Vidette-Messenger of Porter County from Valparaiso, Indiana • 9

Local news Aug. 11, 1986 Page 9 Sight of vintage bomber startles ex-crew member 1 4 "rnn'-T- xtr-tb, y.im we -t-: i imi.tr i was not the Nine-O-Nine in which he flew for the 91st bomb group of the Army Air Corps. Although that B17 was apparently scrapped, this one is an authentically restored World War II relic that has been officially assigned the insignia and serial number of the original Nine-O-Nine. The plane was brought to Valparaiso by Robert Collings of Stow, who was attending the 30th reunion of his Valparaiso High School class. Collings said that, until a few months ago, this B17 was used as a fire bomber in Arizona, fighting forest flames.

Tom Reilly, of Kissimee, now pilot of the Nine-O-Nine, restored it to World War II condition and now it will be housed in the Collings Foundation Museum in Stow. While in Porter County, the plane acquired one more authentic item. Mefford donated his carefully-preserved flight jacket to be permanently dis-. played with the Flying Fortress bearing the identification of the one on which he earned it 42 years ago. most impossible to It's "You remember the sound of the how it Mefford described the Nine-O-Nine as a "lucky plane" because during his stint aboard, the plane never lost a man.

Flying out of Bassingbourne, England, the Nine-O-Nine completed 140 missions without aborting and, although it sustained skin damage from enemy fire, the plane was never seriously damaged while Mefford rode in her nose. Eventually, however, "She was a flying batch of (200) patches," said the former Porter County health officer who plotted the route of her missions and who manned the chin turret gun to cover the front end of the plane against enemy fire. Cipolla said the Nine-O-Nine's luck held in an era when the casualty rate for B17s was 50 percent. The planes cruised at 165 mph when carrying a full load of bombs. While the aircraft was here, Mefford learned that this plane by Mary Henrkhs Special feature writer As Robert Mefford of Valparaiso was driving down U.S.

30 Friday afternoon, he was astonished to see a B17 bomber landing at the Porter County Airport. In 1944, Mefford flew 21 missions over Europe as navigator of the B17 known as the Nine-O-Nine. So, Mefford turned into the airport to take a look at the plane. There it was the Nine-O-Nine. When Mefford recovered enough from his shock to make the phone call, he contacted Sam Cipolla of Chicago, who flew 30 missions as ball turret gunner on the Nine-O-Nlne.

And Saturday afternoon, as hundreds of spectators at the airport cheered, the plane bearing the name and serial numbers of their old Flying Fortress took off once again carrying two of her World War II crew members. How did Mefford feel about making another trip in the B17? "Oh, I'll tell It's al I Hi II I I Viri jt. v. Bayh: Republicans neglect northwest Indiana mm Evan Bayh' The 30-year-old Bayh, an Indianapolis lawyer, mingled with the crowd and offered his ideas on how the office he seeks 'should be run. Around the area Inmate missing from work detail WESTCHESTER TWP.

A Westville Correctional Center inmate assigned to the Dunes State Park work detail was reported missing from his work crew this morning. Details of how Jamie Roach, 23, escaped or when he was first noticed as missing were not available. He had been jailed at Westville since March 1984 after being convicted in Marion County of burglary and theft. A search using police dogs was under way this morning. Killed after falling from truck A Michigan man was killed early Saturday when he was struck by a car on Interstate 94 in Porter County after falling from the bed of a pickup driven by his brother, state police said.

Pernell Cezar, 21, of Three Rivers, fell onto the highway and was hit by another vehicle, which left the scene, police said. The victim apparently had become intoxicated and unruly, police said, and had been tied up by his brother and placed in the truck bed. $520 loss in car looting A radar detector, tape recorder, camera and tape cassettes valued at $520 were stolen Thursday from a parked car owned by Terry Hugus, 225 Lincoln Hills Drive. Pickup truck taken in Hebron area A 1984 Chevrolet pickup truck belonging to Steven Hallberg, 373 W. County Road 750S, Hebron, was stolen Thursday or Friday.

Police said the incident may be related to the theft of a riding lawnmower the same night from the property of Beverly Birky, 39 W. Indiana 2, Kouts. fire hits vacant house PINE TWP. A fire caused $12,000 damage Sunday to a home at County Road 1600W south of CR 600E. The home was vacant, the renters having just moved out.

The damage was to the back of the home. Police said the owner is unknown. Nabbed after fleeing police An 18-year-old motorist was arrested for drunken driving and fleeing police after his auto hit four parked cars, two utility poles and a street sign while fleeing a Valparaiso police officer. Police gave this account: David C. Wilborn 2789 Oakwood Drive, threw a beer can out of his car window while driving on Locust Street in the 'sight of Lt.

Tony Nelson. Wilborn sped away from Nelson, hitting a telephone pole near the end of Locust Street. He then drove across a grassy area to Brown Street where he hit four parked cars, a street sign and another telephone pole. The last collision disabled his car. Wilborn was treated at Porter Memorial Hospital.

by Rick Lowery correspondent BEVERLY SHORES Evan Bayh, Democratic candidate for secretary of state, condemns what he describes as the present administration's neglect of northwest Indiana. "I remember a day when the tax base here was so strong that revenues from northwest Indiana were being used to finance projects everywhere around the state," Bayh said in a visit here Saturday. "Now that this area of the state is in trouble, it's important for the rest of Indiana to remember the role that the northwest has played and to come to its assistance." About 160 persons met Bayh at a quiche-and-champagne brunch. Bayh, the son of former Sen. Birch Bayh, is running against Republican Robert Bowen, the son of former Gov.

Otis Bowen. Kid co-op by Doug Ross Staff writer PORTER TWP. When Nancy Davis priced traditional day camps for her children, she decided to try a different approach. She persuaded three other mothers in her neighborhood to pool their resources and set up their own summer program. Their day camp, which began July 22, ended with a puppet show Friday.

Each of the mothers donated some expertise to help the children learn. "I feel that there are a lot of parents everywhere who have great ideas," said Davis, the mother of twin girls in the program. The four mothers took turns hosting the children for 2 to 2V4 hours In the mornings. Afternoons were kept free for trips to the beach and other family activities, she said. Many of the sessions focused on preparing for the puppet show.

The children wrote the dialogue, made the backgrounds and fashioned puppets. A creative writing exercise helped them get ready to write the script, Davis said. The youngsters used a computer to design a flyer to distribute among children in that area. The flyer was to promote the puppet show, but making Robert Mefford of Valparaiso (above) resumes his old position at the chin turret gun of the B17 bomber in which he flew 21 missions over Europe in 1944. Hundreds of people lined up Saturday at Porter County Airport (right) to tour the (V Karen AA.

Dunivan) about fraud complaints from all 50 states and from fraud actions filed by county prosecutors. "Now, they can tell you only if that person has been involved in a complaint filed with the Indiana secretary of state's office." Extending the time that field representatives can register voters outside of the courthouse. Making absentee ballots available at all major universities and senior citizens' centers. Refusing use of a state-provided car which would normally come with the office. "That car costs the state $16,000.

I think that it's an important gesture on my part in a time when the government is saying that we need to raise taxes or eliminate essential programs." the last day of their day (V Kathy Woodward) children without paying for a special summer program or camp. "This is a way to combat costs and transportation problems and still give the incentive to children to learn and continue their skills in a creative and fun situation," Davis said. The children love the program. "They're eating it up." Mothers don't mind the work, either. "When you share it among several parents, it really isn't all that difficult," Davis said.

"I hope some other people pick up on it." perior, county, municipal and probate courts into the unified system, in which each court votiM Increase judges' salaries in a two-step process that would end with judges of the new unified courts making $70,000 per year, effective July 1, 1988. The state average Is about $49,000, depending on counties' I i i yi Among many functions, the secretary of state oversees the certification of corporations, securities and elections in Indiana. The office should be "a watchdog in the statehouse to speak out against wasteful spending and some of the mismanagement that takes place," he said. Among Bayh's proposals: Flexible work scheduling for employees of the secretary of state's office in order to allow the office to be open on Saturday mornings without increasing costs. Adding a toll-free number to provide information for people who think they may have been defrauded in a securities transaction.

Bayh said he would like to make available information that already exists with the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington ul "Vt mathematical principles with Cuisenaire cubes with one of the mothers who is a math teacher. The yougsters, all entering grade 3. later this month, tried their hands at sandcasting and making clay miniatures. Davis said the mothers call their venture MOM, or Mothers Organizing Motivation. Mothers participating in the co-op with Davis were Carol Schultz, Jan Puller and Barbara Pence.

Each mother devoted one or two mornings to share her specialty to help motivate the cent. Last year, the state netted $8.6 million on the court system and the counties lost T'rM((1J Uoii Dt auioi likes the Idea of state funding. "The counties at this point are in the red, while the state Is making money on the court system. This would certainly help with the financial crunch." The proposal would also: Consolidate all circuit, su on Porter Township third graders Kristy puppet show Schultz, Cassie Pence, Danita Davis, Tif- camp. fany Davis and Melody Puller put on a the flyer was fun, too.

"They love to do graphics," Davis said. "Don't we all?" The play, "The Adventures of Google Goose," drew 36 spectators neighborhood children and their parents to the1 Garage Playhouse. In the play, a goose met various animals on her way to find treasure in the top of a volcano. The goose decided that her friends were a greater treasure than the gold. Not all attention was focused on the puppet show.

The children explored with a presiding judge. The proposal would have the state pay all the costs of judge rH ff probation vii'iuRul tun! aupii'ctt. Comities would pay only for maintaining facilities. The state would get all court revenue, except that tied to special local programs. Currently, the state pays 28 percent of court funding and the counties the oCjer 72 per Judges propose revamp of trial court system Auto taken in South Haven SOUTH HAVEN A 1983 Oldsmobile owned by Kathy Thomas, 795 Governor Road, was stolen Friday from the American Legion parking lot.

In fair condition aftej accident A 33 year-old Valparaiso woman was listed in fair condition this morning at Porter Memorial Hospital after she was struck by a car Sunday. Mychele Hawks, 602. E. Long Lake Road, was walking across Indiana 49 south of Clayton Road when she was struck by Joseph Beier, 33, of 4107 Cardinal St. Hawks suffered a broken leg.

Shotguns, coins reported stolen PORTAGE Two shotguns and coins were among items stolen Friday from the home of Michael Price, 7365 Lenburg Road. Police said the front door was pried open. The home of Albert Knowles, 3033 Kimberly was burglarized Friday. The rear door was pried open. Police are taking an Inventory to determine what was stolen.

AP and Ttw V-M INDIANAPOLIS Indiana's trial court system would undergo a twrrntZ Tbe group is proposing that the state pay tbe full costs of operating Hoosler courts and that a one-tier court syst replace the current muttHvrel system of circuit and cmnty courts. Courts would bo grouped, into 18 districts, each.