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Injured Crane Captured Near Treatment Plant

Animal rescue wasn't initially on the agenda for workers Thursday as they clocked into Warsaw's new wastewater treatment plant. "You never know what's going to happen out here," Ken Murphy, wastewater engineer, said."It's never a dull moment." Plant employees called the Warsaw Police Department at 1:15 p.m.to report that two sandhill cranes were loose inside the plant.An officer was requested to capture one of the animals. Sandhill cranes, large birds with features similar to blue herons, are not native to Indiana, but have been spotted in the area during periods of migration. One of the 3-1/2-foot-tall birds in the plant had a broken wing and could not fly over the fences to leave the premises.Fearing for its safety, Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation, in Fort Wayne, was called in hopes that the crane could be saved.
Joe Kirkendall, Times-Union staff writer- | July 28, 2016

Guatemalan Girl Prepares To Go Home

After an extended period in the U.S., Cristina Macario Morales, 13, is returning to her village in Chiqua Dos, Guatemala. She originally came to Warsaw to have surgery because she had spina bifida.Dr.Gary Pitts met her in her village while on a missionary trip. Pitts knew Cristina had to have the surgery or face paralysis during puberty.Because of spina bifida, Cristina's spinal cord was essentially caught up in tissue and fat holding it down to the spinal column.Once she began a growth spurt, without surgery, the spinal cord would not have moved and therefore become damaged. Cristina underwent the surgery in April.She is going home Thursday She was supposed to have left in May with her father Timoteo.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Waste District Takes Look At 2006 Budget

The solid waste management district board reviewed the 2006 preliminary budget Tuesday. The district is estimated to have a $227,000 operating balance next year, based on preliminary numbers. Financial controller Sue Ann Mitchell said the assessed valuation was figured at $3.9 billion because farm ground values for taxing purposes have been reduced from $1,050 to $880 per acre.The 2005 AV was $4.5 billion. She also said it would be two weeks before the County Option Income Tax or Economic Development Income Tax revenues can be figured. The budget allows for a part-time office assistant. The driveway and recycling station area on the west side of the building will be paved in August. "People are trying to recycle, they just recycle the wrong things," Director Sue Studebaker said.She added that a fan blade was found in a plastics bin and a 20-gallon aquarium was found in a glass bin.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Manchester Board's Role Outlined By Superintendent

NORTH MANCHESTER - Five school board members at the Manchester Community School Board meeting Tuesday night were reminded of their function by Superintendent Dr.Diana Showalter. "I think you have a huge job," Showalter said. Showalter said the functions of the board are to make policy, evaluate the district, plan and set goals, oversee financial resources, deal with personnel issues, adopt curriculum and communicate. "One of the key things is we have to work together," Showalter said."We have to communicate." The key for all board members, administrators and faculty is to make the students a priority."If we maintain that thought," she said, "I think we can't go wrong." The board approved an increase in administrators' salaries.Showalter compared the current administrative salaries with those at other similar-sized schools in the area such as Rochester, Whitko and Wabash.
JEN GIBSON, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Webster Council Draws Fire From Residents

NORTH WEBSTER - It was standing room only Tuesday night as North Webster town council members faced a couple contentious issues. Town council member Jane Shepherd said several unnamed town residents have questioned the legality of the lease between the park department and Chuck Lawrance of Fisherman's Cove. The park department this year signed a 10-year lease for $100 per year, allowing Lawrance access to the Cove, an area of town-owned lakefront on Webster Lake at 340 E.Huntington St. (The town also leases lakefront property in the area to Lakeview Restaurant and the Dixie tour boat.) In return, Lawrance provided dredging and put in new piers and sockets in the lake bed for pier posts. Lawrance rents pier spaces at the Cove to recoup costs. Lawrance has leased the property for 18 years.He passed out pictures of the area, which appears well-kept. "I'm tired of all the cloak-and-dagger stuff and behind-the-back stuff," Lawrance said.
GARY GERARD, Times-Union Managing Editor- | July 28, 2016

Bourbon Seeks Solutions To Vandalism Problem

BOURBON - A rash of vandalism in this quiet, rural community's town park has the clerk-treasurer shaking her head. The most recent episode resulted in destruction of towel dispensers and stall curtains in the restroom.At the same time shingles were ripped from the roof, picnic tables turned over with attempts made to set them on fire, a security light dismantled and thrown in the trash, a charcoal grill tipped over and litter from trash containers scattered about.Clerk Jacqualine Murphy said recently that a door to one of the restrooms was vandalized last year with a resulting cost of $1,000 for its replacement.During that time, Murphy said, damaged light fixtures were replaced with theft-proof ones, which were then stolen.
MARILYN GOCHENOUR, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

County Proposes Changes In Zoning Ordinance

At their Aug.15 meeting, the Kosciusko County Commissioners will consider and possibly approve changes and amendments to the Kosciusko County Zoning Ordinance. Wednesday, the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission voted unanimously to recommend the commissioners approve the ordinance modifications. While many of the changes may be considered minor, there are other changes that may be considered major by some. One of the new changes establishes the parameters for communication towers.Previously, towers were addressed individually by the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals. The new rules, if approved, will require the petitioner to present to the BZA a specific site plan for the tower illustrating the fall radius of the tower, its height, and all accessory and additional structures on the property.Any future structures also must be included.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County Included In Federal Disaster Declaration

Kosciusko County, along with 33 other counties, was declared a major disaster area by President George W.Bush on July 11. The designation allows residents and business owners to apply for federal relief funds to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses from Independence Day storms, tornadoes and flooding. Winona Lake was one of the county's hardest hit towns.Trees, loosened from the ground by 80 mph winds, and a torrent of rain crashed into 15 residences and six vehicles, according to police reports. One uprooted tree brought a gas main with it, causing evacuation of the island.Another gas main broke later in the week.Other trees fell throughout the week.Cleanup efforts continue. Financial assistance will be coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is now part of the Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's Individuals and Households Program offers up to $25,000 in financial help.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Board hears financial report from athletic department

SYRACUSE - Wawasee's athletic department ran more than $400,00 in and out of its account during the 2004-05 school year, according to a report from athletic director Mary Hurley. The Wawasee School Board reviewed the athletic department's annual financial report Tuesday. As of June 8, the athletic department has $83,500 in certificates of deposit and $12,370.30 available to begin operations in fall 2005.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Tank Program Catches On

Sometimes a good idea catches on fast.Sometimes faster than expected. Such is the case for the Indiana Development Finance Authority's grant program to remove old and abandoned underground petroleum storage tanks, according to Indiana Rep.David Wolkins, (R-Winona Lake). The grant program was authorized under Senate Enrolled Act 158 as passed by The Indiana General Assembly earlier this year.The grant fund was appropriated $640,000 and the typical costs of removing underground tanks range from $10,000-$20,000.It is funded by the $289 per storage tank registration fees paid annually by storage tank owners. "The response to the program has been much more than we expected," Wolkins said."There was $640,000 in the grant fund and we have had $720,000 in grant requests." That is in addition to those former tank owners who removed their storage tanks prior to the program's July 1 commencement date, he added.
DAVID A. BEALL Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Surfing @ The Library

Access to the Internet is becoming widely available through area libraries, but don't expect to click onto just any type of website. So far, four of seven area libraries have linked onto the Internet with access to patrons, and most are emphasizing education and research over fun and interpersonal frolic. Staffs have quietly added the service without publicizing it too much for fear of being overwhelmed.That doesn't mean people aren't responding. In Milford, nearly 200 people attended orientation classes when the service became available this spring.The library has since seen steady use of its three terminals. Warsaw has two terminals and will open a computer lab next spring featuring up to 23 computers, many of which will have Internet access. Representatives of libraries at Milford, Syracuse, Warsaw and Cromwell all require patrons to sign detailed agreements outlining rules.Those rules, involving permitted use, time limits and age restrictions, vary greatly.
Dan Spalding, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wawasee Seeks To Save Money On Natural Gas Purchases

SYRACYSE - In the past few years, Wawasee Director of Finance Jim Evans told the school board Tuesday, the school corporation has tried to find ways to purchase natural gas cheaper. With the price spikes lately, a number of schools have decided to join together to form a purchasing cooperative for natural gas.The goal of the North Central Energy Cooperative is to save the corporation money and avoid those price spikes. Evans said the school board needed to approve a resolution to allow Wawasee to join the cooperative on a one-year trial basis.If the end result is positive, Wawasee can renew it. Concord, Wawasee Superintendent Mark Stock said, is the administrative agent for the cooperative. Evans said in the past, Wawasee purchased its natural gas on its own.Last year, informally, Wawasee joined with other schools to purchase natural gas.Then it was decided to take that purchasing group one step further and form the cooperative for more purchasing power.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

KCH Dedicates New Emergency Care Center

Kosciusko Community Hospital opened its doors Thursday to the new Emergency Care Center. The festivities included comments by hospital officials, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the ECC and a Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce After Hours event. The new 12,400-square-foot facility meets state-of-the-art emergency care standards and accommodates increasing patient volumes.The hospital's ER was last renovated in 1994 and occupied only 4,500 square feet.The new ECC is on the lower level of the two-story 24,800-square-foot structure that also includes 12,400 square feet of shell space for future expansion of hospital services. Michael Mullins, CEO of KCH, welcomed the group gathered for the event.He said, "Since 1999, we have been committed to growing the hospital and have invested $100 million in the community."He acknowledge the extra effort required of EMS personnel during the construction phase.
M.J. RHODES, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Milford Seen As Likely Ethanol Plant Site

MILFORD - Local officials have talked with representatives of a company considering a site for what could be another biofuels plant in Kosciusko County. American Milling Co., of Cahokia, Ill., apparently is interested in several properties just outside Milford, including more than 200 acres owned by Harlan Beer, who said his property was under consideration. Beer's land is east of Old 15 between CRs 1300N and 1350N.There is access to north-south and east-west railway lines. Property owned by Weisser LLC also is involved.It is west of Old 15 beside the north-south railroad. American Milling has not announced plans for an ethanol plant in Indiana.Officials at American Milling did not return calls at press time today. Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Assistant Planner Matt Sandy said American Milling officials first called, then visited the county planning office about a week and a half ago, asking about zoning requirements.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer And Associated Press Reports- | July 28, 2016

City OKs Funding For Portion Of Greenway

The city of Warsaw will contribute funds toward the Lake City Greenway project, in a move approved by the city council Monday. City planner Jeff Noffsinger received permission to transfer $7,500 from a city account to a professional services account to cover expenses for Ken Herceg and Associates related to Greenway services.Those services include revisions to the original plan, erosion control and splitting the project into two separate aspects. "Are you completely out of other money?" asked councilman Jerry Patterson. Noffsinger said so far, grants and donations have exceeded $1.5 million, "not including anything from the city." "In lieu of the community (contributing more), ...I think it might be time for the city to step up to the plate," Noffsinger said. He said the grants and donations have been used for the project so far, and the project is out of money.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Athletic director gives financial report

SYRACUSE - Every July, the Wawasee Athletic Department financial report is presented to the Wawasee Community School Corp.Board of Trustees. Tuesday, Wawasee Athletic Director Mary Hurley presented the report.She said Wawasee was fortunate in that the school corporation has strong family support for its athletes.Go to any sporting event and one can see the peer and family support.Wawasee's real successes are not the state championships but what the student athletes carry away from the programs. Board member Marion Acton said Wawasee coaches are teachers."Kids are learning, kids are improving, kids are having opportunities."He commended Hurley "because it takes strong leadership to provide those kind of things." In the athletic department report, Hurley noted that most of the operating funds of the department come through gate receipts.Other sizable amounts also are generated from the Warrior Open and selling concessions at football and boys basketball games.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Manchester Seeks Grant To Upgrade Town Life Center

NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊManchester Town Council gave the go-ahead for a grant application to be sent to the Indiana Department of Commerce requesting $500,000. The Community Development Block Grant, if approved, will be used to make much-needed upgrades to the Town Life Center (the old Thomas Marshall School).The grant, awarded by the Department of Commerce, is a 90/10 matching grant, meaning Commerce will fund 90 percent of a project up to $500,000 as long as the town funds the remaining 10 percent. Included in the grant proposal is a displacement plan.The plan is required for all commerce grants and is a promise to citizens and businesses that if they or their homes are displaced by the building projects, the town will find them a new location. No businesses or people are expected to be displaced by the plan.
KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

WCS Names Interim Superintendent

Six to one, the Warsaw Community School Board voted Tuesday night to offer the interim superintendent job to Ralph J.Bailey, Columbia City. As part of the motion made by board member Dan Robinson, board members Robinson, Tammy Dalton and Ron Yeiter will negotiate the terms of the contract with Bailey. Board member Cathy Folk said she voted "no" because she did not get to meet any of the candidates in a board session. Later in the meeting, board member Chuck Sauders said he knows Bailey and worked with him previously."He's a very competent and nice person," he said.However, Sauders said he was hesitant to vote "yes" on Bailey because of the rate of pay he receives as interim superintendent.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Red Ball Raises More Than $50,000 For Red Cross

This year's Red Ball, "Summer Cruise," raised more than $50,000 (before expenses) for the disaster preparedness and response program of the local chapter of the American Red Cross. Rebecca Kubacki and Cathy Teghtmeyer, co-chairwomen of the event, welcomed the group to the ball, and Larry Peppel, executive director of the Kosciusko County Chapter of the American Red Cross, gave the invocation.Dinner was served on the lawn at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club and featured Caribbean dishes prepared by and served under the direction of executive chef Mark Gilardi. Following the main course, guests were treated inside to desserts accompanied by a chocolate fountain and music by Gizzae.Photos of couples attending the ball were framed in Caribbean motif frames and distributed before the end of the evening.
M.J. RHODES, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Father, Son Reunite After Nearly 20 Years

ELKHART - The differences between this father and son are as distinct as water and steel - as clearly defined as blood on a white sheet. Dad stands well over 6 feet, Son is 5-7, with the stocky build of a bull rider. Dad has eyes of Caribbean Sea blue, Son's are as deep brown as the bays, thoroughbreds and chestnuts he saddles up for fun. Son is a little bit country, Dad is a little bit rock and roll. Son loves the Cleveland Indians, Dad is Cubbies all the way. As different as they are, father and son were of one accord late last week when a 20-year wrong was righted. "I'm pretty nervous," said Ken Pollock Jr., standing in the Elkhart train station. For Pollock, 49, Friday morning was the culmination of a two-decade search that would bring his long-lost son back into his life.
Phil Smith, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016
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