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Opnion ..................6 Community Calendar.............15
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News in Brief • City may hire own engineer BY NICOLE MINIER
nminier@kpcmedia.com
COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City is planning to take a test run at having its own engineer. The City Council unanimously approved the hiring of a 30-hour-a-week engineer who can assist in many tasks, such as land surveying, design of infrastructure and inspection services. “This person would focus on sewer, water, stormwater, streets and sidewalks,” Columbia City Mayor Ryan Daniel said. The engineer can help with the new park expansion project, which will take place when Columbia City High School moves to its new location south of town. Additionally, there could be an overhaul for Westgate addition in the future.
BY WHITNEY WRIGHT for IN|Whitley County
SOUTH WHITLEY — He has jokingly been called the “Father of Whitko” and is praised by his former principal as a “very special and neat student.” A 2018 graduate of Whitko High School, Austin Nettrouer left behind a legacy of positive change and acceptance for anyone and everyone. President of Whitko’s chapter of the National Honors Society and the Family Career and Community Leaders of America, volunteer for the middle school’s English as a second language program and participant in the Red Cross’s Home Fire Safety Campaign are just a few of the hats Nettrouer wore while a student at Whitko High School.
Nettrouer is organized and prepared, and presents himself more as a well-spoken, wise, mature and intelligent sociology college graduate than a teenager who just left high school. A natural leader, he approaches anything he commits to with both fervor and gentleness, which comes across easily even in conversation about his former commitments. The road to high school forerunner did not begin seamlessly. After spending the beginning of his high school career with health issues, medical intervention gave him the opportunity to look at his involvement in school and what impression he wanted to leave behind. He ultimately decided to drop athletics in favor of participating in more fulfilling and lasting SEE NETTROUER, PAGE 2
BY NICOLE MINIER
nminier@kpcmedia.com
COLUMBIA CITY — With temperatures surpassing 100 degrees in the past week, the new aquatics facility in Columbia City has been on the top of the minds of many in Whitley County. The pool is nearing completion, and barring any hiccups or poor weather, Park Director Mark Green is hoping for a July 7 opening. Jacob Johnson, who has been a familiar face at the Columbia City Parks Department, has taken the reins in leading the new aquatics facility as its manager. Johnson was the head of the umpires at Morsches Park in college. “I loved working for the city,” Johnson said. Johnson grew up in Columbia City and enjoyed the parks as a child.
NICOLE MINIER
Park Director Mark Green has headed up the pool project, and Jacob Johnson, at right, is in charge of managing the facility.
“The parks really impacted me,” Johnson said. “I played baseball and we used to do stuff at the parks all the time. This is a cool opportunity to impact kids and families in our city. I want to impact people just like I was impacted.” Phil Stanczak had been the manager of Burnworth
Information •
INWhitley County
Vol. 2 No. 25
NICOLE MINIER
The Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center is nearing completion, with a potential opening date of July 7.
123 North Main Street,Churubusco, IN 46723
Telephone: (260) 693-3949
CONTRIBUTED
July opening planned for new pool
SEE ENGINEER, PAGE 3
INWhitley County 123 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723
Austin Nettrouer is pictured with his two English as a Second Language students, for which he volunteered in the morning. Both students not only passed their classes, but received A’s and B’s.
Pool for 15 years when it was a part-time position. Stanczak is also a teacher at Columbia City High School. Stanczak has taken the role of assistant manager at the new aquatics facility and is helping prepare lifeguards for the new facility, which is more complicated than the old pool. The new facility features slides, a spinning “vortex” area, a play area for children and several ledges — all of which could be blind spots for unprepared lifeguards. Johnson said he spoke with someone at the Jorgensen YMCA in Fort Wayne earlier this month to help prepare for the Columbia City facility, which is similar to the Jorgensen. The city has also received a lot of help from Liz Story, SEE POOL, PAGE 3
NICOLE MINIER
The new facility features two slides, one open-top and one enclosed.
NICOLE MINIER
While the old Burnworth Pool had one water pump, the new facility has four pumps.