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Local business, motorcycle club help revitalize park By Megan Knowles mknowles@kpcmedia.com
FORT WAYNE – A Columbia City business is playing a part in revitalizing a Fort Wayne park with the help of a local motorcycle club. Warrior Breed Motorcycle Club, founded about five years ago, is “a club with a mission,” president Gary Perkey said. “Our mission is to take care of veterans,” he said. Warrior Breed helps veterans with a variety of issues, from post-trau-
matic stress disorder to helping to pay for groceries and utilities when veterans fall ill. As another way to support veterans, the club has decided to replace about 70 trees in Memorial Park. The trees were originally part of a grove to honor 125 World War I veterans in the park, which was created in 1918. While a handful of the original 125 remain standing and about 50 were replaced in 2002,
Warrior Breed approached the city about paying to replace and replant the remaining trees, Perkey said. “There was no doubt in my mind, I had no fears whatsoever that the public and business would step up and provide the money necessary to do the trees,” Perkey said. Not only has Warrior Breed been able to raise the funds for the trees with the support of local SEE TREES, PAGE 7
MEGAN KNOWLES
Workers from Shade Trees Unlimited plant trees at Memorial Park on Oct. 28. The Arthur Smith monument, part of Memorial Grove, can be seen in the background.
Chamber honors the best in business By Nicole Minier nminier@kpcmedia.com
Staff reports
COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Treasurer’s Office will be closed on what is typically the tax due date for the fall installment — taxes are due on or before Monday, Nov. 13. Additionally, Treasurer Laurell Schroeder reminds residents that the office will be closed Friday, Nov. 10, to observe Veterans Day. “Pay early and avoid the last-minute rush,” Schroeder says. To accommodate taxpayers, there is a drop box for payments, located at the north side of the County Government Center, 220 W. Van Buren St., Columbia City. Several options for making payments are available: • E-payment online at SEE TAXES, PAGE 7
INFORMATION INWhitley County 123 N. Main Street, Churubusco, IN 46723
Telephone: (260) 693-3949
Vol. 1 No. 31
NICOLE MINIER
Nicole Trier was excited after her organization, TROY Center Alternative School, was named Jewel of the Community.
show appreciation to their employees. “In a time when finding good employees can be a struggle, Gary and Heather Parrett seem to have cracked the code on not only finding good employees, but keeping
them,” Romano said. “When you visit their restaurants, you’re greeted by the same friendly, familiar faces. A sense of family is at the core of all they do.” TROY Center was named “Jewel of the Community,”
the Chamber’s recognition for nonprofit organizations. TROY Alternative School offers a unique opportunity for students to achieve their goals—a high school diploma. “TROY Center is much more than a place to
SEE CHAMBER, PAGE 3
Hagan Park name to remain unchanged By Tyler Roebuck troebuck@kpcmedia.com
SOUTH WHITLEY — After debating the issue for nearly a month, the South Whitley Town Council decided that the name of Gale Hagan Memorial Park will remain unchanged. Tonya Porter requested the council consider making a change at a council meeting in
Potential new zoning in S. Whitley September, citing painful memories from an incident in August 2015. Porter’s son, Adam Porter, was shot and killed by David Hagan Aug. 14, and later convicted and sentenced the following May. While the park is technically named Gale Hagan Memorial Park,
INWhitley County
Treasurer’s Office to be closed on tax due date
123 North Main Street,Churubusco, IN 46723
888-616-1159
COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley County’s growing Chamber of Commerce celebrated the best in business in Whitley County at its annual recognition night last week, hosted at the Eagle’s Nest Event Center. Fort Wayne Metals was selected as Large Business of the Year, and Running Around Screen Printing was Small Business of the Year. The Chamber had a new award this year, Employer of the Year, which was awarded to Downtown on the Square and Big G’s owners Gary and Heather Parrett. “With unemployment at low levels, valuing and retaining a company’s workforce is key,” Chamber Director Jennifer Romano said of the new award. The Parretts own two restaurants in Columbia City, and were honored for paying good wages and going above and beyond to
get an education — it’s a place where students and their families receive the support they need to reach their goals — goals that for many of us might seem insurmountable,” Romano said. “It’s hard to focus on academics when you’re homeless, or there are addiction or emotional issues in the family to deal with. TROY provides opportunities students might not have, helping them graduate and become productive members of our workforce and our community.” Five entities were honored as Chamber Champions: the Humane Society of Whitley County, Columbia City, Reelcraft, Bones Theatre and Teghtmeyer Ace Hardware. The Chamber itself had many accomplishments in the past year, moving its location to downtown Columbia City and welcoming many new
it is commonly referred to simply as Hagan Park. Gale was David’s mother. The council thought long and hard about the decision, Town Council President Randy Cokl said. “I’ve known Tonya and Dave for a long time and I can’t imagine the pain of going through all this, but I have struggled with this decision because I knew Gale as well because I knew the things she did for our community,” he said. Councilmen Bill Boggs and Les Hoffman echoed Cokl, citing Mrs. Hagan’s significant contributions to
town, including the establishment of the first EMS service. While several additional options were discussed, including changing the signage around town to reflect the park’s true name, no action was taken. Zoning issues Jorell Tucker came to the council to discuss a zoning snafu currently halting the construction of a deck on his property. While trying to obtain a permit, Tucker discovered that his house, as well as several neighbors’, is zoned heavy industrial. Due to this zoning, new construction faces substantial setbacks from
property lines, including 30 feet from the rear property line. After he spoke with Executive Director of Planning and Building Nathan Bilger, Tucker came to the council to request a green light to allow Bilger and county staff to inspect and recommend zoning changes in town. The council agreed to have Cokl send Bilger an email giving the town’s informal approval. Also at the Town Council meeting • Council appointed five members to the South Whitley RedevelSEE S. WHITLEY, PAGE 7