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NEWS IN BRIEF CCHS will host college fair Staff reports
COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City High School is sponsoring a College Fair 6-7:15 p.m. Oct. 4 for all area high school students and parents. The event is sanctioned by the Indiana Association for College Admission Counselors. There will be a financial aid seminar from 5:15-6 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. A financial aid representative will be available to answer questions about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FASFA. At 6 p.m., more than 40 college, university and armed services representatives from Indiana and the tri-state region will be present to share information and answer questions. “This is a great opportunity for students and families to develop a communication link with college admission officials and to find out about specific programs and financial aid opportunities that are available,” said Sarah Maynard, CCHS guidance counselor.
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Fall Festival returns to S. Whitley By Tyler Roebuck troebuck@kpcmedia.com
SOUTH WHITLEY — For its second year since a seven-year respite, the South Whitley Fall Festival returns Sept. 15 with several new and exciting events. The festival, put on by the South Whitley Town Council, park board and fire department, will take place at State Street,
Whitko High School and the town parks. One of the new events is Zombie Paintball. According to Town Council President Randy Cokl, the paintball was supposed to happen last year but was rained out. Zombie Paintball works like a maze, Cokl explained. “People go along with paintball gear, and
workers dressed like zombies pop out and scare them,” he said. The paintball, as well as a “Horror Trail” in the same vein, take place at Hagen Park. Both events cost $5 per person, with paintball starting at 7 p.m. and the trail at 8 p.m. Friday night. Another key new event is the Mighty Duck Race on Sunday, where partic-
ipants bet on a rubber duck of their choice to pass under the State Street bridge first. First and second place come with a cash prize. For the first time, the park board is sponsoring a canoe float Saturday morning, where board member Tim Weybright will lead a group from the town park to Collamer. The float starts at 8 a.m.
By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
Telephone: (260) 693-3939
Vol. 1 No. 23
Columbia City’s football team came back from a 13-0 deficit with 10 minutes left in the Northeast 8 Conference opener against Bellmont Friday to win 14-13 in an
exciting game. Pictured, quarterback Jacob Bolt jumps in the air to celebrate with Ryder Sroufe after winning. Read more about the game on Page 13.
COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County 4-H Clubs Inc. will host its 4th Annual Autumn Harvest Festival 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Whitley County 4-H Fairgrounds. Like the Whitley County 4-H Fair, there is no admission or parking fees for the event, and all proceeds will go to support the Whitley County 4-H program. Attendees can count on the same traditions from the past four years, and some new things as well. “There are a couple of exciting additions to this year’s festival,” said Jeff Geiger, 4-H Inc president. The Columbia City Farm Toy show, which has also traditionally been held in the fall, will now be on the same day as the Autumn Harvest Festival, and Whitley County 4-H Inc. is now managing that show. See HARVEST, Page 4
City overcomes funding woes, breaks ground on new pool By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City government officials pulled together in the 11th hour to make a dream become reality for the citizens of Whitley County. The city broke ground on the Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center last Tuesday after the park
board made some late changes to the plans and the city council shuffled some funding to make up the shortfall. The project was estimated to cost $4.2 million, which was raised, but the cost came in at about $5 million. In total, the park board made about $415,000 in cost reductions,
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NICOLE MINIER
Eagles win thriller over Bellmont
123 North Main Street,Churubusco, IN 46723
INFORMATION
See FEST, Page 4
4-H Inc. will host annual harvest fest
SGCS to host informational meeting Staff reports CHURUBUSCO — Smith-Green Community Schools will host an informational meeting for parents of children with special needs who reside within the Smith-Green attendance area and are home schooled or attend a non-public school. The meeting is Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. in the administrative office at Smith-Green. Those with questions should call Karla Mettert at 349-3346.
and will finish upon arrival at Collamer. If you’ve ever felt the urge to run on a stomach full of donuts, the Fall Festival has that covered with its first ever Donut Run. “You run a half mile, eat half a dozen donuts, then run another half mile and eat more donuts,”
including installing only one water heater instead of two, having a smaller sound system, laying less concrete, putting in less expensive siding on the building, having one basketball goal instead of two, and reducing the number of large umbrellas from 19 to 10. Also taken out of the cost of the project was an employee health clinic, which will be funded through other means. In the end, the project will still have the amenities it promised — two large slides, play areas for young children, a competition pool and more. See POOL, Page 7
NICOLE MINIER
Columbia City park officials pose with Mayor Ryan Daniel during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Russel and Evelyn Aquatics Center. From left are Park Superintendent Mark Green, Park Board members Roger Ferrell, Keith Nickolson, Kim Varga and Daniel.