Wednesday, June 24, 2015 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com 75 cents A walk to remember By JACK RONALD The Commercial Review For Jo Ann Gierhart, the Walk Against Cancer is all about remembering. Saturday’s event inspires Remembering her parents. local cancer survivor Remembering her brother. Remembering friends. And remembering that Friday in 2011 when she received her said this week. “It’s a good opening ceremony including a own diagnosis. remembering time.” balloon release, and the annual When she joins hundreds of A host of activities are luminary ceremony is set for others on Saturday at the 14th planned for Saturday, beginning 9:30 p.m. The Commercial Review/Jack Ronald annual Jay County Cancer Soci- with bed races at 4 p.m. “Actually, I started walking Jo Ann Gierhart relaxes on a swing outside her rural ety event at the Jay County High A cancer survivor dinner will before my diagnosis,” said Gier- School track, the Bearcreek be served from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and hart, an instructional assistant Bearcreek Township home this week. Gierhart, who has been Township resident will have all registration for the walk begins at Judge Haynes Elementary dealing with cancer since 2011, will be among those that on her mind. at 6 p.m. School. participating in the 14th annual Jay County Walk Against “It’s really inspirational,” she At 8:30 p.m., there will be an See Remember page 2 Cancer on Saturday. Flag Jay, Adams host tour will come down Associated Press Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has ordered Con- federate flags to be taken down from the grounds of the state Capitol, the latest move to banish the divisive banner from state capitals, store shelves, license plates and monuments. Bentley issued the order this morning, one week after police say a white man killed nine black church members in Charleston, The Commercial Review/Jack Ronald South Carolina in a racially Some of the farmers, agribusiness representatives and Purdue staff taking part in the Farm Management Tour get motived attack. a behind the scenes look at IOM Grain. On Tuesday, South Car- olina lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to consid- er removing the Confeder- ate flag from their State- Tuesday stops included IOM, Johnson farm house grounds and other By JACK RONALD “Compared to the rest of the “We are all about long-term ket. … The future looks good politicians took aim at Civil The Commercial Review United States, year-in-year-out, end user customers, and we are (but) we’re only as good as the War-era symbols across the Purdue University’s 83rd we have higher oil content and all about long-term grower rela- last bushel we ship.” South, saying change is annual Farm Management Tour higher protein content,” Loucks tionships,” said Loucks. Following the panel discus- imperative after police said drew hundreds to Jay and said. “Anytime you want to talk Soybeans raised for human sion, the group took guided nine black churchgoers Adams counties Tuesday and quality … they’re talking (Indi- consumption in products such tours of the IOM plant, located were slain in a hate crime. today. ana, Ohio, Michigan) soybeans. as tofu bring a higher price per on county road 100 North in the Prodded by Gov. Nikki Farmers, agribusiness repre- They’re talking about our bushel on the market than those north Portland industrial park. Haley’s call the day before sentatives, Purdue faculty, and region.” raised for animal feed. Three generations of the to move the flag to a muse- students toured IOM Grain’s Loucks took part in a panel “We do go after the premi- Johnson family welcomed the um, lawmakers approved a Portland operation and the John- discussion led by Purdue agri- um,” said Miller. “That’s our tour to their farm on county measure enabling a flag son family farm in rural Redkey. cultural economist Chris Hurt goal.” road 1150 West. The family pro- debate by a vote of 103-10 in IOM’s Ramon Loucks told a and including Jay County Loucks explained that IOM duces popcorn, seed soybeans, the House and a voice vote crowd of about 250 how the com- farmer Greg Miller, who pro- doesn’t see itself in competition and seed wheat. in the Senate. pany has successfully moved duces soybeans for IOM. with huge companies like This morning the tour moved The House vote brought a into the marketing of food-grade, The company has about 200 to Cargill but has instead identi- to Adams County, touring the standing ovation after non-GMO soybeans to con- 250 growers, though not all of fied a niche market. Sommer and Beer farms near Democratic and Republi- sumers in not only the U.S. but them are growing soybeans for “We’re a boutique market,” Berne and the Nidlinger farms can leaders sponsored the China, Japan and Singapore. IOM every year. he said. “We are a high end mar- near Decatur. measure in a show of uncharacteristic unity. See Down page 5 FR preps for 2015-16 By RAY COONEY last two years, while The board set the bond Howlin’ The Commercial Review Meyer and Billenstein will for Firks at $50,000 with FORT RECOVERY — be new to the district. Fort Recovery Insurance Habegger Fort Recovery School The high school still has Agency, approved allowing Board made preparations Saxophonists Lee openings for a new busi- him to attend meetings “as Habegger, left, and Tuesday for a new school ness teacher, intervention he deems necessary for the year with a new superin- specialist and part-time betterment of the school Jonathan Rockwell, of tendent at the helm. industrial technology district operation” and the Jay County High The board hired several teacher. agreed to let him hire School Marching new teachers, agreed to Board members Jose casual labor as needed. Patriots rehearse purchase a new school van Faller, Ginny Fortkamp, All of those go into Tuesday at JCHS. and set elementary and Aaron Guggenbiller, Amy effect July 13, when Firks, Tuesday marked the middle school student fees Bihn and Dave Hull set ele- who previously served as first day of practice for for 2015-16. It also made mentary and middle principal at Fort Loramie several moves to prepare school student fees for High School, officially the Patriots, whose for new superintendent 2015-16, with most going becomes superintendent. summer schedule Justin Firks to join the up between $7 and $15. The He will replace Shelly includes the Archway school district. fees are: kindergarten - Vaughn, who will be the Classic on July 18 in Also joining the Fort $55.20; first - $62.12; second new superintendent of Centerville, the Jay Recovery staff this year - $64.15; third - $64.79; Mercer County Education- County Lions Contest after being hired Tuesday fourth - $58.70; fifth - $53.90; al Service Center. on July 24 at Jay will be fifth grade teacher sixth - $66.70; seventh - Firks has already spent Jocelyn Meyer, middle $67.90; and eighth - $62.75. several days working with County Fairgrounds school teacher Chad Miller They also approved pur- Vaughn to learn about his and Indiana State Fair and intervention specialist chase of a new nine-pas- new job, and will continue Band Day on Aug. 8 in Julie Billenstein. Miller senger van from Cardinal to do so until taking over Indianapolis. has served as an aide in Bus Sales and Service, the position full-time. The Commercial Review/Chris Schanz the middle school for the Inc., at a cost of $41,284. See Preps page 2 Weather In review Inside Coming up The Indiana Academy for Portland’s weather station Science, Mathematics and measured a high temperature Humanities and John Jay Cen- Page 4 — Columnist wonders Thursday — Photos from of 80 degrees Tuesday. The ter for Learning will host “H2O how much progress has actual- the opening day of Pennville overnight low was 56. A Go” for third through sixth ly been made. Legion-Lions Fair. Tonight’s low will be 64, and graders July 16 and 17. Students thunderstorms with heavy will learn about water, test their Page 6 — U.S. Army Jazz Saturday — The fourth rain are expected after 5 a.m. engineering skills and build a Ambassadors will perform Fri- story in our series about Thursday. pop bottle terrarium. For more day in Portland. school consolidation. For an extended forecast, information, visit www.johnjay- see page 2. center.com. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local Wednesday, June 24, 2015 Remember... Continued from page 1 Though other family members That was about 13 years ago after had died of cancer, Gierhart’s breast the death of her brother, Jim Keller cancer is not the type that is heredi- of Minnesota, from colon cancer. tary. “The first one was for my brother, Chemotherapy and radiation and at that time I needed it,” she treatments at the Cancer Center in said. Muncie followed, and though Gier- “I think it’s an inspiration to sit up hart doesn’t feel comfortable with in the stands and see all the lit can- the concept of “cancer free” she has dles. When you walk around and see gotten good reports from her follow- all the names … you are reminded up visits every six months. about them.” “I am on a medication for 10 Walking in his honor and his years,” she said. memory, she was inspired and Her advice to others: “Be tested. touched as she saw name after name Be aware of your body.” of people she knew who had been She warns against denial.