Second Patriot Rally Set; Puckett Lauded; New Bowen CEO In 2022
October 9, 2020 at 11:56 p.m.
By David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
The rally will be held at the Kosciusko County Courthouse from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
Like the patriot rally held earlier this year, this “celebration of freedom and our Constitution and Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence and your right to vote” is hosted by Kevin Kyle of Winona Lake.
For those unfamiliar with Rainwater, his Facebook page says that if he is elected as governor, he plans to “reduce the size and scope of Indiana State Government.”
Check out his website for more at rainwaterforindiana.com.
Rainwater is running against incumbent Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) and Democratic challenger Dr. Woody Myers.
MORE THAN EARNED – Way back in January, Kosciusko County Auditor Michelle Puckett was honored with the Government Excellence Award at the annual Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce dinner for her hard work, dedication and expertise.
She hasn’t rested on her laurels since then. In fact, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s probably kicked it up a bit to help the County Council deal with the 2021 budget and its revenue deficit issues because of the pandemic.
Before the County Council approved the budget Thursday night, they made sure to recognize the work of Puckett and her office on the budget.
Councilwoman Joni Truex told Puckett, “I’d just like to thank you and your department for all of their diligence and all of their hard work on this. It’s been a moving target the whole time, so thank you.”
Sounding a little like Barbara Walters, Puckett simply responded, “This has been 2020.”
Kim Cates, councilwoman, thanked Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell and other council members who worked “so hard” on getting the 2021 budget to be more balanced. “I think we’ve put a lot of time and effort into it. Thank you, Michelle,” Cates said.
Later in the meeting, after Mitchell explained the 2021 budget and how it won’t be nearly as bad as it was projected just a couple of weeks ago, Mitchell said, “And Michelle gets all the credit for this because Michelle has provided all the information.”
KEEPING IT REAL – During the same County Council meeting Thursday, Teen Court case manager Lana Horoho presented a request to apply for the 2021 Teen Court grant, which the Council approved. Horoho is serving as the Teen Court interim director as Director Betsey Vastbinder is out on Family Leave until after the holidays.
Horoho noted that last year, Teen Court had 114 teens come through the program. Referrals come from Juvenile Probation.
“After looking closely at those numbers, we only had to return seven of those referrals to Juvenile Probation,” she said, which only happens when a juvenile really refuses to participate in the program. “With that number, that puts us at a 93-94% success rate of the teens that we handled.”
Horoho said they’re on track to serve the same number of teens this year as last year.
She also told the Council about an upcoming Keeping It Real event. It is in Superior Court I on Oct. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
“It’s a group of people that have been in jail, struggled with addiction. They’re going to talk to kids that are going through Juvenile Probation” and Teen Court, who could benefit from listening to them, she said. “They are very, very open and real with the teens and they make quite an impact.”
She said anyone who wants to come listen is welcome.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates told the Council, “Lana doesn’t know this, but that program she just talked about on Oct. 26 was mentioned by a member of the Indiana Supreme Court today in session as being something that is recognized throughout the state as essentially unique in the state of Indiana, so they really appreciate that program.”
BOWEN OUTGOING – The last thing we picked up from Thursday’s Council meeting was mentioned during the annual report of the Bowen Center.
CEO Kurt Carlson said it has been a privilege to run the Bowen Center and serve the local community for 31 years.
He brought members of his team with him, including Dr. Robert Ryan, senior vice president of operations.
On July 1, 2022, Ryan will become the new CEO of the Bowen Center.
“I will step out and we’ll see what he has me do in the future,” Carlson said.
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The rally will be held at the Kosciusko County Courthouse from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
Like the patriot rally held earlier this year, this “celebration of freedom and our Constitution and Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence and your right to vote” is hosted by Kevin Kyle of Winona Lake.
For those unfamiliar with Rainwater, his Facebook page says that if he is elected as governor, he plans to “reduce the size and scope of Indiana State Government.”
Check out his website for more at rainwaterforindiana.com.
Rainwater is running against incumbent Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) and Democratic challenger Dr. Woody Myers.
MORE THAN EARNED – Way back in January, Kosciusko County Auditor Michelle Puckett was honored with the Government Excellence Award at the annual Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce dinner for her hard work, dedication and expertise.
She hasn’t rested on her laurels since then. In fact, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s probably kicked it up a bit to help the County Council deal with the 2021 budget and its revenue deficit issues because of the pandemic.
Before the County Council approved the budget Thursday night, they made sure to recognize the work of Puckett and her office on the budget.
Councilwoman Joni Truex told Puckett, “I’d just like to thank you and your department for all of their diligence and all of their hard work on this. It’s been a moving target the whole time, so thank you.”
Sounding a little like Barbara Walters, Puckett simply responded, “This has been 2020.”
Kim Cates, councilwoman, thanked Councilwoman Sue Ann Mitchell and other council members who worked “so hard” on getting the 2021 budget to be more balanced. “I think we’ve put a lot of time and effort into it. Thank you, Michelle,” Cates said.
Later in the meeting, after Mitchell explained the 2021 budget and how it won’t be nearly as bad as it was projected just a couple of weeks ago, Mitchell said, “And Michelle gets all the credit for this because Michelle has provided all the information.”
KEEPING IT REAL – During the same County Council meeting Thursday, Teen Court case manager Lana Horoho presented a request to apply for the 2021 Teen Court grant, which the Council approved. Horoho is serving as the Teen Court interim director as Director Betsey Vastbinder is out on Family Leave until after the holidays.
Horoho noted that last year, Teen Court had 114 teens come through the program. Referrals come from Juvenile Probation.
“After looking closely at those numbers, we only had to return seven of those referrals to Juvenile Probation,” she said, which only happens when a juvenile really refuses to participate in the program. “With that number, that puts us at a 93-94% success rate of the teens that we handled.”
Horoho said they’re on track to serve the same number of teens this year as last year.
She also told the Council about an upcoming Keeping It Real event. It is in Superior Court I on Oct. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
“It’s a group of people that have been in jail, struggled with addiction. They’re going to talk to kids that are going through Juvenile Probation” and Teen Court, who could benefit from listening to them, she said. “They are very, very open and real with the teens and they make quite an impact.”
She said anyone who wants to come listen is welcome.
Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates told the Council, “Lana doesn’t know this, but that program she just talked about on Oct. 26 was mentioned by a member of the Indiana Supreme Court today in session as being something that is recognized throughout the state as essentially unique in the state of Indiana, so they really appreciate that program.”
BOWEN OUTGOING – The last thing we picked up from Thursday’s Council meeting was mentioned during the annual report of the Bowen Center.
CEO Kurt Carlson said it has been a privilege to run the Bowen Center and serve the local community for 31 years.
He brought members of his team with him, including Dr. Robert Ryan, senior vice president of operations.
On July 1, 2022, Ryan will become the new CEO of the Bowen Center.
“I will step out and we’ll see what he has me do in the future,” Carlson said.
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