Are you a history buff? Someone interested in the paranormal? A skeptic? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the Kosciusko County Historical Society’s Haunted Jail Tour may be for you.
The tours, which will be offered from 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday Sept. 27-28 and Friday and Saturday Oct. 4-5, will offer attendees some history about one of the county’s most haunted places.
The tours will be lead by experienced paranormal investigators, who are familiar with the museum. Tours will be about 30 minutes. Admission for the haunted jail tour is $10 and due to the sensitive nature of the event, no one under 16 will be admitted.
Greg Steffe, co-director of the museum, said it has been hosting ghost hunts for several years and several paranormal investigators, including members of the Tennessee Wraith Chasers, paranormal investigators whose investigations have been featured on The Travel Channel, have investigated the old jail.
The old jail was built in 1870. By law, the sheriff had to reside at the
5
jail, so there is a residence attached to the jail. David Andrews was the last county sheriff to live at the jail, residing there from 1967 to 1974.
The building was still used as the county lockup until 1983, when the new justice building opened. Since then, the historical society has been responsible for the building.
Steffe said the building has a rich and violent history. There are seven deaths attributed to the property, the first occurring during construction of the building when a large block of limestone broke loose and crushed James Holister, a worker on the building.
In 1880, Annie Chapman was jailed for forging a check for $300 on her father’s account. Her father was an affluent business owner and farmer in the area as well as a bank officer. Not only did her father have her arrested, he refused to bail her out of jail. After being incarcerated for three days, Chapman gave up the name of her “co-conspirator” in the forged check scheme, a man named Gwen Smith.
Smith was married with children. He worked as a salesman for the Singer Sewing Machine.
After bailing himself out, Smith swore to Chapman he would have his revenge for her naming him in the forgery attempt.
Days later, Smith snuck up behind Chapman as she left the outhouse, shot her in the back, then in the head before killing himself.
Today, Chapman and Smith are the two most encountered ghosts in the jail museum. Chapman’s ghost is thought to be shy and demure, while Smith is angry and hostile.
Continued on page 2
Text and Photos By LAUREN ZEUGNER
MUSEUM EXTERIOR — The Kosciusko County Historical Society will be hosting haunted jail tours from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 27-28 and Oct. 4-5. The tours will start here, outside the museum, where attendees will get a brief history of the museum before taking a brief haunted tour of the jail.
JUVENILE CELLS — Greg Steffe shows off the juvenile cells in the Old Jail Museum. These cells are located just steps away from solitary confinement, where one person did commit suicide.
The Old Jail, which served Kosciusko County from 1870 to 1983, has a rich, violent history, including the deaths of seven individuals.
BULL PEN AREA — Greg Steffe, co-director of the Old Jail Museum in Warsaw, shows off the bullpen area of the old jail. He is standing next to a cell, where visitors have reported being scratched by paranormal entities.
The museum is one of the most haunted sites in Kosciusko County and has been the subject of many paranormal investigations.
K now Y our n eighbor
Connie Anderson provides a safe place for people to be themselves
By LAURIE LECHLITNER Staff Writer
“I spend my days serving people of all ages,” stated Connie Anderson, Pierceton. “I’m a preschool teacher in the mornings and the library director in the afternoons. When I’m interacting with a person, whether it’s a preschooler or someone coming to the library, I want them to know that I accept them just the way they are. I want my area to be a safe place where people feel free to be themselves.”
Anderson majored in elementary education at Grace College. She began as a preschool teacher at Pierceton Presbyterian Church in 2000.
“I arrive in the classroom at 6:45 and make sure everything is ready for the students’ arriving at 8:30 on Mondays,
Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We have our open activity and then work on our calendar. Next there’s Show and Tell, the students’ favorite part of the day. Then we do table activities with a transitional activity for those students who finish early. We work on sight words, simple reading words the children learn to recognize. We have our Bible lesson and snack. Then we break up into small groups, some playing with toys, others practicing their names or having simple testing. This allows us some one-on-one time with them. Last, they have recess and then go home.”
Anderson loves the children’s enthusiasm. “These kids are glad to be in school. They love me, their teacher. I couldn’t have a bad day seeing their smiling faces.” Since she’s been there 24
years, Anderson has second generation students. “We live in a small town and it’s great to get to know the whole family.”
Her biggest challenge is keeping up with the standard increases. “I have to fit more into each day and still find time for the kids to have fun.”
days and Fridays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
They learn to trust us and feel comfortable at the library. I love that.”
She grew up in Warsaw and moved to Pierceton after she got married to her husband Brett. The Andersons have two sons: Nate (Brie) who is a Marine and Sam (Jamee) who is in the entertainment industry.”
In the afternoons, she’s director of Pierceton Public Library. “I’ve been an empty nester since 2012. I started as a library assistant in 2015. When the director retired, I moved into that position in 2020.” The library is open 5-7 p.m. Mondays, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1-5 p.m. Wednes-
“When I get to the library the first thing I do is check my emails. Then I usually have some paperwork to do. At the end of the month, I’m busy getting the board agenda and minutes ready for the beginning of the following month. Our budget is set in September. I help plan programs and of course I spend some time waiting on patrons.” Anderson loves interacting with people. “Whether I’m meeting new people or connecting with old friends, that’s my favorite part of the job. They come in and share life with us.
“My two grandsons: Braxton, 18 and Jaxon, 15 own my heart,” she stated. “When they come over it’s like living with my boys all over again. Except with my grandkids, I’m much more relaxed. We kept the boys over the summer when they were growing up.”
Continued from page 1
The next death was a mental patient in 1942. An inmate committed suicide in 1958. There was another suicide in 1966 and the last person to die in the jail was an inmate, who was in solitary confinement in 1978.
Steffe, a certified paranormal investigator, has had several encounters while in the museum, the last being three weeks ago. He left the door to the basement wide open after grabbing a tape measure to measure something in the bullpen area of the museum.
“Something slammed the door hard,” he said.
Steffe, who said he doesn’t like to be in the building alone at night, said staff have seen the apparition of a woman, while a little boy claimed to see and have a conversation with the apparition of a former sheriff.
Steffe warned those coming to the tours, the paranormal is very subtle. Those hoping to see fullbody apparitions may want to check their expectations. According to Steffe, a full-body apparition is considered “the holy grail” of paranormal investigation and many experienced investigators have never seen one.
Steffe received his paranormal investigation training at Purdue University. He said the class is no longer offered as the instructor moved to Indianapolis. He works with a Christian group of paranormal investigators and will not have anything to do with anything dark or considered demonic.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE – Connie Anderson, director of Pierceton Public Library, helps Clay Corbin check out at the library. Anderson is a busy lady. She’s a preschool teacher in the mornings and library director in the afternoons. Photo provided by Connie Anderson.
Authorized Dealer
Sorority donates $500 to CCS
Warsaw’s Beta Zeta Chapter of Delta Theta Tau Sorority recently made a donation of $500 to Combined Community Services, Warsaw, as a result of its annual fall butter braid and spring geranium sale fundraisers.
Sorority member, Barb VanCuren, presented the check to Combined Community Services Executive Director Randy Polston.
Secretary of State Diego Morales announces, ‘I Voted Sticker Contest’ for Hoosier youth
Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales is excited to invite young Hoosiers to participate in the “I Voted Sticker Contest,” an opportunity for children across the state to get involved in the election process. This contest encourages creativity and civic engagement by challenging students to design “I Voted” stickers that will be handed out to voters at polls in November.
How to enter — The contest is open to all Indiana students. Participants must agree to the official rules and submit their design via email (sticker@sos.in.gov) or on a printed official entry form sent in by mail. Submissions for the con-
Gleiss named controller for Pigtek Americas
test are due by Sept. 30.
Mailing address — Indiana Secretary of State, I Voted Sticker Competition, 200 W. Washington St., Room 201, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Judging — The submissions will be judged by a panel, including agency staff and Morales’ wife, who is an artist and a supporter of youth engagement.
The competition will be divided into three groups based on grade level: Kindergarten through third grade, fourth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade.
“Our ‘I Voted’ sticker is a symbol of pride for young Hoosiers to get involved in the election process. By inviting children to design stickers, we’re not only encouraging their creativity, also helping them learn
about the importance of voting and civic engagement at a young age. I encourage parents and teachers to spread the word about the contest. I can’t wait to see the sticker designs Hoosier kids create,” said Morales.
The first place winning design from each grade level will be featured on stickers distributed to voters on Election Day, Nov. 5. First place winners will be invited to meet with Morales in the Statehouse. Second and third place winners from each grade level will receive social media recognition and be featured on the Indiana Secretary of State’s website. All winners will receive a certificate.
For more details on the contest and guidelines, visit the Indiana Secretary of State’s website. Only one entry per student is permitted.
Former Milford resident to celebrate
Betty Witman, formerly of Milford, will be celebrating her 95th birthday on Monday, Sept. 30.
She was born to P.D. and Carrie (Schaaf) McFarren in Pierceton on Sept. 30, 1929. She married Worth Jackson in 1948, and he passed away in 1973. She later married Jim Witman, who passed away in 1987.
Her children are: Sherrie (Steve) Plummer, Mentone; Stuart (Donna) Jackson, Milford; Maureen Kuhns, Milford; and daughter-in-law, Nell Jackson, Milford, who was married to her late son, Greg. She has seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Cards may be sent to: Betty Witman, The Waters of Wakarusa,
95th birthday
Henry “Hank” Gleiss has joined PigTek Americas as a controller, according to Greg Bodak, vice president and general manager for the CTB Inc. business unit. In his new position, Gleiss will oversee the accounting activities for PigTek, as well as develop and refine procedures and systems to meet the business unit’s financial goals and provide actionable business insights.
Prior to his employment with CTB, Gleiss served as a staff accountant and controller in agribusiness managing key performance indicators in forecasting production and delivery schedules for inventory management. He also has experience with analyzing grain and ingredient pricing in addition to performing typical accounting duties.
Gleiss earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration, majoring in finance at Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, Mich. A native of St. Joseph, Mich., he currently resides in Bourbon.
BETTY WITMAN
303 N. Washington St., Wakarusa IN 46573.
HENRY GLEISS
DONATION TO CHARITY Beta Zeta Chapter of Delta Theta Tau Sorority member, Barb VanCuren, left, presented a $500 donation check to Randy Polston, executive director of Combined Community Services.
Photo provided.
Waubee Lake Association works to resolve water quality issues
Waubee Lake needs your help! The Waubee Lake Association is working to help resolve sediment issues, blue-green algae, Starry Stonewort, invasive weeds and other issues that affect water quality. The Lilly Foundation is involved with taking water samples from the lake and analyzing the results. The foundation and association are looking at what actions need to be taken to ensure the health of Waubee Lake.
The association is encouraging all lake residents, as well as those who enjoy cruising and using Waubee Lake, to join in on raising funds to be able to improve the quality of the lake. The Waubee Lake Association has dues of $50 per year to be a member. Those interested in joining the association can mail payments to Sue Moneyheffer, 117 E. Nelson Drive, Milford, IN, 46542. You do not have to own property on the lake to be an associate member of the association.
The Waubee Lake Association will be hosting fundraising events to help further the funds
raised for these tests and to keep the lake healthy and usable for generations to come. The association has established the Lake Enhancement Fund and all profits from the fundraising events will be put into the Lake Enhancement Fund.
Members of the Waubee Lake Association invite interested individuals and businesses to make donations to the Lake Enhancement Fund. The association is a not-for-profit and donations are tax deductible. The association
offers four levels of donations: $100, bronze; $300, silver; $500, gold; and $750, platinum.
The Waubee Lake Association will be hosting a Jonah Fish Fry from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. The fish fry is carry-out only. Plates will be piled high with six pieces of fish and tartar sauce for $13 each plate. Pick up will be at Mr. Rooter, 305 N. Higbee St., Milford. The Waubee Lake Association has tickets available to sell. There will also be Amish Fried Pies available to purchase.
New downtown YMCA opens
Kosciusko County YMCA members have a new location to enjoy in the heart of Warsaw. The downtown Warsaw YMCA is now open and available free to all members during staffed hours, which are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
The new YMCA is located at 575 W. Fort Wayne St. and features group exercise classes, state-of-the-art workout equipment in a 4,700-square-foot fit-
ness center, and an expansive gymnasium for basketball, volleyball and pickleball.
Members 18 and older, who would like to use the facility outside of staffed hours, can add 24/7 access for an additional $25 per month.
Those interested in adding 24/7 access to their memberships should visit the welcome desks at either the downtown Warsaw YMCA or the Parkview Warsaw YMCA locations.
EDITORIAL OFFICES, CIRCULATION, DISPLAY AND CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
WARSAW OFFICE MILFORD OFFICE
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114 West Market St. 206 S. Main St. 102 East Main St. Warsaw, IN 46580 P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542 Syracuse, IN 46567 Phone (574) 269-2932 Phone (574) 658-4111 Phone (574) 457-3666 Fax 888-371-2934 1-800-733-4111 Fax 800-886-3796
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Dear Editor:
After 36 years working in Elkhart County as the Purdue’s agricultural and natural resources educator, I surprised a lot of people when it was announced I was transferring to LaGrange County to take on a similar role there. Since that time, I have experienced a number of honors, the most exciting of which was announced at the 2024 Elkhart County 4-H Fair — a scholarship in my name was established to help aspiring agricultural students to attend Purdue University.
What an honor. Thanks to the many people who contributed to the scholarship. It’s not often that a person has the privilege to see a scholarship established in their name while they are still alive and kicking. I will assure you, the local chapter of the Purdue Alumni Association, which is managing the fund, will find a way to make this scholarship benefit our community for years to come.
I understand the scholarship is nearing a milestone of $20,000, at which point the local com-
munity foundation will match it with an additional 25% more funding, and the scholarship becomes sustainable in perpetuity. What an amazing gesture to support our ag community and our young people.
If you are inspired to contribute, please reach out to me, the local Purdue Alumni Association chapter or the Purdue Extension-Elkhart County office for further instructions to contribute.
Thanks again, Elkhart County. Jeff Burbrink
Thanks for making ‘A Walk Through Our Past’ a success
Dear Editor,
The city of Warsaw, Oakwood Cemetery, the planning committee of Hal Heagy, Cheryl Hanna, Patsy See, Ken Locke and Bill Pochron and the Kosciusko County Historical Society would like to thank the following sponsors for their help in making “The 2024 Walking Tour: A Walk Through Our Past” a great success:
Carolyn Leiter
Ken Locke
McHatton-Sadler Funeral
Chapels
Patten Monument Co.
Pay Pro Tec
Bill Pochron
Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home
The Salvation Army Zimmer Biomet Elliott’s Cars and Carts LLC
Titus Funeral Home
Anonymous
This event was a great demonstration of our mayor’s motto: Neighbors serving neighbors while cultivating community.
A big thank you to all who planned, acted, helped in any way, and attended.
The City of Warsaw
We welcome readers’ letters. Our requirements are as follows: Letters must be written to the editor, not the public. They must be signed with full name in ink. Signatures will be printed on all letters. Letters must include an address and phone number, which will be used for verification, but will not be published. Letters may be emailed to dpatterson@ the-papers.com. We ask that letters be limited to 400 words. Send letters to: ‘the PAPER,’114 W. Market St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
Art on the Road: tap into your artistic side
By DEEANNA MURASKI, and DARLA MCCAMMON Guest Writers
“Art on the Road” goes local this week. We are hoping to showcase a lot of interesting art offerings close by as well as some to put on the “to go” or bucket list.
We have written a couple of different articles on Indiana’s world-famous artist, Bob Ross. His breakthrough, innovative TV painting show made art look accessible and peaceful, which was appealing to a large demographic. His technique, by design, was made to be replicated.
Ross’ unexpected death could have curtailed his legacy; however, his generosity with his skill and talent left a clear path for future talent.
Yearly, many attend and become certified as Bob Ross instructors. They diligently learn how to infuse their paintings with “happy clouds” and make the painting their own based on their preferences. Thankfully, we have one of those instructors close by sharing their talents at the world famous Taproots Brewhouse in Pierceton.
I surprised my mom, Darla, and gave her a session with Laura Wildwoods, which we attend-
Enter an ‘Enchanted Forest’ in Albion on October 18-19
The community is invited to join Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College for a night hike from 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, as part of its annual “Enchanted Forest” event. Trail guides will lead groups on a onehour hike by lantern light to meet real “live” animals on the trails.
Costumed staff and volunteers will talk about life as a native Indiana animal. They will discuss their favorite foods, fears and habitats and also answer any questions children and adults may have. This family-friendly evening is an alternative to Halloween events too scary for young children. Registration is not required.
The cost is $5 per person; children age 2 or younger may enter for free. Cost includes snacks and hot chocolate. Cash is preferred. Hikes will be heading out every 25 minutes. Those waiting for a guide will have the chance to enjoy live music, hot chocolate and snacks, and warm up by the campfire.
“Enchanted Forest” will take place at Merry Lea’s Farmstead site, 2152 S. CR 425W, Albion. Merry Lea is located just south of Wolf Lake, halfway between Goshen and Fort Wayne. Directions and updates are available at goshen.edu/merrylea or the Merry Lea Facebook page.
For any questions, contact merrylea@goshen.edu or call (260) 799-5869.
Learn to move your body with chair-based exercise
Have you heard of chair-based exercise? Learn about physical activity, chair-based exercise, and how you can set and achieve goals to increase your physical activity.
Attend a free educational program presented by Emily Christ, Purdue University extension educator in health and human sciences in Elkhart County. This program is being offered at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, both in person at the Purdue Extension Elkhart County office, located on the Elkhart County
4-H Fairgrounds, Goshen. If you would like to attend the program, register by calling Jenn at the extension office at (574) 533-0554 or emailing fink24@purdue.edu.
This program and all programs of the Purdue University Extension Service are open to everyone. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, call Emily Christ at (574) 533-0554 by Oct. 3. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
ed together. We had a wonderful time painting and loved how organized our individual displays were to use.
The instructor did a great job of providing elemental instruction to very beginning painters and leaving masters, like Darla, alone to create. We loved being able to eat a meal while painting and the glamour of having cocktails while painting seemed decadent.
To Go
• Taproot Brewhouse, 130 N. First St., Pierceton. Classes fill up very fast so get on the list as soon as the class posts. It also offers acrylic classes, string art and a variety of other art-themed events. The proprietor, Kim Cole, is an exceptional (humble) artist with many awards to her credit. We are very glad she supports the arts.
• Minnetrista Museum and Gardens. Get certified in Bob Ross, take a class, and/or visit the Bob Ross Museum, 1200 N. Minnetrista Parkway, Muncie, call (765) 282-4848 or email info@minnetrista.net.
• Certified Ross instructor classes are world wide and online. Visit experience.bobross. com/cri-classes.
READY TO GO Darla McCammon is ready to start at the Tap Brewhouse, where she enjoyed a session with Laura Wildwoods, a certified Bob Ross instructor. Photo by DeeAnna Muraski.
Visit two museums at one site
The Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum, Inc. has, for many years, had the original section designated for items about Mentone’s history.
The board of directors voted on Aug. 28, 2018, to officially name that section the Mentone Historical Museum because of the increasing interest and growth of items being donated.
The need for more space has become quite obvious. Therefore, a fund for maintenance and building has been set up for the Mentone Historical Museum at the Kosciusko County Community Foundation.
If you are interested in mak-
ing a donation for this project, you can make a tax-deductible gift online at kcfoundation.org/ donate and select the Mentone Historical Museum on the donation page. Gifts can also be made with a check payable to Kosciusko County Community Foundation, 102 E. Market St., Warsaw, Indiana 46580. Write “Mentone Historical Museum Fund” on the check’s memo line.
Bingo is an ongoing activity in the aircraft side of the museum on the first and third Thursdays of each month. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., early bird bingo starts at 5:30 p.m., and regular bingo begins at 6 p.m. Food is also avail-
able. This income helps pay utilities for both museums.
The museum is also enrolled in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. To participate, visit kroger.com, log into your Kroger account, search for Lawrence D. Bell Aircraft Museum either by name or by organization number WE 010, and click enroll. New Kroger users will need to create an account, which requires some basic information, a valid email address, and a rewards card. Once you are enrolled and linked to the museum, your shopping is recorded. This is at no cost to you. This also includes the cost of prescriptions.
Both museums are open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays from June through September. They are also available by appointment for in-
dividuals or groups all year. To schedule, call Marsha at (574) 328-2034 or David at (574) 5518670.
Meyta, nurse practitioner, joins Urgent Care Goshen Physicians
Eleonora Meyta, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, now provides immediate medical attention for patients with minor illnesses and injuries at Urgent Care Goshen Physicians.
“Nurse practitioners like Ella provide personalized, compassionate care for patients who are in need of urgent medical services,” said Randy Christophel, Goshen Health president and CEO. “Our team of excellent providers at the Urgent Care center
provide timely care when it is most needed.”
Meyta received a Master of Science in nursing and Bachelor of Science in nursing from Indiana University South Bend.
Fun fall events ahead in Nappanee
Nappanee Parks and Recreation is offering several special opportunities for community members to enjoy the fall season.
The parks department, in partnership with the Nappanee Arts Council, is hosting “Promenade on the Path,” an evening stroll along Oakland Avenue, which will feature art activities, a beer garden, live music and food from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28. Parking for the event will be at Callander Sportsplex, 1655 Thompson Drive.
In October, the parks department is hosting its annual “Magical Me Day,” a Harry Potter-themed festival, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. This all-ages event will take place at the West Park Pavilion, 500 N. Nappanee St., and includes
classes like “Transfiguration” and “History of Magic” as well as games, shows, crafts and opportunities for participants to acquire their own wands, spell books and potions.
In addition, the parks department continues to host the Nappanee Market on Market at the downtown pavilion, 201 W. Market St. It’s from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, through Oct. 5. A year-round Wado Kai Karate class, for all ages, is from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, at the Central School Building, 451 N. Main St., Nappanee.
For more information on all parks department programs, call the office at (574) 773-8585 or visit nappaneeparks.recdesk.com/ community/program.
NorthWood High School Trap Team to host all-youcan-eat breakfast fundraiser
The NorthWood High School Trap Team is hosting an all-youcan-eat pancake and sausage breakfast to raise money for their group. The fundraiser will take place from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Nappanee Conservation Club, 13960
N. Gravelton Road, Nappanee.
All proceeds from the breakfast will benefit the high school’s trap shooting team.
For more information, contact Kenny Yoder at (574) 354-0257 or Dan Hummel at (574) 3331510.
ELEONORA MEYTA
Change in our obituary policies
Effective Monday, Oct. 7, there will be a charge for obituary notices published in ‘the PAPER.’ ‘the PAPER’ will offer two options to have an obituary published of a loved one.
The first option is a standard one- column obituary, which will cost $20 for up to 250 words and $10 for each additional 100 words.
The second option is a two-column format, which will cost $45 for up to 250 words and $25 for each additional 100 words. This option will be highlighted.
For both options, the obituary will include a photo printed in full color.
Arleen Tomoko Alejado
Arleen Tomoko Alejado, 73, Winona Lake, formerly of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, died Sept. 11, 2024.
She was born Aug. 21, 1951. On April 11, 1970, she married John Alejado; he survives.
She is also survived by a daughter, Julie King; son, Michael Alejado; sonin-law, Perry Kaleohano; sisters, Ann Mickey and Audrey Medley; brothers, Randy, Paul and Jeff Ikeda; and four grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 9:30-11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, at Leesburg Grace Church. A memorial service will follow at 11 a.m. A memorial service will also be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at Grace Fellowship Church in Waipahu, Hawaii. Visitation will be from 9-11 a.m. with the service to follow at 11 a.m. Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw is in charge of arrangements.
Bernard Barber
Bernard Barber, 82, Milford, died Sept. 17, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw.
Roy H. Brock
Roy H. Brock, 85, Milford, died at 9:53 a.m. Sept. 13, 2024.
He was born Jan. 22, 1939. On Feb. 1, 1957, he married Connie Pletcher. She preceded him in death Aug. 8, 2018.
Surviving are his children, Vickie Hutsell and Tom Brock, both of Nappanee, Rick Brock, Wakarusa, and Jeff Brock, Milford; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one greatgreat-grandchild on the way; and a brother, Warren Brock, Nappanee.
Services were held Sept. 20 at Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Nappanee. Burial was in Hepton Union Cemetery.
Kermit C. Brown
Kermit C. Brown, 77, Elkhart, died at 5:41 p.m. Sept. 16, 2024.
He was born March 30, 1947. On Nov. 1, 1987, he married Rosanne L. Prenevost; she survives.
Also surviving are his children, Jonathan Brown and Michael Brown, both of Osceola; a grandson; and siblings, LaVeda Bontrager, Wakarusa, Annabelle Nisen, Goshen, and Abner Brown Jr., Elkhart.
Services were held Sept. 21 at Rieth Rohrer Ehret Lienhart Funeral Home, Wakarusa. Burial was in Olive (East) Cemetery.
Joan M. Burns
Joan M. Burns, 71, Millersburg, died Sept. 15, 2024.
She was born Aug. 2, 1953. On May 11, 1974, she married Stephen Burns; he survives.
Also surviving are sons, Aaron Burns, Millersburg, Stephen Burns, New Paris, and Travis Burns, Goshen; seven grandchildren; and brother, Kris Sorg, Elkhart.
Services were held Sept. 19 at Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier. Burial was in Oak Park Cemetery, Ligonier.
Tiburcia Cabrera
Tiburcia Cabrera, 97, died Sept. 11, 2024.
She was born Aug. 11, 1927. She married Margil Cabrera, who preceded
For the one-column option, the obituary will include: Full name, age, town of residence, time, day, date and place of death.
Date of birth, date of marriage, to whom and if the spouse survives or is deceased.
Survivors — list names of parents, sons, daughters, stepchildren, brothers and sisters, including names of spouses and town of residence. It will list as numbers grandchildren, stepgrandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by names. Visitation — Time, date
her in death.
Surviving are her children, Rebeca Spears, Samuel Cabrera and Peter Cabrera; eight grandsons; 20 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held Sept. 19 at Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw. Burial was in Tippecanoe Cemetery.
Mr. Karen L. Clark
Mr. Karen L. Clark, 91, Danville, formerly of Warsaw, died at 3:56 p.m. Sept. 11, 2024.
He was born July 4, 1933. On June 4, 1955, he married Vera J. Buntain; she survives.
Also surviving are daughters, Kathy Meiser and Sherri McConnell; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., with visitation beginning at 1 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 6, at King Memorial Home, 101 N. Tucker St., Mentone.
Donald Gene Click Sr.
Donald Gene Click Sr., 76, Wawaka, died Sept. 14, 2024.
He was born June 2, 1948. On Aug. 5, 1966, he married Laura Amy Deskins; she survives.
Also surviving are sons, Donald Click Jr. and Eddie Click, both of Ligonier, Richard Click and Mark Click, both of Wawaka; a sister, Linda Underwood, Caretta, W.Va.; 17 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and special friends.
Services were held Sept. 19 at Five Corners Baptist Church, Wolcottville. Burial was in Orange Township Cemetery. Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier, was in charge of arrangements.
Arlene Kane Cohee
Arlene Kane Cohee, 98, Warsaw, died at 10:13 p.m. Sept. 18, 2024.
She was born April 22, 1926. On Aug. 23, 1981, she married Ralph M. Cohee. He preceded her in death Oct. 21, 2003.
Surviving are her children, Joe Kane, Lakeville, Sally Gerstbauer, Plymouth, Cindy Reese, Olympia, Wash., and Bill Kane, Lakeville; four stepchildren; 11 grandchildren; and 12 stepgrandchildren.
Services were held Sept. 25 at Pine Creek Church, North Liberty. Burial was in Porter Rae Cemetery within Potato Creek State Park. Palmer Funeral Home-Lakeville Chapel was in charge of arrangements.
Verna Jane Curry
Verna Jane (Shedd) Curry, 93, Winona Lake, died Sept. 16, 2024. She was born June 19, 1931. On June 19, 1970, she married Eugene Curry, who preceded her in death in March 2017.
Surviving are sisters, Pauline Shedd, Winona Lake, and Rhoda Palmer, Warsaw; sister-in-law, Shirley Shedd, Springfield, Mo.; one niece; four nephews; 12 great-nieces; five great-nephews; and many cousins and friends.
A memorial service was held Sept. 21 at Grace Village Retirement Community, Winona Lake. A service will be held at the Christ the King Anglican Church in Ridgecrest, Calif. She will be laid to rest alongside her husband at the Bakersfield National Cemetery in Arvin, Calif.
and location.
Funeral service — When, where, time and who is officiating.
Burial — Cemetery name, when and time.
Memorial contributions and name of funeral home.
Online condolence information.
The two-column obituary will include the above noted information plus any additional information the family wishes to be included.
All obituaries provided by private individuals must be paid in advance of publication.
Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw, was in charge of local arrangements.
Robert Ray Dew
Robert Ray Dew, 71, Warsaw, died Sept. 8, 2024.
He was born June 21, 1953.
Surviving are sisters, Pat Lowe and Carrie Dykes, both of Wewahitchka, Fla., and Shirley Cerny, Troy, Ill.; and many nieces and nephews.
The family is grieving privately; no services will be held. Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw was in charge of arrangements.
Kay M. Alber Eiler
Kay M. Alber Eiler, 78, Mentone, died at 5:15 a.m. Sept. 19, 2024.
She was born July 16, 1946. On Dec. 12, 1992, she married Robert A. Eiler Sr. He preceded her in death May 7, 2015.
Surviving are her children, Mark E. Alber, Warsaw, Traci Alber Benzing and Tommy Shepherd, Mentone, and Paul Alber, Rochester; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Wanda Wilhem, Macy, and Patsy Rowe, Monticello; and brother, Larry Hunter, North Webster.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at King Memorial Home, 101 N. Tucker St., Mentone. A private interment will take place at a later date in Reichter Cemetery, Talma. Memorial visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to the time of the service at the funeral home.
Marjorie E. Foltz
Marjorie E. Foltz, 92, Milford, died Sept. 17, 2024.
She was born Nov. 2, 1931. On Jan. 22, 1949, she married Edward Foltz. He preceded her in death Aug. 15, 2015.
Surviving are her children, Debra Hill and Gregory Foltz, both of Florida; a daughter-in-law, Cathy Foltz, Milford; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Norma Jean Lockwood, Elkhart.
A graveside service was held Sept. 21 at Leesburg Cemetery. Mishler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Milford, was in charge of arrangements.
Keith L. Freed
Keith L. Freed, 81, Goshen, died at 2:18 p.m. Sept. 11, 2024.
He was born Jan. 30, 1943. On July 5, 1986, he married Kathern “Kathy” (Deepe) Freed; she survives. He is also survived by a brother, Everett Freed, Millersburg.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Rieth Rohrer Ehret Lienhart Funeral Home, 117 W. Waterford St., Wakarusa. A funeral service will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Grace Bible Church, 1700 Edwardsburg Ave., Elkhart. Burial will be in Olive (West) Cemetery.
James A. Gardner
James A. “Jim” Gardner, 76, Warsaw, died Sept. 15, 2024.
He was born Aug. 8, 1948. On Feb. 22, 2000, he married Evelyn (Johnson) Bender; she survives.
Also surviving are his children, Timothy Gardner, Etna Green, and Catherine Gardner, Warsaw; stepchildren, William J. Dotson, Fort Wayne, and Charlene Kramer, Bowling Green, Fla.; seven stepgrandchildren; 11 stepgreat-grandchildren; seven stepgreat-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 26, at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, 2290 Provident Court, Warsaw. Services will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military honors.
Kathleen Ann Greider
Kathleen Ann Greider, 77, Cromwell, died Sept. 13, 2024.
She was born July 7, 1947. In July 1976, she married Wilfred “Bill” Greider. He preceded her in death May 7, 2022.
She is survived by a sister, Betsy
Zellers, Warsaw; a niece; and two nephews. In keeping with Kathy’s wishes, no public visitation or services are planned. A private burial will take place at Mock Cemetery in North Webster. Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier, was in charge of arrangements.
Lorelei Teresa Haab
Lorelei Teresa Haab, 83, Dewart Lake, died Sept. 12, 2024.
She was born Aug. 23, 1941. On Dec. 17, 1961, she married Terry Haab. He preceded her in death Sept. 13, 2013.
Surviving are daughters, Robin Stiffler, Dewart Lake, and Debbie Strombeck, North Webster; brother, Lenny Foyle; sisters, Karen Fuller and Peggy Bucher; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and extended family.
Services were held Sept. 21 at Mishler Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Milford. Burial was in Milford Cemetery.
Rhonda L. Helvey
Rhonda L. Helvey, 57, rural Akron, died Sept. 14, 2024.
She was born Nov. 18, 1966. On May 22, 1999, she married Todd Helvey; he survives.
Also surviving are sons, Matthew Helvey, Jonathan Helvey and Seth Helvey; parents-in-law, Dennis Helvey and Connie Helvey; brothers, Gregg Wilkinson, Neil Wilkinson, Steven Wilkinson and Brad Wilkinson.
Services were held Sept. 23 at Mentone First Baptist Church. Interment was in Akron Cemetery.
Fred Hill
Fred Hill, 90, Wabash, died at 2:25 a.m. Sept. 19, 2024.
He was born May 11, 1934. On Feb. 23, 1957, he married Marilyn Coon. She preceded him in death Sept. 2, 2021.
He is survived by a son, Fred E. Hill, Indianapolis; daughters, MaDonna J. Hill, Oshkosh, Wis., Rhonda K. Burns, Wabash, and Tonna Hudson, Warsaw; brother, Thurman Hill and Billy Ray Hill, both of Wabash; sister-in-law, Phyllis Hill; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held Sept. 23 at McDonald Funeral Home, Wabash Chapel. Burial was in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash.
Continued on page 8
Continued from page 7
Jorge De la Rosa Hinojo
Jorge De la Rosa Hinojo, 64, Warsaw, died Sept. 20, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw.
Vera Hochstetler
Vera Hochstetler, 98, Ligonier, died at 3:25 a.m. Sept. 18, 2024.
She was born Nov. 24, 1925. She married Glen Hochstetler, who preceded her in death Oct. 4, 2000.
Surviving are daughters, Deborah Troup, Ligonier, and Patricia Perkins, Holt, Mich.; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Vera’s wish was to have a private family graveside service. Rieth Rohrer Ehret Funeral Home, Goshen, was in charge of arrangements.
Debra L. Hunter
Debra L. Hunter, 70, died Sept. 18, 2024. On Oct. 23, 1981, she married Mark Hunter; he survives.
Also surviving are her children, Shane Hunter and Heather Hunter; and four grandchildren.
Services were held Sept. 24 at King Memorial Home, Mentone. Interment in Mentone Cemetery.
Tammy Kline
Tammy Kline, 56, died Sept. 16, 2024.
She was born June 24, 1968.
She is survived by her mother and stepfather, Sharon and Darrell Hopkins, North Manchester; son, Jeremy Douglas Lee Marberger, Fort Sill, Okla.; brother, Christopher Kline, North Manchester; two grandchildren; and ex-husband, Douglas Lee Marberger.
Visitation was held Sept. 19 at McKee Mortuary, North Manchester. A graveside service followed at Akron IOOF Cemetery.
Wilma G. Metzger
Wilma G. Metzger, 91, died Sept. 16, 2024.
She was born Oct. 17, 1932. On Nov. 25, 1950, she married Carl R. Metzger. He preceded her in death April 22, 2002.
Surviving are daughters, Arlene Hopkins and Sharon Moser; sons, Kenneth and Jim; 13 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; and 18 great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held Sept. 22 at North Manchester Old German Baptist Brethren Church. Burial was in North Manchester Old German Baptist Brethren Cemetery. McKee Mortuary, North Manchester, was in charge of arrangements.
Lance Michaelson
Lance Michaelson, 55, Syracuse, died Sept. 19, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Syracuse.
Giles Lee Neer
Giles Lee Neer, 67, Tampa, Fla., formerly of rural Akron, died Sept. 3, 2024.
He was born Oct. 13, 1956. On March 15, 1975, he married Jennifer Maria Hanson, who preceded him in death.
Surviving are his children, Joshua “Joshy”, Joseph “Joey,” John “Johnny,” Victoria Tori,” Teri “Binky,” Jacob “Jakey” and Rachel “Baby;” eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother, Chris.
Local funeral arrangements are pending. Hartzler Funeral Home, Akron, is in charge of arrangements.
Robert E. Pennington
Robert E. Pennington, 84, Bourbon, died Sept. 15, 2024.
He was born July 9, 1940. On Nov. 25, 1976, he married Harryetta Foreman; she survives.
He is also survived by a niece; a nephew; a grandson; a great-grandson;
At Titus Funeral Home & Cremation Services, our caring and knowledgeable staff is here to guide you in making the best choices for your family - decisions that honor your loved one while remaining in your budget.
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seven great-nieces and nephews; and many cousins.
A service and burial will be held at a later date in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, Warsaw, was in charge of arrangements.
George Prater
George Prater, 79, Warsaw, died Sept. 15, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw. Leroy Rassi
Leroy Rassi, 82, Goshen, died Sept. 18, 2024.
Arrangements are currently pending at Titus Funeral Home of Syracuse.
Donnabelle Rogers
Donnabelle Rogers, 97, Winamac, formerly of Rochester, died at 12:25 p.m. Sept. 10, 2024.
She was born April 29, 1927.
Surviving are sons, Richard Roe, Delphi, and Gary Roe, Rochester; daughter, Sharon Rhoads, Huntersville, N.C.; daughter-in-law, Judy Roe, Macy; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Doris Warner, Rochester, and Carol Kindig, Mentone; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were conducted Sept. 18 at Zimmerman Bros. Funeral Home, Rochester. Burial was in Fulton Cemetery, Fulton.
Manuel Salinas
Manuel Salinas, 77, Ligonier, died Sept. 13, 2024.
He was born March 6, 1947. On Jan. 30, 1970, he married Evarista Salinas; she survives.
Also surviving are his children, Angelina Salinas, Elvia Puente, Raul Salinas, Ismael Salinas, Imelda Herrera and Maribel Mendez; 20 grandchildren; a great-grandson; and sisters, Maria Salinas and Gilberta Salinas.
A mass of Christian burial was held Sept. 16 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Ligonier. Burial was in Oak Park Cemetery, Ligonier. Yeager Funeral Home, Ligonier, was in charge of arrangements.
James Neal Shaw
James Neal Shaw, 24, Elkhart, died
b irths
Lucrecia LeeAnn Folk
Clayton and Becky (Wright) Folk, Warsaw, are the parents of a daughter, Lucrecia LeeAnn, born at 1:54 a.m. Sept. 7, 2024, at home. She weighed 6 pounds, 13.5 ounces, and was 19 inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Ron and Donna Wright, Claypool. Paternal grandparents are Morris and Cathy Folk, Warsaw.
Lucrecia joins two siblings, Edward and Lawrence.
Melody Amelia Krider Jesenia and Grant Krider, Cromwell, are the parents of a daughter, Melody Amelia, born at 3:54 p.m. Sept. 11, 2024, at Goshen Hospital. She weighed 6 pounds, 15.2 ounces, and was 20 1/4 inches long.
Sept. 13, 2024.
He was born Sept. 21, 1999.
He is survived by a son, Liam James Shaw;, Mishawaka; a bonus son, Dexter Harper, Mishawaka; mother of his children, Paige Taylor, Mishawaka; mother, Veronica Geyer, Wakarusa; father, Bennie Shaw, Elkhart; paternal grandparents, Bennie and Geneva Shaw, Elkhart; maternal grandmother, Becky Silver, Elkhart; maternal grandfather, Donald Beachy, Goshen; siblings, Jordan Beachy and Aden Curtis, both of Elkhart, Brodee Geyer, Wakarusa, Brendan Stephenson, Bloomington, Lennon Geyer and Aspen Geyer, both of Bourbon; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Services were held Sept. 21 at Nappanee Missionary Church Chapel.
Ora Troyer Jr.
Ora “Bud” Troyer Jr., 90, formerly of Nappanee, died at 7 a.m. Sept. 16, 2024.
He was born Feb. 18, 1934. On March 9, 1957, he married Pebble Brown. She preceded him in death Jan. 7, 2014.
Surviving are his children, Philip Honeycutt, Kathy Ryman, Sandra “Sam” Bainter and Steve Troyer, all of Nappanee, Debra Kitson, Denver, Colo., and Tammy Slabaugh, South Bend; 20 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and a sister, Barbara Anderson, Goshen.
Services were held Sept. 19 at Nappanee Missionary Church. Burial was in Union Center Cemetery, Nappanee.
Nilah K. Wagner
Nilah K. Wagner, 80, Warsaw, died Sept. 13, 2024. She was born Jan. 11, 1944. In 1961, she married Norman Thompson. On Sept. 14, 1985, she married Keith Wagner, who preceded her in death in June 2013.
She is survived by a son, Todd Thompson, Fort Wayne; daughters, Tange’ Thompson and Tyra Barringer, both of Warsaw; five grandchildren; a great-granddaughter; stepdaughters, Sheryl Hanna and Shana Wagner, both of Warsaw; sisters, Sara Satterfield, Warsaw; and brother, Michael Holloway, Apple Valley, Minn. Visitation will be from 1-2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 27, with a service to immediately follow at 2 p.m., at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, 2290 Provident Court, Warsaw.
Kevin W. Weikart
Kevin W. Weikart, 52, Claypool, died Sept. 12, 2024.
He was born Aug. 24, 1972.
He is survived by his wife, Stacy; children, Spencer Weikart, Whitley Lahmeyer, Priscilla Phillips, Kevin Weikart and Courtney Huff; five grandchildren; his mother, Ann Huff; brothers, Jimmy Weikart and Christopher Weikart; sister, Abbey Haddix; and his puppy, Belle.
The family is grieving privately; no services are planned. Titus Funeral Home of Warsaw was in charge of arrangements.
Ray Allen Wenger
Ray Allen Wenger, 63, Goshen, died at 8:17 p.m. Sept. 14, 2024. He was born Nov. 7, 1960. On July 11, 2023, he married Almira Soneja; she survives.
He is also survived by a daughter, Abigail Wenger, Goshen; stepdaughter, Kassandra Wenger, Bolinao Pangasinan, Philippines; brother, Ross Wenger, Elkhart; and sister, Sue McCoy, Goshen.
Services were held Sept. 25 at Bible Baptist Church, Wakarusa. Burial was in Olive East Cemetery. Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home, Wakarusa, was in charge of arrangements.
Gerald G. Young
Gerald “Jerry” G. Young, 85, Dewart Lake, Syracuse, died Sept. 15, 2024.
He was born June 25, 1939. On June 11, 1977, he married Carolyn Smith-Hollingsworth, who preceded him in death in April 2023.
Surviving are his children, Tereasa Cook, Gerald Young, Gernel Gallagher and Raymond Hollingsworth; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and sisters, Wanda and Jeanie Poole.
His family is grieving privately; no public services will be held. Titus Funeral Home of Syracuse was in charge of arrangements.
Faith Angela Maureen Cress
Danielle Randall and James Cress, Warsaw, are the parents of a daughter, Faith Angela Maureen, born at 3:15 p.m. Sept. 13, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care Center, Nappanee. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 20 inches long.
Wesley Wade Witham
Kimberly and Brady Witham, Syracuse, are the parents of a son, Wesley Wade, born at 11:31 a.m. Sept. 14, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care Center, Nappanee. He weighed 10 pounds, 3 ounces, and was 22 inches long.
Lanette Deann Wingard
John Dale and Janelle (Slabaugh) Wingard, Milford, are the parents of a daughter, Lanette Deann, born at 11:40 p.m. Sept. 15, 2024. She weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces.
Renae Ann Fry
Darin and Amy (Hochstetler) Fry, Millersburg, are the parents of a daughter, Renae Ann, born at 10:03 p.m. Sept. 17, 2024. She weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces.
Stephen N. Kuhns
Neal and Julia Kuhns, Nappanee, are the parents of a son, Stephen N., born at 3:45 p.m. Sept. 18, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care Center, Nappanee. He weighed 8 pounds, 13.6 ounces, and was 20 inches long.
Johnathan James Borsa
Timothy and Laura Borsa, Monterey, are the parents of a son, Johnathan James, born at 12:39 p.m. Sept. 19, 2024, at Blessed Beginnings Care Center, Nappanee. He weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces, and was 20 inches long.
HATTON-SADLER FUNERAL CHAPELS
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Court News
Small Claims
The following small claims have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding:
Snow & Sauerteig LLP v. Kyle Abbott, $958.57; v. Melissa A. Collins, $1,888.39
Hollar Dental Group v. Elizabeth May, $1,139.52
CommunityWide Federal Credit Union v. Bailea E. Tackett, $4,783 Civil Collections
The following civil collections have been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court IV, Judge Christopher D. Kehler presiding:
Capitol One NA v. Nichole M. Blocher, $3,176.98; v. Derick Elliott, $6,706.12; v. Megan Gunn, $4,217.31; v. Brittany M. Stephens, $6,271.49
Reliable Auto Finance Inc. v. Marcos Bueno, $15,117.18
Midland Credit Management Inc. v. Tara Burns, $9,901.77; v. Nathan Haase, $9,791.46; v. Deborah Hillyer, $887.09; v. Jeremy Keil, $1,004.74; v. Jeremy Keil, $1,096.98; v. Federico Ramirez, $2,423.02; v. Brenda Russell, $1,424.72
Credit Acceptance Corp. v. Shawn Carpenter, $17,327.40
Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC v. Brent A. Collinsworth, $1,421.86; v. Marcus M. House, $1,097.57; v. Deborah McCarthy, $2,068.25; v. Rory Pascale, $1,013.20
Westlake Services LLC, d/b/a Westlake Financial Services v. Michael and Michelle Davis, $4,715.12
LVNV Funding LLC v. Sara Dawn, $2,054.55; v. Elizabeth Tutorow, $834.27
Synchrony Bank v. Yatziry Fuentes, $4,431.44
Glenbrook Acceptance Corp. v. Latisha R. Hernandez, $15,110.29; v. Alissa D. Mickles, $10,754.62
Heritage Acceptance Corp. v. Sara Linton, $12,820.09
Opportunity Financial LLC v. Erika Martinez, $3,729.58
Velocity Investments LLC v. Bridgett McCarthy, $4,018.38
DNF Associates LLC, a/a/o Continental Finance Co. LLC v. Charlotte Poholik, $2,267
Jefferson Capital Systems LLC v. Danny Leonard Roberts Jr., $14,641.80
BCG Equities LLC v. John Sutherlin, $2,620.16
Citibank NA v. Jim Waid, $5,765.24
JP Morgan Chase Bank NA v. Justin Wegener, $5,886.25 Evictions
The following eviction has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Gingerich Group v. Tanner Gatchel, $4,536.31
Mortgage Foreclosures
The following mortgage foreclosure has been awarded in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding: Carrington Mortgage Services LLC, f/k/a Ruoff Mortgage Co. Inc. v. Brandon D. Ross, $96,522.83 Superior Court III
The following fines for infractions have been assessed in Kosciusko Superior Court III, Judge Chad Miner presiding:
Speeding — Davidson Bruny, Warsaw, $164.50; Zoe F. Young, Mentone, $164.50; Kade S. Kennedy, North Manchester, $164.50; David J. Hutter, Cromwell, $164.50; Wilson R. Yoder, Millersburg, $164.50; Camille R. Kazee, Warsaw, $164.50; Loralee A. Reed, Pierceton, $164.50; Jackson D. Otis, Millersburg, $164.50; Serena E. Yocom, Leesburg, $164.50; Keegan A. Brown, Warsaw, $164.50; Charles W. Albertson, Warsaw, $164.50; Noah R. Williams, Warsaw, $164.50; Juan Pablo Anacleto Gonzalez, Milford, $164.50; Jason L. Stansell, Warsaw, $164.50; Stephanie S. Campbell, Pierceton, $164.50; Jeremiah I. Jimenez, Warsaw, $164.50; Llesenia M. Simpson, Warsaw, $164.50; Grego-
ry Ousley, Warsaw, $164.50; Courtney N. Dillingham, Wabash, $164.50; Lara L. Rockefeller, Warsaw, $164.50; Erin L. Roembke, Warsaw, $164.50; Glenn A. Trowbridge, Leesburg, $164.50
No valid driver’s license — Miguel R. Ramirez, Warsaw, $164.50; Joseph M. Littlejohn, Warsaw, $164.50
No valid driver’s license, speeding — Alberto Calderon, Warsaw, $189.50
Operating with expired plates
Landen J. Martin, Milford, $164
Marriage Licenses
The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk of the Court
Anne Torpy: Neese-Linville
Kaitlin Rikelle Neese, 21, Warsaw, and Riley Christopher Linville, 21, Warsaw Corder-Clark
Jesse Lee Corder, 24, Mentone, and Brianna Nicole Clark, 22, Mentone Rohrer-Balican
Michael Leon Rohrer, 66, Claypool, and Marjorie Horga Balican, 30, Claypool Shidler-Swoveland
Jerry Dean Shidler, 75, Warsaw, and Betty Wynsma Swoveland, 74, Warsaw Clark-Mansfield
Christopher D. Clark, 43, Pierceton, and Angil M. Mansfield, 42, Pierceton Wilder-Roembke
Justin Douglas Wilder, 34, Warsaw, and Erin Lee Roembke, 33, Warsaw Hummel-Mathis
Corey James Hummel, 29, Warsaw, and Miquela Desiree Mathis, 27, Warsaw Cole-Klages
Heather A. Cole, 44, Cromwell, and David B. Klages II, 47, Cromwell Carson-Warren
Jacob Ryan Carson, 24, Leesburg, and Karleigh Dianne Warren, 24, Leesburg Swanson-Fisher
Remington Wayne Swanson, 24, Winona Lake, and Shelbi Grace Fisher, 24, Winona Lake Lopez-Castillo
Juan Carlos Lopez, 42, Warsaw, and Maria Guadalupe Castillo, 36, Warsaw Saucedo-Hernandez
Misael Tochimani Saucedo, 27, North Webster, and Teresa Xique Hernandez, 38, North Webster Ponce-Pena
Gustavo Llamas Ponce, 39, Warsaw, and Nancy Pilar Don Pena, 31, Warsaw Shaw-Keim
Nickolas Jason Charles Shaw, 24, Etna Green, and Tressa Ann Keim, 27, Etna Green Bontrager-Slough
Taylor Raine Bontrager, 25, North Webster, and Ryan Joseph Slough, 30, North Webster Miller-Miller
Leroy Miller Jr., 29, Millersburg, and Lydia Miller, 23, Nappanee Menzie-Stultz
Kendall Menzie, 24, Warsaw, and Kristian Stultz, 24, Warsaw Fidler-Reinholt
Tressa Anne Fidler, 23, Syracuse, and Brandon Scott Reinholt, 26, Warsaw Clark-Pontius
Jordan Clark, 29, Warsaw, and Paige Pontius, 32, Warsaw
CARDIOVASCULAR
Jason Shroff, RT; Stephanie Diaz, RN; Ashley Ornatowski, RN; Francheska Leal Rivera, RT. Photo provided by Goshen
Goshen Heart & Vascular Center pioneers new cardiology procedure
Goshen Heart & Vascular Center was the first in northern Indiana to conduct a procedure using the newly released Agent Drug-Coated Balloon from Boston Scientific. This groundbreaking technology successfully reopened a coronary artery that had repeatedly clotted despite multiple previous interventions.
“We are committed to bringing the latest advancements in cardiovascular care to our community,”
said Randy Christophel, Goshen Health president and CEO. “This new drug-coated balloon represents a significant step forward in treating complex cases of coronary artery disease, and we are proud to offer this high level of care right here in Goshen. Our dedication to excellence ensures that our patients receive the best possible outcomes without needing to travel elsewhere.”
The Agent Drug-Coated Balloon is used to treat coronary artery instent restenosis, re-opening arteries previously treated with other balloon angioplasty and stents – a vital tool in treating patients experiencing complications.
Goshen Heart & Vascular Center is ranked in the top 10% of hospitals for heart attack care by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association.
Britney Dominguez promoted to ag lending department
Britney Dominguez was promoted to associate, agribusiness lender, stated Jeremy Bender, vice president, manager agribusiness lending at Interra Credit Union. Dominguez will provide financial services to agriculture businesses and farmers in the community.
Dominguez has been with the credit union for more than a decade and brings a foundation of knowledge to build relationships with members. In her role as a lender, she will analyze financial statements, projections and market conditions to assess risk for the credit union and members.
“Interra offers a variety of loan products to our agribusiness members, which allows me to offer tailored loans for seasonal, short-term
BRITNEY DOMINGUEZ and long-term needs,” Dominguez said. “Interra was founded in 1932
by a group of individuals, including farmers, with only $19.50 in deposits. We continue to grow our portfolio in agriculture, which shows our foundation and dedication to the farming community. We strive to uphold our mission statement to be our member’s most trusted and valued financial resource.”
Dominguez obtained her bachelor’s degree in finance from Liberty University in 2021. Originally from Bremen, Dominguez primarily lived in Nappanee where she graduated from NorthWood High School. She resides in Goshen with her husband, David, and two children. She was most recently the co-president for the swimming club, Goshen Rays, where her daughter is a member.
‘A Matter of Balance’ begins Oct. 7
By SHANNON SHEPHERD
and EMILY CHRIST Health and Human Science Educators Purdue Extension
Many older adults experience concerns about falling and restrict their activities. “A Matter of Balance” is an award-winning, evidence-based fall prevention program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. This program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls. Participants will learn how to view falls as controllable, set goals
for increasing activity, make changes to reduce fall risks at home, exercises to increase strength and balance.
Who Should Attend
Anyone should attend if they are concerned about falls, interested in improving balance, flexibility and strength, have fallen in the past, or who have restricted activities because of falling concerns.
To register to attend “A Matter of Balance,” contact Shannon Shepherd, Purdue Extension Kosciusko County, health and human science educator, by calling (574) 372-2340 or by emailing shephe52@purdue. edu. This program is limited to 12 participants.
“A Matter of Balance” will be held at the North Webster Community Public Library, 110 E. North St., North Webster. There is a $25 registration fee to participate in this program. Two sessions will be held every Monday, beginning Oct. 7 until Nov. 25. Classes will be two hours and will begin at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. When registering, indicate if you are registering for the morning or afternoon session. Registration ends Sept. 30.
PIONEERS Goshen Heart & Vascular Center was the first in Indiana to utilize the newly released Agent Drug-Coated Balloon.
Pictured from left are Michelle Tucker, RN; Blair MacPhail MD, FACC;
Bidding open until 6 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 26. Property located at 6870 N. Kalorama Road, Leesburg. Open house 5:30-6 p.m. Thursday, Sep. 19. Two-story home with Tippecanoe Lake access. Bid online at metzgerauction.com. Metzger Property Services.
Standardbred Auction
9 a.m. Saturday, Sep. 28. Located at Shipshewana Auction Barn, 345 S. Van Buren St., Shipshewana.
Nicodemus Fall
Consignment Auction
10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 28. Located at 7865 E. US 33N, Churubusco. Tractors, trailers, farm and hay equipment, vehicles, livestock equipment, skid loader attachments, toy tractors. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction. com.
cated 0.6 mile east of Shipshewana on 250N to 735W, north ¼ mile to 2745 N. 735W, Shipshewana. Stutzman Real Estate & Personal Property Auction
4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Located at 15242 CR 40, Goshen. Threebed, 1 1/2- bath house and 48’ x 32’ shop. Scaffolding plus plank and castors, shop items, fishing poles, rods and reels, fishing equipment, lawn and garden items. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Public Auction
3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Located 1½ miles east of Middlebury on CR 16 to CR 43, north 2 miles to 54038 CR 43, Middlebury.
Real Estate Auction
6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1. Located at 695 W. Perry Road, Ligonier.
Online Property Auction
Bidding open until 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2. Property located at 8211 E. 1290N, Syracuse. Storage barn and 48-storage until
building. Bid online at metzgerauction.com. Metzger Property Services.
Public Auction
9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Located at Hahn Auction Facility, 401 S. Oakland Ave., Nappanee. Boats, vehicles, tools, furniture and household items. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Country Home & Acreage Auction
10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Located at 2207 E. 550S, Warsaw. Country farmstead, quality cropland and woods. Personal property including farm equipment, vehicles, tools and household goods. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Jack McKenzie Estate Auction
10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5. Located at 2207 E. 550S, Warsaw. Vehicles, tractors and equipment, shop tools, household items. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7. Located at 304 E. High St., Atwood, 960 sq. ft. house and garage. Property open for inspection two hours prior to auction or by appointment. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Real Estate Auction
6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. Located at Chupp Auction Center, 890 S. Van Buren St., Shipshewana. Property located at 5950 N 1000W, Shipshewana.
Online Only Auction
Bidding open until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9. Pickup located at 2653 E. US 30, Warsaw. Gun collection, vehicles, duck decoys, fishing poles and tackle, ammo, hunting gear. Bid online at metzgerauction.com. Metzger Property Services.
Online Real Estate Auction
Bidding open until 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9. Open house 5:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2.
Property located at 5847 E. 900S, Claypool. Country home with 2-car detached garage on 5.65 acres. Bid online at metzgerauction.com. Metzger Property Services.
Farmland Auction
6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10. Located at 3027 E. 900S, Claypool. Cropland and recreational woods, 113 acres in two tracts. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Magiera Real Estate & Personal Property Auction
2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. Located at 2656 E. Lapoint Drive, Milford. Camelot lakefront house. Furniture, kitchenware, tools, lawn mower. Hahn Auctioneers, hahnrealtyandauction.com.
Real Estate Auction
6 p.m Tuesday, Oct. 29. Located at 4011 N. Valley Lane, Warsaw. Brick home, 4-bed, 2 1/2 bath with attached 2-car garage on shady corner lot. Metzger Property Services, metzgerauction.com.
Tuesday, Sept. 17, was an exciting day at Parkview Kosciusko Hospital. The hospital’s new, 11,391-square-foot Family Birthing Center opened for patients and in less than 24 hours, the Family Birthing Center team had wel-
comed the first infant born in the unit.
A baby girl was born at 1:42 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, weighing 7 pounds and 8 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches in length. To ensure the safety and privacy
of the baby and parents, and to remain consistent with ongoing guidance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, no additional information will be provided about the child, according to the news release from the hospital.
Purdue Extension teaches ways to make your money go further
When payday rolls around, many consumers try to figure out which bills they will pay and which ones must wait until another paycheck comes in. With costs increasing for necessary expenses, such as gasoline, utilities and health care, consumers are finding it harder to make ends meet. If you, like many others, are wondering how you can stretch your paycheck and make
your money go further, the Purdue University Extension Service invites you to attend a free educational program, “Where Does Your Money Go?”
Presented by Shannon Shepherd, Purdue University Extension Educator in Health and Human Sciences in Kosciusko County, this program is being offered from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8,
at the Senior Activity Center, 800 N. Park Ave., Warsaw. Register with the senior center at (574) 2672012.
This program, and all programs of the Purdue University Extension Service, is open to everyone. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, contact Shannon Shepherd at (574) 372-2341 or shephe52@purdue.edu by Oct. 1.
VARSITY FOOTBALL
KERLIN FAMILY OF BUSINESSES SINCE 1927
9944 South, IN-15, Silver Lake, IN 46982 260-352-2162
CARL WEAVER, BRANDON WEBSTER, CAM PARKER, MARK MILLER
EQUIP. MANAGERS: JOE SECRIST, JOE TACKETT
MANAGERS: MAX WEAVER, MARISOL GONZALEZ, TATUM SHOEMAKER, CAROLANN WALLACE
ATHLETIC
STRENGTH &
FIRST BABY Shown is Dr. Isaac Thimmesch, an OB-GYN with Parkview Physicians Group, left, and the unidentified mother with her newborn daughter, who was the first infant born at Parkview Kosciusko Hospital’s new Family Birthing Center. Photo provided.
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
SWCD STAFF & PARTNERS:
Tashina Lahr-Manifold — Soil Health Specialist
Amanda Heltzel — Education & Outreach Coordinator
Nathaniel Wise — Conservation Program Technician
Dawn Armey — Executive Director
NATURAL RESOURCE
CONSERVATION SERVICE:
Chad Schotter — District Conservationist
Jamie Perry — Soil Conservationist
Local students raft Grassy Creek
By AMANDA HELTZEL Kosciusko SWCD Education and Outreach Coordinator
In August, students from the WCHS Environmental Science classes of Jefferson Elementary, Washington STEM Academy, Claypool Elementary and Madison Elementary schools set out for an adventure on Grassy Creek and Lake Tippecanoe. Students learned about wetlands, water quality, pollution, conservation practices and
more. Three hundred and 26 students, 14 teachers and 36 parents joined us for this program.
The Grassy Creek Rafting Expedition has been a Kosciusko SWCD tradition for over 15 years. Students from STEM-certified elementary schools in the county begin learning about water quality starting in kindergarten with annual visits to local creeks to learn about and sample water. Students look forward to the rafting trip in
SWCD Supervisors:
David Ransbottom — Chairman
Stan Moore — Vice Chairman
Ryan Martin — Treasurer
Luke Mullet — Supervisor
Ben Schlipf — Supervisor
Fall wildlife gardening
By AMANDA HELTZEL Kosciusko SWCD Education and Outreach Coordinator
Fall will be upon us soon and many homeowners have begun to think about cleaning up their lawns and gardens in preparation for winter. Many wildlife species overwinter, including woodpeckers, finches, toads, insects and squirrels.
Read on for simple actions you can take to provide wildlife habitat in your own backyard this fall, including some family-friendly activities to get the kids outside. Think of it as “wildlife gardening.”
• Leave the leaves. Fallen leaves provide shelter for many insects, including moths, native bumblebees and swallowtail butterflies. Instead of getting rid of your leaves, leave a few piles in garden beds or other out of the way locations. These leaves will also serve as a mulch, protecting your soil over the winter, breaking down to return some nutrients to the soil and building organic matter.
• Postpone pruning. Seed heads on dead plants provide a food source for seed-eating birds. Migratory birds will eat up before and during migration to have fuel for their journey south. Overwintering birds, like goldfinches, will use these seed heads as a food source throughout the winter. Dead flower stalks, leaves and grasses are also used by pollinators and other beneficial insects. Some insects will pupate or lay eggs on landscape plants (especially native species like cone flowers) to overwinter. Native bees will use hollow stems to nest; however, there is one caveat: if you have plants that are diseased, cut them back now. Many plant diseases will overwinter and can cause problems next year.
• Provide fresh water. Water is an important habitat component. Adding water can be as simple as setting out a bird bath or shallow saucer. Rocks can be added to the water to provide shallow areas for insects to perch and drink. If you are providing a bird bath or saucer, be sure to keep it clean. You should change the water and clean the birdbath every couple of days before the water becomes stale and immediately if you see algae. To keep it fresh, rinse and scrub with nine parts water to one part vinegar.
• Begin planting native now. Native plants provide high-quality food sources and shelter for wildlife. Do you want to attract migrating butterflies and birds to your yard? Plant native. Do you want to see pollinators buzzing around your garden? Plant native. The fall is a great time to sow native wildflower seeds because many species need to be exposed to cold to germinate. Early fall can also be a great time to plant deciduous trees and shrubs. Fall planting allows roots to establish and get a head start before winter sets in. Cooler air and soil temperatures in the fall reduce stress on trees and shrubs and your fall-planted trees will likely need watered less.
• Involve the kids. Build a “bug snug,” a shelter for insects. Find three to four large sticks and tie them together at the top with twine to make a tent-shaped frame. Kids can collect smaller sticks, grass clippings or driedout plant stems and stack them in the frame. Search online for images to give you inspiration.
Now, it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Grab a pair of binoculars, pick up a field guide from the library and watch out your window all fall and winter long for wildlife to pay a visit.
‘Soil Health on the Small Farm’ part two —
Farms Initiative comes to northern Indiana
By TASHINA LAHR-MANIFOLD Soil Health Specialist
Dr. Jonathan Lundgren is an entomologist and agro-ecologist in addition to being the founder of the Ecdysis Foundation.
The Ecdysis Foundation is an independent, nonprofit research foundation, located in South Dakota, dedicated to transforming America’s food system using the principles of regenerative agriculture. The research and development Ecdysis is doing aims to make innovative practices scalable and transferable to as many operations as possible.
“We anticipate a paradigm shift in the way food is produced in this country, and we want to have answers ready for farmers when they are ready to farm in nature’s image.”
Their vision is to take the Ecdysis model national, establishing a network of facilities around the country, which can address local and regional circumstances.
The “1,000 Farms Initiative,” launched by Ecdysis, demonstrates the power of regenerative agriculture on a network of farms and ranches, where they assess the status of key agronomic, ecological and economic factors. There are two overarching scientific goals of this initiative: 1) validate key regenerative agricultural systems around North America relative to conventional systems and 2) develop data-driven road maps for transitioning key food systems from conventional to regenerative systems.
Pizza night
Continued from page 1
Small Farm” was a two-part educational series, which began in March with a lecture by Dan Perkins in which he highlighted soil health principles and their role in the success of Perkins’ Good Earth Farm. A pizza night and tour at Hawkin’s Family Farm served as part two of the series, with the aim of bringing the soil health principles explained during part one down to earth and providing attendees an up-close look at how conservation practices can be engaged to support soil health and in turn produce bountiful yields. Before the tour itself began, the group enjoyed delectable artisan pizzas baked using entirely locally-sourced ingredients, including many from the farm itself. Each pizza was carefully hand-crafted and baked on the farm
To achieve this, it generates full-site inventories annually on at least 1,000 farms that are in various stages of regenerative adoption across the country. The information gathered from this initiative at this scale is unprecedented, and it’s desperately needed to accelerate adoption of regenerative agriculture practices at the level of individual farms and national policy.
Ecdysis collected and analyzed data on soil chemistry and biology, water retention and infiltration, plant diversity, insect communities, yields, leaf tissue analysis/Brix levels, nutrient density, avian community and field profitability to show the regenerative outcomes on individual farms.
Kosciusko County’s soil health specialist, Tashina Lahr-Manifold, was able to build relationships and pull together a “cluster” of 10-20 farmers from northern Indiana to participate in the 2024 “1,000 Farms Initiative.” The farmers who participated in the cluster were in various stages of regenerative adoption and spanned from corn and soybean producers to high-intensity vegetable production. A team of nine researchers began collecting data in our region July 24. They made their way around St. Joe, Elkhart, Wabash and Kosciusko counties. They wrapped up in our area Sunday, July 28, and made their way over to Gary to sample urban and small farms.
On each field, they laid out four sample plots and collected 15 cm soil probe pulls to test for chemical balance, ran water infiltration rate and holding capacity tests, collect-
using their wood-fired brick oven. Attendees devoured dozens of pizzas and enjoyed pleasant conversation with other gardeners. As plates began to empty, Terri Theisen, regional soil health specialist with Urban Soil Health, used a slump test to demonstrate some of the positive effects of soil health principles: the simple test showed how unhealthy soil becomes a sludgy mess when saturated and freely releases muddy water, whereas healthy soil is better able to maintain its structure and retain moisture.
Then, it was time for the main event of the evening — the tour itself. Three generations of Hawkins provided their knowledge and experience: Jeff, his son, Zach, and even Zach’s young children, who tagged along and occasionally chimed in with their own tidbits.
PULLING SOIL Soils were pulled for analysis during July’s field assessments. Photo by Kosciusko County SWCD. ed soil cores for PLFA, sequenced fungal and bacterial communities and conducted Haney Soil Health tests, insect and invertebrate community counts and avian community counts. This fall, they will collect nutrient density within the crop, along with yield/biomass and economic data. Tashina followed along as they met with participating farmers. The amount of data that was collected and will be shared with farmers is outstanding. Tashina was thrilled to give her local farmers this opportunity of in-depth data
The vegetables grown on the farm are started from seed in flats before being transferred to the ground using a hand-powered paperpot transplanter, facilitating rapid planting and replanting with minimal disturbance to the soil in the growing beds.
The beds themselves are all now fully no-till following a period of transition. Besides transplanting as just described, careful bed preparation using layers of mulching materials, application of compost, tarping and use of cover crops are some of the practices the Hawkins have employed to keep the notill system functioning effectively.
Pest control does not rely on chemicals at Hawkin’s Family Farm; rather, exclusion netting is used on particularly troublesome crops, and companion plants are chosen to
collection and analysis. She plans to bring participating farmers together this winter to cross reference data collected in our region.
The systems-level monitoring being conducted through Ecdysis will establish local, regional and national impacts of this initiative on soil health, biodiversity and farm prosperity.
If you would like more information about the group or the research conducted, visit ecdysis.bio/ or contact Tashina at the Kosciusko County SWCD office, (574) 2677445, ext.3.
attract predator insects, which in turn control the population of pest species. In the beds themselves, annual species allow maximum flexibility in the use of the space, while perennials and trees at the outskirts reinforce the effort.
One of the more memorable moments of the tour occurred at the potato bed. Dramatically pulling up fistfuls of perfect tubers with his bare hands and drawing gasps and appreciative nods from his attentive onlookers, Zach explained the farm’s method for growing potatoes with minimal effort. The potato eyes are simply placed on the soil surface before being covered in a thick layer of leafbased compost. The potatoes then continue to grow in this compost layer and can be harvested with astonishing ease and with hardly a speck of dirt.
The compost used for the potatoes as well as the rest of the farm is produced onsite using primarily leaves but also spent grains from a local brewery. This composition yields a low-nutrient compost perfect for repeated application in large quantities without resulting in excessive nutrient levels. Gently pushing fresh air up from the bottom of the aging compost through PVC tubes, an air pump alleviates the need to manually turn the compost piles.
All in all, it was a wonderfully inspiring evening of community, food and learning. A tremendous thank you is owed to the Hawkins for hosting us and for sharing their experience and enthusiasm.
The Kosciusko Urban Soil Health Working Group organizes educational events annually, so keep an eye out for more to come.
INSECT COLLECTION Soil surface insect and invertebrate collection during July field assessments. Photo by Kosciusko County SWCD.
Herbicide Fall cover crops: safe to plant Fall cover crops: potential for injury
2,4 - D All grasses
nicosulfuron/ nicosulfuron+ rimsulfuron
topramezone
atrazine
Fall cereal grains, ryegrass
Wheat, barley, oats, rye, and ryegrass after 3 months
30 days before sensitive broadleaves
Small-seeded legumes*, mustards, sorghum
Many broadleaves are restricted, does not have much soil activity
Sorghum species Cereals, ryegrass, legumes, and mustards
isoxaflutole Fall cereals grains
mesotrione All grasses
tembotrione + thiencarbazone
Wheat, triticale, rye
dicamba All crops
isoxaflutole + thiencarbazone
Wheat, triticale, rye
metolachlor Almost anything
Cereals, ryegrass, legumes, and mustards
Small-seeded legumes, mustards
Small-seeded legumes, mustards, sorghum
Only at high rates or less than 120 days after application
Small-seeded legumes, mustards, sorghum
Annual ryegrass or other small-seeded grasses
glyphosate All None
paraquat All None
thifensulfuron No restrictions for wheat, barley, and oats
acetochlor
tembotrione
glufosinate
metribuzin
dimethenamid
prosulfuron
halosulfuron
pendimethalin
flumetsulam
rimsulfuron
flufenacil
sa
simazine
clopyralid
pyroxasulfone
quizalofop
sulfentrazone
chlorimuron
Most crops should be fine
Cereal grains after 4 months
All
Cereal grains and ryegrass
Most crops should be fine
Cereal grains and sorghum are labeled, other grasses
Cereal grains and sorghum after 2 mo., other grasses
Cereal grains
Cereal grains
None with 45-day waiting interval
Food or feed residues rather than crop injury a concern
Unknown; small-seeded legumes, mustards could be a problem
Food or feed residues rather than crop injury a concern
Slight risk for small-seeded legumes and mustards
Food or feed residues rather than crop injury a concern
Small-seeded legumes, mustards
Small-seeded legumes, mustards
Small-seeded legumes and annual ryegrass
Small-seeded legumes, mustards, and annual ryegrass
Based on short half-life, most fall cover crops should be OK None
All None
Sorghum species
All grasses
Most crops should be fine
Most broadleaves
Cereals and ryegrass
Cereals and ryegrass
cloransulam Wheat, triticale, rye
Cereals, ryegrass, legumes, and mustards
Small-seeded legumes
Food or feed residues rather than crop injury a concern
All grasses if less than 120 days or at high rates
Small-seeded legumes, mustards, and annual ryegrass
Slight risk for mustards
Cereal grains
Cereal grains
clethodim All broadleaves
sa
Six things to consider for cover cropping, heading into fall
By TASHINA LAHR-MANIFOLD Soil Health Specialist
This is by no means a complete list of all the factors that go into a successful stand of cover crops; however, I just wanted to give a few fast reminders of items to consider, while heading into fall.
1. Residual herbicide carryover — Soil residual herbicides remaining biologically active in the soil is influenced by soil type, soil pH, organic matter, rainfall and temperature. Since these factors will vary from field to field, length of activity can be difficult to predict.
Generally, residual herbicides, which have activity on grass weeds, can hinder the establishment of some grass cover crop species, especially the smaller seeded ryegrass species. Residual herbicides from group two (ALS), group five (triazine), group 14 (PPO, or group 27 (bleacher) can interfere with the establishment of some of the broad leaf cover crop species (Ikley J. and Johnson B., Purdue University).
Risk will be lower where the herbicide application was followed by some wet weather, like this year, to get herbicide degradation started, compared with an application during prolonged dry weather. Below is a table of commonly-used corn and soybean herbicides, the fall cover crops that are safe to plant in rotation and cover crop species that may be injured following these herbicides (Adapted from Lingenfelter D. and Curran W., Penn State University.)
2. Even residue disbursement behind the combine — For an even germination and emergence of your cover crop seed, let the combine do the work to provide a thin even layer of residue. This could eliminate the need for any other field operations to manage residue. Uniform distribution is important for spreading of residual nutrients, even soil temperature and moisture consistency, and as a food source for soil organisms.
Before making any changes, get out and check spread patterns to see how performance can be improved. If displeased with the results, change one setting on the combine at a time to mark differences in performance. Residue distribution is extremely important to have success with your no-till seedings this fall and next year.
3. Method of application/seeding rates — There are positives and negatives to every application method. Aerial seeding can be done into a standing corn or soybean crop either by broadcasting with an airplane, drone or using
high-clearance equipment. These methods allow the cover crop to be planted quickly and earlier, which can lead to greater biomass growth in the fall, in addition to eliminating any potential soil compaction; however, aerial seeding does have some drawbacks; distribution of seed can be more variable with aerial seeding, and seeding rates need to be slightly increased.
Drill seeding provides the most uniform seed distribution and excellent seed to soil contact for establishment, which results in a more consistent stand. One of the biggest drawbacks of drill seeding is how time consuming it can be, in addition to the time of year, corn and soybean harvest can delay cover crop planting beyond ideal planting dates.
Delayed planting can result in reduced biomass growth and less nitrogen uptake. Broadcast seeding with incorporation after corn and soybean harvest is also a viable option to plant cover crops. It can be accomplished as a one-pass or two-pass process.
One-pass systems typically have an air seeder attached to the combine or broadcast cover crop seed with fertilizer application. Incorporation can be accomplished with vertical tillage or other tillage implements, but care must be taken to ensure that incorporation is not too deep and you are not causing additional compaction during fall.
4. Seed selection — It sounds obvious, but insure you are ordering certified seed early, receiving high quality seed that doesn’t have a lot of inert matter and has not been damaged due to insects or improper storage. Make sure you are considering the following cash crop and carbon to nitrogen ratios, to insure you will not be giving yourself a penalty in the spring. If you are concerned about residual herbicides, cover crop establishment may be more reliable when mixtures of grass and broadleaf species are planted. The use of mixtures may allow one more protection from complete failure due to excessive residues in the soil. If a legume is in your mix, make sure you are considering inoculation. There are also some seeds more favorable to surface application verses drilling because of seed size, rates and depths, please keep those in mind.
5. Timing — The timing will be determined by the method you choose and the seed you have selected. Making time to plant a cover crop in the fall is a common complaint routinely expressed by growers interested in adopting cover crops. Airplane and drone applications Continued on page 4
Small-seeded legumes, mustards, sorghum
Small-seeded legumes, mustards
None assuming at least 30 days
flufenacil All None
flumioxazin All grasses
Small-seeded legumes and mustards
Indiana NRCS sets deadlines for voluntary conservation programs
Farm bill program deadlines have been set for Indiana’s agricultural producers, who want to improve natural resources and address concerns on their land.
Damarys Mortenson, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service state conservationist in Indiana, announced Dec. 6 will be the first round of funding application date for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Conservation Stewardship Program in Indiana.
EQIP is a voluntary conservation program available for agricultural producers. Through EQIP, NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to install conservation practices, which reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, improve soil health, improve water and air quality and create wildlife habitat. Also included in this sign up are several state and national initiatives.
“EQIP helps agricultural producers in a manner that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality as compatible goals,”
said Mortenson. “Farmers can receive assistance to implement structural and management conservation practices that optimize environmental benefits on their working agricultural land while helping to increase their yields.”
CSP is an important farm bill conservation program that helps producers, who are already practicing good stewardship to take their natural resource management to the next level. The program helps to improve both their agricultural production and provide valuable conservation benefits, such as cleaner and more abundant water, as well as healthier soils and better wildlife habitat.
“Farmers and forest landowners who enroll in CSP are going the extra mile to conserve our Indiana resources,” Mortenson said. “The actions they are taking on their land are making a more productive and sustainable operation over the long run.”
Producers interested in EQIP or CSP should visit their local USDA Service Center
How supervisors benefit from serving on our board
As our annual meeting approaches and we prepare to fill supervisor openings, we want to highlight how both current and past supervisors have benefited from serving our community. Understanding the SWCDs mission statement is crucial, as it reinforces all our efforts.
Our mission is to enable the conservation of Indiana’s natural resources and to improve the environment and quality of life for future generations.
Current and former supervisors feel a deep connection to this mission. One supervisor shared that his passion for soil and water conservation began with the no-till farming practice. After discussing this new approach with a neighboring farmer, who introduced him to the SWCD, he became actively involved and continues to support the organization. He values the camaraderie at the local, state and national levels and appreciates the positive impact of connecting with like-minded individuals.
Another supervisor noted that many supervisors have served at various levels, including local, state and national positions. Despite the
challenges of nationwide issues, each supervisor works diligently to protect our county and address factors that could affect it. They are driven not by financial incentives or the time they invest, but by a commitment to doing meaningful work as stewards of the land, aiming to leave a better legacy for future generations.
Support for future generations is also evident through our education programs. Activities, like the Grassy Creek rafting week and community school programs, help children who are disconnected from streams, lakes and soil health to develop an understanding of natural resources. This education fosters a sense of pride in protecting their community’s streams, lakes and soil.
The most important value of our supervisors is their pride in safeguarding our natural resources. As they often say, “Someone has to do it, so why not us?”
If you are passionate about conserving and protecting our soil and water and want to make a difference in our community, we would love to hear from you. Email us at kosciuskoswcd@ gmail.com or call at (574) 267-7445.
• GPS Mapping/Application By Soil Types
• Custom Dry Blends
• Lime Spreading
• Liquid & Dry Starters
• Professional Application
• Small Seeds
• Crop Protection Chemicals
• Field Scouting
• Agro Chem Parts
and speak with an NRCS representative. While applications are accepted on a continuous basis, applications submitted by Dec. 6 will be evaluated for this round of funding. Applicants must meet minimum eligibility requirements for EQIP and CSP. NRCS staff will work with producers to determine eligibility and assess and rank each application to compete for funding.
Local students
Continued from page 1
sixth grade when they will have the opportunity to travel Grassy Creek and learn further about water quality, pollution and conservation, while building teamwork skills with their classmates.
WCHS Environmental Science classes also participate in the rafting program. Besides the Kosciusko County SWCD staff and board, it takes many partners and volunteers for this trip to happen every year.
Thank you to The Watershed Foundation for partnering with us on this program and assisting with coordination.
Thank you to staff members from Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement, IASWCD
Six things
Continued from page 3
will be underway any day now. Aerial applications tend to have very low time demand from the producer. If you choose to follow the combine with a drill, spreader or a vertical tillage tool you could be delaying cover crop planting dates in addition to the requirement of additional manpower. This could potentially limit biomass production and associated benefits of the cover crop you have purchased.
Cover crop species, seeding method, seeding rate and timing will all depend on your goals for that cover crop, i.e. compaction fighter, nitrogen scavenging, soil organic matter builder, erosion prevention etc.
6. Have an adaptive termination plan for spring — Be sure to practice patience. Whether you plan to plant green and spray or terminate before planting due to weather conditions, it may take time before it is warm enough to terminate cover crops. Specific to glyphosate, it was never intended to be used in cold weather as it requires an actively growing/transpiring plant for the chemistry to work.
Glyphosate requires a minimum of three hours after spraying on an actively growing/transpiring plant before a dark period (night). Most plants stop growing one to two hours before sun-
For more information about farm bill programs and other technical and financial assistance, contact Chad Schotter, Kosciusko County district conservationist, Jamie Perry, Kosciusko County soil conservationist, or Tashina Lahr-Manifold, Kosciusko County SWCD soil health specialist, at (574) 267-7445, ext. 3 or visit nrcs.usda.gov/indiana.
Resilient Indiana, Pheasants Forever Indiana, Natural Resources Conservation Service, State of Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management, Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Kosciusko County Sherriff’s Department and Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center for joining us on the water.
Thank you to YMCA Camp Crosley, PieEyed Petey’s and Patona Bay for hosting us at your properties and contributing staff to assist with the program.
Finally, a very special thank you to the 48 incredible volunteers, who helped to coordinate, guide rafts, run land crew and drive pontoon boats. This program wouldn’t be possible without you.
set. Glyphosate that has not reached the growing point by dark; 25-30% will become bound within the plant and will not be available the next day. If the following day the plant does not actively grow/ transpire due to cold, wet, cloudy conditions, then the next dark period will bind an additional 80% of the glyphosate. Therefore, there will not be any glyphosate left to provide control of the plant. This typically means no spraying after 2 p.m. for best control in cold conditions (March/early April). It’s critical the mixing order of glyphosate be followed to ensure the maximum amount of glyphosate is available for control. Glyphosate should never be mixed in untreated water as 40%+ can be “neutralized” at mixing depending on water quality. Glyphosate is most active at a pH of 3.5, but plants will react by not absorbing spray below 4.5. (Trials at Dixon Springs with Ron Hines found that the optimum pH for spray solution is 5-5.2).
Source: Monsanto’s lead research scientist on glyphosate (2003) at Chesterfield gave the following information on proper glyphosate use in cold weather.
For more information on cover crop seeding and potential funds available to offset the expense of cover crops, contact the Soil Health Specialist, Tashina Lahr-Manifold, at (574) 267-7445, ext. 5377.
