April Riggle

By Janis Buhl
    It is with sadness that the local community said good-bye to one of its business women, April Riggle, age 43. She has managed the Vinton House for over seven years and had acquired the reputation of an honest, hard working lady with great taste who knew antiques and researched the history of the community and the building in which she conducted business. As Dr. James Bertsch said, "April was a historian in her own right."
    The Vinton House is home to a large variety of antiques which are displayed by vendors from around the area. April had tracked each sale and collected for the items with vendors having the freedom to continue their business elsewhere.
    Before coming to the Vinton House, she occupied the building at 301 West Main and ran an antique business (Pine-Lane Farm Antique Emporium) and included an eating establishment in it known as the Root Cellar. She relinquished the restaurant to a friend as it was too much for one person, however, she continued to make pies and desserts for them as she worked with the antiques. For more of this story please suscribe!

by Jenny Pugh
    The Cambridge City Town Council met in regular session, Monday, May 11. Vivian Ashmawi, Liz Ferris and Megan Alexander all spoke on behalf of Communities in Schools. Ashmawi, CIS Executive Director, asked council for $5,000 EDIT funds to continue and expand the program in the Western Wayne School system. The program connects students and mentors, creating a support system for students that results in greater confidence, higher scores and less dropouts. CIS also performs many other functions, all to benefit students, schools, and the community. Recent activities of CIS include sponsoring Guiding Good Choices, a workshop this past spring to help parents help their children avoid drugs and a Safety Fair at WWES this past weekend. The council took the request for funds under consideration.
    Chuck Todd, town attorney, updated council members on his transition to becoming a judge next month. Boston, Bever, Klinge, Cross & Chidester, of Richmond, has purchased his practice, building and all. They will staff the local office full-time and Todd recommended allowing Bob Bever the opportunity to represent the Cambridge City Town Council. Council granted Todd permission to transition the town’s files to Bever, with the same 30-day clause and hourly rate as before. Todd will make a list of the town’s ongoing projects, along with their status and priority, in an effort to familiarize Bever with our town’s needs. Council President Mick Fowler formally thanked Chuck Todd for his service and presented him with a gift certificate to Welliver’s. For more of this story please suscribe!

Pennville Property Owners Notified of Proposed Highway Project

   Property owners in Pennville have been notified by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) of the proposed planned improvement of the US 40 and Pennville Road/Jacksonburg Road intersection.
   The roadway grade level on US 40 west of the intersection is proposed to be lowered in order to improve the distance of sight for drivers. Also a left turn lane will be constructed on US 40 both east and west of the intersection.
    Construction of the project will require approximately 3.03 acres of new -permanent right-of-way. Five residential homes will be displaced by this project. The US 40 roadway will be open to traffic during the construction period. Detours will be required during the consturction of the Pennville Road and Jacksonburg Road approaches to US 40. For more of this story please suscribe!

Milton Sewer Hearing & Town Board Meeting

by Jenny Pugh
    Milton Town Board met Tuesday, May 12, at the Milton Christian Church. The meeting opened with a Public Hearing on the Sewer Project. Grant Administrator Renee Doty explained the hearing was a required part of the study process, to inform residents of the study findings. These findings are recommendations only.
    Engineer Mike Myers, of Strand Associates, Inc. looked at three areas of Milton’s water: Wastewater, Water and Storm Water. Each system has problems. Wastewater: most houses have septic systems, many of which are old and failing. Water: older cast iron pipes may contain lead joints. Storm water: the two major drainage ditches back up when there are blockages.
    Several options were studied, with the final recommendations as follows: Wastewater: install a gravity sewer throughout town, with effluent pumping systems as needed. Wastewater collected at a lift station would then be pumped to Cambridge City for treatment. Water: construct a new Aerolater treatment plant and replace all cast iron pipes. Storm water: replace the existing bottleneck and add new storm sewers in areas prone to flooding. For more of this story please suscribe!