WEST NOBLE CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS HOSTING BIG INVITATIONAL SATURDAY: P. 6
The
SEPTEMBER 19, 2013
Advance
Leader
An edition of THE NEWS SUN
Electronic recycling event is Saturday in Ligonier LIGONIER — Local Cub Scouts are sponsoring an electronic recycling day Saturday in the Family Dollar store parking lot on S.R. 5, just north of U.S. 6. Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cub Scout Pack 3102 is working with Ace Recycling on the event, which is free of charge. Residents can drop off their unwanted electronic items, or businesses can call 740-4402 for pickups. Items that are being accepted include computers (desktop and laptop), keyboards, mice, printers, scanners/fax machines, copy machines, VCRs, stereos, microwaves, radios, mainframes, medical electric equipment, tape players, CD players, telephones, cell phones, digital cameras, gaming consoles, power and network cables, industrial electronic equipment, servers, terminals, rechargeable batteries and all types of office equipment. Also, small household appliances, metals, circuit board, hard drive, CD-ROMs, modems, controllers and toner cartridges will be accepted. Proceeds will go to the local Boy Scouts. For more information, call 740-4402.
Save these dates for holiday events LIGONIER — It’s not too early to be marking the dates for upcoming holiday-themed events in the West Noble area. Among the activities being planned are: • The Future Ligonier Alliance is hosting its annual scarecrow decorating contest along South Cavin Street in the downtown area. The public is invited to build a decorative scarecrow and attach it to a light-pole in the downtown area. Judging will be done around Oct. 16, so be sure to have scarecrows in place by then. More details are available by contacting Jerry Donley of the FLA at 894-1010. • “Pumpkin Fantasyland” at the Fashion Farm in Ligonier begins Oct. 1 and continues through Oct. 31. The theme for this year is “Zooland Babies.” The family oriented event showcases special displays made from pumpkins, gourds and other locally grown produce. There’s also the “Hall of Presidents” with the likeness of every U.S. president painted on a pumpkin. • The Ligonier Chamber of Commerce and the Ligonier Fire Department are teaming up for “Breakfast With Santa” on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the fire station. • In Cromwell, local crafters are planning the second annual “Christmas in the Village” on the second floor of the Cromwell library. In addition, an expanded area for vendors will be offered in the Cromwell Community Center. Dates are Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14 and 15. Santa Claus will be at the library on Dec. 14.
THURSDAY 75 cents Ligonier, Indiana, USA On the web at: kpcnews.com Vol. 129, No. 38
Crash claims life of Cromwell man LIGONIER — A Cromwell man died in a one-car crash Saturday at 5:14 p.m. in Ligonier. Oscar Rodriguez, 24, of the 500 block of Baker Street was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, the Noble County Sheriff’s Department said. A male passenger in the car, Karol Rodriguez, 21, of Ligonier, suffered injuries to his leg and upper body. He
Ligonier TIF district to be expanded
was airlifted to Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne. Police said the crash occurred at 825 Morton St., Ligonier, Mr. Rodriguez when Oscar Rodriguez was driving eastbound on Morton Street from Gold
Street. His 2005 Lincoln LS went off the south side of the street, then came back onto the roadway. It slid sideways into the westbound lane, then into a ditch on the north side of the street. The car came to a stop when it struck a tree, facing northeast. Alcohol was a factor in the crash, police said in a news release, but details have not been released by police.
His funeral was held Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ligonier. Yeager Funeral Home of Ligonier assisted the family with arrangements. Assisting the Noble County Sheriff’s Department at the scene were Ligonier Police, Noble County EMS and the Ligonier Fire Department. An obituary for Mr. Rodriguez appears on page 2.
VOLUNTEERS FROM THE CROSSING HELP AT UNITED WAY EVENT
BY BOB BUTTGEN bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com
LIGONIER — The Ligonier Redevelopment Commission has greatly expanded the size of its Warren tax-increment financing (TIF) district to include the downtown area along with several residential neighborhoods. TIF districts are allowed by state law and can siphon off a portion of the property taxes generated in the designated areas. Funds are then controlled by redevelopment commissions. Ligonier officials had two goals in mind when they decided to expand the district, which originally was formed to cover most of the city’s industrial park. The biggest advantage of the enlarged district will be to help pay for part of a $6.2 million combined-sewer overflow (CSO) project, mandated by state and federal environmental rules. Ligonier has been working on its CSO project for the past several years and is completing the improvements in sections. Funds from the TIF district will be applied to the overall costs, thereby reducing the impact the price of the CSO project will have on the sewer rates charged to Ligonier property owners, said Mayor Patty Fisel, a member of the Ligonier Redevelopment Commission. How much TIF money will be applied to the $6.2 million cost of the project is yet to be determined, but it will probably be a one-time buy down. The remainder of the cost will be paid for by a long-term bond. This will cover the last phase of the CSO project. And even with the help from the TIF monies, customers of the sewer department will see an increase in their rates. That increase will be kept down ➤ TIF District, Page 2
BOB BUTTGEN
Teachers and students from The Crossing Educational Center in Ligonier helped out at the United Way of Noble County’s kickoff lunch in Ligonier last week. The United Way handed out free lunches to nearly 200 visitors to the event held in front of Ligonier City Hall. From the left are Nick Ramundo, teacher, with students Omar Rebalcava and Alfredo Bonilla, and Ben Eash, head teacher at the alternative school. The United Way gave out grilled hamburgers at three locations in Noble County to kick off its 2013-14 fundraising campaign.
Plans for medical clinic on hold BY BOB BUTTGEN
The clinic could provide “tremendous savings” to those LIGONIER — Plans for a new would become members, she medical clinic in Ligonier are on said. Fisel is pitching the idea to hold, for now, as Mayor Patty some of the smaller companies in Fisel works to line up partners the area, but the response has not for the effort. been great. The clinic would treat patients Some of the bigger employers from a pool of employers who in Ligonier have their employees would sign up to be supporting on their own insurance plans and organizations. Other cities in the may not see the full benefits of area are operating similar clinics the clinic, she said. which are open on a part-time Fisel said she was hoping the basis. West Noble School Corp. would Fisel and others have been come in as a partner, but that’s talking to third-party vendors not going to happen — at this who would possibly manage the time. clinic at a site to be determined. West Noble superintendent But right now, she said, there Dr. Dennis VanDuyne said he aren’t enough companies or and other West Noble officials employers interested in the listened to a presentation on the concept. clinic, but decided “this is not bbuttgen@kpcmedia.com
the year for West Noble to get involved with it, as we are still struggling to understand the implications and costs of the new health care requirements.” Fisel said these multi-partner health clinics are a new concept, and it is sometimes difficult for people to understand how they work, or the benefits they would offer. “It’s a matter of educating them,” she said. “But we will continue our efforts until we decide that we can’t do it,” she said. The city is looking for businesses with several employers who would be interested in becoming partners in the effort. Anyone interested in learning more should contact Fisel at City Hall, 894-4113.
WEST NOBLE STUDENTS RAISE FUNDS FOR INJURED CLASSMATE
The fast just got Faster...
After an unfortunate event that led to the injury of West Noble High School junior Alex Hall a few weeks ago, friends, classmates and West Noble staff rallied together to demonstrate their support for him. A week ago Friday, students and staff donned anything purple (Hall’s signature color ) or paid a dollar to sport their hats at school. Other fundraising has included a Penny War between homerooms (a competition to see which homeroom can raise the most pennies), a raffle, a bake sale at last week’s football game, and selling water at the Stone’s Trace festival. West Noble principal Greg Baker delivered the fundraising proceeds, as well as an all-student signed get-well card, to the Hall family this week. Hall has been in the hospital but is undergoing physical therapy for his injury that occured during an altercation with another student in a hallway.
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