By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

The City of Wabash returned more than $3 million in unspent funds to the General Fund at the end of 2018.

With funds not spent by the various city departments, as well as tax caps that had to be figured into the budget, $3.296 million wasn’t spent, Mayor Scott Long told The Paper of Wabash County.

The state requires municipalities to figure into their budget funds to cover the difference between the projected amount of  property taxes available and the amount actually available because of various property tax caps.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

After 2,801 days, Clint Kugler’s time as the Wabash County YMCA CEO has come to a close.

The Kugler era ended on Thursday, Jan. 31. He submitted his resignation in November to join the Indiana Youth Institute where he will serve as Vice President of College Career and Community Initiatives.

The Indiana Youth Institute, which was founded by the Lilly Endowment, has been in existence for 30 years.
 

By Josh Sigler
jsigler@thepaperofwabash.com

MSD of Wabash County recently received a report from a class at Manchester University on how the school district’s patrons would like to be communicated with.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance Chris Kuhn presented the findings during MSD’s school board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The main question asked by MSD administrators was what were some of the best modes of communication for its clientele.

Students at MU surveyed 562 people to collect answers to the question. Some were surveyed face to face, but most were surveyed online.

The surveys focused on three questions: What are the effective channels of communication to utilize? What information is most pertinent to recipients of the communication efforts? And, how can MSD become more inclusive with its communication?
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Work cleaning up the former GenCorp Automotive site could begin sometime this summer.

The City of Wabash is still in negotiations with Luckett & Farley, a Louisville, Ky., developer to clean up the site, Mayor Scott Long told The Paper of Wabash County.

The city, he said, has sought a Fort Wayne real estate attorney to help it negotiate the contract with Luckett & Farley.

“I anticipate this being completed in the first half of 2019 with some work to take place immediately after the contract is finalized and signed.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Parkview Wabash Hospital will serve as a heating site the next several days, should area residents need a place to stay warm during the sub-zero weather that is expected to hit the area this week.

Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be brutally cold, with highs Tuesday of 9 degrees and lows of minus 14.

Wednesday’s highs are expected to be between minus 7 and minus 9 degrees, with a low of minus 15 degrees.

Winds of 20-plus miles per hour also are expected, which could drop the wind chill factor to around minus 40 degrees.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

A Marion man has entered a guilty plea in Wabash Circuit Court to one of two charges filed against him stemming from the April 2018 robbery and death of a LaFontaine man.

Corey Kelch, 23, Marion, pled guilty to robbery, a Level 2 felony, during a change of plea hearing on Tuesday afternoon as part of a plea agreement.

In exchange for the guilty plea, the State of Indiana will drop a murder charge against Kelch.
 

By Joseph Slacian
jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com

Wabash County Commissioners signed a contract for a bridge reconstruction project on County Road 1200 S when they met on Tuesday morning, Jan. 22.

Bridge No.151, which is over Cart Creek in the southern part of Wabash County, will be completely replaced.

The contract will now be sent to the contractor, Duncan Robertson Inc., Franklin, for signatures. The firm bid $365,029.30.

County Highway Superintendent John Martin said work on the bridge will begin as soon as possible once the contract is signed by Duncan Robertson officials.
 

By Eric Christiansen
echristiansen@nmpaper.com

NORTH MANCHESTER -- A North Manchester business will soon be expanding its practice with a new physician and medical techniques.

Brody Reinholt recently joined the Anthony Chiropractic family, and brings knowledge of acupuncture and dry needle treatments to the business.

“Acupuncture is the movement of energy in the body through the use of needles and specific points,” Reinholt said. “I see it, from my evidence-based perspective, the needles will influence the blood flow, [and] that’s where the nutrients are.

“It promotes healing. It helps for so many other things – some are far-fetched – but that’s where I look at research.”