Vol. 37, No. 46
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
Friday, Jan. 23rd Boys Basketball N. Miami vs. Wabash 7:30pm
Tuesday, Jan. 27th Swimming Manchester vs. Wabash 5:00pm
of Wabash County Inc.
January 21, 2015
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Lagro, LaFontaine elections to change Voting to be overseen by County Election Board By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
HARVEY INDUSTRIES’ WABASH PLANT, located at 3837 Mill Street, recently laid off 143 employees, comprising more than twothirds of their workforce. (photo by Eric Stearley)
Harvey Industries plant lays off 143 by Eric Stearley eric@thepaperofwabash.com On Jan. 6, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development received a notice from Harvey Industries announcing that effective Dec. 31, 2014, it had laid off 141 hourly employees and two salaried employees from its Wabash plant due to “unforeseeable business cir-
cumstances.” Less than one third of the plant’s staff is still employed. The Wabash plant is only the most recent large-scale reduction of Harvey Industry’s workforce. In November 2013, the company laid off 157 employees at its Aiken, S.C., plant. Last year, the company closed a plant in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, leaving only the Wabash plant
and the corporate office in Livonia, Mich. The layoffs follow a decision by two large, corporate customers not to renew their contracts in 2015. “We had contracts with four of our customers, and those contracts ended Dec. 31. For the corporate office, it was a (continued on page 5)
Voting in the 2015 Municipal Elections for residents in Lagro and LaFontaine will have a slightly different feel this year. The town boards in those two communities notified Wabash County Clerk Elaine Martin in November that the communities would no longer operate on a town convention format. Rather, the Wabash County Election Board will oversee the municipal elections for the next 12 years. In the past, positions such as the town clerk-treasurer and the town board were selected at town conventions. This year, should races be formed, they will be decided in the May Primary Election or the November General Election, or both if warranted. “Small towns have the option of continuing to do town elections, or they can pass an ordinance that turns it over to the county election’s office, or the county clerk’s office, and that is (continued on page 5)
Charley Creek Foundation transfers landmarks’ ownership to Honeywell Foundation by Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com The Charley Creek Foundation and the Honeywell Foundation announced in a Jan. 19 press release the transfer of ownership of the Charley Creek Gardens and the Dr. James Ford Historic Home from the Charley Creek Foundation to the Honeywell Foundation. Additionally, the Honeywell Foundation will oversee Charley Creek ArtsFest and the WaBass Institute. Prior to his death on April 16, 2014, Charley Creek Foundation founder Richard Ford reached out to Honeywell Foundation Executive Director Tod Minnich and began discussing the transfer. “Richard called me and said he read an article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy about donors trying to manage from the grave,” Minnich said in an interview.“ He reflected on the article and began
wondering if the Honeywell Foundation would be interested in perhaps managing some of the assets that the Charley Creek Foundation had created.” According to Minnich, the two properties aligned well with the Honeywell Foundation’s mission to provide the community with “artistic, social, cultural, and recreational opportunities”. Dan Ford, chair of the Charley Creek Foundation, said that Richard Ford wanted to ensure the long-term viability of the Charley Creek Gardens and the Dr. James Ford Historic Home. “After Richard’s passing, it was important for the Charley Creek Foundation board to ensure these properties were provided for, so they can optimize their highest and best use,” Ford said in the press release. According to the press release, the Honeywell Foundation intends to operate the properties with the same stan-
The care of the Dr. Ford Historic Home and Charley Creek Gardens (above) will be transferred to the Honeywell Foundation after Charley Creek Foundation’s founder Richard Ford made the request prior to his death last year. (Photo provided) dards. The Charley Creek Foundation will also transfer certain endowment assets sufficient to sustain operations. Staff members associated with these properties will now be employees of the Honeywell Foundation. “The addition of the Charley Creek
Gardens and Dr. James Ford Home is yet another way the Honeywell Foundation can serve the community and North Central Indiana through its mission,” said Minnich in the press release. “We look forward to enhancing our offerings through these properties and programs.”