Fort Wayne Observed

Information You Need to Know

From Friday's Indiana Daily Insight:

Former [State] House Republican staffer Bridget Bobel is crowned Miss Indiana USA, and will represent the state in the Miss USA Pageant.

Bobel, a Peru native, was first runner-up in last year's state competition, according to an article in the Peru Tribune. She lives in Indianapolis and was profiled by the Indianapolis Star in April for her volunteer work with Indy Reads.

In Corporate Media News...

Today Granite Broadcasting reported its third quarter results.  A few excerpts from the press release:

Commenting on the results, W. Don Cornwell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Our station group showed solid gains with net revenue increasing 7.1 percent as recent strategic initiatives more than offset the absence of $3.5 million of political and Olympic-related revenue, reductions in network compensation and a soft automotive market. Revenue from the new stations we operate in Fort Wayne and Duluth, the success of numerous local initiatives, and especially strong non-political revenue growth at the Buffalo and Fort Wayne ABC affiliates and the Duluth NBC affiliate all contributed to our performance."

[...]

[John Deushane, Chief Operating Officer] continued, "We are very pleased with the early results of our multiple channel operations in both Duluth and Fort Wayne. The expanded footprint we offer advertisers and the communities in these markets has substantial benefits for everyone. As an example, included in the more than $3 million raised for the Hurricane Katrina relief effort in the communities served by our Big Three station group is over $800,000 raised by our Duluth stations. We were able to mobilize the community to great effect across the various channels we operate in that market. This impressive result in our smallest market underscores one of the many benefits that our shared service arrangement has brought to this community, and reinforces our position as a unique partner to the advertising community."

Mr. Cornwell concluded, "We are pleased with the progress we have made this year in executing our strategic plan but we have more work to do. Our goal of leveraging our operating strength and realigning our asset mix is taking shape through the shared service arrangements with Malara Broadcast Group in Fort Wayne and Duluth, as well as the anticipated sales of our WB affiliates. These transactions are a significant step toward realigning our asset mix and substantially strengthening our capital structure. We intend to use proceeds from the pending sales of the WB stations to grow the cash flow and asset base of the Company by acquiring or operating leading news-oriented stations in small and mid-sized markets. We look forward to updating you as we continue to execute on our strategic initiatives."

ALSO: Indiana Parley notes an interview with Knight Ridder's third-largest stockholder, Harris Associates of Chicago

Incumbent Pressure Kills GOP Straw Poll?

In his annual State of the Party address back in January, Allen County Republican Party Chair Steve Shine announced that the first-ever countywide GOP convention would be held on February 25, 2006 at the Memorial Coliseum. "We will conduct this convention specifically to give our precinct chairs a more direct say in what our organization does," sais Shine. "No longer can we only call on these dedicated Republicans to do just the hard work on Election Day."

"The precinct chairs," Shine declared, "will have the chance to vote in a non-binding straw poll of our primary candidates. For the first time there will be an event dedicated solely to making the precinct chairs an integral part of shaping, testing and – perhaps ultimately – choosing those who will represent us in the 2006 election."

But ten months later, the straw poll is either dead or in jeopardy, depending on which GOP insider you talk to. "There won't be a straw poll," said one. Another acknowledged that the straw poll was in trouble but refused to go that far. "The format [for the convention] really is not set."

Shine also denied that the straw poll had been cancelled. "There have been no decisions made as to a straw poll," he said in a statement issued to Fort Wayne Observed. "As of right now, there is no format for the convention. Nothing is set in stone."

"I'm not sure if they're going to do a straw poll," said County Commissioner Marla Irving, who will face Republican Bill Brown in the May primary. "They're still looking at the format."

The fact that the straw poll is at least up in the air, however, invites an obvious question: what happened since Shine's January speech?

"The incumbents who might have primary opponents pitched a fit," said the source who claims the straw poll is toast. "Afraid of losing an internal straw poll to newcomers."

"[The straw poll] would have been a really fun thing to get the party pumped up about its own ticket," said the source. "There are going to be precinct committee people very upset about this."

One top Republican said he wouldn't be surprised if recent braying by incumbents about the idea of the straw poll ended up strengthening the resolve to conduct it. "Incumbents need to be reminded that they are the servants of the people. Precinct committee persons are their bosses, not their errand boys. Some get it. Many don't."

Another insider said he's surprised this is even an issue. "Shine had said previously that the straw poll was one aspect of the convention in the planning surveys that had overwhelming support."

But Irving said she had concerns about the logistics of conducting the poll. "There isn't going to be time for every candidate to get up and make a speech," she said. "I have told the executive committee that they need to sit down and figure out how the agenda's going to work."

WISE33 Follow-Up

It's been nearly six months since Granite effectively closed down the WISE 33 news operation, cutting loose all of the station's on-air talent save for Linda Jackson. I've had a few Fort Wayne Observed readers inquire about the whereabouts of the rest of the WISE 33 news team; here's a list of where they are now:

Linda Jackson - anchor, WISE/WPTA Fort Wayne, IN

Greg Shoup - meteorologist, WANE Fort Wayne, IN

Kent Hormann - IPFW Athletics Broadcasting & Marketing Director, WPTA/WISE (Friday nights)

Kelly Koh - reporter, WANE Fort Wayne, IN

Jesse Wells - reporter, WGBA Green Bay, WI

Kristin Pflum - reporter, WLEX Lexington, KY

Zach Myers - morning reporter, WXIN Indianapolis, IN

Amy Bradley - reporter, WBRE Wilkes-Barre, PA

John Thonert - meteorologist, Fort Wayne International Airport

Bryan Boes - columnist, Overtime (sports weekly)

On a Personal Note

Frank Gray's Thursday column is on Harold Kneller, a Fort Wayne man who lost a leg in WWII.

Kneller enlisted out of college in 1942 and served in Africa and Sicily in World War II through 1943. One day, while camping in Sicily, he got a letter. It said he had done well on a qualifying exam and had been granted an appointment to West Point. He had taken the test more than a year before, though, and the letter, it turned out, was a year old by the time it reached him. He tore it up and threw it into the wind on the slopes of Mount Etna.

A year later, on Sept. 16, 1944, he was in Germany, driving on a dirt road when a camouflaged anti-tank gun fired on the Jeep that he and three other men were riding in. He ordered the other soldiers into a ditch on the side of the road where they could take cover.

When he lifted his leg, though, something felt funny. He looked, and it had been blown off below the knee.

It was odd, Harold said. It didn’t bleed, and it was a neat cut, as neat as could be, like it had been sliced off with a cleaver. His other leg, though, was badly mangled by the blast. So he set off, crawling on his belly, toward the American line.

As he crawled, a passing German patrol saw him. One soldier shot him in the head with a pistol. The bullet bounded off his helmet. Another German stabbed him and then went on his way. Harold crawled on.

[...]

There’s a Bible verse, Harold said, a verse he learned as a child that popped into his head as he lay on the ground behind a Jeep with one leg missing and the other mangled. That verse has helped him through life: “Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.”

Harold Kneller, with one leg missing and one mangled, with four Purple Hearts and a French Croix de Guerre and Belgian Fourragere, was delivered and went on to a career as a teacher and tutor and salesman and speaker and father – confined to the first row of the bleachers.

And whether he knows it or not, a hero to some.

He's right; Kneller is a hero, to more than he might realize.

As a young student at St. Paul Lutheran School, I knew him as Mr. Kneller, the kindly old man who tutored several students one-on-one. He had a special gift for making the kids he taught feel like part of a special club rather than someone who needed extra help. His students always came back to class with another story or joke he had shared with them. And then there was the Holy Grail: when he let them sneak a peek at his wooden leg.

I was never personally tutored by Mr. Kneller, but I remember him as vividly -- and as fondly -- as I do any of my full-time teachers. He ate in the school cafeteria every day (his wife June was the head cook) and would interact with students before and after the meal.

When I was in fourth or fifth grade, he gave me a brand new copy of "The Caine Mutiny." I still have no idea why. I never did read the book (I was intimidated by its length and hard-to-understand words), but each time I cleaned out my bookshelves, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. I think that was because of the respect I still had for him.

I assume that by the time he came to St. Paul, Mr. Kneller was retired from his "real job." Rather than heading down to Florida or enjoying lazy lunches with fellow retirees, he chose to spend his time with eight- and nine-year old kids, helping them learn. And making them feel special in the process.

I had never heard the story of how he lost his leg until reading Frank's column this morning, but even before that I already knew that Mr. Kneller was a hero.

I just thought it was only in the classroom.

The Runaround

From Ben Lanka's report in today's JG:

Almost a year ago, Fort Wayne officials informed Allen County they might vacate the City-County Building to take up offices at Renaissance Square.

This action prompted meetings, letters and even a joint committee to study both city and county space needs. After a committee meeting Wednesday, it appears the two sides are where they began.

City and county officials informally supported a plan to move almost all city functions to Renaissance Square.

The plan would call for the city police, fire administration, neighborhood code, mayor, utilities and a host of other departments to move from their current locations to the Renaissance building, where the Allen County Public Library is temporarily housing its main branch.

The plan calls for only the city community development department, the City Council, city clerk, and 911 communications to remain in the City-County Building. It would also move the county election board and board of voter registration to the City-County Building.

[...]

[City parks director Al Moll, who was appointed to the committee when serving as deputy mayor,] said the plan would only go forward if it makes financial sense, including the purchase of the Renaissance building. It would have to be approved by the mayor, commissioners, the City Council and the County Council.

Renaissance Square is owned by George Huber. Graham Richard is mayor of Fort Wayne.

PREVIOUSLY: My response to the proposed move

News-Sentinel, Continued

In a follow-up interview on yesterday's story about the News-Sentinel dropping its second edition, executive editor Linda Austin confirmed that the first edition copy deadline will remain at 8:30 a.m. "We have and will continue to push that deadline for breaking news," she noted.

She also elaborated on why the News-Sentinel made the change. "With the advent of so many other media that provide instant news, the value of recreating the print product over and over again and then delivering it hours after the fact is diminished."

NOTE: Yesterday Austin told me the News-Sentinel is not considering discontinuing its Saturday edition at this time.

TRACKBACK: Knight Ridder Watch picks up my original item

Boen Earns Recognition

In today's News-Sentinel:

Jennifer Boen, a health and human services reporter for The News-Sentinel, is one of three Indiana journalists to receive the 2005 Award for Excellence in Reporting on Disability Issues.

To promote the use of “people first” language and develop an understanding about disability issues, the Indiana Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities presents the award to recognize members of the media who have played a critical role in shaping positive attitudes and opinions about people with disabilities. The awards honor in-depth feature stories or series about types of disability or disability issues.

Boen’s article “At your service?” investigated the accessibility of service stations in and around Fort Wayne for people with disabilities, and received the award for print publications with a circulation of less than 40,000.

Fife to Debut

The Dane Fife Era begins tonight at the Memorial Coliseum when IPFW takes on Huntington in an exhibition game.

“Curiosity is what’s going to get everybody out,” IPFW junior guard Quintin Carouthers said.

Fife indicated he’ll display characteristics of his former coaches, including his dad and chief mentor, Dan, a high school coach in Clarkston, Mich., and both coaches he played for at Indiana, Bob Knight and Mike Davis.

“I am who I learned from,” said Fife, who was an administrative assistant at IU last season.

Fife became the youngest active head coach in Division I men’s basketball when he was hired in March. He celebrated his 26th birthday in July.

The game begins at 7:00 pm and can be heard on 1380 AM.

UPDATE: IPFW falls to Huntington 72-64

Sheriff's Race

Tina Taviano's official announcement of her candidacy for sheriff yesterday included a declaration of her positions on several issues likely to be central in next year's election.

• City and county training operations and 911 communications should be combined.

• The county should not pursue buying the warehouse at 4031 Merchants Drive to serve as a new headquarters for the sheriff’s department because it isn’t a good long-term solution for the county to buy a warehouse in an industrial park to house much of the department. She also expressed concern that the new location would be decided before the next sheriff is elected.

• If elected, Taviano would not accept tax warrant penalty money as part of her salary, instead working with the County Council to formalize the sheriff’s salary and allow the county to keep all the money from tax collections.

As for the coverage of Taviano's announcement, 21Alive's Jeff Neumeyer was the only local reporter who mentioned Taviano's sexuality.

Taviano is open about the fact she's a lesbian, believing that is irrelevant in this election.

Sgt. Tina Taviano says, "We're going to talk about issues. We're going to run an issue based campaign and stay focused on what is best for the residents of Allen County."

Stories on News Channel 15 and in the Journal Gazette did not mention that information.