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Syracuse Community Center Close To Becoming A Reality

SYRACUSE - "I see this as a place where the community will get together more," said Syracuse Park Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh about the planned community center. As early as December 2001, the community center could be ready for all residents of Syracuse and the surrounding area to enjoy.It's planned to be approximately 15,524 square feet and will sit on approximately 3.8 acres of donated property. Planning for the facility has been going on for a number of years.It's changed in shape and size, but, Hixenbaugh said, "Now we're at the point where we reduced it and it's more of a realistic size facility for the town of Syracuse." The center board hit a milestone recently when it reached the number of pledged dollars it needed to apply for the Community Focus Fund grant.The $200,000 was raised by the deadline of Sept.8.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Financial impact minimal on city

Sunday's downtown fire isn't causing a financial hardship to the city, but could prove costly to area businesses. Warsaw Fire Chief Ken Shepherd said Monday the city's firefighters do not receive overtime pay, so man hours for fighting the fire that destroyed The Butterfly and Warsaw Tool Supply Inc.haven't been computed.Many off-duty firefighters volunteered to help investigate the fire and will be compensated in the form of time off. Also, the city has a hydrant rental agreement with United Water Indiana, with a portion paid by the city and a portion paid through fees assessed to water utility customers. It is estimated that slightly more than one million gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Butterfly Fire Origin Located

Fire officials are confident they have located where the blaze that destroyed The Butterfly and Warsaw Tool Supply Inc.started Sunday, but have not yet determined a cause for the nearly $1 million fire. Warsaw Fire Chief Ken Shepherd said during a morning press conference that investigators are leaning toward "accidental in nature" at this time but have not ruled out any possibilities. An accelerant detection canine spent about 2-1/2 hours in the burned structure Monday and found "no unusual or unexplainable accelerants" in the building.The dog did "hit" on the area where vehicles were parked, Shepherd said, but that was to be expected. Bringing in the dog was "one step in the right direction in ruling out an arson case," Shepherd said.He said the dog was called in only because of the high dollar value of the loss.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Rising Star Hopes Hip-Hop Is 'Golden'

INDIANAPOLIS - Sitting in the back of a Charger, windows tinted, music bumpin', and it's not a usual Saturday night. Up and coming hip-hop star Golden is driving us around Indianapolis to the skate park to pass out album samplers of his upcoming album "Hurry Up & Wait."With us, talking about hip-hop music worth listening to - K-Os, Shapeshifters, Daddy Kev, Airpushers and Vybz Kartel - is his DJ, Squeeze, and Ez-1. Golden hails from Minneapolis, Minn., but was showcasing his musical talent to Indianapolis over the weekend, performing at the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fall Fest on Butler University campus Saturday night.Before the show, I was invited to interview and hang out with him.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Army Mom Collecting Candy To Send To Son, Troops in Iraq

Jane Holmes plans to send her son, Nicholas Patterson, a nice Christmas package which will feature a variety of candy for his sweet tooth. Also receiving treats will be at least 499 of Patterson's friends and acquaintences. Patterson is stationed in Iraq with the 82nd Airbourne Division.He's been in the U.S.Army two years. "With the holidays approaching, we would like to send candy-filled treeat bags to our Amerian soldiers in Iraq," Holmes said."We have set a goal to send 500 to 800 treat bags to help brighten their days and let them know they have not been forgotten." Holmes is asking for donations of individually wrapped candy, preferably not chocolate, that would melt, also dessert cakes, bubble gum, peanut butter and cheese crackers and individual packages of peanuts. The packages will be quart-bag sized.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Housing Opportunities Sponsors 'Walk A Mile'

"Nothing educates so well, or lasts so long, as direct, interpersonal experience." That's the motto of the national Walk A Mile model, a program designed to bring policy-makers and low-income, subsidy-receiving participants together. Housing Opportunities of Warsaw is sponsoring such a meeting Oct.28, the first such roundtable forum in Indiana. "The program is designed to get rid of stereotyping," said HOW Executive Director Pam Kennedy.Clients will meet people who make decisions and learn how legislation works.Lawmakers will meet citizens who receive some kind of assistance." The local event, Dinner with the Candidates, is set for 6 p.m.in Center Lake Pavilion.HOW intern Lezli Bryant is coordinating the event. A Grace College senior, Bryant plans to graduate in May 2005 with a bachelor's degree in social work.The Walk A Mile program is her practicum - 60 hours of hands-on work with a local agency.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Board Of Works OKs Management Service Costs

Jones and Henry Operating Services advised the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety that management services costs for the wastewater treatment plant was nearing $200,000. The company has provided three employees at the plant for almost a year. Friday, the board, Jerry Patterson and Charlie Smith, authorized an increase for an additional $100,000. Plans call for the men to become city employees at a future date. Jones & Henry Engineers also are developing a stormwater utility rate study according to an agreement dated March 5, 1999.Cost for these services is not to exceed $9,400. In other business, the board: • Approved a change order of $13,214.50 requested by Woodruff & Sons for work on the northeast interceptors, bringing the total project costs to $2,332,815.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Etna Green Plans 'Old Fashion Daze' On Saturday

ETNA GREEN - Residents and visitors can take a step back in time Saturday when Old Fashion Daze gets under way in Etna Green. The art of pie baking, 50-cent foods, big band music and an outdoor movie will be enjoyed by those in attendance.This celebration replaces the annual Customer Appreciation Days and is scheduled to take place every September.Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at Remembrance Park. Judges will cut into an unknown number of pies for the pie-baking contest at 10:30 a.m.Anyone may enter the contest sponsored by Farmers State Bank.Pies must be delivered to the bandstand by 10 a.m.to be eligible for judging. Beginning at 11 a.m., food will be served for 50 cents per item.Choices include chili, hot dogs, soda, pie and ice cream. From noon until 2 p.m., the Robert Lynn Group will perform at the bandstand.The band will play three half-hour sessions of big band music.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Chamber Director Taking Care Of Business

SYRACUSE -ÊOn any given day, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Director Shelly Bickel wears several different hats. "You have to be a well-liked person (to be chamber director)," Bickel said."You have to be a negotiator.You have to be a good listener.You have to treat people the way you want to be treated." She said her job requires her to be a public speaker and almost a politician.Sometimes she has to be an advertising agent for chamber members or a writer. "I'm the person between people and the chamber," she said. September marks Bickel's one-year anniversary as the chamber's director.And she has found her first year to be rewarding. "It's been very exciting.It's probably been the most exciting position I've held in my working career," she said. Current chamber President Tim Yeager said when Bickel was hired, she was told the emphasis of her job should be on membership -Êretention, recruiting new members and providing more services to members.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Back To The Days Of Kosciuszko This Weekend

Back to the Days of Kosciuszko will hold its 16th annual event on the west side of the Kosciusko County fairgrounds Saturday and Sunday. Reenactors portray time periods before and after the American Revolutionary War, as part of the living history event. The event honors the work of patriot Thaddeus Kosciuszko (1746 to 1817), who offered his services to the colonists fighting British rule.Kosciusko County and Warsaw are named in honor of the Polish engineer. Hours are from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m.Saturday and Sunday.Admission is $3 for adults and for children 7 years old and older.Children 6 years old and younger attend free. Opening ceremonies and morning colors are presented at 9 a.m.both days. More than 600 fourth-grade students will converge on Red Brush Village Friday.Red Brush was Warsaw's original name.Warsaw school children will not attend because of ISTEP testing this week.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Speaker Discusses State's Economic Challenges

According to Gerry Dick, host and creator of Inside Indiana Business, one of the main economic complications facing Indiana is not a lack of state worker productivity or business sense, but instead the inability to adjust to cultural change. "With the present daylight-saving time situation and our perspective of entrepreneurial efforts, I feel the state needs to better adjust to economic situations before we can begin to see positive results," Dick said."I'm a Hoosier born and raised and a glass half full kind of guy, so I know of our state's potential.We just need to adapt culturally to discover better economic results." Dick, once an anchorman for WRTV, presented his views to local business officials Tuesday night during "An Evening with Gerry Dick" at the Center Lake Pavilion, an event hosted and organized by the Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce.
Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer- | July 28, 2016

'Bicycle Bandit' Has Town On Edge

It used to be the kind of town where people simply didn't worry about locking their doors and windows at night. No more. A string of residential break-ins over the spring, summer and fall has Warsaw-area homeowners scurrying to find ways to beef up their home and personal security systems. "Most people are just downright horrified that people might break in and hurt their loved ones," said Jeff Holladay at Radio Shack. He said Radio Shack is selling "probably three to four times what we normally do" in terms of alarm systems - everything from personal alarms to monitored security systems. The demand for monitored systems, in which a customer pays a monthly fee and any home alarm is answered by a security company, has increased about 25 percent, said Melody Reese, a co-owner of Reese Security Services Inc.on East Winona Avenue.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Mentone Hears Suggestions For Town Improvements

MENTONE - Continuing to follow up on suggestions for cleaning up the town, council members heard a presentation on housing rehabilitation. Angie Shirk, executive director of Warsaw Housing Authority and Housing Opportunities of Warsaw, and Jake Murray, HOW programs manager, told Mentone Town Council members Forrest Kantner and Lynn Phillips that grants are available for owner-occupied rehabilitation for low-income homeowners.Councilman Ed Rock was absent from Monday's meeting. Shirk told the council that the grants include a 10 percent local match, which can be monetary or in-kind contributions. Two owner-occupied rehabilitation grants have allowed for 34 homes in Warsaw to be brought up to code and a similar grant is in the works at Pierceton.Shirk said HOW is planning to change its name, dropping the "Warsaw" reference since the program incorporates all of Kosciusko County.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Hip-Hop Dance Team Grooving On The Move

Hip-hop dancing doesn't have rules, it just has style. "It's very expressive," said Hannah Crane, a freshman on the Warsaw Community High School hip-hop dance team. "There's no limits to hip-hop," said senior Allyson Schwenger. "It's not the move, it's the groove," said sophomore Britney Kent. Tamanna Randive said hip-hop has some choreography to it, but dancers don't have to be doing all the same thing at the same time. Just like there's diversity in hip-hop dancing, there's diversity on the WCHS team.Not only is the 27-member team made up of four different ethnicities and four different languages, but there's also girls and boys on the team.Some have taken dance classes before, while others are experiencing organized dance for the first time.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County Studies Options For 911 System Upgrade

If Kosciusko County wants to buy new equipment outright for the 911 system for the new dispatch center, it will cost $301,000.If they lease the equipment for three years, the county will end up paying $327,000. Those are the figures Kosciusko County Administrator Ron Robinson presented to the county commissioners Tuesday.The bid for the equipment was made by Sprint. "I think we need to have more input from them," Robinson said."Going through this, I'd like to have them clarify some things." The hard cost of the equipment is only approximately $76,000.The other costs include ongoing line charges and maintenance for the different lines. To facilitate Y2K compliance, the county is building the central dispatch office in the basement of the Justice Building before Jan.1.The rest of the Justice Building expansion project is expected to begin sometime in early 2000.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Young Tigers Plan Addition

Fribley Field is one step closer to having a new concession stand now that a sewer tap fee has been waived. The Warsaw City Council approved the request for the sewer tap fee waiver at its meeting Monday. The concession stand will replace the existing one.It will include two restrooms that are handicapped accessible and a concession stand with a counter. It will be on the north side of the East Market Street field.The existing fence will be removed and the stand will be built. Carl Sowers, fundraising chairman for Young Tiger Football, said the concession stand construction will begin in April and should not cost more than $35,000.He said the stand will be owned by the city and the parks department.Warsaw will maintain the building. "This will be a nice concession stand for the city and donors will have their names put on the building," Sowers said. The council also approved a new schedule of sewer rates for Warsaw.
JENNIFER PERYAM, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Coats Marks End Of Senate Career

Indiana's junior senator marked the end of his Congressional career Friday, with what may have been his final speech on the floor of the Senate. In reflecting on his public service career, Coats said he sees three issues of central importance to his work in Congress - how public policy issues affect quality of life, national security and a focus on community. "Three debates have been and will remain central questions of our time," Coats said."One is the issue of life.How we, as a nation, treat the weak and the outcast.I hope my colleagues in coming years will seriously consider their place in this story without an ending - the central drama of American history.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Ethanol Plant Opponents Voice Concerns At Syracuse Meeting

SYRACUSE - Several area residents expressed concern regarding the issue of the proposed ethanol plant near Milford during Tuesday's Syracuse Town Council meeting. Residents from both Syracuse and Milford were given time at the start of the meeting to voice their concerns.Ê "The ethanol plant can pose some problems," said Bruce Grendell of Syracuse."Water drawdown, since they use a tremendous amount of water, and truck traffic."Ê Milford residents who were at the meeting presented the Syracuse council with additional information ranging from the impact on both residential and commercial property values; the effect on summer tourism; emissions from the plant, and overall safety concerns for the entire area.
JOHN DeGROFF, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Immigration Officials Investigate Thursday's Fatal Crash On U.S. 30

Thursday morning's fatal accident on U.S.30 has sparked a federal investigation into an illegal immigrant smuggling ring. The accident, which occurred around 7:27 a.m.Thursday, involved a van that pulled into the path of a westbound semi-tractor trailer at the intersection of U.S.30 and CR 800W. The van, a 1996 GMC conversion model driven by Antonio Rivera Torres of Madison, Wis., spun around and then flipped on its top after the westbound semi struck the rear end of the vehicle.The van, which was designed to hold a maximum of eight passengers, was carrying 15 people. Two female passengers who were crouching in the back of the van were ejected when the back doors of the vehicle flew open from the impact of the crash. Irene Soto was pronounced dead shortly after she was transported to Kosciusko Community Hospital.Petra Ocotl was flown by Samaritan Air Ambulance to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, where she was listed in critical condition this morning.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

City Eyes 2nd TIF Dictrict

With an eye on spurring additional industrial growth on the north side of Warsaw, the city's Redevelopment Commission was asked to consider declaring a second tax increment financing district Monday. Mayor Ernie Wiggins and City Planner Jeff Noffsinger told the commission they should consider declaring a second TIF district from Hidden Lake and the proposed location for a second sewage treatment plant near CR 150W north along Ind.15 to near CR 350N. "This is all for discussion purposes only," Wiggins said."I want you folks to think about if this is something that needs to be done.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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