WEDNESDAY July 31, 2013
Commentary Page B4 ‘Genius’ works at Garrett library
Earning His Stripes Page B1 Ex-ND player catching on at Bengals’ camp
Weather A 40 percent chance of rain today. High 80. Low 62. A mix of sun and clouds Thursday. Page A6
GOOD MORNING Union, Goodrich reach agreement WOODBURN — The United Steelworkers union said it has reached a tentative agreement on a new, three-year contract that covers 2,400 workers at BF Goodrich plants in Woodburn and Tuscaloosa, Ala. The union and the tire company had been working since June on a new collective bargaining agreement. The previous contract expired Saturday. The new agreement is scheduled to expire July 30, 2016. The BF Goodrich plant in Woodburn employs 1,580 workers, said the Community Research Institute at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
The
Serving DeKalb County since 1871
Auburn, Indiana
75 cents
kpcnews.com
County seeks ways to cut budget Council faces $1.5 million shortfall BY AARON ORGAN aorgan@kpcmedia.com
AUBURN — The DeKalb County Council on Tuesday held the first of its two-day sessions reviewing 2014 budgets of county departments. The reviews continue today in the Commissioners Courtroom on the second floor of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
The county is facing an estimated budget $1.5 million shortfall heading into 2014, as it continues to battle rising heath care costs, extreme increases in property tax refunds and mounting delinquent taxes, said County Council President Alan Middleton. Middleton opened Tuesday’s session by saying that after 2013 saw three rounds of cuts
to meet unexpected shortfalls, the council’s review of the 2014 proposed budgets would be strict. Middleton said the council would look for clarity and transparency in the proposed budgets, but also “savings and improvements in efficiencies with costs.” Middleton said other ways to ease the budget aches could come from applying for an excess tax levy that could render $400,000, or cutting county staff. Opening the session, Sheriff
State ends effort to block Planned Parenthood funding INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana is apparently ending its two-year legal fight to deny Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood because it performs abortions. Lawyers for the state and Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky filed a proposed final judgment in the case Monday in federal court in Indianapolis.
TWITTER Get the latest KPC headlines in your Twitter feed twitter.com/kpcnews
Info • The Star 118 W. Ninth St. Auburn, IN 46706 Auburn: (260) 925-2611 Fax: (260) 925-2625 Classifieds: (toll free) (877) 791-7877 Circulation: (toll free) (800) 717-4679
Index
•
Classifieds.................................B7-B8 Life..................................................... A3 Obituaries......................................... A4 Opinion .............................................B4 Sports.........................................B1-B3 Weather............................................ A6 TV/Comics .......................................B6 Vol. 101 No. 209
SEE BUDGET, PAGE A6
State school grades probed
Burlington opening second area store FORT WAYNE — Off-price retailer Burlington will open a new, 50,000-square-foot store this fall at Glenbrook Commons, in the space previously occupied by Steve & Barry’s. The store will employ 50 and will be one of a dozen Burlington locations in Indiana. It is the second Burlington store in Fort Wayne; the first is at 4120 Illinois Road. Burlington offers brand-name merchandise at a discount of up to 65 percent from department-store prices. The company, owned by Bain Capital, has shortened its name from Burlington Coat Factory, in part to emphasize that it carries a range of clothing, accessories, furniture, home decor and gift items.
Don Lauer presented his department’s proposed $3.14 million budget. The figure is $19,950 under Lauer’s 2013 adopted budget through cuts to such items as technical support, telecommunications and medical costs. Lauer’s budget includes a request for an additional $20,000 in fuel. He explained that is designed to prevent transferring funds to cover additional costs for fuel, as he needed to do in 2013.
JUDY OXENGER JOHNSTON
Clear Lake annual ski show The annual Clear Lake Ski Club Show went on even during Sunday’s fluctuating weather that included cool temperatures with intermittent rain and an accompanying rainbow. The Great Pyramid of Egypt was performed by Maddy Morris, Taryn
Gay, Tommy McArdle, Jonathon Moss, Alivia Behnfeldt, Grant Korte, Kate Morris, Erin Stephens, Max Ginn, John Morris, MaKenna Behnfeldt and Zach Short. The club has been putting on an annual show for decades.
Hamilton murder suspect returns BY MIKE MARTURELLO mmarturello@kpcmedia.com
ANGOLA — Mafuz Huq will be facing a judge Thursday in Steuben County for the first time since an arrest warrant alleging murder was issued for him nearly 24 years ago. Huq, 47, was returned to Steuben County on Tuesday afternoon after being processed upon his return to the United States in the Marion County Jail, Sheriff Tim Troyer said in a news release. Huq arrived in Indianapolis on Saturday and underwent medical exams before being transported to Angola. Huq, a naturalized U.S. citizen, has been on the lam since August 1989 after authorities believed he allegedly stabbed to death Todd Kelley, 19, Hamilton,
on Aug. 9, 1989. Authorities said Kelley’s girlfriend, who had previously dated Huq, found his body. Huq, who was 22 at the time, was charged with murder two weeks after Kelley’s death. At the time, Huq already was accused of threatening to kill anyone who dated his former girlfriend. Huq After the murder, Huq eventually fled the country. He had been living in Bangladesh, the home country of his parents, under the assumed name of Asif ul Huq. Indiana State Police Detective Kevin Smith tracked down Huq
about five years ago through a variety of sources. He was found in Bangladesh, but the United States doesn’t have an extradition treaty with that country, so efforts to get Huq returned to the U.S. fell on deaf ears. In either late 2010 or early 2011 it was learned Huq would be traveling to India for a teaching engagement and he was arrested on a provisional arrest request from federal authorities as he deplaned in New Dehli. Since his February 2011 arrest, Huq was held in the Tihar Prison system pending extradition. Huq had fought extradition proceedings while in custody. That and other technicalities in dealing with a foreign government’s legal system, Troyer said, had delayed Huq’s extradition.
Expert: Bennett should step down INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana education leaders on Tuesday pledged a thorough review of the state’s system for evaluating schools after The Associated Press reported a former official who now serves as Florida’s education commissioner worked to alter a grade for a school founded by a top Republican donor. Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz said the Department of Education is examining the current A-F grade calculations “to ensure that every school has the grade they earned in 2012; nothing more, nothing less.” Tony Bennett, who was appointed Florida’s top education official in December, denies any wrongdoing. He says the changes to Indiana’s grading formula weren’t solely directed at Christel House Academy. But emails obtained by The Associated Press show Bennett and his staff scrambled last fall to ensure influential donor Christel DeHaan’s school received an “A,” despite poor 10th grade algebra scores that initially earned it a “C.” Jim Stergios, executive director
Outdoor theater offers two free shows AUBURN — Big band music and a Beatles tribute are coming to the DeKalb Outdoor Theater this weekend. Friday night, the Little Big Band will play hits of the 1930s and ’40s by the bands of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and more. The band’s repertoire includes swing, modern big band, blues, Broadway, contemporary, Dixieland and Waltz styles. Gates will open at 6 p.m., with the show starting promptly at 7:30. Saturday, Joey “O” Ortega brings his annual Guitar Festival back to the outdoor theater. This evening will conclude with Forever The Tribute — a Beatles tribute band reviving hits from the Beatlemania era. Timmy’s BBQ will serve food. Gates will open at 4 p.m., with music starting at 5. Admission is free both Friday
SEE GRADES, PAGE A6
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
The Little Big Band will play Friday night at the DeKalb Outdoor Theater in Auburn.
and Saturday nights, and spectators are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating All Friday Night Performance Series events offer free admission. Sponsorships and donations help sustain the series and are tax-deductible through the DeKalb County Community Foundation. The DeKalb Outdoor Theater at 301 S. Center St., Auburn, lies across Cedar Creek from the DeKalb County Fairgrounds and has plenty of off-street parking. Its events go on rain or shine. To see the entire schedule of summer events, visit the website dekalboutdoortheater.org. To read more about the Little Big Band, visit littlebigbandfortwayne. com. For more about Saturday’s headliners, see foreverthetribute. com.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Forever The Tribute will play Beatles hits Saturday night during Guitar Festival at the DeKalb Outdoor Theater in Auburn.