GOP Candidates Fill May Primary Ballot

By David Slone, Times-Union staff writer

Candidate filing deadline for the May 1 primary was noon Friday.

Offices in Warsaw, Winona Lake and Syracuse are up for election, but due to the lack of candidates in Syracuse, the town could forego a primary election.

The only candidate for Syracuse clerk-treasurer, according to the county clerk’s office, is Republican and incumbent Julie Ann Kline, East Wawonaissa Drive, Syracuse. Candidates for the town board also are incumbents and Republicans and include William “Bill” Musser, South Harkless Drive, district 5; Cassie Cowan, East Medusa Street, district 3; and Brian Woody, North Street, district 4.

Democrats could still file a slate of candidates for the Syracuse or other town elections before the November 6 general election. No Democrat filed for candidacy for the primary by Friday’s deadline.

Current Republican Winona Lake Clerk-Treasurer Retha Sue Hicks, Third Street, Winona Lake, is unopposed in the May primary.

In Warsaw incumbents Madeline Elaine Call, Sandpoint Drive, seeks reelection to the clerk-treasurer’s position; and Warsaw Mayor Ernest Beecher Wiggins, Meadow Lane, also seeks another term.

For seats on the Winona Lake Town Council, districts 1, 4 and 5 have no challengers.

Incumbent Joy Loshe, East Winona Avenue, is the district 1 candidate; incumbent David R. Delp, Stone Camp Trail, is the district 4 candidate; and incumbent Jeff Carroll, Orchard Drive, is the district 5 candidate.

Two candidates are vying for district 2. Those candidates are incumbent Jerry L. Clevenger, South St. Andrews Road, and Terry A. Howie, Robson Road.

For district 3, three candidates will seek that seat in the primary and include: Jim Lancaster, Sunday Lane; Jerold “Jerry” Nelson, Court Circle; and James LeMasters, Esplanade. The current district 3 incumbent is Rolly Ortega, who is not running for re-election.

Districts 1-5 and at-large seats are up for election in Warsaw this year.

District 1 incumbent Jeff R. Grose, East Clark Street, is unopposed. Also unopposed are incumbents Charles “Charlie” D. Smith, North Bay Drive, district 2, and Jerry Patterson, North Lake Street, district 4.

Two people are running for the district 3 seat in Warsaw. Incumbent George M. Clemens, Country Club Lane, is being challenged by Gary A. Parker, St. Mary’s Drive.

District 5 incumbent William Lee Rhoades, Bluewater Drive, is being chased for his seat on the council by David B. Lee, East Fort Wayne Street.

Only one of the two at-large Warsaw city council incumbents is running for re-election, Joseph Michael Thallemer, North Bay Drive. The other at-large councilman, Bob Morrison, is not seeking re-election.

Thallemer will run for one of the two at-large seats along with three other men. The other candidates are Dewey Lee Lawshe, East Center Street; Kyle Babcock, Ringneck Trail; and Daniel B. Slone, Wexford Place.