BY JOHN REED LEADER EDITOR
KNOX — A special judge has been appointed to conduct the trials of Starke County Commissioner Mark Milo and former interim highway superintendent John (Johnny Ray) Norris.
Special Judge James Ahler was appointed by the Indiana Supreme Court on Jan. 2.

Milo and Norris are to appear before the judge in Jasper Superior Court on Feb. 18 at 1 p.m. for a status hearing. At that hearing, the judge is expected to set new trial dates. The previous trial date of Feb. 25 has been eliminated.
Milo, 54, is charged with: Official misconduct, class D felony (two counts), and conflict of Interest, class D felony (two counts). The cases involve the alleged selling of a backhoe to the county and allegedly selling gravel from his company to the county on Sept. 15, 2008.
Norris, 51, was charged with: Official misconduct, a class D felony (one count) and theft, a class D felony (one count). Those charges involve the alleged sale of county-owned scrap metal for personal gain.
The charges were filed by Jasper County Prosecutor Kathryn O’Neall, named special prosecutor in the case, which is based on an audit by the State Board of Accounts.
According to court documents, Milo has retained Mark Stuaan of Barnes  & Thornburg LLP in Indianapolis as his attorney. Norris has retained Michael Riley of Michigan City as his attorney.
Both men were arrested by the Indiana State Police Thursday evening, Dec. 4, and placed in the Pulaski County Jail.
Milo continues to sit as a Starke County Commissioner. Norris was first demoted to a truck driver with pay, then suspended from the department without pay.