The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 7

Wednesday, October 1 1 2000 Contact: Doug Walker Phone: 747-5754 Fax 21 3-5858 e-mail: newsthestarpress.com i Deaths 2 AREA briefly Shady Rest iana Grant Blackford Jay Delaware i Ranrjoiph' power plants; "Madison i Ks 6 Henrv ding more pen Power plant status Fourteen merchant power plants have been approved or have pending petitions with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Whiting Clean finergy State Line. DPI Energy DTEIPL Georgetown Duke Energy Vermillion I Vf Duke Energy Vigo Sugar Creek Energy i PSEG Global Worthington Generation Duke i i KnoxT Wheatland 4 Power Station Tenaska Power. ENERGY: The chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission said Indiana was not a "dumping ground." By SETH SLABAUGH The Star Press INDIANAPOLIS Indiana has not become a "dumping ground" for merchant power plants as critics fear, state legislators were told Tuesday by William McCarty, chairman of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. Only six such power plants have been approved by the commission, and only four of the six actually have been built and started operating.

Eight others are awaiting commission approval, bringing to 14 the number of merchant plants either approved or pending before the commission. "That's it," McCarty said. Opponents have said that at least 30 merchant power plants have been proposed in Indiana, a figure McCarty didn't dispute. "Nobody is making that number up, but it is talk," McCarty said. "We are not the dumping ground." Much more merchant power plant capacity has been proposed in Illinois than Indiana, McCarty said.

Elsewhere in the Midwest, Ohio is second in proposed merchant power capacity, followed by Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Iowa and Minnesota, according to McCarty, who quoted June 2000 figures from the Electric Power Supply Association. But McCarty also told legis- 9 Plants Plants with petitions approved, under review not yet Rants in commercial operating operation Scott Davis The Star Press Ji'i- I -nnx i. 1 i i fa It f. It VS Jj- i i -t-jg lators that the 2,985 megawatts' of merchant power all in "peaking plants" approved thus far by the commission already exceeded the 2,250 megawatts of new capacity that the State Utility Forecasting Group estimated would be needed in the state by the year 2005. Combined with another 6,125 megawatts of new peaking power under review by the com-1 mission, the total approved and pending peaking power in Indiana equals 8,690 megawatts.

Kurt Hostetter The Star Press Richard Marcum takes advantage of Tuesday's mild weather to relax on the porch of his Cherry Street home. "These could be the last warm days this year," Marcum said. "I'm going to enjoy them while they last." See INVESTORS on Page 2B Suspect arrested after chase through cornfield By THE STAR PRESS STAFF DELAWARE Public hearing on cable franchise scheduled MUNCIE A public hearing will be conducted tonight on a proposed franchise agreement for Muncie cable television. The hearing will start at 7 p.m. in city hall auditorium and will be broadcast live on Channel 42 of Adelphia cable television.

Muncie's Cable Television Commission wants to impose a franchise fee to help pay for public access channels and other operating expenses. Other issues related to cable programming and charges also will be discussed. Special education board sets meeting for today MUNCIE The DelawareBlackford Special Education Cooperative Board will meet at 9 a.m. today at the Environmental Learning Center, 4881 S. Proctor Road.

Items on the agenda include first aid and CPR training, transfer tuition and Challenge Education. Club to distribute flags at parade MUNCIE Members of the Exchange Club of Muncie will distribute 20,000 United States flags to children along the route for Saturday morning's Ball State University Homecoming Parade. The annual complimentary flag effort is part of the club's "Give-A-Kid-A-Flag" program, an effort to increase children's sense of patriotism and allegiance to the U.S., according to a press release. Information on the free flag distribution is available from Larry Sounders at 284-8618. Information on Exchange Club is available from Earl Stoner at 747-4575.

HENRY Roads to be closed Wednesday, Thursday NEW CASTLE Some New Castle intersections will have traffic disruptions this week because of construction projects on Ind. 3. The east side of Parkview Drive at Ind. 3 will be closed 5 a.m. -6 p.m.

today, and traffic flow will be restricted at Indiana Avenue and Ind. 3 on Thursday and Friday. Schools get $7,000 for music programs NEW CASTLE The New Castle Community School Corp. got a boost from Daimler-Chrysler. Supt.

John Newby told school board members Monday that Daimler-Chrysler had given the school corporation a check for $7,000 $1,000 for music programs at each of the seven elementary schools. -Daimler-Chrysler officials gave Newby the check during Friday's celebration of the company's $77-million investment in the local machining and forge plant. lln another matter Monday, the t0ard approved a new 1-year agreement with the New Castle Association of Educational Office Professionals that gives those employees a 4.5-percent pay increase this year. RANDOLPH Interlocal cooperative meeting is today WINCHESTER The Greater Randolph Interlocal Cooperative Advisory Board will meet at 9 a.m. today in the Randolph Central board room.

Items on the agenda include the 2001 Mega Meeting and the Cape Grant final report. Farmland gets $13,850 for community center FARMLAND The State Budget Committee has approved $13,850 from the Build Indiana Fund for improvements to a Farmland building that will be a community center. The grant is part of the Hometown Indiana Program designed to help finance projects to improve a location's quality of life, including parks and recreation areas, and preserve property of historic importance. The Build Indiana Fund uses proceeds from the I Ioosier Lottery and other sources of gaming revenue in the state. Police news CRIME: A man allegedly robbed a Pizza King restaurant and then led police on the chase.

A Muncie man was killed early Tuesday while he was working on a road sign in Lake County near Merrillville. According to arrest records, after a clerk identified Rees in a photo lineup, the Muncie man admitted robbing the Pizza King. Several police cars sustained minor damage in the pursuit. One became stuck in the cornfield and had to be towed. In other police news: A Muncie man was killed early Tuesday while he was working on a road sign in Lake County near to police reports.

Two employees standing outside the restaurant saw Rees drive away in a car after he robbed the clerk, police said. Minutes lat er, Muncie police officers saw the car Rees allegedly was driving near Second Street and Kilgore Avenue. Police said Rees then led officers on a the construction crew, walked along the three-lane road to talk to one of his crew members who was sitting in a pickup truck. A sign directing traffic to move into the left lane was attached to the pickup. The crew had the right lane blocked.

As Meadows stood next to the driver's-side door of the pickup, the semi was driven into the right lane, striking Meadows. The road had been well marked and was lit by eight vehicles assigned to provide safety, according to Indiana State Police Sgt. Ann Wojas. Two state troopers had been in the area with car lights on to provide protection. No one else was hurt in the crash.

Truck driver Stephen C. Roberts, 36, Galien, was cited for unsafe lane movement, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and driving at a speed too fast to avoid collision. Police have not determined whether alcohol or drugs were a factor. The Blackford County Merrillville. (Obituary on Page2B.) Bruce Meadows, 32, 2208 S.

Beacon was pronounced dead at the scene. Meadows had just fin By T.J. WILHAM The Star Press MUNCIE Police drove several squad cars through a York-town cornfield early Tuesday in pursuit of a robbery suspect, whom they eventually apprehended. Police said Allen M. Rees, 44, robbed Pizza King, 214 S.

Tillot-son and then led them on a 15-minute chase. Late Tuesday, Rees, 2219 W. 11th was in custody at the Delaware County jail on preliminary charges of robbery, criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement with a vehicle. I lis bail was set at $30,000. A Pizza King employee called police at 12:01 a.m.

to report he had been robbed by a man wearing a stocking cap and wielding a knife and a gun. The man demanded cash, according REES Sheriff expects to make an arrest this week in connection with a possible hit-and-run accident that left a woman dead. The body of Kelly L. Sills. 36, Hartford City, was found Sunday along the edge of a cornfield.

Police received a tip that a van struck Sills. Police have confiscated the van and are questioning possible drivers. Police would not release the names of suspects. The investigation is going very well." Sheriff Paul Whitesell said. "I feel pretty confident there are going to be charges." MEADOWS chase through the south side of Muncie and Yorktown.

When Rees reached a dead end, he drove into a cornfield near Cornbread Road and Broadway, according to police. Rees drove west through the corn stalks until he hit an embankment along Delaware County Road 600-W, wrecking his car. ished replacing light bulbs for overhead road signs on the Borman Expressway when he was hit by a semi-tractortrailer hauling a trash container. The accident occurred at 4:07 a.m. after Meadows, foreman of Delta student claims use of ecstasy led to beating United Way a third of the way to its goal By T.J.

WILHAM The Star Press before the assault, authorities said, After a bloody Sirena McKin-ley went to the Eaton police station, officers took Heather A. Mitchell to Ball Memorial Hospital. Mitchell. 20, 704 E. Prince Eaton, was arrested on preliminary charges of battery.

She was released from the Delaware County jail after posting a $2,500 bond. the fastest growing part of the United Way Campaign, and this group is a big part of our 37 percent." As added incentive for leadership givers to multiply their impact this year, match money is being offered by the Lilly Endowment Com-munily Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County and Ontario Foundation The match will apply to new Pathfinders ($1,000 or more), MUNCIE The United Way of Delaware County is already at 37 percent of its fund-raising goal for the 2000 campaign, Just ahead of last year. The organization's overall goal for the year is $2.3 million, according to a press release. "The generosity and leadership throughout our community makes my job easier," said Henry Bird, campaign chairman and publisher of The Star Press. "A special thanks goes to our Pathfinders.

Leadership giving is EATON -A 17-year-old Delta High School student was beaten with a baseball bat last weekend by a woman who consumed the and It will match current Pathfinders' increases of 25 percent or a move to the next level, The match money can also be applied to any new employee campaign done by payroll deduction by companies that have not participated or have participated through means other than payroll deduction in the past. MITCHELL designer drug ecstasy the night See DESIGNER on Page 2B.