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4HE (AUNTED #AVE IS CELEBRATING ITS TH YEAR SCARING THE PUBLIC FOR (ALLOWEEN IN &ORT 7AYNE the motion — he had seen decided to take it further, this before a hundred turning the party into an times. attraction open to the The vortex is just one of public. many illusions created by It was probably the right Gusching and owners Tim move. During peak season, Stone and Jerry McCann, the Haunted Cave spooks who have been in business an average of 1,200-1,300 now for 15 years. thrill-seekers on Saturday The Haunted Cave nights alone. At times, the known today started out on line to enter wraps around a much smaller scale — as the street. Even the line for a fraternity party. Stone fast-pass ticketholders may went all out for Halloween see an hour wait, compared to throw a huge scare-fest to two hours in the general for family and friends. He admission line. tried to outdo himself each “It’s pretty much a yearyear, eventually needing a round job,â€? Gusching said. party space that was 2,000“This year we bit off more 3,000 square feet to than we can chew, which accommodate 350 guests. we do every now and then. His parties required an So here we are scramentire month to prepare. -iiĂŠCAVE, ÂŤ>}iĂŠ £ä Then in the late 90s, he
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Times Community Publications
It may have been broad daylight outside, but I couldn’t see a thing from within the Haunted Cave’s “vortex.� I was nearing the end of a behind-the-scenes tour of the popular Halloween destination. Russ Gusching, who runs the place, momentarily had left me alone while he flipped the breaker to activate the vortex room so I could experience it for myself. There I stood, surrounded by darkness and silence, save from the creaking and groaning of the building and the faint sound of a passing train. And then the room began to move. A circular wall spun around the walkway, its glowing, electric paint splatters moving all around me. I instantly lost my equilibrium and clumsily stepped along the walkway, one hand gripped to a railing to keep from falling over. “Is the floor moving, too?� I asked. “No, the bridge is completely fixed, the room is just spinning around you,� Gusching said. Of course he wasn’t phased by
Six candidates will battle for three seats on the Southwest Allen County School’s Board of Trustees on election day, Nov. 9. For the first time in history, SACS voters will head to the polls in the fall instead of the May primary election. The change was mandated by the Indiana General Assembly with the hopes of increasing voter turnout in school board races. The board, which consists of five members — two from Aboite Township, two from Lafayette Township and one member at-large — has three seats up for election. District 1 candidates include 12-year incumbent John Blum running against Joseph Greco. Running for the District 2 seat is another 12-year incumbent, Mark Gilpin, and challenger Jason Kuchmay. Finally, running for the District 3 at-large seat are newcomer Meagan Milne and former trustee Sherry Chapman. Incumbent John Blume, who served in District 3 for 20 years, will retire at the close of his term. This will be the first time in more than a decade voters will have a choice for each school board position on the ballot, said Fred Warner, a former board of trustee member. “This year’s school board race is for three seats out of five, a majority of the
elected board. This makes it important to voters to be well-informed and to exercise their opportunity to vote,� Warner said. “And, all three of the open school board positions are contested in this election. This makes this race more interesting than many in the past where incumbent members of the board have not faced an opponent.� The board of trustees oversees an annual budget of $65 million in a district with nine schools and more than 7,000 students.
District 1 John Blum John Blum is a 12-year incumbent on the board. He also is the vice president at JPMorgan Chase Bank. Joseph Greco Joseph Greco holds an MBA and serves as the business development manager at Steel Dynamics.
District 2 Mark Gilpin Mark Gilpin also is a 12-year incumbent on the board. Gilpin also serves as the board’s president since his election in July. Jason Kuchmay Jason Kuchmay is a local attorney. He -iiÊSACS, >}iÊ ££