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| Sunday, December 28, 2003 | (No comments posted.)
MONDAY
Priest's victim likely female
CROWN POINT -- Bishop Dale J. Melczek indicated that it was a female who Monsignor Don Grass molested more than three decades ago.
The bishop, who declined to identify the victim or details of the molestation in the late 1960s, referred Sunday to the victim twice as "she" during a question-and-answer session at St. Mary Catholic Church here, where Grass was pastor.
Melczek said the molestation occurred while Grass was an associate pastor at Holy Angels Cathedral in Gary.
Melczek had used gender-neutral terms in speaking about the victim Saturday when he first announced Grass' removal. Melczek said diocese policy is to protect the identity of clergy abuse victims. He did identify the victim Saturday as a practicing Roman Catholic who was either 10 or 11 years old at the time of the offense.
TUESDAY
Video gaming charges bring guilty plea
HAMMOND -- A Lake County businessman pleaded guilty this to supplying illegal video gambling machines to bars around Northwest Indiana.
Arthur E. Barker appeared Monday before U.S. District Court Magistrate Andrew Rodovich to admit to allegations in a two-count indictment alleging he operated illegal gambling businesses and aided and abetted money laundering.
He did so without the benefit of a deal with the U.S. attorney to recommend leniency. No date has been set for his sentencing.
A federal grand jury in March alleged Barker conspired from 1997 to Aug. 28, 2001, to place video gambling machines in taverns and lodges.
Lake County has a history of local bars featuring video poker machines to draw customers. Law enforcement officials said the bars and poker machine distributors have made millions of dollars from their use.
WEDNESDAY
Girl wishes for dad to recover
MERRILLVILLE --- Wishes made at Christmas should come true.
Especially when the heart-felt request to both God and Santa is from a 7-year-old girl asking that her daddy recover from cancer.
Good health for her dad, Michael Goodman, topped the holiday gift list of Kristina Goodman. The Iddings Elementary second-grader never fails to mention him in her nightly prayers, he said.
"She is beyond her years," Goodman said.
Goodman, 31, is recuperating in his Merrillville home this holiday after receiving high doses of chemotherapy at an Indianapolis hospital earlier this year.
The soft-spoken, articulate man, who serves as a firefighter for both Merrillville and Gary, has been quietly fighting his own battles this year after having been diagnosed with testicular cancer in January.
For most of the year, he has been too ill to work, but attendance and dedication are two different things. That's why the Merrillville paramedics named him the honorary paramedic of the year.
THURSDAY
Home for the holidays
CROWN POINT -- An entryway packed with boxes of donations, ringing phones and plans for client activities create welcome holiday chaos for St. Jude House staff.
"It's like this all the way through Christmas Eve," said Dana Femiak, supervisor of Adult Services at St. Jude House.
According to Joy Hemminger, public relations director, the staff has been working around the clock taking and sorting donations of food, clothing, toys and games and household products. The effort goes to making the mood as festive as possible for those who temporarily seek shelter at St. Jude's.
"We've had quite a few turkeys and hams and canned goods donated," Hemminger said. "We always need donations of food. We're always delighted when we get cereal, tuna and pastas, and the turkeys and hams always help with dinners throughout the holidays."
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