Dance Roller Skating Couple Find It To Be ‘A Fun Thing To Do’

Recycling District Battles Budget Cuts

R.R.Donnelley and Sons employee Sean Ambrose attended the Kosciusko County Solid Waste District Monday, providing a few ideas of his own. Ambrose works in the bindery - the hub of the printing company's recycling program. He said he hated to see the district's budget get cut.Board president Ron Truex said the board hated to see it cut, too. Ambrose said with recycling, he puts out less than a bag of trash each week.He said he hated to see glass recycling stopped. Bob Knudsen, of the Citizens Advisory Committee, commented the Donnelley company has been a supporter of recycling since the beginning of the program. Sue Ann Mitchell gave the financial report, saying the Internal Revenue Service paid $7,853.53 owed to the district in a tax refund, and a $35,000 tax draw will be received by the district in December.November tipping fees came in at $11,780, and Mitchell figured the district would begin the year with a $90,000 to $95,000 balance.

Waste District Surprised By Two-Year-Old Bill

Surprised by the appearance of a $90 invoice for work supposedly performed two years ago, the Kosciusko County Solid Waste District chose not to honor the debt Tuesday. Director Sue Studebaker said the February 1999 Sands Office Equipment invoice indicated payment due for fax machine repair. "I wasn't here then," she said."And there is no one to verify the work." County auditor Sue Ann Mitchell, who serves as the district's financial controller, too, said bills this old are rejected by the county. "It's past the appropriate time to submit a bill and it's not encumbered," the auditor said. The board approved several appropriations related to the move from Center Street to Union Street, from the recycling services account. Studebaker cannot understand why no jail trustees are available to work at the depot.

NIPSCO Prepares For Increases In Natural Gas Prices This Winter

Natural gas prices will increase 50 to 60 percent this winter, but Northern Indiana Public Service Co.officials say it's not their fault. Julie Van De Water, of NIPSCO, said the natural gas producers dictate the prices.NIPSCO is just a distributor.By law, customers pay only what NIPSCO pays. "We do not make a profit" on the gas itself, said Van De Water. NIPSCO anticipates some of their customerS will have difficulty paying their bills. "As the weather is getting cooler, people are getting more and more concerned," said Van De Water. NIPSCO has several programs to help people pay their bills, she said. One is called the Gift of Warmth Program.This program assists people in financial need with utility bills.Customers can donate to this program.Every dollar raised is matched with $2 by NIPSCO shareholders.Combined Community Services gets all the funding from this program.Clients must have a significant need to be eligible for assistance.

Gubernatorial Candidate Miller Visits Warsaw

While the election for Indiana governor is still almost two years away, Republican candidate Eric Miller is working at the grassroots level now to win it. Tuesday, he and his election campaign chairman Otis R.Bowen were the honorary guests at a reception and fund-raiser for his campaign at Cox Studios, Warsaw. "This election is about each of us and restoring the great state of Indiana," said John Elliott in his introductory comments before a crowd of approximately 100. Bowen, in introducing Miller, said it wasn't too early for Miller to begin his campaign.He said he wants to see Indiana in good health for his children and grandchildren.The state is struggling financially and "we need new leadership."Eric Miller, he said, is that kind of leadership. Miller is the executive director of Advance America, a conservative pro-family, pro-business and pro-tax reform organization.

Local Remembrance Set For Anniversary Of Pearl Harbor Attack

While the election for Indiana governor is still almost two years away, Republican candidate Eric Miller is working at the grassroots level now to win it. Tuesday, he and his election campaign chairman Otis R.Bowen were the honorary guests at a reception and fund-raiser for his campaign at Cox Studios, Warsaw. "This election is about each of us and restoring the great state of Indiana," said John Elliott in his introductory comments before a crowd of approximately 100. Bowen, in introducing Miller, said it wasn't too early for Miller to begin his campaign.He said he wants to see Indiana in good health for his children and grandchildren.The state is struggling financially and "we need new leadership."Eric Miller, he said, is that kind of leadership. Miller is the executive director of Advance America, a conservative pro-family, pro-business and pro-tax reform organization.

Tenney, Lippe Honored At United Way Annual Meeting

United Way of Kosciusko County Inc. looked back at a successful 2007 and honored some special people at a Friday lunch meeting in the Warsaw Community High School Performing Arts Center.

Winona Revises Park Avenue, Town Hall Plans

WINONA LAKE - The best laid plans often require some changes before they're implemented.Such was the case for the town council last night. Major revisions to two proposed projects were discussed to make them more financially feasible in light of the town's needs. All bids received for the renovation of the town's Quonset hut into the new city building were rejected on the advice of the project management firm, Scearce-Rudisel Inc.Mary Ellen Rudisel told the council that making some major revisions in the plans could save a substantial amount of money off the cost of the project. The low bid was received by Tecton Corp.of Fort Wayne for $428,000.The council anticipated a $250,000 cost for the renovation.

Warsaw Administrators Get 4 Percent Raises

Warsaw School Board Monday approved a 4 percent salary increase for WCS administrators. The salary increases total $121,024 for the year.Administrator salaries for the 2004-05 year total $3,380,370. The approval set off a reaction among the patrons attending the meeting. Valerie Rowland, a Claypool parent and a member of Concerned Citizens for Quality Education, said, "I didn't go through all the pain and the fight to see you give yourselves a raise....My kids have to go to one of these huge schools that they don't want to go to so you can give yourselves a raise.That's not thinking of the kids." The board in September voted to close Atwood, Claypool and Silver Lake elementaries, with a projected first-year savings of approximately $300,000.

Quorum's Financial Difficulty Affect On KCH Unknown

In anticipation of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit settlement Quorum Health Group is expecting to pay within a year, the company recently announced it is exploring various alternatives to ownership and financing options. Those alternatives include the possibility of a merger, sale or recapitalization. Kosciusko Community Hospital is one of six northern Indiana hospitals owned by Quorum. Wayne Hendrix, CEO of KCH, said he is "not too sure" the settlement is the only reason Quorum is looking at alternatives, and the lawsuit goes back many years. "This is a very old lawsuit and I don't know where we are with that," Hendrix said Wednesday. Quorum was named in a civil Medicare fraud lawsuit stemming from a whistle-blower's complaints.The lawsuit was unsealed in 1998 and alleges Quorum filed inflated Medicare cost reports.The settlement could be up to $200 million, but Quorum hasn't yet announced any settlement amount.

Sewage Increase Likely In Warsaw

Warsaw's residential sewage rates will probably reach $24.50, up from $14.50, within the next two years. The increase will boost revenues to cover bond issues of $12.5 million for a new treatment plant and $3.6 million for a collection system, a total project cost of $16.1 million. City council members heard from CPA Todd Samuelson of H.R.Umbaugh Thursday who outlined schedules of financial information for the proposed second wastewater treatment plant. Sewage revenues are derived mostly from residential clients. Also making a presentation was Franz Morsches of Jones and Henry who presented sketches of the second plant, showing its location as well as lift station placement. The council heard the new plant would have the same capacity, 3.9 million gallons a day, as the current facility.

Warsaw Woman's Sister Worked On 101st Floor

Diana Lackey woke to a nightmare. Her daughter called at 8 a.m.asking for the name of the building where her Aunt Karen worked.Lackey asked why she wanted to know. "Turn on your TV, mom." Karen Hawley Juday, formerly of Nappanee and later of Elkhart, had been working in the World Trade Center building for about a year.Her office was on the 101st floor of the 110-story building. "I am kind of numb," said Lackey, of Warsaw. She was "hoping and praying" for the situation that had trapped her sister.But she didn't have any information on or from her sister.Then at 10 a.m., the World Trade Center collapsed."My heart sank," said Lackey."I pray and hope I am wrong and that's all I can do." Juday, who is in her early 50s, moved to New York City in 1997.She had met a man named Richard who became her boyfriend, and she moved to Brooklyn.Richard works on Wall Street in the financial district of the city near the twin World Trade Center towers.

Zimmer Announces Offer To Buy Swiss Company

Zimmer Holdings Inc.(NYSE: ZMH) Tuesday announced its intention to attempt acquisition of Centerpulse AG for CHF (Swiss Francs) 120 cash and 3.68 Zimmer shares per Centerpulse registered share. The offer includes registered shares represented by Centerpulse American depository shares. Based on Zimmer's closing price Monday, the offer implies a value of CHF 350 per Centerpulse share.This represents CHF 4.16 billion or approximately U.S.$3.22 billion.Zimmer also announced a related offer for InCentive Capital AG, which holds 18.9 percent of the outstanding shares of Centerpulse. According to Zimmer, the transaction: • Creates the No.1 pure-play orthopedics company in the world, possessing a unique combination of leading market positions, cutting edge technology and global scale.

CVB Commission Questions $165,000 In Reserve Funds

Kosciusko County Convention, Recreation and Visitor Commission members heard that more than $164,000 was being held by the Convention and Visitors Bureau Inc., an amount accumulated over the last three years. The restructured commission met Tuesday for the second time this year with members Jan Carter, John Elliott, Fay Medlock, Jon Sroufe, Joy McCarthy-Sessing and Deb Wiggins present.Wiggins is the commission's president. During the meeting, the commission's contract with the CVB and the CVB's budget were discussed at length. The commission is charged with promoting and encouraging conventions, visitors and tourism within the county.Expenditures of the 5 percent hotel room tax (of the 5 percent room tax, the hotels keep 1 percent for administration) may include but are not limited to costs for advertising, promotional activities, trade shows, special events and recreation.

BOW OKs Additional Engineering

The Warsaw Board of Works held a short meeting Friday and approved two amendments to the Jones & Henry Engineers engineering agreement in an amount not to exceed $1.1 million. The work will be for the new wastewater treatment plant and collection project. The board also approved a $10,000 grant application for additional financial assistance to the Kosciusko County Community Foundation Inc.for the Beyer Farm Trail portion of the Lake City Greenway. The Lake City Greenway Steering Committee has received a $100,000 grant through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Divison of Outdoor Recreation to offset costs.Eighty percent of the construction costs will be covered by the grant.The remaining 20 percent, plus land acquisition, is being sought through private and in-kind donations. The board gave Warsaw Fire Chief Matt Warren permission to proceed with the purchase of the Priser property adjacent to fire station No.2 at a cost of $57,500.

State audit raises concerns about change order process

A state audit of Warsaw Community Schools' finances raised questions about how the school corporation has been handling change orders for the high school construction project, the school board was told Monday. Chief financial officer Kevin Scott said the state auditors told him the change orders submitted so far had not been approved by the school board, as required by state law. Architect Mary Ellen Rudisel Jordan said she is part of a team of architects chosen by WCS to keep track of the construction project.When a change order is requested, she said, either by administrators at the school or contractors, it is first submitted to the architects, then to to the construction control company, then to contractors, who submit their prices.It then goes back to construction control, then to the architects, who approve it after a reasonable price is agreed upon. Then the change order is submitted to the WCS finance office for payment.

Awards Presented During United Way Community Celebration

United Way of Kosciusko County employees, board members, volunteers and financial contributors gathered Friday morning to celebrate achievements accomplished in 2008.

Winona Tables Discussion Of Delinquent Wastewater Fee

WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake Town Council Tuesday morning tabled discussion and will have an executive session regarding a Winona Lake homeowner's delinquent wastewater fees.

Remember When

10 Years Ago 1989 In its 100th anniversary, Mutual Federal Saving Bank is bigger than ever. Mutual Federal, which already had two offices in Kosciusko County, opened a new branch in 1988.The new branch, which has four drive-up lanes, in-door service and a Money Mover automated money machine, opened May 21. 25 Years Ago 1974 Warsaw industrialist J.Alan Morgan has been named to the board of directors of Lake City Bank, Warsaw, it was announced today by Bruce Wright, president of the financial institution. Morgan, president of Zimmer-USA, will become a member of the board on Feb.1, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Clyde Sells, Silver Lake.Sells is retiring effective Jan.31.

God On Marriage

Editor, Times-Union:Life is a glorious opportunity, if it is used to condition us for eternity. If we fail in this, though we succeed in everything else, life will have been a failure.