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Gast One Of First To Reach 'Seigfried Line'

Editor's Note: This is part of a series of interviews with World War II veterans.The articles will continue in each day's edition through Memoral Day. ***** By November 1943, as a desperate Adolf Hitler launched the Ardennes Offensive against the oncoming Allies, 21-year-old Army 2nd Lt.Bob Gast of Warsaw had endured two months of combat. Surviving in foxholes, constantly wet, existing on K rations and ducking the German Army's ruthless soldiers and artillery, Gast was present during one of the bloodiest land battles fought in World War II prior to the Battle of the Bulge. By August 1943, the German Army had lost 3,360,000 men who were either killed, wounded or missing.One month later, the Allies had pushed into France, Belgium and Luxembourg and rolled toward the Seigfried Line on the highly defended German border.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Residents Question Pierceton Development

PIERCETON - Concerns over a proposed housing development on Pierceton's northwest side brought more than a dozen residents to the town council meeting Monday, but any decision is out of the town's hands. Breck Walls' proposal to place seven duplexes on property off Tulip Street goes before the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals today.Walls is seeking both a zoning change - from single-family residential to multi-family residential - and a variance to place one unit 10 feet from the property line vs.the 35-foot setback required.The variance would still keep the unit 40 feet from the adjacent property because of a 30-foot easement that runs between the properties. During the meeting, council president Jerry Kreger excused himself from the council and became one of the neighbors voicing his opinions, citing concerns over fire protection, safety for children due to increased traffic on the dead-end street and questions regarding water runoff from the development.
Ruth Anne Lipka, Times-Union Lifestyles Editor- | July 28, 2016

City Looks To Implement Downtown Improvements

In January, the HyettPalma downtown action agenda was presented to Warsaw city council members and other interested parties. During Monday's city council meeting, the board took the first step in implementing that study by establishing an action agenda panel. No specific names were given to serve on the downtown process committee, a list Mayor Ernie Wiggins said was still being formulated. The city is in the process of hiring an assistant city planner who would coordinate the lion's share of the plan.The assistant city planner position should be filled next month. Between now and the year 2007, efforts will be made to intensify three types of uses in downtown Warsaw: specialty retail, restaurants and art and culture. The downtown's mix of uses would also include entertainment, apartments and artist studios in upper floors, professional offices and the continued presence of city government.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Bonding Process Moves Forward For Justice Building Project

Bonding for the Kosciusko County Justice Building expansion project took another step forward Tuesday when the Kosciusko County commissioners approved a resolution regarding the approval of the issuance of the bonds. Rich Hill, of Baker & Daniels, Plymouth, presented the resolution to the commissioners.Baker & Daniels is serving as bond counsel to the commissioners. The resolution states the commissioners approve the issuance, sale and delivery by the Justice Building Corp.of its first mortgage bonds for an amount not to exceed $23.5 million to finance the construction and equipment for the project. The title to the project will be approved and accepted by the commissioners, under the resolution, from the building corporation once the bonds are redeemed and retired.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

City Discusses Deer Problem

Vere Shenefield returned to the city council Monday, asking again that something be done about the deer population in the city. "There are 10 times more deer inside city limits than there are outside," he said, adding that he's spent $500 on an electric fence and guesses that $500,000 worth of plants are being destroyed in yards every year. "I was here before (October 2002) and nothing's happened.Except for Bill [Rhoades] and Jerry [Patterson], the rest of you have sat on your hands." The mayor and council took exception to those comments, with Mayor Ernie Wiggins reminding Shenefield that there is a ban on discharging firearms in the city. City ordinance Article III - Sec.54-61, prohibits the discharge of firearms, with the exception of police officers or members of the armed forces or National Guard engaging in official duties. "I refuse to have a wounded deer wander into a 3-year-old's yard to die," Wiggins said of a possible controlled hunt.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Long Lost Siblings Reunite, Adding To A Family Tree

Jane Clifford always wondered about her youngest brother, named Michael Thomas Walters at birth. She was six when he was born.He was adopted 10 days later. Clifford is one of 13 children born to Silas and Gladys Walters of Auburn.The Walters divorced shortly after Michael Thomas' birth in 1945. Last year, after 60 years apart, Clifford and her brother reunited.He grew up in Warsaw, the adopted son of Basil and Audrey Zent. "The Zents couldn't have children," Clifford said at her home on Barbee Lake."They had me for one summer, but I cried so much for my mother they brought me back." The Zents named their new son Michael Randall Zent.They called him Tom. "He always knew he was adopted," Clifford said."He just didn't know who his birth parents were." Because Audrey Zent always wondered about "Janie," Audrey told Kay Zent, Tom's wife, about her husband's biological parents.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Report Calls Triton 'Stable'

BOURBON - Triton School Corp.'s feasibility report is in. The report, which examines the school's and community's long-term demographics, capital debt, school facilities and programs, says that Triton is a "stable" corporation that should easily handle a debt of up to $14 million for much-needed improvements. Improvements are recommended for both the junior-senior high and elementary school, though most suggestions are aimed at the upper level school. Infrastructure improvements suggested for the high school are: enhanced electrical work to support technology, updated security systems to better monitor the school's visitor flow and improved heating and ventilation systems.
KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Correspondent- | July 28, 2016

Fribley Honored Posthumously On Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day Saturday had a special meaning for the Fribley family of Atwood as Marine Cpl.David Fribley received two more military awards posthumously in a special ceremony. Both awards were accepted on David's behalf by his parents, Garry and Linda Fribley, and his brother, Air Force A1C Steve Fribley. Since David was part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Maj.Tom McKee presented David's family with David's Presidential Unit Citation.The citation is the highest unit citation a Marine unit can receive.All men in Fribley's unit are entitled to wear the ribbon that comes with the citation.The citation was given to the unit because for a 33-day period, the unit distinguished itself in combat during Iraqi Operation Freedom and provided humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people, McKee said. The second military award David Fribley received is the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, given for heroic action in combat.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

BOW OKs Additional Engineering

The Warsaw Board of Works held a short meeting Friday and approved two amendments to the Jones & Henry Engineers engineering agreement in an amount not to exceed $1.1 million. The work will be for the new wastewater treatment plant and collection project. The board also approved a $10,000 grant application for additional financial assistance to the Kosciusko County Community Foundation Inc.for the Beyer Farm Trail portion of the Lake City Greenway. The Lake City Greenway Steering Committee has received a $100,000 grant through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Divison of Outdoor Recreation to offset costs.Eighty percent of the construction costs will be covered by the grant.The remaining 20 percent, plus land acquisition, is being sought through private and in-kind donations. The board gave Warsaw Fire Chief Matt Warren permission to proceed with the purchase of the Priser property adjacent to fire station No.2 at a cost of $57,500.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Wawasee To Seek Bids On Webster School

SYRACUSE - Permission was granted by the Wawasee Community School Corp.Board of School Trustees to advertise for bids for the new North Webster Elementary School project. The bids will be received from contractors on June 21 at 2 p.m.and a recommendation to the board on the contractors will be given June 27. Bids will be broken down into six different packages, including general construction, mechanical construction, electrical construction, kitchen equipment, plastic laminate cabinets and media center cabinets. Alternate bids will be requested for a storage and maintenance building, a storage mezzanine above the administration area, alternate wood floor system for the gym and added security card readers at all exterior doors not included in the base bid. Board member Brian Dawes asked the representative from Barton, Coe, Vilamaa Architects & Engineers Inc., Fort Wayne, if they had any sense where the bond rates for the building project will be.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Bertsch Served On Searchlight Battalion

Editor's note: This is part of a series of interviews with World War II veterans.The articles will continue in each day's edition until May 28, prior to the World War II Memorial Dedication and Recognition Day, May 29. Conflicts don't stop in the evening.Planes still fly to harass troops.Searchlight battalions were employed during World War II to turn night into day. Charlie Bertsch of Warsaw belonged to the 233rd AAA Searchlight Battalion, illuminating the South Pacific's black skies.The Army sergeant was in charge of a 22-man crew stationed on various islands in the South Pacific. The 60-inch carbon arc searchlights worked in tandem with SCR-270 radars, huge arrays mounted to semi trailers.The 270s represented the latest in radar technology.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

WCS Board Hammers Out Change Order Policy

It took a little kick from Tammy Dalton, Warsaw School Board member, Monday to get the board to take action on a resolution regarding change orders for the high school renovation project. She told the other board members they needed to come to a resolution and "stop dragging our feet."She made a motion to allow board member Dan Robinson and Warsaw Schools maintenance director Greg Schroeder to approve change orders up to $15,000.Any change orders over that amount must be brought before the full school board.The motion was approved unanimously. At a special board meeting April 29, Warsaw chief financial officer Kevin Scott presented the school board with a draft copy of a resolution that would authorize and direct a person of the board's choice to approve change orders up to a limit of $25,000.The amount also could be determined by the school board.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Waggoner Admits Election Violation

Republican prosecutor nominee Charles Waggoner admitted Tuesday that he made a mistake in going to visit polling places the day of the primary election. Waggoner said he visited seven polling places to thank the workers before he realized it was against the election code. The candidates in the election are required by law to stay 50 feet away from the polling places when talking to voters. Waggoner said he was careful not to speak to any voters at the sites.Instead, he went inside to thank the poll workers for the time and effort they put into the election and for putting up signs outside the buildings. At his eighth stop, the Silver Lake Conservation Club, Waggoner said a poll worker asked him if he had credentials.When Waggoner said he did not, he was asked to leave and he did not enter any polling places after Silver Lake.
TIFFANY SHAW, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Pierceton Gets New Factory

PIERCETON - Construction should begin in mid-May on an $8.4 million die-casting plant in Pierceton's budding industrial park. At a Friday morning press conference at Pierceton's town hall, officials from Kosciusko Development and SPX Corporation's Contech division announced plans for the facility to be operating by the end of this year. Rob Hollacher, director of operations for the plant, said it will be a "state-of-the-art die casting facility" that will make aluminum castings for the automotive industry. He called the facility a "tier two" supplier, which does not make parts directly for automobile assembly plants but for their suppliers. Contech initially plans to employ approximately 48 people, Hollacher said, in a facility of about 45,000 square feet. The plant will be located in Pierceton's industrial park, about one-half mile west of Ind.13 on U.S.30.
Laurie Hahn, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Kids Love Y's NFL Ultimate Football

They may not be old enough to enter the NFL draft yet, but 40 area 6- to 9-year-olds got their first experience in football through the YMCA NFL Ultimate Football program this spring. "The kids have been having a blast with this," said Ryan Finney, YMCA teen and family director. The coed program concludes with its final games Thursday at Lincoln Elementary School. A five-on-five game, NFL Ultimate is a combination of football, soccer, basketball and ultimate Frisbee.There are no set plays or downs as in regular football.Instead, the ball is passed around the field from teammate to teammate in any direction.Players can run only two steps after catching the ball.Reaching the end zone remains the offensive team's goal.Continuous play on missed passes or interceptions makes for continuous action.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

County To Install Signs At Several Rail Crossings

Kosciusko County has a high rate of car and train accidents, according to Kosciusko County Highway Superintendent and Engineer Rob Ladson. In an effort to reduce those numbers, and with a $34,000 grant, the Kosciusko County Highway Department is making railroad crossings throughout the county safer by installing warning and stop signs at targeted crossings. "We don't have jurisdiction to put crossing lights and gates at crossings," said Ladson.Those are put up by the state and cost an estimated $150,000 each.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Local Cancer Fund-Raisers Hear Report From IU Cancer Center

WINONA LAKE - Last year, more than $40,000 was raised in Kosciusko County for the Indiana University Cancer Research Center. As a way to say thank-you, Indiana University School of Medicine Senior Associate Director Mary A.Maxwell spoke at The Boathouse Restaurant Wednesday to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund committee and guests to explain what the money has helped the Center do. Part of that $40,000, she said, went to pilot project funding. As an NCI-designated cancer center, I.U.Cancer Center is encouraged to stimulate interdisciplinary and collaborative research.Last year, nearly $300,000 in pilot project funding was allocated by the Cancer Center director, all but $50,000 of the funding coming from philanthropic resources.
DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Winona Pays $75,000 For Property At 800 Park Ave.

WINONA LAKE - Town council members provided $75,000 as damage payment to Ralph and JoEllen Fitch, Larwill, in a resolution passed Tuesday at the council's meeting. The amount, taken from the wastewater operating fund to the tax increment financing account, represents the fair market value of the apartment building at 800 Park Ave. Three appraisers - Jon Shively, John Beer and Jean Williams - found $75,000 to be the fair market value of the condemned property secured through eminent domain procedures by the town's redevelopment commission. Standing on the northeast corner of an area commonly known as the Village at Winona, at the corner of Park Avenue and Canal Street, the two-story dwelling is surrounded by specialty shops to the south and west, a parking lot to the north and Hillside Park across the street to the east. The property is zoned as a planned unit development with combined commercial and residential uses, owned by the Village at Winona.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Task Force Arrests 13 For Drugs

Kosciusko County Drug Task Force secured 28 arrest warrants Wednesday and made 13 drug-related arrests.In the process of serving warrants, three others were arrested for non-drug-related violations. Felony arrests were: Possession of marijuana, a Class D felony: Dale Shepherd Jr., 19, of 4124 Allen Lane, Warsaw, and Michael Paul O'Connell, 33, of 1904 Sandpiper Lane, Warsaw. Dealing in cocaine, a Class B felony, were Evelyn Michelle Woolridge, 31, and Darrell E.Hall, 38, both of 1832 Sue Ave., Warsaw. Dealing in a schedule 2 controlled substance, a Class B felony, was Nancy Sue Johnson, 56, of 2771 S.Cost-A-Plenty Road, Warsaw. Dealing in methamphetamine, a Class B felony, was Marvin W.Anderson, 34, of 5229 E.Wooster Road, Pierceton. Possession of methamphetamine, a Class D felony: Stanley Lee Newbury, 32, of 9900 Fourth of July Ave., Syracuse; and Kyle Horn, 23, of 520 Ross Ave., Warsaw.
KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016

Howe Became A Gypsey In World War II

From his Dream Lake office, surrounded by awards and honors bestowed on him after World War II, N.Bruce Howe, 83, talked about his years with the U.S.Army's 839th Ordinance Depot (Combat).He was homesick for Winona Lake, where he grew up, each and every day. "It's a dreadful thing to leave home knowing you're going overseas.It was torture for me to leave home," said he of his forced trip to Europe.Homer Rodeheaver was among those who saw Howe to the station.
TERESA SMITH, Times-Union Staff Writer- | July 28, 2016
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