The Jorgensen Family YMCA is hosting a shopping trip to Chicago, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 22.

A charter bus will drop off visitors in the heart of Chicago. Spend the day Christmas shopping, touring museums or just browsing with a friend. Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. This popular holiday trip is filling up quickly so don’t delay!

The pick up/drop off location is the Jorgensen Family YMCA, 10313 Aboite Center Rd, located in Indian Trails Park. The bus will leave at approximately 6:45 a.m. and will returned at approximately 10 p.m.

Cost is $40 for members, $80 for non-members.

To sign up, stop by the Jorgensen Family YMCA Membership desk, or call Nikki Surbaugh, Youth and Family Program Director at the Jorgensen Family YMCA, at (260) 432-8953 or email nikki_surbaugh@fwymca.org.

Dan Hile, Churubusco High School choir and music director, spends a considerable amount of time at school sponsoring and directing students in various activities, including the now-showing musical, Les Miserables.

That was one of the reasons cited for naming him Smith-Green Community Schools Teacher of the Month for November. Hile was recognized at the Nov. 2 school board meeting.

CHS principal Austin Couch said over the past several years he has witnessed Hile’s music programs grow rapidly. But most importantly, Couch said, what he has witnessed is the excitement and love for music than Hile instills in his students.

“He has been able to reach a few students that may have had a history of apathy and has turned them into excited and enthusiastic young men and women,” Couch said.

“(Dan Hile) is not only a fantastic teacher, but also a positive role model for Churubusco’s student body,” Couch said.

Spotlight on Success - NE 12

At that same board meeting, the Spotlight on Success award was given to 12 high school students who make up the capella group, NE 12.

Honored as outstanding students were Brenan Herendeen, Cassandra Petrie, Meghan Huelsenbeck, Jeff Royer, Jana Lewellyn, Chelsea Roth, Alayna Skinner, Taylor Sordelet, Brandon Green, Alex McDowell, Zane Sade and Randy Speaker.

“Getting through the day is a daunting task for many students,” Couch said. “However, this group of individuals dedicate themselves day after day and night after night with rehearsals and performances. They sacrifice their personal time to maintain their studies as well.”

The students are all members of New Era and are currently starring in Les Miserables which will play again this Saturday and Sunday, at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively, in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $8 and are available at the door.

This photo was taken in the school commons shortly before the students traveled to Fort Wayne to Sweetwater recording studio. The students’ performance was taped and will be aired on Fort Wayne television channels WPTA-21 and WISE-33 during the Indiana News Center’s “Sounds of the Season” series.

Spotlight on Success

Isabelle Turner

At the Nov. 17 school board meeting, Isabelle Turner, was recognized and presented the Spotlight on Success award for her achievements at Churubusco Elementary School, where she attends fourth grade.

Isabelle, daughter of Rachel Skinner, is responsible , helpful to other students and gives 100 percent to her schoolwork,” said CES principal, Nicole Singer.

“She is talented in art, gets her work done on time and is involved in DaVinci’s Art Club and Soundmasters (music group)” Singer said of Turner.

(Photos by Brenda Sade and Viv Sade for buscovoice.com)

The newly appointed interim superintendent for Smith-Green Schools, Bruce Hippensteel, heard an earful when local resident Ellen Snyder read a statement at the opening of Monday night’s school board meeting.

Snyder prefaced the statement by telling Hippensteel that her husband was a principal many years and knew Hippensteel through a Manchester College association. “My family gives you a thumbs-up,” Snyder said. It was unfortunate that Hippensteel had to hear the concerns at his first meeting, Snyder said, but it could not be avoided. Hippensteel was appointed by the board five days ago.

Snyder said she had attended every board meeting since April, when members of the Churubusco Teacher’s Association (CTA) packed a local coffee shop to express concerns about alleged bullying and intimidation tactics used by the administration. At that time Carol Kaiser was the superintendent. Kaiser resigned Nov. 1 to accept another position in Northwest Indiana.

“At that time the teachers had been without a contract for over two years,” Snyder said.

I have talked to many teachers and staff members who said they are afraid to talk to each other,” Snyder said. “They said they have been harassed, bullied and intimidated. One said she was chastised (by administration) for being associated with the teacher’s association. One was forced to apologize - when she felt she had done nothing wrong - in order to keep her job.”

Snyder urged the school board - who is in the midst of a search for a new superintendent - to look for someone who who will look out for teachers, “who are the heart and soul of the educational process.”

“Look for someone who makes students and teachers the top priority. Look for someone who lifts up and doesn’t push down,” Snyder said. “Don’t choose someone who is interested only in power.”

“All (of this conflict and tension between administration and staff) has had to translate into a decline in student learning,” Snyder said. “This negativity must stop.”

No board members responded to Snyder’s statement.

Smith-Green Schools

Early Release Day

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Board president Tanya Young introduced Hippensteel, who said he had learned a lot about Smith-Green Schools in the past 48 hours.

Hippensteel was a West Noble superintendent for four years, a Hamilton superintendent for 10 years, a principal at Prairie Heights and a basketball coach and teacher in Huntington County.

“My job as I see it is to keep the train on the track and try to help as you proceed with a search for a permanent superintendent,” Hippensteel said.

Hippensteel said he has already met with many of the school staff and wants to open the lines of communication. ”
“I want to find out what the concerns are and I want to build on Smith-Green’s strengths,” Hippensteel told reporters after the meeting.

In other school board business:

• Claims of $536,364, including $247,537 in payroll claims, were approved.
• Jeremy Willson was appointed as a middle school principal designee to take charge in the absence of John Davis, CMS principal.
• The board accepted two grants, one for $1,000 from Wal-Mart for literacy training and one for ^00 from the Noble County Community Foundation for a Study-A-Country project.

Icy and snow covered roads claimed the life of an unidentified resident who lived at the male group home on C.R. 300N in Churubusco.

His name is being withheld pending notification of family.

According to police reports, staff members of the group home were transporting residents Monday afternoon at 3:54 p.m. when the driver lost control of the van at the intersection of C.R. 300N and S.R. 205.

The van was eastbound on the county road, near the intersection of S.R. 205 when the slick, snow-covered roads caused the van to slide and tip into the ditch.

The male victim was partially ejected out the passenger side sliding door and died at the scene.

The driver was treated for minor injuries, while another passenger refused treatment.

Rohrer’s Towing Service was called immediately to try and pull the vehicle up or at least stabilize it while rescue crews worked to extricate the victim, according to one member of the emergency team.

Rescue crews spent at least 15 minutes attempting to extricate the victim by using airbags, cribbing and the Jaws of Life.

Churubusco Smith Twp. Fire Department, Whitley County EMS, Medic 21, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the scene. The Samaritan helicopter was called to the scene, but had to cancel the flight while in route due to heavy snow.

Th group home resident was one of three killed on area roads Monday due to hazardous road conditions.

Audrea Gregory, 17, of Fort Wayne, died at the scene.

Four of her siblings were passengers in the car and were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. They included Brittney Gregory, 16, Whitney Gregory, 15, Evan Gregory, 16, and Justin Gregory, 15. A Columbia City man, Dennis Bechtold, who was driving the truck, also was transported to the hospital and listed in fair condition.

Two and a half hours later, at 10 a.m., an Angola woman, Virginia Jo Dodd, 69, was killed after her vehicle struck a deer on I-69.

The Churubusco Park Board voted Wednesday to name diamond one after Dennis “Denny” Cramer, a longtime youth league coach and mentor.

Pat Stanford, president of the Churubusco Community Park Board of Directors, was the lone vote against the proposal, which was brought before the board by several members of the Churubusco Youth League after Cramer died unexpectedly Aug. 9 at the age of 55.

Stanford said he was not against honoring Cramer in some way, but he he thought there were alternative options to explore.

“If not now, then when?” board member Tom Fletcher asked. “I’m sure there are others deserving of recognition, but many of them are businesses who sponsor the teams. Denny had a lot of years as an individual volunteer - plain and simple - and I don’t know anyone else” with that many years of volunteerism.

Board member Nancy Poyser pointed out that Cramer had no children of his own, but devoted many hours and much effort to children in the community.

Cramer was the son of the late Wilbur L. and Catherine L. (Lynch) Cramer. For most of his life he lived in Churubusco, and as a young man graduated from Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne with the class of 1971.

He worked at Precision Heat Treat Company in Fort Wayne for over 20 years and was the night supervisor. He loved coaching little league baseball in Churubusco for over 20 years.

Don Hiatt, one of the members of the committee that proposed naming a diamond after Cramer, said he had been to many other communities and “ninety percent of them had a ball diamond named after someone.”

Thor Hodges, another member of the committee, thanked the board for their decision. “This is great,” Hodges said.

The board will decide later, with the help of the committee, what the exact name of the field will be - maybe Denny Cramer Memorial Field - Hodges said.

In other park board business:

• The board will restart the Summer Park Program next summer with an all sports academy for all ages of children, Stanford said. There will be day camps and training for about half a dozen different types of sports, he said. The park program had been suspended for several years after the teacher in charge retired.

Comments for this article are shown below. Comments on the previous article asking for input on naming the field after Denny Cramer can be read by clicking here …

Smith-Green Community Schools board of trustees have appointed Bruce Hippensteel as interim superintendent until they can find a permanent replacement for Carol Kaiser who resigned Nov. 1.

Hippensteel spent almost 25 years at Noble School Corporation and recently served as interim superintendent and financial director at Whitko Community Schools. Hippensteel will begin working a minimum of three days a week at $420 a day as needed.

Board members will meet Monday night. Following are the agendas for the regular meeting and the executive meeting which will follow.
Regular meeting

Monday, November 17, 7 p.m.
Board Room, Administrative Center
222 West Tulley Street, Churubusco,

1. Call to Order and Welcome of Visitors
2. Pledge of Allegiance & Spotlight on Success
3. Moment of Meditation
4. Action on Consent Agenda
A. Minutes
1. Regular Meeting, November 3, 2008
2. Special Meeting, November 12, 2008
B. Claims
5. Comments from Visitors
A. Community
B. Administrators
C. Board
6. Personnel
A. Resignations/Retirements
B. Terminations
C. Reassignments
D. Leave Requests
E. New Hires
7. Business
A. Action: Approval of Professional Leaves
B. Action: Approval of CMS Principal Designee
C. Action: Acceptance of Donation, Wal-Mart Foundation
D. Action: Acceptance of Noble County Community Foundation Grant
E. Adjournment
– Executive Session -
Monday, Nov. 17, immediately following the regular meeting

The Board of School Trustees will meet for the following purpose(s) in accordance with IC
5-14-1.5-6.1(b):

8. To discuss a job performance evaluation of individual employees. This
subdivision does not apply to a discussion of the salary, compensation, or
benefits of employees during a budget process.

10. To train school board members with an outside consultant about the
performance of the role of the members as public officials.

The Town of Churubusco fared much better in its second round of grant applications when they asked the state for funds to help build a new water system and filtration plant.

Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman announced Friday that Churubusco was one of 27 rural communities to receive a Community Focus Fund (CFF) grant in the amount of $500,000 for a new water system.

Keith Gillenwater, area director of the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) said Churubusco did well in the highly competitive application process, finishing at the top of the list and beating out the nearest competitors by nearly 20 points.

This was due in large part to the town’s and the residents’ affirmation - in photos and in testimonial letters - that the town was sorely in need of a new water filtration plant and water system to replace the antiquated infrastructure which produces discolored and cloudy drinking water in many parts of the community. The town does not have a water filtration plant.

The Town of Churubusco had applied for the grant to help offset the $1.3 million project in the spring, but was rejected. Town officials said they would apply again in the fall and felt confident they would receive the grant the second time around.

Officials earlier this year said - if awarded the grant - they would break ground and begin construction in the spring of 2009. The plant will be built on town property near the Town Hall on Home Avenue.

The state awarded a total of $11,591,980 in the fall round of OCRA grants. Administered by OCRA, the grants are funded through the Federal Community Development Block Grant program.

In addition to Churubusco, other communities receiving grants in northeast Indiana included Garrett, $500,000 for a water system improvement project; Ligonier, $477,239 for downtown revitalization; and Shipshewana, $500,000 for water system improvements.

Skillman will host an awards ceremony for grant recipients Dec. 8 at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.

For Churubusco fire, police, EMS and surrounding sheriff departments U.S. 33 and the early morning hours have had some very strange coincidences in the last week.

The rash of accidents started in the early morning hours on Tuesday, November 11th when Churubusco resident Nicole Johnson lost control of her vehicle on U.S. 33 south of town near the Allen/Whitley county lines. Initial reports from the Allen County 9-1-1 center were advising the accident was a “personal injury accident with a vehicle rolled over” south of the county line. It was soon discovered the accident was further north into Whitley County on U.S. 33.

At approximately 1:30 a.m. the following morning, nearly 24-hours to the minute, rescue crews were called to U.S. 33 & Carroll Road with reports of a personal injury accident and a vehicle on fire. Yet again rescue crews discovered the original dispatch location was incorrect and found it to be at U.S. 33 & Chase Rd, which is almost 5 miles south of Carroll. The two occupants of that incident were found to be in fair condition, even though one of them had to be extricated from the car because their doors had jammed shut from the impact.

For the third time in four days emergency crews would find themselves responding to another vehicle accident on U.S. 33, but this time it was in the early afternoon hours. Around 3:15 p.m. on Friday rescue crews were sent to U.S. 33 & Hildebrand Rd for another single vehicle accident. One person was treated for minor injuries, but while still on the scene, a report of another accident just north of Hildebrand came in to emergency responders. This one however, was a minor accident with no injuries.

If four accidents in four days wasn’t enough, these same emergency crews would find themselves being sent out to U.S. 33 & Carroll Rd for yet another injury accident with a vehicle rolled over. Rescue units were dispatched just after midnight Saturday and what seems like too much irony to be true, would find the original dispatch location was yet again incorrect. Further investigation would find that this accident was actually on 150 North, just west of the Allen/Whitley county line near the Eel River Golf course.

The passenger of that vehicle was taken to an area hospital to be treated for their injuries and the driver refused treatment at the scene. At time of press the accident was still under investigation.

Theatrical students in the Fine Arts Department at Churubusco High School will present the Broadway smash musical, Les Miserables, with performances on Saturday, Nov. 15, Sunday, Nov. 16, Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23.

The Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday performances will begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $8 each, and are available from any cast member or at the door.

Adapted from the popular novel by Victor Hugo, it is a powerful story of redemption, hope, sorrow, and love.

The cast held a performance Wednesday night for parents only. These photos were taken before and during that performance. More photos will be added to this gallery throughout the weekend.

For the story of Le Miz and its author, Victor Hugo, click here …

Catch the action of former Churubusco athlete and current football player for DePauw University, Eddie Schmidt, this Saturday when the Monon Bell game between DePauw University and Wabash College will be nationally televised on HDNet Saturday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m.

It will be Schmidt’s final game of the season, the 115th showdown between the two football programs, and the 77th played for The Monon Bell Trophy.

Wabash leads the overall series, 53-52-9, while DePauw leads in the games played for The Monon Bell Trophy, 36-34-6. DePauw currently holds the trophy after last year’s 27-24 victory.

Schmidt starts at Cornerback for the Tigers. Other Tigers with local connections include Strong Safety Marc Hoepnner from Woodlan, Linebacker Kyle Sherer from Homestead, and two Fort Wayne Snider grads, Offensive Lineman Shea Noonan and Tight End Mitch Vondreau.

HDNet can be found on

DirectTV at channel 79, or on Dish Network at channel 9422.

For those who do not have either of those channels, DePauw and Wabash grads will be hosting a viewing at the Covington Bar & Grill in Covington Plaza, Fort Wayne. No cover charge, and families are welcome.

Photos contributed.

The Churubusco/Smith Twp. Fire Department will be hosting a fire prevention program starring The Kasey Program - an exciting and educational program that teaches children fire and life safety skills.

Churubusco Fire Department members and The Kasey Program will be at the Churubusco Elementary School Thursday, Nov. 13, from 1–2 p.m. and will be presenting a check with funds donated by local organizations to help the program.

Kasey is a black Labrador retriever who has been trained to demonstrate life saving skills. Kasey and her partner, firefighter/paramedic Jeff Owens, travel the country bringing their life saving message to all that will listen.

Owens, a firefighter/paramedic for more than 20 years, developed the program in 1994 and has watched the program grow from less than 100 programs annually, teaching less than 3,000 people, to now scheduling approximately 400 programs and reaching more than 400,000 people annually.

The Kasey Program is sponsored by Koorsen Fire and Security, with their corporate headquarters in Indianapolis. Koorsen Fire and Security has built its business on providing safe environments to work and live in and wants to be a major player in protecting young people from injuries that are preventable.

During the program Kasey will demonstrate to the students how to:

• Stop, drop and roll;
• Feel a door to see if it’s hot before opening it;
• Knowing two ways out of every room;
• Telling an adult when finding matches and lighters;
• Crawling under smoke to escape;
• Call 9-1-1 during an emergency, and;
• Designate a meeting place outside the students’ home.

The Churubusco Chamber of Commerce will host its annual banquet Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Eel River Golf Course clubhouse beginning at noon.

The Business of the Year award will be presented at the luncheon. There is no charge for Chamber members, but a free will donation to offset the cost of the luncheon will be accepted.

Guest speaker will be Alan Tio, director of the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation.

Call Dee Dee McCoy, Chamber Executive Secretary, at 693-9810 for further information.

In other Chamber news:

At the October Chamber meeting, board members decided to purchase new downtown lighted wreaths for the holiday season. They will retire the angels that have been used in the past. The angels are being sold by the Chamber for $75 each.

Call McCoy if you are interested in purchasing one or more of the lighted angels.

Four director terms will expire at the end of the year, including John Black, Dana; Jim Horne, Parker Insurance; Kimberly Sadjak, Biddle Chiropractic; and Greg Childs, Sheets and Childs Funeral Home. The directors will be either reinstated or new directors will be announced at the November banquet.

The Chamber meets the second Thursday of each month at noon at various locations throughout Churubusco.

The Town of Churubusco should fare much better than surrounding towns and cities during an electrical power outage in the near future.

American Electric Power (AEP) has chosen Churubusco as one of only three test sites in the U.S. for this new battery substation, which is under construction on the south side of East S.R. 205.

The plant will incorporate special NaS battery modules that will backup electricity in the lines in and around Churubusco should an outage occur.

The system is designed to kick in after one minute of an outage.

The photo shows a “megawatt-class” battery attached to AEP’s grid in Charleston, W.V. It’s used as a buffer, able to generate a few hours of power for an overloaded substation.

These massive batteries don’t come cheap, the AEP Web site says. Installing three of them, capable of discharging 6 megawatts, will cost about $27 million.

The battery substation system has a proven track record of 15 years in Japan, according to AEP officials.

Town Council member John Hart gave a report on the new substation to fellow Council members Viv Sade and Frank Kessler at Wednesday’s meeting.

“The battery power backup station is a test site and is one of only three in the U.S.,” Hart said. The backup substation should kick in and restore service to Churubusco customers within one minute after a power outage due to high usage or other problems.”

The power would probably not be backed up by the batter system as far as the Blue Lake (lift stations), but in the immediate Churubusco area only, Hart said.

The Churubusco Town Council agreed to begin work next spring on the first phase of a three-part plan to construct walking/bike trails in and around Churubusco.

The first phase - which will hopeful be started and completed next spring - will be paid for with funding from the town, as well as donations, and will cover an area from Thresher’s Ridge subdivision and threading through the park to the front parking lot and returning to Park Drive and John Krieger Drive. The trail is expected to cost just over $30,000 and be 8.5 ft. wide and approximately 2,300 ft. long. The town will be in charge of maintainance since the trail wikll be entirely on town/park property.

Council president Viv Sade said that while the town completed Phase 1 of the trails project in 2009, it would give them a chance to work on obtaining funding in the way of state and federal grants for Phases 2 and 3.

It is not clear exactly where the trails in Phase 2 and 3 will extend to at this point, Sade said, but she thought it would entail both Town and County property and was working with county officials on formulating a plan. In the past, the Council has talked about a connecting path/trail to the Blue Lake area. Sade also plans to meet with INDOT (Indiana Department of Transportation) officials and discuss options for the trails, she said.

In other business:

* Due to a software glitch, about 300 utility users were being under-billed this year by $2.65 a month on wastewater usage, Johnson said. The software is being updated and those customers can expect to see their bills increase by $2.65 by December or January.

Sade said she had met last week with Johnson and a representative from the State Board of Accounts for an exit interview after the SBA had spent several weeks conducting an audit of the Town’s financial records recently.

“The SBA are the ones who caught the software error,” Sade said.

But overall, Sade added, “The report was very clean and (Gerri) Johnson and Barb (Campbell, assist clerk) are to be commended for the great job they do in the utility office, maintaining the books and records. The State Board of Accounts was impressed with their work,” Said said.

“I have seen a couple of other reports from exit interviews in the past and they were pages long,” Sade said. “This one was just a couple of paragraphs.”

* John Hart gave a report on the new electrical substation AEP is constructing on S.R. 205 East. The battery power backup station is a test site and is one of only three in the U.S., Hart said. The backup substation should kick in and restore service to Churubusco customers within one minute after a power outage due to high usage or other problems.

The power would probably not be backed up as afar as the Blue Lake (lift stations), Hart said.

* The Council agreed to renew the Town employees’ health insurance plan at an increase of 9 percent on medical, dental and vision. According to clerk-treasurer, Gerri Johnson, the amount is still considerably less that what the town was paying before they switched carriers last fall.

Council members Sade and Frank Kessler agreed that they may have to look at increasing deductibles or co-pays in the future should the coverage increase continue to increase, but voted to keep the policy as is and pay the increase for this year. Hart abstained from voting since he is a town employee.

The insurance is Anthem Group through Star Insurance. The monthly premium will increase from $7,684 to $8,403.

* The Council agreed to table a discussion on the salary ordinance for 2009 until their next meeting on Nov. 19 and until they had had a chance to do further research. They also agreed -after two years of trying to collect the utility bill funds - to write off an noncollectable debt for Roger Chaffins in the amount of $140.94.

*Update*

If you can not attend but want to donate, please make checks payable to Jonathan Shepler Benefit Account and send to Woodforest National Bank, 10105 Lima Rd. Fort Wayne, IN 4681

A fundraiser for Jonathon Shepler will be held Nov. 9, beginning at noon at the Elk’s Lodge, 4935 Hilligas Rd., Fort Wayne.

Jonathon is the son of Jodi and Andy Shepler and has a brother, Blake. Jodi Shepler is the daughter of Deb Gump, longtime resident of Churubusco.

Jonathan was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in March of 2006. This disease is one of the nine types of Muscular Dystrophy, which are a group of genetic, degenerative diseases that primarily affect voluntary muscles.

The progression of DMD is rapid and will eventually affect all voluntary muscles, as well as the heart and breathing muscles, making survival rare beyond the early 30’s, according to his parents.

Even with this disease Jonathan is positive and very upbeat he never complains - he only asks questions, his mother said.

Jonathan also enjoys  watching and playing sports - whatever is in season at the time -  especially the Indianapolis Colts and the Fort Wayne Komets, as those are his favorite teams. He loves to draw, go camping, swimming, spending time with his family and playing with his brother, Blake.

Currently Jonathan uses an walker to get around, his parents said, but will eventually need a wheelchair. They are hopeful that the benefit for Jonathon will help them buy the van that they are in need of to safely transport their son. They also hope to raise awareness about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Cost of the event is $2.50 per person. Raffle tickets will be
$1 each or 6 for $5. Bowling tickets will be $2 per person (shoes included).

Come out, join the party, have a great time and help Jonathon at the same time.

The Smith-Green School Board appointed Adam Skiles as acting superintendent at their meeting Monday night.

Board president Tanya Young was appointed to assist Skiles as the second signatory for documents that must be signed while the board begins its search for a new superintendent. Carol Kaiser resigned as superintendent Nov. 1.

The board is in the process of trying to find an interim superintendent to serve during the search and interview process.

Skiles also was appointed as a voting member of SEBT, the school insurance trust that Smith-Green is a part of.

In other school board business:

* Set June 5, 2009 as the graduation date for the senior class.

* Appointed the following winter coaches:

Girls basketball (all lay coaches) - Head coach, Jeff Sheehan; varsity assistant, Jim Fry; JV coach, Denny Beucler; eighth grade, Kregg Jones and Greg Blake; seventh grade, pending; sixth grade, Amanda Dice and Heather Lortie.

Boys basketball (all lay coaches except Brackmann) - Head coach, Michael McBride; assistant, Jody Herendeen; JV coach, Aaron Cripe, JV assistant, Justin Snyder; eighth, Andy Norris; seventh, Tim Herendeen; sixth, Phillip Brackmann.

Wrestling (all lay coaches except Riesen) - Head coach, Sam Reisen, assistant, Randy Driebelbis; second assistant (a paid position if the team has more than 25 wrestlers), Rick Hamilton; volunteers, Jake Riesen and Larry Thompson; middle school head coach, Joel Barrett; middle school assistant, Brad Knapp and Daymon Schinbeckler.

Cheerleading (all lay coaches) - Co-head coaches, Dawn Norris and Ashton Amber; middle school, Toni Poynter.

* Agreed to spend $12,755 to replace tables and chairs in the Media Center.

* Accepted a donation of tires from Shermon Gayheart that will be used to replace the tires on the band/choir trailer.

* A total of $384,677 was approved in claims, including $242,537 in payroll.

Watch this site for a special Teacher of the Month award as well as students who were featured on the November Spotlight on Success.

Nick Uecker will remain in the District 3 Smith-Green School board seat he was appointed to just weeks ago after defeating Adam Cartwright, 958-897 in Tuesday’s election.

Uecker said he was “very, very glad” when he heard the results. “I just hope I can live up to everyone’s expectations,” he said late Tuesday night.

Locally, the Republicans could claim a sweep, but across the nation, that was not the case.

There was dancing and jubilation in the streets as it was announced that Barack Obama had won the election. In Chicago, it was estimated that more than a million people gathered to hear Obama’s celebratory speech. Among the crowd stood many well-known African American  leaders as well as celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee and Brad Pitt.

Obama moved many in the crowd to tears as he said, “I see you and I need your help.”

“The road will be steep, but I promise … we, as a people, will get there.”

He praised John McCain and said he was looking forward to working with the war hero who had always fought valiantly for his country.

He told his two young daughters that they had earned a new puppy to take to their new home in the White House. He also thanked his wife, Michelle, who he called “the love of my life” and recognized his grandmother - who recently passed away.

At 1:30 a.m. the presidential race in Indiana was still too close to call. But that didn’t matter to many.

Several Churubusco students living in Bloomington and attending Indiana University said the campus and Bloomington in general erupted in celebration - complete with fireworks and “lots of yelling, screaming and tears of joy,” after it was announced that Obama had gathered the electoral votes needed to win the election. Hundreds of I.U. students gathered around Bloomington throughout the day in election watch parties and also were featured throughout the evening on NBC.

Following are the Whitley County and Smith Township results:

WHITLEY COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS:

Machine ballots: Machine Ballots - 11686

Number of precincts reported 33 of 34 - (As of midnight, Richland South was not yet in);

Absentee Ballots - 3712

Registered voters, 72.04%

President and Vice President
60.00% John McCain (R)
38.55% Barack Obama (D)
1.22% Bob Barr (L)
0.23% Write-In

Governor and Lieutenant Governor
60.44% Mitch Daniels (R)
37.39% Jill Long Thompson (D)
2.14% Andy Horning (L)
0.03% Write-In

Attorney General
55.53% Greg Zoeller (R)
44.47% Linda Pence (D)

Superintendent of Public Instruction
61.75% Tony Bennett (R)
38.21% Richard D. Wood (D)
0.04% Write-In
U.S. Rep District 3

55.74% Mark Edward Souder (R)
38.25% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
6.02% William R. Larsen (L)

State Rep District 50
100.00% Dan J. Leonard (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

State Rep District 83
64.73% Matt Bell (R)
31.80% Steven B. Heaston (D)
3.47% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

County Treasurer
100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

County Coroner
100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

County Surveyor
No Candidate Filed (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

County Commissioner District 1
60.52% Tom Rethlake (R)
39.48% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

County Commissioner District 3
100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

County Council At-Large
27.76% Jim Banks (R)
27.20% Bill Overdeer (R)
27.26% Thomas Western (R)
17.78% Cliff Crance (D)

Smith-Green School District 1
No Candidate Filed

Smith-Green School District 2
100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

Smith-Green School District 3
48.36% Adam Cartwright
51.64% Nicholas B. Uecker

Whitley Co School Columbia City
39.66% Christopher A. Bechtold
16.44% Eric Horvath
43.90% Stanley E. Meyer

Whitley County School Corp Etna
44.00% Donald L. Smith
56.00% Jill E. Western

Whitley County School Corporation Jefferson
100.00% Steven J. Hively
Whitley County School Corporation Union
59.30% Deborah G. Hiss
40.70% Mark Roach

Whitley County School Corp Washington
100.00% James Renbarger
Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 1053; Libertarian Party 4; Republican Party 2492.

SMITH WEST ELECTION SUMMARY:

Machine Ballots - M Absentee Ballots - A

REGISTERED VOTERS: 79.44%

President and Vice President
Machine Ballots-Absentee ballots-Total votes-Percentage-Name of candidate

230-60-290-68.88%-John McCain (R)
89-35-124-29.45% Barack Obama (D)
1.43% Bob Barr (L)

0.24% Write-In

VOTES 408 Governor and Lieutenant Governor
M A Votes %

222-56-278-8.14%-Mitch Daniels (R)
91 33 124 30.39% Jill Long Thompson (D)
5 1 6 1.47% Andy Horning (L)

VOTES- 386 Attorney General
M A Votes %

185-48-233-60.36%-Greg Zoeller (R)
114 39 153 39.64% Linda Pence (D)

VOTES- 363 Superintendent of Public Instruction

196 51 247 68.04% Tony Bennett (R)
82 34 116 31.96% Richard D. Wood (D)

VOTES- 410 U.S. Rep District 3
M A Votes %

199 48 247 60.24% Mark Edward Souder (R)
99 35 134 32.68% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
21 8 29 7.07% William R. Larsen (L)

VOTES= 392 State Rep District 83
M A Votes %

217 57 274 69.90% Matt Bell (R)
74 27 101 25.77% Steven B. Heaston (D)
14 3 17 4.34% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

VOTES= 339 County Treasurer VOTE FOR 1
264 75 339 100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES- 331 County Coroner
256 75 331 100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES- 0 County Surveyor
No Candidate Filed (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 382 County Commissioner District 1
203 62 265 69.37% Tom Rethlake (R)
90 27 117 30.63% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

VOTES- 346 County Commissioner District 3
267 79 346 100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES- 922 County Council At-Large
M A Votes %

200 64 264 28.63% Jim Banks (R)
194 65 259 28.09% Bill Overdeer (R)
193 65 258 27.98% Thomas Western (R)
109 32 141 15.29% Cliff Crance (D)

VOTES- 0 Smith-Green School District - No Candidate Filed

VOTES- 296 Smith-Green School District 2
226 70 296 100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

VOTES- 340 Smith-Green School District 3
136 43 179 52.65% Adam Cartwright
128 33 161 47.35% Nicholas B. Uecker

Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 13; Libertarian Party 0; Republican Party 81.

SMITH SOUTH:

M- Machine Ballots (295)

A- Absentee Ballots (78) REGISTERED VOTERS: 71.18%

VOTES- 370 President and Vice President
M A Votes %

188 36 224 60.54% John McCain (R)
101 40 141 38.11% Barack Obama (D)
4 1 5 1.35% Bob Barr (L)

VOTES- 357 Governor and Lieutenant Governor

M A Votes %
175 42 217 60.78% Mitch Daniels (R)
99 33 132 36.97% Jill Long Thompson (D)
6 2 8 2.24% Andy Horning (L)

VOTES= 345 Attorney General
M A Votes %

147 38 185 53.62% Greg Zoeller (R)
125 35 160 46.38% Linda Pence (D)

VOTES= 341 Superintendent of Public Instruction
175 36 211 61.88% Tony Bennett (R)
93 37 130 38.12% Richard D. Wood (D)

VOTES= 360 U.S. Rep District 3
173 36 209 58.06% Mark Edward Souder (R)
90 37 127 35.28% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
20 4 24 6.67% William R. Larsen (L)

VOTES= 352 State Rep District 83
M A Votes %

186 37 223 63.35% Matt Bell (R)
79 37 116 32.95% Steven B. Heaston (D)
11 2 13 3.69% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

VOTES= 288 County Treasurer
235 53 288 100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 286 County Coroner
234 52 286 100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 0 County Surveyor

No Candidate Filed (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 345 County Commissioner District
M A Votes %

174 39 213 61.74% Tom Rethlake (R)
98 34 132 38.26% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

VOTES= 288 County Commissioner District 3
233 55 288 100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 800 County Council At-Large
183 39 222 27.75% Jim Banks (R)
181 38 219 27.38% Bill Overdeer (R)
177 43 220 27.50% Thomas Western (R)
102 37 139 17.38% Cliff Crance (D)

VOTES= 0 Smith-Green School District - No Candidate Filed

VOTES= 248 Smith-Green School District 2
M A Votes %

201 47 248 100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

VOTES= 284 Smith-Green School District 3
117 22 139 48.94% Adam Cartwright
111 34 145 51.06% Nicholas B. Uecker

Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 36; Libertarian Party 0; Republican Party 76.

SMITH NORTHWEST:

M-Machine Ballots (570) A-Absentee Ballots 77 REGISTERED VOTERS: 67.47%

VOTES= 639 President and Vice President
M A Votes %

347 43 390 61.03% John McCain (R)
204 33 237 37.09% Barack Obama (D)
10 0 10 1.56% Bob Barr (L)
1 1 2 0.31% Write-In

VOTES= 628 Governor and Lieutenant Governor
346 50 396 63.06% Mitch Daniels (R)
197 20 217 34.55% Jill Long Thompson (D)
10 5 15 2.39% Andy Horning (L)

VOTES= 606 Attorney General
M A Votes %

294 44 338 55.78% Greg Zoeller (R)
238 30 268 44.22% Linda Pence (D)

VOTES= 592 Superintendent of Public Instruction
332 45 377 63.68% Tony Bennett (R)
189 26 215 36.32% Richard D. Wood (D)

VOTES= 634 U.S. Rep District 3
313 47 360 56.78% Mark Edward Souder (R)
206 28 234 36.91% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
38 2 40 6.31% William R. Larsen (L)

VOTES= 613 State Rep District 83

M A Votes %
353 44 397 64.76% Matt Bell (R)
163 27 190 31.00% Steven B. Heaston (D)
22 4 26 4.24% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

VOTES= 515 County Treasurer
455 60 515 100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 520 County Coroner
460 60 520 100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 0 County Surveyor
No Candidate Filed (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 595 County Commissioner District 1
329 47 376 63.19% Tom Rethlake (R)
191 28 219 36.81% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

VOTES= 498 County Commissioner District 3
441 57 498 100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 1,389 County Council At-Large
350 48 398 28.65% Jim Banks (R)
342 44 386 27.79% Bill Overdeer (R)
317 40 357 25.70% Thomas Western (R)
220 28 248 17.85% Cliff Crance (D)

VOTES= 0 Smith-Green School District 1 - No Candidate Filed

VOTES= 450 Smith-Green School District 2
401 49 450 100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

VOTES= 505 Smith-Green School District 3
205 34 239 47.33% Adam Cartwright
244 22 266 52.67% Nicholas B. Uecker

Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 53; Libertarian Party 0; Republican Party 134.

SMITH NORTHEAST:

M- Machine Ballots 487 A- Absentee Ballots REGISTERED VOTERS: 72.65%

VOTES= 558 President and Vice President
M A Votes %

292 37 329 58.96% John McCain (R)
183 36 219 39.25% Barack Obama (D)
8 1 9 1.61% Bob Barr (L)
1 1 0.18% Write-In

VOTES= 549 Governor and Lieutenant Governor
291 37 328 59.74% Mitch Daniels (R)
163 36 199 36.25% Jill Long Thompson (D)
21 1 22 4.01% Andy Horning (L)

VOTES= 528 Attorney General
263 40 303 57.39% Greg Zoeller (R)
193 32 225 42.61% Linda Pence (D)

VOTES= 514 Superintendent of Public Instruction
282 43 325 63.23% Tony Bennett (R)
158 31 189 36.77% Richard D. Wood (D)

VOTES= 553 U.S. Rep District 3
270 32 302 54.61% Mark Edward Souder (R)
167 41 208 37.61% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
41 2 43 7.78% William R. Larsen (L)

VOTES= 537 State Rep District 83
321 44 365 67.97% Matt Bell (R)
125 28 153 28.49% Steven B. Heaston (D)
17 2 19 3.54% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

VOTES= 444 County Treasurer
390 54 444 100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 441 County Coroner
388 53 441 100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 0 County Surveyor
No Candidate Filed (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 523 County Commissioner District 1
298 42 340 65.01% Tom Rethlake (R)
152 31 183 34.99% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

VOTES= 443 County Commissioner District 3
391 52 443 100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 1,207 County Council At-Large
290 49 339 28.09% Jim Banks (R)
291 44 335 27.75% Bill Overdeer (R)
274 48 322 26.68% Thomas Western (R)
180 31 211 17.48% Cliff Crance (D)

VOTES= 0 Smith-Green School District 1
No Candidate Filed

VOTES= 394 Smith-Green School District 2
349 45 394 100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

VOTES= 443 Smith-Green School District 3
167 20 187 42.21% Adam Cartwright
228 28 256 57.79% Nicholas B. Uecker

Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 41; Libertarian Party 0; Republican Party 103.

SMITH-EAST:

M-Machine Ballots (294) A-Absentee Ballots (50) REGISTERED VOTERS: 70.49%

VOTES= 339 President and Vice President
166 31 197 58.11% John McCain (R)
121 17 138 40.71% Barack Obama (D)
3 0 3 0.88% Bob Barr (L)
1 0 1 0.29% Write-In

VOTES= 328 Governor and Lieutenant Governor
160 25 185 56.40% Mitch Daniels (R)
114 21 135 41.16% Jill Long Thompson (D)
7 0 7 2.13% Andy Horning (L)
0 1 1 0.30% Write-In

VOTES= 317 Attorney General
144 25 169 53.31% Greg Zoeller (R)
128 20 148 46.69% Linda Pence (D)

VOTES= 313 Superintendent of Public Instruction
171 27 198 63.26% Tony Bennett (R)
95 20 115 36.74% Richard D. Wood (D)

VOTES= 336 U.S. Rep District 3
153 31 184 54.76% Mark Edward Souder (R)
112 17 129 38.39% Michael A. (Mike) Montagano (D)
23 0 23 6.85% William R. Larsen (L)

VOTES= 324 State Rep District 83
161 33 194 59.88% Matt Bell (R)
100 14 114 35.19% Steven B. Heaston (D)
16 0 16 4.94% Herbert (Jack) Evans (L)

VOTES= 273 County Treasurer
238 35 273 100.00% Lisa A. Richmond (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 273 County Coroner
237 36 273 100.00% Scott A. Smith (R)
0 0 0 0 0.00% No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 0 County Surveyor
No Candidate Filed (R)

No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 312 County Commissioner District 1
158 27 185 59.29% Tom Rethlake (R)
110 17 127 40.71% Timothy D. Hearld (D)

VOTES= 267 County Commissioner District 3
229 38 267 100.00% Don Amber (R)
No Candidate Filed (D)

VOTES= 759 County Council At-Large
181 30 211 27.80% Jim Banks (R)
173 33 206 27.14% Bill Overdeer (R)
159 31 190 25.03% Thomas Western (R)
133 19 152 20.03% Cliff Crance (D)

VOTES= 0 Smith-Green School District 1
No Candidate Filed

VOTES= 260 Smith-Green School District 2
223 37 260 100.00% Steven Lee Edwards

VOTES= 283 Smith-Green School District 3
136 17 153 54.06% Adam Cartwright
108 22 130 45.94% Nicholas B. Uecker

Straight Party Summary Information - Democratic Party 19; Libertarian Party 0; Republican Party 59.

For more Whitley County Precinct information or summaries go to elections.whitleynet.org.

Buscovoice.com will post the election results as quickly as we receive them after the polls close and throughout the night.

Stay tuned.

If you haven’t already voted - polls close at 6 p.m.

So do it, and take part in what is shaping up to be one of the most historic elections ever. Already, record numbers of Americans have lined up and waited for hours to cast their ballot.

November 19, 2008

1:00 pm

SGCS 2 hour in service - Early Release at 1pm on Wednesday 11/19/08

Follow these easy steps from the Alliance to Save Energy to start saving on your electric bills now.

Go to their Web site at www.ase.org for more information and energy-saving tips.

Replace Light Bulbs

If you want to save energy, replace your energy-hogging incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, or CFLs. Yes, the initial cost is higher - basic CFLs costs $2 to $5 apiece compared to $1 to $2 for an incandescent bulb - but they’re far more efficient. If a New York resident replaced just three frequently-used incandescent light bulbs, he could save more than $130 over the lifetime of the bulbs, according to the New York City based nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund

Unplug and Turn Off

All those gadgets you leave plugged in all day cost you - even when they’re not in use. Standby energy use accounts for five to ten percent of all home energy consumption and costs the average household $125 a year, says Ronnie Kweller, a spokeswoman with the Alliance to Save Energy. Understandably, there are some items that are just too annoying to unplug all the time, including cable boxes, microwaves and other appliances with clocks. Plug other items that you use frequently, such as your computer or television, into a power strip that can be switched off before you leave the house.

One other helpful hint: Enable your computer’s “sleep mode” rather than letting it go to a screen saver. That small gesture can save up to $75 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances

When shopping for household appliances, look for the Energy Star label. Buying products that meet Energy Star’s criteria can save consumers up to 30%, or $400 a year, according to the EPA.

If you own a refrigerator that’s been around since the early 1990s or even earlier, it’s time to shop for a new one. Refrigerators are the biggest energy-guzzling appliances in the home, next to the air conditioner, says Paul McRandle, deputy editor of National Geographic Green Guide. New units now consume 50% less energy than ones from 2000 or earlier. Not ready to replace the refrigerator? Older models can run up to 30% more efficiently if the coils and top of the unit are clean and if the temperature is set at 40 degrees in the main compartment and at five degrees in the freezer, says McRandle.

3. Take Advantage of Tax Incentives

Bundled inside the $700 billion financial rescue package is a little gift for consumers. The Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives, which expired at the end of 2007, were extended to 2009. Consumers are getting one last shot to take advantage of a tax credit worth up to $500 to help defray the cost of making their homes more energy efficient. Qualifying items include everything from insulation and exterior windows to hot-water boilers and oil furnaces. The one catch: Homeowners need to wait until January to make the improvements. The incentive is only good during 2009.

5. Winterize Your Home

Close to half of a household’s utility bill goes toward heating and cooling the house, according to the Department of Energy. By sealing the leaks surrounding windows and doors and laying insulation in the attic, consumers can reduce their energy needs by 10%. That’s good news whether the home is heated with electricity (29% of the population), natural gas (53%), or heating oil (9%). Those with a programmable thermostat can save another 10% on heating and cooling bills by turning the temperature down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the summer.

Even folks who heat their homes with heating oil or natural gas use electricity to heat their water. Insulating a water heater and its pipes can save 10% on one’s electricity bill. Increase efficiency a bit more (by about 3% to 5%) by decreasing the water temperature from 140 degrees to 130 degrees, says the Alliance to Save Energy’s Kweller.