The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 48, Milford, Kosciusko County, 13 January 1988 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., January 13,1988

Editorial

Unsung heroes one and all The fire which hit the downtown business block in Milford was devastating. It completely destroyed Evans Family Store. It did, however, provide a number of unsung heroes. r of the Syracuse and Leesburg fire departments joined the Milford firemen in containing the fire. The call was received around 8:40 p.m. and firemen were on the scene within minutes. One or more of them remained there until 5 p.m. the next afternoon. They worked side by side in freezing 10 degree temperatures and became heroes, one and all, as they trained nine hoses on the fire. They worked long and hard to keep the fire under control and from spreading to other downtown buildings. During their meeting Monday, members of the Milford town t board commended the firemen from all three communities and the people who pitched in to help where needed. . - Retiring town board president Jean Treesh pointed - it the restaurant which opened its doors for food and a warm place for the firefighters to get out of the cold for a few minutes. Town Marshal David Hobbs said Milford is a community of action and a community that sticks together. Street and water commissioner Dallas Winchester, a member of the Milford Fire Department, said the immediate past town bbard should receive credit for the new well and tower. “If it wasn’t for the new well and tower, the gallons per minute that we pumped on the fire, the fire would have traveled a lot quicker. The firemen would have had to set up from Turkey Creek tp pump and lost more than what we did.” . „ , Winchester’s point is well noted, especially if one looks back into the files of The Milford Mail and finds the story of the fire that hit the east side of Main Street in 1902. The last paragraph of that article reads: “All of this could have been saved had the Mail's pleadings availed anything and a system of waterworks been put in.” All we can add at this point is thanks for the firemen who left their warm homes on a Sunday night to fight a fire in the cold of the night. Thanks for all who pitched in and helped and thanks for the water that was available when it was needed. The puffers Polls taken among the general public since the admission by two presidential candidates that they experimented with marijuana have surprised many. A recent CBS-New York Times poll found that over half the population under the age of 45 has tried marijuana. By government figuring, a third of all Americans over the age of 12 have tried at least one marijuana cigarette. Older voters —of which there are fewer — have not used marijuana it such numbers, and they are the most likely to disapprove of candidates like Bruce Babbit and Albert Gore Jr., who admitted they tried marijuana. And when an older and younger candidate in a race both admit they used marijuana, as happened in the Florida Senate race between Congressman Connie Mack and Senator Lawton Chiles, the public might frown more upon the older candidate than the younger. But, in the end, the joint issue might turn out to be a very small issue with voters. Some candidates say the press, sensationalists, and scandal mongers are the only ones mightily disturbed by marijuana admissions. Former Lieutenant Governor Bill Scranton, of Pennsylvania, says the recent controversy over trying marijuana was mostly generated by the media. But Scranton lost an election for governor after his admission, and so the importance of the drug use issue is yet to be finally settled. The year 1988 may provide a clearer answer. — What others say — You mpy never see it.. . Utility tax refund If you’re a typical consumer, your utility companies owe you about $233, thanks to the Tax Reform Act passed by Congress last year. That’s the good news. The bad news is that you’ll have to wait 30 years to get all your money back. f The nation’s electric, gas, and telephone companies now owe us at least sl9 billion in federal income taxes they collected in advance through our utility bills over the past several years. Uncle Sam has forgiven this tax liability, but the utilities will do just about anything to avoid refunding your money .And thanks to an obscure provision of the new tax law, they’re getting away with it. For instance, Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) has collected $139,619,953 in consumer electric bills for federal income taxes it will never pay. United Telephone Company of Indiana owes its customers $5,507,953. These figures come from the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. ' - . These potential refunds from our utilities came about because of the new lower tax rates passed by Congress last year. Since utilities generally collect for federal income taxes in advance, the reduction in tax rates left them with a sl9 billion surplus — above what they need to pay future taxes. When they realized that the nation’s ratepayers might be due hefty refunds, the utilities’ lobbyists went to work. The result was Section 203 (e) of the Tax Reform Act;-which delays utilities’ refunds of their unpaid income taxes for up to 30 years. Even state utility commissions are barred from ordering these socalled ‘ ‘excess deferred taxes. ” , In order to correct this injustice in the federal tax code, Congressman Byron Dorgan has introduced the Utility Ratepayer Refund Act of 1987 (H.R. 1049). The bill doesn’t mandate refunds, but it would allow state utility regulators to decide if and when refunds should take place. Under the Dorgan bill, state utility commissions could establish a refund schedule which takes into account the unique financial circumstances of each utility and its customers. And based on past experience, regulators would probably spread refunds over three to five years, in order to prevent any hardship to the utilities. With their financial windfall under attack, the utilities have dispatched an army of lobbyists to Capitol Hill. They, argue that customers are better off because their utilities are allowed to hang onto these unpaid taxes: Yet the industry’s own studies shows just the opposite! It’s simply outrageous for utilities to wait 30 years to refund this sl9 billion overcharge to their customers. For consumers who are struggling to keep their farms or put food on the table, the promise of a refund three decades from now is little consolation. And try asking 35 million senior citizens how they feel about receiving their final refund installment in the year 2017! ROBERT BRANDON LAGRANGE NEWS

- "W

A new well and a new water tower in Milford helped provide an ample supply of water to allow firemen to fight the fire at Evans Family Store in Downtown Milford on Sunday night.

Court news

County Court The following persons have paid fines and costs in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrett presiding: Unsafe Start — Junior Collins, 41, Warsaw, S6O No Operator’d — Linda Sawygr, 25, Nappanee, S6O Disobey Automatic Signal — Lloyd Sweet, 54, Syracuse, S6O Speeding — Jeffery L. Sorensen, 22, Leesburg, $80; J. L. Kiser, no age given, North Webster, $80; Helmer R. Martinez, 26, Milford, $65; Unsafe Start — Junior Collins, 41, Warsaw, S6O Illegal Consumption — James Jared Hampton, 18, Milford, $203, K.C.J. 60 days suspended, one year probation; Jay Lynn Krauter, 19, Milford, $153; Michael David Morgan, 19, Milford, $153; Michael Ernest Baily, 19, Milford, $203, K.C.J. 60 days suspended, one year probation; Michael E. Bailey, 19, Milford, $153 Hunting Deer W/O Blaze Orange Garmet — Bruce E. Bushong, 28, Syracuse, sllO Failure To Maintain Accurate Records at Deer Process Station — Harold Jones, 43, Leesburg, $lO3 Furnish Alcohol To Minor — Eric Michael Grisso, 21, Milford, $303, K.C.J. 10 days good time credit Operating While Intoxicated — Stephen G. Gast, 39, Leesburg, $303, driver’s license restricted 180 days, K.C.J. six days good time credit Daniel D. Vanlue, 28, Milford, $353, drivers license suspended 90 days, K.C.J. six days good time credit Driving While Suspended — Daniel D. Vanlue, 28, Milford, dismissed; George R. Northrup, 19, Milford, $225, driver’s license suspended 180 days, K.C.J. 30 days suspended, probation six months; Paul Richardson, 20, Syracuse, $225, driver’s license suspended one year, K.C.J. 30 days suspended, informal probation six months Operating W/O Financial Responsibility — David A. Culbertson, 23, Syracuse, $153 Conversion — David B. Galbreath, 20, Syracuse, $153, K.C.J. eight days good time credit Public Intoxication — David Galbreath, 20, Syracuse, dismissed; Frank Vera Jr., 28, Syracuse, $153 Goshen Division The following fines plus court costs have been levied and paid in the Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding — James E. Gibson, 27, Syracuse, $63 Andres S. Garza, 35, Syracuse, $63; Geneva D. Weirich, 31, Syracuse, $63; Stewart J. Snyder, 41, Syracuse, SSB; David R. Egolf, 34, Syracuse, $lO3 Expired registration plate — Linda M. Coil, 29, Syracuse, $54 No operator’s license in possession — James E. Gibson, 28, Syracuse, $54 Resisting law enforcement — David D. Zentz, 18, North Webster, dismissed Theft — David D. Zentz, 18, North Webster, SSOO fine with $250 suspended leaving $250 plus costs, two years in Indiana Department of Corrections to run concurrent with sentence received in Kosciusko Circuit Court, given credit for 106 days served. Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand Presiding: Complaint For Damages Lennie Binegar vs Owen Cobbum and Water World Marina, a/k/a Water World, Division of OK Marketing, Inc., Syracuse. Plaintiff seeks-Coupt I: judgment in an amount sufficient to compensate for the difference in the value of the boat and motor, for

punitive damages, and for all other relief which the court finds to just and proper. Count II: judgment of defendants for three times his actual damages herein, costs of this action, a reasonable attorney fee and for all other relief just and proper. Count III: judgment against defendants rescinding the contract, for damages sufficient to restore plaintiff to his position before the purchase of the boat and motor and for all other relief just and proper. Complaint T.T.P., Inc., vs Novi Truck and Trailer Parts, Inc:, John Graves and Jacquelin Dronchoff. Plaintiff seeks-Count I: SB,OOO plus costs and all proper relief. Count II: $5,000 plus costs and all relief proper. Count III: judgment for the possession of property described, or the value thereof if delivery cannot be had, for damages in the amount of $2,500, for unlawful detention of said property, for costs of action and all .other proper relief. Count IV: judgment against Novi Truck and Trailer Parts, Inc., in the sum of SBOO, reasonable interest on account and costs of this action, and for aH other relief just and proper. Count V: judgment in sum of $15,000, for reasonable attorneys fees, pre-judgment interest, costs of action and for all other relief. Complaint On Note To Foreclose On Security First National Bank of Warsaw vs Freddie Blankenship, Wiley Blankenship, Gast Fuel and Service, lac., Sherry Blankenship and State of Indiana. Plaintiff seeks-A: judgment against the defendants, Freddie Blankenship and Wiley Blankenship, jointly and severally in the sum of $234,000, together with unpaid and accrued interest of $7,688.74 to and including October 28,1987, and with interest thereafter at the rate of $58.88 per day until date of judgment. B: for all amounts expended by plaintiff in the payment of taxes and assessments assessed against said mortgaged real estate and/or in payment of premiums for fire and other hazard insurance on the improvements on mortgaged real estate, together with interest therein at the rate of 11.625 percent per annum on the amount so expended and paid by plaintiff from date of such expenditure intul date of judgment. C: For sums expended by the plaintiff for lien and title searches, examination thereof, and. all other reasonable expenses incurred by plaintiff herein; D: for attorney fees of $15,000; E: for costs of this action and with total sum of judgment herein to bear and accrue interest at the rate allowed by law from and after date judgment is rendered and to become payable with out relief from valuation an appraisement laws. F: the court determine the priorities of the liens, claims and interests of the defendants and the plaintiff in and upon said real estate and equipment. Q: that the aforesaid real estate mortgage (Continued on page 5) THE MAIL-JOURNAL (U.S.P.S. 3258-4000) ■■ Published by the Mall-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: sl7 per year In Kosciusko County, $23 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of address forms to The Mall-Journal, P.O. Box IM, Milford, Indiana 46542

Complaint

"CRUZIN > AROUND 'CUSE'' / *

vv y|HEN THE weather becomes >A /1 sub-zero, most V V lupl up and g 0 to Florida - or like that where it’s warm. But not everyone, we found out. A group of 14 local hearty souls headed just the opposite direction — into Michigan for several days of snowmobiling. . Ever hear of the small town of Peacock' Mich.? Hardly anybody has. It’s in the Manistee National Forest. Our local outdoorsmen called their cabin there the Peacock Inn. Snow was 10 to 12 inches deep, just right for what they had in mind. One day our heroes headed west for Lake Michigan, through Filer City just south of Manistee, logging about 95 miles in one day. Another long trip took them to a ski lodge in a national forest. A carefree bunch, you say? You bet they were. In another week or so, a second group of local snowmobilers will head north, accompanied by their wives, for a similar exploit. IT’S HARD to ascertain all the facts while negotiations are still going on, but there’s still reason to believe the local Ben Franklin store in the Village will soon change hands. Manager Don Melton is close-mouthed on the deal, as he should be, and we’ve had little luck with officials of the fast-growing G. L. Perry Variety Stores, purported to be the prospective new owners. The purchase of the Winamac Ben Franklin store would be part of the deal, as we hear it. Ben Franklin has been in Syracuse for 14 years, first located in the Pickwick Block uptown, moving to the new building in the Village when a local entrepreneur built that store and the one next door for Hook’s Drug Store. Melton, who came here five years ago from Ludington, Mich., should have a good chance to continue to manage the store for the new owners. G.L. Perry Variety Stores owners have been real movers in northern Indiana. Book at this: They own three stores in South Bend, two in Mishawaka, two in Elkhart, and one each in Goshen, Nappanee, Plymouth, plus three stores in Michigan, one in Niles, one in Battle Creek and one in Kalamazoo. Their present move seems to be in north central Indiana. Incidentally, Bob and Debbie'Marion, who managed the Syracuse store for a number of years, are in Las Vegas, Nev., where they hold similar managerial positions. * PEOPLE RESIDING around Lake Wawasee just think they have been hearing sonic booms. We’re advised that in reality the loud reports are caused by the freezing and thawing of the ice on the lake. The prolonged sub-zero weather has caused the ice to be thick (about 12 inches) all right, making it difficult for ice fishermen to cut through the ice. But that didn’t keep anyone from trying. Ice skaters have been plentiful over the weekend, too. GOSH, WE wish people would sign these Zcards. A cute one arriv- -'■< ed in the mail this past week, and on the front // ; /’ was the picture shown . ( r' z y here, purported to be of an Old Geezer. C / On the inside, hand- '|. written is this: AccorX'X? F ding to the 2d College a A 1 Edition, the American ■'Ffr.. ifrfr 1- Heritage Dictionary, a Geezer is an eccentric old man. Then this: Aren’t you abusing this a little bit — or does it take one to know one? Signed, “Happy Birthday, you ol’ Geezer!” We didn’t think this appellation would offend any of our friends. So sorry if it did. WHAT PETE Savage said would be his “last card” for a while arrived this week from Outback, Australia, located in western Australia. Pete reports 104-degree temperatures, and tells of a trip to the goldfields where his luck ran at par — he found no gold. Now he’s headed for Sydney on the east coast, then eventually for home. ' COMEDIAN BURT Lahr reminded us that “Monkies are the klaziest people.” Many of us have inner thoughts that make us feel we are among those “klazy people.” One that reoccurs to us is, what happens to the many tens of millions of tons of newsprint that come out of the nation’s press rooms each day. We would not want to speculate on this, but the possibilities are endless. We know for sure some of them line the bottom of dresser drawers. Harold Garber, of 715 East Clark Street, Warsaw, can vouch for this. Last week Garber showed up at our office with a copy of The Mail-Journal, dated December 25,1974. It was a two-section, 14-page paper. What is unique about this edition, is the fact that the front page of the second section carried a flag Syracuse Register, dated Thursday, Jan. 6, 1898. About the turn of the century Syracuse did have a weekly newspaper by that name. The lay-out of this page was seven columns, with a large four-color photo of a painting done by the late Kenneth Harkless. Harkless was a successful marina operator on Lake Wawasee, and when he retired he turned to painting. He did incredibly well at what he called his new-found hobby. t

Four-color printing has come into style in recent years, but in 1974, it was almost unique around here — and especially for a weekly newspaper like ours. We remember being very proud of this undertaking and how well it turned out. The composite photo was of Syracuse businessmen who were prominent in their time and whose efforts molded the city’s character and institutions. Listen to thte roster, and see if you remember any of mem: Dr. B. F. Hoy, Edwin Ott, J.P. Dolan, Sam Widner, J.W. Stetler, George Darr, A. Ml Strieby, Elmer P. Miles, Dr. J.H. Bowser, William Wallis, D. S. Hontz, J.W. Rothenberger, E.E. Miles, S. L. Ketring, E.E. Strieby, Sheldon Harkless (Ken’s father), and George Miles. We’re grateful to Mr. Garber for bringing this near-forgotten issue to our attention. It remains in the Syracuse office of The Mail-Journal where it can be seen. JANUARY IS feasibility month for Jack Elam. Jack has signed on to head up a new newspaper project — new at least in this area. He is working with Kip Schumm and other The Mail-Journal staffers to ascertain the survivability merits of a new publication beamed at the senior citizen crowd — 50 years of age and up. It will serve both Kosciusko and Elkhart counties, Elam states, and be, at least at first, a monthly publication. This is the fastest-growing crowd of Americans with huge sums of spendable cash. Demographics show senior citizens with social security checks, pensions from former employment, dividends from investments,-annuities and the like — and, what’s more, plenty of time on their hands. Elam’s work is cut out for him, if he plans to go to press with issue one by March 1. He’s optimistic ; if anyone can do it, Jack Elam can. THE PROPOSED sewer system around Lake Wawasee promises to be a major catalyst in the lake’s development, particularly the east side of the big lake. Wide-awake local realtors — and we have a few of them — are searching out development possibilities for additional housing. No one questions the need for more housing. FINALLY, NIPSCO has turned over the keys to its uptown office in Syracuse to building owner Jim Howard, and missed are the friendly faces that manned that office for so long. Manager Bob Westfall and the others have found suitable employment within the company, and that’s comforting — but somehow things just aren’t the same. Even having the company linemen visible around town gave a friendly glow of security. But as the French say, C’est la vie. Word is that Howard will remodel the building and move his law practice from its current location in the Century 21 Realty Building on SR 13 to the downtown location. cl SYRACUSE JUNIOR High Principal John A. Naab called them “unsung heroes.” He was referring, of course, to adult guards at the several crossings used by students going to and from his school. And Police Chief Robert Ziller backed up Mr ; Naab in spades. These diligent adults are hired by the Syracuse Police Department and paid for by the town of Syracuse. “They only make about $6 per day,” Chief Ziller said, “but they in carrying out their responsibilities.”. There!are three main crossings: Huntington and Boston Streets, guarded by Maurice Koher; Huntington and Carroll Streets, guarded, by Belva Rookstool; and at Main and Brooklyn Streets, until recently guarded by Leonard Stump. Stump recently resigned, so police officers have been working that beat. (Note: There’s a job for anyone wanting to do a little community service.) Chief Ziller said guards are on duty roughly from 7:30 to 8 a.m., and from 3:10 p.m. until the last youngster makes the crossing. IN HIS remem3 brance of Joe Kindig, ' ■ notable attorney and '' former Syracuse resident who passed away on Tuesday, W ’H- ~ .Jb Jan. 5, Syracuse resi'Wx** dent Jim stuck y J , commented, “EvenEl wral though Joe was a few KF I years older, I remember him as an ■ excellent student and K an individual with a K keen mind, a dry K sense of humor and a K TLm likable disposition — , Wl one very seldom found him XufflJOE KINDIG ed.’” Classmate Betty Kline, Syracuse, says she didn’t have too much contact with Joe until “we all got together for our 50th class reunion at the Syracuse High School Alumni Banquet ,in 1983.” Betty hosted the members of the class of ’33 and guests in her home following the banquet. Another classmate, Charles Beck, also of Syracuse, was able to provide much information about Joe —,such as the dates of his graduation from Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio (1937) and the Law School of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. (1940). Charles stated after their graduation from high school, “we each went our own way until we got together to plan for our 50th class reunion. All I can say is that Joe was one heck of a nice guy I”