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Covering Milford, Syracuse & North Webster, Indiana
Howling At The Owl’s Nest
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
One Nation Under God
Page 10 themail-journal.com
WHS achieves notable rankings in county, state and nation
MULTIPLE RAILROAD CLOSURES — There are multiple railroad closures in Syracuse as construction crews repair the railroad crossings. Railroad closures include the intersection of Huntington and Medusa streets, the intersection of North Oak Street and
West Railroad Avenue and Eastshore Drive. As of Tuesday, Oct. 31, there is no construction happening on the intersection of North Oak Street and West Railroad Avenue or Eastshore Drive, but they are closed. Photo by Marissa Sweatland.
Information meeting with KEDCO enters legal gray area By LAUREN ZEUGNER Staff Writer
MIA ON THE GO — Mia Hodgson hopes to return to the state meet her junior and senior seasons. Photo provided by Doug Slabaugh.
Hodgson represents WHS at state meet
For the first time in nearly 20 years a Wawasee girl ran at the
state cross-country meet. Sophomore Mia Hodgson went up against a loaded field Saturday, Oct. 28, but placed herself inside the top 150 runners in the state. “Mia went out and raced awesome competition at the state meet,” coach Doug Slabaugh said. “The state meet is a whole different atmosphere than any other meet we’ve been at this year. Mia kept calm, poised, and excited about the experience. From the gun she got out hard and aggressively running her fastest first mile and two mile through the race.” Hodgson finished 141st overall with a time of 19:45.7. Her performance was a season best as she topped her sectional time of 19.51.6 on Oct. 14. The race took place at the LaVern Gibson Course in Terre Haute, a venue that has also
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hosted championship meets for the National Collegiate Athletic Association. “I think that is overshadowed how challenging it is to not get overwhelmed with that state meet, all the fast competition and let that affect your performance,” Slabaugh said. ”I am so proud of Mia. This season has brought many challenges along the way, but through those challenges she’s still been such a consistent runner and been such a great teammate. Mia has such a great future ahead of her and I’m so lucky I get to be part of this journey.” Hodgson was the first Lady Warrior to qualify for the meet since 2004 when Rachel Stichter was second overall in the meet for Wawasee. Back then the race was just 4 kilometers. Hodgson tied Continued on page 2
Inside
By NATHAN PACE Sports Writer
What was presented as an informational meeting among Kosciusko Economic Development Corp., the developers of South Shore Ventures, and representatives of the Syracuse Town Council, the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission, the Kosciusko County Redevelopment Commission, Kosciusko County Council and Kosciusko County Commissioners entered into a gray legal area when a quorum of the Syracuse Town Council chose to attend. The meeting was held at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in the Syracuse Town Hall. The Mail-Journal received word Monday afternoon, Oct. 30, that a meeting was scheduled. The individual who informed the Mail-Journal about the meeting asked if the number of council members present would constitute a violation of Indiana’s Open Door Law. The Mail-Journal staff first confirmed a meeting was planned with KEDCO and KEDCO confirmed a private meeting was scheduled. Staff then contacted the state’s public access counselor to see if a quorum of council members at the meeting constituted a violation of open door. A representative of the public access counselor stated having so many council members in attendance presented “a funky gray area,” when it came to the law. While IC 5-14-1.5-2 B-3c states “Meeting” means a gathering of a majority of the governing body of a public agency for the purpose of taking official action upon public business. It does not include any of the following: “a gathering to discuss an industrial or a commercial prospect
Lakeland Soccer and Football See Page 7 Winners See Public Notices On Page 9
that does not include a conclusion as to recommendations, policy, decisions or final action on the terms of a request or an offer of public financial resources.” While labeled a private meeting, The Mail-Journal attempted to attend and cover the meeting. Terry Sweeney of KEDCO stated the meeting was to be private. Syracuse Town Councilman Larry Siegel stated the town attorney had been consulted and the town was on “solid legal footing” regarding the matter. Town Manager David Wilkinson elected to have Syracuse Town Council President Cindy Kaiser make the decision whether to open the meeting to the press. Kaiser was informed of the potential for an open door violation. Again, Siegel stated Jay Rigdon, town attorney, said the meeting would not be an open door violation. Wilkinson contradicted Siegel telling Kaiser, Rigdon agreed with the public access counselor’s assessment regarding the meetContinued on page 2
Wawasee High School has announced their recent accolades: not only achieving the U.S. News No. 1 spot in Kosciusko County area high schools but also gaining commendable positions within state and national rankings. “This success is a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of our students, staff and community,” Emily Worrell, director of communications and marketing for Wawasee Community School Corporation, wrote in the press release. Wawasee High School ranked No. 1 in Kosciusko County, No. 149 in Indiana high schools and No. 6,371 in national rankings. “These results speak volumes to the dedicated and intentional work that our teachers are doing throughout the professional learning community process. Earning this award is not something we ever considered or sought out to do. It is simply a byproduct of the focused collaboration on instructional strategies and the assurance of student learning we have worked towards over the last four years,” said Geoff Walmer, WHS principal. “Additionally, it speaks volumes to our students stepping up to the plate, learning at high levels and proving that they can rise to the occasion when prepared the right way. I am very proud of each and every one of our students and staff members.” Beyond traditional metrics, these rankings also underscore the school’s intentional strategies for driving excellence. A pivotal component in this journey has been the PLC process, reinforcing continuous learning and improvement. Additionally, the strategic partnership with the AP TIP-IN program has provided Wawasee High School students with invaluable advanced academic opportunities. It’s notable to highlight Wawasee High School’s 28% participation rate in Advanced Placement coursework and exams. This can empower students to stretch their academic capacities, aiming for potential college credit while navigating high school’s rigors.
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