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Opinion .................6
inwhitleycounty.com
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NEWS IN BRIEF Junk Day changed to May 7 KPC News Service CHURUBUSCO — Churubusco’s annual Junk Day is changing from the first Saturday of May to the first Monday of May, which is May 7. Town officials ask that residents bring their items to the curb the night before, May 6, to ensure pickup. There are several items that are not eligible for pickup, which include: liquids, oil, paint, batteries, fire extinguishers, propane tanks, gas cylinders, fluorescent bulbs, smoke detectors, tires, bricks, concrete, railroad ties, dirt, medical waste, pesticides, herbicides, pool chemicals, flammables, explosives, mercury-containing items, medicines, appliances with Freon, construction debris, televisions and electronics.
Community Calendar.............15
INFORMATION INWhitley County 123 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723
Telephone: (260) 693-3949
Vol. 2 No. 15
April 12, 2018
Ag Museum benefit breakfast is April 14 Contributed COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Ag Museum’s benefit breakfast 7 a.m.-10 a.m. at the Ag Museum Saturday, April 14. The breakfast will include scrambled eggs, pancakes, whole hog sausage and drinks. Bring family and friends to enjoy fellowship and food. A freewill donation will be received for the meal and the proceeds will help fund the new proj-
ects being planned at the museum. Leaders plan to use money raised to complete the circle drive in the front of the museum. This will provide a safer travel surface for everyone and also make it handicapped accessible. Cars and vans will be able to drop off passengers at the front door and then travel to the parking lot. The board is also planning to open the museum one day a week during
the warm seasons. Videos have been made of all the learning centers and will be shown on the four TVs that have been installed at the museum. With these videos, it will be possible to see each learning center in action. Volunteers will staff the museum. If interested in volunteering, contact a board member or visit the museum’s updated website at whitleycountyagmuseum.com. Retired dentist and See MUSEUM, Page 2
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Visitors to the Whitley County Ag Museum can practice milking a cow.
Event encourages fun, friendship among students By Bridgett Hernandez bhernandez@kpcmedia.com
SGCS meeting is Monday KPC News Service CHURUBUSCO — Smith-Green Community Schools will host its regular board meeting 7 p.m. Monday, April 16, in the Administrative Center. A full agenda is available on the SGCS website, sgcs. k12.in.us.
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BRIDGETT HERNANDEZ
Members of the Whitley County Dazzlers (from left) senior Alisha Kimmel, freshman Sydney Pequignot and junior Brittony Zielinski perform at the Disability Awareness Fair.
Clenching a paintbrush between their teeth, participants bent awkwardly over a table and tried to paint a picture of whatever Columbia City High School senior Scott Hindbaugh dictated– a lion, a slice of pizza or a football. If the masterpiece is “Scott-worthy” (and often it is – Hindbaugh is a generous judge), he rewards their efforts with a piece of candy. The activity, designed to stimulate challenges faces by those without use of their limbs, was one of about a dozen such experiences at the sixth annual Disability Awareness Fair at
Columbia City High School March 27. During the event, the gymnasium was filled with stations where students could participate in activities that simulate various disabilities like using a wheelchair, walking an obstacle course with blurry or no vision, communicating with sign language and Braille, and tying shoe laces or buttoning shirts with one hand. The goal of the event is to make students aware of the challenges that everyday tasks present for some of their classmates, said Life Skills educator Karen Koday. Her students have mild, moderate and severe disabilities. The Life Skills program focuses on See FAIR, Page 2
County Highway looks to benefit from gas tax revenue By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County Highway Engineer Brandon Forrester is looking to put his new revenue to good use. Forrester spoke to both the Whitley County Commissioners and County Council last week to discuss
constructing a storage building for salt and hiring a new employee. Additionally, Forrester wants to get as much road maintenance done as possible. “We’re looking to see how much we can get done,” Forrester said. Highway departments across the state are seeing an increase
in revenue due to the increased gas tax, which added about 10 cents per gallon to the cost of gas. The $1.2 billion statewide plan took effect July 1, 2017. At the top of Forrester’s list is the salt storage barn, which could cost approximately $400,000-$500,000.
The county’s current structure can hold 400 tons of material. With this year’s weather, the department used three times that amount and had to purchase salt when it was in high demand. “In the middle of winter it was tough to find a source, and when we did, it was expen-
sive,” Forrester said. “A long-term salt barn is the way to go, so we can buy salt in July and August instead of January.” Forrester said the department is “in the red” for salt and overtime after last winter because a majority of the storms were on See HIGHWAY, Page 2
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123 North Main Street,Churubusco, IN 46723
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