$1.50
Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
griffith’s wawasee marina
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Family Owned Since 1946
YOUR BOAT STARTS HERE! • SALES • SERVICE • STORAGE
wawaseemarina.com
(260) 856-2286
9171 E. Ross Drive, SYRACUSE
www.the-papers.com
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Milford Fun Fest back on track %\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU This year’s Milford Family Fun Fest is back on schedule for Saturday, May 28, following a brief period of uncertainty resulting from disagreements among participants (reported in the April 13 issue of The Mail-Journal). However, the late start has affected donations for the free event. “It’s working out really well right now,” enthused Brenda Bethel, a member of the Lions Club Milford Fest committee. Bethel said Tom Beer of Beer
and Jessop Amusements has also joined the committee. “We’re all working together.” At the April 11 meeting of Milford Town Council, Beer expressed concern about liability after Made on Main owner Angie Deak announced plans to hold a makers market as part of the festival. The makers market will now be held at Harvest Coffee from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 28, adding a new dimension to the event. And, as in past years, Beer and Jessop Amusements will provide the rides, which will be free to attendees,
along with live stage entertainment to be located near the Milford Fire Department. Food and craft vendors will also be available, and the car show will be back under the auspices of Masonic Lodge #418. Other events will include Milford’s neighborhood garage sale, with a map of participating homes available at Town Hall; Kiwanis pancake breakfast; Friends of Milford Public Library’s book sale; and Milford Fire Department’s rib-eye steak sandwiches. “We’re charging ahead and
planning a great event,” said Town Clerk Tricia Gall, who is also a Lions Club member and organizer. It is not cheap to provide so much free entertainment, Bethel noted. “Any size donation will help make Milford Family Fun Fest a great day for all to enjoy.” It may also help ensure the event continues in the future. There are two ways to donate. Make checks out to either Milford Lions Club, care of Tricia Gall, P.O. Box 25, Milford, IN 46954; or BAJA, P.O. Box 29, Milford, IN 46975.
Milford Council prepares for Family Fun Fest Milford Town Council held a special meeting Monday, May 2, in preparation for Milford Family Fun Fest. The council also voted to hire USI Consultants to inspect recently installed Americans with Disabilities Act-approved ramps, 15 of which were found to not meet ADA specifications. Milford Lions Club Milford Fest committee members Marcy Haab and Brenda Bethel attended the May 2 meeting to request street closures and the use of other town services. The council agreed to the following street closure schedule: Main Street will be closed from Catherine Street to the old PNC Bank drive-thru just south of Town Hall from 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 25, to 8 a.m. Sunday,
May 29. At 5 p.m. Thursday, May 26, Main Street will be closed from the PNC drive-thru to Milford Fire Department, 214 S. Main St. At 5 p.m. Friday, May 27, Emeline Street will be closed from the alley behind T-Zone Custom Apparel to the alley behind Town Hall. At 5 p.m. Friday, May 27, Main Street will be closed from Catherine to Fourth streets. All streets and parking lots will be reopened by 8 a.m. Sunday, May 29. The times of closures are the same as previous years; however, the dates were moved ahead by one day due to staffing problems experienced by Beer and Jessop’s Amusements, said Haab. Members expressed concern
about access to local businesses if the Community Building parking lot is also closed throughout the time originally planned. A final decision will be made after discussion with business owners and Tom Beer of Beer and Jessop’s. Following a suggestion by Superintendent Steven Marquart, the council voted to expand a downtown electrical panel with two new gang boxes housing additional plug-ins, including one at 220 amps to handle refrigeration. Middlebury Electric will do the work at a cost not to exceed $1,200. The council voted to approve Beer and Jessop’s use of the electrical panel and waived community building rental fees for Milford Kiwanis during the festival.
JL Hurt Portable Restrooms will provide 11 port-a-potties for the festival — including three handicap-accessible units, two of which will be placed at the Friendly Express Marathon Station. The cost is $1,270. Marquart measured ADA ramps recently installed by Phend and Brown and Pulver Asphalt Paving during the Community Crossing-funded paving project and found 15 he said did not comply with ADA rules. The work will be performed by USI Consulants at a cost not to exceed $10,000. Councilman Ken Long said despite the high cost the decision was a “no-brainer” as the expense would be far higher if the ramps are not compliant. CounContinued on page 2
%\ '(% 3$77(5621 (GLWRU ,Q &KLHI Incumbent State Rep. District 22 Curt Nisly and Kosciusko County Sheriff Kyle Dukes lost their bid for re-election to their opponents, current State Rep. District 18 Craig Snow and James Smith, respectively. Additionally Tyler Huffer, Plain Township Trustee, was defeated by Craig Charlton. Snow will now go against Democrat opponent Dee M. Moore in the November general election for the new District 22. That district encompasses all of Kosciusko County, except Turkey Creek and Tippecanoe townships, and one township in Wabash County. Smith and Charlton will both be unopposed in the November election. Winning their re-election bids were Kosciusko County Commissioner - Southern District Robert ‘Bob’ Conley and Kosciusko County Councilwoman Kim Cates. Paul Stoelting also won his bid for re-election on the Syracuse Town Council. “I’m thrilled to have won, of
course, and more than anything I am just very excited to serve a new district that is pretty much the area I grew up in and live my life, raised my family and do my business. I’m really excited at the opportunity to serve constituents in Kosciusko County if you will ... I’m thrilled the campaign is over and to move on to some other things and start working on getting things accomplished,” said Snow. It’s been a long year for Smith. He started his campaign on Memorial Day weekend last year. “I’ve had aspirations on running for sheriff for a long time. But like anything in politics, I knew it had to be the right timing. I knew if I was going to unseat an incumbent I would have to start early. ... Lot of doubt in the beginning ... last few months didn’t hear that anymore ... started educating people on the issues, resonating with people. “I think we started when we were supposed to. If we waited any longer I don’t know we’d been as successful. I knew it was going to be a close race,” Smith said. He expressed appreciation to his wife, Continued on page 2
Wawasee Flotilla set for Indiana’s Largest Marina July 2, merchandise available Over 90 Years of Exceptional Service and Products %\ '(% 3$77(5621 (GLWRU ,Q &KLHI Plans for the 2022 Wawasee Flotilla are in full swing and “Out of this World,” with the Flotilla Store ready for merchandise orders. This is the 61st anniversary of the flotilla and the committee has gone “galactic” with its theme “Out of this World: Lake Wawasee — the Best Place in the Universe.” Flotilla participants are encouraged to highlight the best place in the Universe — Lake Wawasee. Is it possible there will be
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boats, piers and yards decorated from Star Wars, a moon landing, a space shuttle, Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, Avatar, “Rocket Man,” Guardians of the Galaxy, Jedi, Sky Walker, Darth Vader, forms of UFOs — in this case unidentified floating objects — to the Jetsons and planets? The flotilla will be held Saturday, July 2. The start time is 11:30 a.m. from The Spink, the lineup beginning at 11 a.m. when judging begins. The flotilla will be moving counterclockwise around the lake. Commodores for this year will
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Incumbents defeated in three Republican races
be the original committee members from 1961. These men had the vision and foresight to conceive an event that has lasted 61 years. Original committee members include Gorden “Short” McCormick, Jack Wells, Jim McCully, Tom Socks, Tiny Soule, Larry Griffith, Dale Butt, Clem Lisor, Earl Money and Bob Rule, known as the Founding Fathers of the Flotilla. The families of original board members are encouraged to contact the committee at billmccully@ Continued on page 2
Establishing Generational Talent See Page 7 See Public Notices On Page 11
NAUTIQUE | JC PONTOON | FOUR WINNS SUPREME | YAMAHA WAVERUNNER | HOBIE CAT
6521 E. Cornelius Road Syracuse, IN 46567 Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 am-5 pm Closed Sunday
574.457.4404 wawaseeboat.com