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Silver Lake Hears Report On Iron Removal Unit

SILVER LAKE - Donald Morrison, Ecologistics Limited's senior environmental engineer, West Lafayette, examined Silver Lake's iron removal unit and presented the findings Tuesday to the town council. The unit, which removes iron from water, is expected to last 30 years, said Morrison.Silver Lake's unit lasted 34 years.Now the tank is leaking. "I couldn't recommend repairing the tank.I think it's throwing good money to bad - well, I think you've got to replace it," said Morrison. Ecologistics Limited offered a $180,000 bid for a 450-gallon tank and its installation.At the council's request, Morrison offered a bid from another company for $170,000. Morrison recommended a new 450-gallon tank instead of replacing the current 150-gallon tank.Silver Lake's water consumption has increased by 5 percent annually.Morrison forecasted an increase in iron removal because of the water usage.A bigger filter will be needed in about eight or nine years, he said.
Matthew Weigelt, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Stolen Property Recovered

More than $12,000 in stolen property was recovered last weekend, and even more may be waiting to be claimed. After 12 storage lockers at Space Maker Storage, Ind.13, North Webster, were burglarized Oct.30, owners of the stolen property became suspicious of a new-to-town pawn shop in downtown North Webster. They contacted police, and upon searching the store, which has yet to officially open, they found property belonging to three victims.Other property in the shop is believed to be stolen, but because some victims' property reports have not been filed, it is not possible to tell. Home electronics, exercise machines, furniture and outdoor equipment were among items recovered.A complete collection of magazines, dating back to the 1980s, also was found, and is believed to be stolen.The magazines were bound by year, and may be of some value, Detective Todd Sautter, of Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, said.
KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Grace Village Opens New 26-Unit Addition

WINONA LAKE - The latest addition at Grace Village was dedicated and officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.The new facility contains 26 residential care units.The licensed residential care facility includes 24-hour nursing coverage, management of residents' medications and periodic checks to ensure residents are OK. The dedication service included a welcome and mission statement by Jeff Carroll, Grace Village CEO.He said, "The mission is not-for-profit, driven by the compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ." Introductions and recognition were given by Jesse DeBoest, Grace Village board chairman, who recognized Troyer Group as the architects and Robinson Construction, the builder.Comments were given by Mark Gephart, Grace Village director of operations and health care administrator.The dedication prayer was given by Chaplain Glenn Byers and the ceremonies closed with a special blessing by Pastor John Teevan, Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church.
M.J. RHODES, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Abatement OK'd For Machining Concepts

Machining Concepts Inc.received its approval for a tax abatement Thursday from the Kosciusko County Council. Jim Walmer, representing Thornburg Family LLP requesting the abatement on behalf of Machining Concepts, made the request.Thornburg Family LLP is taking on the liability and expense of a new building for the company. In October, the council approved a resolution designating property on CR 200N, west of Pound Road, as a potential economic revitalization area for abatement purposes.Thursday's approval confirms the abatement.There were no remonstrators. Machining Concepts was formed 10 years ago by Tom Knisely to service orthopedic companies.The company is expecting more than $630,000 in building improvements.The current tax value of the company's machinery is $504,000 and they are going to add $492,000 in machines over the next year.The purchase value of the equipment the company currently has is $1.3 million.
DAVID SLONE Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Power Outage Affects 960 In Winona, Warsaw

Winona Lake and parts of Warsaw experienced a power outage early this morning, said Kim Lahman, spokeswoman for NIPSCO. The outage, caused by equipment failure, began at 2:30 a.m.and lasted until 6:30 a.m.Approximately 960 customers were affected, Lahman said. Power has been restored, and all operations should be back to normal, she said.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

County Firefighters Work To Prevent Fire-Related Deaths

Tax dollars cover the day-to-day operations of local fire departments, and firefighters throughout the county admit their jobs are reactive - when an alarm sounds, they respond. However, the men who answer the calls - especially those who have worked the scene of a fatal fire - are working to be proactive in Kosciusko County and they need the help of the community to make it happen. The Kosciusko County Firemen's Association, which comprises about 250 firefighters, is a month into a countywide program to put a working smoke detector in every home.It is estimated at least 15,000 smoke detectors will be needed and the cost is about $10 each.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Sewer, Water Hookup Debated At S. Whitley Council

SOUTH WHITLEY - Pastor Connie Payne of the United Methodist Church and church member Jim Bolinger appeared at the town council meeting Tuesday night regarding hooking on to the water and sewer lines which are serving the The Park Lake Estates subdivison owned and being developed by Jeff Spear. Bolinger said Spear indicated the church, which operates a day care center, could hook onto the system but on one else could.Bolinger said Spear's reasoning was the developer wants to expand across Spring Creek, to the east, and any more add ons would tax the pumping system. The Spear property is slated for voluntary annexation to be complete next spring according to town attorney Greg Hockemeyer.The water and sanitary sewer lines then become the responsibility of the town.
TERESA CARRANO, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Ex-Employees Sue Local Salvation Army

Two lawsuits, for $2 million each, were filed last week against Warsaw's Salvation Army Thrift Store and Lt.Jeffrey Horn, director of The Salvation Army in Warsaw. Dolores Garza, Warsaw, and Hilda Amador, Winona Lake, filed complaints in U.S.District Court in South Bend, charging Horn and the Salvation Army with discrimination based on age and national origin. Amador, 54, and Garza, 50, claim they were both discharged from their positions at the thrift store on Feb.9, 1996.Their complaints said they were dismissed without notice and without just cause, and that they had "never had job performance problems and had never been written up." "Every one of their charges is absurd," Horn said this morning. The women were dismissed based on their performances, he said.They filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and their complaints were dismissed within nine days, Horn added.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Helping Kids Focus Of Education Summit

Adults who have a positive influence on the lives of children will be the focus of this year's Education Summit Thursday. Featured speaker for the ninth Education Summit, "Let's Make A Difference," will be Charles F.Pratt, judge of the Allen Superior Court Family Relations Division. Pratt received the 2002 Robert J.Kinsey Award for outstanding judicial services to children and youth, and is a member of the policy council for Allen County's positive youth development initiative, "Great Kids Make Great Communities." He is also the founder and coordinator of the Annual Conference on Youth in northeastern Indiana and is known for his efforts to find successful practices and strategies for serving children and families who enter the juvenile justice system.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Deer Hunters Take Firearms To The Woods This Weekend

Firearms season for deer opens Saturday and continues until Dec.1.Most hunters will take their positions well before first light. Although the bow hunters' season began Oct.1, more hunters participate in the firearms season. Hunting is big business, a $20.6 billion industry in the United States.More than $10 billion is spent on equipment alone. Indiana's share of the pie is $1.8 billion, according to U.S.Fish and Wildlife statistics. Last year, 23,132 deer were harvested in early archery season, 67,958 in firearms season, 11,098 during the muzzleloader season and 984 in late archery.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Our Father's House Opens New Dining Room

"It's kinda like the Field of Dreams, 'If you build it, they will come,'" said Roz Morgan of her newly opened dining room Friday.The Our Father's House operator has been serving up soup and sandwiches for eight days to about 25 people per day, free of charge. The Jerome R.Kralis Memorial Dining Room is on the north side of the charity's building at 401 Argonne Road in Warsaw.The pleasant room seats 62 people in maroon and dark green booths and tables.The booths have silk floral arrangements.Pictures featuring botanical designs are hung on the walls. "We started saving the prints about a year ago.It's amazing that everything matches," Morgan said. The decor doesn't really concern Morgan as much as feeding people who are hungry.The dining room is just an extension of the food pantry that has been in place since 1997, beginning at 2234 E.Center St.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Gatke Contract Awarded

KelCon Construction was awarded the waste removal contract at the Gatke brownsfield site during Friday's Warsaw Board of Works meeting.The decision was tabled at the last BOW meeting.A quote presented by QEPI Construction held questions, which weren't resolved until this meeting. Quotes were allowed instead of bids because no bids were submitted in the first round of advertisement. KelCon, operated by Jack Kelley, has also been awarded the demolition phase of the Gatke project.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Street Vacation Approved

The Warsaw Plan Commission approved a recommendation to vacate a portion of Widaman Street in the Lakeside Park addition. Petitioners Lewis and Nedra Dobbins, 1518 Brubaker St., and David Essig, 304 Kincaid St., were seeking the vacation of the right-of-way held by the city.The right-of-way runs between the Dobbins and Essig properties on Brubaker.Each would be entitled to half of the right-of-way if the vacation is approved by the city council. "With the vacation of my half of the right-of-way, I would be able to build a suitable sized home there on my lot," Essig said. Commissioner Joe Thallemer, while supporting the request, wanted to know if the Dobbinses and Essig would be willing to allow a public easement for foot traffic to Pike Lake if the city vacates the street right-of-way.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Witness Says Suspect Threatened Murder Victim In '99

Jurors heard direct testimony from four witnesses and the depositions of two others in the third day of the Jason Ryan murder trial Friday. Ryan is on trial for the murder of Jill Phillips, whose body was found June 10, 2001, in Turkey Creek, west of Syracuse. Rick Bedell, president of Miller Building Systems Inc.; Todd Sautter, Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department; Rachel Ryan, Jason Ryan's sister-in-law; and Pam Pierpont, Jason Ryan's ex-wife answered questions on the stand. A video of a deposition with Joe Garland, the person who purchased the red Geo Tracker formerly owned by Jason Ryan, was shown to the jury.Excerpts from a deposition of Allen Castalucci, a friend of Jill Phillips were read.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Winona Council Closes Blocks Of College Avenue To Parking

WINONA LAKE - Most of the east side of College Avenue from Seventh to 13th streets will be closed to parking soon. The town council Tuesday approved a traffic ordinance establishing no-parking areas on both sides of College Avenue from Seventh Street to Ninth Street, except on Sundays from 8 a.m.to 1 p.m., and on the east side of College Avenue from Rupe Drive to 13th Street. The ordinance was originally heard at the Nov.9 meeting and tabled.The first version allowed parking on both sides on Sundays from 8 a.m.to noon.It appeared in its new form during Tuesday morning's meeting and was unanimously approved. Councilman John Boal, representing Ward 1, was presented with a plaque of appreciation for his service.Boal is moving to another ward and is giving up his council seat effective Nov.30.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Planners Table Request For Gas Station

The Kroger Co.'s proposal to install a gas station on its Center Street property was tabled by Warsaw Plan Commissioners Monday. After lengthy discussion regarding vehicular and pedestrian traffic patterns and the number of parking spaces at the former Sav-a-Lot building, the commissioners referred the development plan to the traffic commission for its recommendation. The gas kiosk is designed to have four pumping stations under a canopy at 2101 E.Center St.The station would be in the northeast corner north of the old Sav-a-Lot building between Cleveland and Harrison streets. Kroger attorney Mike Quinn explained the company plans to replat the area, combining lots 15, 16 and 17 of the first community amended addition into one lot. The company also is prepared to vacate the alley behind the Liquid Assets liquor store and the half block commonly used as Fort Wayne Street behind the Sav-a-Lot store.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wawasee School Board Takes First Step Toward Building New School

SYRACUSE - To build a new school, a school corporation has to take the process step by step. On Nov.4, the Wawasee School Board took another step to building a new North Webster Elementary school by agreeing to purchase two properties for $322,092, Don Huber, Wawasee Schools director of finance told the school board Tuesday. The two properties combined total 68 acres and are being sold by Joe Barrett and Richard Kistler.The properties are at the intersection of CRs 750E and 600N. The board approved the school corporation's financial report for October even though it contained an error that was not caught by the board until Huber was notified after the meeting. For the debt service fund, the beginning and the ending balances were both $265,206.55.However, disbursements were listed as $872,590, which would have made the ending balance more than $600,000 in the red.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

City Settles Up With Treatment Plant Contractor

A final payment, $226,656.10, release of retainage and a change order of minus $14,649.50 was approved for Indiana Construction/Corporate Construction a Joint Venture of Fort Wayne for work at the CR 150E wastewater treatment plan in Warsaw. Board of Works members said Friday that the final contract sum was $10,828,405.50, up from the original amount of $10,592,150. Employees at risk of coming into contact with untreated sewage will be offered free hepatitis A vaccinations for their protection, as recommended by human resources director Jennifer Whitaker.She expected that this would cover some street department and a few wastewater treatment plant employees. City employees working in high-risk jobs are already offered bloodborne pathogen training and a series of hepatitis B vaccinations for their protection at no cost. The hepatitis A shots cost $17.75 per dose, and two doses are recommended.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

North Webster Library Looks To New Quarters; Considering Conversion To Public Status

Tucked in the back of the Tippecanoe Township building, the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library offers more than 15,000 books, magazines, videos and audio books to residents. Open to the public, with library cards available for a fee to out-of-township citizens, the facility is a Library Services Authority - not a public library.Instead of raising revenue through a tax levy, the library is dependent upon matching line items in the town and township budgets and a generous community to operate. Helen Leinbach has been librarian since 1990. "We're the only LSA in the state to function as a 'public library,'" she said. When the library moves from its present location at 502 W.Washington St.into the new community center, a goal of Leinbach and the board of trustees is to become a public library.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Akron Tries Innovative Teaching Program

AKRON - Schools have used computers for years, but Akron Elementary is combining technology with innovation to create a new way to teach children. Called Project CHILD (Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development), the program uses the same teachers to teach the sam1e subjects to the same students at least two years in a row. For example, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.each day, Sally Bales teaches math to grade 2.She also teaches math to a first grade class from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.daily, and to another first grade class from 11:15 a.m.to 12:15 p.m. Meantime, Rhonda Jewell is teaching reading to the same students at different times, and Janet Morgan is teaching language arts. One advantage of this part of the program, the teachers said, is that the kids know what the teachers expect of them and the teachers get to know the kids.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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