Vol. 40, No. 35
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
of Wabash County Inc. November 15, 2017
www.thepaperofwabash.com Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Butchers withdraw complaint about boat ramp in Lagro By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
Brenton Yarger shows off the outfit he will wear while raising funds for Shop With a Cop. Photo by Emma Rausch
Brenton is back
Glenn and Sheila Butcher, who have spearheaded the group Concerned Citizens and Landowners United’s efforts against Wabash River Trail’s proposed 33-mile bike trail, are dropping their complaint about a boat ramp in Lagro. The Butchers, in a letter to The Paper of Wabash County on Monday afternoon, wrote, “We will be releasing the DNR Hearing on the boat ramp in Lagro, since it is complete and has beautified Lagro, and we plan on using it in the future.” They said the ramp and associated projects – public restrooms and a new pavilion in downtown Lagro “have improved the appearance of Lagro,” Indiana.” The ramp, located just east of State Road 524 in downtown Lagro, was put by WRT
with work starting in December 2016. The work began without WRT having received proper permits from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. The DNR, earlier this year, approved after-thefact permits. That prompted the initial complaint from the Butchers and the group. “We feel Wabash County Commissioners and WRT are now aware of projects that pertain to flood plain areas will need plans submitted to the building commission prior to construction, and that proper permits need to be acquired before work begins from IDEM, DNR, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,” the Butchers wrote. “Property owners permission needs to be asked for and a signed lease agreement (obtained) when working in flood plain area.” In addition, they said, rights of way from Duke Energy and INDOT need to approved before work begins, not after the fact.
“We want to protect the Wabash River and make sure drainage issues are addressed to protect agriculture land,” the couple wrote. “The DNR addressed the erosion problems at the boat ramp and made sure the right vegetation was applied.” While the Butchers have dropped the complaint about the boat ramp, they are keeping in place a complaint about a proposed pedestrian bridge over Lagro Creek. “We will be keeping the DNR hearing for the bridge crossing at Lagro Creek in hopes to preserve the historical Kerr Lock No. 14 tow path, steps where the Wabash Erie Canal workers entered in and off the canal boats to use tow path to walk with mules to pull canal boats through the locks,” they wrote. “Lagro was Miami Indian land, part of Act of Congress 1824 for Canal Land, 1826 Miami Treaty, from canal to rails Indiana
New judge to be sworn in Nov. 29
Local youth to raise funds for Shop With a Cop By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
The holiday season will soon be here, and with it are many familiar sites and sounds. Those include colorful light displays on homes, businesses and, of course, the Wabash County Courthouse. It also includes Brenton Yarger, a Northfield High School freshman, who has already started his annual quest to raise funds for the Wabash County Shop With a Cop program. Brenton and his grandfather, Dave Jackson, braved rain and cold temperatures the weekend of Nov. 3-4 to stand outside of Walmart seeking donations to help the local program. He also will be back several times during the holiday season, hoping to reach his goal of raising $10,000 this year, topping last year’s goal total of $9,530. “We’re almost at $2,000 already,” Brenton told The Paper of Wabash County. While the goal is lofty, Brenton said he didn’t have any second thoughts about raising funds again this year. “I just like helping kids,” he said. “I never thought when I was 6- or 7-(years-old) that I would be in charity work.” He primarily raises the funds through seeking donations from the public. However, he also recycles scrap metal and has (continued on page 4)
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By The Paper staff
Jean Leakey (center) shares one of many stories she collected during her time in the healthcare industry, cracking up Jonathan Cornell (left) and Steve Hentgen (right) as well as audience members at the 23rd annual Parkview Wabash Hospital Gala Saturday night, Nov. 11. Photo by Emma Rausch
Leakey honored at Hospital Gala By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com With more than 60 years in the healthcare industry, Jean Leakey had more than a few stories to share at the 23rd annual Parkview Wabash Hospital Gala Saturday night, Nov. 11. Described as a pioneer in Wabash County healthcare, Leakey, 91, is known for starting up the Friendly Nursing Home with her husband Dale in the 1960s, serving as a medical assistant for Dr. Robert Rauh and Dr. Stephen Fassino for 23 years, and for volunteering at Parkview Wabash and Wabash County Hospital as a chaplain for 18 years. At the nursing home, “there were two sisters,” Leakey told Steve Hentgen, Foundation Board of Directors chair, and an audience of nearly 300. “One sister was a patient and (the other) came every day to visit her. Well, when the sister passed
away, (the other) asked me to do something for her. “I’m sure you’ve never had this happen,” she said to Hentgen, “but she was at North Manchester at their funeral home and she brought two different robes and she wanted to know if I’d try them on and lay in the casket. “And I did,” she admitted as an uproar of laughs broke out from the crowd. On Saturday night, the Parkview Wabash Foundation honored Leakey as the 2017 Healthcare Hero. “I’m very humbled believe me,” Leakey told The Paper of Wabash County, “and it’s just a great honor to know that people had enough trust in me for me to take care of their loved ones, come in and pray with them, and to know that we live in a wonderful community.” In addition, veterans were also honored in (continued on page 5)
Wabash Superior Court Judge Amy C. Cornell, Wabash Superior Court Judge will be sworn in at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017 at 4 p.m. in the Superior Courtroom, 2nd floor, Wabash County Judicial Center, 59 W. Hill Street, Wabash/ Chief Justice Emeritus Brent Dickson of the Indiana Supreme Court will administer the oath. A reception will take place immediately following the ceremony at the Wabash Presbyterian Church, 123 W. Hill Street, Wabash. Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced Amy Conner Cornell as his appointment to the Wabash County Superior Court on Oct. 13, 2017. Cornell succeeds Judge Christopher M. Goff, who was appointed to the Indiana Supreme Court in June. Following her graduation from law school, Cornell was a judicial clerk to Indiana Supreme Court Justice Brent Dickson and later served as an administrative law judge for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development and maintained a private practice. In addition to her law degree, Cornell also received a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. She (continued on page 4)