From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

1993 — Tempers boiled over earlier in December at a public meeting hosted by Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which days earlier announced a $2.8 million fine against G&M Recycling owner Garry Baker for not reducing the tire pile in Atwood quickly enough.

More than 100 people left the meeting still not knowing the fate of the dump that contains several million tires.

Dec. 29, 1979 — Playing on a basketball floor where historic events are commonplace, Warsaw Community High School’s “Iron Five” stamped its name in the history books Friday with a performance overloaded with stamina, poise and heart.

The “Iron Five” lineup consisted of Ron Brandenburg, Mike Petro, Eric Sebo, Mark Sumpter, and Randy Heisler.

Playing in their final South Bend Holiday Tourney, the Tigers left a lasting impression by becoming the first non-South Bend team to win the tourney championship in its 14-year history. A title game triumph over unbeaten Clay Friday night –the Tigers’ third win in 24 hours at Notre Dame’s ACC –sent the trophy out of St. Joseph County for the first time.

The 50-48 win over Clay in the finals also ended 11 years of holiday tourney frustration for the Tigers. Their last holiday tourney championship was in 1968 at Greencastle. It was their first tourney title of any kind since winning the regional in 1976.

Dec. 31, 1957 — Mayor Jack Engle today issued orders to Police Chief Ralph Jay to see that all pinball machines and cookie jars operating in violation of state law be removed from business houses and clubs in Warsaw “within 24 hours.”

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels