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BOW Approves Citywide Cell Phone Plan

City employees will be able to page one another at a discounted rate now that a citywide cell phone plan has been approved. The Warsaw Board of Works approved the plan that will consolidate the city's telephone accounts and save $893.90 on pager services per year. Those who will use the new cell phone plan will include the building and planning department with three phones, Warsaw Street Department with three phones, aviation department with five phones, Warsaw Police Department with 35 phones and Warsaw Parks Department with three phones. The Warsaw Fire Department, Wastewater employees, Mayor Ernie Wiggins and Police Chief Steve Foster will have the option of joining the plan once their current contracts expire. USA Mobility and Sprint Nextel will assist the city by reimbursing the city the cost of 66 telephones.
JENNIFER PERYAM, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Gun At School Brings Arrest

AKRON -ÊTwo students were removed from Tippecanoe Valley High School for allegedly having an unloaded gun at the school. According to a press release from the Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation and information from the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department, students and staff informed administrators that a student had a handgun in his locker at the high school Thursday. Jeremy Wayne Strayer, 17, of Akron, was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 4:31 p.m.Thursday for dangerous possession of a gun and theft/receiving stolen property.His bond was set at $5,000. Charges are pending against another 16-year-old student who reportedly was involved in the incident.The student's name has not been released. After receiving information about the gun, school administrators and school resource officer Josh Spangle located Stayer and searched his locker.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Grace Village To Expand

WINONA LAKE - Grace Village Retirement Community plans to add a wing of assisted-living apartments, and groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the addition Tuesday. Jeff Carroll, Grace Village chief executive officer, said the addition provides space where a person can come in and "age in place." The facility currently has 30 assisted-living apartment, and the addition means 26 more along Sunset Drive. The one-bedroom spaces are 500 square feet and offer a kitchenette, large closets and bay windows. Grace Village is a continuing care retirement community and has accommodations ranging from completely independent to those allowing full nursing care. "The addition allows older adults to live in a secure Christian environment," Carroll said. Robinson Construction received the contract for the project, which will be paid for through a bond issue backed by the town, not to exceed $4.5 million.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Winona Council Sets Meeting To Study Town Hall Relocation

WINONA LAKE - The town council will hold an "administrative session" Thursday or Friday to decide on the proposed merger and relocation of its police and government offices. In its meeting Tuesday morning, the council postponed a resolution until later this week, when councilman Randy Ruppel could be included in the decision.Ruppel was absent from Tuesday's meeting. Town council president Brent Wilcoxson scheduled a tour of the proposed new town hall, Grace Brethren Home Missions, for 7:30 a.m.Thursday, and set an administrative meeting for the council on Thursday or Friday to discuss the building lease. The council has been negotiating with Larry Chamberlain for the use of half of the Missions' building.GBHM previously asked for $6,200 per month rent, and by Tuesday's meeting that figure was reduced to $3,565 per month.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

REMC To Build New Headquarters

New headquarters for the Kosciusko REMC were discussed in Warsaw city council chambers Monday, as Larry Easterday stepped forward in favor of annexation of 26.18 acres east of CR 250E and north of U.S.30. Easterday, REMC's marketing and member relations director, was the only member of the public to speak for or against the proposal. He said the current facility, at 523 S.Buffalo St., is land-locked.The utility also has land at the southernmost end of Detroit Street, where trucks and equipment are stored. "The REMC has been part of the Warsaw community for more than 60 years.We want another piece of property and want to stay in the city," Easterday said of the request. The annexation indicates the company will request industrial-2 zoning for the ground, currently zoned agricultural by the county. Teresa Ho, assistant city planner, said the next reading of the ordinance will be at the council's Oct.20 meeting and a fiscal plan will be presented at that time.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Housing Authority Elects Officers

During Monday's Warsaw Housing Authority meeting, an election of officers resulted as follows: Bob Kline, president; Sue Charlton, vice president; and Sherri Ruggier, secretary/treasurer. Officers are re-elected annually, but the resignation earlier this year of Bob Bullock required the board of directors to hold a special election.Bullock had been the board's president before he moved from the area. In other business, the board is looking into placing some of its funds in interest-bearing accounts, and the city attorney is developing a promissory note to be used for clients needing help with security deposits.The deposits would be loaned to the clients through a revolving loan program. Additionally, two more loans were closed in the owner-occupied rehabilitation program, bringing the total to three finished projects.Funds are still available for qualified low-income homeowners to improve their residences.For more information, call the WHA at 269-7641.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

WCS Gives Report On Options For Elementary Schools

Silver Lake and Atwood elementary schools would be closed under recommendations of a study undertaken by Warsaw Community Schools. A new school would be built in Prairie Township and Silver Lake students would be sent to a renovated Claypool Elementary under the proposal. The long-awaited report drew few comments from the public when WCS Superintendent Dr.Lee Harman presented options for strategic planning Monday. Drawing recommendations from a demographics study assessing enrollment trends in 1998, a Community Based Planning Project held two years ago and a recent facilities study, Harman explained the best way to provide educational equity is to maintain eight, instead of nine elementary schools, each with a population of about 450 students.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Looks At $10 Per Month Sewer Rate Hike

Sewer issues dominated the Warsaw City Council meeting Monday. Part of the meeting was dedicated to a public hearing on an ordinance establishing new rates and charges for the sewer services.No action was taken. Under the proposed ordinance, the rate and charges for all dwelling units will be increased by $10 to $24.50 per month for each unit.However, for residents with gross income of less than $15,000 per year, the rate will be only $12.25.Rates have not increased since 1989. The increase will help boost revenues to cover bond issues for a new treatment plant and a collection system.Cost for the treatment plant is estimated at $10.27 million while cost for the collection system is estimated at $6.7 million.Actual bids for the treatment plant will not be let until December or January.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Disaster-Trained Doctor Helps People Of Mississippi

Marilyn Whitney, M.D.is entering a second week of disaster aid to the people of Mississippi. Whitney, a family practice physician and partner at Kosciusko Family Healthcare, said the damage along the Gulf of Mexico is still overwhelming. "The devastation along the coast is unbelievable," she said in a cell phone interview."Buildings are completely flattened.There are piles of debris and rubble everywhere.For example, all that's left of a small speciality hospital on I-90 is the sign.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Bumbaugh Challenges Goshert In Sheriff's Race

The Democrat Party's candidate for county sheriff wants residents to feel better about the sheriff's department. Jim Bumbaugh, 42, faces William "Rocky" Goshert, 49, in the Nov.7 general election. Bumbaugh, a Pierceton police officer, said he would like a highly visible sheriff's department, with deputies visiting the schools and being a friendly presence in neighborhoods. "I don't think we've recovered the negative opinion of police officers since the 1991 Rodney King beating incident.That's sad because so many men and women are good police officers. "When I'm out and about in Pierceton, it's easy to stop and introduce myself to people.You leave a positive opinion of a police officer.Show the public you're a human being. "Often the only image a person has of an officer is his driving by at 80 miles an hour in his take-home car wearing civilian clothes.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

KCRTL Celebrates Successes

Monday's 2006 Kosciusko County Right to Life Banquet at Warsaw Community Church was a chance for the group to look back on 2006 and ahead to 2007. Mike Williams, last year's speaker, served as emcee for the event.The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus presented the Colors, and Lachelle Conley sang "God Bless America," with an accompanying video by Celia Sinkhorn.The invocation was given by Pastor Mark Eastway. Three Mary Louise Lowe Life Awards were presented for significant contributions to the pro-life movement in Kosciusko County.William Landrigan, president of the board of directors of KCRTL, presented the awards to: Rabb Kinetico Water Systems, as "one of the first to publicly attach a company name to KCRTL, and for their steady support from the very beginning."Don Clemens accepted the award. The second award went to the late Betty Morgan (Chandler Williams and family) for various efforts, including financial support of the Pro-Life Music Festival.
M.J. RHODES, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Valley Students Get A Taste Of Homelessness

AKRON - Four Tippecanoe Valley High School students experienced a sample of homelessness Tuesday night as part of a school project. About 50 students in two of Grace College student teacher Mike Ellis' classes participated in "Deviance Day" Tuesday at the high school.Ellis is student teaching under Jeff Shriver.But four of the students - juniors Craig Willard, Cody Kaiser and Zack Smith, and senior Stanford Hall - decided to take the experience one step further. "We just wanted to go all out for it," said Kaiser. "It was a fun idea at first," said Willard. Hall said, "It was fun, lots of weird reactions, most of them were positive.It was really cold out there.The cops came by twice to see if everything was OK." During Deviance Day, Ellis said students experience part of another culture they might not be a part of on a daily basis.They dress and act the part, such as wearing "punk" clothes if they might otherwise usually wear "preppy" clothes.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Judge Rules No Trial In Lawsuit Against Milford, Town Marshal

Kosciusko Circuit Judge Rex Reed sided with the town of Milford and Town Marshal David Hobbs in a civil lawsuit concerning a 2004 false arrest claim. On Sept.18, Reed listened to arguments about the case from Ralph Fredderick "Fred" Fisher's attorney Thomas Leatherman and Hobbs' and Milford's attorney Michael Morrow.After reviewing the information presented in the hearing, Reed took the matter under advisement and made the decision the case will not go to trial. In 2002, Fred Fisher was arrested and went to trial for the murder of Kathy Vroman.He was found not guilty of the murder in March 2002. In 2004, Fisher and his wife Ramona filed suit requesting unspecified damages from Hobbs and Milford because they claimed Fred Fisher was falsely arrested.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Reporters Feel The Buzz Of 0.08% Blood Alcohol

Times-Union sports reporter Jennifer Gibson and I were invited to "Take the Challenge" Thursday at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in Plainfield - so we jumped on the opportunity. The challenge? Consume alcoholic beverages until we each registered a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent, - then drive an automobile. The challenge, sponsored by the Governor's Council on Impaired and Dangerous Driving, sounds dangerous at first.But it actually is a very safe event closely supervised by ILEA staff. At the start of the event, Gibson and I began consuming alcoholic beverages under close supervision of ILEA staff.
LAURA SLOOP, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Construction At Wawasee Finally Winding Down

SYRACUSE - There is a light at the end of the construction tunnel for Wawasee Community School Corp., according to a report given Tuesday at the school board meeting by Bob Lahrman. A projected move-in date for North Webster Elementary School will be proposed at the November board meeting, but many expect it to occur during the Christmas holidays. Most of the work at the high school will be completed by the end of October except for work in the auditorium, which will be completed soon thereafter. If work goes according to schedule, everything will be back to normal by Monday for students at Syracuse and Milford schools, who got a second bit of good news - they don't have to make up the two school days they lost at the beginning of the year because of the construction.The state has granted a waiver.
VIRGINIA NIZAMOFF SURSO, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Tri Kappa Ready For Annual Pumpkin Sale

The women of Tri Kappa have washed more than 1,000 pumpkins this year to prepare them for their annual pumpkin painting frenzy and subsequent sale. For the rest of this week and most of the next, active members of the sorority will be stenciling, painting (with markers) and outfitting the golden globes harvested from Keith Cook's fields in preparation for the fall decorating. This year the pumpkins sport scarecrow hats and faces and witch hats and faces. Closed off in an Eisenhower Elementary School room, the women work in three shifts that last for 2-1/2 hours each.Proceeds from the annual sales, which began in 1994, are applied toward the organization's scholarship program, which has benefited more than 525 women and girls since the scholarship program began.
TERESA CARRANO, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Accreditation, High School Space Discussed At Tippy Valley

MENTONE - An accreditation presentation by Superintendent Dr.Karen Boling and high school space discussed by Principal Charles Mills were just two of the topics heard by the Tippecanoe Valley school board Monday. Boling presented an update on the North Central Accreditation Program.Valley is now starting its second year in the program and is focusing on improvements in education.She said the program is trying to set standards for students to be successful as they move from school to school and, ultimately, to their future goals. The program, for staff and students, moves students to focus on careers.It also encourages parental and community involvement and will install student assessment measures. Boling said Valley is one of three schools in Indiana selected to pilot the endorsement but that does not guarantee approval for the final endorsement. Mills asked the board to look into the need for space at the high school.
DEBBIE CLARK, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Guardsmen Return From Deployment To Mississippi

Company A returned home late Saturday after more than a month in Mississippi, serving on a humanitarian relief mission to the Gulf Coast. Members of 1st Battalion, 293rd Infantry were called to duty early in September, leaving Indiana Sept.2 for their first stop in Meridian, Miss. Monday, the citizen soldiers attached to the Warsaw Armory, CR 350N, returned gear issued for Task Force Hoosier. Following briefings at Camp Shelby, Guardsmen spread out over the Lauderdale, Newton, Scott, Jasper and Smith county region of south central Mississippi, areas hit hard when Hurricane Katrina made landfall Aug.29. Leaving a platoon in Taylorville, Miss., the rest of the company went to Bay Springs, where they began patrols and guarded six generator sites.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Bingo Brings In Big Bucks For Charities

Charitable organizations need money to support themselves.It's not easy to run nonprofit organizations without the cash.Local area clubs and membership organizations help many local charities financially through a game that's familiar to many people. B-I-N-G-O! The Indiana Department of Revenue reported Oct.1 that the gross receipts for bingo in Kosciusko County were $3,643,474.17, with total expenses at $3,077,273.85.An estimated $95,401.61 was given to other organizations, and $322,497.82 was retained for use by the organizations that sponsor bingo. American Legion Post 49 is one local club licensed for bingo in Indiana.They have bingo once a week, every Friday, and the first Sunday of every month. "I've been here for 17 years and they were playing long before I got here," said Mike Davis, manager. Several charities the Legion donates to include Combined Community Services, the United Way, the Boys' Club and Little League, among others.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Zoners Hang Conditions On Landfill Plan Approval

Neighbors of the Kosciusko County Landfill crowded the Munson Building Tuesday for the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals. They were at the meeting to remonstrate against the landfill's petition for an exception to expand the sanitary landfill in an agricultural district.The property is on the east side of Packerton Road and zero feet north of CR 800S in Monroe Township. The landfill's petition was approved unanimously with the following condtions: it must have buffering, have all the necessary permits, get approval from the Kosciusko County Health Department, must meet Kosciusko County Drainage Board and highway department requirements, must deal with the drain and water table, and hours are limited to 6 a.m.to 4 p.m.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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