Science teacher Bill Benysh sets up supplies at table in the Wabash High School library for the Students Rebuild Literacy Challenge. Benysh advises the school’s Key Club which headed the challenge and invited other students to participate in the challenge. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

On March 10, the Wabash High School Key Club accepted the Students Rebuild Literacy Challenge and began designing bookmarks to encourage children from across the world to read.

For the next two months, students will create and mail in personally designed bookmarks for the challenge. For each bookmark, the Bezos Family Foundation will donate $1, up to $300,000 to the Save the Children’s Literacy Boost program in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Key Club sponsor and science teacher Bill Benysh said that one of his roles as the club’s advisor is to find opportunities that the students would like and enjoy being involved.

By Joseph Slacian

A 24-year-old North Manchester man is still incarcerated in Wabash County Jail and is facing several charges after allegedly shooting a relative during an altercation Wednesday afternoon at a home on County Road 950 N.

By Joseph Slacian

Changes are coming to the intersection of County Road 300N and Angling Road at Ind. 15.

Wabash County Commissioners on Monday, March 9, approved County Highway Superintendent John Martin’s request to place a stop sign on Angling Road.

Currently, he said, only 300 N has a stop sign.

“A couple of people have almost gotten hit there at that intersection, because Angling Road does not stop at 300, and it should,” Martin said.

By Emma Rausch

On Feb. 23, the Wabash County Council approved a resolution to transfer appropriated funds from the County Health Maintenance Fund to the County Health Fund despite complaints received from the Wabash Health Department.

In a 6-1 vote, the council passed a resolution authorizing the transfer of $104,821.43 from the Health Maintenance Fund to the County Health Fund to assist with the Health Department’s costs. Council member Randy Curless cast the lone no vote.

The controversy with the transfer arose when Dr. Jeffrey Pyle explained to the council that, while the funds are needed and appreciated, there is a series of steps required by the Indiana State Department of Health to make the transfer.

“My concern is what I’m told directly by the people of the state,” Pyle told the board. “I talked to Kathryn Nicely, who is the (State Department of Health) grant administrator. … What she is saying is you can move monies, but there’s more to it.”

Flames shoot from a home at 824 East St. while Wabash firefighters unload hoses at the scene. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian

The cause of a house fire on Wednesday, March 4, is still under investigation, Wabash Fire Chief Bob Mullett told The Paper of Wabash County of Friday.

The fire, at 824 East St., was reported at 10:36 a.m. Flames were coming from the front portion of the structure when firefighters arrived on the scene. It took about 30 minutes for the fire to be brought under control.

Abby Hoy, a member of the Public Art Sub Committee of Wabash Marketplace Inc., cuts the ribbon at one of the new gateway signs leading into the city during a dedication ceremony on Wednesday, March 4. Joining her at the dedication ceremony are members of the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Wabash, Wabash Marketplace and Visit Wabash County. All the groups collaborated to place the signs, one at the northern entrance to the city and the other at the southern entrance. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian

A new gateway sign along Manchester Avenue on the north side of the City of Wabash was dedicated during a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, March 4.

The new signs grace the north and south entrance into the City of Wabash.  Due to a collaborative effort between the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Wabash, Wabash Marketplace and Visit Wabash County, two gateway signs were installed to complement the “Explore Wabash” brand created by the Public Art Sub-Committee for Wabash Marketplace (WMI). 

“The second phase of the Creative Placemaking Plan includes addressing current promotional infrastructure that needs updated to fit the brand-message of our community,” according to Andrea Zweibel chair of the public art sub-committee for WMI.

Meals on Wheels driver Kay Batdorf hands client Eileen Little her day’s worth of meals on Wednesday, March 4. After Little underwent several surgeries in 2012, she joined Meals on Wheels and said it’s a great service to the community. Photo by Emma Rausch

By Emma Rausch

The Manchester Meals-on-Wheels is now accepting new clients, announced Debbie Chinworth, president of the board of directors.

“We’re in our eleventh year and we have the capability to expand our client list,” Chinworth said. “We serve the town of North Manchester and four miles out and we try to have as many as ten clients per driver.”

The non-for-profit organization works with Timbercrest Senior Living Community food services to provide clients with an individualized, nutritious meal. Meals are created to meet a client’s dietary needs and are planned in collaboration with an individual’s doctor and the dietary staff at Timbercrest.

Clients can range from homebound to citizens who are able to get out of their home, “but still are not safe to cook or just can’t seem to get their meals together,” Chinworth said.

By Joseph Slacian

A Wabash firefighter-paramedic had his light duty status continued for two weeks by the Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety.

The firefighter, Travis Keating, was injured in December. In January, the board granted light duty status for him, and that status expired at the board’s first meeting in March, which was Wednesday, March 4.

Fire Chief Bob Mullett asked the board to consider extending the status for two weeks, until its March 18 meeting.