Vol. 39, No. 51
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
of Wabash County Inc. March 1, 2017
www.thepaperofwabash.com Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Dog park dedication scheduled for June 2
Drug Task Force busy in 2016 95 cases investigated is second most on record
By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
Officials with the new dog park hope to have a grand opening ceremony during First Friday activities on June 2. Gary Henderson, who has spearheaded a movement to create a park in Wabash for several years, said the committee chose that date for the site when it met on Wednesday, Feb. 22. “We’re planning activities now for both kids and dogs during the grand opening,” he said. “With the 4-H kids we do a lot of dog games – trying to make them sit and do this and do that. They’ll be some obstacle courses. “We’ll have some obstacles set up like probably an A-frame, a teeter-totter, a tunnel and stuff like that they can try. Plus we’re working on some kids games, too. We’ll have some puppy interaction and maybe a petting zoo of some sort.” The park will be located on a piece of land donated to the group by Stan and Patsy Myers. It is located just south of their business, EcoWater System, 615 S. Carroll St. Through monetary donations, the group has purchased a fence and Tony Janeway will begin work on it shortly. “He’s ordering it now, and he’s saying by the end of March it should be up,” Henderson said. “That will be plenty of time for the grand opening.” The six-foot, chain-link fence will have black vinyl around it. “It’s not necessarily to keep people in,” Henderson said, “but it’s to keep other people out.” There will be two memorials in the park. One will be a bench in honor of Ashley Younce, a former 4Her who fought various medical conditions for several years (continued on page 2)
By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com
Shelley Ploss makes Gold Bricks at So Good Candies in Peru. Photo by Harold V. Chatlosh
Peru candy store has Wabash ties By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com PERU – A new candy store located in downtown Peru has a strong tie to Wabash County. So Good Candies opened on Black Friday 2016, but the history of its sweet offerings date back 100 years. Arnold’s Candies opened in 1917 and was purchased by Bob and Jane Haskett in 1960. The Hasketts retired in 1991, selling their recipes and cooking equipment for Wabash philanthropist Richard Ford. Enter Fred and Amy Stadtler and her brother, Richard Ploss. The Stadtlers live in Chicago, but Mrs. Stadtler was raised in Peru and she and her brother are related to the Hasketts. “Having been up in Chicago — I’m not a big town girl, I always want to come back here — so I’m kind of thinking in my head, what kind of business can
I do that I know people are interested in,” Mrs. Stadtler told The Paper of Wabash County during a recent interview. “So I thought, let me see if I can find these recipes and go from there.” The Stadtlers contacted Charley Creek Foundation President Dan Ford to ask about the recipes and other equipment. That was in early 2015. “Dan said, ‘Well, we have them, but I don’t know where they are,’” Mrs. Stadtler recalled. “He said, ‘If we find them we’ll let them know.’ Close to a year later, we get an email from Dan that said they found them and wanted to know if we’re still interested.” They were, and made arrangements to come to Wabash to see everything. “Really, it was a lot of hand tools, the old knives, some of the old icing dispensers, and a little (continued on page 2)
Wabash County’ Drug Task Force (DTF) initiated 95 cases in 2016, Mayor Scott Long reported in his State of the City address Monday, Feb. 13. Although it operated at only half capacity last year, the task force conducted its second highest case total, with only 2015 reporting more with 109 cases. When broken down, the DTF initiated 41 methamphetaminerelated cases and 34 methamphetamine lab cases while also commencing nine heroin cases, one cocaine case, six marijuana cases, two pharmaceuticalsrelated cases, one synthetic
drug case and one theft at the police department. The high amount of methamphetamine-related cases isn’t surprising, DTF Officer Matt Shrider told The Paper of Wabash County. Methamphetamine, heroin and other substance cases “rotate” in increased presence from year to year, according to Shrider. “Last year being a big year for methamphetamine cases, it wasn’t uncommon, and as a matter of fact, this year we’ve already seen an increase in heroin cases,” Shrider said. The fluctuation is a direct correlation to the increased arrests (continued on page 3)
The Paper of Wabash County editor Joseph Slacian (left) and Chapman’s Brewing Co. founder Scott Fergusson talk during the taping of “Wabash County Life. Photo by Emma Rausch
Chapman’s to open March 17 By The Paper staff Chapman’s Brewing Co. will open its Wabash location on March 17. Founder Scott Fergusson announced the date during the taping of the March episode of “Wabash County Life” on (continued on page 3)