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When it came to choosing a system for the new community bike program in Warsaw and Winona Lake, leaders clearly chose not to go the same route as South Bend and its “LimeBikes.” Organizers behind the local program chose to work with Zagster, which operates the service through an app, and relies on bike racks and self-locking mechanisms.
The LimeBike program doesn’t have collection areas or bike racks. Instead, the bikes are left wherever users are done with them.
The downside of the LimeBike program, in the view of some, is that they are left scattered around and sometimes dumped or even propped up in trees.
Organizers see the Zagster system as a more “controlled” system, according to Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer.
You can mark him down as no fan of the LimeBikes. “You see them everywhere. There’s no place to put them,” e said. “They show up real well in the river.”
Thallemer participated in Tuesday’s first in a series of ribbon-cuttings at the new bike rack near Warsaw Community Public Library and took a spin on one of the bikes afterward. The impromptu move, as one bike enthusiast pointed out, was done without a helmet.
JOE MANIA – Seems the folks at Warsaw Community, a Facebook page that spends a lot of its energy criticizing Thallemer, is trying to tie the mayor to the racetrack controversy, claiming repeatedly that he’s working to shut down the track and referring to him repeatedly as an “elite” who sides with lakefront homeowners on Winona Lake.
The mayor has no specific authority involving the racetrack dispute, which is now in the hands of the court. He said Friday he has nothing to do with the movement to halt motorized racing at the Kosciusko County fairgrounds in Warsaw.
“We’ve signed alcohol permits for every one of these events, including the races. We’ve been cooperative. From the city’s standpoint, we’ve done our job,” Thallemer said. “Sure, I live in the neighborhood, but so do a lot of other people.”
ONE VICTORY – As you may recall, Hoosiers For Life, viewed by some as abortion abolitionists, went on the offensive against numerous state lawmakers in the recent primary election and reportedly worked to slate fellow Republican candidates in a handful of races, including two local races involving state representatives.
So how did they fare? As is often the case, incumbents ruled the day. The only incumbent we’re aware of that they supported who won was District 22 State Rep. Curt Nisly, who defeated Kimberly Cates by a wide margin. Nisly is the author of the “protection at conception” proposal, which has been shelved by Republican leadership in the past two legislative sessions. The group also targeted State Sen. Joe Zakas, who lost to Linda Rogers, but there was no sign that she was overtly supporting the “Protection at Conception” legislation that Hoosiers for Life hang their hat on.
Zakas, a Republican, represents District 11, which includes Granger and northern Elkhart County. He entered the race as the longest serving current state senator, with 36 years under his belt.
