The members of the Wabash City Schools board met on Monday, March 15. During this meeting the board presented the winners of the 2020 and 2021 Kathy Swan awards.

“At the high school, what we do, is I send out an email to all of the employees at the high school to figure out who are good nominees for this award,” Wabash High School principal Kyle Weiland said. “We received a lot of different names from each grade level, and once those are all submitted, I send out a poll to all of the teachers and they get to select who they think is the most deserving recipient each year. We have so many, but each one of them that will be recognized tonight is very deserving for their contributions to Wabash High School. One of the things I really encourage my teachers to think about is, you know, which are those students that make you excited to come to school each day, which ones are doing the right thing each and every day, which ones are treating each other, their peers, their teachers with respectful ways, and truly making this a great place to learn and teach and I’ve had positive experiences with each and every one of these students so I’m excited to recognize them.”

The 2020 winners were: Jorri Booth, Hunter Jones, Jaqobie Griffith, Maddie Helsel and Cody Ballschmidt.

“Jorri is a hardworking, diligent student who takes pride in her work,” said Booth’s industrial technology teacher, Shaun Eiler. 

“She takes the time to do things right the first time, and strives to turn in the best projects in every single class. And more importantly, she is also willing to help out students she sees struggling without any prodding from the teacher.”

Math teacher Niko Macaluso said of Jones, “I appreciate that Hunter actively participates in class discussions and always has a positive attitude when it comes to class. He has a tremendous work ethic when it comes to his academics and even when things get tough, he just doesn’t quit.”

Clover Blossom Honey and the Shenefield family were honored Wednesday night, March 10, as the 2020 Farm Family of the Year.

The recognition came during Grow Wabash County’s Salute to Agriculture Dinner.

Clover Blossom owner Dave Shenefield, along with his sister, Beth, and his son, Derek, accepted the award on behalf of the family from Steve and Lisa Flack, the 2019 Farm Family of the Year recipients.

Howard Halderman, chair of the Grow Wabash County Ag Committee, introduced the Shenefields and explained why they were chosen for the honor.

“We want to recognize someone who does it right,” he said. “They do it right from an environmental stand point. They do it right from an economic standpoint. And they really make a contribution to the world.”

The proposed Norfolk Southern overpass on East Street is still at least two years away from construction.

That was the word Tuesday, March 9, during a Zoom hearing on the topic. The meeting was sponsored by the Indiana Department of Transportation, and had about 30 people participating.

In 2018, the City of Wabash received an $8,560,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Transportation for the project. The money is from the Local Trax Rail Overpass program, and will pay for the vast majority of the design and building of the overpass. The city will match the remainder of the cost, estimated to be at $10,700,000.

Jackie Dohrenwend conducted the meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, spending the first part of it to outline details about the plans. The remainder was spent answering questions submitted by the public.

While the East Street site was proposed for the project early on, it wasn’t until June 2020 that engineers identified it as the preferred site.

In all six sites were considered, Dohrenwend noted. Beside East Street, crossings at Wabash, Huntington, Allen and Spring streets were considered, as was a plan to connect Washington Street to Hill Street.

“For each of the alternates, we looked at the required clearance over the railroad,” she said, “and developed an anticipated footprint … required to tie the bridge back into the existing roadway.”

Jason Knight grew up in Somerset and attended Southwood High School.

He ran cross country, played basketball, was a member of Knight’s Brothers’ Lawn Service, which he ran with his brother, and was Southwood High School Valedictorian in 1995. When he graduated he propelled himself into the world of science and medicine.

Knight furthered his education throughout the years of 1995 to 2012. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry at Indiana University, Bloomington; attended University of Michigan Medical School and the University of Michigan program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Ann Arbor, Mich.; attended University of Pennsylvania, Department of Microbiology, Philadelphia, Pa.; received his M.D. at the University of Michigan Medical School and his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology; attended the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program; and completed his fellowship with the University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology Fellowship Program.

Following his fellowship, Knight was a Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Michigan from 2012-13; assistant professor in the same division from 2014-19 and currently is the Associate Director of the Lupus Program and the associate professor in the Division of Rheumatology, both at University of Michigan.

A late-night fire claimed the life of 12-year-old Alyvia Floor, North Manchester, just after midnight, March 2, 2021.

According to a press release from North Manchester Fire Department Chief Cam Kissinger, at 12 a.m., March 2, the Wabash County Central Dispatch Center received a report of a structure fire at 1005 North Market Street, North Manchester. Upon arrival, NMPD units found heavy fire involvement coming from a bedroom area inside the house.

A firefighter pulled Floor out through the west window of the bedroom and immediately initiated medical aid. Floor was unresponsive and CPR was performed. Efforts to revive her were unsuccessful, according to the release.

The fire was under control within 35-40 minutes from arrival on the scene and fire units were on the scene until approximately 6:30 a.m. The fire was believed to have started in the northeast bedroom. The cause is still under investigation.

Floor was a seventh-grade student at Manchester Junior-Senior High School.

Rosemary Lynch of Silver Lake will be celebrating her 90th birthday on March 9.

For the first time in a year, the Woman’s Clubhouse will open up for its regularly scheduled luncheon and program on Tuesday, March 9.

The program will feature Jason Kissel of ACRES Land Trust discussing “The Wildflowers of Wabash.” Emmilee Dewey will provide a special desert for those attending.

“Since we’re starting back up, we’re trying to get momentum back up,” Vice President Ellen Stouffer said.

Although closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, much work has taken place at the Clubhouse.

Work on the back porch has progressed, and brick pillars are scheduled to be laid over steel supports at the back of the building later this spring by Russel Quillen. Tim White has agreed to spray paint the port and stairs later this summer, and 

Quality Electric has installed security lights and porch lighting over the winter.

Officials at the Indiana Office of Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship (OWBLA), along with participating partners, officially recognized seven certified State Earn and Learns (SEALs) at Heartland Career Center at an event on Thursday, Feb. 25.

These SEALs include Diesel Services, Networking/Cyber Security, Criminal Justice, Auto Collison Repair, Industrial Electronics/Robotics, Construction, and Culinary Arts.

SEALs are structured, but flexible, programs that include an education component and on-the-job training component. 

SEALS focus on employer needs, with sustainable partnerships and embedded industry certifications.

They can last from weeks to years depending on employer, education, certification, or licensing requirements. They are designed to develop the skills that employers seek and are geared toward both adult and youth populations in any business or industry sector.