Gov. Eric Holcomb

Gov. Eric Holcomb will be the keynote speaker in Warsaw when Republicans host their Lincoln Day Dinner on April 16. The location has not been determined yet, according to Kosciusko County GOP Chair Mike Ragan.

Holcomb’s visit will come after the end of the General Assembly session and three weeks before Primary Day.

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STEPPING ASIDE – State Rep. B. Patrick Bauer, a Democrat from South Bend, who is the longest-serving member of the Indiana House of Representatives, announced this week his retirement after 50 years in the General Assembly. Bauer served six years as House Speaker, and 12 years as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

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IMPEACHMENT REACTION – While many on the left are incensed over the Senate’s decision Friday not to allow witnesses (the vote was 51-49), those on the right appear to be pleased as punch. Both Indiana Sens. Mike Braun and Todd Young opposed witnesses. A possible vote to acquit is expected Wednesday. Here’s how Braun and Young and two area lawmakers, Jim Banks and Jackie Walorski reacted:

• Braun: On Twitter, Braun predicted that with impeachment out of the way, the Senate would “get back to focusing on the @realDonaldTrump agenda that’s working so well on Main Street.” He told Fox News host Laura Ingraham Friday that the real verdict would arrive on Election Day and predicted some will be surprised.
• Young: In a news release issued late Friday, Young said focused on the witness debate. “It would establish a dangerous precedent if the Senate were to fix defective articles of impeachment. If the House felt that additional witnesses and evidence were necessary to prove their case, they should have pursued these legal pursuits in the courts to protect the rights of the accused.”
• Walorski:  The South Bend area lawmaker has been critical of impeachment, did not appear to issue any official comments or reactions via social media. Instead, she focused on Facebook on celebrating the passage of the new trade policy and her work toward establishing a Women in STEM Caucus that will focus on “supporting and encouraging girls of all ages to explore STEM fields.”
• Banks: On Facebook Friday, Banks issued the following: I am looking forward to the president’s State of the Union address on Tuesday where he can declare “The circus is over,” and we can get back to working for the American people and implementing the president’s agenda.

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DANE’S IMPACT – Warsaw City Councilman Jack Wilhite is retiring Friday after a lengthy career with Biomet and Zimmer Biomet.

Wilhite was part of a collection of people who rose through the ranks of Biomet without an engineering degree but moved into the field through on-the-job training.

Jack Wilhite

He had been repairing sewing machines for OEC when the firm was acquired by Biomet in the early 1980s.

“I was repairing sewing machines for them as well, but then they moved me out into the machine shop where I learned how to run mills and lathes, and within a few years it became CNC equipment, and I just kind of picked up the programming,” Wilhite said.

Wilhite credits Biomet co-founder Dane Miller for establishing an atmosphere that embraced learning on the job and an emphasis on family time for its workforce.

If not for the stock options and 401(k) program matched by Biomet, the 64-year-old said he might not be in a position to retire.

“I’ve always been very, very grateful for the way he treated his people. It meant a lot,” Wilhite said of Miller.

Wilhite will officially retire Feb. 7 and it comes at the same time as he settles into his new role as City Council President.

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TIMELY THOUGHT– Kosciusko County Council is apparently kicking around the idea of adjusting the start time for its meetings on Thursday nights. Council currently starts meetings at 7 p.m.

While my two cents might not even register any significance, here it is: Change the start time to 6 p.m. County workers who have to appear at the meeting would only have to wait an hour after their workday ends at 5 p.m. (instead of the current two-hour lag). Plus, a 6 p.m. start would benefit local media. The days of reporters waiting until the next day to file stories is now a distant memory for many. An earlier start would benefit all media. Obviously, that’s not a top priority for the council in its considerations, but it sure would be nice.

Dan Spalding is the editor at InkFreeNews.com.
He covers city government and politics and always welcomes your input.
He can be reached at [email protected] or at (574) 855-7612.