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Whitko Seeks Community Input

PIERCETON - Staff, students and the community of Whitko Community School Corp.will get to voice their opinions about the Whitko High School improvement and renovation project next week. Whitko School Board is hosting three meetings to receive comments about the project.The meetings are Monday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.at Whitko High School, South Whitley; Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m.at the Central Office, Pierceton; and May 14, 8 to 9:30 a.m.at Whitko Middle School, Larwill. According to Whitko Superintendent Dr.Jeff Hendrix, the meetings are to gather information from the community on the maintenance and upgrades at the high school.The work may include anything from HVAC, lighting, storage, locker rooms, restrooms, lockers and traffic flow issues."There's all kinds of issues," said Hendrix."We're trying to get input from staff, students and the community." The architects for the project are meeting today with staff and students to hear their concerns.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Revises Athletic Code Of Conduct

Final revisions to Warsaw Community High School's athletic code of conduct were hammered out Monday by the Warsaw School Board. Most of the additions were clarifications of existing policies or terms. But the board removed the requirement of 50 hours of community service from the penalty for a first violation of the athletic code's drug and alcohol policy. Previously, a student-athlete, on first violation of the policy, would be suspended from participating in athletic competition for 365 days, and would be required to complete 50 hours of community service. With Monday's revisions, the community service requirement would be added to the penalty for a second violation, with the third violation being suspension from athletics for the duration of the student-athlete's high school career.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

TIF District Set Up For Biodiesel Plant

Four county boards convened in the old courtroom Monday to approve the Louis-Dreyfus request to establish an economic development area and to approve a tax abatement and benefits for the company. All members of the county council, commissioners, area plan commission and redevelopment commission heard from Louis Dreyfus representative Mike Mandl, Todd Samuelson of Umbaugh and Associates and Thomas Downs of the Ice Miller law firm. In March, after nearly two years of research and study, Louis Dreyfus Commodities announced its decision to build one of the largest soybean processing plants in the world in Kosciusko County, south of Claypool. Groundbreaking at the 250-acre property was April 20.Construction costs are expected to be $120 million.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

YMCA Outlines Plans To Buy Racquet Club

The Kosciusko Community YMCA board of directors announced Tuesday they have signed an agreement to purchase the Warsaw Racquet Club. The YMCA plans to reopen the facility for tennis in late summer.The club was closed March 31. The purchase of the Warsaw Racquet Club fits into the YMCA's long-term strategic plan.According to board president Bob Durgin, "The YMCA's strategic vision calls for acquiring additional property for the construction of a new primary facility which is suitable for future expansion to support new programs.The current opportunity to acquire the Warsaw Racquet Club and the adjoining 10 acres meets this strategic vision." The YMCA intends to operate the current Warsaw site as a branch facility, along with the branch in North Webster, after the future construction of the new facility.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Jury Seated, Testimony Begins In Little Trial

A jury of seven men and five women were seated Monday morning, prior to the aggravated battery trial of defendant Billy D.Little. Little, 34, of Columbia City, is accused of the June 4, 2002, shooting of Brian Smith at the Good Times Bar in the 200 block of South Buffalo Street, Warsaw. The case against Little is being retried because he was found guilty of both aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a felon during one trial in 2003.According to state law, a person cannot be put on trial for a felony and being a felon with a weapon at the same time.Little requested and was granted a new trial. The case is being heard before Kosciusko County Circuit Court Judge Rex Reed, the same judge who presided over Little's first trial in 2003.Reed instructed the jurors how to ask their own questions of witnesses, a process Reed said was new for him.There were no questions from jury members Monday afternoon.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw Library Wants Community Input On Services

Now that they have a spanking new building and an increasing base of patrons, the Warsaw Community Library Board of Trustees wants help with its annual budget. Ann Zydek, library director, said in advance of their work beginning in earnest on the 2000 budget she would like to have greater community input into what services the library offers and the times they are offered. "I would like to see a broad cross-section of the community polled in developing the annual budget," she said."That would help us develop a plan of providing services they'd like and how those services are provided." She said she received many requests for the library to remain open later, and to open on Sunday. "We would, of course, have to modify the number of hours we are open the rest of the week to keep the hours to 68 per week from Labor Day to Memorial Day," she said. Opening on Sunday, between 1 and 5 p.m., would add an additional expense of $70,000 per year, she said.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Kernan Touts Demo Tax Cuts, Blasts GOP

The recently concluded session of the Indiana General Assembly can be summed up in one phrase, according to Lt.Gov.Joe Kernan: "so-so." Kernan was the featured speaker at the Kosciusko County Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner Wednesday. "The only thing better than saying someone is a good Democrat, or a good lieutenant governor, is saying that he is a good man.Joe Kernan is a good man," said master of ceremonies, Warsaw attorney Jay Rigdon, in introducing the lieutenant governor. Kernan told the approximately 75 in attendance that while some very good legislation was passed, some major items failed because of the political ambitions of House and Senate Republicans. "The No.1 mission for this session was to pass a two-year budget.The governor set three rules for the budget - it had to maintain the surplus, it had to include a tax cut and it had to support education," Kernan said.
DAVID A. BEALL, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Borders' Ship Brought 'Terror' To WWII Ports

SILVER LAKE - The U.S.S.Terror was the flagship of the mining fleet, the only ship built for mine laying, with missions in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Glenn Borders, who moved to Silver Lake two years ago with his wife, Mildred, served aboard the cruiser during World War II. "All I wanted was to get out of there," he said of his three-year-and-14-day enlistment in the U.S.Navy.When he wasn't avoiding German submarines, he was ducking suicidal Japanese pilots. The Terror set course for Casablanca, Morocco's chief port city, Nov.2, 1942, arriving 12 days later.The ocean was full of German submarines.The convoy zigzagged across the Atlantic to evade the underwater threat. "That kept us young fellows scared to death all the time," Borders, a Rushville native, said of the crossing. The Allies had recently liberated Casablanca.The Terror was there long enough to set mines and refuel.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

City Mulls Options For Parker, DuBois

The city council drove over a well-traveled topic Monday trying to decide what to do about the "Y" intersection off U.S.30 where DuBois Drive and Parker Street meet and where Parker "Ts" at Center Street. Federal funding for the project is available in the amount of $1.9 million.The funds were awarded to Warsaw from federal highway accounts, the city's share of the 18-cent gas tax.Indiana received $560 million of the levy. A total construction cost, including right of way acquisitions, various studies, reports and engineering designs, comes to $2.8 million. Local monies amount to $892,400 and will pay for 20 percent of construction costs and all of the non-construction costs, including land acquisition and engineering fees. Last month Ron Bonar of Bonar Group - Engineers, Surveyors and Planners, presented an aerial view of the Y intersection with lines indicating possible rerouting onto DuBois Drive.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

KYLA Graduates Hear About Leadership In A Fast-Paced World

Graduation came a year early for 23 local high school juniors - not from high school, but from the Kosciusko Youth Leadership Academy. KYLA is an evolving organization that began with the purpose of developing leadership skills in the youth of the community. As part of KYLA each student worked on a project and then gave a presentation April 4 on their volunteer work.Students worked with Heartline Pregnancy Center, Big Buddy, Elementary Library, Lakeland Youth Center, Our Father's House, Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services, First Steps and Teen Courts. At the graduation dinner Wednesday, Steve Holbrook, customer service supervisor at R.R.Donnelley & Sons, was guest speaker. He said as he prepared for his speech, he saw the KYLA advertisement in the Times-Union. "I couldn't help think, 'What if my kids were in that.I would be very proud of them,'" he said. His speech, "Leadership Skills for the 21st Century," detailed how fast the world is changing.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Kings Highway To Be Closed

WINONA LAKE - The western end of Kings Highway will be closed when the final layer of paving is applied Thursday or Monday, Winona Lake Town Council announced Tuesday. Paving will be determined in part by weather conditions and will be the final phase in a lengthy road project that included infrastructure work underneath the road. Officials chose to close the road entirely during the project so that vehicles don't drive over new pavement before it's ready. In a related matter, the town will seek some financial support from the county to pay for an upgrade along Pierceton Road.Plans for paving will likely be decided in two weeks. Town council was informed that more progress was made in Merrywood Mobile Home Park's repair of sewer lines plagued by infiltration. Board president Brent Wilcoxson said the town has already noticed less infiltration and there there is more standing water in the park after heavy rains.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Warsaw's Buck Invited To D.C. Meeting, Dinner With President Bush

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Tobias Buck of Warsaw, president and chief executive officer of Paragon Medical Inc., Pierceton, has been invited to attend an emergency meeting of the Business Advisory Council in Washington, D.C. The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Buck will be giving input and recommendations on Social Security, the energy cost crisis and immigration. He also will attend the President's Dinner June 14, joining members of the House of Representatives and the Senate and other Republican luminaries. Buck serves as an honorary chairman on the NRCC's Business Advisory Council.The Council is a small group of conservative businessmen and women who have joined together to advocate a progressive, conservative, pro-business agenda.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Wiggins Wins Primary - Voters put incumbent mayor on November ballot

Ernie Wiggins received 1,111 votes, securing the Warsaw mayor's place on the fall general election ballot over challenger Craig Allebach, who received 756 votes in the 2003 primary election Tuesday. "I am very pleased with the outcome," Wiggins said of his 355-vote victory."I appreciate the confidence shared by the people today. "It's good to have two good candidates.It shows people are willing to serve and go through this process," he said referring to the contest posed by the former Warsaw police chief. "I feel very blessed to be elected another term, to see the completion of our goals and the completion of the second wastewater treatment plant. "But this is only the primary, you know." All the municipal ballot candidates ran on the Republican ticket in Warsaw, Winona Lake and Syracuse.The Democrats have until noon June 30 to fill vacancies on the municipal ballot, which would force a general election in Syracuse, Warsaw and Winona Lake in November.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Nappanee Part Of Rail Expansion Plan

NAPPANEE - Mayor Larry Thompson, bolstered by the success of a recent meeting with CSX Transportation officials, shared some promising developments with the Common Council on Monday. Regional vice president Stephen Watson confirmed for the mayor that the city will be included in a major construction project on the rail line spanning between Greenwich, Ohio, and Chicago. "Over time, this project will be of gret benefit to your community, particularly in the area of economic development, as we increase opportunities to site new industrial facilities on our lines.For your area, this could mean new jobs and an enhanced tax base," Watson affirmed via a letter to Thompson dated May 19. The official announcement was generated through the CSX regional headquarters in Indianapolis, and was backed by the duo of CSX Corp.chairman and CEO John Snow and Gov.Frank O'Bannon.
AMY WENGER, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Valley May Cut Back Teacher's Hours

MENTONE - Tippecanoe Valley High School vocational agriculture teacher Lisa Paxton is facing a possible reduction in the number of days on her teaching contract. A public hearing was held Monday to give Paxton a chance to speak to school board members regarding the possible reduction. Superintendent Dr.Karen S.Boling said Paxton's days would be reduced from a 240-day contract to a 195-day contract, or 9-1/2 months, due to state budget projections and school financial concerns. Boling said she received the state budget projection approximately one month ago from the Senate, indicating new money received would be 1 percent.She said the board then became concerned with funding.
LAURA SLOOP, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Bank Seeks To Foreclose On Prairie View

KeyBank is seeking to foreclosure on the mortgage it holds on Prairie View Nursing Home in Warsaw and to place the business in receivership.More than $1.7 million remains due on a $2 million promissory note taken out in 1988. A lawsuit filed recently in Kosciusko Circuit Court names Landmark Health Care Associates, L.P., the James R.Bradbury Trust and Landmark Health Care Fixed Income Fund, L.P., as defendants in the case.Landmark Associates is an Indiana limited partnership that owns Prairie View, and the trust and Landmark Fund are made parties to answer as to any interest they may have in the real estate.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

Lake City Bank Gets New President

Michael L.Kubacki was elected president of Lakeland Financial Corp.and Lake City Bank Tuesday. Kubacki replaces R.Douglas Grant, who recently retired but will continue as chairman and chief executive officer. A graduate of Pierceton High School, Kubacki is executive vice president in charge of the Los Angeles market area for Northern Trust Co., which is based in Chicago.He also served as middle-market lender in the Midwest for Northern, as division head with responsibility for correspondent banking and insurance company lending, and in 1989 was president and CEO of a subsidiary bank in Oak Brook, Ill. He has a degree in finance from Indiana University and a master's degree in business administration from University of Chicago. Kubacki and his wife, Rebecca, have two children.He has served on the boards of Pasadena Symphony, Center for Healthy Aging, Performing Arts Foundation and Neighborhood Housing Services.
Staff Report- | July 28, 2016

Chinworth Enlisted, Served As WAC Nurse

Jane McConnell Chinworth, 81, vividly recalls where she was and what she was doing when she heard about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. She, along with other nursing students, huddled around a radio as reports of the tragedy were broadcast.Japanese bombs sank or beached five battleships and destroyed 10 warships Dec.7, 1941, a Sunday morning.More than 2,400 Americans were killed during the attack from the East.The nation was stunned and outraged. Chinworth, then an unmarried student in South Bend, had completed her first six weeks of training.The Pearl Harbor weekend was the first she hadn't gone home to Warsaw.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Triton Schools Could Feel Brunt Of Lear Corp. Closing

BOURBON - Lear Corporation is closing in Bourbon and Triton School Corporation could lose a large chunk of tax money based on the company's leaving. Triton could lose $68,381 for the 2003-04 school year from the company's real estate and personal property tax assessment, said superintendent Ted Chittum at the Tuesday school board meeting. Triton is fighting cash flow problems from the state, too. "It is inevitable for us to borrow money for cash flow" by next August, Chittum said. He said the state, which is caught in its own financial muck, will hold a month's payment to the school corporation next year. Chittum said he wanted to know how many students in Triton's schools have at least one parent employed at Lear.The corporation's impact could result in a reduction of the student population. In another matter, the school board approved Triton's elementary and junior and senior high school school improvement plans.
Matthew Weigelt, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Arson Convict Stunned; Says He'll Appeal

Roger Hale said he plans to appeal the jury decision that convicted him of burning down his own home. "It just floored me," Hale said of the jury's decision that he was guilty of the class A felony. "I really thought it'd be over," Hale said of his ordeal."I never expected to lose." Hale said he has spent the week since his conviction trying to gather information for an appeal.Hale hopes to remain free on bond while his appeal is in progress. Hale said he passed a lie detector test before the trial that showed he did not set the fire that burned down his house on Sept.24, 1996.Hale said he would willingly take another polygraph test to try to prove his innocence, but the results are not admissible in a court of law. His father Basel Hale said the family is trying to learn from mistakes in the first trial. Hale said several witnesses were not called to testify and several pieces of evidence were not admitted.
TIFFANY SHAW, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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