Relevance Date

Jackson, Lakes Group Negotiating On Wetlands Plan

SYRACUSE - Syracuse resident Brad Jackson says he will wait to hear a proposal from a local lake association before going ahead with plans to build a home on Syracuse Lake. "I'm going to call the Army District Corps and put the permits on temporary hold," Jackson said. Jackson, a county commissioner, seeks to fill in a part of the wetlands to provide a front yard and boat landing at the lake's open water.The area is 50 feet by 200 feet.As mitigation, fill material would be taken from the west end of the property and a wetlands area would be constructed at that location. He said he delaying the process in order to begin negotiations with Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Inc., who has expressed an interest in purchasing the land from Jackson. Jackson met with a WACFI representative over the weekend to discuss a time frame for the negotiations.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

New Officer Added To Warsaw PD

Brian Roberts was sworn in as a new police officer during Friday's Warsaw Board of Works meeting.Roberts, originally from Shelbyville, is a former DePuy employee. Board members also heard the police department has been approved to receive an $8,000 grant for Operation Pull Over. This grant period is from Oct.1, 2003 to Sept.30, 2004.The funds come from the Department of Transportation, national Highway Traffic Safety Administration and will go toward the Open Alcohol Beverage Container Transfer Program. Wastewater treatment plant operator Dave Henderson approached the board with a contract for mercury testing at the new plant from Heritage Environmental Services.The testing is a requirement of Plant #2's NPDES Permit. Henderson said the new Warsaw facility is the only treatment plant in the state required to do the testing, at a cost of $2,750 per month.Incoming sewage will be tested for mercury twice a month, and the treated water tested four times per month.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

WCHS Presents 'Up The Down Staircase'

"Up the Down Staircase" was originally written in the 1960s. Yet the issues it addresses can still be found in today's society and in today's schools. Warsaw Community High School theater department is presenting "Up the Down Staircase" at Lakeview Auditorium Nov.16-17 at 7:30 p.m.and Nov.18 at 2 p.m. The play is set in the current day in an inner-city high school classroom where novice teacher, Sylvia Barrett (played by WCHS student Annie Koser), fights for the education of her indifferent students and learns lessons about life in the process. "It's her first year of teaching," said Koser."(Barrett) goes through a lot of problems because these are troubled students who know they can take advantage of her." Barrett tries hard to win the students over and "at the end," said Koser, "it just all pays off." Perhaps the main relationship in the play is the often-hostile one between Barrett and rebellious student Joe Ferone (Phil Dillon).
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Food-A-Thon raises $10,000 for CCS

WRSW 107.3's first Food-A-Thon raised more than $10,000 in pledges in 36 hours for Combined Community Services earlier this week. "It was an outstanding community effort," said Pat Brown, WRSW station manager, Friday."We had one couple from Winona Lake give a $1,000 donation." Several orthopedic company workers took up collections at their businesses.Amounts ranged from $100 to $500. In addition, three trucks were filled with food donations.Brown said, "It was just unbelievable....The generosity was just absolutely overwhelming." Jim Coons, CCS executive director, said, "The thing I think is so important about the fund- raiser is that it was a wake-up call for the community not to forget the local charities."He said judging by the donations, the community agreed local charity is important.
David Slone,Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Group Organizes To Support Principal Of Milford School

SYRACUSE - Approximately 130 people gathered at a meeting Thursday night at the Syracuse Community Centr to drum up support for Milford School Principal Cindy Kaiser. At the last meeting of the Wawasee Community School Board, all administrators in the school corporation were granted one-year contract extensions except for Kaiser. The board released five reasons for not extending Kaiser's contract: failure to provide adequate leadership, failure to maintain appropriate school community relations, failure to properly manage personnel, failure to properly manage a facility and inappropriate personal attributes. These are also the primary issues covered on an administrator's yearly evaluation. Kaiser's attorney, Steve Snyder, released information from two previous years' evaluations.All administrators are graded on scale of one to four, with four being the highest.In both evaluations, Kaiser received three threes and two fours.
ORA FREEMAN Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Robinson Guilty On Five Charges

Jurors returned a split verdict Friday night against Brandon Robinson, convicting him of the five drunk driving offenses and acquitting him of the three reckless homicide charges in the June 12 deaths of three area youths. After nearly six hours of deliberation, jurors found Robinson guilty on three counts of driving while intoxicated causing death and two counts of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.They found him not guilty of three counts of reckless homicide. An eerie hush fell over the courtroom as Kosciusko Superior Court III Judge Joe Sutton prepared to read the verdicts.A couple of quiet gasps were uttered from both sides as the first guilty verdict was revealed and several members of Robinson's family were crying by the time the final verdict was read.Robinson's mother held her son and sobbed with him as the courtroom began to empty. Sentencing for Robinson, 18, of Warsaw, is set for 1 p.m.Dec.17.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Holtz Visits Warsaw, Makes Final Push For Congress

Dan Holtz is running hard - getting his message out in trying to unseat popular incumbent Congressman Tim Roemer (D-Dist.3). Despite the long odds against him, Holtz is keeping his head held high and trying to return respect to what has come to be seen by many as a less-than-honorable pursuit, he said Monday. "I'm doing this because I think this is an honorable pursuit," he said."Working in the legislature, I found that, by and large, the people serving as elected representatives of the people are caring and honest and are just trying to do a good job for their constituents." Too often, Holtz said, incumbents like Roemer fail to return home to their districts to keep in touch with the voters, preferring to remain in Washington and relying on political action committee money to fund their campaign ads.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Sheriff's Son Seeks To Uphold Tradition

Aaron Rovenstine is proud of his father's legacy, but has his own plans if elected to replace him as sheriff of Kosciusko County. The son of Al Rovenstine became the fourth person to officially announce intentions to run for sheriff. At age 38, Rovenstine is the youngest of the four candidates to declare their intentions, but he has a unique corner on experience and familiarity with the department. As early as 10 years of age, Rovenstine recalls, his father would drop him off at Center Lake Park for little league practice and he would then walk over to the sheriff's department afterward to get a ride home. "I just hung around there and they put me to work" doing odd jobs, he said."I spent a lot of time down there." The Atwood native graduated from Ball State University with a degree in criminal justice in 1982 and worked for five years with the Milford Police Department before joining the sheriff's department in 1989.
Dan Spalding, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Trial Begins for Teen Charged In DWI Deaths

Jury selection was under way this morning in Kosciusko Superior Court III for the trial of Brandon Robinson of Warsaw, who is accused of eight criminal counts in connection with a fatal traffic accident earlier this year. Robinson, 18, faces three counts each of driving while intoxicated causing death and reckless homicide, and two counts of driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.He was the driver of a pickup which allegedly ran a stop sign June 12 at the intersection of Zimmer and Crystal Lake roads in Warsaw.Robinson's vehicle collided with a car driven by Aaron Hatfield, 17, Claypool. Hatfield and passengers Heather Florey, 16, Mentone, and Tyler Bartley, 12, Claypool, all died from injuries suffered in the accident. Tiffany Bartley, 13, Claypool, and 6-month-old Monica Hatfield, the child of Aaron Hatfield and Heather Florey, were injured in the accident.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Skyler Scott Takes A Chance And Finds Doors Opening

When opportunity knocked, Skyler Scott didn't hesitate to answer the door. Knocking at his door was the opportunity to perform in "Oliver" at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Ill.Scott - who will graduate from Warsaw Community High School in Spring 2006 - plays a thief and is in the ensemble.But it's the opportunity to perform in the theater with such professionals, including choreographer and director David Bell, that excites him most about it. Getting the role came as a surprise, Scott said during a telephone interview Thursday night from Illinois. He was browsing the Web last year when he saw an open call for auditions in Chicago.He went and sang for about two minutes. "I thought I was just awful," Scott said.But he said he went to the auditions for the experience before going to college.He learned "a ton" about himself and his nerves.
DAVID SLONE Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Rezoning request denied for property near North Webster

First it was agricultural land. Then Bruce Cavell rezoned it to residential. Wednesday, Cavell petitioned the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission to rezone the same ground to a commercial district.The property is between CR 500N and Ind.13 in Tippecanoe Township. But by a vote of five to three, the plan commission voted to recommend to the county commissioners that they not rezone the property.On rezonings, the plan commission is only a recommending body to the commissioners.The commissioners will hear the petition Dec.2 at 9:30 a.m.in the Kosciusko County Courthouse, Warsaw. Voting to deny the petition were Hal Strong, Dick Kemper, Kevin McSherry, Kelly Easterday and Vic Virgil.Voting to approve the petition were Norm Lovell, Charlie Haffner and Don Arms.Virgil voted to deny the petition after the original vote was four to three "so it (the petition) moves on."The plan commission requires five votes to make a recommendation to the county commissioners.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Syracuse's Doc Miller Named Entrepreneur Of The Year

SYRACUSE - Gary and Barbara Miller, proprietors of Doc Miller's Fish and Seafood, were awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Thursday at the annual chamber dinner. The award goes to a local business which has demonstrated outstanding growth and commitment to the community and to those who have given their time and energies to help make the community a better place to live, work and play. The growth and commitment award was presented by chamber president Tim Yeager to Tom and Judy VanMeter of VanMeter Jewelry.Lake City Bank, Syracuse, was presented with a community service award. Retiring board members were also recognized for their service.Recognized were Susie Johnson of Key Bank and Gene Hill of Pizza Hut. Certificates were also presented to various people for the service and commitment they have provided to the community.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Veterans' Day Ceremony Scheduled

A Veterans' Day ceremony will be held at the Center Lake Pavilion, Warsaw, Sunday.The building will open at 10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., the Kosciusko County Extension Choir will present special music under the direction of Dan Beam. Combined American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AmVets and Auxiliary color guards will present posting of the colors at 10:50 a.m.The pledge of allegiance to the flag will then take place, followed by the choir singing the national anthem. Tolling of the bells will be at 10:55 a.m. An invocation will be given by an American Legion chaplain. Tom Henderson, a past department commander of the American Legion from Valparaiso Post 49, will give the Veterans' Day address.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

'Passports' Carry Public Through Webster Community Center

NORTH WEBSTER - Travelers through the future North Webster Community Center Sunday carried passports into rooms featuring fitness classes for all ages and karaoke for all voices. The senior citizens area featured the Lakeland Area quilters and their work, games and music, and the patrons inspected huge future library space.At each stop a stamp was stuck on the passport. Completed passports were gathered at the exit for a drawing.The prizes are for three engraved plaques with the winners' names for lockers in the main hallway. Bulletin boards filled with photographs and articles of historic events drew crowds eager to inspect them. Comments like "This was my old locker" and "This was my third-grade classroom" were heard throughout the two-hour event. A glass display case featured items from the building's use as a high school that served 12 grades, including letter jackets, team uniforms and photographs and a pair of pegged, elaborately embroidered pants.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Butterfly Demolition Set To Begin Soon

The Warsaw Board of Works was informed Friday morning the burned-out remains of The Butterfly has been cleared for demolition. According to Building Commissioner Gene Oliver, the delay in bringing down what is left of the electronic business gutted in a fire Sept.27, was a state requirement that it be verified the building debris contained no asbestos. The fire also destroyed Warsaw Tool Company. "We did testing though Gruvogel & Associates from Granger, Ind.They said there was no presence of any asbestos," Oliver said."It's just standard to delay demolition until the asbestos hazard is determined. "We cooperated with Jay Warnacut and his insurance company to expedite the testing.I'm very pleased with the way we all worked as a team to get the testing completed," he said."There is a 10-day waiting period before the demolition can take place." G&G Excavating has been contracted to do the demolition, Oliver said.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Da-Lite Screen Funds Smoke Detector Program, Mayor calls donation 'heart-warming'

During the afternoon of October 24, firefighters, emergency medical teams and police just did their jobs when the west wall of Da-Lite Screen collapsed as a tornado rampaged through the northern part of the city. The public servants secured the area and tended to the wounded - all part of an exceptional day's work. Da-Lite Screen officials, however, felt the men and women who came to their aid went above and beyond the call of duty. On Friday, Da-Lite Screen representated by Jerry Young and Keith McSherry, gave back to the city by presenting a $25,000 check for the Kosciusko County Firemen Association's countywide campaign to place a smoke detector in every home. The presentation was made during the city's board of works meeting.Fire Chief Matt Warren and assistant chief Mike Wilson were on hand to accept the gift. Young said the outpouring of community support was overwhelming following the disaster and the company felt this was the way to give back.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Help Available For Upcoming Heating Bills

People who need help paying this winter's heating bills can begin applying for assistance at REAL Services. The Family and Social Services Administration will distribute more than $42 million in federal monies to about 122,000 households this year, according to a FSSA press release. County residents may apply for assistance in the REAL Services office, on the basement level of the Kosciusko County courthouse, after making an appointment, according to Rosemary Gerrity, who administers the Energy Assistance Program.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Biomet Officers Sued Over Timing Of Stock Options

A pair of Biomet stockholders have filed a lawsuit against the company's officers and directors, alleging insiders were allowed to manipulate the timing of stock options. In two lawsuits filed in Kosciusko Superior Court Nov.9, stockholders Karen Long and Clifford M.Thorson allege members of the board of directors and officers were allowed to backdate stock options to maximize their profits. The lawsuit filed by Long lists Daniel P.Hann, Bradley J.Tandy, C.Scott Harrison, Charles E.Niemier, Dane A.Miller, Garry L.England, L.Gene Tanner, Gregory D.Hartman, James W.Haller, James R.Pastena, Jerry L.Ferguson, Jerry L.Miller, Joel P.Pratt, Kenneth V.Miller, Kent E.Williams, M.Ray M.Harroff, Marilyn T.Quayle, Thomas F.Kearns Jr., Sandra A.Lamb and Niles L.Noblitt as defendants. Thorson's lawsuit names all the people in Long's lawsuit with the addition of Kent E.Williams.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

South Whitley Discusses Town's Codes

SOUTH WHITLEY - Council members Glee Eberly, president, Tony Starkey and Tom Rudd began Tuesday's meeting with discussion of town codes. Bill Easterday, of the plan commission, has assisted in this work.There was a discussion about which computer systems were compatible and how the codes ultimately would be organized. Attorney Jonathan Myers asked if a description of the town should be included in the work. Clerk Mitch Winger said it would be a good idea after annexations are complete. Plans are to annex the Spear subdivision and several other contiguous parcels. The process will not start until early 2000. Larry Reynolds, also of the plan commission, asked that an updated map be made available with the zoning boundaries included. In other business the council: • Heard Rob Zeigler's workman's compensation claim will go before an industrial hearing council.
TERESA CARRANO, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Library Exhibit Details Life Of W.H. Mershon

A collection of items from the W.H.Mershon estate are on display at the Warsaw Community Public Library. Mershon, a Warsaw native, lived from 1845 to 1931.During the Civil War he was a drummer boy, participating at the Battle of Shiloh. The exhibit, to the right of the Indiana Room entrance, details Mershon's career with historically significant photographs, documents and a 214-page journal. William Mershon's effects were found in a closet in California and offered for auction on the Internet in September 2004. Mershon filled four scrapbooks of clippings, ribbons, programs, flyers and more, covering his entire life. Bob and June Tess of Warsaw purchased much of the collection, bringing Mershon's artifacts back "home." The shelves contain Civil War-era medals and veterans reunion ribbons.The walls are lined with photocopies of his journal.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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