NEWS NOTES FOR Thursday, August 14, 2008 on WGFA >

Budget-crunch hearings underway in Iroquois County…. Kankakee County Board puts school tax referendum on ballot…. Motorcyclist injured in Herscher…..Old Settlers Reunion this weekend….. Newton County, IN sheriff’s department seeks info on assault…..

A partly sunny day after the morning fog, high near 80. Chance of showers this morning and a greater chance during the afternoon.

–Iroquois County Board recognizes Sheila Siebert. She’s retiring after 25 years in the Treasurer’s office.–

• Newton County, IN Sheriff’s Police have released a composite sketch of a suspect they want to question about an alleged sexual assault. The man is a white, male in his early 30’s, weighing about 190 pounds. He had dark eyes and dark facial hair. The man was wearing a black stocking cap, white T-shirt, black nylon running pants and white tennis shoes. On August 6th, in rural Morocco, the suspect sexually assaulted a victim at a local beauty salon. The suspect then forced the victim and two others into the victim’s vehicle and drove them to the Willow Slough area. Police report the suspect later returned to the beauty salon and ordered all three victims to remain in the victim’s vehicle while he left the area in an unknown direction of travel in his vehicle. HIS vehicle is described as a 2-door passenger, silver or tan in color with a broken rear passenger window covered with duct tape and a Michigan plate. Anyone with info is asked to contact Newton County Sheriff’s Police at 219-474-5661.
• A 37-yr-old Buckingham man was seriously injured in a truck-motorcycle accident in Herscher. Billy Reiniche was reported in stable condition atb Riverside Hospital. His Harley-Davidson ran into the cab of a semi-trailer at Route 115 and Park Street. State Police investigated just after 7:30 Wednesday morning. Police report 23-yr-old Adam Guard of Harrisburg pulled from county road 12000 into the path of the cycle. Reiniche was run over by the rear wheels of the semi.
• As the budget process gets started in Iroquois County, financial leaders appear leery as they work to plan FY 2009. A reported negative balance in the general fund finds the pencil-pushers looking toward the Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) for relief. Supervisor of Assessments Bob Yergler offered some optimistic news; the county’s gaining back some money in the farmland EAV. Yergler reported $57 million this year in the farmland EAV. In 2009 THAT FUGURE SHOULD BE AROUND $63 MILLION.
• The Kankakee County Board Tuesday voted to place an advisory referendum question on the November ballot to weigh support for a proposed sales tax hike. The tax hike is designed to generate more than $28 million for school construction projects. Several school districts have passed measures in support of a new state law allowing tax monies to be channeled to school districts for building needs. Pros and Cons about the tax–because other revenues could be lost if the tax was imposed. County Board Chairman Karl Kruse points to the state legislature for NOT taking the responsibility to properly fund schools.

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