Robert Samuel Wells

COLUMBIA CITY - Robert Samuel Wells, 83, of Warsaw, died at 9:45 a.m. Aug. 17, 2009, at Mason Health and Rehab, Warsaw.

WCHS Staff cite safety, identification in ID card decision

Change isn't always welcomed, and to some students at Warsaw Community High School, it is downright resented. Judging by recent letters to the editor of the Times-Union, this year's requirement for WCHS students to wear their identification cards at all times while they're at school is not a popular one.A letter by Staci Wright in Tuesday's edition complained about students having to "show off their horrible school pictures," and one in Thursday's paper by Tim McKinley said that wearing the IDs is "an excessive display of unnecessary security, which also undermines the social self-confidence of the students." Letters aside, school officials have received few official complaints from students, and none from parents, said assistant principal Dr.Jennifer Brumfield. "The only comments we've gotten from parents are positive" because parents know the school has security in mind, she said earlier this week.

Jail Suspends Women's Work Release

Women's work release has been suspended indefinitely, as were all church services and education and alcohol treatment programs at the Kosciusko County Jail due to a breach in security. Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine said a female awaiting transfer to the Indiana Department of Corrections was able to detour from a church service on Sunday to the cell block where her boyfriend is housed and stayed there until Monday.The male involved also is awaiting transfer to the IDOC.Both were recently sentenced to prison on drug charges.

Sheriff's Dept. Announces Hirings, Promotion

Change has come to the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department. Two new officers, a detective's promotion to lieutenant and the possible addition of a Homeland Security Officer means the department has been extra busy with personnel appointments. Deputy patrolmen Mike Mulligan and Jeff Howie are new hires to the department.Both men have past experience in law enforcement, with Mulligan being a former Wabash City Police Officer and Howie working as a jailer in the Kosciusko County jail. Mulligan began his career in 1999, when he graduated from Ball State University with an associate's degree in criminal justice.He worked as a jailer at the Wabash County Jail for 18 months before his appointment as a Wabash City officer, which he held for three years before coming to Kosciusko County.

WCS Looks To Heighten School Security

Tightening security throughout Warsaw Community Schools by restricting access will be proposed at the July school board meeting. Started last year on a pilot program at Washington and Harrison elementaries, the restricted access policy was accepted by staff, students and parents, Harrison principal Randy Polston told the school board Monday. "This was not to lock anybody out, as far as taxpayers or volunteers, and it was not to lock any children in," Polston said of the policy that limited entry to the school to the door nearest the office."For the most part everybody was positive....Parents were pleased that the school is concerned about the safety of their children." Principals of both schools said they worked with parent-teacher organizations in developing plans for their schools.Rande Thorpe, WCS business manager, said the problem is in the design of some of the schools.

Local Elder-Beerman Store Uses Advanced Security System

Statistically, the retail industry loses $30 billion annually to theft. Retail stores like Elder-Beerman, excluding groceries, lose 1.7 percent of stock to shrinkage each year. Shrinkage may be external, internal or caused by paper mistakes, such as incorrectly stating a quantity on an invoice.External stock shrinkage is the industry term for shoplifting or theft.It's estimated that an individual pays more that $150 extra per year as businesses must increase retail prices to cover theft. Elder-Beerman of Warsaw uses the latest technology to identify theft.Most people know that many retail businesses use ceiling cameras to observe activities in a store, but the newer technology makes those cameras more useful.

Concord Chalks Up First Win Against Wawasee

Dunlap -ÊThe Wawasee Warriors traveled to Concord with expectations of solidifying their position atop of the Northern Lakes Conference.What their football team got was a loss in the form of interceptions, fumbles and controversy. Concord took advantage of three Logan Lees fumbles and two Brent Doty interceptions in securing its first conference win 27-14 Friday evening. Wawasee (2-2, 1-1 NLC) received the opening kickoff and marched 56 yards in six plays to the Concord 16 when turnover number one occurred.Ian Nelson stepped in front of a slant pass by Doty, intercepted it and returned it to their 38.This set up their first score. Concord (1-3, 1-1 NLC) drove the remaining 62 yards in nine plays, culminated by Jeremy Lugbill taking the pitch and scampering the final 20 yards for the game's first score. Wawasee then drove 61 yards in 10 plays to the Concord 11-yard line.

It's Really All About Money

Last week I wrote some pretty mean things about politicians and their penchant for being influenced by the largest campaign donor when it comes to policy decisions. Bottom line is that I think there is way too much big money influence in today's politics. To make that better, the U.S.House of Representatives has passed a campaign finance reform bill called Shays-Meehan, named for the U.S.representatives who steered it successfully through the house. Politicians say the bill: • Will "change the architecture of American politics."(House Minority Leader Richard A.Gephardt, D-Mo.) • Is 'an important step in restoring the public's confidence in our government.' (Sen.Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.) • Would 'open the agenda for reform of Social Security, Medicare, pork-barrel spending and the military.' (Sen.John McCain, R-Ariz.) The big thing, according to the politicians, is that the bill bans unregulated soft money from federal campaigns.

Syracuse Votes To Annex High School Property

SYRACUSE -ÊBy a vote of 3 to 2, the Syracuse Town Council Tuesday approved the annexation of the Wawasee High School property into the town's corporate limits. Voting in favor of the annexation was Paul Stoelting, Carol Koble and Barbara Carwile.Against the annexation were Mike Davis and Bill Hane. The total acreage annexed, according to the fiscal plan also approved by the council 3 to 2, is 118.04 acres.Wawasee School Corp.is the sole owner of the property and the annexation area includes both the administration offices and high school campus.The annexation area will add 9.38 percent to the total area within the Syracuse town limits.

Souder Speaks To Local GOP; Wiggins Honored

Republicans held their 24th Annual Kosciusko County Republican Hall of Fame Banquet Thursday with Fourth District Congressman Mark Souder, Fort Wayne, as guest speaker. Souder's speech focused mainly on the Sept.11 terrorist attacks and the effect they had on the economy. "I strongly believe unless you have a strong economy, the rest will not work," he said. While the tax rebate checks would have bolstered the economy, Souder said, the terrorist attacks changed the outlook.

Wawasee OKs $8.8 Million In Improvement Projects

SYRACUSE - Wawasee Community School Corp. conducted hearings on nearly $9 million in proposed construction projects for the district's various buildings at its meeting Tuesday.

Tippecanoe Valley Proceeds With Wind Turbine Plans

AKRON - With energy costs being unstable the past few years, Tippecanoe Valley School Board Monday proceeded with plans to construct a wind turbine.

WAWASEE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS - FY16 CATEGORY

Housing and Community Development

Indiana Housing Authority

Murdock - Liberals Want To Plunge The Penthouse

“Every time a bank fails an angel gets its wings.” So goes a graffito in Manhattan’s East Village. One block away, as marchers occupied Broadway on May Day, their picket signs pleaded, “Millionaires must pay their fair share,” and, “No free ride for Wall Street.”

Indiana Housing Mortgage Credit

BZA Approves Variances For New Tattoo Parlor, Fence

Warsaw will see a new tattoo parlor as the Warsaw Board of Zoning Appeals Monday granted a zoning exception to put the parlor in a Commercial-2 zone.

Does Truth Matter In Politics?

We are in the midst of, without a doubt, the most negative campaign in the history of modern politics. I say modern because there used to be some pretty significant mudslinging around the turn of the century.I thought we had outgrown that, but I guess not. Both candidates have gone negative, but I see something happening in the campaign of Sen.John Kerry that is unsettling.It's his penchant to simply make stuff up.I realize that politicians on both sides of the aisle exaggerate, obfuscate and yeah, I'll say it, lie. But Kerry's campaign has become extraordinarily disingenuous.He has taken to this end-justifies-the-means campaign style and he's employing some pretty overt scare tactics.