Every year comes with its stories of tragedy and triumph, successes and failures, and 2023 was no different.
Here are brief recaps of some of the events that took place this past year.
Filing for the primary election for Syracuse, Warsaw and Winona Lake began Jan. 4, but Warsaw had no contested races in the primary and general elections so the city held no elections. Syracuse and Winona Lake had a few primary elections, but candidates were unopposed for the fall elections.
Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer announced Jan. 9 he would not seek re-election to a fourth term. Instead, District 1 Councilman Jeff Grose on Jan. 10 announced he would run for the mayor’s job, and was unopposed. Juergen Voss ran for the District 1 council seat, also unopposed. An open house and retirement reception for Thallemer was held at the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion on Dec. 20.
In Winona Lake’s Republican primary, Councilwoman Heather James challenged incumbent Laurie Renier for the clerk-treasurer position. James won, but there was a lot of “hostility” between Renier, the town council members and others over a number of issues. On Oct. 10, Renier and two of her staff resigned, effective immediately. A Republican caucus was held for the clerk-treasurer position, which James filed for uncontested and won. James resigned from her council seat to serve as clerk-treasurer, so another Republican caucus was held for her seat, which Barry Andrew filed for unopposed and won.
The small town candidate filings ended at noon Aug. 1, resulting in only four political party town conventions to be scheduled and four town elections on Nov. 7.
Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory Chief Garrett Holderman announced that he was resigning from his position, effective Feb. 7. On Feb. 22, Thallemer announced Brian Mayo as the new chief, with the city council approving him as chief on April 3 and the fire territory board appointing him April 4.

On Dec. 22, with the fire fighters of Warsaw-Wayne Fire Territory unionized for about a month, the Warsaw Professional Fire Fighters Union Local 5461 was presented with their International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO, CLC, charter from Tony Murray, president, Professional Fire Fighters Union of Indiana.
The 2022 Kosciusko County Woman and Man of the Year, co-sponsored by 1st Source Bank and the Times-Union, were announced as Allyn Decker and Barbara Ridley at the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce’s 111th Annual Awards Dinner on Jan. 26.

    On Feb. 6, the Indiana State Police and the Noble County Sheriff’s Department arrested two individuals in Laurel Jean Mitchell’s death: Fred Bandy Jr., 67, Goshen, and John Wayne Lehman, 67, Auburn. Photos Provided.
  

On Feb. 6, the Indiana State Police arrested two men alleged to be responsible for the death of Laurel Jean Mitchell in 1975, an investigation which spanned the course of nearly a half century.
According to a news release from ISP, on Aug. 6, 1975, at approximately 10 p.m., Mitchell, 17, of North Webster, left work at the Epworth Forrest Church camp. She did not arrive home and her parents contacted police to report her missing. The next day, Aug. 7, 1975, around 10:30 a.m., Mitchell’s body was found.
On Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, the ISP and the Noble County Sheriff’s Department arrested two individuals in Mitchell’s death: Fred Bandy Jr., 67, Goshen, and John Wayne Lehman, 67, Auburn. Both were charged with one count of murder.
A private drag show was booked for a downtown Warsaw business on Feb. 18, but it upset some people who threatened to boycott the business where the show was to be staged and protest the show because minors might be allowed to attend.
The event was to be held at the business formerly known Courthouse Coffee on the Square, 108 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw. A decision was made that no one under 18 would be allowed to attend the drag show, but the show was eventually scrapped altogether after threats were made.
After 41 years, Warsaw Community Public Library Director Ann Zydek announced her retirement on Feb. 13. Her intention was to retire in September, which she did.

    At the Feb. 14 Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners, Airport Manager Nick King speaks to Board President Jay Rigdon about the Warsaw airport becoming a city-county airport. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

At the Feb. 14 Warsaw Board of Aviation Commissioners, Airport Manager Nick King gave a presentation on the Warsaw airport becoming a city-county airport, which the board unanimously approved. The city council approved the idea on March 20. The county council heard public comments on the city-county airport authority at its April 6 meeting. In an unexpected move April 13, the county council tabled a resolution on moving the Warsaw Municipal Airport from a board of aviation commissioners to a city-county airport authority until 2024.
March 1 is a significant date for Stillwater Hospice, and now it’s an important one for Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice (KHCH). On Feb. 28, the two organizations announced at KHCH, 1515 Provident Drive, Warsaw, they have combined as one, effective March 1.

   On Feb. 28, Stillwater Hospice and Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice announced at KHCH, 1515 Provident Drive, Warsaw, that they have combined as one, effective March 1. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union


Mentor Supply Chain USA (Mentor Media), a global supply chain solutions company, established a sterile packaging and supply chain management hub in Warsaw Technology Park. On March 15, the city of Warsaw and Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), along with state and local partners, hosted a small groundbreaking ceremony to welcome Mentor Media leadership to the community. A ribbon-cutting and grand opening event for Mentor Media took place Nov. 2.
Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County has a long-term goal to build three homes per year in Kosciusko County. Traditionally, it’s been one home per year.
To get there, the nonprofit organization started with two homes in Claypool side by side for its 2023 build season. A groundbreaking ceremony for the homes along South Graceland Avenue took place March 20. The town of Claypool helped Habitat obtain the land by donating it to Habitat.
A proposal to open the first liquor store in the history of Winona Lake was met with an avalanche of opposition March 28. A proposal to convert a business office on Kings Highway into a liquor store attracted a standing-room-only crowd to Winona Lake Town Hall where the town’s board of zoning appeals heard the request and ultimately turned it down with a 3-0 vote.
A renovation and expansion groundbreaking ceremony was held April 18 at Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital for the $30 million renovations and expansion of the Warsaw hospital. Lynn Mergen, CEO of LKH, said the enhancements will be many, with the biggest impact being with surgical services.
Four members of the 44-member Wawasee Community Engagement Committee presented their findings to the school board April 18. Those findings included combining Milford Middle School with Wawasee Middle School, renovating or constructing a new Milford Elementary School and a new performing arts center, among others. On May 9, the Wawasee School Board voted to consolidate Milford Middle School with Wawasee Middle School at the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Wawasee Summer League held special opening day festivities on April 29, which included the dedication of the new Harold Schrock Fields, preceded by a parade. Waiting at the gates to Schrock Fields were representatives of the Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department and board of directors, who gathered together with selected players for a ribbon-cutting ceremony before the crowd filed into the complex.

A development agreement approved by the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission on May 1 was the first step toward the $18.3 million transformation of the former Gatke Corp. property by Rebar Development. The project is roughly an $18.3 million project - 83 apartments, roughly 12,000 (square feet) of commercial space. Of the $18.3 million, the state is giving $4 million in redevelopment tax credits and the city is contributing $3.3 million as its incentive toward the project. Rebar Development is putting $11 million toward the project.
On May 15, a groundbreaking ceremony took place at Eastfield, a new housing development, along East CR 1250 (Syracuse Street), that will help the town of Milford continue to grow. The 52 single-family homes development from Miller Brothers Builders was a few years in the making.
On May 17, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place for the new Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department office and maintenance building at 123 E. Fort Wayne St. On Dec. 11, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place for the new Center Lake Recreational Trail, which was funded by a $1 million gift by the Sasso family.
On June 1, the Animal Welfare League had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its cat house, with the grand opening set for June 17. The cat house houses over 70 cats and kittens.
Warsaw Redevelopment Commission approved two major housing projects at its June 5 meeting, including one at the site of the former downtown Owen's.
Regarding that, the commission approved an economic development agreement with AP Millworks LLC and AP Development LLC for the Millworks project, an 85-unit housing development. It will consist of mainly one- to two-bedroom options with a few three-bedroom options in the corners.
The second approval was that of the Petro Road extension that has the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission partnering with Property Management and Maintenance LLC. The alliance allows for an extension to Tippe River Downs housing development to be completed at a much quicker pace. This extension of Tippe River Downs will include 72 units of three bedrooms and two baths, with 72 garage bays.

    The closing of LSC Communications, 2801 W. Old 30, Warsaw, impacted 525 workers. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

The closing of LSC Communications, 2801 W. Old 30, Warsaw, impacted 525 workers.
In a letter to Thallemer from Ernest Carey, chief operations officer, MCL Solutions, Carey stated, “Unfortunately, the demand for gravure printing - that once made this a thriving business - no longer exists in the market. With ink and paper costs rising and page counts lowering, catalogs and magazines are either switching to offset printing or greatly reducing their print runs. With respect to gravure printing and here in Warsaw, we held in there as long as we could.”

    The former Marsh property at 500 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, was purchased by the city of Warsaw. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

The former Marsh property at 500 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, was purchased by the city of Warsaw.
At the Warsaw Redevelopment Commission’s meeting July 10, they approved a resolution and purchase agreement to buy the property from Cardinal Services for $1.25 million out of Warsaw Technology Park funds. They also approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ram Development Partners LLC to give the Alabama company 12 months to find retailer(s) for the property, with a grocery store at the top of the city’s “want” list for the approximate 5.44-acres property.
The Orthopedic Hospital - Warsaw Surgery Center is the first in Indiana to be outfitted with Zimmer Biomet’s Omni Suite.
The intelligent operating room that uses advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, was highlighted July 13 during Lutheran Health Network’s (LHN) ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of surgery center, 701 Orthopedic Drive, Warsaw. Tours of the facility also were offered before and after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Members of the Winona Lake and Warsaw communities celebrated the completion of the roundabout at the intersection of Park Avenue, Kings Highway, Winona Avenue and Argonne Road with a ribbon-cutting ceremony July 21.

    Zimmer Biomet announced a leadership transition Aug. 22 after Chief Executive Officer Bryan Hanson (pictured) resigned to become CEO of the healthcare spinoff at 3M. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

Zimmer Biomet announced a leadership transition Aug. 22 after Chief Executive Officer Bryan Hanson resigned to become CEO of the healthcare spinoff at 3M. Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. announced the appointment of Ivan Tornos as president and CEO and election to the board of directors, effective immediately. Tornos has most recently served as chief operating officer of Zimmer Biomet, a role he has held since early 2021. He takes over as president and CEO from Hanson, who has served as the company's president and CEO since late 2017 and chairman since 2021.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house were held for the Zimmer Biomet Center Lake Pavilion on Sept. 27. Zimmer Biomet Foundation donated $2.5 million of the approximate $3 million in costs for the renovation of the pavilion.
On Oct. 2, a groundbreaking ceremony took place for the new YMCA facility that will be located in the former Madison Elementary School gymnasium, 575 W. Fort Wayne St., Warsaw.
On Nov. 12, the final Penguin Points closed their doors permanently. The Center Street location in Warsaw closed its doors on Nov. 10 due to a rush of traffic depleting its inventories after word of the closures got out to the public. The North Detroit Street restaurant had long lines on Nov. 11, but very limited list of items still available. The other remaining stores that closed were in Auburn, Columbia City, North Manchester and Wabash.
In November 2022, the Warsaw Penguin Point on Lake Street closed, along with Penguin Point locations in Plymouth, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Marion and Goshen.
The first Penguin Point opened in the 1950s.
On the corner of the intersection of Sheridan and Colfax streets is a Sycamore tree estimated to be over 300 years old. It was slated to come down as part of the city of Warsaw’s Lincoln Neighborhood Sidewalk Project, but homeowner Gita Kamdar made an effort to save the tree and the city found a way to save the tree and still complete the federally-funded project.
Kosciusko County Health Officer Dr. William Remington stepped down in 2023 after nearly 30 years of public service. The 65-year-old physician’s resignation was effective at the end of December.
On Dec. 16, Parkview Warsaw - which officially becomes Parkview Kosciusko Hospital on Jan. 9 - hosted an open house for the public of its new facilities at 1355 Mariners Drive, Warsaw.