All posts by Lenny Dessauer

Local School Named Four Star School

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

A local high school is among 281 statewide schools designated as Four Star Schools for the 2013-2014 school year.

Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz announced Tuesday that John Glenn High School was recognized as a Four Star School.

Four Star Schools must be in the top 25th percentile on ISTEP English/Language Arts and Math scores. They must also earn an “A” in the state’s accountability rankings and be accredited by the Indiana Department of Education. In addition, the requirement of 95 percent student participation rate has to be met.

Marshall County United Way Event to Honor Volunteers

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Efforts by individuals and businesses across Marshall County will be recognized in a special event tomorrow evening in Plymouth.

The United Way of Marshall County’s Campaign Volunteer and Donor Recognition will focus on the 2014 sensational seven campaign chairs. They include Donna Burroughs, Pam Mahler-Lee, Ginny Munroe, Cindy Rash, Debi Sahlhoff and Jeannette Teall. In addition to being honored with this distinction, Cindy Rash will also be recognized as the Volunteer of the Year Award for Marshall County by the Indiana Association of United Ways.

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Know Local Requirements Before Scheduling Yard Sales

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Many residents will be shopping at their neighbor’s homes for deals when the yard sale season gets underway this summer.

The City of Plymouth does not have a yard sale permitting process, however the city’s sign ordinance regulates where yard sale signs can be posted to advertise the event. They can’t be hung on telephone poles, fire alarms or any other pole constructed by the authority of the Plymouth Common Council. Here is a copy of the ordinance section: City of Plymouth Sign Ordinance. Individual residents are allowed to have up to three sales per year.

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Plymouth Board of Works to Award Capital Project Contracts

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Plymouth Board of Public Works will award several contracts for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project when they meet this evening. Bids were opened and taken under advisement two weeks ago for the Ledyard Water Treatment Plant, water main extension and Ledyard Water Treatment Plant storage building. The board will also approve the signing of contracts with Midwestern Engineers for the project. Continue reading →

Slow Absentee Voter Turnout in Primary Municipal Election

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The absentee voting turnout in Marshall County continues to move along at a slow pace in this year’s City of Plymouth Primary Municipal Election.

Fifty-three mail-in, travel board and in-office ballots have been cast.

The opportunity to vote absentee in the clerk’s office is today and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In-office absentee hours will continue Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to noon. The Primary Municipal Election is Tuesday, May 5.

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Absentee Voting Available Today

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Only a few opportunities remain to vote absentee in the City of Plymouth Primary Municipal Election.

Voters can cast an absentee ballot today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Marshall County Clerk’s Office in the courthouse. In-office absentee voting is also available on Monday, April 27 and Friday, May 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The last two opportunities to vote absentee in-office are Saturday, May 2 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Monday, May 4 from 8 a.m. to noon. The Primary Municipal Election is Tuesday, May 5.

The Mayoral candidates include Incumbent Republican Mark Senter, Democrat Rex A. Crump and Democrat Anthony P. (Tony) Gamble. Republican Jeanine M. Xaver is the lone candidate for Plymouth Clerk-Treasurer.

Seven candidates have filed for the three available Plymouth Common Council At-Large seats. They include Incumbent Republican Mike Delp, Republican Christopher R. Berdahl, Democrat Gary L. Cook, Democrat Jeffery R. Houin, Republican Burke L. Richeson, Democrat Joshua Walker, and Republican Bill Walters.

Incumbent Republican Duane L. Culp is seeking another term as the District 1 candidate on the Plymouth Common Council. In District 2, Incumbent Republican Don Ecker, Jr. is the lone candidate. Incumbent Republican Wayne A. Smith and Democrat Shiloh Fonseca are vying for the District 3 seat and Incumbent Republican Shawn Grobe is looking to represent District 4 for another term.

Mortgage Books from Early 1800s to be Archived

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Officials in the Marshall County Recorder’s office will be scanning mortgage books that date back to the 1800s.

Recorder Marlene Mahler told the commissioners this week that 95 books need to be scanned and digitally archived.

Mahler said she found some mortgage books the basement of the courthouse. She counted them and learned that some books were missing. She contacted Marshall County Museum Director Linda Rippy, who found the books containing records from the early 1800s at the museum. Those books have never been archived, and it will cost $10,000 to scan all of the documents. Mahler said the money will come out of the perpetuation fund.

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Plymouth High School Robotics Teams Perform Well in World, State Competitions

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The Plymouth High School VEX Robotics teams represented the school in the recent world championship competition in Louisville, Kentucky.

The team finished 22nd in their division which featured tough opposition, according to Robotics Club Sponsor Rich Scheiber. The team was eliminated a round prior to the elimination tournament. Scheiber said the students in the second-year robotics program were up against 450 teams from around the world, and he was proud of their effort.

Two robotics teams also recently participated in the CREATE U.S. Open Robotics Championship. The teams finished 36th and 63rd in their divisions.

Plymouth High School Stages Mock Drunk Driving Fatality

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

Decisions you make now can have lifelong consequences. That’s one of the messages faculty and staff at Plymouth High School wanted to convey to students by staging a mock drunk driving fatality crash. Gene Skirvin sponsors the student group Leaders Eliminating Alcohol and Drugs. He hopes students will stop and think.

“If for some reason we save one person by doing it, then it was worth the time we took to do it,” Skirvin said. Continue reading →

Plymouth BZA Grants Extension for Sign Removal

Posted on Author Lenny Dessauer

The owner of an ice cream parlor involved in a sign placement violation dispute with the City of Plymouth has been given more time to remove the sign.

City attorney Sean Surrisi told members of the Board of Zoning Appeals that Mooney’s Ice Cream owner, John Webster, and the building owner applied for a variance in February to erect the sign at the business at 309 E. Jefferson Street. The sign had already been placed in a location on the property that is not in compliance with an ordinance, and without a permit. The group of businesses in the building, including Mooney’s Ice Cream, were encouraged to get together and create a sign to accommodate all of the businesses. That design was presented to the BZA on April 7. Webster was given until the end of the week to remove his sign, and the business owners were given 60 days from April 7 to install the new sign. Continue reading →