Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 125, Number 11, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 22 May 2002 — Page 1

NfIPPfiNEE PUBLIC LIBRhRY g N Advance news Serving Nappanee & Wakarusa

Vol. 125 Issue 11

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COLLECTION DELAYED Due to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday, Borden Waste-Away Service announces that the trash collection for the week of May 27 will be delayed one day for all customers. If you have questions, call 1-800-386-3313, ext. 553 or 570. BRANCH CLOSED The Bureau of Motor Vehicles will close all license branches and administrative offices Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27, in observance of Memorial Day. License branches and administrative offices will reopen Tuesday. May 28 for normal business hours. 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. LIBRARY BOARD The Board of Trustees of the Nappanee Public Library will meet in regular session on Thursday, May 23 at 7a.m. at 157 North Main St. The public is invited to attend. 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 in the Emergency Services Building, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public. SCHOOL BOARD The Wa-Nee Board of School Trustees will meet Wednesday, May 29, 6:30a.m., due to Memorial Day, at the Wa-Nee 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 9-11a.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 will meet Wednesday, May 29, 3:30p.m., in the EMS Building, W. Lincoln St. due to Memorial Day. 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 the Nappanee Area Chamber of Commerce office, 451 N. Main Street. All interested persons are welcome. COMMON COUNCIL >*The City of Nappanee Common Council meets the first an£l third Mondays of each month, in the council chambers at the municpal center, W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the pubOFFERS 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, l-4p.m.) FEMA assistance for rent and ijtility bills, headstart (for 4-5-year-olds). healthy babies wellness checks (second Wednesdays 9ajn.-noon). For assistance in any of these areas, or other areas qf your life, call the center at 7732149. The office is open from 9a.m -noon and l-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 V2;3op.m. and Thursday, 8; 30am. to 6:30p.m. TORNADO SHELTERS The following sites have been designated as tornado shelters in the Nappanee area: First Mennonite Church—9oo W. Market St., Church of the Brethren —Mack Drive. St. John's Lutheran Church —651 S. Alain St.. Key Bank—l6l E. Market St., Bank One —351 W. Market St. • I •

1 iii#l 1 M £ i mßsmmmm PHOTOS PROVIDED Kiwanis Awards The Nappanee Early Bird Kiwanis Club made two presentations at last week's session. In the photo at top, Kiwanis President Doris Peach presents a SSOO check to North Wood High School Band Director Barry Houser, in support of the band's upcoming special activities. The group will march in this weekend's "500 Festival Parade" and the Monday morning pre-race festivities in Indianapolis. At bottom, Peach is shown with Cole Belt, center and his mother, Glenda. Belt received a scholarship toward furthering his education at Ivy Tech, South Bend.

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Kiwanians present scholarship, support

NAPPANEE The Nappanee Early Bird Kiwanis Club made two special presentation during their weekly meeting held Wednesday morning, May 15, at The Bakery Case. Visiting Kiwanis Clubs from North Webster and Elkhart were also in attendance for the meeting. The group’s first order of business was to present its annual scholarship gift to a graduating area senior. This year's award of $ 1,000 was presented by the club president, Doris Peach, to Cole Belt, who graduated from Lighthouse Christian Academy in Warsaw, in January. Belt thanked the Kiwanis Club for the generous gift.

Wakarusa barn destroyed

WAKARUSA —A bam at the farm of Marcus Ramer, 26149 CR3B. Wakarusa, was destroyed by fire, early on Sunday, May 12. A motorist alerted Ramer of the fire, caused by a lightning strike, at about 3:30a.m., and Harrison Township firemen were first on the scene, and found the bam fully engulfed. They were joined by departments from Wakarusa, Concord Township, Elkhart Township and Foraker. but were unable to save the bam and its f

Board approves fairway mower

Mindy Abel, AN Staff Reporter NAPPANEE Jay Taylor requested to purchase a 1994 LF 100 Jacobson fairway mower during the Nappanee Board of Parks and Recreation meeting Wednesday. May 15. Taylor said he has been trying it out for the past six-eight weeks and it has been working well. The cost for the mower is $2,500 which he would plan to use for a back-up and on off days use to cross cut. He also said that it was traded in by a recent company and feels it is a good price for a mower that wouldn’t be used everyday. The board approved the request. Taylor also reported that the extremely wet conditions have made it very difficult to get the golf course into “satisfactory condition," as approximately six inches of rain gathered in certain areas. All greens have been fertilized and treated for pink snow mold and all irrigation lines are charged and

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ready to go. Taylor said that with the days growing longer, he hopes the weather patterns change for the better. Fred Hockert reported that the green/cart fees and memberships daily revenues are down by 50% year to date compared to last year, possibly due to the weather. He said although memberships through the end of April are ahead of last year by approximately $2,000, he still expects the revenues this year to be about the same as last year. The Tuesday Nite League began on Tuesday. April 30 with 40 two man teams competing, which will close the font and back tees form 45:30 each Tuesday. Hockert asked the park board to consider establishing a plan to periodically look at predetermined projects that would enhance the condition of the golf course. For example, continuing to install cart paths and solve drainage problems. He said that in 1998 there was some discussion of installing a 1000

Wednesday, May 22,2002

and explained that the scholarship will be used to further his education at Ivy Tech, South Bend, where he will be majoring in business administration. Glenda Beit, Cole's mother, accompanied her son and also expressed her gratitude to the club. A special gift was also given to the North Wood High School Marching Band, which is under the direction of Barry Houser. Tammy Hines, meetings program coordinator introduced Houser, who spoke regarding the new and exciting events planned for the Red Regiment. See Kiwanians, Page 13

contents. They were on the scene for about four hours. Also destroyed in the fire were 13 cows and seven horses. Several animals were able to escape, and firemen rescued six others. Firemen dumped a total of approximately 50,000 gallons of water on the building, with damages of building and contents estimated at SI 10,000 by Harrison Twp. Fire Chief Ronald Martin.

ft. tile to alleviate standing water on four fairway. After the project was completed. Jay Taylor reported on how greatly it had improved the conditions. Hockert asked the board to discuss reviewing other problem areas to consider installing tile where there are still problems and believes the funding for the projects could come from the non-reverting fund. The board approved looking into the cost of tiling and planning for the next five years. Park Superintendent Wayne Scheumann gave the board an update on the process of the bath house at the city pool. He said that there are several small things that need to be done such as painting and landscaping, if the weather will hold out. He hopes that the main part of the project will be done by June 1. The park board meets the second Wednesday of each month, 4:3opm in the EMS Building. W. Lincoln St. Meetings are open to the public.

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Suspect arrested for bomb threats

Mindy Abel, AN Staff Reporter WAKARUSA A Nappanee man has been arrested for a series of bomb threats allegedly made to a Wakarusa employer. The arrest was due to a joint effort of at least two police departments. Nicholas A. Mitchell, 23, now faces three felony charges for allegedly calling in the bomb threats to Monaco Coach in Wakarusa. The threats were phones in to Monaco Coach on April 29 and 30, according to Wakarusa Police.

Prom royalty

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PHOTO PROVIDED Seniors Todd Blanton (left) and Katie Carl (right) were crowned King and Queen Saturday, May 4. at the North Wood High School Prom. Juniors serving as Prom Prince and Princess were Jeff Hertzel and Chelsey Bowers. The theme for the eveing was "Always and Forever".

Passenger train focuses on safety NAPPANEE hosted an event called ''Operation Lifesaver Workshop Train" which stopped at the Nappanee depot on Tuesday, May 14. The passenger train operated a round trip from Riverdale, Illinois to Garrett with intermediate stops in Portage and Nappanee. Refreshments and lunch was also served. The objective of the train was to help eliminate needles tragedies in Indiana by increasing public awareness about highway-rail intersection and pedestrian safety along the railways. The invited passenger list included educators, legislators, public officials. police officers, judges, prosecutors, corporate safety personnel, driver instructors, professional drivers, railroad employees, media and safety advocates. The train was also a part of "Officer on the Train” detail. Police officers from the counties and cities along the route, as well as State Police Officers in cars and in the air were monitoring crossings to apprehend motorists who chose to ignore the crossing warning devices, placing their lives and the lives of their passengers, the train crew and the community in jeopardy. There was also an officer in the locomotive cab who observed the crossing for violators and keep in contact with the passengers with up to the minute information concerning violations seen and citations issued, as well as trespass violations and apprehensions.

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AN PHOTO BY MINDY ABEL Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson boards the passenger train which stopped in Nappdnee Tuesday, May 14. As a part of the 'Operation Lifesaver Workshop Train,' Indiana Operation Lifesaver and CSX Transportation hosted the event to help eliminate needless tragedies in Indiana by increasing public awareness about highway-rail intersection and pedestrian safety along railways.

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The first call was made on the 29th at approximately 5:30 p.m. The second was made during the same shift, in the same plant about 9:21 p.m. The bomb threats forced the company to evacuate the facility and shut down production. The final call came in about 9:11 p.m., on the 30th. Due to concerns over the repeated threats, the Wakarusa Police opened an intense investigation to track the caller. During the probe Wakarusa See Threats, Page 2