The Daily Press http://www.thepilotnews.com http://www.thepilotnews.com/apfeed.xml--1 Copyright The Daily Press 2013-05-20T12:53:45-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:171402013-05-20T12:53:45-04:002013-05-20T12:53:45-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsThis has been an ongoing issue for Commissioners for about a year. Plymouth, INRusty NixonCommercial wind farms prohibited from Marshall CountyThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:17140Change0Usable2013-05-20T12:53:45-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:171352013-05-20T09:09:22-04:002013-05-20T09:09:22-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot News“People of many nations have come together today in the sacred circle,” Rev. Terry “Redhawk” Harris said during the ceremony. “Tom (Dermody) told me, ‘I will get this done. I don’t take no for an answer. I work for the people.’”The Hawk Band numbers about 1,300 adults and their children, according to the information presented in the resolution. Nationwide, the number of people who claim Metis heritage is estimated to be close to 30 million.“Terry made a point to look me directly in th!e eyes and say this was important to all of you,” Dermody said in remarks made in the center of the ceremonial arbor. “He said, ‘We need to have Indiana’s recognition.’ I saw the passion, I heard the passion in his voice. I gave him my word.”Harris thanked Demody for his help in securing state recognition, which he said had been a long process, stretching out for a decade. The state of Indiana is the first state to grant recognition status to the Metis, which means “mixed blood”, and applies to an ethnic group that claims both Native American and European or Asian lineage. In the resolution introduced by Dermody and supported in the Senate by his father-in-law, James Arnold, the state acknowledges the Metis people, specifically the Hawk Band, as “among the first settlers of Indiana and salutes the people of the Hawk Band for their many contributions.”These contributions include documenting the historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of the Native American and Metis people; educating their own children and those in the community about Metis heritage and traditions and fostering respect among generations and for the environment.The Hawk Band’s recognition status is considered to be a starting point for groups in other states to achieve the same, Harris said. Some of the states represented at the ceremony included Michigan, Colorado and Arizona. Once the state recognitions are obtained, the Metis can petition for federal recognition. No Native tribe in Indiana is federally recognized.Plymouth, INLois TomaszewskiMetis Tribe receives state recognitionThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:17135Change0Usable2013-05-20T09:09:22-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:171342013-05-20T08:57:24-04:002013-05-20T08:57:24-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsTown Attorney Derek Jones reported that after a search of the Indiana statutes, he found that the Council would need to complete a fiscal plan and hold a public hearing before annexation could be completed. He will prepare a draft of the plan to present at the next regular meeting. During citizen input, Jan Heuer questioned the purchase of the land and the reasons for it. President George Null and councilman Mark VanDerWeele explained the future thinking of the Council in having the land ready for development. Null related an experience several years before in which the town failed to purchase an available property, and how he has been sorry ever since. Resident Barney Beers said that there may be problems with the adjacent property owners because people don’t get involved in the process and then want to object later. Jones also reported that the ordinance vacating the alley between Grove Street and the railroad crossing Cherry Street had now been properly recorded, and the property officially belongs to the adjacent property owners. Related to the purchase is the matter of rental of the new property for farming purposes. The current lease on the property expires in December. Notification will be given to the current lessees that the property will be put up for bid for 2014.A presentation on employee insurance was given by Brian Liechty, Employee Benefits Specialist with TCU Insurance Agency, and the current agent for the town’s benefit package. He said that after research, he was able to maintain the town’s current health coverage with only about a 3.5% increase in premiums, while insurance across the industry had risen 17%. He also recommended that life insurance, currently available through three insurers, be consolidated to one insurer to minimize the workload in the Clerk’s office. The Council voted to keep health coverage as it is with the premium increase and accepted the recommendation on life insurance. Ordinance 2013-7 was passed on all three readings after suspending the rules. The ordinance addresses the new rate structure for electric customers. While not technically a “rate increase,” residential customers will see an increase of approximately $3 to $5 per month, while large power users will see a decrease. The new structure follows a study by the Indiana Municipal Power Agency of area electric rates and will begin July 1. Argos electric utilities are still cheaper than any other area electric provider, according to the town council. A public hearing will be held at 7:15 on June 5, just prior to the next regular Council meeting, to consider additional appropriations in excess of the budget, as required by state statute. This matter involves transferring funds to cover expenses which are not accounted for in this year’s budget, including purchase of the 75 acres. Department heads indicated that their reports were routine, and were in Council’s hands. The ramp leading up to the front door of the old library building will be demolished since it requires constant repair. The building is now only used by the town for storage.(this story was published in the May 17 edition of the Pilot News.)Plymouth, INEd Scherer-BerryArgos annexation requires public hearingThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:17134Change0Usable2013-05-20T08:57:24-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:171332013-05-20T08:46:11-04:002013-05-20T08:46:11-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsMcKenzie was notified just this week of the honor. “It’s one of the few things that as made me speechless,” McKenzie said. “I am both humbled and honored.“It is indicative of the coaches who mentored me, the students who worked hard to excel, and the wonderful staffs I worked with over the years,” he said. “This wasn’t won by just me.”One of his mentors was Dan Tyree, former PHS Head Speech Team Coach and now Plymouth Schools Superintendent. “Dan and I talked speech on the phone every Saturday night for years,” McKenzie recalled. When Tyree resigned as the head coach, he recommended McKenzie for the job. He also met his wife Sarah at a speech meet and she became an assistant coach at Northfield. She is now the Head Speech Coach at Lincoln Junior High. McKenzie said, “I didn’t get married until I was 32 because I knew it would take a special woman to understand.” The McKenzies’ daughter Emily is a freshman on the PHS team and son Trent is a sixth grader at LJH. “Both Emily and Trent have spent many, many Saturdays at speech meets with us,” McKenzie said.McKenzie has been involved in speech since he was a high school competitor starting in 1977. Although he never won an individual ribbon, the love of the competition held his interest.Since graduating from Northfield High School in 1979, McKenzie has only missed one year of coaching. He coached at least three times each week while attending classes at Manchester College, worked with team members at Columbia City High School when he was student teaching, spent three years as assistant coach at Oak Hill High School, worked as a radio news director and substitute teacher and coach at Wabash High School and lead a team at Northfield High School for over a decade. He came to PHS in the 2000-2001 school year.McKenzie said, “I look forward to Saturdays when speech meets are held. “The coaches from all over the district aren’t just coaches to me, they are friends and colleagues.”McKenzie has been the District Chair for the IHSFA (Indiana High School Forensic Association) for over ten years. Plymouth High School Speech and Debate Team remains one of the 25 largest programs in the nation. McKenzie said, “We have a high school of 1,100 students and we compete with many schools that have 3,000-4,000 enrollments.”McKenzie says the speech year is divided into two parts. “The fall is for education and after the holidays we start looking at competition. That is when we put banners on the wall and trophies in the case,” he said.(This story ran in the May 18-19 edition.)Plymouth, INCarol AndersPlymouth High Speech Coach is Hall of FamerThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:17133Change0Usable2013-05-20T08:46:11-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:171322013-05-20T08:36:25-04:002013-05-20T08:36:25-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot News Team leader for this project is Kendall Hoover, a kindergarten teacher at the school. “Eat This, Not That” is the project title, and is self-explanatory. Discovery work has led the students in these two grades to search outside the school for knowledgeable help, which turned out to be Sister Sue Rodgers, Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, from Earthworks Market.A collaboration developed in which Rodgers asked the students to make a healthy granola bar which could be sold at Earthworks and at the Plymouth Farmers Market. “We learned about many different ingredients that are in granola bars…some healthy and some not so healthy,” Hoover said. “We found out that we had to include small amounts of ingredients that were not as healthy to make the bars taste good. We also learned that some of the healthy ingredients are ones we do not like by themselves, but when mixed into a granola bar, they are quite delicious!” The students in these two grades will be making the bars and selling them this week at the WDA Health Fair on Friday. They also invite the public to buy the bars on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at either the Farmers Market from the second graders or at Earthworks from the kindergartners. Earthworks Bakery and Market has moved to a new location at 900 W. Jefferson Street in Plymouth. The students, along with Earthworks staff, have created the bars and made posters and commercials to promote them. The Health Fair on Friday at the School, in addition to offering the Discovery Bars, will be organized so that classes of students will be rotating to nine different stations during the day. The stations are: healthy eating, appropriate dress for the winter, bike and car safety, playground safety, first aid, hand washing, dental hygiene, fire safety, and summer safety, according to Jona Cartwright, B.S.N., R.N., health careers instructor for the school corporation.Plymouth, INEd Scherer-BerryYummy Lessons:Students learn about good nutrition and economicsThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:17132Change0Usable2013-05-20T08:36:25-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:169812013-05-12T16:21:27-04:002013-05-12T16:19:21-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsCharles Celandina, a 6th grader from St. Michael's Catholic School in Plymouth, took first place, followed by Riverside Intermediate (Plymouth) 6th grader Samantha Zechiel. Sarah Luttrell, grade 6, from Culver Elementary, came in third. After several elimination rounds, contestants battled it out for six full rounds on the same two words. As the contest neared its conclusion, the word "macabre" proved Luttrell's undoing, while the word "enzyme" propelled Celandina to the top over Zechiel, after which he spelled "discernible" for the win. All participants in the Pilot News-sponsored bee received a goody bag , with the top three winners receiving gift certificates to Wal-Mart, Culver beach passes, and Auto Park cups, t-shirts, and frisbees in addition.Culver, INJeff KenneyCelandina, Zechiel, and Luttrell take tops in county spelling beeThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:16981Change0Usable2013-05-12T16:19:21-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:169642013-05-10T09:14:27-04:002013-05-10T09:14:27-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsThe shelter for women and children that are fleeing domestic abuse situations finds a great increase in occupancy and need in the spring and summer months.“I really don’t know why that is I just know that it is,” said Diane Fisher Case Manager and Advocate at Heminger House. “I think perhaps people feel safer leaving abuse situations in the spring and summer because if they have to they can stay outside. In the winter they might feel that they have absolutely no place to go. Right now we have twice as many people here as we normally do.”Heminger House provides a shelter for people to escape unsafe and abusive domestic environments of any kind.With the increase in occupants Heminger House is running through supplies at an increased rate and is seeking donations to help. Each spring the house campaigns in the community for help.Plymouth, INRusty NixonShelter seeking supplies for women, childrenThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:16964Change0Usable2013-05-10T09:14:27-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:169632013-05-10T08:55:01-04:002013-05-10T08:55:01-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsLaVille Jr. /Sr. High School has recently completed some inexpensive but effective changes to its physical plant to do just that. While a recently-approved bond issue will allow needed upgrades to both the elementary and the secondary buildings, the district is being very cautious with how the money is spent. “Paint and some updated signage do wonders for a new image,” said Superintendent Mitch Mawhorter. Demonstrating his point, he indicated paint jobs on entrance doors and the athletic field restrooms, among other things. Although the bond issue provided $1,100,000 for needed improvements, the paint jobs only cost $1,700 of that total at the Jr./Sr. high school. A new logo and appropriate signage are even more effective in creating a sparkling new look as you enter the school building (see photo). The signs on the gym floor, the building entrances, and the concession stand are also a relatively small chunk of the monetary outlay. Plymouth, INEd Scherer-BerryLaVille Schools updating school imageThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:16963Change0Usable2013-05-10T08:55:01-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:169622013-05-10T08:49:37-04:002013-05-10T08:49:37-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsA call was made to 911 dispatch at around 6:30 a.m. on Thursday regarding a one month old infant with difficulty breathing. Plymouth EMS and Police arrived at East Lake Street in Plymouth and transported the child to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The child was later taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.Investigation in the case led Plymouth Police to determine that Diana S. Turner, 18, of Plymouth - the mother of the child - had allegedly caused the baby’s injuries. After questioning Turner was transported to the Marshall County Jail and booked for battery as a class B felony and neglect of a dependent also a class B felony.Plymouth, INNo author availableMother arrested for abuse, neglect of infantThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:16962Change0Usable2013-05-10T08:49:37-04:00 urn:publicid:dailypress.com:169382013-05-09T11:19:45-04:002013-05-09T11:19:45-04:00Copyright 2010 The Pilot NewsMarket (PFM) opens this Saturday. Traditionally the Market opens the day before Mother’s Day continues operation through October 10. Shoppers can bring their shopping bags and reconnect with old friends under the magnolia tree.“Over the last few years the Market has just exploded and that’s a good thing,” said Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter. “I remember being at a Mayors meeting last year and one of the Mayors was bragging about the 12 vendors they had at theirs - a town twice Plymouth’s size. Most weeks we have 35 to 45 vendors at our Farmer’s Market and we’re proud of them all.”This year musical entertainment has also been planned for each week. It kicks off with Jodie Kallenberg directing the Plymouth Community Youth Orchestra at 9:30 a.m., a warm-up for their upcoming annual spring concert. Local favorites will be returning with Jefferson and Webster Schools choirs under the direction of Bob Pickell as well as Mike Linter, Sentimental Journey and the Marshall County Church Orchestra. New is Randy Jones’ ‘Huckleberry Clamshell’ group and Marcie Prochaska playing dulcimer.Education continues to be a big player in the scenario in with Master Gardeners assuming a big role. Opening day will feature ‘Treat Your Tree This Year’ to fend off insect invaders. May 18 visitors will learn how to plant a rain garden.The Market is held Saturdays from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. in River Park Square at Garro and River Streets, east of Michigan. The area is now officially a city park under the management of the Plymouth Parks Department. The last day for the Market is Oct. 12, the second Saturday of the month.Applications for vendors and not-for-profits are available on the website at www.plymouthfarmersmarket.com or by contacting Tom Keb, Market Manager, at 574-217-5776. Booth space for vendors remains at $10 per week per booth. Not-for-profit booths are free but groups are limited to once a month. • May 11/Mother’s Day Weekend — 9:30 a.m. Plymouth Community Youth Orchestra; Master Gardeners - Insect invaders of trees/’Treat Your Trees This Year’• May 18 — 9 a.m. Jefferson and Webster Schools; Bob Pickell Master Gardeners: and ‘Let’s Plant a Rain Garden’, a Discovery School Project• May 25/Memorial Day Weekend — Master Gardeners: Trees for an Urban Landscape; from 9 - 10 a.m., Marcy Prochaska will play the dulcimer; and Mayor Mark Senter will hand out flags.Plymouth, INRusty NixonFarmer's market to open SaturdayThe Pilot Newsurn:publicid:dailypress.com:16938Change0Usable2013-05-09T11:19:45-04:00