Members of the Wabash student body swarm around Apache basketball players Saturday night after the team won the Oak Hill sectional title, defeating the Manchester Squires, 63-60. The championship was Wabash’s first sectional title since 1967. Photo by Eric Christiansen

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

ROANN – The Town of Roann is now part of the Main Street Indiana program.

Town officials received a letter of the acceptance into the program, overseen by the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

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

The community has been working about three years on the Main Street Indiana application process, according to Jo Ellen Nelson, who headed up the Roann Community Heritage Committee.

“We’re really excited,” she told The Paper of Wabash County. “It’s taken a lot of time to get everything together. We’re all very excited to read that mail.”

Roann Clerk-Treasurer Bob Ferguson also was happy to hear the news.

“I am so excited about having a Main Street organization in the Town of Roann,” he said. “This is an integrate part as we push together to the next level of improving our community and making Roann a great place for workers to live, and grow.
 

Mayor Scott Long makes a point during An Evening With the Mayor. Photo by Joseph Slacian

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

About 50 people were on hand Thursday night for the first Evening With the Mayor hosted by Mayor Scott Long.

Long and Keith Gillenwater, Grow Wabash County CEO, discussed a variety of issues facing the City of Wabash, including roadwork on South Wabash and Alber streets, the city’s stormwater sewer separation program, development along Wedcor Avenue and the recent mission trip to Japan and China.

“I always love to talk about the kind of work we’re doing and to answer questions as well,” Gillenwater said in his opening remarks.

He explained that Grow Wabash County was created in 2017 with the merger of the former Wabash County Economic Development Corp. and the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce. He also discussed various aspects of the organization, such as economic development, quality of life issues and entrepreneurship.

He also briefly touched on some of the successes the group has had over the last year.
 

By The Paper staff

Reed Family Farm will be honored as the Farm Family of the Year for 2018 during the annual Salute to Agriculture Dinner on March 19.

The dinner, presented by Grow Wabash County, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Heartland REMC Community Room.

Recognizing the contributions of the agricultural sector to both the economy and way of life of Wabash County residents, Grow Wabash County continues the tradition that was established by the Wabash County Chamber of Commerce. The Farm Family of the Year Award honors those who represent the best in both agricultural practices and showcasing exceptional farm families.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Don and Peggy Fraley still have until April 4 to have their home at 310 Euclid St. razed and the lot cleaned up.

The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety, on Jan. 3, gave the couple 90 days to have the home demolished, or the city would begin the demolition process. Thirteen days later, the home was destroyed by fire; the remains of the structure, along with several vehicles and a shed, are still on the property.

The Board of Works, on Feb. 21, discussed the matter with Mrs. Fraley.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

It appears the City of Wabash will pick up the bill to help rectify an erosion problem at a Wabash home.

In January, the Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety learned of the problem at the home of Betty Benson, 1320 N. Cass St.

According to Ken Goble and Steve Gray, who were speaking on behalf of Benson, told the board that the problem began shortly after the Indiana Department of Transportation finished a project to replace drains near State Road 15 and U.S. 24.

Benson’s home is located southwest of the intersection.
 

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

Wendel Dawes of the Urbana Yoke Parish approached the Wabash County Commissioners at the Monday, Feb 25 meeting seeking improvements to an alley near the church.

The alleyway that goes to the east has not been kept up, Dawes said, and is now grass.

Dawes said a couple loads of stone being put down would rectify the issue.

County Highway Superintendent John Martin said that could be accomplished.

The request was approved after some discussion on the layout of the alleyways.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Ironclad Excavating received the contract for the next step in the city’s stormwater and sewer separation project.

The Wabash Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously accepted the Roanoke firm’s bid when it met on Feb. 21.

Ironclad was one of three firms submitting bids when the board met Feb. 7. It’s bid was $1,102,913, with a mandatory alternate bid of $10,241.17 less than the original bid.