By Emma Rausch

Officials from Harvey Industries have responded to the class action lawsuit filed against them on Jan. 16.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the affected previous employees after the company laid off approximately 141 workers in December 2014.

The company’s representing attorneys Stephen Downs and Mark Frantz of Wabash responded to the lawsuit on March 12, submitting answers and affirmed defenses to the complaint, including denying that Harvey Industries violated the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act which requires notice be given to all effected employees 60 days prior to the layoff.

By Emma Rausch

The Wabash County Commissioners took a stand against Duke Energy’s proposed five-mile transmission line, according to a letter signed at the board’s meeting on March 23.

At the meeting, all three members signed a letter addressed to Duke Energy’s Government and Community Relations Manager Laura Sheets, which voiced the board’s concerns and disapproval of Duke Energy’s proposal.

“It is clear to us that Duke Energy did not have best interests of the citizens of Wabash County in mind when it designed the route for this new transmission line,” the board wrote. “This proposed route clearly takes more from local farmers than is necessary to achieve the goals Duke Energy had in mind when the route was first conceived.”

By Joseph Slacian

The Wabash Fire Department – at the request of the Drug Enforcement Agency and Parkview Hospital – must change the way it replenishes prescription medications in the department’s ambulances.

In the past, the hospital stored the drugs for the department and would replenish them for the fire department. However, the medication must now be kept at the station.

Fire Chief Bob Mullett, at the March 18 Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety meeting, requested permission to spend money from the city ‘s Ambulance Fund to purchase a safe in which to store the drugs. The safe, from Medixsafe, Memphis, Tenn., costs $3,000 plus another $65 per year for maintenance.

Prior to the showing of ‘Fed Up’, a medical panel of six medical professionals from the Wabash community gathered on the Eagles Theatre stage to stress the importance of eating well. The panel included (from left) Dr. Bruce Trump, Dr. James Bain, Dr. Mary Ann Bain, Dr. Rose Wenrich, Dr. Jamie Lindsay, and (not pictured) Matthew Graham. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

Wabash County is the fourth most obese county in the ninth most obese state of the third most obese country in the world, according to Bryce Lindsay, Be Well strategic planning task force member and NuStart co-founder.

On March 19, the Eagles Theatre opened its doors to more than 240 members of the community for a one-night only free showing of the film “Fed Up,” an examination of America’s obesity and the food industry’s role in “aggravating it,” according to a press release.

“The reason (for the showing) is because Wabash County itself ranks very low when it comes to health,” Lindsay said in an interview with The Paper of Wabash County. “That is a problem, not only health-wise, but also economically.”

By Joseph Slacian

The former Fairplay Family Fun Center building, 92 E. Market St., is no more.

Brainard Excavating tore down the building, which has been vacant and donated to Wabash Marketplace Inc., last week. It will serve as the site of a parking lot for the Rock City Lofts. The Lofts are part of the city’s Stellar Community project.

“Brainard dropped it,” Wabash Street Department Superintendent Scott Richardson said. “The city’s Street Department cleared it up. We didn’t have adequate equipment to take it down safely.”

By Joseph Slacian

The Morrett Sports Complex will become a tobacco-free facility beginning in April.

As the complex now stands, the areas surrounding the playing fields were smoke-free, but smoking was allowed in the parking lot. That is now changing.

“We will be tobacco free from the entrance gate on through,” Bill Barrows, president of the Field of Dreams board of directors, told The Paper of Wabash County. “Right now it is tobacco-free from the fields to the parking lot.”

By Joseph Slacian

Travis Keating, a Wabash firefighter and paramedic, has resigned from the Wabash Fire Department after just seven months on the job.

Fire Chief Bob Mullett told the Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety on Wednesday, March 18, that Keating submitted his letter of resignation two weeks ago, and it is effective on March 21.

Keating has been on light duty since late December, after being injured on a fire department run. He and Mullett were to return before the board on March 18 to learn if light duty status would continue, or if he would have to be placed on a different type of leave.

Parkview Wabash County Hospital demonstrates the difference between clean and dirty hands on a future Kindergartener at their hand-washing booth at Kindergarten Round-Up on March 18. Parents and students toured 10 stations to learn, prepare, and take care of any last minute tasks before school begins next fall. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

Kindergarten Round-Up made signing up for school quick and easy, according to Melanie Wahl, future Kindergartener Brayden Wahl’s mother.

Parents and preschoolers convened at the Honeywell Center for Wabash City Schools’, Metropolitan School District’s, Emmanuel Christian School’s, and St. Bernard’s round-ups on March 18 to care of any last minute tasks before school begins next fall.

The event made children giggle as they looked at hand germs under a black light, received balloons and books, and played with therapy dogs in between stations, starting with a required school readiness screening.