(Thr'Uiiiftte-'HIrsHfngrr March 8, 1985 Page 10 Local news Librarians don't like proposed law tt would help confuse process of approving budgets, they fear Child-labor allegation a 'mistake' An allegation of a child labor law violation at the Basiin-Rob-bLEj Ice Cream store In Valparaiso tui mistake, accordicf to store manager Patricia Berting. The store was cited by a sUte inspector la February after Bernicg reported that ooe of her employee was a l-year-old, because- do work permit could be found for the girl Bernlng later discovered that the girl turned 17 in December, after she as hired but before she started working, Beraicg said. The Bskia-Rotbins citation drew attention because Berning la the wife of Prosecutor Daniel Bernicg, whose office routloeiy handles allegations of child labor violations. The prosecutor asked for appointment of a special prosecutor to handle toe matter, saying for his office to handle it might have the appearance of Impropriety. Superior Court Judge Bruce Douglas refused to appoint a special prosecutor.
Ron Wlntrode of the state Division of Labor said be was surprised by the request for a special prosecutor. The term "child labor violation" has an inflammatory sound, but the alleged violation at Baskin-Robbins was simply an administrative mistake, even If the girl as only 16, be said. legation." There are foils who have charged us with being isolated from the ballot box," Bavgher said. He thicls the isolation is a good idea. It protects the library from political influence.
"We attempt to have balanced collections with opinions on both sides of the question." But that could change if politicians or single-Interest groups are allowed to Influence library spending, he said. Porter County would likely remain unscathed, but other counties' library systems could be affected, he said. "It hasn't been abused In Indiana. We've been Insulated from that." Libraries could exempt themselves from the law by setting up elected boards. But that wouldn't be easy.
In smaller library districts, it's difficult enough to recruit people. It would be difficult to rwwu And at every review, the bod-get may be cut but not increased, said. The Utrary budgets are already submitted to the County Board of Tan Adjustments before state approval Is sought, Baugher said. "We don't too if it's workable. We don't know if it's constitutional, also," he said.
The Porter County Library System budget might go before the County Council for its approval. Because the county library system eiludes Westchester and Boone townships, that could place the budget under review by someone who doesn't live within the district. The extra step in the budget review process would also mean more legal notices and other expenses. "It would probably cause government to spend more money," Baugher said. "I'm not afraid to say it's bad to campaign for the unpaid position, be said.
But as bad as the bill la, it could pass this session, Baughr said. The bill la backed by House Speaker J. Roberta Daiiey. That endorsem*nt camel plenty of eight in the legislature. It passed out of the House and is now being considered In the Senate.
Another bill being considered In the Senate would require the Indiana State Library staff to decide how to divide state library grant money. The library money is now distributed based on libraries' budgets. That penalises the small-spenders, Baugher said. The new distribution would also Include the population served by the library. "I think it's a much better plan." He hopes the bill passes.
t-j Dcmj Ross CHESTERTON A3 cfciir-t i of tfie Induna Library Association's legislative committee, Ptil Eauger is carefully itchir.g General Assembly proposals that would aftect libraries. "The one that has the whole library community up in arms is House Bill 1885," said Baugher. doctor of Westchester Public Library. The bill would strip library boards and some other appointed boards of their budget-making powers. But the bill isn't ck-ar about who would approve the libraries' budgets.
In the case of the Westchester library, the budget might have to be approved by five local government boards before going through the current channels of approval. S.S. closing here still unconfirmed Police arrest five at party Five Porter Township residents were arrested today at a Lakes ol the Four Seasons home on charges of underage possession of alcohol. Police were called to the Marthaler home at 1390 Braodywlne shortly after midnight by Lakes of the Four Seasons security officers who said they had received a report of a teenage drinking party at that address. Officers arrested four adults and a 17-year-old girl after finding a case of beer on the kitchen table, police said.
Arrested were Vincent J. Regan, 19, of 281 S. County Road 500W; Kelly L. Creekbaum, 18, of 524 W. CR 250S; Ronald E.
Ligocki, 18, of 237 S. CR 725W; and Keith W. Hylek, 19, of 341 S. CR 725W. The girl was not identified because she is a Juvenile.
Possessing alcohol Is a misdemeanor in Indiana for anyone under 21 years of age. Judge declares defendant innocent Judge Roger Bradford cut short the trial of a Portage woman Wednesday and declared her innocent of charges that she attempted to steal money from her insurance company by faking a burglary at her home. Bradford said prosecutors had failed to prove Beverly Nab-han guilty. Nabhan, 45, of 6242 Mulberry was charged la 1983 after reporting a break-in at her home. A six-member jury heard three days of testimony from prosecution witnesses.
When prosecutors rested, Nabhan's attorney rested also and moved for a directed verdict of innocent. Bradford, agreeing that the prosecutors had not proven the case, dismissed the Jury and announced his verdict. "They proved that someone did it, and It could have been her. But it could have also been a number of other people," Bradford said. by Bob Mitchell Staff writer Valparaiso could lose Its Social Security office under plans now being reviewed by Social Security Administration officials.
The Valparaiso office, located at 1005 Campbell is one of five in Indiana likely to be closed, according to a list prepared by the agency. Social Security Administration officials have reportedly discussed closing or consolidating offices with less than 10 staff members and examining offices with a staff of up to 16 for possible closing. A Social Security spokesman denied that any offices have been targeted for closing. The Valparaiso office now serves 15,500 Social Security and more than 500 Supplemental Security Income clients in Porter, southern LaPorte and Starke counties. It employs 12 full-time staff members, said branch manager Earl Temkin.
Persons wishing- to apply for Social Security, SSI or black lung benefits come to the Valparaiso office. The office is also In charge of sorting out problems regarding receipt of benefits, he said. If the office were to close, Temkin said, its clientele would likely become the responsibilities of larger Social Security offices now located In South Bend or Gary. But it is not at all certain that the Valparaiso office will be Pleads guilty to forgery A closed, said John Trolllnger, Social Security deputy press secretary. "There have been no offices that have been designated to be closed." The agency is looking for ways to streamline its delivery of services, he said.
That could mean some offices will be closed In the future. "But I think it Is a disservice to the people to say that an office In the area Is due for closing." U.S. Rep. Elwood Hillls, R-Ko-komo, said he opposes any move to shut down the Valparaiso office. "I'm' not convinced such a plan would save that much money.
But I do think the loss of personal service would present a tremendous burden to the elderly," he said. "I think we need to talk more about Increasing the accessibility of Social Security offices, especially in view of the maturing of the baby-boom generation." Marianne Holmer, director of the Porter County Council on Aging and Aged, said she Is concerned about plans to close the office. "That is such an accessible office and such an asset to the community, I'd hate to see it lost. "I hope it Is one of those trial balloons that will be quickly shot down." Also listed for possible closing are offices in Michigan City, East Chicago, Crawfordsville and Auburn. office practices.
Jurors heard testimony Thursday from two of Negley's employees subpoenaed to answer questions about their boss's actions. The testimony lasted several Meanwhile, Marion County Prosecutor Stephen Goldsmith was in Kokomo Thursday and told Howard County Republicans the standing grand jury has a heavy workload until its term expires March 31. He said the Negley investigation should be handled quickly because of its impact on the state's education system. If testimony d'uing the grand jury Investigation, which got under way Thursday, opened new leads, he "would almost have to go to a special grand jury," the prosecutor said. Negley allegedly drew personal loans and paid business expenses from a campaign fund financed in large part by his employees.
Negley paid interest on the loans following news accounts of the transactions. Negley announced Wednesday he was taking a voluntary leave of absence until the grand Jury Investigation is completed. "I have committed no crimes," he added. Plans call for Negley to continue drawing his salary during his absence. ISTA chief defends state superintendent There haven't been many sunny days recently.
When one came along, Scott McCarthy, a senior on the Valparaiso High School basketball team, took to his driveway basket to sharpen his Shooting eye. (V Perry Martin) Stockholders backing Midwest owner merger A former Valparaiso man pleaded guilty Thursday to two felony charges of forgery, admitting he signed a friend's name on two checks. Jimmy Lee Hawkins, 28, of Newcastle, is to receive a S'li-year sentence under a plea bargain worked out with prosecutors. He is charged with forging checks totalling $140. Hawkins agreed to repay the'money when he gets out of prison.
The plea agreement must be approved by Judge Roger Bradford before It is finalized. Bradford delayed action on the plea agreement, pending a pre-sentence Investigation by the probation department, and set sentencing for April 11. Racquetball equipment taken from car Racquetball equipment valued at $200 was reported stolen early today from a car parked outside the Time Out Food and Spirits In Portage. A Hobart man reported that the equipment was taken while he was In the bar between midnight and 3 a.m. Four-year term for burglaries A Chesterton man was sentenced Thursday to four years In prison for his role in burglarizing two Porter County homes.
Howard Dodson 19, of 1905 Westchester, was handed the four-year term as part of a plea bargain after he pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary stemming from break-Ins at summer homes in Jackson and Pine townships. Dodson, a former Michigan City area resident, said he drove a car for two other LaPorte County residents who broke Into the homes in January 1984. Tbey brought out various household items, appliances and a gun, he said. Dodson was arrested in connection with a burglary In the city of LaPorte about two weeks after the Porter County break-ins. Police later searched Dodson's home and the home of another man arrested with him, allegedly turning up some of the stolen goods.
Other items had been sold, Dodson told police. Judge Raymond Kickbush accepted Dodson's guilty plea and ordered him to complete two years of probation after finishing his prison term. The term is to be served at the same time as a four-year term Imposed recently In connection with the LaPorte burglary. Co-defendant Carl Phillips, 42, of Michigan City, is scheduled to be tried April 16. Also arrested was a 17-year-old boy.
Stereos taken from two cars Car stereos were reported taken from two cars outside a Portage apartment building Thursday. Owners of two cars parked at Park Place Apartments reported their AM-FM cassette players stolen. Windows were broken to get into the cars. It was an amateur Job of thievery, police said. Son replaces father as commissioner LAPORTE (AP) Democrats have chosen Michael Quinn of Fish Lake to complete his father's term on the LaPorte County Board of Commissioners.
Quinn was elected Wednesday night on the third ballot, defeating Jack Arnet of LaPorte by two votes. Patrick Quinn, who died last week of a heart attack, was elected to the board In 1978 and re-elected last year. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The head of the Indiana State Teachers Association defended State Superintendent of Public Instruction Harold H. Negley while a grand jury heard testimony about bis alleged use of public office for personal gain. ISTA President Damon P.
Moore said Thursday Negley "has" been tried and convicted" by publicity and rumors. But he called Negley's decision to take a temporary leave of absence necessary given the "political atmosphere" created by the allegations. Moore said, "I thought we still lived in a country where a man was innocent until proven guilty. This seems not to be the case this time." The ISTA, which claims 36,000 members, backed Negley In his re-election last November for a fourth term. (' While Negley Is on leave, East Chicago School Superintendent Robert Krajewski is filling In as head of the state's Department of Education.
Krajewski, 56, has been superintendent of the East Chicago school district since 1970. He became acting state school superintendent by being elected chairman of the State Board of Education Thursday. Negley, 63, Is under investigation by a Marlon County grand jury for alleged Improprieties in his campaign fund-raising and by Bob Mitchell Staff writer The merger of National Inter-group co-owner of the Midwest Steel plant in Portage, with a Los Angeles-based firm appears to have the backing of Nil stockholders. Howard Love, Nil chairman, announced Thursday In Pittsburgh that a preliminary count of stockholder votes indicates a clear-cut majority voted In favor of the merger with Ber-gen-Brunswig Corp. of Los Angeles, a distributor of medical and consumer electronic goods.
The takeover had been opposed by Leucadla National a New York firm in bui-dling materials, finance, insurance and real estate. Leucadla acquired 7 percent of National stock and campaigned against the merger. Nil management conducted its own campaign In favor of the merger, taking out newspaper advertisem*nt urging support of the combination. Under terms of the proposed merger, National stockholders will own two-thirds of the common stock of Bergen National and elect 10 of the 21 directors of the newly-formed company. Nil stockholders will exchange each share of their stock for 1.
225 shares of stock In Bergen National. Bergen Brunswig closed trading Thursday at $25Vfe per share while Nil closed at $30 per share. Love said the merger was part of Nil's plan to move away from capital-intensive businesses Into production of technologically advanced products. The merger with Bergen Brunswig comes less than a year after Nil merged its steel-making operations with Japanese steelmaker Nippon Kokan and an unsuccessful merger attempt with U.S. Steel.
National and NKK Jointly own three U.S. steel mills, Including the Portage Midwest Steel Division plant..
