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Staff reports WHITLEY COUNTY — Whitley County high school seniors are set for graduation next month. Whitko High School’s graduation will be held 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 2 in the school’s gymnasium at 1 Big Blue Ave. in South Whitley. Columbia City High School’s ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. June 9 in the Donald S. Weeks gymnasium, 600 N. Whitley St. Churubusco High School’s commencement is 7 p.m. June 9 in the school’s gymnasium, 1 Eagle Drive.
Bridge closing Staff reports WHITLEY COUNTY — Bridge 21, located on County Road 200 South, over the Blue River, will be closed May 31. The goal is to have the bridge work occur while school is not in session, Whitley County Engineer Brandon Forrester said in an email May 15. The bridge is located near Indiana Springs Middle and Little Turtle Elementary schools. The location to be closed will be between the intersection of Washington Road and State Road 205 and the schools.
Cruise-in to support Junior Achievement Staff reports COLUMBIA CITY — Junior Achievement of Whitley County will host its annual car show Saturday, Aug. 5, in downtown Columbia City. Gates open at 8 a.m. and show registration will close at 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded at 1 p.m. for the Top 5 categories, top motorcycle and dash plaques handed out for the first 100 registered.
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Whitko takes proactive approach By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
SOUTH WHITLEY — Whitko Community Schools’ officials are looking to the future, bringing in two new people to help provide a financial plan for the district. Whitko schools has lost 20 students per year for the past 20 years. Since funding is based on enrollment, the school district
Consultants will help with financial planning may have some difficult decisions ahead. Officials say they want to make the best decisions for everyone involved. Earlier this year, board members discussed closing one of Whitko’s schools or restructuring the district to conserve money. Though the financial
outlook is grim, Superintendent Steve Clason wants the community to know the district isn’t currently in distress. “Unlike most districts that are looking at this, we’re not in terrible shape,” he said. “We’re in good shape financially right now. We want to look at this before it becomes a
crisis and not make shortsided decisions.” The district wants to create a five-year financial goal, utilizing two experts, Steve Yager and Mike Pettibone. Yager and Pettibone are retired educators who have both served on the state school board. They’ve most recently assisted
Huntington and Wawasee school districts. The study won’t begin until August, and is expected to be completed in November. “They’re going to share all of the suggestions they come up with, but it’s up to the board to take action and do anything,” Clason said. “They want to put all of the issues out there and let the board decide how to handle it.”
Power of the Purse raises over $10K United Way funds WCCS’s Kindergarten Countdown By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
COLUMBIA CITY — Nearly 200 people attended the United Way of Whitley County’s Power of the Purse event last week at the Eagle Glen Event Center, raising money for Kindergarten Countdown. Last year was the first year for the program, which was piloted in Whitley County Consolidated Schools. Funded by the United Way of Whitley County, Kindergarten Countdown has the potential to grow and expand to help more children each year as they begin a lifetime of learning.
The Power of the Purse event will featured designer purse raffles, dinner, camaraderie — and an exciting evening for all. “Many of our Power See PURSE, Page 5
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Erica Miller was ecstatic after her ticket was drawn to win a purse at last week’s Power of the Purse fundraiser, hosted by the United Way of Whitley County at the Eagle Glen Event Center. About $15,000 was raised for Whitley County Consolidated Schools’ Kindergarten Countdown program. At left, Jody Baber was excited after her name was called for a new purse.
Restaurant brings new life to South Whitley By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
SOUTH WHITLEY — An event planning company turned hyperlocal restaurant has brought a new spark to South Whitley. By: Belle Haven, a restaurant owned by Catie Crance, Nate Lowen and Naomi Lowen, opened in February and has welcomed guests from all over northeast Indiana — shocking the owners, who originally had no intentions of running a restaurant. “We were looking at the space for catering. It’s
turned into a monster — a good one — but sometimes it’s frightening,” Nate Lowen said. The owners of By: Belle Haven were looking at the building that formerly housed The Brownstone, 105 S. State St. in South Whitley. They first toured the building in December, when building owner Tony Starkey said he would only sell the building to someone who would run a restaurant. By January, the owners dove headfirst into the restaurant business. “I had no idea what to expect,” Lowen said. “I
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hadn’t lived here (Whitley County) since college. But whenever I came home to visit, we’d usually go to Warsaw or Fort Wayne to eat out. There’s some great local restaurants, but not enough for CONTRIBUTED the size of our The owners of By: Belle Haven, Nate Lowen, Catie Crance and county.” Naomi Lowen, pose for a photo in their restaurant, which opened After a in February in South Whitley. series of a restaurant, Lowen said planning services, with soft openings, By: Belle there was a lot to learn in more than 65 events Haven opened on Feb. 17, a short amount of time. planned between now and the response has been “We had the facility, and September, including more than the owners the plates, the tables, but weddings, bridal showers, could imagine. there’s a lot of things you corporate events, baby “We thought we’d have don’t think about, like showers and rehearsal about 50 people on Saturfood quantities and prep dinners. days — sometimes it’s 10 lists,” Lowen said. On one weekday in times that,” Lowen said. In addition the the April, Belle Haven had “It’s humbling.” restaurant, Belle Haven Though the building is continuing its event See BELLE, Page 5 was already ready to be