Inside the Portage County line By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette AND THE RUMOR MILL ROLLS ON: The Copps Corp. has been the subject of a flurry of rumors about the pending sale of the firm in the last few years. Probably the rumors have been fueled by the sale of other locally owned businesses to large firms or conglomerates that have left Copps as one of the few surviving locally owned, large businesses. Copps has been a benevolent corporate member of the community, and area residents appreciate that deeply, fearing the loss of local-ownership would impair the community. Another round of rumors flew on Tuesday as the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that Schnuck Markets Inc. of St. Louis, Mo., was looking into purchasing Copps. That meant a call, certainly not the first in the last couple of weeks and months, to Tom Copps, executive vice president of public affairs, for a response on the latest report. Copps attributed the report to the corporation's announcement about a year ago that it was seeking capital to expand at a faster rate than it has been doing the last several years. "We'd like to grow at an accelerated rate," he said. "We're looking for money to grow." Unfortunately, those packed grocery carts that area residents push through the local checkout counters aren't sufficient capital for the accelerated growth that Copps envisions. Hopefully, they'll find the funds, without jeopardizing the local ownership. Then Tom won't have to keep responding to the rumors. * * * IT'S TAX TIME AGAIN: Property taxes are due Wednesday, Jan. 31, and the Portage County treasurer's office and the Stevens Point comptroller-treasurer's office will be open from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Jan. 27, to accept payments from taxpayers. Taxpayers are also reminded that they can pay during the weekend and after business hours at the depository box on the city side (Strongs Avenue side) of the County-City Building. If that payment is made after business hours on Wednesday, however, interest may be due, unless the envelope bears a postmark of Jan. 31.