Julie Loehmer is the new business manager for Hometown Media, Inc. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By The Paper staff

Julie Loehmer is the new business manager for Hometown Media, Inc., the parent company of The Paper of Wabash County and the North Manchester News-Journal.

“I am very fortunate to have such a high caliber and dedicated person such as Julie to head up our business department,” said Don Hurd, President and CEO of Hometown Media Inc. “As we continue to grow our company and product lines, Julie will be an integral part of our operations.

“I've been very blessed to be surrounded with so many talented team members working at Hometown Media. Julie has proven herself to be an outstanding leader for the organization.”
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

ROANN – The Town of Roann is on the verge of setting a statewide precedent.

The Roann Town Council will have a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, to create a park that includes a portion of land where the former Roann School building once stood.

The building was razed in June 2018, thanks in part to a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) received from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) by the town and Wabash County Commissioners to demolish the building and create a green space at the site.
 

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Wabash County Commissioners passed a measure which made several amendments to the county’s confined feeding ordinance.

Commissioner Jeff Dawes explained the changes.

The amendment moves the setbacks for CAFOs in unincorporated towns, from 1,320 feet to 2,640 feet.

Also, the setback is to be 1,000 feet from public water supplies. That was amended to include on-site water wells.

All confined feeding structures must be a minimum 1,320 feet from any residence or non-agricultural business under the amended ordinance.

Also, screening or landscaping barriers shall be required at all new CAFO structures.

The commissioners approved the amended ordinance, suspended the rules, and approved it again on second reading.
 

Roann Heritage Group members (from left) Barb Burge, Jerry Nelson, JoEllen Nelson and Kathie Grandstaff, accept the Main Street certificate from Andrea Kern, a representative from the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs.. Photo by Joseph Slacian. 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

ROANN – The Town of Roann is now an official Main Street member.

The town received notification in February that it had been approved for the program. Representatives from the Roann Community Heritage Group accepted a certificate indicating its membership in the organization on Monday, June 3, from Andrea Kern, a representative from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs.

Indiana Main Street encourages community driven revitalization of downtown areas in Indiana cities and towns, according to the OCRA web page.

Kern, who is on OCRA’s regional field staff, explained that the regional staff works to connect the local communities with the programs available statewide through OCRA and other agencies.

“We like to say we’re the front door to state government,” she said. “I don’t do a whole lot with Fort Wayne in my region, but pretty much everywhere else is considered rural.”

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

In somewhat a repeat of its May meeting, the Wabash Plan Commission granted permission to Vandermark Duffey Enterprises to subdivide 5 W. Canal St. into five tracts.

Dave Vandermark and Kathleen Alspaugh purchased the site, the former Bradley Building, in 2017, and have been working on refurbishing it, and four other buildings on West Canal Street, since then.

According to their plans for the Bradley Building, the owners plan to split the parcel into five tracts – two on the ground floor, two on the second floor and one on the third floor. The ground floor tracts would remain commercial space, while the second and third floors would be residential.
 

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Wabash City Schools once again received no public input during a second public hearing Monday night regarding building projects it plans to undertake in 2020.

The school board heard, for a second time, a presentation about the projects, as well as a presentation on how much the projects will cost the school district.

The plan calls for three separate projects.

Brian Bohlender, Vice President of Barton Coe Vilamaa, was on hand to lay out the projects for those in attendance.
 

Bailey Burcroff and Cara Kowalczuk make their way to their seats during the opening procession at Northfield High School. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Sixty-four high school seniors turned their tassels Saturday night during commencement ceremonies at Northfield High School gym, officially becoming the school’s newest alumni.

The students, some of whom had their caps decorated with various items, walked down the aisle to the school band’s performance of “Pomp and Circumstance,” quietly making their seats in front of the stage.

They listened as classmates Erin Whetstone and Erin Proebstle gave a welcome message and brief message from the students.

Following a performance by the school’s a capella choir, Valedictorian Emily Clendenon and Salutatorian Faith Macy shared a few words of encouragement with their classmates, as well as friends and relatives who filled the bleachers and seats on the gym floor.
 

Kaleena Tico celebrates getting her diploma from Manchester High School. Photo by David Fenker

By Eric Christiansen
echristiansen@nmpaper.com

NORTH MANCHESTER -- Manchester Jr.-Sr. High School said good-bye to the Class of 2020 at the 62nd Annual Commencement ceremony on Friday.

In front of a near capacity crowd of fellow students, teachers, family and friends, 134 seniors prepared for their next journeys.
Student Council president Cora Barnett opened the ceremony by welcoming those in attendance, followed by words from Senior Council Jirni Cripe, who shared her “business card” that describes who she is.

“We each have our own personal business card that reflects on who we are and have become,” Cripe said. “We are identified by the name at the top of our business card … [and] we each have a grasp of who we are and who that name has defined us to be.

“But as we look further onto each of our business cards, do we like what we see?”