Archive - Apr 2011 - News Article
April 13th
COLUMBIA CITY â The Columbia City Common Council watched a video at its regular meeting Tuesday night.
The five-person panel watched while Street Superintendent Kelly Cearbaugh showed a slasher film of sorts, video of a root cutter cleaning the inside of a sewer pipe.
âIt de-scales the inside of the pipe without hurting the pipe,â said Cearbaugh as he directed the video from the podium of the City Hall council chambers.
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COLUMBIA CITY â The table in the Whitley County Government Centerâs board room was full Tuesday morning in a rare joint meeting of the Whitley County Council and county Board of Commissioners.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the local Emergency Medical Service, which is a joint venture of both the county and Parkview Whitley Hospital.
The county, which helps subsidize the hospitalâs operation of the EMS, is investigating several options for the upcoming years.
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Columbia City â The Whitley County Republican Party will host a Republican Mayoral Candidate Forum at its monthly breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at CC Deli in downtown Columbia City. Three candidates have filed for Mayor in the Primary Election on May 3 â Don Sexton, Ryan Daniel and Gary Parrett. All three candidates will be on hand to answer questions from the audience and discuss their platform for the position. Cost is $5 per person and includes coffee and breakfast. For more information, please contact Jim Banks at 260-579-5828.
April 12th
The deadline to pay the spring installment of property taxes is May 10, according to Whitley County Treasurer Lisa Richmond.
Tax statements were mailed late last week and property owners should be receiving them soon, if they have not already.
Property tax payments can be made at the treasurerâs office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, by mail or placed in the drop-box located on the north side of the Whitley County Government Center.
The treasurerâs office is located on the second floor of the Government Center.
April 11th
One hundred and fifty years ago, rumblings of war were heard across the United States, and no more or less than in Whitley County.
In âHistory of Whitley Countyâ by Weston A. Goodspeed and Charles Blanchard, 1882, a synopsis of the day that Whitley County called for its men to stand for the Union is given by Goodspeed.
On Saturday, almost 150 years to the day, a commemoration of the events will take place on the courthouse lawn at 2 p.m. presented by the Whitley County Historical Society.
COLUMBIA CITY â Columbia City residents will have an opportunity to spruce up the walkways in front of their homes, thanks to a program being launched by the city.
Mayor Jim Fleck announced the Columbia City Sidewalk Enhancement Partnership Program for 2011.
Fleck said the city will partner with residents for a 50/50 match on public sidewalks.
âIt really, actually works out to be more like 60/40,â Fleck said, adding that the city assumes the cost of eliminating debris, âwhich is an expense.â
COLUMBIA CITY â Local government agencies and schools, as well as some businesses, will be joining organizations throughout the Midwest in a coordinated drill for earthquake preparedness.
âItâs just preparing for the âwhat if,ââ said Cathy Broxon-Ball of the Whitley County Emergency Management Agency/Department of Homeland Security.
Broxon-Ball said the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, which will be observed in Indiana April 19 due to conflicts with ISTEP (Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress) testing, will involve all three school corporations in Whitley County.
COLUMBIA CITY â A former U.S. Congressman is taking it upon himself to educate his countrymen on the document that helps keep the country democratic.
And, he says, most Americans have a lot to learn.
âWe must become educated,â said John Hostettler, who served the 8th U.S. Congressional District from 1995 to 2007 in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Hostettler spoke at a recent meeting of the Whitley County Patriots.
The former legislator formed a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching citizens about the U.S. Constitution.
COLUMBIA CITY â The head of Whitley Countyâs Geographic Information System (GIS) Department is constantly trying to stay one step ahead of advancing technology in order to make his office a vital tool for the entire county.
GIS Coordinator Dan Weigold briefed the Whitley County Board of Commissioners last week about the variety of roles his department plays throughout the county.
âThe state is looking at doing another flyover,â said Weigold, who explained that GIS departments use aerial photography on a daily basis.
COLUMBIA CITY â A special meeting has been scheduled for the Whitley County Consolidated School Corporationâs Board of School Trustees in order to possibly ratify an agreement with the local teachers union.
âWeâve been working on contract negotiations and we reached settlement, we hope,â said Corporation Superintendent Dr. Patricia OâConnor today.
âWe set (the meeting) up in order for the board to ratify the agreement.â
OâConnor said the teachers are expected to approve the agreement today, leaving only the school board signatures remaining.
