Company pulls guards from East Chicago schools
EAST CHICAGO, Ind. – East Chicago police are patrolling the city’s schools after security guards failed to show up for work. Davis Security Services President Leon Davis said he pulled the 30 guards from the schools on Monday because his company has been without a written contract since 2005. He said he gave school officials 30 days notice of the move.\nPolice officers, teachers and school staff patrolled the school hallways on Monday. No incidents were reported.\nSchool Security Director Gus Flores said he has been working on getting Davis’ account with the cash-strapped school system up to date, including getting the firm a check for $185,000 on April 4.\nFlores said meetings will continue Tuesday to bring private security guards back to the schools.
Daniels raises more than Democrats in \ngovernor’s race
INDIANAPOLIS – Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels has raised far more money in the first three months of the year than the Democrats vying for their party’s gubernatorial nomination.\nNew campaign finance reports show that Daniels raised $1.5 million between Jan. 1 and March 31. Democrat Jim Schellinger raised about $511,000 during that period and former U.S. Rep. Jill Long Thompson collected $470,000.\nDaniels has raised a total of more than $8.3 million and had nearly $5.3 million on hand at the end of March.\nThe new reports show that Schellinger has raised a total of $2.3 million. He had about $715,000 on hand at the end of March.\nLong Thompson has raised $907,000 total and had $484,000 on hand.
Man who fled police found dead in creek
VEVAY, Ind. – State police say a body found in a southeastern Indiana creek is that of a man who fled police during a chase.\nPolice identified the body found by a conservation officer in Indian Creek south of Vevay as 31-year-old Devin Floyd. State Police Sgt. Noel Houze said Floyd’s last known address was a hotel in Madison.\nHouze said investigators do not suspect foul play in Floyd’s death, but the coroner has not ruled on a cause.\nInvestigators believe Floyd fled from Madison police in his car two weeks ago. The driver abandoned the car near the creek and ran away.
Inauguration for Purdue president costs $220,000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University spent more than $220,000 for ceremonies to inaugurate new president France Cordova.\nThe university held an inauguration ceremony and ball, as well as several panel discussions on Thursday and Friday.\nA university spokesman said the money came from the Purdue Research Foundation and $20,000 in donations.\nSeveral students told the Journal & Courier of Lafayette that they thought the money could have been better spent elsewhere.\nWhen Jo Ann Gora was inaugurated as president of Ball State University in 2005, she decided to forego ceremonies and put the $150,000 allocated for the events toward scholarships.
DNR to conduct\ncontrolled fire in Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve
GRIFFITH, Ind. – The Department of Natural Resources is planning a controlled fire at the Hoosier Prairie Nature Preserve in northwestern Indiana to help maintain the area’s habitat.\nThe tract of land comprises prairie, oak savanna and marsh habitats in Griffith, Schererville and Highland.\nOfficials in Griffith planned to close a portion of Main Street during the fire Monday because smoke can impair motorists’ visibility.\nThe DNR sets controlled fires in the spring and fall to help preserve the area’s terrain, which requires sunny, open conditions for its rare prairie and savanna plants to thrive.
