Judge Parry resigns from bench

Also, Creature Feature visits Jackson Morrow; Whiskey, Wheels, and Watches draws a crowd

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Howard Superior Court II Judge Brant Parry spoke in front of the Howard County Council on June 27, advocating for additional funds for problem-solving courts. But it was his surprise announcement that he has resigned as judge that captured the room’s attention.

Parry told the council that he had submitted his letter of resignation to the state and will leave the bench on Dec. 31.

“I wanted to tell everybody because the governor posted the job (June 26),” said Parry. “I sent my letter of resignation in. My last day is Dec. 31 of this year. My term ends Dec 31 of the following year, and I knew I wasn’t going to run again. I had a conversation with my family, prayer, and those types of things.”

Parry took the bench in February 2011, appointed by then-Gov. Mitch Daniels to replace Stephen Jessup. He expressed a preference for that process when selecting his replacement rather than an open race for the post in 2024. The person appointed to replace Parry will assume the role of incumbent in the next election.

“I was appointed by the governor, and I thought that process was great,” said Parry. “The application process has a group of people that do the interviewing. They get letters from attorneys and other judges, and they talk to people and then interview with the governor himself. The governor appoints the person that he believes will be the best fit for that position, and that person will run at the next term’s election. So, I decided that it would be great for the governor to have that selection.”

Parry explained that after 13 years on the bench, he felt it was time to return to private practice in Kokomo. He also said he will explore some opportunities that will manifest in January.

The governor’s office is accepting applications for the Superior Court II seat. The deadline for applications is July 24. Those interested may make application via email to judicialapplications@gov.in.gov or by traditional mail by sending correspondence to Governor’s Office, ATTN: Joseph R. Heerens, State House Room 206, 200 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46204.

Creature Feature visits Jackson Morrow

A hawk, an owl, and two falcons showed up at Jackson Morrow Park’s Kirkendall Nature Center on June 17, entrancing a large audience of children and adults at Kokomo Parks and Recreation’s “Creature Feature” demonstration.

Mark Booth, Executive Director of Take Flight! Wildlife Education, who is also a State-licensed exotic animal trainer and conservator, brought the birds of prey and gave a presentation of how these birds act as a part of the Indiana ecosystem.

The birds were orphans or injured ones that Booth had rescued, using some in his demonstrations. After admonishing his audience to try to avoid being noisy or moving around too quickly, Booth brought out a red-tailed hawk, which sat very still on Booth’s gauntlet as he told about how important these hawks are and how they hunt prey.

Afterward he noted the different-sized birds and how a bird’s size and vision dictated the kind of prey they hunted. Holding up wooden silhouettes of both a hawk and a falcon he explained how the smaller birds had sharper eyes to see the smaller prey that they were after while flying along grassy fields.

Booth then brought out a tiny kestrel falcon to show how small these birds were in comparison to the hawks. Afterwards, a barred owl made an appearance, and Booth gave the bird a treat of a dead mouse, which the owl devoured quickly.

Finally, Booth brought out the infamous peregrine falcon, whose maximum diving speed can reach 240 miles per hour while hunting for prey.

A former bird trainer at the Indianapolis Zoo, Booth started Take Flight Wildlife Education in 1988. He now travels the country with various birds and shares how they have made a difference in society throughout history.

Whiskey, Wheels, and Watches draws a crowd

Hundreds gathered at the intersection of Main and Sycamore streets on June 17 as three wristwatches were tossed from atop the Armstrong Landon Building. To the crowd’s amazement, two of the watches survived the fall.

This unusual display was part of the Whiskey, Wheels, and Watches event hosted by Palmer’s Jewelry. The watch-tossing event was part of a demonstration that displayed the durability of CASIO G-Shock watches. The watches also had been battered repeatedly before being flung from the top of the seven-story building in an attempt to test the company’s durability claims.

But there was a lot more to see than flying watches. Palmer’s was joined by Travelers Point Distillery, Chariot Auto Group, Brad Howell Ford, Kokomo Auto World, and Sun King Brewery in order to fulfill the promise of the event’s title. Visitors were able to try cocktails, visit the beer garden, and marvel at the new and classic cars on display in a cruise-in around the courthouse square. The Indiana National Guard even got in on the fun by putting a couple of motorized vehicles on display.

The ”watches” portion of the program was provided by Palmer’s, which invited midwestern watch companies, such as Visitor Watch Co., Haven Watch Co., Fledderman von Rieste, Cincinnati Watch Co., and the Kokomo Watch Co., to display their wares.

Organizers of the event also partnered with the businesses of “Geek Street” to provide prizes for those who attended. The success of the event prompted Palmer’s to begin planning for a repeat performance in 2024, perhaps expanding and including more features at the next Whiskey, Wheels, and Watches.