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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
99th Milford Alumni Banquet
wednesday, june 12, 2024
One Nation Under God
Page 9 themail-journal.com
WAWASEE SUBMARINE — Julie Mishler, seen at the state meet, just barely breaks the surface of the water during the backstroke.
Mishler to swim for Olympic dreams Text and Photos By NATHAN PACE Sports Writer
LUNCH TIME — Free lunches are served from 11-11:30 a.m. each weekday in the parking lot of Milford Public Library as part of the free summer lunch program. Other sites are available in both Syracuse and North Webster. Pictured get-
ting their noontime meal Tuesday, June 11 are from left Lilly Simmons, T.J. Simmons and Alice Griffith. They are being served by Sally Riggs. Photo by Keith Knepp.
Trial begins in reckless homicide charge for 2020 Lake Wawasee boating accident By LIZ ADKINS Staff Writer Two witnesses testified during the first day of a three-day jury trial for an Indianapolis man criminally charged for a fatal boating accident on Lake Wawasee. Kevin M. Kelley, 66, Indianapolis, is charged with reckless homicide, a level 5 felony. Kelley is being represented by Mary K. Zahn and David E. Deal, Indianapolis. The state’s case is being presented by Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dan Hampton. In Indiana, a Level 5 felony is punishable by one to six years in prison, with an advisory sentence of three years.
Affidavit Of Probable Cause On Aug. 8, 2020, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Syracuse Police Department, and the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office investigated the death of Nathaniel C. Mroz, 20, Fortville. On that day, officers were dispatched to a residence on Lake Wawasee which was owned and occupied by Kelley. While Syracuse EMS attended to Mroz, officers interviewed witnesses. According to court documents, Kelley was operating a boat and pulling two tubes with three riders on Lake Wawasee. During this activity, it was discovered all of the tubers had fallen into the water around the same time. Kelley admitted to officers that
while he was retrieving the tubers, he failed to notice Mroz was directly in the path of his boat. Kelley ran over Mroz with the boat. One of the tubers said they saw Mroz waving his arms as a safety measure for boaters to be aware of his presence in the water just prior to being hit by Kelley’s boat. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and Mroz was pronounced dead at the scene by the Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office. DNR conservation officers and an evidence technician with the Indiana State Police continued investigating several days after the accident. Collected evidence indicated that while retrieving the fallen tubers, Kelley had op-
The goal of making the U.S Olympic team is in play for a Wawasee student next week. Julie Mishler recently concluded her junior year at Wawasee, and half of her summer vacation will
WAWASEE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES
MIKE FOWLER
KEVIN M. KELLEY erated his boat at an unreasonable rate of speed. Court documents also state Continued on page 3
DON BOKHART
Fowler, Bokhart file for school board seats By DEB PATTERSON and MARISSA SWEATLAND Staff Writers Wawasee Community School Board will have its two at-large seats up for election in the general election, Nov. 5. Those seats are currently held by Mike Wilson, who lives
MAIN ENTRANCE — Emily Hower presented numerous renderings of the Milford School project, including the rendering of the new front entrance. Rendering by Elevatus Architecture.
be dedicated to trying out for the U.S. Olympic team. Mishler will take part in the trials for Team USA in Indianapolis with events beginning Saturday, June 15. “I have big goals that I want to achieve,” Mishler said. “My main goal is to make the Olympic team. Continued on page 2
in District 1, and Don Bokhart, who lives in District 2. Thus far, Mike Fowler, who lives in District 1; and Bokhart have thrown their hats into the ring. Filing began May 21 for the school board elections and will continue until noon, Thursday, Continued on page 2
MILFORD CAFETERIA — Emily Hower presented numerous renderings of the Milford School project, including the rendering of the new cafeteria. Rendering by Elevatus Architecture.
Elevatus presents updated Milford School renderings By MARISSA SWEATLAND Staff Writer Emily Hower of Elevatus Architecture came before the Wawasee school board to present updated
Milford School renderings. The Milford School project is one of two projects currently underway within the Wawasee Community School Corporation. The other project is constructing a performing arts center at Wawasee High School. Hower showed multiple renderings, from the exterior to the cafeteria to the gymnasium. “There is not a whole lot to say, we are just so excited to show you these updated renderings!” Hower told the board. Since the project is nearing the end of its design phase, the next step in the project is to open the floor for bids. Once bids are sent, publicly opened and then accepted by the board, construction can begin. Hower predicts by end of the week MKS will have the final drawings. The bid opening will shortly follow the approval of final drawings. “One year ago this month, the
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board approved the hiring of our architects and construction managers for our two big projects,” Superintendent Dr. Steve Troyer said. “It’s been a packed year of stakeholder input, of design meetings and collaborative sessions between different groups of people. It has been a really cool process to walk through the last year.” The board approved a memorandum of understanding between the school corporation and the Kosciusko County Health Department to create the Kosciusko Health First Indiana Program. The grant of $49,500 will allow the school corporation to provide two projects: tobacco and vaping prevention and chronic disease prevention, primarily obesity. The tobacco and vaping prevention program will be a collabora-
tive project with McMillen Health, which is recognized as the top resource for health education in northeast Indiana. The program would begin in the fall 2024 and would be geared toward fourth and fifth grade students. Currently, the corporation does not have a tobacco and vaping prevention and cessation program in place for this age of students. Once students complete the program, they should be able to identify three things all vaping devices have in common, define addiction, describe at least two negative consequences of addiction, demonstrate at least one self-regulation strategy to handle stress and identify at least two tricks that peers can use to pressure an individual. The chronic disease prevention Continued on page 2
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