Logansport Pharos-Tribune from Logansport, Indiana • Page 8

Page 8 Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Indiana Sunday, July 10, 1983 Coalition Blasts PSI Arabians This Arabian Horse unit won the Round Barn Festival Queen's award during the festival parade Pam Tribune Saturday. The award paid the riders $75. Police Shooting Upheld INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) Public Service Indiana's plan to make customers begin absorbing some of the costs "of "the Marble Hill nuclear plant is'nofhirig but a corporate bailout, a consumers group says. The Citizens Action Coalition Friday blasted PSI's plan to raise rates 8 percent a year through 1989, saying it was "blatantly illegal." PSI, the state's largest utility, filed the proposal with the Public Service Commission, which ordered development of such a plan to avoid a drastic rate hike when the first unit at Marble Hill goes on line in December 1986. The annual rate increases would occur on Nov.

1 of each year and would be instead of general rate increases, excluding fuel cost increases. Under the plan, an average family would pay $600 in 1983 and $1,146 by 1989. PSI Chairman Hugh Barker said there are two reasons the rate plan isneccesary. "The overriding need was to maintain the financial integrity of the company" which is experiencing a severe cash flow problem, he said. "The second objective was, of course, to avoid the shock of large rate increases." "The company is confronted with a severe financial emergency" between now and 1986, Barker said.

Unless the cash flow situation improves, the utility will lose the ability to issue bonds at its current rate. The plan, which will be the subject of several hearings before the PSC, is based on the company's current estimate that the Marble Hill plant near Madison will cost $5.1 billion. Independent estimates place the final price tag at closer to $6 billion. Citizens Action Coalition executive director Janelle Cousino called the plan "nothing but a backdoor bailout for Marble Hill," which will not be needed bv PSI customers until 1992. "The PSC is ramrodding this down consumer's throats," she said.

"They are ignoring consumer rights by having us pay for'Marble Hill before it is used." Ms. Cousino cited an Indiana law that prohibits utilities from including in their rate base property under construction. Barker said the plan will enable the company to pay back interest on its loans sooner and thus will save consumers money. "Reduced financing costs clearly result in lower rates for our consumers over the life of the Marble Hill plant," he said. Barker said without the plan, rates would go up 50 percent in 1987 and 17 percent in 1988.

He said customers would save $250 million during the six year rate period and another $35 million to $40 million per year during the life of the plant. Ms. Cousino said the alleged savings of "$35 to $40 million over the life of the plant are false. This claim is based on the assumption that Marble Hill will be completed," she said. "Without a commission bailout.

Marble Hill will not be completed." Michael Mullett, attorney for the CAC, said he believes PSC Chairman Larry Wallace wants to put the utility's rate plan in place before the Legislature has a chance to meet. He said lawmakers wouldn't be able to pass a law that would retroactively veto the-plan. The plan's legality thus would be determined in the courts, buying time for the utility to make a financial recovery, he said. Mullett said Wallace "is figuring out ways to break the law without being caught at it." He said there are alternatives for dealing with the PSI financial problems, such as letting the utility file bankruptcy or providing the utility with a state loan guarantee. TERRK HAUTE, Ind.

(UPI) A suspect shot at the scene of a Brazil burglary died of a bullet in the hack, not the chest, contrary to police reports, a newspaper story published Friday said. Clay County 'coroner Stanley Cooprider made the disclosure Thursday night, the Terre Haute Tribune-Star said in a copyrighted story. He said Dr. John Pless, a forensic pathologist from Bloomington, performed the autopsy. Gene K.

Onstott Jr. 20, Belle Union, was shot by Brazil Policeman Robert Decker about 12:40 a.m. Wednesday in the yard of Susan Bradbury's house in Brazil, police reported. But Clay County Prosecutor Fritz Modesitt told the Brazil Times that Decker's original explanation of the shooting upheld the report that the shooting was self-defense. He said Decker had explained that he had dodged the lunging suspect and fired as he passed.

Modesitt said those details could support the fact that the suspect could have been wounded as he passed the officer. The first police reports quoted Decker as saying Onstott had a pair of 8-inch scissors in his hand and rushed toward him, ignoring two commands to halt before he shot. Decker said he saw light reflecting from a metallic object in Onstott's hand as he approached. Police later identified the object as a scissors. Federal Warrant Names 2 Teens INDIANAPOLIS (UPI) Federal fugitive warrants have been issued for the arrest of two Greene County teenagers sought as suspects in the slaying of a Linton girl during the Fourth of July weekend.

The warrants were issued Friday by U.S. Magistrate Thomas Faulconer. The orders charged Christopher Deckard and Michael W. Poling, both 17 from Jasonville, with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for the murder of Cindy Lou Mason, 15. An affadavit said it was believed the youths had fled the state.

It also said the boys were armed with a handgun. Poling and Deckard were charged in state warrants Wednesday with the slaying of Miss Mason, whose body was found last Sunday in a partially constructed building near Linton in Greene County. Preliminary results from an autopsy showed the girl was shot at least three times in the head and stabbed numerous times. The victim also raped, authorities said. School Boards Busy This Week Eight area school boards will meet this week.

The SOUTHEASTERN school board will meet at 8 p.m. Monday in the Lewis Cass Library. Items on the agenda include the consideration of bids on computers and accessories and the opening of bids on gasoline, fuel oil, cafeteria items, tires and driver education cars. The NORTH WHITE school board will conduct its organizational meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Officers will be elected and days and times of regular meetings will be established. A regular school board meeting will follow. Items on the agenda will include resignations and other staff plans, a superintendent's report and discusion of vocational transportation. An executive session will follow the regular meeting. A report on negotiations with the classroom teachers association will be given and staff members will be evaluated.

The CARROLL school board will meet in executive session at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the administration office. Finance as it affects the 1984 budget will be discussed. The WEST CENTRAL school board will meet at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Items on the agenda will include reading of gas and oil bids and changes in the policy manual. Book rental fees and attendance policy also will be discussed. The TWIN LAKES school board will meet at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Election of board officers will be conducted.

Tools and equipment for the vocation! career center will be discussed and approval of the Adult Basic Education Program for the upcoming school year is expected. An executive session to discuss personnel will be conducted prior to the regular meeting. The TRI-COUNTY school board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the administration Office. Election of board officers will be conducted.

Other business will include review of bus contracts, a superintendent's report and approval of the student handbook. The PERU school board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday. Election of board officers will be conducted. Items on the agenda of the regular meeting include review of a utility bill audit, approval of the high school student handbook and approval of a hot lunch program.

The board will plan for teacher contract negotiations in an executive session prior to the regular meeting. The EASTERN PULASKI school board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the central office building. Election of board officers will be conducted. During the regular meeting textbook rental fees will be discussed and a report on the cafeteria will be given.

John David Fisher John W. Fisher When friendliness and helpful service are needed, call your friends at Fisher's. 303 W. Market 753-63C1 Area Briefs FLORA Flora Airport has announced an open house and office building dedication with activities from noon to 4 p.m. today.

A parachute jump will be featured from 1 to 2 p.m. Bachelor Run Church of the Brethren will host "His Reflection" Gospel group during the morning worship service at 10 a.m. today. The public is invited. Sharon Baptist Church business meeting will be at 8p.m.

Monday at the church. Monroe Township EH Club will meet at the Senior Citizen Center at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Flora Township EH Club will meet at the Senior Citizen Center at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

William Pickert has been re-elected president of the Carroll Consolidated School Corporation Board. Other officers are Fred Martin, vice president, Robert Ayres, secretary and Ruthann Ayers, treasurer. Dean Beckner was reappointed as board attorney for one year. CAMDEN The second meeting of the annual muscular dystrophy telethon will be at 2 p.m. Sunday in the home of Judy and Jean Walters, 213 Cumberland St.

Anyone interested in helping with the telethon should contact Joan Walters, 686-2692. Judge Denies Privacy Request LAFAYETTE, Ind. (UPI) A request by Prudential Insurance Company of America to bar attorneys in a $100 million water rights damage suit from trying their cases in the press has been denied. In denying Prudential's request Friday, U.S. District Judge Allen Sharp said both sides in the suit already had presented their cases to the news media.

Prudential attorney Wayne C. Ponader had complained Friday that farmers who filed suit against the firm have been discussing the case with the news media. But Sharp said Prudential was guilty of the same thing. He cited a news release detailing Prudential's steps to monitor use of water for irrigation on 22,000 acres of land it owns in Jasper and Newton counties, known as the Fair Oaks Farm. Ponader argued unsuccessfully that the release only had been issued to tell the public what Prudential had done to solve water problems in the area.

Several farmers whose property surrounds Fair Oaks Farm filed the $100 million suit, charging that Prudential robbed them of water when it began irrigating its property in 1980. The only water Prudential did not take was unusuable, the suit claims. The farmers want $50 million in actual damages and $50 million in punitive damages and are asking for an injunction prohibiting further irrigation. Prudential had sought a protective order Friday to bar attorneys for the farmers from disclosing the contents of certain records. KURT BAKER CONSTRUCTION HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICE Roofing Garages Bathrooms Siding Additions Family Rooms Fences Beams Doors Decks Bookcases Windows Check Our Our Quality 753-7059 ESTATES INSURED SHANK'S SHOES SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE CLINICS FOOT THRILLS SOFT PETALS CHARM STEP MISS WONDERFUL WRANGLER JARMAN KEDS GRASSHOPPERS POLL PARROT PATRIOTS KANKAROOS LACROSSE STREET CARS MUSHROOMS MEN WOMEN BOYS GIRLS INFANTS DRESS CASUALS JOGGERS HIKERS NURSE OFF Stanley Steemer's special cleaning process revitalizes and gives your old carpet new life.

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