Latest News Headlines

Re‘VOLT’ing training

May 22, 2013

Heath Fearnow, one of Columbia City’s Police Department’s newest reserve officers, went through an unpleasant training exercise Saturday night.

Fearnow, along with fellow reserve Tony Kumfer and CCPD’s newest hire, Jon Stoffel (pictured left), underwent taser training at City Hall.

Pictured, from left: Stoffel, Fearnow, taser instructor and CCPD Officer Thor Hodges, and Sergeant Trey Insley.

AQUATICS FACILITY: Pool forum overflows with ideas

May 22, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — There was no shortage of suggestions at last night’s aquatics facility public forum.

Since the announcement of Burnworth Memorial Pool closing in 2014, a task force has been working on a replacement for the public pool option.

Kevin Post, of Counsilman-Hunsaker, led the forum with his expertise on facility design and execution.

“The typical pool has a life of 30 to 50 years. Burnworth Pool is out of that life expectancy. It is definitely time to look at another aquatics option,” Post said. “But the idea of what a pool is has evolved over the years.”

Holiday trash pick-up

May 21, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — Due to the Memorial Day holiday, there will be no collections Monday for trash and recycling.

Monday collections will be made on Tuesday. Tuesday collections will be on Wednesday. Wednesday collections will be made on Thursday. Thursday collections will be made on Friday.

Friday collections will be made on Saturday.

All trash and recycling collections the week of May 27 will be performed one day later than normally scheduled.

Walking group to begin in June

May 21, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — Whitley Walkers will begin training to walk 13.1 miles in the Veterans Day Mini-Marathon held Nov. 9, 2013.

Training starts Monday, June 3. This is not a running club.

However, the group will be coached by local marathoners, including Greg Fahl, Betty Nelson, Kim Lefever, Carl Fields and BJ Hohenstein, as well as several Whitley County YMCA staff members.

Library offers downloadable tunes

May 21, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — Peabody Public Library has joined with Library Ideas to offer a network accessing more than 3 million songs.

The Freegal Music Service will allow library patrons to increase the size and diversity of their music collection by offering access to more than 10,000 music labels from 65 different countries.

Registered library cardholders can download three Freegal Music tracks in the MP3 format each week at no cost by going to the library’s website at http://ppl.lib.in.us. Click on the Freegal icon in the upper right corner of the website and enter the library card number.

CCHS golfer takes talent to philanthropic level

May 21, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — Columbia City High School stand-out linkster Tyler Green has partnered with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) to raise funds for Leadership Whitley County.

Recently, the AJGA initiated "Leadership Links," a program that teaches charitable giving skills and service-oriented practices at an early age.

This program motivates junior players to donate their time and talent to local organizations.

ROAD WORK AHEAD: Street dept. ready for summer work

May 21, 2013

COLUMBIA CITY — Although the actual first day of summer is more than a month away, Columbia City’s Street Department is gearing up for summer projects.

Among the projects is crack sealing. Street Department Superintendent Kelly Cearbaugh said during the winter, cracks appear in the pavement and summer is the time to fix them.

“We usually have a company come in and use fiberized crack seal,” he said. “They blow out the cracks and get the sand and debris out first. It just preserves the street that much longer, it’s part of pavement preservation.”