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TUESDAY, 06.02.09
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WAYWARD FISHERMAN
SETS FIELD, VAN ON FIRE
Nick Schneider sets blaze that comes within three feet of
torching cabin in rural Tulip area

YOU"LL ONLY READ THIS STORY HERE
TULIP - A Sunday afternoon fishing trip ended abruptly, angrily and ablaze after a rural Newberry man inadvertently set a field fire after getting his van stuck in the rural Tulip area.
According to Highland Township Assistant Fire Chief Ed Michael, Nick Schneider and "some other people" were fishing on property along County Road 565 North, just north of County Road 390 East Sunday at about 1:09 p.m. when Schneider tried to move his minivan.
Michael said he was unaware of with whom Schneider was 'fishing' down the long lane leading to a heavily-wooded and secluded area - which is not visible from the county road.
The van became stuck and "he (Schneider) said he kept getting madder and madder as it got more stuck," Michael said. "And, the madder he got, the more buried it got." Soon, the minivan was buried in the field up to the frame - with an apparently glowing-hot catalytic converter.
"The converter apparently set the dry grass on fire and the fire soon came up through the engine compartment," Michael said.
Along with destroying the van, the fire raged through about an acre of the field before being controlled by Highland Township firefighters.
The blaze got to within three feet of a cabin on the property of Gary Rubin, but was extinguished before doing any damage to the dwelling.
Richland-Taylor Fire was also called for the blaze, but was disregarded before arriving on the scene of the automotive-stoked inferno.

GREENE CO. REHAB HEAVILY DAMAGED
Former nursing home sustains fire, smoke, water damage;
two firefighters injured, taken to hospital

BLOOMFIELD - A total of 36 firefighters from five area departments responded to a Saturday afternoon (04.04.09) fire at the Greene County Rehab Center on North Seminary Street in Bloomfield. A person associated with the center left the building at about 5:30 p.m. and noticed smoke coming from the back of the structure, according to fire department reports. When the first firefighters from the Bloomfield Fire Departments arrived, smoke was coming out of the eaves on the rear of the building and along the entire roofline on one side of the building.
Firefighters from Worthington, Linton, Center Township and Richland-Taylor Township departments were called to help extinguish the blaze, which began in the ceiling of the building.
According to Bloomfield Assistant Fire Chief Chris Stahl, the cause of the fire was determined to be electrical in nature. An investigator from the Indiana State Fire Marshal's Office was called and spent a couple of hours going through the building. His final report was not immediately available.
While battling the fire, two Bloomfield firefighters were injured and required a trip to Greene County General Hospital.
Capt. Stacey Hill and Lt. Bradley Grounds were taken to the hospital by Emergency Three out of the Greene County Ambulance Service's Linton station, and were treated for what is believed to be heat and possible exhaustion-related issues. Neither man was seriously injured.
Firefighters were on the scene until about 11 p.m.
Stahl said that about 45 residents of the center were relocated to other facilities, as the building is now uninhabitable. The Greene County Rehab Center - a private drug and alcohol in-patient facility - is housed in what was formerly the Bloomfield Nursing Home. The nursing home went out of business about 10 years ago.
Also responding to the scene were the Greene County Ambulance Service's Emergency Two out of the Bloomfield station, Greene County Sheriff's Deputies and Bloomfield Police officers.

GARAGE BURNS WEST OF
BLOOMFIELD
Bloomfield firefighter hurt battling blaze near Hunter's Drive-In

BLOOMFIELD - A Bloomfield firefighter suffered a broken ankle while battling a garage fire just west of Bloomfield Tuesday afternoon, March 24.
Bloomfield firefighter David Ausman responded with his department, providing mutual aid to fire units from Switz City, Richland-Taylor and Worthington fire departments.
According to reports from the scene, Ausman was fighting the fire when he stumbled in the debris and broke his right ankle. He was treated at Greene County General Hospital and released.
Firefighters were called to the property owned by Sam Lehman of Bloomfield that is located just west of Hunter's Drive-In on State Route 54.
When local fire trucks were in the area of the Bloomfield Dairy Queen, billowing smoke could be seen. Since Switz City's fire engine is currently ut of service due to mechanical problems with its pump, the Richland-Taylor and Worthington fire departments were called to help put out the blaze.
When the first Richland-Taylor firefighters and truck arrived on the scene - four minutes after the fire was called in - the garage was fully-engulfed in flames, and bystanders reported that someone was still in an adjacent apartment.
Richland-Taylor firefighters Derek Aydt and Ken Hinkle went in search of the man, who stumbled out of the apartment just as they were entering it. The pair then immediately set to knocking down the flames.
In all, two dozen firefighters from four departments responded and were on the scene about 90 minutes.
Switz City Fire Chief Bryan Woodall set the cause of the blaze as a ditch fire going out of control. According to Woodall, Lehman was burning the ditch near the garage, when flames spread to the structure.
The garage was a total loss.

BLOOMFIELD EASTER EGG HUNT
SATURDAY, APRIL 4 AT TOWN PARK

GATOR 6-WHEELER STOLEN
John Deere ATV taken from Taylor Township

SCOTLAND - Greene County Sheriff's Deputies are currently investigating the theft of a John Deere 6-wheel Gator from a rural Scotland shed.
According to reports from Deputy Terry L. Wade, sometime between March 4 and March 12, someone broke into a metal shed on County Road 710 South, just east of Basseline Road in Taylor Township, and stole the 2007 ATV.
Anyone with information on the theft is asked to contact the sheriff's department at 384-4411, or their local law enforcement agency.

NEWBERRY GIRL FOUND IN TENNESSEE
Reported missing from Bloomfield area

TENNESSEE - A 16-year-old Newberry girl who was reported missing from the Bloomfield area on Thursday hass been located in Tennessee. She was reportedly unhurt.
Danielle Renae Blackmore was reported missing by her mother and was thought to be in the company of a 19-year-old Indianapolis man.
According to law enforcement agents, the girl's mother was on her way to Tenenessee Friday afternoon to pick up the girl.
CLICK HERE FOR THE STATE POLICE PRESS RELEASE

BLOOMFIELD ACCEPTING
APPLICATIONS
Town Hall is place to pick up paperwork for cop job

BLOOMFIELD - With the departure of Bloomfield Chief Deputy Town Marshal Lt. Shane Smith, the town is opening up a hiring process for the position of deputy marshal.
According to Marshal Ken Tharp, the town will be accepting applications for the position beginning immediately. The deadline for applying is March 18 at 4 p.m.
In order to apply, one must go to Town Hall and pick up an application packet and complete and return it by the deadline. All applicants will go through an extensive background check, and will have to pass a physical fitness test before being considered for the open position. The physical fitness test is the same test the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy uses for its entrance requirements, Tharp said.
All applicants must have a clean driving and criminal record to be considered for the job. No application packets will be mailed or sent to applicants electronically. Town Hall is open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and is located on Main Street, across from the north side of the Courthouse.

SMITH GOING TO
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Bloomfield Chief Deputy Town Marshal becoming county deputy

BLOOMFIELD - Bloomfield Chief Deputy Town Marshal L. Shane Smith has been named Greene County's newest Sheriff's Deputy.
According to Sheriff Terry Pierce, Smith was officially hired Monday evening during a meeting of the Sheriff's Merit Board.
He joins his brother Aaron Smith as a sheriff's deputy and has another brother, Jayson Smith as an officer at the Linton Police Department.
Smith began his law enforcement career at the Bloomfield Police Department in July 2005 as a reserve police officer. A year later, he was hired full-time. His last day at BPD will be Sunday at midnight.
He is married to the former Miranda Todd, and the couple is expecting their first child.
One of the aspects of Smith's experience that Pierce said helped him get the job was the fact that he has alredy completed the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, and can, in effect, begin patrolling the county with minimal training.
"He will be an asset to this department," Pierce said. "We'r happy to have him."

HAND OF GOD
Family with local ties escapes tornado over the weekend

By KRYSTAL SHETLER
Bedford Times-News
FAYETTEVILLE — There is “no way” God wasn’t protecting Jeff Williams and his family when a funnel cloud destroyed their home on Fayetteville-Williams Road Sunday afternoon.
“It started storming, and I told everyone they needed to get in the house,” Jeff said this morning while standing on what’s left of his front porch. “The hail started, and I just happened to look over and saw the tornado right over that telephone pole right over there. It looked like it was moving, but it was just spinning. I thought we just had seconds. I ran in the house ... and there was dead silence.”
Jeff is the son of Jeff Williams, pastor of Harvest Community Church in Bloomfield. His wife, Lora (McHenry), is the daughter of Bill and Loralyn McHenry of Franklin Street in Bloomfield.
Just before it hit, Jeff dove on top of his wife, Lora, and their two sons, Lewis and Ethan. Bill and Peggy Williams also were inside. They had come to visit their nephew and his family. All six were unharmed by the storm.
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DRUG DEALER
WANTS OUT
Kathy (Uebel) Proctor files
to get out of work release early

BLOOMFIELD - A Bloomfield woman who pleaded guilty to three Class B felony counts of drug dealing and receieved what Greene County Circuit Court Judge Erik Allen called "substantial leniency" now wants to go home early.
According to paperwork filed last weeek in Circuit Court, Kathy (Uebel) Proctor is asking that her sentence be modified to allow her to be placed on house arrest for the remainder of her sentence - instead of being incarcerated in the Greene County Work Release Center.
On Jan. 12, 2008, Proctor was sentenced to eight years in jail, with four years suspended. She was then ordered to spend her jail time in work release. Since she receives one-day's credit for every day served, she in effect only will serve 24 months of work release.
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LOVE PREVAILS?
Man previously-convicted of sex with teens gets no jail
after 15-year-old girl tells judge she loves Jim Picou

By Laura Lane
Bloomington Herald-Times and
Michael Johnson
Bloomfield Free Press
BLOOMINGTON - A 33-year-old Bloomfield man won’t spend any time in jail for having sex with a 14-year-old girl in 2007.
And even though James Picou pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony sexual misconduct with a minor, he’s not barred from being around the victim or pursuing her romantically.
Even the girl’s mother supports the pair, saying Picou deserves another chance. According to court records, she has gotten to know Picou since the charge was filed and believes he and her daughter will have a future together.
The girl, now 15, testified she loves Picou with all her heart. Evidence indicated she pursued him and that sex between the two was consensual.
Monroe Circuit Judge Teresa Harper sentenced Picou to six years in jail, suspending all but one day served, with six years on probation with mandatory counseling.
One condition of Picou’s probation: He can’t marry the girl until she graduates from high school and turns 18.
Picou was arrested on the charges 10 years to the day after he was charged with a similar crime in Greene County. In that crime, he also got a plea deal and basically walked away.
Local investigators said Wednesday that they "are outraged" by the sentencing, with one saying, "it's stuff like this that made me decide to quit being a cop."
It is unknown whether Picou's past history as a sex offender - non-registered - was brought up during his sentencing hearing.

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KNIFE-WIELDING MAN
BUSTED AT DQ
Taken to Bloomington Hospital for evaluation - without ice cream

Lawmen and emergency responders escort an unidentified man to a waiting ambulance after he allegedly brandished a knife at the Bloomfield Dairy Queen Monday evening. (R.M. Johnson photos)
BLOOMFIELD - A possibly mentally-unstable man wielding a knife was arrested at Bloomfield Dairy Queen at about 9 p.m. Monday.
Although details are sketchy at this posting, the long-haired man was subdued by Bloomfield Deputy Marshal Harvey Holt, who wrestled him to the ground, taking away the knife after stunning him with a taser.
The man was taken by Emergency One out of the Greene County Ambulance Service's Solsberry Station to Bloomington Hospital, presumably for psychological evaluation.
He ended up being detained at the stress center at Bloomington Hospital.
He was handcuffed to the ambulance cot for the ride to Bloomington, and had an officer riding in the back of the ambulance, as well as Holt following.
In what was possibly the year's worst sense of timing, the man apparently decided to pull the knife just as a meeting of Greene County Sheriff's Reserves was dismissing - sending a half-dozen officers sliding into the DQ parking lot within a couple of minuutes.
Since he is what law enforcement officials classify as a mentally-unstable suspect, it is unknown whether there will be charges filed.

American National Anthem Adopted by U.S. Congress March 3, 1931

HEAD INJURY IN CENTER TWP.
20-year-old man hit with baseball bat

CENTER TOWNSHIP - At about 1:15 a.m. Wednesday, Emergency One out of the Greene County Ambulance Service's Solsberry station, Center Township Rescue and Greene County Sheriff's Deputy Jeremy Inman were on their way to a mobile home in Center Township on the report of a man suffering a head injury.
The 20-year-old was conscious and alert when emergency crews arrived. According to radio traffic, he was struck in the head with a baseball bat.
Initial responders stated that the man was not seriously hurt. At 1:32 a.m., Emergency One was told to slow its run to the scene, as the man was expected to sign a statement of release - and not be transported to the hospital.
At 1:48 a.m., Center Township Rescue crews cleared the scene and were en route back to their station.
At 1:52 a.m., Emergency One cleared the scene, with the patient refusing transportation to the hospital.
More to come.

LEHMAN PLEADS TO
DISORDERLY
Gets no jail time; minimal fine

BLOOMFIELD - Greene County Democratic Party Chairman W. Jeffrey Lehman entered a negotiated plea of guilty to a single county of disorderly conduct in Greene Circuit Court.
In exchange, he was sentenced to 180 days in jail, with 178 days suspended. He was then given credit for one day actual jail time served and given credit for another. He was also fined $35 plus court costs and given ione year's probation.
Disorderly conduct is a Class B misdemeanor.
Lehman was also ordered to have no contact with his victim - Misty Allen - for the entire time he is on probation.

WRV LOSES REGIONAL
University bests Wolverines on last half-second free throw

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - The White River Valley Lady Wolverines lost a heart-breaker in the regional opener Saturday at Shelbyville on a last half-second free throw.
According to CyberNews Central Sports Correspondent Tom Cioni, the University High School Trailblazers and WRV were tied at 48 when a University player was fouled with one one-half-second left on the clock. The University player sank the front end of a one-and-one to give the Trailblazers the win.
Up to that point, WRV had led the game most of the time. The first quarter ended with WRV up 13-11. At halftime, it was 24-23 in favor of the Wolverines, and going into the final period, WRV was up by seven, 39-32.
University beat WRV last year in the Regional finals.

PAPER GOING WEB-ONLY
Postal rates, prohibitive costs are reason for shifting to online news

BLOOMFIELD - Citing a number of factors - including ever-increasing, prohibitive postal rates, hit-and-miss mail delivery and the simple economics of producing and distributing Your Independent Hometown Newspaper, the Bloomfield Free Press has decided to convert to an online-only news product.
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MERRY CHRISTMAS MORIAH!
Local girl will finally celebrate Christmas after
being released from hospital

WAGON TEAMSTER UPDATE
Skelding is improving; expecting long road to recovery

Bob Skelding and two of his four horses take a rest in Worthington Dec. 28. He was critically injured in a wreck in Mississippi on Feb. 10. (R.M. Johnson photo)
By Brian Livingston
Meridian Star
MERIDIAN, MISS. - Bob Skelding, who has been hospitalized in a Meridian hospital for a week after being involved in a collision with an 18-wheeler that destroyed his horse drawn RV and killed two of his horses, has been taken off a ventilator.
Skelding's sister, Cathy Fagan of North Carolina, has been in Meridian for most of that time trying to care for her brother's affairs while providing him with support. She said Monday afternoon there really wasn't any real news to relay and probably wouldn't be for quite some time.
"It's going to be a long recovery time and I can't go into any specifics of his injuries," she said. "I have to leave at the end of this week and hopefully we'll have another family member take my place."
Skelding is listed in serious but stable condition. He is being treated in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
Fagan said she understood a great many people wanted to stay abreast of her brother's condition but that at this point there really isn't much to say. She said for those supporting her brother to keep the prayers coming in but that his recovery would take weeks.

DOGS GONE FROM DOANS
Possibly stolen; family wants them back
Reward is offered

DOANS - Monday at about midnight, Michael and Heather Pate let their two Chihuahuas out to relieve themselves. A few minutes later, they heard a car door slam and immediately looked for the dogs.
They were nowhere to be found.
Both are full-blooded and registered dogs, and the chocolate and white female is pregnant.
According to Heather Pate, "these are more than just pets to us, they are family. I feel like someone was waiting for this oppurtunity to snag them."
She said the family is offering a reward for the dogs' safe return or information about their whereabouts.
If anyone has any information, they are asked to call 812-863-4566 or 812-325-8581.

WATER COMING UP
State Route 157 open again

BULLET DODGED
Severe winds cause limited damage in Bloomfield area

The only real storm damage from Wednesday's gusty winds and driving rains was to a home in Bloomfield on East Spring Street. A large tree fell across the home of Joan Roberts (and the late Jim Roberts). (J. Sherer photos)

BLOOMFIELD - Wednesday's high winds and driving rains managed to get through most of Greene County without causing much damage, according to the Greene County Emergency Management Agency.
The only real damage caused by the storms was to a home in Bloomfield. The home of Joan Roberts on East Spring Street sustained heavy damage to the southwest corner and the roof when a large tree was uprooted and fell across the house.
Mrs. Roberts was at home at the time of the damage, describing the noise as that of "a big crash." She said that she and her son had planned on having the tree removed when the weather got warmer because it was rotted at the bottom.
Several area fire departments were also called out Wednesday to deal with trees across roadways, but none of them took long to clear.
An initial check with UDWI/REMC showed that there were no major or widespread power outages in the cooperative's service areas. Reports state that just more than 4,000 customers were without power Wednesday because of the wind. By midnight, only 100 were still without power. REMC serves nearly 20,000 customers in 11 counties.
The Bloomfield Fire Station on Mill Street looks a lot worse than it is after a gust of wind tore off some of the siding from the building. The siding had been repaired after last year's tornadoes, and several strips were torn loose by the winds Wednesday.
Instead of chancing it, town crews removed most of the loose siding from the building and will repair it when they are able.

CORRECTION
Followell is not wanted on a probation violation

BLOOMFIELD - A name listed on the list of Greene County's Most Wanted in the Feb. 4 edition of the Bloomfield Free Press should not have been there.
Ryan P. Followell was listed as being wanted on a petition to revoke his probation from a driving while suspended conviction. That warrant was recalled on Jan. 7. The Free Press apologizes for the error.

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Raynard's picking up on different schedule

BLOOMFIELD - Raynard's Hauling and Recycling will not be picking up at its Monday recycling customers due to the holiday. They will be picking up those Monday customers the following Monday, Feb. 23.  If customers have any questions, they can call 384-0999.

WAGON TEAMSTER HURT
Man who stopped in Worthington in critical condition in Mississippi

Bob Skelding and two of his four horses take a rest in Worthington Dec. 28. He was critically injured in a wreck in Mississippi on Tuesday. (R.M. Johnson photo)
IN THE WEDNESDAY FEB. 11 EDITION
MERIDIAN, Miss. - A New Hampshire man who chucked it all to travel the country in a horse-drawn wagon was critically injured in a wreck Tuesday afternoon.
Bob Skelding, 49, of New Hampshire, was traveling on the side of Mississippi Highway 45 in his horse-drawn wagon when he was struck by a tractor-trailer.
According to reports from reporter Brian Livingston of the Meridian Star newspaper, Skelding and his horses were traveling along a stretch of roadway that didn’t have a lot of shoulder when two tractor trailers crested a hill side-by-side.
One of the semi-trucks struck the former nuclear power worker’s home-built wagon in the rear.
In the crash, Skelding was critically injured and was taken to Rush Foundation Hospital in Meridian, Miss.
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MOLESTATION CHARGES
Linton man arrested on child molestation charges

IN THE FEB. 11 EDITION
LINTON - A rural Linton man was arrested Monday on two counts of inappropriately touching children.
David W. Denman, 39, of Rural Route 2, Box 190, Linton, is charged with one Class C felony count of child molestation and one Class B misdemeanor count of battery.
He made his initial appearance in Greene Superior Court Tuesday morning.
During his appearance, the disheveled Denman rocked back and forth in his chair and seemed barely to comprehend the proceedings. When answering the judge's questions, he was slow of speech and had to be reminded several times to verbalize his answers.
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