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Iroquois County’s Times-Republic
timesrepublic.info
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Sesquicentennial Edition
ATTICA
City’s Proud Past a Gateway to the Region’s Future Inside you’ll find … Attica Sesquitennial Coverage Page 2 ~ Fountain County Page 4 ~ Benton County Page 6 ~ Warren County Page 7
A special supplement to the Fountain County Neighbor and the Review Republican 2016
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ATTICA SESQUICENTENNIAL
June 2016
What’s in a (street) name? Just about every town has its quirks – features that for one reason or another make it unique. A look at the street signs in Attica shows that many of the names, while if not actually unique, are at least uncommon and reflect some of the people, places and things that are a part of the city’s history. Here are a few: McDonald Street takes its name from 19th- century mover and shaker James McDonald, one of the first members of the common council when Attica made the transition from a town to a city. Hollovy Street commemorates Levi Hollovy, an early Attican who set about creating a water distribution system from springs in the Ravine Park area to the downtown by using pipes fashioned from logs. Lithia Street ultimately takes its name from a mineral found in some local water supplies whose therapeutic properties made this part of Indiana world famous in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Some street names, such as Foundry, are indicative of industry. Others, such as Mound and Summit, point to the area’s topography. Canal, Ferry and Water streets all reflect Attica’s strong connection to the Wabash River. Perhaps not as obvious is Yount Street, named for a family who settled in the area and started a woolen mill near the river.
Attica’s village within a village By Doug Howard fcndhoward@sbcglobal.net Nestled in the heart of Attica is a village within a village. Cottrell Village, a collection of mid-19th century buildings restored by California-based interior designer John Cottrell, stands on its own as a testament to historic preservation. It's also a point of pride for Attica and part of a historic district that spans several city blocks. A graduate of Attica High School, Cottrell began the restoration effort in the late 1980s with the renovation of the Old Church through the John Cottrell Foundation. The "village" began to take shape around it after the acquisition of land adjoining the church, a pair of houses and several outbuildings dating from the same time period. The Old Church In a part of the city with several church buildings, the Old Church serves as a focal point and signpost for Cottrell Village. An example of Greek Revival architecture, the orginal Attica Presbyterian Church was built in 1849-1850. When the congregation outgrew the wooden structure, they built a new one out of brick immediately to the west. The steeple was removed in the early 20th century. At one time, the building served as a dance hall before reverting to its originally intended use. In the late 1920s the building was acquired by the First Church of Christ, Scientist, whose congregation used the church until 1985. The building was acquired by the Cottrell Foundation two years later. Renovation efforts started with reinforcing the building from its foundation to its roof. The steeple was rebuilt based on photographs of the original. Not all had to be built from scratch, however: The louvers came from the original structure, found in the building's ceiling rafters and put back in their original position, while the front doors turned up in a coal shed.
Photos by Doug Howard
The William Brown House An example of Greek Revival architecture, the exact date the William Brown House was built is unknown. Like the other nearby buildings, it is believed to have been built in the mid-1850s. The house was added onto over the years and was divided into two apartments in the early 1900s. Cottrell's renovation involved taking the house back to its original style. The Norman S. Brown House This Federal-style house was situated in a prime location in Attica: Near a water distribution system fed by springs what would later be known as Ravine Park. The house was remodeled in the late 1880s, much of changed over to the Victorian style. Part of the modern restoration work involved putting the doors back to their original height and seeing that the windows and woodwork were made according to the original style. Behind the tidy brick and timber buildings along Main and Short streets are several out-buildings and a garden. The buildings include examples of three mainstays of 19th century living – a
The iconic Old Church (top photo) serves as the centerpiece of Cottrell Village. A small stable and garden (bottom photo) are among the features of Cottrell Village easily glimpsed from Short Street to the east. small stable, a smokehouse and an outhouse. The garden is planted with herbs and flowers that were common then as now, with an emphasis placed on plants that can be dried or canned for storage.
Celebrating 150 Years
ATTICA SESQUICENTENNIAL July 1, 2, 3 – McDonald Park, Attica, IN
FRIDAY EVENTS
SATURDAY EVENTS
SUNDAY EVENTS
8 AM 5K RUN (Attica High School) 8:30 AM Opening Ceremony (McDonald Park)
8 AM Community Church Service Old Church in Cottrell Village
9 AM - 7 PM Brick Making, Grain Milling, Whitewashing, Trades Explore Ravine Park Trails
10 AM Crafts & Trade Activities
10 AM- 2 PM Narrated Carriage Rides through Historic Neighborhood; Display of over 30 Vintage Wedding dresses 4-8 PM JONAH FISH FRY ATTICA FIRE STATION 5:30 PM PET PARADE 7-10 PM RUSTY BLADEN PERFORMING IN MCDONALD PARK
11 AM Box Lunches by Bossaer’s Bakery 1 PM Circle of Winners
10 AM Tour of 1865 Cottrell Village, “Story of Attica” playing at the Devon Theater, Music by Cheryl Serie Fletcher
2 PM New Time Capsule Ceremony
10:30 AM Music by Morgan Haddock
2:30 PM Ice Cream Social
11:00 AM Music by Fountain County Band
4 PM the Story of Attica Devon Theater
11 AM-2 PM Taste of Home Attica Style (Robie’s Pizza King, Bob’s Burgers, Crossroads, Agave Azul, Bossaer Farms Café) 1 PM Pickle Ball Final 1:30 PM Beard Contest
5 PM Par 3 Golf Tourney Harrison Hills Golf Course
2 PM Time Capsule Unveiling 3:30 PM Auction of Time Capsule Items 4:00 PM Music by Luke Austin Daugherty Story of Attica @ the Devon Theater 5:00 PM BBQ Chicken Dinner at the Eagles 7-10 PM Live Music by PARK AVENUE
10PM FIREWORKS Attica High School
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ATTICA SESQUICENTENNIAL
Attica’s parks important to town’s character and heritage By Doug Howard fcndhoward@sbcglobal.net Attica is home to no less than seven parks. Between them, they offer something for just about all ages and interests – playgrounds, ball fields, tennis and basketball courts, nature trails, camping, a boat launch – even a disc golf course. Ouabache Park This aptly-named waterfront park (a French transliteration of a Miami Indiana name for the river we know to today as the Wabash) is home to the city’s only boat launch and allows for camping. Its recently upgraded features include picnic tables, fire pits and water spigots as well as modern, handicapped accessible restroom facilities. McDonald Park Named for prominent 19th century Attica citizen James McDonald, this rectangular property near the center of the city features a playground, basketball and tennis courts and a bandstand. It’s also host to the 1966 and 2016 time capsules and is the central staging area for the city’s sesquicentennial celebration in July.
Happy Walter Field Named in honor of Attica resident William F. “Happy” Walter, this ball park on the city’s south side offer multiple diamonds for baseball, softball and tee ball. Circle Park A small neighborhood park on the city’s east side, Circle Park features a basketball goal, swings, a merry go round and a bench. Riley Park A 3.8 acre property on the city’s northeast side, Riley Park’s two soccer fields are used extensively by youth soccer leagues for both practice and competition. West Street Park This small park is located within a few blocks of Riley Park. It features a small shelter and picnic table, a climbing wall, swings and slide as well as a basketball court. Ravine Park The city’s flagship park property, Ravine Park’s 90-acres reach from just west of the downtown to about 1.5 miles east. Several springs in the area feed a stream, Brady’s Branch, which runs through much of the western end of the park.
The middle portion of the park is approximately 30 acres and is set up with a large shelter, two small shelters, picnic tables and park benches. It’s also home to the city swimming pool. Recreational equipment there includes
bouncy animals, swings, climbers and slides. There’s also a basketball goal, a disc golf course and a horseshoe pitch. The eastern extent of the park, known as Arms Woods, is a heavily forested 35 acres crossed with foot trails.
One (make that two) for the books: Libraries special to Attica By Doug Howard fcndhoward@sbcglobal.net Many small communities across Indiana can thank the vision and the generosity of benefactors who saw the value of lifelong learning. In fact, Indiana can proudly count more Carnegie libraries than any other state. Of the 1,679 libraries in the United States built with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, nearly a tenth of the them – 164 public and two academic libraries – were built in the Hoosier state from 1901 to 1918. The City of Attica is home to two public libraries, one Carnegie, the other established by a like-minded local civic group. “The Old Library” stands on a triangular lot bounded by Main, Mill and Brady streets. Built and supplied by the Ladies Library Association, the building has been preserved by Fountain County Landmarks and serves as the group’s headquarters. The compact, wood-framed structure not only continues to house several hundred books,
The “new” library (top photo), originally built in 1904 with a new section added in 1995, is in the middle of yet another update. The old library is the headquarters for the Fountain County Landmarks.
it preserves the appearance of libraries from an era when Indiana’s literary fame rivaled those of states “back east” thanks to authors such as Lew Wallace, Theodore Dreiser (brother of renowned songwriter Paul Dresser), Booth Tarkington, Gene Stratton Porter and George Ade. Its role as the city’s main library soon passed to the Carnegie-endowed building just a few blocks away on the site of a former city park. But for the bibliophiles, or anyone else interested in experiencing a slice of the state’s literary past, the Old Library is still open by appointment. In contrast, the “new” library, originally built in 1904 with a new section added in 1995, is in the middle of yet another update, one which will see remodeling and repair work to both the inside and outside of both the original building and its addition. A short list includes a new circulation desk, new windows and an updated heating, ventilation and cooling system as well as the installation of a digital sign on the front lawn.
Photos by Doug Howard
Interactive Trades: Brick making, grain milling, whitewashing By Gretchen Stone atticaeditor@sbcglobal.net The trades played a critical role in building Attica, from its economy to its streets and buildings, and the surrounding region. Sesquicentennial revelers have the opportunity to make their own bricks, mill grain and learn whitewashing technique, in interactive displays meant to educate local children and entertain visitors. Organizer Brent Bauerband is an Attica native. He spent time in the past few years researching the heritage trades of Attica and the many ways the town’s history could boost its economy. Attica’s settlers chose the area because it had clay and limestone, with a ravine complete with stream and a natural fort. “They would burn brick in the ravine in the park,” Bauerband said. “In the old pavilion, now you can still dig up old brick.” In later years, Poston Brick Company bricks are known as the bricks that built local structures in the tri-county region and buildings at Purdue University. He chose trades from Attica’s past that aren’t common in other local areas,
coming up with brick making, limekiln burning, grinding wheat into flour and foundry metal work. During preparations for the brickmaking display, volunteers created 600 mini bricks to dry and burn two weeks later. The brick display allows visitors to squish the clay, mold it and knock out a brick. “They’ll get two bricks, one for a new kiln and one to take home,” he said. In Attica’s early quicklime trade, workers built a kiln inside of the ravine, and dumped limestone in the top and burned it. The converted lime would fall through the bottom. Wheat milling technology changed dramatically in 1827, when about 200 Warren Arms fanning mills were built and sent out to farms. The mills cleaned chaff off grain using a shaker system, leaving clean grain for the grist mill. Foundry work is still important for Attica, with Harrison Steel continuing to create big castings for major companies such as Caterpillar, but it’s not conducive to providing opportunities for individual, interactive demonstrations. Souvenirs from the wheat and brick interactive trades will be for sale during the sesquicentennial celebration.
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During preparations for the brickmaking display, volunteers created 600 mini bricks to dry and burn two weeks later and practiced traditional wheat harvesting.
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June 2016
Touring Warren County by Bus: Special, Outdoor Places By Gretchen Stone atticaeditor@sbcglobal.net A set of bus tours leaves July 9 to celebrate Warren County’s scenic places as a centerpiece for the state’s bicentennial. A bus for individuals leaves for the three-hour tour at 10 a.m. and another for families at 11 a.m., from the county courthouse in Williamsport. A tour guide will accompany each bus, with other tour guides stationed at stopping points along the route. At least 12 sites will be included in the guides’ script and buses will stop at a number of the sites on the tour. Stops are planned for College Rock, Cicott Park, Black Rock, Mound Cemetery, the Mudlavia site and The Pot-
holes. The Potholes is a formation in the creekbed that is also sometimes called The Tubs, where locals stop for shallowwater swimming and for photographs. Kathy Hofmeister, a Warren County implant, has resided there a long time, she said. “I still haven’t seen some of them, so I’m excited about going on the tour,” Hofmeister said. Third-graders take a two-day tour of Warren County in the spring, and parents sometimes say they want to see the sites their children visited. That is one impetus for the tour idea. A souvenir brochure and map will be created by Chris Brown, director of the Williamsport Library, and handed out to tour participants.
Commissioners Tackle Public Affairs Each Month
Warren County Fair Memories The Warren County 4-H Fair is the earliest held in the state and one of the most anticipated events in the county, for young and old alike. The fair draws larger numbers of people throughout the week than most gatherings in the county and it’s the center
Each bus comfortably seats about 30 individuals. Water will be provided by organizers, but tourists will need to bring their own lunches. Friends of the Willliamsport-Washington Township Library will pay for bus fees, said Friends secretary Margaret Sites. About 16 events are planned countywide during Indiana’s bicentennial year, including the bus tour, a bicentennial torch celebration in October and a December gala at the courthouse to celebrate the state’s birthday. The torch celebration will come from Lafayette down through Pine Village, by the Illiana Power Show Grounds, then through Williamsport and West Lebanon. Reservations are required for the free bus tour. Interested parties can call the Learning Center at 764-1880.
of excitement for 4-H competitors. After another successful year of judging, competitions and carnival rides, it’s nice to take a look back at the fun and get started on next year’a winning entries.
By Gretchen Stone atticaeditor@sbcglobal.net
Expectant mom Makenna and Quinn Cronk-Farrar (left) spent time at the Warren County 4-H Fair last week, along with friend Kelsey Griswold (above). One of the show winners was Karsyne Zenor, 17, of Seeger High, who won Sweepstakes Heifer. Miss Indiana State Fair was on hand for the crowning of Miss Warren County 2016.
The Warren County Commission meets the first and third Mondays each month to handle matters that keep the county functioning and moving toward common goals. The commission meets in the county courthouse, where the small room holds extra chairs for any members of the public interested in attending. In its most recent June meeting, commissioners heard an update on repairs to county roadways, along with nuisance issues along country roads. They also reviewed the list of new Smith Scholarship recipients. Highways Superintendent Steve Misner reported on a disagreement between two landowners regarding use of County Road Number 10. The informal roadway is located .3 miles east of County Road 91. Rod Smith recently purchased two partial pieces of property, with frontage on Laundry Road, and wants to put up fencing or a gate, which would block County Road 10. Commissioner Tony Briles said the road hasn’t been maintained in at least 40 years. Auditor Robin Weston-Hubner said the road is still traversed regularly by four-wheeler traffic. Much confusion remains about whether the road has been temporarily or permanently closed, and the commission agreed to suggest that Smith’s attorney contact Weston-Hubner to be placed on the agenda. “I hear people say it wasn’t a road, it was a road,” said John Kuiper, county zoning director. “Was it a road? I don’t know.” The second landowner, Mike Powell, owns land behind the road, which provides some level of access to his property. Powell wants the road to remain open access, without creating an open road, and does not want a gate erected across its path. Ongoing Road Work Road work continues on County Road 100 North. After farmers harvest crops this fall, workers will focus on fixing the road’s ditches, by placing a fabric covering with stone on top of that to facilitate drainage. The next immediate work on 100 North will take place between markers 700 and 800, and once chipping and sealing is completed on various roads, the highways department will return to work on 100 North. For now, the road remains closed between Indiana 63 and County Road 425.
The llama and goat shows are two of the more whimsical events of the fair, with costumes and little animals galore. Contestants spend significant amounts of time grooming animals and readying them for shows.
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June 2016
ATTICA SESQUICENTENNIAL
Covington Circle Trail system a wooded wonderland By Doug Howard fcndhoward@sbcglobal.net Although a major interstate passes within just a few miles of the community, Covington can boast a kind of beltway usually found only in cities several times it size. This quiet, laid-back city with its tree-lined streets and a rich history dating back to the heyday of the Wabash and Erie Canal is also home to the Covington Circle Trail – an extensive recreational trail system meant for the enjoyment of both residents and visitors. The two-lane trail borders on, crosses over or passes through just about every type of land to be found around the city – a wooded ravine, streams, farm land and wood lots – to name just a few. And because it is paved, it can be used by just about everyone – from walkers and runners to cyclists and those who go by wheelchair or scooter (the only exceptions for non-motorized traffic on the trail). A work in progress, the trail is taking shape in phases. The first is 3.2 miles long and starts in the city park on Covington’s north side. It continues north along Portland Arch Road and turns east to Mallory Branch, a creek spanned by an an iron bridge relocated from Rockfield Road south of U.S. Route 136 near Veedersburg. From there it passes by the Trojan Complex, Covington High School’s open air athletic facility, and then turns east, crossing Mallory Branch a second time by means of another relocated iron bridge. From there, the route turns south towards Pearl Street where, for now, it meets a terminus. The second phase section follows an abandoned railroad bed, rails-to-trails fashion, and runs eastward from the downtown area about 1.3 miles. Phase I started in 2006 and was completed the following year. Phase II – the southern section – opened in 2010. Plans are in the works for a third phase to break ground in 2016. connect the two sections via an eastern corridor between U.S. Route 136 and Pearl Street.
The trail can be accessed from a number of places, with vehicle parking available at the Covington Circle Park, at two areas on the northern section of the trail and at a lot off Third Street near the eastern end of the south section. Spearheaded by Erwin “Ernie” Johannes, the first executive director of the Western Indiana Community Foundation, the trail has become a community effort. Johannes, a walking and cycling enthusiast, in retirement took vacations to sample trails across the U.S. and abroad. “He got the idea that why couldn’t something like this be in Covington?” said Kim Eaton, the foundation’s administrative assistant who worked alongside Johannes in its development. “It was his vision,” said Dale White, Johannes’ successor at the WICF. But it’s a vision the Covington community has come together to make real. Funding for the trails so far has come from grants with a local match of 20 percent, reached by private donations made through the community foundation. For its part, the City of Covington, which technically owns the trail, has provided in-kind services throughout its development and is responsible for its upkeep. A master plan for the trail calls for it to be 6.2 miles, or 10 kilometers, in length. Proposed plans are to make that distance a complete circle by connecting the western ends of the north and south sections, something that can be accomplished for now by taking city sidewalks. Although the idea of creating recreational trails is sometimes slow to gain traction, perhaps the best indicator of their importance to communities is in how – and how often – they are used once they are in place. Today the Covington Circle Trail is frequented by both locals and visitors alike, with a number of area groups regularly scheduling events there such as 5k and 10k walk/runs and color runs throughout the year. Summing things up, Eaton put it this way: “If you build it, they will come.”
The Covington Circle Trail offers residents and visitors opportunities to be physically active and enjoy the area’s varied natural scenery. Phase I started in 2006 and was completed the following year.
Photos by Doug Howard
Fountain County Courthouse murals preserve western Indiana history Restoration costs will be lower with locally based conservationists By Doug Howard fcndhoward@sbcglobal.net Some stories can successfully convey their meaning in just a few words. Others, like the murals that line the interior walls of much of the Fountain County Courthouse, rely almost solely on carefully-Pchosen images to make their statements. Painted by or under the direction of renowned artist and Covington native Eugene Savage in the late 1930s, the courthouse murals played a major role in earning the building a place on the National Historic Register. But now many of those murals are showing their age. An effort in the early 1980s to touch them up may have hastened that process, since the methods used at that time caused the paint to pry up from the walls. According to Nancy Wagner with Fountain County Landmarks, the deterioration has been very evident for the past decade. Ongoing stabilization efforts include placing tissue paper over affected areas. "The tissue paper process basically creates a bond to hold together any loosening paint until conservation process can be completed," she explained. "The stabilization will assist in holding any loose paint together and prevent further loosening in the areas treated." Although they are indoors, the murals are not immune to the wide swings in Indiana's temperature and humidity. The hope is that the murals will last longer with changes being discussed by the
Many of the interior walls of the Fountain County Courthouse are lined with murals depicting the settlement of western Indiana. “The Receiver of Taxes” painted by Eugene Savage on the south wall of the main entryway to the courthouse is said to depict fairness and unfairness as well as efficiency and carelessness in the collection of taxes. Stabilization efforts for the murals at Fountain County Courthouse include the use of tissue paper (left, bottom photo) to hold together loosening paint until the conservation process can be finished.
county commissioners to better regulate environmental conditions in the building. In 1980, the estimate to preserve the murals was from $300,000 to $500,000 with the work to be done by a professional restoration artist from the state of Washington. In 2011, the estimates ranged from $250,000 to $500,000 using art conservators from Chicago and Baltimore. More recently, a group of art conservawho The tissue paper tionists have located in process basically Warren County creates a bond to from Indianapolis have prohold together any vided a quote of $227,000. loosening paint According to until conservation Wagner, much process can be of the difference came from completed. the reduced costs of translodgNancy Wagner portation, ing and food by Fountain County being able to Landmarks stay local. Possible funding sources for the project, which is expected to take four conservators 2-4 months, are still being researched. "Once the conservation process is completed, the murals should be easier to maintain with an annual inspection," Wagner said. "Michelangelo used the same al fresco process on the dome of the Sistine Chapel. Occasional maintenance is required. With proper maintenance the murals will last for years."
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ATTICA SESQUICENTENNIAL
June 2016
Amazon wind farm goes online in Benton County A wind tour kiosk (far left) is nearing completion in Benton County, near the county highway garage, in Fowler on U.S. 52.
By Gretchen Stone atticaeditor@sbcglobal.net The Amazon Wind Farm Fowler Ridge is another financial boon for Benton County, for both individual landowners and local townships. The county’s newest wind farm project officially started operations Jan. 1, according to a blog post in mid-January by Amazon Web Services. The project has a 13-year power purchase agreement with Amazon Web Services to supply electricity for its data centers. The wind farm produces 150 MW of capacity via 65 turbines, according to information distributed by Pattern Energy Group. The economic impact of such a large-scale wind project is far-reaching, from individual lease contracts with landowners to the tax dollars and lump sum amounts that have funded projects in townships across Benton County. Patty Clouse, the Benton County auditor, said each new wind project generates both tax dollars and lump sum payments, after an agreed-upon abatement period. The first lump sum payment from the Amazon Wind Farm will arrive in May 2018, in the amount of $100,000 annually. That amount increases to $200,000 each year for 2021-2022, then $300,000 for May 2023-2024 and finally $350,000 for May 2025 through May 2034. She is still working on tax calculations for the new wind farm.
The county will receive the last lump sum payments from two of its earliest wind projects this year. Those are each split into two payments per year. The Fowler Ridge Phase II Project will pay out $561,000 this year and Hoosier Wind will pay its last lump sum, of $298,000. The Phase II Wind Farm began making payments in 2009 and Hoosier Wind in 2010. “Those started out at a little higher amount and went down through the years,” she said. In Benton County, home to Indiana’s first wind farm, a combination of farmers and absentee landowners are the primary recipients of wind turbine lease payments. Additionally, the placement of wind turbines on land increases property values and lowers tax rates. Those lease payments have funded community improvements across Benton County, from a new
fire department annex for the Hickory Grove Township Fire Department and cemetery renovations in the tiny township of Ambia, to the county’s efforts to pay down debts. The county disburses funding to local township trustees based on the number of wind turbines located in each township. The financial impact for individual landowners is also a big factor that brought wind farms to the county. Matt Dallas, the media relations contact for the national Pattern Energy office, said the company doesn’t disclose details of landowner agreements, which is generally true across the industry. However, a fact sheet from the North Dakota Extension Service lists basic figures meant to educate farmers and other landowners on what sort of lease payments to expect. While different variables might exist in Indiana, a
landowner in North Dakota can expect to receive $4,000 to $6,000 each year per megawatt of tower capacity in a fixed compensation package. Some companies also negotiate royalty compensation packages, which commonly pay out three percent to five percent of gross revenue from electricity sales. Four developers operate wind farms in the county, accounting for 560 or more wind turbines that are currently in operation and under lease agreements, according to the county website. The Pattern Energy/ Amazon wind turbines are all Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines. Wind turbines are generally 1.5 MW or larger countywide. The large-scale wind power boom in Indiana has slowed, as such big projects require great funding investments and contracts into the future to get off the ground,
according to Chad Martin, renewable energy Extension specialist at Purdue University. Martin splits his job evenly between working with farmers and landowners on renewable energy efforts, and on farm energy and efficiency improvement. As the wind industry matured and landowners became more knowledgeable about wind power, Martin said, he and local agents spend less time fielding requests for education. “Wind energy is about five or 10 percent of my effort currently,” Martin said. “Back in 2008 and 2009, quite honestly, it was about 90 percent of my time. “As the industry has gotten integrated into the communities, there has not been as much demand for knowledge.” Landowners and farmers now ask neighbors with wind turbines about their experiences. John Charlesworth is the agriculture and natu-
ral resources Extension educator in Benton County. Charlesworth has been in the position since Dec. 1. He said that in his short time on the job, he hasn’t had any educational duties related to wind power, although a previous Extension educator was significantly involved when the original wind farm came to Benton County. That farm is operated by Orion Energy Group LLC in Earl Park and began commercial operation in April 2008, according to the Earl Park website. “I know that our economic development director has been pretty involved in doing tours of the wind farm and when other counties are interested in wind farms, she’s been able to provide information,” he said. For more information on wind and other renewable energies, visit the Purdue Extension service’s resources on its website at extension.purdue.edu/renewableenergy.
Students at Benton Central continue their national reputation For the past several years, students from Benton Central have competed on the national level against other design and development teams. The school fields a Super Mileage Team in Indianapolis, most recently completing the competition April 11, at the Educators of Indiana Super Mileage Engineering Design Challenge. Students from Benton Central finished third overall in Division 1 competition at Lucas Oil Raceway, behind first-place finisher Jasper and second place Kankakee Valley. The division includes all competing 1A and 2A schools. The car ended the day with a high run and new school record of 406.4 miles per gallon and few major run-ins with other cars. In a separate competition, engineering design and development students from Benton Central headed to nationals again this year, after qualifying a team on Feb. 6, at the Midwest regional of the Phoenix Contact Nanoline Contest at Purdue University. Benton Central’s HIT and MIS team, and its Clean Cloud Technologies team, comprised two of the eight teams at the Midwest regional. The acronyms HIT and MIS stand for Head Impact Test and Monitoring Impact System, respectively. The HIT and MIS team was one of three teams that qualified to attend the national competition in Harrisburg, Pa., on Feb. 20. The national finals are held at the Phoenix Contact National Headquarters. The winner at the national championship receives an all-expenses paid trip to
Disney World, where team members will learn how the fantasy land’s automation systems work. During the regional, the school received two of five excellence awards. Clean Cloud Technologies received the Excellence in Engineering Award. “This award is given to a team that best represents the engineering design process in the execution of their concept,” said John Weitlauf, an engineering and technology education teacher at Benton Central who works with the teams, via email. The HIT and MIS team received the Excellence in Craftsmanship award. “Their product was robust and used industry standard practices in wiring, labeling, and mechanical construction,” he said. Nineteen teams started the contest in late summer and the field narrowed to eight groups that made the regional. The HIT and MIS design was a concussiondetecting helmet and concussion protocol testing machine meant for sideline use. “The system is intended to remove subjectivity from the concussion detection process,” Weitlauf said. “The system also contacts the trainer and coaching staff via text message if a
player is suspected of being concussed.” The Clean Cloud Technologies design was a water system with options to select three different filtration stages: gray, potable and pure water. The cleaning process used physical filtration, ultra violet light and a steaming pressure vessel, for use in developing nations. “One of the most exciting parts of the Phoenix Contact Nanoline Contest is that it is completely open ended,” Weitlauf said. “The students are allowed to design anything they want, with a few restrictions such as, no flammable liquids, fits within the size restrictions, etc.” Teams formulated their own problems and spent two weeks brainstorming ideas for their designs, he said. Both teams decided to focus on practical, relevant designs this year, Weitlauf said. The competition design process is integrated into the Engineering Design and Development class at Benton Central, but students spend significant time outside of class to create projects capable of competing on the national level. “One team conservatively estimated they had over 500 man hours in the design and construction of their project,” he said.
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