Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 125, Number 22, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 29 May 2002 — Page 1

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Vol. 125 Issue 22

ONLINE Read the Advance News online at .http://pi!ot.cnhiindiana.com. Click on “Advance News” at the top menu bar. IN WAKARUSA For the convenience of readers, the Advance-News is now sold at the following locations in Wakarusa: Happy Days Case, The Dime Store and Speedway. Single issue cost is 50 cents. TOWN COUNCIL The Wakarusa Town Council meets the first Tuesday of each month, 6:30p.m., at Town Hall, 102 W. Waterford St. Meetings are open to the public. PARK BOARD The Nappanee Board of Parks and Recreation meets the second Wednesday of each month, at 4:30p.m., in the Emergency Services Building, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. SCHOOL BOARD The Wa-Nee Board of School Trustees meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, at 6:30p.m„ in the WaNee Administration Buiding. Meetings are open to the public. OPEN DOOR HELPS If you need emergency food, clothing, or temporary help with your NIPSCO bill, contact Open Door between 9-1 la.m., Monday thru Friday. Open Door is located at 201 S. Main St., Nappanee, phone 773-3820. BOARD OF WORKS The City of Nappanee Board of Public Works and Safety meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month, at 3:30p.m., in the Nappanee Municipal Building, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. RETAIL COMMITTEE The Retail-Marketing Committee of the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce meets the second Thursday of each month, at 7:30a.m., at the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce office, 451 N. Main Street. All interested persons jre welcome. COMMON COUNCIL The City of Nappanee Common Council meets the first and third Mondays of each month, at 7p.m., in the council chambers at the municpal center. W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. OFFERS SERVICES Do you need assistance? The Family Christian Development Center 151 S. Locke St. serves families living in the Wa-Nee district with a food pantry (open Tuesday and Thursday, 1 -4p.m.) FEMA assistance for rent and utility bills, headstart (for 4-5-year-olds), healthy babies wellness checks (second Wednesdays 9a.m.-noon). For assistance in any of these areas, or other areas of your life, call the center at 773-2149. The office is open from 9a.m.-noon and 1 -4p.m. weekdays. UCENSE BRANCH The Nappanee License Branch, located at 219 W. Market St., is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 8:30a.m. to 5p.m.; Wednesday, 8:30a.m. to 12;30p.m. and Thursday, 8:30a.m. to 6:30p.m. TORNADO SHELTERS The following sites have been designated as tornado shelters in the Nappanee area: First Mennonite Church —900 W. Market St. Church of the Brethren — Mack Drive. St. John’s Lutheran Church—6sl S. Main St. i Key Bank —161 E. Market St. *, Bank One —351 W. Market St.

CFF additional appropriations approved

By Mindy Abel, Staff Reporter NAPPANEE A public hearing was held for additional appropriations of the Cumulative Fire Fund at the City of Nappanee Common Council meeting Monday. May 20. The funds will be used to purchase a 1996 ladder truck for the Nappanee Fire Department. The additional appropriations were approved by the council on the third reading. A public hearing was also held for the library capital project fund plan for 2003-

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PHOTO BY MINDY ABEL Water leak The Nappanee Water Utility kept busy after a water main broke at Miriam St. and U.S. 6 Wednesday, May 23. After water pressure busted through the street at the intersection, a stream of water erupted flowing down Miriam St. through L.J. Wagner's parking lot. Beer & Slabaugh was called with equipment to cut the pavement enabling the water main to be repaired. The cause of the leak is not known but Water Superintendent Gale Gerber said they lost 380,000 gallons of water and around 12 customers in the area were without water from Ba.m.-2:30p.m. The department tested the water and did not have to issue a boil advisory. Gale also said that they were In good shape because there were close to 5,000-6,000 gallons of water in reserve.

Underclassmen get awards

By Mindy Abel, Staff Reporter The North Wood High .School underclass awards were presented Tuesday, May 21. The following students received awards in different categories based on their achievements through the 20012002 school year. The National Honor Society Award recipients were: Brooke Bates. Eric Brumbaugh, Kelly Easton, Term Eby, Mary Egging, Laura Hibschman, Carlea Howard, Whitney Lechlitner. Reeva Parson, Brent Paulus, Joel Richard,

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PHOTO BY MINDY ABEL North Wood High School held their annual underclassmen awards during a school ceremony A Tuesday, May 21. Students received awards for their academic achievements. Pictured are the overall achievers for the departmental awards. Front, from left: Brooke Bates, Heather Wilson, Reeva Parson and Michael Roose; middle: Israel Martinez, Eric Brumbaugh and Peter Rummel; back: Blain McDowell, Caleb Shaw, Jason Telschow and Kim Houck.

Relay For Life nets $75,000

GOSHEN More than $75,000 was raised at the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life. May 4-5, at the Elkhart County fairgrounds, Goshen. “The event was a great success,” said Wil Hodges, event coordinator. “We had 70 cancer survivors participating this year. That’s double the number who came out last year. We also had a total of 30 teams take part, with’ over 500 registered participants,” he said. One outstanding participant was Anne Spataro,

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2005. The plan was adopted by the Library Board on April 29 and the council approved it on the third reading at Monday night's meeting. The council approved annexing the well/soccer complex property on the second reading following another public hearing. In the City of Nappanee Fiscal Plan for Extension of Services—Annexation of the Well/Soccer Complex, it states that, “Although annexation of such area would require some additional expenditure from City funds, it is estimated that such additional costs would not be excessive and could easily be

Mitchell Royer and Peter Rummel. Underclassmen placed on the Principal’s Honor Roll were based on a 3.66 cumulative G.P.A. Freshman —Bobbi Anglemyer, Lanita Bauer, Wesley BeMiller, Arlan Benedict, Anthony Bliss, Cassandra Brown, Elizabeth Bums, Heather Casteel. McKayela Collins, Jordan Eby. Heath Ehret, Bethany Etsinger, Jessica Farmwald and Andrew Flickinger. Also: , Brooke Hartman, Katherine Hartman, Camry Hess. Joshua Hibschman, Stacy Hughes, Deanna Kronk, Brandon Le,

Wednesday, May 29,2002

Samantha Lewis, Audrey Loucks, Martin Magers, Ashley Martin, Landon Martin, Jessica Mathis, Heidi Metzler and Michael Mitschelen. And: Trystan Nisley, LeAnn Parson, Jessica Raber, Megan Raber, Jenna Reaker, Heather Reinhardt. Rachel Ropp, Natalie Rummel, Landon Rupp, Amanda Sarber, Danae Schaffer, Laura Schaffer, Trevor Shields, Jacklyn Slabaugh and Christopher Smith. Also: Patrick Stout, Elizabeth See Underclassmen, Page 2

Elkhart, the relay’s top fundraiser, earning $1,600 for the event. She will be honored at the May 23 “Relay Wrapup" dinner, to be held at the Dunlap United Methodist Church. The 6p.m. dinner will be provided by Antonio's Pizza. Monies raised for Relay For Life go to fund lifesaving research, education programs and rehabilitation and services for cancer patients and their families.

absorbed by the City. “Any additional costs would be funded through the affected City Department's tax rate or User Fees. It is not anticipated that extension of such services would increase the tax rate applicable to all taxpayers within the current municipal boundaries.” The new area being annexed will be used as open space, with future use as a municipal well field/soccer complex. Funds for development will be provided by the Nappanee Water Utility, Nappanee Board of Parks and Recreation and private donations. Also during the meeting, Nappanee Mayor

Area codes take effect soon INDIANAPOLIS Consumers who make phone calls to parts of northern Indiana will be required to use new area codes beginning in June. With the “grace period” for the new 574 and 260 area codes ending June 14, the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) offers information to assist consumers. The new codes are being implemented in areas that have been served by the 219 area code since the 19405. Most of northwest Indiana, including Lake and Porter Counties, is keeping the 219 area code. The central part of the former 219 area, including South Bend, Elkhart and Logansport, is now assigned the new 574 area code, and northeastern Indiana, including Ft. Wayne, has been assigned the new 260 area code. A permissive dialing period has been in effect for the new codes since January, meaning that consumers have been able to reach telephones in the 574 and 260 areas either by dialing the new codes or the 219 code. On June 14, mandatory dialing will begin. This means that if a consumer attempts to reach a 574 or 260 number by dialing 219, the call will not go through. A recorded message will advise the consumer to redial, using the new area code during the first 45 days of mandatory dialing. “We want this transition to the new area codes to go as smoothly as possible for all consumers,” said Anne E. Becker, Indiana's Utility Consumer Counselor “Although the transition will take its final step on June 14, it is not too late for consumers to take the appropriate actions.” Consumers can receive copies of the OUCC’s New Northern Indiana Area Codes Fact Sheet, by calling toll-free at 1-888-441-2494. Children’s auditions for Komerstone Kids announced Komerstone Kids, a division of Pyramid Productions, will hold auditions Saturday, June 1, in two audition sessions. The first session will be held in the morning, at Elkhart Memorial High School Little Theatre, with registration from 10-10:30 and auditions beginning promptly at 10:30. The second session will take place at North Wood High School, Nappanee. with registration from 2-2:30 and auditions beginning at 2:3(V Applicants should wear comfortable clothing for easy movement. Photographs will be taken at auditions. Komerstone auditions are open to any student in the Elkhart County area, between the ages of 8-18, who enjoys singing and movement. Since auditions are a group activity, participants should be prepared to stay through the entire audition. Each person who auditions must be accompanied by a parent of guardian. An information meeting will be held for parents during part of the auditions. <. Pyramid Productions is a non-profit theatre company, in its 13th year of performing for children's hospitals, retirement centers and special needs organizations in Elkhart County and throughout Indiana and the United States. Komerstone will perform locally throughout the summer, both individually and with Pyramid Productions. For additional information, please contact Carla Wisler, Komerstone Director, at 574-862-4815.

Bremen man is guilty of murder

By Stacey Creasy cnhi News Service GOSHEN A Bremen man has been found guilty of killing 18-year-old Christopher Brown, in order to steal drags from the teenager in August. An Elkhart County jury deliberated for only four hours before finding Timothy J. Gaines guilty of his role in beating Brown to death Gaines was one of five defendants charged in connection with the homicide. The deliberations followed a three-day trial. Some of the testimony during the trial seemed like a script from a movie. Also charged were Ken Roney, 24; Robert Harper, 32; and Amber Lace, 21, along with Amber’s mother, Debra Morris, were out to steal crystal methamphetamine from Brown. Roney and Harper are also from the Bremen area. Brown is from Nappanee and graduated from Northwood High School. He moved to Goshen about a year before his death. Harper, 33, testified in Gaines’ trial that he is a drag enforcer, who collects debts. He allegedly ordered Brown be beaten and to steal his car. Harper brought Gaines and

Recycling bins available The recycling drop-off stations for Nappanee and Wakamsa are located as follows: Nappanee-the parking lot at Martin's Super Market (east end), just off US6 East. Wakarusa—Cßlo3. The recycling stations, which include cardboard, newspapers, glass, plastic, aluminum and tin, are monitored by the Elkhart County Solid Waste Management. Questions may be directed to Timothy Neese, 574-293-2269.

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Larry Thompson thanked Connie Fink for working with MACOG to acquire the transportation grant through the Department of Transportation. The grant will go toward the new Elder Haus van. The Elder Haus will receive the new van sometime in 2003. The old van didn't have a lot of miles on it which helped the Elder Haus obtain the grant. Mayor Thompson also congratulated the band on their accomplishments at the Indy 500 parade and racing event along with the 2002 North Wood High School graduates.

Roney with him as backup since he knew Brown carried a gun. However, during the straggle. Brown attempted to use his handgun which discharged. The bullet went into the apartment next door, but no one was injured. Brown was then beaten, tied up and beaten again. The defendants used a golf club and a fire extinguisher to beat Brown, who died from blunt force trauma to the head. Court reports state Gaines remained silent when the verdict was read and as he was taken out of the courtroom. Several of Gaines’ relatives were there for the trail and the verdict. They were visibly upset as the guilty verdict was handed down. Brown’s family have also sat through the court proceedings. They will return July 11 when Elkhart Superior Court Judge Terry Shev'maker issues Gaines’ sentence. Gaines was the last defendant to stand trail. Roney, Harper and Lace pleaded guilty to murder charges and received 55 and 65 year sentences. Morris was sentenced to 20 years on a robbery plea deal. Gaines faces anywhere from 45 to 65 years or life in prison without parole for murder while committing robbery.

574-773-3127