Wednesday, June 9, 2021 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com $1 Biden seeks to assure Updated Inn allies President heads to Europe on first trip overseas By JONATHAN LEMIRE and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press WASHINGTON — Embarking on the first overseas trip of his term, President Joe Biden is eager to reassert the United States on the world stage, steadying European allies shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism. Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. Before boarding Air Force One for Wednesday’s flight, Biden told reporters the trip is about making clear to the leaders of China and Russia that the United States and Europe “are tight.” Building toward his sum - mit with Russian President The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney Vladimir Putin, Biden will aim to reassure European Holiday Inn Express in Portland recently completed a renovation project that included new carpet, paint, blinds and capitals that the United States can once again be TVs in all rooms with new mirrors, tile and paint in the bathrooms. Refrigerators and microwaves are now standard in all rooms. counted on as a dependable The project kicked off in early 2020 but then was put on hold for about seven months because of the coronavirus pandemic. partner to thwart Moscow’s aggression both on their eastern front and their internet battlefields. Portand hotel celebrates completion of The trip will be far more about messaging than spe - renovation project delayed by pandemic cific actions or deals. And the paramount priority for By RAY COONEY needs, including a quality Now, those features are standard “We try to do at least a cou - Biden is to convince the The Commercial Review hotel, for the city to thrive. in all rooms. All beds are now ple pieces that were done here world that his Democratic It took longer than had been “We’re dedicated again to the either king- or queen-sized. locally,” Daniels said. administration is not just a expected. But a Portland hotel kids of the future,” said Daniels. The exercise room was reno - The biggest difference in the fleeting deviation in the tra - unveiled its new look Friday. “This is a model of helping build vated with new flooring, mirrors common areas — the lobby, jectory of an American for - Holiday Inn Express held a a cornerstone for the community. and equipment — it is equipped great room and hallways — is eign policy that many allies ribbon-cutting ceremony Fri - … That’s really why we did it.” with a treadmill, stationary bike an emphasis in being brighter. fear irrevocably drifted day to celebrate renovations The work involved upgrades to and elliptical machine, each with The walls are painted in toward a more transaction - that were delayed by the coron - all 73 rooms, with new carpet, a built-in TV monitor. The ban - whites and light grays. And al outlook under former avirus pandemic but are final - paint and blinds as well as new quet area was updated and the some walls were removed in President Donald Trump. ly substantially complete at 45-inch TVs. (The rooms previ - pool was repainted. the great room area to allow “The trip, at its core, will the hotel on Portland’s west ously had 32-inch TVs.) Bath - Showing off the renovations more sun to shine through. advance the fundamental side. rooms got all new countertops, on tours last week, Daniels point - “What they did is they tried thrust of Joe Biden’s for - Owner Scott Daniels tiling and mirrors. And all the ed out that all of the flooring and to open it wide open, allow eign policy,” said national expressed his excitement furniture — Daniels described it furniture in the lobby area had more light in to give it a dif - security adviser Jake Sulli - about the improvements. He as a more modern look — has been replaced. The same is true ferent feel,” he added. van, “to rally the world’s said he built the hotel in 2008 replaced as well. of the great room, which “There’s a very different feel democracies to tackle the in large part because a previ - Previously, some rooms had includes some furniture from to it.” great challenges of our ous study indicated several refrigerators and microwaves. Pennville Custom Cabinetry. See Updated page 5 time.” See Biden page 5 IU tuition hike approved By EMILY COX Herald-Times (Bloomington) Indiana University’s trustees have approved increasing under - graduate tuition and mandatory Bloomington campus fees for Indiana residents by 1% at the Bloomington campus and will see a 1% increase, Indiana University-Purdue Uni - versity Indianapolis for each of others will go up 1.45% the next two academic years. IU’s regional campuses — IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend and IU Southeast McRobbie said. “Even with this $112 increase in the 2021-22 aca - — will see 1.45% increases each modest increase, IU’s tuition demic year. of the next two academic years. rates would remain below the McRobbie said over the past The board of trustees’ deci - national average for four year three budget biennia, the average sion came during a special meet - public institutions.” annual tuition increase has been ing Wednesday that followed a The increase means tuition 1.3%, which he said is below the The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney virtual mandatory tuition forum and mandatory fees at IU Bloom - average rate of inflation during where the public was allowed to ington and IUPUI would that period. In-state tuition at IU submit questions or comments increase by $112 and $99, respec - Bloomington is the second lowest Fighting for position via email. Student Trustee tively, in the 2021-22 academic in the Big Ten, he said. Ethan Peterson of Portland’s Judan Judo Molly Connor cast the lone dis - year. For in-state students at the In a presentation IU Vice Presi - tries to fight off a throw during Saturday’s Indiana State senting vote. IU Bloomington campus, this dent and Chief Financial Officer Judo Championships. Judan hosted the event in the “These recommended increas - means tuition and fees will John Sejdinaj made during the auxiliary gym at Jay County Junior-Senior High School. es are the lowest tuition and fee increase from $11,221 to $11,333 tuition forum, he said tuition is increases at IU in more than 40 for the 2021-22 school year. IU’s primary source of revenue. years,” IU President Michael Regional campuses will see a See Tuition page 5 Deaths Weather In review Coming up Jay County’s high tempera - ture reached 81 degrees Tues - Dunkirk City Pool is tenta - day. The low was 68. tively scheduled to open Satur - Thursday — Coverage of Tonight’s forecast calls for day. tonight’s Jay County Council Donald Hummer , 76, Port - scattered showers and thun - The pool will be open from meeting. noon to 6 p.m. Monday through land derstorms with a low of 67. Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sun - Details on page 2. Thursday’s high will be 83 day. For more information, call Saturday — Feature about with more showers and thun - the pool at (765) 768-7632 or a longtime Jay Schools derstorms likely. Dunkirk City Building at (765) employee retiring this year. See page 2 for an extended 768-7632. outlook. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local Wednesday, June 9, 2021 Capsule Reports Failed to see according to a Jay County Sher - Debra S. Towell, 61, told Port - the accident. She’s being held Damage to his 2019 Honda Damage is estimated between iff’s Department report. He later land Police Department she in Jay County Jail on $10,000 Civic and the mail receptacle is $25,000 and $50,000 after a Fort told officers the sun created a was stopped at the traffic light bond. estimated between $2,500 and Wayne man drove into oncoming glare on his windshield and that on Meridian Street at the inter - Damage is estimated between $5,000. traffic about 7:05 a.m. Tuesday. he could not see. section with High Street. A 2000 $1,000 and $2,500. Andrew J. Eisaman, 44, was Both vehicles were towed. GMC Yukon, driven by 37-year- Raccoon hit driving a 2017 Ford Fiesta south - Eisaman’s vehicle is regis - old Megan N. Hunt, hit the back Mailbox hit A Portland man’s vehicle hit a east on Indiana 26 when he tered to Sutton Leasing of Ster - of Towell’s 2015 Buick Enclave A Union City man drove into raccoon on Indiana 67 about began to turn onto Indiana 67. A ling Heights, Michigan, and and continued east on High a mailbox on U.S. 27 in Jay 12:20 a.m. Sunday. 2004 Chevrolet Silverado, driven Berry’s vehicle is registered to Street without stopping. County about 3:50 p.m. Tuesday. David E. Pogue Jr., 45, Port - by 36-year-old Joseph C. Berry, Harris Mechanical of Portland. Hunt later told police she was Robert E. Mock, 42, told Jay land, was driving west on the then crashed into Eisaman’s driving south on Meridian County Sheriff’s Office he was highway near county road 400 vehicle. Intersection crash Street and fighting with her driving north on the highway East when a raccoon ran into Berry’s vehicle left the road A Portland woman was arrest - girlfriend, causing her to drive near county road 500 North the roadway.