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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Milford Chief Virgil Sharp
One Nation Under God
Page 6 www.the-papers.com
P litics Three candidates running unopposed for U.S. Senate nominations %\ .(,7+ .1(33 6WDII :ULWHU
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Wawasee School Board approves offering financial program %\ 7,0 $6+/(< $VVRFLDWH (GLWRU “Financial wellness is a part of being healthy,” said James Flecker, director of finance and legal services for the Wawasee Community School Corporation, during the regular monthly meeting of the Wawasee School Board Tuesday evening, March 8, in Syracuse. Flecker was giving a report to the school board on the Your Money Line program that will now be offered to all employees of the school corporation. The program was created by well known financial expert Pete the Planner and allows for direct contact with financial experts and personalized financial plans of action, among other benefits. Flecker said the financial experts for the program “don’t try to sell you anything extra” because they have
no incentive to do so. He noted they “will jump right into your financial business” and offer needed recommendations. “If you are reluctant to discuss your finances, this is probably not the program for you,” he added. He said he is excited to be able to offer the program because he feels the resources can help employees manage their finances better. The board approved the program for one year at a cost of less than $20,000, which is being paid for through approved funding that will not come out of the regular school corporation budget. At the end of the one year trial the effectiveness of the program will be evaluated. In other business, the monthly school report was presented by Milford School and included the publications and media class, the leader-
ship class and the staff book club. The publications and media class interacts with other students and uses social media and a newsletter to keep parents and students informed about what is happening at the school. “We use social media and other outlets to tell our story,” said Chris Gerbers, principal of Milford School. The leadership class is involved with the Reading Buddies program where they read to kindergarten students, the 12 Days of Christmas and Christmas store, service projects around the school, a canned food drive and other projects. “What we have noticed is the need to teach kids how to be the hands and feet of the community,” said teacher Peg Zimmerman, adding raising funds for the Riley Children’s Hospital is another project. The staff book club is a way for
teachers to meet with Gerbers and “have genuine, authentic conversations about education topics,” Gerbers said. A few teachers commented on the club and said it has been a good way for them to hear different perspectives and thoughts about education topics. Also during the meeting the board heard a report from Jim Best, who has been the transportation director for the school corporation since December. Best has implemented some changes since taking over, including changing some of the mapping for routes, having drivers now do walkthroughs on their buses when students are unloaded at a destination and only allowing students who are on a list of the riders (with some exceptions) to ride a route bus, among other changes. One big change will be reducing Continued on page 2
Concerned resident questions county BZA regarding AT&T tower
Candidates for second district unchallenged in primary %\ .(,7+ .1(33 6WDII :ULWHU With only a few exceptions, most people who live in The MailJournal’s coverage area are part of the Second Congressional District of Indiana. Since the general election of 2012, the district has been represented by Jackie Walorski. For the first time since 2014, Walorski will run unopposed on the Republican primary ballot. In 2018, Walorski defeated Democrat Pat Hackett in the November general election, collecting 61.5%
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of the vote. On the Democratic side, Goshen resident Paul Steury is the lone candidate to file for the party’s nomination. The second district includes all or part of 10 northern Indiana counties, including Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, Miami, Pulaski, Starke, St. Joseph and Wabash. Jackie Walorski — Republican Prior to winning election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012, Walorski served as a Continued on page 2
Three Democrats seek nomination in third district %\ .(,7+ .1(33 6WDII :ULWHU
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Three Democrats have entered their names on their party’s May primary ballot for the right to take on three-term Republican Rep. Jim Banks in the November election for Indiana’s Third Congressional District. Gary Snyder, Phillip Beachy and Aaron (A.J.) Calkins each have filed the necessary paperwork to be considered for the Democratic nomination. Banks, who was first elected
to the seat in 2016, is running unopposed in the primary. In 2018, he defeated Democrat Chip Coldiron, garnering 67.8% of the general election vote. Only a few townships in The Mail-Journal’s coverage area, including Tippecanoe and Turkey Creek, are part of the Third Congressional District, with the others belonging to the Second Congressional District. Jim Banks — Republican Banks is seeking his fourth Continued on page 2
Sarah Bauer named top school nurse in Indiana %\ 7,0 $6+/(< $VVRFLDWH (GLWRU On a day off from work, Sarah Bauer received a most pleasant surprise. She was informed Monday, March 7, she had been named School Nurse Administrator of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Nurses. Bauer, the head nurse for the Wawasee Community School Corporation and the daily nurse for Wawasee Middle School, was nominated by her co-workers and also by Tracey Akers, nurse coordinator for Warsaw Community Schools. On Monday afternoon Bauer walked into a conference room at
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WMS filled with her co-workers; WCSC Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer; Jennifer Phillips, special services coordinator for Wawasee; and others. Bauer did not know about her being named School Nurse of the Year until Monday. She not only handles the dayto-day functions at WMS, but also oversees school nurses and the health functions at Syracuse Elementary, North Webster Elementary, Milford School and Wawasee High School. And she handles contact tracing and quarantine situations for COVID. But she was quick to credit the nurses she works with, saying “this happens because of these four ladies,” adding
Inside
Syracuse resident Helen Taylor had a number of questions for the Kosciusko County Board of Zoning Appeals Tuesday morning, March 8, as it considered a request from Tillman Infrastructure to install a communications tower near her home. Richard Helm, representing Tillman Infrastructure, explained due to communications upgrades and leasing issues, AT&T needs to install a new tower on a property located on the south side of CR Continued on page 2
This November marks the official mid-term elections for federal offices. Nationwide, 34 seats in the United States Senate are up for grabs, including 20 currently held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats. Included in that Republican number is the Indiana seat currently held by Sen. Todd Young, who will run unopposed in the GOP’s May primary election. It was anticipated that he would be challenged in the primary by Danny Niederberger, but his candidacy was withdrawn before the filing deadline. The Democratic party also will have only one candidate on its primary ballot, Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. Additionally, William Henry is seeking the Libertarian Party’s nod to be placed on the November general election ballot for the right to represent Indiana in the Senate for
the next six years. Sen. Todd Young — Republican Young is seeking re-election to the Senate for a second term. Young was first elected to the upper chamber in November 2016, defeating former Indiana Senator and Governor Evan Bayh in an election to replace retiring Senator Dan Coats. Young handily defeated Bayh 52.11%-42.41% in a general election that also included Libertarian candidate Lucy Brenton. Prior to his election to the Senate, Young served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Indiana’s Ninth District, which encompasses south central Indiana. His current Senate committee assignments include the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on Finance and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Continued on page 2
“they’re the best.” “Even during this difficult past two years she has worked many hours before and after school and on weekends to ensure everyone has been taken care of no matter the time of the day,” said Cindy Jonsson, main office secretary at WMS. “Her leadership is one that stands out because she cares and has a heart of gold,” said Kimberly Hollopeter, nurse at North Webster Elementary. “It’s really hard to put into words how she impacts our school corporation,” Phillips said. “Her presence is felt in every building because of the support and leadContinued on page 2
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