The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 2, Milford, Kosciusko County, 25 February 1987 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., February 25,1987

Editorial

Area youths take heroic stand Having accidentally stumbled into the center of an illicit ordeal, two area youths took a heroic stand recently. The two youths weren’t out trying to prove to the world how brave they were, nor could they just stand by while an area resident took advantage of youths in the North Webster community. Yes, they became involved accidentally, but chose to be a part of righting a wrong. The boys are members of the North Webster Just Say No Club and when it came right down to it, that’s exactly what they did. One of the boys said that when he answered the phone at a local phone booth, illicit remarks were made about his body and he called the voice a pervert. But more important, he slammed the phone down, thus indicating he was in no way interested in becoming involved with the voiceon the other end of the phone. He did not indicate that at any time, was he willing to just go along with the voice. He was completely disgusted by the remarks and suggestions that were being made to him. The decision to say no and not be drawn into illicit behavior was an instant decision for the boys. Through the course of time the North Webster Police became involved and took the matter into their hands. The boys then found out first hand what a policeman’s job is really all about. They learned a little about safety measures, surveillance, being wired, secret signals and patience. Perhaps a bit afraid, or nervous, or even somewhat excited, the boys took a stand against an adult who was in the wrong. In doing so they may have saved other area youths from harm. Yes, these two boys are unsung heroes and they know they did the right thing. That’s really all that matters to them because they had the strength to just say no! — Carla Gaff 'ln' Words The media go bonkers every year or so on an “in” word. The present overused word is deja vu. Every two-bit writer is using this expression to show how “in” his or her writing is. The big kick before deja vu, and still overused, is “definitive.” Everyone is using the word to describe the most authoritative book on any subject, or the best film or the most authentic this or that. If it isn’t definitive these days, it’s nowhere. Back before that the Washington bureaucracy came up with “periphery” and we were inundated with periphery for at least five or ten years. The yippies who lived on smoke and dreams in the sixties coined another good phrase — negative cash flow. That was the condition of someone who went broke, or, in more pertinent terms, was busted. One would prefer straight talk, such as: “I was busted.” Politicians There are those who rate politicians the lowest form of human life; that’s an extreme view, but it is true that the U.S. Congress in recent years has done much to create negative views. Congress can’t live within its means. It can neither balance the budget nor stop huge annual borrowings which wildly expand the national debt and create awful burdens for future generations. When one criticizes Congress, that means members aren’t displaying the courage to meet their responsibilities to the people. Each member meanwhile blames others, the other party, or the president, for the gutless performance. With this as background, one grows weary of pious publicity-seeking members these days eyeing the scandal at the White House. In the IranNicaraguan arms scandal, Democrats for the first time in six years have a chance to Irmbast President Reagan. It’s the administration’s own fault. There were blunders and maybe more. Nevertheless, self-righteous posing for publicity-seeking politicians playing to emotions of the moment, starting one investigation after another, is a bit much. There they stand in front of cameras with a chance of a lifetime to star on TV. They smell another Watergate and seek all the mileage they can get out of the muck. Perhaps that’s inevitable. But, in view of the record of Congress in recent years one wishes there was some investigative body which could call members to account individually and collectively for their many lapses, negligence and irresponsibility. What others say — ♦ Common courtesy due. . . Isn’t it just common courtesy to show a bit of respect when a funeral procession goes by? I always thought it was prudent to show this gesture of respect by stopping your car or waiting quietly by the roadside if you are on foot. It won’t be that long until the procession has passed. Be patient. The people in that procession have lost someone dear. How would you feel if some car kept zipping in between the cars of the procession if that someone dear was a member of your family. But I guess common courtesy, respect... I guess that has all gone down the drain. It really bothers me to see cars pass in and out of the funeral procession — why they don’t even stop at stop signs to wait. If they see a funeral procession coming they speed across the intersection just to beat the procession. After all, that precious few minutes wasted waiting could be spent on more important pursuits. Okay, as much as I hate to do it, let’s forget common courtesy for a few moments. If you can’t take a few seconds for common courtesy, what about obeying the law? Let’s just talk about that for a minute. Do you know that vehicles with lighted headlights in a funeral procession have the right-of-way at any intersection and may proceed through the intersection if the procession is headed by a lead or escort vehicle displaying a flashing red light? That’s the law. Do you know that operators of vehicles not a part of a funeral procession shall not drive the vehicles between the vehicles Os the funeral procession except when authorized to do by a traffic officer or when such vehicle is an authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal by siren. That’s the law. Do you know that vehicles not a part of a funeral procession shall not form a procession and have their headlights lighted for the purpose of securing the right-of-way granted to funeral processions. That’s the law. I always thought common courtesy and respect were enough, especially in this community, but I have learned that is not always the case. It would be nice if we would all show such courtesy when a funeral procession is passing but, if not, remember the law. A person who knowingly violates this law may be guilty of a Class C infraction ... that he could uav uu w a That a the law... - —the WAKARUSA TRIBUNE

—""" ", . “ 1 ————- ■ VJ II BBL I I j . I I fl fl BWifl fl IjF I L: I i bBI r I ||||®l- ■ -L. I I I Jon A. Valentine, arrested February 18 on two counts of child molesting, is said to have frequently used this North Webster phone, booth to call area youths.

Court news

County Court The following persons have been assessed finea and costs in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrette presiding: Illegal consumption — Kimberly Ann Granger, 20, Syracuse, SB9. Operating motor vehicle while intoxicated — Charles K. Howard, 31, Milford, $278, license suspended 90 days, 6 days KCJ. Hunting without consent — Paying $74 were: Max L Dunseth, 29, Leesburg The following fines plus court costs have been levied and paid in Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding — Mary L. Korenstra, 54, Syracuse, $50.50; William J. Schrader, 19, Syracuse, $47.50 Failure to yield — Ronald E. Stuckman, 16, Syracuse, $52.50 City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Speeding — Donald M. Kauffman, 18, Syracuse, $55.50 Unsafe vehicle — Jimmy C. Bailey, 38, Syracuse, $90.50 Marriage Licenses The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Leiter-Hampshire Steven Jay Leiter, 20, P.O. Box 95, Claypool, and Tina Louise Hampshire, 19, r 1 box 659A, Leesburg Miller-Ferguson Terry Lee Miller, 36, r 4 lot 67, Syracuse, and Lynn A. Ferguson, 32, r 4 lot 67, Syracuse Erb-Chapa Larry E. Erb, 39, r 1 box 443, North Webster, and Virginia Casares Chapa, 35, r 1 box 443, North Webster Kinney-Tuttle Richard A. Kinney, 47, r 2 box 580, Syracuse, and Linda Lou Tuttle, 26, r 2 box 580, Syracuse Marriage Dissolutions The following couples have filed for marriage dissolutions in Kosciusko Superior and Circuit Courts: Stull — John S. Stull, 111, r 2 lot 7, Warsaw, and Sarnie Dee Stull, r 1 box 660, Leesburg. The couple was married April 5, 1978, and separated Feb. 4, 1987. There is one minor child. Gonzalez — Noe Gonzalez, no address given, and Sandra Jane Gonzalez, r 1 box 570 G, Leesburg. The couple was married Aug. 25, 1983, and separated Feb. 5, 1987. There is one minor child. Starner — Gerry Lee Starner, r 2 box 377, Leesburg, and William Lawrence Starner, r 2 box 196E, Leesburg. The couple was married May 9, 1973, and separated Jan. 17,1987. Shear — Jama Leigh Shear, r 1 box 175, Warsaw, and Timothy Alan Shear, 52 North Shore Dr., Syracuse. The couple was married Feb. 28,1981, and separated Jan. 8,1987. There are two minor children. Brown — Machelle Lea Brown, no address given, and Darrin Lynn Brown, r 1 box 213, Milford. The couple was married Aug. 23, 1985, and separated Feb. 6, 1987. There are two minor children. Superior Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Superior Court, Judge Robert Burner {residing: Complaint Ai.ncKnrqor'g SiinerValu versus Patrick Newell, 900 E. Greenhaus Dr., Syracuse. The

plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $7lO for a check-returned for non-sufficient funds. Complaint On Account Rockhill, Pinnick, Pequignot, Helm & Landis Attorneys versus Brian Neibert, r 1, Leesburg. plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendant for the sum of $198.25 due on an open accounts? Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand presiding: Complaint For Foreclosure Os Real Estate Mortgage Waterfield Mortgage Company, Inc. versus Carl L. Gay and Kelly Gay, 106 E. Boston St., Syracuse. The plaintiff is seeking judgment against the defendants for the foreclosure of real estate to satisfy judgment in the amount of SIB,OOO plus interest, attorney’s fees and all costs of action. Mitchell presents program for Kiwonians Northern Indiana Public Service Company has received a 1987 Warm Heart Award and recognition from the President’s Citation Program for its efforts in educating the public about hypothermia. . The award and citation program’s “C-Flag” were presented in Washington, D.C., to John W. Dunn, senior vice president and general manger of energy distribution at NIPSCO. The annual Warm Heart Awards are made by the Center for Environmental Physiology and honor individuals and organizations for out standing contributions to the prevention of hypothermia and heat illness. The center cited NIPSCO’s leadership in preventing heat and cold stress among the elderly and the company’s commitment to this health issue in presenting the award. The President’s Citation Program “C-Flag” recognizes businesses who sponsor outstanding voluntary community projects. The “C-Flag” bears the inscription that “We can; We Care.” . Nipsco’s hypothermia program began in 1986 and is coordinated through local area Agencies on Aging. The program focuses on building coalitions of aging, energy, health care and social service professionals to carry information on safe energy conservation and the prevention of heat and cold stress to the elderly. NIPSCO provides training and materials on hypothermia and also offers a hypothermia presentation through the company’s Speakers Bureau.

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: sl6 per year in Kosciusko County. $22 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of address forms to The Mail-Journal, P.O . Box 188, Milford, Indiana 46542. I i

"CRUZIN y AROUND 'CUSH" 1

18. jML. W (EDITOR’S NOTE: Ronald Sharp is one of Syracuse’s local historians and is well-known in the Lakeland area.) WITH ALL the snow and cold weather you people have been having it brings out the tales of other “hard winters.” Weather stories are about like fish stories. They get bigger and bigger with each passing year. We had a winter in the 19305. It was compared with the winter in 1916 or 1917 by the old timers. to* The winter in the those years (1916 or 1917 > was severe. Pictures show men standing on sleighs with the vertical cuts in the snow far above their heads. One of the big industries in those days was storage of ice. Some people claimed it was so cold that they had to wait until a thaw so the saws used cutting ice could cut to the bottom. Then when they did cut it, they cut small pieces because the ice was so deep. This is truly a tall tale. Have you ever seen those handsaws they used to cut ice? The saw was a good six feet long. I lived through the bad winter of the 1936 and it was a “dilly.” The snow was very deep. Huntington Road north (Syracuse to New Paris) was closed because the cut in the road at the county line was drifted shut. I remember walking on that snow and it was as high as the banks on both sides. That winter the entire month of February was below zero. There was one week of 20 degrees and below. People who got their vehicles started let them run when they went uptown. If you stopped the vehicle, the oil condensed and it was impossible to start the car. No one ventured out unless it was necessary. If you went out, you covered your face with a cloth. Then the cloth would freeze on to your face due to the moisture from your breath. Luckily, we had the railways in those days because other traffic was at a standstill. The railway brought in what we4ieeded. Most families were/more self-sufficient in the 1930 s than we were in 1978 when we were hit with that snow storm. In the 1930 s we grew our own vegetables and raised chickens and other animals. ’? . ■ Another minus in the 1930 s was that coal was our main source of fuel for fire. Remember the old cookstove in the kitchen and the potbelly stove in the living room? If a person stood close to the stoves, he got scorched on the front side and frozen on the back. To keep the fire going on those cold winter nights a family member had to stay up all night and tend it.

Appoint Augsburger to committee

state Senator John B. Augsburger (R-Syracuse) has been appointed by Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Robert D. Garton to serve on the State Government Issues and Organization Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Augsburger will serve through November of 1988. The State Government Issues and Organization Committee is one of seven standing committees of NCSL’s Assembly on the Legislature (AOL). The AOL serves as a major forum for the exchange of ideas and information among state legislatures. It allows each legislature to benefit from the experiences of other states in shaping public policy, experimenting with new laws and managing the legislative institution. The AOL meets three times each year, with its next meeting scheduled for February 26-28 in Washington, D.C. This committee, according to Garton, is traditionally the committee of emerging issues. It will continue its study of issues related to liability insurance and will provide tracking services on state legislative cctiritfee. Other topics seneauied to be studied

In the 1930 s Trustee Dan Klink hired men to clear the country roads with hand shoveb. In 1936 thb provided work for many men who were unemployed. The blizzard of 1978 was a real storm. Autos were stuck on SR 13 back of our house for a couple of days. The only effective snow movers were large graders and earth-moving equipment. When the roads were opened on about the third day, vehicles were found buried under the snow. Why someone didn’t lose hb life in that storm is still a mystery. Grocery stores soon were out of milk and bread. Canned goods also were in demand. A dairy farmer off Huntington Street let it be known that if anyone would bring a container, the farmer would give him milk free. The tank milk trucks could not get to him to take the milk offhb hands. We saw a constant trek of people going by our house with containers on sleds to get the milk. Something new was added to the 1978 snowstorm to assbt people in overcoming the road conditions. It was the snowmobile. Those vehicles delivered oxygen to medical patients and food to those who could not walk to the grocery stores. Have you noticed how people respond during these times? They help each other shovel snow, joke, and have a genuinely good time. So, when you talk of the winter of 1987, you young people have a snowstorm to talk about. For you old timers you can compare the 1936 blizzard with that of 1978 and *B7. However, let’s keep the tall tales “within bounds.” After all, if we didn’t have the weather to talk about, how could we start a conversation with a stranger? HAVE YOU noticed diminishing snow lines? On the north the county line has less snow than Goshen. Going south to the continental divide (near Harris Funeral Home) the snow there begins to diminish. The next line is U.S. 30 at Pierceton, where it is even less. DID YOU know that in Syracuse there are more alcoholic beverage outlets than there are churches. There is one alcoholic beverage outlet for every 230 persons. There is a church for every 320 persons. SINCE THE days of Fletcher Marsh and his art gallery Syracuse has had an art “colony.” With the passing of the late Ken Harkless and Mrs. Richard Miller during past few years, the local artists’ contingent has been reduced considerably. Mrs. Mary Bushong, Marilyn Moore, and Betty Appenzeller are prominent among those remaining. These local artists have helped perpetuate the memory of local places — wellknown in the past. Let’s hope that some young talent comes along. MANY HOPE that Oakwood Park will be resurrected as a religious center. Hopes were dashed when Bbhop James Armstrong resigned as head of the United Methodist Church and National Council of Churches. Armstrong who was raised in Syracuse was pushing Oakwood as a Spiritual Life Center. Plans were Underway at that time for the “Upper Room,” Nashville, Tenn., to move some of its operation to Oakwood. WITH THE formation of the Kosciusko County Tourism Council it should be possible for some enterprising individual to offer boat tours of Lake Wawasee during the summer months. This could be an attraction for tourists to come to the lake area for the day.

rights and drug testing, the impact of plant closing and recommendations for legislative responses, an analysis of privatization and its effectiveness, problems related to illegal aliens and immigration and hearings related to pornography. “Serving on the State Government Issues and Organization Committee will provide Senator Augsburger with a greater opportunity to discuss state issues with state legislators and legislative staff from throughout the county,” Garton commented. “Through thb dialogue, Indiana

Serving our country

KRIS E. WEST Marine Pfc. Kris E. West, son of Mike A. and Judith West of r 1, Milford, has completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Calif. During the 11-week training cycle, West was taught the basics of battlefield survival. He was introduced to the typical daily rputine that he will experience during his enlistment and studied the nersonal and nrofessional -a. f a_ a—Jl4J— un-ii-J SMIUUeUUD H«UIHVOOMJ OUUUVIMM by Marines.

legislators have tne opportunity to hear innovative ideas on bow to approach the issues that cut across state lines and aye of concern to all legislatures nationwide.” NCSL represents the nation’s 50 state legislatures. The organization, over 7,4oomembers strong, has three basic objectives: to improve the quality and effectiveness of state legislatures, to foster interstate communication and cooperation, and to assure state legislatures a strong, cohesive voice in the federal system.

He participated in an active physical conditioning program and gained proficiency in a variety of military skills, including first aid, rifle marksmanship and dose order drill. Teamwork and self-discipline were emphasized throughout the training cycle. A first People who think time heals everythin haven’t triad aittins ft 55* « a wvior'■ whiny