Vol. 38, No. 47
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PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
of Wabash County Inc.
January 13, 2016
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Muncie paramedic sentenced
Election filings underway
By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com A former Muncie paramedic received a 2 ½ year sentence in the Indiana Department of Corrections during a Wabash Circuit Court hearing on Jan. 4. The paramedic, Kyle Myers, pled guilty in November 2015 to the sexual battery of a V e r n o n M a n o r Children’s Home resident in N o v e m b e r. T h e W a b a s h P o l i c e KYLE MYERS De par tment ar rested Meyers, 32, Muncie, in 2014 after receiving and investigating a report that a mute and physically challenged female had been sexually assaulted by Meyers, according to a 2014 story published in The Paper of Wabash County. At the time, Meyers was a Heartland Ambulance Service paramedic and allegedly assaulted the female while traveling back from a doctor’s appointment in Carmel. The victim reported the crime on Friday, Sept. 26, and, following the report, was taken to the Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center for examination by a forensic nurse. Meyers was initially charged with class three felony rape, class five felony battery and class six felony sexual battery. Although his trial was scheduled for Nov. 16, 2015, Meyers and his attorneys Kristina Lynn and Jordan Tandy reached a plea agreement on Nov. 6. The state, represented by William Hartley Jr., dismissed the charges of rape and battery at the time.
McCallen announces plans to seek re-election Ben Smith, the last telegrapher at the Wabash Railroad’s Lagro station, turned 90-years-old on Saturday, Jan. 9. Photo by Emma Rausch
Wabash man looks back on days as telegrapher at Lagro station By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com Wabash resident Ben Smith turned 90 on Saturday, Jan. 9, and added another milestone of many to his collection. Born in 1926 in Lunenburg, Ark., Smith can recount his childhood, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II and raising his two sons with his wife, Shirley. Throughout the years, however, he takes the highest pride in talking about his final profession. Smith was the last telegrapher at the Wabash Railroad’s Lagro station. “I just thought that I should share my story because it’s kind of local history,” Smith told The Paper of Wabash County. “I thought people would like to hear it.” He began working for the Wabash Railroad, based out of Montpelier, Ohio, in April 1950 as a telegraph operator and station agent. In July 1972, Smith began his position at the Lagro station and communicated with freight trains. According to the history of Ohio railroads provided by railsandtrails.com, the Wabash Railroad underwent multiple merg-
ers or acquisitions before its present ownership under Norfolk Southern Railway, which took over the rail in 1982. However, despite researching local archives, little is historically known about the railway stations in Wabash County. A boy goes to war In Arkansas, Smith grew up on a farm outside of Melbourne with nine brothers and sisters. “I was the eighth child of my parents who had ten,” he said. “I went to a two-room school house through the eighth grade, then I went to high school for a little while, but I knew I’d be going into the military so I quit high school without finishing and was drafted into the army. “That was March 1944.” Smith, 18 at the time, entered into military training at Fort Hood, Texas, but before long he was sent to San Diego, Calif., for amphibious training. “I was assigned to an anti-tank company, the 97th Division 186th Regiment Anti-Tank Company, as an ammunition barer,” he said. “We (continued on page 6)
By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
Wabash Circuit Court Judge Robert R. McCallen III made a courtesy filing Monday morning, Jan. 11, in the Wabash County Clerk’s office. McCallen, in an email to The Paper of Wabash County on Sunday, announced his intention to seek re-election on the Republican ticket. In announcing his bid for re-election, he noted his desire to build upon his accomplishments. “Wabash County continues to be asked to do more with less,” he said in the email. “I am proud of the hard work of the Circuit and Superior Courts, Probation, Community Corrections and the Prosecutor’s office. We are proactive in addressing the needs of our community.” Given recent legislative changes at the State, particularly in regard to adult criminal offenders, Wabash County will be expected to do even more, he noted. In 2015 the Wabash Circuit Court, which exercises juvenile jurisdiction, applied to join the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) beginning in 2016. JDAI is a pilot project intended to provide better services to our juvenile population at less cost to the counties. Wabash County will join 30 other counties in this project. “I conservatively expect Wabash will save at least $100,000 in 2016 alone by reducing detention of juveniles and by shifting the cost of detaining juveniles from the County,” McCallen said. Some other accomplishments cited by McCallen during his tenure were: — The establishment of a Public Defender Board: By creating this board, Wabash County became eligible to receive State reimbursement of up to 40% of its costs for adult felony, juvenile delinquency and juvenile welfare cases. Through 2014, Wabash County has received reimbursements totaling $523,624.06. These monies go right back into the County General Fund. (continued on page 7)
Early morning fire damages Wabash home By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com A Wabash residence suffered $55,000 in damage costs in an early morning fire on Sunday, Jan. 10. The Wabash City Fire Department was dispatched to 39 W. Sinclair St. at 5:54 a.m. on Sunday after being alerted by homeowner Justin Kelly. Fire department personnel were on scene for approximately three hours, according to an official report. No injuries were reported. Fire Chief Barry Stroup told The Paper of Wabash (continued on page 28)
Wabash firefighters enter the smoke-filled home at 39 W. Sinclair St. early Sunday morning. Photo by Emma Rausch