The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 26, Milford, Kosciusko County, 25 June 1986 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., June 25,1986

Editorials

A salute to the Mermaid Festival

Once again it is time to salute the North Webster Mermaid Festival and those who have been working behind the scenes to insure the success of the 41st annual festival. Each year the festival draws a bevy of beauties and a group of talented athletes to compete for the “Queen of Lakes’’ title and the Tournament of Knights championship. To the winners go not only titles but scholarships. Each year the festival has drawn the prettiest girls of the area to the “Queen of Lakes” contest.and has commanded a dignitary who is often a state official or prominent politician from Washington, D. C. Two young women who wore the crown of “Queen of Lakes,” Barbara Mougin, 1970 queen, and Terry Kaiser, 1975 queen, went on to win the “Miss Indiana” title. Miss Mougin was named first runner-up in the “Miss America” competition. If pretty girls and sports aren’t what a reader is looking for there’s much more at the festival. Tonight the traditional spotlight is on the younger generation as a Cutie Parade and Cutie King and Queen contest will be held. Other events to take place before the festival ends include the talent competition for high school and older, the finals of the girls’ and boys’ Youth League tourneys, and, the 41st annual Mermaid Festival Parade. It’s billed as one of Indiana’s finest and is set to move out at 4 p.m. on Saturday. We point with pride to the Lakeland community of North Webster and to it’s Mermaid Festival. Won’t you join us there this week? It’s an event no one will want to miss. Never be worried by the few people who cling to the idea that they are a little better than other people. Getting along amicably in life is largely a problem of getting along with people just about as good as you are.

Thatcher: Courage

Margaret Thatcher continues to set an example of statesmanlike courage for other western leaders. The latest example is her speech in Israel in the last days of May. Britain, of course, gained a post-World War I mandate over the territory that now includes Israel, and suffered many losses and headaches trying to administer the area. Menachem Begin, recent controversial prime minister of Israel, was one of the terrorists bombing and killing British soldiers during this period. The United States pressured Britain and other nations to eject hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from the area and create the state of Israel in 1948. The British reluctantly went along but warned, prophetically, that this would create instability in the whole region. In Israel, Thatcher spoke out on the civil rights abuses affecting Palestinians in territory occupied by Israel. She suggested Israel lift its ban on local elections in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. She said forthrightly that Israel should not have two classes of citizen within its borders, with different rights and standards, and said she didn’t think most Israelis could accept this kind of discrimination. She said Palestinians should be allowed to have a greater role in managing their own affairs, in which process, she hoped, responsible leaders would emerge who might make peace with Israel. The candor and honesty with which Thatcher attacks the very dangerous Middle East dilemma is in stark contrast to the silence of American politicians, another. Only President Carter, in recent times, has spoken out against conditions forced on the Palestinians with any degree of courage. Much time is wasted preparing for what doesn’t happen. The best way to win an argument is to exhibit patience and self control.

What others say —

Death of an athlete

At age 22, Len Bias had it all. An All-American from the University of Maryland, Bias was chosen second in Tuesday’s National Basketball Association draft. He was selected, no less, by the Boston Celtics, the team that recently won its 16th league title, the team that long has been synonymous with championship basketball. Bias would be earning a six-figure salary and playing with the legendary Larry Bird. But Bias did not seem blinded by the stars in his future. He was attending a summer session at the Maryland campus, completing his degree in interior design. He was celebrating the draft with family and friends. By the accounts of all who knew him, Len Bias was a gifted athlete and a good and decent young man who was amazed that he was achieving the dream for which he’d worked so hard. When Len Bias died Thursday morning of an apparent heart attack, perhaps complicated by cocaine, shock waves hit basketball fans and casual observers across the nation. Young people die every day — in accidents, by suicide or illness. Yet Bias’ death hit people especially hard. He was a public figure. Basketball fans everywhere had watched him play in the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament this spring. People who watch the evening news saw him beaming Tuesday as he made his passage from amateur athlete to highly paid professional. Everyone who saw him could see that he was in great shape and on top of the world. How could this happen to someone in seemingly perfect health? What are we to make of the tragic death of someone so young and promising? Os course, there are no easy answers. There may be yet another tragically compelling message about the senselessness of drug use. Who could miss that message if it turns out — as speculated — that a friend persuaded Bias, who had no known history of drug use, to try cocaine and that the cocaine contributed to his death? Drugs or no drugs, there is a reminder that we sometimes lose perspective — putting so much stock in winning or losing and daily competition that we forget to celebrate life itself. And when someone as young and healthy as Len Bias dies, it reminds us that death can come unexpectedly to anyone, anytime. So as we sympathize with all of those who knew and loved Len Bias, we also pause to consider the fragility of human life and vow to respect life for the miracle that it is. - FORT WAYNE JOURNAL-GAZETTE

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Young and old alike are having fun this week at the 41st Annual Mermaid Festival in North Webster. Pictured are two youngsters conning down the super slide.

Court news

City Court . The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Speeding — Peggy J. Robertson, 52, Syracuse, $47.50; Jack W. Leamon, 35, Syracuse, $52.50; Robert E. Wyman, 50, Syracuse, $52.50 Disobedience to an official traffic control device — William T. Schrader, 18, Syracuse, dismissed Expired registration plate — Matthew R. Myers, 17, Syracuse, $38.50 Disregarding automatic signal — Robert A. Larkin, 21, Syracuse, $47.50 Circuit Court The following complaints have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand presiding: Complaint To Quiet Title V.E.S.T. Enterprises, Inc. versus Everett Rookstool and Lillie Rookstool, r 2 Leesburg, to quiet title on real estate. Complaint To Foreclose Mortgage Salem Bank and Trust Company versus Turtle Bay Development Corp., Turtle Bay Homeowners Association, Connie Davis, Nappanee, representative; Juan Bonilla, Northfield, Ill.; and Turtle Bay Homeowners Association, Scott M. Jacobson, Bristol, representative. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendants for the foreclosure and sale of real estate to satisfy judgment in the amount of $33,992.94 plus interest, attorney’s fees and all costs of action. Complaint For Eviction And Damages Joe Baker versus Kathy Baker, box 676 Syracuse. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the immediate eviction of defendant from rental property owned by the plaintiff, plus damages in the amount of $2,000, plus attorney’s fees and all costs of action. County Court The following persons have been assessed fines and have paid those fines in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrette presiding: Disregarding stop sign — Charles S. Gradeless, 16, North Webster, SSO Unsafe start — Michael J. Wouster, 21, Cromwell, SSO Superior Court The following complaints have been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Judge Robert Burner presiding: Complaint Augsburger’s Supervalu versus Elizabeth J. Hannon, r 1 box 281 H, Leesburg. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $250.81 for a check returned for non-sufficient funds. Complaint Elkhart Dental Center, P.C. versus Jesse Robinson, 410 Harrison St., Elkhart. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $526 plus interest, attorney’s fees and all costs of action, on a past due account for services. Petition For Writ Os Certiorari Mildred F. Spry versus Board of Zoning Appeals of Kosciusko County and Fred S. Krueckeberg, r 2 box 107, Syracuse. The plaintiff is seeking a writ of certiorari for the review of a decision of the May 12, 1986, decision to allow a variance to Fred S. Krueckeberg to build a carport on property in Stroh’s Evergreen Addition, LakeWawasee.

Complaint On Note And Foreclosure Merchants Mortgage Corp, versus Eugene A. Arrrington, Jr., and Phoebe K. Arrington, r 3 box 615, Syracuse. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendants for foreclosure of real estate owned by the defendants to -Safiffy judgment in the amount of $39,000 plus interest, attorney’s fees and all costs of action. Complaint On Check Roxanna J. Hadley, doing business as Syracuse License Branch, versus John Long, P.O. Box 61 Leesburg. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $495 for a check returned for nonsufficient funds. Marriage Licenses The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Bowler-Tyler Steven Ray Bowler, 22, r 1 box 162, Milford, and Aimee Jo Tyler, 1 19, r 1 box 162, Milford Gans-Roder Dane Edward Gans, 19, r 5 box 64A, Syracuse, and Jean Marie Roder, 18, r 5 box 64A, Syracuse Dunithan-Marcum Stephen Morris Dunithan, 20, r 4 box 34, Syracuse, and Sandra Ann Marcum, 20, 206 Bowery St., Ligonier Hancock-Karesh Alan Andrew Hancock, 24, r 1 box 181, Leesburg, and Elaine Marie Karesh, 22, 712 S. Lake, Syracuse Haman-Francis Edward J. Haman, 24, r 1 box 115, North Webster, and Sherri A. Francis, 23, r 1 box 115, North Webster Marriage Dissolutions The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts: ✓ Smith — Tai Stewart Smith, Kosciusko County, and Barbara Jayne Brouwer Smith, 501 S. Huntington, Syracuse. The couple was married Aug. 3,1985, and separated June 6,1986. Graves — Danny Edward Graves, Kosciusko County, and Karen Sue Graves, r 1 box 582, North Webster. The couple was married June 14, 1969, and separated June 11, 1986. There are three minor children. Myers — Donald L. Myers, Leesburg, and Carol S. Myers, P.O. Box 4 Burket. The couple was married Aug 3, 1961, and separated Feb. 1,1966. There are two minor children. Experienced A successful executive is one who can delegate all the responsibility, shift all the blame, and appropriate all the credit. — Fulcrum. Boston.

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"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE"

REGULAR VIEWERS of the North Webster Mermaid Festival parade might see a first time Syracuse entry Uiis year. It will be in the form of a refurbished 1942 GMC fire truck, owned by Jack Oswald of Three Flags DriveJane Grady of Grady Farms, and Herschel Wells of Gropp’s Famous Fish of Stroh. The three unlikely partners purchased the vintage truck from Gene Stoffel, who reside* a mile and half south of North Webster. Stoffel owned the truck for about three years, having purchased it from Tom Tuttle and his Dirty Dozen colleagues. They used it around the South Shore Golf Club and drove it around the countryside, having owned it for 10 years. Stoffel tired of the old truck, having other fish to fry. He and Gloria own and operate a package liquor store and pizza outlet in Pierceton, which keeps them quite busy. At any rate, Stoffel says the old fire truck was the original property of the Peru Fire Department. The new owners paid >2,000 for it, and have plans of having artist Dave Butler repaint it, using the logos of the three new owners. Three Flags has its logo, and Grady Farms have the attractive green satin jackets with gold Grady Farms lettering. And now they’re working on a logo for Wells, all of which will grace the sides of theu>new possession. The purpose of all this: to use the truck however possible to raise money for the several area fire departments and EMS units. JEANNE GARDINER informs this column that the sesquicentennial committee has purchased 2,000 T-shirts in various sizes from Tranter Graphics and that they are now on sale for $4 for sizes 2 to 16, and $5 for adults. She has them at the bank, and others will be selling them as well. It turned out this column could not have had a better model for the shirts than four-year-old Anthony Minnix whose photo appeared here last week. He turned out to be the perfect "ham" when he saw the camera’s lens focus on him. 808 DE AHL of Sand Point (Lake Wawasee) might be on to something big. He’s privately proposing that hearing-impaired individuals wear some sort of identification pin to let others know of their impairment. And why not? Most people who are in some way physically impaired wear necklaces, wrist band: and other means of announcing their problem. A blind person, for example, has the heavy dark glasses and in some instances a white walking cane, or seeing eye dog: others less impaired have eye glasses that are a sure sign of impairment (at least for those of us who have set our vanity aside and donned the spectacles). While Deahl has no figures to back up his claim, he contends hearing impairment for 50-year-olds and up is alarming and the figures progress rapidly as the age limits increase. The little identification pin Deahl proposes wouli save a lot of embarrassment for all concerned. He’s going to plead his case before some “higher court” — perhaps in Ann Landers* muchread column. * THIS WEEK will be the last week for Village Plumbing & Heating manager and trouble-shooter John Plank, but he doesn’t plan an idle retirement. John, who went with the Goshen-based company in May 1969 when it opened its doors to serve a broad Syracuse area, will be a young 65 on Monday, and to hear him tell it, it’s time to pursue several other personal interests. Among these other interests are his ponies, which he raises and trains on his small farm on old

SR 15 south of Mils ord. John has been an • avid pony bull for

years, racing in Indiana. Michigan and Ohio. This year’s schedule, as indicated on the Midwestern Big Four Race card, began May 30-31 at LaGrange, Indiana, and ends September 15 at the Cen reville. Michigan, fair. John races his ponies in sulkie races, and is seer quite often on the track on the south side of US f east of Nappanee. He has his own track on his small Milford farm, and can be seen there almost nigltly working out his ponies. John’s replacement will be Kim Hartman of Lee iburg, a longtime employee of Village Plumbing it Heating. —o— BARBARA SCANDLIN, of Walnut Creek, Calif. (intheSanFrancisco/Oaklandßayarea), is spending three weeks with her daughter. Penny Heckaman, Penny’s husband Larry, and their four children, Brooke, Lisa, Adam and Alexandra, at t leir Kale Island home. Mrs. Scandlin is remembered as having res; ©red the West Main Street home she lived in for a number of years, situated on Turkey Creek. It fc listed as one of the town’s oldest homes. Barbara speaks in glowing terms of life in the Bay area. ONE CAN expect all sorts of things to be cropping up insofar as next year’s sesquicentennial is con eerned. The committee is seeing a wide assort - me it of fund-raising ideas sprout up. One such idea is germinating in the fertile mil id of artist/sign painter Dave Butler. But he is keeping it so qniet that even his wife Susie doesn’t knew what it is. Dave is eyeing a limited edition of wh itever-it-is he has in mind, not to be announced mat il next year. MORE INFORMATION on the whereabouts of t he old Syracuse High School tropines. This has ben a concern of Emery Druckamiller, former

Syracuse basketball and baseball great, now a resident of Angola, who would like to see them become the property of the Kosciusko County Historical Society rather than sink into oblivion. Druckamiller’s accomplishments have been detailed in this column several times, pointing out, for one thing, that he was a member of the allstate basketball team in 1921 when he was a junior at Syracuse High School when the school was located in uptown Syracuse. Mrs. R. C. (Susie) Tytler, a resident of Lake Wawasee and a SHS graduate with the class of 1935, called to tell us, “The trophies are where they have always been... in the trophy case at the Syracuse Junior High School. They have not been sold nor given away.” She added. “The alumni officers are determined they will not be discarded like the photos were 16 years ago when they were put in the attic and rained on.” Charles Haffner, principal al the junior high for a number of years, has stated no trophies were removed during his long tenure as principal. ON FRIDAY State Bank of Syracuse employees one by one found their way to the upstairs coffee bar where they found several sacks of fresh assorted donuts and rolls, courtesy of chairman of the board Bill Cable who turned 68 that very day. WHEN MARGE and Bob Troutman recently closed their books on the current fiscal year, they did a double-take and realized they have been in the insurance business here as Pickwick Insurance for five years. “My, those years have gone fast,” said affable Troutman. The Troutmans can also point to five successful years when they saw their fledgling business grow to a sizable business. FRIENDS OF Calvin E. Beck, longtime Bonar Lake resident and Syracuse High School teacher and basketball coach, is now a resident of the Kenney Retirement Community at 200 Kenney Circle Drive, Ligonier. He moved about a month ago from Hubbard Hills Estates, an Elkhart retirement center, and is closer to his many area friends. He has a 38-year record of wins in track, baseball and basketball, and continues to be an avid sports fan, according to his son Charles, a Lake Wawasee resident. Other children of Beck and his late wife Izel (Whitehead) are Wendall of Avilla and Richard of Pompano Beach, Fla., all* three sons former teachers and coaches. The Ligonier retirement community is a, 63-bed facility with 25 individual living cottages and is situated off Lincolnway West, northwest of Ligonier. THE BIG Bang Boom fireworks, scheduled for the center of Lake Wawasee at 10:15 p.m. Saturday, July 5, is getting a lot of attention as being a “first” by the merchants, manufacturers and individuals who are sponsoring the 116,000 project. Some of them will be surprised to learn it Isn’t a “first” but a “second.” In fact, such a fireworks — albeit not quite as extensive — was held, around 1940 or 1941. One person who remembers this Is Ken Harkless. He responded to our query earlier this week: “Sure I remember it,” he said, but allowed that he didn’t remember what year it occurred. Anyone else remember? —O—“THINGS ARE getting tough,” said uptown barber George Bushong, as he watched workmen install cameras behind the counters of the State Bank of Syracuse, looking somewhat askance. NEIGHBORS AND others of the Wawasee Spink Condominiums (the former Wawasee Prep) are wondering about the demolition of the old Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) building, located on the property across from Wawasee Golf Club. As near as could be learned, the old building has outlived its usefulness and adds little or nothing to the esthetics of the new beautiful condominium complex. The removal of the building will give the condominiums an “open view”, this column has been informed. WHAT’S GOING on here, anyway? That’s what we thought following Tuesday noon’s luncheon meeting of the S-W Rotary Club when outgoing president Bob Troutman handed the gavel over to incoming president Bob Westfall. Just a year ago Troutman handed the S-W Chamber of Commerce gavel over to Westfall. When reminded of this, Troutman quipped, “Well, yeah, I’m bringing him right along.” IF ONE of Dave Blackwell’s band students contacts you to lend your support for their holiday trip to the Jacksonville. Fla., Gator Bowl, help them out. They’re collecting pledges for each mile they march in local parades and practices during the summer. They plan to march about 59 miles, Blackwell said this week. They ve never turned jk down, and we shouldn’t turn them down. About 150 students plan to go, and at 9250 per student, it’s going to take some support. Two years ago the band was invited to the Peach Bowl at Atlanta, Ga„ and it was a real experience for them. They garnered simitar public support at that time. THE MAIL-Journal signed on ita reporter at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Elkhart General Hospital in the person of Cody James Patterson, new son of Debbie and Tom Patterion. He’s expected to fill in for hta mother from time to time as reporter/office manager at the uptown Syracuse office Salary? We’D have to negotiate that with our new reporter.