With the temperature falling all the while, more than 50 people showed up Tuesday afternoon in Nappanee to honor the memory of Nappanee Police Sgt. Brant “Butch” Nine. It was a tribute that speaks volumes of Nine’s contributions to the community and the community’s willingness not to forget.
It has been 21 years since that sad day on Nov. 3, 1988. It was a generation ago. Nine responded to a possible check forgery in progress at a downtown jewelry store. When he arrived he fought with the suspect, 24-year-old Michael R. Steele of Elkhart, and was eventually shot with his own gun. He died later that night.
It is a testament to the character of Nappanee that 21 years later, it still mourns its fallen officer. We are proud of Nine’s service and regretful of what it ultimately cost him. Whenever a police officer laces up his or her boots and patrols a beat, they are putting their lives at risk. The Goshen Police Department lost Thomas Goodwin on Dec. 11, 1998.
The night of Nine’s memorial, Goshen police responded to a shooting victim found at the Meijer department store on Elkhart Road. The shooter was still at large. Anything could have happened once they arrived.
There is nothing routine about police work. It may seem like it sometimes, but we know better. Annual memorials for fallen officers tell as much.
Opinion
Memorial to Nine speaks to Nappanee’s character
- Opinion
-
-
13 turnarounds we can admire
Before trustees of Goshen Community Schools met this past Monday night, a reception was held to honor 13 deserving students. They weren’t valedictorians or salutatorians. They weren’t class presidents or all-state student-athletes.
-
Recognition as bicycle-friendly city appreciated
Goshen is in the second year of its four-year designation by the League of American Bicyclists as a bike-friendly community. We congratulate city planners and bicycle advocates for this continuing recognition.
-
A message that all children need to hear
Gayla Konanz is giving girls the message they need to hear — fitness begins early in life and is the foundation that self-esteem and confidence are built on.
Konanz is a fitness advocate for children and works through the Girls on the Run program. The Goshen News told readers in the May 2 edition how Konanz is working with girls at Bristol Elementary School and is encouraging them to get fit and stay fit. -
We’re No. 12, and No. 1,268! Way to go GHS
This has become a popular space for singing the praises of our local school corporations in recent years. That’s because we believe in the quality work and effort our educators and students are putting forth on a daily basis in and out of the classroom.
-
Bill Bloss was a superb servant
Bill Bloss, a man who was always willing to step up and help his hometown of Goshen, died Wednesday. We know that everyone who had met Mr. Bloss and got to know him, will miss him plenty.
-
Voters and candidates deserve a 'thank you'
In light of Tuesday’s primary election, we’d like to take a moment and thank two groups of people.
-
A portrait of success this past Friday
Goshen’s First Fridays has garnered its fair share of headlines since March when the City Council began considering ordinance amendments geared toward youth attending the monthly festival.
-
Time not always on public’s side
One candidate was asked whether or not he was a socialist. Others discussed funding priorities, and even braved the tricky topic of where Goshen’s “south link road” should or shouldn’t go.
-
Good news in local education
Public schools — especially diverse urban districts — often get a bad rap by those who choose to look through the narrow telescope of standardized test scores. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Standardized tests are a wonderful tool for educators, but not the end-all, be-all of gauging achievement and effectiveness.
-
Gang 'talk' is what we need
Business owners see the evidence on their store fronts. Teachers see it sitting in their classrooms. Police officers see it in their daily reports. Graffiti. Clothing. Violence. While the term “gang” can conjure images of crusty inner-city slums, it is not a term that is lost any longer here in Elkhart County.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
13 turnarounds we can admire
Astrodome Fades As Houston Decides Fate
Egyptians Vote in Historic Presidential Election
Franciscan Files Tell Stories of Priest Abuse
Wildfire Destroys 2 Homes
Flight Diverted After Suspicious Note
Joplin Remembers Deadly Tornado, 1 Year Later
Panel Recommends Against Routine Prostate Test
Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination
Joplin Marches to 'Remember' Tornado Victims
Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide
Cuba Waiting for Cyber Age to Come
8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff
Sheriff: DNA Links Suspect to Missing CA Teen
US Airways: Diverted Flight Has 'Landed Safely'
Revived Focus on Regulation After JPMorgan Loss
