HOFFMAN LAKE —  There is officially one less food desert in Indiana, thanks to the arrival of a new Dollar General store midway between Etna Green and Atwood at County Road 800 West.

The store's grand opening arrived at 8 a.m. Saturday, when more than 20 people stood in line and were the first to receive $10 gift cards made available tgo the first 50 customers.

Mindy Kinsey and her husband, Jeff, were among the first in line.

[caption id="attachment_137363" align="aligncenter" width="785"] Some of the first customers on Saturday checked out the snack aisle at the new Dollar General in western Kosciusko County. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_137365" align="aligncenter" width="942"] Customers started lining up well before the 8 a.m. grand opening at the new Dollar General Store off Old Road 30 near CR 800W. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_137364" align="aligncenter" width="906"] Store manager Shane Beliles stands in the seasonal items area of the new Dollar General store west of Atwood. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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WARSAW — Municipalities across Kosciusko County spoke in unison Thursday, urging a wait-and-see approach to how the local income tax (LIT) rate might eventually be used to shore up finances affected by ongoing property tax reform.

Representatives of some 15 taxing units met with county leaders on Thursday in Warsaw ahead of an eventual looming decision about LIT money as state lawmakers continue to look at different options.

Participants are part of the state-sanctioned Municipal Unit Strategic Taskforce (MUST) that each county needs to create in order to look at how municipalities could consider adjustments to the local income tax to help shore up any anticipated losses from property tax reform.

One by one, each community, including Warsaw and Winona Lake, said they support the wait-and-see approach.

Among those was Milford Clerk Treasurer Tricia Gall.

"The town of Milford would appreciate being made whole of the property tax losses and the local income tax losses that we would have," Gall said.

No decision is needed until 2028, and County Councilman Joe Irwin, chair of the task force, summed up the county's approach.

State lawmakers are expected to consider a range of proposals related to tax reform legislation when they meet in January to crafte a new two-year budget.

"There's two more legislative sessions between now and then. With the uncertainty, we feel it's best just to table it," Irwin said.

County Commissioner Sue Ann Mitchell underscored the concern by many that state lawmakers need to address numerous issues before counties can make a decision.

"There is no clear path to explain how you could ever think about adopting (a new LIT ratge). And I think (there is a) list that needs to be worked on to send to the state to tell them these are the things in the legislature that you folks need to work on so that we might be able to make these kinds of decisions," Mitchell said.

No elected representative spoke out and expressed concern specifically about how tax reform efforts adopted already have hurt their budgetary operations.

One of the few residents at the meeting to speak who was not representing any taxing units was Chris Plack, a Warsaw resident who pointed out how local school districts will have to cope with the future changes without any LIT revenues.

Warsaw’s director of community and economic development, Jeremy Skinner, addressed the task force on how each taxing unit will likely face different scenarios.

"When we talk about property tax losses, some communities are going to struggle with property tax losses because they're not growing fast enough to cover that. The city of Warsaw is not losing property taxes,” he said.

“We're just not getting as much as we could have gotten with those cuts. So at the end of the day, it's not a matter of are we losing revenue. It's a matter of (us) not getting more than we could have gotten."

Irwin said he was pleased to see all taxing units in agreement on how to move forward.

The task force agreed to meet again in six months.

[caption id="attachment_137296" align="aligncenter" width="803"] Kosciusko County Council members Tony Ciriello, Kimberly Cates and Joe Irwin are seen talking after Thursday's MUST meeting. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

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WARSAW — A retired Warsaw police officer who spent much of his life in Etna Green has been appointed to the town council. 

Kosciusko County Republican Chairman Mike Reagan announced on Tuesday that Rodney Thomas had been appointed to fill the vacancy left behind after the resignation of longtime council member Keith Claassen, according to a story by the Times-Union.

Thomas was chosen over two other candidates, Sean Collins and Rick Price.

Claassen stepped down for health reasons, and the current term expires at the end of 2027.

Thomas will step into the role immediately.

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Staff Report

WARSAW — The Times-Union reports three people have declared their candidacy for the vacancy on the Etna Green Town Council. 

Those include Sean Collins, Rick Price, and Rod Thomas. 

The vacancy opened after longtime board member Keith Claassen resigned on June 5, effective immediately, due to health and personal issues.

Collins works as a general supervisor at Universal Bearings in Bremen and said he'd like the opportunity to serve.

Price is a former youth minister who's now retired, and said he thinks the town needs to address aging infrastructure.

Thomas is retired from the Warsaw Police Department and said he believes the water plant could be a major issue down the road.

The deadline to file for the GOP caucus is June 27, and Kosciusko County Republican Chair Mike Reagan is expected to fill the position on June 30.

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WARSAW — One of Etna Green's longest-serving town council members has resigned.

Keith Claassen stepped down on Friday, and Kosciusko County Republican Party Chair Mike Ragan said the resignation was effective immediately.

Claassen told The Times-Union he's dealing with medical issues complicated by personal challenges, in part after having one of his legs amputated.

He had served on the board for 20 years before being reappointed in 2024.

He said circumstances right now don't allow him to do justice to the job.

The vacancy would normally be filled by a GOP caucus, but since fewer than two people would be available to participate in the caucus, the appointment will be made by Ragan.

Applications are being accepted, and a final decision is expected on June 30.

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Here are Trick or Treat events in Kosciusko County planned for the holiday.

Atwood
Trick-or-treat in Atwood will be 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Atwood Fire Department and Atwood Otterbein Church.

Bourbon
Trunk-or-treat set-up for cars will be 2 to 3 p.m. today at Triton Jr./Sr. High School. From 3-4 p.m., it will be for kids with disabilities, and from 4-5 p.m. will be for all kids. They ask for no scary costumes or flashing lights.
Trick-or-treating will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.

Burket
Trick-or-treat hours will be 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.

Claypool
Claypool’s trick-or-treat hours are from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
A trunk-or-treat event also will be held along Main Street from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

Leesburg
Trick-or-treat times are 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.

Milford
Trick-or-treat times are from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Mentone
Trick-or-treat hours are 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31. The costume-judging contest will be at 7:30 p.m. at Mentone Elementary School.

North Manchester
Trick-or-treat hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Nappanee
Nappanee Public Library will be hosting a trick-or-treat bag decorating the entire month of October.
Trick-or-treating will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30.
American Legion Trunk-or-Treat will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30.
The Boys and Girls Club will have activities from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30.
Nappanee Parks and Recreation Cute & Creepy Costume Contest will be at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30.

North Webster
North Webster’s trick-or-treating is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

Pierceton
Pierceton’s trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

Sidney
Sidney’s trick-or-treat hours are 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.

Silver Lake
Trick-or-treat hours are set for 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

South Whitley
Townwide trick-or-treat will be 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Syracuse
Syracuse’s trick-or-treat hours are 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Warsaw
Warsaw’s trick-or-treat times are 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

Winona Lake
Winona Lake’s trick-or-treat times are 5:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Grace College will host its 35th annual FunFest on Friday, Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Gordon Health and Wellness Center, 100 Publishers Drive

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ETNA GREEN — Organizers of the Mizpah Shrine Club's Turkey Shoot recently got some major support.

The 25th annual Turkey Shoot will be held at Beeson’s Gun Range in Etna Green, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Two Bear Arms recently donated a Charles Daley .410 shotgun and McHatton Sadler Funeral Chapel donated a Henry Golden Boy .22 Magnum Rifle and a Diamond Back .22 Mag/.22LR.

This event supports The Mizpah’s Shrine Temple mission of supporting the philanthropic commitment to the Shrine Hospitals and their care of the crippled and
burned children.

Children under 12 may shoot a .410 to win a .410 for free.

Both .22s are raffle guns and tickets may be purchased for $5 each or 3 tickets for $10.

Participants may shoot for turkeys, Maple Leaf Farms Duck, meat packages, cash and other prizes with shells provided.

In addition, a large silent auction will be held. Food will be available. Please join all
of the thousands of local sportsmen who have realized “No one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child.”

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WARSAW -- Three companies — Maple Leaf Farms, McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapel and
Reinholt’s Town Square Furniture — were recently recognized for over 20 years of support
to the Kosciusko County Shrine Club’s Annual Turkey Shoot.

The Annual Shoot has been happening for more than 25 years and supports the Club’s and Mizpah Shrine Temple’s philanthropic mission to benefit the Shrine Children’s Hospitals.

The Annual Shoot is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 13 and 14
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Beeson’s Gun Club, 8994 W. CR 25 S. Etna Green.

The public is encouraged to attend. For more information, call 574-551-3770 or 574-265-5748.

Locally, over $200,000 has been raised by the participation of local sportsmen, businesses and contributors. As always, as the donors and participants realize “No one stands so tall as when they stoop to help a child.”

Shriners Hospitals for Children includes 22 hospitals in North America dedicated to treating children with orthopedic problems and burn injuries.

There are 18 orthopedic hospitals, three burn hospitals and one hospital that provides orthopedic, burn care and spinal cord injury care.

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ETNA GREEN — If a public mural is supposed to reflect a sense of community, Justin Vining has been feeling it.

[caption id="attachment_114429" align="alignright" width="330"] Artist Justin Vining, holding one of his two daughters, addresses the crowd Saturday, celebrating a mural he completed last week for the town of Etna Green. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Vining, who grew up in the quiet town of Etna Green before moving to Indianapolis some 20 years ago, was unsure how he would be received after being commissioned to paint a mural in his favorite small town.

Vining became momentarily emotional in his short address on Saturday to the crowd before the ribbon cutting after completing the project last week.

"I wondered if I would be received as an outsider," Vining said, momentarily choking up."

"Being gone for so long, you don't know," he added.

But those concerns were washed away last week as he began work on the south side wall of the Etna Green Post Office, when he was repeatedly offered food and drink and words of support from onlookers.

Reaction to his artwork on Saturday was like icing on a cake.

"This week, I felt the love. The love of this town. I barely had to bring any food ..." he said. "I had somebody with me for nearly every paintbrush stroke of the mural.

More than 50 people — roughly one tenth of the town’s population — celebrated the new mural Saturday morning with a ribbon cutting.

The 44-year-old Vining first lived on Huffman Lake, but his family moved to a family-owned farm north of Etna Green when he was ten.

“Looking back, it’s just so quint and charming and the pace is a little bit slower, which is great,” he said before Saturday’s ceremony.

After college, he worked as a teacher before going to law school in Valparaiso, where he sold hundreds of paintings. Months after joining a law firm, though, he quit and decided to focus on painting. 

He eventually teamed with his brother, Nathan (still an attorney), and the two refurbished a building on Indy’s east side that now houses Nathan’s law office and Justin's art gallery.

The mural combines two scenes: a passenger and cargo train and a view of Walnut Street, which were based on photos supplied to him by town leaders.

He said he wanted the mural to reflect the town's history.

“The train, before my time, was incredibly important to the history of Etna Green. It’s what helped build the town,” Vining said. “I’ve heard stories this week of architectural parts from older buildings being brought here on train.”

Vining said he’s thankful for all the support he received and is satisfied with the final results.

“In some ways, it’s so much bigger than me,” Vining said. “It’s cool.”

The mural is one of a handful initiated under Kosciusko County’s Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program (HELP) that began more than three years ago and assists communities with projects they choose to focus on.

HELP operates under the direction of Amy Roe, who Vinning described as “tough and relentless” in her desire “to get things done.”

Suzie Light, a longtime supporter of public art, lobbied to have Vining take on the work.

"When you're a hometown guy, you're always a hometown guy," Light said. "Justin, thank you for saying 'yeah,' and Amy, thanks for being persistent."

In addition to the mural, Roe and those behind HELP  celebrated in recent weeks the completion of a sidewalk project in Pierceton and, installation of hundreds of water meters in Milford. More projects are in the works, including one in Mentone.

Kosciusko  County Commissioner Cary Groninger, who led the charge in bringing HELP to the county, said the plan is an effort to support towns in improvements they want.

Etna Green now has two murals.

"Kosciusko County is blessed to have 14 small communities in the county and I think each community has its own flavor," Groninger said. "I just really think it's cool that Etna Green has continued on with their murals. This is just an opportunity to have a distinct difference in each community."

Town Council President Heath Roberts said it's nice to have a second mural to help draw people to the town.

He said the town is also working on constructing a trail that leads to Heritage Park. That project, he said, is through the K21 Health Foundation.

Two other phases aimed at improving the park are also in the works.

[gallery columns="1" size="full" ids="114435,114432,114431"]

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