The Mail-Journal, Volume 20, Number 51, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 January 1984 — Page 1

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VOLUME 20

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AT BRANCH BANK - Ribbon cutting at the new Milford Branch of the Lake City Bank was held at 9:30 a.m. tod a x I Wedncsda»). witn Miliord town tioaid President Sltx< Miller cutting the ribbons.

Just This Morning —

Open Milford Lake City Branch

There’s more heating up m northern Kosciusko County than just politics Banking is moving into the forefront of activity of recent. This is noticeable with the formal opening of a Milford Branch of the Lake City of Warsaw this morning ( Wednesday) The opening of the Milford Branch, in what was formerly the lunch counter at Swartz's Super Valu Store on State Road 15 at the north edge of Milford, is the last of a number of Lake City Bank branches throughout the county. On Tuesday of this week a similar branch was opened at Mentone The bank has branches at Winona Lake, Silver L>ake, North Webster, Syracuse, and now Mentone and Milford It also has two drive-up branches in the city of Warsaw . The bank has purchased an old building on State Road 13 in Pierceton (the town’s main street) with plans for its demolition. The bank plans to open its Pierceton Branch in mid-sum-mer. On hand this morning in the new, well appointed offices of the Milford Branch were Henry L. Smith, who will serve as branch manager, and Roberta Schopf, head teller, and Pam t’nruh and Maria Lozano, both tellers. Postmaster asks residents to clear ice from sidewalks Syracuse Postmaster Anthony J. Rudasics has called on businesses and residents to help reduce the high incidence of slips, trips and falls by letter carriers due to ice and snow “Your cooperation in clearing, salting or sanding the stairway and pathway to your mail receptacle will be deeply appreciated.” Rudasics said "We want to keep our carriers on their feet so that they can continue to~ deliver the mail.” Emphasizing the seriousness of the problem, he said slips, trips and falls are the number one cause of injury to postal workers. He said letter carriers will make every effort to deliver mail but if the approach to a letter box is obstructed by snow and ice, delivery may not be possible.

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Mr Smith welcomed those present. who included town board officials and other well known people of the Milford community, having each one to introduce himself., Hear Bank President He introduced R Douglas Grant. Lake City Bank president, who also welcomed those present He said the bank was found-

Court moves in Davidhizar case

BY MARK WEINSTEIN Staff Writer Although Ron Davidhizar didn't totally agree with the orders from Milford's Building Commissioner Harry Doty, the landlord decided to repair his rental home at the northwest corner of Fourth and Shaffer Streets,

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ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY — Michael P. Barnes, St. Joseph County prosecuting attorney, is shown herewith his wife Alberta as he appeared in Warsaw Tuesday afternoon announcing his candidacy for/the Democratic nomination for U.S. Congress from Indiana’s Third District. Most of Kosciusko'County is in the Third District, along with all or parts of Elkhart, St. Joseph, Porter, Marshall andStarke Counties.

Consolidation of THE MILFORD MAIL !Est. 1888) and THE SYRACUSE-WAWASEE JOURNAL (Est. 1907)

ed in 1872, and is now in its 112th, year of successful operation. Grant said the Lake City Bank has a number of customers in the Milford area and that they hoped to serve these customers better and to better serve the entire Milford community.’ Grant then introduced a number of Lake City Bank employees who will service the

Milford. During the Wednesday morning hearing conducted in the Milford’s Community Building by Hearing Commissioner Dr T A. Miller. Doty listed six orders for Davidhizar to comply with, in the upcoming months. Although repair is needed, Davidhizar may not be the one

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Shown from left are Pam Unruh, teller; Henry L. Smith, branch manager; Mrs. Smith; Steve Miller; R. Douglas Grant, bank president; Roberta Schopf, nead teller; Maria Lozano, teller; and Gary Lyon, in charge of the bank’s branches.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4,1984

Milford Branch in its various specialties. Following the meeting and introductions, a ribbon cutting was held in front of the bank’s entrance, with Steve Miller, Milford Town Board President, cutting the ribbon First Depositor - The bank’s customer was Doris Walls, making a deposit.

working on the building. He noted at the hearing that Merle Campbell, Jr, a Milford resident was interested in the building, and an agreement for purchasing the home was made. "We talked about a month ago when he came to Goshen looking (Continued on page 2)

Sharp, Beer interested — Race assured for office of Kosciusko County Commissioner

Considerably more interest has surfaced for the office of Kosciusko County Commissioner from the northern district, since the announced retirement of Maurice W. Dorsey of North Webster. Dorsey is completing his fourth four-year term in office, and announced on December 14 in this paper that he would not seek another term. “It’s time for me to bow out,” he said. This paper announced since that time that the names of Jerry Grady and Dr. David W. Robinson have been prominently mentioned ds possible candidates for the commissioner’s seat. Grady, a prominent r 2 Syracuse cattleman and member of the Kosciusko Area Plan Commission, said, “No, I’m not a candidate for commissioner. I’ve got a good sized farm to run here.” He admitted to being flattered at the prospect, however, noting I that a number of friends had mentioned the possibility of his seeking the office. Dr. Robinson, of r 5 Syracuse, is psychologist/psychometrist for the Northwest Indiana Special Education Co-Operative (NCI) involving several area schools, including the Lakeland School Corporation. When contacted he said, w “several of my friends have asked me to consider running for that office, but we’ll just have to wait and see.” He called it all “very speculative.” Enter Two More Names Two more names were entered on this speculative list on Tuesday of this week. They are Ronald C. Sharp, lifelong resident of the Syracuse community,

North Webster board in last 'B3 meeting

Bv DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer North Webster Town Board of Trustees met last Friday evening to finalize year-end business where Eve Payne, clerk-treasurer, reported the town ended the year in the black. During the meeting, which wa& the last for three town board members, a claim for $299.13 in car repairs on the 1979-80 police car was ordered not to be paid until the situation is solved. That evening the town of North Webster was without a police vehicle since both autos .were in for unscheduled repairs. Town Marshall Greg Nance stated the 1982 squad car froze up afid a new alternator and battery was being installed. The 1979-80 squad car was being fixed at a Warsaw car dealer with either a carburetor or fuel pump problem. Howard Bemish, town board president, suggested when the

Barnes assures

The race in Indiana’s Third Congressional District to unseat uncumbent Congressman John Hiler seems to be on! Recently Steve Ross of Mishawaka announced his intentions to seek the nomination on the Democratic ticket, and Tuesday of this week St. Joseph County Prosecuting Attorney Michael P. Barnes issued his notice of intent to seek the same nomination. So far no one has sought the Republican nomination to oppose Rep. Hiler, and it appears no one will. A real horse race in the fall election seems to be shaping up. Appears In County Candidate Barnes appeared in Kosciusko County to make his announcement late Tuesday afternoon following appearances in Knox in Starke County and in Plymouth in Marshall County. At 9:30 a.m. today (Wednesday) he was scheduled to make his formal announcement at the Valley American Bank in South Bend. The district is represented by all or part of six counties: Kosciusko, Elkhart, St. Joseph, Porter, Marshall and Starke Barnes at 37 has been prosecuting attorney in the 60th Judicial Circuit for five years, running in two primaries and two general elections. In the 1982 primary and general election he ran unopposed. In 1978, at 30 years of age, he was first elected to the prosecutors office, the first time he sought elective office. He, his wife Alberta at his side, made his announcement in Kosciusko County Democratic Headquarters on East Winona Avenue in Warsaw. 1 ? At the same time he made known that Tina Hoskins of Warsaw

l||iL RONALD C. SHARP and Maurice G. Beer, lifelong resident of the Milford community. Both men have had an active interest in local politics. Both are Republicans. Sharp is 64, Beer 61. Sharp was born in Syracuse and reared in that community, having gone through the public schools of Syracuse. He graduated from Syracuse High School with the class of 1939, attended Goshen and Grace colleges and served four years in the U.S. Air Force, part of this time in the China, India, Burmat Theater. He is currently serving on the Kcfeciusko County Council, completing his 10th year. He was elected to that office three times, the last time in the fall of 1979. He has become something of a watchdog in that capacity, to the point where he incurred the enmi-

police department stops someone, every light on the vehicle should not be used. He also recommended to the new town board that a strict maintenance schedule be established and enforced on all town vehicles. 1 The town street department was for plowing the city streets. / uute was made to have the street department remove the Christmas decorations as soon as possible. Bemish also asked the new town board to reiterate the town ordinance concerning snowmobiles going across private property. According to Bemish, there is an ordinance which says snowmobiles may be ridden on city streets only. A letter from Richard Mitchell, Tippecanoe Township Trustee, which stated the township has made arrangements to purchase a recording system for the dispatchers office from the revenue sharing fund was read. The (Continued on page 2)

ai 1 < I 1 i I I I • ! I ] i I I MAURICE G. BEER 1 ty of his own party faithfuls at ; times. Sharp retired as purchasing I representative for Whitley Pro; - z ‘i ducts, Inc., in Pierceton and now ] makes his home in Syracuse with < his wife, the former Joan Diel of | Leesburg. They have two adult children. He has served as past president 1 of the Kosciusko County I Historical Society* and was Syracuse Clerk-Treasurer for 1 three years. 1 Sharp contends he was on the 1 council when some important things were put into place; for in- : stance, the Drainage Board, the , Kosciusko Area Plan Commission, the Economic Development Plan for the county, and giving < funds to the Cardinal Learning 1 Center. He said he wants to see i the county's business office fully i computerized. 1

Half sentence suspended — Fehnel receives five-year sentence for child molesting

By DEB PATTERSON Staff Writer Richard Fehnel, Milford, a former fifth grade teacher at Milford Elementary School, received a five-year sentence at the Indiana Department of Corrections on a charge of child molesting, Class C felony. The sentence was handed down by Kosciusko County Circuit Court Judge Richard W. Sands last Thursday morning Fehnel was arrested March 24 after submitting a written confession where he admitted molesting one of his female fifth grade students. Judge Sands granted the defendant credit for one day served in jail as well as suspending 2'6 years of the five year sentence. Fehnel may be released in one year and three months on good behavior with the remainder of his sentence served on probation.

3rd District race

would serve as his Kosciusko County co-ordinator. Barnes said he projected a budget for the primary at some $125,000, but would not speculate on a fall budget. He said he was fortunate in that the South Bend television stations cover the entire Third District. He plans to use all media in his extensive campaign, he said. ♦ Kosciusko, Elkhart Counties He said he hoped to “work hard” in Kosciusko and Elkhart Counties, both of which are considered “Republican Counties,” that gave John Hiler the vote he needed to get elected to the halls of congress. Barnes said, “This campaign will be waged on one overriding issue. This nation as a whole, and those of us here in the Third District especially, have been assaulted by tremendous changes. We have lost jobs, seen basic industries decline, and leave our area. We have seen staggering unemployment and unprecedented interest rates. “We have seen the federal deficit skyrocket, threatening any long-term recovery. We have seen our educational system erode in the face of dramatic changes for a new technological era. I “I am committed to the principal,” he went on, “that education and research are the keys to a strong American economy in the years to come. We cannot have excellence in education when monies to the National Science Foundation are cut and we fail to provide adequate opportunity for research and for our students to receive science and mathematics education. ’ ’

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“The job (of commissioner) will take four full days a month,” Sharp said, “plus a lot of home work.” He said he is retired and can give it whatever time the officedemands. His term on the council expires December 31,1984, and coincides with the new commissioner’s term. Maurice G. Beer Maurice G. Beer made his intentions to file for commissioner known the same day Sharp did. Beer is a lifelong resident of the Milford community, having been bom in the area and went through Milford High School, graduating in 1940. He is married to the former Betty Rassi, also a Milford native, and they have four adult children. He has been active in Van Buren Township politics, having served on the township’s Advisory Board of 17 years, and as that township’s trustee from 1969 to 1972. He is a well known r 2 Milford farmer and has been driving a Lakeland School Corporation bus for five years. Beer said, “I just feel that I have a civic duty to work for the people of the northern district.” He said he realizes he would have to work (as commissioner) for everyone in the entire county, if elected. Beer is a member of the Milford Apostolic Christian Church. / Candidates seeking this or other offices to be voted on in the May primary election cannot file until Wednesday, February 8, and have until noon on Friday, March 9, during which to file.

The judge also ordered that Fehnel, who has suffered two heart attacks, be allowed to carry heart medication with him at all times. “I’m sorry Mr. Fehnel,” remarked Judge Sands after the sentencing, “you don’t deserve that, your crime does.”,fiis statement coincided with three of the witnesses’ testimonies that Fehnel has already paid for his crime due to humiliation in the community, loss of church duties and his job. Michael Miner, prosecuting attorney, summarized Fehnel’s loss in his closing statement: “There are rare occasions and uncomfortable situations where the court has the obligation to issue a sentence for the crime instead of for the criminal. This is one of those uncomfortable situations ... as a criminal, he has (Continued on page 2)