The Mail-Journal, Volume 22, Number 17, Milford, Kosciusko County, 24 April 1985 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., April 24,1985

Editorials

Legislative pluses and minuses The recent session of the Indiana General Assembly closed shop and could claim some pluses. They were saying little if anything about the minuses. x Governor Robert D. Orr called it one of the most successful legislative sessions in the state’s history. Others disagreed. The session did produce a long-delayed bank reform law allowing banks to open branches in contiguous counties; it did come to grips with highway funding, raising gas and diesel fuel taxes; it increased funding for elementary education, and expanded the low pupil-teacher ratio to the second and third grades although the 20 to 1 is up from the 18 to 1 for first graders; and it increased funding for higher education by 21.4 percent. The educational reforms are good and overdue, since Indiana has figured low in the nation where elementary and secondary pdiirafinn ic pnnpprnpd So far so good. But what about the sordid automobile license branch mess still with us. This is a real hot potato for the Republican governor and his Republican legislature, since they both gain so much from the party-controlled license branch system. The Republicans had complete control of both houses and could do whatever they chose on this matter. They chose to do nothing. Just appoint another committee. State Senator Wayne Townsend, the 1984 Democratic nominee for governor, made a big issue of the license branch corruption when he ran for governor and garnered many votes for his stand in this regard. Dopesters claim, had it not been or President Reagan’s popularity in Indiana, this hot issue would have tipped the scales and Townsend would be Indiana’s governor today. So hot was the issue. But what did the Republicans do about it? They appointed the usual study commission and put Sen. Townsend on the committee so they could ultimately blame him for their donothing approach. Instead of passing a meaningful bill, they tried to pass the buck. They said, “It’s (failure to pass the bill) is all Townsend’s fault.” Ronald Reagan has been so successful passing the buck, the state legislature tried to do the same thing. Even Gov. Orr “later joined in this ludricrous effort to blame Townsend,” writes respected political analysis! Jack Colwell in Sunday’s South Bend Tribune. Actually, the Republicans have handed Sen. Townsend a readymade issue if he plans to run for governor of Indiana again. Colwell wrote further in The Tribune: “Yes, and Republicans controlling the legislature, no matter what they say about Townsend, will have nobody to blame but themselves. ” But this is only part of the Republicans’ troubles. Facing them now is the corruption surrounding State Superintendent of Public Instruction Harold H. Nagley, thrice elected by the public to that post. He is being charged with misuse of campaign funds and the improper use of state employees for his private gain, following the revelations in an Indianapolis Star expose. The heat was such that Nagley resigned his post in disgrace. A second scandal came when a special assistant to Governor Orr was indicted last week by the same grand jury in Marion County. This comes after scandal there involving a Republican township trustee. The accomplishments of the recent session of the Indiana legislature are obscured in the public view by scandals that are sure to crowd the front pages in the weeks and months ahead. Why not an Indiana 'bottle law'? And speaking of the recent session of the Indiana General*Assembly, the reasons for its failure to adopt an effective “bottle law” continue to evade us. Many states, including Michigan, our neighbor to the north, have had a bottle law for some time, and reports indicate it is working wonders to clean up the highways of unwanted beer and soft drink bottles. Now the state of Florida, with its immense in-migration of northern population, has such a law before its state legislature. We’re indebted to June and Bob Laudeman of 156 North Shore Drive, Syracuse, for sending us a March sth editorial from The Tampa Tribune which advocated such a law for Florida. The Laudemans winter in Avon Park, Fla., and are Tampa Tribune subscribers. “Why not in Indiana?” the Laudeman’s ask. And we have no answer other than “Why not, indeed.” Litter has longevity. “An aluminum can takes 500 years to biodegrade and a glass bottle a million years. Plastic bottles, alas, are eternal,” The Tribune editorial laments. States that have adopted container-deposit bills have seen roadside litter from containers reduced up to 60 per cent. Interestingly, total roadside litter dropped equally dramatically. Park officials throughout the country have found much of their time is devoted to picking up bottles and cans and that most of their minor injuries are caused by broken bottles and cans or pop-tops. Farmers are plagued by throwaways. Animals kept near roads sometimes eat fodder with slithers of broken bottle glass or bits of metal from smashed cans. Ask anyone in towns who reside along heavily-traveled roads about beer cans, pop bottles and other disposables in their yards. A principal benefit of a bottle law is in the enormous savings that would accrue in the reduction of solid waste. Trash disposal is one of the most costly activities of local governments. States with bottle laws experience a 6-8 percent cut in solid waste. In any event, discarding beverage containers is simply too wasteful to countenance. The powerful beverage industry and tavern owners’ association constitute the major roadblock to such a bill, fearing such a law would hurt sales. Actually, states with bottle bills usually experience no long-term decrease in beverage consumption. And get this: In all likelihood such a bill would create income for retailers and the beverage industry. Only 90-95 percent of the containers are expected to be returned for recycling, so the unclaimed deposits constitute a profit for the deposit holder. Also, retailers and bottlers can benefit from “deposit float” — the time between when the deposit is paid and when it is refunded. This is usually one to two months, and during this time the deposit holder, like a bank, may use that money for investments or other profit-generating expenditures. Anyway you slice it, Indiana is due for a “bottle law.” If the legislature will countenance an invasion of privacy seat belt law, it should be ready for a bill in the public interest like a “bottle law.” We favor it strongly.

A bottle deposit would help eliminate this and other litter problems.

Court news

Superior Court The following complaints have been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Judge Robert Burner presiding: Returned Check Augsburger’s Supervalu versus Troy Stephenson, r. 1 box 242 C, Milford. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $256 for a check returned for insufficient funds. Complaint On Foreign Judgment Adirondack Obstetrics and Gynecology, P.C. versus Jane Cook, box 325 Leesburg. The plaintiff is seeking enforcement of a judgment for $1,023.57, plus interest and costs of action, previously received in Supreme Court of Warren County, State of New York. Complaint State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. versus Douglas Marchand, r 3 box 445, Syracuse. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant in the amount of $662.57 plus attorney’s fees and costs of action for damages to a vehicle owned by Lynette Rae Graber, and insured by the plaintiff. City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Speeding — Jeffrey A. Cullers, 24, Milford, S4O Disorderly ting vehicular traffic — David S. Dowty, 18, Syracuse, $35 County Court The following persons have been assessed fines and have paid those fines in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrette presiding: No operator’s license — Paying SSO fines and costs were: Gary Green, Syracuse; Alvin H. Voitz, Syracuse No registration plate — Darrell L. Clark, North Webster, SSO Disregarding stop sign — Paying SSO fines and costs were: Hanford W. Hall, Milford; Larry D. Richards, North Webster False registration — Paying SSO fines and costs were: Scott Ousley, Leesburg; Duane M. Maynard, North Webster Following too closely — Dennis A. Miller, Milford, SSO Expired plates — Edward L. Colley, Syracuse, SSO Speeding — Paying $65 fines and costs were: James L. Wise, Milford; Karla K. Knafel, Leesburg Paying SSO fines and costs was: Michael R. Myers, Syracuse Fishing without license — Gregory R. Flynn, North Webster, s6l Illegal possession — Jesse Rick Pena, Milford, $56 Illegal consumption — Jesse Rick Pena, Milford, $56 fine, six days KCJ with good time credit; Sean R. Mock, Syracuse, s3l Operating while intoxicated — Gary L. Vanator, North Webster, $502 fine, license suspended two years, 30 days KCJ with good* time credit; Sean R. Mock, Syracuse, $252 fine, license suspended one year, six days KCJ Marriage Dissolutions The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts: Reecer — Laura A. Reecer and Steve H. Reecer, r 3 Syracuse. The couple was married Aug. 14, 1983 and separated Feb. 23,1985. Zorn — Jane A. Zorn and Theodore E. Zorn, r 1 box 568, Leesburg. The couple was married Oct. 4, 1970 and separated April 4,1985. There is one minor child. Marriage Licenses The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: ( Fra sure-Overfelt X O’Dell Frasure, 25, 101% E. Main St., Syracuse and Darla Sue Overfelt, 23, 101% E. Main St., Syracuse

Miller-Chupp Daniel Lee Miller, 24, r 2 Leesburg and Mary Ann Chupp, 24, r 2 box 156, Nappanee Hatcher-Strunk Darrell Wayne Hatcher, 36, r 2 Leesburg and Kathy Jo Strunk, 33, r 7 box 178, Warsaw Fickes-Scott Robert Allen Fickes, 56, Vermontville, Mich, and Carolyn R. Scott, 52, 311 E. Catherine St., Milford Sumpter-Rinker Mark Lee Sumpter, 24, r 2 box 20, Milford and Tracy Jill Rinker, 23,106 W. Pearl, Syracuse Baumgartner-Skelton Roger Allen Baumgartner, 11, 24, P.O. Box 266 Milford and Brenda Rae Skelton, 23, r 1 box 157, Milford Wright-Cripe Robert L. Wright, 26, r 5 box 102, Syracuse and Sherry L. Cripe, 35, r 5 box 102, Syracuse Ward-Gaunt John Phillip Ward, 25, r 3 Syracuse and Rebecca Lynne Gaunt, 20, r 6 box 20AA, Warsaw Wawasee Kiwanis members receive attendance pins Perfect attendance pins in several categories were presented to several members of the Wawasee Kiwanis Club, at a ladies’ night dinner meeting at the Windjammer Restaurant on Friday night. Pins were issued by club president Ken Bowton for perfect attendance in the following categories: For eight years, Ken bowton, Carl Freel, Joe Martin, Clair Mohler, Jack Oswalt; for five years, Don Denney; for four years, Leonard Foyle, Buck Sanders and Carl Wilkinson; for three years, Larry Jones; for two years, Herschel Wells, Tom Hoover and Philip Hoover; and for one year, Ron Hibschman, harold Hazenfield, Don Strauss, Greg Long arWLarry Michael. Special plaques went to the club’s charter members: Ken Bowton, Carl Freel, Dan Gallmeier, Stan Hoopingarner, Gene Leedy, Joe Martin, Clair Mohler, Jack Oswald and Ron Roberts. Brief remarks were made by Lt. Governor C. J. Mohler, of the 16-club Land-of-Lakes Division of Kiwanis International. Arch and Della Baumgartner provided the program, showing color slides of a trip they took to China in February 1984 with their granddaughter Christine Baumgartner. No injuries in accident A vehicle passing on the right caused a two-vehicle accident at 7 p m., April 20, at Huntington and Main Streets in Syracuse. No one was injured. Pamela Stutzman, P. O. Box 428 New Paris, was driving a 1979 Chevrolet northbound on Huntington Street and was attempting to turn right onto Main Street when Timothy W. Yeager, 72792 CR 13 Syracuse, started to pass her on the right. The Stutzman driven vehicle is owned by Tracy L. Oberlin, 11340 CR 42 Millersburg, and sustained S2OO damage to the right rear panel. Damage to Yeager’s 1982 Mazda was S4OO to the left front panel. THE MAIL-JOURNAL (U.S.P.S. 3258-4000) Published by the Mail-Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office at Syracuse, Indiana 46567. Second class postage paid at 103 E. Main Street, Syracuse, Indiana 46567 and at additional entry offices. Subscription: sls per year in Kosciusko County; s2l outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of ad dress forms to The Mail Journal, P.O. Box 188, Milford, Indiana 46542

“CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE"

MEMBERS OF the SyracuseWawasee Area Development Company, Inc. (SWADCO) feel left out of a broad Kosciusko county commitment to bring more industrial growth to the county by the Syracuse Town Board’s failure to commit $1 per person of the town’s population (about $2,579) toward the newly formed Kosciusko Development, Inc.(KDI). At the otherwise tempestuous town board meeting last Tuesday evening, Joe Gray, president of SWADCO, brought the matter of the town’s membership in KDI up for consideration. Since drainage problems were high on the board’s agenda, and the strained efforts and remarks by a number of South Main Street residents (and others) took most of the attention of the town board and its several members, it was no doubt an inappropriate moment to bring up KDI membership. But Col. Gray is no man to put things off. He came to the board meeting to talk KDI, and talk KDI he did. He pointed out that Syracuse was the only town of significance in Kosciusko county that has not joined into the county-wide effort to appeal to businesses and industries to locate within the county. Among those who do belong to KDI are: Warsaw, Milford, Pierceton, Silver Lake, North Webster and Etna Green. The Syracuse Town Board members individually expressed interest in KDI, but said the town lacked the funds. They also pointed to a number of projects in the works that require funding that have priority. And as a result, it was left that a letter expressing approval would be written to KDI headquarters in Warsaw, with an explanation that funds were lacking in the town’s budget to fund the project at the present time. The fact that a three-year commitment was asked of the town made the proposition the more binding. Whether private funds will be sought is a matter that has not been fully explored, several SWADCO members remarked. At least one member of SWADCO is expected to attend Hoosier Hospitality at French Lick April 30-oct. 4 if he can win the support of his company. And that member is Bob Westfall, Syracuse manager of the Northern Indiana Public Service Company office. That’s the time and place where Indiana cities and towns tote out their best plans to attract attention as desirable sites for industry. The matter of Syracuse joining KDI is something that is not expected to go away quickly; that is, if the members of SWADCO have anything to do with it. Serving on the important development group besides Col. Gray and Bob Westfall, its secretary, are: Ernie Rogers, vice president; James Caskey, treasurer; and Steve Snyder, Richard Wysong, Carl Myrick, Bill Beemer, Jon Sroufe, Robert Troutman, Gordon Medlock and Edward McLean. WE STILL receive feed-back from our little note that Bob and Betty Deahl spent part of the winter at Sanibel Island across the big bridge from Bradenton. We apologized, set the record straight, that actually Sanibel Island is across the big bridge — that we had right — but across the bridge from Fort Myers, Fla. t Now comes a note from reader Ben Wilson, from his home at 102 49th Street, Holmes Beach, Fla., who pens: “Since I am across a little bridge from Bradenton, you have me confused about the Bob Deahl location. The bridge you describe would have to be the longest in the world —about 75 miles!” * We have to tell Ben we’ve even been accused of inserting such faux pas in this column to see if anyone out there is still reading it. Not true, not true. Sorry about that, Ben. THE NAME Bob Heady still means something to local high school basketball fans. Tail, debonaire (sometimes called a “sharp dresser” by area radio announcers), Heady coached basketball at Wawasee High School from the year 1973-*74 through the year 1975-’76, going from here to Shenandoah High School as coach. It was reported last week that Heady has been named boys’ basketball coach at Carmel High School, located just north of Indianapolis, and will replace Ron Stewart, who resigned after a dismal 1-20 season. Heady compiled an impressive career record of 219-105. He and his wife Donnetta have a son Scott, also tall and an outstanding player, who played on the good team that was runner-up in the state basketball finals in 1981. (Note: When Heady coached at Wawasee, he won a Northern Lakes Conference baseball championship and a sectional baseball championship, both in 1975.) The Headys had a young daughter, about eight or ten years of age, who died of leukemia when they were here, a tragedy that was felt by the entire area. DR. KENNETH WEBSTER, the Lakeland School corporation’s new “sooper”, has been taking his case of “What’s Right About Our Schools” to the people, and doing an effective job of it, too. He’s been speaking before service clubs, or, for that matter, before about any group that will listen, emphasizing the positive, good things about public education. People do seem to dwell on the negative, he said. “Where do you think our astronauts got their education?” he asked a joint meeting of the Milford Lions and Kiwanis Clubs* ladies* night last Monday night. He tells how illiteracy has declined in

America due to the fine public schools, how foreign educators come to America to see how we do such an effective job of educating our youngsters. He calls American schools “the best in the world.” Other countries test only their bright students, but in America everyone is tested, he added. iK “Our job is to identify problems and seek solu- - tions,” he notes. When Dr. Webster speaks of the Lakeland ' School Corporation, he is careful not to take any credit for its programs. He graciously passes ♦ credit along to his predecessor, Don Arnold, i George Gilbert, Marion (“Bud”) Lantz, the „ several principals and a great host of dedicated teachers in the corporation’s four schools, past ■ and present. ‘; Little wonder Dr. Webster was chosen to lead the Lakeland school system into the future. (Note: Each week The Mail-Journal publishes . two and three pages of high school sports and at least two pages of school news with photos, more than most daily newspapers do about their schools, where we recognize the accomplishments of our students and athletes.) YOU SAY you want to get a nice, even tan ■, without all that fuss of laying out in the blistering sun? Well, it can be done, you know. By now everyone should have heard of the in- , creasingly popular tanning beds that are getting all the attention. In what we call the Lakeland area alone there are eight. Most are associated with beauty parlors, however. For a small fee, one can climb into the “bed” . ■ and for something like $5 per session enjoy warm, penetrating rays. Promoters of the new device claim it doesn’t have the seering effect of the \ natural sun, which causes blisters, withering skin and often leads to skin cancer. ' 4 . Whether or not the tanning beds are just a passing fad which will soon fade out, we’re in no . position to say. But for the time being, they’re go- J ing great guns. THE ONLY flurry of activity the new crosscounty banking law the legislature passed and the . governor signed is likely to appear at the State Bank of Syracuse. And that won’t be much. At mid-year last year the First Indiana Ban- . corp of Elkhart, parent company of the First National Bank of Elkhart, purchased 21 percent of the Syracuse bank, the legal limit it could own. With the new law, all this is different, and the First Indiana Bancorp can and most likely will purchase control of the Syracuse bank. Three Bancorp officers are now on the Syracuse State Bank board of directors: Thomas L. Dustimer, James E. Pettit and Don P. Ross. 1 With the change in stock, the local officers and directors will remain the same. The First Indiana Bancorp opened a loan processing office on the comer of Center and High Streets in Warsaw, during the past year. It occupies the corner spot, the former location of the old Centennial Theater. The Warsaw office will eventually become a branch bank of the State Bank of Syracuse, according to James E. Caskey, president of the State Bank of Syracuse. ,* The First National Bank of Elkhart is one of .'<* the more aggressive banks in northern Indiana,. ♦ under the leadership of Tom Dustimer. (See story on page 1.) THERE’S A new game at Wawasee High School: Lacrosse. You say you never heard of it? f You’re not alone. But you can look to hear more - about this game in the future. J It’s non-IHSAA sponsored, but the first high • school game of lacrosse in Indiana was played on. the Wawasee Field Sunday afternoon between £ Wawasee and Culver Military Academy. Score: * Culver 7, Wawasee 5. * -■ The game got started late due to a detour on SR 13 south of North Webster, and some fans left J early. Called “the fastest game on two feet,J lacrosse was originally developed by Indian tribes in what is now the northeastern U.S. and Canada. | It was used as a preparation for tribal warfare.* The French explorers who first saw the garnet named it lacrosse after the wood and leather stick; used to catch and throw the ball which resembles• a cross. The game was adopted by the settlers over 150 years ago, and has been played at the col-’ lege level for over 100 years, primarily in the nor-.' theast. * Sometimes called “an elitist sport,” lacrosse would naturally take root at Culver, where students come from all over the United States. ’ 5 Wawasee team members include Anthony Clark, Gary Harris, Scott Kleeman, Rick Peterson, Kevin Tracey, Matt Line, Scott Cripe, Mikd Neterer, Dave Neterer, Tim Carter, Steve Ensj inger, Nils Haugland, Brad Mitchell. Drew Parr, Louis Siri and Brad Richards. ’ J Channel 22-TV, South Bend, interviewed Mitchell on its Monday night sports news ing the game and the Sunday outcome. •* Staff advisor is Ann Dahlstrom, a Baltimore; native where the game is popular, and she’s ho in promoting the new sport at WHS. J — ‘ i WISH WE’D said that: Why can’t life’s big’ problems come when we’re 20 and know? everything? GOOD TO see Jim Caskey back at his desk at State Bank of Syracuse, where he holds down Uhl president’s chair, following an appendectomy several weeks ago. STEVEN HAGEN, Syracuse/Ligonier attorney and former Ligonier mayor, is expecting, his parents, Judge John and Mariane, home fromFort Myers Beach, Florida, soon. John underwent* a quadruple bypass the day after they arrived al the Stere Island Beach Club for a brief vacation several weeks ago.