By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Members of the Wabash River Trail, Inc. entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Wabash regarding the construction of trail ways in the city at the Thursday, June 7 meeting at City Hall.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, this part of the trail and a maintenance road will be constructed in Paradise Spring Historical Park on the north side of the Wabash River.

Wabash River Trail may amend or modify its designs and plans as needed, with the approval of the city, according to the memorandum.

The memorandum also states the trail organization is responsible, financially or otherwise, for all aspects of the design, development, construction and maintenance of the trail.

“WRT acknowledge that no obligation exists for City to provide financial or in-kind support to the WRT or toward the development, construction or maintenance of the trail,” the memorandum states.
 

By The Paper staff

On Saturday, July 28, 2018, the Wabash River Defenders (WRD) will host its annual Clean Out the Banks event.
Participants should gather at Paradise Spring Historic Park, 351 E. Market St., at 7 a.m. for coffee and donuts with instructions starting at 7:30. After the clean-up event, the day winds down with a lunch provided by Knights of Columbus.

Cleanup will occur rain or shine, with the exception of lightning.

River and land “teams” carry out the event’s goal of cleaning our local Wabash River (and tributaries) and its banks. A “team” consists of two to 20 people with a boat(s) and/or truck. When signing up, individuals should declare their “team” members or indicate river or land “team” preference, to which they will be assigned accordingly.

The river “teams” focus on gathering the debris via kayaks, canoes and Jon boats or walking in the water.  The depth of the water is typically from the 6-24 inches, controlled through the release of water at the Huntington Dam and Salamonie Dam by the Army Corp of Engineers. All river participants should be over 13 years of age; however, a parent or guardian must accompany those under the age of 18.

By David Fenker
david@nmpaper.com

NORTH MANCHESTER -- Squire Fieldhouse and its related safety renovation components are one step closer to becoming reality.

The Manchester Community Schools board of school trustees voted 4-2 to approve the $16 million project, which is estimated to cost around $26 million after interest.

Ruth Ayres, Brice Bedke, Steve Flack and Nathan Trump voted in favor of the project; Brian Schilling and Tim McLaughlin voted against moving forward at this time. Sally Krouse was absent.

With the board's vote, community members opposed to the project have 30 days to gather a petition of at least 500 signatures to bring the project to a referendum.

In a three-hour public hearing Tuesday, June 5, the board heard comments for and against the field house from several community members before voting.
 

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

O.J. Neighbours Elementary School was chosen as one of 10 schools in Indiana to receive an Indiana Dual Language Immersion Pilot Program grant, it was announced Wednesday, May 30.

“Presenting students with opportunities to learn multiple languages and about diverse cultures prepares them for the 21st century in which we live,” said Dr. Jennifer McCormick, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction. “I am thankful for the awarded schools who are providing Indiana students with this opportunity.”

The Dual Language Immersion Program provides grants to school corporations that establish or expand dual language immersion programs in Mandarin, Spanish, French or other languages approved by the Indiana Department of Education.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

The Wabash City Council unanimously approved a statement of benefits update for B Walter & Company.

Owner Scott Buehrer and Keith Gillenwater, President and CEO of Grow Wabash County were on hand to discuss the matter with the Council.

Buehrer and B Walter received a 10-year tax abatement for both personal property and real property in 2016 for investments and improvements he planned to make at the facility. By statute, he is required to give the Council an update annually.

“I came here 17 months ago when I acquired B Walter,” Buehrer told Council. “I kept everybody. Our employment at the time was 25 employees and a couple of temps. We’re right around 35 employees and no temps. I prefer to have full-time employees in the business. I think we build a better company that way.”
 

By David Fenker
david@nmpaper.com

At the request of an adjacent landowner, the county commissioners vacated an unimproved alleyway in Servia at a Monday, June 4, public hearing.

Landowner Walt Dingess told the commissioners that he and his father have maintained the space allocated for the alley, located on the south edge of his property on South Second Street, since 1975.

“We've probably kept around 75-80 percent of the area I want vacated mowed,” Dingess said. “I guess, all the years that I've done it, I just assumed it was ours. I didn't realize that there's supposed to be a road or an alley that went through.”
 

By David Fenker
david@nmnews.com

NORTH MANCHESTER – The town’s Manchester's Main Street may soon be smoke-free.

The NORTH MANCHESTER Town Council passed on first reading an ordinance prohibiting smoking on all public property, in all businesses or within 15 feet of a door or window of a location where smoking is banned, at the June 6 meeting. This would effectively ban smoking on Main Street, except within private residences and designated smoking areas at local businesses.

With council member Laura Rager absent, the council voted 4-0 in favor of the ordinance.

Per the council's bylaws, the ordinance must undergo two additional readings before becoming effective.
 

By David Fenker
david@nmpaper.com

After more than two years in jail, a former Manchester University student will forego a trial and be sentenced on a charge stemming from the death of her child this month.

Mikayla Munn, 24, of Elkhart, pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of a dependent, level three felony, in a hearing Monday, June 4. The plea agreement drops a charge of murder and neglect of a dependent, level one felony.

She faces up to 16 years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000.