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Tippy Valley Officials Move Forward With Building Plan

MENTONE - No signed petitions have been received from Kosciusko or Fulton counties against the $10 million Mentone Elementary building project, so superintendent Karen Boling has directed architects to proceed with the project.
ROSA HATFIELD, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Bar Patron Struck In Head With Bottle; Warsaw Man Arrested

A Warsaw man was treated at Kosciusko Community Hospital and released after being struck in the head several times Christmas Eve by a man wielding a beer bottle inside a local bar.The suspect was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on several misdemeanor charges. William David Roberts, 23, suffered large knots and small cuts to the back of his head, according to a Warsaw Police Department report.The incident occurred about 10:15 p.m.Friday inside the Time Out Inn, where Roberts and his wife, Windy, were reportedly being harassed by the suspect, Jim Edward Ryan Waid, 19, of 552 S.Union St., Warsaw. Waid reportedly fled the scene before police arrived, but witnesses gave a description of the vehicle he was in and he was apprehended a short distance away and brought back to the scene for identification.Roberts said he did not know who his assailant was, but a witness said he could identify the suspect and verified that Waid was the man who struck Roberts.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Asphalt Bids Questioned In Warsaw

When is a bid on a public works project a bid? That's the question Warsaw City Attorney Mike Valentine is going to have to answer in wake of the events at Friday's Board of Works meeting. Phend & Brown submitted a bid with a "de-escalation clause," where the city would benefit from any price reduction the contractor received from their asphalt supplier.Niblock had submitted a firm bid of $117.50 per ton. Phend & Brown recently acquired a guarantee from their supplier that if the contractor received the city bid, the maximum charge for asphalt would be $117.28 per ton, and wanted to use that guarantee to execute their de-escalation clause, to which Niblock objected, saying Phend & Brown was trying to revise their bid unfairly after submission.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Burner Honored

Retiring Superior Court Judge Robert Burner (L) receives congratulations after earning a Sagamore of the Wabash award from Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh. The Sagamore is the highest honor bestowed by the state of Indiana for public service. Pictured with Burner are Jean Northenor, of Lake City Bank, and Warsaw attorney Tom Lemon. Northenor helped secure the award from the governor's office and Lemon is the president of the Indiana State Bar Association. The presentation took place during a recognition dinner at ViewPoint Restaurant this week where Burner was honored by the local bar association for his 32 years on the bench. Photo Provided
Photo Provided- | July 28, 2016

'Wreath Of Hope' Tea Raises $12K

It may have been a balmy 68 degrees outside, but inside Center Lake Pavilion Wednesday there were snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and Christmas wreaths lining the room. The first-ever Wreath of Hope Holiday Tea Wednesday afternoon drew more than 110 women to Center Lake Pavilion and raised at least $12,000 for the Cardinal Center, according to event organizers Cathy Teghtmeyer and Rebecca Kubacki. Part of the attraction was the atmosphere - linen tablecloths, china, silverware, crystal - but mostly the women were there to help raise funds for the Cardinal Center. Jane Green, Cardinal Center CEO, said Cardinal Center's staff of 500 serves more than 2,000 children, adults and families annually. "Our mission is to help people with disabilities and other needs become active in the community," she said.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wawasee Sees Preliminary Webster School Plans

SYRACUSE -ÊIn January, the Wawasee School board will receive the final design of the new North Webster Elementary School for approval. Tuesday, Gary R.Watkins, of Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects & Engineers, Inc., Fort Wayne, presented preliminary designs for the new elementary.The plans are not final.Thursday, Watkins will meet with North Webster Elementary staff members to get their input. There were two conceptual plans presented at the board meeting - Plan P and Plan Q. Both plans attempt to keep bus traffic separate from parent drop-off and visitor traffic.Also, both plans keep grade levels in "pods."In each plan, the media center and administration offices are centrally located while the "noisy areas," such as the gym and band room, are separated from regular classrooms. Space around the elementary will allow for playgrounds and athletic fields.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Value Of Curriculum Noted At Manchester

NORTH MANCHESTER - Students understand their work's relevance to their lives, said Bonnie Ingram, principal of Manchester Elementary School. Ingram and Nancy Alspaugh, principal of Manchester High School, updated the school board Tuesday on the corporation's curriculum writing. Manchester schools stand at "a high stakes curriculum-writing point," she said. Teachers need quality literature in the classroom and a structure for teaching the literature and assessing student learning, said Ingram. Quality literature is highly regarded writing, which has gained its own reputation in the genre.Students should read the entire book, Ingram said. "The No.1 way to improve reading is to read," she said.Students should be taught more than just who, what and when.Teachers should focus on inferencing and finding the main idea in writing.
Matthew Weigelt, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Plugging The Local Brain Drain

Thanks to the presence of orthopedic giants Biomet, DePuy and Zimmer, Warsaw offers a high percentage of jobs requiring a high degree of creativity, adjustment to a corporate environment and a future in biomedical technology. With the receipt of a $750,000 Initiative to Promote Opportunity through an Educational Collaborations grant from the Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis, Grace College hopes to put a plug in the "brain drain" and train graduates for the local orthopedic industry.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County Selects Stafford For Waste Removal

For the next few years, Stafford Solid Waste will continue to provide waste management service for Kosciusko County. Tuesday, Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District Director Marsha Eikenberry recommended to the district board that the service contract be awarded to Stafford. Stafford, which holds the current contract with the district, was the only company that bid on the contract last month.Three other companies chose not to bid. The company will continue to operate the 12 recycling drop-off stations as they are now for $11,500 in monthly fees for 2000 and approximately $12,600 by 2002. If Stafford collects materials at 11 of the recycling stations as they do now and also operates a manned recycling facility, monthly fees would be $14,618 for 2000 and $15,718 for 2002 included $35 per appliance with freon. If the county gets a manned recycling facility, the second set of fees will go into effect and the first set will become void.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Milford Hikes Salaries

MILFORD - Employees of Milford will see a 5 percent increase in their paychecks in 1999. The town council approved the increase Monday. "It may not be the best system in the world, but no one's presented a better way," councilman Douglas Ruch said. Councilman Robert Beer II seconded the motion and said he would have liked the increase set at 4 percent.He said he seconded the motion because town employees don't have a retirement plan. Abstaining was Donald Wolferman. The council also approved awarding the trash removal contract for Milford to Sweetheimer, which offered the lowest bid at $27,000 per year for three years.Other bids included a bid from Worley Disposal for $28,800 and one from Republic for $39,616. In other business, Marion Acton, member of the park advisory board, presented a request to encumber $1,700 from the capital improvements budget to build a handicap-accessible sidewalk and shelter.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Veterans Affairs Officer Retiring

He's helped veterans file claims for service or nonservice-connected disabilities. He's provided veterans with assistance in dealing with veteran hospitals and pharmacies.Helped widows and survivors get pensions and helped veterans obtain medals and discharge papers. Now, after six years as the Kosciusko County veterans service officer, Tom Everett, 67, is retiring.His last day is Thursday. "I'm retiring because I need time with my wife and family," he said Tuesday.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Suspect In Odometer Tampering Surrenders, Booked At County Jail

The Warsaw man accused of odometer fraud and other charges turned himself in to police Thursday morning. Chad Allan Gottschalk, 38, of 2028 Maple Run, Warsaw, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 11:30 a.m.Thursday on one count of felony theft and four counts of forgery.His bond was set at $40,000. Gottschalk's wife, Karen Gottschalk, 37, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail Wednesday at 1:14 p.m.on two counts of check forgery.Her bond was set at $20,000. Chad Gottschalk may face up to 15 counts of forgery (Class C felony), four counts of theft (Class D felony) and four counts of odometer altering/odometer fraud (Class D felony). The Gottschalks allegedly purchased luxury vehicles with high mileage then turned back the odometers or replaced the odometers with one purchased on the Internet or in a junkyard. Once the odometers were altered or replaced, the vehicles were sold for nearly 100 percent profit.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Fulk Hired As Pierceton Officer

PIERCETON - The town council hired Tiffany Fulk as a third police officer Thursday, following an executive session. Fulk has served the town as a reserve officer for 1-1/2 years. She replaces Terry Cahill, who resigned in November. Currently a Whitley County dispatcher, Fulk's exact starting date will begin soon, said Jerry Kreger, town board president. Also during the special meeting, the board approved an appropriation to fund a Public Employee Retirement Fund. Town council members are Kreger, Mandy Espinosa and Robert Tenney.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

County GIS Service Soon To Be On Internet

Bill Holder has been making maps for a while now and currently serves as Kosciusko County's Geographic Information System director. Holder, along with Chasity Schooley, who oversees parcel maintenance, responds to a variety of requests from county departments. The clerk's office has political district maps as well as precinct maps for the entire county, the assessor has them to determine land use and the highway department accesses the information to track bridges and culverts.The sheriff's department may request a map to determine if certain arrests took place within 1,000 feet of a school. The Area Plan Commission and drainage board use the maps as a decision-making tool. "In time, each township will use GIS to calculate property tax assessments," Holder said from his courthouse office. There are five public access computers currently available and people can have a printout at no charge.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Pierceton Teen Struck By Car

PIERCETON - A teen-ager is in stable condition at Kosciusko Community Hospital after being struck by a car Monday.The driver of the vehicle was jailed after the incident. According to Pierceton police, Travis L.Sutherlin, 18, of Pierceton, was walking along Mill Street when a car driven by Jason Ryan Coleman, 20, of 3104 Wooster Road, Winona Lake, passed him. Coleman later told police that he and a friend were traveling on Mill Street en route to Regency Point Estates when they saw Sutherlin and decided to offer him a ride.Coleman backed up too fast, he told police, and the front end of his vehicle began to sway.He then lost control of the car and struck Sutherlin.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Milford Town Attorney Explains Annexation Process For Ethanol Site

MILFORD - During Monday's meeting of the Milford Town Council, further input concerning the proposed ethanol refinery was the main topic of discussion. Town attorney Jay Rigdon presented research regarding the question of annexation of property, as it would pertain to the land for the proposed site.
JOHN DeGROFF, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Pierceton Marshal Offers Safe Kids Plan To Whitko

PIERCETON - With advanced Technology and the Amber Alert System, Pierceton Town Marshal Tim Sammons told the Whitko Community School Board of Trustees Monday more missing children are being found. But to help increase the safety and recovery of missing children, Sammons presented the school board with a program he came up with that he said will assist police officers if a Whitko student turns up missing. The school board took no action on the matter. The program will be strictly voluntary, Sammons said.Information regarding the program will be sent home with each student at the schools the board chooses.If the parent decides to participate, the parent will receive one descriptive identification card for each child, equipment to take a DNA sample of their child, a medical release form and a safety tip sheet.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

City OKs Rezoning, 2 Vacations

Following Warsaw Plan Commission's recommendations, the city council approved a rezoning and two public way vacations Monday. The properties, north of Petro Drive to CR 350N and bordered on the east by Ind.15N and the Tippecanoe River, were rezoned arterial commercial (C-3) from light industrial (I-2). City planner Jeff Noffsinger initiated the proposal, saying the new zoning designation better reflects future use of the 134 acres. Noffsinger said he wanted to be proactive regarding the rezoning, rather than reactive. The three properties are owned by Petro Family LLC, the John R.Nye Trust and Unitechind Inc. The vacation of public way requests approved were: the vacation of an unimproved alley between 506 and 510 S.North St., owned by Cynthia Greider and Rachel Greider; and the the vacation of a 3-foot by 66-foot portion of Perry Street along Darlene Eherenman's property.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Planners Hear Public Input On Runoff, Erosion, Zoning

Ordinances regarding storm water runoff, erosion control and zoning were discussed at the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission meeting Wednesday. The plan commission did not approve the ordinances but voted to continue the discussion to next month's Dec.1 meeting at 1 p.m.The board wants more input from the public. Complete copies of the ordinances are available at the plan commission's office in the county courthouse. Many of the members of the public present Wednesday were concerned about erosion and storm water runoff into the lakes. Bob Smith said he is a 10-year resident of Lake Tippecanoe and he and the members of the lake association want to prevent sediment from going into the lake."Having something in writing is a lot better than not having anything at all," he said. Jon Roberts, of the Kosciusko County Soil & Water Conservation District, said they have wanted to see something happen like the proposed ordinances for years.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

AWL Optimistic In Animal Shelter Takeover

It's raining cats and dogs in Kosciusko County and the Animal Welfare League hopes to be the umbrella to stop the downpour. The AWL took over the animal shelter Sunday. The League will pay the county $1 a year to lease the animal shelter.The county, in return, will pay the AWL $30,000 a year for expenses.The county will also pay the salary of the animal control officer, Jerry Clase. "We thought it was probably a good decision on the county's part.The county's budget for the shelter will go from $130,000 a year to $30,000," AWL President Linda Mullins said."We're not government funded." Mullins said most of the revenue will be generated by donations and volunteers.The only paid positions will be the salary of co-directors Tracey Yates and Heidi Bailey-Leininger.The AWL will also apply for any and all grants and will hold fundraisers regularly.Pet supplies will also be sold at the facilities.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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