Stories from Friday, July 26, 2002

BLOOMFIELD ---- Huck in Mark Twain's novel "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" described his feelings when camping along the Mississippi River: "When it was dark, I set by my camp fire smoking and feeling pretty well satisfied ... and so I went on the bank and listened to the current swashing along, and counted the stars and drift logs and rafts that came down, and then went to bed."...

Ruth Elizabeth Koenig, 82, of Linton, passed away at 6 a.m. today, July 26, 2002, at Glenburn Home in Linton. Born May 12, 1920, in Bicknell, she was the daughter of William and Meta (Tiek) Pfrang. She was a homemaker. She was a member of Bloomfield Order of Eastern Star, Lydia Circle Group, and Bloomfield First Baptist Church...

MARTINSVILLE ---- Mary E. Chafey, 75, of Martinsville and formerly of Linton, passed away at 5:15 a.m. today, July 26, 2002, at Grandview Convalescent Center in Martinsville. Born Aug. 4, 1926, in Evansville, she was the daughter of Thurston and Emma (Nickerson) Johnson...

TERRE HAUTE ---- Rachael Pruett saved her best round for last in the annual Terre Haute Junior City Golf Tournament. After firing rounds of 91 at Rea Park on Tuesday and 93 on Wednesday at Hulman Links, Pruett came back with an 81 in Thursday's final round at Rea Park...

CHICAGO - The number of reasons why the Big Ten should expand to 12 teams from 11 certainly outweigh the one reason why it shouldn't ---- that being it would be awfully hard to somehow work the number 12 into the Big Ten logo the way 11 has been so artfully transfixed...

A two-car accident this morning on Linton's east side slightly injured a Terre Haute man. According to Lt. Terry Pierce of the Greene County Sheriff's Dept., an eastbound 1988 Nisson driven by Ramiro Perez, 24, of Terre Haute, was struck in the rear by a 1996 Ford F-150 pick-up truck driven by Mark Kaiser, 33, of Linton...

A Linton sorority that spent three years raising money to buy a Thermal Imaging Camera for the Linton Fire Department presented the last item in their fund-raising efforts to the LFD on Thursday ---- a bedsheet with 258 signatures. Members of the Laureate Beta Pi Sorority of Beta Sigma Phi came to the fire station to present Linton Fire Chief Wendell "Sparky" Sparks with the sheet. ...

BLOOMFIELD ---- Financial concerns were once again the main discussion for the Bloomfield School District Board at its monthly meeting Thursday evening. The board set the 2002-03 wage schedule for the support staff, with a one percent salary increase and an extra-curricular activities wage schedule which remains identical to previous years...

JASONVILLE ---- The Shakamak Board of School Trustees unanimously voted to approve the plans for the school renovation and remodeling project and to advertise for bids at a special meeting Thursday night. John Padgett and Jason Hunt from Odle McGuire and Shook presented many drawings, which explained the changes in the building's architecture and also the upgrades in the heating, cooling and electrical systems...

A new face will be leading the Catholic church in Bloomfield starting Aug. 7. The Rev. Mike Madden, pastor at St. Matthew Church in Mount Vernon since 1998, has been appointed pastor of Holy Name Catholic Church in Bloomfield, according to The Message, a Catholic newspaper serving southwestern Indiana...

BLOOMFIELD ---- The Bloomfield Apple Festival is scheduled to take place in the town park and surrounding area, which will greatly affect the school system. Bloomfield superintendent Ron Hasler is representing the school on the Apple Festival Committee and making himself and the school a big part of the community project...

NEWBERRY ---- Robert V. Mowery, 69, of Newberry, passed away at midnight today, July 26, 2002, at his residence. Born April 27, 1933, in Sandborn, he was the son of William Roy and Esther (Goodman) Mowery. He worked at Eastern Division of Peabody Coal Company for 28 years, retiring in 1988. He was a member of the Scotland Full Gospel Church and Masonic Lodge 866 F&AM in Newberry...