The Mail-Journal, Volume 27, Number 1, Milford, Kosciusko County, 17 February 1988 — Page 5

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WELCOME BACK TO KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Tom Ward was welcomed to the Justice Building last Friday, Feb. 12, by Jeanne Weirick, Clerk of Kosciusko Circuit Court, as he prepared to register his candidacy for Congress. In the background are Howard Woodward, Democrat precinct committeeman and Dorothy Miller, wife of Leroy F. Miller, county Democratic Central Committee chairman. (Photo by Glen Long)

Ward files candidacy for Congress

Thomas W. Ward filed his declaration of candidacy for Congress in Indiana’s Third District on Friday, Feb. 12, in the clerk’s office at the Kosciusko County Justice Building in Warsaw. The Starke County attorney was the Democratic nominee in 1986 and came within 47 votes of unseating his opponent, Rep. John Hiler. “I am here today to launch my campaign for Congress,” Ward said. “This election will be a critical turning point. The individuals chosen by the voters this year will be expected to respond to a whole array of pressing concerns; providing solid jobs, good education and strong opportunities for all of our citizens. I am running for Congress because I would like the privilege of

Crop sale and loans

The following is a tax tip which might be beneficial for area farmers: Question: As a farmer, my ■ 3 . f < . I •■_ ; ! I

. < i I > r ■ >. i. ' ■ ’ t 1 ■■ 1 F Wk 1 ■■ B * rl - hr i s*sbK t* - J • fi r i’r ■ 1 Tai ’' ’ V'- (» j / ■MH * -4f' | fIK Wyflp k£2& 1 4 MMRk.. Mb vb ’ " Wk ■■■ aiiwKiMßK-w < W t;' >Jh t*«| |*k IHMSkI k bF 3l -11 5 fc J< Ik i -- * •BB 'f i|||a | hjaE k gg|| > bsmßl I fl B w Jm i fIiHBBBMBi : »BfIBBBBBBHWE3BBBB SEEKS SENATE SEAT — Jay Rigdon, right, Democratic candidate for the State Senate nomination in District 13, is shown filing his declaration of candidacy with Secretary of State Evan Bayh, on the left. Rigdon is a candidate in the May 3 Democratic Primary for the Senate District 13, which covers LaGrange County and portions of Noble, Kosciusko and DeKalb Counties.

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(Continued from page 4) favorite alma mater as Pur-don’t, instead of Pur-do. —O’SPEAKING OF favorite universities, when the University of Illinois coach Mike White stepped down, Merl Smith, whose son Gary is that school’s marching band director, received a condolence card signed by a host of “friends.” —o— IF YOU think all the political in-fighting is centered on lowa and New Hampshire, you have another guess a-comin’. For starters, read Ron Sharp’s column in this issue — Under The Courthouse Dome. Ron’s pot shots are directed at two of his favorite targets, Warsaw’s moving Mayor Jeff Plank and county GOP Chairman Jean Northenor. Ron writes of voter apathy in GOP ranks, and calls Plank a minority mayor and accuses Northenor of wanting to be county manager, a post she has favored for some time. His sweeping accusations take in county councilman Norm DeGood and county commissioners Fred Gilliam and Maurice Beer. Sharp sass GOP wheelhorses favor voter apathy as a means of controlling the party’s fortunes, keeping control with a short leash. He writes, “The once-powerful Kosciusko /County Republican Women’s Club — some 2,000 ' members at one time — could hold a meeting today in a phone booth (and even close the door). “Also, the demise of the county Republican Steering Committee has been another factor. This committee consisted of businessmen, officeholders and interested citizens.” Ron Sharp certainly knows how to keep the political pot boiling, giving it an occasional gentle stir of his own. We’d advise our politicallyminded friends to read it. I D TURKEY CREEK Township Assessor Charlene Knispei was due to arrive home last evening from a vacation in Arizona and Califor-

representing the people of the Third District as we head into the next decade; because I believe the people of Northern Indiana deserve a hard working congressman who will truly represent our interests in Washington.” “In the campaign ahead I plan to show that Tom Ward will.be that type of congressman,” he added. The filing by Ward sets the stage for a rematch of the 1986 contest which involved a recount and was the closest congressional race in the nation. Ward’s opponent in that election, Rep. John Hiler, announced in December that he will seek re-election, thus ending nearly a year of speculation that he would run for lieute-

commodity (wheat) credit loans have always been reported as income in the year they were received. This year my wheat <■ i -11 t SU IB B t

nia. She left Tuesday, Feb. 2, to attend an assessors’ conference in Indianapolis. Following that, she went to Tucson, Ariz., to visit Joyce and Bill Selvey, then on to San Diego and Santa Barbara, Calif., to visit family and friends. —o— LUCY AND Jay Peffley left Tuesday afternoon for a month-long motor trip to Florida. They have a number of stops on their itinerary, hoping to end up at Fort Myers. THE SALVAGE of the 1984 Pontiac Grand Prix from Syracuse Lake drew a number of spectators Saturday afternoon, including long time Syracuse resident John Hinderer of Boston Street. It seems this is the first time an attempt has been made to retrieve a car from the lake during winter. Efforts on Saturday were halted around 5:15 p.m. and will resume this Sunday, time unknown at this point. (See pictures and story ph page 1). During the Saturday vigil, mention was made that a milk truck is located in Syracuse Lake, near Lakeside Park. The spectator indicated it was just beyond the beach and when standing on top of it, water level is waist deep. This is news to a number of people. Does anyone know more about this? IT IS going to be confusing around the Syracuse Police Department in a number of years, if Robert Joe Houser’s new son decides to become a police officer. Robert Joe Houser Jr., was born last Friday, at 9:12 a.m., in Goshen Hospital. ' ■ You see, the baby’s grandfather Robert E., is a detective with the Syracuse Police, in addition to his father Robert J. being an officer. There have been numerous ways to depict which Officer Houser is Jbeing wanted: young, old, senior, junior. NqW Robert J. is known by many as “Skin.” z \ What will the new Robert Joe, Jr., be called?

nant governor of Indiana. The Democrat from Starke County believes his chances of success are appreciably greater in the next election. His photofinish performance in 1986 has firmly established his credibility as a candidate. This has earned him the emphatic backing of local and state Democratic supporters as well as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Ward said this support has permitted him to build his campaign organization much earlier this time around. “It’s going to be a hardworking, full-time effort,” stated Ward, who, at age 39, is an attorney from Knox.

crop was unusually good and the loan was double what it usually is. Also, there was a big hail loss on my beans and insurance proceeds of $20,000 was received. My harvested beans are usually held for a year before being sold and nb loan is gotten. Is there any way to spread this income over two years? Answer: Yes. Since you normally sell your beans in the year following harvest, you can report the insurance proceeds in that year. A signed declaration of this election and an explanation must be attached to this year’s tax return. Since you have always reported your wheat loans as income when received, that income must be reported this year. Navy women Navy Secretary James H. Webb, prodded by an internal study, increased the number of seagoing combat support jobs open to women and ordered a new crackdown on sexual harassment. Webb said he also had adopted what he described as the first clear definition of “combat missions,” providing military brass with a standard to guide decisions on the role of women.

Letter to the editor Thanks for the tour Dear Editor: Thank you for Showing the WE CAN Homeschoolers the operation of ‘the PAPER.’ You gave us ideas for art projects such as reverses and paper collage. We were a little overwhelmed at the complexity of getting a paper to our house. It’s very hard to tell a five-year-old about doing it. I don’t know if you remembered me, but I worked at The Papers Incorporated when the front desks were cubicles. I enjoyed seeing the changes that have been made in the 10 years since I left. Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge. Becky Brower Dear Editor: Thank you for the tour. Matty Franz Dear Editor: I really enjoyed visiting The Papers Incorporated. The part I really liked the most was the big “camera.” ~ l My brothers and I made the pressmen’s hats. Thank you for the most interesting tour. Sincerely, Austin Kaufmann Shows strength in straw poll Vice President George Bush showed the strength of his support in Indiana on Saturday, Feb. 6, winning a straw poll at the Delaware County Lincoln Day Dinner by a margin of almost 2-1 over his nearest competitor. “This straw poll is an excellent indicator of the vice president’s strength in Indiana,” said Bush state chairman Donald B. Cox, who credited Delaware County chairman Will Parker for his work in organizing the county for the vice president. “An organization that can produce results like this is capable of bringing George Bush victory in Indiana.” The vice president received 46 percent of the vote, finishing far ahead of rival candidate Robert Dole, who finished with 24 percent. Congressman Jack Kemp received eight percent of the votes, followed by Pete DuPont, six percent; Pat Robertson, four percent; and Alexander Haig, three percent. “The vice president’s strong showing in the straw poll is a major boost to our campaign in Indiana,” said Lee Atwater, Bush’s national campaign chairman. “We are extremely proud of our showing in the straw poll here, and are looking for great things from the Hoosier state in the future.” Earlier this year Indiana Governor Robert D. Orr became the 13th of the nation’s Republican governors to endorse the vice president. In April of last year, Cox, who serves as Republican national chairman for the state, was named state campaign chairman. The Bush campaign has also announced C. Harvey Bradley as state finance chairman and Van P. Smith, Mary C. Moses and Richard D. Wood as state finance cochairmen. Milford mon booked in Elkhart County A Milford man was arrested on Wednesday, Feb. 10, on a warrant charging him with criminal recklessness. Henry Ray Kidd, 30, r 1, Milford, was arrested following a personal injury accident several weeks ago at Eighth and Madison Streets in Goshen. He was arrested again last week because of an incident involving a gun at 1001 N. Main St., Goshen, prior to the accident. He has since posted bond and been released. Area residents booked at jail Four area residents were recently arrested on various charges and booked at the Kosciusko County Jail. All have been released on bond. Those arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated include Judith Ann Wheaton, 31, r 2, Milford and Terry Lee Cravens, 24, r 1, North Webster. Troy Patrick Boraman, 24, r 3, Syracuse, was charged with conversion. Michael Allen Cravens, 31, 430 Boston St., Syracuse, was charged with public intoxication.

F Under the . . . Courthouse Dome By Ron Sharp ll oit y x il a U

ARE CITIZENS LOSING FAITH? Are the citizens of Kosciusko County losing faith in the elective system? If voter registration can be used as a guide, the answer would be “yes”. # County Clerk Jean Weirick states that at the present time there are about 22,000 persons registered to vote in the county. It is estimated that there are 38,000 people currently eligible to be registered Voter registration has been on the decline. In 1976, 30,369 people were registered to vote — the highest in county history. In 1966,24,400 people eligible to vote were polled by precinct committeemen and women. The results showed 12,334 — or more than 50 percent — stated that they were Republicans, with 6,487 saying they were Democrats. In the 1986 election 26,118 persons were registered to vote. Only 4,487 —or 17 perdent —of the registered voters chose to vote a straight Republican ticket. To further emphasize the point, in the 1987 mayoral election Jeff , Plank had a landslide victory. But, when you compare the number of votes he received with the number of people who were eligible to register to vote, his victory is a good deal less impressive. He received between 30 to 35 percent approval of the people of Warsaw. This continued decrease in voters in the county spells trouble. In contrast, the population of the county has increased dramatically. It means that special interest groups have or can elect whomever they favor. This electoral apathy may be a contributing factor for the 40 to 50 million dollar debt that has been generated in the Warsaw Community School district. The local tax burden has skyrocketed during the past four years — not only in the school district but also in the state, county, and some local governments. I WHO DO WE BLAME? For starters, go look in the mirror. Are you registered to vote? Do you vote? Have you encouraged anyone else to register? Do you let officeholders know how you feel on an issue? Or have you used your dining room table as a forum? The “cop out” has been: “Well, it doesn’t make any difference who is elected — they’re all a bunch of crooks. ’ ’ Those close to the political scene in the county point to the party’s poor leadership during the past eight years for the declining voter registration. For years the precinct committeemen and women went from door to door registering voters. Their approval was sought on those seeking appointed political positions. Now the precinct committeemen and women are just tolerated by party leaders. Their only function now is to name a county chairman and other party officers. They are not to question any decisions made by county party officials. The topper came four years ago when then County Chairman Jean Northerner named a city chairman for Warsaw without consulting the precinct committee people of Warsaw. When a protest was made, Mrs. Northernor ignored it, and the protester was replaced in the precinct ranks. By all indications the Republican State Committee supports contra! by a few. They wish all the power to be centralized in Indianapolis. / Republican politics in the state has been tax — tax — tax. (We’ve had seven straight years of increased taxes in some form or another.) Spend — spend — spend. And then tell the taxpayer, “You’re lucky we didn’t tax you more.” ) Another complaint has been that appointments for state positions have not been cleared through the precinct committeemen and women. ' It is clear that many local appointees have done little, if anything, for the Republican Party and have no party loyalty. The once-powerful Kosciusko County Republican Women’s Club — some 2,000 members at one time — could hold its meeting today in a phone booth (and even close the door). Also, the demise of the county Republican Steering Committee has been another factor. This committee consisted of businessmen, officeholders, and other interested citizens. All the above factors have contributed to the decline of voter registration and Republican Party strength in our county. What are we going to do about this? A revival of the taxpayers association. This group could spearhead a drive to register voters. This group would be a conduit to point out those officeholders who have the best interests of the majority rather than special interest groups. Also, a newsletter is needed. It is obvious that you cannot depend on the regular news channels to give the people information that is needed to make a judgment on candidates. If voter registration continues to drop, it will and has resulted, in some cases, in the election of very poor officeholders — not only in local offices, but also in the United States Congress. —o— WILL THE SYSTEM WORK? Some have doubts that the so-called Base Line proposal will work on the emergency system. Experiences of some other states which have adopted a system other than the grid system have had difficulties. —o— WAS BLAST POLITICALLY MOTIVATED? Was the blast of County Councilman Norman DeGood against Commissioners Maurice Beer and Fred Gilliam politically motivated? (This on the grid controversy.) DeGood — the main “spearcarrier” for former County Chairwoman Jean Northernor — lambasted the commissioners for not doing their homework on the system. Just what DeGood wanted the commissioners to do homework on is a mystery. Was the councilman laying the groundwork for the old chestnut — i.e., the appointing of a county manager? Present Kosciusko County Commissioners, Maurice Beer (Northern District) and Fred Gilliam (Middle District), are up for reelection. Both have announced that they are seeking another term. Question: Was DeGood’s blast meant to discredit both commissioners in the eyes of the voters, so that they would select someone favorable to having a county manager? Guess who would get the county manager’s job? — Queeme, of course. (Jean Northernor) ODDS-MAKERS are giving the nod to Democrats on capturing the governor’s office in 1988 (The bets are the Demos could run Shank’s horse and still win.) They could also capture one branch of the General Assembly (the House). . This might not be all bad. It is noteworthy that no legislator of either party made any effort to pass on to the Indiana taxpayers any benefits of the surplus. They were too busy trying to get their hands on the money to consider tax relief for the folks back home. DEFEAT GOOD BILL. Special interest groups defeated an attempt to pass a bill whereby a referendum would be held on school building programs. Senator Richard Miller of Plymouth, (representing western part of this county), introduced the bill. It was defeated in the committee hearing because of the special interests.

The Local Craftsman CwHm Cabinetry ___ Countertops fewSSMiMr M Bookcases t Mantels A* « rUriwiwrO * VViMMIWQrK 319) 487-9107 South Main Next To Pano, Syry»»e

Wed., February 17,1988—THE MAIL-JOURNAL

H K I & I K

FRED HEADY HOME TO VISIT — Warsaw Police Sergeant Fred Heady paused at his door on Friday Feb. 12, to talk with the media as he visited home for the first time since being seriously injured on Thanksgiving day. His tentative hospital release date has been moved ahead to March 4. (Photo by Glen Long)

Fred Heady shares joy with community

Warsaw City Police Sergeant Fred Heady was a happy man and spread that happiness to many people in Warsaw on Friday, Feb. 12, when he arrived home for a weekend visit with his wife, Marcelle, family and friends. After a cheery siren town with vehicles of the Indiana State Police, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Indiana Department of Conservation, Warsaw Fire Department, Multitownship EMS and North Webster Police, Heady graciously stopped on his front porch to meet with the press and TV cameras. [“Basically, I’m just excited to get home,” he said, seeming to not notice the cold and wind. He added that he can handle the hospital again because it is only five days between weekends. Heady suffered severe head injuries while on duty at a roadblock north of Warsaw on Thanksgiving Day, 1987. He was in a coma and supported by a respirator from then until New Year’s Day, when he spoke his first words, saying he waited to

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go home. A great sports fan, he had been taken to a Fort Wayne Komets hockey game once, but this was his first time out of the hospital overnight. Heady weighed about 270 pounds when injured and had lost 62 pounds, some of which he has regained. His condition has improved so rapidly that his tentative release date has been moved ahead from April to March 4. For Christmas, friends in the Warsaw community gave SI,OOO to the Heady family and a new $3,500 well is now being put down to replace the family well which * failed recently. When asked if he regretted being a police officer since the accident, Heady responded quickly that he has no career regrets and would do it all over again. He grew up in Elwood and has been on the Warsaw Police Department for over 12 years. He is a staunch IU basketball fan, a bass fisherman and deer hunter. The Heady children; Michelle, Michael and Douglas, are students at Washington School in Warsaw.

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