On Aug. 13, at approximately 4:05 p.m., Wabash City Police officers received a call of a robbery at Stella’s Resale and Thrift Store, located at 563 N. Cass St., Wabash. Police officers were advised that the two female suspects left the area in a gold colored Chrysler PT Cruiser.

A short time later, a citizen called in and advised that the suspect vehicle was setting in the 400 block of Michigan St. The vehicle was located and one female suspect was identified as Samantha Powell, 24, Wabash.

The investigation continued into the night and the second suspect, Heather Huffman, 31, Wabash, was located in the 100 block of N. Spring St. Throughout the investigation, evidence was collected and probable cause was obtained in order to make an arrest.

Samantha Powell was preliminarily arrested for aiding in robbery and Heather Huffman was preliminarily arrested for robbery. Both were incarcerated in Wabash County Jail.

There was no weapon displayed during the robbery. The case was investigated by Captain Bob Pilgrim, Sergeant Matt Benson, Patrolman Dan Henderson, Patrolman Larry Long and Detective John Krhin.

Assisting in this case were numerous officers from the Wabash Drug Task Force, Wabash County Sheriff’s Department, and the Indiana State Police. The two females are currently being held with no bond.

by Adam Smith

Jeanne Robertson, nationally renowned public speaker and humorist, performed in Wabash on Saturday, Aug. 16, and Ford Theater was full of laughter. Her down-home stand-up, covering everything from old age to college football, feels like sitting down to holiday dinner next to your favorite aunt.

Robertson was Miss North Carolina in 1963 at the age of 19 and claims that experience as the inspiration for her career as a public speaker and humorist. At the Miss America Pageant, she won Miss Congeniality. A majority of the show’s early jokes were centered on the beauty pageant world and more were peppered in throughout.

When you see Robertson, once you’ve looked past the sparkle of her silver, sequined shirt, her height is one of her most outstanding features. Standing at 6’2”, she is much taller than the average woman. In fact, Robertson remains the tallest woman to compete in the Miss America Pageant or, as she added, the tallest woman to ever lose the Miss America pageant.

The message behind Robertson’s stand-up is that there is humor in life’s everyday situations and that one needs to always be ready to laugh at what life hands you. Her husband, Left Brain (as in the personality type), and her son Beaver provide her with plenty of stories with which to entertain the crowd. She has a taping in September that will be called, “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up.”

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

The Dallas Winchester Senior Center is preparing for is fourth annual benefit auction, which will be held Thursday, Aug. 21 at the Wabash County REMC Building. The auction is the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year. It will be the first year that the event includes a live auction in conjunction with the silent auction.

“I’m amazed at how much people donated,” said Senior Center Manager Kellie Brace, who has been sorting through nearly 200 items in preparation for the event. “We also have items that the seniors have made, like afghans and quilts, and things of that nature. Then there are some of your typical items, like gift baskets with chocolates and candles.”

The Wabash Drug Task Force received information that two Wabash residents were allegedly enroute to Chicago to purchase heroin and deliver it back to Wabash. Wabash Drug Task Force officers investigated the information and were able to obtain a vehicle description.

The information was distributed to local police agencies as well as to the Indiana State Police. The vehicle was located in Wabash County near the Roann area, where the vehicle was observed by the Wabash Drug Task Force and Wabash County Sheriff’s deputies.

Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Ryggs stopped the suspect vehicle after observing numerous traffic violations. Deputy Ryggs furthered his investigation by requesting a narcotics detecting police dog. Wabash County Sheriff’s Deputy Doug Weaver deployed his police K-9 for a free air sniff, which had a positive alert on the vehicle.

A search was completed of the vehicle and several hypodermic needles and nearly fifty grams of suspected heroin were located. The passenger of the vehicle, Michael Noland, 20, Wabash, was also searched and more suspected heroin was located on his person.

The suspected heroin will be sent to the Indiana State Police lab for confirmatory testing. The driver, Jordan Rowland, 19, was preliminarily arrested for operating while intoxicated, dealing a controlled substance, and possession of a hypodermic needle. Michael Noland was preliminarily arrested for dealing a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic needle. Both subjects were incarcerated in the Wabash County Jail.

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

This weekend, faith groups are combining forces to benefit the community through the YMCA’s Togetherhood program. Hundreds of community members are expected to gather at the YMCA at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 24 to kick off a day of service.

Togetherhood is a national pilot program focused on service and community building through collaboration and community involvement.

“It’s an awesome opportunity to bring the faith community together, to get out of our own little groups and come together as a collective faith community and have an impact on organizations that are serving and caring for people in our communities,” said Wabash County YMCA CEO Clint Kugler.

In Wabash, this year’s Togetherhood program consists of four events. The first of these was focused on preparation for the Stellar Communities tour, which recently paid off with Wabash’s designation as a Stellar Community. Sunday’s event will have a broader focus, as the group will split into dozens of teams, each working to improve the community in a variety of ways.

“We’re going to be working with the parks department, helping clean up the parks. We’re going to be working with the street department,” said First United Methodist Church Pastor Kurt Freeman, who is coordinating the event. “I know we’ve got a couple paint crews that are going to be painting, so people have all sorts of opportunities, but it’s also about trying to get people, regardless of their physical ability, involved in serving, so were going to be writing cards to people who work with the Department of Child Services, (among others) because often it’s a thankless job, and it’s a hard job.”

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

When the Wabash County Fair comes to a close in mid-July, it is the end of the road for many 4-Hers. For a few, however, the county fair is a warm up for the big competition at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis. For two county residents, the seemingly endless hours of work paid off big, bringing their grand champion awards back to Wabash.

Elizabeth Michel of North Manchester showed the 4-H Grand Champion Meat Goat Wether, Quake, in the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum on Aug. 4.

“It was really neat getting to show in the brand new coliseum Monday night with the spotlight on us,” said Michel. “It was just such an amazing experience.”

The daughter of Jeff and Amanda Michel, Elizabeth began showing goats seven years ago when she started 4-H. The Michel family grows corn, soybeans, and wheat for a living, only raising livestock for 4-H, but they’ve come a long way since that first year with the animals.

“My first year of 4-H, we knew nothing about goats whatsoever,” said Michel. “My dad used to be in 4-H, and he did nothing with them. He showed hogs and beef and sheep when he was in 4-H, and he suggested my first year that I show [goats]. This is my seventh year, and I’ve been showing them all seven years now.”

This is not the Michel family’s first success this season. Elizabeth showed the Grand Champion Market Wether/Doe at the Wabash County 4-H fair, with her brother, Skyler, showing the Reserve Grand Champion. But the state fair, according to Michel, is a different ball game.

“It was a lot different than Wabash, because all the people in Indianapolis, they break their goats and they do their legs a lot different,” said Michel. “It’s just a lot more competitive.”

On Friday Aug. 1, Habitat Partner Homeowner Barb Wood came into the office to pay her monthly house payment.  This was a special payment in that she actually wrote a bigger check than usually so that she could pay off her mortgage.  This is a very exciting occasion, not just for Barb, but for Habitat as well.  Barb is the first Wabash County Habitat Partner Homeowner to pay off her no-profit, zero interest mortgage.

To mark this momentous occasion, Barb shredded her mortgage in the office shredder. Congratulations to Barb and thank you to the community for making Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to turn the dream of homeownership into reality!

In 1994 Barbara and her three children were living in the basement of her mother’s home.  Her pastor took Barb’s sons on a weeklong Habitat build project.  When he returned, he encouraged Barb to contact the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Wabash County. With some trepidation, she did make the call and completed the lengthy application. On March 5, 1995, Barb received a phone call,

“I can still remember that day clearly,” Wood said. “The man on the other end said he was calling to tell me that I would be Wabash County Habitat for Humanity’s next homeowner. I hung up and asked my mom, ‘Did he say they were going to build a house for me?’ I called right back and he said yes you are going to be the next family we will build a house with.  It was too good to be true.”  

by Eric Stearley

eric@thepaperofwabash.com

For the past 20 years, Hands of Hope has provided help to those in need, in particular, those faced with domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. For much of that time, it has also provided prevention education to the community and local schools.

This fall, Hand of Hope is partnering with schools in a different way, asking students to design a new logo for the organization. The contest is open to 9th through 12th graders enrolled in any Wabash County high school between April and September 2014, allowing all current high school students, as well as recent graduates to compete for cash prizes.

The first place entry will be used as the new Hands of Hope logo, and the artist will receive $200. Second place will receive $100, with third place receiving $50.

Entries are due by Friday, Sept. 19 at noon. Selected entries will be on display at the Wabash County Historical Museum as part of the First Friday activities on Oct. 3. It will remain on display until Nov. 2.

All artwork should be submitted on canvas or paper measuring 8 x 10 inches using each artist’s medium of choice. Contestants should also submit the attached entry form for identification, which includes the artist’s name, address, phone number, school, grade, parent/guardian name, and parent/guardian contact information.

“Entrants are encouraged to incorporate the purpose of the organization, as well as be catchy, inspirational, positive, educational, awareness, non-violence, and motivational in nature,” according to the contest organizers.

Young artists are also urged to relate their designs to the organization’s mission statement: “To empower and educate individuals to break the cycle of abuse through providing safe shelter, advocacy, and education.”

Hands of Hope also asks entrants to make sure the content is appropriate and the organization reserves the right to refuse to display an entry based on questionable content. Entrants should submit entries to their school’s office before noon on Sept. 19. Late entries will not be accepted.