concert goers of thesituation and of their near-est points of egress.

Local venues keep emergency plans current

INDEX: Weather / C8 r Business / B7 Community / C1 Dear Abby, Astrograph / C6 Local & State / A3 Obituaries / A4

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9/11’s web of worryWoman safe but knew many affected that day | C1

Savings insideCoupons total $100 today


ANDERSON — As Chris Boots watched thick clouds of dark smoke billow out of thetower, confusion set in.

The Pendleton man contin-ued staring wide-eyed at thetelevision, andas he watched another airplanecrash into the second World Trade Center tower, reality dawned on him.

“I thought, something is going on,” Boots, 45, said, “and the world is going to bedifferent.”

He was right.

Al-Qaida’s airplane hijack-ing and suicide attacks on theU.S. at the World Trade Cen-ter and the Pentagon killedalmost 3,000 people, destroyed iconic buildings, hurt the economy and instant-ly spread a level of terror that had been unknown to many Americans until that moment.

The United States, a power-ful and admired nation, wherepeople felt they were safe andremoved from terrorism, bombings, bloody dictator-

ships and other hazards com-mon in foreign lands hadbeen sucker punched. Andthe attacks targeted New York City and Washington,D.C., two of the country’smost well-known and visitedcities.

Ten years to the day, someof the fear has diminished,but memories of the planecrashes still make people ner-vous about flying. Conse-quences of the attack and theongoing War on Terror waged

against al-Qaida, Osama binLaden and their allies has permeated America, affecting everyday life and Americans’perceptions of people and places.

Boots, owner of C.J. BootsCasket in Anderson, and hiscolleagues at the business, Jim Rogers and Justin Davis,discussed the attacks and theaftermath over lunch at Pane-ra Bread in Anderson.

9/11: 10 YEARS LATER

Consequences of the attacks are still felt todaySpecial section inside

A special sectionmarking the10-year anniversary of theattacks is includedwith today’s edition. The eight-

page, com-memorative sectionfeatures stories andphotosfrom The HeraldBulletin andThe Associated Press.

FREE Prostate ScreeningsSt.Vincent Mercy Hospital, 1331 South A St., ElwoodSept. 28. Call 765-552-4646 for an appointment.

Saint John’s Cancer Center, 2020 Meridian St., AndersonSept. 17. Call 765-608-2677 for an appointment.

8th annual Andersontown Powwow and Indian Market continues to grow

Anderson’s culture shareBy April Abernathy

The Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — About 30dancers moved in rhythm and circled the arena at the eighthannual Andersontown Powwow and Indian Market on Saturday afternoon at Athletic Park.

The dancers, dressed in col-orful regalia adorned with intri-cate beading and feathers, per-formed a round dance after thegrand entry and presentation of flags.

Dressed in vibrant shades of pink and purple, Sarah Kincer of Brown County danced in thearena. The 10-year-old bounceddelicately on her toes for thefancy shawl dance.

“I’ve been dancing since Iwas a baby,” Kincer said.

For the last six years, dancingat powwows in Indiana, Michi-gan, Illinois and Oklahoma hasallowed Kincer to share her Inu-vialuit culture with others.

“It’s fun and you get to seeyour old friends,” she said.

A blue sky and plenty of sun-shine drew in what powwow organizer Debbie Webb called a fabulous crowd.

“People enjoy coming anddoing some of the same thingsyear after year,” Webb said.“But we do like to offer somenew things.”

This year’s powwow expand-ed to include three tipis.

“We hope to have more tipisin the future so we can have a tipi village,” she said. “We’re always looking for new thingsto bring.”

Tamara Deane sat inside a late 1890’s Lakota Sioux tipi andtaught visitors about the Lakota way of life.

“The Lakota thrived off thebuffalo for everything,” Deanesaid. “The women used every part for everyday living.”

Deane, from Morristown,Tenn., explained how each part of the buffalo was used: blad-ders were used for carrying water, shoulder blades weremade into plates, horns weremade into spoons, and thebrains were used to tan andsoften the hide.

Near the tipi, Mark Eatonfrom Shoals, Ind., cooked Dela-ware Indian cuisine consistingof corn, fish, squash and buffalomeat.

“It’s the Eastern Seaboard

food, before they (the Dela-ware) moved to the Midwest,”Eaton said. “This kind of his-torical re-enactment takes it to a whole new level.”

Eaton got involved with thepowwow four years ago.

“My wife is a historical inter-preter, so I essentially marriedinto it,” he said. “I’ve alwaysbeen a historical re-enactor but this is different.”

Other activities included story telling and children’s activitiesset up by Mounds State Park andthe Anderson Center for theArts. Surrounding the powwow were booths selling authenticIndian crafts and wares.

Danielle Jenkins brought her children to enjoy the powwow.The former Anderson resident said she really enjoyed the day.

“The kids are so excited todance,” she said. “A few of thedancers have even come out and let us take pictures of themwith the kids.”

As for next year, Webb said,planning is already under way.

“We’re already looking for staff for next year,” she said. “Once this is over, we start writ-ing the grants and gettingeverything planned out.”

Contact April Abernathy:640-4861 or [email protected]

An Americawithout postalservice difficult

to envisionBy Randolph E. Schmid

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Imagine a nation without the Postal Service.

No more birthday cards andbills or magazines and catalogsfilling the mailbox. It’s a worst-case scenario being painted for anorganization that lost $8.5 billionin 2010 and seems headed deeper into the red this year.

“A lot of people would miss it,”says Tony Conway, a 34-year post office veteran who now heads theAlliance of Nonprofit Mailers.

Businesses, too.The letter carrier or clerk is the

face of the mail. But hanging inthe balance is a $1.1 trillion mail-ing industry that employs morethan 8 million people in direct mail, periodicals, catalogs, finan-cial services, charities and other businesses that depend on thepost office.

Who would carry mail to the Hualapai Indian Reservation inthe Grand Canyon? To islands off the coast of Maine? To rural vil-lages in Alaska? Only the post office goes to those places andthousands of others in the UnitedStates, and all for 44 cents. And it’solder than the United States itself.

Ernest Burkes Sr. says his bills,magazines and diabetes medica-tion are mailed to his home inCanton, in northeast Ohio, and hefrequently visits the post officedown the street to send first-classmail, mostly documents for the tax service he runs. As his business increased over the past threedecades, so has the load of mail hesends, and it’s still pretty steady.

“I don’t know what I’d do if they’dclose down the post offices,” saidBurkes, who doesn’t use rival deliv-ery services such as UPS or FedEx.

Boots

More on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 Indiana Muslims have emerged from their mosques and private lives in the 10 years since

the 9/11 attacks to become more visible members of their communities. Page A3 Terrorist attacks sparked Indiana resident Aaron Hooten’s entry into U.S. military — and

wa . o e, t e g eatest t g eve was se ve y cou t y, e says ow.war. “For me, the greatest thing I ever did was serve my country,” he says now. agePage A2

See ATTACKS / A2

See POSTAL / A2

Ben Margot / AP

U.S. Postal Service mailboxesawait disposal in San Jose, Calif. The Postal Service has removedmore than 60 percent of the blueboxes amid budget troubles.

Photos by Don Knight / The Herald Bulletin

Skyler Spirit Wolf dances during the Andersontown Powwow on Saturday at Athletic Park in Anderson. The Powwow continues today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Today at the Powwow and Indian Market AaronStevensparticipatesin anintertribaldanceduring thepowwowat AthleticPark inAnderson.

11 a.m.: Indian Market opens; storytelling with Dee and Annette Ketchum and Michael and Ella Pace at Education Tent

11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Children’s activities at Artist Tent 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Artifact identification at Artist Tent 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Tomahawk throws with Steve Witt Noon: Eagle Creek Birds of Prey at Education Tent Noon: Delaware Foods Presentation at Woodland Indians Camp Noon: Douglas Blue Feather at Arena 1-3:30 p.m.: Grand entry; 9/11 commemoration; open Powwow dancing 2 p.m.: Maple sugaring demonstration at Woodland Indians Camp 2 p.m.: Eagle Creek Birds of Prey 3:30 p.m.: Closing ceremony — tribal dance and prayer song 4 p.m.: Arena and Indian Market close

Su day, Septe be , 0 | e e ald ulletA2 Sunday, September 11, 2011 | The Herald Bulletin

Even a decade later, thethree said they still worry that something like that could happen again.

“I’ve flown several timessince then,” Boots said,”andI always think about it. Ithink we all were afraid of flying after that.”

At the time of the attacks,Rogers, 53, was a pastor at the North Anderson (now Madison Park) Church of God. He and others at thechurch huddled around a television, watching in hor-ror as the towers crumbled.

“It was a weird, weirdfeeling,” said the Middle-town resident and casket company vice president. “Iknew, ‘Everything has just changed. Everything.’

“I can remember I wasscared. If they could get there, what could happennext?”

Rogers travels nationally and internationally quite a bit, so it was unnerving. Hebegan to change his travelroutine.

“If I was going to Nash-ville, for example, I would have taken a flight if Icould,” he said. “But now it’s not worth it. If it’s withina day’s drive, I’ll drive it.”

Part of that change is dueto fear of another hijackingor terrorist attack that involves airplanes. But part of it is that heightened andtime-consuming airport security measures — pro-cedures they all agree arenecessary and appreciated— make flying an inconve-nient option for quick busi-ness trips. Since passen-gers now have to arriveseveral hours in advance of a flight each way, a one-day business trip is not possibleanymore, Boots said.

Davis, 30, Noblesville, saidthe attacks had an immedi-ate impact on his life.

He was a student at Indi-ana University-Purdue Uni-versity Indianapolis that

year, and learned of the attacks when the normally funny “Bob and Tom” radio show made the somber announcement as he wasdriving to school. When hearrived, campus was silent and still, except for televi-sions in every classroom tuned in to the same shock-ing images.

At the time, Davis hadalso been working at an Avis car rental at the India-napolis airport.

“I was laid off that week because no one was flying.Business was gone,” saidDavis, who is now the cas-ket company’s project man-ager. “Everybody was rent-ing cars that day and thenext day to get home, but after that there were no reservations.”

People were incredulous that they had an enemy, al-Qaida, they had never evenheard of.

Boots shook his head. “We Americans thought we were —”

“Invincible?” Davis filledin.

“Yes,” Boots said.“Exempt from that type of thing. The last time we hadanything like that was PearlHarbor. We were compla-cent. But the truth is we arenot exempt.”

The shock and disbelief led to mistrust and stereo-types, especially toward Muslims, and sometimes even toward anyone withdarker skin and an accent.

Davis said before 9/11 his experience at the India-napolis airport was that people did not notice or pay special attention to Mus-lims or other people wholooked as if they were fromthe Middle East.

“Or if they did,” Jim inter-jected, “it was a spectaclerather than a fear. For menow it’s a fear.”

Doyle Valentine, 58,thinks that people still takenotice of Middle Eastern-looking people, especially those who stand out by wearing a turban or other traditional clothing.

“The memory (of 9/11)is still there but has dieddown a little,” said Valen-tine, who owns AndersonMotor Patrol, a security company. “People are not as much in fear now but stillwonder about suspicious-looking people.”

Besides insecurity andfear of the unexpected andunknown, the attacks led tochanges in everyday life.

Tens of thousands of mil-itary members and civiliansinvolved in the struggleagainst terrorism havebeen separated from their families, sometimes sent onseveral tours to fight in thewar. Many have come homein caskets. It is an imageand story that has become a regular occurrence in thenews.

People have been affect-ed in other ways, too. Gasprices have skyrocketed

since the beginning of thewars in Iraq and Afghani-stan, said Freda Stinson, 60, Anderson.

“I think that prices arehigh in stores and restau-rants,” said the retired Vil-lage Pantry sales clerk.

Valentine has noticedthat since the attacks, a lot more documentation isrequired to open a check-ing account or obtain a driver’s license.

““A lot has changed,” hesaid. “There are a lot of inconveniences with somethings, but on the other hand, they are needed.”

Even Boots’ casket com-pany has had to change itsways.

Before Sept. 11, 2001, thecompany could ship cas-kets, with or without a body, fairly easily and withno red tape. Now, there are background checks and theairlines have to inspect their company’s facilities.And they have to inspect each shipped casket,regardless if it is empty or carrying a body.

As people look upon the10-year anniversary of the attacks in different ways,Boots will have the memo-ries he has had each year since 2003.

Boots remembers how the first person to call him onSept. 11, 2001, was his step-sister, who was terrified.

“Every year I think of her on 9/11 because a few years ago she was killed ina small-plane crash.”

Contact Melanie Hayes:648-4250, [email protected]

ATTACKSContinued from Page 1










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“They need to help them, just like they helped some of these other places, auto-mobiles and others.”

Postmaster General Pat-rick Donahoe is strug-gling to keep his money-losing organization afloat as more and more people are ditching mail in favor of the Internet, causing the lucrative first-class mail flow to plummet.

Donahoe has a plan toturn things around, if he can get the attention of Congress and pass a series of hurdles, including unionconcerns.

“The Postal Service isnot going out of business,”postal spokesman David

Partenheimer said. But heacknowledged that if Con-gress doesn’t act onDonahoe’s plan, the post office could reach a point next summer where it doesn’t have the money tokeep operating.

Donahoe and his prede-cessor have warned for years of the problems andstressed that the post office will be unable to make a mandated $5.5 bil-lion payment due Sept. 30to a fund for future medi-cal benefits for retirees. A 90-day delay on the pay-ment has been suggestedas a short-term fix.

Donahoe has a long-term one. It includes laying off staff beyond the 110,000 cut in the past four years, clos-ing 3,700 offices and elimi-nating Saturday delivery.

POSTALContinued from Page 1

Postal Service woes deepenAfter years of operating losses and declining mail volume, the U.S. Postal Service faces the possibility of curbing Saturday mail delivery, closing post offices and laying off workers.

’01

Operating profits and losses since 2001

-$8.5 billion-10

-8-6-4-2

0

2

$4 billion

’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10

SOURCE: U.S. Postal Service AP

THB on Twitter: @heraldbulletin

For Indiana veteran, 9/11 was reason enough to join militaryBy Sam BrattainThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — Growing up in Fortville, Aaron Hoo-ten, 28, was told by his father, a Vietnam War vet-eran, that one day he toowould have to serve his country in a war.

“My dad always talked about how he had this feel-ing that something would happen one day that would send us to war,” Hooten said.

Hooten never gave muchthought to his father’s pre-diction, until the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when he was18 years old.

“I was sleeping in my bed

when my brother woke meup: ‘Wake up, we’re getting bombed, we’re at war,’”Hooten said.

After watching the sceneplay out on television, Hoo-ten was filled with a need for vengeance.

“I wanted someone to pay. I didn’t care who,” Hooten said.

Four years later, he enlisted in the Army National Guard. With no children to support or oth-er major responsibilities,Hooten felt he was ripe for military service.

“I told myself: ‘This coun-try’s at war. You need to stop screwing around,’” he said.

Hooten served a tour inIraq as a truck commander from September 2006 to September 2007.

One monthbefore he finishedthe tour, Hootensaid, insurgentsshot rockets at histroop twice in thesame day. The first attack occurredwhile his unit waslooking for road-side bombs. Hooten saidthe vehicle he was riding inwas badly damaged, but they were able to get it to a nearby base.

Several hours later, the

base was rocketed. Miracu-lously no one was killed in

either attack.“I felt pretty

lucky,” Hootensaid.

However, a few soldiers, includ-ing Hooten, wereinjured. Hootensaid the incident “screwed up” hisspine, and he stillreceives painmedicine through

Veterans Affairs.Hooten never served

another tour, because hewas listed as medically not deployable.

“If I could re-enlist, I

would,” Hooten said, whonow lives in Greenfield.

Having survived a poten-tially deadly attack, Hootensaid the fight in him becamestronger.

“It makes you want towin it and take the fight tothe enemy,” Hooten said.

The combat mission inIraq ended in August 2010,but troops remain engaged.Hooten said he has friendsover there, some of whomare serving their third tour.

Hooten said the surge in2007 was effective, and he believes that the U.S.should remain in Iraq.

“Complete the mission,do it right, and then we can

pull out,” Hooten said.Ten years after the

attacks of Sept. 11, Hootensaid, the attitude of Ameri-cans has changed.

“The country was unitedafter 9/11. Everyone wassaying ‘support the troops.’Now you don’t see that kindof patriotism,” he said.

Hooten said he plans tospend the anniversary with his father, swapping war stories.

“For me, the greatest thing I ever did was serve my country,” Hooten said.

Contact Sam Brattain:640-4883, [email protected]

Having survived a potentially

deadly attack, Hooten said the fight in

him became stronger.

No sign of US entry for terror plotWASHINGTON — U.S. intelligence agencies have

found no evidence that al-Qaida has sneaked any ter-rorists into the country for a strike coinciding with the10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, senior officials said Saturday. But authorities kept a high alert as investi-gators looked for proof of a plot possibly timed to dis-rupt events planned today in Washington or New York.Since late Wednesday, counterterrorism officials have

chased a tip that al-Qaida may have sent three men to the U.S. on a mission to detonate a car bomb in either city. At least two of those men could be U.S. citizens, according to the tip. No intelligence supported that tipas of Saturday.

— The Associated Press

COMING MONDAY »Anderson native John Pistole, who for decades breezed past airportsecurity checkpoints as an FBI agent, is the faceless bane of every air traveler who must remove his belt, endure an intimate pat-down or is instructed tothrow away a 6-ouncebott e o s a poo.bottle of shampoo.

INDEX: Weather / A12 r Business / B5 Community / A5 Dear Abby, Astrograph / A8 Local & State / A3 Obituaries / A4


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Hoosier Park one of 17 locations around state

By Abbey DoyleThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — With 60 days togo to the 2012 Super Bowl in Indianapolis excitement about the“super” celebration is growing, local organizers involved with the event have said.

“This is a big deal for the state and a really big deal for MadisonCounty as well,” said Dennis Ash-ley, chairman of events for the Super Madison County initiative.

Madison County — specifically Hoosier Park Racing & Casino — was selected as one of 17 “super celebration sites” across the state that will act as a gather-ing place fullof activitiesfor thosewanting topar ticipatein the Super Bowl activi-ties and be a welcome area for guests.

Anderson’s site is unique as it is one that will be providing transpor-tation to the Super Bowl activities in downtown Indianapolis. A mile area around Lucas Oil Stadium will be blocked off to traffic and getting anywhere near the site will be diffi-cult, Ashley said during an informa-tional session Monday morning.

Buses will be providing trans-portation between area hotels andHoosier Park — where the local activities are happening — and between Hoosier Park and down-town Indianapolis.

The transportation, like the majority of the Super Celebrationactivities at Hoosier Park, is free to visitors and residents, Ashley said. The way reservations can be made will be announced as theevent nears.

The activities planned locally are a family fun interactive media zone, a mini grid iron challenge, a display of information from area businesses and organizations, Blackjack mania, slot tourna-ments, live entertainment includ-ing KC and the Sunshine Band,

Super Bowl celebrationactivities

announced

At a glanceTo find out more about spon-

sorship opportunities with theSuper Celebration Site contactDennis Ashley at 778-4380 or [email protected]. To find out moreabout volunteering during the10-day Super Celebration event, contact the Madison CountyVisitors and Convention Bureauat 643-5633 or [email protected].

See SUPER / A2

John P. Cleary / The Herald Bulletin

Jessie Minneman, 15, comforts her horse Gracie as veterinarian Joe Yocum works on the rear of Gracie removing fat tissue to retrieve stem cells that he can separate and activate and then inject them back into Gracie in her arthritic ankle. This was Indiana’s firstin-clinic equine stem cell procedure and performed at King Veterinary Service in Daleville.


ANDERSON — As veterinar-ian Joe Yocum stuck a largesyringe into a show horse’sthigh and removed 40 grams of fat, the horse’s owner stoodclose by caressing her muzzlereassuringly.

Four years ago, Gracie, thenow 11-year-old horse, helpedJessie Minneman learn to rideagain as she recovered from a serious riding accident andcoma. Now, Jessie, 15, stood by her horse as she underwent treatment for arthritis that hadher limping in pain.

Indiana’s first in-clinic equine

stem cell procedure was per-formed on Gracie on Monday morning at King Veterinary Service in Daleville.

Brad King, an equine sportsmedicine veterinarian andowner of the clinic, has helpedhis animal patients throughstem cell treatments before,but not in-house. King wouldgather cell samples with a syringe, send them to Califor-nia where they were pro-cessed, and then they weremailed back so that King couldre-inject his animals with thetreated cells.

The in-house treatment offersquicker, more efficient results,he said. The cost to animal own-

ers is $1,600 to $1,800.Yocum owns his own vet

clinic in Danville, Ky., and is also a traveling consultant for MediVet America, a stem cell therapy company in Kentucky. Yocum performs in-clinic stem cell treatments at his clinic and also travels and teaches other vets how to perform them on their own as well. On Monday, he was teaching King the tricks of the job by working on Gra-cie.

This treatment is not the con-troversial human embryonic treatment. It is an adult stem cell treatment that uses stemcells and natural healing fac-tors from an animal’s own body,

Yocum said. Fat is removed from the ani-

mal, and machines are used tobreak down the fat to release the cells. The cells are com-bined with blood plasma enriched with growth and heal-ing chemicals and the liquid is activated with LED lights sothat it can begin rebuilding cartilage quicker than it nor-mally would. The stem cells are then injected back into the ani-mal where it needs them to help make joints, ligaments andtendons stronger.

In Gracie’s case that was thejoint in her left rear ankle.

Procedure first of kind in stateTreatment will help a horse that was therapeutic to girl seriously hurt in riding accident

ROAD TO RECOVERY

By Seth BorensteinThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A newly dis-covered planet is eerily similar toEarth and is sitting outside our solar system in what seems to bethe ideal place for life, except for one hitch. It’s a bit too big.

The planet is smack in themiddle of what astronomers callthe Goldilocks zone, that hard to

find place that’s not too hot, not too cold, where water, which is essential for life, doesn’t freeze or boil. And it has a shopping mall-

like surface temperature of near 72 degrees, scientists say.

The planet’s confirmation wasannounced Monday by NASA

along with other discoveries by its Kepler telescope, which waslaunched on a planet-hunting mis-sion in 2009.

That’s the first planet con-firmed in the habitable zone for Kepler, which had already found Earth-like rocky planets else-where. Twice before astronomers have announced a planet found inthat zone, but neither have beenas promising.

“This is a phenomenal discov-ery in the course of human his-tory,” Geoff Marcy of University of California, Berkeley, one of the pioneers of planet-hunting out-side our solar system, said in anemail. “This discovery shows that we Homo sapiens are straining our reach into the universe to find planets that remind us of home.

Newly discovered planet in sweet spot of Goldilocks zone for life“This discovery shows that we Homo sapiens

are straining our reach into the universe to find planetsthat remind us of home. We are almost there.”

Geoff MarcyUniversity of California, Berkley

See PLANET / A2

By Audrey McAvoyThe Associated Press

HONOLULU — ClarencePfundheller was standing in front of his locker on the USS Mary-land when a fellow sailor told himthey were being bombed by Japa-nese planes.

“We never did call him a liar but he could stretch the truth pretty good,” Pfundheller said. “But once you seen him, you knew hewasn’t lying.”

The 21-year-old Iowa native ranup to the deck that Sunday morn-ing to man a five-inch anti-aircraft gun. Seventy years later, he remembers struggling to shoot low-flying Japanese planes assmoke from burning oil billowed

through the air.“This was the worst thing about

it — yeah, your eyes — it both-ered you. It bothered your throat too, because there was so much of that black smoke rolling around that a lot of times you could hard-ly see,” he said.

Now 91, Pfundheller will bereturning to Pearl Harbor onWednesday for the 70th anniver-sary ceremony honoring thoselost in the Dec. 7, 1941 attack that brought the United States intoWorld War II.

Accompanying him will be fellow survivors, other World War II veter-ans, and a handful of college stu-dents eager to hear their stories.

Pearl Harbor survivors share stories of attack

Charlie Neibergall / The Associated Press

World War II Navy veteran Clarence Pfundheller poses at hisGreenfield, Iowa, apartment with a photo of himself taken duringbasic training in 1939. See SURVIVORS / A2

See HORSE / A2

the time Japanese fighter planes and torpedo bomb-ers invaded the skies aboveHawaii, he was well-trained.

Altogether, 2,390 Ameri-cans lost their lives in theattack. Twelve ships sank or were beached, and ninewere damaged. The U.S.lost 164 aircraft. On theJapanese side, 64 peopledied, five ships sank, and29 planes were destroyed.

After the war, Pfundfeller returned to Iowa where heworked as a district feedsalesman and became anelementary school custo-dian. He now lives inGreenfield just 12 milesfrom Bridgewater, the town

where he was raised.Many veterans didn’t

talk much about their expe-riences after World War II, and Pfundheller’s own chil-dren didn’t hear what he went through until he began sharing his stories at schools and libraries.

“People in the Midwest where I lived — why, you just went back, got your job and went to work and nobody asked anything,” he said.

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“I worked on this horsefor six or eight months andI helped her, but I never fixed her,” King said. “Shewas the first horse I thought of for this procedure.”

King wanted Gracie to behis first horse he helpedthrough the four-hour pro-cedure because of her sto-ry and how crucial she wasto her owner Jessie, a Milan High School sopho-more.

In July 2007, Jessie wasriding another horse dur-ing a competition, whenthe horse reared up andknocked her off. The horsefell and rolled on her.

Jessie had a brokenfemur, lost part of a finger and was in a coma for fivedays. After waking, shehad to spend two weeks ina wheelchair and had tolearn how to walk again.

Riding was also a chal-lenge but Jessie didn’t want to give up her passion. Her family decided it would bebetter to sell the other horse and buy a new one.

Three months after theaccident, and while Jessiewas still on crutches, they bought Gracie. When shehad recovered, she learnedto ride again on Gracie, tak-ing it slowly, and appreciat-ing how gentle Gracie was.

The pair created a strong

bond, said Jessie’s father,Jim Minneman, 50, Milan.No one can handle that horse the way Jessie can,he said.

“During her first show back, she won first place inher class,” he said. “If shewould have had a bad rideand if Gracie wasn’t asgood as she is, I’m not sureJessie would have kept doing it. She’s been thera-peutic to Jessie.”

Both he and Jessie saidthat getting the expensivestem cell treatment wasworth it if it meant Jessiewould be able to ride andcompete with such a gentlehorse as Gracie. The family drives more than two hoursso that King can treat Gra-cie, and this was no excep-tion.

King said that he has twoextra stem cell injections at the clinic and Gracie willhave to be brought back onthree-week intervals for check-ups and possibly additional injections. Hehopes that she will behealed and back to normalin about three months.

“Gracie has been won-derful,” said Jesse, whowants to become an equinevet like King. “She’s thehorse that got my confi-dence back.


HORSEContinued from Page 1

ELWOOD — Four peoplewere arrested Monday after a man was seriously injuredduring an armed robbery.

Madison County Sheriff Ron Richardson said theincident occurred north of Elwood around 6:30 a.m.and the 39-year-old Elwoodman was taken to Method-ist Hospital in Indianapoliswith injuries to his headand shoulder.

Sheriff deputies arrest-ed Jennifer Sprinkler, 26;Steven Browning, 30;David L. Lewicki, 35, andBrittany L. Wellman, 21, all

of Tipton County, on thepreliminar y charge of Class A felony committingan armed robbery result-ing in serious bodily inju-ry.

Richardson said Elwoodpolice also assisted in thecase.

Those arrested were put on a 72-hour hold in theMadison County Jail whileinvestigators continued tolook into the incident.

Bond was set at $35,000for each.

— The Herald Bulletin

Elwood man injuredin armed robbery and a tailgating extrava-

ganza on the day of theSuper Bowl.

“There are a lot of excit-ing opportunities for bothtransient guests and resi-dents,” Ashley said.

One of the ways Ashley said they are hoping towelcome visitors is by hav-ing volunteers and those inthe service industry who will be interacting withvisitors “Super Service”certified. There will be a free Super Service trainingon Dec. 19 at Hoosier Park.Details about that date are forthcoming, but Ashley

said those interested in vol-unteering and businesseswanting to get the certifica-tion should call the Madi-son County Visitors andConvention Bureau at 643-5633 to get registered for the event.

Anderson Municipal Air-port manager John Coonsaid the big game will defi-nitely affect things at the airport. Flights two hoursbefore through two hours after the game on Feb. 5 will be restricted in a 35-mile radius aroundLucas Oil Stadium, mean-ing all flights at Indianapo-lis International Airport and others nearby will begrounded.

And with 1,000 planes

expected to be in the area for Super Bowl, Coon expects many flights to behandled here — the first airport with a control tow-er outside the no-fly zone.

Also on hand during themeeting were area hotelowners. Jag Bohra, owner of the Tipton Inn and Suites, said he wanted tolearn more about how theSuper Celebration Site would affect his business.

“We are trying to explore our options and learn more about what is happeningbefore we make decisionslike what our rate will be,”Bohra said.

Ashley said he is excitedabout the upcoming cele-bration and the opportuni-

ties it presents for localresidents.

“This is their opportuni-ty to get into the game andget their piece of the NFL and Super Bowl and get their fix via the celebrationsite and or by capitalizingon one of the availableslots to get to downtownIndianapolis to experienceeverything that is offeredthere,” he said.

While 150,000 visitorsare expected in Indianapo-lis, Ashley said, locally they are looking at 15,000to 20,000 over the 10-day time period.

Contact Abbey Doyle:640-4805, [email protected]

SUPERContinued from Page 1

Tuesday, Dec. 6Anderson♦ Affiliated Computer

Services Job Fair, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., City Hall, 120 E. Eighth St.♦ County Commission-

ers, 10 a.m., Commission-ers Courtroom, Madison County Government Cen-ter, 16 E. Ninth St.♦ Chili supper, 5-7 p.m.,

Trinity Episcopal Church, 11th and Brown-Delawarestreets.♦ Greenbriar Crime

Watch, 6 p.m., Greenbriar Church, Briar and Ash-bourne roads.♦ Anderson Community

Schools town hall meeting on restructuring plan, 6p.m., Anderson HighSchool cafeteria.♦ Anderson University

Community Concert Band Christmas concert, 7:30 p.m., Central ChristianChurch, 923 Jackson St.Elwood♦ Blood drive, 3-7 p.m.,

St. Vincent Mercy Hospital.Lapel♦ Blood drive, 3-7 p.m.,

Ford Street United Meth-odist Church.

— The Herald Bulletin

WHAT’SWHERE

The student and veteran group will be among 3,000 people attending a ceremo-ny the Navy and the Nation-al Park Service hoist jointly each year at a site overlook-ing where the USS Arizona sank in the attack.

The College of the Ozarks program aims to preserve the stories of veterans — something that’s becoming increas-ingly urgent for Pearl Har-bor survivors as the youngest are in their late 80s.

Pfundheller said he enlisted in the Navy in 1939 because he kept hearing there was going to be a war and he wanted to know what to do when the fighting started. By

SURVIVORSContinued from Page 1

We are almost there.”The new planet —

named Kepler-22b — haskey aspects it shares withEarth. It circles a star that could be the twin of our sun and at just about thesame distance. The plan-

et’s year of 290 days iseven close to ours. It likely has water and rock.

The only trouble is theplanet’s a bit big for life toexist on the surface. Theplanet is about 2.4 times thesize of Earth. It could bemore like the gas-and-liquidNeptune with only a rocky core and mostly ocean.

“It’s so exciting to imag-

ine the possibilities,” saidNatalie Batalha, the Kepler deputy science chief.

Floating on that “worldcompletely covered in water” could be like beingon an Earth ocean and “it’snot beyond the realm of possibility that life couldexist in such an ocean,”Batalha said in a phoneinterview.

PLANETContinued from Page 1

Mayoral candidatesweigh in on APD staffing

Reduction in fundingwould violate contract

By Sam BrattainThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — Two of thethree candidates running for may-or have backgrounds in law enforcement, so it’s no surprisethey would have strong feelingsabout the City Council’s Sept. 8discussion to cut funding for theAnderson Police Department.

During the meeting, Mayor Kris Ockomon saidthat by cutting fundsthe city would be vio-lating its contract with the FraternalOrder of Police,which calls for 120officers. In a tele-phone interview Fri-day night, Ockomonreiterated his objec-tion to the cuts.

“I feel there’s a lack of honor for thecontract between thecity and the FOP,”Ockomon said, who,before being electedmayor, had served22 years with theAnderson PoliceDepartment.

The Democraticincumbent said he’sa “stickler” when it comes to contractsand believes thecouncil would be setting a bad precedent for other union con-tracts.

“There’s a couple of members of the council who are union leaders.They definitely want their con-tracts honored,” Ockomon said.

Republican Kevin Smith, whohas also served over 20 years asan APD officer, said the current officer level was set under hisadministration, but the depart-ment has almost always operatedwith fewer than 120 officers. Hesaid the issue of whether the city violated its contract with the FOPcould have been raised earlier.

“What is 130 and 120 officersbased on? It’s very arbitrary. Have to have more tangible evidence.(APD) needs to show why weneed staffing on any level,” Smithsaid.

Smith said there is a misconcep-tion about what manpower is.

“Sometimes when politicianstalk about manpower, the public thinks it’s about how quickly they can respond to a call. I’m more

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Many gamblers tell Hoosier Park: Keep me outBy Melanie D. Hayes

The Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — Gambling at Hoosier Park and other Indiana casinos is a source of entertain-ment for many. But for some, it is a problem, an addiction and a downhill spiral to the point that they request that casinos not allow them in.

In 2004, the Indiana Gaming Commission created the Volun-tary Exclusion Program where people could choose to be pre-vented from entering casinos across the state. People have to

sign up on their own accord and can choose to be on the list for one or five years, or for their lifetime.

Madison County has the thirdhighest number of participants inthe state with 129 members.

In Indiana there are 1,846 activemembers and the counties withthe highest memberships are Lake County with 471 and MarionCounty with 202. And althoughthe program only deals with Indi-ana casinos, residents from other states can sign up too, which brings the total number of activemembers to 4,184.

John Shipley, manager of com-

pliance at Hoosier Park, sees thehigh enrollment in MadisonCounty as a positive thing because it means more people are gettingthe help they need for their gam-bling problems.

“The last thing we want is tohave folks here who have prob-lems,” he said. “We are an enter-tainment venue. Some people gosee movies, some go play golf,some go to fancy restaurants, andsome like to come to Hoosier Park for a night out. But other folks who have problems, they

See EXCLUSION / A2

See APD / A2

Occupy Wall Street inspires demonstrations in IndianaBy Maureen Hayden CNHI Statehouse Bureau

INDIANAPOLIS — WhenTina Walsh heard that a WallStreet protest movement wasspreading to cities across theU.S., the Greenwood grandmoth-er decided to join in.

Angry that she lost her homewhen it was foreclosed on, andbitter that one of her daughterscan’t get a student loan for col-

lege, Walsh packed up her family and headed to the state’s capitalcity Saturday to join hundreds of protesters as they marched to the Statehouse.

“I want a future for my grand-

daughter,” Walsh said, as she walked along the baby’s stroller to block the sun. “I want her tohave a better future than I have.”

Walsh was one of an estimated 1,000 people who gathered totake part in Occupy Indianapolis.The event, largely organized through Facebook and other social media sites, was inspiredby Occupy Wall Street protesterswho have been camping out inNew York City’s financial district

for almost a month. Carrying signs decrying cor-

porate greed and bank bailouts, the Occupy Indianapolis protest-ers organized an impromptumarch on the Statehouse. Someprotesters vowed to camp out onthe Statehouse lawn overnight.

The crowd chanted, “This iswhat democracy looks like,” asthey wove their way through

INSIDE » Who’s behind the‘Occupy’ demonstrations around the country? The protesters say: We’re just like everyone else

See age 7See Page A7

Ockomon

Smith

Jozwiak

By Abbey DoyleThe Herald Bulletin

PENDLETON — Pink flooded the auditoriumof Pendleton HeightsHigh School’s auditori-um Saturday night —pink T-shirts, pink socks, pink tutus, pink fairy crowns with— you guessed it — pink ribbons.

All that pink wasn’t a fashionstatement, it wasFor the Love of Andrea.

About 300 filledthe school’s auditoriumto hear Corey Cox andJeremy Johnson and theBleeding Keys duringthe Concert For theLove of Andrea. This isone of several fundrais-ers friends of Andrea Voss Vellinga, a victim of the Indiana State Fair stage collapse in August.

Best friend Kendra Stock said the pink nation is hoping to haveFor the Love of Andrea events monthly.

“The support, the out-pouring from the com-munity, has been incred-

ible,” Stock said. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of being from Pendle-ton. Everyone has beenso supportive in themidst of all of this.Everybody’s prayersand support have gottenus through all this.”

Vellinga is doinggreat, she said.She remains in anunnamed rehabili-tation facility andis able to eat nor-mal food. She’stalking, all thetime, Stock joked,and is now able to

talk above a whisper,although it is still very soft.

Now Vellinga is often moving her left legalthough she isn’t ableto move her left arm asmuch. She is respond-ing to questions but her mind is still foggy, Stock said.

“She is not back toherself, but it is stillgreat to talk to her,”Stock said. “I will ask,‘Hi, how are you doing?’She responds, ‘I’m

‘FOR THE LOVE OF ANDREA’

Rockin’ pink for Andreak

Aaron Piper / The Herald Bulletin

Greg Randolph looks at bead necklaces with his granddaughter Chloee Mincey at a benefit concert for Pendleton resident Andrea Vellinga. The woman wasinjured in the Aug. 13 stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.

Benefit for woman injured in stage collapse is success

Donation informationThe Ovid Community Church Fund is set up

through the church of Andrea Vellinga’s parents. Checks can be sent to 793 E. 600S, Anderson, IN46013, with “VELLINGA” written on theenvelope to contribute. Deposits can also bemade at any First Merchants Bank branch.

The Catalyst Fund is set up through Vellinga’schurch. Donations can be made at www.iamcatalyst.org.

Help for an addiicccctttiioonnnIn Anderson, Gamblers Anonnnyymymouuss sssss

meets at: 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Greateter LLiLiL ghghhghhg t ttttt

Church, 317 Marine Driveee 6 p.m. Wednesdays, OpOppperererre atatatatttttiooioiooioooioioooonnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnn

Love building, 630 E. 21stt S SSSt.t.t.t. 11 a.m. Saturdays, Beeththhthellelel U U UUUUUUninnininnininininn teteteteteteteeteeetetetetetettteet dddd d dd ddddddddddddddddddddd

Methodist Church, 4011 WWWW. . 20202020200000S0S0S0S0S0S0S0S0S0SFor more information, cocoontntntntacacacacacaccct tt t t t t t t ToToToToToToToToToTooToTooooToToT mm m m m m mm mmmm mmmm mm atatatataatatatatatattattaattatatattatatatttatatttattaaaaaataaaa

649-9181 or Ruby at 623-393993992020202020200.....For more information oon n thhhththe e eeee

Voluntary Exclusion Prograraam,m,m,m, c ccccccalalalaaaallalalll llllllll (3(3(33(3333(3333333(33171717171171717777171717171717777777777777777177777777)) ) )) ))))) ) )))))))))))))))))))))))))))233-0046 or visit www.inn.g.govovovv/i/i/ii/i/i/ gcgcggccgcgcgcgccg /2/2/2/2/2/2//2/2/2/2/2//2/2///2/223333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333331111111..1.1.1..1111.1111111.1111111htm.For help at Hoosier Park, appprprooaaachchhhhh

any employee, call 642-7223 orr v vissisisissititittit hoosierpark.com/responsible-e-gagag mimimimiinnngngnnng.hhhtmtmmmmtmllllll

129 in county request voluntary exclusion; racino happy to oblige

See OCCUPY / A2

See ANDREA / A2

Vellinga

have the program which isa means by which they canhelp themselves.”

Hoosier Park is near byTom S., who runs two of

the three weekly GamblersAnonymous meetings inAnderson, believes thehigh numbers in MadisonCounty are due to the fact that Hoosier Park is soaccessible to residents.People who have seriousaddictions to casinos canmore easily avoid their urg-es if they don’t have a casi-no nearby. Those who dolive near one can give inmore easily.

“I would say with some-thing that close, individu-als do have to say ‘I’mready to stop,’” said Tom,60, who, like other Gam-blers Anonymous mem-bers, prefers to withholdhis last name. “They think,‘I know the casino is goingto be there.’ Just like withalcoholics, they know thebars are going to bethere.”

Lake County, which hasseveral casinos and a largepopulation, has the most residents signed up for theprogram, which makessense, Shipley said.

Shelby County, whereIndiana Live! Casino islocated, only has 18 partici-pants in the exclusion pro-gram, according to the pro-grams statistics.

The casino, though, islocated in a rural area and is not highly populated, soits clientele is largely from outside the county, Shipley said. A majority of visitorsare from Marion County,which is one explanationfor why so many MarionCounty residents are on theexclusion list.

Meanwhile, MadisonCounty is more populated and Hoosier Park is more centrally located in thestate, so more residentsfrom Madison County andsurrounding counties gothere, Shipley said.

Having a casino nearby can make the path to recov-ery tough for gamblingaddicts. But having themnearby also helps them jointhe exclusion program

since anyone can walk intoany Indiana casino and asked to be placed on thelist.

When people ask about the program at Hoosier Park, employees contact on-site state gaming com-mission representatives who help them through theprocess and add them to the statewide database, Shipley said. People can also call or visit the gamingcommission office in down-town Indianapolis to be added to the list.

Signs of a problemHoosier Park employees

also provide people with information and resources for where they can get help for their problems. But once they are on the exclu-sion list, casinos cannot contact those people in any way or send them any pro-motional material, Shipley said.

Employees are also trained to help people whoask for help. They interact with clients and can ask gamblers several questionsto see where they stand.That list of questions is on

the Hoosier Park websitefor people who want todetermine how serioustheir problem is.

Among those questionsthat people need to ask themselves are: Do youlose time from work due to gambling? Does gamblingmake your home life unhap-py? Do you ever feelremorse after gambling?Do you often gamble untilyour last dollar is gone?

Casinos don’t actively enforce the program by sta-tioning guards or checkingeveryone’s IDs, Shipley said. But the names andpersonal information of people on the list are avail-able at all Indiana casinos.So, if people on the list goto Hoosier Park to play, and try to use their player cardsto use slot machines or other games, employeesare notified. And if they need to make a transactionat the cashier, they will alsobe found out. Or if they try to claim their winnings,employees will be notifiedand gamblers will lose their winnings.

“Sometimes we haveteam members who recog-

nize a regular customer and know they have signedup, so that’s another way tocontrol it,” Shipley said.“When you have 4,000 peo-ple on a list, you don’t expect everyone to know them each by face.”

It’s not a foolproof pro-gram, and there are proba-bly people on the list whomake it into casinos, but overall it’s an outstandingprogram that helps peoplecontrol their problems, he said.

Tom, who lives in Ander-son, said he has on averagethree to five people at eachlocal Gamblers Anonymousmeeting.

About 80 percent of hismembers have signed upfor the Voluntary Exclusion Program, he said. Accord-ing to gaming commissionstatistics, 38.5 percent of members sign up for a one-year exclusion, 23.6 per-cent for five years, and 37.8percent for lifetime.

“Some say it helps thembecause they know that technically, if they go (to a casino) they are trespass-ing,” he said. “People saidthey have gone and casino

employees were nice to them and escorted them out.”

Being on the exclusionlist is a deterrent for gam-blers. They know they willbe asked to leave. Or, if they make it in and win,they will be found out andwon’t be able to claim their winnings, adding to their frustrating addiction, Tom said.

Some gambling addictsattend the Gamblers Anon-ymous meetings for sup-port and help, but are not quite ready to bar them-selves from casinos. Or some feel they can changetheir lifestyle on their own.

And some who do signup say it doesn’t help because they can still go into the casinos and play onslot machines without hav-ing to show an ID.

“Of course, the program doesn’t help if you’re intoscratch-off tickets or Hoo-sier Lottery or bingo,” Tomsaid. “There are all kinds of gambling.”


Su day, Octobe 9, 0 | e e ald ulletA2 Sunday, October 9, 2011 | The Herald Bulletin

interested in what policeare assigned to do,” Smithsaid.

According to Smith,there are fewer officers in the juvenile unit, whichinvestigates cases of childmolestation and abuse, yet the department has threeassistant chiefs, the most it has ever had.

“They’ve increased scopeof management but not realofficers,” Smith said.

Rob Jozwiak, who doesnot have experience as a police officer, said his dis-tance from the policedepartment gives him theability to look at the issuefrom a civilian’s perspective.

“They deal with the worst element of our com-munity and become insu-lated,” Jozwiak said. “But 98 percent of the commu-nity are good people.”

Jozwiak, an Indepen-dent Libertarian, said theFOP contract dispute is a case of the city “spendingagainst itself,” as publicly funded officers use their salaries to in turn fund the FOP.

He also said APD willneed to find a way to make a reduced budget work.

“I think the police department can get the job done in a professional manner,” Jozwiak said.

Contact Sam Brattain:640-4883, [email protected]

APDContinued from Page 1

EXCLUSIONContinued from Page 1

good.’ I say, ‘I miss you. I love you.’ Vellinga says, ‘I miss you too. I love you too.’”

Vellinga is recognizing people, although she canstill get confused.

A huge recent accom-plishment was Vellinga walking with little assis-tance.

“She has to relearn everything,” Stock said. “She’s made incredible progress in eight weeks but some things are slow. This isn’t a quick process. It will probably be a two-year pro-cess. But she is a fighter and possibly one of the toughest people I know. In the midst of all of this her mood is good. The other day she smiled for me andsaid, ‘I’ve got plenty more of these when I leave.”

At Saturday’s concert, attendees took a break from the entertainment to pray for Vellinga. Concert organizer Tessa Denen said in addition to wanting tohelp raise funds, another purpose for the concert wasto help family and friendsget a chance to have fun and put their worries asidefor a short time. But even

with that, Denen said, it wasimportant to remember why they were there.

During the middle of theconcert Denen and two oth-ers performed a Sugarland song — the band Vellinga and the others at the StateFair were waiting to see when the stage collapsed.

Denen, who is in the music business, said she and cousin Cox wanted to do something to help anddecided that doing what they do for a living together could be just that.

“We are hoping people can come together and have fun,” Denen said. “It isa great cause. And while they are here, we hope they can let go of everything andenjoy the evening.”

Even though Adam andTana Gwaltney have never met Vellinga or her family the Anderson couple saidthey feel a special tie to her. They were at the grand-stand waiting to see Sugar-land — Tana bought tickets for Adam’s birthday that day.

“It was a surreal experi-ence,” Adam Gwaltney said.“All we did was witness what happened. I can’t imagine what those that were directly affected and their families are going

through right now.“There is very little those

that don’t know the family can do. A $10 donation can help support the family with medical bills. It is something we can do.”

Before the concert Tana Gwaltney said she was looking forward to the show but said getting theimages of the stage col-lapse and aftermath out of her head was still hard.

Pendleton family Rob and Vicki Adams and their daughter, Emily, know Vel-linga’s family. They were there to support them and

to see Cox, a Pendleton native.

“It has been amazing see-ing our community cometogether,” Rob Adams said.“The community has beenso great and supportive. Wedefinitely still have that small-town quality here.”

Contact Abbey Doyle:640-4805, [email protected]

ANDREAContinued from Page 1










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downtown Indianapolis,stopping in front of the tow-ering Statehouse statue of former Indiana Gov. Oliver Morton.

Some in the crowd worethe iconic Guy Fawkesmask popularized by themovie “V for Vendetta.”Several of the masked pro-testers said they weremembers of the Internet-hacker group Anonymous.

More typical, though,were people like Walsh —self-described middle-classAmericans who said they see the American dreamslipping away.

Some in the crowd woreT-shirts that declared their membership in labor unions. The Indiana StateAFL-CIO didn’t organizethe event, but its president, Nancy Guyott, said sheendorsed the movement.

“It’s great to see so many Hoosiers taking a standagainst the corporate take-over of our society,” Guyott said in a written statement released Saturday. “Corpo-rate greed isn’t confined to Wall Street — and neither

is their agenda.”Many in the crowd voiced

frustration about tougheconomic conditions andmade reference to beingpart of “the 99” — referring to the 99 percent of theAmerican people they say

government and corpora-tions take for granted andfavor over the top 1 percent of wealth-holders in theU.S.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters gained nationalattention after some pro-testers were involved inaltercations with New York City police, who used tear gas to break up the crowds. Police there have madenumerous arrests since.

Saturday’s event in India-napolis seemed peaceful incontrast. Indiana StatePolice mingled with thecrowd, chatting with pro-testers and posing for pic-tures with some.

When about 100 protest-ers showed up late in theday to set up camp outsidethe Statehouse, they stopped chanting after a state trooper said there wasa wedding going on in theStatehouse atrium. They resumed chanting whenthe ceremony was over.

OCCUPYContinued from Page 1

Michelle Pemberton / For The Associated Press

More than 1,000 demonstrators gather in Veteran’s Plaza in Indianapolis on Saturday for Occupy Indy, a protestagainst everything from bank foreclosures and corporateinfluence in politics to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistanand unemployment.

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INDEX: Weather / A12 r Business / B5 Community / A5 Dear Abby, Astrograph / A2, B7 Local & State / A3 Obituaries / A4


ideas will be considered

Ben FellerThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Attacking a deepening jobs crisis, President Barack Obama challenged a reluctant Congress Thursday night to urgently pass a larger-than-expected $450 billion plan to“jolt an economy that has stalled.”He urged lawmakers to slashSocial Security taxes for tens of millions of Americans and for

almost every business to encour-age hiring.

“Stop the political circus,” ananimated Obama told a joint ses-

sion of Congress in a nationally televisedspeech. Over andover he imploredlawmakers to “passthis jobs bill.”

Open to discus-sion but making nopromises, Republi-can House Speaker

John Boehner said Obama’s ideaswould be considered but the pres-ident should give heed to Repub-

licans’ as well. “It’s my hope that we can work together,” he said.

In announcing a plan heavy on the tax cuts that Republicans tra-ditionally love, Obama sought toachieve multiple goals: offer a plan that could actually get through a deeply divided Con-gress, speed hiring in a nation where 14 million are out of work, shore up public confidence in his leadership and put Republicanson the spot to take action.

The fate of economy will defineObama’s re-election bid, but hesought to dismiss that element aspolitical fodder that means noth-

ing to hurting Americans.Obama never estimated how

many jobs would be created by hisplan, which also includes new fed-eral spending for construction,hiring and an extension of joblessbenefits for the long-term unem-ployed. Despite his promise that it would all be paid for, he has not yet released the details on how.

His message was unmistakableto the point of repetition, as hetold Congress more than 15 timesin one way or another to act quickly. That was meant as direct challenge by a Democratic presi-dent to the Republicans running

the House to get behind his plan,especially on tax cuts, or be tarred as standing in the way.

The urgency of the jobs crisis isas pronounced as it’s been since the early days of Obama’s term.Employers added zero jobs last month. A whopping number of Americans — about eight in 10 — think the country is headed in the wrong direction and Obama’s approval ratings are on the decline.

In the House chamber, Obama received a warm response but

Cut taxes, Obama tells Congress in $450B jobs plan

Obama

See OBAMA / A2

‘Credible’ threatreceived late Wednesday

By Eileen SullivanThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON — U.S. offi-cials said Thursday they were investigating a credible but unconfirmed threat that al-Qaida was planning to use a car bomb to target bridges or tunnels in New York City or Washington to coin-cide with the 10th anniversary of

the Sept. 11 attacks, the first tip of an “active plot” around that date.

The Homeland Security Department said the threat iscredible and specific, but uncon-firmed. The nation’s terror alert level has not changed, but raisingit was under consideration Thurs-day night.

Law enforcement officials wereinvestigating three people whorecently entered the U.S. Thethreat was received by the U.S.intelligence community lateWednesday night, officials said.

“There is specific, credible but unconfirmed threat information,”said Janice Fedarcyk, the assis-tant director in charge of the FBI’s New York division. “As we always do before important dateslike the anniversary of 9/11, we will undoubtedly get more report-ing in the coming days.”

Security has been enhanced around the country in the weeks leading up to the 10th anniversa-ry. Law enforcement officials have been wary, particularly after information gleaned from Osama

bin Laden’s compound in May indicated that al-Qaida had con-sidered attacking the U.S. on theanniversary and other important dates.

The threat came in a singlepiece of information and was sospecific — and came at such a time of already heightened alert — that it could not be ignored.The officials described the threat to The Associated Press on condi-tion of anonymity to discuss sen-sitive security matters.

New York City Mayor Michael

Bloomberg told reporters that police there were deploying addi-tional resources around the city, but that New Yorkers should goabout their business as usual.

The FBI and Homeland Secu-rity Department issued a joint intelligence bulletin Thursday night to law enforcement around the country urging them to main-tain enhanced security and be onthe lookout for suspicious activity.

Some District of Columbia

US officials chase unconfirmed al-Qaida bomb plot

See THREAT / A2

Don Knight / The Herald Bulletin

Malachi Byrge shoots a leather-tipped safety arrow with guidance from Sheryl Hartman during an Andersontown Powwow educational outreach to fourth-graders at North Side Intermediate School on Thursday. Hartman taught the students about the culture of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes Indians.

Powwow outreach program immerses

local students

By April AbernathyThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — The soundof chant-like singing and thesteady beat of a drum filled thegym of North Side Intermedi-ate School on Thursday morn-ing.

Fourth-grade students fromNorth Side, Lapel and St.Ambrose schools sat andwatched in awe as dancersdressed in traditional tribalclothing took the floor as part of an educational outreach pro-gram for the annual Anderson-town Powwow and Indian Mar-ket.

Annette Ketchum of Bartles-ville, Okla., was among thedancers and acted as narrator for the performances. She is a

member of the Delaware Indi-an tribe and a direct descen-dant of Chief Kikthawenund.

“We’ve been going to Conner Prairie for the last 17 years and

here for the last seven,” Ket-chum said. “We are ambassa-dors and want to spread theword of our tribe. Some people think the tribes from the East

Coast are dead. We’re very much alive and want Indianculture to last through the next generation.”

She and husband Dee Ket-chum travel around Oklahoma and Kansas sharing their cul-ture and history. It’s somethingthey grew up doing and raisedtheir own children and grand-children to be part of.

History lesson on Delaware IndiansIf you go

What: AndersontownPowwow and Indian MarketWhen: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. SundayWhere: Athletic Park,

north of East Eighth Street, AndersonTickets: $5, 8 and under freeInformation: www.ander-

sontownpowwow.org800-533-6569 or 643-5633

Don Knight / The Herald Bulletin

Michael Pace leads a group of students in an intertribal danceduring an Andersontown Powwow educational outreach tofourth-graders at North Side Intermediate School on Thursday.

See INDIANS / A2

HANDS-ON LEARNING


ANDERSON — A discussion of the proposed 2012 budget at theAnderson City Council meetingThursday night led to passionatearguments, two city officials call-ing each other hypocrites, Mayor Kris Ockomon questioning why he was kept out of the loop by thecouncil, and one council member saying he wasembarrassed by the publicdisplay of emotions andattacks.

In a 7-2 vote, the coun-cil approved an amend-ment to the proposal that would lower the Police Department’s budget and not allow them to reach the 120-officer minimum required by the Fraternal Order of Police con-tract with the city.

Council members in favor of thecut said they weren’t happy they had to pursue that, but it was nec-essary due to uncertain economic times that could worsen. But, they said, if the economy gets better the council could choose to makean appropriation next year to fundthe hiring of additional police offi-cers.

That option, though, was not enough to quell the frustration and anger displayed in the councilchambers by about 20 police offi-cers, the mayor and others in attendance. The council memberswho voted against the amend-ment, Pam Jones, D-3rd District, and Art Pepelea, R-5th District,clapped in support of officers who spoke up against the decision.

The amendment includes a $300,000 cut from the Anderson Police Department budget — an amount that would have coveredthe salaries and benefits for four additional officers that the city hoped to hire and keep.

“The citizens of this community will be in danger,” said Police Chief Darron Sparks.

See COUNCIL / A2

Decision tocut 2012

police fundsunder fire

What’snext?

The AndersonCity Council is scheduled tovote and adoptthe 2012 bud-get on Oct. 25.

INSIDE: 24-page Colts season preview section

theheraldbulletin.com FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2011 75 cents

then the usual political pat-tern took hold, Republicans often sitting in silence on the applause lines that had Democrats roaring. Boeh-ner had chummy moments with Vice President Joe Biden at his side before the speech but was somber over Obama’s shoulder as the president spoke.

“The people of this coun-try work hard to meet their responsibilities. The ques-tion tonight is whether we’ll meet ours,” Obama said. “The question is whether, in the face of an ongoing national crisis, we can stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy.”

The newest and boldest element of Obama’s plan would cut the Social Secu-rity payroll tax both for tens of millions of workers and for employers, too.

For individuals, that tax has been shaved from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent for this year but is to go back up again without action by Congress. Obama wants to deepen the cut to 3.1 percent for workers.

Obama would also apply the payroll tax cut to employ-ers, halving their taxes to 3.1 percent on their first $5 million in payroll. Business-es that hire new workers or give raises to those they

already employ would get an even bigger benefit: Onpayroll increases up to $50million they would pay noSocial Security tax.

Obama proposed spend-ing to fix schools and roads,hire local teachers andpolice and extend unem-ployment benefits. He pro-posed a tax credit for busi-nesses that hire people out of work for six months or longer, plus other tax relief aimed as snaring biparti-san support in a time of divided government.

The White House put the price tag of Obama’splan at $447 billion, withabout $253 billion in tax cuts and $194 billion infederal spending.

The president said hewould make his case to thepublic and will waste notime taking his sales pitchon the road. His first stopwill be on Friday at theUniversity of Richmond inthe Virginia congressionaldistrict of House majority Leader Eric Cantor, a fre-quent critic of the presi-dent’s policies.

Politics shadowed every element of Obama’sspeech. He appealed topeople watching on TV tolobby lawmakers to act. Hedid the same thing beforehis speech in an email tocampaign supporters,bringing howls of hypocri-sy from Republicans whowondered why Obama wastelling them to put party above country.

A2 Friday, September 9, 2011 | The Herald Bulletin

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\By Michael D. DoyleThe Herald Bulletin

ANDERSON — A localsupermarket employee wasarrested on suspicion of stealing money from the store over a six-month peri-od.

James W. Johnston, 23, of Daleville, was employed inthe cash office of the Apple-wood Center Pay Less Super Market.

According to a probablecause affidavit released by Anderson police, Johnstonallegedly admitted to usinghis position multiple timesto take money from the store.

The affidavit said that Johnston told police that hehad been using several “scams” over a span of months — among them, taking scratch-off lottery tickets without paying, cash-ing out coupons for money and pocketing $20 and $50bills while transporting cash from the store’s regis-ters.

According to the affidavit, Johnston told police that hehad taken money from thestore in some form in approximately 20 to 25 sepa-rate incidents.

Johnston was taken to Madison County Jail and charged with theft. He waslater released on bond.

Contact Michael D. Doyle:640-4805, [email protected]

Supermarket employee

arrested ontheft charge

DEAR ABBY: I am a confident, well-established admin-

istrative professional whohas worked with an exec-utive team most of my career.

I organized a very largecompany party and,because my regular cater-er didn’t specialize in the kind of barbecue that was needed, I took a chance on an unknown one. I had

never used this caterer,but went on the recom-mendation of three col-leagues I trust.

In the end, it was themost humiliating disaster I’ve ever experienced.Not only was there not enough food, but it waspresented in a sloppy,unprofessional manner.No beverages arrived, sowe had to do without them for the event.

I have never had any-thing like this happenbefore, and the responsi-

bility was mine. It wasembarrassing for me andthe people I work with. Icouldn’t even show my face. I stayed in the back-ground trying to fix things as best I could.

I can’t seem to get past this. I feel like a failure. Iam seriously thinking of applying for a job at another company so I canput it all behind me. I hadred flags along the way,

but ignored them becauseI trusted the individualswho recommended thecaterer. What are your thoughts? -- WISH I’DGONE WITH MY GUT

DEAR WISH: You’re a perfectionist, and I respect that. But beforeyou punish yourself by throwing away a perfectly good career with your current company over one regrettable screwup,

please consider that NOBODY bats 1000. Yes,what happened was regrettable, but it’s in thepast. It’s possible that therecommended caterer was also having a bad day. If you need absolu-tion, discuss this withyour employer. You have learned your lesson. Now let it go.

Dear Abby runs daily inThe Herald Bulletin.

Dinner disaster makes party planner want to disappear

Dear Abby

OBAMAContinued from Page 1

“I have five grandchil-dren and two daughters,” Ketchum said. “You get them when they’re young. They hear that drum beat for nine months before they’re born and they know it.”

The outreach program exposes area students to Native American culture firsthand, said Debbie Webb, co-chairwoman of the Andersontown Pow-wow.

“The fourth-graders study Indiana history. The

program sort of brings history alive for them,” Webb said. “When they study Indiana history, there isn’t much about Madison County and there were some tribes located here.”

The program started eight years ago with 450 students in attendance, she said. Last year about 2,200 Madison County stu-dents were able to experi-ence the cultural immer-sion.

Sheryl Hartman, an educator and author from southern Indiana, gave a hands-on presentation

about the way of life for the tribes living in Ander-son.

North Side principalJudi Shafer said the minipowwow enhanced curric-ulum and gave students anopportunity to see a realis-tic cultural presentation.

“I don’t think they knew what to expect,” she said.

A favorite of all studentswas the chance to dancethe traditional dances withthe performers.

“I liked it when a lot of people got up and dancedin the circle,” JasmineHobbs, 9, said. “It just kept going and going.”

INDIANSContinued from Page 1

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Hoosier LottoEstimated jackpot: $11.5 million


CorrectionsThe Herald Bulletin corrects its

errors promptly on Page A2. Call (765) 640-4800 or e-mail to [email protected] to bring mistakes toour attention.

police officers received an internal memo from department management on Thursday saying that theTTcity had received “credible threats” and that additional staffing would be required, according to a law enforce-ment source who had seen the memo. Police in both cities were increasing their already beefed-up staffing levels in light of the recent intelligence.

President Barack Obama was briefed on the threat information Thursday morning and directed the counterterrorism commu-nity to redouble its efforts in

response to the informa-tion, a White House official said.

White House officials said there were no plans to change Obama’s travel schedule on Sunday in light of the threat. The president is scheduled to mark the 9/11 anniversary with stops at New York’s ground zero, the Pentagon and Shanks-ville, Pa. He will also deliver remarks Sunday night at a memorial concert at the Kennedy Center in Wash-ington.

THREATContinued from Page 1

Lower manpower willlead to less protection, lessavailability to help in emer-gencies, and decreasedability for officers to back reach other up in dangeroussituations, he said.

Per the department’s2010-2012 contract, theminimum number of offi-cers on staff must be 120,Sparks said. The depart-ment had that staff untillate last year, he said, whenfour officers retired.Recently, the department hired one more officer.

The salaries and benefitsof six officers are beingcovered for three years,until June 2012 by a grant,Sparks said.

Before the amendment was proposed, the mayor took the podium, preempt-ing a decision that he knew could be made that night.

“You have two things inyour life, your name andyour word,” Ockomon toldthe council. “It would bedisgraceful for the councilto not honor the contract.... If you vote against 120officers, you are sending a message to the communi-ty, you are sending a mes-sage to the officers, that your word is no good.”

Ockomon pointed out that while the council istrying to save money by making this cut, in the longrun it could cost the city more.

If the contract is violated,the Fraternal Order of Police would file a griev-ance and it would go toarbitration, leading to legalfees the city will have toabsorb to fight back, saidMike Anderson, the Fra-ternal Order of Police vicepresident.

“This is the first time the council (has performed) a direct violation of the con-tract,” said Scott Calhoun, the FOP president.

The seven Democratic council members called three caucuses to discuss matters in private.

When they returned after the second caucus, Councilman Rick Muir, D-at large, proposed the amendment to remove the $300,000 from the Police Department’s budget.

“I’m offering this because we are in the most uncertain economic times I’ve ever witnessed,” he said, looking frustrated and saying he wished they could afford to add 10 more officers. He said it was a tough decision, and did not mean he didn’t respect the police depart-ment or Ockomon.

Muir and Councilman David Eicks, D-at large, tried to assure the dis-tressed crowd that the extra police officers, and the money necessary to fund their employment, are not out of the question.

“Our action did not rule out that four new officers won’t be there. ... We did not say it will never hap-pen,” Muir said.

The majority of the coun-cil prefer to be on the safer side in case the economy worsens, while the FOP would rather have the funds and manpower up front, and then make cut-backs next year if there is a funding emergency.

As part of the amend-ment, Muir read off a long and detailed list of specific monetary figures that would change in the pro-posed general fund and police department budget as part of the amendment.

Ockomon approached the podium, looking shocked and saying that it appeared the majority of the council had arrived at the meeting with the deci-sion already made.

“How did you come up with those numbers in a caucus that lasted 10 or 12 minutes? You have a pre-pared document there. You did not come here with an open mind if you came with prepared numbers.”

Ockomon, visibly upset, questioned the council if they had had an illegal and unannounced meeting to discuss this.

City attorney Tim Lanane said there wasn’t an illegal meeting. He had drafted the amendment Thursday afternoon at the request of some council members and handed it out at the council meeting.

Steve Priser, the city’s personnel director and a former police officer and contract negotiator, also stood at the podium and told the council it was a ter-rible example to violate the contract. Muir countered that by accusing Priser of violating contracts in the past.

“I’m not being hypocriti-cal, you are,” Muir told him heatedly. “No, you are,” Priser shot back before walking away.

Nearing the end of the 2 1/2-hour meeting, Pepelea spoke up and told the coun-cil and the crowd that he hoped in the future these types of discussions can be held behind closed doors.

“I’m embarrassed by what’s going on this eve-ning,” he said.

The council will make its final vote on the budget onOct. 25.

COUNCILContinued from Page 1

hayes partial reporter entry

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