10 Years Ago Matthew Christy, an eighth-grade HELPS homeschooler, won the Kosciusko County 2004 Spelling Bee; as a fifth-grader in 2001, he was runner-up. He will be representing Kosciusko County in Fort Wayne March 13. Kirsten Hansen, Redeemer Lutheran sixth-grader, was runner-up. In the elementary portion, 23 students competed, taking 12 rounds to find the winner. To advance to the championship round, Christy had to out-spell seven other middle school students from the county. He and Lakeland Christian Academy eighth-grader Jamie Fivecoate outlasted the six. It took five rounds to find the winner. 25 Years Ago Warsaw Lady Tigers basketball team ended hopes of an upset by Tippecanoe Valley in the first round of the Warsaw Sectional Thursday night. “I felt like our girls were ready to come out and play,” said Coach Will Wienhorst. Junior Angie Johnson, the “Player of the Year,” ended the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Her seven field goals in the first quarter set a WCHS record. It was the last game for seven Viking seniors: Chrissy White, Kris Perry, Tracy Martin, Janet Lynch, Jana Murphy, Jill Severns and B.J. Ross. The Vikings have a 14-5 record, the third best in the school’s history. A bald eagle has been seen flying over the Little Chapman Lake area and catching fish in the lake. It may be the county’s only bald eagle resident. 50 Years Ago Retired industrialist Joe Ettinger has made attractive bookends out of wood from the old jury box. Bookends have been presented to Judges Gene B. Lee, Allan Widaman, Seth Rowdabaugh and Donald Vanderveer. A set has been provided for the court library. County Clerk T. Ethna Scott reports over 20,000 persons have registered to vote in every election since 1946. But they don’t all go to the polls. In 1946 only 12,380 persons went to the polls. Since then at least 14,000 have voted in general elections. All indications point to the 1964 election being the year to hit 20,000 votes. Approximately $350 was taken in a burglary at the Bremen Elevator early Friday. Entry was made by forcing open a door on the south side. 75 Years Ago “Porky” Neer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Neer, Warsaw, was the proud winner of a new bicycle. The local Ford Auto Supply Store, H.A. Ford owner, had a used tire contest; youngsters brought in a total of 1,012 used tires to be sold to Myer Levin, local junk dealer, and the proceeds given to Baker Boys Club, Warsaw. Employees Earl Smalley and Floyd Funk, on top of the heap, stack the final bunch brought to the store by “Porky.” Total weight of the entire bunch exceeds 15,000 pounds.
