Northfield High School students (from left) junior Eli Schuler, junior Jake Schuler, and freshman John Schuler stand in front of Eli’s John Deere tractor in honor of FFA Tractor Day in the Northfield Jr./Sr. High School parking lot. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

Three Northfield High School students drove tractors to school Wednesday morning as a part of "tradition," according to Eli Schuler, Northfield junior and FFA member.

On April 1, Eli, junior Jake Schuler, and freshman John Schuler participated in FFA Tractor Day where members are invited to drive their farm vehicles to school instead of their usual form of transportation.

"It shows FFA pride," John said.

"It's a fun old tradition," Eli added. "It's nice to get them cleaned up and parade them around.

"I know as a little kid, I enjoyed seeing the guys drive around. It's something we've always wanted to do."

April Arrowood, Foster Care Specialist with the Wabash County Department of Children Services, places pinwheels in the grass by the Wabash Middle School. She is helped by her daughters (from left) Paige and Brooklyn. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian

Wabash County is in need of foster parents, according to officials from the local office of the Department of Child Services.

To help bring attention to the need, officials are having several special events in April to help mark Child Abuse Prevention Awareness. Saturday’s Shamrock Shuffle was the kickoff event, with three foster care agencies benefiting from the proceeds of a run and walk in the northern part of the city.

Pinwheels and signs were  also placed along the run course. The pinwheel is a symbol of a happy, carefree childhood. Pinwheel gardens represent a commitment to making the community a safe and nurturing place for all kids and families.

By Emma Rausch

In the last five years, 10 percent of Wabash County smokers kicked habit and lowered the county’s smoking population to less than 20 percent, according to Wabash County Health Rankings and Roadmaps survey.

In 2010, 30 percent of Wabash County adults smoked while 26 percent of Indiana’s overall population. In 2014 and 2015, the county’s tobacco users have remained constant at 19 percent, under the state average of 23 percent.

“I think getting below the state average is remarkable because you look at the other counties around us and they just aren’t there yet,” said Dan Gray, Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition director.

By Joseph Slacian

The coming of spring means the building season is once again upon us. Because of that, building commissioners in both Wabash and North Manchester are reminding residents about the need for building permits.

The North Manchester Building Department receives numerous calls asking if a permit is needed for a specific project, Commissioner Bernie Ferringer said.

In general, he continued, there are various projects that would require a permit, including making an addition to a building, doing a remodeling project that involves load bearing walls, new electrical or plumbing, or those that will cost more than $1,500. Projects such as storage buildings, in-ground and above-ground swimming pools and wood decks also require a building permit, he added.

Piper Ellet builds a circuit at the new “Dr. Charles F. Brush” exhibit in the Wabash County Historical Museum. Piper, who turned 5-years-old on March 31, chose to celebrate her birthday at the museum and became one of the first visitors to explore the new exhibit. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

Wednesday March 31 marked the 135th anniversary of the day Wabash became the first electrically lighted city in the world and the grand opening of the Wabash County Historical Museum’s new exhibit.

The “Dr. Charles F. Brush: An Electric Dynamo” exhibit, now open to the public, commemorates Dr. Charles F. Brush, the man responsible for lighting the city in 1880.

In 1876, Brush designed his version of the “dynamo” generator, later “claiming that he could light an entire city with it,” according to Museum Director Mitch Figert.

“Well, Wabash put him up to the challenge and the rest is history.”

By Joseph Slacian

The Woman’s Club House in store for updates that could cost about $80,000, a Club House representative told the Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety on Wednesday, April 1.

Club House representative Ellen Stouffer updated the board because the city still owns the site, located at 770 W. Hill St., just east of the Wabash City Park entrance.

The facility was in total need of repair in 2006, she said. Since then, it has received about $200,000 in donations, a grant and a $15,000 contribution from the City of Wabash.

“So we have seriously taken on two aspects” to help preserve the building, she said, noting those are to get it on the National Register of Historic Places and to make it “useful to the community.”

Wabash firefighters prepare to fight a fire at 458 N. Allen St. in October 2013. The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety wants an update on how work to repair the structure is progressing. The Paper file photo

By Joseph Slacian

The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety is requesting that Eric Phillips appear before it at its April 15 meeting.

Phillips owns the home at 458 N. Allen St., and told the board last year that he would repair the structure after it was damaged in an October 2013 fire.

Board members are asking for an update on the progress of the work, or it might consider having the structure town down.

City Attorney Doug Lehman reminded the board that it had previously found the building to be an unsafe structure and issued an order for it to be demolished within 30 days.

By Joseph Slacian

The future of a home at 7 Elmwood Drive has been settled.

The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety, by a 2-1 vote on Wednesday, April 1, voted to have the home demolished. Board member Dee Byerly voted against the measure.

This is the second time that the Board has ordered the home to be demolished. However, as in the past, the decision wasn’t made without lengthy debate.

The decision came after Wabash Circuit Court Judge Robert McCallen III ruled in favor of the city in an injunction filed by the estate of the late owner, Jo Jinks Dietzer, and her daughter, Louise Dietzer Young.

At Wednesday’s meeting, local contractor Corky Ross was on hand, asking the board to give him time to negotiate a purchase of the property from the Dietzer estate. He told the board that he made an offer for the property to Young during a conversation the night before the board meeting. He has not received a response to the offer.