Berne PD finally to be at full force
Transcription
Berne PD finally to be at full force
TUESDAY February 23, 2016 Democrat An independent newspaper serving Adams County, Indiana since 1857 Berne P.D. finally to be at full force IN BRIEF Decatur BZA to meet on March 1 The Decatur Board of Zoning Appeals will meet at 4:30 p.m. March 1 in city hall, 172 N. 2nd St., to hold public hearings. To be considered are: — A request from Mark Bulmahn, doing business as Marco Development LLC, for a special exception for use in the I-1 (industrial) district at 1045 S. 11th St. — A request from Anthony Ostermeyer, 1004 Colonial Ct., for a variance in the side yard setback for an addition to his home. Interested persons desiring to present their views, either in writing or verbally, will be given the opportunity to be heard. Hiring of new cop, to start in 2017, will reduce overtime and boost morale in department, chief says Evening with superintendent is Monday North Adams Superintendent Brent Lehman will host another “Evening With the Superintendent” event from 7-8 p.m. Monday at the district administration office. The first part of the meeting will be spent discussing the district wide NWEA scores and the one-campus facilities project. The evening will not last more than an hour. If questions or comments remain after that time, attendees may write them down and Lehman will respond within a few days, according to the news release. DDD bridal show set for March 6 The Decatur Daily Democrat will sponsor the fourth annual Adams County Bridal Show from 12-4 p.m. March 6 at the Mirage Reception Hall, 1640 Winchester St, Decatur. Admission is free. Area businesses will exhibit their goods and services — from bride’s and bridesmaid dresses, tuxes, invitations, and photographers to floral bouquets and arraignments, cakes and more. Openings are still available for area businesses that would like to exhibit at the Bridal Show. For more information, contact the Democrat’s advertising department at 724-2121 or email advertising@ decaturdailydemocrat. com Contact Us By phone: 724-2121 By Fax: 724-7981 On The Web www.decaturdaily democrat.com 75¢ COMING DOWN — Preliminary demolition of a home along 1st Street in Decatur got under way in earnest Monday following the city’s recent acquisition of the property. The city of Decatur plans to construct a new sewer line on the west bank of the St. Marys River, necessitating the purchase. Photo by Ashley Bailey Criticism surrounds teacher pay bill INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Many school district administrators and Indiana’s teachers unions are arguing against a legislative proposal that would give districts the authority to negotiate higher pay with individual teachers. The Republicandominated state Senate rejected an attempt Monday to strip from a bill those provisions that supporters say would help school districts recruit teachers in high-demand subjects such areas as science, math and special education. The debate comes as state officials and local school leaders have debated possible steps to address possible teacher shortages as the number of first-time teaching licenses issued by the state Department of Education has declined by 33 percent over the past five years Senate education committee Chairman Denis Kruse, an Auburn Republican, said school districts should have more flexibility to fill their teacher vacancies. ‘‘We need to have our school corporations be able to respond locally to school shortages,’’ Kruse said. The Senate voted 30-20 against an amendment sponsored by Republican Sen. Vaneta Becker of Evansville to remove the authority for individual teacher negotiations. She argued that salary matters for teachers should be part See TEACHER, Page 2 By JANNAYA ANDREWS Berne Police Chief Tim Taylor appeared before city council Monday evening, chief’s hat in hand, to request the addition of a police officer — bringing the Berne force back to full strength. Taylor said in 2008, an officer with the department resigned, bringing the force down to six. The hiring process was initiated, but the position had not yet been filled when Taylor was named chief in 2009. “One of the first things I was asked to do,” Taylor said, “was to trim the budget. That’s when everyone was tightening up everywhere, but the only place we could really trim was in personnel. So we stopped the hiring process and just continued working with six officers. And we’ve been doing that ever since.” Taylor said Assistant Chief and Detective Jim Newbold has been “on the schedule,” meaning Newbold is patrolling the city. That takes the detective away from current investigations, Taylor said, and creates an issue with overtime. “I’d like to be able to take him off the road during the week. He would work every-otherSaturday during the day. This way he could focus on investigations,” Taylor said. Questioned about how much money was being spent on overtime in the police department, Clerk-Treasurer Gwen Maller said the city paid $55,665 in overtime during 2015 — $19,442 of which went to Newbold. The cost for a first-class officer — one who has already completed the state’s police academy — is $56,852 annually, Maller said. “That includes salary, medicare tax, health insurance, etc.” For a probationary officer — one who has not yet completed the academy, but would be required to do so within the first year — the city would pay $55,693 annually, according to Maller. “It’s going to save us money in the long run,” Maller said. “They’re still going to have a little overtime, that’s unavoidable. They have things they have to get done. But this would cut down on that considerably.” Taylor noted his request was about more than money. “These guys need more time with their families. They’re good guys, and they do a great job for this city. I’d like to see them have at least every-other-weekend off to spend with their families. They never complain, they do what needs done. But it takes a toll. I think this would really do a lot for morale.” See BERNE, Page 2 ‘Decatur’s Most Talented’ take stage Sunday at BHS Tickets are now on sale for Decatur’s Most Talented, a talent show featuring local performers, set for 6 p.m. Sunday at the Erekson Theatre at Bellmont High School. The show is hosted and presented by the Decatur Cultural Connection. Decatur native and Fort Wayne TV-33 reporter Krista Miller will emcee the event, which will feature 11 acts. The top three acts will receive cash prizes and the opportunity to represent the show at community events throughout the year. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased at Decatur City Hall and Richard’s Restaurant in Decatur. Tickets will also be available at the door the day of the performance for $5. Young performers from the North Adams Arts Council will open the show. The Bellmont High School Family and Consumer Science class students will have refreshments on sale at intermission. All proceeds from refreshments will benefit student programs in the family and consumer sciences department. All proceeds from the talent show will benefit improvements to the grand curtain and sound system at Erekson Theatre. HELPING OUT THE CRIMESTOPPERS — Colston Pruitt gets a lift from Josh Kimberlin of the Adams County CrimeStoppers team during a free throw attempt Monday night in the charity basketball contest with the K105 Hoopsters. Several local youngsters were chosen out of the stands to shoot free throws in the fun contest. Photo by Jim Hopkins All the news you need right at your fingertips. Decatur Daily Democrat 141 S. 2nd St.• Decatur, IN • 260-724-2121 L ocal /S tate Page 2A • Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Decatur Daily Democrat Your Local Weather Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 2/23 2/24 2/25 2/26 2/27 46/32 37/29 32/21 30/20 38/24 Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 46F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Mainly cloudy with rain, windy. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the upper 20s. Mostly cloudy and windy with snow showers. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s. Cloudy. Highs in the low 30s and lows in the low 20s. Windy with a mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the mid 20s. Sunrise: 7:23 AM Sunrise: 7:21 AM Sunrise: 7:20 AM Sunrise: 7:18 AM Sunrise: 7:17 AM Sunset: 6:23 PM Sunset: 6:24 PM Sunset: 6:26 PM Sunset: 6:27 PM Sunset: 6:28 PM ©2016 AMG | Parade High Low Precip 7 a.m. Degree days River 44 24 0 25 31 3.64 ft. From the Decatur weather station Charges filed in deaths of Manchester U. students PETTING ZOO AT AC Adams Central Community Schools’ middle and high school FFA students held a petting zoo for Adams County elementary students recently. In the photo above, Courtney Loshe and Bashful the Burro pose for the photographer. At right, Caitlyn Emenhiser and rabbit Rocky, while at left is a grumpy looking llama that was part of the menagerie. Photos by Ashley Bailey BERNE From Page 1 Councilor Mark Wynn expressed his support for the hiring of an additional officer. “I’ve talked to Jim (Newbold) and he seems burned out. And I hate to see that. I agree, we need to do something,” Wynn said. Taylor noted when Newbold is scheduled to patrol an evening shift, he oftentimes comes into the office at 9-10 a.m. to work on current investigations. “It’s the only time he can. He doesn’t have any other time to do it because he’s out on patrol.” Councilman Ron Dull said the Board of Public Works and Safety earlier Monday evening had approved Taylor’s request to bring the matter before council. TEACHER From Page 1 of district-wide contract negotiations with the teacher unions. The bill, which the House approved 57-42 last month, applies both to new and current teachers, who could use the provision as leverage to obtain a pay raise or move to another job. No additional money for salaries is included in There was full support from the council as to the issue of adding a seventh officer to the city’s force. All that was left to decipher was where the funds to pay for the new hire would come from. Maller and Taylor said the salary for the new officer would come, at least in part, from Local Option Income Tax funds. “Those funds are earmarked for public safety,” said Maller, “I’d say this definitely qualifies.” “We share those funds with the fire department,” Taylor added, “so we have to take into consideration what they may need in the future, too.” Councilor Phil Provost said, “I appreciate everything you guys do and have been doing this entire time. I don’t think there’s a ques- tion we need to do this.” Mayor Bill McKean said the council didn’t have to act immediately, but soon. “It doesn’t have to be tonight, but it does have to be soon so Gwen has everything she needs to start on the budget.” When asked when he intends to fill the position, and if he intends to hire a first-class officer or probationary, Taylor said he anticipates filling the position at the start of 2017 and will begin the hiring process in September or October. “As for who we hire, we’ll open up the application process and see what we get. If we get someone who’s been through the training already, great.” The board unanimously approved the motion to hire a seventh police officer, 5-0. the bill. Leaders of the Indiana State Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers union, maintain that individual deals would cause division among teachers. Teresa Meredith, the teacher association’s president, said she worries it would also lead to a disparity in pay because many male teachers are in the science and math fields most needed and could receive bonuses. But 90 percent of elementary teachers are women and those positions are not as difficult to fill. ‘‘Teachers are very upset about it. They are concerned about where the money is going to come from,’’ Meredith told The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. ‘‘Every content area is arguing about what is high need versus what is not. It’s not a healthy environment for teachers.’’ TLC FAIRMOUNT, Ind. (AP) — A prosecutor filed homicide charges Monday against a Chicago man in connection with a weekend crash that killed three international students at Manchester University and critically injured a fourth. Grant County Prosecutor James Luttrull Jr. charged 26-year-old Deangelo Evans with three counts each of reckless homicide and operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, and one count of OWI resulting in serious bodily injury. Evans was held on a $300,000 bond. It was not clear when he would make an initial court appearance or if he has an attorney who might comment on his behalf. The crash Sunday morning along Interstate 69 near Fairmount, about 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis, killed Brook Dagnew and Kirubel Alemayehu Hailu of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Nerad Grace Mangai of Jos, Nigeria. Israel Solomon Tamire, also of Addis Ababa, remained in TLC critical condition Monday at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne. Some of Tamire’s relatives have joined him at the hospital, Manchester said in a news release. The students plus three others who were not injured had gone to Ball State University in Muncie and Taylor University in Upland and were returning to Manchester’s campus in North Manchester, about 35 miles west of Fort Wayne, when their van had a flat tire. They were outside the vehicle partially off the roadway toward the median while the tire was being changed. Luttrell said some members of the public had called in reports of an impaired driver on the highway. Manchester is a private liberal arts school affiliated with the Church of the Brethren and enrolls about 1,500 students. The university said it had established a temporary fund to help offset travel and other expenses for the families of the victims. HEARING Welcome! Familiar Faces &H Service You Expect TLC H EARING EARING • Over 40 Years Experience • Locally Owned & Operated • We Make House Calls • Walk-In Service is Always Welcome Pete Alles, H.I.S. Charlotte Alles, H.I.S. Serving Patients The first Tuesday of every Month from 10am to 3pm Riverside Center • Decatur To Schedule An Appointment call (260) 747-0135 Bill opening up access to adoption records awaits Pence’s signature TLC H TLC EARING HEARING INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Adoptees born between 1941 and 1994 may soon be able to access their birth records under a bill approved by the Indiana Legislature. The Indiana House advanced the measure on a 72-24 vote Monday. The Senate passed it last month, and it now heads to Gov. Mike Pence’s desk. The measure would reverse a 1994 law that sealed adoption information that didn’t have a disclosure consent form. That means records would be made available beginning in July 2018 unless the biological parents file another nondisclosure form with the Indiana State Department of Health. The bill would also give biological parents additional contact preference options for new adoption cases. Pam Kroskie is the president of Hoosiers for Equal Access to Records, which has long supported opening adoption records. Kroskie argued adoptees need impor tant birth information, such as their medical histories. ‘‘Senate Bill 91 allows adoptees to finally find the closure they desperately seek, uncover vital answers about their medical history, and cure administrative heartaches that come from having an amended birth certificate,’’ Kroskie said in a statement. Still, opponents say biological parents should be able to retain their right to privacy. Rep. Thomas Wa s h b u r n e , a Republican from Inglefield, said his main concern was violating the privacy of birth parents by opening up the nearly 50 years of records. ‘‘I just can’t believe there is not an expectation of privacy that extended back there,’’ he said before voting against the measure Monday. ‘‘I’m really in a quandary in how you www.DrugFreeAdamsCounty.org handle this situation for those people.’’ Last year, a similar proposal failed in the House after it faced questions from Pence’s administration about reversing the promise of anonymity given to birth mothers. No one from the governor’s office testified this year. Services Available • Hearing Aids • Hearing Aid Repairs, All makes & models • Free Hearing Screenings • Free Demonstrations & Consultations • Free Battery program with purchase of Hearing Aids • Walk-Ins Always Welcome 6704 Old Trail Rd. • Ft. Wayne, IN 46809 (260) 747-0135 This cartoon was created in a cartoon class held at the North Adams Art Council. Its primary goal is to heighten awareness of the First Annual Talent venue called “Decatur’s Most Talented”, which is sponsored by The Decatur Cultural Connection. We are publishing these cartoons as encouragement to all young people in the city to discover what’s happening in their city and to become involved. Decatur Daily Democrat F or Obituaries Eugene Carroll Bassett Eugene Carroll Bassett, 89, formerly of Decatur, passed away Feb. 5, 2016, surrounded by his family. He was born in Lerna, Ill., Oct. 7, 1926. Among survivors are his loving wife, Etta Jane Bassett; children, Steve Bassett, Patricia Ann Bassett and Gregory (Holly) Bassett; siblings, Mary (Stan) Knittle, Ronald Bassett and Norman (Judy) Bassett; grandchildren, Ross, Elizabeth, Kate, Adam and Ryan Bassett; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother, Jim Bassett; and a sister, Carolyn Sue Vanhorn. A memorial service was held Feb. 8 at Turin Baptist Church, with Rev. John McDuffie Jr. officiating. Online condolences may be made at www.mckoon.com. Death notice Jean Potts Jean Potts, 81, white female, last known address is 813 Swope St., Greenfield. Anyone with information about the deceased is asked to contact Bell Mortuary & Crematory, Royster-Askin-Sandrock Chapel, at 317-637-4308. the R ecord Chicago man convicted in Decatur stabbing Tuesday, February 23, 2016 • Page 3A By JANNAYA ANDREWS A Chicago man accused of stabbing a Decatur resident stood trial last week and was found guilty by a jury of his peers, according to Adams County Prosecutor Jeremy Brown. Jeremy A. Perry, 30, was charged with attempted aggravated battery and aggravated battery, both level 3 felonies following an incident that occurred May 26, 2015, in the Bellmont Estates neighborhood involving Perry and Marcus A. Richards, age unavailable. Richards was hospitalized following the incident. According to a probable cause affidavit released after the incident, a witness to the event, Cyle Alverson, 24, told investigating Decatur Police Lieutenant Christopher Brite he and Richards were drinking beer in Alverson’s back yard when they noticed Perry walking across the back yards in the neighborhood. Alverson stated he and Richards exchanged words with Perry as the men approached one another. Perry — who was in town visiting his cousin — reportedly left, according to Alverson’s statement, allegedly saying he would return and was going to “mess them up.” Alverson stated Perry did return and approached the men and allegedly attempted to hit Alverson, according to the affidavit. At that time, Alverson reportedly fell as he attempted to back away from Perry. Alverson told Brite it appeared Perry had a “silver shiny object” in his hand when he swung at him. Alverson said Richards tried to help him up and was allegedly stabbed in the back by Perry, according to the court documents. Around 10 a.m. the following morning, Brite spoke with Richards — who had been transported to a Fort Wayne hospital — via telephone. Richards also stated he and Alverson were in the back yard when they saw Perry walking in the back yard “being very loud.” Richards stated Alverson asked Perry to “hold it down,” according to the affidavit. Perry allegedly approached the men and said he was going to “kick both of their asses.” At that time Perry left, Richards reportedly told Brite, before later coming back and grabbing Alverson, who then fell to the ground and “was trying to scoot backwards.” Richards told Brite he didn’t know when he had been stabbed, but that it must have happened when the two men were fighting on the ground. Police were able to track Perry to a home occupied by Sammatha Commet in Bellmont Estates. After receiving permission from Commet to search the residence, police allegedly found Perry hiding in a bedroom closet. Police also reportedly found Perry’s clothing and shoes in a different bedroom closet. There appeared to be blood on the front of the pants, according to the affidavit. Perry was transported to the Decatur Police Department, where he was interviewed by Brite. Perry reportedly waived his rights to an attorney and stated he fought with Alverson and Richards. Perry reportedly said he “swung at the one guy” and he went down or fell down. Perry then allegedly said Richards tried to tackle him or take him down and when he fell to the ground, he grabbed something that was already there and stabbed Richards in the back, according to the affidavit. “As a result of the cooperative efforts of various law enforcement agencies, we were able to put together a rather solid case against the defendant,” Brown said in a statement Monday. Perry will be sentenced on March 9. Judge dismisses suit over Child Services caseloads US-Russia agree on Syria cease-fire plan INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A judge dismissed a lawsuit Monday in which an Indiana Department of Child Services family case manager claimed she had an excessive caseload that put children at risk. Marion Superior Court Judge Heather Welch said plaintiff Mary Price has no right to bring the claim under an Indiana law setting a maximum caseload at 17. There is no ground for the court to issue a mandate changing caseloads, and Price should take her complaint to the State Employee Appeals Commission, the 12-page ruling said. Under state law, the DCS director ‘‘may employ necessary personnel to carry out the department’s responsibilities,’’ subject to state budget constraints and other factors, Welch said. Price said in the lawsuit filed last July that her caseload at the time was 43 children, or more than 2 1/2 times the prescribed maximum. ‘‘Under the law the Legislature passed it was decided that the judicial branch was not the proper place for this discussion. It ultimately is up to the people’s elected representatives in the Legislature to determine resources for the DCS and up to the executive branch to manage those resources,’’ said Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, whose office represented the state agency. Blotter Three individuals were arrested by local law enforcement officers Monday and were booked into the Adams County jail. Steve E. Walsh, 51, Fort Wayne, was arrested by Berne police on charges of possession of marijuana, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated/endangerment, OWI with a schedule I or II substance and driving without a license. Bond was set at $450 cash and $4,000 surety. Jacob J. Berlanga, 22, Geneva, was arrested by Geneva police on a charge of disorderly conduct. Bond was set at $200 cash and $2,000 surety. Freddrick D. Silas, 31, Fort Wayne, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on three counts of failure to appear in court. A $1,500 cash purge bond was ordered. Traffic The Decatur Police Department has released information on three recent accidents. At 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Everett D. Currie, 73, Decatur, was attempting to back into a parking space in a private lot at 1115 W. Monroe St. when he backed into the side of a parked, unattended and unidentified vehicle. Damage to both involved vehicles was estimated at less than $1,000. Saturday at 6:58 a.m., Dustin J. Ehr, 27, Geneva, was traveling north on High Street near Homestead Drive when a herd of deer attempted to cross the road in front of him. Ehr was unable to avoid striking and killing one of the deer. Damage to his car was estimated between $1,000-$2,500. At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Roc E. Martin, 20, Decatur, was attempting to park his car in a pri- vate lot off Village Green Drive east of 13th Street when the left front fender of his vehicle struck a parked and unattended car owned by Brett Agler, Fort Wayne. Damage to the two vehicles was estimated at less than $1,000. The Adams County Sheriff’s Department investigated a car-deer accident at 8:20 p.m. Monday on S.R. 124 near Salem Road. Destinee B. Knittle, 34, Ohio City, Ohio, was reportedly westbound on S.R. 124 when a deer ran into the path of her car and she was unable to avoid striking the animal. Neither Knittle nor a passenger in her car, Kathy R. Knittle, Van Wert, Ohio, were injured in the accident, which caused damage estimated between $1,000-$2,500 by sheriff’s deputies. Chickens perish in county blaze The Decatur Fire Department was dispatched at 6:25 a.m. today to the home of Scott Wherling, 0302W C.R. 400N, in response to a structure fire. According to a spokesman for the department, a 20 foot camper that had been converted to a chicken coop was destroyed in the blaze, killing 35 chickens. There were no other injuries reported and the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Damages were estimated at $2,000. Firefighters returned to the station at 8:01 a.m. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — The United States and Russia have agreed on a new cease-fire for Syria that will take effect Saturday, even as major questions over enforcing and responding to violations of the truce were left unresolved. Syria’s warring government and rebels still need to accept the deal. The timeline for a hoped-for breakthrough comes after the former Cold War foes, backing opposing sides in the conflict, said they finalized the details of a ‘‘cessation of hostilities’’ between President Bashar Assad’s govern- fied or punished. The announcement came after Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone Monday, capping weeks of intense diplomacy to stem the violence so that Assad’s government and ‘‘moderate’’ rebel forces might return to peace talks in Geneva. A first round of indirect discussions collapsed almost immediately this month amid a massive government offensive backed by Russian airstrikes in northern Syria. Obama welcomed the agreement in the call with Putin, which the White ment and armed opposition groups after five years of violence that has killed more than 250,000 people. The truce will not cover the Islamic State group, the al-Qaidalinked Nusra Front and any other militias designated as terrorist organizations by the U.N. Security Council. But where in Syria the fighting must stop and where counterterrorism operations can continue must still be addressed. And the five-page plan released by the U.S. State Department leaves open how breaches of the cease-fire will be identi- House said was arranged at Russia’s request. The White House said Obama emphasized the key is to ensure that Syria’s government and opposition groups faithfully implement the deal. ‘‘This is going to be difficult to implement,’’ said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. ‘‘We know there are a lot of obstacles, and there are sure to be some setbacks.’’ Putin called the agreement a ‘‘last real chance to put an end to the many years of bloodshed and violence.’’ YOUR EYES by Prosecutors say K’zoo gunman admits shootings day, and said that company policy is to contact the driver when alerted to unsafe driving. But they would not say whether anyone at the company spoke to Dalton. Dalton, meanwhile, appeared briefly in court by video link and was charged with six counts of murder, which carry a mandatory life sentence. A judge denied bail for the 45-year-old former insurance adjuster, who Kalamazoo police Det. Cory Ghiringhelli told the court had admitted to investigators ‘‘that he took people’s lives.’’ The admission seemed only to deepen the mystery of what was behind the killings of six people with no apparent connection to the gunman. Police and prosecutors acknowledge a motive may never be fully known. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — As details emerge about the night authorities say Jason Dalton has admitted gunning down six randomly chosen victims in and around Kalamazoo — attacks apparently carried out over hours during which he also ferried passengers around town as an Uber driver — any hint as to why remains stubbornly elusive. A prosecutor said Monday that Dalton picked up fares for the ridehailing service after the first shooting Saturday that left a woman seriously wounded and probably got more riders after the two subsequent shootings that proved fatal. But none of the shootings appeared to be connected to fares. Uber officials acknowledged the company received complaints about Dalton’s erratic driving that Web cam gives look at Indiana eagle nest SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — A live Web camera is providing a look at the nest of two bald eagles in northern Indiana. The camera was installed near the nest at St. Patrick’s County Park in northern St. Joseph County. The camera is at the University of Notre Dame’s Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility. Two bald eagles took over an existing red-tailed hawk nest at the facility last spring. Scientists have observed the birds in recent months building a nest again. Doctor of Optometry Family EyE CarE Children Victims of Most Eye Injuries From Aerosols Cooked Country Style Ribs $3.49 lb. Children were the victims in more than half of the emergency room visits for eye injuries related to aerosol cans between 1997 and 2009, according to a new study. The youngest children, ages 0 to 4, were the most likely to be hurt with an estimated 2,830 emergency room visits during the study time frame, according to the study. In all, about 5,927 children 18 and younger came to hospitals with eye injuries from aerosol cans, according to the report’s estimates, which put the total for all age groups at 10,765. The report might underestimate the total number of injuries because it focuses exclusively on emergency room cases, the researchers noted. Many other people might have been treated in clinics or doctors’ offices, or simply cleaned up and recovered at home. More than 70 percent of the incidents occurred in the home. The most common way people hurt their eyes with aerosol cans was by self-inflicted spray, although sometimes they were hit in the eye when cans burst. Males of all ages accounted for 63 percent of those injured. The nature of the damage included significant irritation, chemical burns, or scratches and bruises on the eyeball. The most common product involved in an emergency room visit was spray paint, followed by personal hygiene products such as hairspray, then cleaning products and bug sprays. Pepper spray injuries were very rare but in every case the victim was a child. Spray cans are often brightly colored, and many cleansers and personal hygiene products have smells that children may find attractive. Fresh Casing Sausage $2.99 lb. Dr. Steven A. DeGroff, O.D. Frozen Pork Loin Chops $3.99 lb. Beef Arm Roast $4.99 lb. 150 Forest Park Dr. • Berne, IN 46711 Morel & Leek Monterey Jack Cheese $7.69 lb. German Bologna $3.89 lb. QuEstions? House panel backs setting fenced deer hunting rules INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana House could vote in the coming days on setting requirements for the state’s high-fenced deer hunting preserves. A House committee voted 8-4 Monday to endorse the proposed requirements, including that they have a minimum of 100 acres surrounded by fencing at least 8 feet high. The Senate approved the bill last month, although opponents of the measure argue it doesn’t support real Dr. Steven A. DeGroff mise since such hunting preserves have operated unregulated in Indiana since a court ruling a year ago that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources didn’t have the authority to do so. hunting since animals cannot escape the fences and that preserves should be banned entirely. Bill sponsor Rep. Sean Eberhart calls the proposal a good compro- ALL DAY Wed. & Thurs. Delicious Salmon Steak or Ham Steak 2 Dinners 10 Served with Green beans, potato, cole slaw, roll & butter Sorry, No Substitutes! for only $ Celebrating 38 Years 99 ALL DAY February 24 & 25- Dine in Only! 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He is the Savior who opened the doors of eternity to them, and whose name they are willing to give their very lives to proclaim. “We were angry. We were afraid. But we were also happy ... Our faith is more important than everything else.” These words come from Archbishop Amel Nona, the shepherd of these Christians. But his home diocese no longer exists, and his people are scattered — many of them on church property in Jordan, living in storage containers and other makeshift homes, having fled ISIS. The Chaldean Church has since reassigned Nona, a native Iraqi, to Australia, where “they are keeping me busy.” As he talks with me in New York City, there is, of course, an expected and appropriate sadness on his face, but also an overwhelming joy — the kind that comes from the peace of knowing you’re doing God’s will, that your life has the kind of meaning and purpose people crave, and often look for in all the wrong places. I’d even go so far as to say that before me is a happy man. Indeed, he tells me, “We were always a minority. We always knew it was not important what we have, but what we do. The Lord shows us how it is important to be happy in all situations.” Talking more about identity, he emphasizes that the Christian has no other identity than as a Christian. The Gospel is what you want to conform your life to, he says. “For us, we want to practice our identity. ... Our identity is to live like Jesus Christ.” Christ becomes everything, and so there is no life without Christ, he says. “I think all our problems lie in this point: that in our life, sometimes we forget to live like Jesus. It’s not theology, it’s reality.” That’s an epidemic common to East and West. While Nona admits it’s heartbreaking to have to flee your home, for lives to be at risk, he still radiates gratitude: “We thank God for everything because (the Christian refugees) are still alive; they still have a very strong faith. We thank God for that.” Nona has been at an event in New York, talking about how his people wouldn’t consider walking away from their faith. I totally play devil’s advocate and ask him if he’s really fessing up. Surely there were some hard conversations with people who thought they could keep their Christianity in the shadows, or renounce their faith outright, to keep their families’ homes. No, there were not, he insists. He talks about the importance of living with love over fear. It was just over a year ago now that ISIS beheaded 21 Coptic Christian men. Their families had words of forgiveness, deep compassion desiring the conversion of those who had murdered their loved ones. This is who Christians are. It’s why, frankly, Pope Francis denounces the “wall-building” rhetoric as not of the Gospel. If we’re stuck in anger, vengeance and fear, we’re not giving out of an overflow of love. That’s not a political platform or a policy position, but a posture that can make for the peace of the world. “I remember when I was in Mosul, going to church could mean going to die,” says Nona. In fact, his best friend, another priest, was killed by al-Qaida. I think of how spoiled we Americans can be. I think of how easy it is for me to safely go to church — and how many options I have. I think about how people would die for the religious liberty we’ve had here in the U.S., and how fragile it can be when we’re not grateful stewards of it. The buzz continues to be that the White House will soon declare the massacre of Yazidis in Iraq a genocide, but overlook the Iraqi and Syrian Christians, who are likewise targeted. Nona believes one upside of the targeting of Christians there is that while for many years there was a widespread silence in the West about the dangerous predicament they were in, now there is an awareness. “The globalization of indifference is a malignant cancer,” Nona said during a panel discussion. He is grateful for those in the West who have a desire to help, and urges the United States to formally acknowledge the genocide — he has no doubt that would make an international difference. For anyone in the West living in fear after terrorist attacks, he offers some hard-earned advice: Terrorists are afraid of joy. To his fellow Christians, he issues a challenge: “We fight them by living the Christian life.” Nona and his people demonstrate just what that means. In our relative luxury here, Christians ought to do the same. It would do a world of good. DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT VOL. CXIV, NO. 45, Tues., Feb. 23, 2016 The Decatur Daily Democrat (USPS 150-780) is published daily except Sundays, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Christmas Day by: HORIZON PUBLISHING CO. OF INDIANA, 141. S. Second St., Decatur, IN 46733. Periodicals postage paid at Decatur, IN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Decatur Daily Democrat,141 S. 2nd St., Decatur, IN 46733. Echoes of 1991 Gulf War linger on in Mideast By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press The 1991 Gulf War saw only 100 hours of ground fighting as U.S. forces entered Kuwait to end the Iraqi occupation but echoes of that conflict have lingered on for decades in the Mideast. The war pushed America into opening military bases in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, drawing the anger of an upstart militant named Osama bin Laden and laying the groundwork for alQaida attacks leading up to Sept. 11, 2001. Saddam Hussein, demonized as being worse than Adolf Hitler by President George H.W. Bush, would outlast his American rival in power until Bush’s son launched the 2003 American-led invasion that toppled the Iraqi dictator. Now, 25 years after the first U.S. Marines swept across the border into Kuwait, American forces are battling the extremist Islamic State group, born out of al-Qaida, in the splintered territories of Iraq and Syria. The Arab allies that joined the 1991 coalition are fighting their own conflicts both at home and abroad, as Iran vies for greater regional power following a nuclear deal with world powers. In all, the United States finds itself in the quandary it hoped to avoid back in 1991. ‘‘Had we taken all of Iraq, we would have been like the dinosaur in the tar pit — we would still be there, and we, not the United Nations, would be bearing the costs for that occupation,’’ the late U.S. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of Desert Storm, wrote in his memoirs. Iraq invaded Kuwait on Aug. 2, 1990, angry that the tiny neighbor and the United Arab Emirates had ignored OPEC quotas, which Saddam claimed cost his nation $14 billion. Saddam also accused Kuwait of stealing $2.4 billion by pumping crude from a disputed oil field and demanded that Kuwait write off an estimated $15 billion of debt that Iraq had accumulated during its 1980s war with Iran. Fearing Saudi Arabia could be invaded next, U.S. officials moved quickly to deploy troops to the region. After months of negotiations and warnings, the U.S. launched its assault on Iraqi forces in Kuwait on Feb. 24, 1991. In purely military and political terms, the first Gulf War marked a tremendous success for a U.S. still haunted by Vietnam. America suffered 148 combat deaths during the entire conflict, while 467 troops were wounded out of the over 500,000 deployed, according to the Defense Department. It held together an allied army, its war effort was supported by a number of United Nations resolutions, and the conflict cemented its position as the sole world power following end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union. America’s Arab allies also footed much of the bill for the $61-billion war, with both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait contributing some $16 billion while the United Arab Emirates offered $4 billion, according to U.S. congressional reports. Japan and Germany together contributed another $16 billion, while South Korea gave $251 million. The U.S. covered the rest. But the key players in the Arab world on whom the U.S. relied on during the conflict are long gone. Saudi King Fahd died in 2005. A popular uprising toppled Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Syria’s totalitarian ruler Hafez Assad, died in 2000. His son, President Bashar Assad, still clings to power amid a five-year civil war that has killed more than 250,000 people and flooded Europe with those fleeing violence across the region. In Israel, the memory of Iraqi Scud missile fire prompted the military to speed up a missile-defense program that included the development of its Iron Dome rocketdefense system with the help of the Americans. Then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, a hard-liner, held back from retaliating at the request of Bush, who feared losing Arab support for the war. Though American aid to Israel exceeds $3 billion a year, relations have been strained over stalled Palestinian peace talks. Yet despite seeing his forces routed from Kuwait, Saddam clung to power and survived an uprising by both Shiites and Kurds following the war. The U.S. and its allies began to patrol a northern and southern no-fly zone to protect the Shiites and the Kurds while Saddam remained a thorn in the inside of American politics for more than a decade. ‘‘I miscalculated,’’ Bush said in a December 1995 interview. ‘‘I thought he’d be gone.’’ It would take President George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion to end Saddam’s reign, coming amid the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan. In its aftermath, al-Qaida in Iraq would arise and be put down by a U.S. military surge, coupled with the support of Sunni tribesmen. But as the U.S. withdrew from Iraq and Baghdad stopped supporting the Sunni tribesmen, the Islamic State group emerged from the ashes of al-Qaida in Iraq and in 2014, took control of about a third of both Iraq and neighboring Syria. Today, the U.S. finds itself mired in a long war feared by Schwarzkopf and others who oversaw Operation Desert Storm. Oil prices, which sparked Saddam’s invasion of Kuwait, have dropped to under $30 a barrel from more than $100 in just a year and a half. The cause, in part, is the same OPEC overproduction the late dictator Saddam railed against across the splintered Middle East. — Home Suite Home — By Jim Mullen We’ve been thinking about moving from our big, old, two-story house to something a little easier to clean and maintain. And if we’re going to move, why not move to a warmer, sunnier place? Then again, maybe we should stay here, and just find a more compatible house. We’ve often wondered what it would be like to live in a place with level floors and square corners instead of our old wreck — whoops! I mean, our old historic landmark. Our house is so historic, you can stand in front of the closed windows and still feel the wind blow. It’s so historic that it has no closets. Who had extra clothes back then? They hung everything they owned on a nail on the back of the door. It’s so historic that everything costs two or three times the normal price to fix. It makes charming, historic noises all night long. It’s so historic that there’s a sign on it that says, “George Washington wouldn’t sleep here because it looked unsafe.” And that was in 1776. Sue and I have talked about moving for years. We wonder what it would be like to have high-speed Internet and reliable cellphone service. We’d even be happy with February 23, 2016 Today is the 54th day of 2016 and the 64th day of winter. TODAY’S HISTORY: In 1778, Baron von Steuben joined the U.S. encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to help train the Continental Army. In 1942, a The Village Idiot electricity that stayed on after a minor snowstorm or a hard rain. We dream of living on one story, and of having square corners, level floors, a balcony, an elevator and a super. So we look at the real estate listings. It turns out, a place like that costs $4,500 a month, plus utilities. It’s one-fifth the size of the place we have now, and five times the price. How does that make sense? We would be downsizing our space and upsizing our spending. We keep seeing real estate ads that say things like, “Price dropped from $1.1 million to $799,000! What a steal!” In our circle of friends, we probably know one person who could afford a $799,000 house. And he made all his money flipping houses. Obviously, we’re hanging around with the wrong kind of people. When you see the housing prices in New York, Miami and San Francisco, it seems as if everyone who lives there is a multimillionaire. They can’t all be selling drugs for a living. They can’t all have won the Powerball jackpot. They can’t all be hedge fund managers. Japanese submarine fired artillery shells at coastal targets near Santa Barbara, California. In 1945, American Marines raised the American flag on the island of Iwo Jima. In 1954, the first mass vaccination of children against polio began in Pittsburgh. In 1991, President George H.W. They can’t all be the Housewives of Wherever. So where does all the money come from? Well, a lot of it comes from overseas. If you were a wealthy Russian, would you rather put, say, $10 million in a Russian bank or park it in a New York City penthouse? If you made a fortune in China, would you leave it there or buy a Beverly Hills mansion? Then you just wait five or 10 years for your country’s financial crisis to end, or for a new leader to come along, and poof! You sell your property at a profit. Meanwhile, you’ve priced us out of the market, thank you very much. Of course, we’d like to stay in the town where all our friends live, where all our family lives and where all our roots are. But over the years, our friends have gone to live with their children in Florida or Phoenix, our families have scattered to the four winds, the waitress at the restaurant we’ve gone to every week for the past 30 years asks us if we’ve ever eaten here before, and the clerks at the drugstore give us the senior discount without asking. We haven’t left home, it left us. When people ask us if we’re really moving, Sue says, “We’re just window shopping.” We’re doing a lot of it. Bush announced the beginning of an allied ground offensive in Iraq. TODAY’S QUOTE: “The worker must work for the glory of his handiwork, not simply for pay; the thinker must think for truth, not for fame.” — W.E.B. Du Bois, “The Souls of Black Folk” C ommunity Decatur Daily Democrat Tuesday, February 23, 2016 • Page 5A February Community Calendar TUESDAY, Feb. 23: Optimist Club, noon, Richard's Restaurant. Zumba, Southeast Elementary School, 4-5 p.m. A.A., 7 p.m., First United Methodist Church. WEDNESDAY, Feb. 24: Immanuel House, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 8545N C.R. 500E, Decatur. Operation Help food pantry for Decatur and Monroe residents, 1-4 p.m., Adams County Service Complex. Bring your own box or cloth bags. Free meal, 5-6 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 6th Street entrance. Adult Children of Alcoholics, a 12-step support program for those raised in alcoholic families, 7 p.m., The Bridge Community Church, 403 Winchester Road. Dr. Scott Colclasure, founding contributor of North Adams Autism Fund, is shown presenting a check to Tim Caldwell, Project Lifesaver instructor. Sitting, from left, is James Clark, Fire Department; Rob Burns, EMS; Larry Shaffer, EMS; Trevor Callahan, Adams County Sheriff's Department; Troy Habeggar, Adams County Sheriff's Department. Photo provided Project Lifesaver awarded grant from ACCF and North Adams Autism Fund According to a press release, the group in charge of this program, whose training was funded by the grant, will take the leadership position in the event of a search and rescue. Fund representive, Dr. Scott Colclasure said he and his wife, Jill, are pleased to be in a position to help sponsor this program. According to a press release, the program makes Adams County a safer place to live for residents and their families. Susan Sefton, Adams Memorial Hospital Community Outreach director, said there is a limited supply, but the Adams Health Network will provide assistance for residents and their families who are in 4-H Dog Obedience Program informational meeting March 3 The Adams County 4-H Dog Obedience Program will start with an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 3 in the 4-H Dining Hall at the fairgrounds in Monroe. This program is open for children in third-12th grades who have dogs living in their homes. Information will be given at the meeting and forms must be filled out during that time. The first practice is planned for 6:30 p.m. March 8, also at the fairgrounds. The goal of this program is to help children develop life skills and form a close bond with their dogs. It also helps teach responsibility, teamwork, cooperation, leadership and sportsmanship. For more information, call Carol Garringer at 368-9329. www.riverterraceretirementcommunity.com Adams Memorial Hospital and the Adams County Sheriff's Department were recently awarded a grant through the Adams County Community Foundation and the North Adams Autism Fund for the Project Lifesavers course. The Project Lifesaver program is for communities with residents who tend to wander. The program was created with two goals in mind —to streamline search and rescue procedures and to help save lives. The program will only succeed if the agency being trained accepts ownership in this program and encourages community participation and works with their local media to actively promote the program to the public. need of the tracking devices. For nonprofit organizations serving Adams County residents, the next grant cycle due date is April 14. For current college students, the next due date for the scholarship application process is 4 p.m. June 2. Applications and details may be downloaded at www.AdamsCountyFoundation. org. For more information on ACCF grants for nonprofit organizations serving Adams County residents, ACCF scholarships available to local students, or on how to create or contribute to an existing fund, contact the ACCF at 724-3939 or accf@AdamsCountyFoundation. org. Don’t Just See the Difference Experience the Difference YWCA Spring Travel Preview set for Monday in Van Wert The Van Wert YWCA Spring Travel Preview will be at 3 p.m. Feb. 28 Information about the entire 2016 schedule will be available during this time. Some of the destinations are Costa Rica, New York City, Niagara Falls and Thunder Bay. Many one day mystery trips have also been planned. Door prizes will be awarded and refreshments served. The YWCA is located at 408 East Main, Van Wert, Ohio. For more information call (419) 238-6639. HERE COMES THE RESIDENTS FIRST - Community fees begin at $5000 - Four spacious floor plans to choose from - Restaurant style dining - Bistro Café - Fitness Center - Library - Beauty Salon - General Store - Social Activities - Transportation OF THE YEAR! 400 Caylor Blvd. Bluffton, IN 46714 260-824-8940 855-238-8460 * Limited Availability Sense & Sensitivity By HARRIETTE COLE Man Upset to Find Out Son Isn’t His DEAR HARRIETTE: Ten months ago, my girlfriend said that she was pregnant. It would be my first child, so as you can imagine, I was ecstatic and anxious. I loved her. Although this child wasn’t planned and came out of the blue, I was going to stay by her side and raise our baby. I was seriously devoted. I attended every single checkup, ultrasound, pregnancy class, etc. I think I brought everything as far as necessities went for the baby. I attended the baby shower, proud that in a few months, I would be welcoming my firstborn into the world. As I thought more about it, though, it didn’t add up. The time we had sex and the time she conceived weren’t adding up. I pushed my insecurities to the side. I still went into the delivery room and held her hand. But once my son was born, I just felt funny. I should have been happy, over the moon, overjoyed -- but I wasn’t. I knew why. I couldn’t ignore it anymore. So I had a paternity test done while she was at work. A couple of weeks ago, the results came in the mail, giving me the worst news of my life: My son is not mine. I am only 19 percent likely to be his father. That means some other man is walking this Earth 80 percent likely his daddy. I couldn’t believe it. I loved her so much. I don’t know how to accept it, and I hate her for doing this. What’s worse, I hate the kid. I hate him with every fiber in my being. I can’t even look at him. My now-ex-girlfriend confessed to it and left. THURSDAY, Feb. 25: Rotary Club, noon, Back 40 restaurant. Monroe United Methodist Church Farmer's Wagon, 1 p.m., line is to form no earlier than noon. Senior citizens play cards, 1 p.m., Riverside Center. Zumba, Southeast Elementary School, 4-5 p.m. TOPS Club weigh-in, 5:30 p.m.; meeting 6:15 p.m., Woodcrest Activity Building. Weight Watchers, 6 p.m., weigh-in; 6:30 p.m. meeting, Adams Memorial Hospital Decatur Room. Sober Beginnings, 6:30-8 p.m., Adams Memorial Hospital Berne Room. Divorce Care4Kids, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Decatur Church of God. She came back last night, saying that the real father won’t accept them and doesn’t believe her, basically leaving her with no place to stay. I could be that guy and let her stay with me, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to be nice and thoughtful. Where was her thoughtfulness when she slept with another man and hid the truth from me for 10 months? What happened to her loyalty then? I hate them so much, but I know my mother raised me better. What do I do? Do I let her stay with me and live hating her and this kid? Or do I tell her to kick rocks? I’ve never been in this type of situation, and honestly I don’t want her back. I just feel like it would be a lot of drama and stress if I let her back in. -Hateful and Resenting, New Brunswick, New Jersey DEAR HATEFUL AND RESENTING: Your hurt is raw right now, and perfectly understandable. While at the moment you feel duped and outraged, I recommend that you meditate on this. You did claim this child as your own. Since the birth father will not acknowledge him, you may want to think about reclaiming him. That doesn’t mean you have to build a relationship with her, although you could possibly forgive her over time. Think about the child with love, even though it’s tough today. The child is innocent and deserves love and protection. He could still be your child if you choose to love him despite the deceit that brought him into the world. Send pets photos and information to [email protected]. 2016 Adams County Bridal Show Sunday, March 6th Noon - 4 p.m. at The Mirage Banquet Room 1640 Winchester St. Decatur, IN Free Admission To The Public Sponsored by DECATUR DAILY D E M O C R A T Decatur Daily Democrat Page 6A • Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Welcome to the National FFA National FFA Programs Our Programs around the world. Those who participate in global programs: Through FFA programs, members begin to * Develop a broader perspective as they discover their unique talents, their values, and their ambition in life. Programs provide them become more culturally aware. * Gain a greater understanding of an everwith the opportunity to travel, discover careers in agriculture, and develop their leadership changing global marketplace. * Learn about internship and employment skills. opportunities from global industry leaders. * Develop friendships with diverse groups of Degrees FFA members can earn degrees as they prog- people who share a common interest in agriculress through the phases of their leadership, aca- ture. demic and career skills development. Outreach Through its outreach programs, FFA encourages its members and advisors to use their knowledge and skills to serve others. FFA Outreach programs help to teach elementary school students where their food comes from. They help to teach older students and adults about the importance of the agriculture industry. They help the public understand the important role that science and technology plays in producing our food. They lend a helping hand to those in need. Get involved in an FFA Outreach program. You’ll be making a difference in your life as you make a difference for others. Grants and Scholarships Grants Grants are available from the National FFA Organization to help support FFA chapters, FFA Alumni chapters and students’ supervised agri- The National FFA Organization (formerly Future cultural experiences (SAEs). Farmers of America) envisions a future in which all agri* Living to Serve Grants * SAE Grants * Alumni Awards and Grants Scholarships The National FFA Organization offers several scholarships to members who plan to further their educations after high school. Scholarships are sponsored by businesses and individuals through the National FFA Foundation. Awards FFA has an award to match almost any Scholarships are available to match a wide member’s unique talents and interests. Find a variety skills, experiences, career goals and program that interests you, set a goal, and work higher-education plans. Approximately $2 milhard to achieve it. You’ll gain the skills and confi- lion in scholarship money is available each year. dence you need to succeed in all aspects of life. Did you know? Collegiate FFA Collegiate FFA provides a number of professional development opportunities to help students get an edge in today’s job market. Whether you are looking for a career in education or industry, Collegiate FFA has what you need to jump start your career! Global FFA Global programs give students and teachers the opportunity to explore the different agricultural practices and cultural in other countries vent ! An E iber Arts F ted to o v e D Fri. 10-5 2016 Fiber Fest Sat. 9-4 March 11-12 Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week. The week-long tradition began in 1947 when the National FFA Board of Directors designated the week of George Washington’s birthday as National FFA Week in recognition of his legacy as an agriculturist and farmer. The first National FFA Week was held in 1948. Today, FFA Week always runs Saturday to Saturday and encompasses Feb. 22, Washington’s birthday. 155 E. Buckeye St. • Berne, IN 260-589-2880 www.visitjaycounty.com Remote Controlled Car Starter $299.99 • Scytek Galaxy 2000 • Includes Fob & Installation • Keyless Entry www.bernereadymix.com GO WARM! 1421 Manchester St. • Decatur Our Structure ... FFA is structured on three levels: local, state and national. At the national level, FFA is led by a board of directors and six student national officers. Lehman Feed Mill NOBODY WORKS HARDER FOR YOU THAN YOUR HUBBARD DEALER. NOBODY. For More Information About Hubbard Products See Us At 589-2451 CR 000 • Berne, IN North on State Rd. 1, 1/2 Mile (Just North of Walmart) On West Side of Road 800-747-4925 • 260-824-1846 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 260-824-4782 260-273-9678 Remit To: P.O. Box 294 Bluffton, IN 46714 Proud Supporters of FFA Decatur • Geneva • Bluffton Warren • Berne 1/2 block west of U.S. 27 North 1-800-458-6203 www.innovativeconceptsav.com decaturdentalin.com 260-724-2276 So today, we are still the Future Farmers of America. But, we are the Future Biologists, Future Chemists, Future Veterinarians, Future Engineers and Future Entrepreneurs of America, too. Bluffton Office: 1180 N. Main St. Monroe Office: 0121 N. 100 W. Jay County Visitors & Tourism Bureau [email protected] FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet those challenges by helping its members to develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. Located on Hwy. 1 Bluffton, IN Jay County Fairgrounds Class Pre-Registeration Required. cultural education students will discover their passion in life and build on that insight to chart the course for their educations, career and personal future. “Future Farmers of America” was founded by a group of young farmers back in 1928. Their mission was to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. They taught us that agriculture is more than planting and harvesting-- it’s a science, it’s a business and it’s an art. SALES • SERVICE • PARTS 6704 SOUTH U.S. 27 • Berne, Indiana 46711 260-589-2964 www.affolderequip.com Advance Realty 260-728-8474 Rob Green Realtor - Auctioneer - Appraiser Mobile: (260) 525-8474 Office: (260) 589-8474 5068 E. - 100 N. Bluffton 1-800-876-9351 (260) 565-3659 4777 W. 500 N. Huntington 1-888-876-9352 (260) 356-7958 983 N. St. Rd. 13 Wabash 1-888-876-9353 (260) 563-1149 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.troxelequipment.com www.SoldonGreen.com [email protected] Jesse Ellenberger 1925 Ken Ellenberger 1966 Jessica Ellenberger Dubbeld 2014 Since 1925 Celebrating 90 Y Years In Business rd and the 3 G Generation ELLENBERGER Auctioneers & Real Estate BROTHERS, INC. Our professional services include Appraisals, CMA’s, List Homes, Sell Homes, Auctions. Specializing in Agriculture Farm Land. #AC31200014 90 YEARS AMERICAN MADE — 3 GENERATIONS 130 West Market St. | Bluffton | www.Ellenbergerbros.com 260-824-2426 | 1-800-373-6363 Decatur Daily Democrat SUDOKU ® by American Profile SUDOKU ® Answers for previous day Tuesday, February 23, 2016 • Page 9A Astro-Graph Take on a partner or collaborate with someone who is heading in the same direction as you. This can be a progressive year if you stay focused on the goals you set. Treat any challenge you face with positive thought and energy in order to succeed. PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) -- You’ll have opportunities galore if you participate in events or programs you believe in. Partnerships look favorable as long as you insist on equality in all your dealings and negotiations. ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Don’t give in to a bully trying to manipulate you. Take action and establish what you want in order to gain the freedom you need to pursue your plans. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- If you involve yourself in events that interest you, you will meet someone worthwhile. A change in attitude will take place if you are subject to a different way of doing things. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Your dedication will lead to prosperity. Now is not the time to let someone else handle your affairs or manipulate your mind. Do what’s best for you. Romance is favored. CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Partnerships, new friendships and educational events will add to your knowledge and improve your life. Changes at home will be comforting. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) THE LOCKHORNS ® -- Your charm and ability to entertain will draw interest in whatever you do or say. A change at work or in an important partnership looks promising. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Emotional matters will surface if you let someone’s demands get to you. Don’t give in when you should be setting a standard that puts an end to anyone trying to take advantage of you. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) -- Do whatever makes you feel good and eases your stress. A change in a partnership will be in your best interest. Be willing to walk away if you don’t like what’s being offered. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) -- Take an unconventional route. You’ll feel more at ease if you avoid letting anyone dictate what you can and cannot do. Strive for excellence if you want to be given greater freedom. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) -- Proceed with caution. Refuse to give anyone information that might jeopardize your position or plans. Emotional manipulation is present and will lead to setbacks. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Sign contracts, negotiate deals and put in writing any personal commitment you want to make. An unusual concept or plan you shelved will be perfect for the current economic climate. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- You need a change. An enjoyable service or skill will help supplement your income. Tweak your appearance in order to stand out and set a new trend. THE FAMILY CIRCUS ® by Bil Keane by Bunny Hoest and John Reiner Over 1,500 Others Have DECATUR DAILY D E M O C R A T THE GRIZZWELLS ® by Bill Schorr Beetle Bailey ® Mort Walker BIG NATE ® by Lincoln Peirce BABY BLUES ® by Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott FRANK & ERNEST ® by Bob Thaves CRANKSHAFT ® by Tom Batiuk and Chuck Ayers ARLO & JANIS ® by Jimmy Johnson THE BORN LOSER ® by Art and Chip Sansom Blondie ® Dean Young & John Marshall ZITS ® by Jerry Scott and Jim Burgman Decatur Daily Democrat Page 10A • Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Name That Instrument Concert stages are often filled with musical instruments. Fill in the blanks to name some of the instruments that might be found on a concert stage. Music Group Challenge The music groups that appeal to kids and teens are endless. Here are some questions about some of them. How many can you answer correctly? 1) Deedee, Rooney and Bo make up the Doodlebops. Fact or Fiction? 2) Rooney Doodle plays the guitar. Fact or Fiction? 3) The original Wiggles were Greg, Anthony, Murray and Jeff. Fact or Fiction? 4) When the red Wiggle decided to leave the band, Sam replaced him. Fact or Fiction? 5) Laurie Berkner sings “Buzz Buzz.” Fact or Fiction? 6) Susie, Adam and Bob play in The Laurie Berkner Band. Fact or Fiction? 7) The Jonas Brothers sing “Lovebuggy.” Fact or Fiction? 8) Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas starred in Camp Rock. Fact or Fiction? 9) The names of the guys in Big Time Rush are Kendall, James, Carlos and Lincoln. Fact or Fiction? 10) Big Time Rush sings “Halfway There.” Fact or Fiction? Answers: 1) Fiction, their names are Deedee, Rooney and Moe, 2) Fact, 3) Fact, 4) Fiction, it was Greg, the yellow Wiggle, who left the band, 5) Fact, 6) Fact, 7) Fiction, they sing “Lovebug,” 8) Fact, 9) Fiction, their names are Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan, 10) True Joke s and Riddle s Q: What kind of concert scares balloons? Q: What’s the difference between a piano and a fish? 1 __ R U __ S 3 P I __ N __ 2 4 5 6 7 G __ __ T A __ S A __ O __ __ O N E __ I O L __ N K __ Y __ O A __ D S B __ N J __ Answers: 1) Drums 2) Guitar, 3) Piano, 4) Saxophone, 5) Violin, 6) Keyboards, 7) Banjo Fact or Fiction? Joke s and Riddles Behind the Scenes Have you ever seen a concert and thought how cool it would be to sing to hundreds of fans? While performing can be fun, it can also be a lot of work. Most concerts are part of a tour that travels from town to town, usually by bus for several weeks at a time. In addition to spending a lot of time on the road, performers must also spend a lot of time practicing at each stop on the tour. They must make sure their equipment is set up right, they can move around the stage freely and they sound great. While on tour, performers might also have to attend special events, do interviews, meet with fans and sign autographs. It all depends upon how big the tour is and what the people putting on the tour want. COLORING PICTURE A: A pop concert. A: You can’t “tuna” a fish. What Rhymes with List 10 words that rhyme with “play.” 1. 4. 7. 2. 3. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. Some answers: clay, day, fray, gray, hay, may, neigh, pay, ray, stay Remote Controlled Car Starter $299.99 • Scytek Galaxy 2000 • Includes Fob & Installation • Keyless Entry GO WARM! 1421 Manchester St. • Decatur 1/2 block west of U.S. 27 North 260-724-2276 www.innovativeconceptsav.com GE T N OT I CE D ADVERTISE TODAY WITH THE DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT! 724-2121 Decatur Daily Democrat Tuesday, February 23, 2016 • Page 11A What the NFL Combine tells us DDD Sports Scoreboard By MICHAEL MAROT AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Football fans see the NFL’s annual scouting combine as merely a numbers game that comes down to the times, jumps and drills they witness on television. NFL executives are more interested in getting behind-the-scenes answers through medical checks and personal interviews. It’s a delicate balancing act. ‘‘When we finally get the measurables on the underclassmen, when we find out where they are medically, where they are physically, where they are with the interviews, then we’ll have a better idea (of where they rank),’’ ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said on a conference call with reporters Monday, one day before the first players begin arriving in Indianapolis. Sure, the workouts matter. Chris Johnson’s draft skyrocketed after breaking the combine record with a 4.24-second 40-yard dash in 2008. Cornerback Byron Jones jumped up draft boards — literally — after a record-breaking broad jump of 12 feet, 3 inches last February. Both wound up being firstround picks. The ramifications for those who underperform or sit out can be damaging, too. In 2014, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater decided not to throw in Indy, then had a less-than-stellar pro day at Louisville. The result: A player thought to be in the running as the No. 1 overall pick was still available at the end of the first round, a plummet that cost Bridgewater big bucks. He led the Minnesota Vikings to the 2015 NFC North title this season. The most costly mistakes come when teams miss red flags. Two years after Cleveland took Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, his off-the-field problems have led to wide speculation the Browns will release their once future franchise quarterback. San Diego and Oakland found themselves in similar dilemmas with Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell through the years. That’s why longtime NFL decision-makers, such as Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian, insist the most essential component during combine week is what nobody actually sees — real answers to some basic questions from the more than 300 players who show up each February, especially from players who have histories of injuries or off-the-field troubles. Some other things to watch this week: MEDICAL TESTS: Nobody may have more at stake this week than two of this year’s top-rated linebackers, UCLA’s Myles Jack and Notre Dame’s Jaylon Smith. Both finSTANDINGS ished their seasons with NBA By The Associated Press torn knee ligaments and EASTERN CONFERENCE Division while both could be taken Atlantic W L Pct GB among the first 15 picks, Toronto 37 18 .673 — Boston 33 25 .569 5 1/2 this week will be the first New York 24 34 .414 14 1/2 time NFL doctors have a Brooklyn 15 41 .268 22 1/2 real chance to get a peek Philadelphia 8 47 .145 29 Southeast Division at their recoveries. W L Pct GB 32 24 .571 — PERSONNEL MOVES: Miami Atlanta 31 27 .534 2 The next big players in Charlotte 29 26 .527 2 1/2 the NFL are likely to take Washington 25 29 .463 6 Orlando 24 30 .444 7 a backseat to some of the Central Division current biggest names in W L Pct GB 40 15 .727 — the league during the first Cleveland Indiana 30 26 .536 10 1/2 two days of the combine, Chicago 29 26 .527 11 28 29 .491 13 when coaches and general Detroit Milwaukee 24 33 .421 17 managers typically pro- WESTERN CONFERENCE vide offseason updates. Southwest Division W L Pct GB With free agency loom- San Antonio 47 9 .839 — ing, expect to hear plenty Memphis 32 23 .582 14 1/2 Dallas 30 27 .526 17 1/2 about the futures of play- Houston 28 28 .500 19 ers such as Robert Griffin New Orleans 22 33 .400 24 1/2 III, Peyton Manning and Northwest Division W L Pct GB Manziel among others. Oklahoma City 40 16 .714 — 29 27 .518 11 RULES CHANGES: The Portland Utah 27 28 .491 12 1/2 NFL’s competition commit- Denver 22 34 .393 18 Minnesota 18 39 .316 22 1/2 tee won’t take any votes Pacific Division this week. But it will talk W L Pct GB about potential propos- Golden State 50 5 .909 — L.A. Clippers 36 19 .655 14 als at the March owners’ Sacramento 23 31 .426 26 1/2 meetings in Boca Raton, Phoenix 14 42 .250 36 1/2 11 47 .190 40 1/2 Florida. Hot topics this L.A. Lakers year could include a more ——— stringent definition of Sunday’s Games leveland 115, Oklahoma City 92 what’s considered a catch, C New Orleans 111, Detroit 106 and whether players who Boston 121, Denver 101 an Antonio 118, Phoenix 111 receive multiple personal SToronto 98, Memphis 85 fouls in a game should be Charlotte 104, Brooklyn 96 I ndiana 105, Orlando 102 ejected. Dallas 129, Philadelphia 103 BUYER BEWARE: Chicago 126, L.A. Lakers 115 Every year, some player Portland 115, Utah 111 Monday’s Games turns heads with big num- Detroit 96, Cleveland 88 bers, only to fail misera- Miami 101, Indiana 93, OT 122, New York 95 bly. Past workout warriors TMoronto innesota 124, Boston 122 on this list include Brent Milwaukee 108, L.A. Lakers 101 olden State 102, Atlanta 92 Fullwood, Mike Mamula G Phoenix at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. and Tony Mandarich. One Tuesday’s Games rlando at Philadelphia, 7 p.m. thing that is almost cer- O New Orleans at Washington, 7 p.m. tain is it will happen again Sacramento at Denver, 9 p.m. Houston at Utah, 9 p.m. to some team this year. Curry, Warriors fastest to 50 wins over Hawks ATLANTA (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 36 points and the Golden State Warriors became the fastest team in NBA history to 50 wins, beating the Atlanta Hawks 102-92 Monday night after squandering a 23-point lead. The Warriors (50-5) eclipsed the mark set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, who needed one more game to win their 50th. Of course, that’s the team Golden State is chasing, moving another step closer to the record 72-10 mark put up by Michael Jordan & Co. at the height of their six-titles-in-eightyears dynasty. Atlanta closed the third quarter on a 28-6 run and grabbed the lead briefly early in the fourth, igniting the sellout crowd. But the Warriors would not be denied, bouncing back to hand the Hawks their fourth straight home loss. Klay Thompson added 27 points for the Warriors. Both he and Curry knocked down five shots from 3-point range. Draymond Green had 14 rebounds and nine assists. Al Horford led the Hawks with 23 points. PISTONS 96, CAVALIERS 88 CLEVELAND (AP) — Reggie Jackson scored 23 points, Kentavious CaldwellPope added 19 and Detroit withstood Cleveland’s late comeback to snap a fivegame losing streak. One day after allowing New Orleans center Anthony Davis to score 59 points with 20 rebounds, the Pistons beat the Eastern Conference’s top team for the second time this season. Andre Drummond added 15 rebounds for the Pistons, who let an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter dwindle to six before putting away the Cavs and ending their fivegame winning streak. Kyrie Irving scored 30 and Kevin Love 24 for Cleveland, which had an off night after looking so impressive in a win at Oklahoma City on Sunday. LeBron James scored just 12 points — 13 below his average — and went 5 of 18 from the floor, missing all four 3-point tries and committing six turnovers. Tobias Harris, acquired contract; signed Bobby Parnell, rhp, New York Mets, to a minor league contract ($1.5 million). TEXAS (2) — Re-signed Colby Lewis, rhp, to a $6 million, one-year contract; signed Jeremy Guthrie, rhp, Kansas City, to a minor league contract ($1.75 million). TORONTO (4) — Re-signed Marco Estrada, rhp, to a $26 million, twoyear contract; signed J.A. Happ, lhp, Pittsburgh, to a $36 million, threeyear contract; re-signed Maicer Izturis, 2b, to a minor league contract ($900,000); signed Gavin Floyd, rhp, Cleveland, to a $1 million, one-year contract. ——— NATIONAL LEAGUE ATLANTA (6) — Re-signed A.J. Pierzynski, c, to a $3 million, twoyear contract; signed Bud Norris, rhp, San Diego, to a $2.5 million, oneyear contract; signed Gordon Beckham, 3b, Chicago White Sox, to a $1.25 million, one-year contract; signed Kelly Johnson, of-inf, New York Mets, to a $2 million, one-year contract; signed Kyle Kendrick, rhp, Colorado, to a minor league contract ($2 million); signed Jeff Francoeur, of, Philadelphia, to a minor league contract. CHICAGO (6) — Signed John Lackey, rhp, St. Louis, to a $32 million, two-year contract; signed Ben Zobrist, inf, Kansas City, to a $56 million, four-year contract; re-signed Trevor Cahill, rhp, to a $4.25 million, one-year contract; signed Jason Heyward, of, St. Louis, to a $184 million, eight-year contract; signed Munenori Kawasaki, inf, Toronto, to a minor league contract ($900,000); signed Manny Parra, lhp, Cincinnati, to a minor league contract ($520,000). LOS ANGELES (5) — Brett Anderson, lhp, accepted $15.8 million qualifying offer; re-signed Chase Utley, 2b, to a $7 million, one-year contract; signed Scott Kazmir, lhp, Houston, to a $48 million, three-year contract; Pct GB .788 — .618 5 1/2 .515 9 .455 11 .455 11 Pct GB .588 — .543 1 1/2 .486 3 1/2 .371 7 1/2 .324 9 Pct GB .618 — .529 3 .515 3 1/2 .343 9 1/2 Pct GB .676 — .556 4 .417 9 .378 10 1/2 .353 11 ——— Sunday’s Games Iowa 84, Westchester 80 Canton 116, Raptors 93 Los Angeles 121, Fort Wayne 106 Monday’s Games Grand Rapids 112, Maine 107 Tuesday’s Games Erie at Reno, 2 p.m. Fort Wayne at Sioux Falls, 7:30 p.m. Raptors at Iowa, 8 p.m. Santa Cruz at Rio Grande Valley, 8 p.m. Wednesday’s Games Grand Rapids at Canton, 7 p.m. National Hockey League By The Associated Press EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division GP W LOTPts GF GA Florida 593418 7 75164137 Tampa Bay 593322 4 70163148 Boston 603222 6 70185169 Detroit 60292011 69151157 Ottawa 602826 6 62172186 Montreal 602827 5 61163165 Buffalo 602429 7 55144166 Toronto 57202710 50140172 Metropolitan Division GP W LOTPts GF GA Washington 584410 4 92194133 N.Y. Rangers593419 6 74171150 N.Y. Islanders573119 7 69164144 Pittsburgh 583020 8 68154151 New Jersey 602924 7 65133141 Carolina 60272310 64148160 Philadelphia 58262111 63144158 Columbus 602429 7 55155188 WESTERN CONFERENCE Central Division GP W LOTPts GF GA Chicago 623819 5 81176148 Dallas 603717 6 80194169 St. Louis 623518 9 79156150 Nashville 60282111 67156155 Colorado 623127 4 66165173 Minnesota 59272210 64156148 Winnipeg 582529 4 54149171 Pacific Division GP W LOTPts GF GA Los Angeles 583420 4 72157137 Anaheim 583119 8 70146141 San Jose 583221 5 69174157 Arizona 592726 6 60163183 Vancouver 59232412 58142168 Calgary 582629 3 55160180 Edmonton 602232 6 50150184 OTE: Two points for a win, one N point for overtime loss. Sunday’s Games Pittsburgh 4, Buffalo 3 Minnesota 6, Chicago 1 N.Y. Rangers 1, Detroit 0, OT Tampa Bay 4, Carolina 2 Anaheim 5, Calgary 2 Vancouver 5, Colorado 1 Monday’s Games Nashville 2, Montreal 1, SO Columbus 6, Boston 4 Washington 3, Arizona 2 San Jose 6, St. Louis 3 Tuesday’s Games N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m. Philadelphia at Carolina, 7 p.m. Nashville at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Columbus at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Arizona at Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. N.Y. Islanders at Minnesota, 8 p.m. Dallas at Winnipeg, 8 p.m. Ottawa at Edmonton, 9 p.m. Calgary at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m. Wednesday’s Games Montreal at Washington, 7 p.m. Pittsburgh at Boston, 7:30 p.m. San Jose at Colorado, 10 p.m. Buffalo at Anaheim, 10:30 p.m. Monday’s Transactions By The Associated Press BASEBALL American League CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Agreed to terms with INF Jimmy Rollins on a minor league contract. NEW YORK YANKEES — Agreed to terms with 1B Chris Parmelee on a minor league contract. OAKLAND ATHLETICS — Claimed LHP Sean Nolin off waivers by Milwaukee. National League ATLANTA BRAVES — Agreed to terms with OF Jeff Francoeur on a minor league contract. CHICAGO CUBS — Agreed to terms with LHP Manny Parra on a minor league contract. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association DETROIT PISTONS — Announced the trade of C Joel Anthony and a protected 2016 first-round draft pick to Houston for F-C Donatas Motiejunas and G Marcus Thornton was rescinded because medical clearance was not given on all players. DALLAS MAVERICKS — Signed F David Lee. Waived G John Jenkins. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS — Waived F Jason Thompson. Agreed to terms with C Anderson Varejao for the remainder of the season. NEW YORK KNICKS — Signed G Jimmer Fredette to a 10-day contract. FOOTBALL National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Resigned P Drew Butler. DENVER BRONCOS — Signed TE Richard Gordon and DL Phil Taylor. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Waived LB Jonathan Newsome. Released LB Andy Studebaker. NEW YORK JETS — Released CB Antonio Cromartie. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Agreed to terms with S Malcolm Jenkins on a five-year contract. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS — Waived TE Brian Leonhardt. HOCKEY National Hockey League CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS — Reassigned C Vincent Hinostroza to Rockford (AHL). from Orlando in a trade last week, scored 14 in his first start for the Pistons. RAPTORS 122, KNICKS 95 NEW YORK (AP) — Kyle Lowry had 22 points, 11 NBA Development League rebounds and 11 assists By The Associated Press for his first triple-double of the season, DeMar DeRozan also scored 22 while becoming the winningest player in Raptors history, and Toronto beat New York. Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points for the Raptors, who won so easily that Knicks interim coach Kurt Rambis changed his Did you Know? mind in the final minutes Decatur Daily Democrat of the blowout and inserted Jimmer Fredette. Saturday inserts Just signed to a 10-day contract, the former college average over $30 in player of the year made a Coupons 3-pointer on his lone shot attempt — about the only & Savings! thing Knicks fans had to cheer during the team’s 12th loss in 14 games. DeRozan passed Chris Bosh and Morris Peterson with his 233rd win in six-plus years wearing a Raptors uniform. Carmelo Anthony had 23 points and 11 rebounds. One Sweet Deal ! A look at the MLB free agent signings... NEW YORK (AP) — The 115 free agents who have signed, with name, position, former club if different, and contract. The contract information was obtained by The Associated Press from player and management source. For players with minor league contracts, letter agreements for major league contracts are in parentheses: AMERICAN LEAGUE BOSTON (2) — Signed Chris Young, of, to a $13 million, two-year contract; signed David Price, lhp, Toronto, to a $217 million, sevenyear contract. CHICAGO (5) — Signed Alex Avila, c, Detroit, to a $2.5 million, one-year contract; signed Dioner Navarro, c, Toronto, to a $4 million, one-year contract; re-signed Matt Albers, rhp, to a $2.25 million, one-year contract; signed Mat Latos, rhp, Los Angeles Angels, to a $3 million, one-year contract; signed Jimmy Rollins, ss, Los Angeles Dodgers, to a minor league contract ($2 million). CLEVELAND (6) — Signed Rajai Davis, of, Detroit, to a $5.25 million, one-year contract; signed Tom Gorzelanny, lhp, Detroit, to a minor league contract ($1 million); signed Joe Thatcher, lhp, Houston, to a minor league contract ($1 million); signed Ross Detwiler, lhp, Atlanta, to a minor league contract ($1 million); signed Mike Napoli, 1b, Texas, to a $7 million, one-year contract; signed Tommy Hunter, rhp, Chicago Cubs, to a $2 million, one-year contract. DETROIT (7) — Signed Jordan Zimmermann, rhp, Washington, to a $110 million, five-year contract; signed Mike Pelfrey, rhp, Minnesota, to a $16 million, two-year contract; signed Jarrod Saltalamacchia, c, Arizona, to a $507,500, one-year contract; signed Mark Lowe, rhp, Toronto, to an $11 million, two-year contract; signed Mike Aviles, inf-of, Cleveland, to a $2 million, one-year contract; signed Justin Upton, of, San Diego, to a $132.75 million, six-year rooklyn at Portland, 10 p.m. B Wednesday’s Games Charlotte at Cleveland, 7 p.m. New York at Indiana, 7 p.m. Minnesota at Toronto, 7:30 p.m. Golden State at Miami, 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. Washington at Chicago, 8 p.m. L.A. Lakers at Memphis, 8 p.m. Oklahoma City at Dallas, 8:30 p.m. San Antonio at Sacramento, 10:30 p.m. Denver at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m. East Conference Central Division W L Sioux Falls 26 7 Canton 21 13 Grand Rapids 17 16 Fort Wayne 15 18 Iowa 15 18 Atlantic Division W L Maine 20 14 Westchester 19 16 Delaware 17 18 Raptors 13 22 Erie 11 23 West Conference Southwestern Division W L Austin 21 13 Rio GrandeValley1816 Texas 17 16 Oklahoma City 12 23 Pacific Division W L Reno 23 11 Los Angeles 20 16 Bakersfield 15 21 Idaho 14 23 Santa Cruz 12 22 signed Joe Blanton, rhp, Pittsburgh. to a $4 million, one-year contract; resigned Howie Kendrick, 2b, to a $20 million, two-year contract. NEW YORK (6) — Signed Asdrubal Cabrera, ss, Tampa Bay, to an $18.5 million, two-year contract; re-signed Jerry Blevins, lhp, to a $4 million, one-year contract; re-signed Bartolo Colon, rhp, to a $7.25 million, oneyear contract; signed Alejandro De Aza, of, San Francisco, to a $5.75 million, one-year contract; signed Antonio Bastardo, lhp, Pittsburgh, to a $12 million, two-year contract; resigned Yoenis Cespedes, of, to a $75 million, three-year contract. PITTSBURGH (5) — Re-signed Sean Rodriguez, inf-of, to a $2.5 million, one-year contract; signed Ryan Vogelsong, rhp, San Francisco, to a $2 million, one-year contract; signed John Jaso, 1b-c, Tampa Bay, to a $8 million, two-year contract; signed Eric O’Flaherty, lhp, New York Mets, to a minor league contract ($1.75 million); signed Matt Joyce, of, Los Angeles Angels, to a minor league contract ($1 million). ST. LOUIS (3) — Signed Brayan Pena, c, Cincinnati, to a $5 million, two-year contract; re-signed Jonathan Broxton, rhp, to a $7.5 million, two-year contract; signed Mike Leake, rhp, San Francisco, to an $80 million, five-year contract. SAN DIEGO (6) — Signed Carlos Villanueva, rhp, St. Louis, to a $1.5 million, one-year contract; signed Alexei Ramirez, ss, Chicago White Sox, to a $4 million, one-year contract; re-signed Brandon Morrow, rhp, to a minor league contract ($1.5 million); signed Fernando Rodney, rhp, Chicago Cubs, to a $2 million, oneyear contract; signed Skip Schumaker, inf-of, Cincinnati, to a minor league contract ($1.25 million); signed Casey Janssen, rhp, Washington, to a minor league contract ($1.25 million). Start a new subscription to the Decatur Daily Democrat and get $25 Off 2 Month Newstand Price! 2 Months 00 for ONLY $14. Hurry! Offer Ends Feb. 29th Sign me up for this Sweet Deal! I want to start a new subscription and have enclosed my payment for $14. Name: Phone: Address: City: email: Zip: New subscribers ONLY. Must be expired for 30 days to be considered new. City and Motor delivery only. DOES NOT include mailed subscriptions. May not be combined with any other offer. Delivery begins 1-2 days after payment is received. Mail or drop off this form to. 141 S. 2nd St. Decatur, IN. 46733. Offer good through February 29, 2016. NBA—Heat 101, Pacers 93 (OT)...Pistons 96, Cavs 88...Warriors 102, Hawks 92...Raptors 122, Knicks 95... Inside Sports NFL Scoreboard Combine Page 11A Page 11A Tuesday, February 23, 2016 Page 12A MLB takes a long look at domestic violence By JANIE McCAULEY AP Baseball Writer PHOENIX (AP) — Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he has made ‘‘additional progress’’ toward decisions on two of the first three cases under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy and he expects an announcement in the next couple of days. ‘‘The substance of this policy uses a ‘just cause’ standard and also creates kind of a clean slate,’’ Manfred said, speaking Monday during his visit to the Cactus League in Arizona. ‘‘I am giving really thorough consideration to the cases that I have in front of me and thinking their relevance obviously to the individual players, the individual facts most important, but also with an eye toward starting something new. It’s important to try to get these as right as possible. ... We’re close to having an announcement with respect to at two of the three.’’ Manfred again would not specify which two cases he was going to rule on first. MLB is investigating New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman, Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig. While the idea of expansion remains intriguing to Manfred, he said nothing would happen until a new collective bargaining agreement is in place to replace the deal that expires Dec. 1. He has said Oakland and Tampa Bay likely must solve their ballpark issues before expansion could be explored. ‘‘The idea of having nice even numbers in each league would be a good thing,’’ he said of adding a club each to the American and National Leagues. ‘‘The timeline, it’s not immediate. It’s not a topic we would begin to consider until we have a new agreement in place.’’ Also, Manfred said there are discussions about a regular-season game in Europe though it might need to be at a non-traditional time in the schedule given weather considerations. Regular-season games in Puerto Rico and a spring training contest in Cuba next month involving Tampa Bay also are in the works. ‘‘We are interested in playing somewhere in Europe, London in particular,’’ Manfred said. For cities that have passed ordinances banning smokeless tobacco in ballparks and other sporting venues — such as San Francisco and Boston — Manfred said players must follow the law. ‘‘Major league players are citizens,’’ he said. ‘‘Municipalities pass laws. We expect that our players will comply with those laws.’’ When it comes to the smallbudget Athletics, Manfred would like the team to work to find a suitable home in its current location while leaving it to the club to decide on the best site option. ‘‘I would like the A’s to find a site that’s within their current market of Oakland,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s a local issue. I’m sure they’ll make a sound analysis and a good deci- sion on the site they think is best.’’ Acquired by the Yankees from the Cincinnati Reds in a December trade, Chapman is under investigation for an incident at his house in Florida in October involving his girlfriend. Chapman is alleged to have fired a gun during the incident. Prosecutors declined to file charges. Chapman has said he would appeal any suspension to baseball’s arbitrator, his right under the policy. Reyes is allegedly to have assaulted his wife on Halloween in a Hawaii hotel and is scheduled to go on trial April 4. Puig was involved in an argument with his sister at the Miami bar Blue Martini on Nov. 25. According to the Miami Police Department, Puig and a bouncer at the bar were involved in a fight after Puig was asked to leave following the argument with his sister. Puig was left with a swollen left eye and ‘‘minor bumps and bruises’’ to his face. Heat best Indy in OT; Pacers offense goes cold late By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer MIAMI (AP) — While waiting for word on Chris Bosh, the Miami Heat aren’t waiting to start their playoff push. Goran Dragic scored 24 points, Hassan Whiteside finished with 19 points and 18 rebounds, and the Heat won their third consecutive game to start the post-All-Star schedule, rallying from 14 points down to beat the Indiana Pacers 101-93 in overtime Monday night. Dwyane Wade added 16 points and Justise Winslow scored 15 for Miami, which won despite shooting only 38 percent. The Heat grabbed 66 rebounds for the second consecutive game after reaching that mark only three times in their first 28 seasons. Luol Deng added 13 points and 16 rebounds for Miami. Paul George had 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Pacers, and Myles Turner scored 16. But Indiana’s starting backcourt of Monta Ellis and George Hill missed 22 of 24 shots. Ellis was 2 for 17, the worst game in the NBA this season for anyone taking 15 or more shots. The Pacers missed their first six attempts of the extra session, and Miami took control. Indiana opened the game on an 11-0 run and led by 14 before Miami came back. The Heat finished the half on an 11-0 spurt of their own to get to 44-41 at the break, then wound up leading by as many as six late in the third quarter before a frenzied finish to regulation. Wade made two free throws with 4.5 seconds left to put Miami up one, but was called for a foul on a pass by Ellis with 0.8 seconds remaining. Ellis missed the first, made the second and off they went to overtime tied at 88. Miami outscored the Pacers 13-5 in the extra period. The Heat were again without Bosh, who is still determining how or when he can return this season after a blood clot — an issue that ended his 201415 season, though in a much more severe way — was found in his leg at All-Star weekend, a person with knowledge of the situation has told The Associated Press. The team still hasn’t even been able to reveal that is Bosh’s issue, and the All-Star forward has not made any public statements about the matter. NEVER LEAVING THIS BOARD— Taking his second consecutive diving sectional title, Bellmont’s Connor Ross enjoys his blue ribbon on one of the Jay County swim boards Saturday. Ross and South Adams’ Xavier Rupp are the only boys to advance past sectional competition as both will battle on the boards at Fishers High School tonight at diving regionals. (Photo provided) Sharks put up six goals; Caps outlast Coyotes ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tomas Hertl, Logan Couture and Joe Thornton each scored two goals, powering the San Jose Sharks to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. Thornton also had two assists as San Jose improved to 21-9-2 on the road, matching their total road wins from last season. At home, the Sharks are just 11-12-3. The Blues lost goalie Brian Elliott to a lower -body injury in the first period. San Jose defenseman Matt Tennyson in the first period and after he was driven into the glass. Hertl had two of San Jose’s three goals in the first. He also scored in the Sharks’ 5-2 loss at Carolina on Friday. Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and two assists for St. Louis. David Backes and Jay Bouwmeester also scored. CAPITALS 3, COYOTES 2 WASHINGTON (AP) — Mike Richards scored his first goal in more than a year, leading the Capitals to the victory. Alex Ovechkin put Washington ahead with his league-leading 39th goal of the season and had an assist. Evgeny Kuznetsov also had a goal and an assist for NHLbest Washington, which won its fourth straight and ninth in its last 10 games. Defensemen Connor Murphy and Kevin Connauton scored for Arizona, which began a five-game East Coast road trip with its second consecutive loss. Louis Domingue made 31 saves. Only seconds after Ovechkin’s goal made it 2-1, Domingue appeared to have the puck cov- ered with a glove in his crease when Washington’s Tom Wilson reached a stick in to poke it away. It found Richards, who rifled home Washington’s second goal in 26 seconds. Coyotes coach Dave Tippett challenged the goal, but it stood. PREDATORS 2, CANADIENS 1, SO MONTREAL (AP) — Craig Smith scored the only goal in the shootout, lifting Nashville to the road win. Viktor Arvidsson scored in the first period for the Predators (28-21-11), who are 3-0-3 in their last six games. Brendan Gallagher scored his 16th goal for Montreal (2827-5), which has recorded at least one point in its last five home games (4-0-1). Nashville outshot Montreal 29-27 in regulation time and 30-29 overall. #12 Miami takes 2nd in ACC with Virginia upset BASELINE-STOPPERS— K105’s Terry Worthman (yellow) defends local law enforcer Lennie Corral during the annual CrimeStoppers vs K105 charity game. The officers won the game by a tight margin, 65-61. (Photo by Jim Hopkins) CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Davon Reed scored 21 points and No. 12 Miami rebounded from a 25-point thrashing at North Carolina with a 64-61 victory over No. 3 Virginia on Monday night. Reed’s two free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining increased Miami’s lead to its final margin. London Perrantes’ gametying attempt from 40 feet at the buzzer bounced off the backboard for Virginia. Miami (22-5, 11-4) took over sole possession of second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hurricanes, Cavaliers (216, 10-5) and Louisville began Monday tied with identical conference records PLUG INTO US AT... Virginia rallied from an eight-point deficit with seven straight points behind Malcolm Brogdon’s jumper and 3-pointer and Perrantes’ layup with 1:22 remaining that got the Cavaliers within 60-59. Tonye Jekiri converted one of two free throws with 36 seconds left to make it 61-59. Brogdon’s 3-point attempt with 23 seconds left bounced off the rim. Brogdon scored 28 points and was the only double-figure scorer for the Cavaliers. No. 14 WEST VIRGINIA 97, No. 17 IOWA ST. 87 MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Jaysean Paige scored a career-high 34 points to lead West Virginia. www.decaturdailydemocrat.com The Mountaineers (21-7, 10-5 Big 12) avoided their first three-game losing streak in two years and swept the regularseason series from the Cyclones (19-9, 8-7). Tarik Phillip added a careerhigh 22 points for West Virginia while Devin Williams had 13 points and nine rebounds. The Mountaineers let an 11-point first-half lead slip away early in the second half before Paige and Phillip carried them down the stretch. Abdel Nader scored 23 points to lead six Iowa State players in double figures. For the Mountaineers, it marked their highest-scoring output in the Big 12 this season.