Thai student talks Gunman opens fire Tigers baseball about her home at Wisconsin casino wins 2 at Whitko Area State Page 1a Page 3 Sports Page 6 The News-Bannerwww.News-Banner.com MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021 BLUFFTON, INDIANA • Wells County’s Hometown Connection $1.00 Holliday: Beds not a priority at the jail — yet Sheriff asks that renovations and energy efficiency work be funded first By JESSICA BRICKER when the jail administra- Wells County leader- tion started talking about ship may soon hear some renovating the intake space updates regarding potential and other areas in light of projects at the jail. issues that came up due to Sheriff Scott Holli- the COVID-19 pandemic. day reminded the county The architecture firm council in early April that has also started to hone in they’ve been talking about on work to either send out possible work at the facil- for bids or for a general ity for several months, all contractor, Holliday said. stemming from an energy Initially they were prepar- efficiency study. ing to present again to the He said representatives county council as early as from Ameresco, which this week but that appoint- did the study, visit the jail ment is now expected to almost weekly to dial in on come in June as well, the accurate numbers when it sheriff said Thursday. comes to efficiency needs Holliday noted last in lighting and plumbing, month that adding more Open for business for example. They are cur- beds to the facility was a Saturday was the opening day of the Parlor City Market season, and it was a blustery yet sunny start to the weekend. rently preparing to present third tier to the discussions. There were numerous vendors and live music. The market runs weekly through October. (Photo by Jessica Bricker) to the council in June. He said in April his pri- The architecture firm ority is the renovation work Elevatus became involved (Continued on Page 2) Grain indemnity fund reforms now state law By JESSICA BRICKER fund like an insur- process, setting before it left the Senate. He said He also said he felt there were A new law that will introduce ance policy. Follow- On the Web aside funds for addi- at the time it was to keep the bill issues overlooked by the depart- reforms for the state’s grain indem- ing last year’s fore- tional training, and alive. ment that justified the failure date nity program does not include closure of the sister • View the final version of giving the agency It didn’t make the final cut. being moved back. changes to the reimbursement companies, numer- the law online at: bit. more steps for com- Last week, Gov. Eric Holcomb Holdman said in this instance period for farmers impacted by the ous concerns came ly/3t7cJ5y pliance to utilize signed the legislation — which it was corporate agriculture versus failures of multiple grain elevators to light regarding the before a suspension lacks a changed failure date — into the small farmer. in Wells and Huntington counties. fund’s oversight process and the or failure is levied on a company. law. Holdman voted in favor of it “And corporate ag won the Local legislators Sen. Travis work of the Indiana Grain Buyers The original version of Hold- due to the need for those reforms, debate at the end of the day. But I Holdman, R-Markle, and Rep. Dan and Warehouse Licensing Agency, man’s bill — different versions he said, but spoke out against it voted for the bill anyway because Leonard, R-Huntington, worked which is the state’s only regulatory originated in both the House and before doing so. things need to be cleaned up at the during the past Indiana General arm of the Department of Agricul- Senate — included language for He told The News-Banner last department level,” he said. “When Assembly session to modify laws ture. an earlier failure date for the eleva- week he was not happy that the people say, ‘Well there’s nothing already on the books for the pro- Lawmakers worked to intro- tor companies, which would have changed failure date did not make wrong and the department didn’t gram that reimburses participating duce reforms such as setting a changed the eligibility period of it through. He told his colleagues do anything wrong,’ well then why farmers in the event of a collapse deadline for when deferred-priced reimbursement out of the indem- at the time that he was “terribly did we pass legislation to clean up like the 2020 failures of Salamonie grain must be sold, specifying nity fund. disappointed that we didn’t have the department if they didn’t do Mills and Agland Grain. more conflict of interest rules, Holdman had to cut that lan- compassion” to help out the farm- anything wrong?” Farmers pay into the indemnity establishing a performance review guage out of his bill, though, ers. [email protected] Three killed when boat capsizes Insurers pushing By ELLIOT SPAGAT rugged peninsula of Point Loma, waves, including three who drowned, and CHRISTOPHER WEBER according to the San Diego Fire-Res- said Romero. One person was rescued Associated Press cue Department. from a cliff and 22 others managed to SAN DIEGO (AP) — Three people The original call was for a handful make it to shore on their own, he said. more people to were killed and more than two dozen of people overboard but as rescuers “Once we arrived on scene, the others were hospitalized Sunday after arrived in boats and jet skis they quick- boat had basically been broken apart,” a boat capsized and broke apart in ly realized “it was going to be a big- Romero said. “Conditions were pretty use telemedicine rough water just off the San Diego ger situation with more people,” said rough: 5 to 6 feet of surf, windy, cold.” coast during a suspected human smug- San Diego Lifeguard Services Lt. Rick A total of 27 people were trans- By TOM MURPHY gling operation, authorities said. Romero. ported to hospitals with “a wide vari- AP Health Writer Lifeguards, the U.S. Coast Guard “There are people in the water, ety of injuries” including hypothermia, Make telemedicine your first choice for most and other agencies responded around drowning, getting sucked out the rip Romero said. Most of the victims were doctor visits. That’s the message some U.S. employ- 10 a.m. following reports of an over- current there,” he said. able to walk themselves to ambulanc- ers and insurers are sending with a new wave of turned vessel in the waves near the Seven people were pulled from the (Continued on Page 2) care options. Amazon and several insurers have started or expanded virtual-first care plans to get people to use telemedicine routinely, even for planned vis- SpaceX safely returns 4 astronauts its like annual checkups. They’re trying to make it easier for patients to connect with regular help by CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) one Japanese, flew back in the same replied that the astronauts would have using remote care that grew explosively during the — SpaceX safely returned four astro- capsule — named Resilience — in to check with the company’s market- COVID-19 pandemic. nauts from the International Space Sta- which they launched from NASA’s ing department. Advocates say this can keep patients healthy and tion on Sunday, making the first U.S. Kennedy Space Center in November. Within a half-hour of splashdown, out of expensive hospitals, which makes insurers crew splashdown in darkness since the “We welcome you back to planet the charred capsule — resembling a and employers that pay most of the bill happy. Apollo 8 moonshot. Earth and thanks for flying SpaceX,” giant toasted marshmallow — had But some doctors worry that it might create an The Dragon capsule parachuted SpaceX’s Mission Control radioed been hoisted onto the recovery ship, over-reliance on virtual visits. into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast moments after splashdown. “For those with the astronauts exiting soon after- “There is a lot lost when there is no personal of Panama City, Florida, just before of you enrolled in our frequent flyer ward. NASA and SpaceX managers touch, at least once in a while,” said Dr. Andrew 3 a.m., ending the second astronaut program, you’ve earned 68 million marveled at how fast and smooth the Carroll, an Arizona-based family doctor and board flight for Elon Musk’s company. miles on this voyage.” operation went. The company’s senior member of the American Academy of Family Phy- It was an express trip home, lasting “We’ll take those miles,” said adviser, Hans Koenigsmann, said “it sicians. just 6 1/2 hours. spacecraft commander Mike Hopkins. looked more like a race car pit stop (Continued on Page 2) The astronauts, three American and “Are they transferrable?” SpaceX (Continued on Page 3) Celebrate Mom How to contact us: Inside Outside Online with customizable Call us: 824-0224 Local/Area pendants in MmySterling Silver! or 1-800-579-7476 Coming soon only to Mmy chic Obituaries. 3 chic Starting at $99 Fax us: 824-0700 Police Notebook . .3 www.news-banner.com — FJ285P [email protected] A look at the spring $130 FJ285P Get the rst round FJ271P $130 Engraved on back: On the Web: CAC dance performance $149 Gemstone FREE FJ271P Love, Empathy Engraved on back: Opinion Rain for the next three after pandemic abruptly$149 and Kindness www.news-banner.com Love,MmyMmy Empathy and Kindnesschicchic Michael Hicks . .4 days, then turning cooler ends 2020 season The Perfect Gift Follow us at: The Perfect Gift For The For The Perfect Mom FJ285P FJ292CZFJ285P twitter.com/newsbanner Today Tuesday Wed.