CURRENT NEWS

Cover Story: Leading up

January 31st, 2012 by admin

WHS students take leadership to legislative level

From left: WHS junior Jacob Tebbe, social studies teacher Mark Ewing and WHS junior Nathan Manworren

Six Westfield High School students are leading by example to unite their school. WHS’s Executive Committee, a first-year committee, has already reinstated pep rallies back into their school.

Thirteen students were nominated by teachers last year to start a leadership committee that would represent the student body, and a have a legislative voice in the Westfield community.

WHS banned pep rallies two years ago after animosity between seniors and freshmen forced administrators to eliminate the traditional school-spirit event altogether.

During the committee’s first months, WHS junior Nathan Manworren said committee members discussed the goals they wanted to set and how they wanted to achieve them.

“We decided we want to unify the school. We’re a premiere school with athletics and grades, and we want the school to have that same premiere atmosphere,” Manworren said. “When we talked about how we were going to create unity,the first thing that popped in our minds was a pep rally. It unites athletics, academics and all the classes.”

WHS junior Jacob Tebbe said reinstating pep rallies was their first goal, but they had to change students’ perspectives toward eachother.

“We lead by example to take pride in our school, and once we were able to relay that message, it permeated throughout the school,” Tebbe said. “We had the opportunity to show what pep rallies can do for a school and restored the trust from our administrators.” Full Story

WHS teacher is connected to the NFL through George Taliaferro

February 2nd, 2012 by admin

Dawn Knight, a graduate of Indiana University and an English teacher at Westfield High School will be hosting a book signing and discussion of her book, Taliafero-Breaking Barriers From the NFL Draft to the Ivory Tower at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 4 at the Carmel/Westfield store.

Ms. Knight, a recipient of FOREWORD Magazine’s Book Of the Year Award for Sports, was a student in Mr.Taliaferro’s class at Indiana University fifty years after he broke racial barriers there as a star on Indiana’s undefeated football team of 1945. Surprised that she had never heard of her professor’s story as the Jackie Robinson of the NFL, Knight resolved to tell this amazing story—and as NFL sports analyst Tony Dungy, wrote: “every African American in the NFL today owes a debt of gratitude to George…” Full Story

New progress in Grand Park construction

February 2nd, 2012 by admin

New storm line being installed south of 191st Street.

Progress on Grand Park continues to move quickly.  Sanitary pipe installation continued west, but was slowed by ground water flowing through a sand vein.  Storm sewer line installation that was completed off site to the point where the next portion of the work will involve street crossings at Spring Mill and 191st Streets.  Water piping was bored under two private properties along 191st Street. The boring company prepped for the bore from Monon Trail Elementary School, south along Tomlinson, then across 191st Street.  If the ground freezes allowing earth moving equipment to operate, earthwork will continue on shaping the future ponds.  Well points will be installed to divert water from the sanitary sewer excavation.  Once that is complete, sanitary sewer installation will be able to resume. Full Story

Sickweather and Community Health Network team up for Super Bowl

February 1st, 2012 by admin

While watchful eyes have been paying close attention to the weather forecast for Super Bowl weekend, another kind of forecast is being monitored by Sickweather, the world’s first real-time service that forecasts sickness and allows fans to self-report common illnesses, such as colds and the flu, based on their geographical location. After fans report illnesses at Sickweather.com, they’ll be able to schedule an online appointment at one of Community Health Network’s MedCheck locations for treatment. Appointments can be made via a smartphone through MedCheck WebAhead, a scheduling application.

“February is the height of cold and flu season in the U.S. and there will be plenty of Super Bowl patrons who won’t let a cough stop them from going to the big game,” said Graham Dodge, CEO & co-founder of Sickweather. “We’ll not only be tracking the impact of the Super Bowl on the health of Indianapolis, but also directing visitors and locals alike to the nearest MedCheck clinics, so they can get the help that they need.” Full Story

One more slice for Jan’s Pizza

January 31st, 2012 by Lindsay Eckert

Jan’s Pizza is opening a second set of doors tomorrow for parties and business meetings in their recently-renovated addition.

Jan Miller and husband, Steve Miller, are expanding the 12-year-old establishment; they are renovating a portion of the former Queso Blanco Mexican Restaurant for a party room.

“We will have steps installed for the opening of the bonus room and the walls will be decorated with my husband’s paintings. Councilman Rob Stokes will display his photography for the ‘party room,’”Jan said. “We won’t keep it open all the time, but it will be open for overflow seating on Fridays and Saturdays, and available for private party rentals.”

Jan said the rental rate is $25 if the party doesn’t plan on eating, and the new space will be open and ready for Super Bowl spectators. Full Story

City of Westfield proposes water-rate change

January 31st, 2012 by Lindsay Eckert

Westfield Dept. of Public Works presented a proposal to change the rate structure for how residents are charged for water usage at last week’s city council meeting.

Kurt Wanninger, Westfield Public Works Dept. director,presented a proposed rate structure that focuses on conservation; the rate structure shows residents who use more water will be charged more.

Mayor Andy Cook said water rates were last addressed three years ago, and he added that it’s wise for City Council to address the needed changes to prevent spikes in water rates.

“The proposed structure presented asks City Council, ‘Where’s the breaking point?’ An average home uses 5,000 gallons, so do we charge X amount for 5,000 gallons, and then X plus 10 cents for every gallon above that? It’s determining where that breaking point is.”

Cook said a dry summer showed how Westfield’s growth required several improvements to our water distribution system.

“Our challenge isn’t a lack of water supply; it’s having adequate towers distribution pipes to be able to pump the water in a timely manner to residents. Last summer, we almost had to call for a water restriction because we didn’t have the towers and pipes to get the water here on a timely basis,” Cook said. “We can only push so much water through a straw and our straws need to be bigger.” Full Story

Hamilton County nurse wins $1 million

January 30th, 2012 by admin

Betsy Rabold of Westfield is the latest lucky Hoosier to win $1 million from the Hoosier Lottery. Rabold won on a Scratch-off Friday evening and spent an anxious weekend waiting to present her winning ticket to officials at Hoosier Lottery Headquarters today.

“It’s unbelievable! It’s just good!” said Rabold who was glad to be able to finally relax after handing over her winning ticket. “I lost a lot of sleep over the weekend!”

The lucky nurse of 33 years was getting gas at GasAmerica at 516 West Main Street in Westfield at the junction of State Roads 31 and 32 when she purchased a ticket that turned out to be the key to her financial peace of mind.

She opted to take payment as an annuity over 20 years. She received her first annual payment of $50,000 today. Rabold says she opted for the annuity because she wants the security of knowing the income will be there for her, or her children or grandchildren, for the next 20 years.

“I feel like I made a good decision for my finances for the future,” said Rabold. “It feels absolutely wonderful!” Full Story

WHS student has super sneak preview to Super Bowl

January 30th, 2012 by admin

A Westfield High School senior said an experience that happened five years ago made him the person he is today.

Adam Dietz was selected as an eighth grader to be part of the Super Bowl bid program. Dietz was one of 32 kids who delivered the bid package for Indianapolis to host the 2012 Super Bowl.The students met at Lucas Oil Stadium and drew the team whose city they would travel to for delivering the bid package. Full Story

‘We Run Westfield’

January 30th, 2012 by Lindsay Eckert

Mayor Andy Cook, city employees and community leaders are lacing up to hit  13.1 miles of pavement to raise money for Westfield Youth Assistance Program.

The team will sport tee-shirts emblazoned with, “We Run Westfield,” as they run amongst hundreds of runners in the annual One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon to help fund YAP, a program that motivates at-risk students to hit the ground running with positive goals.

City Spokesperson Carrie Cason said the team members are meeting next month to plan training plans for the run, which include group runs, and fundraising plans. Full Story

Call-outs open for next Ms. Wheelchair Indiana

January 30th, 2012 by Jordan Fischer

Hamilton County women who use a wheelchair: Do you have what it takes to become the next Ms. WheelchairIndiana?

The People on Wheels’ Ms. Wheelchair Indiana Pageant is now accepting entries for its 2012 program. The winner of Ms. WheelchairIndianawill have the opportunity to help educate the public, advocating for people with disabilities through local news interviews and school, church and civic appearances. Her reign will conclude at the Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 Pageant, to be held in Providence, RI, Aug. 6-12. Full Story

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