Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 134, Number 26, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 25 June 2015 — Page 1

Si 102 W. MarUl St, Ntffmut • 574-773-0700 THI Fm: 044-773-0700

%^ee CrTY OF NAPPANEE OPEN DOOR NOTICE NAPPANEE - The Aviation Commission meeting scheduled for July 21 has been changed to Wednesday, July 29, at 7 a.m. at the Municipal Hangar at the Nappanee Municipal Airport.

WAKARUSA BALLPARK WALKARUSA— If you are looking for some tremendous food, fun, fireworks, and fellowship Wakarusa may be the place for you this weekend. The Wakarusa Baseball/ Softball League celebrates the end of its 38th successful season with their traditional America At The Ballpark festivities on Friday, June 26. Activities will start at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude with fireworks after dark. Games to determine league champions will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the Pee-Wee Championship game. At 7 p.m. the Minor and Major League Championship games will be played, and in the final game of the evening at 7:30 the Senior Girls will battle for their title. Not all the action will be contained to the playing fields as inflatables will be on the grounds for the youngsters to enjoy. Besides the normal ballpark food, fans will have the pleasure of enjoying Cook's ice cream, Grandma's Pantry pie, and Nelson's chicken. Prizes donated by area merchants and individuals will be awarded to fans who remain in attendance until the drawing is held. Top prize is SSOO cash. All proceeds from this event go to the Wakarusa Baseball/Softball League. BOOK SIGNING EVENT NAPPANEE Author Kaitlyn Randolph will appear at Main Street Coffee Hoqse at 105 N. Main St. in Nappanee on June 27 at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Randolph is a resident of Goshen will be available to sign copies of her book, "Everything Comes to an End". The story details the life of 16-year-old Zoe, who lives on a horse ranch with her parents and works with her two best friends Wyatt and Jennie. Life brings trials, adventure, and maybe changes to Zod and Wyatt 7 s relationship forever.

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NAPPANEE PUBLIC LIBRARY I NAPPANEE, IN 46550-1937 W W W

Coach Steve Neff continues recovery

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Steve Neff, retired girls basketball coach, second from left, is seen here receiving the Northern Lakes Conference Service Award for his many years of dedicated service to coaching at North Wood. Neff recently suffered a stroke. (File photo)

Oral history project reveals Nappanee origin

By Merrie Chapman Advance Correspondent NAPPANEE - Local seniors gathered June 11, inside Heritage House Senior Living facility, to share a cup of java and tales of old as they reminisced about days when Nappanee was a bustling city producing kitchen cabinets, tomatoes for Campbells Soups and actual Pillsbury Flour for buyers all over the nation. The group shared fond memories of Blue Bell Jean production in their hometown, and the hard work put into building war bombs inside the local Vitrus factory. "Nappanee was known as the 'Kitchen City'," shared Vem Meeks. "It was a nice little gesture that this little city was known across the country for its fine cabinets of hardwood." "Coppes and Mutschelers is what really built this community," Hank Mullet recalled in admiration of the two kitchen cabinet makers. FILL FOOD NEEDS FOR MANY COMPANIES Mullet went on to share about 'a neighbor who

Board approves city repairs, The Crossing school location

By Merrie Chapman Advance Correspondent NAPPANEE The Board of Public Works and Safety met in short session, June 15, to approve four matters of business. A contract with The Crossing alternative school was approved. The measure allows The Crossing to use classrooms at the former Central School now owned by the City of Nappanee for a rental cost of SIOO per month. The Crossing offers assistance to students in addition to, but separate from, the Wa-Nee

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SERVING. NATEANEE & WAKARUSA

worked at Coppes Kitchens for 7 cents an hour and was lucky enough to then earn $2.75 a week for his cabinet building. The storyteller (Hank Mullet) himself later worked in the local cabbage factory located on the west side of what his now Fairmont Homes, CR7 for SBS a week. "Did you ever see how many different labels were in there?" inquired Jake Mattem. "I seen in there! You couldn't imagine all the different labels they did cabbage [sauerkraut] for! It was all the same, just different labels." Hank Mullet shared the same could be said for Pillsbury Flour made at then Nappanee Milling Company. The same flour was sold under many different labels. Proud accounts were shared of tomatoes from Nappanee farms being transported to Campbells' Soup factories in the area. No onb present could recall precisely when the bustling city of Nappanee stopped producing food staples for national companies. But all agreed it was a loss to

Alternative School program. It was annouhced that complications have developed in purchasing certain materials needed to finish repairs on the Summit Street Bridge leading into Stauffer Park. As a result labor will not be finished on the bridge in time for the Fourth of July celebration. Instead it has been announced that the parade, and general traffic coming to the park for holiday activities, must enter into the park from the east side. Plans for the 2015 Street Improvements Project were

There’s an easier way to protect your

by Kern Bough Advance Correspondent Hall of Fame basketball coach Steve Neff continues to make progress as he recovers from a stroke. According to his daughter, Steph, her father is currently in inpatient rehabilitation and improving daily. Neff suffered the stroke while playing golf at McCormick's Creek in Nappanee on Saturday, June 6. The Neff family has been quick to credit those playing with Neff for recognizing the symptoms quickly and immediately taking him to the clubhouse where Nappanee EMS were called. This quick response and the excellent treatment at Elkhart General Hospital were critical in limiting the effects of the stroke. Steve Neff retired as girls basketball coach at North Wood after the 201314 season with 653 victories.

both local heritage and valuable economic bases for the smalltown community. MENTION HISTORIC NAPPANEE BUSINESSES The oral history being shared by the men also included fond mention of other historic local businesses. These included the Boston Store, Wagon Wheel 5 & 10, Mullet's Dairy, Blue Bell Jeans, Blosser Shoe? and a downtown restaurant with an eating deck out over the sidewalk below. Jake Mattem's grandpa sold farm implements one block east of the downtown square, in a building that featured a big hand rope lift elevator. Again no one seemed to know exactly when these local businesses faded out of existence. Talk of "the old Chevy garage" brought humdr filled memories of handcrank cars that could "backfire and take your thumb off if you weren't careful!" TALK OF SCHOOLS Hank Mullet vividly recalled, "The Weldy School Bus was pulled by horses, See History, page A 2

approved. Bids on the work will be received July 6, and awarded July 20th. USE CAUTION ALONG BIKE/PEDESTRIAN PATH Donny Aleo, Superintendent of the Nappanee Parks Department, sent out a warning to those using the bicycle/ pedestrian path to travel around the city. He advised that when caution tape is seen it is to pinpoint the location of baby bunnies and snapping turtles. The public is asked See Board, page A 2

dog from parasites. • Kills fleas and prevents infestations • Prevents Heartworm disease • Treats and controls Hookworm, Roundworm and Whipworm Infections Rebates available for 6 months or 12 months Nappanee Weterlnary Hospital 151 Mf.UiicelßSUNappaaee* 888-773-4121 er 574-773-4121

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At the time Neff held the career record for victories in girls basketball in Indiana. Coach Neff's family requests no calls or visitors at this time. Cards should be sent to North Wood High School. WARNING SIGNS OF A STROKE A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is stopped. The resulting lack of oxygen and nutrients to the brain causes cells to die. Steve Neff was fortunate his friends recognized the early signs of a stroke and knew what to do. Would you know these signs if a friend or family member were having a stroke? There are 795,000 strokes in the United states each year, one every 40 seconds. Immediate treatment is most important in limiting a stroke's damage. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms for a stroke might include:

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Bill Zentz attended the June 11 "CoffeeTalk'/sponsored by the Evelyn Lehman Culp Heritage Center, inside the Heritage House Senior Living Facility. During the event Zentz shared about his father helping build "Route 66" now known as US 6 as it came through the Nappanee area. He also remembers helping move houses from Bremen to a housing development on the eastern side of Nappanee which he called "the Hamsher Addition" (Photo by Merrie Chapman)

$1.3 million Industrial Park Project completed

The City of Nappanee is pleased to announce that the East Airport Industrial Park project is complete. There will be a ribbon cutting on Tuesday June 23 at 10 a.m. at the Nappanee Municipal Airport. The City contracted Beer and Slabaugh to install water and sewer infrastructure to the airport to open up 400 plus acres of prime industrial development. The cost of the project was $1.3 million dollars and paid out of TIF funds. City of Nappanee, Nappanee Redevelopment, Commonwealth Engineers,

• Trouble with speaking and understanding. You may experience confusion. You may slur your words or have difficulty understanding speech. • Paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg. You may develop sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis in your face, arm or leg, especially on one side of your body. Try to raise both your arms over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, you may be having a stroke. Similarly, one side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile. • Trouble with seeing in one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes, or you may see double. • Headache. A sudden, severe headache, which may be accompanied by vomSee Neff, page A 2

Nappanee Utilities, and Nappanee Aviation Commission were all part of this project. "By extending water and sewer to the airport, Nappanee has just opened up over 400 acres of prime land, ready to be built on with. City Utilities." Jeff Kitson, Nappanee Redevelopment Director said. For more information on this project, Please contact City of Nappanee, Mayor Larry Thompson or Gale Gerber at 574-773-2112.