Stories from Friday, June 30, 2006

- Five Clay County girls part of COA Volleyball squad - Submitted photo The Crossroads of America 13-and-under volleyball team placed fifth in the AAU National Championship tournament in Orlando, Fla., recently. The team: (front row) Assistant Coach Katie Wolber, Mikaela Chagnon, Hannah Hayes, Briana Cook, Ashlen Buck and Coach Amy Adelsberger. ...

William H. James Jr., 78, of Brazil passed away June 29, 2006, at 1:45 a.m at Cloverleaf Healthcare Facility. He was born Nov. 10, 1927, in Terre Haute the son of William H. James Sr. and Rose Bemis James. Aug. 30, 1947, he married Frances Boyce James; she survives...

Earl O. Hoff, 95, of Charleston, Ill., and formerly of Brazil, died Thursday, June 29, 2006, at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, Ill. He was born July 27, 1910. Following high school he was self employed selling radios and TVs and performing electronics repair. He enjoyed his hobby as a ham radio operator. He attended the Broadway Christian Church in Mattoon...

Gloria E. Ellison, 73, of Brazil, formerly of Plano, Ill., passed away following surgery June 28, 2006, at 6:07 a.m. in Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. She was born Aug. 8, 1932, in Medinah, Ill., the daughter of William Schmuggerow and Mary Fessler Schmuggerow...

Karon M. Neier, 61, of Brazil, passed away June 30, 2006 at 2:50 a.m. at Union Hospital. She was born Dec. 1, 1944, in Vigo County, the daughter of Oren James Myrtle and Katherine Marie Pierce Myrtle. She attended Wiley High School. She worked at CBS and Columbia House for over 30 years. She was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post #1127 and attended the Carbon Baptist Church...

Irene T. Medworth, 93, of Brazil, formerly of Rensselaer Ind., passed away June 30, 2006 at 8:23 a.m. at Cloverleaf Healthcare Facility. She was born Aug. 17, 1912 in St. Louis, Mo. the daughter of Fred Pagels and Jane Shuck Pagels. She and her husband Robert C. Medworth owned and operated the Medworth Heating Supply Store in Rensselaer. Robert passed away in 1969. Irene continued operating the business until 1980...

The Northview High School Drum Line performed "The Thing" in the variety show for a packed crowd at the band shell in Forest Park Thursday evening. The variety show was part of the 71st Annual Brazil Rotary Club 4th of July Celebration.

Members of the Northview High School Color Guard were just swinging their time away and having a little fun before the Northview High School Variety Show Thursday night. Morgan Cook, Marissa Fredrick, Kayla Vinzant, Taylor Dickison and Sydney Hayes enjoyed the swings a a few park refreshments before their performance at the 71st Annual Brazil Rotary Club 4th of July Celebration...

Ivy Herron photo Veterans of Foreign Wars National Committee Chairman John Conrad presented the 2006 Indiana Emergency Medical Technician Gold Medal Award to Clay City resident Scott Fleck at a Saturday evening ceremony in the Indianapolis Adams Mark Airport Hotel. VFW Post 6606 recognized Fleck for providing exemplary medical treatment to the community...

Submitted photo Members of Forever: The Tribute band are from left to right: As Paul McCartney, Bill Durbin; as George Harrison, George Martin; as Ringo Starr, Rick Rhyne; and as John Lennon, Brent Durbin. He's been practicing for years now, but Rick Rhyne-- the drummer for an Indiana-based Beatles tribute band-- still struggles with the finer points of his Liverpudlian accent...

Ivy Herron photo Vicki Pinnick and her children, Katie, 9, and Chase, 3, of Brazil, visit with local emergency personnel during Kids Day at Movie Gallery on Friday afternoon. Police Chief Mark Loudermilk, Patrolman Chris Blila, Det. Marty Beasley (representing the Brazil City Police Department) Capt. ...

Showing true hoosier basketball skills, J.J. Nees, 9, of Brazil, won a basketball that looks like money at Fred's All Star Shots. His parents, Jana and Jeff Nees, watch J.J. practice his shooting on the All-American Shows midway Thursday evening. The 71st Annual Brazil Rotary Club 4th of July Celebration continues through Tuesday evening...

Brazil Rotarians look on Wednesday as Mayor Tom Arthur cuts the ribbon to officially open the 4th of July Celebration at Forest Park. Pictured are John Lee, Earl Hutchison, Tyler Fischer, Mary Ann Reed, Sam Glover, Tom Arthur, Frank Farmer, Mary Jo Alumbaugh, Eric Vanatti and Jim Middledorf...

The Friends of Dave Parr Golf Scramble committee presented Parr with a check for $16,435, and said more is on the way. The June 17 golf scramble was organized to raise funds to help pay Parr's extensive medical costs. "This is a lot of money in my book, but being able to spend the day with that many friends and family is priceless," Parr said Thursday morning. "These are truly amazing people. Their caring support is a true testament to the caliber of people in this community."...

Although the baked beans ran out around 7 p.m., hungry people didn't have to wait too long in the food lines at the Jonah Fish Fry in the Forest Park Pavillion Thursday night. The funds raised during the fish-lovers feast will support the Northview and Clay City High School Bands in the coming school year. When finished, many of the satisfied diners attended the Northview High School Variety Show and the fun and games of the 71st Annual Brazil Rotary Club 4th of July Celebration...

Arts Illiana of Terre Haute chose the Putnam County Museum's summer arts program, Arts on the Move, for one of its cultural enhancement grants of $450. The museum will offer this three-program series on select Saturdays in July and August as part of its mission to educate the community about the cultural heritage of Putnam County. ...

Today at the celebration: 5:30 p.m.: Midway open - pay one price to ride 7-9 p.m.: Old School at the bandshell Saturday: 2 p.m.: Midway open - pay one price to ride 2 p.m.: Tumble Express 3 p.m.: YMCA Dance Factory 4 p.m.: Toni's Dance Studio 5 p.m.: Moore's Dance Studio...

The Common Council of the City of Brazil passed an ordinance Tuesday intended to streamline the process of dealing with public nuisance offenders. The measure changes the process by which violators are notified, an adjustment that could save the city thousands of dollars, according to City Attorney Joe Trout. Council members voted to suspend the rules and pass the ordinance on its first reading...

For the time being, Chad A. Cottrell's attorneys will have to deal with a jury selected from Hamilton County. The June 21st plea from Eric Koselke (one of Cottrell's attorneys) was not strong enough to persuade Hamilton Superior Court No. 3 Judge William J. Hughes to pool jury members from another county...

Andy McCammon photos Clark and Deone Merker (above) in the newly-refurbished Mr. Murphy's, 16 W. National Avenue in Brazil. (Below) A few of the pieces in the Merkers' growing collection of arcade and table games. When Clark and Deone Merker moved to from northern Minnesota to Brazil, they couldn't help but notice an abject lack of entertainment options...