The MedFlight crew and firefighters carry the crash victim to the helicopter, which landed in a farm field.

Photos and info by Mike Kellems

   The female driver of a badly damaged car was airlifted by MedFlight helicopter after a crash on County Road 100 S, west of County Road 700 W, on Thursday, March 18, 2010, at about 5:30 p.m. The car left the road and struck a tree. The driver, the lone occupant, was extricated from the wreckage by the Westville Fire Department and was flown to South Bend Memorial Hospital. (Click on photos to enlarge)

The car is pulled onto a flatbed wrecker.

The MedFlight helicopter lifts off from the farm field.

Geese snack on weeds in a Michigan mint field in this vintage photo from a state website devoted to the business of mint growing.

   In June 1897, Sylvanus Milton Closser decided to try his hand at raising peppermint. He owned some acreage in Kankakee Township that he thought was conducive to this purpose. He was in the boot and shoe business in downtown LaPorte and had also been buying and selling grain for 14 years.

   Peppermint farming and the production of peppermint oil was a relatively new industry here at the time. Closser’s was the only peppermint farm in the county and one of very few in northern Indiana.

   Mr. Closser initially devoted 15 acres to the herb, but as the plants spread, he increased to 100-150 acres. He obtained the mint roots from Burr Oak, Michigan, where several farms already existed. Reportedly, the roots used to start the Burr Oak farms had been obtained from plants raised in Japan.

   The method of planting was quite different from other crops. Trenches about 6 inches deep and 30 inches apart were plowed and into these furrows the roots, which were 1 to 8 inches long, were placed horizontally and then covered with soil. When the plants reached a certain height, they were cut and gathered, then converted into peppermint oil by means of distillation.

   At the time Mr. Closser started this venture, a peppermint farm in Three Oaks, Michigan, was producing about 75 pounds of oil per acre. The market price for the oil was from 75 cents to $1.25 per pound, depending on the quality.

   In the Walkerton area, it was reported that growing peppermint for the famous Wrigley gum company in Chicago was very popular, but because of the cost to produce, it became a rarity. Some of the roots used there were purchased from Mishawaka at $10 a load.

   There were many usages for peppermint oil besides chewing gum. Much was used for medicinal purposes, candy making, toothpaste and flavoring for other items.

   In 1915, the only still in the LaPorte County area used to distill the oil was shared with neighbors. They were able to produce about 50 pounds per acre and 30 to 40 pounds on the second cutting. The highest price they received was $30 a pound during World War I.

   One Walkerton farmer brought mint roots from Michigan. They were packed in barrels and boxes along with the household goods when the family moved from near Three Rivers, Michigan, to the Walkerton area.

   During World War II, the importance of mint oil placed mint on the list of essential crops and led the War Manpower Commission to recommend that growers be given draft deferments.

   One of the unusual features of mint growing in Michigan was the use of geese to remove weeds from the mint fields. Weeding was important because weeds tended to result in inferior oil. Weeding was generally done by hand; even after mechanization it tended to be a manual chore as the delicate mint plants were easily injured by tractors and other implements. Although livestock did not eat the leaves and were sometimes used to munch on the weeds, their hooves would damage the crop. Geese were small and light enough so that they were allowed in the fields.

   There was no report on the outcome of Mr. Closser’s mint venture. He died in 1910 with no mention of him having been involved in the mint business; it apparently did not grow to epic proportions.

   But there are LaPorte County farms that still produce mint for many of the same purposes. According to 1997 agriculture statistics, 22 farms in the county grew mint, with 3,705 acres devoted to the crop. 

FERN EDDY SCHULTZ is LaPorte County’s official Historian. Visit the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum, 2405 Indiana Ave., and its website, www.laportecountyhistory.org, to learn much more about LaPorte County’s history.

Pelath

   Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed a bill sponsored by State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-9th District, that will help start work on a highway improvement project that “holds the potential to generate as many as 30,000 good-paying construction jobs for Hoosiers,” according to a Pelath press release.

   Daniels signed the measure on March 18, 2010, that authorizes the Illiana Expressway, a new toll road projected to be built between Illinois and Interstate 65 in Lake County.

   “I always have had philosophical reservations about toll roads and private involvement in road construction,” said Pelath. “However, such concerns pale in comparison to worried faces of unemployed workers in our area. They need — and deserve — hope for work in the future.”

   With public resources dwindling for major transportation projects, Pelath said the measure would permit the highway to be constructed through a partnership between the state and a private investor.

   “Construction jobs are merely the project’s most obvious benefit,” Pelath said. “Just as important, the Illiana also will reduce congestion and transportation costs in our county. That will make LaPorte County more attractive to major employers and the good paying jobs that follow.”

   Pelath said provisions of the bill require environmental assessments, maintain strict eminent domain requirements, and complete a full economic appraisal of the project.

   He said he will also require “public hearings and transparency throughout development.”

   The legislation was carried in the Indiana Senate by State Senators Jim Arnold, D-LaPorte, and Ed Charbonneau, D-Valparaiso.

   LaPorte County residents can now take advantage of this system by accessing the sheriff’s office website or by registering at www.nixle.com. By registering with Nixle, the public can receive alerts on public safety threats and community events via the web, e-mail and cellular telephone. The Nixle program uses Google mapping so locations of the events can be seen by the public.

   Nixle is a community service provider designed exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. Sheriff Mike Mollenhauer said the program, launched Jan. 1, 2010, provids information about crimes such as burglaries and thefts that are occurring throughout LaPorte County.

   “At a recent sheriff’s office/community town hall meeting, a concerned citizen voiced desire to have a better knowledge of criminal activity in and near his community,” Mollenhauer said. “His request had been my desire and we are pleased to have a secure and economical means of communicating with the public. We are also pleased that our partnership with Nixle is at no cost as it is a free service to law enforcement agencies.”

   The next meeting will be Wednesday, April 7. Then at the Tuesday, April 20, meeting, Professor Radtke, MSW, of Purdue North Central, will give a presentation on social work.

   Consumers, family and friends are welcome to attend.

   The minutes of the February meeting were unavailable. The treasurer’s report, given by Shirley Reinfurth, was approved. The following officers were elected for 2010-11: president, Provan; vice president, Delores Henoch; secretary, Adeline Macalka; treasurer, Reinfurth.

   The spring district meeting is March 31 in Pierceton, Ind., and the International Fare will be May 27.

   The Cultural Arts and Sew Now Show will be Thursday, May 20, at Red Mill County Park, with the club and Evening Bells in charge. It will precede the lesson retreat at the same location that afternoon.

   Three members will make aprons for the fair silent auction.

   After the club prayer, members made up 40 bags of toiletries for Dunebrook.

   The next meeting will be April 8 at 12:30 p.m. at Reinfurth’s home.

   Freeman-Wilson stated in a press release: “Your current prosecutor, Mr. Beckman, is well known as an opponent of drug courts and even stood up at the start of a two day conference on drug courts on Jan. 24, 2006, in Indianapolis to declare his opposition and he then walked out of the conference, surprising the other participants from LaPorte County and the various attendees who were there. For these to work, we need support from prosecutor’s offices, judges, the defense bar, mental health professionals and probation to take a team approach. Bob Szilagyi is committed to a drug court and that’s why he has my support in his campaign.”

   Szilagyi said he was “honored to have the support of our former attorney general, who has done so much to help spread the success of drug courts throughout Indiana. I’m impressed with the concept of a team-centered approach that uses alcohol and other drug treatment services with the justice system. With drug courts, prosecutors and defense counsel work cooperatively with a team of professionals to try to reduce recividism and get eligible individuals treatment, followup and intensive testing and monitoring. These courts exist in most counties around us, including Lake, Porter and St. Joseph counties, and a third of the counties in Indiana.”

   Freeman-Wilson added that “grant monies are available to assist in start-up of drug courts. My understanding is that you already have law enforcement, the defense bar, judges, probation and mental health professionals ready to go in LaPorte County to support a drug court – the only thing blocking it is a prosecutor who doesn’t believe it’s his job to be involved with treatment or addiction services.”

   She was born June 13, 1954, in Chicago to Frank and Dorothy (Witczak) Pascocciello.

   Angela had been co-owner of Michigan City Associates Inc., a general contracting company.

   She married Hugh Murray; he survives in LaPorte.

   Also surviving are her mother, of Michigan City; daughter Kasey K. Murray, and sons Blake S. and Steven F. Murray, all of LaPorte; sisters Celia M. (Michael) Finn of Stickney, IL, and Leslie A. (Gene) Jackson of Evansville, IN; father-in-law and mother-in-law William and Nancy Kehoe; and nephews and nieces Kelly and John Foley, Frank Jackson, Renee Trinkuas, Melissa Peterson and Corey Jackson.

   Her father preceded her in death.

   A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 20, at 2 p.m. at Carlisle Funeral Home, Michigan City. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the service.

   Memorial contributions may be made to the donor’s choice.

   Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP, as well as at www.carlislefh.com.

   Max was born Feb. 18, 2003, in Kaliningrad, Russia, to Steve and Tina (Sizemore) Olson.

   Max attended Queen of All Saints School in Michigan City, IN. He was a member of St. Peter Catholic Church. He enjoyed Star Wars, legos, various video games, and his puppy, Chewy. He was loved by all who met him.

   He leaves behind his parents; maternal grandparents, Jim and Elsie Keel of LaPorte and Russ and Debi Sizemore of LaPorte; paternal grandparents George and Carol Olson of New Carlisle, IN; great-grandparents Roy and Millie Keel of Westville, IN; five aunts, Meleena Peterson, Dawn Scheffer, Joy Sizemore, Tara Olson and Michelle Olson; five uncles, Craig Peterson, Jim Scheffer, Chris Sizemore, Tom Olson and Dave Olson; and several cousins.

   Funeral services will be on Saturday, March 20, at 11 a.m. at Essling Funeral Home, LaPorte, with Rev. Joseph Angotti officiating. Visitation will be Friday, March 19, from 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Door Village Cemetery following the service.

   Memorial contributions may be made to Riley Children’s Hospital, 702 Barnhill Drive, Room 5900, Indianapolis, IN 46202; or Memorial Childrens Hospital, 615 N. Michigan St., South Bend, IN 46601.

   Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP as well as at www.esslingfuneralhome.com.

   Starting in January, the state of Indiana began imposing budget cuts on the monetary allowances it gave to schools across the state.

Writer Laura Rosenbaum

   The money that started to drop off of monthly payments in January was part of Governor Daniels’ plan to cut $300 million for the 2010 school year. Because almost half of the state budget goes to education, Daniels claimed it was unavoidable that funding be cut again to keep the state from having a deficit in 2011.

   Already under the stress of last year’s budget cuts, schools throughout Indiana must now cope with an even tighter budget belt.

   While welcome word came at the March 16 school board meeting that LaPorte schools will apparently not face teacher layoffs, cuts in other areas cause concern.

   Teachers at LPHS have had to start buying their own ink, and departments are already running out of the few supplies they were able to purchase for the current year. While LaPorte will apparently not face closings like some schools within the state, teachers are wondering what additional budget cuts will mean.

   “Teachers are stressed,” said English Department head Mr. Fruth. “They don’t know what’s going to happen. How much money will be cut from budgets? How will teachers deal without supplies?”

   The State Board of Education met in December to come up with a list of suggestions for schools, which would hopefully help them avoid teacher layoffs and keep the cuts from affecting students as much as possible. These suggestions included a hiring and wage freeze for all school employees and the closure and sale of underutilized buildings.

   The question of supplies for the classrooms, the area most likely to affect students, however, is still up in the air locally.

   The LPHS English Department recently held a book sale to raise money for ink cartridges and copies of books that are used for the Tattered Pages Book Club.

   The Science Department has also been impacted by budget cuts. Reduced funding does not allow for replacement of worn out or broken equipment and affects the number of laboratory activities in which students are able to participate. The department was also unable to offer a course in AP physics due to lack of funds. Science Department head Mr. Lindeman worries that loss of resources due to budget cuts could ultimately lower test scores and students’ achievements in the classroom.

   The list goes on: The math Department has had to put off its purchase of new textbooks. The Foreign Language Department can no longer cover the costs of transporting exchange students to and from the airport or to local areas of interest. The Physical Education Department might have to limit equipment availability.

   And the art department, previously able to use book rental fees as well as an allotted budget to pay for supplies, must now make do with a budget smaller than the amount each student is charged to participate in the classes it offers.

   “We’ve seen cuts for years; that’s not new to the art department. But we’re already down to just the basic supplies. There isn’t much more we can cut out of our budget,” said art teacher Mrs. Long.

   While teacher layoffs will apparently be avoided because of the number of veteran teachers retiring, students must still deal with the loss of those seasoned teachers. As veteran teachers such as Mr. Fruth, Mrs. Olson and Mr. and Mrs. Frankinburger retire, the school is able to hire younger teachers and save money to put to other uses. However, fewer teachers will force class sizes to expand and students miss out on the knowledge and experience of the valuable teachers LPHS will lose next fall.

   Fruth said, “Education has been cutting fat for 10 to 15 years. Now we’re cutting muscle and nerves. How can an organism live with such damage?”

EDITOR’S NOTE: WNLP is proud to occasionally feature the work of LPHS journalism teacher Angela Saoud’s students.