Tuesday, January 21, 2020 The Commercial Review Portland, Indiana 47371 www.thecr.com $1 Fight Consolidation set to is coming lead trial Parties are expected to battle over procedure By LISA MASCARO, ERIC TUCKER and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press WASHINGTON — Presi - dent Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is set to unfold at the Capitol, a con - tentious proceeding over whether to remove him from office for pressuring Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rivals and obstructing Congress’ ensuing investigation. As the Senate recon - venes with Chief Justice John Roberts presiding, a first test was expected come midday today when the session gavels open to vote on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposed rules for debate. More than procedure is at stake: Trump’s presiden - cy is on the line, and the The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney nation is deeply divided just weeks before the first The building at 225 E. Water St. in Portland will be getting another new name. Once the site of Portland High Democratic primary presi - School, as indicated by this sign that still sits at the corner of Water and Wayne streets, and now the home of East dential contests. To compli - Jay Middle School, it will become East Jay Elementary School for the 2020-21 school year. It is one of three buildings cate matters, four presiden - that are getting new monikers — the others will be the new Jay County Junior/Senior High School and West Jay tial candidates are serving Elementary School — as part of Jay School Corporation’s ongoing consolidation process. as jurors in the Senate trial, which will keep them off the campaign trail. On the eve of the trial, the Republican leader Plan for 2020-21 year to be in place offered a compressed cal - endar for opening state - before students leave school for the summer ments, just two days for By JACK RONALD verting Jay County High each side, as Trump’s The Commercial Review School to a junior-senior high, lawyers argued for swift The next phase of consolida - converting the present West Changes over time rejection of the “flimsy” tion in Jay Schools will Jay Middle School building charges against the presi - dent and acquittal. inevitably have some bumps in into an elementary facility, con - Jay School Corporation is in the midst of a consolidation process the road. verting the present East Jay spurred by decades of declining enrollment. Below is a look at changes that have “All of this is a danger - But school officials said Mon - Middle School building into an already happened and those that are scheduled for the next few years. ous perversion of the Con - day they want to make sure the stitution that the Senate elementary facility and trans - End of 2016-17 school year process goes as smoothly as pos - forming the current General should swiftly and roundly Pennville Elementary School closes. sible. Shanks Elementary School condemn,” the president’s “Our goal is that when (stu - building into a home for spe - lawyers wrote in their first dents) go home for summer cial education programs, pre - End of 2017-18 school year full filing Monday. “The break, they know the plan,” school and central office Judge Haynes Elementary School closes. articles should be rejected superintendent Jeremy Gulley administration. and the president should told Jay School Board on Mon - The current central office Start of 2020-21 school year immediately be acquitted.” day night. “To be clear, consoli - building in the former Port - Seventh and eighth graders move to high school building. Democrats — as the dation is happening.” land Armory on Tyson Road East Jay Middle School becomes elementary school. House prosecutors prac - To that end, Gulley said, he and the current Westlawn Ele - Former General Shanks Elementary building ticed opening arguments has circulated a survey among mentary building in Dunkirk becomes home to central office and preschool. well into the night on the all school corporation employ - would then be put on the block Senate floor — vowed to ees, seeking insights into every as surplus, joining the former End of 2020-21 school year object to a speedy trial as aspect of the consolidation Judge Haynes Elementary Westlawn Elementary School closes. they pressed for fresh wit - process. When that information building in Portland. The for - nesses and documents. is gathered and digested, Gulley mer Pennville Elementary Start of 2021-22 school year Senate Democratic plans a series of meetings to building has already been Westlawn students move to former WJMS building, leader Chuck Schumer update parents and students transferred to a Pennville Com - which will become West Jay Elementary School. warned of a “cover-up” about the changes ahead. munity Center organization. with McConnell’s plan that Consolidation involves con - See Consolidation page 5 could lead to back-to-back 12-hour days. See Trial page 5 Infant mortality rate drops INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indi - Gov. Eric Holcomb,” said Dr. impact on maternal health as ana saw the biggest decrease in Kristina Box, Indiana state well. its infant mortality rate in six health commissioner. “I cele - Currently, the state’s mater - years, officials said. brate those babies that were nal mortality rate of 50 deaths In 2018, 7.3 out of every 1,000 saved, but we still have a long per 100,000 live births is also babies born in Indiana died in way to go.” among the highest in the their first year of life, one of One of the initiatives the nation, ranking at 48, according the highest rates in the nation. state took to combat its infant to America’s Health Rankings. Last year, the rate dipped to 6.8 mortality rate was an OB navi - Box wants to address both per 1,000, reported The Indi - gator program that provides infant and maternal mortality anapolis Star. personal, at-home support for with a pregnancy accommoda - The Washington Post/Julia Rendleman In all, 559 infants died in 2018 women living in the 20 counties tions bill in the Indiana Gener - compared to 602 the previous with the highest infant mortali - al Assembly. The bill would year. ty rate. The program follows require employers to make rea - Gun gathering “Quite honestly this is a cul - mother and baby for six months sonable accommodations of Thousands gathered Monday for a gun rights mination of a number of years to a year after birth. their workers who are pregnant rally in Richmond, Virginia. of very intensive efforts from Box hopes tackling infant so that they may keep working multiple state agencies and mortality will have a positive if possible. Deaths Weather In review Coming up Wednesday — Results The high temperature Mon - Dayton area author Jess from tonight’s Jay County day in Jay County was 26 Montgomery will make a visit High School swim meet Janie Judy , 68, Muncie degrees. The low was 10. at 6 p.m. tonight to Fort Recov - against Muncie Central. Sophie Robbins , 19, The low tonight will be 18. ery Library. She’ll be dis - Dunkirk Expect partly cloudy skies cussing her 2019 book “The Friday — Coverage of Details on page 2. Wednesday with a high of 37. Widows,” which is being Thursday’s Jay County Cham - See page 2 for an extended released this month. ber of Commerce annual forecast. meeting. The Commercial Review Page 2 Local Tuesday, January 21, 2020 Obituaries Janie Judy Williamson-Spencer and Penrod Sophie was attending Ball Kelise Craig of Kalamazoo, Family and friends may gather Funeral Home in Portland. Pas - State University of Muncie, Michigan, and Kyler, Kelby and to share and remember from 4 Feb. 22, 1951-Jan. 18, 2020 tor Steve Arnold will officiate Indiana, seeking a degree in Tyler Jenkins, all of Delphi, p.m. to service time on Friday, Janie Diane Judy, age 68, a for - the services and burial will fol - social work. She was a 2019 Indiana; grandparents, Jack L. at the church. mer Jay County resident, low in the Salamonia Cemetery, passed away Saturday, Jan. 18, graduate of Jay County High and Pamela Robbins of Memorial contributions may southeast of Portland. School of Portland, Indiana, Dunkirk, Indiana, Judith be made to the Best Buddy pro - 2020, at IU Health Ball Memorial Condolences may be Hospital in Muncie. She resided where she had been active with Bostic of Montpelier, Indiana, gram or Jay Today, both c/o Jay expressed at williamson - the Best Buddy program and Mike Norton of Montpelier, County High School, 2072 W. at the Jay County Retirement spencer.com. Center for several years before Jay Today. She enjoyed spend - Indiana, Pam Roberts of Mon - Indiana 67, Portland, IN 47371. going to Rosewood Manor in ing her leisure time going to roeville, Indiana, and William Services have been entrusted Muncie. Sophie Robbins concerts, being a social media Zborek of Battle Ground, Indi - to Wilson Shook Funeral Home, Janie was born Feb. 22, 1951, Sept. 6, 2000-Jan. 19, 2020 queen, hanging with friends ana; great-grandparents, Willa - Dunkirk Memorial Chapel, 317 in Jay County, Indiana, the Sophie D. Robbins, 19, and taking selfies. dine Roberts of Montpelier, N. Main St., Dunkirk, IN 47336. daughter of Acil and Velma Dunkirk, passed away unexpect - She leaves to cherish her Indiana, and Jack and Mary Condolences may be (Lee) Judy. edly early Sunday memory both sets of parents, Robbins of Dunkirk, Indiana. expressed at Survivors include: morning, Jan. 19, Jackie Leroy Robbins III and She was preceded in death by wilsonshookfh.com. Sister-in-law — Mary Lou 2020, from Wendy Robbins of Dunkirk, grandparents, Stephen •••••••••• Judy, Fort Recovery, Ohio injuries sus - Indiana, and Layhla M.