BLAZER BASKETBALL: Lakewood Park defeats Eastside boys, MORE ON PAGE 3
Butler THE
An edition of The
COMMUNITY EVENTS Paper to be published Jan. 2 Next week’s edition of The Butler Bulletin will be published Wednesday, Jan. 2, one day later than usual, because of the New Year holiday. This week’s edition is being published one day later than usual because of Christmas. The Butler Bulletin will resume its regular Tuesday publication with the Jan. 8 edition.
Veterans’ questions to be addressed BUTLER — DeKalb County veterans service officer Brian Lamm will visit American Legion Post 202, 118 N. Broadway, from 6-8 p.m., the second Monday of every month to answer questions regarding benefits and issues. This is open to any area veteran or widow of a veteran.
Garbage pick-up will be Monday BUTLER — There will be no changes to the EarthFirst garbage pick-up schedule in the City of Butler, according to officials at the city utility office. Garbage will be picked up Monday, Dec. 31.
Eagles accepting shelter donations BUTLER — Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2733, 541 W. Main St., is now accepting items for the DeKalb Humane Shelter. Needed items include Purina brand dog foods, dry cat food, cat litter, plastic gloves, laundry soap, garbage bags (39 gallons and up), paper towels, bleach and cleaning products. Donors may drop off items at the lodge. Eagles members will pick up items from elderly residents wishing to participate by calling 868-2583.
Historical photos wanted to print Do you have old photographs of the Butler, St. Joe, Spencerville, Newville, Concord, Orange, Moore or Artic areas? Please allow us to scan and print them so we can share them with readers throughout the year. Photos will appear periodically in The Butler Bulletin and online. Photos can be scanned and returned while you wait by visiting the Star office, 118 W. Ninth St, Auburn, during business hours. Photos can be old schools, street scenes, athletic teams, community bands, railroads, river or bridge scenes to name a few. Where possible, photo credit will be given. We ask that you provide some information about the time period, location and people in the photo, if available.
Helping Hands Ministry open BUTLER — Helping Hands Ministry is a Matthew 25 ministry assisting needy families in the Butler area. Monetary contributions and donations of new or gently-used clothing and bedding items are accepted during business hours. Helping Hands is located at 136 W. Main St. and is open Tuesdays 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A food pantry is also available.
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DECEMBER 26, 2012 146th YEAR — ISSUE #52 On the web at: kpcnews.com
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Butler, Indiana ESTABLISHED IN 1866
Revenge motive for Ohio mosque burning TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A former Marine from St. Joe admitted Dec. 19 that he broke into a mosque in Ohio and set f ire to a prayer rug because he w anted revenge for the killings of American troops overseas. Randy Linn pleaded guilty to hate crime charges, saying he’d become enraged after seeing images of wounded soldiers in the news. “Every day you turn on the TV, you see Muslims trying to kill Americans,” said Linn, a truck driver from St. Joe. When asked by a federal judge whether he thought all Muslims are terrorists, he answered: “I’d say most of them are.” A deal between prosecutors and
Kruse invites pages INDIANAPOLIS — State Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, is inviting local middle school and high school students to spend a day at the Statehouse and serve as Senate pages during the 2013 legislative session, Jan. 7 to April 29. “The Senate page program is a valuable opportunity for any student who wants to learn more about our great state,” Kruse said. “By participating in the legislative process, pages gain a new understanding of how Indiana government functions and why it matters for all Hoosiers.” Interested students should submit page requests as soon as possible by visiting ➤Kruse, Page 6
Linn, 52, calls for him to be sentenced to 20 years next April. He pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging and destroying religious property and two gun-related charges. U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary told Linn that his acts were an attack on all places of religion and that the mosque was a symbol of peace. “You are no better than the terrorists or extremists you sought to punish,” Zouhary said. Prosecutors said Linn drove about two hours from his home to suburban Toledo on Sept. 30 and broke into the mosque where he poured gasoline on the rug and lit it on fire. He estimated that he had drunk
45 beers over several hours before he decided to drive to Ohio. Linn had several firearms in his car and carried a gun into the mosque, which was empty at the time. U.S. Attorney Steven Dettelbach said it was fortunate no one was there. “This is a man who had intolerance in his heart and acted with hate,” he said. “We can count ourselves lucky.” Linn said he went room by room to make sure no one was in the building. “I was drinking a beer while I was doing that,” he said. A sprinkler system extinguished the blaze, leaving smoke and water damage in the prayer room of the facility, whose golden dome is a
landmark along I-75. No one was hurt. Members of the Islamic center have been unable to use the building and expect repairs to be finished by the end of March. Dr. Mahjabeen Islam, president of the Islamic Center, said its members been overwhelmed by support from the community and churches, but she was saddened by Linn’s statements in court. “It was heart-wrenching to hear him speak because the ignorance and intolerance is still palpable,” she said. “This is an individual who knows nothing about Islam.” A woman who knows Linn had ➤Revenge, Page 6
ARNT RECEIVES ROTARY PAUL HARRIS AWARD
Photo contributed
Butler dentist Dr. Kenneth Arnt, holding c ertificate, was bestowed with Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow by members of the Butler Rotary Club. The Paul Harris Fellow represents contributions of $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation. The award was made possible by the Rotary club and Dr. Arnt’s office staff. Arnt is the 15th individual honored by the Butler club and the 17th Paul Harris Fellow. From left, are Rotarians Jerry Markle, Frank Brock, Jeff Jones, Arnt, Randy Bercaw, Tracy Miller, Larry Moore and Roger Kitchen. Not shown are Rotarians Kathy Bailey, Ellen Stuckey and Larry Yoder.
No more school textbooks? BY AARON ORGAN aorgan@kpcnews.net BUTLER — The DeKalb Eastern school board will consider transitioning to an all-digital textbook platform in the coming weeks. Riverdale Elementary School Principal Brennen Kitchen told the board during its Dec. 17 meeting that next month, district representatives would attend a meeting in Fort Wayne with several textbook vendors. A committee will listen to pitches from those vendors, and the representatives will pick two vendors to come to the district for more personalized pitches later, Kitchen said. A large part of the discussion on what district will look for in textbooks is whether to buy actual
books at all, or go all-digital, Kitchen said. Schools are transitioning to alldigital learning platforms quickly, he said, and whether the school district goes all-in or not, it’s likely at least a large portion of the textbook adoptions on tap will be in digital form. The district already is an area leader in using technology as a tool in education. All students at Eastside High School have school-issued iPads. Some iPads are used by fifth- and sixth-grade students at Riverdale and Butler elementary schools, but not regularly, and not for takehome purposes. Questions were raised by the board, though, about the risks that would come with issuing 6-yearolds, for example, pieces of
technology that retail for more than $500. Those risks will be raised with textbook vendors, who will present the district with options. In other business, Superintendent Dr. Jeff Stephens made the board aware of the district’s lockdown policies in the wake of the Connecticut elementary school massacre earlier this month. Stephens said the district is “taking every security measure we can.” Stephens said district administrators gathered and reviewed security procedures Dec. 17, as they do regularly, and each school ran a lockdown drill. In addition, Stephens said anyone entering any district school must pass a background check
before entering and carry an ID while in the school. Stephens reminded the board that the offices of both Butler and Riverdale schools were remodeled years ago for security purposes. The district has a school resource officer, as well. “We are as secure as we can make the buildings without making them armed prisons,” Stephens said. “We’re very comfortable with the procedures we have in place, and we’ll do everything we can. We always have.” The board accepted the rehiring of Emily Davis, who will return to Riverdale after a leave. It accepted the resignations of Butler aide Melinda Parsons, Four-County Vocational adult secretary Tracy Hutchins and office aide Elizabeth Reed.
License renewal on hold again
WATTS JOINS POLICE FORCE
BUTLER — Does your church, club or group have information you would like to share? The deadline for news items is noon Friday. News items may be submitted by e-mail to jeffj@kpcnews.net. THE
Butler Bulletin P.O. Box 39 Butler, IN 46721 PHONE: 868-5501
Jeff Jones
New Butler police officer Adam Watts, right, is congratulated by city attorney Gerald McNerney after W atts was sworn in at the Butler City Council’s Dec. 17 meeting.
BY MATT GETTS mattg@kpcnews.net AUBURN — A liquor license renewal for a Butler bar will ha ve to wait until the new year to be decided. At the Dec. 18 regularly scheduled meeting of the DeKalb County Alcoholic Beverage Board, a second continuance was granted for Life’s A Beach bar, 110 W. Main St. The continuance was made at the request of the bar’s attorney, according to April Tackett, a local board representative and Indiana State Excise Police officer. The liquor license renewal for Life’s A Beach originally was
scheduled for a hearing Nov. 20. The board continued that hearing because Butler Police Chief Jim Nichols attended the meeting to remonstrate against the license and because Tackett was unable to attend the meeting due to a conflict. “My primary concern is that we have had a number of issues at the bar,” Nichols said after the Nov. 20 meeting. He held a stack of police reports he had intended to present to the board. Nichols said since brothers Nathan and Nicholas Bowker took ownership of the bar in June 2011, ➤License, Page 6