By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Wabash County Commissioners announced their opposition to a proposed Indiana Department of Transportation project on U.S. 24 at their weekly meeting Monday, March 25.

Chairman Barry Eppley announced the opposition towards the end of Monday’s meeting.

The proposed project is for the remediation of U.S. 24 at the intersection of County Road 300 East.

“Based upon the citizen comments, and after examining the details of the project, we wanted to express opposition to that proposed project” Eppley said. “We believe that other measures such as reduced speed on U.S. 24, rumble strips to enhance notification to drivers, and perhaps enhanced signage all be of the measures we would suggest be implemented before remediation the size they proposed be installed.”
 

Members of the Prime Suspects band include Richard Leach, Jerry Lents, Doug Hutson and John Burruss. The band will celebrate its 20th annivesary with a concert at Scotty's Bar on March 30. Photo provided

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

March 30 will be a doubly special day for Richard Leach.

He’ll celebrate his 68th birthday the same night his band, the Prime Suspects, play a concert at Scotty’s Bar in celebration of the band’s 20th year of music together.

Leach, the band’s rhythm guitarist, is joined by Jerry Lents (bass guitar, vocals), Doug Hutson (drums, vocals), and John Burruss (lead guitar) to make up the band.
 

By The Paper staff

An Indiana State Police investigation into the alleged murder of Alexis Serrano, 21, Indianapolis, has led to the arrests of Jose Guadelupe Maya-Sandoval, 36, Fort Wayne, and Gerardo Ruiz-Aviles, 33, Indianapolis. Both men were served with a Wabash Circuit Court arrest warrant alleging a single count of murder.

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

For the last several months, the Wabash County Fair Board, along with a local contractor, has been busy remodeling the former Girls’ Building at the Wabash County 4-H Fairgrounds.

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

The 2019 Foundation for Art and Music in Education (FAME) Festival was a resounding success, attracting thousands to the Honeywell Center on Saturday, March 16, for musical performances and arts and crafts of all kinds.

The stained glass of St. Patrick behind the altar at St. Patrick’s Church in Lagro. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

LAGRO – St. Patrick’s Church will be the site of a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Sunday, March 17.

Activities will begin at 1 p.m. when Father Levi Nkwocha, pastor of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Wabash, celebrates mass.
At 2 p.m., a time for meditation, prayer and lighting vigil candles will take place.

At 2:30 p.m., harpist Sara Wall will perform.

Wall has performed as a harpist for more than 35 years and plays a blend of classical, inspirational, spiritual and contemporary music.

Following Wall’s performance, a time for fellowship and refreshments are planned.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

The last few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind for Dean Gogolewski, the new CEO of the Wabash County YMCA.

Gogolewski began his new position on Feb. 25, replacing former CEO Clint Kugler, who joined the Indiana Youth Institute, where he will serve as Vice President of College Career and Community Initiatives.

“I’m acclimating, getting to know everybody,” Gogolewski told The Paper of Wabash County during a recent interview at the YMCA. “It’s an intentional discovery period.

“I’ve been making my way around town. Jay Driskill (the Y’s Vice President of Mission Advancement) has been phenomenal in getting me around town. It’s definitely been a whirlwind tour.

“I’m not done. I’ve got two more weeks of meet and greets. It’s going to be good to get to know the key players and folks that make Wabash such a great community.”
 

Members of the culinary arts team at Heartland Career Center are seen with the electric smoker which was donated to the program. Culinary arts team members include Devon Roberts, Montel Woodruff, Sophia Wheeler, Brayton Collins-McPhearson, Caleb Hunt-Buell, Jessie Sandlin, Derek Dolby and instructor Brad Luzadder. Photo by Josh Sigler

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Heartland Career Center’s culinary arts program will have another piece of equipment at its disposal thanks to a grant from the Indiana Farm Bureau.

An electric smoker was delivered to the center on Wednesday on behalf of the Indiana Farm Bureau to be used by the students in Heartland’s culinary arts classes.

It was made possible by a grant through the Indiana State Farm Bureau called Educational and Development Opportunity Grant.

The grant is sponsored by the Outreach Education Coordinators, and is designed to promote new ideas, new projects and equipment for educational purposes.