The Mail-Journal - July 26, 2023

CR 1300N extension to be completed by June 2024

Editor’s Note: A public informational meeting was to be held at 4 p.m. but due to the number of people present the meeting was held around 3:30 p.m.

Construction of the CR 1300N extension is expected to be completed by June 2024, officials said Wednesday, July 19, at a public information meeting on the project. Held in the Milford Community Building, the informal meeting was for two hours with a casual presentation in the first hour. A little over a dozen people attended, but people could stop by and ask questions as they wished from 3-5 p.m.

Patrick Duncan, with Michael Baker International, the design company for the Local Tracks Kosciusko CR 1300N Extension, said with the road under construction, they wanted to have a meeting for local residents of Milford who are affected by the project to give the residents an opportunity to see what was planned.

He said the road currently stops at Old SR 15 and then goes slightly to the north, crossing over the existing Main Street. Main Street will be slightly relocated closer to the railroad tracks. A single bridge will be built, crossing over the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks and the relocated Main Street, and then CR 1300N will continue on to the west and connect up to SR 15.

Explaining the purpose and need of the project, he stated it’s “basically to give connectivity to the people of the Milford area.” It

also will provide a connection to motorists “to be able to connect across, provide better access to emergency vehicles and reduce delays that are caused by the train tracks.”

Construction began in spring 2023.

“In general, they constructed some of the embankments leading

up to the bridge on the west side and they’re beginning to bring the dirt to construction on the east side. Working with railroad to get access to start building the bridge, and that’s coming pretty soon. And then we’re looking to, basically, continue construction through this year and in through 2024 until June. So that’s when

Syracuse BZA approves lot reconfiguration

During its July 20 regular meeting, the Syracuse Board of Zoning Appeals had a full agenda.

Steve Snyder presented two requests on behalf of Robert Ratz’s

estate and Matt Boyer, who is in charge of the estate. The two properties are located at 303 W. Hickory St., and 303 W. Boston St. Both requests were approved.

Snyder stated in 1999, the accessory building was allowed to be built as there was a residence on the same lot. At that time, it was stated, the property was not to be separated without previous approval. The lot was separated in 2001. The owner of the new lot at 303 W. Boston St., Tonya Clow, at some point added on to the garage on the property going across the property line.

Thus the request for an exception was made for the purpose of allowing an accessory building to remain on a lot without a principal structure in a residential district at 303 W. Hickory St. and a variance allowing lot line reconfiguration.

The accessory building creates no traffic issue, and will be used for residential storage only. The

exception was approved by the board with the condition that storage does not exceed 25 feet from the street.

The variance would allow lot line reconfiguration to create a 5 foot setback for the residence to the north and a 7 foot setback for the structure on the Ratz parcel.

Clow, a neighbor to the accessory building, came to the meeting to voice support of the variance. Without the variance, her garage would technically be out of code. The value of lots are not in danger with the approvals of the exception and variance.

Darrin Burke came before the board to seek an exception for the purpose of the alteration to a previously granted exception by allowing the addition of sale of boats, RVs and trailers in a com-

the project will finish up, barring any delays,” Duncan said.

The closings and detours of the roads are set up and will stay in place through the duration of the project. SR 15 will be reduced to one lane, similar to how it was during NIPSCO’s utility work, starting July 31 and lasting about 60 days, he said. CR 1300N will not be open at that point, it’ll just be some of the “connector pieces” set up so that eventually when it’s opened up it’ll be ready to go.

“Part of the work with the Local Tracks program is that they’re trying to reduce accidents at crossings by eliminating so many crossings and provide these grade separations to increase mobility and safety for the project,” Duncan said. “So, with that, we’ve got at-grade crossings East North Street, East South Street and East Fourth Street will be eventually closed. With the relocation of the CR 1300N over the tracks, they will have the ability to close some of these other crossings.”

Andy Brown, representing the contractor Phend & Brown, said their plan originally was to get the bridge built and most of the job pretty well completed this year, but instead of the bridge work starting in April, it won’t get started until the middle of August for “various reasons.” He said they’re going to try to get as much done this year as they can, but it’s definitely not going to be able to be completed until 2024, with the actual completion date at the end of June at this point. If there are more delays, he said construction completion might be pushed back a little further.

“To open up any of those roads over the winter, we would have to have them completely done, striped, shouldered, signs, everything to make them safe. We’re not promising that at this time,” Brown said. “There is a possibility we could open the existing CR 1300N pavement up, but the problem with that is, we have to tear a part of that road up to put the new road in. So if we get far enough along we put the new pavement in, 1300N won’t be able to be opened (on) the old alignment. So we just don’t know for sure how that’s going to go.”

The ramp on the west side is — for all practical purposes — completed, he said. They’re building the dirt ramp/embankment/approach on the east side and that will be about done when it’s time to go out on SR 15. Brown said they will have 60 days of traffic restriction allowed, but hopefully it won’t take that long, weather dependent.

He said they did have some difficulties with locating and establishing the detours, but those should have been addressed.

Charlie Schueler, with engineering firm Lochmueller Group, reiterated that there’s going to be a lot of work on SR 15 and once all that work is completed, it will go back to what the configuration is now.

“So on the east side of the road — if you’re heading north —- on the east side there will be the lane to get over to turn right onto 1300N; and if you’re heading south, there will be a leftturn lane to turn left onto 1300N

Continued on page 2

WACF Lake Celebration and Breakfast July 29

Join the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation for its annual Lake Celebration and Breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 29.

This year’s event will take place at the WACF Between-The-Lakes, across from The Channel Marker, East Pickwick Drive, Syracuse.

The morning event will include

a breakfast donated by The Channel Marker.

During the annual lake celebration participate in the dedication of the Buletty Pavilion and the Hayden/Quinn Log Cabin, along with updates on accomplishments and the presentation of the annual Cattail Award.

County parks board OKs RFP draft

After some further discussion Thursday, July 20, the Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board approved a draft of the request for proposals for a greenways and blueways master plan.

The draft will go next to County Administrator Marsha McSherry and attorney Ed Ormsby for review. The RFP also was a topic of discussion at the board’s special meeting July 11.

Milford lacks funding for a school resource officer in 2024

During a special meeting Tuesday, July 25, Milford Town Council learned the proposed police department budget would not be able to support a school resource officer for the 2023-24 school year.

Milford Police Chief Deputy Marshal Tom Waikel, sitting in for Town Marshal Derek Krieder, informed the council although the department, which is facing a roughly $96,000 deficit, had found ways to reduce spending, it could not afford

the $55,000 needed to fund a SRO for Milford School.

The total proposed police budget for 2024 is $464,591.42, a $90,000 decrease from 2023. It was noted the department overspent it’s budget by $201,000 for 2023 and it is expected there will be a $96,000 overage in the 2024 budget.

“It doesn’t mean we’re not going to be going over there,” said Waikel; however, he noted this would be for security reasons, and would not involve the “rapport” previous SROs have developed with students over the years.

“It’s good for a multitude of reasons,” he said. “It cultivates a more pro-police environment. … It’s better for everyone in the community.” Waikel also pointed out how the dramatic uptick in school shootings is affecting students down to the elementary level. “No age or grade is immune.”

It was also noted during the discussion that Krieder had been pulling “double duty” without pay to keep the SRO position filled while the department also faced staffing shortages.

Continued on page 3

Syracuse BZA

mercial district. The previous exception was made in 2014.

“I’m just looking to diversify.

I have no immediate plans but I am looking into the future,” Burke told the board. This exception is the step in the direction of obtaining a state license, which requires the board of zoning’s signature agreeing that everything is in compliance. The board approved Burke’s exception, with the conditions that were laid out in his 2014 exception.

Perry Glancy petitioned for a variance which would permit allowing an air conditioning unit to remain 33 inches from the property line — the ordinance requires 5 feet — at 407 E. Medusa St. The air conditioning unit came with the house that he has owned since 2020.

According to estimates, Glancy was looking at a $10,000 bill to get the air conditioning unit up to code. The board approved Glancy’s variance with the condition once the air conditioning unit needs replaced, he does so with a taller, thinner unit that should be put him close to the 5 foot setback.

Dan Lees and Ginger Abbs came before the board to ask for a variance which would allow a residential addition at 304 E. Boston St. The variance would allow them to start construction on an

architectural raised roof and an entryway porch. “We’re just looking to give the house a face lift,” Lees told the board. The board approved the variance.

A continued case from June went through three motions for a continuance before it was finally seconded and granted. Jason Metz is seeking an exception to change a granted exception to allow the sales of watercraft along with the previous allowed uses of auto sales, boat trailer sales, overflow storage shed storage and overflow parking for adjacent restaurant. The property is located at 1015 S. Huntington St. Metz, who did not appear at the June meeting, was present however did not have the appropriate documentation that showed notification of his intentions and of the meeting had been sent by certified mail to adjacent property owners. Randy Cox, board president, immediately made a motion to continue the case. However further discussion continued by Metz and other board members.

It was noted that a year ago, the petitioner, Travis Davidson, had neglected to include watercraft in the petition. Metz, who is now renting the property, stated the location of the storage sheds has been moved nearer to the restaurant and should not be a problem like they were before. Cox then made the motion to continue

Michiana Area Council of Governments Active Transportation Planner Dustin New sent to the board a fully fledged draft RFP about an hour before the board’s meeting Thursday. Board President Rob Bishop said he took that draft and made some changes, including adding the board’s logo. Board member Mike Cusick talked about the importance of having the logo on official board documents for branding purposes. Bishop said the majority of the draft RFP is MACOG’s. New said it was customized for Kosciusko County’s project.

“Our real key point was, there was a project overview where Dustin had a spot for us to put in our goals. I grabbed largely the scope of work off what I was working on, which we had talked about what all we wanted them to do,” Bishop said. “… Other than that, I think it’s largely ready to go.”

Cusick and board member Aggie Sweeney brought up the difference between dispersed camping versus primitive camping and if those should be addressed in the RFP and how. Sweeney said she just wanted it to be clear if they mentioned campground that it wasn’t the kind of campground with electrical and water hookups. New said for him there’s a fine line between too much, and the more information the board put in the RFP the more the consultants can narrow down their scope without the board giving the consultants the answers the board thinks they’re looking for.

Sweeney said one change needed for the RFP was it needed to say Kosciusko County Parks and Recreation Board and not department. And, as it talks about

CR 1300N extension

as well as a passing lane to get around the vehicles that are turning left onto 1300N,” Brown said. A man asked if Old SR 15 won’t open up until the project is completed. Brown said that was correct because the Indiana Department of Transportation has oversight on the job and they won’t allow it until there’s surface asphalt and stripes on it, and if they do that then that prevents hauling across the road. When it’s all done, Old SR 15 will be an atgrade crossing with the new road with stop signs.

Doug Dagley, project manager and designer with Michael Baker International, said this construc-

tion is frustrating for everybody, but it will benefit the future and is a great opportunity.

“It’s one of the first ones really in the state that’s actually getting constructed right now, and, also, just getting it in this county. A lot of the money did end up north of us because of the railroads and the amount of railroads up there, whereas this is one of the more rural counties that actually got the money. So, it’s a great benefit, it really is,” Dagley said.

Brown said it will help out the town of Syracuse, too, because of the routes they take to Elkhart County and a lot of traffic comes out of Polywood. The CR 1300N extension will take the Polywood

blueways, she said she wanted to make sure two things were clear: like the greenways, the blueways are not motorized; and while there can be blueways on the lakes, the parks board has been prioritizing rivers and streams.

New said he was not 100% clear on the dates for the RFP. Bishop said the dates are still up in the air at this point because the county administrator and legal counsel still need to review the RFP. There also was some discussion on a paragraph about the State Department of Health, which Bishop wanted left in due to a grant being shared from the town of Winona Lake; and a steering committee and the amount of public involvement on the master plan. Cusick brought up questions on the evaluation criteria, but was told that evaluation was standard.

Eventually, board Vice President Troy Turley made a motion to approve the draft RFP, and Sweenedy seconded it, with the vote to approve it being 4-0. Board member Matt Metzger was absent.

again, which went again without a second.

Further discussion concerned how the property was divided into thirds, vehicle parking for the restaurant and mention that there was a garage being used for detailing watercraft, which have been seen sitting on the lot. Metz could not respond to what was happening there as it was not his business.

Matt Sandy, county planner, stated there was a need to continue digging into what was happening on that property, and encouraged Metz to have Davidson accompany him to the plan commission office for further discussion. Cox then made the motion to continue for the third time, which received a second and the case moved to August.

Jay Bishop was absent and also granted continuance to next month’s regular board meeting. Bishop

traffic straight out to SR 15 instead of it going through town. When asked about his confidence in the completion date, Brown said a couple things happened with the railroad. After they were awarded the job, there was a significant change in how a flagger for the railroad on the project was hired. Norfolk Southern used to supply that person but decided they didn’t want to do it that way anymore and the railroad has total authority over everything. There was some back and forth between Norfolk and the state of Indiana, and they’re changing the hiring of the flagger for the entire state. Now, Brown said, the contractor has to hire a flagging company and there’s only one company that can do it and they’re in Texas. There also was a “clerical error” at the railroad that delayed them approving the work to proceed on their property.

“It’s hard to believe, but it did happen,” Brown said. Dagley said, “So if anybody doesn’t know, railroads were here first and they have the most authority of anybody and you would just not believe the authority that they have. It’s a way of getting commerce back and forth, and that’s the way it’s treated, so they have ample power.”

The contract for the project was about $7.723 million, but federal funds are paying for 80% of the costs with local funds covering 20%.

Tippecanoe and Chapman RSD announce public hearing

The Board of

the

and Chapman Regional Sewer District will hold a public hearing 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St.

The purpose of the hearing is to receive comment on any changes being implemented by the District associated with the adopting of its use ordinance and implementation of a capacity charge for future customers. All users of the works and owners of property served, or to be served, and others interested shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed rates and charges.

Obituaries

Raymond Lewis Balogh Jr.

Much loved colleague

Raymond “Buddy” Lewis Balogh Jr., 67, Nappanee, passed peacefully on Monday, July 24, 2023, in Wakarusa.

He was born March 13, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Raymond L. Balogh Sr. and Grace (Wozniak) Balogh.

He is survived by his siblings, Ray (Sharon) Balogh, Gary (Jeanne) Balogh, Rick (Terye) Balogh and Wendy (Lloyd Bradshaw) Balogh; daughter, Lindsey (Joe) Meszaros; sisters-in-law, Georganna Balogh and Patty Balogh; nieces, Klara Balogh, Amanda Balogh, Becca Diaz, Sara (Zach Telschow) Balogh and Elizabeth Balogh; nephews, Hondo (Lindsey) Balogh, Ben Balogh, Andrew Balogh, Robby (Hailey) Balogh and Mike (Reiko) Balogh; grand-niece, Jade Balogh; grand-nephews, Andre Diaz and Sebastian Balogh and Patrick and Westley Balogh; grandsons, William, Andrew and Harrison Meszaros; and his close friend, Diane Miklosh.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Grace; his stepmother, Joyce Balogh; his brother, Frank Balogh; niece, Sonia Balogh; and Lindsey’s mother, Sue Beadle.

He went to Suburban Bethlehem Elementary, graduated from Northrop High School (1973) in Fort Wayne and went to college at IUFW. He attended Valparaiso University Law School in 1977. He worked as a law clerk for Judge Donald Jones in Elkhart County. He practiced law for more than 20 years. He served as head of emergency management under Mayor Dave Miller.

Writing was his true passion. He wrote for the Elkhart Truth starting in 2017 and transitioned to The Papers Inc. in Milford, where he worked for the last 9 1/2 years. He was the author of the book “Biblical Reflections,” as well as coauthoring and editing several more books with colleagues, friends and his brother, Ray.

He was a forever fan of Cleveland sports. He loved baseball and played vintage baseball for the Elkhart County Railroaders. He played fast-pitch softball for many years with his father on the team Ray’s Northcrest Marathon. He was also integral in bringing the minor league team, The Miracle, to Elkhart County.

Bud felt called to serve in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina. There he spent time organizing a cleanup and restoration of a women’s college. He always remembered this time and his service there fondly. He was an active member at Christian Center Church in South Bend, leading adult Bible studies.

He was known for his quick wit, wordsmithing, caring nature and strong faith.

Visitation for Bud will be held from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, July 27, at Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home in Elkhart. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 28, with visitation an hour prior to the service at Faith Lutheran Church in Goshen.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Rose Garden Recovery Community in Syracuse, where he served as board president.

Milford lacks

Continued from page 2 to the schools but not the towns.

“Kids have a relationship with the SRO,” said Councilman Ken Long, who teaches in Wawasee schools. Long described students giving the officers “high-fives” in the hallways and often confiding to them. “I’ve seen nothing but positives.”

Long asked Clerk/Treasurer Tricia Gall if the state provided any funding for SROs, to which Gall responded funding is made available

How dry am eye

Don’t save your tears for a sad movie. The fact is your eyes cannot function without the proper amount of moisture. Hot, dry weather, taking antihistamines and oral contraceptives, and even extended time at your computer, are among the many factors that can cause eye dryness.

Dry eyes cause scratchiness, redness and irritation, and the lack of moisture can, over time, damage the cornea.

Tips for staying teary include:

• Check with your physician or pharmacist about the potential side effects of any medications you may be taking.

• Use lubricating eye drops regularly to keep your eyes moisturized when you are in hot, dry environments and if you spend extended periods in front of your computer.

• Adjust air conditioners to the lowest setting and position air vents away from you.

• Avoid wearing contact lenses for extended periods of time; they tend to increase the chance of eye dryness.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

North Webster Community Public Library — Library services spotlight

The North Webster Community Public Library is known for its commitment to serving the community and providing a range of valuable resources. In addition to its extensive collection of books and movies, the library also offers a variety of affordable services that seek to cater to the needs of individuals and businesses alike.

In today’s digital age, printing still remains a necessity for many. NWCPL understands this and provides affordable printing services. Patrons can print documents in black and white for $0.10 a page while color printing is available for $0.25 per page. Whether it’s a school project or important paperwork, the library is equipped to meet the community’s printing needs. For those requiring fax services, the library offers those as well. Sending faxes from NWCPL only costs $0.50 per page.

Laminating documents is a popular choice for preserving important papers and enhancing their durability. The library offers laminating services at a nominal fee of $0.50 per page. NWCPL offers laminating of various sizes, so whether you need a flyer laminated or a business card, ask at the library.

In an era where digitization is becoming increasingly important, the library is proud to offer a free scanning service. Patrons can eas-

ily convert physical documents into digital formats using the library’s scanner — this service is particularly beneficial for those looking to save space, share documents electronically or preserve delicate originals.

The library is happy to help you scan small documents at any time, however, the library is also hosting a special Community Scanning Day on Aug. 30. If you have old documents or memorabilia you would like to preserve digitally, make an appointment at the library for a time slot on Aug. 30 — they will spend the day scanning books or documents and saving them for you.

For more information about these or other services provided, please visit their website at nwcpl.org. The library is committed to providing accessible and affordable services for the community.

The following activities are set to take place. Attendees do not need to have a library card to participate in any of these events.

Adult Events

NWCPL will be hosting a Beginner Tech class at 10:15 a.m.

Friday, Aug. 4. This class is for anyone who is brand new to Android phones or tablets. The class will cover navigating a mobile device, using common apps, connecting to WiFi, helpful settings for accessibility and privacy and

more. Participants are encouraged to bring their devices as there will be opportunity to practice during this session. Please register in advance by calling the library. Note: this class will only cover Android devices. A separate class on iPhones will happen later.

Teen Events

The library will be hosting a Teen Self Defense Class at 5:30

p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2. Steve Hanford from Lions Karate will be teaching this special class that will be geared towards students in grades 6-12. Please register in advance by calling the library. For more information about any library events, please call (574) 834-7122, visit the website at nwcpl.org or click into the Facebook page.

Milford Public Library — Summer reading wrap-up

“The money is there. The corporation needs to get it,” she stated.

As of this writing, Milford School Principal Mike Casey had not been informed of the situation, and members agreed the problem should be discussed further in a meeting with school district representatives.

Councilman Bob Cockburn, a retired Wawasee schools teacher and administrator, agreed to be present at such a meeting.

“We need to come to the middle to solve the problem,” said Council President Doug Ruch.

During the meeting, the council also passed a resolution finalizing the approval of the police department’s purchase of a police truck from the Woodburn Police Department at a cost of $9,235.83. The truck was paid for out of ARPA funds.

Also, an additional $1,600 was approved for the customization of Milford’s billing system, which will now include electronic billing.

The council also met with Milford Wastewater Plant operator Mark Brubaker, who estimated his 2024 budget at $566,100, based on an estimate of receipts for 2023.

“Mark has a balanced budget,” enthused Gall, who added the bond payment on the plant also dropped from $133,000 to $40,000. The balanced budget negates the need for a rate hike, she added.

Milford Volunteer Fire Department Chief Virgil Sharp proposed a budget of $96,300, a 3.27% increase overall.

The following is the summer reading wrap-up at Milford Public Library: 141 children signed up in the children’s department and there were 39 teens registered this summer. Of the total registered, 75 children read at least five hours as did 24 teens; 53% participation for children and 62% for teens. Everyone at the library had a great time this summer.

Be sure to keep reading through the school year. They get new books every week. They are proud of all summer reading participants — they did a great job this summer.

Thanks to all businesses and individuals who supported the summer reading program. They are Milford Public Library Friends; Knights of Columbus; Dr. Richard Brungardt; Syracuse Wawasee Rotary Club; Phend & Brown; TLC Services; Brunjes LLC; CTB Inc.; Columbia Reading Circle; Ron Baumgartner; Lakeland Eagles Auxiliary #3760; Women of Today; Lake City Bank; Milford Lion’s Club; China Seas; Royal Maintenance Co.; Ruch Service Inc.; Land O’Lakes (Purina); Maple Leaf Farms Inc.; Milford Kiwanis; Neighborhood Fresh; Milford Subway; Bobi’s Shear Success; Dairy Queen; The Bowling Alley; Made on Main; Harvest Coffee and Market; Target; and Pizza Hut.

Grilled prime rib

Prime rib is a weekend feature at many lake country restaurants. It’s debatable as to who has the best, but I usually give my opinion at the end of each year.

‘Two Milford boys’ purchase historic building

“We’re just two Milford boys trying to bring life back into the building,” Joe Sands and Christian Tucker agreed. The pair have recently closed on the purchase of the historic Peabody building in North Manchester. They closed on the building on May 22.

Sands and Tucker met through their businesses. They had kindled a business relationship through Facebook Marketplace. Tucker was selling all sort of industrial items that Sands needed for his business, so Tucker became a minor supplier to Sands. Sands once owned Sands’ Office Supplies in Warsaw and Tucker owns Tucker Industries LLC in Milford. Tucker Industries LLC supplies industrial resale through avenues like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. “We sell everything from ear

plugs all the way to electric motors,” Tucker explained.

Selling Sands’ Office Equipment had been on the table for a while, as Sands and his wife, Myra, had their eyes set on retirement. But when Tucker mentioned to Sands that he was outgrowing his current space, they knew this could be the start of a new adventure. Together, they formed S&T Investment Group.

The pair started looking for buildings around Warsaw, but came up empty handed. Until one day, the listing of the old Peabody building fell into their lap.

“The building has great bones, steel frame building, good structure but it had just been sorely neglected for years,” Sands explained. However, the neglect did not cloud the potential that Sands and Tucker saw in the building.

They expect the project to cost around $2 million, and are com-

pletely renovating the dilapidated building with a new roof, fencing, electrical upgrades and security systems. Sands and Tucker are working with Grow Wabash County on the project.

“We want to rebuild the building the way Christ rebuilds us,” Sands said.

“We want to create a contributing member of North Manchester. Right now, it’s an eye sore,” Tucker added.

Tucker expects to be able to move his business into the building around Aug. 1. They plan to rent out some of the building’s space to two other tenants, including Northern Lakes Roofing, a family-owned local business.

An open house is being planned, but no official date has been set. With more space, comes more opportunity; Tucker expects his business to grow into the building one day.

Letters to the editor

Laid off from Polywood

Dear Editor: I started my job at Polywood the week of April 17 this year. They were still hiring people at least three weeks ago. Everyone they just hired plus people who had been there for one to three years even got laid off. They never said anything to anyone about any possibility of a layoff. Actually, around the beginning of June, we got notice of one of the buildings adding a third shift. Meaning it was going to be a shift of almost all new hires but some people, like me, offered to switch to third shift before they started hiring outside of the company.

This third shift is supposed to start July 30. They told each group of employees they took up to speak to that they “are not terminating you, just laying off. If you don’t receive a call back in six months, you will have to reapply.”

When someone in my group asked why they are laying off, they said, “We are slowing down. And if we don’t lay off, we will run out of inventory space and would have to completely shut down for awhile until it picked back up again.”

They knew this was going to happen, but they refused to give

anyone any type of notice to give us time to look for a job. Me and my fiance have our wedding in seven weeks and then a honeymoon. We are already rescheduling our honeymoon for a year away and cutting costs for the wedding as much as we can. HR and the supervisors refused to give me any information and answers to my question of why they are laying off but starting a third shift and hiring new people for that. The whole Polywood company also took away employees cell phones. Even any type of supervisor. If there was a family emergency or anything, no one would know because no one could get in contact with Polywood. Unless you want to get written up for just checking your phone, which either had to be put in a box with everyone else’s or left in your vehicle.

Polywood is also a very diverse company and you worked with people who didn’t speak English/ Spanish. I personally used my phone to translate and communicate with my coworkers which was needed to do my job. I got written up for using my phone to communicate with a coworker

and was no longer able to communicate with half of the employees.

Polywood is becoming a joke of a company and I personally advise anyone not to apply there. And if you haven’t been with the company three plus years, you will get the possibility of being laid off and if you are less than a year there, you will 100% be laid off after next summer. They said, “It looks like we are becoming a seasonal company.”

I know you can’t actually take my word for any of this. And I’m not making any of this up just because I’m mad. I loved my job, my pay and better yet, my coworkers and supervisor. I fully believe our shift supervisors and anyone below knew nothing about this. But I could be wrong about that part. Everything else is true to the word.

They had us come into work, no warning, some of us worked up to two hours into the shift before they came and got your group to lay off. I feel like what they did to us should be illegal but it’s not. Over 200 lives were affected in one day and this company just doesn’t care.

Kourtney Tackett

Corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel good for most vehicles

Dear Editor:

Everyone seems to be interested in a cleaner environment these days. As a farmer, I find that a little ironic. Farmers are the original environmental stewards — taking care of the land that takes care of us. This desire for cleaner air and less carbon has inspired many to buy expensive electric vehicles. If you like your electric vehicle, I don’t have a problem with that.

A car or truck is a major investment, and you should like what you drive.

However, I’m not convinced about their overall environmental benefit. The process of mining lithium for car batteries negatively impacts the environment. The

We welcome readers’ letters.

electricity used to recharge these batteries often comes from coal- or natural gas-burning power plants. Then, those lithium batteries become a hazard because they stay in landfills forever. It’s great there are no engine exhaust fumes, but there’s more to cleaning the environment than eliminating tailpipe emissions.

I’d like my friends and neighbors to know that there are fuels available today that can run in your car, are entirely renewable and endorsed by the American Lung Association. And even better, I grow them on my farm.

I’m talking about corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel. These fuels can be used in

Last year it was Barbee Hotel Restaurant. Regardless, the term “prime” is a misnomer. Rarely do you see USDA primegrade beef rib roast. If you do, it will empty your wallet.

At Allen Brothers in Chicago, a six rib prime roast will cost $400. However, if you can get a choice grade roast, you have a great chance of making this dish one to remember.

Aging, then slow roasting is the secret whether cooked on the grill or in the oven. There are two ways to age, wet and dry. I prefer to dry age beef in the fridge. The enzymes change and the meat color deepens. For a four-bone roast, I like to age a minimum of three days. The fridge temp should be around 38° F. Here’s the recipe I use from Farmers in Lake Country.

1, four-bone-in standing rib roast, preferably from the loinend

Canola oil

2 tablespoons sea salt like Maldon’s

2 tablespoons black peppercorns

1 teaspoon juniper berries

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 cup red wine

2/3 cup beef stock

1 tablespoon butter

6-8 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

To age: Place the roast upright on a rack positioned in a baking sheet or other container that fits into the refrigerator. Place a towel over the roast. Age the roast for a minimum of three

full days, changing towels daily.

Bring to room temperature — about an hour.

Preheat the oven or grill temperature at 250° F. Grilling adds more flavor, especially when you use a smoke box. Mesquite wood chips soaked in water have proven to be the best. If grilling, heat to high heat, then reduce when adding the roast.

Rub canola oil all over the roast including bones. In a spice grinder, combine next four ingredients. Grind into a coarse powder. Coat the oiled roast all over with the herb mixture. Place roast on a rack in a grill-proof baking dish to catch drippings.

Decrease temperature to 225° F and place roast on the grill.

When temperature reaches 120° F, remove roast from grill — about two and half hours. Increase grill heat to high and cover roast with foil. Rest un-

til the internal temperature reaches 130° F. Return to oven, uncovered and bake to form a crust but no longer than 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and transfer to a cutting board. Cover with foil and rest roast for at least ten minutes before carving. Keep warm to serve. Meanwhile, to prepare the sauce: In a sauce pan, add any pan drippings. If dried on, scrap off and add. Then add wine and broth. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer. Whisk in butter then simmer until reduced by half — about 10 minutes. Strain, if necessary, then add sage and serve on the side.

I served this a couple weekends ago, and it was spot-on.

But, if you want to serve it the British-way, serve with a horseradish cream sauce and Yorkshire pudding. Serves four or more.

nearly all vehicles on the road today. I’m proud to grow the materials needed to make these fuels. I’m also proud of the Indiana Soybean Alliance, our state’s soy checkoff and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, our state’s corn checkoff, for working with private industry to improve the quality of ethanol and biodiesel. Many complaints about these fuels are 20 years old and no longer apply. Research information on these fuels from the corn and soy checkoffs or the American Lung Association. You can start protecting the environment today without buying an expensive new car.

Larry Wilkinson Kimmell

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Wee Warriors Academy holds mud day

The Wee Warriors Academy in Syracuse held a mud day Friday, July 21. LexLil Rental donated and delivered five tons of dirt. The academy added water to make a big mud pit. The children showed creativity, while making memories.

Maxwelton Ladies League results

Maxwelton Ladies Game of the Day for Wednesday, July 19, was Guest Day. There were five teams playing a scramble format.

The winning team consisted of Kathy Baumbaugh, Joyce Weaver, Becky Arnold and Paula Kirkpatrick.

Proxy winners were: Shelly Fidler, longest drive hole on No. 14; Joyce Weaver, closest to the pin on hole No. 3; and Tracy Bolles, longest putt on hole No. 18.

We’re feeling the love.

Parkview is a Most Loved Workplace®.

Being certified as a Most Loved Workplace® by the Best Practice Institute feels good. Because it means our co-workers are valued, respected and supported. And provided with a sense of belonging. We’ve worked hard to make Parkview a place where our team members feel satisfied in their careers — and with a team of over 15,000 co-workers, that’s a lot of love.

parkview.com

Water-skiing runs in Don Bucher’s blood

If you build it, they will come. This is especially true of Don Bucher, a Midwest Water Ski Hall of Famer. Bucher is a Syracuse resident and is a lifelong Hoosier. He built his own lake in order to waterski and use for tournaments.

Bucher first started waterskiing at the age of 8. He first skied in show tournaments with the Dewart Lake skiers at the age of 10. He entered his first Indiana state tournament in a jump competition in 1964.

“I was nervous. I am always nervous,” he chuckled.

Later, he went on to have quite a list of accomplishments throughout his waterskiing career. He qualified for his first nationals in 2001 and was the Midwest region’s men’s 6 slalom champion in 2008.

He was The Indiana State Ski Club’s president one year in the early 1970s. Bucher currently holds a senior judge’s rating, and is a senior driver, senior scorer, state safety director, announcer and third-level instructor.

The rest of his resume is impressive. Bucher is a 2009 Hall of Fame inductee. He received the coveted Rollie Williams Award in 1986. Bucher has also started ski teams.

“I started ‘Water Ski Inc.’ Ski Team with Jerry Hickman at Hidden Lake in Warsaw in 1974,” he said. He was co-tournament director with Hickman for the Hoosier Classic Pro Water Ski Tournaments in 1975 through 1978.

He started building the first man-made ski lake

in Indiana in 1978 called Cindonway Shores. Bucher and wife, Peggy, and the WSI ski team have hosted over 100 sanctioned events at Cindonway Shores since 1983. For the Midwest regionals, he has been the chief judge twice. He’s been chief driver two times and twice the chief announcer. He was appointed judge and driver, many times — almost yearly.

He was appointed driver in 1990 and 2000 at American Water Ski Association nationals. Bucher was its appointed judge in 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008 and 2009. He was also assigned to be a judge for five years and was an appointed scorer in 2006. He was assistant chief judge in 2005.

Bucher served as the Indiana Council Person to the Midwest region in late 1980s through 1998. He was the Midwest region’s executive vice president from 1999 through 2006.

“I served on the American Water Ski Board of Directors, and was AWSA’s vice president from 2001 through 2007,” he said.

He served on the USA Water Ski board of directors, and was its Midwest director from 1999-2009. He was chairman of its board of directors in 2008 and 2009.

Bucher has three grown children and nine grandchildren, all who waterski and compete in tournaments.

Bucher, 76, a semi-retired farmer, said he still waterskis for two reasons. First, is to stay in shape.

“Second, I do it for my grandchildren,” he explained. Bucher is set to have knee surgery soon, and then he heads to Florida for a few months starting mid-September. And yes, he water-skis in the

Reinholt to retired as Maple Leaf Farms CEO, Tucker named successor

Maple Leaf Farms Inc. has announced that Chief Executive Officer Scott Reinholt is retiring at the end of fiscal 2023 and

Co-president Scott Tucker will assume the role at that time.

Reinholt joined Maple Leaf Farms in 2002 as chief financial officer and successfully led the company’s financial and Eurasia Group teams before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2017 and chief executive officer in 2021. He will continue to serve on the Maple Leaf Farms Inc. and Eurasia

Group boards of directors.

“As CEO, Scott excelled while leading our management team through an unprecedented business climate,” said Chairman of the Board Terry Tucker. “Throughout his 21 years of service to our company, he has made a lasting impact on Maple Leaf Farms and we are very appreciative of his dedication and efforts to grow

CTB Inc. recognizes many employee service milestones

CTB Inc. has recognized those who achieved work milestones during the second quarter of 2023. The company congratulates the following employees for their recent anniversaries:

50 years of service — Charles Bird (retired in April)

40 years of service — Todd

Koble

30 years of service — Avelino

Batista, Craig Curns

25 years of service — David Coppes, Cindy Tudor, Jeremy Pressler, Robert Christenson,

Mobile Meals drivers

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

Syracuse Drivers July 31 to Aug. 4

MONDAY — M. Smith

TUESDAY — C. Manning

WEDNESDAY — J. Rowland

THURSDAY — P. Smith

FRIDAY — P. Smith

Milford Drivers

July 31 to Aug. 4

MONDAY — J. Kammerer

TUESDAY — R. Kline

WEDNESDAY — C. J. Wagoner

THURSDAY — J. Redman

FRIDAY — R. & P. Haab

North Webster Drivers

July 31 to Aug. 4

MONDAY — G. Smith

TUESDAY — Bart’s Watersports

WEDNESDAY — R. Chambers

THURSDAY

Matthew Maulsby

20 years of service — Ronald Ousley, Berton Kolberg

15 years of service — Dan Ricci, Joseph Koss, Lonnie Carter, Dennis Holdeman, Robert Cheatham, Javier Solis

Mena

10 years of service — Daniel Savage

Five years of service — Todd Hedington, Joe Skaggs, Melissa Dove, Deanne Blankenship, Thomas Harris, Mindy Brooks

“We are pleased to announce the work anniversaries that

took place during the second quarter of 2023,” said Michael J. Kissane, CTB executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “We are proud of each of our employees. It is notable that this quarter’s list ranges from five years to the remarkable achievement of 50 years. Regardless of their length of service, our employee dedication and contributions cannot be understated as our company continues our global mission of Helping to Feed a Hungry World®.”

the business.”

Upon Reinholt’s retirement, Terry Tucker announced that Scott Tucker will become chief executive officer and John Tucker will be president. Both have led the company as copresidents since 2001.

“My time with Maple Leaf Farms has been gratifying and I’m very thankful for all the wonderful people I’ve been for-

tunate to work with over the past two decades,” said Reinholt. “It has been an honor to work with the Tucker family to lead this company and I look forward to supporting Scott as he transitions into his new role.”

Scott Tucker earned a bachelor of science degree in management at Purdue University. He went on to attain

a master of business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has represented the company on several boards including the Indiana State Poultry Association, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation. He will assume the role of chief executive officer Dec. 1, 2023.

LTPO names Crighton ‘Distinguished Lake Citizen of the Year’

Lyn Crighton, executive director of The Watershed Foundation, current and nearly lifelong resident of Lake Tippecanoe, has been named as the Lake Tippecanoe Property Owners Association 2023 Distinguished Lake Citizen of the Year.

Crighton was surprised with the honor last Sunday during the lake association’s meeting at the Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. Crighton sat quietly in the audience during the award’s presentation, unaware that she

would receive it. Ron Chambers gave an overview of the award winner’s life and career, dropping clues as to the winner’s identity. Soon, Crighton began to realize Chambers was speaking about her.

“There are few folks more deserving than this year’s honoree,” said Chambers, a past recipient of the award and a member of the committee responsible for choosing the honorees each year. “This year’s recipient is a true professional who has been

recognized statewide for environmental excellence, innovation, marketing, technical merit and being an excellent communicator.”

Crighton’s love of the lakes was already growing when, at age 4, she began hydro sliding behind the boat on Lake Tippecanoe and at age 10 she was slalom skiing. By age 15, she was lifeguarding and teaching swimming lessons. Clearly, Crighton has lake water in her veins.

From there, Crighton’s jour-

A summer meeting of the Wawasee High School book club

Community Roots, the openair pavilion at the Syracuse Public Library, was the site for the annual summer meeting of the Wawasee High School book club. The weather was perfect and cool breezes swept through the openair pavilion. A long wooden picnic table set up underneath the pavilion allowed seating for six people.

Gena Fowble, librarian at Wawasee High School, and Michelle Parker, young adult services librarian, greeted the students for

a discussion of a young adult fiction book, “The Summer of Broken Things” by Margaret Peterson Haddix. With phones on the table and Cheez-It Snap’d plentiful, the discussion began. Haddix is a prolific writer. Her book is about friendship and what it means to be a family in the face of lies and betrayal and centers around Kayla Butts, 16, Avery Armisted, 14, and Avery’s father. The main plot finds two very different girls forced to spend the summer together in Spain and the secret they discover. The book primarily focuses on family dynamics and

would be appropriate for middle to early teenagers.

Fowble led the discussion which covered characters, theme, plot and setting but started off with a discussion of the title, which the group felt promised a story about summer but was really a story about relationships. The topics of divorce and surrogacy became a big part of the 387-page book and because of that, the students felt that the author ran out of room for rich character development. The first book club meeting for the 2023-24 school year will take place after Labor Day.

ney took her to Indiana University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and, later, a master’s degree in water resources/ environmental science.

During her career, Crighton has worked as a lake manager in Lake Oswego, Ore., for the U.S. Geological Survey at the Indiana Dunes, Indiana University and Purdue University and as the Hoosier Riverwatch coordinator for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Today, as the executive director of The Watershed Foundation, she continues to advocate for the health of water, not only in Lake Tippecanoe, but the entire watershed.

“I love all of our lakes. Generations of families, like mine, have come to these waters for rejuvenation, comfort, sporting and more,” Crighton said. “It is my sincere hope that by caring for our water in a dedicated, focused way, we can ensure that future generations will continue to treasure our lakes as we do.” Chambers credits passion and leadership as being responsible for more than 275 completed projects in the Upper Watershed, with a measured 25% reduction in phosphorus and nutrient loading, and the elimination of over a billion pounds of weeds and algae per year.

“I’m truly humbled and honored to have been recognized by the Lake Tippecanoe Property Owners Association with this thoughtful award,” Crighton said. “The long-term health and quality of this most precious resource — our water — has been the central focus of my life and career, and for others to see and celebrate that really means a lot to me.”

To be eligible for the Distinguished Lake Citizen of the Year Award, a candidate must be nominated by a member of the Lake Tippecanoe Property Owners Association; they must reside full or part-time on the lake for the last five years; be a member of the association; and have made a posi-

tive impact on the quality of life in our lake environment.

Each year, the award’s recipient is given a $500 grant from LTPO to be directed to their favorite

Wawasee sees improvement to student ILEARN scores

“We saw improvements in some areas and not in others,” Shelly Wilfong, assistant superintendent of Wawasee Community Schools, explained. WCS saw 40.4% of students pass their English language arts ILEARN test and 35.7% pass their ILEARN math test. English language arts and math are considered accountability measures, which are used to evaluate the outcomes of educational systems.

ILEARN was designed to measure student success in English language arts, math, science and social studies relative to the

Indiana’s academic standards. ILEARN was first implemented during the 2018-2019 academic school year, and was designed to be a replacement for the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus. Indiana educators were instrumental in the creation and development of ILEARN. Educators helped develop the academic standards, the clarification of the assessment of the standards, creation of blueprints and test design, and item writing. All Indiana public and nonpublic students participate in the English language arts and math ILEARN in grades 3-8, science in grades 4-6 and social studies in grade 5.

501c3 non-profit organization. The selection committee is made up of past recipients, including Dan Drook, Jeff Thornburgh and Chambers.

‘Christmas in July’ celebrated in Milford

The thermometer may have indicated it was in the mid-80s the evening of Friday, July 21, but the atmosphere held a holiday feel to it. The theme of the July edition of Meet Milford’s Food Truck Friday was “Christmas in July ” with a Hawaiian luau twist, complete with Santa hats and colorful leis. This month’s event also served as a fundraiser to help purchase a tree for the town to enjoy during the holidays.

Of course, there were a variety of food trucks to satisfy nearly ev-

eryone’s palate. There were also several organizations set up offering different opportunities, as well as face painting for children by Zoe Gingerich. Meet Milford will continue to accept donations to the Christmas tree fund so it might purchase a big tree to be placed in front of Milford Town Hall this holiday season. Donations can be made any time by cash or check given to any Meet Milford committee member (Sierra Clark-Kern, Angie Deak, Tricia Gall or Karena Wilkinson); Venmo to @meetmilford; or PayPal by visiting www.paypal.me/ meetmilford.

IN THE

By JOYCE ARLEEN CORSON, Guest Columnist and Master Gardener

Lake memories shared at Chautauqua-Wawasee event

Once again, Chautauqua-Wawasee and the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum teamed up for an afternoon of memories with their “ Walk Down Memory Lane” historical film festival. On July 22, people who enjoy the lake in every way got together at the Syracuse Community Center to view videos and share their oral histories.

As a special treat, the audience watched the 1937 Weaver/ Fick color travelogue of the Wawasee shoreline and nearby attractions taken from the lake by Jim Fick. This reel highlighted the spawning basins at the old fish hatchery as well as the Tavern Hotel. The audience also saw a 1930s promotional film for the Spink-Wawasee Hotel, which was built in 1926 and closed in 1947. And, as a special treat, they also watched a 1957 color video of the Chinese Gardens and cottages on Wawasee. These films highlighted what life was like in the Syracuse area between 1937-1957.

Fragrant lily

It is the symbol to me of Mother embracing our family with flowers. She had a love for fragrance in the garden.

Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, colloquially known as yellow daylily, is an ornamental perennial herbaceous plant with very fragrant yellow flowers.

Mother planted it at the edge of the drive by the mail box! Driving by necessitated a stop not to just get the mail, but engulf the fragrance. It is commonly cultivated in flower beds, containers and as a ground cover plant.

Due to its dense semi-evergreen leaves and early-blooming

flowers, yellow daylily is highly appreciated amongst gardeners. It provides color and contrast to the perennial border when grown in clumps or when massed over larger areas. The fountainlike leaves provide elegant foliage, color and texture for the garden when the flowers are not in bloom.

Her 20-foot row of white tall fragrant perennial “Easter Lilies” I have yet to find. This fragrance I will give my “picture this” plant identification has not given me much help! The secret is, they always came back making the row grow longer!

Afterwards, two audience members shared their memories via an open microphone of the Spink Hotel which later became a college preparatory facility. These were recorded, with permission, and will be included in an oral history project. Those who wanted to share

longer stories set up individual appointments with museum board member Ann Garceau. Jamie Clemons, museum director, plans to record those memories.

“We are seeking home movies from the period prior to 1970. The museum will convert these movies to digital format and then return them to the owner,” said Mark Knecht, president of Chautauqua-Wawasee. A select showing of these additional materials is planned for the 2024 program.

“We envision this program to

be the first of a multi-year annual series which shares and stimulates interest in shar-

ing memories (video and oral) directly from those who have lived it,” said Knecht.

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INDEX

ANNOUNCEMENTS ....................A005-A100

BUSINESS SERVICE...................C010-C430

EMPLOYMENT.............................E010-E080

FARM ...........................................G010-G070

FINANCIAL ..................................H010-H030

INSTRUCTION .............................K010-K020

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Auction Sales A010

BUYER BEWARE The Papers Incorporated cannot screen all advertisements to eliminate possibilities of fraud or misleading information. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Persons responding to ads are advised to contact the Better Business Bureau in your area or the Indiana Secretary of State’s Fraud Hotline before sending any money. 1-800-223-8791

Garage Sales A070

TUPPERWARE INVENTORY

REDUCTION SALE. July 27&28, 9am-4:30pm; July 29, 9am-noon. Almost everything that’s in the catalog, plus more. Great deals for everyone. 24350 SR 119, Goshen, 574-862-2572.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Tree Service C390

• Tree Removals • Competitive Prices

• Tree Trimming • Free Estimates

• Storm Damage Cleanups

• Climbing Or Bucket Lift Available

Call Dan The Tree Man 574-831-4381 New Paris

LEISURE, RECREATIONAL ........M010-M110 MERCHANDISE ...........................P010-P290 PETS ............................................Q010-Q030 REAL ESTATE SALES ................S010-S110 REAL ESTATE RENTALS ............U010-U120 TRANSPORTATION .....................W010-W100

EMPLOYMENT

Work Wanted E080

Approximately 90 people boarded the Dixie Sternwheeler for a free, invitation-only thank you cruise Saturday afternoon.

Karilyn Metcalf told the crowd it was to say thank you for supporting the Dixie either by volunteering, donating funds or simply enjoying a cruise around Webster Lake. “That’s what keeps her going,” Metcalf said.

At the 95th American Legion, Department of Indiana Convention held July 11-14, at the Marriott East Hotel in Indianapolis, North Webster American Legion Post 253 was presented four department awards. The post received the Top Ten Award in membership for having the third largest Legion post in Indiana.

Work is progressing on the new film being shot in North Webster. Jessica Hardy reported, “Our film ‘In the Valley’ has lined up our cast and crew.”

20 YEARS AGO,

JULY 23, 2003

North Webster resident, Les-

ter Lee Mast, joined the North Webster Fire Department in the footsteps of his father and a friend who were on the department. Trained in advanced CPR and first aid, he is an avid power lifter and a member of a local power lifting team. He is employed full-time at L&G Construction.

A Hawaiian luau was held July 10 by members of North Webster Church of God J.O.Y. group with 60 people attending. It was held in the church fellowship hall. Long-time members, Harold and Jo Henry, were honored guests for the day.

North Webster Wee Workers 4-H Club members met July 7 at the home of Julie Popenfoose. A carry-in picnic supper was served. Becky Clayton brought a yeast bread pecan tea ring for members to taste and judge.

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 21, 1993

The North Webster Tippecanoe Township Fire Department EMS and North Webster Police Department have been working

for several weeks in preparation for a Community Safety Awareness Day, which will be July 24.

There were 11 guests and 41 members present when the Lakeland Kiwanis Club met Monday, July 19, at North Webster Church of God. William Miller, who is a stand-up comedian, licensed psychotherapist and an ordained minister, presented the program. North Webster Friends of the Library met July 7, at North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Library. Election of officers were held and Tom Quigley was named president and Helen Wichern was named vice president.

40 YEARS AGO,

JULY 27, 1983

One of the first things to be discussed at last Wednesday’s North Webster Town Board meeting was the announcement made by Charles Parker, director of the International Palace of Sports, that Homer Shoop, founder of the foundation, is

It happened in Syracuse ... 10 years ago Syracuse Class of 1963

10 YEARS AGO, JULY 24, 2013

LEISURE, RECREATIONAL

Motorcycles M050

behind a $100,000 donation to the town if a federal grant is obtained to purchase approximately one acre of land on Webster Lake for a beach and park.

Doug Pinkerton of North Webster has been a hoseman for the North Webster Fire Department for the past years. His father-in-law was a fireman for 28 to 30 years and Pinkerton wanted to join. He is a 1967 graduate of North Webster High School.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 25, 1973

A joint meeting of the Herbert Kuhn Post 253 and the ladies auxiliary was held in July. Officers for the 1973-1974 auxiliary term were installed with Elinore Enyeart named president and Mrs. Mervin (Helen) Wagoner named first vice president. At the recent meeting of the Lakeland Kiwanis Club, the results of the golf outing were given and the baseball outing was said to be successful. Guests were Oliver Will, Jim Wall and Jim Hunt.

celebrated 50 years

About 45 classmates, spouses, friends and family members gathered throughout the weekend to celebrate 50 years since graduating from Syracuse High School. The following classmates and others were in attendance: Arden Druckamiller, Sally (Sarah) Fosbrink Tipka, Stanley Smith, Helen (White) Yoder, Sam Bushong, Julie Richey, Sam Lundy, Mike Rhode, Toni (Butt) Rhode, Connie (Brown) Solina, Steve Solina, Sylvia (Karesh) Yoder, Deanna Mishler, MeeMee (Wong) Smith, Shirley (Whitehead) Firestone, Bob Fisher, Ali Ross, Sue (LeCount) Priest, Vicki (Firestone) Hoover and Ron Richey.

A Syracuse local group of 12 fun loving kayakers paddled down the St. Joseph and Elkhart rivers on a recent hot and hazy day. A

casual lunch was enjoyed at the Bristol boat launch before continuing down the river to Elkhart. Wildlife viewing and beautiful homes were the highlight of the trip. The group consisted of Julie Howell, Max Laudeman, Bonnie Moorman and Dan Berkey, Dick Neff, Terry Moorman, Linda Neff, Linda and Dick Tillman, Marilyn Berkey, Susie Sharp and Allyson Ellis.

20 YEARS AGO, JULY 23, 2003

Sydney Smith, 13-year-old daughter of Syracuse residents Brad and Julie Smith, toured the perimeter of Ireland with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir for 12 days. The choir performed concerts in Kylemore Abby, Knock Basilica and Christ Church Cathedral. During their free time, Irish dancers taught the choir members how to do some Irish

SPORTS & GENERAL NEWS REPORTER

We have an opening for a combination sports and general assignment news reporter to assist in sports coverage for the Wawasee School Corporation and wide-ranging news and feature writing for several of the weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines published by The Papers Incorporated.

• This is a full-time position.

• Sports coverage requires some flexible hours.

• Sports news background or solid sports knowledge with writing skills important.

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We offer a competitive wage and benefit package including health, vacation/holiday and 401K in a great work environment. A family run business!

Qualified applicants may submit resumes to:

“jigs.” They saw the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands, Donegal Castle, Glendalough Ruins, Waterford Crystal Factory, Blarney Castle, the Muckross House and the Bunratty Folk Park.

Rosalyn Jones, director of the Syracuse Public Library, was speaker at last week’s meeting of Wawasee Kiwanis Club. She talked to the club about the programs currently going on at the library. Marsha Brandenburg, the children’s librarian since May, has had a lot of enthusiasm and good ideas that Jones hopes to implement. There was also a summer program with photography demonstrations by local photographer Tim Yeager. Yeager gave the youngsters tips on how to take a good picture and then led them on a walking tour around Syracuse so they could put their new skills to the test with their new cameras, which were donated by the library.

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 21, 1993

Would you drive for 32 hours to work in 100 degree humid weather to build a home for someone you didn’t know? The place: Juarez, Mexico, just over the border from El Paso. The volunteers: Tim and Robin Stiffler, Kim and Jim Evans and Dan and Darcy Barr. As youth leaders from the Christian Church of Milford, the group escorted 10 high schoolers to the site at a 4,000-feet elevation, covered with sand and scrub trees, where they were welcomed as part of Amore Ministries. The ministries is governed by a board of Mexican pastors who coordinate volunteers with the recipient families. According to Stiffler, the population of Juarez is very destitute. The Syracuse-Milford volunteers built an 11-foot by 22-foot two-room home at the dump site for the family of Manuel and Lilia and their 5-year-old son, Victor.

Tim noted that the residents of Juarez earn $4.75 in daily wages and that they pay $5 each week for water. Tim’s thoughts: “We take so much for granted — these people have nothing.”

The Elkhart County 4-H Fair starts Friday, July 23, and runs

through July 31. Syracuse resident Doug Schrock is the 1993 parade marshal. Another local, Gerald Buckey of Syracuse Police Department, will participate in the K-9 demonstration with pal Shane.

40 YEARS AGO, JULY 27, 1983 Mark Twain once said (and it stuck) that everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. Helen Alfrey of Lake Wawasee, Syracuse, a long time community booster, thinks this is also true about properly advertising the lakes area. She has in mind, specifically, that business houses who deal in this sort of thing should offer for sale picture post cards of various point of interest around our beautiful lakes. And she has a point. There was a time when most all communities offered color picture post cards for sale, especially drug stores. No doubt a business house would have to place a large card order — maybe as many as 5,000 of each kind — but at least the market should be investigated. The Alfreys have had three French students visiting them for the past several weeks, and they are anxious to send home something of where they are staying. This brought up the picture postal card idea. “It’s sort of a contradiction,” Mrs. Alfrey states, “that we have so much to offer and are saying so little about it.”

The regulars at the Syracuse Cafe “breakfast club” jointly received a postal card from Jay Pefley, mailed from Salina, Utah. Since the former NIPSCo official has retired from his job as manager of the company’s Syracuse office, he and wife Lucille have taken to the open road. The card said they had visited Durango, Silverton and Ouray, Colorado, an that they were on the way north to Green River, Utah. Actually, the well traveled duo is with Harold R. (“Cap”) Johnson and his wife Lucy, residents of East Shore Drive, Syracuse, and they plan to meet Lawrence and Helen Blair in the Seattle, Wash., area, from which point they will be traveling

Continued on page 11

Luz Wright is retiring from Milford Post Office

10 YEARS AGO, JULY 24, 2013

Bryce Wuthrich holds his grand champion dairy feeder calf at the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. Wuthrich won the top honor during last night’s competition. Holding the championship banner is his brother, Josh. The boys are the sons of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Wuthrich of Milford.

A number of people in town went to the Paul McCartney concert at the Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and, in the words of Angela Hernandez, “It was awesome.” Hernandez attended with her daughter, Alison, who has been living in Indianapolis for several years now.

The Milford Helping Hands 4-H Club sang the national anthem prior to the livestock sale of champions at the Kosciusko County Fair July 12. Michael Howe, Miles Nine and Haley Price of Milford participated in the Kosciusko Exploring 4-H Club this year.

20 YEARS AGO, JULY 23, 2003

The “Guppies” classroom at New Beginnings Child Care Center in Milford had a very special visitor last Wednesday. Skinner the iguana came to school! Nathan Myers was holding the scaly pet pal which belongs to Nathan’s aunt, Mandy McGuire. Skinner is 4 years old and eats lettuce and vegetables.

Luz A. Wright is retiring from the Milford Post Office after 29 years and 3 months of service. Her last day in the post office will be Friday, July 25. An informal open house will be taking place at the post office during open hours

Friday.

Juli Johnson, owner of Milford General Store, delivered some items to Gwen Young, a resident at Leisure Living, last Friday. Young was the store’s first delivery customer as the Milford General Store started the service for Milford residents.

30 YEARS AGO, JULY 21, 1993

Members of the Milford Lions Club met Monday in the Community Building for their first meeting of the 1993-94 club year. At the close of the meeting President Fred Weisser turned the gavel over to incoming President

Syracuse Class

Continued from page 10 to Alaska. All three couples are life long friends and find considerable pleasure and satisfaction traveling together.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 25, 1973

Mrs. Gene Kitson was the hostess of the month for the Twilighters Bunco club of Syracuse. Mrs. Bill Eyer, Mrs. Philip Strieby and Mrs. Kitson all received birthday gifts from the club. Mrs. Bob Moser received an anniversary gift from her secret pal. The winners for the evening were Mrs. Charles Searfross, high; Mrs. Bill Coburn, low; and Mrs. Warren Benson held the travel award at the end

Wayne Richardson. Kirk Kaiser, son of Greg and Paula Kaiser, Milford, poses with his Champion Yorkshire Gilt. “Yorkie,” as she was dubbed, was also the mother of the Grand Champion Market Litter. The swine weighed in at a hefty 260 pounds at the Kosciusko County Fair.

Edith E. Baumgartner is recuperating in her Milford home after recent surgery in Goshen General Hospital. She is expected to be convalescing for the next two or three weeks.

40 YEARS AGO, JULY 27, 1983

Howard Sellers, owner of Sellers Manufacturing Milford, and Dick Casto of Milford Motors met last week as the first completed trailer in Seller’s Manufacturing’s new line of horse and livestock vehicles (Circle S Trailers) rolled off the assembly line. Casto will be distributing the new vehicles, and plans to set up dealerships throughout Indiana and in adjoining states. The new Milford librarian is Mary (Baumgartner) Jurss of Warsaw. When asked if she were related to the Baumgartners in Milford she replied her family was in Europe. Former librarian Mrs. Douglas (Jodi) Brown plans to spend more time with her infant daughter. Jodi served as librarian from September of 1980 until the new librarian was hired. She had announced her plans to leave her post in March but promised she would retain her position until a replacement was found.

50 YEARS AGO, JULY 25, 1973

Mrs. Charles (Dorthea) Kerlin, who has served the Milford public library as librarian for the past 47 years, announced her pending retirement at the meeting of the library board last Friday. Mrs. Kerlin’s resignation is effective on December 31.

James Brooks, 306 North Main street, Milford, has been appointed justice of the peace for the town of Milford and Van Buren township by Governor Otis R. Bowen, on the recommendation of the Milford town board and township trustee Maurice Beer and the county commissioners. His term of office will run until December 31, 1974.

of the play. Mrs. Bessie Plikerd, the guest for the evening, won the door prize. Perhaps an All-American athlete was born Saturday to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Rankin, Syracuse, in the person of little David Benjamin. His dad was something of an athlete in his heydey, and he’s swim coach at WHS. But his grandfather, also named Dave Rankin, was a star high school athlete with the Warsaw Tigers and later with the Purdue Boilermakers. He’s now on the athletic staff at Purdue. Grandfather Dave was an All-American, a fact which old time Purdue fans will remember.

NOTICE OF HEARING

Pursuant to Indiana Code § 20-26-7-37 and Indiana Code § 6-1.1-20-3.5, no-

tice is hereby given that the Board of School Trustees of the Wawasee Community School Corporation will meet at 6:30 p.m. on August 8, 2023, at 1 Warrior Path Syracuse, Indiana to a hold public hearing to discuss and hear objections and support regarding the proposed (i) renovation of and improvements to Wawasee High School, including the construction of new Performing Arts Center, (ii) reconstruction and/or renovation of Milford School, and (iii) renovation of and improvements to facilities in the School Corporation, including deferred maintenance improvements and site improvements, and the purchase of equipment and technology (collectively the “Project”), and to consider the adoption of a resolution making a preliminar y determination to enter into a lease agreement relating to the Project and to issue bonds to finance the Project. You are invited to attend and participate in the public hearings.

Dated July 26, 2023. /s/ Secretary, Board of School Trustees Wawasee Community School Corporation hspaxlp

MOMO’S Pizza is firing up the brick oven

came from the freezer.”

Local Government Board of Finance. The Board will make a written determination as to the sufficiency of funds to support the appropriations made within fifteen (15) days of receipt of a certified copy of the action taken. Rhonda Helser, Auditor Kosciusko County hspaxlp

Shane Mosiman’s two decade dream of owning pizza shops came to fruition today, Monday, July 24, as MOMO’s Pizza’s new location, 503 S. Huntington St., Syracuse, is officially open and ready to serve real Italian brick oven pizza. His passion for pizza comes from his experience in working in other pizza shops.

As a Syracuse resident, he wanted to bring more good food and customer service here. Mosiman also owns and operates MOMO’s Pizza’s North Liberty location.

Mosiman spent years in the RV industry as a sales representative. From those years is where the name MOMO came from, meaning “more money.”

“Great customer service is what keeps customers coming back. Good food gets them in the door, customer service gets them to return. Everything we use is fresh. Fresh veggies, fresh meats and, of course, freshly made dough,” Mosiman explained. He recalled his time working at another pizzeria, “Everything came out of the freezer, put on a grate and shoved through the oven. The ingredients were wilted and sad. Nothing was fresh, everything

When the building opened up, he toured and made an offer the same day.

“Nearly the entire building is renovated, it used to be a flower shop. We started from the ground up. We painted, made the MOMO’s sign and the biggest task was creating an entire kitchen out of nothing,” Mosiman said, pointing to the big, red MOMO’S Pizza sign on the wall next to the registers.

Their menu is packed with pizzeria favorites: deep dish, calzones, subs, wings and more. They offer numerous speciality

brick oven pizzas, such as loaded meats, chicken bacon ranch and Hawaiian pizza. Check out their full menu on the Syracuse website, syracuse.momospizzeriain. com/.

While explaining the menu, Mosiman recounted a story of a customer who “traveled all over the world trying different types and kinds of wings, and he told me that ours were his favorite.”

The Syracuse location is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

To place an order at the Syracuse location, call 574-325-5004.

Westmain Kitchen under new ownership

Westmain Kitchen, 201 W. Main St., Syracuse, is under new management. Jerry and Jen Parsons recently purchased the popular restaurant.

The two each have careers in the medical field. Jerry is a physician’s assistant while Jen is an adjunct clinical obstetrics nursing instructor at Ivy Tech in Warsaw. “We’re huge foodies. We almost purchased a winery when our youngest was in high school,” Jen said. Over the years the couple have looked at other possibilities including opening a bed and breakfast, but none of them felt right until Westmain, which is also their favorite restaurant, came on the market.

Jerry’s parents owned a pizza restaurant and grocery story while he was growing up. “I knew what the restaurant business was,” he said.

When Jason and Emily Truex, the former owners, announced the restaurant was going on the market, Jerry forwarded the email to three friends who own their own businesses, one of whom is in the restaurant business. That friend suggested the four go in and purchase it together, but that never happened.

Instead, the opportunity fell in their lap while at Westmain for dinner. While chatting with Emily, Jen asked if the Truex’s would sell the business to them. After realizing

Jen was serious, the two couples began discussing what running the restaurant entailed.

“They developed a model that allowed for flexibility,” Jerry said explaining traditionally Westman Kitchen closed from mid-December to mid-March, with an opening for Valentine’s Day.

The Parsons plan on keeping the same schedule as they have grown children and a new grandchild who live out of state.

One of Jerry’s concerns was cooking for a large number of people.

Jason recommended he approach it as cooking for a large dinner party. That approach has worked well for Jerry.

The menu is prix fixe. When a customer wants a reservation, they email Jen and she confirms the date. Then a week before the reservation, the menu is sent out via email. Customers have a choice of entree while the rest of the menu is fixed. “The model allows for control of quality and inventory,” Jerry explained. The choice of entree is usually beef, pork or seafood.

The couple wants to have the freshest ingredients to work with, which the prix fixe menu allows. Once the customer makes their choices, the food is ordered and on hand usually a day or two before the reservation.

The couple are also very interested in using local products like honey, micro-greens and maple syrup.

When it comes to cooking, Jerry

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Notice is hereby given that the Town of Etna Green, Indiana, by and through its Town Council, hereinafter referred to as the Owner, will receive sealed bid proposals for construction of the following:

Town of Etna Green 2023-1 Community Crossings Paving Projects Sealed bid proposals will be received by the Town of Etna Green, Attn: ClerkTreasurer’s Office, 106 South Walnut Street/PO Box 183, Etna Green, IN 46524 until 4:00 pm, Thursday, Aug. 3rd, 2023. They may be delivered in person to the Town Hall, between the hours of 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Any proposals received after the above-designated time will be returned unopened. Bids will be opened and publicly read aloud at the Etna Green Town Council Meeting on Thursday, August 4th, 2023 at 7:00 pm in the Etna Green Town Hall. Bids will then be taken under advisement for review by the Owner.

The contract will consist of the following: 2023-1 CCMG Paving and associated work items, such as ADA ramp improvements, of various streets throughout the Town of Etna Green.

All bid proposals must be enclosed in an opaque, sealed envelope bearing the Project title, the name and address of the Bidder, and the date and time of the proposal bid opening. All bid proposals must be submitted on State Board of Accounts Form No. 96 together with the proper forms included in the Contract Documents, the entire set of which shall be filed intact as a bid. Bidders are responsible for the timely delivery and completeness of their bids.

Contract Documents will be available by contacting Patricia Cook at etnaclerk@ gmail.com or in-person at the Clerk-Treasurer’s Office, 106 South Walnut Street, Etna Green, IN 46524 between the hours of 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Bidders are responsible for registering as plan holders with the Town, for the receipt of any addendums or other contract document updates. Bidders shall ensure that they have obtained complete sets of Contract Documents and shall assume the risk of any errors or omissions in bids prepared in reliance on incomplete sets of Contract Documents.

Each Bidder is responsible for inspecting the Project site(s) and for reading and being thoroughly familiar with the Contract Documents and Specifications. The failure or omission of any Bidder to do any of the foregoing shall in no way relieve any Bidder from any obligation with respect to its Bid.

Any questions shall be directed to Andy Cook by email only at etnaclerk@gmail. com. The deadline for questions is Thursday, Aug. 3rd, 2023 at 10:00 am.

Each bid shall be accompanied by a certified check or acceptable bidder’s bond made payable to the Owner, in a sum of not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, which check or bond will be held by the Owner as evidence that the bidder will, if awarded the contract, enter into the same with the Owner upon notification from him to do so within ten (10) days of said notification.

The successful Contractor will be required to furnish a Performance Bond and Payment Bond in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the contract price, each, within ten (10) days after award of the contract and a two (2) year Maintenance Bond in the amount of thirty percent (30%) of the contract price prior to completion and final payment of the contract.

Proposals may be held by the Owner for a period not to exceed sixty (60) calendar days from the public opening. No Bidder may withdraw his proposal within sixty (60) days after the actual date of the opening thereof.

The Owner reserves the right to ask for clarification for any bid submitted. In comparing bids, consideration will not be confined to price only. The successful bid will be the lowest responsible and responsive bidder, however the Owner reserves the right to reject any bid, or all bids, or to accept any bid or bids, to waive any and all technicalities or irregularities therein, to delete any bid item or items and to award a contract on the bid proposal that in their judgment is most advantageous to the Town of Etna Green, Indiana. Dated this 19th

likes to use different spice combinations. For example for a recent steak offering, he used cinnamon as a savory spice.

Jen said bookings have been brisk since she and Jerry purchased the restaurant. There are two seatings, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights. August was almost booked at press time. One rule the Parsons are taking from the Truex’s is children are not allowed in the restaurant due to the bar’s presence; there is no real separation between the bar and seating area.

Their friends and Jen’s mother have been a big help, with running to get a last minute ingredient or chipping in to help at the restaurant.

The couple is currently working on a new website for the restaurant which should be launched in the very near future.

To make a reservation, send an email to westmainkitchensyracuse@gmail.com. Jen will respond to you promptly.

NOTICE OF HEARING

The Board of Trustees of the Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District (“District”) will hold a public hearing August 14, 2023 at 6:30 pm at the North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St. North Webster, Indiana. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comment on any charges being implemented by the District associated with the adopting of its Use Ordinance and implementation of a Capacity Charge for future customers. All users of the works and owners of property served, or to be served, and others interested shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed rates and charges.

The Charges are described below:

RATE ORDINANCE

Section 6. Beginning January 1, 2024 for those Owners that were not a part of the Original Project, any Owner constructing a new structure on any lot or parcel of real estate or filing an application to connect a new structure or existing structure to the Sewage Works, pursuant to the District’s Sewer Use Ordinance, and being permitted to connect by the District, shall pay a Capacity Charge per Equivalent Unit, in an amount identified on the attached Schedule C: Connection Year Connection Fee Per EDU (Rounded)

USE ORDINANCE:

6.3.1 Single Connection: For a single connection to a single-family dwelling, the Owner or his/her duly authorize agent shall make an application on a form furnished by the District or its designee. The permit application must be supplemented by any plans, drawings or other information considered pertinent by the District. All the foregoing must be in compliance with the Specifications. The Owner shall pay a permit application fee in the amount of $250.00. In addition, the Owner shall pay $50.00 per inspection visit necessary to confirm the connection is in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances and the Specifications. A typical single family home connection requires approximately 2 visits.

6.3.2 Multiple Residential, Industrial, Commercial, Governmental or Institutional Connections: For 2 or more residential connections, Industrial Connections, Commercial Connections, Governmental Connections or Institutional Connections, the Owner or his/her duly authorize agent shall make an application on a form furnished by the District or its designee and submit preliminary/conceptual plans to the District for review. The cost for preliminary plan review is $500 for 2-5 Equivalent Dwelling Units (“EDU”) and $100 for each additional EDU. The District will evaluate the preliminary plans to confirm available capacity and compliance with the Specifications. If the District determines the preliminary plans comply with the Specifications and there is available capacity, the Owner (or its designee) may then submit final plans for review. Permitting and review of the final plans is $1,000 for 2-10 EDUs and $100 per each EDU thereafter. The District shall review and confirm that the final plans comply with the Specifications. In addition, the Owner shall pay all costs associated with District inspections.

28.3 Subject to the limitations of Section 28.5, Any person who violates or fails to comply with any provision of this Ordinance or of the rules and regulations of the Board pertaining thereto may be deemed to have committed an infraction and if convicted of such infraction in a court of competent jurisdiction will be subject to a fine not less than $25.00 nor more than $2,500.00 per day for the first infraction as provided by IC 34-28-5-4. A person may be charged up to $7,500.00 for subsequent infractions. Each day of which any such violation or infraction continues shall be deemed a separate offense.

28.5 Notwithstanding anything herein contained, if a User or Owner fails to connect to a public sewer in accordance with Section 4.6, they may be charged a penalty of up to $100.00 per day. The District shall have the sole and exclusive authority to charge such penalty immediately upon the failure to connect as required under Section 4.6. Board of Trustees Tippecanoe and Chapman Regional Sewer District

Church

Matthew 23:25-33

White washed tombs, a warning to today’s church

On our trip to Israel, one of our first stops was the Mount of Olives. As we sat on an observations deck overlooking Jerusalem and the Temple Mound you also see the graves. All of them are above ground, you see you don’t bury people in the ground around Jerusalem because you couldn’t dig the hole. So, there they were shining in the setting sun. This sight caused me to reflect upon Jesus’ words to the Pharisees and Sadducees in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew. Now, many weeks after this trip I reflect upon Jesus’ words and wonder? Could these words be applied to the church today?

Has the church, in America, become the church of white-washed tombs?

Unfortunately, I think Jesus’ words can be applied to many of the churches in our world today?

If we examine where the church is, compared to where the Church began we see that somewhere along the line we became the modern-day Pharisees. This is difficult to hear for many, and difficult for me to write. I wish that the church was what we claim to be. But I only see it reflected in the words of our Messiah. So, here I go.

White-Washed Tombs

For many of us, a tomb may not be what it is in Israel. Our mindset goes to a big mausoleum in beautifully manicured cemeteries. I’ll let someone wiser than me spell this out.

The citizens of Jerusalem would paint the graves white before feast days lest a pilgrim accidentally touch them and become ceremonially unclean, and hence unable to participate in the feast even after traveling a long distance. These freshly painted tombs were analogous to the outward religiosity of the

Jewish leaders. When we were in Jerusalem the tombs had been painted because Passover was on the horizon. Quite a sight. But, they were still simply graves. Nothing living was there only “dead men’s bones” So these were what Jesus was referring to. As He entered Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover this is what He would have seen. When He looked at the religious leaders of the day. This is what He would have been seeing.

About this point, you might be saying. “Okay, great, what’s this have to do with the church today?

How does this apply to us?” Well, I’m glad you asked.

What Jesus Saw

These verses are part of a greater chastisement of the Pharisees and Sadducees. You can almost get the impression that He has had enough. Now, remember the timeline here. This is coming into the final week of Jesus’ human life. We also have to remember Jesus’ vision here is not limited to His final week only. Not even 70 A.D. and the destruction of the temple. He is seeing beyond even our time to the time of Jacobs’s trouble, final judgment, and the death of many Jews. His words are not only chastisement but a call for them to repent. Could these words be to us also? Can we look at these words and see ourselves in them?

Where We Began?

The church had such an incredible beginning. The Gospel spread, people came to know our Savior, and the church grew. So, what happened? The church today is in decline there can be no doubt about this. Statistics bear this out every year. But somewhere along the line, we began to become top-heavy. The episcopal system of the church became more important than God. In other words, politics became more important than believing in God and His word. In the United Methodist Church, there may be a reason this has occurred. It began at the beginning of the Meth-

odist church not Wesley but Coke and Asbury.

We must regard it, therefore, as established that the episcopal system instituted by Coke and Asbury essentially was at variance with Wesley’s desires at several points. He goes on further in this section. Some of the features growing out of episcopal character which Wesley disapproved were as follows; 1. He disapproved of the name Methodist Episcopal Church; 2. He disapproved of episcopal orders, and the episcopal nomenclature;

3. He disapproved of the withdrawal from his authority; 4. He disapproved of separation from the Established Church; He did not intend that Coke and Asbury should have a life tenure of office.

It seems to be very clear that Wesley had no desire for the Church in North America to have bishops. He even rebuked Asbury “for his assumption of episcopal airs.” Is it any wonder we find the Methodist Church in the position it is in? Our episcopal system is failing to uphold a scriptural basis. They fail to uphold the very book they vowed before God and the Church to uphold. But, as we can see it was not as difficult to get here as we might have thought. Founded upon a lie means lying is not difficult. “The truth is that the assumption of episcopal authority is accounted for only by the ambition and vanity of Coke and Asbury.”

Around The Lakes

READER CELEBRATION Day was held at North Webster Community Public Library Wednesday, July 19. A fun outdoor party included bounce houses, face painting and food. In addition, a dunk tank with Keith Kuric, the library’s director, allowed children to take a shot at putting him in the water.

Pictured above are library employees Sally Johnson, left and Molly Wright, who were handing out free hotdogs.

—o—

MORE THAN 285 exhibitors entered into the Open Class Home And Family Arts Department contests at this year’s Kosciusko County fair. Local grand champion winners included Antiques: Joe Hibschman, Syracuse, antiques; and Ashley Gardner, Syracuse, sewing (non-wearable). Additionally, The Papers sales representative Carl Lauster of Winona Lake won the in culinary arts food preservation, canning.

Additionally, 15 local seamstresses entered into the fashion show. First place winners in the nonprofessional contest included Donna Hibschman, Syracuse, aprons; Hibschman, sewing for others (infant to 5); and former Milford resident Karen Meade, bridesmaids or formals. Congratulations to all!

—o—

TODAY IS the last Wednesday of the month, which means the Milford First Brethren Church will be holding its free community supper from 5-6:30 p.m. The church is located at 110 W. Catherine St. —o—

CONGRATULATIONS TO Jeremy Van Lue and everyone involved with 93.7 FM The Mix, the radio station at Wawasee High School. Recently, the Indiana Association of School Broadcasters awarded the station the 2023 Firefly Award for Community Service Excellence for the 2023 Radio-A-Thon fundraiser to benefit the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund. —o—

THE NORTH Webster Community Center’s annual fundraising auction is coming Oct. 7. It will include a silent auction, live auction, big prize raffle and dinner.

“You are the community, you are why we are here!” said NWCC Director Emily Worrell. “We can’t wait to see you there! Tickets go on sale July 29. For more information, go to nwcommunitycenter.org.

—o—

LITTLE LAMBS Preschool and Daycare in Syracuse is holding a yard sale Aug. 3-5 at St. Andrew’s Church, 1413 N. Long Drive, Syracuse. They are still looking for donations of clothing, toys, furniture, kitchen items, books and other things to add to the sale.

Frustratingly, they had some donated items that had been stolen from a storage shed last weekend, so they are in need of more things to include in the sale. Contact Nicole at (260) 402-4241 or send them a message on Facebook to schedule a drop of time. All proceeds will go toward the operations of Little Lambs.

—o—

MILFORD FOOD Bank has announced its third annual Gobble Up Hunger fundraiser will take place Saturday, Nov. 4, at Milford School. All proceeds from the events will support the work of the food bank.

Included that day will be a run/walk, haystack supper, silent auction and auction. More information here as the date gets closer, but if you want to check the schedule out now, visit the events page at milfordfoodbank.org.

—o—

COME TO THE “Junk in Your Trunk” sale at Syracuse Eagles No. 3760 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5. The event is presented by the ladies auxiliary and will take place at 2889 N. Kern Road, Syracuse.

If you’d like a parking spot or two to sell your stuff, call Jennifer McKinney at (574) 529-3156. The cost is $10 for one spot or $15 for two. —o—

NORTH WEBSTER Community Center has partnered with Science Central to bring shark dissection at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 27. The science lab is open to kids in grades seven and up. Registration is online and is first come, first serve as space is limited.

This week, NWCC has yoga at 9 a.m. Friday, cardio drumming at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, evening yoga at 5 p.m. Thursday, and a late week special surprise. Visit its Facebook page for more fun summer activities or its website, nwcommunitycenter.org.

MANY FRIENDS came together at Community Roots at Syracuse Library last week to celebrate the life of Becky Brower. They gathered in appreciation of her friendship and service to the library. —o—

HARVEST COFFEE Milford recently was selected for consideration of a Starbucks Foundation Neighborhood Grant. “Thank you to our anonymous friend for cheering us on and submitting our name for this grant!” said Karena Wilkinson. —o—

ANN GARCEAU sent us some clarifications on the story “Major players in the Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum’s July Centennial presentation” article that appeared in last week’s paper.

She wrote: “Charles Sudlow’s wife Hannah died shortly after their marriage, and he and his second wife, Nancy, came to Indiana. Johnny and Anna Sudlow started the pier shop 85 years ago which works out to 1938.” —o—

THIS WEEK’S column concludes with a tribute to a departed and much-loved colleague here at The MailJournal. Ray “Buddy” Balogh was a colleague and a friend to all of us here in the editorial department. He was an avid Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Browns fan, neither of which was able to deliver him a championship during his lifetime. He passed away Monday afternoon, July 24.

A nearly 10-year staff member, Ray was the copy editor of this column and the rest of this paper. He was the one who checked our grammar, our stylization and, in some cases, our facts. He was darned good at it, too. At staff meetings on Monday morning, Ray would put together a page of all the mistakes he saw during the previous week. None of us took offense to these corrections because we all knew he was just trying to make each of us a better writer.

Above all else, Ray loved his family, especially his three young grandsons. He adored them and they adored him. They were blessed to have the short time of their lives with him. He would have relished seeing them grow into fine young men, but will certainly be watching over them from heaven.

We love you, Buddy, and will think of you every time we walk by your empty desk. You were one of the great ones and everyone who knew you was better for it. I’m sure you’re up there making new friends, watching some exciting baseball games and maybe even editing a few heavenly news articles. Godspeed, my friend. You will be missed.