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Staff report COLUMBIA CITY — It’s time for spring cleaning. Columbia City residents will be able to take advantage of the city’s biannual citywide trash pick-up April 28 and May 5. Residents living on the west side of the city will have their “junk” picked up April 28, and the east side will be collected May 5. The city is divided down Main Street. All trash will be picked up in the same location as regular trash collection. Items should not be put out prior to two weeks before the scheduled pick-up. There is no charge for the following special items: stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, dishwashers, refridgerators, air conditioners, freezers, batteries and any other appliances. Those items will be picked up during the week of May 1, but residents must call City Hall at 248-5100 to be put on the list for special pick-up. Residents must call by April 21 to have special items collected. No computers, VCRs, TVs or monitors will be picked up. Those items can be taken to the Whitley County Solid Waste center at 701 S. Line St. No bricks or concrete will be allowed. Additionally, construction material such as carpet or other items should not be more than See JUNK, Page 4

INFORMATION

Telephone: (800) 717-4679

Vol. 1 No. 2

Community Calendar��19

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City’s downtown is finding new life By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia�com

COLUMBIA CITY — Frozen yogurt, a quality steak, boutique clothing, locally-brewed beer — five years ago, none of those things could be purchased in downtown Columbia City. This has changed. Revitalization began

in 2012, when Gary and Heather Parrett opened Downtown on the Square, a more upscale restaurant. But downtown truly caught fire when entrepreneur Billy Reffitt set his sights on the area. Reffitt opened yo2go at the corner of Chauncey and Van Buren streets in 2015. Since then, a lot

more activity has sprouted downtown. After owning all or part of 20 companies beginning at age 23, Reffitt looked back to his hometown to see where, and how, he could help. “After selling my largest company, Mobile King, at the end of 2014, I decided to focus my effort on being

a better servant leader for our community,” Reffitt said. “All of our family is here and we love the area and the community.” Reffitt was born in Columbia City, grew up in Pierceton and graduated from Whitko High School. He attended Indiana Tech on a baseball scholarship. When his daughter was

born, he moved back to Whitley County. He started his career as a sales representative at Centennial Wireless in Columbia City, then worked his way up as a national sales director for Centennial before it was purchased by AT&T. See DOWNTOWN, Page 8

Ag Museum becomes a gathering place Wilkinson’s collection to brought idea to life By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia�com

NICOLE MINIER

From left, Bill Valjack, Galen Wilkinson and Dave Kyler enjoy each other’s company at the annual Whitley County 4-H Ag Museum breakfast Saturday morning. Wilkinson donated most of the items to start the museum, which was constructed in 2005.

COLUMBIA CITY — If you build it, they will come. While that saying doesn’t always hold true, it has for the Whitley County Ag Museum. The building was packed full of people for Saturday morning’s annual benefit breakfast at the museum. Some came for a good breakfast, but many came to visit with friends, staying long after the event ended. Galen Wilkinson, 91, sat in a chair and looked on with a smile. Construction of the museum was his idea 12 years ago. “Galen came to the fair board and told us if we built a building, he would fill it,” said Ron Myer, vice president of the fair board. “And, he did.” The wall on the west side of the building is lined will antique farm tools from top to bottom — nearly all Wilkinson’s. Wilkinson has six barns that were See MUSEUM, Page 4

Agencies work together to protect children By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia�com

COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County’s criminal justice system has zero tolerance for crimes against children — especially child molestation. In recent years, the county saw an uptick in child molesting cases in its courts. Many of those cases have ended in jury trials with guilty convictions, or the person admits to the crimes before going to trial. Though officials are pleased with the courtroom verdicts — they know that

Prosecutor: Effects of child molesting are lifelong jail time is not equal to the consequences the vicitims face. At a recent sentencing for a man who was convicted of three counts of child molesting in Churubusco, Prosecutor D.J. Sigler posed a moving argument: “You can’t calculate the damage to these children,” Sigler argued to the judge. “He will probably walk the streets again, but they will have to live with his conduct for the rest of

their lives. This person has destroyed their ability to trust.” The man in the case was sentenced to 15 years, but the three children he abused will continue to carry the burden of his crimes — the way it is with many similar cases, Sigler said. “Child molesting victims are scarred for the rest of their lives,” Sigler said. “The crime outlives the moment of its commission. In many of these

cases, the children are victimized daily for long periods of time. We can put the offender away in jail for a few years, but what happens to the child impacts their lives going forward.” Jeffrey Bedree, director of the Whitley County office of the Indiana Department of Child Services, believes more people are reporting crimes now, due increase in media coverage of sexual abuse cases.

“This coverage has really pushed the local community stakeholders to increase the knowledge of sexual abuse and how to better identify the signs and symptoms of such abuse in children,” Bedree said. Whitley County’s child molesting statistics are in line with the national average, but there has been an increase of 10-20 percent more child abuse cases overall in Whitley County. Sigler attributes the increase in cases to the additional Child Services See PROTECT, Page 19

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A2 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Vehicle, body found in Larwill Lake Believed to be man missing since July 2016 By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

LARWILL — After nine long months, the family of 19-year-old Marcus Wolfe can finally have closure. Unfortunately, it’s not the outcome they’d hoped for. Marcus Wolfe disappeared on July 25, 2016. His vehicle was found in Larwill Lake Saturday with a body inside, who his mother, Tammy Wolfe, believes is her son. Wolfe left his mother’s home that July evening, driving to his house in South Whitley. He never reached his destination. After many months of searching, a team from Ohio came to Whitley County Saturday to search local waterways. With nearly 20 lakes and ponds on the list, the Ohio Chapter of Texas EquuSearch used small boats with SONAR technology to look for Wolfe’s vehicle underwater. The group of volunteers found the vehicle in Larwill Lake. The Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office issued a press release Monday morning, stating that a deceased white male was found inside the vehicle.

“Positive identification of the body is pending forensic confirmation,” the release states. The water search followed a number of law enforcement and Wolfe community-based searches that were conducted throughout the fall and winter. The vehicle and body were recovered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. An autopsy has been conducted and a determination into the cause of death is pending the outcome of toxicological testing. The prosecutor indicated that the investigation is ongoing. “The enduring dedication of Detective Bill Brice to find answers in Marcus’ case is truly something to be admired,” said Genova Rosskopf, of the Ohio Chapter of Texas Equusearch, which headed the search Saturday. “Tammy’s love and strong will to find

her son is what brought us all together to bring Marcus home.” In an interview with IN|Whitley County Saturday prior to the discovery of Wolfe’s vehicle, Brice indicated he did not suspect foul play at the time. “There was hope that when the crops were cleared out of the fields in the fall, we would find him — or once the hunters went in the woods, we would find him. That never happened,” Brice said. “The next logical step was to search bodies of water.” Though Wolfe was an adult and had the right to be missing if he wanted to, many people told Brice that it would be out of character for him. “Everyone we talked to said he would have at least contacted his mom,” Brice said. “She just wants to know what happened to him. In so many of these cases, the person who went missing is never found.” Until Saturday, Wolfe was the only person Brice knew from Whitley County who hadn’t been found.

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Simplicity Prestige 30 hp lawn tractor (low hrs.) with 54” mower deck; Simplicity Model 1695360-00 2-stage 42” snow thrower; Simplicity wheel weights; Ohio Steel dump lawn trailer; Craftsman 12 amp electric lawn mower; B/D electric lawn mower; lawn spreader; 2 electric week trimmers; Craftsman leaf blower; Craftsman hedge trimmer; misc. garden tools; Golden Companion scooter; electric scooter carrier; Campbell Hausfeld 5 hp, 26 gal., 125 max. PSI air compressor; Porter-Cable left-handed circular saw, 15 amp; B/D cordless drill; misc. power tools; lots of good hand tools; metal tool cabinet with vise and grinder; metal tool cabinet; tool boxes; metal organizer; lots of bolts, nails, etc.; come-along; Work-Mate bench; wooden work bench; shop vac; metal shelving; cargo hauler for SUV/pickup; snow chains; shop light; extension cords; jack stands; car ramps; extension ladder; LP gas tank; fuel cans; appliance mover; 2 fire extinguishers; lawn eagle; few fishing items; gun cabinet; Taurus 357 Magnum revolver; Remington Model 510 .22 cal. rifle; Savage Arms Stevens Model 10 .22 cal. rifle; few Remington clay pigeons; and many misc. items.

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NICOLE MINIER

Crews used small boats with SONAR technology to search for vehicles in nearly 20 bodies of water in Whitley County Saturday. The group is pictured searching a pond on Hartman Road, prior to finding Marcus Wolfe’s vehicle in Larwill Lake.

Tammy Wolfe thanked everyone who helped look for her son. “With a heavy heart, I need to let you know Marcus has been found,” she posted on the “Remembering Marcus Wolfe Facebook page Saturday night. “It’s been hard every day since he disappeared,” Tammy Wolfe said. “In a way, it’s a relief. I’m just glad it’s over. We can start moving on now.” Marcus’ funeral is set for April 21 at DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home.

NICOLE MINIER

Whitley County Sheriff’s Detective Bill Brice, left, and reserve officer Sean Martin, look on as members of the Texas EquuSearch review SONAR data collected from a pond on Hartman Road.

Rebirth from the ashes

C&R Plating rebuilt after 2015 devastation By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — KC Jones, formerly C&R Plating, has gone through quite a transformation in the past 20 months. More than just getting a name change, the plating company literally rebuilt itself from the ground up. “We were gung-ho to build the new building and expand past our footprint,” said Art Wormet, vice president of the company. “We were adding jobs and were truly excited about doing so.” In April 2015, shortly after receiving a tax abatement from the city for a large expansion which promised to add 29 new jobs, the company faced a tragedy it wasn’t prepared for. The company suffered a large fire that ruined four of its plating lines, destroyed one-third of the building and contaminated the entire building. The fire had to be extinguished multiple times over several days. The company moved all of its work to other plating

locations. “Fortunately, there were others who helped us out,” Wormet said. “We only lost one customer since that happened — and we have over 220.” Thanks to the work of employees and others, KC Jones was able to start plating again within 10 days of the fire — after extensive cleaning and repairs. By October 2016, KC Jones completed the expansion it started before the fire. The new plating line was a game-changer. “It was lifesaving,” Wormet said. “It enabled us to stay in business.” KC Jones has invested $4 million in equipment and buildings at the Columbia City location in recent years. The company has 71 full-time employees, four parttime and six temporary employees — and still needs 19 more workers. Finding employees can be difficult due to the pay and difficulty of the work, Wormet said. The company employs workers from three different

work-release facilities; however, at times, those employees aren’t reliable. “If they fail a drug test and go right back to jail — that’s challenging for us,” Wormet said. He also said finding workers to do manual and tedious jobs is more difficult. On the other hand, some work-release employees have been success stories — climbing the ladder to management roles within the company, Wormet said The employees who stepped up to the plate after the fire really made an impression on Wormet. “Everyone kicked in,” he said. He not only mentioned his own employees, but the help of the city to get KC Jones’ utilities back up and running. “We really appreciate everyone’s efforts,” Wormet said. “It has been neat to watch you grow out of the ashes,” said Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel. “It’s an incredible story. We are thankful to have you here.”

Join the conversation! Follow IN|Whitley County on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep updated between editions.

inwhitleycounty.com • A3

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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A4 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

What’s that worth?

Hoosier Antique Road Show coming to SWCPL Staff reports SOUTH WHITLEY — Antiques appraiser David Taylor tells the story of a man who had purchased a sterling silver tea set during the South Whitley garage sale for $45. The man brought the tea set to last year’s South Whitley Community Public Library Antique Road Show to be appraised. The tea set was worth several hundred dollars, Taylor said. The moral of the story is, you never know what kind of treasures can be found in your home or at garage sales. As you uncover objects that are destined for a

CONTRIBUTED

David Taylor, of Blue Pearl Antiques, will be at South Whitley Community Public Library to appraise items April 19.

garage sale, or items that you’ve always wondered

about their value, set them aside to find out their worth during Hoosier Antique Road Show at SWCPL. Taylor will be at the library at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 to appraise objects. Taylor is the owner of Blue Pearl Antiques in Pierceton. While the program is free, registration is required. Participants are limited to two items per person, and registration is limited to 25. To register, stop by or call the library at 723-5321. Registration is not required for those who wish to watch from the sidelines.

Columbia City native strives to help lost animals By Derreck Stahly dstahly@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — For a lot of people pets are a part of the family; and losing a family member is devastating. But a Columbia City woman is striving to change that. Teresa Bills’ Facebook page, Columbia City Lost and Found Pets, helps connect lost pets with owners in the Whitley County area. “If you have a found animal or a lost animal we want you to post them on the site. Try to include as much information as you can,” Bills said. The idea started about seven years ago, Bills said. She began by posting lost animals on her personal Facebook page. Since that time, her network grew and allowed her to connect with people all around Columbia City and Whitley County. Then, she began receiving calls almost every day, asking her to help find

a new home for some animals or helping animals get returned to their proper owners. She created the site to help even more pets. “The site started about two years ago and, I thought, ‘I’m getting contacted every day, I’m getting tagged on Facebook all the time, why not just get a big network going for this area?’” Bills said. While there are a lot of different sites to help find lost animals, Bills saw a lack of assistance for Whitley County residents. It was easy for her to get the site started because she already had recognition for what she was doing for the animals. “My name kind of got out there with what I did for the animals, as far as helping people re-home them if they needed to, instead of taking them to the shelter; where they may get adopted or they may not,” Bills said. It’s about connecting.

“I became the person to contact to help people. I try not to judge because I know everyone’s situations are different,” Bills said. “I just wanted to be a different type, and I know I had a big enough network that I could help possibly get these animals homes.” In total, Bills has helped 350 or more animals. She hasn’t personally met all of them, but, because of her network, she helped more animals than she would have just using her personal page. It’s rewarding. “It’s just something I like to do,” Bills said. Not every story has a happy ending but, because of Bills’ initiative, a lot of animals have happy endings that they might not have otherwise. Currently, the site has more than 1,000 members, all dedicated to help find homes for animals and return lost animals to their owners.

NICOLE MINIER

Galen Wilkinson provided nearly all of the items on hung on the wall at the Whitley County Ag Museum, located on at the Whitley County 4-H Fairgrounds on Squawbuck Road in Columbia City. He also is the owner of the Ford tractor he’s leaning against, which is on display at the museum.

MUSEUM from Page 1 nearly filled with collectable farm equipment — some passed down from his ancestors, and some he purchased over the years to add to his collection. He saved it, thinking someday it could be displayed like this. “I know how to use all of these tools,” Wilkinson said. Wilkinson was a 4-H member in the 1930s and 1940s, and has showcased at least one antique tractor at the annual Whitley County 4-H Fair since the tractor program’s inception. More than a place to display antique items, the agriculture museum

has grown into a learning experience for all ages. “It’s been good for the community,” Myer said. “It gives local farmers a chance to share what they know, and it helps the younger children understand how hard our ancestors worked.” Groups of children go on field trips to the museum, which will be open one day a week through the summer, and for the duration of the county fair in July. “Everyone who comes here has a good time,” Myer said. “We sit around and talk. It’s like a big family reunion.” Since the building was constructed, many

people have come forward with items to donate to the museum, but none compare to Wilkinson’s contributions, Myer said. After Wilkinson approached the fair board more than 10 years ago, the group got to work to raise money for construction. After receiving several donations and a grant from the Dekko Foundation, the building was constructed and is debt-free. The facility is one of few air-conditioned places to go during the 4-H fair, and is also fully heated, has WiFi and a video from different local farmers speaking about what they remember.

dumpster. Large piles of construction material will not be picked up. Paint cans must be opened and dried. The junk pick-up is one

day only. Items should be placed at the curb by 5 p.m. on the day of pick up. Those with questions should contact the mayor’s

JUNK from Page 1 6 feet in length. Shingles will not be collected. Anyone tearing down buildings or remodeling large areas should contact a hauler for a roll-off

Chamber renting booths for community garage sales Staff reports SOUTH WHITLEY — The Whitley County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center is once again preparing for the annual South Whitley Community Garage Sales on Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29. In addition to supporting the effort to regionally promote the event, the Chamber is offering opportunities to businesses and individuals across Whitley County to participate. “We look forward to this annual spring event in South Whitley each year,” said Whitley County

Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center Executive Director Jennifer Romano. “This one weekend event is incredibly important to our community in South Whitley because of the scores of visitors it brings to town — people who bring dollars that are spent buying meals in local restaurants, with local merchants, at fundraising booths and in the cash they spend with South Whitley area residents. The economic impact of this event is substantial. “We are excited to partner with the community each year to promote

and support this event,” Romano added. “The more people we can draw to South Whitley through this event means a bigger financial gain for businesses, nonprofits and residents.” A limited number of prime booth rental spaces along Mulberry Street will be available on a first come, first served basis for $20 for one day or $25 for both days. The spaces are 10 foot by 10 foot and can be used for fundraisers, food vendors, craft vendors, personal garage sales and more. Located in a desirable, high traffic area,

the booths are ideal for anyone wanting to participate in the annual South Whitley Community Garage sales. To reserve a booth space or request a booth form, contact the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center at 248-8131 or email office@whitleychamber.com. Event sponsorships are also available for $75. For information about the limited sponsorship opportunities, contact the Whitley County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center at 248-8131 or email office@whitleychamber.com.

Terry G. Housholder, President Randy C. Mitchell, CEO S. Rick Mitchell, CFO

Whitley County inwhitleycounty.com

PHONE (800) 717-4679 (USPS 009-385) Periodical Postage Paid at Churubusco, IN 46723 Nicole Minier, Editor Located at 123 N. Main Street, Churubusco, Indiana 46723. www.inwhitleycounty.com Articles appearing in the INWhitley County do not necessarily represent the views of this paper.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: INWhitley County, P.O. Box 39, Kendallville, IN 46755. Published on Thursday throughout the year.

inwhitleycounty.com • A5

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Future of radio station up in the air By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — Thirteen public school systems in Indiana have their own radio stations. That number may be reduced to 12 if Whitley County Consolidated Schools doesn’t find funding for its station, 91.5 FM, WJHS. The station has been in operation since 1985. It is operated by students under the direction of their radio teacher, Dirk Walker, and broadcasts the district’s athletic events, including football, basketball, wrestling, baseball and softball, as well as the board of trustees meetings. When there are no local events, the radio plays music, and is on air 24/7. COST QUANDARY As school officials plan the construction of a new Columbia City High School, they are faced with a difficult decision: Keeping the radio station at a cost of $500,000, or switching to an online station, where games, songs and meetings could be broadcast via the internet. “For many years this station has enjoyed success,” said WCCS Superintendent Patricia O’Connor. “The underwriting was adequate, and often more than adequate.” Now, the station has operated with a budget in the red, and student

Officials say equipment in the new high school will cost $500,000 interest has dropped. “It has lost money for the past three years,” O’Connor said. The superintendent told the school board at its last meeting that the radio’s tower is in “poor condition,” and will need to be replaced if the program continues at the new school building, which is expected to open in the fall of 2020. “Broadcasting technology has changed significantly with digital streaming,” O’Connor said. “We can have updated, less-costly equipment in the new building, and also take up less square footage, if we consider selling the radio frequency.” The station costs $30,000 to operate, not including the salaries of the teacher who oversees student work. Additionally, because the equipment is outdated, it has had many repairs. In the 2015-16 school year, repairs totaled $3,500. O’Connor said the frequency, 91.5, is valued from $100,000-$200,000. If the station was sold, she said it would be replaced with an online service, that would continue to be a learning experience for students. “The academic program will not change,” O’Connor said. “Students will have the same opportunities using different technology. It’s not about

NICOLE MINIER

Andrew Thompson has been a longtime voice on WJHS 91.5 FM, Columbia City High School’s radio station, as a sports announcer. Thompson broadcasts the school’s football and basketball games.

cutting back, but moving forward.” A LEARNING EXPERIENCE O’Connor reported that there are 78 students taking broadcasting classes at CCHS this year. The class includes radio and television broadcasting. Additionally, there were six students involved in Radio Club, an after school group. The Radio Club was discontinued due to lack of interest. “We still have some who help with broadcasting the games, etc., but we hope that more students will be involved,” O’Connor said. “The school supports the radio program and I hope it always will.” O’Connor suggested

the school board listed the frequency for sale to see if any offers are made. “If someone makes an offer, that doesn’t mean that the board has to go through with the sale. I think it would be good to see what kind of financial shape we are in. The board may get no offer, or an offer that’s low,” O’Connor said. Another variable for the school district is the actual construction cost of the new high school building. Bids will be sent out this spring, which may come back higher or lower than predicted. The budget for the new building is $85 million, which was approved by a referendum in November 2015. Tim Moriarty, a retired

radio teacher of 22 years at CCHS, was one of four people who spoke against the sale of the station. Moriarty pleaded with the board to seek other avenues to fund the program, such as increased underwriting or renting a new tower, rather than purchasing one. “I think the school’s architects need some more information from people who have been in business – broadcast engineers – and get some hard facts,” Moriarty said. “WJHS is an important program, not only to this community and your students, but to northeast Indiana.” Others spoke against having the station via an internet stream, because some don’t have access to internet, especially in their vehicles. DECISION WILL BE IN COMING MONTHS The board members were sympathetic to both sides of the discussion, understanding the community interest in keeping the station, but realizing the expense. “I have always wanted to fight for this radio station,” said board member Deb Hiss. “I would hate to think that someday we’re going to turn on the radio, and our station won’t be there anymore.” The board members said they wanted to make an informed decision, and

are giving school administrators and the community time to come up with options. “I don’t think this board is in a position to make a decision now,” said board member Tim Bloom. “It depends on a lot — the cost of the new school, but it also depends on the demand and interest from the community. If over the next months, people organize and come to us with ideas and an outline for making it financially stable, that that would go a long way toward convincing the board for an extended life of the station.” The board agreed to table the discussion for three months to allow for bids to come back for the new school, and time for those interested in retaining the station to come up with some options. “Now we have a plan – hopefully everything will work out to the satisfaction of at least a few,” said Don Armstrong, WCCS board president. Since the meeting, the Facebook page titled, “WJHS 91.5 Radio Station” has become active, with a post pleading for people to get involved to #savewjhs. “Please let us know if you’re interested in serving on a task force to determine options for the station’s future,” a post to the page reads.

Decuis Farmstead hens lay Easter-blue eggs all year KPC NEWS SERVICE

WHITLEY COUNTY — Some Whitley County hens are giving kids a head-start with dyeing their Easter eggs. Aracauna chickens at the Joseph Decuis Farmstead in rural Columbia City lay blue eggs. About 150 lavender, brown, white and multicolor hens produce brown, white, pinkish and blue eggs that are sold by the dozen at the Joseph Decuis Emporium, 151 N. Main St., Roanoke. “It’s like finding Easter in your egg carton year-round,” said Alice Eshelman, an owner of the farmstead, emporium, and the Joseph Decuis Restaurant just up the block from the emporium. “They’re not a consistent color. “It’s not just blue; it’s all variations of blue, and for Easter I put together a basket of eggs that are all different colors, as fresh as when they were laid. Between them all we’ve got a cross-section of Easter and you don’t even have to dye them.

KPC NEWS SERVICE

Tufts of feathers below the eyes help to identify the aracauna hens that roam the chicken yard at Joseph Decuis Farmstead, in rural Columbia City. During summer months, farm tours can be arranged in conjunction with dinner reservations at Joseph Decuis Restaurant, 191 N. Main St., Roanoke.

“We try to spread the blues out between all the cartons of eggs, so that somebody doesn’t end up with all the blue ones,” she said. The aracaunas originated in South America and were brought to the U.S. from Chilé. Several strains of the variety are nurtured today. The hens may lay blue or green or sometime brown eggs. The birds themselves may be

almost white, or lavender or other colors. Some strains have very short tails. Many birds have ear tufts, which in chicken parlance are not to be confused with beards. Eshelman said the breeding stock came from Murray McMurray — an Iowa hatchery that has supplied poultry fanciers for decades — and from a group known as Easter Eggers.

But when they wander the “NO weasels allowed” pen at the farmstead, the aracaunas blend right in with multicolored birds and the lone barred rock hen. “I feel you can taste the difference. There’s a lot of flavor there because it’s more nutrient dense, it’s more filling,” Eshelman said. “It’s not just all eggs, but eggs from a farm that allows their hens to free range.” Eshelman said she finds the aracauna eggs to have stronger shells, too. The Joseph Decuis aracauna chickens, wagyu cattle, Mangalitza pigs, goats, sheet and bourbon turkeys get few visitors. But during from May to October, Pete Eshelman has been known to lead a tour of the farm. Saturday tours are scheduled in combination with dinner reservations at the restaurant in nearby Roanoke. Call (260) 672-1715. Visitors will see more of the chickens’ handiwork. “We have chicken hotels. That’s what the teenage

workers on the farm call them,” Alice Eshelman said. “They are large, screened-in buildings. They are probably 6 feet by 10 or 12 feet, and then 5 feet high. We hook them up to the Gator and pull them every day or every other day so they get fresh bugs and grass to munch.

At the end of the summer we have green stripes running down the lawn from where the chicken hotels have traveled, so they’re leaving healthy stuff for my grass.” Visit backyardchickens. com for more about the aracauna and similar breeds.

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A6 • inwhitleycounty.com

OPINION

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Columbia City radio station Save WJHS? is a community treasure YOUR VIEW

IN|Whitley County posted the following question on Facebook last week: “Save WJHS? In recent months, Whitley County Consolidated School has considered selling the school’s radio station, WJHS 91.5 The Eagle, due to the cost of moving the program to the new school. School officials estimate that cost will be $500,000. The school would continue to have a radio program, however, it would be broadcast online only. A Facebook group called “Save WJHS” has been formed, and several members have spoken at recent school board meetings, pleading with the board to consider keeping the station. Do you believe WCCS should keep the radio station? If so, how should funding be acquired?” Here are your responses: JOHN CORBIN Impartial as I am about this… YES. As to HOW it could be done, I’ll reserve that until later. MATTHEW CURRY It absolutely should be saved. Think about the how many people listen to the games and the age range that those people are in. If we move it to online only 1. People who don’t know how to stream a radio station online will be lost 2. This cannot be listened to in the vehicle unless you would like to use your own cell phone data plan which most people wouldn’t do. There are thousands of people that listen to the radio for sporting events. Mainly football and basketball. Aside from the fact that I helped do the radio broadcast for basketball this past year, it’s a big part of our community and getting rid of it will have a bigger affect than everybody thinks it will. We have over $80 million to build the school, we should be able to use $500,000 of that to keep a radio station that keeps our community connected to sporting events that are important to the community and it’s fans. MIKE THOMAS Yes, it absolutely should be saved and improved. There is so much more that could be done as far as programming goes. Students and community should have more involvement. Lots of people in not only the community but the area listen to WJHS for sports and the music. It’s a great asset we should be using more. As far as funding, I’m sure there are a number of options that can be discussed to raise whats needed. Also with a few changes in programming ( yes I have a few ideas in mind) the station could probably boost their advertising income a bit and gain more listeners. JEANNE LIST Absolutely SAVE IT TIM MORIARTY Save it. For obvious personal reasons, but also for the kids and the community. The group, Save WJHS, is coming up with cost-saving ideas. It is very safe to say the $500,000 estimate is incredibly high. LISA JAHN From a former CCHS Mr. Moriarty student’s mom: I say save it if you will have someone who knows Radio, like Mr. Moriarty in charge of the station and teaching the kids. Otherwise it would be a waste of resources with personnel not knowing what they’re doing. KAREN WESTERN So is the cost in building a tower? I thought the use of the tower was rented? So many times we do not get the complete truth about projects such as this one. A breakdown on what the $500,000 includes with an itemized list would be nice to see before passing judgement. Possible options for saving money on it should be explained also. TIM MORIARTY Karen - Yes, currently the tower is rented at a cost of (I believe) $16,000 annually. We would love to see the breakdown of the $500,000, too. The group would like to present to the board and superintendent before releasing information, just so we can all get on the same page. Once we do that next week, we can give more concrete figures. Great point and question. SARAH SCHMITT Radio was an integral part of my high school experience. Some of my best memories were made in that studio! It put me out of my comfort zone with public speaking, gave me real life experience, and a chance to let me develop my personality and individuality on the “Nic and Sarah Show.” My science and math classes may have prepared me academically for pharmacy school, but radio helped mold who I would be as an adult. We need to save the station and preserve this unique experience for kids in the future. The budget could be part of the learning experience. I would be willing to donate time and money to the cause. I just need a fearless leader. WJHS is still my station of choice in the car.

The fact that Columbia City High School has its own student radio station is a blessing that the community should recognize and appreciate. But, Whitley County Consolidated Schools is facing tough budget concerns as it considers how to keep 91.5 FM, WJHS, alive when it moves the program to the planned new high school. According to district officials, moving the radio station to a new building will cost the district $500,000. To save money, some officials believe switching to an online broadcast format is the answer to keeping the high school program. We recognize the district is watching its expenses — school funding is not easy to come by. We commend the district officials

Our view for doing their jobs by working to be fiscally responsible. The officials can’t ignore that the school loses money on the station due to student interest dropping. The station costs $30,000 to operate, and that doesn’t include the teacher’s salary. We understand that an online platform would be less expensive. But, while the percent of people who stream radio programs and podcasts online has grown over the years, it is a medium that is not expected to replace radio

anytime soon — especially in rural areas such as Whitley County. Just think about how often you have internet problems compared to how often the radio doesn’t work. This means teaching broadcast radio in the traditional sense remains applicable at a public high school. In addition, if the school switches to an online-only platform, many residents would sorely miss the ability to turn on 91.5 FM in the car and catch Andrew Thompson reporting on that evening’s big game. WJHS is a community treasure. Therefore, if the school doesn’t have the money to pay for the upgrades and programming needed to keep the radio station airing on a traditional frequency, then, we

believe community and business leaders need to step up to the plate. This is an opportunity for the community to rally behind its school and its radio station that has served it since 1985. It’s one of 13 public school radio stations in the state. Whether the support comes in the form of donations, fund raisers or sponsorships, we encourage local leaders and business owners to brain storm ways to keep this service alive for the students who will learn leadership, organization, writing, speaking, planning and communication skills. In addition, allowing the station to survive in its current format means keeping the community connected through continued live coverage of high school events.

Ask the officer:

What should I do if I get pulled over by a policeman? Have you ever been pulled over and thought “what should I do?” Quite frankly, it’s a common question people ask me on a daily basis. When DAVID an CALHOUN officer makes a traffic stop, understand that the officer is putting himself in danger, not only by making contact with the driver but also walking on the roadway where there is traffic. The officer should be on high alert and cautious because that officer does not know who or what may be in the vehicle. Try to place yourself in the officer’s boots and look at it in the perspective of “what would I want someone to do if I pulled them over?” Once you start thinking of the dangers that officers face on a traffic stop, hopefully your perspective will change. It is almost never a pleasant experience to

NICOLE MINIER

Columbia City Police Officer David Calhoun offers advice on what to do to keep yourself and the officer safe if you get pulled over.

look in the mirror and see flashing lights if you are sure you didn’t do anything wrong, but you are still required under Indiana law to quickly and safely move to the right side of the road and stop until the emergency vehicle has passed. What if it is a police car and they pull in behind me? Slow down and safely pull over to the righthand shoulder or curb. Don’t reach for documents and keep both

hands clearly in sight on the steering wheel until the police officer instructs you otherwise. Be prepared for an officer to approach your vehicle from either side. Do not exit your vehicle unless asked to do so, since getting out may be viewed as aggressive behavior. When asked for your driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance, tell the officer where those items are,

then follow the officer’s instructions. You also may want to keep these items available in a place where you do not have to search for them and can access them quickly. Once you hand the officer your documents, return your hands back to your steering wheel. If you have a firearm with you, politely tell the officer that you have the firearm and be prepared to provide your handgun permit if your firearm is a handgun. Remember that the officer is doing their job, be polite. Don’t debate with the officer about the reason for the stop or a ticket. There will be time in court to defend yourself. Don’t be uncooperative, and don’t resist if taken into custody. Once the officer hands you back your documents, wait until the officer gets clear of your vehicle before you drive away. Expect the officer to treat you with dignity and respect. Report any inappropriate behavior to the officer’s superiors. DAVID CALHOUN is a patrolman with the Columbia City Police Department.

inwhitleycounty.com • A7

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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A8 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Molehills look like mountains to some homeowners Yards are greening up and molehills look like mountains to some homeowners making early lawn mowing passes. I often receive calls from homeowners having consternation with moles. JOHN E. Their first WOODMANSEE reaction is typically to get out the roller and flatten everything out. What people may not realize is that the flattening process, especially with heavy rollers and saturated or clay soils, can cause soil compaction and increase soil moisture stress to grass plants in summer. So, your actions may be to the detriment of healthy grass. If you must use a roller, use a light one when conditions would be right to work soil for a vegetable garden. I once saw a picture of a guy using a road construction-size steam roller on his lawn (staged or not, I don’t know). Do I really need to explain how damaging that would be, with effects lingering for many years, and potentially decades? So, what can you do to

control moles? A common misconception about mole control suggests that if you control grubs, you’ll take care of the moles. Grubs make up only a portion of the mole’s diet, which also includes earthworms and other soil animals. Moles may not move far from a treated lawn and may periodically re-invade the area in search of food or a mate. Trapping is the most reliable method of mole control. However, it does take practice, patience, persistence and perhaps a bit of luck. Mole traps are available at several local retailers. Two main types of traps exist: the harpoon trap and the scissor trap. The harpoon trap has the trigger placed on the soil surface over a slightly depressed mole run. When triggered, spikes impale the mole vertically down. Scissor traps are placed in the mole run. A trigger in the middle of the trap enables capture of the mole via scissor-like jaws whether he advances or retreats. Other trap designs may also be available. Choose a well-used mole run to set one or more traps. In general, multiple traps increase your chances of success. Until recent years, most mole baits have provided See MOLEHILLS, Page 9

Whitley County inwhitleycounty.com

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NICOLE MINIER

Columbia City’s downtown has many new businesses, but several old businesses such as The Nook and Shoes & Moore, pictured above, are also holding strong.

DOWNTOWN from Page 1 As a national sales director, he was responsible for 365 stores and the Business Sales Channel. But that was just the start. The entrepreneur started his first company when he was 23 years old and since then has owned all or part of 20 companies in total — including seven AT&T stores he currently has in Michigan. Refitt and his wife, Jenny, purchased the building at the corner of Chauncey and Van Buren streets, knowing he had his work cut out for him. “We picked out the building where yo2go is because it was a good corner location,” Reffitt said. “Even though it had a lot of fixing up to do and the price wasn’t best, we gambled because location is everything in retail.” Reffitt also purchased the former Presbyterian Church, which is now vacant, and the Abstract building at the corner of Main and Van Buren, which he later sold. As for the church, Reffitt is looking to transform the old building into a children’s museum — sometime in 2018 or 2019. REVITALIZATION Since yo2go opened, a locally owned boutique clothing store, Rubies and Whimsy, and a brewery, Chapman’s Brewing, opened locations downtown. Many buildings have had facade updates, such as the building now occupied by Running Around Screen Printing, which is brightly colored at the corner of Line and Van Buren streets. “The downtown is truly experiencing a bit of a renaissance. When businesses open up in downtown areas, studies show that the foot traffic increases the sales of the businesses that were

RAY STEUP

Billy Reffitt, chairman of the Downtown Business Alliance, was recently named as one of Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s Forty Under 40 recipients.

already there. As the saying goes, ‘a rising tide raises all ships,’” said Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel. Blue Moon Bakery announced last summer that it will soon have a location in the Abstract building. It is unclear when the grand opening will be. In addition to the new businesses, other business have remodeled, or are planning remodels in the near future. STAR Bank, at the corner of Van Buren and Main streets, underwent a major remodel in the past several years, transforming the older building to a new, modern look. Longtime business Ball Furniture is also planning updates to its nearly 90-year-old building this year. “We have a long way to go, but we have a great foundation to build on,” Reffitt said. “Our downtown has an ambience that simply can’t be built anymore.” ALLIANCE FORMED A large part of downtown’s new spark can be attributed to the Downtown Business Alliance. Reffitt, along with Ann Fahl, Sharon Geiger and

Tad Varga, formed the DBA to work around bureaucracy and push forward. “We didn’t want to have to follow any rules or cut through red tape,” Reffitt said. “We work with whoever we need to get what we need to get done accomplished. We like being able to do what we want, when we want, and not having to play politics to get things done.” Last year, the DBA became part of the Columbia City Main Street Association. The DBA was responsible for creating the city’s new “pocket park,” which filled the space left behind by a building that was demolished for safety reasons. The park features benches and fresh landscaping that made a once-empty lot an asset to downtown. All of the new activity downtown has made living downtown a desired option again. Reffitt has five downtown apartments, and all of them stay full. “People seem to love living downtown,” Reffitt said. “I believe as other building owners start to

remodel their apartments, that the influx of people living and being downtown will help to drive others to come down to visit. In turn, I hope it makes us business owners step up our game and invest into the looks of the storefronts.” Another apartment complex will fill the vacant lot where the former Eagles Lodge was located, at Line and Van Buren streets. Biggs Development, along with SCAN Inc. and the Columbia City Redevelopment Commission, have proposed an apartment complex called “The Van Buren Flats.” “The project looks to be transformational for our community because it will not only fill a vacant lot in our downtown, but will also add additional downtown housing to support the new businesses that are popping up,” Daniel said. Downtown has been a hub for events, some new, some that have been going on for years and years, such as the Old Settlers Festival in June. The Columbia City Main Street Association held a “Movie on the Square” night that brought more than 500 people downtown in 2016. The association has similar events planned for 2017. “It’s events like this that are important to the health and well-being of our downtown,” Daniel said. The Whitley County Farmers Market is continuing to grow, with more vendors and customers each year. The farmers market is held on Saturday mornings on the Courthouse Square from late spring through early fall. “I am appreciative to so many individuals who put their heart and soul into the revitalization of downtown Columbia City,” Daniel said.

inwhitleycounty.com • A9

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Passages holding 2nd annual Spring 5K Staff reports COLUMBIA CITY — In support of Disabilities Awareness Month, Passages will be holding its second annual Spring 5K Saturday at Morsches Park in Columbia City. The race will begin at 8 a.m. Registration, packet, and T-shirt pick up will be April 14 at the park pavilion from 5-7 p.m. and on the day of the race beginning at 7 a.m. Early registration for the race is due by Friday to ensure a T-shirt. Registration is $20 per person and $25 after Friday. Top prizes will be given to top male

and female 5K runners overall. Awards will also go to top age group winners. Sponsors of this year’s event are Delfuego LLC, Community Foundation of Whitley County, Crowe Horwath, Parkview Whitley Hospital and PHP. All proceeds will go toward Passages Inc. programs and those served by Passages. Passages Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that was established in Columbia City in 1954. The organization serves more than 175 individuals, offering a variety of community-based programs

and services for individuals with an intellectual disability. Register online at passagesinc.org or by emailing Tammy Nickolson at tnickolson@passagesinc.org. Any questions or for more information you can contact Tammy Nickolson at 244-9317 or tnickolson@ passagesinc.org. Passages Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that was established in Columbia City in 1954. For more information on Passages Inc., visit passagesinc.org or contact Jason Meyer at 244-9310 or jmeyer@passagesinc.org.

CONTRIBUTED

There were many participants in last year’s Passages 5K.

Mental health at Whitley County Jail a concern By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — Mental health of Whitley County Jail inmates was a topic of discussion at a Whitley County Commissioners meeting last month. Commissioner George Schrumpf received a report from Recovery Works, an agency that works closely with the state’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction, which had “depressing” information. According to Recovery Works, 64 percent of people in local jails are suffering from a serious mental illness and 76 percent struggle with addiction. At state prisons, 56 percent suffer from a serious mental illness and 74 percent struggle with addiction. In federal prisons, 45 percent have serious mental illness and 64 percent struggle with addiction.

“We’re dumping many of the people with mental problems into our jail system,” Schrumpf said. “The medications in our jail are unreal. There’s inmates who come in with bags of medications and we have to keep track of all of them.” Schrumpf said about 4.1 percent of the general public suffers from serious mental illness, and 8.4 percent of people in the general public struggle with addiction issues. The Commissioners said the county pays nearly $200,000 in tax dollars to the Bowen Center to provide mental health services for mental rehabilitation — an expense that’s mandated by state law. “They just make us sponsor the Bowen Center,” Schrumpf said. “We get no reports from them because of HIPPA. And to me,

that’s frustrating.” The Commissioners didn’t say they were displeased with Bowen, rather, unhappy with state mandates. “Why do we have to pay Bowen? Why them?,” asked Commissioner Don Amber. “We practically have to beg them to come in once a year to tell us what they’re doing. I think we should sit down with legislatures and ask them to take a look at this.” Amber said when he began as a commissioner about eight years ago, the county paid the Bowen Center $150,000. Now, its approaching $200,000. “If it weren’t for things like this, we wouldn’t have to pay as much in county taxes,” Commissioner Tom Western said. The Commissioners said that many of the jail inmates are repeat

MOLEHILLS from Page 8 inconsistent results. However, a product introduced a number of years ago has shown some effectiveness. It mimics a favorite food of moles: earthworms. When the poison gel-type “worm” is placed inside a mole run, the mole consumes the poison worm and later dies. The product typically contains the active ingredient, bromethalin. Be sure to read and follow all label directions, and heed precautions. Several brand names now offer this product. For the not-so-do-it-yourselfer, you can always hire someone to do the dirty work. A list of Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators that serve various Indiana counties is available at in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2351. htm. Of course, a fee is involved for their products and services. Other mole control options include direct removal, live capture, using predators and employing mole barriers to protect an area like a garden.

To understand moles, first realize that moles are not rodents, like voles, mice or rats. They belong to the group of mammals known as insectivores, and thus are related to the shrew. They eat earthworms, white grubs, ants and other soil insects. And, they hunt their food in shallow burrows through lawns and other areas. Moles are most active in yards in spring and fall, and after rain showers. They use deeper burrows in dry summer conditions and in winter. Mating occurs during February and March, with a single litter of three to five young born later in the spring following a six-week gestation period. Young moles grow rapidly and leave the nest to fend for themselves at about one month of age. Nests are 4-16 inches below ground, usually in a protected area, like under a stump or a rock. Surface runways and deeper runways occur 3-12 inches below surface. The soil excavated from the deep

tunnels is deposited on the surface through short vertical tunnels in volcano-like mounds. It is worth mentioning that several people swear by various home remedies and frightening devices — and perhaps more of these “miracle cures” exist for moles than for any other pest. In the Purdue Extension publication, “Moles,” it says, “Desperate homeowners and gardeners have tried placing various materials irritating to moles in the runways. In general, these home remedies have no value in mole control.” In fact, some can be hazardous to human health, other animals or detrimental to the environment. For more information, ask your local Purdue Extension office for publication “ADM-10, Moles,” also available free online at: extension.entm.purdue.edu/ publications/ADM-10.pdf. JOHN WOODMANSEE is extension educator in Noble and Whitley counties.

offenders. “The jailers told me that there’s been people who step out of jail after serving their time, and light a joint before they even leave the parking lot,” said Western. “Right in front of the jail they light up another one. It’s frustrating to the people who work in law enforcement and its frustrating to every citizen who has to pay the tax bill.” Many jail inmates are repeat offenders, and due to that, they are incarcerated for longer periods, and aren’t able to transfer to the work release center.

Last month, the jail had 105 inmates — it was at maximum capacity. “The jail was built for 105 people. We have to look to the future,” Schrumpf said. “We have a great community corrections program with beds for 93 people, but with the problems these inmates have, we can’t use those beds.” The cost of adding on to the jail is $30 million, a cost the Commissioners are not ready to burden the community with. “We have a new school to pay for — we can’t do both

to the taxpayers,” Amber said. “Right now, the school makes more sense than the jail.” A new Columbia City High School with a price tag of $85 million will begin construction this year. Another concern with all of the medications the inmates take, is the lack of a full-time nurse on staff. “It’s a lot of work for the jailers and community corrections employees to administer these medications. It’s something we have to look at. If we make a mistake, that’s a big liability,” Schrumpf said.

Whitley County inwhitleycounty.com

We’re committed to covering the news that’s important to you in Whitley County.

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A10 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

inwhitleycounty.com • A11

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

WHITKO STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

OBITUARY Roberta Rupley

CONTRIBUTED

Gavin Howard, WHS “I have the privilege to have Gavin twice a day in Bio-Medical and Zoology. Gavin does a great job taking his studying to the next level, asking questions beyond the class discussion or lesson plan. He also adds humor to the class while still completing the assignments. Both classes are very student led and he does a great job handling this independence in learning.” Gavin was nominated by teacher, Molly Maish.

Laura Jackson, WMS “She excels academically. She is mindful of the feelings and needs of others and is willing to be an advocate for others as well as herself. She is very responsible and in addition to excelling academically, she utilizes these attributes in track, cross country, and as a tech assistant.” Laura was nominated by teachers Teresa Knepple, Adam Dundas, Andy Layman, Tara Hosier and Mike Hanback.

Laura Lime, SWES “She participated in the Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fairk, and also received a merit award from the city Fort Wayne and Mayor Henry for her project over the effects of water pollution on habitats. Laura is a 5th grade student at South Whitley Elementary and advanced to the regional fair through our local Science Fair here at the school.” Laura was nominated by Principal Bryan Emmert.

Wyatt Nixon, SWES “He participated in the Northeast Indiana Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Wyatt finished in second place for his ballistics gel experiment that measured the impacts of an arrow on the target. Wyatt is a 5th grade student at South Whitley Elementary and advanced to the regional fair through our local Science Fair here at the school.” Wyatt was nominated by Principal Bryan Emmert.

Blake Prater, PES “Blake is an extremely hard worker. Through his persistence and effort, Blake made the A/B honor roll for the first time. He is kind and encouraging to others. Blake is a pleasure to work with every day!” Blake was nominated by teacher, Angela Speicher.

Submit Whitko school news to Derreck Stahly at dstahly@kpcmedia.com

South Whitley council looks to EDC for answers By Derreck Stahly nminier@kpcmedia.com

SOUTH WHITLEY — South Whitley Councilman Les Hoffman wants an explanation from the Whitley County Economic Development Corp. He made his frustrations known at Tuesday’s city council meeting. “It just seems like we’ve not been updated here in South Whitley, I just feel like things are behind,” said Hoffman. “I was wondering what the justification was for the fee, because every time, you know I ask about a grant or something it seems like there is either grant writers involved or ‘well you bring the stuff to us and we’ll take a look at it and then we can help you out.’ I guess from my stand point of view I would very much like to have somebody who is aggressive, and wants to come and say, ‘Hey, this is what you guys should be doing.’” The conversation started because the council is deciding rather or not to pay its spring installment

to the EDC. This payment is $8,265. Each year, the town pays about $16,000 to the EDC to help generate growth. Fee amounts are decided based on population, Myers said. Columbia City pays around $60,000, he said. Hoffman’s issue stems from what he says is a stagnation in the town. He feels that the town isn’t receiving much help and fees creates additional frustrations. EDC President Jon Myers said he understands the concerns, and acknowledges that recently communication between the EDC and South Whitley has fallen to the wayside. Myers said that when he first took the job a member of South Whitley’s Council at the time, Dave Wilkinson would come to EDC meetings and was the active voice of South Whitley. Myers also wasn’t sure who to contact and he wanted to make sure he was addressing the right people. Hoffman said that he would love for Myers

to attend the meetings so that they can create that conversation between South Whitley and the EDC. The new issue of talent, and needing skilled workers for the jobs that the county needs is still an issue with which the EDC is wrestling. It is part of the reason the EDC can’t tell the town what to do. “Really, the whole talent attraction piece, it’s really new to us here in the last year, in terms of how do we get people to move here, what do we need, in terms of infrastructure, part of its us just trying to find our way as well,” Myers said. Councilman Randy Cokl said that it’s a hard balance to strike between upgrading the town and getting people to move in, or asking people to move in and promising them the upgrades will come. Myers brought up one future option for the council to consider – a Tax Increment Financing district or TIF. Such a district would allow for

Community Foundation calls for grant requests STAFF REPORT COLUMBIA CITY — The deadline for submitting spring grant applications to the Community Foundation of Whitley County will be May 1. The Foundation’s grant application process is online. To apply for funding consideration organizations can go to: cfwhitley.org/ grant-seekers/. The Community Foundation of Whitley County funds charitable projects that will make a positive impact on Whitley County and its people. The organization is particularly interested in ideas

that shed new light on local needs and provide innovative, long-term solutions. Categories include: Arts and Culture, Education Health and Human Services, Civic Affairs, Recreation, and Community Development. Requests for funding are reviewed by the Foundation’s Grants Committee, which is composed of volunteers from communities throughout the county. The committee’s recommendations are forwarded to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, with whom all grant-making authority resides.

Grant seekers are encouraged to contact the Foundation’s Program Officer, John Slavich, at john@cfwhitley.org or 244-5224 to discuss a grant proposal before submitting a formal application. In addition to a completed application, the request must also include a cover letter, a copy of IRS tax exempt letter, annual operating budget and a project budget. Anyone with questions regarding the grant application submission process should contact the Community Foundation at 244-5224.

property taxes within a certain area to be reinvested in that area. Council members said they would be interested in looking in to something like that, but no plans were made beyond that. In the end, the Council approved a motion to pay the first installment of $8,625 to the EDC. In other council news: • The council approved a plan to move forward on litigation that may allow the town to receive

compensation for the original wastewater treatment plant being too small. The company that built the original wastewater plant, used incorrect measurements for the plant. This resulted in the plant being unable to function properly. Currently the council has approved a $4 million upgrade to the wastewater treatment plant. This required a 40 percent increase in the town’s water rates. To avoid additional increases the town is seeking legal action.

SOUTH WHITLEY — Roberta A. “Bert” Rupley, 84, of South Whitley, died at 6:05 p.m. Sunday, April 9, 2017 at Peabody Retirement Community, North Manchester. There will be no visitation or service. Preferred memorials, sent to Smith & Sons Funeral Homes, are to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Arrangements are entrusted to Smith & Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley.

Obituary Policy IN|Whitley County does not charge for death notices that include notice of calling hours, date and time of funeral and burial. An extended obituary, which includes survivors, biographical information and a photo, is available for a charge. Deadline for funeral homes to place obituaries is 9 a.m. Tuesday. The email address is: obits@ kpcmedia.com. Submitted obituaries must contain the name and phone number of the funeral home. For information, contact Kathryn Bassett at 260-347-0400, ext. 2526.

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A12 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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SPORTS

A14 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

CC wins county golf match By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

NICOLE MINIER

Whitko’s Tim Gensch tees off.

CHURUBUSCO — Whitley County’s golf teams began match play Tuesday at Eel River Golf Course. Columbia City came away with the win at 163 strokes, followed by Churubusco with 170 and Whitko at 203. Columbia City’s Nick Decker was match medalist with 38 strokes, follwed by Churubusco’s Trey Mayer and Columbia City’s Spencer McCammon, who carded 39s. Though there were only three players who scored in the 30s, Columbia City head coach Andrew

Thompson said he thinks the teams performed well for the first night out on a chilly, windy night. “There was a little nerves out there,” Thompson said. “We had players who were in new positions.” Columbia City has three players returning from their state finalist team from last year, however, the players we’re comfortably resting on the shoulders of graduated players Tyler Green, Spencer Klimek and Cameron Slavich. Now, they’re the top three on the Eagles’ roster. “We have loads of experience,” Thompson said. “They have aspirations of

doing great things, but it is going to take hard work and a little bit of luck. Hopefully their confidence starts to click and the leaders emerge.” Other scores for Columbia City Tuesday evning include: Zach Harker, 43; Garrett Roehling, 43; and Cameron Hall, 45. Scoring for Churubusco were: Mike Erwin, 41; Wyatt Gillenwater, 41; Reece Partin, 49; and Dakota Barkley, 52. Whitko has four golfers on its team this season. Scorers included: Cade Bechtold, 46; Tim Gensch, 48; Kaleb Busz, 48; and Cole Cmar, 61.

NICOLE MINIER

Columbia City’s Zach Harker waits his turn to tee off.

New boys golf coaches for Churubusco, Whitko By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com

NICOLE MINIER

Ryan Mayer tells the players the rules before Tuesday’s county match at Eel River Golf Course.

Thursday, April 13 Columbia City baseball at Wawasee, 5 p.m. Columbia City golf at Norwell, 5 p.m. Columbia City tennis hosts Warsaw, 5 p.m. Whitko track hosts Rochester, 5 p.m. Whitko tennis hosts Northfield, 5 p.m. Whitko baseball at Lakewood Park, 5 p.m. Whitko golf at Southwood, 4:30 p.m.

wc wc

WHITLEY COUNTY — Local high schools have two first-year coaches leading golf teams this year. Ryan Mayer, former Churubusco golfer, took the reins of the Eagles’ squad this spring, and Mark Cmar is new to the Wildcats. Cmar is the grandfather of a Whitko golfer, Cole Cmar, who encouraged his grandfather to take the coaching position after former coach Bryan Sprunger stepped down. “I asked him who is coach was, and he said, ‘Nobody. Do you want to do it?’” Cmar said. “I said, ‘I don’t know.’” His grandson gave school administrators his name, and now, he’s the head coach of the four-man team. “I have no experience coaching, but I play all the time,” Cmar said. “I’m retired — this is good for me. I love

Friday, April 14 Whitko softball at Columbia City, 5 p.m.

Saturday, April 15 Columbia City track at New Haven Inv., 9 a.m. Columbia City golf at Carroll Invite, 11 a.m. Whitko tennis at South Side, 9 a.m. Whitko baseball hosts Heritage (DH), 11 a.m. Whitko golf at Northrop, 8 a.m.

golf.” Mayer graduated from Churubusco High School in 2012 after he advanced to the regional his senior year. He said he wants to build his golfers into a more competitive team. “I would like to see the Churubusco program be relevant,” Mayer said. “We struggled when I played — there haven’t been a lot of great golfers, but it has been starting to pick up in the past few years.” Mayer replaces Aaron Cripe, who was the coach for three years. Before that, Todd Fry was the Eagles’ coach for a few years. Being a Churubusco native, Mayer hopes to stick around. “This summer I want to start working with the middle school kids,” Mayer said. The Eagles, Wildcats and Columbia City Eagles opened match play at Eel River Golf Course Tuesday for the county match.

Monday, April 16 No events scheduled

NICOLE MINIER

Mark Cmar, right, talks to longtime Columbia City golf coach Andrew Thompson before the match started Tuesday.

Tuesday, April 17 Churubusco baseball at Columbia City, 5 p.m. Churubusco tennis at Columbia City, 5 p.m. Whitko golf hosts North Miami, 5 p.m. Whitko softball at Carroll, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18 Columbia City golf hosts Huntington, 4:30 p.m. Columbia City softball hosts Warsaw, 5 p.m. Columbia City baseball hosts Carroll, 5 p.m. Columbia City track hosts DK/Norwell, 5 p.m. Whitko tennis hosts Trinton, 4:30 p.m.

Submit your sports stories or photos to Whitley County Whitley County Justin Hunter at jhunter@kpcmedia.com inwhitleycounty.com

inwhitleycounty.com

SPORTS

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Hundreds of kids ready for Opening Day By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — Opening day for Columbia City youth baseball and softball is this Saturday. The day kicks off 10:30 a.m. with a parade with all the teams at Morsches Park. The children will begin at fields five and six, then parade along the trail for friends and family to see, ending at the main ball diamonds. Parents are to drop off their kids at 10 a.m. at fields five and six. The first pitch will be at approximately 11 a.m. by either Mayor Ryan Daniel or another well-known person in the area, along with the singing of the national anthem. “We do it for the kids and the sponsors,” program

coordinator Melinda Wheeler said. “The kids like it, it makes them feel like they are a part of something special and it gives the sponsors more recognition for their contribution to our league. It is also a good way for the younger kids to watch the older ones play because a lot of their games are played at the same times during the season.” The first series of games will start around noon. There are 563 kids participating in the program this year, on 30 baseball teams and 20 softball teams this season. The sign-up deadline has passed. Running Around Screen Printing and Bruno’s BBQ are sponsors for the Opening Day ceremony this year.

’Busco golf places fourth at invitational By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com

KENDALLVILLE — Churubusco’s boys golf team finished in fourth place out of 12 teams in the East Noble Invitational Saturday. The Eagles scored 344 points as they defeated East Noble, Garrett, Westview, Fremont, Bishop Luers and Prairie Heights.

Canterbury came in first with 307, Angola in second with 326 and DeKalb just edged the Eagles with a score of 338. Mike Erwin led Churubusco with a 79. Trey Mayer scored an 84, Wyatt Gillenwater an 86, Dakota Barkley carded a 95 and Cayden McCoy had 100 strokes.

inwhitleycounty.com • A15

JUSTIN HUNTER

Drew Bradford celebrates after hitting a home run, which forced the game into extra innings.

Bradford leads Whitko to escape; ’Cats sweep Bluffton in game two By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com

SOUTH WHITLEY — Whitko used a walk-off hit by Drew Bradford to beat Bluffton 8-7 in a 10-inning opener of a doubleheader Saturday. The Wildcats used their momentum to whip the Tigers 10-0 in game two. In game one, Whitko (5-0) found itself down by one run after the second inning. Bradford caught fire in the third inning when he hit an RBI double. Austin Hollowell also hit an

RBI to send Bradford to home plate to give Whitko a 3-1 advantage. Bluffton (0-3) scored all four runs in the fourth inning with two recorded outs. Bluffton also added another run to make the score 6-3. Whitko needed a big seventh inning to have a chance, and Bradford answered once again. Bradford smacked the ball over the centerfield fence to tie the game 6-6 and force extra innings. The Wildcats left a man stranded on third

base in both the eighth and ninth innings. Whitko was left with a daunting task after Bluffton scored a run in the 10th inning, but Bradford came up big for the Wildcats once again. Bradford batted in River West off a chipper to third base, then Bailey Platt scored off an error. Bradford was responsible for every run scored by the Wildcats, going 4 for 6 at bat, scoring two runs, six RBIs and a home run. Bradford also recorded the win on the

mound. Whitko scored six runs in the first inning of game two. Hollowell hit in Alex Bechtold and Bradford to get things going. West then hit in Colin Craig to make it 3-0. West scored off a wild pitch. Alex Robbins finished off the inning by a double steal to home plate. Bluffton had zero answers to the Wildcats’ dominating performance. Robbins recorded the win as he pitched a zero-run game for Whitko.

Whitko baseball has sectional aspirations By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com

SOUTH WHITLEY — Last year, Whitko’s baseball team won its conference for the first time since the 1980s. The Wildcats are hoping to do the same this year. The Wildcats have started the season undefeated after five games. Head coach Erik Hisner practiced his team three times during spring break. He hoped the momentum won’t fade away from his team. “Losing momentum is always the worry when you take a break. It may take an inning or two to get the bats swinging again,” said Hisner. Hisner’s prediction came true Saturday when the Wildcats went scoreless in the first two innings. Whitko came alive when

they scored three runs in the third inning. There are still a few pitchers who haven’t gotten the chance to get in a live game rotation. The break was a good opportunity to get some practice. “We JUSTIN HUNTER don’t Alex Bechtold have the guy we always throw on the mound that throws 90 (miles per hour), but we have a lot of depth in the pitching rotation,” said Hisner. “We had two or three guys we would have liked to put on the mound by now. It’s not that we have the guys to put out there, it’s that we don’t

COLUMBIA CITY

have enough work for everybody.” The Wildcats may have a lot of depth on the mound, but they also have a deep lineup with a lot of experience. Whitko’s roster features nine seniors, six of which are returning starters. The deep pitching rotation, along with the experience at the plate, has Whitko thinking big. Hisner has three major goals for his squad. His first goal is beat both county teams.

The Wildcats already took care of Churubusco when they mercy-ruled the Eagles last week. Whitko has to beat Columbia City at Parkview Field April 25 to complete the task. The Wildcats also want to repeat as conference champions. The last goal is the biggest of them all, and looms over the program. “Whitko has never won a baseball sectional. We’ve only appeared in the title game twice, but that’s as

P: 260-248-8608 F: 260-248-8679 columbiacity@goinpostal.com

the back of our heads every time we go out to play.”

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WHITLEY COUNTY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

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close as we’ve ever gotten,” said Hisner. “That goal is in

REQUIREMENTS & SKILLS FOR: BUS ASSISTANT • High School Diploma or GED • Previous Experience Preferred but not Required CONTACT: Call the Transportation Dept. at 260-244-5772 DEADLINE: Until positions are filled. Whitley County Consolidated Schools does not discriminate on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, gender, disability or age in its programs and activities including employment opportunities.

Justin Hunter Sports Reporter 260/693-3949 Ext. 1195 jhunter@kpcmedia.com

To share a story idea, please contact me.

SPORTS

A16 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

SPRING SPORTS SNAPSHOTS

JUSTIN HUNTER

Anna Weigold winds up for a pitch on the mound against Wawasee.

Columbia City defeated, 12-8 By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com

COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City’s softball team was defeated by Wawasee 12-8 Tuesday evening. The Eagles got off to a rough start defensively, trailing 5-0 by the middle of the second inning. Freshman Bella Ross hit a homerun in the second inning to put Columbia City on the board. “I know our pitching can be better than it was today,” said head coach Dan Weigold. “I didn’t know what the deal was, but we can be better in all aspects of the game.” Wawasee wasn’t done scoring as the Lady Warriors scored three runs in the third inning. One of the runs came due to a Columbia City pop fly error while the bases were loaded. Columbia City hit their its RBI thanks to a Morgan Bales double that let Ciarra

Ivy score. Bella Krieg and Allison Conrad also recorded RBIs in the third inning as the Eagles trailed 8-5. The best inning defensively for Columbia City came in the fourth inning. No runs were scored and the third out was a robbed home run in center field by Ivy. The Eagles were unable to score any runs in the fourth and fifth inning. Ross hit her second homerun of the night in the sixth inning to keep the faith. That hope for a win came to a close when only one run was scored in the seventh inning. “We sure kept fighting,” said Weigold. “We were down and never quit while facing some great pitching. Bella Ross obviously hit very well tonight as she hit two homeruns. I was very impressed by a couple catches Ciarra Ivy made. I can go on and on about how everyone contributed, because everyone did something.”

NICOLE MINIER

A group of Columbia City High School girls tracksters run the 1,600-meter against Huntington North Tuesday. The girls team beat Huntington 71-61.

NICOLE MINIER

Number 3 players Zach Harker, Kaleb Busz and Wyatt Gillenwater shake hands before their match.

NICOLE MINIER

Columbia City’s Spencer McCammon tees off from hole No. 10 at Eel River Golf Course Tuesday.

NICOLE MINER

Churubusco’s Tom Richards makes a throw from third base.

Lady Eagle hoopsters receive awards

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Columbia City’s Lady Eagle basketball team recently held its awards program. Lady Eagle players winning awards are from left: Holly Martinex (most steals, assists and NE8 All-Conference,) Bella Krieg (best field goal percentage and second team NE8 All-Conference), Chelsea Pettigrew (most rebounds, defensive award, first team NE8 All-Conference), Darian Farber (best free throw percentage and NE8 All-conference honerable mention) and Miranda McConnell (Lady Eagle Integrity Award.)

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Whitko softball holds off Bluffton, 12-11 By Justin Hunter jhunter@kpcmedia.com STATE PARKS

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BLUFFTON —Whitko softball defeated Bluffton 12-11 on Saturday. Whitko (3-1) got off to a hot start outscoring the Tigers 9-1 in the first three

innings. Bluffton (1-1) combined nine of its own runs in the fifth and sixth innings. A scoreless seventh inning gave the Wildcats a 12-11 victory. Shi Bradley pitched for the first time in her varsity

career. Bradley gave up six hits, three walks and one strikeout. Bradley also hit her first career home run. Andrea Snavley came in to relieve Bradley. Snavely gave up six runs, one walk and a strikeout.

Ana Ousley hit two singles to lead the Wildcats at bat. The Wildcats won despite only recording five hits, compared to Bluffton’s 12. There were 11 errors split between both teams.

inwhitleycounty.com • A17

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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A18 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

Community Calendar regular board meeting at 7 p.m. • Whitley County Consolidated Schools will host its regular board meeting at 5:30 p.m. • Whitko Community Schools will host its regular board meeting at 6:30 p.m.

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Send news of your group to nminier@kpcmedia.com by April 8 for the April 13 issue. Items will be selected and edited as space permits.

APR.

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April 12 • South Whitley library will host bingo with prizes for winners at noon. • Peabody Public Library’s regular monthly board meeting will be held at 6 p.m.

April 13 • Columbia City’s Rotary Club will host its annual Easter egg hunt at Morsches Park at 6 p.m. • South Whitley’s library board meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the library. • The Whitley County Amateur Radio Club will meet from 6-8 p.m. in community rooms A and B at Peabody Public Library. The program will be FLDigi Digital Amateur Radio communications, presented by Donald Evilsizor. All meetings are open to the public. Visit wcarc.org or contact Roger McEntarfer at n9qcl@arrl.net. April 14 • Whitley County’s Chamber of Commerce will host its GROW Network meeting at Brevins in Churubusco from 8-9 a.m. April 15 • South Whitley’s Lions Club will host an Easter egg hunt at 1 p.m. at South Whitley Elementary School. • Passages Inc. is hosting a 5K race at Morsches Park in Columbia City. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m. Early registration, through April 7, is $20. Day-of registration is $25. Register online at passagesinc.org/passages-5k. • Christ Community Church in Churubusco will host its mEGGa Easter Egg hunt at 2:30 p.m. at the town park. The event will also feature games, facepainting and more. • Big Lake Church of God will host a community breakfast and egg hunt for Easter. The pancake breakfast begins at 9 a.m. and kids activities start at 10 a.m. There will be crafts, face paintings and a photo booth. Big Lake Church of God is located at the intersection of S.R. 109 and C.R. 700N. • Churubusco United Methodist Church will host a community Easter egg hunt and Path to Ressurection at 10 a.m. at the church. Follow the “Path” for prizes, activities and learn about the meaning of Easter. There will be live animals, including rabbits, chicks and donkeys, to interact with. An egg hunt for children of all ages will follow. For more information, contact the church office at 693-2154. • A free sausage and pancake breakfast, and Easter egg hunt, will be held at Wolf Lake Community Park. The breakfast begins at 8 a.m. and the egg hunt is at 10 a.m. The park is located at the corner of U.S. 33 and Noble Street.

April 17 • The Whitley County Commissioners will meet for their regular meeting at 1 p.m. at the Government Center. • Smith-Green Community Schools will host its

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April 18 • The South Whitley Lions Club will gather for its regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the South Whitley Town Hall. • The Whitley County Council on Aging will host its travel show at 6 p.m. at the Woodlands Senior Center, located on Opportunity Drive in Columbia City. • The Whitley County Chamber of Commerce will host its Community Conversation, asking “What do you want?” at Stir Crazy in Columbia City from noon-1 p.m. Attendees will discuss questions such as: What amenities or businesses would you like to see here? Can our community support this? What obstacles do you see for future growth? What do you feel are our strongest points are? When we are marketing the community, what do we have that is good? What would make us great? • The Woodlands Senior Center will host the Whitley County Council on Aging’s travel show at 6 p.m. at the center on Opportunity Drive in Columbia City. April 19 • The Hoosier Antique Road Show will be available at the South Whitley library at 6 p.m. Attendees may bring two items apiece for review. The library requests attendees RSVP before bringing items. April 20 • The Center for Whitley County Youth will host its annual Cook-Off event at First Church of God at 6 p.m. The annual event serves as a fundraiser for The Center. • Chris Garau will host an informative session for autism advocacy at Peabody Public Library at 5:30 p.m.

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April 21 • The Whitley County Chamber of Commerce will host its GROW Network meeting at South Whitley’s library from 8-9 a.m. April 22 • The Turtle Days Association will host the 8th annual Tom Fletcher Memorial Texas Hold’em tournament at the American Legion. Registration begins at 1 p.m. and the tournament starts at 2 p.m. sharp. The cost is $25 with a payout for the top five. Pizza will be served and drinks may be purchased. Proceeds go to the Tom Fletcher Scholarship, which is awarded to a Churubusco student. • The Whitley County Extension Homemakers will host their annual spring garage sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Setup is Friday from 3-7 p.m. Space rental is $20 each. The event will be held at the Whitley County 4-H Center on Squawbuck Road. For more information, call Barb Overdeer at 244-5210. • Peabody Public Library will host its annual Battle of the Books event for elementary, middle and high school students, starting at 9:30 a.m.

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April 23 • The Tacketts and their band, “Powell Creek Junction,” from Defiance, Ohio, will be performing at Sugar Grove Church of God in Churubusco at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. The husband and wife and their seven-member band perform Christian country and Southern gospel music. The public is invited to attend and a free-will offering will be taken. The church is located at 5019 E. C.R. 500S in Noble County. April 25 • Columbia City’s Common Council will meet for its regular meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall. • South Whitley’s Town Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. for its regular meeting. • Churubusco’s Lions Club will host its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Brevin’s. • Author Margaret Hobson will visit the South Whitley library to talk about her series of books featuring Indiana’s 44th Regiment, which includes soldiers from Whitley County. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. • The Whitley County Extension Homemakers

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July

will host its Spring Fling at the Whitley County 4-H Center at 1 p.m. The cost is $2 and the program will discuss quilts. Reservations are due by April 18. • The Whitley County Country Quilters will hold their regular meeting at 6 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Columbia City. The meeting begins with refreshments at 6 p.m. Quilters also meet at 4 p.m. to socialize, work on projects or receive assistance with any quilting questions. April 26 • The Whitley County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center will host its Thanks A Bunch Lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at By: Belle Haven in South Whitley. The event is held to celebrate administrative assistance, support staff, volunteers and others who help businesses reach success. The cost is $20. RSVP to the Chamber by April 14 at noon via email at office@whitleychamber.com or call 248-8131. • South Whitley library will host Euchre for those aged 55 and older at 1 p.m. April 27 • A basket class taught by Marjorie Kennedy Babbitt will be hosted at South Whitley’s library at 6 p.m. April 29 • The South Whitley Annual Garage Sales will be held Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30. • Trinity Presbyrerian Church will host a craft show and bake sale from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. More than 30 vendors will be present. May 6 • The Downed Veterans Ride and Dinner hosted by the Churubusco American Legion will include a ride, meal and music by an area radio station. The ride is $5 per person and begins at 11 a.m. Those driving cars are welcome to participate. The dinner is a taco bar and cost $5, from 3-6 p.m. For more information, call Daryl Kizer at 693-1732 or Doug Cope at 897-3893. The Legion is also hosting a $600 raffle and will draw the winner that day. • The Whitley County Council on Aging will host its annual all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast 6:30-10 a.m. at the Woodlands Center, 710 Opportunity Drive, Columbia City. The cost is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 6-12 and free for children 5 and under. Whitley County Transit will provide transportation for seniors in need from 8-10 a.m. Those wishing to schedule transportation should do so by noon May 3. May 12 • Columbia City High School’s Honors Convocation will be held at 8:30 a.m. in the Donald S. Weeks Gymnasium. Those wishing to present an award should contact Joyce Hull, hullja@wccsonline.com, by May 1. May 15 • Livestock identification forms for Whitley County 4-H are due online. May 23 • The Whitley County Chamber of Commerce will host a Whitley County Education Forum. Details to come. May 24-25 • Registration for Churubusco Elementary School will be held May 24 and 25 at the school. Those wishing to register their children should call 693-2188 to schedule an appointment, and a registration packet will be mailed. Churubusco Elementary School accepts transfer students. July 14-20 • The Whitley County 4-H Fair will be held at the Whitley County Fairgrounds in Columbia City. July 24 • The 2017 Master Gardeners Garden Walk will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will feature gardens from the Churubusco/Smith Township area.

MORE ONLINE See the events section at INWhitleyCounty.com.

inwhitleycounty.com • A19

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

PROTECT from Page 1 case workers the state has added to Whitley County in the past few years. “The additional case workers are helping to keep kids safe across the board, not just child molesting,” Sigler said. INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES The county has also improved its investigation techniques. Previously, a child would be brought into the police station to be interviewed by an older, male law enforcement officer. Now, thanks to a donation by Parkview, there’s a special interview room for children. The interview center has a more welcoming, relaxed atmosphere, “where children can be comfortable,” Sigler said. He said the new center has been very successful in interviewing children, which is often intimidating for the victim. A forensic interviewer can sit down with the child, while the rest of the investigation team, including the prosecutor, investigating agency and a member from Child Services, can watch the interview develop and speak with the interviewer via a microphone. “It’s been a wonderful thing for the community,” Sigler said. The prosecution is highly specialized, and Whitley County has seen successful prosecutions with its previous prosecutors John Whiteleather and Matt Rentschler, Sigler said. Sigler, who took the reins as prosecutor in January, has also seen success, with a guilty conviction in a trial and several guilty pleas. “They are incredibly difficult cases,” Sigler said. “There’s a lot of different pieces.” Because children often don’t report the crime until long after it happens, physical evidence is often non-existent. “There’s a 24-48 hour window the physical evidence can be collected,” Sigler said. “But most kids internalize what happened to them, and don’t report it until months or years later.” In many cases, a guilty conviction hinges on a good forensic interview — that’s why Sigler is working to build a team of investigators who are specially trained. “Our sheriff’s department and city police department have outstanding investigators,” Sigler said. “For a community of this size to have resources like that, is excellent.” It can be difficult to get children to speak about what happened without coaching or leading them into their story.

“

Those kids suffer from the crime until the day they die.” D.J. Sigler

Whitley County Prosecutor

“They have to feel free to tell the story in their own words,” Sigler said. “Sometimes that’s challenging. They don’t want to remember the details. They want to forget. They want to shove it down in the dark and forget. We have to make them relive it. It’s not a fun process to put a child through.” Many people view children as younger versions of adults, but children have different ways of remembering things and disclosing information, Sigler said. “Children don’t remember exact dates of when things happened,” Sigler said. “Many adults don’t even remember dates. If I asked you where you were on a certain day in 1999, would you remember? But we demand perfection in their testimony.” Instead, interviewers ask the child about certain events that happened around the time of the incident, such as birthdays, holidays, seasons, that can help corroborate a story. Sigler often calls expert witnesses to the stand to explain to jurors how the process of disclosure works in children. “Jury trials can be very difficult, especially when everything is based on the recollection of the child,” Sigler said. “They’re crimes in secret. It’s not arson or robbery or burglary — we usually don’t have eyewitnesses. It’s a great tragedy.” PROTECTING YOUR CHILD The best way to protect your child, is to know your child, Sigler says. “Be a good parent — be involved,” Sigler said. “You have to be engaged with them. In this culture it’s hard to do sometimes.” If a child experiences something disturbing, having a good relationship with them will allow them to feel comfortable enough to tell you right away, rather than allowing the abuse to continue. “We see a lot of disclosures in schools and to grandparents,” Sigler said. “Sometimes, a child will tell their classmate, who, to their credit, will tell an adult.” It’s important to know who your child is spending time with. “We’ve helped teach kids that it’s OK to tell,” Sigler said. “We’re doing a better job of communicating that — through

school systems, law enforcement outreach and the aggressive prosecution and investigation of these cases.” Nationally, about 70 percent of child molesting incidents are caused by someone the child knows — often a family member or family friend. Oftentimes, that’s the reason the incidents are reported days, weeks, months and even years later — or not at all. “Parents have been focused on teaching their children to stay away from strangers, but in these cases, it more likely is from mom’s new boyfriend or a relative. Those people are capable of committing the crime for months or even years.” Sigler mentioned the crimes in Delphi that left two young girls dead — likely attacked by a stranger. “The horrible thing that happened in Delphi — that’s highly unusual,” Sigler said. “It’s much more likely to be mom’s new boyfriend that she brought home, than some stranger pulling up next to them in a car with candy. In cases where it’s a stranger, it would frighten the child and the would run away. But how do you run away from mom’s boyfriend?” The public needs to be aware of that challenge — kids don’t always have someone to tell — and that’s why the abuse often takes place multiple times, he said. “Many times, people ask, ‘why didn’t they tell somebody? Why didn’t they speak up? Why didn’t they scream out?,” Sigler said. “But if you’re a helpless kid and it’s someone your parents have put in your life, it’s highly unlikely you’re going to say anything.” Parents who are engaged in their child’s lives are more likely to recognize a problem — but Bedree said perpetrators are very calculated. “They not only try to groom the child, but also groom adults as well,” Bedree said. “One warning sign for the perpetrator might be that he or she is becoming overly interested in a child. If there is more than one child in the home, the perpetrator might show particular attention to only one of the children. They may also buy them random gifts or offer to babysit the child. “The sole intent of the perpetrator is to build

trust so they can take advantage of that trust.” RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS Warning signs in the child may be even more difficult to detect. Warning signs differ depending on the age of the child, as well as their cognitive level, Bedree said. “One of the major warning signs to look for in a victim is if they have a sudden change in their behavior,” Bedree said. “If a child who is typically very outgoing and personable, suddenly becomes disinterested in friends and family, that could be a warning sign that the child has experienced some sort of trauma.” A website called, “stopitnow.org” offers more warning signs for child molesting: • A child may start acting like a younger child again, such as bed-wetting and thumbsucking. • They may have new works for private body parts. • The child could engage other children in sexual activities. • Mood swings, such as rage, fear, insecurity or withdrawal. • The child could seem distracted or distant at odd times. • The victim may leave

“clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues. • They exhibit adultlike sexual knowledge or behaviors. Additionally, adolescents sexual abuse victims may suffer from depression, anxiety, selfharm, eating disorders or have a fear of intimacy. It is rare for a child to falsely accuse someone of child molesting, which is defined as a sexual act to a child under 14 years of age, Bedree said. Though it’s not uncommon for parents to initially be in denial or disbelief when their child discloses what happened, it’s important, and required, to report suspicions to police. Under Indiana law, any individual who suspects a child is a victim of abuse or neglect has a duty to report it the Child Services’ hotline at (800) 800-5556, or their local law enforcement agency. The identity of those reporting the crime is protected. After the report is taken, the investigative team will assemble, which includes the prosecutor, law enforcement and Child Services. Additionally, the prosecutor’s victim’s advocate is available to assist. AFTER EFFECTS Research has shown

people who were victims of sexual abuse have a higher percentage of being diagnosed with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. “They often experience guilty, shame and self-blame,” Bedree said. “Many different factors can impact the long term effects of sexual abuse. One of the major factors is the severity of the abuse, and how the child was supported once they disclosed what happened.” Even if Sigler gets a hefty sentence, it’s still not enough. “We try to aggressively prosecute them (perpetrators) and take care of these kids as well as we know how,” Sigler said. “But there’s never a good outcome in a child molesting case. You can convict them, get a big sentence, and that child is still going to be scarred for the rest of their life.” Sigler keeps in touch with many of the victims, and takes pride when they go on to lead successful lives — but not all do. “I’ve seen some success stories, but there are far more kids who have internalized the abuse and not dealt with it — leading to difficult lives,” Sigler said. “Those kids suffer from the crime until the day they die.”

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A20 • inwhitleycounty.com

Whitley County • April 13, 2017

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