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Claypool Crossings To Get Lights, Security Gates

CLAYPOOL - Warning lights and security gates will be installed at five railroad crossings in town according to information received from Mike Scime, a Conrail Railroad representative. Plans to close four of the nine crossings in town should occur by next fall, according to a proposal signed in April.Church, Railroad and Walnut street crossings will be permanently closed.The lights and gating systems on the remaining crossings - at Section, Clay, Main and Harrison streets and Graceland Avenue - will be paid in equal amounts through a new state-funded program and by the railroad company. Board members Don Miller, Nikki Lincoln and Duane Allen heard the application to fund water projects was denied.Another application will be sent in the spring. Monies received through the Build Indiana program will go toward expanding the "Town Barn," 408 S.Graceland Ave., which is used as a storage facility.Plans include more storage space and a room for town meetings.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Weather Service Offers Winter Hints

NORTH WEBSTER - National Weather Service meteorologists and forecasters have assembled a winter weather awareness publication, available on their Internet site. The outlook for Indiana during the winter is cautious and balanced: "Equal chances for above or below temperatures across Indiana."The report cites a weak to moderate El Ni-o signal over the central Pacific Ocean. Sam Lashley, a senior meteorologist at the North Webster station, said it is very difficult to make long-range predictions in Indiana. "For the whole Midwest, actually," he said."We get between two strong signals and a lot of things can happen." With a weak El Ni-o, meaning Pacific Ocean surface waters are about half a degree Centigrade warmer over a four-month period, the Hoosier state is drier than normal.Thursday the outlook for a dry winter was updated from 50 percent to 55 percent.But that doesn't mean temperatures will be warmer or colder than normal.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Zimmer Holdings To Acquire Implex Corp.

Zimmer Holdings Inc.and Implex Corp., a privately held New Jersey company, announced Monday that Zimmer has agreed to acquire Implex common stock and cash escrow. Under the agreement, Implex will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Zimmer. Each share of Implex stock will be converted into the right to receive Zimmer common stock and cash.The value of the sale was approximately $108 million at closing with additional value in the form of Zimmer common stock payments contingent on growth of Implex product sales through 2006. In 2000, Zimmer entered into an exclusive, worldwide strategic alliance for commercialization of Implex's innovative Hedrocel¨ biomaterial, which Zimmer has marketed as Trabecular Metalª Technology.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Education Seen As Hot Topic In Legislature

Education reform is expected to be one of the hot topics in an otherwise low-key Indiana 1998 legislative session, members of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce said this morning. At the annual Legislative Preview, area business representatives were told that ICC expects a battle over how funds are allocated to education in the state. The amount spent on education is not at issue, said Derek Redelman, director of ICC's education policy, since Indiana is 12th in the nation for total education expenditures, sixth in average teacher salary and 19th in non-adjusted per-pupil expenditures. "Our problem is not the investment, it's the return on the investment," he said. Compared to other states, Redelman said, only 20 percent of eighth-graders in Indiana are proficient in math and 33 percent of fourth-graders are proficient in reading. That standing hurts Indiana's economic development on a national and international scale, he said.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County OKs Grants For Drug Education

Each year the Kosciusko County Commissioners and council must approve the proposed grant awards from the Kosciusko County Coalition on Drug Education. Tuesday, the commissioners approved the grants as presented. Ruchelle Sammons, representing KCODE, said the Governor's Commission on a Drug Free Indiana was founded in 1988.Through that, money is allowed to be granted by KCODE from drug user fees for prevention and education, intervention and treatment, law enforcement and justice. For 2005, 29 applications were made to KCODE totaling $150,000 and KCODE decided to award $110,000. "The committee met and decided this is how they wanted things to go," Sammons told the commissioners.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

WCHS Staff cite safety, identification in ID card decision

Change isn't always welcomed, and to some students at Warsaw Community High School, it is downright resented. Judging by recent letters to the editor of the Times-Union, this year's requirement for WCHS students to wear their identification cards at all times while they're at school is not a popular one.A letter by Staci Wright in Tuesday's edition complained about students having to "show off their horrible school pictures," and one in Thursday's paper by Tim McKinley said that wearing the IDs is "an excessive display of unnecessary security, which also undermines the social self-confidence of the students." Letters aside, school officials have received few official complaints from students, and none from parents, said assistant principal Dr.Jennifer Brumfield. "The only comments we've gotten from parents are positive" because parents know the school has security in mind, she said earlier this week.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

School Officials, PTO Discuss Safety Issues

U.S.News & World Report.Newsweek.Time.USA Today. "I don't think you can pick up a magazine or newspaper that doesn't have something in it about high school safety," said Warsaw Community High School Principal Paul Crousore Monday at the WCHS PTO meeting. Crousore was part of a panel discussion on safe and secure schools.He was joined by Warsaw Police Chief and Warsaw schools safety director Steve Foster, WCHS School Resource Officer Dave Morales, and WCHS administrator Troy Akers, teacher Tom Starkweather and junior Adam Beck. Foster began the panel discussion by telling the 25 PTO members attending that he has been working with Warsaw schools for more than a year.He deals with the security of facilities and helps with resources and training.He goes over the crisis plans for each school; what may be applicable for the high school may not be for an elementary.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

African High School Student Celebrating Thanksgiving

For two and a half years, Warsaw Community High School student Herbin Guengoua has lived in the United States. For two and a half years, Guengoua has learned to celebrate American holidays.And the American holiday he has taken hold of more than any other is Thanksgiving. "I like the idea and everything," Guengoua said."It's bringing two people together." The 17-year-old 11th-grader originally comes from Central African Republic. Guengoua said that when he returns next year to Central African Republic after graduating from high school, he will explain to people in his homeland about the ideas behind Thanksgiving. "I would explain it to them like other people coming from other countries and incorporating one another and coming together," he said.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Visitor Bureau Moving To U.S. 30

Kosciusko County's Convention and Visitor's Bureau announced plans Tuesday to relocate its offices along U.S.30 in Warsaw. The CVB will construct a new office and 24-hour visitor center on a vacant tract between Sym Financial Corp.and Patterson Addition. The site was chosen for maximum visibility to help serve motorists and potential tourists.Officials hope the office can be open late next year. The announcement was made Tuesday to the county commissioners. Although the move has been in the works for nearly three years, the arrival of five new hotels - including two in the near future - is viewed as a challenge by the CVB. Demand for more hotels has been strong in recent years, but the CVB says it will work harder to maintain a continued strong demand. The number of rooms available in Warsaw is in the midst of nearly doubling to 674 rooms by early next year when the Holiday Inn Express and the Hampton Inn open.
Dan Spalding, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Local Poultry Firms Safe From Bird Flu

Biosecurity measures have been a strong facet of both Creighton Brothers and Maple Leaf Farms' operations for the past two decades. With the recent cases of avian flu occurring in Asia and Europe, neither company could put enough emphasis on how important health safety is for poultry organizations. "The true danger from avian flu does not come from our inhouse production," Maple Leaf co-owner John Tucker said."We've always had a very strict, mandatory rule on protecting our birds from outside dangers, and I feel we are more than prepared in case avian flu incidents were to appear in the United States." The World Health Organization has strongly recommended Asian and European farmers confine poultry to prevent future cases, which is a procedure many companies in the United States already swear by.
Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer- | July 28, 2016

WCHS Students' reactions mixed to ID card Issue

Wednesday, five Warsaw Community High School students, selected by the administration, were asked what they think about the student ID tags.Not all of them were happy about the lanyards. "I just don't like everyone knowing who I am," said junior Natasha Galloway."If they want to know, they can ask."She said it is an invasion of her privacy. "I'm not sure how long students will want to wear them and teachers will enforce (wearing them)," said senior Kyle Masur.However, he said, it will probably improve school security. "It has positive and negative effects," said senior Beth Denlinger.The positive is that it provides more security.The negative, she said, is that the administration is too strict about them.She would prefer it if the IDs were clip-ons or a card she could carry in her purse or wallet. "I think," said senior Kelsi Foreman, "that it may be a small inconvenience," but it's being blown out of proportion.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Simmons Receives Bronze Star

Maj.Brian M.Simmons was awarded the Bronze Star medal for exceptionally meritorious service Oct.29. Simmons, son of Robert and Deborah Simmons of Warsaw, has been in Iraq since January.He received the medal at Forward Operating Base Tallil from 1st Corps Support Command Commanding General Yves Fontaine. Simmons was a military advisor to the Iraqi Security Forces, 2nd Motorized Transportation Regiment, where he was responsible for training, staffing and equipping the unit he mentored. The 2nd includes 750 Iraqi soldiers, 300 vehicles and 900 weapon systems, according to the medal recommendation by LTC Edward Tatum. Tatum, Simmons' supervisor, added Simmons completed more than 20 convoys in a hostile environment, with five of them coming under complex ambushes.His heroic actions and direction during these ambushes were responsible for no U.S.soldier casualties.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Resident Questions Winona Pier Policy

WINONA LAKE - Jerry Nelson attended the Winona Town Council meeting Tuesday asking for answers to questions he presented two weeks ago. Nelson suggested the town was using selective enforcement regarding pier slip spaces rented by the town on "real estate owned by the town of Winona Lake." Nelson questioned why a pier is allowed to house five catamaran sailboats on the seawall behind the Lions Club.He said the town's fine, the maximum of $2,500, should be applied for the violation. Council president Jerry Clevenger said the town doesn't own the property where the Lions Club sits."The pier is on the lake, not on the town-controlled canal," Clevenger said. "So I can put up a pier behind the Lions Club?" Nelson asked. Town coordinator Craig Allebach said the sailboats were on a catamaran structure, which isn't exactly a pier. Town attorney Jim Walmer said the canal is what the town regulates.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County Deletes '400 Accounts' To Prevent Possible Shortfalls

To prevent as much of a financial shortfall as possible, the Kosciusko County Council Thursday approved the deletion of all "400" accounts from each department's budget. The 400 accounts include furniture, filing cabinets, vehicles and similar items.The county commissioners' 400 account was not deleted so that if any department needed any emergency item, that department could request it from the commissioners. Kosciusko County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell's report on the county finances helped the council make the decision.She said the county is working with a maximum levy of an estimated $7.5 million, with the total amount being levied approximately $7.4 million.The county is dipping into its operating balance by $1.3 million.However, by moving funds around, Mitchell said, they were able to reduce that to $500,000, and the county is $400,000 short of where they were last year in the operating balance.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Thief Takes Cash Drawer At Silver Inn

SILVER LAKE -ÊPolice are looking for a man who broke into the Silver Inn and stole the drawer from a cash register early Wednesday morning. The Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department was called to the Silver Inn around 4 a.m.Wednesday for a business alarm. The back door to the tavern was forced open, and the drawer from the cash register, along with an unspecified amount of money, was removed. Video from the security system showed a man dressed in blue jeans and a dark gray hooded sweatshirt enter the bar area.The man, who was about 6 feet tall with a medium build, had the hood of the sweatshirt pulled up to obstruct his face. The owner of the bar was unable to identify the man in the video and was unable to offer suspects in the crime. The investigation of the burglary continues. Anyone with information about the crime should contact the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department at 574-267-5667.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Milford Councilman Spars Over Town Employee Salaries

MILFORD - The final budget numbers were announced Monday at the Milford Town Council, but not without some controversy. Initially, the budget was based on assessed evaluation in June of $13,957,729.The final budget number given to Milford by the State Board of Tax Commissioners put the budget based on assessed evaluation at $15,703,365.Milford's tax rate will be $2.1054, a decrease from last year's $2.1559 rate. The budget was $9,650 under the maximum levy. The budget was also based on a 5 percent salary ordinance.That's where the controversy over the budget came up. Councilman Doug Ruch motioned to approve the 5 percent salary ordinance.There were no seconds.Councilman Robert Beer III motioned to approve a 4 percent salary ordinance.There were no seconds on the motion.No other motions were entertained about setting the salary ordinance except one to table it to the next meeting.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Sears: The Original Manufactured Home?

Norma Wiard lives in what may be the original manufactured home.In fact, she was born there. The manufacturer? Sears and Roebuck. When you walk into Wiard's old house you don't get the same feeling you do when stepping into modern manufactured housing. The first thing you notice is the size.The house is two stories tall with a large front porch.Then you get inside the Wiard house and all you see is wood. You notice the wooden baseboard running throughout the house.Your hand glides up the solid wood banister when you head up to the second floor.To top it off, the doors to the eight rooms are solid wood. On Nov.6, 1918, her grandfather, Cyrus Wolf, bought the Sears home, already constructed, from Lydia Copper. The house has been in the Wiard family ever since.
GREG BROWN, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Going Nuts Over Holiday Season

The holiday season is already nutty enough, but few complain at the Salvation Army's own contribution of nuts during the holiday season. The Warsaw Salvation Army Auxiliary, along with help from many volunteers, received an order Wednesday morning of six and a half tons of various nuts at the Center Lake Pavilion. Wednesday marked the beginning of the Auxiliary's annual nut sale, which raises money to financially support the organization's many efforts to contribute to the community over the winter months. The nuts, which Creighton Brothers picked up in Chicago and delivered to Warsaw free of charge, were unloaded and sorted over a three-hour span.For the last two days, individuals were then allowed to pick up orders, some of which consisted of more than 200 pounds of cashews, pistachios and chocolate-covered peanuts.
Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer- | July 28, 2016

ABC Delays Action On Transfer Amid Legal Concerns

Legal questions Thursday surrounding a transfer of ownership for alcohol permits resulted in the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commission tabling the transfer to its Dec.5 meeting. The beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permits for E.F.Enterprises, doing business as The Hawg House, South Huntington Street, Syracuse, were first renewed. Then Carl Flickinger, Nappanee, wanted to transfer the permits to his other corporation, Hunter's Hideaway LLC, from E.F.Enterprises.If the transfer was approved, Flickinger said, he would then start the procedures to sell the permits to other persons who were interested in buying the permits.His E.F.Enterprise Corp.- with other partners - is dissolved.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

No Yolk! Mentone Hatches Plan To Build 'Egg'citing New Water Tower

MENTONE - In connection with their $1.4 million water project Mentone is pursuing bids from water tank makers for an egg-shaped water tower tank. Humorous concern was raised at Monday's council meeting for the wellbeing of confused geese flying over Mentone.But, despite the questions of whether the egg would be scrambled before assembly in town, the egg was cited as an added tourist attraction to Mentone. Mark D.Downey Jr., of Commonwealth Engineers, Indianapolis, expressed concerns over how the Indiana Department of Commerce would react to the town spending grant money on a novelty. The award of the grant for the water project was partly based on financial need.Downey said the $50,000 egg might appear frivolous. The request was not discounted by Downey, who said he would pursue bids from two water tower builders who have built novelty tanks before. "This is not the most unusual request I've ever had, but it ranks near the top," he said.
GREG BROWN, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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