Archive - 2012
March 1st
COLUMBIA CITY â Two Columbia City High School students are going to get a taste of geography and engineering in the coming months. The students will intern at the Whitley County Government Center, one with County Engineer Brandon Forrester and the other with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Coordinator Dan Weigold.
One of the students will intern with the Engineer and Surveyors office from March 5 through May 25, for two hours in the afternoon. Forrester said this is the departmentâs second internship, the first coming in the 2009-2010 school year.
February 29th
COLUMBIA CITY â It only took 70 minutes for Joel Froomkin to tell the story of Robert Louis Stevensonâs âTreasure Island.â
The students at Mary Raber Elementary School appeared to be under a spell as they listened to the exciting sound effects, the different characters of the beloved childrenâs book and the adventures of the various pirates.
All of it came alive with the talents of Huntingtonâs Joel Froomkin.
Using music, sound effects and nothing but the authorâs own words, Froomkin of Page on Stage presented this exciting swashbuckling tale of pirates searching for hidden treasure.
Helen B. Fulk , 85, of Wolf Lake, died at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, 2012, at her residence in Wolf Lake.
She was born Nov. 10, 1926, in Fort Wayne, a daughter of John and Edith (Campbell) Listenberger.
In April of 1974, she was married in Ligonier to Jesse Fulk. He preceded her in death in 1986.
Marie E. âBettyâ Lahrman Bailey, 85, of Columbia City, passed away at 11:07 a.m. Monday, Feb. 27, 2012, at Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne.
Born Nov. 30, 1926, in Fort Wayne, she was the daughter of Jewel C. and Ethel I. (Gilmore) Needy.
She graduated from Huntertown High School with class of 1944.
In 1976, she moved from Allen County to Whitley County.
Her first marriage was to Robert D. Lahrman on Nov. 10, 1950, in Fort Wayne.
On Aug. 28, 2004, she married Carl R. Bailey at St. Matthewâs United Methodist Church.
LAOTTO â Ralph E. Shafter, 63, of rural Laotto, died at 3:20 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at his home.
He was born March 23, 1948, a son of Richard L. and Evelyn A. Shafter.
His formative years were spent at the family home on Shriner Lake.
He graduated from Columbia City Joint High School in 1966.
Ralph proudly served his country in the U.S. Navy.
His service included a tour in Vietnam where he was awarded a Purple Heart medal and the Bronze Star with a combat V for Valor.
He retired from the U.S. Postal Service.
February 28th
COESSE â Circumstances prevented a devastating fire Tuesday from being even more tragic. âThe farm hand had just left about a half hour before and a passerby called it in,â said Union Township Fire Chief Chad Radke this morning about Tuesdayâs fire that destroyed a horse barn at Stockamp Ranch east of Columbia City.
Radke said today the damage was too extensive for fire investigators to determine the cause.
COLUMBIA CITY â Numbing pain at the gasoline pump continued during the past 18 hours when many fueling spots in Whitley County increased prices from $3.69 per gallon to $3.85 and more.
Last Thursday gas prices jumped more than a quarter a gallon â and the spike continues this week.
The White House last Thursday reiterated its continuing philosophy that leadership on this issue was difficult and household economic problems were to be expected.
Recovery from the recession is at risk, note experts outside of the White House.
February 27th
COLUMBIA CITY âThe beat of the drums resounded in the band room as 16-year-old Whitko High School sophomore Jalen Gregory displayed his musical talent.
In Jalenâs eyes, the drums produce a self-expressing beat, giving his audience the opportunity to peer deeper into his character and learn more about him through music.
âWhen I play the drums I want people to not just listen, but to feel it,â said Jalen. âI want people to know who I am through my music.â
Steven Gregory Birchum, 48, of Columbia City, passed away at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at Parkview Oaks, Columbia City.
Born Sept. 11, 1963, in Whitley County, he was the son of Clarence and Reva M. (Banks) Birchum.
He attended Columbia City Joint High School and then moved to Monroe, Ga. for 30 years where he did maintenance at a recreational vehicle park.
He attended Freewill Baptist Church.
SOUTH WHITLEY â Leola Williamson, 88, of South Whitley, died at 8:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012, at Parkview Oaks, Columbia City where she became a resident one week prior.
She was born Aug. 20, 1923, in South Whitley, a daughter of Reed and Ida Irene (Rivet) Brower.
Her formative years were spent in Collamer.
She completed her education at South Whitley High School.
On Nov. 3, 1945, she was united in marriage to James A. Williamson.
They made their home in South Whitley and Tunker, returning to South Whitley in 1953. Mr. Williamson died Dec. 31, 2007.
