“The cooperation and support Cinergy MetroNet has received from M a y o r B o b V a n l a n d i n g h a m , t h e c u r re n t C i t y C o u n c i l a n d B i l l K o n y h a a r e t h e b e s t we have experienced anywhere in the state.” Steve Biggerstaff, Cinergy MetroNet
THE PAPER Paid for by The Committee to Re-elect Mayor Vanlandingham, Doug Lehman, Treasurer.
Primary Election Debate April 20 6:30pm Honeywell Room Sponsored by Wabash County Chamber of Commerce
April 20, 2011
Commissioners apply for funds for Harrison Avenue bridge rehabilitation by Danielle Smith The Wabash County Board of Commissioners reviewed and signed an application for federal funding presented by County H i g h w a y Superintendent John Martin at their April 18 meeting. The funds will be used to rehabilitate Bridge 510, which crosses Charley Creek at the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Wabash Street. The estimated cost of the project surpassed $1 million. Federal funding will cover 80 percent of the costs, 20 percent will be paid from Wabash County’s Local Bridge Fund. Martin also asked County Attorney Steve Downs to draft an ordinance lowering the speed limit on Hanging Rock Road, near Hanging Rock, to (continued on page 6)
In Memorium Katherine Amick, 76 Marvin Armey, 90 Harry Barrett, 71 Sarah Brown, 63 Leah Brubaker, 96 Edgar Butterbaugh, 86 Kristine Cantrell, 49 Lowell Emerick, 71 Vivian Hanson, 90 Earlene Smith, 82 Richard Whitacre, 79
Index Classifieds................28-31 Community News ....20-23 D & E .......................14-15 Sports Shorts ................19 Weekly Reports ........11-13 Vol. 34, No. 5
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Annexation process continues; land involved increases by Shaun Tilghman On April 25, a public hearing will be held at 6 p.m., preceding the scheduled Wabash City Council meeting, to discuss the annexation of almost 270 acres of land, west of SR 13 and north of U.S. 24, into the city. The annexation process began during the City Council meeting on March 28, when members voted unanimously to approve petitions from City of Wabash Mayor Bob Vanlandingham, representing approximately 241 acres of city-owned land, and Kellam, Inc. President Jeff Kellam, representing approximately five acres of land, respectively. Since that time, two additional property owners have requested to be part of the annexation: the owner of the drive-in movie theater located at 890 N. SR 13, representing close to 17 acres of land, and Dick Tracy, owner of
Dick Tracy Auto Sales, 697 W 50 N, representing just over four acres of land, respectively. According to City Attorney Doug Lehman, there are at least three ways to undertake an annexation. “One way is that the city can say it wants to annex a certain area and gives notice to everybody, then they can come in and oppose it,” Lehman said. “The second way is sort of called a voluntary annexation; if a percentage of the number of property owners and a certain percentage of the assessed valuation ask to be annexed, then the city can go through an annexation process and you can also annex ones who were opposed to it. We’re not going to go either of those routes. “The third, which is called a 5.1 C o n s e n s u a l Annexation, is where all of the property
by Danielle Smith Most Wabash residents are unaware that the name of our city has traveled around the world on a group of ships bearing its name. The first USS Wabash was commissioned in 1856, and the fourth and final ship bearing the name, USS Wabash (AOR 5), was commissioned in 1971. The majority of the surviving veterans that served on any of the USS Wabash ships served on the AOR 5, and are veterans of the Vietnam War. Of all the men that served on the ship, only three have actually visited the City of Wabash. Those three
deemed it appropriate to hold the 40th reunion of the USS Wabash shipmates in our town. The USS Wabash (AOR 5) was commissioned in Boston, Mass. Her maiden voyage was a cruise around South America. This cruise would prove to be quite eventful. “They collided with a whale and that was kind of a sad deal because the whale was killed,” said Bud Beery, Kansas, who was stationed on the USS Wabash (AOR 5). “Then they lost an anchor chain at one point.” The ship landed in Long Beach, Calif.,
ANNEXATION: The areas outlined in yellow (above) show approximate boundaries of land that will potentially be annexed into the city within coming months. The four properties, which total almost 270 acres, are located west of SR 13 and north of U.S. 24, and their proposed annexation will be discussed prior to the Wabash City Council meeting on April 25. (image provided) owners of the property to be annexed agree that they want to be annexed. In fact, they sign a petition asking to be annexed – that’s what happened at the March 28 meeting of the City Council.”
Lehman went on to say that they had anticipated the movie theater land to eventually be involved, and they also knew Tracy had been giving it some thought. After the properties
and spent a few years there then went on a cruise of the Western Pacific through Hawaii, Guam and the Phillipines. She then returned to California, docking in Alomeda. “I came on board in November 1976 and I was stationed on the Wabash until August 1980. That was the bulk of my naval career, and I didn’t learn until about 20 years later that they were four of the best years of my life,” Beery said. He went on to elaborate on some of his experiences from the ship. “We went up the Columbia River for the Rose Festival in
Portland, Ore., and we had picked up about 100 civilians at the mouth of the Columbia River to ride with us. The AOR’s have what they call fueling posts and they extend very far out on the sides off the ship. We were coming into the last drawbridge and we collided with the drawbridge with one of our fueling posts and caused a little bit of a ruckus. Thankfully no one was hurt,” Beery related. While the ship and its crew were in Portland, Mount St. Helens erupted for the second time and volcanic ash blanketed
Wabash to host 40th anniversary reunion of USS Wabash
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requesting annexation had been identified, a notice was published in the local newspapers announcing the public hearing about the annexation. “Anybody who has any opinions about
the annexation can come to that meeting and express their thoughts,” Lehman explained. “Then, at the council meeting, after the public hearing has been held, (continued on page 6)