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Area units battle put out early morning chimney fire
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CITY OF NEW BUFFALO JOHN HUMPHREY, MAYOR CITY COUNCIL LOU O’DONNELL, IV. MARK ROBERTSON, JOHN HUMPHREY, ROGER LIJESKI, BRIAN FLANAGAN City Council meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30PM CITY OF NEW BUFFALO PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS to be determined NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP BOARD PETE RAHM, MICHELLE HEIT, JUDY H. ZABICKI, PATTY IAZZETTO, JACK ROGERS Board meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7PM NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month at 6:30PM
NEW BUFFALO AREA SCHOOLS BOARD CHUCK HEIT, PRESIDENT HEATHER BLACK, VICE PRESIDENT JOHN HASKINS, TREASURER LISA WERNER, SECRETARY JOYCE LANTZ, TRUSTEE FRANK MARGRO, TRUSTEE PATRICIA NEWSTON, TRUSTEE CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP BOARD DAVID BUNTE, PAULA DUDIAK, LIZ RETTIG, RICHARD SULLIVAN, BILL MARSKE Chikaming Board meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM CHIKAMING TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION Meets on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6:30PM THREE OAKS THREE OAKS TOWNSHIP BOARD Meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at 7PM VILLAGE OF THREE OAKS BOARD Meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 7PM GRAND BEACH VILLAGE OF GRAND BEACH COUNCIL Meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7PM MICHIANA VILLAGE OF MICHIANA COUNCIL Meets on the 2nd Friday of each month at 1PM
Area units battle put out early morning chimney fire
PHOTOS KRISTIN FATOUROS
According to a post on the Chikaming Township Fire and Rescue Department Facebook page, at 7:14 a.m., Dec. 22, firefighters were dispatched to the 15000 block of Lakeshore Road in Union Pier for the report of a chimney fire.
The first police unit on scene reported that it was a fully involved structure fire, but all occupants were out of the structure. Strong winds and cold temperatures made for a difficult time fighting the fire.
“All firefighters worked very hard, and all went home safe!” the post said.
Chikaming Fire and Rescue would like to thank New Buffalo Township Fire Department, Bridgman City Fire Department, Lake Township Fire Department, Three Oaks Fire Department, Berrien County Sheriff’s department, HART, Great Lakes Rescue, Chikaming Water Department, Berrien County Road Commission, Medic 1, and Berrien County Dispatch for their assistance.
“Thank you to New Buffalo City FD and Lincoln Township FD for standing by their stations,” the post stated.
The Bridgman City Public Works and Paul Oman/Union Pier Builders provided equipment to transport hose back to the corresponding fire departments. — STAFF
REPORTS
LCA WELCOMES NEW MARKETING MANAGER
Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) welcomes Samantha Bean as their new marketing manager, which was effective December 2021.
Bean is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington, where she double majored in journalism and communications. Most recently a member of Franciscan Health’s marketing department, she brings 10 years of marketing and communications experience to LCA. With a strong background in graphic design, writing, public relations and project management, Bean will give a fresh approach to interactions with local communities; marketing exhibitions, education, and events; and LCA’s branding. In addition, she will oversee the efforts of the front desk and Gallery Shop staff.
“I am so excited Samantha joined our team. Her marketing expertise and creative vision will bring LCA into a new phase of development. Increasing LCA’s visibility within the region and ensuring audiences in Michigan City are aware of our meaningful programs is a big goal. I have utmost confidence in her,” Janet Bloch, executive director of the LCA, said.
“All of the diverse, world-class events and programs really drew me to LCA. There is something here for everyone. LCA’s determination to remove barriers and provide everyone in our community with equal access to exceptional art experiences is what I’m most excited about,” said Bean.
Bean was born and raised in Northwest Indiana and has always had a passion for the arts, in all its forms. She grew up drawing, dancing, singing, and participating in all aspects of theater. Every now and then, you can find Samantha on stage or backstage at one of the surrounding community theaters. — STAFF REPORTS
At the Dec. 16 Berrien County Board of Commissioners meeting, the volunteer drivers for the VA Volunteer Transportation Network Program were honored by the board.
The Commissioners showed their deep appreciation for the service of these men and women who transport veterans to their VA health appointments at the Battle Creek Medical Center and the Northern Indiana VA Health Center in Mishawaka. The drivers, many who have never served themselves, give their time to get those who served our country to their medical appointments on time. This year due to COVID restrictions, volunteers made 121 trips transporting 201 Veterans to their appointments, significantly down from the pre-COVID 167 trips transporting 464 Veterans.
Bob Smith and Ned Wollenslegle have been recognized by the VA for providing over 500 hours of volunteer service.
The spirit of giving runs deep with the volunteers. In addition to giving their time to the transportation program, many of them also volunteer for the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouts, the Senior Centers and have gifted homeless veterans with a night in a hotel or facilitated through their respective churches to adopt a veteran’s family for a Thanksgiving meal or holiday gifts.
If you have an interested in helping our area veterans and would like more information, please contact the Berrien County Veteran Service office at 269-9837111 ext. 8224. — STAFF
Dermody beats Parry in mayors’ kettle contest
BY STAN MADDUX
LaPorte Mayor Tom Dermody defended his bell ringing title by raising more money in his Salvation Army kettle than Michigan City Mayor Duane LaPorte dropping a $10 bill given to him by his mother into their kettle. “We’re happy to help those in need around LaPorte,” said his mother, Brandi, who was giggling and smiling Parry.
Dermody and members of his administration had $6,044 in their kettle outside Kroger, where they rang the bell Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. 5 p.m.
There was $3,128 that was dropped into the kettle Parry and his team from city hall manned at Al’s Supermarket on Franklin St. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“We came into this expecting victory and, so, we’re excited to see that we won,” Dermody said.
Dermody still came out on top despite his total being far less than the over $12,000 slipped into his kettle last year.
His goal this year was $15,000.
“While we did not get $15,000, we did just over $6,000, which was amazing. It will make a difference for those who need it,” Dermody said.
Parry exceeded his over $2,400 total from last year.
Dermody and Parry were busy manning kettles and then leaving to conduct work related business, while helpers took over until they returned.
One of the highlights for Dermody’s team was 4-year-old Kane Glanders of with the bell ringers when her bundled up son walked up to the kettle. Big moments for Parry’s team included a line of a half dozen people with shopping carts waiting to give when they first started ringing the bell. There was a steady stream of donors, including some depositing larger bills, the rest of the day. “There’s been quite a bit of fives, tens and twenties going inside the bucket,” said Chris Yagelski, administrative assistant for Mayor Parry.
Without Dermody, anywhere from $300 to $400 would have been dropped into kettles outside Kroger based on daily averages so far this season, said LaPorte Salvation Army Capt. Charles Pinkston.
Pinkston said the kettle drive should easily exceed its $80,000 goal.
The goal was just a few hundred dollars from being achieved, with money in kettles from Thursday and Friday still left to count.
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Long Beach officers recognized as life savers
BY STAN MADDUX
Two Long Beach Police officers have been recognized for saving the lives of several people including a woman after with a hammer. Telling officers to leave her alone, the suicidal woman was forcibly removed from the SUV and turned over to firefighters and ambulance she drove her car into Lake Michigan.
Deputy Marshals Jason Yagelski and Toby Babcock were awarded the Long Beach Police Department’s Life Saving Award.
The awards were issued Dec. 22 by Chief Marshal Mark Swistek.
On July 23, Babcock and Swistek waded out to a partially submerged 2016 Mazda sport utility vehicle drifting further out into the water off Lakeshore Dr.
The 33-year-old female driver, who was still inside the vehicle, refused to unlock the doors, police said.
According to police, Babcock held on to the vehicle to keep it from floating deeper into the water, while Swistek broke out a passenger side window workers for medical treatment, police said. Police said she was the same woman who abandoned her 10-year-old daughter along a roadside in Porter County before driving into the lake. Yagelski is credited with saving the lives of three drug overdose victims, who were turning blue from a weak pulse and shallow breathing, in April, May and June. Police said Yagelski administered two doses of the heroin antidote Narcan to a 20-year-old man inside a home on Hideaway Point in Long Beach. While assisting other departments, Yagelski also gave two doses of Narcan to a female on the floor of a bathroom at Green Acres Trailer Park on Indiana 212 on Michigan City’s east side and one dose of Narcan to a male in the 3500 block of W. 1000 North in Springfield Township.
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