The wonderful displays in downtown Goshen were bound to meet their end. That end arrived sooner than many observers would have liked, though, and the undoing was undeserved.
The annual Fire and Ice Festival took place this past weekend. The “Fire” — in part a chili cook-off — provided lucky diners a tasty treat, but the “Ice” offered the visual spectacle. Sculptors with the Michiana Ice Carvers Association crafted stunning, albeit temporary, works of art in the Maple City.
Visitors thronged the downtown during the monthly First Fridays event to watch the ice sculptures take form. Those sculptures would have been around at least a little while before time and temperature took their toll. It would have been nice to look at them a bit longer.
That didn’t happen.
Someone, or perhaps a group of like-minded individuals, decided the best thing to do with the ice sculptures was to destroy them. Goshen News photographer Sam Householder recorded part of the damage, and a picture appeared on Page 1 of Wednesday’s newspaper. We much prefer Sam’s shots of the sculptures being created. Perhaps we’re biased.
First Fridays organizers are offering a $500 reward for information about the vandalism. Considering sponsors put up $2,600 for ice sculptures, it’s a price worth paying.
There are worse crimes being committed in the Goshen area than the vandalism spree last weekend. A brief review of the police and court news in these pages bears this out. Still, the damage has had an impact, perhaps long-term.
Sponsors can be forgiven for thinking twice about paying for a sculpture next time around. It’s a lot of money for something that has a short shelf (sidewalk?) life due to vandalism.
There’s also an emotional effect. The vandalism spree just plain saddened and angered the downtown community. Something positive — a First Fridays event that livened up a winter weekend and made people happy — was turned into a negative.
We know the sculpture destruction doesn’t represent what Goshen is about, by and large. Still, it’s indicative of what a few people are capable of and what can happen in this community. And that’s too bad.
Opinion
A few ruin the fun for many
- Opinion
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Goshen neighborhood stands together on north side
Sometimes a news photographer is at the optimum location at exactly the right time. Goshen News staffer Sam Householder was in such a spot Wednesday.
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We just can’t thank our moms enough
The purpose of this editorial is quite simple. We just want to say, “Thanks, mom.” And by “mom” we mean all of the great mothers in our community who have gone above and beyond to lead the way in the development of their children.
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Letter carriers help to Stamp Out Hunger
There’s still time to help someone you probably don’t know.
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Farmers are positive this will be the year
Farmers and Cub fans have something in common. They are eternally positive and expect a better season next year.
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It's time to spruce up the Maple City
This is the season and today is the day, finally.
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Smooth sailing for this year’s regular session
The final gavel has fallen on the 2013 regular session of Indiana’s General Assembly. During the 14-week session, our lawmakers passed nearly 300 pieces of legislation, including the state’s $30 billion biennial budget that contains the largest tax cut in state history.
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Palm Sunday tornadoes a reminder of sudden danger
It was a beautiful day, most people around these parts who can remember will tell you. It was one of those near-perfect, early spring days, they would likely say, a stark contrast to what early evening would bring on April 11, 1965.
Yes, the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1965, is still very vivid in our local history five decades later. Those were days before Doppler Radar, 24-7 cable television, countywide siren warning systems and even seatbelts in most cars. So, when afternoon turned to early evening, many local residents had little or no warning that killer tornadoes were nearly on top of them. -
Graduation is always a great achievement
While many of us have been waiting patiently – some not so patiently – for spring to finally show up in Northern Indiana, students throughout the area have been busy working on term papers, taking tests and ordering caps and gowns.
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Carl Weaver has inspired many at GHS
Goshen High School teacher Carl Weaver has created one of the most successful science program in the United States, and we, on behalf of the thousands of students who have experienced the program, thank him.
- Don't let acts of terror crimp life's positives
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