The Independent-News, Volume 119, Number 37, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 27 January 1994 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - JANUARY 27, 1994

Voice Os The People “I Am In Trouble'’ It seems that if 1 write, I get into trouble and if I don't write, I get more grumbles. 1 hope that all of you made it safely through the cold weather. I found out that I can still cook. Our old stove gave out and we had to buy a new one after 30 years. My old stove had words telling me which burner was on, this one has pictures. I get more than just a little preturbed while waiting for the pan on back to warm up. when the burner on front is working. Roy found out that it isn't all fun being a landlord. Our rental house froze up and he and a neighbor Jerry Kipper spent close to 14 hours thawing and repairing the water lines. Incidently, if you need a great handyman for construction or repair, give Jerry a call. I think that 1 will go and play cards out to Al's this Tuesday afternoon. You Senior studs are missing a great opportunity for meeting the mature cuties. We have a lot of fun. They even put up with my sloppy card playing. Remember 12:30 on Tuesday at Al's at Koontz Lake. Come on out and give Phil some competition. If you haven’t pestered Bill at The Famous Diner, you should. He even knows how to make a good omelet. He is looking for a waitress for part-time employement at the present. I told him that I would do it but I would probably scare off his customers. 1 am not the most graceful person and would probably serve everyone's meal in their laps, or on the floor. It is always hard for a new person in town to have and run a business. We should all be pleased that someone new wants to come to Walkerton and we should be more than willing to give the business a visit. About two weeks ago I visited Morris Searfoss at the LaPorte Hospital. He has since returned home and is recovering slowly. While I was there 1 also visited Josephine Smith and Ella Nusbaum. Josephine hopefully, will be returning home this week. I don't know any more about Ella. If anyone has more news about her, let me know and I will pass it on. I understand that there are new owners of the bowling alley. 1 will find out more and let you know next week. I am also enjoying the letters in the paper about the school and its needs and no-needs. These letters prove that not all of the community is suffering from apathy. Sincerely, Nedra Williams The tiny shrew eats twice its weight in food every day. "TDC BAD I //Z>^2 । I,CST NW I I f I, Homing pigeons have been known to fly more than 1,000 miles in two days.

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Koontz Lake Fire Department Thanks The Public The Koontz Lake Fire Department would like to thank the community for their donations and support. Through your support, we have had a well and pump installed at the southwest corner of the tennis courts. This well is capable of pumping water at a rate of 750 gallons per minute; which allows us to fill our trucks and return to the scene in minutes. We have also purchased an air compressor and cascade system, which we use to fill our air bottles on our self-contained breathing apparatus. Recently, we have added reflective stripping to the trucks for better visibility. Also, we have purchased a ventilation saw, a P.A. system for the station, two 16 channel scanning portable radios, and a computer; which is used for record keeping and also provides us with vital information in the event of a hazardous materials incident. Currently we are in the process of purchasing two "Gumbie” suits. These suits are exposure suits and are used for surface rescues on thin ice and in cold water. In 1993, we responded to 104 incidents. These consisted of 10 structure fires, 24 combination wood, brush and field fires, 33 ambulance assists, 12 accidents, 3 extrications, 8 vehicle fires, 8 smoke investigations, 2 utility line hazards, 1 gas tank explosion, 1 bomb threat and 2 false alarms. Through training, these incidents were handled without any firefighter injuries. Currently all firefighters are certified with at least a firefighter I classification. We also have three rookies who are attending firefighter 1 school at this time. In February, we will be conducting a training to become certified in cold water and thin ice surface rescue. In July, three firefighters were presented with the Governor's Service Award by the State Fire Marshall's Office. This award is presented to firefighters who have at least 25 years of service with the fire department. Those firefighters receiving the award this year were Hank Paschen, 40 years; Lynn Fraine, 33 years; and Chuck Lawrence, 30 years of service. The 1994 officers are as follows: Butch Lawrence, Chief: Randy Collins, Assistant Chief; Paul Geveland, Captain; Charlie Collins, Lieutenant; Rick Minker, President; Chuck Lawrence, Secretary; and Hank Paschen, Treasurer. Again, we would like to thank and to remind you that in case of an emergency, you need to dial 5862314 of 1-800-552-2403. Currently Koontz Lake-Oregon Twp. does not yet have the "911” calling system in operation at this time. Charles "Butch” 'Lawrence K.L.F.D. Fire Chief A squirrel has no color vision, it sees only in Nack and white.

VETERAN’S REVIEW Furnished By American Legion Poet 189, Walkerton "The VA Under National Health Care Reform” Follwoing arc the major points concerning the VA health care system as outlined in President Clinton’s proposal for health care reform. Overview • No veteran will have fewer benefits than under current law and may have more. • VA wil operate VA health plans in health alliances open to all veterans. • VA health plans will guarantee all standard benefits to all veterans who enroll in a VA plan. • Service-connected and lowincome veterans will not pay any cost shares for their care if they enroll in a VA plan. Also, they will continue to receive free care for services from VA. Other Features • VA will continue its role in national medical education and research. • VA will continue to serve as a backup to the Dept, of Defense during war. • The VA secretary has the option to include veterans’ dependents in VA plans. Fbuusdiig • VA will receive premium payments for all enrollees from health alliances. • High-income non-service-connected veterans will pay a cost share like other citizens. • Medicare will reimburse VA for high-income non-service-con-nected veterans. • Appropriations will cover the remaining cost of all care for service-connected and low-income veterans. • VA will retain all reimbursements from alliances, other plans and Medicare. An update on Walkerton's POW/MlAs. I received a letter from Sgt. Samuel Hewitt’s mother who now lives in Punta Gorda, Florida. I’ve been on the phone with her a couple of times to talk about her son. He was declared legally dead in December of 1975. His file was reopened again in July of 1986. His mother (Hilda) made several trips to Washington, D.C. to attend the conferences of the National League of Families of POW/MIAs. Nothing pertinent had been added to his file to this date. She is very pleased that the American Legion is interested in his status. She said she will pass on to me any additional information she may receive. It was decided at the board meeting on January 10th that we are going to get a picture of him from his mother and hang it on the wall in the meeting room with a POW MIA flag drapped around it. As to this news, his mother was absolutely aesthetic. It was brought to my attention that we do have another POW/MLA in the Walkerton area and I should have realized it, as I know him. He is Grover Williams, of the Ist Marine Division. His day of incident was November 28, 1950 up near ther Manchuian Border. His mother and sister (Helen) wrote countless letters to government officials to no avail also. Bill Raugher ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS KOONTZ LAKE LIBRARY Monday — 7:30 p m Thursday — 7:00 p m WALKERTON COMMUNITY BUILDING Sunday 7:00 p m For Further In for mitten CALL 586-2000 or 586-2504

News From The Walkerton Historial Society (The following paper was written by a former Walkerton resident who shared his remembrances of early Walkerton with the Walkerton Historical Society.) Here is my childhood remembrance of a Hotel or Lodging House located on Main Street in Walkerton, which was operated by my grandmother, Julia Wolfenbarger Jackson. The two story building was on the north side of the street, just west of the curve as you go west from the business section. A family by the name of Bradley lived in the first house west of the building, a house on the corner of the street which went north to the railroad depots and tower. The Dunn family lived in the house on the east side of the building. I don't recall that the Lodging House had a name or a sign out in front. As a youngster we commonly referred to it as the "Lunch Room”. To enter the building you walked up several steps to a porch which extended across the front. A center door opened into the lobby or lounge area. Behind the lounge was a dining area with a number of tables. Beyond the dining area was a kitchen. Above the Lounge, dining area and kitchen, were a number of sleeping rooms and a wash, bath, toilet area. A stairway extended from the Lobby to the 2nd floor on the east side of the building. I don’t know how many people the Hotel accomodated however, I would estimate from 20 to 25 people. As I remember, the patrons of the Hotel were primarily Railroad workers — operating crew members, hosiers, signal maintainers, telegraph operators and other traveling maintenance personnel. Breakfast, lunch and supper were serverd in the dining area and short orders were provided for operating crews which were arriving and leaving all hours of the day and night, seven days each week. I am aware of the Hotel being operated during the years 1917 through 1928. The Hotel may have been in operation prior to 1917, but if so, I don't know about it. My father, a railroad engineer, met my mother, Hazel Jackson, who was working in the dining room there, in late 1917. They were married in 1918 and thereafter lived in Walkerton until the mid 1920'5. As a youngster attending the Walkerton School, I daily walked to the Hotel with my uncle, Doyle Jackson, where we had our lunch. At the time he was attending high school and 1 the primary grades. 1 well remember the railroad patrons sitting in the lobby of the Hotel, reading, playing checkers and visiting about their work. I heard many thrilling stories as they described their experiences and trips on fast, powerful steam engines between Chicago, Walkerton and Garrett, Indiana. In those years a sizeable number

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of Walkerton residents worked for the three railroads that served the town — Baltimore & Ohio, Nickel Plate and the New York Central. Passenger trains arrived daily on all three roads and passengers and workers alike ate at the Hotel or stayed overnight. Darrell M. Marr Fort Wayne, Indiana ADDED NOTE: There are many tales of Walkerton such as the above, which could be remembered by other Walkerton residents. Will you share with us and the public? Walkerton Historical Society COLD, FLU, PNEUMONIA! SIMILAR SYMPTOMS Colds, flu and pheumonia have similar symptoms, but colds are a nuisance, flu makes you miserable, pneumonia can kill you, reports Health News Network, the new service of the Indiana Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons. All are caused by viruses. You will have several colds each year. They usually start with a runny nose and sneezing. You can have a slight fever. Not so with flu! Fever can be expected for a few days and the typical symptoms include a fever often higher than 101 degrees, vomiting, chills, headache and fatique. And the so-called stomach flu can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Flu shots in the early fall can prevent flu. Pneumonia typically follows colds or flu. It is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes and the tiny air sacs in your lungs. Pneumonia is characterized by a high fever and a cough that produces thick, foul-smelling, rusty-colored greenish or yellowish sputum, according to the Mayo Ginic (Health Letter - Nov. 93). It tends to occur in order adults. It is dangerous and can be a killer. Poor nutrition, chronic bronchitis, emplysema, cancer, alcoholism and AIDS makes one more vulnerable to pneumonia. If you have rapid or difficult breathing, chest pain when you breathe, wheezing, faintness or light-headedness, severe or sore throat, marked irritability or lethargy, get to a doctor without delay, says Mayo. DAWN RHODES IS ACCEPTED AT GRACE COLLEGE The administration of Grace College has announced that a local student, Dawn Rhodes, has been accepted for admission for the academic year beginning in the Fall of 1994. She is the daughter of Kathleen Rhodes of Walkerton. Grace College is an accredited four year evangelical Christian liberal arts college located in northern Indiana. The college is dedicated to developing character, competence and a heart for service in its students. High school juniors and seniors wanting information about Grace College should call the Grace College Admissions Office at 1-800-54-GRACE, or write to the Admissions Office at 200 Seminary Drive, Winona Lake, Indiana 46590.