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April 24, 2015
Leo players debut and exit in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
First-time actor Jajuan Allen said he finds it hard to relate to his stern title character in “Beauty and the Beast.” Allen is more accustomed to showing his talent as an offensive and defensive tackle with the Leo High School football team. “Considering the fact that he’s very mean and a very stern person and he and I have nothing in common,” Allen said of his character, “the whole acting thing is going to have to come out.” “Well, we’re both huge. I can say that,” he said. His self-deprecating humor aside, Allen said he not not treated like the athlete among actors or the newcomer among veterans. “They treat me like a castmate,” he said. Allen said after he auditioned for the recent school
Ca m p
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Jajuan Allen and Lindsey Sharp rehearse the title roles in “Beauty and the Beast.” Allen, a junior and a football player, is in his first production. Sharp, who plans to graduate after her junior year, is in her sixth and last Leo production.
talent show, someone mentioned that he might want to try out for the role of the Beast. “I’m not going to lie — I was kind of for it,” he said. “So I tried out for it, and got it.”
Allen, a junior, often will share the stage with another football player and firsttime actor, senior Jamaal Johnson as Cogsworth the Clock. “I’m basically a servant
to the Beast. Whatever he wants, I go get it,” Johnson said. “Cogsworth always wants to be on the Beast’s good side. He doesn’t want See LEO, Page A12
Carroll sports chief sees exciting football Fridays By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
The Northeast Hoosier Conference falls by the wayside after this school year. Homestead and Carroll high schools will move to the Summit Athletic Conference in football and basketball in the fall. Both schools will play more games against larger, Fort Wayne schools as part of the new conference. “On Friday nights there will be some good games that will add excitement for the community,” said Dan Ginder, Carroll’s athletic director. Homestead athletic director Joe Updegrove described the transition as a scheduling nightmare. “The very last event of any type of conference play will be May 19, baseball against New Haven,” Updegrove said. That’s a home game for Homestead, with the first pitch at 5 p.m. The Spar-
tans’ regular season ends May 21, at Northridge High School. The Chargers’ last scheduled baseball game under the NHC is at 5 p.m. May 19, hosting DeKalb. Carroll’s season ends May 22, at Concordia. The track team, boys golf team, the softball team and the girls tennis team also are playing conference schedules this spring. In the Summit Athletic Conference, Carroll and Homestead will join Bishop Luers, Bishop Dwenger, Concordia Lutheran, and the five Fort Wayne Community Schools high schools — Northrop, North Side, Snider, South Side and Wayne. That means every game of the nine-week football season will be a conference game. Familiar Homestead rivals from past football seasons, including See SPORTS, Page A13
Feed, grain, conversation lure visitors and regulars By Garth Snow gsnow@kpcmedia.com
PHOTO BY GARTH SNOW
Four-year-old Grace Kitson heeds the advice to hug a rabbit carefully. Grace and her brother William, 2, visited a petting zoo at Milan Center Feed and Grain.
garden seeds, to be weighed and sold by the ounce or fraction of an ounce. “We get a lot of demand because people can choose [varieties], and it’s actually a lot less expensive than the seed
from the packet,” Noble said. “People can easily read about it, and we just have good conversations about fertilizer and things added into the experience See FEED, Page A8
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The sign says Milan Center Feed & Grain. The website lists everything from hay to pond management. Customers discuss garden seeds, chicken varieties, and beekeeping supplies. “Can you recommend an equine dentist?” a customer asks. Store manager Kelly Noble names two. The first spring Customer Appreciation Day on April 11 was a year in a nutshell at 15402 Doty Road. The family-operated, 58-year-old farm center invited its neighbors for hot dogs, giveaways, discounts and a petting zoo. Each topic raised conversations. That’s part of the service, Noble said. Rows of jars contain
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