The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 9

jg Tuesday, January 2, 2001 Contact: Doug Walker Phone: 747-5754 Fax 21 3-5858 e-mail: newsthestarpress.com Deaths 2 TheStarPress AREA briefly ore power Jl plant control Jl sought Grant Blackford Jay Delaware Randolph" non-profit coalition dedicated to empowering citizens and promoting economic and environmental justice. State Rep. Tiny Adams. D-Muncie, who has joined citizens in opposing a proposed Duke Energy peaking merchant power plant northeast of Muncie, has been working with CAC to introduce the legislation, Smith said. Adams couldn't be reached for comment Monday.

The legislation will address factors deemed to be in the public interest. Smith said. The IURC addressed those factors in its recent order authority over such plants. Thus far, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) has done a good job of regulating merchant plants, according to Grant Smith, CAC's environmental and utility policy coordinator. "But we don't want a situation where the authority of the commission is challenged if one of these plants is denied," Smith said in an interview.

"And second, we want consistent policy no matter who sits on the commission. "This commission has responded well to public con cerns, but that may not be the case down the road." Smith predicted that at some point the IURC would deny a merchant power plant project, at which time the commission's authority would be challenged in court. Merchant power plants resulted from the federal government's decision to create and promote a competitive, wholesale electricity market. The plants also are a response to increased demand for electricity. CAC fears a merchant power plant free-for-all in Indiana.

Formed 26 years ago, CAC is a FIew Deal Legacy fromP ast9 preserves LEGISLATION: A new bill would give local governments "home-rule" zoning authority over peaking power plants. By SETH SLABAUGH The Star Press MUNCIE The state-wide Citizens Action Coalition (CAC) is backing proposed legislation to beef up state and local regulation of merchant power plants. Among other provisions, the bill would give local governments "home-rule" zoning Voices HISTORY: A Muncie resident has compiled stories of black life in Indiana during the 1800s. By SETH SLABAUGH The Star Press MUNCIE "Jimmy," a 14-year-old Negro boy, came from the South to the Hoosier town of Zanesville in the 1870s. A horse buyer whose last name was Williams brought the young teenager to Zanesville (southwest of Fort Wayne) because of the boy's love and knowledge of thoroughbred horses.

It was novel for the people of Zanesville to have a Negro in their midst, and the men teased Jimmy, telling him that a "nigger" had never lived through the winter in Zanesville. Technically, this was true, because there had been no Negroes in Zanesville before Jimmy's arrival. Jimmy took the teasing as a threat and became frightened. In his fright, he ran. He caught a cold, which developed into pneumonia, and he died in delirium.

As Jimmy lay dying, he talked about his home in the South, about his horses and about the men who were going to "get" him. There was much grief and some feeling of guilt among the men when they learned Jimmy had taken their "playing" seriously. A collection was taken up, and Jimmy was given a decent burial by those who felt responsible for his death. This is one of hundreds of stories about the experiences of blacks in Indiana during the 19th and early 20th centuries as related in Voices from the Past. That is the title of Muncie resident Hurley Goodall's recently completed, 707-page compila- it' vV-rrf ml -iv.

dm HA YMp! A.i -1 approving PSEC Lawrenceburg Energy Co. LLC's 1.150-megawatt merchant power plant in Lawrenceburg, Smith added. Those factors include location, need, financing, transfer of ownership, reporting requirements and financial assurance that a site will be restored in the event of abandonment. In the case of PSEG Lawrenceburg, the developer submitted evidence that it had complied with local zoning and land-use requirements. See PLANTS on Page 2B sad tale from Indiana, and Baker's recently published Homeless, Friendless and Penniless, a book about former slaves and their descendants living in Indiana during the 1930s.

Baker plans to squeeze at least one more book about blacks from the files. See SLAVE on Page 2B have his ups and downs, but he looks really good, wonderful. "They've decorated his warmer table with streamers since he's a New Year's baby." Gage probably won't be released from the hospital until close to his due date. Cameron Bradley Gastineau apparently was the first New Year's baby born In this part of the state, arriving at. 6:06 a.m.

In St. Vincent Randolph Hospital, Winches-, ter. The infant's mother, Brandt Shaneyfclt, Winchester, had checked into the hospital about 6:30 p.m. New Year's Eve. The newborn weighed 9 pounds, 12 ounces, and measured about 22 inches long.

Henry County's first birth of the year occurred early Monday afternoon, when Tiffany Leonard, Centervllle, gave birth to a girl. Shjuanlial. By THE STAR PRESS STAFF HENRY Hearing set for woman accused of killing baby NEW CASTLE A bond hearing is set to begin this morning in Henry Superior Court 1 for a Henry County woman accused of killing her 6-week-old son. Tosha Perry, 21, is charged with murder. Perry's son.

Tanner Alan Jolley, suffered a serious head injury in their home, 4629 E. U.S. 40, Straughn, on June 4. The infant died the next day in Methodist Hospital, Indianapolis. Perry, who was at home alone with the infant at the time, claimed that she had a diabetic reaction and dropped her son while she was talking on the telephone.

But a pathologist who conducted an autopsy on the infant, said it appeared that someone had grabbed the baby by the ankles and slammed his body on a hard object. Muncie attorney Louis Denney, representing Perry, is petitioning to have bail set, although murder usually is a non-bailable offense in Indiana. YMCA sets deadlines for player registration NEW CASTLE The Wittenbraker YMCA is accepting registration for recreational volleyball, 3-on-3 basketball and mixed round-robin Registration deadlines are today for racquetball, with the tournament starting Jan. Jan. 8 for league volleyball, with league play starting Jan.

22; and Jan. 17 for 3-on-3 basketball, with league play starting Jan. 24. For more information, call (765) 521-3804. JAY Host families needed for exchange students PORTLAND ASSE International Student Exchange Programs is seeking local host families for boys and girls, 15-18 years of age, from Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa who will be in the area in the coming school year.

The high school students are sponsored by ASSE, an organization founded by the Swedish National Department of Education, which cooperates with the Canadian provincial ministries of education and the New Zealand Ministry of Education. Students arrive shortly before the school year begins and leave for home at the end of the school year. The organization is also seeking local high school students to go abroad as exchange students. Candidates must be 15-18 years of age with good academic records. For information, call Susan Knight at (219) 726-8525 or (800) 736-1760.

GRANT Upland officials seeking input on subdivision plan UPLAND The town of Upland is seeking families or individuals who qualify for placement in an affordable-housing subdivision. The town has passed out interest forms to determine how many qualified people are interested in such housing, according to a release from town manager Chip Long. The town is completing a housing-needs assessment to ascertain whether there is sufficient demand before the houses are built. Upland will seek a state Focus Fund grant to fund infrastructure for the project. The grant would lower the cost of homes by about $10,000.

For more information, call (765) 998-7439. BLACKFORD Public defender board files reimbursement claim HARTFORD CITY The Blackford County Public Defender Board approved $1 1,015.67 in claims for indigent counsel recently. The board also filed a claim for 40-percent ($4,406.27) reimbursement with the Indiana Public Defender Commission. "Our reimbursement is on hold because of a shortage of state funds," board member Ed Hollander said. The board was established 2 years ago to review and approve claims by attorneys who handle cases for clients who are unable to pay.

1 Photo provided EX-SLAVES: Former slaves (left to right) Mary Elizabeth Brown, 100, Betty Gunn, 103, and Elizabeth Jackson, 103, grace the cover of Hurley Goodall's new publication, Voices from the Past. The photo was taken April 11, 1935, during a Muncie church ceremony honoring the women. including Ronald Baker, the foremost expert on the Indiana project. Baker, the chair of the English Department at Indiana State University where the original Indiana manuscripts are housed has authored several books based on the files. They include Indiana Place Names; Hoosier Folk Legends; Jokelore: Humorous Folktales Court commissioners named New Year's baby arrives 3 months early tion of former slave narratives, Negro life histories, Negro folks songs, underground railroad sites and other information about Hoosier blacks gathered during the Federal Writers' Project in the 1930s.

The project stemmed from one of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal agencies the Works Progress Administration. Best known for building practices, filing cases in the local courts where they weren't officials. However, the Indiana mission on Judicial Qualifications ruled that commissioners working for the revamped Delaware Circuit Court system would not be eligible to practice law before local judges. McLaren, Peckinpaugh and Vorhees will no longer practice law in Delaware County courts, the system's presiding Judge, Robert Barnet said last week. McLaren had been master commissioner of Barnet's court for 13 years.

He also has been a juvenile court referee and Is former executive secretary of the Indiana Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Peckinpaugh had been master commissioner in Lennington's court since 1998. He previously, has been a deputy prosecutor, city attorney and president of the Muncie Bar Association. Vorhees had been master commissioner in Caldemeyer's court for 7 years. She is president of the State Board of Law bridges, highways and parks, the WPA also put unemployed writers to work in every state during the Great Depression.

They wrote about dozens and dozens of topics, ranging from wild animals, to witchcraft, to minorities. The voluminous original manuscripts continue to provide book material for folklorists, historians and other scholars, Examiners, which administers the bar examination for law school graduates, and is past president of the Muncie Bar Association. The three commissioners will share responsibilities for civil, criminal, Juvenile, probate and domestic cases, Barnet said. The five Judges also have appointed Elmer Ashley chief probation officer for the county's recently consolidated probation department. John Cox was appointed assistant chief probation officer.

Ashley and Cox have been adult probation officers for 21 and 12 years, respectively. Veteran local attorney Jack Quirk has been the county's chief public defender, overseeing, operations of a consolidated public defender's office. Attorneys Stan Wyrick. Thomas Cannon John Quirk and Linda Clark Dague have also Joined that staff. Other public defenders are Geoffrey Rivers, Kelly Bryan, Michael (Mick) Alexander, Steven Bruce, Ron McShurley, Lon Bryan, John Frlek.

Joe Hunter and Alan Wilson. if By DOUGLAS WALKER The Star Press MUNCIE When the Delaware County court system opens for business today, three newly appointed court commissioners will be on the job. But the commissioners aren't exactly new. Attorneys Bruce McLaren, Darrel Peckinpaugh and Marianne Vorhees had been part-time commissioners in the court system. This week, they will assume full-time status and will take on duties previously performed by nine part-time commissioners, including themselves.

The Indiana General Assembly last year adopted a measure to abolish the county's four superior courts. The Judges of those courts Robert Barnet Richard Dalley, James Jordan and Wayne Lennlngton on July 1 Joined Steven Caldemeyer as judges of an expanded Delaware Circuit Court. Under the old system, part-time court commissioners were allowed to maintain private law THE STAR PRESS STAFF REPORT MUNCIE At least three babies were born in East Central Indiana on New Year's Day, including a boy weighing Just 2 pounds, 8 ounces. "He's kicking around and opening his eyes," said Chris Smith, the grandmother of Gage Michael Sutton, who was delivered In Ball Memorial Hospital by Caesarean section at 8:23 a.m. Monday.

"His head is the size of a baseball, if that big." The boy's mom, Chrystal, 19, Muncie, became ill, and her liver could have shut down if physicians hadn't delivered the baby, the grandmother said. The 14-lnch-long Gage was hot due until April 9. "He's on a ventilator and respirator and monitor and things on a warming table." Mrs. Smith said. "lie will.