Archive - News Article
December 30th
COLUMBIA CITY — The Columbia City Fire Department didn’t have far to travel Wednesday afternoon to respond to a fire at 113 East Market Street in Columbia City, just a block and a half east of the fire station.
There was minimal damage and it was contained rather quickly with just damage to an exterior wall and no one was hurt,” said Columbia City Fire Chief Tom LaRue this morning.
LaRue said the fire’s origin was electrical and was extinguished by removing some siding and cellulose insulation on a porch of the house.
COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City’s wallet could be a bit thinner next year.
Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle brought before the city’s Common Council on Tuesday, an emergency resolution to reduce the city’s 2010 appropriations.
“I was notified by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) that I would need to reduce our appropriations by $292,000,” said Coyle.
The clerk told the board she was able to skim $199,700 from the 2010 budget, but that the remainder would have to come from the 2011 appropriation.
December 29th
COLUMBIA CITY — The city of Columbia City is working to bring street signs up to federal guidelines.
At the regular meeting Tuesday night of the Columbia City Common Council, Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle said an ordinance is being considered regarding the update of speed limit signs in the downtown area.
According to Coyle, speed limits downtown vary from 20 to 30 miles per hour.
“Those speed limits are what they are,” she said. “But there are no signs posted. They (the city) will be purchasing signs for those. There are a few that are posted.”
COLUMBIA CITY — Residents in town throughout Whitley County will be able to discard their used Christmas trees over the next few weeks.
The Town of Churubusco announced it will have Christmas Tree pickup Jan. 8.
At Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Columbia City Common Council, Clerk-Treasurer Rosie Coyle told the board that workers from National Serv-All would also be picking up discarded trees Jan. 8.
“So people should have their Christmas trees out by the curb,” Coyle said.
COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Commissioners approved a resolution last week authorizing the submission of a grant application for community development.
According to Whitley County Auditor Linda Gerig, the resolution authorizes the submittal of the Planning Grant Application to the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.
The resolution was presented during the regular meeting of the commission Dec. 20.
The application asks for funding to conduct a feasibility study of sewer and drinking water services for Coesse and grant administration.
December 27th
COLUMBIA CITY — Public entities are dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s of their finances in preparation for the end of the year.
Both Whitley County Consolidated School Corporation and the Whitley County Council made appropriation reductions from their 2010 budgets in order to help fund their budgets for next year.
At the county, $481,354 was reduced from the 2010 Highway Department Budget in order to “fully fund the 2011 Highway Department Budget.”
COLUMBIA CITY — A Columbia City man was injured in a one-vehicle crash Monday afternoon on Ind. 205.
Police, EMS, and fire crews responded at approximately 1:28 p.m. to find James M. Lawd’s truck wrapped around a tree.
According to the report by Whitley County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Randy Dellinger, Lawd, 64, was driving his truck eastbound on Ind. 205 at an excessive speed and drove off the right side of the road.
Lawd over-corrected and slid through a yard before striking a tree on the driver’s side door.
COLUMBIA CITY — The Whitley County Consolidated School Corporation’s Board of School Trustees agreed last week to replace Columbia City High School’s aging wheel chair lift.
Corporation Business Manager Tony Zickgraf suggested the board approve the installation of a new lift to replace the current one which according to Zickgraf is slow and not up to code.
“I’ve been here 16 years and it was here when I got here,” said Zickgraf. “The present one is real slow and not very ADA (American Disabilities Act) friendly for the handicapped person trying to do it himself.”
COLUMBIA CITY — At approximately 3 a.m. Monday morning, Jason Snyder and his dog were awakened by a fire alarm and a house full of smoke at their trailer at 3004 North County Road 250 West.
Firefighters from the Thorncreek Fire Department, along with two Whitley County Sheriff Deputies assisted with the fire.
Upon arrival, the first crew in the house found the kitchen and living room on fire.
Assistant Fire Chief Adam Hurley said a candle could not be ruled out as the cause of the blaze.
COLUMBIA CITY — Sledding down the hills in DeVol Field is a popular winter activity, but sledding in Baker’s Field is dangerous and off-limits, according to the Columbia City Parks Board.
“Every year we have issues with this (Baker’s Field), but what drives us crazy is they (people sledding) are not allowed to sled on the Baker’s Field side,” Parks Director Mark Green said Monday evening.
“This is dangerous because you don’t know what is under the snow and it seems once a year somebody breaks their leg. We want people to stay between the bales.”
