Get control of Golf carts to parade Local golfers wormwood through town today claim state titles Area State Page 5 Page 8 Sports Page 6 The News-Bannerwww.News-Banner.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 BLUFFTON, INDIANA • Wells County’s Hometown Connection $1.00 Unemployment rate drops to 4.7% By DAVE SCHULTZ Wells County’s unemployment rate was one of the state’s lowest before the pandemic and its resulting economic downturn. While many things may have changed, that statement is holding true as the nation continues to battle the COVID-19 outbreak and get its citizens back to work. Wells County’s unemployment rate in August was 4.7 percent, accord- ing to preliminary figures released Monday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The rate a month earlier was 5.9 percent. Indiana’s statewide unemployment rate, released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is 6.4 percent. The national rate, accord- ing to the same study, is 8.4 percent. Chad Kline, economic development director for Wells County, had been apprehensive when considering how the county would fare as hir- ing resumed. He had been told that some companies may have built up inventories while other locations were shut down much tighter than Indi- ana was. Had that been the case, that could have led to workforce reduc- tions here. With a 4.7 percent unemployment rate, Wells County is near the 4 percent unemployment rate — a mark some economists consider full functional employment. “We’re definitely faring very well,” Kline said Monday afternoon. “We have had a very, very small response to any permanent layoffs in manufacturing.” The drop in Wells County’s unemployment rate has happened, he said, because companies have been hiring. Breathing easy “Most everyone has brought everybody back, and some are looking to hire more people,” Kline said. A bear standing along the Rivergreenway west Wells County Road 450E is a model for the community Northeast Indiana’s numbers are encouraging, according to a report on wearing a mask to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The bear is one of a series of markers carved from Rachel E. Blakeman, the Community Research Institute director at by Sid King that stand a half-mile apart on the Rivergreenway. Sandy Fiechter made the mask and her Purdue University Fort Wayne. Wells is one of five counties — Adams, daughter-in-law, Brandy Fiechter, the assistant superintendent of the Blufffton Parks and Recreation LaGrange, Steuben, and Whitley are the others — that are under 5 per- Department, tied it around the bear’s face. (Photo by Dave Schultz) cent unemployment. Only Allen, at 6.7 percent, had a higher unemploy- (Continued on Page 2) Courts seek usage of grant for COVID-19 expenses By JESSICA BRICKER Kiracofe said ICJI approves the expendi- The county’s courts may be able to capi- tures so there is no guarantee the purchases talize on a grant that would provide funds or needs will be approved but it’s something for the county for COVID-19 pandemic- the local courts are pursuing. related expenses. Also on Monday, the commissioners On Monday Wells Circuit Court Judge voted to expand the Tax Increment Financ- Kent Kiracofe discussed the federal grant, ing district along Adams Street east to Jasun which was made available through the Indi- Industrial Park and south to 200S. ana Criminal Justice Institute to reimburse The request was brought forth by Wells counties for expenditures related to the pan- County Economic Development Director demic. Wells is eligible for $63,168.08. Chad Kline, representing the Bluffton Rede- “I don’t know how this was calculated,” velopment Commission. Kiracofe told the county commissioners, The TIF district expansion would allow adding it could be related to case loads. officials to use existing TIF funds toward Some counties reportedly received no eli- a possible 200S reconstruction project. gibility. TIF money is a tool that allows officials to Kiracofe said items that could be paid incentivize projects in the district, he said. through the grant include reimbursement If a new district would have been created, for computers that were purchased to allow there would have been no funds available employees to work from home, necessary in that area to use toward the 200S project, electronic equipment to host off-site jury Kline said. Expanding the district encom- selection and the rental fees for those facili- passes the new area into the existing district, A crew from Primco works on the White Bridge Monday afternoon. The commissioners received ties, and creating or improving the ability to giving development in that area access to an update on the project Monday — the second meeting of September that the trio never holds have remote hearings while defendants stay the funds already available. because it usually conflicts with closures downtown due to set up for the Bluffton Free Street at the jail, as well as have remote meetings Kline said he has encouraged Commis- Fair. Information from County Engineer Nate Rumschlag’s full report will be in Wednesday’s between attorneys and their clients. (Continued on Page 2) News-Banner. (Photo by Jessica Bricker) ISP investigating Officials to work COVID-19 affects apparent suicide at jail on rural clean-up BHMSD enrollment By JESSICA BRICKER Richardson had been incarcer- By DEVAN FILCHAK The Indiana State Police are ated at the jail since Wednesday Enrollment at Bluffton-Harrison schools has been affect- By JESSICA BRICKER ed by the COVID-19 pandemic. investigating an apparent suicide and was in an isolated cell “related A community clean-up day in rural in the Wells County Jail, the sec- to COVID precautionary proto- The information was shared by Superintendent Brad communities may still be held this year. Yates at the Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School Dis- ond such investigation this year. cols,” the release said. Area Plan Director Mike Lautzenheiser The Wells County Sheriff’s Richardson had appeared in trict Monday. For the first time in several years, the overall Jr. facilitated a discussion with members enrollment for the school district fell by about seven stu- Department contacted the ISP Wells Circuit Court Friday on a of the Wells County Solid Waste District Sunday “after jail staff found an revocation of suspended sentence dents. From the 2018-19 school year to last school year, the Monday morning, explaining the need average daily membership increased by about 28 students. inmate unresponsive in an isolated on a 2013 burglary case, according for an event that would allow residents of jail cell,” according to an ISP press to court records. Yates said the cause ultimately falls to the repercussions rural communities to dispose of unwanted of the coronavirus pandemic. About 35 BHMSD families release issued Monday afternoon. Results of an autopsy and toxi- junk. The inmate, Dylan E. Richard- cology testing are pending. chose to homeschool their children this year due to the pub- Lautzenheiser has a $4,000 line item lic health crisis, Yates said. son, 31, of Bluffton, was found This is the second apparent this year — the first time it was budgeted unresponsive at about 1:25 p.m. suicide at the Wells County Jail Seven students may not seem like a lot of students to — for such an effort but he said due to the lose, especially since that is less than half a percent of the “Jail staff immediately began that the ISP has investigated since pandemic, his options moving forward fell providing CPR to Richardson until June. corporation student population, but it affects the amount through. of funding BHMSD will get. Indiana schools get a certain Wells County emergency medical According to Richardson’s “It’s been a terrible year to kick off personnel arrived on scene and obituary, his family and friends are amount of funding per student from the state, which is deter- anything,” he added. mined by the average daily membership. took over lifesaving measures,” remembering the 2005 Norwell The possibility of the Solid Waste Dis- the release said. “Richardson was High School graduate as someone From what BHMSD administration predicted earlier in trict hosting such an effort has come up, the year, the drop amounts to $21,507.89 less in funding. immediately transported to the who “enjoyed cooking and culi- and Lautzenheiser said he wanted to have Bluffton Regional Medical Center. nary arts, fishing, camping, and Some students who started out the year as virtual stu- an open conversation about the idea. dents have now returned to campus. Yates said he thinks Continued attempts at resuscita- spending time with family.” There is a need for rural communities tion were unsuccessful. Richard- Richardson’s full obituary is on some parents have sent their children back to school since son was pronounced deceased at Page 3 of today’s News-Banner. (Continued on Page 2) the school year has gone successfully so far. the hospital at 1:57 p.m.” [email protected] (Continued on Page 12) Inside Outside Online Detailed How to contact us: Call us: 824-0224 Local/Area Dental Care or 1-800-579-7476 Police Notebook . 2 Follow us on Facebook! • Wisdom Teeth Removal Go to www.facebook.com/ • Fax us: 824-0700 Obituaries . .3 Immediate Dentures [email protected] newsbanner • Sedation Dentistry ————— On the Web: Opinion • General Dentistry Summer temperatures Place Your Classified • Root Canal www.news-banner.com Marc Thiessen . .4 sticking around Ads 24/7 Follow us at: Today Wed. Thursday Call Dr. Hott! twitter.com/newsbanner Also... 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