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October 31

It's Friday - HALLOWEEN! Great weather for Halloween treats. Gotta help and hope the tricks stay within the boundaries of our laws.
Are you aware the U.S. generates more than fifty percent of our nation's electricity from coal? Nuclear energy supplies twenty percent, natural gas supplies nineteen percent. The rest if supplied by biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind. For growing demands, it is thought that using a variety of fuels to generate electricy will be kep to powering the 21st century.
Joe Kernan has not been governor for long, but he expects to be signing into law soon legislation that will give homeowners at least some respite from large property tax bills. When lawmakers come to Indianapolis on November 18 for what is traditionally a one-day organizational meeting, they will instead begin a multiday mini-session aimed at property tax relief. Kernan is expecting results. House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, is "cautiously optimistic" that some short-term relief can be delivered. Time will tell.
Indiana University's first female chancellor at the Bloomington campus has said she will resign after just more than two years on the job. This announcement marks the first leadership change under new president Adam W. Herbert. Sharon Brehm said she is stepping down to give Herbert more flexibility in restructuring his administrative team. Brehm, who was appointed by then-President Myles Brand in July 2001, will leave the job December 31. She is also giving up her university-wide role as vice president for academic affairs. Brhem has accepted Herbert's offer to be special adviser to the president for one year at her current salary.
Kroger and union officials have extended the deadline for a new contract in hopes of averting a walkout by thousands of workers in Indiana. The current contract, which was to expire on Sunday at 12:01 a.m., will now end Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Union officials say the extension does not signal a change in the union's strategy. More than three thousand Kroger workers in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia have been on strike since October 13.
Chilly temperatures and dense fog today are helping to stall the deadly wildfires that raced across Southern California as a few hardy residents waited nervously to see if flames would claim the last sizeable town still threatened. Big Bear Lake, California, is the only major community still threatened after a week of fires that have killed twenty people, destroyed more than 2,800 homes and burned nearly 750,000 acres. In San Diego County, moist air helped firefighters battling the Cedar Fire near Julian. This fire, the largest blaze in California history, is finally showing some sign of winding down.
With the warmer weather, many of you may be wondering just what this winter has in store for us! Last winter was definitely one that tested many people. Some readers even got the chance to see rare snowrollers! In trying to predict the coming winter, one has to rely almost entirely on unreliable "wives tales". The Browner Wooly worm theory says "The more black on them, the more severe the winter is going to be. The more brown there is, the milder it will be." Another theory relates winter to how tightly wrapped corn shucks are. A mild winter means loose shucks. The good news is that most all of the shucks are really loose this year! Some people rely on persimmon seeds. If the seed germ in the center is in the shape of a spoon, that means we will have a lot of snow. Unfortunately, many of the seeds have spoons this year! Reality gives us the knowledge that no method of weather prediction can cover three months with complete accuracy. Living in Indiana means living with the possibility of harsh winters. That is a fact of life here, and only time will tell how the winter will unfold.
A twenty-five year-old Philadelphia man got more than he bargained for after exposing himself to teenage girls outside St. Maria Gorgetti School as students were being dismissed. This time, a group of girls in school uniforms angrily confronted him. When the man tried to run, more than twenty girls chased him down the block. Two men from the neighborhood caught him and the girls took their revenge by kicking and punching him. After being treated for injuries at a local hospital, he was charged.

October 30

Today thru the weekend, we are looking again at aboce-normal temperatures. We've been blessed with a truly beautiful and lengthy Indian Summer.
For those candidates that intend to be working over the weekend to encourage folks to get to the polls on Tuesday, the next few days will be ideal for final campaign activities. Most of them are almost "talked out"!
Indiana Pacer fans were all wondering how new coach Rick Carlisle's first game would turn out. After a sloppy start, they managed to come from behind in the final two minutes for an 89-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Although Kroger and union officials have returned to the bargaining table, Kroger continues their push to hire temporary workers. The union loeaders are outraged that the company has advertised temporary jobs paying up to $10 per hour. Unionized Kroger clerks start at $6.50 an hour, with the highest-paid clerks earning $12 an hour. The company says that unionized clerks get more than $10 when adding in company benifits.
Honesty really did pay the homeless Columbus man who turned in an envelope stuffed with almost two thousand dollars. No one came forward to claim the money, so Dana Hughes, who described himself as a drifter from Virginia, was contacted. He was walking through Columbus on October 17 waiting for a bus, when he found the $1956 in a bank envelope on the sidewalk outside the Bartholomew County treasurer's office. Instead of walking away with the money, he went inside and gave it to Treasurer Vernon Jewell. Hughes was contacted at his sister's home in Dell, Oklahoma, on Tuesday when he was told that the money belonged to him. His plans for the unexpected windfall? He plans to repay the couple who bought his bus ticket to Oklahoma.
Last Saturday's winning Powerball ticket sold in Washington, IN, seems to have started a trend. Last night's Powerball drawing resulted in the only winning ticket being sold in Indiana. That ticket wins the $10 million jackpot. Although that is not as hefty a prize as the almost $50 million won with the first ticket, $10 million could go a long way toward making one's life more comfortable!

October 29

As if television reception with an antenna is bad enough, now scientists are saying it may get just a little worse this week. Another spectacular eruption on the surface of the sun could disrupt communications on Earth this week, and may even hamper firefighting efforts in California. The explosion of gas and charged particles into space from the corona, the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, isn't harmful to people, but it can knock-out satellite communications. Predictions are it could strike Earth's magnetic field by midday today. Similar solar events in recent years have disrupted television transmissions, GPS navigation, oil pipeline controls and even the flow of electricity along power lines. Last week, a different solar flare erupted, and scientists imediately saw a new sunspot region developing in anther region of the sun's face. The cloud of charged particles from last week's eruption struck Earth "with only a glancing blow". It disrupted some airline communication. This week's explosion is the biggest such explosion in thirty years and produced a particle cloud thirteen times larger than Earth. The resulting geomagnetic storm could be ranked among the most powerful of its kind and last for twenty-four hours. It is expected to disrupt communications satellites and high fregquency radios. On a positive note, strong geomagnetic storms can produce colorful auroras in the night sky visible as far south as Texas and Florida beginning late Wednesday.
A radical environmental group that opposes urban sprawl has claimed responsibility for damage done to heavy equipment at a Wal-Mart construction site. The Earth Liberation Front issued a statement Tuesday claiming that its members had sabotaged more than a dozen pieces of machinery by pouring sand in fuel tanks, slashing tires, and cutting engine hoses. The ELF has done more than $100 million in damage since it surfaced five years ago.
Former U.S. Representative Frank McCloskey has been released from the hospital after a twelve day stay for cancer treatment. The former Bloomington mayor was diagnosed with bladder cancer in September 2002, and his health worsened had worsened when he was admitted. McCloskey represneted southwestern Indiana's 8th District in Congress from 1983 to 1995. Whil he has said he has positive hopes for recovery, he admits that he has "a long-range serious illness."
A woman who pleaded guilty to overbilling Medicaid for services for patients in southern Indiana is in jail on new charges. Peggy Bisig is charges with obstruction of justice. Prosecutors say she violated the terms of a plea agreement by trying to shift assets to her daughter. A federal magistrate in Indianapolis ordered Bisig held until a detention hearing Thursday. A federal indictment alleged Bisig overcharged Medicaid for drugs and medical supplies that her company, Home Pharm-assist, delivered to in-home patients, primarily in southern Indiana. Bisig had faced up to forty years in prison and a $1.2 million fine on charges of health care and mail fraud. The new charges could add ten years to that sentence.
Yet another computer worm is making the rounds, only this time it is posing as a virus fix to tempt users to open the attached file. The worm, named Sober by security firms, spreads via email, contains a host of different subject lines in both German and English, and deliers its payload via an attached file that claims to be a fix for a bogus worm. Among the subject lines seen in copies of the worm, are those that prey upon users' fear of security problems: "A worm is on your computer", "You have sent me a virus", and "New Sobig-Worm variation (please read)". The attached file can be disguised with .exe, .scr, .bat, or .pif extensions. Symantec ranks the worm as a "2" in its 1 through 5 scale. Just another reason we should all leave Microsoft operating systems. If you cannot bring yourself to learn a new operating system, you can be reasonably safe from these viruses and worm by just NOT opening ANY attachments on your email.

October 28

A special prosecutor will investigate whether Orange County's sheriff violated state law by campaigning for a proposed casino while he was on duty. Sheriss Doyle Cornwell is chairman of Citizens for the Future of Orange County, which is supporting the casino proposal in a November 4 referendum. Some Orange Conty residents alleged Cornwell used his police car to deliver pro-casino signs to people who had requested them.
Conservatice activist Eric Miller says he will recruit an "army of volunteers" to help him in his underdog campaign for the Republican nomination for Indiana's governor. Miller, an attorney from the western Indianapolis suburb of Avon, began his campaign in a Monday night speech to supporters at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds near his home. He also planned events this week in Fort Wayne, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Warsaw and Porter. Mitch Daniels has the backing of much of the state's Republican leadership and is considered the party's leading candidate. Miller has a network of support across the state as executive director of Advance America since 1980. He founded the group, which lobbies state government in support of what it calls pro-Christian issues, such as marriage protection and private and home schooling. He has suport from some prominent Republicans, including the former Governor Otis Bowen. The Eric Miller campaign official website is www.ericmiller2004.com if you want more information about his campaign.
Those of us with relatives in California will be praying the fires will come under control today.
President Bush is expected to get a victory on forest policy. An o.k. from Congress to his plan to allow thinning of national forests to help prevent fires and streamline administrative reviews of federal plans to sell timber. But lawsuits will keep forest service sales tied up in knots. Should Indiana experience a prolonged drought, present policies put in place by environlemtalists could turn our state into an inferno resembling California. Thinning of Indiana's forests is a must BEFORE that happens.
Ahh, 'tis the time of year when leaves change color, thoughts turn to Halloween, and many Hoosiers start thinking about being able to heat the home. Beginning November 15, low income Hoosiers can apply for money to help pay their heating bills. The money will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to families that earn 125 percent of the federal poverty level or less -- or $22,625 for a family of four. At a news conference Monday, Governor Joe Kernan warned Hoosiers that heating bills will likely be higher because natural gas is more expensive. For more information about the heating assistance program, contact the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration at www.in.gov/fssa or call 1-800-622-4973.

October 27

Getting to the polls is going to be very important in one week!
Cummins Inc. has anounced today that it has extended its exclusive supply agreement with DaimlerChrysler Corporation's Chrysler Group for diesel engines used in the Dodge Ram heavy-duty pick-up truck. The agreement additionally paves the way for collaboration on diesel engine technology beyond the length of the contract. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
A memorial service for Indy Racing League driver Tony Renna, who was killed in a crash Wednesday while testing a race car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will be held today at St. John's Catholic Church, 126 W. Georgia St, in Indianapolis. The service begins at 2:00 p.m. and is open to the public. Photography or videotaping is prohibited in the church during the service. Cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to: Target Chip Ganassi Racing, 7777 Woodland Drive, Indianapolis, IN, 46278.
Kroger stores may lose their slim lead in the grocery chain market in Indiana if a walkout does occur. The walkout, which could begin as early as Sunday, might result in slashed store hours, picket lines, fewer products because of delivery woes and a cut in service as temporary workers fill in for strikers. Kroger employees in Indiana took a major step toward a strike when they voted Friday to reject contract offers by the company, largely because of disputes over health care benefits and wages for new hires. Union leaders and Kroger will return to the bargaining table Tuesday, two days earlier than expected. If nothing is resolved this week, the picketing could begin as early as 12:01 a.m. Sunday, when the contract expires.
The American Cancer Society is distributing a new guide for free to Indiana women to help them shop around for the best deal on a mammogram -- then best took for early detection of breast cancer. The Indiana Mammography Guide allows women to comparison shop for mammograms. When combines with self-exams and physical exams, the radiological tests are still considered the best way to detect breast cancer early. Only seventy-one percent of Indiana women age 40 or older report having a mammogram within the previous twelve months, according to a recent report by the Indiana Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The guide offers information about mammorgraphy providers that could affect decisions about when and where to get mammograms. A survey found the average total cost of a mammogram in Indiana is $132. The survey also found that the cost ranged from a low of $47 to a high of $292 charged at the Bedford Regional Medical Center. The guide also includes such things as whether mammorgram providers accept Medicare or self-referrals, whether they send patients or their physicians annual reminders, and how long patients typically must wait to get an appointment. The Indiana Mammography Guide is available free of charge at every American Cancer Society community office throughout Indiana, by calling (800) ACS-2345, or at www.cancer.org.
A ticket worth half of a $190.9 million Powerball jackpot was sold at a Shell Mart in Washington, IN. State lottery officials are still waiting to hear from the person who bought the ticket. The ticket is worth about $95.4 million and would be the second-largest lottery ticket sold in Indiana. The ticket-holder has up to a year to claim the jackpot.

October 23

A 72-million-year-old dinosaur skull that goes on exhibit this week at the Children's Museum came from a dinosaur with a headache. The headache was so bad that it was difficult for the dinosaur to walk, they say. A brain tumor the size of a goose egg was what caused that headache. This is the first known evidence of a brain tumor, and will become part of a new $25 million dinosaur exhibit scheduled to open in June. The skull, which was found in Montana's Teton County in 1997, came from the most complete 25-foot-long gorgosaurus specimens ever recovered. Gorgosaurus, a relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, weighed about two-and-a-half tons and could chase prey at speeds up to twenty mph, devouring them with more than sixty serrated teeth that were two to five inches long.
Racing fans around the country are saddened by the news of the death of race car driver Tony Renna. He was killed the day before his twenty-seventh birthday, Wednesday morning, when the car he was driving crashed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Renna was participating in a tire test for Ganassi Racing. On his fifth lap, the car spun in the third turn, lifted off the ground and struck the fence above the concrete wall. The impact knocked out a pair of support poles, tore apart the fence and damaged the lower walkway area of the North Vista grandstand. It was a closed test, so there were no spectators in the grandstand. Renna had recently purchased a home in Broad Ripple, and was to be married on November 22. Funeral arrangements and memorials are pending.
Federal officials arrested more than three hundred illegal workers at sixty-one Wal-Mart stores across the country early this morning. The workers were members of cleaning crews which the company hired through a contractor. All those arrested were in the country illegally. None of the arrests were in Indiana stores.

October 22

Are you planning to vote in the November election? Do you know for whom you will vote? A political forum at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Apostolic Pentecostal Tabernacle, located at 301 Indianapolis Avenue in Seymour, will feature candidates for office in Seymour. The candidates will present their views on pre-determined questions concerning interpretations of the First Amendment, jobs, and liquor licenses, as well as their personal and professional backgrounds.

Have you seen any of the new $20 bills yet? The new bills, which were put into circulation earlier this month, are colorized with peach, blue, and yellow, and contain other features to make counterfeiting more difficult. However, Elkhart police seized two counterfeit bills Monday, so the counterfeiters are still out there!

Something to think about. While casino proponents claim that local business picks up where casinos are located, small business owners say that doesn't necessarily follow. Most people drive to the riverboats, gamble, and go back home. Furthermore, gamblers rarely visit other tourist attractions in the area.

U.S. Rep Baron Hill, D-IN, spent a few days in Iraq last week looking at military and reconstruction efforts. Based on his observations during the trip, he has changed his outlook on the success of the operations there from impossible to "maybe". He had voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq, and last week he voted to spend almost $87 billion to continue the military support and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He reported that he was encouraged by the response he got from Iraqis while in that country.

Saturday evening the Seymour Mello Tones barbershop chorus will present "Musical Memories" at Brownstown Central High School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The feature quartet will be "On The Edge", a Sweet Adelines International Quartet.

There will be an Open House at Trinity Lutheran High School next Monday, October 27th, from 7-9 p.m. at its campus located at 7120 N. Co. Rd. 875 East in Jackson County. There will be tours of the newly completed campus, door prizes, and refreshments. Faculty, staff, students, and parents will be available to answer questions for prospective students and their parents. Any prospective student who enrolls during the Open House will receive a voucher good for free registration, which will be valid until November 30th.

Monday night police received a report that a drunken man was causing a disturbance at a home in Columbus. When the officers arrive the man had a knife to his throat, refused several orders to drop the knife, and started approaching the officers. A police officer shot the 20-year-old man. He was pronounced dead at Columbus Regional Hospital. His name is not yet available.

An interesting observation. There are 137 gambling lobbyists registered with the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission. Is it any wonder that there is so much pro-casino rhetoric!

Indianapolis-based Anthem is trying to urge its members to switch to less-expensive generic drugs. Beginning this month, Anthem is offering the members coupons for a 20-28 day free trial of generic prescriptions through doctors' offices in seven of the nine states it serves, including Indiana.

Binge drinking and other risky alcohol consumptions currently comprise the most important problem on American college campuses. In an attempt to change alcohol attitudes and behavior, 341 fraternities and sororities have joined forces to study and implement education, counseling, health services, and social activities that Greek organizations have found to be effective.

Indian summer! Enjoy it! The weekend was perfect for family outings at the park. Today the high temp will reach the 80s. The rest of the week the high will be in the 60s. It is a great time for getting your yard in shape for the winter!
The Hilly Hundred bicycle tour, an annual event in Monroe County, has been taking place for over thirty years, originated this year in Ellettsville, and the routes were changed somewhat. Around 5,500 bicyclists participated in the event.
The Indiana General Assembly may gather for a "mini-session" on or about November 18th to discuss the problem of property taxes.

When Democrat gubernatorial candidate Joe Andrew gives his keynote speech at the Jefferson Day Dinner this weekend at Spring Mill State Park, he will undoubtedly reiterate a news release earlier this week that explained he will drop out of the race if Governor Kernan changes his mind and decides to run for governor. Andrew has said he would not want to split the party by challenging Kernan and would throw his support to Kernan.
Gasoline prices are again on the rise in Indiana, even though they have fallen slightly nationwide. The Triple A Hoosier Motor Club reports the average price for a gallon of self-serve regular in Indiana was nearly five cents higher yesterday than it was the day before.
The 35th annual Fort Vallonia Days is this Saturday and Sunday in Vallonia. The hours on Saturday are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival features lots of special activities and local people engaged in quilting, spinning, braiding rugs, making apple butter, etc.
Spooks are in the air! The Jackson County Public Library in Seymour will present Wanda Willis and her spooky legends on Saturday at 2 p.m. This is a free program sponsored by Friends of the Library and no registration is required. Be sure to attend this spine-tingling fun event!
The regular high school football season is coming to a close. Seymour will close out its regular season tonight at Madison. Brownstown Central will play its homecoming game, and last game of the season, tonight against West Washington. The Braves are undefeated so far this season. Good luck, Braves!
Trucks, planes, and automobiles! I-70 has more than its share of trucks and autos, but on Saturday there will also be a B-1 bomber traveling the Interstate. Actually, it won't be the entire plane--just it's fuselage. However, that will be quite a feat in itself. The decommissioned plane's fuselage is being moved from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH, to the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland, Nebraska. Will you recognize it if you are on the road at the time? No question about that! It is 90 feet long, 14 feet tall, 26 feet wide, takes up two lanes of the Interstate, and will be moving about 45 m.p.h. The convoy is expected to arrive at the eastern Indiana state line around 8 a.m. Saturday and will be met by four state troopers who will escort it through the state. The route will be I-70 to I-465 south to I-74. The convoy hopes to reach the Illinois state line about 3:30. Obviously, there will be a lot of frustrated drivers behind the convoy, but no passing will be allowed. However police claim they will pull the truck over if traffic backs up too much. The best advice for drivers is to find an alternate route.
According to a federal government announcement yesterday, there will be a 2.1% cost-of-living increase in Social Security checks starting in January. That amounts to an increase of $19/month for the average retiree. That was the good news. We already know the bad news--that you won't even notice the cost-of-living increase because it will be depleted by a 13.5% hike in the Medicare premiums.
There is always rivalry between I.U. and Purdue whether it's sports or something else. In this case, they are out for blood! --donating blood, that is! The 7th annual IU/PU blood donor challenge continues through Nov 14th at the First Baptist Church, 505 Community Drive, in Seymour. The donor may specify the school preference at the time of donation and add one point to the school's score. On November 14th, the school with the most points wins and will receive a trophy during half-time at the IU-Purdue football game.

Columbus East High School had rehearsed and was to present the play "To Kill a Mockingbird". However, the planned presentation was cancelled because the city's members of the NAACP complained because of "racial slurs in its dialogue". Now three adult actors of the newly formed The Show Must Go On Productions will stage a reading of the play, without sets or costumes, to allow citizens to decide for themselves whether the script is offensive. Proceed from the reading will be given to the Columbus East Drama Department to help in their effort to raise money for a trip to Scotland. The SMGOP group would like to include the high school students in the roles they were preparing for the school production, but the reading will be cancelled if they cannot find any black actors. The script right have already been secured by an anonymous donation. Harper Lee won a Pulitzer Prize for the 1960 novel and the 1962 film version earned a best-actor Oscar for Gregory Peck.
The Medicare fee that is withheld from senior citizens monthly social security checks will rise 13.5% in 2004 because of higher payments to doctors and other care providers. For Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital bills, skilled nursing facilities, and some home health care, the current annual premium is now $840 and will rise to $876. The current monthly Part B premium, which covers doctors and outpatient services, represents 25% of the cost of care (with the government paying the rest) is $58.70 and will rise to $66.60. In addition, lawmakers are considering linking premiums and incomes by charging "wealthy" (those with incomes over $75,000 ?) senior citizens higher premiums for Part B of Medicare, which covers doctors and outpatient services.
More bars and liquor stores near Indiana college campuses are using special scanners as one more tool to foil potential underage drinkers. Those scanners can read the bar codes and electronic strips on the back of most states' driver's licenses. The devices are gaining popularity with liquor retailers as fake IDs become increasingly sophisticated and difficult to spot.

On Friday Congressman Baron Hill, D-Seymour, will go to Iraq for four days with five other members of the House Armed Service Committee to evaluate the recovery there.

Almost everyone will be watching Game 7 tonight. Are the Cubs really jinxed?

Hooters at your favorite grocery? It's true. The popular restaurant chain is planning to sell appetizers in supermarkets! The favorite buffalo wings and chicken strips are expected to appear in supermarkets sometime in November. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, company officials believe there is plenty of room for growth in the home-foods market. Some supermarkets already sell Hooters sauces and buffalo shrimp.

In observance of Columbus Day, there is no regular mail service or collection today. All Federal and State government agencies are closed.

Boilermaker fans are happy with the Purdue 28-14 victory over Penn State. The Boilermakers are ranked 13th in the AP poll and still have to play. The Colts are now 5-1 for the season. Their winning streak ended in an OT loss to the Carolina Panthers at the RCA Dome yesterday.

The Indiana General Assembly will meet in special session on October 205h to vote on nominee Kathy Davis as Lieutenant Governor. Indiana House Speaker Patrick Bauer reports he is considering the possibility of an extended special session to try to get the property tax reassessment problem under control.

According to reports, the past summer growing season was somewhat less than desirable for pumpkin growers. Heavy rains caused fruit rot in some areas of the state, while other areas with too little rain had wilting problems.

An ultralight aircraft crashed in a field near Springville, probably Wednesday night, killing the pilot, David L. Kimmell of Springville and his passenger, Jamie R. Umphress of Mitchell. Kimmell's father discovered the wreckage Thursday morning. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
Everyone is aware that the annual ladybug invasion has begun! If you haven't noticed them yet, you will! They are yellow-orange in color, have six legs, and are around 1/2" long. These beetles were brought to the United States several years ago to reduce the population of crop-feeding aphids. After their food supply disappears and the first cold temperatures occur, the ladybugs look for a place to hibernate for the winter. The invasion usually happens later in October, but the cold snap arrived early this year, and the beetles arrived soon after. Killing the ladybugs by swatting them caused a pungent, unpleasant odor. According to experts, insecticide with Bifenthrin or Deltamethrin may be sprayed around doors and windows and might help. However, the vacuum cleaner is the most useful tool once the bugs are inside.
Incriminating evidence! Paul D. Lee was being held in the Delaware County Jail Thursday on preliminary charges including burglary. He apparently lost his false teeth during the break-in, and when they were found, they became evidence. Indiana law requires that dentures have the owner's name underneath the artificial gum, so the police tracked the teeth to Lee.
Using cryoelectron microscopy and advanced imaging techniques, a team of biological science researchers at Purdue University researchers have discovered how the major surface proteins of the West Nile virus are arranged, which could be a key step in developing an effective treatment for the disease. The proteins are important in allowing the virus to invade a host cell.
The 15th annual Bittersweet and Cider Days in historic Vernon is Saturday and Sunday. A Mystery Dinner and Ghost Walk will be Friday and Saturday, and vendors will be selling a wide variety of items. The blacksmith shop will also be open.

In the mid-1990s, before the passage of federal motor voter legislation, it was possible for county voter registration clerks to keep the rolls of voter registration somewhat accurate. At that time, the deceased, as well as convicted criminals, would be purged from the rolls. However, today there are hundreds of thousands of invalid names on the lists, many that are registered at more than one address. According to Senator Becky Skillman, who serves as a member of Indiana's Task Force on Election Integrity, it will be 2006 before that problem is fixed.
A police officer searching for an anhydrous ammonia thief fired three shots at a man Tuesday before breaking off the chase when he was overcome by the fumes. The suspect was arrested without incident about an hour later. Anhydrous ammonia is a fertilizer used by farmers and also a key ingredient in the process of making methamphetamine. Recently there have been several thefts of the chemical at area businesses.
State highway officials reported Tuesday that the construction on Indiana 46 in Brown County, between Nashville and Columbus, probably won't be finished until mid-November. The project involves widening and repaving the main state route in Brown County. Although the work began in July, INDOT claims that dampness and cooler temperatures have delayed laying the asphalt. Many Nashville residents are disgruntled because the project will interfere with Brown County's busiest season of the year. Undoubtedly there will be some disgruntled drivers as well!
Olympic Food Products Inc. in Kokomo, IN, has recalled 33,000 pounds of frozen corn dogs because they contain undeclared ingredients that could cause allergic reactions in some consumers. The corn dogs contained eggs and whey, as well as beef, which were missing from the label. The company is asking consumers to return the 2.75-ounce packages of "Quickmeal Premium Corn Dog, Batter-Wrapped Chicken & Pork Frank on a Stick", which bear the label code 40238-07, made on July 28, Aug 18, and Sept. 16, 2003. The other corn dogs under recall are 4-oz boxes of "Quickmeal Premium Jumbo Corn Dog, Batter0Wrapped Chicken & Pork Frank on a Stick", marked with the code 37175-02. They were produced this year on Aug 18th and 19th. All the recalled products have the establishment code "EST. P06882" near the USDA inspection seal. Consumers with questions about this recall may contact the hot line at Hormel Foods at 877-446-7635.

Have you been to the Scottsburg Jamboree? If you like Patsy Cline music, this weekend would be a good time to be in Scottsburg. Last spring Bedford Little Theatre presented the Patsy Cline show, "Closer Walk" to sell-out crowds. Bill and Phyllis Duke, owners of the Scottsburg Jamboree, attended the show in Bedford and invited the cast members and crew to perform the show at their facility in Scottsburg this weekend. This is not a Little Theatre function, but it features the LTB cast and crew, and many local fans will want follow the show to Scottsburg! The shows will be Friday, October 10th at 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 12th, at 2 p.m. For ticket information visit the website for the Scottsburg Jamboree, where tickets may be purchased on their website or at the door.
Here we go again! Gov. Joe Kernan warned yesterday that the $22.8 billion budget passed by the General Assembly may have to be reopened because the state has collections are lagging behind projections. What does this mean for the citizens of Indiana? Cuts in programs or higher taxes. The largest areas of state spending include public schools, Medicaid and subsidizing local property taxes. House Minority Leader Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) says the State Budget Agency can make any needed cuts to address revenue shortfalls by withholding money set aside in the 2003-05 budget. However, although Kernan claims he does not want to raise taxes, he won't rule out a tax increase.
Yesterday Monroe Circuit Judge Kenneth Todd dismissed Bob Knight's lawsuit against I.U. and ruled that I.U. did not violate his contract when they fired him and said further that I.U. did not withhold any money due Knight or defame his name. Knight alleged breach of contract and sought $2 million in dames for lost contracts and endorsements. Knight could not be reached for comment.
The Colts, with Peyton Manning, became the first team in NFL history to win a game after trailing by 21 or more points with less than four minutes to play in regulation. The game went into an overtime and the Colts ended up winning 35-28. The Colts, now at 5-0, are off to their best start since 1977.
This Saturday is the 19th annual Krankenhausfest at the Lawrence County 4-H Fairgrounds. Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the festive event benefits projects of Dunn Memorial Hospital Foundation. The German and American food, featuring bratwurst, Polish sausage, beans and cornbread, slaw, persimmon pudding, pumpkin pie, fried potatoes, taco in a bag 'n more, will be served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the new Commercial Building. Craft vendors will be there in large numbers, a sweet shop, and children's activities will make for an entertaining day. The 4-y Junior Leaders will collect a $2 parking fee.

Oktoberfest 31 has come and gone. The event was a big success in spite of the cold nighttime temperature and the rain Friday evening. Saturday was a spectacular day and perfect in every way for the parade and the downtown crowd. By Sunday morning the downtown area was restored to pre-festival appearance. A job well done for everyone concerned.

Slightly warmer temperatures will be around during the week, and no rain is scheduled at this point.

Yesterday Cmdr. Ken Bowersox and his crew members, Donald Pettit and Russian cosmonaut Nikolai Budarin met with President Bush in the Oval Office. Bowersox, who grew up in Bedford, and the crew spent 5 1/2/ months orbiting 250 miles above Earth. The were brought back on May 4th, landing almost 300 miles off target in Kazakhstan.

The I.U. Alumni Association Shawnee Bluffs property on the shore of Lake Monroe was sold to Jarvis Enterprises of Franklin at auction for $1.85. It is a parcel of almost 164 acres and has a two-story lodge and 26 primitive cabins. The Association acquired the property in the 1970s. Jarvis Enterprises did not announce its future plans for the property.

Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh has resigned as an ESPN sports analyst three days after saying on the show that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was overrated as a player because the media want to see a black quarterback succeed. Limbaugh is the radio talk show host of "The Rush Limbaugh Show" and has denied that his comments were racially motivated.

Doom and gloom. According to Symantec's recently released semi-annual Internet Security Threat Report, worms and viruses have increased 19 percent during the past six months, malicious codes were up 20 percent, and the speed of the infections is increasing so it does not take long for a virus to infect a system.

Seymour is taking on that annual festive German look with the Oktoberfest banners and German street signs. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday will be filled with fun and entertainment, with a very large number of craft and food booths offering a wide variety of wares.
It is only October 1st, but the frost may be on the pumpkins in the morning as cooler-than-usual temperatures are in the forecast. Frost is created when the air is cold, moisture is plentiful, and winds are light. The advice is to bring your potted plants indoors and protect others outside if you want to save them. Tomato plants do not like frosty weather! Although the temperatures may halt the growing season for plants, mosquitoes won't suffer until temperatures are consistently below freezing.
Could it be that even computer programmers are being replaced by foreign competition and will eventually disappear? In the past few months you may have read that some U.S. companies are out-sourcing their computer tech work to companies in India, etc. Even the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has hired programmers from India to update its computers. The state claims that no Indiana companies submitted proposals for the $15.2 million computer project, but that claim has been disputed by the president of NML Consulting in Carmel, who reports he wrote the agency offering to help and received no reply. Meanwhile some unemployed computer programmers in the state have taken "temporary" jobs selling used cars, busing tables, etc. while trying to pay back their student loans.