The Times from Munster, Indiana • 21

t. Ti.irtivfFs Sunday, February 13, 1983 B-7 0D ft lh)0 ODD DETD Indiana briefly But the signal may be shaky Places to go By KATHY DAVIS Times Correspondent i mm WCAE Jt JOHN The 1 1th Annual Table Tennis Tournament will be held from 8 a.m. until noon Feb. 19 at the Griffith Senior High School gymnasium. Sponsored by the Griffith Youth Commission, the tournament is open to players of elementary school age Jhrough adulthood, according to commission chairman Nick Costello.

Griffith Little League sign-up -will be held from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, eb. 19 and 20 in St. Mary School conference room for children ages 712. ST.

JOHN A decision is expected by April 1 on the fate of Channel 50 WCAE-TV. Lou Iaconetti, station manager, said alternative financing measures are presently being studied. The prospect of selling television advertising commercial is promising, he said, "but the revenue won't be a bonanza." Advertising would only supplement between 15 and 35 percent of the station's operating budget, Iaconetti said. The annual budget for fiscal 1982 topped $802,000, he said. The Lake Central School Corporation, which owns the station's license, kicked in about $150,000 last year to keep the public broadcasting station on the air.

Iaconetti said other financial assistance came from federal grants, direct income and donated services. Thomas Roman, Lake Central school superintendent, is exploring the possibility of transferring the station's license to another party, Iaconetti said. Although Roman said he is sympathetic to 50's cause, Iaconetti said it is hard to justify the amount of money the corporation spends for it in today's economic climate. Because of the scarcity of educational funds, he said the corporation's coffers can't run dry supporting the station. Iaconetti added that Channel 50 needs much more than $150,000 it receives from Lake Central to operate at its full potential.

In May, 1982 the station's broadcasting time and staff were both reduced to help cut expenses. Only a minimal amount of money was saved as a result, Iaconetti said. No further cutbacks are anticipated, he added. The federal government requires 3,000 hours of annual broadcasting time for a PBS station to qualify for community service grant money. The Reagan administration may reduce the time requirement, Iaconetti speculated, but he fears further broadcast cutbacks now could make Channel 50 ineligible to receive the grants.

The station manager said he's heard rumors that a cable television company may become the new licensee and take over the station's operations. He added, however, that no company has yet contacted him about this. "The prospect seems very appropriate," he added. "We're here and have the equipment, so why build a duplicats studio (in the he asked. Whoever may become the new license holder, Iaconetti hopes an arrangement can be worked out with them to continue teaching the vocational television program to Lake Central students.

One full-time teacher currently teaches five television classes, Iaconetti said. "Regardless of who eventually becomes the licensee of Channel 50," Iaconetti said, "I hope the service to Northwest Indiana will not only continue but vastly improve when we have a solid financial base. "It would be a tragic thing if Channel 50 would be allowed to go black (off the air) permanently after 15 years of operation," the station manager said. A one-day workshop, "Becoming for Life A Workshop on Stress Management for Teens" will take place Feb. 19 in the Merrillville vMigh School cafeteria.

Sessions will run from 8:30 a.m. 4:30 p.m. The program is being sponsored by the Merrillville Adult Community Education. Pre-registration is required for the course by Feb. 14.

A soup test is being hosted by the Friends of Crown Point Community Library from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. Three homemade soups and breads will be served at the annual Joe Steenersoa, Valerie Warren are running this show event held in Carnegie Center, 223 S. Main St.

Proceeds will be used to benefit the library. Tickets are available from members of the Friends or at the door. Soup test co-chairmen are Mickie Louis and Betty Mowry. outhlake Center for Mental Health: The 11th Annual Table Tennis Tournament will be held from 8 a.m. noon Feb.

19 at the Griffith Senior High School gymnasium. 2: Sponsored by the Griffith Youth Commission, the tournament is open It's 5 years young and the growing has just begun players of elementary school age through adulthood, according to By DIANE DONOVAN Times Staff Writer commission chairman Nick Costello. The Caring Place in Hobart aids victims of family violence. Stepping Stones in Schererville helps women make the transition from inpatient care to family living. Along with a summer day treatment program for children, the center offers drug and alcohol abuse programs; Inpatient, outpatient, educational, and family therapy training programs are provided.

In January, Southlake entered into a contract with the Lake County Courts to screen persons arrested on drunk driving charges. Strawhun said to date 62 percent of those evaluated have been referred for some level of treatment. Future plans include an agreement with the Chicago School of Psychology, offering classes at the objectives we may never achieve. But if we don't continue to strive towards those goals, they will never happen." Strawhun describes the job of the center's staff as problem solving. However, the economy has affected the center's implementation of programs.

"The decline of public money, unemployment, and loss of fringe benefits has made it harded to maintain the quality and quantity of services we want to provide," Strawhun said. "We have the ongoing problem of trying to inter-relate with various regulatory bodies." Strawhun said future plans are to specialize in those services needed in the community. He hopes to support those programs in creative ways that will reduce the center's reliance on public funding. center for area residents who want to earn their Ph.D. in psychology.

Center director Lee Strawhun attributes Southlake's success to the dedication and quality of the staff. "The people here try hard," Strawhun said. "They are concerned about Southlake, the community and the clients." We have also had the support of the press, community groups, and volunteers. Strawhun says center programs are designed to serve everyone from the boy in the tattered coat riding up on his bicycle to the lady in the fur coat who drives up in a Cadillac. "Our philosophy is to provide the best quality service and to do so with respect for the dignity of the individual," Strawhun explained.

"We work towards goals and Griffith Little League sign-up will be held from 1-5 p.m. Feb. 19 and 20 in St. Mary School conference room for children ages 7-12. A cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructors class will be offered through the Northwest Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The class will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 14, 15, and 17 at the chapter office, 6743 Calumet Hammond. For registration in the class, persons must be at least 17 years old or hold a current American Red Cross CPRmodule certificate.

MERRILLVILLE It's beginning was clouded in controversy. Crown Point residents near 93rd Street and Merrillville Road didn't want a mental health facility in their neighborhood. Five years later, Southlake Center for Mental Health, 8555 Taft is constantly expanding to meet the community's needs. It has served the young and old, educated and uneducated, married, single, widowed and divorced. Clients have come from Cedar Lake, Crown Point, Dyer, Griffith, Hobart, Lake Station, Lowell, Merrillville and Schererville as well as from other Lake County towns.

Services vary. Schools A place to turn when there's nowhere to go The Porter Township School Corporation could could lose $16,000 under its 1984 budget, according to School Board President Beverly By DIANE DONOVAN Times Staff Writer Zborowski. St She said the state expects to distribute $10 less per student next year. The Cedar Lake Plan Commission has canceled its Feb. 14 meeting.

Vice President George Adams said the board has no items for an agenda. Preschool story hours for 4 ip" PLACE children ages 3 to 5 will begin this week at the igh land branch of the Lake County Public Library, 2841 JewettSt. The sessions wi 1 1 be at 10 30 to 11 30 a.m on Mondays; 10 30 to 1 1 30 a.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays; and 10:30 to 11 :30 a.m.

on Wednesdays. Children may be enrolled In any one of the four HOBART Family violence is frightening. Sometimes the victim's only alternative is to get away from the situation. But where? The Caring Place, run by the Southlake Center for Mental Health, provides shelter for abused and battered children and adults. Thirty-year old Sally Smith (not her real name) vividly remembers the events preceding her two-week stay at the Caring Place.

"Instead of cleaning house, I took the children out to buy a pool," Smith said. "When I came home my husband started yelling at the kids and me. "He had a history of getting violent, so I took the kids and tried to leave. "He started pulling at their arms, but I told them to run to a neighbor's home. I tried to get into the car, but he took out a part so it wouldn't run.

"I followed him into the house yelling at him. He took my arm and tried to burn it with a cigar, but I pushed him away. "That angered him even more. He twisted my wrists, bent back my thumbs, and hit me in the face leaving bruises. "I ran to the neighbor's house and the Caring Place.

I had seen an article about their opening in the newspaper. "They came in a van to take us to Hobart. They brought the police. First they talked to my husband. They asked him how he was feeling and tried to talk him into going to a hospital.

"I didn't want to leave home, but sessions. Each session continues for The Caring Place helps victims of family violence six weeks. To register contact the library. The occurrence of major crimes In Griffith was down in January compared to December, but burglaries Increased, police department records show. Police Lieutenant William Weddell a second time.

"Often residents have had problems with violence in their families since they were children," Mathis explained. "The cycle is hard to break. It's going to be something that takes alot of time and work to solve." It is the staff's policy to contact the husband within 24 hours. Mathis cites three reasons for this: he has the legal right to know where his children are; it helps alleviate some of the anger; the staff is showing that they are not afraid of him. Mathis emphasizes that in the four years the center has been opened, no one has been injured due to a violent act on the premises.

Besides a place to stay, residents are given counseling, emotional support, and transportation. The largest amount of people housed at the Caring Place at one time was II adults and 24 children. Mathis cites alcohol and drug abuse as factors that often contribute to family violence. Sometimes loss of a job or other outside stresses are factors. "People can be taught to deal with anger in more constructive ways," Mathis said.

The Caring Place, 112 Center, is open 24 hours daily. Their number is 947-2551. Mathis said for people to remember if you refuse to be abused, there are people who will help you stand up for yourself. he wouldn't go. "I felt dead.

I felt angry. "I didn't want to talk, but I didn't want to be alone either. "I couldn't sleep. I wanted to be busy. I felt I didn't have control.

"I took my anger out on a male therapist." Women, like Smith, are told at the Caring Place they have to make a choice. They have three alternatives. They can stay at home without making any changes; stay at home with some changes and counseling; or they can leave their spouse. Gail Mathis, secretary for the board at Caring Place, estimates that 80 percent return home after an average stay of eight days. She says about 25 percent return to the shelter told police commissioners Wednesday 12 of the month's 67 ma jpr offenses were cleared by arrests.

During January, police investiaated 14 burglaries, two assaults, 42 thefts and nine motor vehicle thefts, he said..