Archive - News Article
January 20th, 2011
COLUMBIA CITY — A Columbia City police officer was involved in a collision this morning with a semi-tractor trailer, according to Indiana State Police.
ISP Trooper Brian Bills said the collision occurred at the intersection of state Route 9 and Chicago Street and apparently was the result of confusion over traffic signals.
The police car, driven by Master Patrolman Robert V. “Chip” Stephenson received about $5,000 damage, according to Bills, when it was hit by a semi driven by Jim Pettigrew of Columbia City.
Bills said the semi took off parts of the patrol car’s front end.
COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Plan Commission, sporting several new faces in 2011, is hoping to put its best foot forward with a mindful community.
Newly-elected commission president Brandon Forrester assured the large audience Wednesday night that the board would go above and beyond to avoid even an appearance of impropriety in the months ahead as the panel deals with a new comprehensive plan and a recurring issue of wind energy that has blown across the county in recent months.
SOUTH WHITLEY — In an attempt to resolve a property line dispute, that is holding up completion of ordered repair on an exposed wall of a downtown business, the South Whitley Town Council held a special meeting Tuesday evening.
Randy Striggle, owner of the Green Parrot and Gary Hicks, owner of the demolished Hicks and Deaton building met with the council to discuss the issue. The Green Parrot and the former Hicks and Deaton hardware storage building shared a common wall. Since demolition, the southern wall of the Green Parrot has been exposed.
January 19th
COLUMBIA CITY — School board president Don Armstrong called on constituents as well as fellow members of the Whitley County Consolidated School Corporation’s Board of School Trustees to be vocal to the state legislature regarding the future of education in Indiana.
“I’ve heard education is on the rocks,” said Armstrong at Monday night’s regular board meeting.
“Visit our schools and then tell me education is on the rocks.”
Armstrong said the state legislators currently making vital decisions regarding education might need educated themselves.
COLUMBIA CITY — Several suspects in drug-related cases and one man charged with sex offenses were in court Tuesday.
Whitley County Circuit Court’s docket was full Tuesday to make up for being closed Martin Luther King Day.
Wayne Lynn Weaver, 40, Kyle Lloyd Barker, 24, and Janel M. Creech, 36, all arrested on methamphetamine charges, came before Judge James Heuer in various stages of their cases while suspected child molester Terry R. Campbell, 64, appeared for a pre-trial conference.
COLUMBIA CITY — Motorists this morning may have began slipping even before they got behind the wheel of their vehicles.
Paved surfaces everywhere, including driveways and sidewalks were covered with a thin layer of ice when local residents began their commute to work today.
Schools in the county closed and road crews worked feverishly to put down material that would either melt the ice or at least give motorists some traction.
Regardless of these efforts, slide-offs and traffic accidents were recorded throughout Whitley County and the surrounding communities.
January 17th
AVILLA — In 1906, Theodore Roosevelt was President of the United States, the Wright Brothers were granted a patent on their “Flying-Machine” and the first airplane flight occurred in Europe.
Speeding was such an issue that by 1906 20 states had speed limits of 20 miles per hour.
The average worker made $12.98 for a 59-hour work week and the first radio broadcast of the human voice was transmitted from Brant Rock, Mass.
Life expectancy was 46.3 years for males and 47.3 years for females.
COLUMBIA CITY - With classical music played by harpist Dawn Haupt and string ensemble Music D’Arco, the Peabody Public Library welcomed patrons to the dedication of the recently completed Robert E. Brittain Memorial Auditorium. The nearly two- hour program included introductions of the library board and staff and those who did the construction work. It concluded with a tribute by many of his former students to Robert Brittain, who passed away in April and for whom the auditorium is named.
COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Plan Commission will be taking public input on the latest draft of its long-range blueprint prior to its monthly meeting Wednesday.
Draft B of the county’s Comprehensive Plan will be the focus of an open house from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday in the Whitley County Government Center. prior to the 7 p.m. start of the plan commission meeting.
Planners have been developing the new guide for land use and development over the last year, working with Ground Rules, Inc., a consulting firm.
COLUMBIA CITY — In a continued effort to enhance communication between Indiana teachers and state education officials, the Indiana Department of Education launched The Educator Learning Link (TELL) Ambassadors program last week.
The program, introduced Wednesday, is getting mixed reactions from local superintendents.
“I think it appears the Department of Education seems to be reaching out to the local level and that’s a positive thing,” said Steve Darnell, superintendent of Smith-Green Community Schools.
