Latest news with #Goshen
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Goshen celebrates CTE graduates
GOSHEN — Nearly a dozen Goshen High School seniors celebrated with families and school staff their recent achievements of graduating from the Career and Technical Education pathways during the school's first ever CTE signing event, held on Wednesday. 'A lot of times you see athletic signings, for students who are going to continue as athletes at the next level, and when you take a look at some of our CTE students, a lot of them are continuing on in some way, shape or form at some level,' said Jon Everingham, GHS assistant principal and CTE director. 'It could be entering the workforce, it could be entering the military or moving on to some postsecondary opportunity like a trade school or university and so it's just a way to kind of recognize students, much like the athletic department does, and celebrate.' To qualify for the signing, students had to be enrolled in the CTE program and have a minimum of six credits in their pathway. Any CTE seniors who qualified for any post-secondary placement such as college or direct entry into the workforce from their pathway, or enlistment in the military, were invited to attend the signing event. High school Principal Cathy DeMeyer said all graduating nursing students who completed the program received an offer of employment from Goshen Hospital. 'When students enter into the CTE programs, it's not just to help them get a high school diploma,' Everingham said. 'We're also looking to get them anywhere from 12-19 dual credits that they can use after high school and also industry recognized certification. So, if you are entering the workforce and you have an industry recognized certification, it just puts you ahead of the game in terms of the next applicant that's applying for the same job.' A year ago, there was only one half-day CTE program — building trades — but by next year, there will be 12 CTE programs, including radio, TV and broadcasting; fire rescue, health science, education; advanced manufacturing, welding this year; and next year engineering technologies, entrepreneurship academy for business, aviation mechanics through the Boys & Girls Club, supply chain logistics, and work-based learning opportunities and apprenticeships with Horizon Education Alliance or HEA. The event also marked the presentation of the CTE Student of the Year Award, which sent to Sherlyn Gonzalez, a student dually enrolled in the Construction Trades and Welding pathways at the high school, one of few women enrolled in either program. 'I like doing hands-on learning,' Gonzalez said. 'It's something I want to do as a career.' Gonzalez plans to attend Ivy Tech in the fall to earn an associate's degree in Welding Technologies and maybe eventually pursue a degree in Engineering. Gonzalez has always had an interest in hands-on skills, despite being a woman, starting early working on cars and remodeling with her dad. 'I'm not that good, but I'm learning little by little,' she said. Gonzalez said she wasn't ever concerned that she was making the wrong decision when she enrolled in the male-dominated classes, and she found boys in her classes to be respectful and supportive. Welding Technologies teacher Bryan Eck provided a statement ahead of the small award presentation. 'As a student in our Welding Technologies program and a participant in the intensive 3-hour Construction program, Sherlyn demonstrated exceptional skill, a strong work ethic, and unwavering dedication. With her talent and determination, she will be a true leader in the skilled trades in the future. Sherlyn is on track to attend Ivy Tech this fall to pursue an associate degree in their welding technologies program' he wrote. Gonzalez spoke positively about her teacher as well. Like many CTE teachers, Eck, in welding, comes from a professional background, rather than an education-based background. 'He teaches hands-on really well,' Gonzalez said. 'He's not a teacher, but he's a good teacher.' It's the first time for the distinction, making Gonzalez the inaugural recipient of the award, with Everingham at the helm of the CTE programming offered by Goshen High School.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Major changes ahead for Salvation Army in Goshen
GOSHEN — Exciting changes are coming to The Salvation Army of Goshen as Lt. Aurelia Pettit and Maj. Bill Welch will be married on June 13 before Welch officially joins the Goshen Corps team on June 25. Welch brings with him 29 years of ministry experience as a Salvation Army officer. His previous appointments include Pontiac, Michigan; St. Louis Harbor Light; Marinette, Wisconsin; Ottawa, Illinois; Galesburg, Illinois; Warsaw, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Richmond, Indiana. Throughout his years of service, Welch has learned the importance of relying on God's strength to meet the needs of the communities he has been privileged to serve, the organization said in announcing the developments. 'The appointment that has stood out to me the most has been St. Louis Harbor Light – watching families come together during Sunday services while their loved ones received life-saving drug and alcohol rehabilitation was truly beautiful,' Welch said. 'Even when it was hard, God was working.' Pettit and Welch said they are looking forward to this next chapter in Goshen. 'In Goshen, I look forward to getting to know the people of the community,' Welch said. 'I am excited to see how I can become part of the ministry and help grow the work of The Salvation Army. I hope to learn what the community is needing, where we can fill in the gaps, and where we can build relationships and meet needs in His name – without discrimination.' Pettit said the addition of a second officer would be a tremendous blessing for the church. 'Having a second officer, after serving as a single person in this ministry, will open not only myself but Major Bill up to being more relational with the community, our donors, and those who are clients,' she said. 'This partnership will allow us to better serve the spiritual and physical needs of those around us.' When asked about the most rewarding moment of her time so far in Goshen, Pettis recalled her first Christmas season. 'We were short on adopters for our Christmas assistance program, and I remember sitting in my office, almost in tears, as the community stepped up,' she said. 'We ended up overflowing with the number of adopters we needed for Christmas 2024. So many children and parents were assisted – families forever impacted because of the beautiful community we get to serve.' Pettit and Welch are eager to bring their families together as they begin this new chapter. Welch has two daughters, Sam and Mykayla, a son-in-law, Nick, and two grandchildren, Michael and Haley. Pettit has one daughter, BreAyna. 'Family is important to us,' they said. 'We enjoy eating Mexican food, spending time near water, and being with our kids and grandkids.' They plan to celebrate their honeymoon with a cruise to Mexico in early August. They describe their shared vision for ministry as 'relational.' 'We believe that ministry is all about relationships – with Christ and with the neighbors around us,' they said in the release. 'In order to see what the needs of the community are, we have to first build relationships with those in the community – both donors and clients alike. Relationships are number one.' As Pettit enters her second year in ministry and Welch enters his 29th, they are excited to discover how their strengths will complement one another in serving the Goshen community. With a shared heart for ministry and a deep love for people, they look forward to continuing The Salvation Army's mission of meeting human needs in Jesus' name without discrimination. And they offer a warm invitation to the community they serve: 'Our door is always open – whether you need a listening ear, a partner in prayer, or a place to connect. Let's build something meaningful together.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Shop hosts silent ride in honor of bicyclists killed
GOSHEN — A small procession of bicycle riders wound their way through Goshen on Wednesday as part of the international Ride of Silence, held every year in honor of cyclists who have been killed on the road. The group departed from Lincoln Avenue Cycling after they were led in prayer by owner Danny Jones. At the lead for the past 14 years has been Jeff 'Pedals' Chupp. 'Probably since 2011, I've been the leader. We just kind of treat it like a funeral procession in a way,' Chupp said. 'I always look forward to this ride every year.' Riding is important to Chupp as something that helped him lose a significant amount of weight. 'I used to weigh 425 pounds. I'm not quite 425 anymore. A life-changing hobby, really,' he said. 'That and weightlifting. Trying not to eat at Culver's every night.' But it can be a dangerous hobby because of the multi-ton vehicles that share the road with bicyclists. The Ride of Silence began in 2003 following the death of a Dallas cyclist who was hit by the mirror of a passing bus. 'They wanted to do something in honor of them, so they came up with the idea of going out and doing a 10-mile ride at 10 mph as a memorial ride,' Jones said. 'It kind of grew from there and then it's gone international.' National event organizers say the 2024 ride drew participation at 239 locations in 40 U.S. states and 14 countries. Goshen began participating more than 15 years ago. Jones said a customer of Lincoln Avenue Cycling first organized the local ride and the shop kept it going. He said it can be a personal cause for some of the participants, who may know a fellow rider who was killed. 'We usually have one or two riders a year that have somebody. According to the gentleman that helps do the research on this ride ... he mentioned we've had three killed this year already,' Jones said. 'There's quite a few that have been killed in this area. When we say this area, we count Elkhart, St. Joe, I think he goes into Kosciusko as well, as far as the neighboring counties. It's unfortunate, so it's mainly an awareness statement to remind motorists that bikes have a right to the road as well. But we also are appreciative of the bike trails that have been developed, so we try to encourage cyclists to use those wherever they can.' Deaths in and around Elkhart County this year include two riders who were killed in March when they were struck by an SUV west of LaGrange. Crash data kept by the Michiana Area Council of Governments show 71 accidents involving bicycles in Elkhart County since 2019 – four of them fatal – out of the total 163 bicycle-vehicle accidents in the four-county region in that period. Bicycle safety is a big focus in MACOG's Move Safe Michiana project, a safety action plan expected to be released soon. The draft version notes that public feedback they gathered indicates people would prefer to walk or bicycle to places if it could be done safely. Many Michiana area residents feel that there isn't enough separation between vehicles and non-motorized travelers such as bicyclists, walkers, and horse and buggy users, according to the plan. The plan lists several candidate projects for safety improvements, such as the Lincoln Avenue corridor in Goshen and Prairie Street in Elkhart. Both were identified as areas where 17 or more severe crashes occurred between 2019 and 2023. Goshen gave an East Lincoln Avenue bike path a trial run along a three-block stretch in 2022, with an eye to build a path between 8th Street and Indiana Avenue if it was deemed successful. Jones said the test run had a few flaws. 'It got used some, but ... I know some of the cyclists were not happy, because they put it where garbage cans were being put out and there was a lot of obstructions and parked cars,' he said. 'And because of where parked cars were, motorists were turning in on cyclists that were crossing intersections, so it wasn't the best placement necessarily for where they put it.' An open house to present MACOG's draft plan is scheduled for 3 to 4:30 p.m. May 29 at the Greater Elkhart Chamber, 418 S. Main St.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Fifth suspect in armed robbery scheme sentenced
GOSHEN — The last of five young adults accused of carrying out an armed robbery scheme in September has been sentenced. Kaleb Goodwin, 18, received a total sentence of 20 years, with six years suspended, after pleading guilty to two counts of armed robbery. He was sentenced Thursday in Elkhart County Circuit Court after entering a plea agreement in April. Goodwin was charged with the Level 3 felony along with Issac Duckworth, 18, Alora Layton, 18, Carrie Layton, 20, and E'Marri Redmond, 19. All have been sentenced on plea agreements after this week's hearing. The five suspects were arrested after a man and a woman came to the Elkhart Police Department to report that they had just been robbed. They said they came to Carrie Layton's apartment and were approached by armed men wearing masks, who struck them and took some personal belongings. 'Armed robbery is a very, very serious crime, it's a very personal crime,' Judge Michael Christofeno told Goodwin. 'In particular, your two victims were traumatized. This went way beyond you placing them in fear.' The victims said the masked men opened the doors to their vehicle and one of them put a knife to the woman's knee before moving it up to her ribs. He also struck the woman three times with the extended magazine that was in his pistol, according to police. The woman said the robbers took her knife and possibly something from the center console, while the man said they took a vape pen and a wallet that contained cash, a bank card and Social Security cards belonging to him and his son. The woman suffered headaches, trouble sleeping and possibly seizures as a result of her head injury, according to Elkhart County Deputy Prosecutor Kathleen Claeys. She said she believed Goodwin was remorseful and noted that he and his codefendants were very forthcoming when speaking with law enforcement about the crime. Police arrested the five suspects after viewing security footage from River Run Apartments and searching the residence where Carrie Layton and her mother lived. Police questioned the five suspects and learned that they came up with the robbery plot together while sitting in Carrie Layton's bedroom. 'This is your first felony conviction, but as I told your codefendants, you picked a whopper of a first felony,' Christofeno said. 'The only way this could have gone worse is if somebody pulled the trigger, and one of your victims or your codefendants ended up being shot.' Goodwin's attorney, Michael Banik, told the court he had made good use of his time while being held in the juvenile detention facility in Logansport. He said Goodwin sought substance abuse treatment and earned a high school diploma and a welding certificate. Goodwin told the judge he wants to continue his treatment and improve himself. 'Wherever I end up going, I want to make myself a better man,' he said.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Goshen awards $250K to service organizations
GOSHEN — The city has awarded more than $250,000 to nine community service organizations that meet local needs. The Goshen Board of Works on Thursday approved a series of small grants to local organizations. They include $50,000 each to the Goshen Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Goshen Inc. First Fridays program as well as $35,000 to the Warsaw Housing Authority and $30,000 to First Light Mission. Grants of $25,000 were given to the Economic Development Corporation of Elkhart County and $20,000 to the DGI facade program, as well as $5,000 to DGI's administrative needs. The city awarded $15,000 to the Goshen Historical Society, $10,000 to the Elkhart Symphony Association and the First In Chaplain Crisis Response Team, and $2,750 to the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership. Mayor Gina Leichty said the organizations made presentations to the Community Relations Commission before their requests were considered for full or partial funding. She said the city has supported these organizations in the past and that Goshen City Council included the money in the budget it approved. Councilman Matt Schrock questioned the spending in the face of revenue cuts that state lawmakers imposed on local governments this year. 'We're supposed to be tightening up our belts because of the new property tax laws and all that sort of thing, and the loss of revenue that we're going to have,' he said. 'Are these bare minimums for these amounts? I guess long story short, this seems like a lot of money to spend when we're supposed to be saving money.' Leichty said the amounts awarded to the organizations have not been increased for several years. She said they consider the services that they provide the city worth the investment, and highlighted the small business counseling that the chamber offers as an example. 'One of the services that the Goshen Chamber provides is business counseling services to anybody, it's not just to chamber members,' Leichty said. 'So they're providing education and support to assist small businesses, and it's one of the only ways that the city provides support to small businesses.' She cited the chaplain team as another organization that meets important needs. Those include providing food and drink to firefighters and police officers during crisis situations and accompanying police when they have to deliver a death notification. 'We try to be as judicious as we can with our community partners while still accomplishing the items that we've set forth to do and priorities the city has established,' Leichty said. 'There are many needs in our community that we cannot meet with staff alone, and so we feel like one of the ways that we can stretch those dollars is by partnering with other organizations... What we're trying to do is provide the support or provide meaningful arts and recreation activities or support to homeless folks in our community by spreading that around a number of organizations.'
