The Mail-Journal - July 12, 2023

To The Lakes Free Copy Delivered To Northern Lakes Region Residents And Guests

Bart’s Watersports seeking buyer for business

After 51 years selling everything needed for boating and having fun on the lake, Bart Culver is looking for someone to take over the North Webster business, Bart’s Watersports. Opened in 1972 as a small retail shop, Culver, a lifelong water sports fan, saw his business grow into a far-reaching mail order and online water sports equipment and apparel business.

According to store manager Mike Wilson, the business and buildings are available for outright purchase until Friday, Aug. 4. If a buyer is not identified by that time, it will be sold by auction on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

“We’re hopeful that the right buyer comes along that will keep operating Bart’s as it has been for 51 years,” said Wilson. Bart’s Watersports is located at 7581 E 800N, North Webster.

Wawasee school board hears $75M construction proposal

Wawasee School Board heard from Dr. Brandon Penrod, interim Director of Finance,Tuesday, July 11 during its regular board meeting. Penrod explained a proposed $75 million dollar project concerning rebuilding or extensive remodeling to Milford School and a new performing arts center.

Penrod stressed during his presentation the debt service will not be affected. Wawasee School Corporation’s total tax rate was $.5399 in 2022 and 2023, and that is where it will stay. Penrod reported to the board Wawasee School Corporation has one of the lowest tax rate in Indiana, and secures $10 million in bonds.

There will be a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1. No

location has been set yet.

The board passed and addendum to Superintendent Steve Troyer’s contract. Most notably, the terms of employment and pay.

In the contract, Troyer agrees to be employed by Wawasee Community School Corporation as superintendent for a period beginning July 1, 2023 and concluding on June 30, 2026. Unless either part notifies the other party by Jan. 1, 2024, the contract and addendum shall be automatically extended to June 30, 2027. Thereafter, the contract and addendum will be automatically extended an additional year unless the superintendent or Wawasee Community School Corporation notifies the other part to the contrary by Jan. 1 of each calendar year.

Additionally, an annual salary of $142,000 through June 30,

2024 was approved. Each year, if the superintendent receives a rating of effective or highly effective on the board’s evaluation, the salary will automatically increase effective July 1, 2024 and annually thereafter by an amount of two-and-a-half percent.

Student-Led Art Gallery

The board also heard from Christi Ziebarth, a passionate Wawasee art teacher, who is, along with Jon Everingham, proposing a student-led art gallery. Ziebarth mentioned “the gap between education and experience” and “the greatest recognition is having your art displayed out into the world.”

Her art students have already completed a few professional art commissions, including a mosaic piece for the Miller Sunset Pa-

vilion in Winona Lake. Her students are collaborating with the Parkview Hospital Warsaw to create a few pieces of art to be displayed in its new wing. The gallery is slotted to be held in an unused board room in the Wawasee School Corporate Office, however, Ziebarth imagines her students art will quickly outgrow the space. The gallery will also serve as a opportunity where students can sell their artwork.

In good news, Troyer announced the Knights of Columbus had made two donations. The Knights of Columbus donated $1,000 to the marching band and $1,500 to the cheerleading team.

Additionally, the board approved an overnight trip for the cross country teams to Pokagon State Park. The trip will take place from Monday, July 24 to

Milford to update tornado siren system

The town of Milford will soon have an updated tornado siren system, replacing a decades-old system, which has grown increasingly undependable in recent years.

At the Monday, July 10, meeting of the Milford Town Council, Milford Fire Department Assistant Chief Brian Haines apprised the council of efforts to ensure two approved locations, at Waubee Lake Park and a lift station on the north side of town, could be served with electricity by Middlebury Electric at a total cost of approximately $4,500.

Haines then recommended the town accept a quote from

J & K Electric to install two sirens at a cost of $63,542. According to Haines, J & K is also currently working with countywide communications efforts and has access to central dispatch. For an additional $225, the sirens will also be fitted with a VHF radio controller, so they can be set off from the station.

Clerk/Treasurer Tricia Gall said the bill could be paid using American Rescue Plan Act or a cumulative capital development funding. The council voted to approve the new sirens, with President Doug Ruch, a volunteer firefighter, recusing himself. The sirens are expected to be operational in the next six months.

Haines added one old siren will be “kept in the loop” as a noon whistle and manually operated fire alert.

Haines also reported the department, which went on 10 runs in June, is up to 33 volunteer firefighters, including six trainees. “We’re pretty fortunate,” he said. Most volunteer fire stations are seeing drastic shortages, and many are having to switch to professional manpower, which is costly.

Haines then reported the fire station bay area received new grates, which were cut and delivered at no cost by Lippert Components plant 45.

During public input, Milford resident Dan Buell expressed his objection to the minimum charge for water, as stipulated

in the town’s water ordinance. Contrasting his own charge as a single occupant with that of a neighboring home with several occupants, he noted his bill was $47 with 1,800 gallons used, while the neighbor paid $102 for 5,800 gallons.

“How is that fair?” asked Buell, who added he intended to contact the Indiana Regulatory Commission.

Councilman Ken Long explained the cost of water includes infrastructure necessary to deliver the service. “It costs a minimum to get it to your house,” he said. Secondly, he added the bill is calculated by volume, so the overall cost goes down with increased usage.

Gall said the last water study, which calculated billing, was done about two years ago. Ruch said the matter would be “taken under advisement.”

Water service came up later in the meeting when Street, Water and Parks Superintendent Steven Marquart reported a leak was repaired on East Emeline Street between East and James streets, an area that has seen multiple leaks in recent years due to “old galvanized line. … Its days are over.” A quote to replace the line, which serves about five houses, was around $50,000; however, that was “a few years

ago,” said Marquart, who plans to have an updated quote to the council at the August meeting. Marquart also sought council approval to hire a contractor for repainting street lines, reasoning the higher quality of paint would last longer. The quote for work was $6,919.

However, Milford resident Jay Urbin expressed his objection to hiring outside contractors. “We’ve got to stop the bloat,” he said, suggesting town employees should do the work.

“I don’t think you understand the work load they have,” Long responded, adding the town would still have to pay wages and buy paint.

Ruch acknowledged in the past the town did the striping, but with the reduction of its work force, he said, “we don’t have the people power to dedicate to that.” Councilman Bob Cockburn, however, suggested the town should do the work, and the matter was tabled until August.

During police reports, Town Marshal Derek Kreider said his department has made progress filling four spots left vacant in the last year. The new hires are Jason Price, Ally Sloan and Brandon Kidd, all of whom will be full time, and Joshua Snyder, Continued on page 2

Wednesday, 26. While there, the teams will partake in team building and bonding exercises, while also using some of the park’s trails and terrains to train for their upcoming season.

Minor adjustments have been made to handbooks for the elementary, middle, and high school,

administrative, certified and transportation.

In the elementary handbook, the disciplinary matrix was updated. The middle school handbook saw an update to the academic calendar and minor verbiage.

Continued on page 2

Public information meeting on CR 1300N extension, July 19

The Indiana Department of Transportation and Kosciusko County will host a public information meeting on the extension of CR 1300N from 3-5 p.m.

Wednesday, July 19, at the Milford Community Building, 111 S. Main St.

The doors will be open from 3-5 p.m. to give participants time to talk to project representatives. An informal presentation will be held at 4 p.m.

The purpose of the meeting is to offer all interested persons

an opportunity to hear a project overview and ask questions about the schedule, construction and maintenance of traffic for the grade separation that extends CR 1300N over Norfolk Southern Railroad to connect to SR 15, north of Milford. The purpose of the project is to improve local and regional mobility by providing a connection between the communities of Milford, Syracuse, Goshen and Warsaw.

The project involves the con-

Continued on page 2

County BZA continues hearing on storage condos

After hearing from both supporters and remonstrators during its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, July 11,  the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals continued a petition for an exception to construct three storage buildings in Turkey Creek Township.

Local attorney Scott Federoff,

representing both the property owner and contractor, told the board the property known as the “Stimmel property,” would have three condemned homes removed and replaced with three buildings to be used as storage condos. The site plan showed each building would have approximately 16 storage condos, although Federoff noted site conditions may reduce the actual number of condos. Each condo

APC approves RV parking for Nappanee business

Several cases were heard at the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission meeting Wednesday, July 5.

Garrett Howell’s petition for preliminary plat approval for an industrial II subdivision on a tract of ground was granted.

The property is located on the north side of Syracuse Street, west of Old SR 15, in Milford.

Howell said he wants to add another self-storage unit on the property.

William Rensberger’s petition to rezone ground from an agricultural district to a residential district was granted. Rensberger,

who was at the meeting, said he wants to build an additional house. Some neighbors expressed a few concerns, such as a 50 foot easement and a driveway, which Rensberger said he will take care of.

The 1.9-acre property is located on the north side of CR 650 North, west of SR 13 in North Webster. Rensberger’s case will be heard at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 18.

Cornerstone Acres’ petition for an appeal was approved. It wants to change and alter the previous hearing, and self-imposed conditions, by adopting a new development site plan and allow overnight RV parking area. The property is the site of Solar Ener-

Continued on page 3

Public information

Continued from page 1

struction of an overpass bridge that will eliminate the need to use the at-grade crossings of the Norfolk Southern Railroad in the town of Milford and Milford Junction. Main Street will be realigned to the east to allow for the new bridge to cross both the Norfolk Southern Railroad and Main Street. The extension of CR 1300N will terminate at SR 15 and will be controlled by a stop sign. The new bridge will provide two 12-foot wide travel lanes with 8-foot paved shoulders. New underdrains and guardrails will be installed as needed throughout the project area. Main Street will retain its 10-foot travel lanes with 2-foot usable shoulders. SR 15 will retain its existing configu-

ration but will be widened near the proposed intersection with the CR 1300N to allow for a right turn lane for northbound traffic from SR 15 to CR 1300N and a passing blister for southbound traffic on SR 15. The new roadway in this section will include two 12-foot travel lanes, one 12foot right turn lane and one 12foot passing blister. The usable shoulders will be 8 feet wide on the east side of SR 15 and 4 feet wide on the west side of SR 15.

Comments or questions may be submitted prior to the public information meeting or after to Michael Baker International, 3815 River Crossing Parkway, Suite 20, Indianapolis, IN 46240, or by email: KosciuskoLocalTrax@ mbakerintl.com.

will be privately owned; they will not be available to rent. There will be fencing between the buildings and four lights surrounding the perimeter of the building. Each condo will have its own motion sensor light outside, as well.

The entrance into the storage condo area will be on Black Point Road. Federoff addressed a number of concerns and rumors regarding the project, the first being Curt Hursey intended to move his contracting business to the site. “He’s been in the same location for 42 years, “ Federoff said.

The storage condos will have low traffic, will be nonpolluting and no flammable or explosive material will be allowed to be stored in the condos. Outside storage will not be allowed. The condos will also offer off-site parking for owners who have visitors. The area will be landscaped and maintained as well.

Federoff noted the property owner, Melanie McBride, lives in the neighborhood and cannot access her home without passing the property. An area realtor provided a letter of support for the project. Federoff noted he passed along eight letters of support and

Milford to update

Continued from page 1 Building from 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. Milford Police Department will purchase a 1992 Dodge Ram pickup from the Woodburn Police Department at a cost of $9,253.

a part-time hire. The full time hires will attend the Kosciusko County Reserve Academy in 2024, said Kreider. Snyder, who served in Ligonier, is a graduate of the state academy. The following matters were also addressed by the council on June 10: Gall said the time for the Meet Milford third Friday event on July 21 has been moved to 2 p.m.

An informational meeting on the extension of CR 1300 will be held in the Milford Community

Waubee Flotilla correction

In the July 4 edition of The Mail-Journal, two families were misidentified in the Waubee Flotilla photos. The picture labeled with Terry Miller and family is actually John Birong, Annette Durbin and Kim Coy. The picture labeled as John Birong, Annette Durbin and Kim Coy is the Terry Miller family and Jana Stoolery, who is a veteran. We apologize for the error.

• Painting of crosswalks has started; however starting times for Community Crossing grant work for 2023 is yet to be determined, according to Marquart.

• The council approved $5,275 for Evapar to maintenance seven town generators.

• A decision to cut down trees at 207 N. Higbee near Harvest Coffee was tabled pending clarification on the trees location, which members believe is likely not within the town’s easement.

• The council approved an amount not to exceed $4,153.05 for Living Waters’ maintenance of the town’s well house.

• The council approved $3,650.49 for Construction Services of Indiana to service a tap at 105 N. Maple St.

• Milford will be flushing hydrants on July 12-13.

• A plugged sewer line at the Waubee Lake Park concession stand will be repaired at a cost of $1,916.25.

• An amount not to exceed $8,400 was approved for LWG consultants to perform a capital asset proposal as required by the state.

seven emails of support for the project to the board.

Neighbor Leona Horman, who owns the property across the street gave strong support for the storage condos. “It tickles us to death there will not be residences like that again,” she told the board. “It has been out of control for years. Mrs. McBride (the property owner) is just trying to clean

Wawasee school

Continued from page 1

The high school handbook made updates to the new starting times.

The administrative handbook updated holidays, vacation, and maternity leave.

The certified staff handbook added verbage regarding flex days.

The transportation handbook was updated to ban blankets on school buses.

In other matters:

The board approved the 20232024 school meal prices. Elementary breakfast will cost $1.50 and lunch $2.85. Middle school breakfast will cost $1.75 and lunch $2.90. High school breakfast will cost $1.75 and lunch $2.95. Adult breakfast will cost $2.60 and lunch $4.80. The board approved the implementation of LINQ point of sale system. This system will allow an easier application process for free or reduced lunch through LINQ’s portal.

Troyer updated the board about the Veteran’s Memorial Wall. A fund has been set up with the Kosciusko County Community Foundation to assist in fundraising. Troyer reminded the board that the project is estimated to cost $250,000, and assures no dime will come from taxpayers.

Dr. Shelly Wilfong updated the board about the learning report. She expects the proposed waiver days will be passed by the Board of Education during its meeting tomorrow. The proposed waiver days are Monday, Sept. 18; Monday, Nov. 6 and Friday, March 8. During these waiver days, students are not required to come to school or will be assigned any e-learning material. These waiver days will be used to help teachers build skills and find resources to increase stu-

things up.”

John Kellogg, who lives in the neighborhood, also spoke in support, telling the BZA he is familiar with the area and the property. “It’s a real disaster up there … 20 years ago, I joined the sheriff’s department. We had a lot of issues there. It’s (the project) going to clean it up.”

Jeff Drake was the first to re-

monstrate, expressing concern about the storage condos creating impervious surfaces with no sediment or retention ponds for storm water. Matt Sandy, area plan commissioner, noted the site will be subject to storm water control, meaning it will need to keep storm water on site.

Jeff Berg told the board he’s Continued on page 3

dent achievement.

In attempt to increase student achievement, Wawasee School Corporation had partnered with HANDS in Autism, from Jan. 31 through May 30, to create collaborative programming to help students with autism. During the 2022 climate audit, Wawasee Community School Corporation targeted student behavior as a need to address. In addition, a need to support students with disabilities better was indicated.

The board approved the em-

ployment of Mackenzie Gunter, special education paraprofessional; Michelle Hoover, paraprofessional; Rodney Kuhn, custodian; Brianna Mundo, paraprofessional; Nicholas Robinson, custodian; Kim Hensel, elementary teacher; and Jonathan Weimer, computer tech.

The next regular Wawasee School Board meeting will be held 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8. in the Warrior Room of Wawasee High School, 1 Warrior Path Building 1, Syracuse.

Ward Park pavilion torn down, getting remodeled

The restrooms and pavilion at Henry Ward Park have been torn down and work on the project will begin as soon as next week.

Chad Jonsson, park superintendent, gave a report about the park’s pavilion and restroom project at the Syracuse-Wawasee Parks Department meeting Monday night, July 10.

Kline Excavating conducted the removal and the contractor is expected to start next week. The Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals approved a variance for the project.

“It will take a couple weeks of work to complete the project,” he said.

A new playground will also be installed.

Jonsson gave the tree board report. He said the park department received two magnolia trees for Lakeside Park.

Four other trees are being kept at what used to be the nursery. He said he is working on the fall tree planting list, a list of those locations and tree removals, too.

An update on Schrock Fields was given. Jonsson said, “a lot of activity has been done in the last month. We are still working on things.”

He said football practice will begin at the end of this month. Games will begin after Labor Day. Concrete was expected to be delivered Tuesday, July 11.

Goal posts, netting and the scoreboard need to be installed.

“It looks good,” said Carol Koble, park board advisor, of the new ballfield.

The 2024 park budget was approved last month and Jonsson said, “It’s moving forward as submitted.”

“I am working on grant applications for funding for next year,”

Jonsson noted. The Syracuse Lake Association requested approval to serve mimosas at its annual breakfast from 9-10:30 a.m. Aug. 5; the park board approved its request.

Darin Lursen, program director, gave the program report noting Mudtastic Classic “went well.” He said 230 people showed up for the event.

The Artisan and Farmers Market is still going on and will continue until Labor Day weekend.

Yoga is still taking place at 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 9-10 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

Syracuse’s town wide garage sales are Aug. 3-5. People have until July 27 to be included in a list of garage sales.

Garage sale permits do not have to be obtained during this weekend and the park department will advertise listings free of charge in the Aug. 2 edition of The Mail- Journal and The Paper. Call the Syracuse Community Center at (574) 457-3440 by 5 p.m. Thursday, July 27, to ensure inclusion in the newspapers. Printed versions of the listings can be picked up at the Syracuse Community Center once the sales begin.

Tour des Lakes registration began and the event will take place Saturday, July 15. Lursen said so far 200 people have registered and the number could reach 400 by the weekend.

A Family Camp Out at Lake-

side Park begins at 5 p.m. Aug. 25 until 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26. Yard games will be set up in the park for families to play. Hot dogs and chips will be provided for participants. A camp fire will be available for making s’mores and a movie with popcorn will take place. Donuts, coffee and milk will be available for breakfast Saturday morning. The cost is $5 per person. Register at the Syracuse Community Center. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.

Jonsson gave the financial report from June 12 to July 10 and the financial report for June. The next meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14.

Obituaries

Mary Stackhouse

Former Social Worker

Mary Stackhouse, 84, passed away peacefully Friday, July 7, 2023.

She was born March 18, 1939, in Bloomington, to Frank and Agnes (Roberston) Douthitt.

Mary was a graduate of Bloomington High School before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work from Indiana University. Her educational background provided her with a strong foundation for making a positive difference in the lives of those she served as a social worker.

Mary was a hard worker and a loyal employee. She is remembered for the years she dedicated to the American Red Cross, Alfran Nursing Home and Miller’s Merry Manor Corporate Headquarters in Warsaw. Mary’s unwavering commitment to providing care and support made a significant impact on the lives of countless individuals.

Mary will always be remembered for her intelligence, wit, creativity and loyalty. Her kind and loving nature touched the hearts of all who knew her. As a mother and grandmother, she cherished nothing more than spending time with her family. Boat rides, gardening and shopping were among the many activities that brought joy to Mary’s life.

Those who survive with memories to cherish include daughters, Kay Gorny (husband Michael) of West Bloomfield and Lynn Stackhouse of North Webster; grandchildren, Lauren Gorny, Cameron Gorny and Julia Gorny, all from West Bloomfield; and sister, Judy Lambert of Muncie.

Mary was united in marriage to her husband, Larry Stackhouse, on July 27, 1963. He preceded her in passing in 1989, as did her parents, Frank and Agnes Douthitt, and by brother-in-law, James Lambert.

Visitation will be held from 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 13, at Elm Ridge Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 4600 W. Kilgore Ave., Muncie. A funeral service will take place beginning at 2:30 p.m. with burial to follow.

Memorials are appreciated to the family for Muncie American Red Cross, 325 E. Washington St., Muncie, IN 47305 or Northeast Indiana Red Cross, 1212 E. California Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Written condolences may be left for the family at www.titusfuneralhome.com.

Brenda Kay Schenkel

Interior Designer

Brenda Kay Schenkel, 83, Syracuse, formerly of Huntington, passed away Saturday afternoon July 8, 2023, at her residence.

Brenda was a 1958 graduate of Fort Wayne South Side High School and was a proud Archer alumnus. Later in 1982, she was a graduate of IPFW, earning her associate degree in interior design. She had worked in floral design at Town & Country Flowers, as well as working interior design for Carolyn Interior’s. She was a model and a 4-H judge. She enjoyed horseback riding, sewing and was an artist. Brenda was a member of St. Peter’s First Community Church. She was a member of Tri Kappa and Settlers of Fort Wayne.

Brenda was born on March 25, 1940, in Garrett, the daughter of Earl and Betty (Wells) Stahl. She was united in marriage to Ronald Schenkel on March 8, 1975, in Fort Wayne. Her husband survives.

Additional survivors include a daughter, Sloane A. (Bruce) Cecil of Auburn; a son, Ryan E. (Natalia) Schenkel of Park Ridge, Ill.; two granddaughters, Schayla Cecil and Brayah-Kait Cecil; and two stepgranddaughters, Fatima Rahal and Suzie Rahal.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will take place from 3-7 p.m.

Wednesday, July 12, at Myers Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, 2901 Guilford St., Huntington. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m.

Thursday, July 13, at the Myers Funeral Home, Huntington Chapel, with one hour of visitation prior to the service. Interment will be at St. Peter’s First Cemetery in Huntington.

Preferred memorials can be made out to either the St. Peter’s First Community Church or the Kosciusko County Animal Shelter, both in care of Myers Funeral Home, 2901 Guilford St., Huntington, IN 46750.

To sign Brenda’s online guestbook, visit www.myersfuneralhomes. com.

Births

Graham Jackson Hoover Michael and Jacquelyn Hoover, Syracuse, are the parents of a son, Graham Jackson, born at 6:32 a.m. June 27, 2023, at Dupont Hospital, Fort Wayne. He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and was 20 inches long.

Maternal grandparents are Ronald and Patricia Payette, Goshen. Paternal grandparents are Luke and Melba Hoover, New Paris.

Graham joins seven siblings: Caroline, Gabrielle, Nathaniel,

Dixie Day Festival set for July 29

The 15th annual Dixie Day Festival will be Saturday, July 29. Join in for a fun-filled day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in beautiful North Webster.

Start the day at the “Sailors and Mermaids” 5K at the North Webster Community Center, then shop artisan and craft booths, eat some delicious food, check out the car and truck show, explore what unique local merchants have to offer and take a ride on the Dixie Boat, Indiana’s oldest sternwheeler.

Join a fun crowd of walkers and runners in the “Sailors and Mermaids” 5K race along beau-

tiful Webster Lake. Preregister online or register the day of starting at 6:45 a.m. Wear your favorite sailor or mermaid digs for prizes. Competitive athletes, this race is professionally timed. Information and registration can be found at runsignup. com. Artisan and crafters will be set-up along Main Street on the lawn of Pilcher’s Shoes. Find unique and artistic gifts, as well as household staples. You won’t find a better selection of festival food than down Washington Street where various food trucks and vendors will be ready to serve you all the fes-

tival must-haves. The annual car and truck show has been growing over the years and this year we anticipate more for the enthusiast to enjoy. This judged show has a variety of entries with their owners ready to talk shop. You don’t have to know anything about cars or trucks to be impressed. To register for this event, email nwdixieday@gmail.com.

New this year will be a boat show on the Mermaid Festival Grounds. Take a look at the newest models of boats for 2023.

Local merchants join in on the fun with specials and sales you

don’t want to miss out on. Look for other fun events happening throughout town like the scavenger hunt, corn hole tournament and at Tangibles Resale and Consignment. The Dixie Boat will be running and you don’t want to miss this boat. A guided of Webster Lake is fun for the whole family, or just enjoy the scenery as you listen to the paddle churning water. The Chamber is looking forward to seeing you at Dixie Day. Watch their Facebook page for updates as more exciting happenings may occur.

Disaster plan calls for cash

You need cash around the house to climb out of chaos. Your world can turn topsyturvy in an instant. No one is free from the threat of one or more of the following: tornado, earthquake, lightning, hurricane, snowstorm, flood, tsunami, forest or brush fire or landslide.

County BZA

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watched the property for a long time. While he agrees with getting rid of the condemned homes, he believes the project is just replacing them with something similar.

Nicholas Hurberg expressed concern about people purchasing a storage condo and using it as alternative housing. Sandy noted there would be no water or sewer available

Another remonstrator told the board a lot of his questions had been answered during the hearing. “Nothing but riff raff has been there,” he said. He did feel storage units could decrease area property values.

APC approves

Continued from page 2

gy Systems. It installs solar panels on RVs and is expanding. It wants to allow RVs to be parked overnight.

The property is located on the south side of CR 1350 North, west of SR 19 in Nappanee.

A complaint was issued with the APC, which sparked the petition for an appeal. Board members debated the case before making a decision. The health department expressed its concerns and a drainage plan is under review.

The company’s attorney, Steve Snyder, said it is asking for no more five parking spaces for RVs. The RVs would be occupied by the owners of the RVs.

Any one of these can produce devastation and disruption on a titanic scale.

It’s likely that, even if you escape to higher ground or safety some distance away, you’ll be stuck in one spot for a while. To ease your anxiety, you’d better have some cash with you. You’ll be able to buy food, clothing, laundry supplies, fuel and any other necessities required

Judy Wolfe, who lives next door to the property, told the board the fire chief has raised concerns about vehicles with gas in them. She also questioned whether storage condos were the best use of the property. Her recommendation was to build homes on the property.

With an equal amount of supporters and remonstrators, the board chose to continue the case for 30 days to allow the full board — members John Beer and Kevin McSherry were absent — to review all the proposal and material presented. This will also allow the neighbors to continue discussions on the matter.

sewer hookup at the facility. APC Director Matt Sandy said there’s no plans for sewer in the foreseeable future in the area.

“I don’t know if the city has that capacity,” Sandy said.

A man, who lives south of the property, said he is concerned with the property looking like a “trailer park.”

After discussing the pros and cons of approving the case, the board voted to allow the business’ request for no more than five parking spaces. The board also assessed fines if the business has more violations.

to get you through the immediate trauma and turmoil accompanied by isolation, power outage, lack of heat and water and/ or communications breakdown.

You should have enough money in small bills to get you through at least three or four days — better, a week — without access to an automated teller machine. Keep in mind that, even if you have immediate ATM access after a disaster strikes, it may not be working because of electrical problems or it may have run out of money by the time you get to it.

This is only part of any disaster preparedness plan.

Do you know where everyone in your household is supposed to meet when fire or lightning or disaster strikes? Does everybody know their escape routes?

Do you have emergency supplies handy?

Among the things you can use are food, flashlight, rope, duct tape, matches and batteryoperated radio. But what about credit cards, important papers and prescription medications?

If you have any medical condition that requires medication, such as asthma, cancer or diabetes, government officials and medical experts recommend you keep at least a two-week supply of prescription drugs on hand. You also should make a copy of the original prescriptions.

Make arrangements on how and where to contact each member of the family. This can ease the anxiety that can twist your thought processes during any upheaval.

Now prepare an emergency kit. You can stuff a backpack with some dried fruit and food, such as beef jerky, along with a pocket knife, flashlight and the items mentioned earlier. You

can also toss in a light jacket or sweater and an extra pair of socks and underwear. Pretend you’re going camping for a weekend. What would you take?

The next packet to prepare includes valuable financial and legal information. Instead of packing away all the documents, get on your computer right now and list all your insurance companies and policy numbers, and the numbers of bank and credit union accounts, and credit card, Social Security and driver’s license numbers. Make copies of all the cards and licenses.

Slip this into a sturdy envelope and keep it handy, perhaps with your grab-and-run backpack.

While you’re at it, make duplicates of all this information and store them in a safety deposit box or somewhere safe to be used if the originals or first copy are destroyed. Follow the cardinal rule of the computer world: redundancy. Better to have too many copies than none at all.

Now’s also the time to put any contact and emergency numbers you need into your cell phone. And remember, you won’t have time to chat on your cell phone during all the hubbub. Your battery will be wearing down and you won’t be able to recharge it. So make only calls that are necessary and keep them brief.

There are several matters you can attend to during this process. For example, make a photo inventory of all your rooms and household goods to be used for insurance claims. Again, make copies. And don’t just put a few bucks away for a rainy day. Put away enough to dig your way out of a disaster.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Hazel, Camille, Josephine and Nadia. Elliot Elemual Hand John and Miranda Hand, Milford, are the parents of a son, Elliot Elemual, born at 2:42 p.m. July 4, 2023, at Goshen Hospital. He weighed 8 pounds, 3.3 ounces, and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Asher James Yoder James and Makayla (Miller) Yoder, Milford, are the parents of a son, Asher James, born at 10:25 p.m. July 6, 2023. He weighed 8 pounds.

“They would work on them between one and three days,” Snyder said.

One APC member, Mike Long, said he is concerned with sewage. There is currently no water or

A property vacation request was heard by Arthur Jasen, who lives in North Webster; his request was granted. His property is located along Webster Lake. The matter will go before the county commissioners at 9 a.m.

Tuesday, July 18.

The next meeting is at 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 2.

Accidents/Incidents

Kosciusko County

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

7:37 p.m. Friday, July 7, CR 300E, north of East CR 1300N, Milford. Drivers: Danny W. Groner, 76, Golden Pheasant Drive, Osceola; and Eldon R. Chupp, 75, North West Street, Milford. Groner’s vehicle entered CR 300E and East CR 1300N intersection, hitting Chupp’s vehicle. This caused Chupp’s vehicle to leave the roadway and enter a pond. Groner complained of back pain. Two passengers in Groner’s vehicle also sustained injuries. Doreen L. Groner, 49, Mishawaka, complained of neck pain. Arlene F. Groner, 75, Osceola, complained of chest pain. Chupp also complained of back pain. The Groners were all taken to Goshen Hospital. Damage up to $25,000.

5:09 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, East Catherine Street, south of North Main Street, Milford. Drivers: Sharon A. Bores, 61, North CR 300E, Syracuse; and Danny L. Roberts, 31, South East Street, Milford. Both

Bores’ and Roberts’ vehicles entered the Catherine and Main streets intersection at the same time. A passenger in Roberts’ vehicle, Hannah L. Street, 29, Milford, was taken to Parkview Warsaw for leg pain. Damage up to $5,000. Incidents

9:58 a.m. Monday, July 10, 7800 block East Cherokee Road, Syracuse.

Joseph J. Losee reported criminal mischief to a mailbox.

3:31 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, 100 block EMS T9 Lane, Leesburg. Lisa Grubbs reported criminal mischief.

11:52 a.m. Monday, July 3, 5500 block North CR 825E, North Webster. Officers investigated a report of an animal complaint.

North Webster

Officers with the North Webster Police Department investigated the following incidents: Incidents

4 p.m. Sunday, July 9, 700 block South Main Street, North Webster.

Donna F. Neidlinger reported the theft of a cellphone. Value: $500.

9:26 p.m. Sunday, July 2, 300 block East Himes Street, North Webster.

Sidney I. Richey reported theft. Value: $150 Syracuse

Officers with the Syracuse Police Department investigated the following accidents, incidents and made the following arrests: Accidents

2:16 p.m. Sunday, July 9, North Huntington Street, north of West Main Street, Syracuse. Driver:

Joshua R. Baldwin, 47, West Union Street, Ligonier. A boat Baldwin was hauling caught a banner hanging from a light post, causing the post to fall over. Damage up to $2,500.

3:09 p.m. Thursday, July 6, South Huntington Street, north of West Bowser Road, Syracuse. Drivers: Lois M. Waggoner, 60, Meadow View Drive, Syracuse; and Makena S. Harrison, 19, North SR 25, Rochester.

Waggoner’s vehicle rear-ended Harrison’s vehicle. Waggoner was taken to Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital for minor elbow and lower arm injuries.

Damage up to $10,000.

7:29 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, North Long Drive, Syracuse. Drivers: Jack D. Spitler, 81, North Kern Road, Syracuse; and Justin E. Patrick, 32, North CR 100E, Milford. Spitler backed his vehicle into Patrick’s.

Damage up to $2,500.

4:17 p.m. Sunday, July 2, South Huntington Street, Drivers: Katlynn Craft, 24, South 100 East, Claypool; and Warren Bess, 75, North Warner Road, Syracuse. Craft’s vehicle

struck Bess’ bicycle. Damage up to $2,500.

4:02 p.m. Sunday, July 2, South Huntington Street, Drivers: Nevin Tinsley, 17, 12th Road, Argos; and Karen Cason, 57, Windward Way, Carmel. Tinsley’s vehicle ran a red light and struck the front right passenger bumper of Cason’s vehicle.

Damage up to $10,000.

Incidents

10:08 p.m. Saturday, July 8, 500

block Prairie Drive, Syracuse. Mark Dennis Mallane reported trespassing on his property.

8:18 p.m. Friday, July 7, 200 block of Pittsburgh Street, Syracuse. Police were called for a fight in progress.

8:42 a.m. Wednesday, July 5, 100 block East Pearl Street, Syracuse. Representatives for United Pentecostal Church reported criminal mischief to a building. A window was pushed off the track and broken, and a lock was broken. Damage estimated $300.

12:37 p.m. Monday, July 3, 500 block Prairie Drive, Syracuse. Amable A. Uzcategui Linares reported lost identity documents.

4:56 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, 100 block Elkhart County, Syracuse. Shelly L. Krueger reported a vehicle accident.

Arrests

10:08 p.m. Saturday, July 8, Prairie Drive, Syracuse. Christy Lachy, 47, 302 South Edgewater Drive, Syracuse, was arrested and booked on criminal trespass charges.

8:18 p.m. Friday, July 7, East Pittsburgh Street, Syracuse. Donald Combs, 49, 440 Wexford Place, Warsaw, was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, resisting law enforcement by fleeing on foot and resisting law enforcement-fighting.

8:13 p.m. Sunday, July 2, North Lake Street, Syracuse. Laura Curry, 34, 6847 E. 1120N, Syracuse, was arrested for driving a vehicle while suspended prior. Curry was stopped for a traffic violation at which time police learned her license was suspended.

Warsaw

Officers with the Warsaw Police Department investigated the following accident: Accident

1:18 p.m. Friday, July 7, Laurelwood Drive, south of Nuthatch Drive, Warsaw. Driver: Andrew R. LeCount, 38, East Armstrong Road, Leesburg. The arm extensions on the garbage truck LeCount was driving hit a parked, unoccupied vehicle. Damage up to $5,000.

Jail Bookings

Kosciusko County

The following people were booked in Kosciusko County Jail:

July 11 — Brice Gabriel Islas, 29, 605 N. Harrison St., Syracuse, booked on a warrant. No bond listed.

July 10 —Gage Louis Trowbridge, 29, 902 N. Huntington St., Syracuse, booked for manufacturing/dealing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic drug and possession of paraphernalia with prior. Bond: $25,250 surety and cash.

July 10 — Brian Jason Caudill, 45, 7849 N. 400E, Leesburg, booked for theft – value of property at least $750. Bond: $5,250 surety and cash.

July 10 — Aliyaha Rae Dawn Whitaker, 28, 4682 N. 475E, Leesburg, booked for manufacturing/dealing methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic drug and possession of paraphernalia. Bond: $25,250 surety and cash.

July 8 — Christy Lee Lacny, 47, 302 S. Edgewater Drive, Syracuse,

Woodward arrested for fleeing from state trooper

A Syracuse woman was recently arrested for fleeing from a state trooper.

Chelsey Sue Woodward, 32, 4484

E. CR 1300N, Syracuse, is charged with resisting law enforcement, a level 6 felony; driving while suspended prior, a class A misdemeanor; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.

On July 1, an Indiana State Police trooper was near Syracuse when he attempted to pull a vehicle over for having a false and fictitious license plate.

According to court documents, the vehicle’s driver refused to stop and a pursuit began. During the pursuit, the driver hit a stop sign, disregarded stop signs and ran a red light. The vehicle eventually entered a field.

booked for criminal trespass. Bond: $500 cash.

July 8 — Billy Taylor Schroll, 30, 8268 E. Wade Lane, North Webster, booked for domestic battery with the presence of child less than 16. Bond: $6,000 surety and cash.

July 7 — Jordan William Graham, 25, 22 EMS W23C Lane, North Webster, booked for possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and driving while suspended with prior. Bond: $6,300 surety and cash.

July 7 — Bruce Allen Davis, 31, 18911 E. Third St., New Paris, booked for warrant arrest. No bond.

July 7 — Michael Keith Walley, 43, 6669 N. Fifth Trail, North Webster, booked for failure to appear. No bond listed.

July 7 — Terry Joseph Marsillett, 45, 303 E. Van Buren St., Leesburg, booked for meth possession, possession of paraphernalia and possession of marijuana/hash oil/hashish. Bond: $5,250 surety and cash.

July 5 — Alex Zeven Combs, 18, Syracuse, booked for consuming alcohol as a minor. Bond: $450 cash.

July 5 — Bobbi Jo Collier, 40, 313 E. Smith St., Milford, booked for possession of methamphetamine. Bond: $5,250 surety and cash.

July 5 — Doniven M. Combs, 21, 25 EMS D18B Lane, Syracuse, booked for operating while intoxicated and refusal to submit to chemical test. Bond: $700 cash.

July 2 — Laura Renee Curry, 34, 6847 E. 1120N, Syracuse, booked for driving while suspended with a prior suspension. Bond: $450 cash.

July 1 — Chelsey Sue Woodward, 32, 4484 E. 1300N, Syracuse, booked for bond revocation, resisting law enforcement using a vehicle and driving while suspended with a prior suspension. Bond: A combination of $10,250 surety and cash and no bond.

Elkhart County

The following people were booked in Elkhart County Jail:

July 7 — Bruce Allen Davis, 31, 503 Meadowview Drive, Syracuse, booked for identity deception, two counts of driving while suspended, leaving the scene of a crash, false informing, possession of methamphetamine, possession of paraphernalia and resisting law enforcement. Bond: $1,500.

July 5 — Tyler Adam Ferguson, 24, 508 N. Parkway Drive, Syracuse, booked for driving while suspended with prior. Bond: $1,500.

James Hobbick recently arrested for burglarizing Syracuse business

A Syracuse man was recently arrested for allegedly burglarizing and stealing cash from The Frog Tavern.

James Lee Hobbick, 25, 4455

E. Fox Run Drive, Syracuse, is charged with three counts of burglary, all level 5 felonies; and three counts of theft, all class A misdemeanors.

On Feb. 12, 2022, a Syracuse Police officer responded to a burglary at The Frog Tavern. The property owner discovered money was missing from the business and checked video sur-

veillance.

According to court documents, the footage showed Hobbick, a former employee at The Frog Tavern, entering the restaurant in the early morning hours of Feb. 12, 2022. Upon examining the business’s records, the owner discovered $672 was stolen Feb. 12, 2022. The owner told the officer he believed Hobbick made a copy of the business’s

key and was able to enter the building without causing damage. Upon discovering two additional instances where the business’s financial records did not properly balance, the owner learned about two other instances where Hobbick allegedly entered The Frog Tavern and stole money.

Surveillance footage showed Hobbick stole $691 from the business Jan. 30, 2022, and also stole $640.50 Feb. 8, 2022. Hobbick was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail June 28, with a $20,250 surety and cash bond.

Davis arrested for fraud, theft at North Webster business

An Auburn man was recently arrested for allegedly stealing and defrauding a North Webster business at which he was formerly employed.

Joshua Lee Davis, 29, Auburn, is charged with two counts of fraud, two counts of identity deception and theft, all level 5 felonies; and eight counts of forgery, all level 6 felonies.

On Jan. 24, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office detective was contacted by the owner of ProWake Watersports in North Webster regarding a theft. The owner said Davis, the business’s operations manager, set up several accounts for ProWake Watersports and made multiple credit card charges without authorization. Davis’s W2 also showed he earned $120,000, which was more than the agreed amount of pay for his contract.

According to court documents, the owner found a $2,153.85 weekly payment from ProWake Watersports’ checking account to a loan provider. Representatives for the loan provider said ProWake Watersports had two loans through them, each for $100,000.

The KCSO detective received further information from the loan provider Feb. 2. The information

Court News

Civil Collections

Elkhart County

The following civil collections have been awarded in Elkhart County Superior Court III: Citibank, N.A. v. Jordan Alderman, New Paris, $2,571.92 Capital One, N.A. v. Ryan Crosley, Syracuse, $4,842.10 Superior Court III

The following fines for infractions have been assessed in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Harboring a non-immunized dog, no injury — John V. Zimmerman, Milford, $160

Failure to register — Zoren S. Wert, Syracuse, $160.50

Disregarding stop sign — Kimberly K. Evans, Syracuse, $160.50

Marriage Licenses

Kosciusko County

The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the

office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Court Ann Torpy: Drew-Monday Ward E. Drew, 59, Syracuse, and Candace L. Monday, 53, Syracuse Owen-Eder Dennis M. Owen, 58, Cromwell, and Jill A. Eder, 57, Cromwell Lamb-Carpenter Cheyanne M. Lamb, 26, Syracuse, and James Robert Carpenter, 35, Syracuse Kunkle-Burchfield

Jacqueline M. Kunkle, 52, Syracuse, and Scott R. Burchfield, 56, Winslow, Ark.

Marriage Dissolutions

Kosciusko County

The following couple have filed a marriage dissolution in Kosciusko Superior Court:

Arthur — Kayla Arthur, Warsaw, and John Arthur, Leesburg. They were married June 19, 2021, and separated Feb. 2, 2023. One minor children.

showed a representative from ProWake Watersports opened the loans on July 20, 2022, and Aug. 16, 2022. Weekly payments for the loan were paid from ProWake Watersports’ operation fund.

Loan paperwork and phone conversations showed Davis was pretending to be the business owner by using the owner’s name, social security number and date of birth as identifying information in order to procure the loans.

On March 29, the owner provided the detective with salary statements for Davis from April 2021 through December 2022.

The statements showed Davis received unauthorized bonus pay, commissions pay and pay reimbursements totaling $23,644.93.

It was also discovered that between March 2022 and December 2022, Davis made 21 unauthorized purchases in the amount of $6,777.97. Davis also allegedly made three unauthorized cash withdrawals from the business’s checking account between January 2022 and May 2022, with the withdrawals totaling $1,947.

The owner also provided the detective with another loan agreement Davis acquired for ProWake Watersports in the amount of $17,000; he also provided eight checks written to Davis that the owner did not authorize, totaling $4,543.10. Davis was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail July 6, with a $20,250 surety and cash bond.

Hattery arrested for strangulation, domestic battery

Brandon Jaymes Hattery was recently arrested for allegedly battering a man in Syracuse. Hattery, 30, 451 S. Elm St., Nappanee, is charged with strangulation and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury,

both level 6 felonies.

On June 8, a Syracuse Police officer responded to a domestic incident. A man said Hattery became angry and placed him in a choke hold, squeezing to a point where he could not breathe. According to court documents, the officer noticed red marks around the man’s neck and chest. A witness said he saw Hattery place the man in a coke hold. When the witness asked Hattery to let the man go, Hattery did so and left the scene.

Hattery was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail June 27, 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

The vehicle’s driver, identified as Woodward, said she didn’t want to go to jail and knew she had a warrant for her arrest. She also admitted her driving privileges were suspended. Woodward has a prior judgment against her for driving while suspended. At the time of this incident, Woodward had an active warrant for meth and controlled substance possession. She also has prior convictions for possessing meth, marijuana and paraphernalia. Woodward was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail July 1.

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

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Truck partially submerged in pond after two-vehicle accident

A Ford F-150 truck became partially submerged in a pond after a two vehicle accident in Milford.

At 7:38 p.m. Friday, July 7, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office responded to a two-vehicle accident at CR 300E and CR 1300N, Milford.

According to a KCSO accident report, Danny Groner, 76, Golden Pleasant Drive, Osceola, was headed northbound in his

vehicle on CR 300E in a Honda CR-V where he approached a two-way stop for north and southbound traffic. Groner claims he never saw another vehicle until he was struck by the truck.

The second vehicle was a Ford F-150 truck driven by Eldon Chupp, 75, North West Street, Milford. Chupp was traveling westbound in his vehicle on CR 1300N when Chupp

told officers the Honda CR-V came out into traffic and he was unable to avoid the crash.

Due to the collision, the Honda CR-V sustained damage to the rear passenger side and the Ford F-150 truck left the roadway after the initial crash and went into a pond, causing front end damage to the truck.

Groner complained of back pain. Two passengers in Groner’s vehicle also sustained in-

Fire departments serve various emergency needs

Fire departments in the area are first on the scene when disaster strikes. Some are paid some are not. A majority of Kosciusko County departments depend on volunteers for some, if not all, of their boots on the ground.

Milford

Milford Fire Department was founded in the 1900s. Fire Chief Virgil Sharp said the department has 30 volunteer firefighters.

The current building was built by such volunteer firefighters, said Sharp. He noted that in the U.S., most fire departments are volunteer departments.

Milford Fire, which has enjoyed a tightly-knit relationship with the community for generations, is partially funded by a combination of entities: Milford Town Council and Van Buren and Jefferson townships.

Milford also has fundraisers to help fund the department’s gear and other equipment.

The biggest fundraiser is its chicken barbecue in October.

“Our profit from our chicken barbecue fundraiser is around $5,000,” he said. “It pays for two or three sets of gear.”

Every 10 years, the department must get new gear. “We rotate it out.”

The department meets twice a month. Training is conducted the third Thursday of each month and business meeting is the first Thursday of every month.

Syracuse

The first record of a fire department in Syracuse was in November of 1875. The charter members of the Syracuse Fire Department were established in 1948.

The department was reorganized into the Turkey Creek Fire Territory Jan. 1, 2009. There are currently 28 members of the department.

“We are a combination department with full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighter/ EMTs. We operate out of two fire stations and 25 of our firefighters are cross trained from EMT basic up to EMT paramedic,” said Mickey Scott, fire chief, Turkey Creek Fire Territory.

Syracuse is one of only two fire departments (Turkey Creek Fire Territory and Tippecanoe Township Fire Territory) in Kosciusko County that have cross-trained staff and operate its own paramedic ambulances,” said Scott.

Training is conducted daily by full-time members and at least two times per month by volunteer members. Training consist of all of the various aspects of firefighting, rescue and EMS services.

“We train for structure fires, motor vehicle accidents, waterrelated emergencies, ice-related emergencies, terrorist threats, train derailments, hazardous material emergencies, EMS emergencies and any other emergency or rescue situation that we could possibly encounter,” Scott noted.

These can be medical emergencies, structure fires, vehicle fires, grass and brush fires, watercraft fires, water rescues, ice rescues, fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, natural gas leaks, utility lines down, motor vehicle accidents and mutual aid requests for fire and/or EMS assistance to neighboring response agencies.

North Webster

The North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Fire Department was originally formed April 4, 1935, by the town of North Webster. Among the charter members were Bill Metcalf, George Burns and Howard Bockman. The only fire equipment was buckets and ladders kept on a rack next to the filling station. Fire Chief Jeremy Likens became the first full-time fire chief in 2012.

juries. Doreen L. Groner, 49, Mishawaka, complained of neck pain. Arlene F. Groner, 75,

Osceola, complained of chest pain. Chupp also complained of back pain. The Groners were

taken to Goshen Hospital. Damages are estimated to be up to $25,000.

Stillwater Hospice is thrilled to announce our partnership with Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice. As a combined organization we provide palliative, hospice and grief support services in 12 northeast Indiana counties. We are a locally based, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting patients and families who are facing serious illness.

“We are very similar to the way Syracuse (fire) operates,” said Lt. Adam Doyle.

The department has 13 fulltime staff members and 24 volunteers.

“We do full-time training every day for different scenarios. We do two volunteer trainings a month,” Doyle noted.

The department was all volunteers until 2013 when NWTTFD went to full-time staff.

“We do fire and EMS calls but not anything lawn enforcement related,” Doyle related.

The department is funded by taxpayer dollars. It serves Tippecanoe Township, North Webster and part of Noble County.

“We are starting to send staff to technical rescue classes, such as rope classes, to expand our capabilities,” Doyle stated.

1515 Provident Drive, Suite 250, Warsaw, IN 46580

Offices in Berne, Fort Wayne, Marion and Warsaw

Wawasee Kiwanis Triathlon to be held Saturday, July 29

Calling all runners, swimmers and bikers! The Wawasee Kiwanis Triathlon will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at Syracuse Lakeside Park, 1013 N. Long Drive.

Here is everything the triathletes need to know:

The age group of a participant will be determined by their age on Dec. 31, 2023, not by their age on race day. The minimum age for entry is 15 years old. This applies to solo triathletes and team members. The triathlon is USA Triathlon sanctioned. The age group divisions for solo are: 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84 and 85+.

Dixie Day Dash 5K set for July 29

The 15th annual Dixie Day

Dash 5K is scheduled for Saturday, July 29, at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N Main St., North Webster.

The event will have two start times. The first start time is scheduled for 8 a.m. and the sec-

ond for 10 a.m.

The theme for 2023 will be “Sailors and Mermaids” so wear your favorite sailor or mermaid digs for prizes.

This race is professionally timed and prizes will be given for both male and female partici-

pants in the following age groups:

2-10, 11-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 plus.

The race supports the ongoing annual Dixie Day Festival.

The pre-registration cost through July 28 is $25. The registration cost the day of the race is $28. Pre-registrations received by July 15 are guaranteed a free T-shirt.

The cut off for online registration is July 26. Participants can sign-up for the event at runsignup.com/Race/IN/NorthWebster/ SailorsandMermaidsDixieDayDash5K.

There is no guarantee participants will receive a T-shirt if they register after July 15.

Registration and bib pick-up starts at 6:45 a.m. at the North Webster Community Center and ends in the same location. Following the race, participants can enjoy the festivities in downtown North Webster.

All participants must wear an assigned timing chip. Triathletes are responsible for returning their timing chip at the finish line or will be fined a $30 replacement fee. Teams will be assigned only one timing chip and must transfer the chip to succeeding members of the team in the transition area.

There is a limit of 300 entries. Same-day registration will only be available if the race is not full. Fees for same-day registration will be an additional $5 for individuals and an extra $10 for teams. Same day registration is considered as Friday, July 28, and Saturday, July 29.

There will no parking at Syracuse Lakeside Park or Syracuse Community Center the day of the race. There is public parking in downtown Syracuse and the surrounding area.

All triathletes are required to show photo ID to pick up their packet to race. This is a USAT requirement and there will be absolutely no exceptions. Additionally, USAT members must show their USAT membership cards or will be fined an additional $15 for a one-day permit. Race packets may be picked up 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 28, or 6 to 7:30 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at the Syracuse Lakeside Park Community building.

A pre-race clinic will be held 6 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the Syracuse Community Center. For

those new to the sport, triathletes will receive tips on setting up your transition area, do’s and dont’s and will have an opportunity to ask questions.

The race committee reserve the rights to remove anyone from the race if there are safety concerns. Triathletes are not permitted to wear headphones or earbuds of any kind.

The swim course will be a fourth of mile, out and back. USAT rules govern the usage of wet suits.

The bike course is 13.49 miles with few hills early on but then mostly flat. Bike helmets must be strapped at all times before, during and after the race to prevent disqualification. Per USAT rules, triathletes are responsible for knowing and following the designated cycling course. No time adjustments will be made for triathletes that fail to follow the proper course for any reason whatsoever. The committee recommends driving the course before the race.

The run is 3.1 miles along the hills of the north shore of Syra-

cuse Lake. Runners must wear their race number in front. Triathlon race awards will be presented to the female and male overall winners. Awards will be presented to female and male first, second and third place winners in the age groups, Clydesdales, Athenas and teams.

This triathlon is sponsored by the Wawasee Kiwanis Club, a nonprofit organization. Any and all profits go to designated Wawasee Kiwanis charities, including Riley’s Children’s Hospital, Teen Parents Succeeding, Syracuse Community Center, Harold Schrock Youth Complex, scholarships, Syracuse Food Pantry and more. The Syracuse-Wawasee Kiwanis club is a 501(c)3 organization and all proceeds from this event are donated to charity.

Race results will be posted at the race, and on wawaseekiwanis.org and runnersedgeracetiming.com. Any other questions can be directed to Cole Warner at colewarner10@gmail.com.

Cindonway Shores to host 2023 Indiana State Water Ski Championships

The 2023 Indiana State Water Ski Championships will be held July 15 at Cindonway Shores near Syracuse.

WSI Cindonway Skiers and Blue Barn Berry Farm will be hosting the 74th annual competition for individuals competing in slalom, tricks and jumping events.

Skiers ages 6-77 are expected to compete in many different age divisions in each of these events. This event will also be a milestone year for Cindonway as the first state competition was held 40 years ago in 1983.

This will make the 12th time in 40 years the local group has hosted this event. The digging of Lake Jacob and development of Cindonway Shores started in 1978 and the first competition trick tournament was held in 1982.

Plan to attend some of the competition throughout the day and the special awards banquet and skier party at the Blue Barn Event Center Saturday evening.

More details are available on the Indiana Water Ski Association website indianawaterski. org.

Sunfish and I-20 Scow classes race for first time since May

Mother Nature provided fair winds Saturday, July 8, allowing both the Sunfish and I-20 Scow classes to race. It was the first time since May 27 both classes had the opportunity

to race.

Weather conditions were not favorable Sunday, July 9, and the race coordinator canceled races for E-Scow and Lighting classes.

Standings for I-20 Scow from Saturday are: Rapp - first place

Allen - second place Westman - third place Beesley - fourth place.

The remainder of the fleet did not finish.

Standings for Sunfish from Saturday are: McClain - first place

C.Call - second place

A. Levinson - third place

F. Levinson - fourth place D. Rassi - fifth place The remainder of the fleet did not finish.

If the weather cooperates, the Wawasee Yacht Club will race again Saturday and Sunday mornings, July 15-16.

Annual Tour des Lakes bicycle ride July 15

The 12th annual Tour des Lakes leisurely bicycle ride around eight beautiful Kosciusko County lakes, sponsored by K21 Health Foundation, will be held from 7-9:30 a.m. Saturday, July 15, at The Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive. Riders of the 100K course will start at/or by 7:30 a.m.; 55K at/or by 8:30 a.m. and 30K at/or by 9:30 a.m. The course closes at 4 p.m.

The 100K route is the most popular option and guides riders

around several beautiful lakes, including Wawasee, Webster, Chapman, Winona and Tippecanoe.

Since 2011, several SyracuseWawasee nonprofits and service organizations have organized the Tour des Lakes bike ride, formerly known as the Liberty Ride. This event has continued to grow every year, and this edition looks to be no exception.

The goal of the Tour de Lakes is to introduce riders to the natu-

ral beauty of Kosciusko County and raise funds for the continued growth of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail system.

SAG stops with snacks will be provided and lunch will be served

upon biker’s return to the community center. Registration is open until July 15, $50 per adult and $30 per youth. Same-day registration is $5 more per person.

Summer reading success in North Webster Library

The North Webster Community Public Library had a successful summer reading program, with nearly 600 children, teenagers ad and adults participating. With a initial goal of 100,000 minutes read, the expectation was far exceeded with more than five times that number being reported.

The library will be hold its summer reading grand finale celebration day from 1-4 p.m.

Wednesday, July 19. Activities will include a bounce house, an inflatable obstacle course, a dunk tank with library director Keith Kuric, face painting, snow cones and lots of outdoor yard games.

From 11 a.m. to noon there will be a special visit from Cinderella, while Spiderman in attendance from noon to 1 p.m.

Hot dogs and chips will be served starting at 11:30 a.m. until they run out.

The library will host a free escape room, “Pollinators,” July 17

and July 20. Find clues and solve puzzles in order to escape the room. The family-friendly game and appropriate for all ages, although children must be accompanied by an adult.

The library will host “Food Labeling: What’s in there Anyway?” class at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 18. The program will teach how to identify the primary components of food labels as well as how to understand marketing claims.

Teens are invited to the summer reading lock-in from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, July 22. The event will be full of games, food and prizes. Ticket to the lock-in can be earned by logging at least 10 hours of reading during the summer. Registration is required.

For more information about the library and its programs, call (574) 834-7122, visit nwcpl.org or check out the library’s Facebook page.

Area United Methodist churches share in the power of connection

Several area United Methodist churches in Kosciusko County are sharing in the power of connection to spread the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed. These churches include: Atwood Aldersgate UMC, Celebration UMC, Clunette UMC, Trinity UMC, Walnut Creek UMC and Warsaw First UMC.

Last fall the churches discovered that the Salvation Army food pantry was severely depleted due to higher than normal need. They developed a mission project titled “Feed My Sheep” where the six congregations were divided into two teams — “Peanut Butter and Jelly” and “Cereal and Pasta” — and competed to collect the most food donations. It was so successful

that the churches plan to do the same again this fall. Also last fall the churches formed “The Youth Network” to share in resources and facilities to educate the children of the congregations together. This consisted of game and pizza nights, band led worship nights, shared mission projects and a sleepover at United Methodist Camp Adventure. They are currently working on pulling their schedule together for the coming year that will kick off at the end of summer.

Most recently the churches worked together to present a Vacation Bible School titled “Fishin’ on a Mission” which led 70 kids through a week’s worth of Bible lessons, games, crafts, food while raising money for implementing water pumps in Africa. The huge success was in part due to the enormous 43-foot inflatable replica humpback whale that allowed the children to actually go inside

Milford library winds down summer activities

With the 2023-24 school year only about a month away, the Milford Public Library is wrapping up its summer programming.

Free lunches will continue for two more weeks, with the last day of service on Wednesday, July 26.

The library concludes its annual summer reading program.

The grand finale pizza party will be held at noon Friday, July 21. Anyone enrolled in the program who read at least five hours this summer is invited to join in. Those attending should bring a drink and something comfortable on which to sit.

The last family story time

will precede the party at 10:30 a.m. It will feature guest storyteller Janette Stackhouse, who will read several books promoting good self-esteem. Families who come to the story time will receive a copy of the book, “You Are a Story” by Bob Racza.

Following the pizza party, Mark’s Ark will be at the library with several of his animal friends at approximately 1 p.m. Children will be able to interact with the animals.

The deadline to turn in reading minutes is 2 p.m. July 22. This year, more than 130 children and 37 teens participated in the summer reading program.

Syracuse Lake Association to host annual meeting

The Syracuse Lake Association will be hosting their annual meeting and breakfast from 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. The event will be held at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 North Long Drive.

The Owls Nest, Overboards, and Brew City will be catering the breakfast.

This event is at no cost to Syracuse Lake Association members, but non-members will need to pay $10. To RSVP, contact Mindy Beyeler via phone (574) 807-2557 or email mkbeyeler21@gmail.com, by Friday, July 21. Be sure to in-

the whale to to learn the story of Jonah as well as the whale’s incredible anatomy.

Several of the children in these churches also attended the three area United Methodist camps this summer, including Camp Lakewood (elementary camp in Lake of the Woods), Camp Adventure (middle school camp in Pierceton) and Epworth Forest (senior high camp in North Webster).

At the end of July a number of youth from this collective of churches will be attending the “Better Way Youth Trip” to Detroit, Mich., organized by the North District of the Indiana UMC Conference. The trip will lead the youth in an immersive experience of other Abrahamic faith traditions and cultures through shared learning, fellowship and mission.

Future combined efforts are forthcoming, including a planned community service collaboration July 17-23. If you would like to learn more about each of these churches or find out their Sunday service times, check them out online at: www. AtwoodAldersgateUMC.org; www.CelebrationUM.org; www. ClunetteChurch.org; www.WarsawTrinityUMC.com; www. WalnutCreekChurch.com; and www.WarsawFUMC.org.

Ecotours help you get to know your lakes

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College has been teaming up this week with local lake associations to host educational tours of some lakes in Kosciusko County.

Tours still on tap, beginning at 7 p.m., include Winona Lake on Thursday, July 13, and Lake Tippecanoe on Friday, July 14. Earlier this week, there were ecotours of Big Chapman Lake on Monday and Lake Wawasee on Tuesday.

Ecotours let people explore what it takes to be a lake scientist. A new format this year

means you can help collect data from your local lake with the guidance of a Lilly Center intern.

When you meet the group on the lake, you can allow a member of the student team to board your boat with a variety of research equipment. College interns provide an interactive experience as they demonstrate how the Lilly Center conducts research.

Participants can follow along from the comfort of their own boat as Lilly Center director Nate Bosch narrates the tour on an FM radio station. You will have the opportunity to text your question

and comments to Bosch at any time during the event.

During an ecotour, you will learn about data and information that is specific to your lake:

— Depth, sediment and clarity;

— Lake food chains;

— Dissolved oxygen levels;

— Lake stratification;

— Algae and aquatic weed identification. Ecotours are free to the public, thanks to sponsorship from the Zimmer Biomet Foundation. To register for an ecotour and for more information, visit lakes. grace.edu/events.

Search begins for the 2023 Indiana Farm Family of the Year

Beck’s Hybrids and Indiana AgriNews have started their search for the 26th Indiana Farm Family of the Year. Nominations are now being accepted for this distinguished award.

For the past 25 years, Beck’s and AgriNews have been honoring one Indiana farm family for their work on the farm, service to their community, and the agricultural industry. The award is aimed at increasing awareness of the important contributions farm families make.

“Family farms are vital to the agriculture industry but are also an integral component to rural communities,” said Scott Beck, president of Beck’s. “This award recognizes a family who strives to serve both.

Previous recipients of the Indiana Farm Family of the Year award include:

1998 — The Kohlhagen Family

of Jasper County

1999 — The Walker Family of Blackford County

2000 — The Bontrager Family of Elkhart County

2001 — The Stinson Family of Clinton County

2002 — The Ambriole Family of Huntington County

2003 — The Schlatter Family of Allen County

2004 — The Johnson Family of Orange County

2005 — The Perkins Family of LaGrange County

2006 — The Bell Family of Wayne County

2007 — The Leininger Family of St. Joseph County

2008 — The Ring Family of Dubois County

2009 — The Minich-May Family of Carroll County

2010 — The Mohler Family of Clinton County

2011 — The Coy Family of Decatur County

2012 — The Hayden Family of Lake County

2013 — The Baird Family of Washington County

2014 — The Duttlinger Family of Jasper County

2015 — The Hadley Family of Allen County

2016 — The Clauson Family of Fulton County

2017 — The Miller Family of DeKalb County

2018 — The Ramsey Family of Shelby County

2019 — The Wenning Family of Decatur County

2020 — The Everett Family of Boone County

2021 — The Stephenson Family of Johnson County

2022 — The Schenk Family of Posey County

2023 — The Hamilton Family of

clude the number of attendees, names of attendees, phone number, and any questions or topics you would like covered at the meeting.

Jim Donahoe, of Aquatic Weed Control, and Beth Morris, of Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, are guest speakers. Topics such as the condition of the lakes, weed control and how homeowners can keep the lake beautiful and fun for all will be discussed.

This event is sponsored by Main Channel Marina and hosted by the Syracuse Lake Association Board of Directors.

Syracuse library has successful summer season

The Syracuse Public Library is finishing another successful summer reading program. Drawings for the raffle prizes will occur the week of July 24. Participants do not need to be present for the drawing as library staff will call the winners.

The final “Make-It Monday will take place at 2 p.m. July 17. Children will learn about solar oven cooking.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, children through five are invited to attend the last story time of summer. Besides listening to fun stories, children will also make a firefly craft.

Teens can attend a “Jackbox” and “Among Us” party from 2-4 p.m. Monday, July 17. Bring a phone to the party to play along or use the one of the library’s computers.

Teens are invited to participate in “Color and Chill” from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. The library has a variety of coloring pages for young adults to decorate. The teen and children’s summer reading programs will hold end of summer reading parties next week.

Teens will have a pizza party from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Sign up at the library or on

the digital calendar, https://tinyurl.com/Syracusepublibpizzaparty.

Children will celebrate the end of summer reading from noon-2 p.m. Friday, July 21. There will be outdoor games, craft stations, balloon animals from noon until 1 p.m. and snow cones while supplies last.

For adults, Mahjong continues at 10:15 a.m. on Mondays and at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. Players of all skill levels, including beginners, are welcome to come.

The library’s adult writing group, “The Workshop,” will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. Bring a piece to share or listen to others read.

Adults are invited to Thursday morning chair yoga with Michelle Parker. The low-impact sessions begin at 9:30 a.m. each Thursday. Since this program occurs before the library opens, knock on the southernmost Harrison Street near the staff parking lot.

J29th 9

Vigo County

“As a family-owned agricultural business, AgriNews believes in the importance of farm families, and we want to spotlight their significant contributions both on and off the farm — in agriculture and in their communities — while thanking one special family, in particular,” said James Henry, Indiana AgriNews executive editor. “It is our honor to present this award to celebrate the 27th Indiana Farm Family of the Year.”

To nominate a family, visit www.form.jotform. com/222223566107146.

Nominations opened July 1. The deadline to submit nominations is Sept. 30.

The family will be recognized at the Indiana Farm Bureau State Convention in December 2023 and the Purdue Fish Fry in February 2024.

Area youngsters among nearly 100 pageant entries

There were nearly 100 entries in this year’s kid’s pageant at the Kosciusko County Community Fair, reportedly a record number. Among those 100 entries were some youngsters with ties to the Lakeland area.

The pageant was open to those between the ages of 2 to 12 years of age. Girls had the largest number of contestants overall, but the biggest entries came in the Little Miss and Mister category where over 32 young girls between the ages of 5-8 participated.

The event was held Monday, July 10, in the activities tent, filled with family members and friends of all the contestants.

The pageant was broken down into four Categories: Miss and Mister Toddler, for 2-year-olds; Miss and Mister Preschool, those ages 3-4; Little Miss and Mister, ages 5-8; and Junior Miss and Mister, ages 9-12.

Winners were: Miss and Mister Toddler — Elleiahana Crow, Miss Toddler; Addy Staddon, first runner-up and Ivy Shepherd, second runnerup; Maxwell Price, Mr. Toddler; Henderson Stewart, first runnerup; and Carson Kaiser, second runner-up.. Miss and Mister Preschool

Aahana Panda, Miss Preschool; Molly Miller, first runner-up;

Abagayle Kuta, second runnerup; Porter Stewart, Mr. Preschool; Rome Cloud, first runner-up; and Jason Himes, second runner-up.

Little Miss and Mister — Evelynn Brown, Little Miss; Brynlei Puckett, first runner-up; Blayke Sands, second runner-up; Tyler Enders, Little Mister; Keegan Richardson, first runner-up; Kase Swihart, second runner-up.

Junior Miss and Mister Quinlynn Risedorph, Junior Miss; Delanie Miller, first runnerup; Brynn Van Laeken, second runner-up; Adrick Shock, Junior Mister; and Braydon Gibley, first runner-up.

Kali Wolf, 2022 Miss Kosciusko Fair Queen, was mistress of ceremonies. She was assisted by 2023 Kosciusko Fair Queen Ashley Irwin and her court, and 2023 Miss Teen Kosciusko Olivia Fuller and her court.

The contestants were asked a number of questions, appropriate for their age level. Such questions included their favorite color, food, sport and superhero, if they could count to 10, a favorite animal or activity, if they had any brothers and sisters, favorite things to do and what they wanted to be when they grew up. For the older contestants, questions pertaining to school were included along with what they do for fun, if they could be anything what would it be, what they would change about school and why, and if they had a super power what it would be.

Milford Public Library —

Free lunches still available

Free lunches are available from noon until 12:30 p.m. the week of July 17. The last day for lunch will be Wednesday, July 26. Milford Public Library is in the last week of the summer reading program. The theme of the week is “Self Esteem Adventures.” The last family story time is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 21. The guest storyteller is library clerk, Janette Stackhouse. She will share several books about having good self-esteem.

North Webster Community Public Library — Summer reading a huge success

2023 has been a recordbreaking summer for the North Webster Community Public Library. The summer reading program was a huge success with 317 children, 103 teens and 151 adults participating and reading over 500,000 minutes. The community smashed the initial reading goal of 100,000 minutes and far exceeded the library’s expectations.

But the fun isn’t over yet. NWCPL will be hosting a summer reading grand finale celebration day on Wednesday, July 19. The fun will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and activities include a bounce house, an inflatable obstacle course, a dunk tank with library director Keith Kuric and another mystery librarian, face painting, snow cones provided by Knights of Columbus and lots of outdoor yard games.

Plus, make sure to visit between 11 a.m. and noon for a special visit from Cinderella or from noon to 1 p.m. to meet Spi-

derman. Hot dogs and chips will be served starting at 11:30 a.m. and going until they run out. The following activities are set to take place at the library. Attendees do not need to have a library card to participate in any of these events.

Adult Events

Band together to save the honeybees in NWCPL’s latest escape room game, titled “Pollinators.” Find clues and solve puzzles in order to escape the room. This game is family-friendly and appropriate for all ages, although children must be accompanied by an adult. Register for a time slot by calling the library. Available times are 10:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. Monday, July 17, and 3:30 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Are you interested in learning how to make informed food decisions? Come to the library’s class “Food Labeling: What’s in there Anyway?” held at 11:30 am Tuesday, July 18. This is a 60-minute program which will

teach how to identify the primary components of food labels as well as how to understand marketing claims.

Killer Reads True Crime Book Club will meet at 5:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 18. This month’s title is “The Trial of Lizzie Borden” by Cara Robertson. Grab a copy and come out for a great discussion.

Teen Events

Teens are invited to the summer reading grand finale lockin from 6-10 p.m. Saturday, July 22. They are celebrating a very successful summer reading program with this fun event full of games, food and all sorts of cool prizes. Earn your ticket to the lock-in by logging at least 10 hours of reading during the summer. Registration is required. For more information about any library events, call the library at (574) 834-7122, visit the library’s website at nwcpl. org or click into the library’s Facebook page.

County BZA continues case to review information, give neighbors a chance to talk

The Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals continued the case of Michael and Jill Morrolf during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, July 11. The couple was seeking a variance to permit the construction of a new residence 0 feet from the east sideline, 0 feet from the west sideline and 0 feet from the street in Plain Township.

Local attorney Steve Snyder, representing, the couple, asked the board for guidance.

He explained the contractor who built the house 100 years ago placed the house crookedly on the lot. The house next door to the east is also crooked on its lot. There is also a permanent mutual easement between the two properties since 1993.

The petitioners want to build a new home while addressing all current encroachments. Because of the mutual easement, the petitioner’s home cannot be pivoted.

Adam Reed, the neighbor on the west side of the Morrolf property, said the neighborhood is so tight, everyone needs to get along. He also brought up concerns regarding a future garage, due to where a sewer grinder is supposed to go. Area plan commissioner Matt Sandy noted that was not part of the hearing. A permit would have to be acquired for the potential future garage.

Reed told the board he and several neighbors would like

the request tabled and everyone go into mediation. Snyder said he understood Reed’s concern regarding the location of the grinder station. As for mediation, he hadn’t seen the petition yet so he could not respond to it.

Sandy asked if the mutual easement could be adjusted if the house was pivoted. Snyder said he didn’t think so.

The board moved to continue the matter for 30 days to get more information regarding the sewer. It also gives the neighbors time to discuss the matter further.

The board approved the following:

• Approved a petition for Lucas Zartman for a variance to reconstruct a residence in Tippecanoe Township. The approval is with the contingency Zartman works with Sandy.

• Approved a petition for John Diehl to place an enclosed carport 30 feet from the right of way. Diehl’s property is in Seward Township.

• Approved a petition from Ross Deatsman for a variance to construct residence additions, 3 feet 7 inches at the closest point to the south property line, a garage addition 20 feet, 8 inches from the west right-ofway. The property is located in Plain Township.

• Approved a petition for a variance from Kathleen Sarros to construction a residence addition 5.6 feet from the right of way and the construction of a detached garage 5 feet from the east property line and 4.4 feet

from the right of way. The property is in Tippecanoe Township. The board approved the motion if the garage is moved back to 15 feet from the south property line.

• Approved a petition for a variance from Brian Rhoades for an outdoor kitchen to remain 2 inches from the north property line and to be 17 feet to the water’s edge. The property is in Turkey Creek Township. Rhoades told the board he worked with his neighbor on the hardscaping. It was noted he hired a professional contractor who claimed he didn’t realize a permit was needed. Rhoades received an after the fact permit.

• Approved a petition for a variance from Lonny Hodges to allow two residences on one tract of ground while constructing/setting a new residence. The property is located in Seward Township.

• Approved a petition for a variance from Vanessa Meza to permit an existing mobile home on the property to be used for overflow family. The property is in Wayne Township. The approval comes with a requirement for a restrictive covenant so the mobile home can only be used for over flow visitors.

The Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, in the multipurpose room in the basement of the Justice Building.

Families who stay for the whole program will earn a copy of the book, “You Are a Story” by Bob Racza. The grand finale Pizza-ORama starts at noon. Please bring a drink and something comfy to sit on. They will have cheese and pepperoni pizza for everyone reading at least five hours this summer. Mark’s Ark

But wait, they aren’t done yet. Mark’s Ark will be there at 1 p.m. with several of his animal friends. Children will be able to see the animals up close and to touch some of them. The last day to turn in reading minutes is by 2 p.m. July 22. At the end of June, they had 130 children and 37 teens registered in the summer reading program.

Guest Storyteller

Local author, Dani R-G, was the special guest storyteller on Friday, June 30. She read her book, “Please.” The story is about little Livi Robinson who thinks her mommy is funny. Although her mother forgets so many things,

like her money or the way to certain places, there’s one important word she always remembers to say. Livi discovers the value of being polite, for it not only makes others feel good, but also gives Livi an inner glow. Dani’s book, “Please,” is available to check out at the Milford Public Library.

Stick Together

Stick Together creates color-

Syracuse Public Library —

ful collaborations, one sticker at a time. The library has two Stick Together posters on display this summer, one in the adult area and one in the children’s area. Participants “Stick Together” by applying colored stickers to a large coded grid. Once all the stickers are attached, a vibrant mosaic image is revealed. Come in and add some stickers today.

Summer reading wraps up

Summer reading concludes Friday, July 21, at the Syracuse Public Library. Children and teens must turn in their game cards or reading logs that Friday to receive scratch-offs. Drawings for the raffle prizes will occur the week of July 24. Children and teens do not need to be present for the drawing; library staff will call the winners.

During the week of July 17, children and teens will earn additional scratch-offs by attending programs.

Children will learn about solar oven cooking during the last Make-It Monday at 2 p.m. July 17 in Community Roots. In the event of inclement weather, this project will move to the downstairs meeting room; children will then take marshmallows home to use in their ovens during sunnier weather.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, younger children, ages birth through five, can attend the last story time of summer. Besides listening to fun stories, children will also make a firefly craft.

Teens can attend a “Jackbox” and “Among Us” party from 2-4 p.m. Monday, July 17. Bring a phone to the party to play along; the library has limited public computers, too. Teens can embrace their creative sides during Color and Chill from 4-5 p.m. Wednesday, July 19. The library provides numerous coloring pages for young adults to choose from.

The teen and children’s summer reading programs will hold end of summer reading parties. Teens will have a pizza party from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 20. Teens should sign up at the library or on the digital calendar, https://tinyurl.com/ Syracusepublibpizzaparty, so enough pizzas can be ordered.

Meanwhile, children will celebrate the end of summer reading from noon-2 p.m. Friday, July 21. There will be outdoor games, craft stations, balloon animals from noon until 1 p.m. and Sno Cones while supplies last, courtesy of the Knights of Columbus.

Adult Programming

Mahjong continues at 10:15 a.m. on Mondays and at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays in the library’s downstairs meeting room. Players of all skill levels — including those wanting to learn how to play — are welcome to attend each session.

The Workshop, the library’s adult writing group, will meet at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, in the downstairs meeting room. Bring a piece to share or come to listen to others read. There are usually writing-related discussions, too.

Start your Thursday mornings off right with chair yoga.

Michelle Parker leads these low-impact sessions at 9:30 a.m. each Thursday in the downstairs meeting room. Since this program occurs before the library opens, knock on the southernmost Harrison Street near the staff parking lot.

We all know this area is famous for fun on the lakes. Some of it is organized, like the sailboat races the Wawasee Yacht Club holds every weekend, to the Thunder Run, with wooden boats on Sunday mornings.

Along with boating, whether with a specific group or just with the family, there is also swimming at area beaches and fishing in local parts and public access sites.

The area also hosts a variety of activities that don’t require being on the water. Area parks offer picnic areas where adults can enjoy lunch on their lunch break and families can enjoy an outdoor dinner.

Wawasee Summer League is a vibrant program with approximately 450 youth ages 4-14 playing baseball and softball.

There is an extensive trail system around Syracuse for those who enjoy bike riding and walking. The trails also provide a safe way for runners to put their miles in. During the summer there are a number of 5K races, most benefiting charitable organizations.

Tri-County Nature Preserve also provides hiking trails for those who want to spend some time in nature.

All three libraries provide summer reading programs, which offer great prizes to encourage kids of all ages to enjoy a good book. The area libraries also offer great programs on a variety of subjects for both kids and adults.

The Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum hosts a youth history club which meets from 10:3011:30 a.m. Thursday mornings, where kids can learn about archeology, bead making, basketry and more. This week’s session will discuss corn, mortar and pestle use.

For those who love to golf, the area boasts two courses, Maxwelton, which offers nine and 18 holes, and Wawasee Golf Club, which offers nine holes, as well as a driving range in North Webster. Lakeland Youth Center will be hosting a golf camp the first week of August.

Chautauqua-Wawasee provides a wide range of programing during the summer. From kicking the summer off with an art show, to it’s Patriot’s Day celebration which hosts a presentation by reenactors of the country’s Founding Fathers, held at Wawasee High School, and the annual Fort Wayne Philharmonic Pops Concert which is held on the lawn of the Oakwood Resort.

And of course, this week the Kosciusko County Community Fair is in full swing. This week, 4-Hers from this area and around the county are showing off their hard work in the show ring and the exhibit hall.

is where it’s at

WPOA supports its lake residents

Wawasee Property Owners Association focuses on safety and conservation, community service and representation.

WPOA has close to 1,500 members; however, 2,500 properties are located on Lake Wawasee.

The sheriff lake patrol on Lake Wawasee is 100% funded by WPOA membership dues. These volunteers educate the public on lake safety and support the public in case of an emergency.

“We wouldn’t have a lake patrol without them,” said Katie Wingard, WPOA’s administrative officer.

Invasive weed control on the lake is also high on WPOA’s list of important items.

WPOA works hard to maintain relationships with several key community and governmental agencies, including state government, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office, the town of Syracuse, DNR, zoning boards and local associations.

WPOA will host its annual end-of-the-year dinner on the

S.S. Lillypad from 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19.

“We board the boat, tour the lake for 2 and 1/2 hours and give out novelty items,” said Wingard.

At the dinner, The Chief Award is given to someone who had helped with the lake in some way. Last year, the prestigious award was given to two people, Janet Hartley-Colglazier and Chris Campbell. This year, it will be given to one person, said Wingard. The WPOA’s annual breakfast is always at the beginning of summer and is a way of welcoming lake residents back to the area, seeing neighbors and meeting new members.

Always on the closest Saturday to July 4, the WPOA sponsors a spectacular fireworks show. The WPOA’s annual Independence Day fireworks show is 100% paid for by donations.

It also pays for select street lights along the lake. WPOA has developed a severe warning system and assists in installing and maintaining dry fire hydrants.

Every WPOA member who has paid their annual dues

receives a comprehensive 150page neighbors directory.

The association also regularly supports certain organizations, including The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Wawasee Flotilla, SyracuseWawasee Trails, Wawasee Yacht Club and Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams, among others.

WPOA also supports Chautauqua-Wawasee, which is dedicated to the exploration of the best in human values and the enrichment of life through a program of events focused on art, education, faith and recreation. Its goal is to provide unique programs that enrich the individual, families and community.

WPOA funds local education projects, college scholarships and fire and safety initiatives.

It also has a quarterly newsletter sent to its members.

WPOA meets the second Saturday from May to September, and is always looking for new members. WPOA membership is $75 a year.

For more information or to join, visit wawaseeassociation. org or call (574) 457-7172.

The Watershed Foundation focuses on educating others

Founded in 1997, The Watershed Foundation has flourished over the past 26 years. The TWF was founded with the name “Tippecanoe Environmental Lake and Watershed Foundation.” The founding residents and leaders from Lake Tippecanoe realized that to protect and enhance their community, a larger version— a focus on the entire watershed — was needed.

TWF has expanded into a sophisticated organization addressing a myriad of water-related issues in the upper Tippecanoe River watershed. It is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the water quality in the lakes and streams of the Tippecanoe River Watershed.

Lake and river water quality pollution problems and solutions begin on land, and this is were TWF focuses its efforts to reduce runoff and associated pollutants from flowing off the land into local waterways.

In June, TWF announced it had received a $12,500 grant from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. The grant

was part of the Nonprofit Sustainability Grant initiative, a one-time grant opportunity for local nonprofits. The Watershed Foundation used the grant to offer a special match challenge issued during The Watershed Foundation’s 25th anniversary celebration.

“It was our goal to raise $12,500 from new donors in the watershed area surrounding Warsaw and Chapman, Center, Pike and Winona lakes during our anniversary year,” said Lyn Crighton, executive director of The Watershed Foundation. “We exceeded our fundraising goal with contributions from 67 new donors, and thus, we were able to obtain the match from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.”

This summer TWF offered several workshops and events to better educate the public about local waterways.

The Tippy Cottage Tour will be held from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, July 29. Those wanting to attend this event must have their own boat on Lake Tippecanoe or know someone who does. There are no maps available to drive to the five

to seven homes on the tour. Tickets are now on sale at watershedfoundation.org/TippTour2023.

The Watershed Foundation is also partnering with the Kosciusko County Soil and Water Conservation District to host the seventh annual Snapshot Water Monitoring Day from 2-6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21. Assist TWF

in monitoring water quality in 100 sites throughout Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties in one afternoon. For more details and to register, email Paige@watershedfoundation.org. Learn more about TWF and its work at watershedfoundation. org or by calling (574) 834-3242. TWF also has a Facebook page.

North Webster trail plans continue

Plans continue to move forward in North Webster as the community strives to build a trail system for its residents.

Town Council President Dan Thystrup has been leading the project, seeking a variety of grants to help fund its cost.

A 2020 trail study was commissioned by the town council to evaluate the proposal, which consists of two stages. The plan includes connecting the town to Wawasee Middle School via a bike/walking path.

The estimated cost is $2.5 million. According to Thystrup, the town would be responsible for paying 25% of that amount with the balance funded by the state.

Last year, the town received a $200,000 K21 Health Foundation grant to help fund the project. The town council is working on

other grants for the remainder of the amount needed.

Thystrup is working with the Syracuse-Wawasee Trails Committee to connect with its planned trail expansion from Syracuse to the middle school, which would eventually connect the two towns via a non-motorized path. The second part of the plan would connect the south and north ends of North Webster via biking/walking trail. The master plan would be to some day have a path that would go from the south edge of North Webster all the way up to the Syracuse-Wawasee trail system, which currently extends around the north shore of Syracuse Lake.

“We will come up with the money,” said town council member Lisa Strombeck. “We will get it worked out.”

Wawasee Schools announces registration dates

Wawasee School Corporation

in-person registration will be held 12-7 p.m Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 2-3 at all Wawasee schools, and online registration opens Wednesday, July 19. Online registration instructions, transportation requests and health forms can be found on Wawasee Community School Corporation’s website.

The Wawasee School Corporation is debuting new start times for students and teachers in the 2023-24 school year. Elementary school students will start at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3 p.m. Elemen-

tary school teachers’ start time will begin at 7:20 a.m. and end at 3:15 p.m. Wawasee Middle School will begin at 8:30 a.m. and release at 3:15 p.m. Middle school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.

Wawasee High School will begin at 8:05 a.m. and end at 3:05 p.m. High school teachers’ start times will begin at 7:15 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m.

This new time schedule will eliminate later arrivals on Wednesday for students. Previously Wednesday start time was one-hour later.

Community Corner

Loetz fills role at Milford Town Hall

The next time you have business inside Milford Town Hall, you might see a different face in side the clerk’s office. Since May, Renda Loetz has been serving as the town’s deputy clerk, replacing Shanna Maust, who recently retired after serving 35 years in the role.

Originally from Ohio, Loetz has lived in California and Peru, Indiana, before settling in Kosciusko County in 2002 with her husband, Andrew, to be closer to family. Together they have two adult children, both of whom are Wawasee graduates. Loetz also has a 17-year-old cat.

“We had friends from school who had moved up to Wawasee,” she said. “We liked visiting them, and we liked the area, so this is where we decided to move.”

Loetz worked for 16 years at Tecomet in Warsaw, 12 of which was in the accounting department doing payroll.

“I don’t have a degree in accounting, I’m not an accountant, but I have a pretty good grasp of it” she said. “I worked there with Milford Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall’s sister, Michelle. Right about the time COVID hit, Tecomet decided to centralize its payroll in its Massachusetts office. So my position was being eliminated. I had about of year to decide if I wanted to stay there or not. After that, I took about a year off and then went to work for Smoker Craft in their cost accounting department.”

Loetz said that one day her sister texted her asking, “Do you love your job?” She told Loetz about the opening in Milford with her sister.

“I really like Patricia and the enthusiasm she has for her job,” Loetz said. “We had a girls’ lunch and Tricia was telling about a grant she was putting together for work. She was so animated about it, and I was thinking that I wanted to feel that excited about something. Working in accounting, there’s not a lot to get excited about. So I thought, ‘I could work with her.’”

Starting the job May 20, Loetz said its been a good fit for her and that she’s enjoyed her new role.

“There’s been a little bit of a learning curve, but I like the interaction with the people who come in,” she said. “That’s kind of what I was looking for. My biggest responsibility is taking utility payments and applying them to accounts, doing daily cash, balancing the cash box and taking it to the bank, getting the mail, answering the phones and trying to answer questions and helping people out.”

When she’s not working, Loetz can often be found at home reading a book, cleaning her house or running errands. She has family in Ohio and in Wabash who she enjoys visiting. She and her husband took a trip to Arizona last June to attend a family wedding. After that trip, they realized that relaxing travel was something they wanted to do more often.

“I like to get answers for people, so if they call in with a question, if I don’t have the answer right then I’ll find out, and I’ll try to get back to them as quickly as I can,” she said. “I don’t like loose ends, I don’t like people waiting. I like to make everybody happy. That’s my personality. What can I do to make it better?”

Mobile Meals drivers

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Historical museum offers array of displays and programs

Since 1987 ,the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum has been offering guests a look back in time of the Lakeland areas. The museum was founded with funds raised from the Syracuse Sesquicentennial Celebration.

Once occupying a room in the Syracuse Public Library, in June 2002, the museum was moved to the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive, where it resides to this day. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

The museum offers annual

memberships for purchase that fall into four different tiers: individual, $20; family, $30; corporate, $100; lifetime, $150. The lifetime membership includes a free copy of “Early Wawasee Days” by Eli Lilly.

One of the stars of the museum is the 1905 Mier car designed and built by local resident, Sheldon Harkless. Harkless sold the car design rights to the Mier Carriage Company of Ligonier. The company only produced about 10 of these cars, and the one on display at the museum is one of the two known survivors.

Other notable pieces include an extensive collection of Native American artifacts, a mastodon tooth, military uniforms, a 400year old grandfather clock, the telephone switchboard from the Spink Hotel, a circa 1890s washing machine, oil paintings done by Ken Harkless and so much more.

Although some pieces rotate through the museum, some displays are there to stay. Some of the permanent displays include Prehistoric Beasts, Dolan Native American Collection, military, business and music.

The Prehistoric Beasts exhibit teaches about the animals that may have roamed the local area throughout geologic history. The museum displays an array of artifacts including teeth from a mammoth, a mastodon, an ancient camel and an ancient whale. Also on display are plant and sea life fossils. The Dolan Native American Collection consists of the tool collection of Joseph P. Dolan. The museum houses a collection of military memorabilia, with some pieces dating back to the Civil War.

NWCC offers classes and events

The North Webster Community Center has all kinds of activities waiting for the public. If you are a full-time resident waiting for the gym or a summer resident or visitor looking for something to do, the community center is there for the public to use. Some classes are only $5 and do not require registration or residency.

Its “Summer at the Center” program includes a sculpt, strengthen and stretch class at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Class cost is $5 each week. Painting with J.H. Watkins will be July 13 and 15. The class cost is $15.

Outdoor Family Fun Nights are a special “Summer at The Center” feature and are free for everyone to enjoy. Movies are at 6 p.m. July 28 and Aug. 25, and include free popcorn and water.

Cardio drumming and yoga are also offered at NWCC. Yoga is an hour-long class and is held Monday through Friday.

The annual “Ladies Night Out” fundraiser is one of the most anticipated events of the summer at NWCC. The evening is full of friends, purses, bingo and lots of fun. It will be 6-9 p.m. July 22. The cost is $50.

“We also have four more science programs,” said Director Emily Worrell. One feature is called

“Outrageous Orbits.” These are free programs and they are put on by Science Central in Fort Wayne.

“We are working on our funds for next year,” said Worrell. “We are also looking for people to volunteer to help with programming

for youth activities.”

NWCC is home to Culver Wellness Center. People may come and use the space any time they want as long as there are no classes going on.

“We have weights, too, and we

want people to have access to a healthy lifestyle,” Worrell noted.

A hunter education course is at 6 p.m. Aug. 25-26. This course is designed for any hunter who would like to obtain their hunter’s license or learn more about the sport. Taught by DNR officer Nathan Hooley, the class teaches a healthy respect for firearms, hunter’s ethics and many more valuable skills.

Every year, the center hosts its annual fundraising community auction. This year, it will be Oct. 7.

“It is the center’s biggest fundraiser,” said Worrell.

Last year, a new doctor moved into the building. Dr. Chelsea Wolfe is accepting new patients at her office, located inside NWCC.

The gym is used to play pickleball each week and batting cages will open back up this fall once the summer programs are over.

The center is also home to the Kosciusko County YMCA, Senior Primelife Enrichment Center, the chamber of commerce and The Watershed Foundation, among others. Visit nwcommunitycenter.org for more information or call (574) 834-1600.

In the business display, the museum has various memorabilia from past businesses throughout the Syracuse-Wawasee area.

Held in the music exhibit are pieces such as a 1917 Victrola and Edison record player, a disk music box and a 1929 Atwater Kent cabinet radio.

The Syracuse Wawasee Historical museum also presents a couple of free programs. Pre-registration is not necessary, but is appreciated. Contact Jamie Clemons, the museum’s director, at (574) 4573599 or email director@syracusemuseum.org.

The museum is hosting the eighth annual Centennial Houses program. Syracuse resident and native, Ann Vanderford Garceau brings an educational and insightful look into the homes, communities, and people that have been a part of the town of Syracuse before and since its establishment in 1837. The next event is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, in the Syracuse Community Center gym, 1013 N. Long Drive.

The museum hosts the Youth History Club, 10:30 a.m. Thursdays in the Celebration Hall of the community center. This program is designed for grades 1-6, but is open for all ages.

The upcoming Youth History Club, Thursday, July 13, will focus on the history of corn and mortar and pestle use. Future meetings include topics such as birds of northern Indiana, basketry and the history of food preservation.

The club meetings last about an hour.

Archaeology Month kicks off in September. The museum has events scheduled from Thursday, Aug. 31, to Saturday, Sept. 2. Archaeology Month events are cosponsored by Chautauqua-Wawasee.

To kick off Archaeology Month, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, T.J. Honeycutt will teach about “The Paradise Spring Treaty of 1826.”

From 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2, Lynn MacKaben Brown will teach about “Dominique Rousseau: First Permanent White Resident of Kosciusko County.” These events will be hosted at the Syracuse Community Center.

An event from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 2, will round out the Archaeology Month event. Taking place, weather permitting, on Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation property, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse, Jim Bickel and Michelle Edington will present “Bring Your Own Artifact.”

Mike Judson will discuss “Five Medals Living History.” Angie Butler will teach “Metal Detecting in Archaeology.”

Joe Zdziebko will present “1750s French Marine.” Jeff Mesaros will demonstrate “Flintknapping”. Jamie Clemons will close out the event with her demonstration of “Atlatl Weapons.” If weather is inclement, the event will be moved inside the Syracuse Community Center.

Plank named new S-W Trails director

Following an extensive search for a new executive director, Syracuse-Wawasee Trails has found its next leader.

Despite the fact that Amanda Plank and her family packed up and moved from Colorado last week, she’s not a stranger to the area. A graduate of West Noble High School and Purdue University, Plank and her husband, Conor Whetsel, traded the Rocky Mountains for northern Indiana lakes to be closer to her retired parents, who now live on Webster Lake. Also making the move east were Plank’s two stepchildren, Emmett, 7, and Cecilia, 9, as well as the family’s dog and two cats. Pending school board approval, Whetsel will be a new science teacher at Wawasee High School.

While the specifics of the Syracuse-Wawasee Trails will certainly require a crash education course for Plank, she is well versed in the generalities that exist within the nonprofit world, as she has 15 years of management experience in that realm, including working for literacy and children’s health organizations. For the last seven years, Plank has been the director of an animal shelter in the Denver area where she focused on organizational strategy, fundraising, marketing and strategic planning for the future.

“I was looking for an organization that had a big future, and of course that’s the Trails,” she said. “They’ve done a lot of work the last several years and with the vision moving forward, it was exciting to be part of something big.”

Even though she’s only been on the job for a week Plank has hit the ground running with a full appreciation for the numerous tasks that await her.

“There are several different routes we are taking right now,” Plank said. “For me, upping our fundraising game is the biggest piece. Organizations like this take a lot of financial investment. We’re fortunate that the community uses the trails as they do. It’s a huge piece to this community. I would really like to see some more funding to continue along the vision of expansion. We’re really focusing on government grants, family foundation grants and individual contributions. Because we’re looking at around $20 million to continue this project, our focus is definitely going to be fundraising. We want to continue to expand our community connections, working with local government agencies to expand partnerships to work together and continue to create a really safe and healthy environment on our trails.”

Plank said she and the trails committee will be working hard this month on a Next Level Trails Grant application, which is due by the end of July. The matching grant could provide up to $2 million, with the grant providing 80% of that amount provided the other 20% is raised locally.

Food pantries serve those most in need

With the rising cost of food and inflation, many families are in need of food. There are two types of food assistance: food banks and food pantries.

Food banks, comparable to a warehouse-type storage facility, are responsible for acquiring, storing and distributing food items to food pantries. Pantries, on the other hand, are responsible for the communication and smallscale distribution aspect. Pantries are where private individuals can go to get the food items they need.

There are several food pantries in Milford, Syracuse and North Webster.

North Webster

The North Webster community offers food assistance to its residents twice a week. In June, it served 75 individuals.

“We are here to help anyone struggling with food insecurity,” said Lori Mark. Whether people are unemployed or employed, Mark said food assistance is available. It offers nonperishable and perishable food, such as meat and produce.

People can come to the food pantry once a month.

“We have a drive-up system,” she said. “We don’t turn anyone down.”

Donations are made by the public and no government money is used to fund the food pantry, Mark noted.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and 1-3 p.m. Thursday. Bring a piece of mail if you go. For information about North Webster Food Pantry, 102 S. Morton St., North Webster, call (574) 244-2142 or email nwfoodpantry@ gmail.com.

Milford

Milford’s food pantry, Van Buren Township Food Pantry, is located in First Brethren Church, behind the police department; call (574) 518-0529.

It is open from 2-5 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. People must have the proper ID, such as a driver’s license or utility bill. Non-perishable and perishable food items are available.

“We are an assistance program,” Vickie Scarpellini said.

“We are not income based.” She said the pantry is always in need of macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and soups.

“We give them milk, eggs and bread,” she said.

Monetary donations are also welcome.

Milford Food Bank

The Milford Food Bank is located at 111 S. James St. The food bank operates differently from a food pantry.

Bill Doege, the operations manager, said the food bank is not open to the public. However, food is available in front of the building at certain times.

The information is posted on its

Lots of summer fun to be had at WACF

Watch

While the start of the new school year may seem like its right around the corner, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation still has lots of educational fun planned for both adults and kids.

Education is one way of supporting WACF’s mission and there are many opportunities to become educated about the watershed.

• Wetland adventures, 9-11 a.m. Wednesdays, July 19 and 26, for interactive educational activities and crafts for children or grandchildren at the WACF Ruddell Pavilion. The opening event at 9 a.m. sets the stage for the day. A different adventure is planed for each week.

• Annual Lake Celebration and Brunch, 9 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at the Buletty Pavilion, located between the lakes. This event is free and open to the public. Learn firsthand about the work accomplished for the good of the lakes in 2022.

•Annual agricultural tour, 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 2. This is for adults only. Russell Anderson will explain and demonstrate sustainable farm practices for a clean and healthy watershed. Register by emailing pamschumm@gmail.com.

•Lillypad cruise, Saturday, Aug. 5. Tickets are $20 for this mid-morning cruise. Register by emailing info@wacf.com.

WACF’s mission is to preserve and protect water quality in the greater Wawasee watershed for future generations to enjoy.

For more information about

Facebook site.

“We partner with about 135 organizations, including food pantries, shelters and kitchens,”

Doege said. “That way they can go back and bless their communities. They need us to help fill that void.”

Partners include Salvation Army and Ronald McDonald House, among others, with most in Elkhart County. He said about 275,000 pounds of food is what goes out the door each month.

Doege said no government subsidies are used. Syracuse

Syracuse Food Pantry, 203 E.

Main St., is open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4:15 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Tuesday; and 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday.

It has eggs, bread, meat, milk vouchers and nutritional food items. It also has nonperishable items as well perishable. It serves Turkey Creek Township. Clients can come in one time a month. Requirements are a state ID and proof of residency, such as a recent utility bill. The food pantry could use donations of food, as the number of clients has increased. Monetary donations are welcome, too. Call (574) 457-5450.

Shop local, shop farmers markets

By supporting local businesses, local families get to support their families. Farmers markets are great for purchasing the freshest produce and beautiful handmade art.

In 2009, a collaborative effort between the Syracuse Parks Department, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce, and a team of community volunteers led the first Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market to fruition. This year, the Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market is open for its 14th season.

Held at The Veteran’s Memorial Park at Crosson Mill, 303 W. Henry St., Syracuse, the Syracuse Artisans and Farmers Market has something for every kind of shopper. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday between May 20 and Sept. 2.

Vendors offer a wide range of products including locally grown produce, flowers, baked goods and art. The market averages about 14 vendors a week who offer a wide variety of fresh, local products. Vendors take cash or checks.

Artisans and Farmers Market on Facebook. For more information on how to become a vendor, email Darin Lursen, program director, dlursen@syracusein. org. (574) 834-1724 Family Owned and Operated Since 1996, Todd & Sue Fiedeke RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • FURNITURE • AUTO & RV • We Clean Tile & Grout • Remove Pet Odors • Area Rug Cleaning FREE DEODORIZATION

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Mark Spitz crowned King of Sports

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The air conditioning is “broken” at North Webster Elementary School and quick action is needed to replace the unit and have it ready for the first day of classes Aug. 13, a little more than a month away. During Tuesday evening’s regular monthly meeting of the Wawasee school board in Syracuse, the board approved emergency funds be used to purchase a new chiller for North Webster Elementary School.

Congratulations were extended to Ed and Judy Clayton, owners of Clayton Garden Center, for being selected by the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce July 2013 as “Business of the Month” at the chamber’s monthly meeting Monday at the North Webster American Legion. Way to go to Jon Sroufe, who was selected to represent North Webster High School on this year’s Kosciusko County Basketball Hall of Fame.

20 YEARS AGO, JULY 9 , 2003

The final meeting of the summer season for Backwater Friends Club was held June 19 in the home of Khristie Rhodes. Harriett Rupprecht was a guest. Pledges to the American and Christian flags were led by Sara Rhodes, president pro-tem.

Juanita Robinett displayed sun-dyed fabrics she had made recently when Lakeland Quilt Club members met June 23 in North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Community Building.

Paula Miller entertained members of Hi Neighbors Club in her home June 26. As the meditation, Janelle Rensberger gave two readings titled “Interview with God” and “What My Cat Has Taught Me About Love.”

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 7, 1993

Irish Lakes Estates fishing contest results for the month of June are: Mary Norris, 8-ounce bluegill; Bob Norris, 7-ounce perch; Bill Gard, 2-pound bass;

and Dick McNett, a 5 3/4 -pound catfish.

On June 27, the Come Join Us Sunday school class from North Webster held a party and carryin dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Campbell.

The descendants of the John George Wagner and Magadelena Laver family held its 55th Wagner reunion June 13, at Barbee Conservation Club, south of North Webster. There were 35 people in attendance. The oldest was Lulu Zentz, 86, Nappanee, and the youngest was Dean Arthur Taylor, 13 months, Mishawaka.

40 YEARS AGO, JULY 13, 1983

A swim party was enjoyed on July 6 by members of Tippy Lee Club. It was held at the home of Pam Florey, with Isabelle Shidler as assistant hostess. Meditation was provided by Jan Barger.

Tammy Wise was hostess for the July 6 meeting of Monroe Hilltoppers. Frances Faurote played the piano for group sing-

ing, and Anna May Smith served as assistant hostess. A lesson titled “The Story of Quilts” was given by Lennis Wise. Devotions were given by Mrs. Wise.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 11, 1973

Mark Spitz was given a gold medal recently as a part of the Mermaid Festival activities and crowned King of Sports — the first award made by the newly formed Palace of Sports.

Mrs. Preston Gregory was hostess for the annual picnic meeting of the Charm ‘n’ Chatter Home Economics Club last Monday. Mrs. Harold Anderson assisted the hostess in preparation and serving oven-fried chicken.

Mrs. Orva Miller was hostess for the recent meeting of the Anna Bowers Women’s Christian Temperance Union Meeting. The county picnic will be held Aug. 2 at the home of Mrs. Mable Eberhardt, Winona Lake. Hazen Sparks opened the meeting with a prayer.

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Historical museum to host weekend antique show

10 YEARS AGO, JULY 10, 2013

Tom Firestone was chosen to represent Syracuse High School in the 2013 class inducted into the Kosciusko County Basketball Hall of Fame. Tanner Tully, heading to Ohio State University on a baseball scholarship, was named Hoosier Diamond’s Mr. Baseball. Tully was an All-State selection his senior and sophomore seasons, All-Northern Indiana Conference selection three years and Honorable Mention All-NIC his freshman year. Tully is the grandson of Doug and Barb Grant of Syracuse.

A sold out crowd at the Crystal Ballroom at the Lerner in Elkhart last month paid forward a lot of healing and hope for many in our area for health care services they could not otherwise afford. More than $76,000 was raised for the HOPE Project (Healthcare Opportunities Provided for Everyone) at the third annual Gala for Goshen Health. Because of the ongoing generosity of so many, all programs and projects presented were funded. The HOPE Project

seeks to relieve the financial burden of health care for uninsured families by targeting high priority needs for the men, women and children of the greater Goshen communities and across Elkhart County. Syracuse residents Doug and Jeannine Schrock were platinum sponsors.

20 YEARS AGO, JULY 9, 2003

Cody Weber, 11-year-old son of Clyde and Jennifer Webber, Syracuse, recently had the opportunity to watch a big moth break out of its cocoon. He saw the cocoon in the corner of the porch still attached to a broken tree branch. As Cody kept a watch over the cocoon, he was amazed at the size and beauty of the moth as he observed it emerge. By doing some research at the library, Cody read in the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders that it is a Cecropia moth. It is the largest North American moth of which there is one generation a year. Later, Cody released the moth in a grassy area with trees.

Treasure hunters and art lov-

SPORTS & GENERAL NEWS REPORTER

We

ers from around the area will be making a trek to Syracuse for the first ever Antique Show and Sale to raise funds for the SyracuseWawasee Historical Museum. The museum needs to raise funds and we started to think of ways to do that,” said Lynn Schenck, a museum board member. “We not only wanted to raise funds, but have something fun and unique for people.” Proceeds from the event will not only benefit the museum, but also the Syracuse Community Endowment Fund. Schenck and the museum board would also like to offer a variety of programs more frequently and create a Web site.

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 7, 1993

Syracuse resident and famous rock musician Tommy Sims was seen on national television the other morning as Bruce Springsteen and his band were featured during a performance of a charity concert at Madison Square Garden. Tommy could be seen standing behind him with his bass guitar. The group recently completed a tour of Europe. Tommy and his wife, Kathy, and their children are residents of Syracuse Lake.

Denny Emmert, Syracuse, took off for a vacation to visit his daughter, Julie, who lives near Shreveport, La. He and wife Lynn and daughter Jamie, who will be a junior in high school this year, enjoyed touring mansions at Natchez, Miss., then they returned via the Natchez Trace route, a 420-mile road which leads from Natchez to Memphis, Tenn. Denny said it was great.

40 YEARS AGO, JULY 13, 1983

Dick Wysong, Syracuse, vocational director at Wawasee High School, believes in getting school personnel involved in teaching wherever he can, where they are best suited. For instance, he is getting Nancy Glon, Syra-

cuse, attendance secretary and switchboard operator at the high school, involved in teaching a course in calligraphy, the art of beautiful lettering, when school begins in the fall. Nancy has had no formal training in lettering, but is constantly being called upon by the school’s various departments to letter certificates, things like that. She says, “I’ve always loved to letter,” adding, “there has been so much interest in calligraphy that we thought we’d offer a class in it.”

Accountant Mike Tallon, who serves as treasurer of the Syracuse Boy Scout Cabin, said this week the Boy Scout Committee has received a $500 anonymous donation for its remodeling fund drive.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 11, 1973

“I wish I had a penny for every roll of wallpaper I’ve hung in my time,” so says veteran painter and decorator Fred Dust, Syracuse, as he contemplates retirement. Now 72 years of age, Dust is known as “Mr. Painter” in the Lakeland area. As he should be; he’s been on the job of painting and decorating for 50 years. He began the trade in 1924 and had three years of apprenticeship work before that, he recalls, coming to the Syracuse area from Chicago in 1941. Dust said his father was a painter and decorator for 55 years before him, and his son Bob and he have been working side by side for 28 years.

Promising Bill Pipp, who was recently signed as a football professional with the Dallas Cowboys after a good career with IU’s Big Red, left Sunday for Los Angeles where he will undergo two months of summer training before returning to Dallas. He was home with his parents in Syracuse.

Chautauqua-Wawasee offering new program, two annual favorites

Chautauqua-Wawasee, located on the shores of Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, continues to offer summer fun with a brand new event along with two annual favorites.

New for 2023 is “Wawasee/Syracuse Walk Down Memory Lane,” featuring historic videos which will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 Long Drive, Syracuse.

This year’s event will feature three historic videos: a 1937 video of someone cruising in a boat filming the Wawasee shoreline and lake front cottages as they cruise by; a promotional video for the Spink Wawasee Hotel, built in 1926 and closed in 1947; and a color film of the Chinese Gardens.

After the showing, attendees will be invited to share their memories via an open microphone. These memories will be recorded and limited to five minutes at this venue, but attendees will also be invited to participate in a longer recording session at the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum.

At the first event, a request will be made for additional home movies that may be stored in attics, closets, basements and possibly storage units to be borrowed by the museum and with the owner’s signed approval, be digitized and made available for public showing at the 2023 event.

Speaking of home movies, the third annual Chautauqua-Wawasee’s third annual Fun Film Festival is seeking the public’s fun phone videos by July 29. The festival will be held from 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 5, at Syracuse Pickwick Theater. Videos should

be shot horizontally or landscape.

A $100 cash prize will be awarded for best video in categories such as fun with pets, tubing fun, relaxing this summer, family fun, biking fun and others. Visit chqw.org for details on how to upload your video.

Chautauqua-Wawasee and the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum are teaming up to offer the fourth annual series of programs that explore the local history of northeastern Indiana.

Digging Through History will be held Aug. 31-Sept. 2. The first program, scheduled for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31, will discuss the Paradise Spring Treaty (1826) which lead to the Wabash Erie Canal.

The second program, scheduled

for 6:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept.

1, will share information about Dominique Rouseau, the first permanent white resident of Kosciusko County as presented by Lynn MacKaben Brown in her new book, “Furs and Fevers.” The first and second programs will be held at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 Long Drive, Syracuse.

The third program, held at Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 2, will provide five different activities about life in the 1800s, including hands-on use of the atlatl weapon.

Each program will feature presenters with expert knowledge and provides an interactive environment for discussion and hands-on examination of artifacts.

CTB Inc. announces promotions

Kimberly Joyce has been promoted to accounts payable supervisor for CTB Inc., according to Will Mabee, vice president of global credit and risk management for CTB Inc. In her new position, Joyce will supervise the accounts payable group to ensure timely and accurate payments are made in accordance with company policies.

A CTB employee of one year, Joyce previously held the position of accounts payable clerk. Prior to her employment at CTB, she held various positions such as bailment pool administrator, office manager and accounts receivable clerk at companies in the Goshen

and Warsaw area. A native of Milford, she currently resides in Cromwell.

Lorenzo DeGaetano has been promoted to shipping supervisor for Chore-Time, according to Drexel Sales, operations manager for the CTB Inc. business unit.

A CTB employee since 2015, DeGaetano previously held positions of shipping team leader, second shift small assembly team leader and operator. DeGaetano received his bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership at Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne. A native of Warsaw, DeGaetano now resides in Pierceton.

Courtney Boen has been pro-

Wednesday, July 12, 2023 — THE MAIL-JOURNAL — themail-journal.com

It happened in Milford … 20 years ago

Michael Hedman named head baseball coach at WHS

10 YEARS AGO, JULY 10, 2013 Allen and Cheryl (Overholser) Brunjes, Milford, will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary July 21, 2013. They were married July 21, 1973, at Union Center Church of the Brethren, Nappanee, by Rev. Ernest Jenhsen. Both are retired and enjoying it.

Two of Milford’s own have been named part of the Kosciusko County 4-H Royal Court. Jake Templin was named the 4-H King and Hannah Tucker was named the 4-H Princess.

If you haven’t noticed it yet, there’s a can collection bin along Emeline Street, outside of Harvest with a Heart. The bin is thanks to the Milford Food Bank, using the money raised by recycling the cans to buy items for the food bank. On Monday, they had already emptied their first 55-gallon barrel filled to the brim with cans.

20 YEARS AGO, JULY 9, 2003

Michael Hedman, a fifth-grade teacher at Milford Elementary School, has been named head baseball coach at Wawasee High School. Hedman replaces John Blunk, whose contract was not renewed after the 2003 season.

Deb Mast, emergency medical technician with Milford EMS, presented a Lone Star Cabin quilt to Bobi Doll. The quilt raffle was sponsored by Milford EMS and the winner drawn during Milford Fest, June 28. The raffle was organized by EMT Scott Brown.

Dr. Eric and Fran Schiller of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, recently announced their son, Daniel, has passed the fellowship exams in general surgery. He is the grandson of the late Henry and Anna Zimmerman Stieglitz of Milford.

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 7, 1993

Visitors to the offices of The Papers Incorporated last week were Donald “Pat” and Peggy Scott of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., and Alvin and Laurine Waldbeser, Milford. They were given a guided tour by employee Derk Kuhn, who also happens to be the sonin-law of the Waldbesers.

Former Milford residents Phil Weisser and daughter Angie, and Betsy Bucy, all of Louisville, Ky., spent the Fourth of July weekend in the Milford area, staying with his brother and sister-inlaw, Steve and Sherry, and their two daughters. They also visited with his parents, Herm and Gwen Weisser, who are now back in their home at Syracuse Lake.

Larry and Dorothy Haney of Milford recently spent a week visiting their daughter and sonin-law, Karen and Mark Stevens, Boston, Mass.

40 YEARS AGO,

JULY 13, 1983

A crowd estimated at over 500 gathered on the north side of Milford Monday afternoon to welcome Indiana Governor Robert D. Orr to town as he took part in ground breaking ceremonies at the future site of Chore-Time Equipment Inc.’s expanded facili-

ties. Attending the event were a number of town, county and state officials in addition to Governor Orr, 400 CTB employees and officials, several Milford residents and a large contingent of newspaper reporters and television news crews from all over Northern Indiana.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert (Sally) Wise, Milford, returned Sunday, July 3, from a Caribbean cruise as a belated 25th anniversary present. The Milford couple flew from Fort Wayne to Miami, Fla., on Sunday, June 26, where they boarded the cruise ship with the island of Samana as their first scheduled stop. Mrs. Wise said Samana was her favorite spot because of the primitive way the people lived.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 11, 1973

The printing plant of The Papers Incorporated at Milford installed the fifth unit to its web printing press last week, giving it a printing capacity of 40 tabloid pages or 20 broadsheet pages per run. The additional capacity has become necessary to keep pace with a growing market, said Arch Baumgartner, president and publisher.

Mr. and Mrs. Pete Yoder of Milford were hosts to their two daughters and families last week. Visiting them were Mr. and Mrs. Del Sack and daughter, Katrina of Seattle, Wash., and Mr. and Mrs. Dan Addleman and sons, Scott and Shannon of Fort Myers, Fla.

moted to buyer and planner for PigTek, according to Kristina Day, controller for the CTB Inc. business unit.

As buyer and planner, Boen will plan and manage assigned materials as well as research, source and evaluate vendors which are aligned to PigTek’s goals. Boen will also manage the inventory levels and accuracy.

A CTB employee since 2018, Boen previously held the position of assembler and shipping coordinator for PigTek. Prior to her employment with CTB, she worked in production at a medical device manufacturer in Warsaw. A native of Edson, Alberta, Canada, Boen currently resides in Warsaw.

Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee looks toward future

For more than 20 years, the Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee has been constantly planning and building a trail to be enjoyed by bikers, walkers and runners alike.

The main focus during the past year was reviewing the feasibility reports that ultimately will result in a plan for future trail expansion, which should eventually double the current trail system.

The feasibility study’s objectives include:

• Evaluating options for expansion and connection of the existing trail system.

• Completing existing trail segments and expanding connectivity among neighborhoods, schools, parks and businesses.

• Providing safe, attractive and comfortable routes for people to explore and enjoy all areas surrounding Lake Wawasee.

• Planning for future connection to regional amenities and other communities.

The committee’s mission is to develop amenable non-motorized transportation routes with convenient access for walkers, runners and bicyclists to parks, lakes, schools, neighborhoods and businesses to encourage and fulfill the need for healthy outdoor family-oriented activities.

The next construction project was announced at the second annual “Life is Better on the Trail” fundraiser held last September.

The committee decided to expand the trail where Conklin Bay ends to Wawasee Middle School. Deciding the next construction project was a tough decision for the committee, according to chairwoman Kay Young. “We have not forgotten about

Campfires and friendship bracelets and tie-dye, oh my!

Summer camps are an integral part of the summer break experience. The Lakeland area provides many great opportunities for campers of all ages, experiences and interests.

With all the options of camps the Lakeland area provides, campers are surely to find an activity they love. Camp is a great summer activity, provides campers the chance to be independent, learn new skills and dive deep into nature and into their faith.

Summer camp might only last a week, but the memories will last forever.

Camp Mack

Camp Alexander Mack, 1113 E. Camp Mack Road, Milford, is a Christian camp affiliated with the Church of the Brethren. The summer camp program is intentionally designed to provide campers with life-changing experiences that lead to the formation of personal faith within a safe Christian community.

Campers can look forward to Bible study, cabin devotions, campfires, cookouts, crafts, hikes, nature studies, swimming and so much more. Camp Mack divides their overnight camps into tiers to keep similarly-aged and experienced campers together.

For campers who know what they love to do, Camp Mack also offers specialized camps that focus on learning and mastering a skill. Topics for these specialty camps include target sports, splash, culinary and creative arts.

To receive more information, visit campmack.org, call (574) 658-4831 or email info@campmack.org.

Camp Logan

the lake area, and conversations with the county highway department are being held,” said Young. Such things as additional striping along the roadways are being considered.

“Trails clearly play a vital role in our community and Syracuse is fortunate to have 12-plus miles of them. They allow our residents and visitors safe areas to walk, bike and run, which promotes a healthy lifestyle. They provide a way to get outdoors to exercise, get fresh air and destress.

“Extending our Conklin Bay Trail to Wawasee Middle School will expand our current trail system and provide an additional 2.2 miles for residents and visitors to enjoy. Middle school students would benefit because they’d be able to more safely walk or bike

to school along State Road 13, giving parents peace of mind.”

The bigger picture for the trail is to coordinate the committee’s efforts with that of the North Webster Trail Committee, which would benefit the entire area by eventually connecting the two communities with a non-motorized alternative.

North Webster Town Council President Dan Thystrup and a team of individuals have begun their fundraising efforts to develop a trail from the town to Wawasee Middle School.

Securing funding for additional trails is the first step in making the Wawasee South Trail a reality.

For further information or to get involved with the trail, visit syracusewawaseetrails.com or check out their Facebook page.

Camp Ella J. Logan, 203 EMS D14 Lane, Syracuse, is located on Dewart Lake.

For younger campers, Camp Logan offers Logan Mini Camp. Mini Camp is a three day camp experience so campers can acclimate to being independent. For busy campers, mini camp is a great option because it’s a smaller time investment, with all the fun.

Camp Logan offers two options for their campers: Classic Camp or Horse Camp.

Classic camp offers all of the classic activities of summer camp: swimming, tie-dying, kayaking and archery. And, of course, sitting around a campfire.

Older campers in the Classic Teen Camp go swimming, mountain biking, painting, kayaking to Girl Scout Island and

even sailing.

Horse Camp is great for first time or experienced riders. Horse Camp campers can look forward to learning about grooming, tacking, mounting, starting, stopping, and turning. Horse Camp campers will also participate in traditional camp activities, like swimming, tie-dying, kayaking and archery.

For more information, go to girlscoutsnorthernindiana-michiana.org.

Camp Crosley

Camp Crosley, 165 EMS T2 Lane, North Webster, is located on the shores of Lake Tippecanoe. Since it first opened its doors in 1915, Camp Crosley continues to be about learning life skills, building character and developing meaningful relationships.

Camp Crosley offers a variety of experiences for its’ campers.

Campers can look forward to aquatic activities like canoeing, kayaking, log rolling and swimming. Campers can choose to par-

ticipate in sports like archery, soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball and the climbing tower. Camp Crosley offers creative activities that lets the camper’s inner artist shine, including friendship and camp crafts, sketching, painting and clay art. For nature driven campers, Camp Crosley offers animal meet and greets, outdoor cooking, fishing, STEM activities and nature’s playground. For adventurous campers, Camp Crosley offers add-on activities, including scuba diving, water-skiing, wake boarding, and horseback riding.

Camp Crosley offers day camps for campers who are not ready to dive into the full summer camp experience. Additionally, overnight camps are available. Camp Crosley divides campers by age which will determine the camp they are put in and in what activities they can participate.

For more information, visit campcrosley.org or call (574) 8342331.

LAKELAND REGIONAL SEWER DISTRICT

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Notice is hereby given that the Lakeland Regional Sewer District will receive sealed bids at the Administrative Building located at 5002 E. 100 N., Warsaw, Indiana 46582, until 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2023,

Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams keeps water safe

Through the Lilly Center for Lake and Streams’ strategic and diligent research, detailed scientific analysis and weekly water samples, essential and quality data about the area’s beautiful lakes are gathered and studied. This data is imperative to keep the waters clean, healthy and safe.

During the summer months, the Lilly Center’s research team draws water samples from Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake to collect toxin data and to record physical factors, such as temperature, clarity and dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen is a measure of how much oxygen is in the water available to aquatic organisms, which can tell researchers a lot about the lake’s water quality.

Once researchers have the water samples, the lab team processes the samples by testing for microcystin toxins, which is produced naturally by blue-green algae, and counting the algae species.

Although microcystin levels have varied over the past three years, none of the sampling locations registered at or over the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s pet or human exposure threshold concentration in 2022.

In fact, toxin levels in 2022 were the lowest they have been in the last three years. The goal of the summer sampling is not only to monitor Wawasee and Syracuse lakes for human health and safety, but also to identify strategies that will reduce toxin spikes and maintain average low toxin levels.

Water clarity is also closely researched by the Lilly Center. Researchers have found that although its deepest point is over twice that of Syracuse Lake, Lake Wawasee tends to have a lower average wa-

Around The Lakes

ter clarity.

However, in 2022, Wawasee’s average Secchi depth, a measure of water transparency, was 10.8 feet, compared to Syracuse Lake’s 9.5 feet. Lake Wawasee’s 2022 water clarity was the deepest it had been in the last six years.

However, clear water alone is not enough information to determine whether a lake is safe and healthy. Clean and clear are not always synonymous when the conversation is about lake health.

For example, active lakes tend to be murky because boats and people tend to kick up sediment making the water look dirty, even though the water might be clean. On the flip side, clear lakes can hide bacteria, pesticides and toxins, even if it’s clear enough to see the fish swimming around.

A clear lake could have more algae toxins than a cloudy lake. Because of this, algae populations are not always a reliable indication of a lake’s cleanliness. Small amounts of algae can produce large amounts of toxins.

Although most of the bulk of lake sampling happens during the summer months, the Lilly Center monitors the inflow and outflow points around Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake through the usage of five stream sensors. With the live data presented by the stream sensors, the Lilly Center researchers have studied boating impacts, starry stonewarts, zebra mussels, economic impacts, watershed contributions, historical trends, bluegreen algae toxins and changing water levels.

Although most lake sampling occurs June through August, the Lilly Center utilizes lake buoys to create

a “temporal profile” of Lake Wawasee. Having access to 24/7 data allows the Lilly Center to identify trends, patterns or variables that might be correlated to algae blooms.

The buoy measures water health like pH levels, conductivity and dissolved oxygen every 15 minutes. To track different species of algae, the buoy uses a process called “fluorescence.” According to Jed Harvey, Lilly Center research technician, “The buoy detects different algae by using a process called fluorescence.” Chlorophyll, the green pigment that algae use to gather energy from the sun, and phycocyanin, a pigment similar to chlorophyll that is cyan-colored, absorb broad wavelengths of light and convert it into energy for the algae. However, when they absorb specific wavelengths of light, they reflect a different wavelength. Imagine a white cloth glowing under a black light.

The algae probe in the buoy emits light at those special wavelengths. Harmless green algae re-emits a slightly different color than harmful algae, known as cyanobacteria, thanks to their pigment. The probe can measure the light it receives of those different wavelengths and use the data to calculate how much algae or cyanobacteria are in the water at that time.”

Because of the Lilly Center for Lake and Streams’ hard work and vital research, generations to come will be able to enjoy the area’s beautiful lakes.

For more information on Lilly Center’s research or to read the original data, visit lakes.grace.edu.

To sign up for email toxin notifications for Lake Wawasee and Syracuse Lake, visit lakes.grace.edu/ microcystin.

NANCY GRAY’s great-nieces, Bea and Lucy Bagley, and great-nephew, Fletcher Bagley, pictured, were visiting North Webster from their home in Alaska.

“They are really loving the lakes,” Gray said. “A few seconds after this picture was taken, they all got dumped in the lake and they loved it. They will be going back home next week but we sure had fun while they were here.

“Next week, I will have more news from the center but this week was a family fun week. No place better than here, in the heart of the lakes, to enjoy summer to the fullest. Enjoy your summer.” —o—

CHAUTAUQUA-WAWASEE IS hosting a new event from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, at the Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive. Called the Wawasee Walk Down Memory Lane Project, Chautauqua-Wawasee has teamed up with the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum for this trip down memory lane. The event will include showing a video from 1937 of someone cruising in a boat filming the Wawasee shoreline and lakefront cottages as they pass by; a promotional video for the Spink Wawasee Hotel, built in 1926, but closed in 1947; and a 1957 film of the Chinese Gardens and cottage on Wawasee.

After the showing, attendees will be invited to share their memories via an open microphone. These will be limited to five minutes, but people are invited for a longer session at the Syracuse-Wawasee Historic Museum to record individual’s memories as an oral history. —o—

IN JANUARY, Webster Lake Conservation Association applied to the DNR for the development of a sediment removal plan. To apply and secure approval for such a plan, environmental studies are required. These studies come at a cost. In this case, the cost for the study was estimated at $9,500, so WLCA also applied for a LARE grant to help cover the cost of the required study. WLCA received a declination letter from the DNR in regards to its application because of a shortage of grant funds but was encouraged to apply again in 2024.

We moved to a lease program. The machines in the photo were all in operating condition when taken out of service in April of this year.

The leasing company offered no trade-in and we have no use for these machines today. Machines may be inspected between 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. There is no guarantee or warranty offered or implied.

THIS IS A FIRST COME/FIRST SERVE OFFER.

On a happier note, shoreline restoration projects on both Governor’s and Captain’s islands are nearing completion. The process has taken two years, and WLCA is thankful to the property owners for their patience, determination, and financial contribution in seeing these projects to completion. The DNR determined that these projects qualified for coverage under a LARE grant due to the adverse effects of shoreline erosion adding sediment and nutrients to the lake causing shallowing of the lake and weed growth. WLCA, as a registered vendor with the state of Indiana, is happy to have been able to facilitate the application and grant process for these projects. For more information, visit lakewebster.net.

THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE Chamber of Commerce is gearing up to host its first ever Cardboard Boat Regatta. The event will be held Thursday, Aug. 3, at Oakwood Resort. There will be two divisions, corporate and personal. Registration is $25 per boat and will be held at 3 p.m. with the race starting at 4 p.m.

Here are the rules: The entire boat must be built out of cardboard, duct tape and one part polyurethane. Oars do not have to be cardboard. No pretreated cardboard, waxed cardboard, wood, plastic, styrofoam, fiberglass, caulk, shrink wrap, adhesives, screws, bolts etc. is allowed.

The crew compartment may not be enclosed. Two crew members are required per boat. Each participant must sign a waiver and wear a flotation device. Crew members must stay in the boat at all times. For more information, call the chamber at (574) 457-5637.

—o—

THE AMERICAN Legion in North Webster is having a weekly drawing at 7 p.m. Friday, July 14. Also, Kerry’s famous pork chops will be served from 5-7 p.m. These are open to the public.

—o—

ROGER PECINA is looking to start a Lightning Run featuring vintage fiberglass boats parading around Lake Wawasee. He’s suggesting the Lightning Run be open to all fiberglass boats built before 1990, with the only rule being the American flag must be flying from each boat.

The Lightning Run would be at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, Memorial Day through Labor Day. If interested, email Pecina at Keno7spot@aol.com with questions or comments. —o—

YOU MIGHT have noticed a bevy of new sidewalks being installed throughout the town of Milford. According to Clerk-Treasurer Tricia Gall, this is part of a matching grant provided by the town to its residents. The cost of the new sidewalk is split 50/50 between the homeowner and the town, with the intention of making Milford more beautiful and safer.

Any Milford homeowner interested in the program should call Steven Marquart at (574) 658-4519. —o—

THE SYRACUSE Public Library will hold a remembrance for librarian Becky Brower from 4-6 p.m. Monday, July 24, in Community Roots, the outdoor space behind the library. The library will be closing early that day so staff may attend. This event is open to the public. Attendees will have an opportunity to share memories or other words about Brower, who died June 19.

—o—

AN UNUSUAL sight was spotted last Friday afternoon in the Lakeland area. A column of four covered wagons and numerous horse riders were seen making their way through the rural dirt roads west of Milford on CR 200W.

Apparently, this was a large family making their way north; a sight that resembled the old westerns seen on television, one which represented a more peaceful and less complicated world. Thanks to Rich Rhodes for providing the photo above and information about the wagons.

CHECK OUT this amazing photo taken by Jodi Sautter of the fireworks on Lake Wawasee. There are several other amazing pictures of the show and other activities on the lake that can be viewed on the Friends of Lake Wawasee Facebook page.