Squeeze in one more weekend of camping

Though the temperatures are rapidly dropping, the campgrounds are still open, and the Mississinewa Lake area is holding aweekend's worth of fall activities for those looking for one more weekend escape before hibernating.

Friday:
6 p.m. — Sign-up for campsite decorating and trick-or-treating and pick up shirts. If you've ordered and paid for a shirt, it will be available at the program shelter. Sign your campsite up for trick-or-treating and the decorating contest by noon on Saturday. Pick up your program passes at this time.
7:30 p.m. — Welcome and kettle corn distribution. We'll have announcements and popcorn. Bring your own drink and bowl.

Saturday:
9:30 a.m. — Sign-up for campsite decorating and trick-or-treating and pick up shirts. If you've ordered and paid for a shirt, it will be available at the program shelter. Sign your campsite up for trick-or-treating and the decorating contest by noon on Saturday. Pick up your program passes at this time.
10 a.m. — Pumpkin carving contest. We'll provide one pumpkin per registered family. Additional pumpkins may be purchased while supplies last.
11:30 a.m. — Pumpkin judging. Award certificates given out after judging.
1:30 p.m. — Lawn game tournament. Bring your team of two to play bean bag horseshoes or compete in the ladder game using tethered tennis balls.
4:30 p.m. — Trick-or-Treat time for children. Roads will be closed to vehicle traffic through 5:30 p.m. for trick-or-treat time. If you choose to participate, hang up a sign and the kids can visit your site during this hour to collect candy.
7p.m. — An Evening of music at the amphitheater.
8 p.m. — Campsite judging. Decorated campsites that registered for the contest will be judged at this time and awards will be distributed Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m.

Sunday:
8 a.m. — Nondenominational worship.
9:30 a.m. — Awards program. Meet at the Interpretive Shelterhouse for the campsite decorating awards. The campsite in first place wins three free nights of camping; second place wins two free nights, and third place wins one free night of camping at Mississinewa Reservoir in the future. Holiday weekends, autumn camping weekends, cabins and AA sites are excluded.

Photos from the Norwell boys' tennis sectional win

NRC approves rule changes for 2012 deer season

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission on Tuesday approved a package of changes to deer hunting rules that will go into effect in the 2012 season.

None of the changes will be in effect this year.

The final adoption vote came after preliminary approval by the NRC in January and a six-month public comment period that included hundreds of written comments and two public hearings.

The rule changes include creating a crossbow license and authorizing its use during the entire archery season; extending the archery season without interruption from Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January; extending the urban zone season from Sept. 15 through Jan. 31; requiring hunters in urban zones to harvest an antlerless deer before harvesting an antlered deer; establishing a special antlerless season from Dec. 26 through the first Sunday in January in designated counties; adding the non-resident youth licenses and a new deer license bundle; requiring display of hunter orange on occupied ground blinds; and extending the rifle cartridge length that can be used in the firearm season to 1.8 inches.

These changes must still be approved by the Attorney General’s Office and Governor’s Office and published in the Indiana Register before taking effect.

In other actions, the NRC:

–Approved the dedication of four nature preserves at Fort Harrison State Park totaling approximately 670 acres or more than one-third of the park. The sites are named Bluffs of Fall Creek, Chinquapin Ridge, Lawrence Creek and Warbler Woods.
–Authorized State Park Inns to increase lodging fees from Jan. 28 through Feb. 12 to coincide with the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
–Approved final adoption of rule amendments governing logjam removal from floodways and navigable waters.
–Turned down a citizen’s petition to allow high-speed boating on Shipshewana Lake in LaGrange County.
–Approved preliminary adoption of rules governing the sale, distribution and transportation of invasive aquatic plants, and a rule to regulate thousand cankers disease in walnut trees.
–Removed the four-toed salamander from and added the plains leopard frog and mole salamander to the state endangered species list.

TinCaps end season

TinCaps news release:

LANSING, MI - A bases-loaded walk issued to Michael Crouse with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Oliver Dominguez from third base with what turned out to be the winning run, as Lansing defeated Fort Wayne by a score of 8-7 on Monday night, sending the Lugnuts into the Midwest League Championship Series, and ending the season for the TinCaps.

Crouse's walk came on a 3-2 pitch thrown by Fort Wayne closer Kevin Quackenbush, and it came; following a lead-off ground rule double by Dominguez, a successful sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Jones, an unintentional walk to Peter Mooney, and an intentional walk issued to Jake Marisnick.

The TinCaps opened the scoring in the top of the second inning against Lansing starting pitcher Aaron Sanchez, when a two-out triple by Justin Miller scored Luis Domoromo from second base to give Fort Wayne a 1-0 lead.

A run-scoring single by Rymer Liriano in the top of the third inning increased the TinCaps' advantage to 2-0.

Control problems by Fort Wayne starter Zach Cates in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed the Lugnuts to not only get back into the game, but to take the lead as well.

Cates struck out Crouse to begin the inning, then, issued walks to Michael Knecht, Carlos Perez, and K.C. Hobson; to load the bases.

Robert Lara came in from the bullpen, and promptly uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Knecht to score. Matt Nuzzo then singled off the glove of third baseman Chris Bisson, the hit scoring Perez from third base and tying the game at 2-2.

After throwing one pitch to Dominguez, Lara was replaced by Adam Dominick.

Dominguez jumped on the first pitch he saw from Dominick and belted a three-run home run over the 23-foot-high wall located down the right field line, the blast giving Lansing the lead for the first time at 5-2.

The Lugnuts increased their advantage to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Nuzzo followed a lead-off triple by Perez with a one-out single of his own off Dominick.

The TinCaps mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning.

They scored three runs off Lansing reliever Brandon Berl to close to within 6-5, with the key plays being an RBI-single by Bisson, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Rico Noel, and a run-scoring single by Rymer Liriano.

Fort Wayne tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the eighth inning, when Connor Powers walked, went to second base on a single by Rocky Gale, moved over to third base on a successful sacrifice bunt, then, scored when B.J. Guinn hit into a fielder's choice.

The tie didn't last long, as Perez led off the bottom of the eighth with his second triple of the game, and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hobson, the run giving the Lugnuts a 7-6 lead.

Down a run heading into the top of the ninth inning, the TinCaps once again fought back to tie the score.

Noel tripled off Lansing relief pitcher Brandon Webb, and came home on a single by Cory Spangenberg to make the score 7-7.

That set the stage for the bottom of the ninth.

Webb (1-0 in the playoffs) picked up the win, while Quackenbush (0-1 in the playoffs) suffered the loss.

Counting the playoffs, Fort Wayne finished the 2011 season with an overall record of 71 victories and 72 defeats.

Baer Field Speedway season champions to be decided

FORT WAYNE — The Baer Field Speedway racing season will come to an end Saturday night, Sept. 17, with the Sunoco Season Championships.

The racing program will feature two 50-lap races for the NAPA Late Models and Modifieds, plus races for street stocks, mini stocks, front-wheel drives and fun stocks.

Although three of the six titles have been decided, five drivers stand poised to claim their first-ever track championships.

Pete Wormcastle takes a 15-point lead over Jeremy Wallen into the Modified action. John Gatton Jr. is third ahead of Ron Stine with Mike Mayes, Russ Miller, Mike Bufink, Scott Coe, Mike Miller, and Ralph Baxter III rounding out the top 10.

The NAPA Late Models look to have a new champion as 2010 runner-up Dean Cook takes a 117-point lead over Justin King into the season championships. Derek Hoffman, the 2009 champion, is third, ahead of 2006 champion Neal Richardson with Oliver Fitzwater, Al Cook Jr., Alex Vonderau, Tim Howard, Jim Stovall and Nate Goodman rounding out the top 10.

In the street stocks, veteran Larry Vandall locked up his first-ever track championship in style by winning the 20-lap feature last Saturday.

In the mini stocks, Jake Hinton saw his winning streak stopped at 10 races by teammate Cory Nuttle. Despite the rare loss, Hinton still holds an 114-point lead over Brad McBride with Kevin Howard, Kameron Lindlag, and Dale Moses completing the top five.

In the front-wheel drives, Bobby Smith clinched his second-consecutive track championship. Tristan Crago holds down the runner-up spot. The fun stocks saw Jim Long Sr. clinch his first-ever championship over Joshua Kelley.

The spectator gates will open at 4 p.m., with qualifying at 5:30 and racing at 7:30 p.m. Admission for adults is $15, children 7-12 $5 and children 6-and-under no charge.

The speedway is located south of Fort Wayne International Airport on Winters Road, west of Ind. 1. For more information on race cay call 260-478-7223 or visit the speedway website at www.baerfieldspeedway.net.

New liability law, DNR program combine to help landowners experiencing deer damage

From the Indiana Department of Natural Resources:

A new landowner liability law combined with the DNR’s Hunters Helping Farmers program can help landowners experiencing deer damage to crops, forest regeneration or landscaping get deer populations under control on their property.

The DNR has liberalized hunting regulations in most counties to address deer populations by strategically targeting antlerless deer, but effectiveness depends on landowner participation because 94 percent of the state is in private ownership.

In the Hunters Helping Farmers program, each DNR district wildlife biologist maintains a county-by-county list of hunters who are looking for places to hunt and willing to harvest antlerless deer during the hunting seasons. Landowners having difficulty finding hunters for this purpose may contact the DNR district biologist in their area for a copy. Contact information for district biologists is at www.wildlife.IN.gov/2716.htm.

The Indiana General Assembly took steps this year to protect landowners from liability associated with allowing sportsmen and sportswomen to recreate on their land. Indiana Code 34-31-9 was created to limit liability associated with agritourism related activities such as field days, self-pick farmers, corn mazes, animal exhibitions, and agricultural fairs, but also includes natural resource based activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and trail riding.

The law, which went into effect July 1, states that landowners who provide access to their land for natural resource based activities is not liable for the injury or death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of such activities. Also, a participant or the participant’s representative cannot make claim, maintain an action against, or recover from the landowner any loss, damage, or death resulting from the inherent risk of the natural resource based activity.

Inherent risks include conditions, dangers, or hazards that are an integral part of the activity, including surface and subsurface conditions and natural conditions of the land, vegetation and waters, the behavior of wild or domestic animals on the land, the ordinary dangers of structures or equipment on the land, and negligent acts of a participant that may contribute to the injury of that participant or others.

However, the law does not prevent or limit the liability of a landowner who has knowledge of a dangerous condition that exists on the land and does not make the danger known to the participant, who commits and act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant, or who intentionally injures the participant.

The new law also protects landowners who charge a participant a fee for providing natural resources based activities, as long as they provide the participant with a specific warning notice specified by the law. The warning notice can be printed on a sign, posted and maintained in a clearly visible location at the main entrance to the property where the natural resources based activity is to occur, or included as part of a signed release or written contract between the landowner and the participant. The actual language of the new law can be found at www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2011/HE/HE1133.1.html

More information on managing deer damage is at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2718.htm

The 2011-12 Deer Hunting Guide is at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/6032.htm

For more information: Phil Bloom, DNR Communications, (317) 232-4003, pbloom@dnr.in.gov.

Ossian Days Dash 2011 results

1.) CASEY SHAFER (30) 16:37
2.) ROGER KINGSBERY (62) 20:33
3.) ED REINHARD (53) 20:35
4.) DAVE MCCOMB (42) 20:37
5.) JARED HEYERLY (35) 22:00
6.) CALE GRZYCH (26) 22:02
7.) TOM DREW (51) 22:27
8.) BRIAN BILLS (47) 22:39
9.) SKIP STINSON (46) 22:43
10.) SEAN SERAFINI (35) 23:35
11.) AMY MOWERY (32) 23:41
12.) BRAD ZEDDIS (41) 24:08
13.) WENDY WOLFERT (31) 24:27
14.) PHIL SHAFER (62) 24:32
15.) JAMES SIMS (40) 24:47
16.) BRIAN MACKE (49) 24:55
17.) SCOTT HOLLIDAY (39) 25:33
18.) MOLLY KURTZ (30) 25:40
19.) CHRIS STOLLER (34) 25:07
20.) LISA IMBODY (42) 26:16
21.) KATHRYN GENTZ (27) 26:45
22.) CHARLES BRACKE (23) 26:46
23.) LUKE ZEDDIS (11) 26:49
24.) LOGAN HOUSE (10) 26:50
25.) PAT SULLIVAN (53) 26:55
26.) ANGELA SERAFINI (40) 27:38
27.) CHAD MCQUADE (35) 28:01
28.) FLO SMITH (51) 28:04
29.) MATHEW CAPOZZA (42) 28:09
30.) AMANDA SULLIVAN (38) 29:00
31.) VANESSA BILLS (45) 29:11
32.) BARBIE SCROGHAM (64) 29:16
33.) SARA NORRIS (27) 29:40
34.) RAY PAXSON (57) 29:48
35.) SAM SHAFER (23) 29:50
36.) MICHELLE FORD (35) 30:10
37.) DANIEL JOHNS (44) 30:22
38.) MISSY NORRIS (34) 30:39
39.) CORBIN BLOHMKE (13) 30:46
40.) KELLY HARTUP (28) 31:35
41.) ANGEL HEYERLY (33) 31:40
42.) JENNIFER MCCOMB (42) 31:41
43.) JOHN AMOS (34) 31:48
44.) KELLY CADY (36) 32:20
45.) JENNIFER DELANEY (34) 32:20
46.) CARLA BREGE (33) 32:36
47.) DANA BUDD (57) 32:43
48.) NIKI ECKHART (32) 33:08
49.) DEB ECKHART (52) 33:14
50.) KATE FEHER-TANNER (40) 33:51
51.) AMY WILLS (41) 34:01
52.) JULIE FRAZE (40) 34:02
53.) AARON CARNALL (9) 34:36
54.) ANDY CARNALL (47) 34:42
55.) RACHEL MAGGARD (31) 35;06
56.) JOSH WHITNEY (11) 36:33
57.) ADDISON DIRIG (8) 36:59
58.) NICK WHITNEY (13) 37:00
59.) AMY EGLY (33) 37:17
60.) KRISTINA BLOMEKE (33) 37:27
61.) JESSICA BESTE (26) 37:30
62.) KATE JONES (36) 37:42
63.) ELLIE PERRY (13) 38:38
64.) LISA BECK (36) 38:47
65.) JEREMIAH GARRETT (32) 40:03
66.) ANDREA GARRETT (31) 40:03
67.) TERI ORTIZ (47) 40:18
68.) GIL ORTIZ (47) 40:19
69.) STEPHANIE BEXTEN (30) 42:03
70.) CHASITY PLUNKETT (31) 42:03
71.) SHERI WHITNEY (44) 42:50
72.) DIANE SHUTT (68) 42:51
73.) SUSAN HARTUP (64) 42:52
74.) TARA HOLLIDAY (36) 43:32
75.) SHELLY TURMAIL (39) 43:46
76.) PAIGE MACKE (15) 44:04
77.) KALEY GRZYCH (24) 45:08
78.) VICKI ZEDDIS (42) 45:16
79.) BECKY CAPTAIN (30-39) 45:35
80.) JAN KRICK (60) 46:07
81.) JACKIE BOLINGER (55) 50:14
82.) PATTY MACKE (46) 50:15