Police have released the name of a burglary suspect shot and killed by Elkhart officers over the weekend.
Authorities say 27-year-old Jamie Benavidez allegedly pointed a gun at several officers following a foot chase. Three officers fired their weapons, striking Benavidez.
The shooting remains under investigation.
A 14-year-old with Benavidez was captured. He faces a misdemeanor charge of resisting law enforcement.
It‘s not just a debate over Syria awaiting Congress next week — a deadline is looming to reach a budget deal.
Several Republican governors have publicly urged conservatives in Congress not to risk a government shutdown with a demand to defund the federal health care law. Indiana‘s Mike Pence is not among them. Pence says he intends to stay out of the congressional debate, but says he‘d welcome any step to delay the taxes and mandates the law will create.
Other governors have worried a shutdown could damage their state economies. Pence notes there were similar worries about budget sequestration. He says Indiana‘s fiscal strength meant the sequester had ilttle effect on services. And Pence says he‘s convinced the health care law is stifling economic growth, even before it takes full effect. He says he hears daily from business owners who say the law is affecting their decisions.
Even without the defunding battle, Congress faces difficult negotiations to pass either a budget or a stopgap spending bill in time for the start of the new fiscal year October 1. Negotiations between the White House and a small group of Republican senators, including Indiana‘s Dan Coats, broke off last week, with both sides saying their philosophical differences over tax policy are too much to overcome.
More than four out of ten public school students in the state receive free or reduced-price lunch every day, and the head of the Indiana Youth Institute says the number should actually be higher.
The Kids Count report says 41-percent of Indiana‘s students in public schools are receiving free or reduced lunch at school. That‘s up from 27-percent in 2004. “We know that not all eligible students enroll,” said Bill Stanczykiewicz (STAN-juh-KEHV-itch), president of the Indiana Youth Institute. “Either they are not aware of the program or – especially as they get older – they feel some sort of embarrassment or stigma attached to this.” The reason for the increase in the number is simple – child poverty has also risen.
“In the year 2000, child poverty in Indiana was about ten-percent. Now, it‘s about 25-percent,” said Stanczykiewicz. The current federal poverty level is an annual income of $23,550 for a family of four. How to reduce child poverty? Grow the economy, and while that is happening very slowly, Stanczykiewicz says it will take a lot of growth to make a dent in the poverty number.
“Qualifications (for free/reduced lunch) are above the poverty line. So, even as our low-income neighbors get jobs, they often get those jobs at the lowest end of the salary scale, and those salaries still allow their children to qualify for these meal programs.” Many of those jobs have been part-time jobs, too.
As Ball State economist Mike Hicks has said, few of the jobs created during the slow economic recovery have been full-time.
More members of Indiana‘s congressional delegation are weighing in on President Obama‘s request for a green light to bomb Syria.
Ninth District Republican Todd Young says he‘d support military action if the White House can explain how it advances long-term goals in Syria. But so far, he charges, there‘s been no explanation of how the limited strikes Obama has outlined would deter future use of chemical weapons, end the Syrian civil war, or stabilize the region.
Young says there‘s a danger a missile strike would bring further instability instead of making matters better. He echoes other Indiana Republicans who argue Obama has had a year to map out a strategy since announcing his “red line” on chemical weapons, and charge there‘s no sign he‘s done so.
Republican Representatives Larry Bucshon, Todd Rokita and Marlin Stutzman have gone the furthest in opposition, pronouncing themselves “skeptical” of getting involved in Syria. Bucshon says the White House forfeited any deterrent value by waiting so long after the gas attack on Syrian civilians. He says the Assad regime has had time to move any chemical weapons out of harm‘s way, and says a retaliatory strike now doesn‘t advance American interests.
Indiana University will give it highest alumni award to three people in November, including one who was famous before he became a Hoosier.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Booker T. Jones will among those receiving I-U‘s Distinguished Alumni Service Award at a ceremony in Bloomington November 15th.
Jones received his Bachelor‘s degree in music education from I-U in 1967, five years after his group Booker T and the MG‘s had their biggest hit song, the instrumental “Green Onions.” The MG‘s were the house band for the legendary soul label Stax Records in Jones‘s hometown of Memphis, Tennessee and played on the hit songs for many artists.
Jones received an honorary doctorate from I-U in 2012.
Also honored this year is former U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige. Paige received his Masters degree in physical education from I-U in 1962 and his doctorate in P.E. in 1970. He was the school superintendent for Houston Public Schools when he became the first African-American Education Secretary.
Paige served the first term of George W. Bush‘s presidency from 2001 until 2005. The third honoree is Shirley Schlanger Abrahamson, who in 1976 became the first woman to be named to the Wisconsin. Abrahamson has been Chief Justice since 1996 and is the longest-serving justice in the court‘s history. Abrahamson graduated first in her class from the I-U School of Law in 1956.
Last month at the Indiana State Fair, Purdue Extension specialists were still talking about the potential for record yields for corn and soybeans.
A month of drought conditions can change that.
Purdue corn specialist Bob Nielsen says a month ago he was very optimistic about the size of this corn crop, but now not so much. He says the U.S. Department of Agriculture projected that Indiana farmers would produce 979.4 million bushels of corn, compared with last year‘s 596.9 million bushels.
Now, Nielsen says yields could fall by as much as 10 percent because of the month-long dry spell. The dry weather could also hurt yield for soybeans, Indiana‘s second-largest crop behind corn. “We need rain to retain pods and to finish seed fill,” said Purdue soybean specialist Shaun Casteel said.
“The hilltops of some fields are burning up, and those plants will not recover. But there isn‘t that much severe stress in most of the state.” The state climate office at Purdue says the state finished August about an inch-and-a-half below normal for rainfall.
The U.S. Drought Monitor says much of the northern half of the state is now abnormally dry, with west-central Indiana in moderate drought conditions. Much of the state got some rain over the weekend, and cooler weather is expected later this week.
We already knew that people with red hair are at a higher risk for sunburn and skin cancer.
New research shows that it might be because of genetics. The study from researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine says a mutation in a gene called MCR1 gives redheads both the color of their hair and the fairness of their skin.
That genetic mutation may also trigger a signaling pathway for melanoma when redheads are exposed to ultraviolet rays. “I wouldn‘t say it‘s a genetic mutation, because it is normal for these folks. But their normal doesn‘t provide any protection,” said Dr. Lawrence Mark, assistant professor of dermatology at IU Medical School.
The research sheds new light on why redheads are more likely to get melanoma, a heightened risk that was generally understood. He says the receptor allows activation of machinery that revs the cell up. “When it is revved up, if it can‘t turn itself back off, that‘s the beginning of a cancer cell.”
This should lead to more research on how to better protect those with fair skin. “It helps people who are working on therapy to further identify whether there are ways that we can block the overactive machinery inside the cell for those people who are unable to have it turn off again,” Mark said. Until that therapy is found, Dr. Mark says wear your sunscreen – and that goes for people of all skin and hair types.
Indiana University has secured the original prow from the battleship USS Indiana, which served in the Pacific during World War II and was the last ship to be named for the Hoosier state.
The prow of the USS Indiana, above, will be reunited with its mainmast and two of its gun mounts at Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium.
The acquisition means the ship’s prow will be reunited with its mainmast and two of its gun mounts, which have been on display outside Memorial Stadium’s west entrance since May 1966. A plaque there notes the items were a gift from the U.S. Navy and stand “as a memorial to the sons and daughters of the state of Indiana who have so gallantly served in the armed forces of our nation.”
The university will formally welcome the ship’s prow to its new home with a rededication ceremony Sept. 7, when IU hosts Navy in a home football game. Representatives from the university, the U.S. Navy and the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in Martin County, as well local, state and federal lawmakers, are expected to be on hand.
“Indiana University is an appropriate home for this treasured vestige of naval history and tradition from the last warship named in honor of our great state,” IU President Michael A. McRobbie said. “The fact that we have an opportunity to preserve a physical piece of this legacy and provide a lasting home for it at the state’s flagship public university is a source of immense pride that I share with all Hoosiers.”
A 35,000-ton South Dakota class battleship, the USS Indiana was commissioned in April 1942. She participated in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 and the Marshall Islands in January 1944, and took part in the Marianas campaign in June 1944. Following an overhaul, she returned to the Western Pacific in January 1945 in time to participate in the invasion of Iwo Jima. The ship, which earned nine battle stars for her service in World War II, was decommissioned in September 1947 and then sold for scrap in 1963.
The Frank Spenger family, whose patriarch collected Navy memorabilia, saved the front portion of the ship from being scrapped and displayed it for decades in the parking lot of the family’s seafood restaurant in Berkeley, Calif.
The prow came to the attention of IU officials last year when alumnus Scott Clarke suggested, via a letter to the editor in a Bloomington newspaper, that the university procure the prow and display it at Memorial Stadium.
Kirk White, IU’s assistant vice president for strategic partnerships and military liaison for the Office of the President, enlisted the assistance of the San Francisco Bay alumni chapter to reach out to the Spenger family. The family agreed to donate the structure to the university, thereby reuniting the prow with its mainmast and guns.
“This generous gift from the Spenger family allows Indiana University to honor the contributions of its alumni and all Hoosiers by displaying the prow of this namesake ship that served so proudly in the Pacific theater during World War II,” White said. “South-central Indiana has long enjoyed a strong relationship with the U.S. Navy through the Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center, and installing this piece of history at Memorial Stadium will further recognize the men and women from our state who have served in all branches of the military.”
The USS Indiana prow is expected to arrive at Memorial Stadium in July, where it will be mounted on a platform near its guns and mast. Transportation and a refurbishment project are being paid for through private funds. The prow will be sandblasted, primed and painted on-site, work that will be overseen by the IU Physical Plant.
Other artifacts from the USS Indiana are displayed throughout the state, including one of the battleship’s anchors at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at Fort Wayne and her bell at the Heslar Naval Armory in Indianapolis.
Annual Giving Campaign: BE MOVED – The Y strives daily to move our citizens and community to a brighter future and we invite you to join us in our efforts. The 2013 Annual Giving Campaign is currently underway. How does a donation to the Y impact our community? For Betty, we helped her get back on her feet after double bypass surgery. The opportunities are endless for how the Y can move people to a happier, healthier more fulfilled life. Won’t you join us? To learn more about how you can move people through a donation to the Y’s annual campaign, contact Beth Armstrong at 883-YMCA or make your donation online by visiting www.wcfymca.org.
Soccer – Watch confidence kick-in as our next 6 week season of fall soccer begins. Join us for the basics of learning fundamental soccer skills while providing games in a positive environment rather than “win-at-all-costs.” All divisions will have practice during the week and games on Saturdays. Registration deadline was August 23rd but applications are still being received. Practice begins the week of August 26th and games kickoff on September 7th. Volunteer coaches needed. Shin guards required. Cost is $40 for members and $55 for no members. Scholarships available. Registration is available online.
Preschool Registration is Open – Join us for the 2013-2014 school year as we join you in partnership to prepare your child for that big step to kindergarten. Our preschool is proud to offer the opportunity for our students to interact with a Smart Board in our classroom to help them transition to kindergarten where they will be working with Smart Boards each day. Classes start as early as 2 ½ years old for kids. Scholarships are available for students. Come check us out, meet our teachers Miss Robin and Miss Cassie, learn about our class schedules and visit our classrooms. Classes started August 19th and spaces are still available.
Martial Arts & Tumbling– Martial Arts and Tumbling kicked off a new 12 week session on July 22nd & 23rd but you can still get in! Registration will close on September 3rd for Martial Arts. New sessions will start in both programs in October. Registration fees will be prorated at the time you register. Martial Arts is for youth 5 and up and Tumbling is for youth 4 and up. Visit our website or stop by our facility to check out the schedule, registration costs and get all the full details. Call ahead to find out when sessions meet and visit one of our programs to see firsthand how we are building strong kids!
Before/Afterschool Program – Through a partnership with Salem Community Schools the Y is proud to offer before and afterschool care at Bradie Shrum. Before school care is offered from 6 – 7:30AM each day for free. Afterschool care is provided each day from 3-6PM. The program is free until 4:30PM. Cost from 4:30-6PM is $10/week per child for members, $15/week per child for non-members. During afterschool, snacks and specialty classes are offered from 3-4pm, 4-4:30pm is homework help and 4:30-6pm is games and activities. Questions? Call Cassie Summers-Corp at 883-YMCA or cassie@wcfymca.org.
Healthy Helpings – Joni Muchler with Purdue Extension will be sharing some recipes for Healthy Desserts on Wednesday, September 11th from 5 to 7pm. Each month, Joni will host Healthy Helpings at the YMCA. These free events serve as education, support, and motivation for those members looking for the right path to take in your nutrition program. Join us for free samples and Q&A in the Lobby.
ROCK-N-RUN 5K – Our annual fall 5K has a new theme and feel to it this year. Let the beat move you as we come together Saturday, September 28th for our annual 5K to support the giving campaign. This year we are partnering with our local radio station WSLM to provide a Rock-N-Run! Registration is $18 for adults and $10 for youth. Youth ages 5 and under are free. Registration deadline is September 20th.
Kids Club – With preschool back in session, starting August 19th our Kids Club services will no longer be offered in the morning. We will still have our regular hours on Monday – Thursday from 4-8pm and Saturdays from 8am-11am and the cost is $1 per hour. Bring your family and come play at the Y!
CPR & First Aid Classes – Join us at the YMCA on Sunday, October 26th 9AM to 1PM for CPR & First Aid Certification through the American Health and Safety Institute. Local EMT, firefighter and YMCA member, Matt Kidd is a certified trainer and will be facilitating the workshop. The cost of the training is $40 per person.
CONSTRUCTION Update on Shelby Street – Shelby Street is now open one way for North bound traffic. If you are coming from that direction please feel free to use Shelby Street otherwise use Sparks Ferry Road to access the Y until further notice.
IU Football Ticket Raffle to support YMCA Annual Giving Campaign– Thanks to a donation from local radio station WSLM, the winner will receive 4 Tickets for the September 14 game against Bowling Green. Raffle tickets are available at the YMCA Front desk for $5 or purchase 5 chances for $20. The winner will be chosen on Sept. 10th at the YMCA. Fans of IU won’t want to miss this great opportunity to win tickets to a great game and also support a local non-profit organization.
About 100 water utility customers in Brown County are being required to boil their drinking and cooking water until Thursday.
The boil order comes after a water main break in a neighborhood.
The boil order was issued Friday afternoon.
The boil order only effects water for human consumption and does not effect cleaning water.
