Case Moves to the Jury by BAILEY CLINE Tand, Was the Person Assuming the Commercial Review Hiestand and Stephen Had a the Fate of a Rural Portland Plan
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Wednesday, August 11, 2021 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com $1 Case moves to the jury By BAILEY CLINE tand, was the person assuming The Commercial Review Hiestand and Stephen had a The fate of a rural Portland plan. woman charged with murder is Quirk also referenced informa - now in the hands of the jury. Prosecution rested case this morning tion from a testimony given Tues - Prosecutors and the defense day from Jeremy Brice of the rested their case and presented defense presented no witnesses, evidence Indiana State Police intelligence closing arguments this morning and technology unit. Brice said during 20-year-old Portland resi - there were no obvious indicators dent Shelby N. Hiestand’s trial in of the crime solicited from Hies - Jay Circuit Court for the Jan. 12, tand’s cell phone search engines 2020, murder of 31-year-old Shea der. Esther J. Stephen, the mother Hiestand to retrieve a gun and to believe without reasonable or calls. He also mentioned a text Briar. of Briar’s child, was sentenced in shoot him in the back. doubt Hiestand knowingly or message –– “Nope, I’m killing The defense offered no evi - May to 55 years in prison after a John Quirk, Hiestand’s attor - intentionally killed Briar. that bastard with my own two dence or witnesses. Jay Circuit Court jury found her ney, argued in his closing state - “That’s the part I say they did - hands” –– sent by Hiestand to Two Level 5 felony charges, guilty. Another woman, 19-year- ment there was no plan to com - n’t prove,” he said. Stephen that was referenced by reckless homicide and involun - old Hannah Knapke, will stand mit murder and that Briar’s Quirk referenced her admis - the prosecution. He said it was tary manslaughter, were added as trial Nov. 15. The prosecution death was an accident. He also sions of guilt in the interroga - taken out of context. alternative charges for jurors to alleges that there was a plot to kill said it would have been impossi - tion recording played Monday. “You talk about fishing, that’s consider. Briar, with the women driving ble to line up a gunshot in the He said Jay County Sheriff’s like (fishing) for a week and not Hiestand’s trial is the second in him to northern Jay County and dark. Office chief deputy Patrick catching a thing,” he said. Jay Circuit Court for Briar’s mur - Stephen distracting him to allow He reminded jurors they have Wells, who interrogated Hies - See Jury page 5 Senate passes Scout presents spending outline Resolution calls for $3.5 trillion for various programs By ALAN FRAM Associated Press WASHINGTON — Democrats pushed a $3.5 trillion framework for bol - stering family services, health and environment programs through the Sen - ate early Wednesday, advancing President Joe Biden’s expansive vision for reshaping federal prior - ities just hours after hand - ing him a companion tri - umph on a hefty infra - structure package. Lawmakers approved Democrats’ budget resolu - tion on a party-line 50-49 vote, a crucial step for a president and party set on training the government’s fiscal might on assisting families, creating jobs and fighting climate change. Higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney would pay for much of it. Passage came despite an Scout Clean Energy senior associate project manager Zach Lasek explains some of the details of the proposed avalanche of Republican Sun Chief Solar to Jay County residents during an open house Tuesday at the Farmer’s Building at Jay County Fairgrounds. amendments intended to The proposed facility would be in a similar area to Scout’s Bitter Ridge Wind Farm, which the company brought online last make their rivals pay a price in next year’s elec - fall. Plans call for construction of the 100-megawatt project in 2023. tions for control of Con - gress. House leaders announced their chamber Plans call for 100 megawatt solar facility will return from summer recess in two weeks to vote in similar area to Bitter Ridge Wind Farm on the fiscal blueprint, which contemplates dis - By RAY COONEY The Commercial Review bursing the $3.5 trillion Details about a third planned Sun Chief timeline over the next decade. Final solar project in Jay County were congressional approval, shared Tuesday. Scout Clean Energy, which completed Bitter Ridge Wind Farm in southwest Jay County last year, is now planning a solar which seems certain, Scout Clean Energy held an farm in about the same area. Below is the Colorado-based company’s projected timeline for the project. would protect a subse - quent bill actually enact - open house in the Farmer’s September June 2022 Building at Jay County Fair - ing the outline’s detailed Road use and decommissioning agreements Execution of generator spending and tax changes grounds to offer the public a Preliminary meeting to request tax abatement interconnection agreement chance to review plans and ask from a Republican fili - questions about Sun Chief Solar. buster in the 50-50 Senate, October/November First quarter 2023 Scout, which owns and oper - delays that would other - ates Bitter Ridge Wind Farm in Hearing with Jay County Plan Commission Start of construction wise kill it. southwest Jay County, is plan - Even so, passing that fol - ning the 100-megawatt Sun Chief First quarter 2022 Fourth quarter 2023 low-up legislation will be Solar in a similar area — around Close of financing Solar farm becomes operational dicey with party moder - Indiana 67 between Redkey and ates wary of the massive Jay County Landfill. (All of the $3.5 trillion price tag vying wind turbines are south of Indi - with progressives demand - ana 67). A dozen landowners the project Tuesday. Those residents visited various stations ence will be with the permitting ing aggressive action. The have signed on for the project, details will likely be presented set up in the Farmer’s Building process,” said Scout CEO party controls the House which will span an area of about next month as the company on Tuesday to learn details about Michael Rucker. “And it gives us with just three votes to 1,200 acres with 70% in Jefferson seeks to reach road use and the project. an opportunity to get people’s spare, while the evenly Township and 30% in Richland decommissioning agreements “Our experience has been … feedback, incorporate those divided Senate is theirs Township. with Jay County Commission - that the earlier we start commu - ideas into the project, answer only due to Vice President Scout officials did not have an ers. nicating with the community, questions …” Kamala Harris tie-break - estimated construction cost of A steady stream of Jay County generally the easier our experi - See Presents page 5 ing vote. Solid GOP opposi - tion seems guaranteed. See Spending page 6 Deaths Weather In review Coming up Jay County had a high tem - Marcia Scott , 88, Fort perature of 88 degrees Tuesday. Need to fill out a birth Wayne A heat advisory is in effect announcement, engagement Thursday — Coverage of Gerald Wagner , 98, through 8 p.m. tonight. The low or wedding form to have your tonight’s Jay County Council Wapakoneta, Ohio was 73. Tonight’s forecast calls special event announced in meeting. Sharon Oates , 82, Kenton, for a low of 76 with a slight the newspaper? They’re now Ohio chance of showers and thun - available electronically. Just Saturday — Results from Stanley Gibson , 68, derstorms. Thursday’s high go to thecr.com, hover over the FRHS girls golf team at the Springfield, Oregon will be 91 with storms possible “Forms” and select the form Celina Invitational. Details on page 2. in the afternoon. See page 2 for you’d like to fill out. an extended outlook. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local Wednesday, August 11, 2021 CR almanac Obituaries Marcia Scott Coldwater, Ohio, to Celina, Ohio, Fifteen grandchildren and several and finally to Wapakoneta. He great-grandchildren Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday April 1, 1933-Aug. 9, 2021 8/12 8/13 8/14 8/15 8/16 worked as an electrician at several She was preceded in death by two Marcia Marie Davis Stephens companies, such as Hecklers Elec - sons, Troy and Mark Turner; and a Scott passed away on Aug. 9 , 2021, at tric, New Idea Manufacturing and granddaughter, Sarona Turner. Parkview Hospice. Huffy Manufacturing. He was a Visitation will be held from 9 to She was born in Randolph Coun - partner in owning and operating 11 a.m. Saturday in the ty, on April 1, 1933, to John A. Davis the Mershman Manufacturing Co., Williamson-Spencer and Penrod 91/72 83/58 78/57 80/60 83/62 and Bernice G. (Kimble) Davis. She and the Coldwater Machine Co. He Funeral Home in Portland. Servic - graduated from Port - also had his own business, Wagner es will immediately follow at 11 A 40 per - Showers Expect The high The fore - land High School in TV & Electrical Service, while liv - a.m. at the funeral home. Pastor cent chance and thunder - sunny skies temperature cast calls for 1950 and retired in of showers storms are with a high in will be 80 sunny skies ing near Coldwater, Ohio. Jonathan Edwards will officiate and thunder - likely, mainly the upper under sunny again with a 1996 from CTS in Gerald was a dedicated Catholic and burial will follow in Hillcrest storms, main - after 2 p.m. 70s. skies. high in the Berne, Indiana, after ly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, low 80s. man and a hard working husband Cemetery in Redkey.