Stories from Monday, February 13, 2006

Carey Fox photos (Top) Lexee Hayes flashes past Mooresville's Lauren Kenney for a first half basket on her way to 10 points for the Knights and (Bottom) the Knights celebrate as (from l-r) Julie Whitted hugs Spring Raines as senior Brittney Spugnardi enjoys the victory...

Dave Russell photo Clay City junior Sarah Kennedy (#23) goes up for two of her 22 points. Senior guard Whitney McWilliams and the Clay City Lady Eels refused to let their season end Friday, upsetting Union 65-59 in second-round sectional action. The Bulldogs had bested Clay City twice during the regular season, but key contributions from McWilliams' supporting cast allowed the Eels to slip past them this time around. ...

Carey Fox photos (Top) Chris Dean (in white) is a regional champion last weekend and will be competing today for a state finals berth. (Bottom) Chris Craft advances to semistate competition with a 33-6 mark today. He will need two wins to earn a berth to the state finals next weekend...

Submitted photo Brandon Mikesell works to finish off a pin against Edgewood's Justin Davis. In junior high wrestling last week, North Clay got wins at nine positions, but lost a 61-51 dual match to Edgewood. The Knights got wins from Skyler Hall at 80 pounds via 2-0 decision against Junior Duarte and Brandon Mikesell won by pin in 1:26 for the Knights over Justin Davis. Conor Strain pinned his opponent as well with a fall in 51 seconds over Lane Jackson...

Submitted photo Chris Craft controls his opponent during Saturday's semistate action. The results were mixed at Saturday's wrestling semistate for a pair of Northview competitors. The Knights advanced junior Chris Dean who won his opening match at 145 pounds to move into the semifinals before dropping his second match to finish fourth and earn a berth to the state finals at Conseco Fieldhouse beginning on Friday night with preliminary rounds...

Carey Fox photo Northview's Jennifer Gregg (#20) looks for an open teammate in Saturday's sectional final. TERRE HAUTE -- It was certainly special, but on Saturday night, Northview's magical sectional run came up two points short against Plainfield in the sectional title game, 40-38...

Dave Russell photo Clay City senior Whitney McWilliams goes up for a shot. The Clay City Lady Eels couldn't quite sneak past the Bloomfield Cardinals Saturday, losing 62-48 in the sectional championship game. Clay City kept pace with the third-ranked Class A team in the state until late in the third quarter, a stark contrast to the Eels' 80-27 blowout loss to the Cardinals Jan. ...

George R. Krauchi, 78, of Clay City passed away at 3:30 a.m., February 11, 2006, at his home following an extended illness. He was born in Clay City on April 21, 1927, to Rufus and Mercedes (Hale) Krauchi. Mr. Krauchi graduated from Clay City High School with the class of 1945. He attended the First United Church of Christ in Clay City...

Timothy E. Kiefer, Sr., 64, of Center Point, died Feb. 10, 2006, in the emergency room of St. Vincent Clay Hospital at 11:29 p.m. He was born August 11, 1941, in Clay County the son of Elmer C. Kiefer and Mary DeCamp Kiefer. He attended Brazil schools. ...

Mary Kathryn Kenny, 90 of Knightsville, died at noon Friday, February 10, 2006. She was born July 10, 1915, in Indianapolis as the daughter of John Michael and Mary Boatman Walsh. Following graduation from high school she attended St. Vincent School of Nursing, earning her Registered Nurse degree. She was employed as an RN for over 40 years...

Justino "Jap" Casassa, 96, died Thursday February 9, 2006 at 12:44 pm at his residence on State Road 340 in Brazil. He was born April 12, 1909 in Perth, Indiana to Dominic and Margaret Casassa. He married Mary Kathleen (Hathaway) Casassa on November 5, 1932. He was preceded in death by his parents. His wife preceded him in death in 1975. Also preceding him in death were three brothers, Jesse in 1951, Dom in 1977, and James in 1979. He is preceded in death by one sister Katherine Biggs in 1983...

Marilyn (Susie) Holman, 74, of Greentown, Indiana, died at 5:37 a.m., Thursday, February 9, 2006, in Howard Regional Hospital in Kokomo, Indiana. Born May 28, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan, she was the daughter of C. Frank and Iola Jane (Clevenger) Fisher...

The prices for regular, unleaded fuel this morning at Clay County gas stations were: BRAZIL AREA I-70 AREA CLAY CITY AREA The Brazil Times is offering free car pooling want-ads to people seeking rides or want to offer rides. Call 446-2216 for more information...

Submitted photos Top photo: Marc, Evelyn and Eric Brown anxiously wait for Rocco Greco at the Indianapolis International Airport on Feb. 3. This was the place of the first meeting of Evelyn and her father. Bottom photo: Gloria DeSmith Miller, Evelyn and Rocco Greco pose as a family. This is the first family photo taken that includes mother, father and child. After 54 years, Evelyn and her father Rocco have been reunited thanks to the Popcorn Festival of Clay County Web site...

While attending to the medical needs of two juveniles in the emergency room of St. Vincent Clay Hospital Thursday afternoon, two Clay County Sheriff's Deputies called for assistance while attempting to subdue and arrest three males for fighting in the hospital...

Maurer's Wellness Center will celebrate its grand opening with a health fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at its location in Pell's Plaza. For Brazil residents in need of a lifestyle overhaul, the health fair offers a comprehensive sampling of the goods and services Maurer's provides. Supplement samples, fat analyses, facials and nutritional consultations will be available to those in attendance, and door prizes will be given away each hour...

While both sides agree it's a matter that can be easily resolved, a dispute over utility costs incurred during the construction of the new Clay County Jail has rankled at least a few county officials. The jail racked up about $16,000 in utility costs from August through December 30, when the Clay County Board of Commissioners signed a certificate of substantial completion on the facility. ...

This weekend, Chief Dispatcher Missy Gambill performed the regular Saturday morning pager test for the 11 local volunteer fire departments from the new dispatch center in the Clay County Jail. The test went off without a hitch, so excitement continues to build as the jail prepares to open to the public on Feb. 19...

Submitted photo Pat Krider (in white top, red suspenders) distributes balloons to patrons of the Brazil Public Library South Branch on Family Literacy Day, Oct. 1, 2005. Krider was dressed as Clay County's own Orville Redenbacher because the celebration took place during the Popcorn Festival...

Ivy Herron photo Clay County Commissioner Charlie Brown, sits in his basement office at the Clay County Courthouse. Being available to answer the questions and problems of citizens was a huge part of Charlie Brown's campaign platform when he ran for Clay County Commissioner in 2004...