The Mail-Journal - April 5, 2023

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Clerk-treasurer candidates address tackling challenges

those challenges?”

Larry Siegel

New executive director at North Webster Library

The North Webster Community Public Library announces its new executive director, Keith Kuric.

Previously the assistant director at the Tell City Public Library for over five years, Kuric has extensive library experience, having also worked at the LaPorte County Public Library for many years.

Kuric has a passion for public libraries and believes the public library is an absolutely essential community resource. He says, “I love the idea that the public library is an educational and recreational hub for our community.

We have so many resources for families — both for learning and for entertainment. It’s just fantastic!”

Kuric and his wife Jana are excited to get back to their “roots” of northern Indiana — Kuric has two sisters in the area and a brother who lives on Knapp Lake. The Kurics have six children and a brand new baby granddaughter. When he is not at the library, Keith enjoys studying astronomy as well as playing video and board games with his family and friends.

North Webster Town Council receives bids for street project

Members of the North Webster Town Council met in special session Wednesday morning, March 29, to review bids for the 2023 Community Crossings Grant project that will see the repair of six streets in town. The bids were facilitated by Rick Pharis of Triad Associates, who received three proposals for the project.

Niblock Excavating presented the lowest bid at $316,960.67 and was awarded the contract by the unanimous vote of the quorum of two council members in attendance. Council member Lisa Strombeck was unable to attend the meeting.

Also submitting bids were Phend and Brown, $392,165.21; and Brooks

Construction, $338,403. Indiana Department of Transportation will provide 75% of the funding for the project, which comes out to $237,720.50. The town will be responsible for the remaining 25%, totaling $79,240.17. Initially, the project was estimated to cost approximately $700,000, with the town committing up to $181,000 for its part.

According to Pharis, work will not begin until INDOT has submitted its portion of the cost to the town.

“This is a great program for all communities, but especially for towns and communities of 10,000 population or less,”said Pharis. “INDOT will pay 75%.

If you have 10,001 residents, you lose 25%. INDOT will only pay 50% of the cost for

County council sets meeting on airport authority

Kosciusko County Council President Mike Long hopes the old courtroom is packed Thursday when the council has a special meeting on a city-county airport authority.

He’d also personally like to see the authority be voted on in the general election instead of the

seven-member county council making the final decision, but he said they’ll play it out and see how it goes. He said he has his personal feelings on the issue, but he’ll keep those to himself for now.

“It’s too big of a decision for us to make for the taxpayers of Kosciusko County,” he said in a telephone interview

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Commissioners ease requirement regarding ag animal structures

Kosciusko County Commissioners have eased a permitting requirement regarding some animal structures in the county.

Commissioners approved the ordinance amendment at their meeting on Tuesday, March 28.

Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission Director Matt Sandy noted the change applies to “ac-

cessory structures for ag purposes.”

“These are specifically what I call animal shelters … that will be put on fields and maybe moved around in those locations because of feeding, because of use, whatever the case may be,” he said. “Typically in the past we’d always require if it was moved, they’d have to come in and get a new permit.”

“Obviously that’s not as prac-

tical as the intent of the ordinance,” he added, noting with the change people “can come in and get one permit (and) designate a specific area that those buildings will be relocated (within) agriculturally zoned districts, (which are) shelters that are being used for livestock up to 400 square foot in size.”

In other business, commissioners:

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For the primary race for the Syracuse Clerk-Treasurer’s office, The Mail-Journal is asking incumbent Virginia Cazier and challenger Larry Siegel a question a week through the April 26 edition to give readers an idea of how each envisions the office.

The fourth question candidates were asked was, “What do you see as the largest and most important challenges the clerk-treasurer’s office will face in the next term and how do you plan to meet

Serving the people of the town of Syracuse is the only reason to have a clerk-treasurer’s office. I have had the opportunity to serve the people of Syracuse on the town council for more than 20 years.

I appreciate the support and confidence from all the people of Syracuse who recently reelected me to the town council. This election has made me aware of a yet greater need to serve as clerktreasurer.

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Easter egg hunts in Milford, North Webster

Youngsters are invited to enjoy Easter egg hunts in Milford and North Webster Saturday, April 8.

Event times: Milford

The Milford Kiwanis will host an egg hunt Saturday, April 8, at Milford Schools. The Easter Bunny will arrive by fire truck at 10:15 a.m., with the hunt starting at 10:30 a.m. The event is open to those in the third grade and under. North Webster

The North Webster Lions Club’s annual egg hunt starts at 9 a.m. sharp Saturday, April 8. The event will be held at the ball fields in North Webster. There will be cash prizes and hard-boiled eggs furnished by Creighton Brothers. There are four age groups: toddlers; preschool and kindergarten; grades

one through three; and grades four through five. The hunt is limited to those up to age 12.

The North Webster Church of God is excited to partner with Camp Crosley again for its annual egg hunt Saturday, April 8. With 20,000 eggs, there are plenty for everyone age 0-12. The hunts are split into four age-appropriate hunt zone times, so people may watch each of their kids participate. There will be free hot cocoa and doughnuts, a petting zoo, a craft and story. The Easter Bunny will be walking around the grounds ready for photos. People should preregister for the event at tinyurl.com/nwcogegghunt23. Check-in starts at 9:30 a.m. and the event starts at 10 a.m.

Indiana’s Largest Marina

Over

6521 E. Cornelius Road Syracuse, IN 46567

Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm Closed Sunday

574.457.4404

Our clerk-treasurer is responsible to follow the direction of the town council, laws of the state of Indiana and federal laws, including the IRS. Our clerk-treasurer is bound by these laws and is not allowed to change or ignore their meanings to support her personal narrative. This obligation appears to be misunderstood or neglected by our current clerk-treasurer, Virginia Cazier.

Several council members who created the policies have tried to help Virginia understand, hoping to correct her misunderstandings. Her response has been that she disagrees. So, unfortunately, there are several issues that cannot be resolved with our current clerktreasurer. These are very likely just the tip of the iceberg. It will be a challenge to sort through and correct the errors.

It will be challenging to provide the audits to correct, bring back and maintain compliance with the direction of the Syracuse Town Council, State of Indiana, and federal laws, including the IRS. I have the qualifications and resources to correct this and return to the longstanding practices that have not been changed.

It is my goal to put the clerktreasurer’s office back together and develop an organization that is legal, sustainable and stable through changing clerk-treasurers into the future.

There are many challenges with any management position, sometimes including fortifying our employees with living wages, cross training and career development, along with increased staffing. There are challenges adjusting to

changes in software, technology, changes in policy and laws; all are just part of the job.

I am running for clerk-treasurer because the town of Syracuse needs a clerk-treasurer who understands the clerk-treasurer’s role, duties and responsibilities. There are very real issues that need to be corrected.

When I see the need, and have the ability, I feel an obligation to serve.

As always, it is my goal to assure Syracuse stays a place where people want to live, work and play.

I hope for your continued support and confidence in this election.

Virginia Cazier

I feel currently inflation poses a challenge to our department, and it has and continues to affect all departments of the Town of Syracuse. Goods and services have increased substantially in the last few years.

Not only is there a cost increase, but the supply chain has also caused delays in many aspects of parts, materials and services. These delays have caused problems with scheduling services, projects and repairing equipment.

Last year the town had to purchase supplies months ahead of time, because suppliers said the materials would not be available for three to six months. Having repairs that need attention and not being able to find the materials is pretty scary.

For example, if the town has a water main break and the supplier we use does not have the materials to repair, we would be forced to use a different supplier with higher costs. This causes the town to spend more money than

it budgeted, which can leave the town short at the end of the year. Due to persistent growth of inflation, we must take a hard look at how we can alleviate the increasing cost to our budget.

It was clear to me while preparing the 2022 budget that we could increase our cost of living raise for our employees. I collaborated with the town manager and we asked the council for a cost of living raise. This would help our employees with the current rise of inflation. At that time, inflation was 6.7%. The council passed the budget, and our hard-working employees received the raise they deserved.

Keeping up with inflation, I feel, will help the town keep the talented employees we have and help with hiring new employees.

Even with inflation on the rise, I have always sought to save the town money in a variety of ways.

As your clerk-treasurer I will ensure Syracuse’s fiscal responsibility.

As long as I am in office, I will continue to provide our citizens with complete confidence in our town’s financial accountability and integrity. I am committed to ensuring that all departments have access to sufficient funding to carry out their functions.

As Syracuse grows, I also strive to ensure that these valuable and essential services can continue to be provided as needed with the necessary staffing and equipment. I am excited about the significant changes that have occurred over the last couple of years. I’m looking forward to Syracuse’s bright future. It would be an honor to receive your support, trust and vote for reelection.

Syracuse named Tree City USA for 22nd year

Syracuse can claim bragging rights once again after it was named a Tree City USA community for the 22nd year in a row. The recognition is by the Arbor Day Foundation. The town first began the process of being recognized more than two decades ago when the Syracuse Town Council suggested the idea.

“The town council thought it was important,” said Chad Jonsson, park superintendent. According to Jonsson, the recognition comes after certain criteria are met. First, the town must have a public tree care ordinance, which was adopted in 2000. The purpose of the ordinance is “to promote and protect the public health, safety, and general welfare, maintenance, and removal of trees, shrubs, and other plants and foliage within the land publicly owned by the town of Syracuse.”

Second, Jonsson said a tree board was established. The board consists of five members. The tree board provides the standards and specifications for pruning, planting and maintaining trees.

Also, a community must have

County council

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Friday afternoon.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, April 6 in the old courtroom of the county courthouse, 100 W. Center St., Warsaw.

Warsaw Municipal Airport Manager Nick King will be given 30 minutes to present on the Warsaw Municipal Airport going from a Board of Aviation Commissioners to a city-county airport authority.

Long said state Rep. Craig Snow may also present on the authority, but Snow couldn’t commit as the state legislature is still in session.

After King’s presentation, Long said the meeting will be open to the public and each person will be allotted 2 minutes to comment. No additional questions will be taken. Long said the comments will probably be taken in two parts — those for the airport authority and those against it — to keep it orderly.

“It’s just an informational session, but I hope it’s a packed house because it’s a pretty big deal,” Long said.

The County Council will not make any motions or votes during the April 6 meeting, he stated. The council’s next regularly scheduled meetings are April 13 and May 11, but Long said King told him the county council could possibly wait until as late as September to make a decision. Councilwoman Kathleen Groninger will not be able to attend the May meeting,

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• Approved three rezoning requests. They were on behalf of Mike Jackson to rezone 3.15 acres south of Old Road 30 West from agricultural to residential; Randall Jessop to rezone 9.4 miles south and east of Waubee Lake on Mock Road from agricultural to residential; and Christine Noel to rezone 2.5 acres on CR 1100N from residential to agricultural 2.

• Approved an agreement with the Michiana Area Council of

Long said, and he wants all the council members to be in attendance when a decision is made on the airport authority. The council’s public meetings are broadcast and saved online and a link to those can be found at www.kcgov.com/boards/ for anyone unable to make the meeting(s).

On March 20, the Warsaw Common Council unanimously approved a resolution moving the airport from a board of aviation commissioners to a city-county airport authority. King gave the Warsaw council a presentation on the authority at their March 6 meeting, but asked that the council not take any action on it until their March 20 meeting to give them time to consider the request and hear from the public.

Though Logansport attorney Donald J. Tribbett appeared with King at the March 20 city council meeting, there were no remonstrators. Tribbett has been working on the airport authority with the city.

The Kosciusko County Council must also approve a resolution similar to the city’s for the airport authority to go forward as the county would have three of the six representatives on the authority board and county taxpayers would see a tax start in 2024 to help pay for the airport and its needs. The mayor would appoint three of the

Governments for aerial photography of the county for geographic information system purposes. The county is paying $67,339 over two years for the measure, which Kosciusko County Commissioner Cary Groninger noted is a cost savings.

• Approved a request from Kosciusko County Health Department Administrator Bob Weaver to trade in a vehicle for the department for another for $15,340 and use grant monies received for the cost.

airport authority board members, with the county commissioners — not the county council — appointing the other three.

The ownership of the airport would be transferred from the BOAC to the authority, if the authority goes forward. The authority would be its own political subdivision, Tribbett told the city council, but the city and county councils would have oversight over the budget.

If the county adopts the resolution, the authority would not begin until Jan. 1. The authority would have to operate under a 2024 budget provided by the city because the authority would only begin collecting tax dollars from the county in 2024.

In a telephone interview Friday, King said the recommended tax rate for an airport authority is governed by state statute. The absolute most the authority would be able to collect is 3.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, but King said that’s not what they would be collecting as a proposed budget. The city and county councils would have to discuss and set the tax rate, but it can’t be no more than the 3.9 cents.

Long said one major landowner — who he didn’t name — told him that the new tax for the airport authority would cost their business between $400,000 and $500,000 so they were not for it. He reiterated the decision is so big, people need to come out to the meeting to give their comments.

When the Warsaw Common Council had their meetings in March on the authority, no members of the public were present.

If the county council approves the authority, there would be a 30-day remonstrance period. If remonstrators collect enough signatures of voters — estimated to be around 456 — and those signatures are verified by the county clerk, then the airport authority would go to a referendum in the next municipal or general election.

an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita. This is about $5,200 a year, said Jonsson.

Lastly, an Arbor Day celebration must be held each year. This is typically hosted at Syracuse Elementary School.

“It is a joint process,” noted Jonsson. “We do some sort of instruction with the kids about trees.”

This could be planting trees, tree ID, games, worm farms and how the surroundings effect the trees.

“We do that as part of our grant process after we did studies,” he said.

Trees are a very important part of a community, Jonsson said. They provide a variety of beneficial uses, including cooling the air, providing shade, increasing property values and eliminating stormwater run off.

Trees are planted every year in Syracuse. Between 2000 and 2015, 364 trees were planted within Syracuse town limits.

Last year, 87 trees were planted. In 2021, 25 trees were planted. So far, 630 trees have been planted in Syracuse since 2000.

Trees were also removed in the town last year. Nine trees were

removed in 2022 and 18 in 2021, costing $15,995.82. Since 2000, it has cost Syracuse $329,031.84 to remove 596 trees. These could be dead or dying trees.

“We keep track of that every year,” Jonsson noted. In 2023, there will be trees planted in the fall and in the spring.

“We try to plant 20 trees a year,” said Jonsson.

Last year, Syracuse received 50 trees as part of a grant. On April 30, 2022, 50 trees were planted in one day by members of the community. Trees are an investment for a community and likewise cost money. In 2022, Syracuse spent $2,567 planting trees and in 2021 it cost $6,262.02. Since 2000, $99,618.79 has been spent planting trees. Overall, in the past 22 years, $503,394.53 has been spent on tree-related expenses.

Other expenses include forestry management, tree maintenance, stump removal and pruning. Last year, 35 trees were pruned and 72 in 2021.

Overall, trees are very beneficial for Syracuse.

“It’s something good for Syracuse,” Jonsson said. “It is important for us.”

Intersection improvements planned for SR 15 North

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces intersection improvements on SR 15 south of Goshen.

Starting on or after April 10, crews will begin working at the intersection of SR 15 and CR 42. Crews will add a deceleration lane on southbound SR 15. Motorists should watch for potential flagging operations during this project.

Work will then begin at the intersection of SR 15 and CR 142. Crews will be adding a left turn lane in both directions.

Work at SR 15 and CR 142 will require closing access to CR 142. The contractor plans to close the east side on April 24 for 30 days followed by the west side closure for 40 days.

Construction on the intersec-

North Webster Town

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larger communities.”

The six North Webster streets to be included in the 2022 Community Crossings Grant are:

• First Street from SR 13 to East Street.

• Blaine Street from Crystal Flash Road to the south entrance of North Webster Elementary School.

• Dixie Drive from Boydston Mill Street to Himes Street.

• East Street from North Street to East George Street.

• Effie Mae Street from SR 13 to Dixie Drive.

• East Madison Street from East Street to Mulberry Street.

tion improvements is expected to be complete by mid-July. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

INDOT encourages drivers to consider worker safety by slowing down, using extra caution and driving distraction-free when travelling in and around all work zones.

Jeff A. Farrell Engineer

Jeff A. Farrell, Fishers, formerly of Warsaw, lost his battle with cancer on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at Ascension St. Vincent Carmel Hospital in Carmel at the age of 69.

He was born July 12, 1953, in Elkhart, to Mabel Irene Dunfee Farrell and Jack R. Farrell Sr. Jeff was a 1971 graduate of Wawasee High School in Syracuse and attended both Manchester College in North Manchester and McPherson College in McPherson, Kan.

Jeff worked as an engineer for Superior Wood Products in Warsaw for 32 years. On April 3, 1976, he married the love of his life, Christine Ann Snyder, and would have celebrated their 47th anniversary this month. They were blessed with five children and shared the joy of becoming grandparents multiple times.

Jeff was a wonderful father and loved spending time with his family and especially his children making so many memories on their canoeing trips. He simply enjoyed nature and doing everything outdoors, such as feeding birds, mimicking bird and deer calls and he had a keen eye for collecting crinoids. Jeff was very athletic, loved basketball, cycling, hiking state parks, canoeing and kayaking. Always full of energy and never afraid to try new things, he bicycled in BAK (Biking Across Kansas), the annual cross state bicycle tour, and the RAGBAI (Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa).

Jeff was an unofficial member of the Jeep Club and a fierce ping-pong player. He was a gifted musician and played the Hohner accordion, trumpet, piano harmonica, tin whistle and the guitar. Jeff enjoyed the fellowship of his church family at Legacy Bible Church in Fishers. He dearly loved his family and will forever be remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend to many who will be dearly missed by all.

He leaves behind his wife, Christine Ann Farrell, Fishers; daughter, Bethany (Kyle) Vaughn, Indianapolis; four sons, Brent (Pennylane) Farrell, Zionsville, Kyle (Nicole Ast) Farrell, Indianapolis, Curtis Farrell, Fishers, and Clark Farrell, Fishers. Also surviving are his beloved five grandchildren, Colton, Kylie and Kenzie Vaughn, Delaney and Lucas Farrell; brother, Jack R. (Marcia) Farrell Jr., Noblesville; and two sisters, Jill (Heinz) Grubert, Elkhart, and Jennifer Mitchell, Warsaw.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Noah Farrell.

Jeff’s life will be celebrated with a service at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 6, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, and officiated by his brother, Jack R. Farrell Jr. A graveside service will follow at Stony Point Cemetery, Atwood. Friends and family may visit prior to the service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Memorial donations may be directed to Riley Children’s Foundation, P.O. Box 3356, Indianapolis IN 46206, in honor of his grandson, Noah; or to Wheeler Mission, P.O. Box 2085, Indianapolis, IN 46206.

Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.

James A. Campbell Jr. Community Leader

James Allan “Al” Campbell Jr. peacefully entered heaven’s gates on the evening of March 26, 2023. He had a perfect day watching NCAA basketball with family at his home on Lake Wawasee — his favorite place in the world.

Al was born in Richmond on May 11, 1930, and what a gift he was to his parents and everyone that knew him. He was an Indiana boy living in eight different towns K-12 and attended three high schools in Warsaw, Walkerton and Sullivan. He loved his Indiana roots and continued to keep in touch with his classmates through the years.

He attended Indiana University for one year, pledging Phi Delta Theta, and then transferred to Purdue University when he was accepted into their Naval ROTC program. Al met his future wife, Dottie Vogelgesang, while at Purdue.

Al served his country as a marine and fought in the Korean War, earning a Purple Heart. Ten days after his return from the war, he married his love, Dottie, in Indianapolis.

He had a successful career of 37 years at Procter and Gamble, where he directed international personnel and traveled the world. He cherished his P&G family and made lifelong friends. Al was a community leader and avid volunteer serving on school boards, Cincinnati Rotary, the International Visitors Council in Cincinnati, as an elder at North Minster Presbyterian Church, the Wawasee Property Owner’s Association and Wawasee Area Conservancy. He loved guiding the “10 Lake” canoe trips for 25 years and all the connections he made.

Al shared 58 years with his beloved wife, Dottie. Then he was blessed to find love for a second time with his special friend, Georgia Ernst. They had a happy 10 years together.

Al was a wonderful father and husband, faithful servant to God, great communicator, courageous warrior and loved his country, family and friends fiercely.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Priscilla and James A. Campbell Sr.; sister, Connie; and his wife, Dorothy Campbell.

He is survived by his special friend, Georgia Ernst; his younger sister, Karen McCallum; his children, Kathy Sorrels, David (Haylene) Campbell, Betsy (Mark) Phillips and Nancy (Jeff) Jensen. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Brandi, Alex, Laura, Christina, Erin, Nick, Sarah, Michelle, Abby, Grace, Andrew and Caroline. He was additionally blessed with six great-grandchildren and nine wonderful nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held in Cincinnati, Friday, May 12, at Spring Grove Funeral Home, 4389 Spring Grove Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio. Visitation at 1 p.m. with service at 2 p.m. A casual “Al style” Lake Wawasee celebration will be held Saturday, July 8, at WACF, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse, beginning at 3 p.m.

Contributions in his memory can be made to WACF (wacf.com) Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Syracuse.

Titus Funeral Home-Owen Chapel of Syracuse is entrusted with the care of James “Al” Campbell Jr.

To leave a condolence, please visit www.titusfuneralhome.com.

Kenneth Ray Sharp

U.S. Army Veteran

Kenneth Ray Sharp, known to most as “Ken,” passed through heaven’s gates on Saturday, April 1, 2023, after several weeks at Lutheran Hospital. He was 94 years old.

Born in Nappanee on Oct. 27, 1928, he was the son of Perry and Lottie (Thomas) Sharp. He spent his formative years in Nappanee and learned the value of hard work at an early age. He spent many years farming. He also worked in and managed several grain mills, including Nappanee Mill, Foreaker Farm Service and more than 17 years with Forest Grove Mill.

Reginald Lee Stickel

U.S. Army Veteran

Reginald “Reggie” Lee Stickel, 71, Goshen, passed away at home at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, March 26, 2023, surrounded by his family.

He was born Aug. 11, 1951, to Raymond and Lois (Weaver) Stickel at Elkhart General Hospital. Reggie married his wife of 52 years, Pollyanna (Miller) Stickel of Middlebury, on March 27, 1971; she survives.

Reggie is also survived by his only son, Nicholas (Danielle) Stickel; and three grandbabies, Riley, Kenna and Dylan of Goshen. Other survivors include siblings, Rita (David) Helwig of Pennsylvania, Luanne (Jim) Cripe of Syracuse, Duane (Linda) Stickel of Middlebury, and last but certainly not least, his sidekick, little sister, Lori Stickel of Elkhart. Also surviving are his four nieces and two nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one niece, Angela Christner.

Reggie graduated in 1970 from Goshen (Redskins) High School in Goshen. He worked for Penn Controls until 1975, when he joined the Army and was stationed in Fort Knox, Ky., and then Fort Carson, Colo., where he and his wife lived until they returned home in 1979 after being involved in a motorcycle accident causing his early retirement from the Army in 1982. Reggie lived out the rest of his days as an avid member of the local American Legion Post 484, Millersburg, where he served as finance officer.

He and his wife also enjoyed riding motorcycles and were part of the legion club “Riders.” Reggie lived the later part of his life helping to be a full-time sitter for his grandbabies, teaching them all he knew and enjoying his favorite pastime of cuddles and naps. Along with the help of his dedicated wife and son, his final wishes were fulfilled. He was able to pass away peacefully at home and have his body donated to science through Indiana University in Indianapolis.

Due to the numerous medical conditions Reggie endured during his lifetime, he wished to donate his body in order for others to learn from him and his conditions. Not only serving medical students but also in hopes that he would be able to make life easier or better for someone else in the future. In his final acts of selflessness, his wishes to help “at least one person” will be met tenfold and be everlasting.

Due to Reggie’s final wishes, there will be no visitation or funeral.

In lieu of cards or flowers, we respectfully ask that any memorial contributions be made in Reggie’s name to the Anatomical Education Program with donations being sent to 635 Barnhill Drive, Room MS 304, Indianapolis, IN 46202 at Indiana University School of Medicine. This gift will contribute significantly to the advancement of health science education in the state of Indiana.

Julia Villarreal

Milford Resident

Julia Villarreal, known to many as Wela, was born Feb. 16, 1931, in Odem, Texas, to Seberiano and Aquilina Ybarra. She passed away Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, at home in Milford, surrounded by those she loved.

She was a loving daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-greatgrandmother and friend. She was a devoted Christian who worshipped the Lord and loved her family and dog, Chiquita. She enjoyed gardening, watching Novellas, cooking, playing bingo with her friends and spending time with her loved ones. She was also a hard worker and helped countless others through her kindness.

Julia was preceded in death by her parents; her two sons, Daniel Villareal and Seberiano Villarreal; her son-in-law, Ted Gilllem (Martha); and three brothers, Leo Ybarra, Juan Ybarra and Ignacio Ybarra (Rosa).

New funeral records database

A team of dedicated researchers from the North Webster Community Public Library and local historian, Michael Harris, spent nearly four years developing a new funeral records database with over 100 years of records.

In 1952, Charles M. Harris purchased the former Carr Funeral Home in Syracuse, acquiring the records from Carr and his predecessors. Harris provided funeral service until 1986 when he sold the business to a long time employee and nephew, Gary Eastlund. The Eastlund Funeral Home continues to serve the community under the direction of Gary’s daughter and son-in-law Sheryl and Dave Colquitt.

Harris also acquired the former Troxel Funeral Home in North Webster in 1961, and the Hartzler Gutermuth Funeral Home in Goshen in 1963. Over 100 years of records existed from those facilities.

When Michael Harris, Charlie’s son, sold the Goshen Funeral Home (Blocker-Harris), he acquired those records. At that time, he and his wife Rebecca wanted to preserve his father’s legacy and planned to create a database of the Goshen records. Realizing that this task was bigger than two people could handle, he approached Beth Smith at the North Webster Community Public Library and asked for her assistance in documenting the records from all three funeral homes through Harris’ administration. With the cooperation of the Colquitt’s, records were transported in phases to the library for digitization and transcription.

The records not only contain funeral information but in many cases obituaries and other information valuable to genealogical researchers. The digitized and transcribed records are now available to search through the library’s website: nweb. lib.in.us/indiana_room/index.html.

In addition to Beth Smith, the Colquitts, and the Harris’, the North Webster Community Public library would like to thank Faye Myers,

Terri Ritter, Ian Crighton, the Glean Team (genealogy club), and other volunteers who made this database possible. Their years of work have made this valuable tool to anyone interested in genealogy a reality.

These records plus many other genealogy and local history resources are available in the North Webster Community Public Library genealogy department.

The genealogy work room is open to the public any time the library is open, and community members are always welcomed and encouraged to take advantage of the great historical resources provided.

Library hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

A man whose love for family and Christ were obvious, Ken wore his heart on his sleeve. He was a longtime member of Dutchtown Church of the Brethren. He was an honorably discharged member of the United States Army and a member of American Legion Post 253. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening and yard work — he liked being outdoors. He was proud of his children and loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren dearly.

Married to Sandra “Sandy” Welker on March 21, 1954, Ken was also a loving husband. In addition to Sandy, Ken is survived by three children, Danny (Vicki) Sharp of Milford, Scott (Cindy) Sharp of Hudsonville, Mich., and Tim (Mary) Sharp of Zeeland, Mich.; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; great-grandson, Benjamin Sharp; three sisters, Frances Guard, Opal Lewallen and Norma Hodges; and two stepbrothers, Robert and Thomas McDonald.

Titus Funeral Home is entrusted with care of Ken and the Sharp family. Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at Titus Funeral Home-Owen Chapel, 1001 S. Huntington St., Syracuse. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 6, at Dutchtown Church of Brethren, 4057 E. 300N, Warsaw, with doors open for one hour prior. Interment will follow at 3 p.m. at Union Center Cemetery.

Memorial gifts are appreciated by the family and should be directed to Dutchtown Brethren Church.

Written condolences can be left for the family at www.titusfuneralhome.com.

She is survived by her son, Abel Y. Trevino of Odem, Texas; five daughters, Dora Pena and Martha Gillem of Milford, Noemi Rocha of Cromwell, Frances Blanco of Odem, Texas, and Mary A. Duhart (David) of Palacios, Texas; three brothers, Frank Ybarra, Jose Ybarra (Delia) and Antonio Ybarra (Isabel); and two sisters, Louisa Perales and Margarita Navarro. She leaves behind a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and extended family. She will live on in our hearts and we will cherish her memories forever. Eastlund Funeral Home, Syracuse, was in charge of arrangements.

Accidents/Incidents

Kosciusko County

Officers with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office investigated the following accidents and incidents: Accidents

6:59 p.m. Friday, March 31, EMS B45 Lane, south of North Sullivan Road, Leesburg. Driver: Fredrick W. Krull, 80, Leesburg. Krull said he was traveling home when he “lost control” of his vehicle. Police observed from tire marks that he appeared to be traveling east on Sullivan Road and tried to turn right on EMS B45 Lane. His vehicle hit a tree, then an outbuilding. Krull was extricated and taken to the hospital. Damage more than $100,000.

5:09 a.m. Friday, March 31, East CR 600N, east of North CR 975E, North Webster. Driver: Brock A. Hawthorne, 45, West CR 200S, Pierceton. Hawthorne’s vehicle collided with a deer. Damage up to $10,000.

4:29 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, North SR 13, south of East CR 800N, North Webster. Driver: Christina M. DeBoard, 39, Village Lane, Akron. DeBoard’s vehicle hit a deer. Damage up to $25,000. Incidents

10 p.m. Friday, March 31, 100 block EMS T32 Lane, Leesburg. Jordan W. Gavin reported the theft of two Chevrolet C10 rims, a chainsaw, and a box of ceiling tiles. Value: $900.

8:56 a.m. Wednesday, March 29, 5700 block East CR 1400N, Syracuse. Representatives for Maxwelton Golf Course reported criminal mischief to a golf green.

North Webster

Officers with the North Webster Police Department investigated the following incident: Incident

6:05 a.m. Friday, March 31, 400 block West Huntington Street, North Webster. Ashley L. Walker reported criminal mischief to a vehicle.

Syracuse

Officers with the Syracuse Police Department made the following arrest: Arrests

8:15 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, 1100 block North Lakeview Avenue, Syracuse. Robert Anthony Flowers Jr., 42, 1520 East Winona Avenue, Warsaw, was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine, paraphernalia, and resisting arrest. Officers received information that Flowers, who had an active warrant, was staying at a friends house. An officer saw a man matching Flowers description, walking on the side of the road. When approached and asked to identify himself, Flowers repeatedly gave the wrong first name. The officer informed Flowers he was being put under arrest. A second officer arrived on the scene for assistance. While attempting to make the arrest, Flowers fled on foot, and was brought to the ground and handcuffed. After searching his person, officers found methamphetamine, marijuana and paraphernalia. Bond was set at $10,500, surety and cash.

Jail Bookings

Kosciusko County

The following people were

Two Syracuse teenagers arrested after pursuit

booked in Kosciusko County Jail:

April 3 — Gerardo Sanchez, 32, 508 N. Parkway Drive, A, Syracuse, booked for a probation violation – felony and a foreign warrant. Bond: $5,250 surety and cash.

April 2 — Brandon Devante Smith, 24, 506 S. Manor Drive, Syracuse, booked for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Bond: $700 cash.

April 1 — Sonya Louise Connolly, 55, 9177 N. 100E, Milford, booked for residential entry.

Bond: $5,250 surety and cash.

April 1 — Karise Nicole Cooper-Wilson, 44, 26 EMS T34 Lane, Leesburg, booked for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Bond: $700 surety and cash.

March 31 — Diamond Nicole Holden, 27, 7227 E. Blacks Court North, North Webster, booked for possession of methamphetamine.

Bond: $10,250 surety and cash.

March 31 — Brandon Todd Holden, 33, 7227 E. Blacks Court North, North Webster, booked on two counts of possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia. Bond: $15,500 surety and cash.

March 29 — Eduardo Angel Aguilar-Cuahuizo, 19, 108 S. East St., Milford, booked for driving while suspended prior. Bond: $450 cash. Elkhart County

The following person were booked in Elkhart County Jail:

March 28 — Brandon Jay Chilcutt, 33, 8984 E. Crow Road, Syracuse, booked for possession of methamphetamine and possession of cocaine or a narcotic drug. No bond listed.

Three face drug charges after traffic stop

Three people from North Webster are facing charges after a traffic stop resulted in the discovery of drugs near a young child.

Brandon Todd Holden, 33; and Diamond Nicole Holden, 27, both of 312 W. Crystal Flash Road, Lot 36, North Webster, are each charged with possession of methamphetamine and neglect of a dependent, both level 5 felonies; and possession of paraphernalia, a class C misdemeanor.

Rodney James Crittendon, 53, 7235 N. SR 13, North Webster, is charged with possession of methamphetamine, a level 5 felony; operating a vehicle with a BAC of .15 or more with a passenger under the age of 18, a level 6 felony; and possession of marijuana, a class B misdemeanor.

On March 15, an Indiana State Police trooper was near North Webster when he noticed a red Chevrolet Silverado cross the center of the roadway multiple times and then travel all the way over to the right side of the road. The trooper pulled the vehicle

over and identified its driver as Crittendon and two of its passengers as the Holdens. A young child under 2 years of age was also in the vehicle.

According to court documents, the trooper noticed Crittendon was exhibiting signs of intoxication. Crittendon failed three field sobriety tests and was believed to be under the influence of a controlled substance.

While searching the vehicle, troopers found drug paraphernalia and clear containers with meth residue. Diamond told the officers a purse in the vehicle, found on the floor near the child, belonged to her but said the drug containers found in her purse didn’t.

While searching Brandon’s person, troopers found a black pen body containing meth. Upon searching Crittendon’s person, troopers found one gram of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a bag containing 2.5 grams of meth.

Diamond was previously convicted of methamphetamine possession in Noble County in February 2021.

Brandon has prior convictions for marijuana possession, main-

taining a common nuisance, and paraphernalia possession. He also has an active criminal case for theft and drug possession.

The Holdens were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail Friday, March 31. Crittendon had already been arrested and has a pretrial conference May 22.

Two teenagers from Syracuse were recently arrested after allegedly fleeing on motorcycles from law enforcement.

Christopher Raige Jarvis Jr., 19; and Elijah Joe Kessens, 19, both of 202 S. Edgewater Drive, Syracuse, are each charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony.

On March 24, dispatch said Columbia City Police officers were in pursuit of two motorcycles traveling west on US 30 from Larwill. The officers terminated the pursuit at US 30 and Binkley Road. According to court documents,

a Pierceton Police officer noticed two motorcyclists run the red light at US 30 and SR 13. One of the motorcyclists also crossed the center line. The officer attempted to pull the motorcyclists over but the drivers continued north on SR 13. One of the motorcyclists, later identified as Kessens, attempted to turn east onto Old 30 but lost control and crashed. He was taken into custody at that

time while the other motorcyclist, later identified as Jarvis, continued to resist law enforcement.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputies and Syracuse Police officers located Jarvis at a home in North Webster. Jarvis admitted to fleeing from officers on his motorcycle. Both Jarvis and Kessens were booked in the Kosciusko County Jail March 24.

Warsaw man arrested after fleeing from vehicle accident which left man hospitalized

Daniel

Lee Halsey Jr., 39, 1606

Tippecanoe Drive Apartment 2B, Warsaw, was arrested after allegedly leaving the scene of a vehicle accident, which left a man hospitalized for several days.

Halsey is charged with failure to stop after a vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a syringe, all level 6 felonies; and driving while suspended, a class A misdemeanor.

At 6:30 a.m. Nov. 29, 2022, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office responded to a personal injury accident involving two vehicles at the intersection of SR 15 and CR 600N, Leesburg. While heading to the scene, deputies learned one of the drivers left the scene on foot.

According to court documents, Sean Cook was traveling south on SR 15 in a 2007 black Ford when the driver of an eastbound 2009 Dodge minivan on CR 600N failed to yield the right of way and pulled into the Ford’s path of travel.

Court News

Civil Collections

Elkhart County

The following civil collection has been awarded in Elkhart County Superior Court IV: TD Bank USA, N.A. v. Bridget Levitz, New Paris, $1,447.28

Evictions

The following eviction has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Wawasee Plaza LLC v. Sarah Elbert, $3,792.27

Marriage Licenses

Kosciusko County

The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Court Ann Torpy: Miller-Kauffman

Matthew J. Miller, 25, Nappanee, and Wanita K. Kauffman, 20, Milford

Leesburg man extricated after his vehicle hits garage

A Leesburg man was extricated from his vehicle after it hit a tree, then a garage Friday, March 31.

It happened at 6:59 p.m. at EMS B45 Lane and North Sullivan Road, Leesburg, by Sechrist Lake.

According to a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office accident report, Fredrick W. Krull, 80, Leesburg, told police he was traveling home in a red 2018 Chevro-

let Silverado when he “lost control” of his vehicle. Police observed from the vehicle’s tire tracks that Krull appeared to be traveling east on Sullivan Road and tried to turn right on EMS B45 Lane before hitting the tree and garage.

Krull was extricated by first

Tiedge-She

Robert L. Tiedge, 80, Syracuse, and Lifang She, 52, Fort Myers, Fla.

Cortez-Ocon

Omar Campos Cortez, 27, Milford, and Yesenia Romo Ocon, 30, Milford Miller-Whetstone

Emery A. Miller, 27, Milford, and Freda R.Whetstone, 32, Nappanee

Marriage Dissolutions

Kosciusko County

The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in the Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts: Smith — Crystal Smith, Syracuse, and Steven Smith, Syracuse. No minor children.

Boren-Rodriguez — Whitney Boren, Leesburg, and Marcos Rodriguez, Chicago. No minor children.

Cook said his right wrist and right hip were both causing him excessive pain. Responding deputies also noticed Cook had abrasions on his face.

Deputies looked inside the minivan and saw a hypodermic syringe, glass pipe, and identifying information for Halsey. The deputies also learned Halsey was a suspended driver and had an active warrant for his arrest at the time.

Six hours after the accident, a deputy was traveling on Armstrong Road when he noticed Halsey walking in the area.

Halsey said he was one of the drivers involved in the accident and that he wasn’t sure what happened. When asked about the drug paraphernalia in the minivan, Halsey said

the items would test positive for methamphetamine. In an interview with KCSO detectives, Halsey said he has a medical condition and does not remember what happened, but admitted to driving the minivan at the time of the accident. He also said he never attempted to contact law enforcement about the accident. Cook suffered multiple fractures that needed to be surgically repaired and was hospitalized for several days due to his injuries.

Halsey has a prior judgment against him for driving while suspended in Kosciusko County in February 2022. For this case, Halsey was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail Saturday, April 1, with a $5,500 surety and cash bond.

Connolly arrested for entering a home without permission

Sonya

Louise Connolly, 55, 9177 N. CR 100E, Milford, was arrested after allegedly entering a home without permission. She is charged with residential entry, a level 6 felony.

On Jan. 24, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy went to a residence in Milford to investigate a fight. Connolly told the deputy she was in a confrontation with a woman regarding a cellphone. The deputy noticed a

mark across Connolly’s forehead and a swollen bruise near her right eye.

According to court documents, Connolly admitted to opening the door to the residence and walking in without permission because she knew the man who owned the home.

The woman said she was in the home when Connolly walked in without permission and attacked her. Connolly allegedly knocked the woman to the floor and hit her. The woman then kicked and hit Connolly back.

The deputy noticed the woman’s face was red and also noticed a spot of dried blood above her lip.

Connolly was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail Saturday, April 1, with a $5,250 surety and cash bond.

206 S. Main St. P.O. Box 188 Milford, IN 46542-0188 Phone (574) 658-4111 1-800-733-4111 FAX 800-886-3796

102 E. Main St. Syracuse, IN 46567-1119 Phone (574)

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SUBSCRIPTION: Newstand rate $1.50 per copy, $47.00 per year in Kosciusko County, $58.00 per year in Indiana and $68.00 per year out of state.

Publisher, Ron Baumgartner rbaumgartner@the-papers.com

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Syracuse photographer brings black and white back to life

Syracuse-based traveling photographer Adrian Otero

Vila is known for his stunning black-and-white landscape photographs, taken in breathtaking destinations across Europe and the United States.

Originally from Monforte de Lemos, Spain, Vila attended college in A Coruña, where he met his wife, Rachel Baskerville. She was working as an assistant for an English as a Second Language instructor at a primary school outside the city, and the two connected through mutual friends.

Smoke, water damage home, cause unknown

A home at 11169 N. Wawasee

Circle East, Cromwell, was extensively damaged by smoke and water Monday night, April 3. The cause of the fire is undetermined.

Turkey Creek Fire Territory was called at 5:54 p.m. to the home. The initial report was that a fireplace or woodburning stove caused a fire that may have spread to the attic.

The occupant, Joe Todd Jr., his dog and several cats were able to escape the home without injury.

When firefighters arrived they found heavy smoke coming from the home, but no flames. Excessive heat did cause four windows to break out.

Sparta Township was initially called for manpower and tanker assistance and Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory was requested for tanker assistance and later manpower.

The scene was brought under control at 6:51 p.m.

Turkey Creek Fire Territory Fire Chief Mickey Scott reports approximately 5,000 to 6,000 gallons of water were used. A hydrant at Pier 343 was used to refill tankers.

The cause, according to Scott, remains undetermined. Damage has been estimated up to $60,000.

The home, according to county records, is owned by Doris and Darrell Stahly, Goshen.

Letter to the editor

Syracuse Clerk-Treasurer responds to challenger’s accusations

Dear Editor, I am opposing my opponent Larry Siegel’s false accusation. Here are the facts:

• Larry Siegel stated, “we did not need to hire a consulting company, Local Government Services, to balance the town’s checkbook.”

Fact: We hired Local Government Services for internal controls for our 2022 budget. Per State Board of Accounts every municipality must have internal controls. This just shows you how little my opponent knows about State Board of Accounts mandatory policies and how important it is to have internal controls.

• My opponent stated, “The Clerk-Treasurer needs to understand and follow IRS ‘Comparability Rules’ regarding contribu-

We welcome readers’ letters. Our requirements are as follows: Letters must be written to the editor, not the public. They must be signed with full name in ink. Signature will be printed on all letters. Letters must include an address and phone number, which will be used for verification, but will not be published. Emailed letters will be accepted but the above information must be included. We ask that letters be limited to 400 words. Writers may be limited to one published letter per month. Readers with lengthy comments should contact an editor about possible guest columns.

Send letters to: The MailJournal, P. O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542 or dpatterson@thepapers.com.

tions to employee Health Savings Accounts.” Fact: Comparability Rules, for the HSA, all full-time employees have received the same deductible amount in their HSA. My opponent is a part-time employee. Full-time employees and part-time employees are not in the same class. The town’s fulltime employees are PHP insured and my opponent is Anthem insured. In the November 2022 meeting, Council agreed to put $3,000 in the PHP insured HSA. Mr. Siegel feels entitled to the same amount in his HSA, even though his deductible is only $2,400. The special meeting on Nov. 30, 2004, states three times, “The town will only put an employee’s single deductible in their HSA.” The ruling

has never changed.

• Not wanting to contribute money to our lake associations. Fact: At the Nov. 15, 2022, council meeting, my opponent was not present.

• RDC Clerical Error. Fact: An invoice was put on the RDC Docket. It was a small clerical error which was fixed the next day. The invoice was already being paid by the correct appropriation, not RDC. If my opponent could only find one clerical error in the years I’ve been clerk, then I think I am doing a pretty good job. I love my job and I love serving the residents of this town.

Virginia Cazier Clerk-Treasurer Town of Syracuse

The couple eventually moved to Portland, Ore., where they lived for five to six years before moving to Syracuse. “I don’t have a background in arts or anything like that. I used to be a computer engineer,” Vila shared.

However, the beauty of the Oregon landscape inspired him to pick up a camera and start capturing its magnificence during hiking trips. As his passion for photography grew, so did his camera equipment, ultimately leading to his decision to become a full-time photographer.

Both Vila and Baskerville love traveling, but Baskerville primarily works her job remotely from their Syracuse home. The couple’s decision to go full-time in photography was daunting. Vila said, “I didn’t know where to go. The idea was to move to Europe, but in the end, we don’t really live anywhere, but officially, we live here. It depends on the year, maybe six months here, six months in Spain.”

Despite their travels, Vila enjoys returning to Syracuse, particularly during the snowy winters. “I spend the whole winter here. I didn’t even drive anywhere, and I did all my photography this winter here,” he said. His favorite spot is the golf course during a snowstorm, where he can escape from peo-

ple and capture the photos he desires. The Syracuse-Wawasee Trail extension also provides plenty of picturesque opportunities for Vila’s photography.

The couple’s travel schedule varies from year to year. Last year, Vila spent time in Norway, a trip Baskerville visited for a short time, which she described as “hard to imagine how beautiful it is. And it’s everywhere. The whole country looks like a majestic knap.” Vila noted that Norway’s winter darkness was the only drawback. Vila holds a special place in his heart for Oregon, as it offers diverse landscapes from mountains to deserts.

Interestingly, bad weather, especially winter in Indiana, serves as Vila’s primary inspiration. He doesn’t mind exploring the same places every day, as long as he has a camera in hand. “I pay more attention to

the everyday stuff. That’s kind of cool because I didn’t used to pay that much attention when I used to work in front of a computer, and now I get to spend time outdoors,” Vila said. They will be heading back to Spain in April for about three months. Baskerville will return to Syracuse for the summer, and Vila plans on taking a road trip to Scotland for his next photography adventure. For those interested in viewing Vila’s work, an extensive collection as well as his photobooks,“Memories In The Fog,” and “Becoming An American,” can be found on his website, aows.co. To learn more about the Vila or his techniques, visit his YouTube channel AOWS. There he offers behind-thescenes glimpses into his photographic expeditions and shares tips and advice with fellow photographers.

Syracuse Community Public Library — Syracuse Friends hosts April coffee social

Fans of coffee and tea will want to drop by the Syracuse Public Library from 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, April 12, for the Friends of the Syracuse Public Library’s coffee social.

Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and help yourself to the treats the Friends provide in the upstairs sitting area. Library visitors can also sit and socialize with others and the Friends. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the Friends and what is going on at the library.

If you are doing any spring cleaning, the Friends are seeking book donations for their ongoing book sale. Donations should be gently used and can be paperbacks and hardbacks, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks and antique books. The library does not accept magazines, high school and college textbooks/required reading, books with no jacket covers, Bibles, cassette tapes, ripped or stained materials, materials with mildew, encyclopedias or dictionaries, greeting

cards or VHS. Bring all donations to the upstairs circulation desk; do not place donations into the outdoor drop box.

Children’s Programming

Children’s programming returns to its normal schedule following spring break. Come test your building skills during LEGO Club at 4 p.m. Monday, April 10. Children will create pyramids. Each Monday there is a new challenge; watch the library’s social media pages to uncover them.

Story time and homeschool class will meet at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday, April 12. Homeschool class will focus on engineering challenges. Meanwhile, preschool children will continue to explore the alphabet and various picture books. Everything read during story time counts toward the library’s 1,000 Books

Before Kindergarten program.

RPG Dice And Drama Night

Roleplaying game beginners and seasoned adventurers ages 16-25 can join RPG Dice

& Drama Night from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, April 13, in the Rosalyn Jones Room. During this session, players will explore “Heart: The City Beneath.” Don’t worry about interrupting a long-running campaign, as each session features a self-contained story. Game master Robert Rensberger has an extensive RPG collection that group members will get to explore. If you enjoy sampling different RPGs, this is the group for you. For information, contact Rensberger at rrensberger@ syracuse.lib.in.us.

Bugg, Clayton give presentations at Homemakers meeting

Kelly Bugg, executive director of Safe Haven Child Advocacy Center, Warsaw, and Brad Clayton from Clayton Garden Center, North Webster, were presenters at the Michigan City Indiana Extension Homemakers Association spring district meeting, held Thursday, March 30, at Camp Alexander Mack in Milford.

Approximately 100 members attended the meeting, which was hosted by Sue Martin, president of the Kosciusko County Extension Homemakers and Shannon Shepherd, Kosciusko County Extension educator.

Child Advocacy Center

Bugg spoke how Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center started. The center provides a unique approach to the investigation of child abuse and neglect cases.

Sports

Children involved in abuse cases are referred to the center for forensic interviews by either law enforcement or the Department of Children’s Services.

Bugg, who has a degree in criminal justice from Indiana University, worked as an investigator for Children’s Services for 33 years. When she announced her retirement, the local prosecutor decided it was time to open a child advocacy center with Bugg at the helm.

Safe Haven Child Advocacy Center is located in the back of the K21 Health Services Pavilion in Warsaw. The space offers a safe, comfortable place for children to be interviewed. Prior to the center opening, Bugg said she would interview children at the county jail or at the offices of DCS or at school, none making a child feel comfortable when discussing sensitive matters.

Lady Warrior softball falls to Elkhart

innings to narrowly secure the victory.

Several counties, including Elkhart, St. Joseph and Allen, have child advocacy centers. Kosciusko County is the smallest county in the area to have a child advocacy center.

Bugg explained when she does an interview, she wears an ear piece and there are cameras in the room. In another room, representatives from law enforcement, DCS, Bowen Center and prosecutor’s office may watch the interview and have Bugg ask specific questions.

“We’re very careful to ask those structured, non-leading questions,” Bugg said. After the interview, Bugg sends in Wally, a greyhound who is an emotional support dog, to be with the child, while she speaks to the adults regarding whether the child’s information is credible, where the child should go and what services the child needs.

In addition to abuse cases, Bugg has also interviewed children who have witnessed violent crime or domestic abuse.

Pollinators

Clayton spoke about pollinators, focusing more on bees and insects than birds and other pollinators.

The Lady Warrior softball team was defeated by Elkhart, 4-3, Thursday, March 30, at Elkhart High School.

Elkhart jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning. The Lady Warriors displayed superb pitching and defense throughout most of the game, holding Elkhart scoreless in five out of seven innings. The game was tied 2-2 entering the fourth inning. Wawasee took a 3-2 lead into the fifth inning.

Elkhart scored two runs in the sixth inning and held the Lady Warriors scoreless the last three

Elkhart had seven total hits and Wawasee had five. Each team had three errors.

Wawasee junior pitcher Haylee

Allen pitched an excellent game in the circle with nine strikeouts.

Sophomore Evelyn Duncan was superb, leading the team with a double and two RBI’s. Olivia Dailey, Ava Couture, Iliana Burelison and Heatherlynn Holder each contributed one hit.

The Lady Warriors continue to get great contributions from their newcomers and underclassmen. The team is now 2-1 on the season.

Next game: 5 p.m. Monday, April 10, at Fairfield High School.

Warrior baseball falls to Wabash in season opener

The Wawasee Warrior baseball team fell to Wabash, 12-8, Thursday, March 30, at Wabash High School.

The Wabash bats were hot right out of the gate. They scored seven runs in the first inning.

The Warriors were able to get on the scoreboard, scoring one run in the second inning, and Wabash led 11-1 after four innings.

The Warriors didn’t quit. Their bats suddenly got hot. They battled back with a furious rally, scoring seven runs in the fifth inning. Wabash led 12-8 heading into the sixth inning.

Neither team could muster a

run in the final two innings and Wawasee’s comeback fell short.

Wabash had eight hits and Wawasee had six. Each team had three errors.

Warrior pitcher Ty Brooks pitched four innings, allowing one earned run with nine strikeouts. Reed Ridenbach had three strikeouts.

Dane Cripe led the Warriors with two hits. Hunter Fiedeke, Ridenbach, Kaleb Salazar and Dylan Stump each had one hit for Wawasee. Ridenbach had two RBIs. Stump, Cripe, Kane Dukes and Logen Kessler each had one RBI. Every Warrior reached base at least once.

Next game: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at home versus Whitko.

Loretta Schafer

Mike Schafer

Matt & Mariah Roberts

Tippyview Lawn Care -

Chad Tom

Russell & Mary Anderson

Jody Melton

Lee & Sandy Beer

Jess Beer

Doug Long

Jill Wake

Mike & Carolyn Zimmerman

He pointed out without pollinators, the produce section of the grocery store would be pretty bare, with only oranges and grapefruit as offerings. Loss of pollinators also affects other grocery items, such as dairy.

There are over 200,000 species of bees globally, although the honeybee gets most of the attention. Clayton noted the lack of global stability has an affect on pollinators. As an example he highlighted the African stingless bee, which is native to Africa and Syria, noting the war in Syria has set the bee back.

Clayton also discussed how urban residents can make their yards more pollinator friendly by mowing the yard less frequently, planting native plants, using less mulch and selecting native flowering plants with white, blue or purple blooms since pollinators can see those colors.

Clayton spoke about several of the native plants his family’s business sells. He also mentioned the million pollinator garden challenge, which started under President Obama. The country is now working toward a goal to have 10 million pollinator gardens in the next few years.

North Webster Community Public Library — Big spring clearance book sale

The Friends of the Library will be hosting a big spring clearance book sale April 20-22 at the North Webster Community Public Library. Hours for the book sale will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 20-21, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22.

The FOL is excited to offer a wide variety of books, includ-

ing many youth and young adult titles, coffee table books, cookbooks, Christian fiction, thrillers, large print books and more.

Besides books, the sale will also include items such as DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, audiobooks, puzzles and more. Pricing for sale items ranges from 25-50 cents depending on the

Goldenberg sells interest in two Elkhart County trade journals

Syracuse businessman Sherm Goldenberg recently sold his interest in G&G Media Group LLC, the Elkhart-based

Jr. Snavely

Yvonne Burton

Jeremy Byler

Beth & Hubert Krull

Todd Harris

Marc & Jodi Beer

Christi Haman

Todd & Kelly Ropp

Jason Haab

Matt Morehouse

Adam Melton

Ann Schafer

Luke Minear

publisher of two national trade titles — RVBusiness and Woodall’s Campground Magazine, according to published reports.

Co-owners Goldenberg and Gregg Fore sold their respective shares in G&G Media to Rick Kessler, who had spent the last nine years as executive editor of the Elkhart trade publisher, and Scott Stropkai, best known previously as an executive for Statistical Surveys Inc., Grands Rapids, Mich.

Since the sale was finalized in early March, Kessler has assumed Goldenberg’s role as publisher, while Stropkai has become chief operating officer for the company, headquartered in downtown Elkhart.

A long-term resident of Lake Wawasee originally employed by The Journal-Gazette of Fort Wayne, Goldenberg began working for the former owners of RVBusiness in 1985, serving as vice president of the thenSouthern California-based parent company, Affinity Group Inc., before purchasing an interest in the two publications in 2011 and relocating them to northern Indiana while maintaining his long-term residence off Wawasee’s Johnson Bay.

“Some things just take their own natural course, and that’s exactly what’s happening here,” said Goldenberg, who will continue with the company as RVBusiness’s senior editor, helping to coordinate events such as the RV Industry Power Breakfast, slated for May 11 at Elkhart’s Northern Indiana Event Cen-

ter, and the RVBusiness Top 50 Dealer Awards, scheduled for November in Las Vegas. Goldenberg’s spouse, Karen Goldenberg, has also stepped away from her duties as the company’s chief financial officer as part of the transition and picked up her pickleball pace at the Syracuse Community Center and elsewhere. He, in turn, is still involved in charitable roles with the North Webster Community Center and Syracuse-Wawasee Trails Committee.

“Despite the wisecracks of my friends, this is not a genuine retirement,” Goldenberg told The Mail-Journal. “I’m a workaholic, so I’m not really retiring as such. There are a number of things in the works, including a continued role with these publications while continuing to pursue freelance projects.”

item, or you can fill up an entire bag for $5. All proceeds go to the Friends of the Library. Make sure to stop by the library during the sale because you never know what treasures you may find.

The following activities are set to take place at North Webster Community Public Library. Attendees do not need a library card to participate in any of these events.

Adult Events

Cookbook club, 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 11. This month’s theme is “eggs,” so plan on bringing an “egg”straordinary recipe or dish to share.

Adult craft class, 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 11. Come create a beautiful floral wreath to enjoy during this spring season. Beginning genealogy part two, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 13. Kosciusko County genealogist, Faye Myers, will be teaching basic genealogy skills such as finding sources and creating family trees. Register in advance by calling the library.

Fiber Arts Friday, 10 a.m. Friday, April 14. Join likeminded yarn enthusiasts to work on projects or learn a new skill.

Teen Events Have the after school blues?

Stop by the library at 3:30 p.m. Monday, April 10, for Teen Café. Hang out with friends, play board games and video games and enjoy free snacks and pop.

Teens are invited to NWCPL at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, for teen study hall. Come work on homework in a quiet, relaxing environment.

Youth Events

LEGO Time, 5 p.m. Monday, April 10. LEGO builders aged 5-12 are invited to the library for an hour of freestyle building fun. LEGOs provided. Baby and toddler story time, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 11. Join us for songs, rhymes, stories and more. For ages birth to 36 months. For more information about any library events, call the library at (574) 834-7122, visit nwcpl.org or click into the library’s Facebook page.

Weather forces Syracuse egg hunt indoors

Mother Nature wasn’t fooling around on April 1. Overnight storms and morning rain showers made the decision to move the Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department’s annual Lakeside Egg Hunt from Lakeside Park to inside the gymnasium of the Syracuse Community Center an easy one.

The hunt was divided into three age groups of egg hunters: 0-3, 4-6 and 7-10. In total, 2,500 plastic eggs were “hidden” on the

gym floor, according to organizer Amanda Torres.

As would be expected, the eggs didn’t stand much of a chance once the signal was given to start the frenzy. Even the youngest group of hunters only required a few minutes to clear the gym floor of eggs.

Each age group also had the opportunity to find three pastel-colored miniature cupcakes, which entitled the finders to one of the special prizes, a large stuffed bunny. Everyone, however, was able to exchange their found eggs for a metal bucket filled with candy and other surprises.

Wawasee High School’s The Hanger offers students clothing options

Back in 2021, during a meeting with Women of Today to discuss student needs, representatives from Wawasee High School asked for help with The Warriors Closet. While the closet, which provided clothing to students in need, had been around for years, it hadn’t been well managed. The Warriors Closet was housed in the old “cooks dressing room,” which Brandi Niles, co-vice president of Women of Today, described as a long hallway/locker room like space with a toilet in the back. “They just had stuff piled in there,” she said.

There was so much stuff jammed into the space, Niles had trouble getting the door open the first time. While her son took driver’s education, Niles started working on organizing the closet. “We just started pulling things out and making piles.

Once we got those piles organized, we washed everything,” she said. Helping her out were Women of Today members Julee Rauch and Brooke Stahly. A lot of what had been stashed in The Warriors Closet was thrown away because it couldn’t be used anymore.

Items high school kids wouldn’t wear were donated to other organizations.

It took Niles, Rauch and Stahly four months to organize what was in the closet. Once everything was washed, Niles looked for a larger space to house the clothing. The school gave Women of Today the old bookstore to use. Rauch started working on making it look like a boutique. “It’s very beautiful,” Niles said of Rauch’s design for what became The Hanger.

Inside are actual store racks with clothing for boys and girls, including

bins with socks and underwear. The Hanger is open 7:15-8 a.m. Fridays and during Warrior Time study hall. If the students are going to The Hanger during Warrior Time, they need a specific pass from their teacher. The store is open to all students regardless of financial need.

The students are allowed to select three items per visit. The store has T-shirts, leggings, sweatshirts, sweaters, shoes and more.

If there is a need when the Hanger isn’t open, school administrators can open the store for a student. In addition to clothing, the store also carries toiletry items students can pick up. “We’ve had kids request laundry soap,” Niles said.

Volunteers managing the store keep a running list of needs and the store is restocked through donations. Women of Today also holds special fundraisers to fund the store.

Niles said she spends about five hours a week organizing the store. The old cooks dressing room is now used to house extra inventory such as winter coats and toiletry items.

Right now

Women of Today is looking for spring/summer clothing as well as clothes in larger and plus sizes. And it is always looking for men’s clothing.

Donations of gently used clothing appropriate for teenagers are always welcome. Clothing should be clean, with no stains, rips or tears, unless the item is professionally distressed. Clothing should be presentable and ready for teens to shop.

To make a donation, either contact Women of Today through its Facebook page or contact Wawasee High School to let them know a donation will be dropped off. Donations may be donated at the front office of the high school.

Authorized Dealer

Community Corner

Parker loves her job at the Syracuse Public Library

Those who frequent the Syracuse Public Library may have had their books checked out by Michelle Parker. Or maybe she’s recommended a specific author to them or encouraged them to grab a “take it and make it” activity.

Parker has been the library’s young adult librarian for a year, after working at the Warsaw Community Public Library in reference for six years.

An avid reader, Parker was a preschool teacher. When the preschool she worked at closed, she applied for a library job. “It’s been the best fit, and I went for my masters (in Library Science),” she said.

She explained the first day of her library job. The feeling of “Whoa, this is were I want to be,” was immediate. “I didn’t want to go home,” she said. “I’ll still have days like that.”

Parker said she reads the young adult genre the most, so she’s able to recommend books and discuss books with the tweens and teens who come into the young adult section of the library. “It’s also fun to order the new books and see what’s coming out,” she said.

She said she enjoys coming of age books as well as Young Adult Fantasy, which still has

world building “while not being 800 pages long.” She also reads books from the adult section of the library.

The young adult section is housed in the Rosalyn Jones Room of the Syracuse Library, so Parker and the rest of the library staff constantly weed out books that aren’t circulating to make room for current titles.

She also loves the creative side of the job, such as revamping the Rosalyn Jones room and coming up with different crafts for kids to make or to “take and make.”

She also makes sure there are snacks available for the kids and she enjoys interacting with patrons.

At the moment, she’s busy planning activities for the summer reading program. She said she wants the crafts to be fun for the kids to do. She also works with the Wawasee High School book club.

As an introvert, Parker said the library also offers her a lot of quiet time.

When she isn’t working, she enjoys going for walks and painting. “A lot of people think I live in town because I go on so many walks,” she said.

She just got into watercolor painting and is really enjoying it.

Mobile Meals drivers

Volunteer drivers for Syracuse, Milford and North Webster Mobile Meals have been scheduled as follows:

Syracuse Drivers April 10-14

MONDAY — M. Smith

TUESDAY — C. Manning

WEDNESDAY — D. & K.

Matz

THURSDAY — B. Martz

FRIDAY — P. Smith

Milford Drivers April 10-14

MONDAY — B. Harkness

TUESDAY — A. & C. Haab

WEDNESDAY — D. & G. Cooper

THURSDAY — J. Redman

FRIDAY — TBA

North Webster Drivers April 10-14

MONDAY — J. Parcell

TUESDAY — J. & K. Caskey

WEDNESDAY — C. & J.

Spicklemier

THURSDAY — R. Chambers

FRIDAY — J. Parcell

Bridge Results

North Webster Bridge Group

The North Webster Bridge Group met Tuesday, March 28, and Thursday, March 30, at the Senior Primelife Enrichment Center in the North Webster Community Center. Winners Tuesday were Jerry Hetrick, first, and Jean Cowan, second. Thursday winners were Wanda Wyrick, first, and Kay Sutton, second.

FAX 800-886-3796

WARSAW 574-269-2932

FAX 888-371-2934

It happened in Syracuse ... 20 years ago

Power lifting group brings home another trophy

10 YEARS AGO, APRIL 3, 2013

SYRACUSE 574-457-3666

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The 1990s were a good time to work in information technology. Explosive dot.com growth meant people like Brad Merryman of Syracuse, a Sun Microsystems marketing and sales front man, found himself with ample and well-compensated employment.

Syracuse Turkey Creek Library Board of Directors has promoted three employees.

Becky Brower, Brittney Pren-

tice and Austin Meerzo have assumed new duties as the library undergoes reorganization.

Kristi Harris, math teacher at Wawasee High School, has been selected to the 2013 LearnZillion Dream Team. More than 3,000 teachers, instructional coaches and administrators from across the country applied and only 200 were chosen to the highly selective Dream Team. Syracuse Attorney Randy Morgan and his team called Book Club Husbands won first

It happened in North Webster ... 50 years ago

Rebecca Weeks wins county spelling bee with ‘flabbergast’

LEISURE, RECREATIONAL ........M010-M110

...........................P010-P290

............................................Q010-Q030

................S010-S110

10 YEARS AGO, APRIL 3, 2013

There is quite a bit of controversy going on down at Sechrist Lake in the Barbee chain about the killing of swans, which are not native to this area but are a beautiful sight to see. People seemed more concerned about the method than thinning their numbers. It was even on South Bend television.

Cub Scout Pack 3726 in North Webster recently held a cake auction. Garrett Haney won for best decorated cake.

Wesley Hays won for Best Cub Scout theme. Liam Maloney won for largest cake. Collin Roberson won for longest cake.

Brady Russell won for most unusual for a bust of Rich Hays, the Cub Master of Pack 3726.

20 YEARS AGO, APRIL 2, 2003 Controversy surrounding last year’s chemical treatment of nuisance aquatic weeds in Webster Lake is prompting fish and wildlife officials to limit the amount of herbicides approved for use at the 774-acre lake this year.

North Webster Past Chiefs Club met in the home of Jeanette Bockman for a social evening recently. Euchre was played. Carmen Danner placed low and Imogene Menzie placed high. Joan Moore was presented with a gift.

Laura Coverstone, president, led the pledge to the American and Christian flags. The club creed was repeated in unison to open the March 20 meeting of Backwater Friends Club. The meeting was held in the home of Esther Rider. Kristie Rhodes, assistant hostess, gave

GRAPHIC

the meditation. 30 YEARS AGO, APRIL 7, 1993

The Wawasee Kiwanis Club met Saturday, April 3, with 34 members present, including several guests from as far away as Muncie. Roger Miller, a North Webster farmer and member of Lakeland Kiwanis Club, was guest speaker.

North Webster United Methodist Church will begin Holy Week with a 7 p.m. Holy Communion Service on Maunday Thursday, April 8. Easter Sunday will begin with a sunrise worship at 6:30 a.m. 40 YEARS AGO, APRIL 6, 1983

Archived publication not available.

50 YEARS AGO, APRIL 4, 1973

Twelve-year-old Rebecca Weeks, a sixth grader at North Webster School, took top honors in the fifth and sixth grade county spelling bee last Saturday in Warsaw. Her win came after correctly spelling the word “flabbergast.”

Jerry Badskey of Lakeland Kiwanis Club has announced the selection of three local youths as delegates to the fourth annual Indiana State Police-Kiwanis International career camp. Selected were Steve Hann, Gary Wiggs and UVI Carvajal.

The 32nd anniversary of Lakeview Pythian Sisters was held at Pythian Hall Monday night with a carry-in dinner and a program that followed. Among those present were Mrs. Stanley Vanator, Mrs. Russell Engels, and Mrs. Carl Kissinger.

With Macintosh Computer Skills

We have a full-time position available in our graphics pre-press department. Must have experience in working with InDesign plus excellent typing skills, spelling and design skills.

position is a first shift (7:30

p.m.) with competitive wage and benefit package.

place out of 53 teams at the Warsaw Education Foundation Quiz Bowl recently.

20 YEARS AGO, APRIL 2, 2003

Syracuse Community Preschool children have benefited from new classroom equipment that was purchased with grant money from the Kosciusko County Community foundation.

The Wrecking Crew has done it again. This group of five power lifters — Chad Dailing and Eddie Aguinaga, Syracuse; Steve Mast and son Lester Mast, North Webster; and Cody Patterson, Milford — came home with another team trophy in a power lifting competition.

Marcia Brandenberg arrived in Syracuse in March 2002. Since that time she has adjusted well to her new location. She became the Syracuse children’s librarian in June 2002.

The American Legion Auxiliary unit 223 met Tuesday, March 25, for its regular meeting. Janice Mort, president, opened the meeting. Ann Schrock, chaplain, reported about the members she had visited and those to whom she has sent cards.

30 YEARS AGO, APRIL 7, 1993

Carol and Ron Shol, Northshore Drive, have returned from a month’s vacation in Florida. Carol said they put in a lot of time golfing and playing tennis. Their daughter, Lori Hayden, Fort Wayne, and Carol’s father, William Krueger, Cincinnati, Ohio, visited them there for several weeks.

Jack Elam, director of the Syracuse Turkey Creek Museum Inc., reports that the museum is organizing and will sponsor a Native American Indian Festival and Pow-Wow this summer.

Ted and Marge Rogers, in business for 46 years, recently turned Rogers Electro-Matics over to Bob Haller, who has been general manager for the past three years. The business began as Rogers Radio Shop

in Huntington, moving here in 1971.

Tammy Sue Smith, Goshen, and Jeffrey Scott Seaver, Nappanee, exchanged wedding vows at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, in the First Church of the Nazarene, Goshen.

40 YEARS AGO, APRIL 6, 1983 Archived publication not available.

50 YEARS AGO, MARCH 28, 1973

Don’t be surprised if eventual plans of the State Bank of Syracuse don’t call for a second branch, this one to replace the old Standard station near the fish hatchery.

The Hoosier state of Indiana appears on the verge of having Sunday Liquor sales for persons qualifying to a bill passed, 28-22 in the Senate last Friday afternoon. The beer, wine or liquor would have to be sold by the drink for consumption on the premises.

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Thornburg of Syracuse and Mr. and Mrs. Dean Doering of Columbia City are on a 10-day vacation to Caracas, Venezuela. Doering is manager of the Thornburg Drug, Inc., store at Columbia City.

Bud Kline has been doing some ground preparation for the new Hooks Drug store on the Pickwick Road. And across the street from that site stakes are in the ground for the new lounge that will be going in just east of the Sportsman’s Center.

Jenny Cox, 14-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Cox of Syracuse and a freshman at Wawasee high school, holds the handsome trophy she received Saturday for winning first place in the state Indiana High School Athletic Association gymnastics at North Central high school at Indianapolis.

NOTICE OF INTENT

The Town of Syracuse is submitting a Notice of Intent to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management of our intent to comply with the requirements of 327 IAC 15-5 to discharge storm water from construction activities associated with the Lakeside Drive Water

Sewage Works. All users of the works and owners of property served, or to be served, and others interested shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed rates and charges. Board of Trustees Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District hspaxlp Mar.29-Apr.5

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of Kosciusko County, Indiana, that the

Council of said County will meet at the Kosciusko County Courthouse, 100 W. Center Street, 3rd Floor Courtroom, Warsaw, Indiana at 6:00 p.m. on April 13, 2023 to consider the following additional appropriations in excess of the budget for the current year: Highway -Bridge No. 123 8403-39000-000-0000 Bridge Replacement $2,236,550.00 Taxpayers appearing at the meeting shall have a right to be heard. The additional appropriation when finally approved will be referred to the Local Government Board of Finance. The Board will make a written determination as to the sufficiency of funds to support the appropriations made within fifteen (15) days of receipt of a certified copy of the action taken. Rhonda Helser, Auditor Kosciusko County hspaxlp

Pete Doll and Sue Morgan tie yellow ribbons for U.S. troops

10 YEARS AGO, APRIL 3, 2013

Dylan Cousins, senior at Wawasee High School, visited Milford Elementary second-graders as part of Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services’ Read Across Kosciusko County program March 21. Cousins read “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs,” read among all the elementary schools in the county to promote reading to area youth.

Pedro Hernandez, owner of California Desert, put patrons’ minds at ease last week by squashing a rumor the restaurant will close soon. The family recently sold a restaurant they also operated in Nappanee. And although Pedro is now running California Desert without the help of his brother Julian, he said Friday his plan is for the restaurant to remain open.

20 YEARS AGO, APRIL 2, 2003

Tying yellow ribbons reminds everyone to keep U.S. troops in thoughts and prayers until their safe return home. Pete Doll and Sue Morgan of Doll’s Decorating were seen tying yellow ribbons around decorative streetlights up and down Main Street Monday afternoon. “It seems like a good thing to do,” Pete said as he finished tying the last one.

Numerous lies were told to keep Waubee Lake resident Lawrence “Bud” Sawyer from finding out about his surprise birthday party Saturday. His eldest daughter, Connie Schermerhorn of New Paris, said the family told him his son was taking him to the Auburn car museum. “He was kind of upset because he couldn’t figure out why Kent (his son, also of Milford) was waiting to go until after noon,” she told. But 112 relatives and friends were waiting at Milford Community Building on Main Street to welcome Sawyer by singing Happy Birthday when he walked through the door at 1 p.m.

30 YEARS AGO, MARCH 31, 1993

Program chairman Russ

Mikel introduced Sally Ringler to the Milford Kiwanis Club members at their Friday morning meeting, March 19, in the Milford Community Building. Ringler, Wawasee Middle School’s art enrichment program teacher, told the group that students choose their field of art. During her presentation, she showed some of the students’ artistic projects.

Formerly of New Vienna, Ohio, Jim and Margaret Marshall have moved into their new home on 209 N. Main St., Milford, the former residence of the late Elmer and Esther (Beer) Haab. The Marshalls are now closer to their four sons, one of whom is Michael who resides in Milford with his wife, Loni, and children. Their other three sons reside in Warsaw, Noblesville and Markle.

40 YEARS AGO, APRIL 6, 1993

Archived publication not available.

50 YEARS AGO, APRIL 4, 1973

Michael Radcliff, son of Rev. and Mrs. Jerald Radcliff of Milford, is a member of the Ashland college choir that is presenting 16 concerts during its spring tour in Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Florida. The tour begins tomorrow and will continue thru the 15th. A special Milford welcome goes to the aunt of Mrs. Bill Little who is in America for a six-month visit. She is from Germany and is a senior citizen from that country who has not been to America since she was a teenager.

Kristin Diana Phend of Milford won three major awards at DePauw university’s annual senior women’s award banquet on the Greencastle campus March 28. The 1969 Wawasee high school graduate was named the Outstanding Senior Woman by two different academic departments and was also cited by Alpha Lambda Delta scholastic society.

NOTICE OF ADOPTION

To the taxpayers of Kosciusko County, Indiana. You are hereby notified that on March 28, 2023, Kosciusko County, Kosciusko County, Indiana, pursuant to notice heretofore given, and under and by virtue of IC 8-16-3, duly adopted a plan whereby a Cumulative Bridge Fund was established to provide for the following:

For all uses as set out in IC 8-16-3. IC 8-16-3 Cumulative Bridge fund to provide funds for the cost of construction, maintenance, and repair of bridges, approaches and grade separations.

The fund will be provided for by a property tax rate of $0.10 per one hundred dollars ($100.00) of taxable real and personal property within the taxing unit beginning in 2023 payable 2024 and thereafter, continuing until reduced or rescinded.

Twenty-five (25) or more taxpayers in the taxing unit who will be affected by the tax rate and corresponding levy may file a petition with the Kosciusko County Auditor not later than noon 30 days after the publication of this Notice setting forth their objections to the proposed cumulative fund. Upon the filing of the petition, the County Auditor shall immediately certify the same to the Department of Local Government Finance, at which point the Department will fix a date for and conduct a public hearing on the proposed cumulative fund before issuing its approval, disapproval, or modification thereof.

Dated this 29th day of March, 2023. Kosciusko County Commissioners hspaxlp

NOTICE TO TAXPAYERS OF HEARING ON PROPOSED CUMULATIVE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

Notice is hereby given to the taxpayers of the Town of Milford, Kosciusko County, Indiana, that the Town Council will consider at 111 South Main Street, Milford, Indiana 46542 at 7:00 o’clock pm on Monday, April 10, 2023, the establishment of a Cumulative Capital Development Fund under the provisions of Indiana Code 36-915.5 for the purposes as follows:

For all uses as set out in IC36-9-15.5.

The tax will be levied on all taxable real and personal property within the taxing district and will not exceed $0.0500 per $100 of assessed valuation. The proposed fund will be levied beginning with taxes due and payable in the year 2024. Taxpayers appearing at such hearing shall have the right to be heard thereon. The proposed tax rate for the Cumulative Capital Development Fund is subject to certification by the Department of Local Government Finance.

Within 30 days after the date of the adoption of the cumulative fund by the Town Council the Town Council will publish a Notice of Adoption.

Upon publication of the Notice of Adoption, 25 or more taxpayers in the taxing district may file a petition with the County Auditor not later than noon 30 days after the publication of the Notice of Adoption setting forth their objections to the proposed fund.

Dated this 24th day of March 2023.

MILFORD TOWN COUNCIL

hspaxlp Mar.29-Apr.5

NOTICE OF ADOPTION

To the taxpayers of Kosciusko County, Indiana. You are hereby notified that on March 28, 2023, Kosciusko County, Kosciusko County, Indiana, pursuant to notice heretofore given, and under and

2023 payable 2024 and thereafter, continuing until reduced or rescinded. Twenty-five (25) or more taxpayers in the taxing unit who will be affected by the tax rate and corresponding levy may file a petition with the Kosciusko County Auditor not later than noon 30 days after the publication of this Notice setting forth their objections to the proposed cumulative fund. Upon the filing of the petition, the County Auditor shall immediately certify the same to the Department of Local Government Finance, at which point the Department will fix a date for and conduct a public hearing on the proposed cumulative fund before issuing its approval, disapproval, or modification thereof.

Dated this 29th day of March, 2023. Kosciusko County Commissioners hspaxlp

Community Good Friday service scheduled

The public is invited to a communitywide Good Friday commemoration and worship service at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 7, at Wawasee Community Bible Church, 2035 E. 1300N, Milford.

The entire service is scheduled at just over an hour, but will feature a variety of worship music, Bible readings, messages and the sacrament of holy communion.

The messages will be brief, allowing attendees the freedom to contemplate the personal impact of the events of Christ’s last hours on earth.

“The story of Jesus’ betrayal, suffering, injustice and death speaks for itself,” said Pastor Dave Winters, Wawasee Bible’s equipping pastor. “We want to let the story of his final hours speak for itself. We will have readers narrating the story and local ministers offering brief reflections as we walk through seven stages of surrender, betrayal, accusation, injustice, crucifixion, forgiveness

and death. “We will wrap up with a celebrating in hope with the Lord’s Supper. All are invited to come and worship.”

The annual service is organized by members of the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association, a collaborative coalition of churches from Syracuse, Milford, North Webster and Leesburg. Winters spearheaded this year’s organizing committee.

The order of service:

• Worship, featuring the songs “His Mercy and More” and “King of Kings.”

• Reading of Luke 22:39-46 and reflection, “Surrender,” by Pastor Paul Burris of Calvary United Methodist Church.

• Reading of Luke 22:47-62 and reflection, “Betrayal and Rejection,” by Pastor Steve Wilson of Christian Church of Milford.

• Reading of Luke 22:63-65 and reflection, “Mockery and Accusation,” by Pastor Josh Weiland of Wawasee Community Bible Church.

• Reading of Luke 23:13-25 and

reflection, “Injustice and Condemnation,” by Pastor Brad Cox of Wawasee Lakeside Chapel.

• Reading of Luke 23:26-33 and reflection, “Crucified,” by Pastor Stan Owen of Syracuse Church of God.

• Worship, featuring “Hallelujah, What a Savior,” with communion elements available for attendees to come forward and receive, officiated by Pastor Weiland.

• Reading of Luke 23:34-43 and reflection, “Forgiveness and Grace,” by Pastor Pat Park of Church in the Heights.

• Reading of Luke 23:44-49 and reflection, “Death,” by Pastor Winters.

• Reading of Luke 22:19-20 and corporate partaking of communion elements.

• Worship, featuring “Man of Sorrows” and “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.”

• Closing benediction by Pastor Owen.

For more information, call Wawasee Bible Church at (574) 6589161.

Chautauqua sponsoring series

Religion: Past, Present & Future

Starting Thursday, April 13, the first of a three-part series on “Religion: Where It Came From, Where It’s Heading, and How It Continues to Change the World” will be held in Goshen.

Chautauqua-Wawasee is presenting Michael Spath, who will lead this series, which explores why understanding religion is important for our faith today as we continue to search for meaning and understanding of our

Around The Lakes

place in the universe.

“These are the first Chautauqua programs to be held outside of Syracuse,” explained Mark Knecht, Chautauqua’s president.

“We had a number of regional organizations who wanted to engage and we felt the Goshen location and community was worth a try.”

Session one, “Religion Before Adam and Eve,” explores the beginning of faith. Between 50,000

and 10,000 years ago, Europe experienced an “Upper Paleolithic explosion,” the presence of religious thinking in human burial sites, cave art and figurines. What do these primitive signs of religion tell us about what our earliest ancestors believed? What are the unconscious and conscious implications for us as people of faith today?

The second session, “The Creation of Modern Religion: Where Our Faith and Values Were Born,” explores the period between 800200 B.C.E. when modern religion was born throughout Greece, India, China, Persia and the Levant, a period scholars call the “Axial Age.” There was a revolution in human thought — a shift toward transcendence, contemplation of humanity’s place in the universe and understanding of meaning, morality and mortality.

The third session, “Religion

Present & Future: What It Means to be Human,” asks the question: Is humanity on the verge of a second “Axial Age?” Because of globalism, rapid technological advancements, Artificial Intelligence and more, we as a species are beginning to take control of our own evolution. How are these developments changing us and what are the moral implications of such advancements for our faith?

The sessions will be held 7-8:30 p.m. April 13, 20 and 27, and are free to attend. All three sessions will be held in Jennings Auditorium, Greencroft Goshen Community Center, 1820 Greencroft Blvd., Goshen.

Michael Spath is the founder and executive director of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace. He holds a Ph.D. in Historical Theology and a Doctor of Ministry in New Testament.

In addition to support from Chautauqua Wawasee, other participating organizations are College Mennonite Church, Assembly Mennonite Church, Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Goshen College Campus Ministries, Lifelong Learning Institute of Elkhart and the Greencroft Com-

CALVARY UNITED Methodist Church in Syracuse provided an opportunity last Saturday for families to stop by and take a photo with an actor portraying Jesus. Following the photo, they were offered sandwiches and other snacks. Also seen in the photo above is Karen Griffith.

THE NORTH Webster Community Center and American Legion Post 253 are hosting their second annual 5K run and fun run Saturday, May 27. The race starts at 8 a.m. All proceeds will be donated to North Webster Community Center and will be split with American Legion Auxiliary Post 253, North Webster. Prizes will be given for the 5K. To register, visit nwcommunitycenter.org

The public can also order a yard sign with a special veteran’s personalized information to be displayed along the race route. The cost is $20 for a sign.

THE FRIENDS of the Milford Library would like to thank everyone who has donated books, magazines, etc. to the Friends continuous book sale, which is open to the public anytime the library is open. All the donations keep our continuous sales going each month.

“We appreciate all the support from these donations,” said Nancy Levernier. “We have books of all genres, magazines, CDs and DVDs for sale. If you have books or magazines you would like to donate you may drop them off at the library when they are open. Take them to the meeting room and put them in the container. All sales money goes directly to the library for the summer reading program for the kids. If you might be interested in joining the Friends group, come to a meeting at 1 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month in the meeting room. We’d love to have new members join us!”

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NINJA WARRIOR Kids will have a spring session May 4, 11, 25 and June 1 at NWCC. Times are 4:15-5:15 p.m. for 3-6 year olds, 5:30-6:30 p.m. for 6-8 year olds, and 6:45-7:45 for 8-12 year olds.

Friday classes will be May 5, 12, 26, and June 2. Times are 9:30-10:30 a.m. for 3-6 year olds and 10:45-11:45 a.m. for 6-10 year olds. The spring session starts May 4-5 and runs for four weeks. The classes are instructed by Nika Prather and Forrest Boesenberg and are open to boys and girls ages 3-12 years old. Limited spaces are available. Sign up is available at nwcommunitycenter.org.

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SYRACUSE EAGLES will be taking a trip to Firekeepers in Battle Creek, Mich., departing at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 29. The cost is $40, which includes $25 playing credit and $5 toward food and drinks. Prepayment is due by Saturday, April 15. For further information, call (574) 4574913.

education paraprofessional at Wawasee High School, was surprised last Wednesday by Traci Henn, who informed her she had been named the State of Indiana Paraeducator of the Year through the Indiana Council for Exceptional Children. Knepp will be formally recognized at a banquet in Indianapolis in late April. —o—

THE ANNUAL spring cleanup day for the town of North Webster is scheduled for Monday, May 15. Further details will be forthcoming, but start your preparations now by going through unwanted items in your basement, garage or any other area that needs some attention.

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THE SYRACUSE Public Library is excited to have its new barn in place, which will help with some of their storage challenges. The Community Roots project is coming along nicely, and the library is looking forward to being able to have another space for summer programming. This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library.

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NORTH WEBSTER Lions Club will hold its annual Easter egg hunt beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at the North Webster Little League fields next to the Lions Club Mermaid Festival grounds. Four groups will all begin the hunt at the same time, divided into toddlers, preschool/kindergarten, first through third grade and fourth and fifth grade.

The cash prize eggs are donated by the Lions Club and the Lady Lions. Eggs will be donated by Creighton Brothers LLC. Any questions can be directed to Dan Thystrup at (574) 834-2554. With the price of eggs, perhaps adults might want to get in on the hunt as well!

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MILFORD LIONS Club will be holding its next pancake, egg and sausage breakfast from 7-10 a.m. Saturday, April 22, inside the Milford Community Building. As always, the cost is a freewill donation with proceeds benefiting the numerous Lions Club projects in the community. It’s all-you-can-eat, so come hungry, give generously and leave happy!

“THE NEW Kids” are officially North Webster Community Center’s adult volleyball coed league champs. Pictured above, from left, are team members Madeline Gawthrop, Makayla Oberlin, Olivia Cripe, Brian Cripe, Kyle Carrick and Tyler Runkle. Congratulations!

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THE ARK Christian Preschool will host a preschool open house from 4:30-6 p.m. Thursday, April 27. Registration for the 2023-24 school year will also open at that event. The Ark Christian Preschool is a direct ministry of North Webster United Methodist Church.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO Lisa Knepp, who is known and loved by many throughout the Wawasee school district. Knepp, a special

THE NORTH Webster Community Public Library needs a hand. Literally. The library is working on a community art project for this year’s summer reading program, and they want you to be a part of it. All you have to do is go into the library and trace your hand on a piece of paper. It’s that easy! Stop in and lend us a hand to this amazing project. Pictured above is Jill Chalk, demonstrating how easy it is to participate!

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REGISTRATION IS open for the Syracuse Wawasee Kiwanis Sprint Triathlon. The race will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at the Syracuse Community Center. All finishers receive a medal. Register early to guarantee yourself a T-shirt.

You can race as an individual or get some friends for a team and split up the events. To sign up, go to runsignup.com/Race/IN/Syracuse/WawaseeKiwanisTriathlon.