Relevance Date

Former Suspect Alleges Rights Violation

The city of Warsaw and several area law enforcement officials are named in a tort claim notice that was recently filed by a former voyeurism and burglary suspect and his relatives. Jerald Womack, who was arrested last spring on a voyeurism charge, was joined by his brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Deb Womack, in filing the notice of claim.The claim names Ernie Wiggins as mayor of Warsaw; Craig Allebach, chief of police; Malcolm Gilbert, Winona Lake town marshal; and Kosciusko County Sheriff Al Rovenstine. The Womacks allege in the claim that their civil rights were violated in October 1996 when police entered a home belonging to Tom and Deb Womack.The Womacks were not home at the time, and a neighbor who was taking care of the house let the police officers enter. The notice of claim is usually a first step to filing a lawsuit, Jim Walmer, Winona Lake's town attorney, said Wednesday. He also said the town was not named in the tort claim, just the town marshal.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wagon Wheel Looks Toward Summer 1998

After the accolades of an active summer season, the powers of the Wagon Wheel Theatre are striving to achieve an equally dazzling itinerary.The slate of shows lined up for the summer of 1998 promises something for all audiences. The season runs from June 3 till Sept.6.There is still time to take advantage of the 1998 subscription drive, with a promotional theme of "$98 in '98."The purchase of the season ticket will provide a single pass for all seven summer spectacles,with the price effective until Sept.15. The annual challenge of compiling selections, explains artistic director Roy Hine, is to try and offer diversity, for both the patrons and the actors.He speaks of how he frequently hears suggestions to feature more musicals, or to rely on productions with impressive name recognition.
Review By AMY WENGER, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Paragon Acquires A Division Of Hand Industries

PIERCETON - Paragon Medical Inc.decided to take a recently orchestrated strategic alliance one step further by announcing it has acquired the Medical Metal Finishing Division of Hand Industries Inc., a Warsaw-based specialist in metal finishing. Tobias Buck, chairman and CEO of Paragon Medical, said, "With Hand Industries being one of the largest outside processors of orthopedic metal finishing in the United States, and Paragon Medical's strategic industry positioning, it became clear that a transition from an alliance to a wholly-owned entity embraces the OEM's desire for continuity across the entire manufacturing process." The combined entity brings more than 65 years of experience and outstanding benefits to the medical device industry, particularly to those who are engaged in the large joint segment of hips and knees.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

GOP Picks Koble At Syracuse Convention

SYRACUSE -ÊRepublicans gathered in the Syracuse town hall Tuesday to choose their candidate for Ward 3 town councilman. By a majority vote, the 71 convention members chose 12-year incumbent Carol Koble over first-time candidate Byron Oswald. Candidates were given five minutes apiece to speak.Koble said if re-elected, she wants to continue the industrial park development; see the completion of the Ind.13 project; have tree stumps in the town removed and new trees replanted; have ordinances written and implemented that will remove abandoned property in the residential area; continue cooperation with the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce; and see the development of the community center on the donated land with minimal cost to taxpayers. Koble was a teacher at Syracuse Elementary for 26 years and at North Webster Elementary for one year.She retired last year.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Webster's Rigdon Seeks Seat In U.S. Congress

NORTH WEBSTER - Jay Rigdon plans to shake a fair number of hands as he begins a door-to-door campaign for the Third District Congressional seat. Rigdon, 41, announced his candidacy Tuesday as he prepares to swing through all eight counties that make up the new district. He declared his intention to walk the district, as former Congressman J.Edward Roush did 30 years ago, to give the voters an opportunity to meet him and judge for themselves whether they want him representing them in Washington. Rigdon, a law partner with Rockhill Pinnick LLP in Warsaw, is a North Webster resident.He and his wife, Brenda, have three children: Jay, 14; Chelsea, 12; and Isaac, 6. Rigdon went door-to-door in 1996 when he ran for the state senate seat currently held by Sen.Robert Meeks and is anxious to hit the sidewalks again. "It's encouraging to meet people," he said."It's important to them that you ask for their vote.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Triton Tries To Keep Tax-Exempt Status

BOURBON - Nearly 35 years after three small schools joined to form the Triton School Corp., the school must prove it is a legal nonprofit educational facility. The state of Indiana Department of Commerce has declined to renew a tax exempt ID number for the school because of some missing paperwork. Superintendent Rex Roth told the school board Tuesday something is missing in the legal organization of the school.Whether it was never filed or the state lost the papers is unknown.Triton attorney Roy Burbrink will explain the situation and the steps necessary to correct it at the Sept.17 meeting.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw City Workers Get Better Benefits

The Warsaw Board of Works decided Friday that more for less was definitely better. The board approved the move to a new insurance carrier - Standard Insurance Company, of Portland, Ore., for the city employees' life and disability insurance. According to Gary Herbruck, insurance broker for GTP Financial Services, the change will mean an additional $5,000 per employee for their life insurance coverage, up to $15,000.Disability benefit will be 60 percent of normal salary, with a maximum monthly benefit of $3,000. "The current carrier, Fortis Benefits Insurance Company, has decided not to raise their premiums.But, several companies came in with lower rates and better benefits - with Standard being the lowest," Herbruck said. Standard's monthly life insurance premium is $350 less than Fortis' and the disability insurance premiums are $550 per month less.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Murder Suspect's Car Found

A car registered to an accused murderer and his slain wife has been recovered from Big Lake. William A.Walter, 27, has been charged with two counts of murder in the Sunday stabbing of his wife, Melissa, 25, and relative Tammy Walter, 33.The two women were found dead at Melissa's home at Goose Lake in Whitley County. The black 1990 Mercury was found Wednesday afternoon by state police divers, said Mike Christie, Whitley County Sheriff's Department detective. Christie said an area resident reported a dark-colored vehicle headed toward Big Lake at 5:30 or 6 a.m.Sunday. The description fit Walter's vehicle.Christie said the resident then saw a man run from the lake toward Ind.109. State police divers were able to find the vehicle off what Christie calls a little boat launch at the end of Goss Road.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Rigdon Stumps District

Jay Rigdon believes the number of unemployed workers in northeast Indiana is a travesty. Steuben County has a 9 percent unemployment rate; the rate is 7 percent in Noble, DeKalb and Whitley counties; more than 5 percent in LaGrange and Allen counties; and 4.6 and 4.5 percent, respectively, in Elkhart and Kosciusko counties. "If those were national numbers, the country would be up in arms," the Democrat said Thursday. Since announcing his candidacy for the U.S.House of Representatives seat in May 2001, the local attorney has gone door-to-door throughout the newly created Third District, meeting with more than 5,000 citizens in the last 16 months. This summer he and his family have walked in as many as three parades a day, talking to people gathered at festivals.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Remonstrators ponder the next step to take

What's the next step for the remonstrators? To begin the remonstrance process, petitions with 250 signatures had to be turned in to the Kosciusko County Auditor's office and verified. Tuesday, auditor Sue Ann Mitchell certified the number of signatures on remonstrance petitions as 1,041.The petitions were turned in July 30 and Aug.1. Approximately 30 remonstrators - from all over the Warsaw Community Schools district - met Wednesday in Atwood to discuss their plans for the future.They agreed to consider seeking legal counsel on the issue. Originally, the plan proposed in May by Warsaw Community Schools Superintendent Dr.Dave McGuire was to close Atwood, Claypool, Jefferson and Silver Lake elementaries, and build two new schools - one to replace Jefferson and one in Prairie Township to replace Atwood and to relieve Harrison and Leesburg elementaries of overcrowding.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Schools Receive Safety Grants

Student safety is becoming more and more important in schools across Indiana.Nearly 200 school districts and 84 counties in Indiana will receive student safety funds in Safe Haven Grants totaling $3.3 million. Besides safety funding, something new is being required of schools.For the first time this school year, every school district is required to have a trained school safety specialist.The General Assembly enacted this requirement and budgeted $1.5 million for training. The Safe Haven Grants are designed to help keep kids safe as well as help them become better students and better citizens.Since 1997, $12 million has been invested in the Safe Haven program and each program is designed at the local level. Locally, Warsaw Community Schools, Manchester Community Schools, Triton School Corp., Tippecanoe Valley School Corp.and Whitko Community Schools are all listed as Safe Haven Grant recipients.
LAURA SLOOP, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Suit Filed In Deaths Of Two Children

The mother of two young children who died three months apart in 1996 has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against her ex-husband and his wife. Lisa Teders' 4-year-old daughter, Kaelie Cusick, died Aug.12, 1996, after falling down the stairs in the home of her father and stepmother, Richard and Sherrie Cusick, 11749 Pied Piper Parkway, Cromwell.Her death was ruled accidental. Seven-year-old Anthony Cusick died Nov.23, 1996, in a fire at the same residence.Sherrie Cusick was indicted by a grand jury Feb.3 in connection with Anthony's death and is charged with murder.She is currently out on bond and faces trial on Nov.30 in Kosciusko Circuit Court. According to the civil lawsuit filed recently in Kosciusko Superior Court 1, both children were left unsupervised by Sherrie Cusick on the days that they died.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Manchester School Board Hears Patrons' Tax Concerns

NORTH MANCHESTER - The North Manchester School Board approved the proposed 2002 school budget Tuesday. The proposed budget totals $13,851,956. Two community members voiced their concerns at the meeting to the board.Opal Patterson said she was impressed with what has been done but is concerned about a tax increase. "Think of people like me on Social Security when you make your decisions," said Patterson.She said taxes are increasing at a faster rate than her income. Charles Signs brought up the budget along with the recently released school ranking report.The report states that 82 percent of Indiana schools fall into the unsatisfactory ranking, although acting superintendent Kim Thurston does not agree with the report. "As an educator with 20 years experience, I don't believe that 82 percent of schools in Indiana are unsatisfactory," said Thurston.
Matthew Weigelt, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Local Residents Give Their Views On Tuesday's Attack On The U.S.

How has the terror attack on the U.S.changed attitudes of area residents? Times-Union staff writer Matthew Weigelt talked to residents Wednesday.He asked them each the following three questions: How have Tuesday's events changed your view of American security? Have Tuesday's events changed your view of flying? In your opinion, how should American leaders react to the terrorists' attack? Ed Davis, Warsaw (Davis has a daughter in a mid-Manhattan drama school this fall.) "Most of us thought we had a system in place that would protect us from terrorists." "No.We don't fly much anyway." "We need to pray about what we are going to do.We need to be selective and know for sure what and where those people are." Bethany Watson, Warsaw "I'm scared about flying.I was going to fly to Australia, but not for a while." "I have never flown before.My mom is paranoid." "When they find them, they should bring them back for trial.
Matthew Weigelt, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Residents File Suits Against Department Stores

Two Kosciusko County residents have filed separate lawsuits against two department stores in Warsaw. Kosciusko County resident Abigail Pifer recently filed a lawsuit in Kosciusko Superior Court asking for damages to compensate her for a fall in the parking lot at Kmart on U.S.30, Warsaw. In a separate lawsuit filed recently in Kosciusko Superior Court, Kosciusko County resident Robert Hughes is suing Wal-Mart Supercenter, Warsaw, for injuries suffered when he slipped and fell on liquid soap that was spilled on the floor of the store. According to documents filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Pifer alleges that on May 7, 2005, as she was walking out of Kmart toward the parking lot, she tripped and fell in a depression in the blacktop near the sidewalk. "Such depression existed as a result of the negligent maintenance and upkeep of the parking lot by Kmart Corp.," according to the complaint filed in court.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Two Arsonists Sentenced

Sheila Kay Grevenstuk, 34, and Michael Grevenstuk, 34, were each sentenced Thursday in Kosciusko Superior Court to four years in prison for arson, a Class C felony.However, Mrs.Grevenstuk had two years of her sentence suspended for probation and Mr.Grevenstuk's whole term was suspended. Believing that Mrs.Grevenstuk was more culpable than her husband, Prosecutor David Kolbe asked the judge to consider sending her to prison if he felt that one of the parents should remain in the home with their four children. "I believe that (Mrs.Grevenstuk) is the brighter of the two," Kolbe said."She was more capable of planning and designing this thing." Judge Robert Burner did choose to imprison Mrs.Grevenstuk over her husband, but said he did so for medical reasons and not because he believed one was more guilty than the other.Mr.Grevenstuk takes six different prescription medications, has had open heart surgery and suffers from a back injury.
Ruth Anne Long, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

DePuy Announces 'Realignment For Growth'

DePuy Orthopaedics today announced worldwide organizational changes to allow investment in growth areas and expansion into developing markets. The realignment is a result of a re-evaluation of DePuy's worldwide organization and will affect 30 local employees. DePuy employs 1,200 in Warsaw. According to Mindy Tinsley, group manager of communications in Warsaw, DePuy worldwide is seeing significant growth in breakthrough research and development, accelerated product development and clinical studies.Patient and surgeon education also will be key focus areas.DePuy is taking steps worldwide to ensure that resources are aligned to fund these growth areas.
M.J. RHODES, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Enthusiastic Response Lands MasterWorks Fest Permanently In Winona

WINONA LAKE - Two years ago the MasterWorks Festival folks were prepared to sign a 200-year contract for future appearances. They've gone one better. Patrick and Barbara Kavanaugh plan a permanent move to the area, headquartering the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship and its subsidiary MasterWorks Festival here. They'll face the usual concerns of newcomers - where to shop, where to eat out, how to get around. But their work is already cut out for them. The Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship is a ministry dedicated to the performance of the classical arts (music, ballet, opera and theater) to the glory of God. Currently in Haymarket, Va., outside of Washington, D.C., the CPFA has more than 700 musicians and dancers in its ranks.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

WHA Offers New Brochure

An informational brochure about fair housing is available through the Warsaw Housing Authority. WHA executive director Vickie Provine told the board of directors Monday that the brochure was drafted as part of the agreement in which federal funds were received for the owner-occupied rehabilitation program. Awarding of the grant included a clause for the WHA to further fair housing in the Warsaw community. The brochure was created by administrative assistant Catharine Walker and will be distributed by volunteers.It explains, among other points, that renting or financing housing cannot be denied by discriminating on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.It also provides information about filing a complaint if a violation occurs.
Ruth Anne Long, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Leading Known Cause Of Mental Retardation

NEW PARIS -ÊWhat began in 1984 as a one-day auction at the Polk family farm has become an annual event with consignments from as far away as South Africa. Located at the intersection of Ind.15 and Ind.6 in New Paris, the 16th Annual Labor Day Auction, hosted by Dennis Polk Equipment, is being held Sept.3, 4 and 6.Tractors, engines, vehicles and toys will all be on the auction block. "This is the biggest sale of its kind in the world," said Dennis Polk. As of Aug.24, the tractors, toys, parts and other equipment were being delivered daily, tagged and awaiting the auction block. "Normally, we don't have toys until the week of," said Polk as he showcased the dozens of toys that arrived more than two weeks in advance."Normally it comes in a tidal wave but you can see how much we've got here." Polk had already received 70 pedal tractors by Aug.24.Normally they advertise 15 to 20 hit -and-miss engines for the auction.They received 30 by Aug.24.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
Previous Next