Dear Editor,  The health of our Kosciusko County residents and our communities is more important than ever before. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and approximately 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to secondhand smoke Early findings …read more.

Dear Editor: Tobacco smokers can be more susceptible to COVID-19, are more likely to be hospitalized and intubated, and are twice as likely to die on a ventilator. Tobacco smoke travels through spaces of buildings, in bars and membership clubs, and in outdoor spaces such as parking lots and parks. Low-income families, children, individuals with …read more.

SYRACUSE — The Kosciusko County Voice Core Leadership Team, Kosciusko County Voice Action Squad, and Wawasee High School Key Club students will conduct a community-wide waste tobacco filters event this weekend. They will be working on behalf of the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition. The coalition’s goal is to reduce the environmental impacts of discarded …read more.

Syracuse — Heidi Blake, program director for the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition came before the Syracuse Town Council to ask about a Tobacco Free Air ordinance during the council’s regular meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 15. As part of her presentation, she showed the council two zip lock bags with approximately 600 cigarette butts she …read more.

SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Town Council held a public hearing regarding the 2020 budget at the start of its meeting Tuesday night, Sept. 17. There were no comments from the public. The 2020 budget, if adopted at the October council meeting will be for $4,173,220. The council approved spending $12,350 to install a seawall at …read more.

WARSAW — Kosciusko County’s Fairgrounds is officially smoke-free, but officials hope to enforce the policy more so during the upcoming annual 4-H Fair. Heidi Blake, director of the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, attended Monday’s meeting of the county fair board and sought to see if there was more that could be done to enforce …read more.

  LEESBURG — A look at the Kosciusko Work Ethic program and INwork were among the highlights of the annual Kosciusko County Purdue Extension annual meeting Monday, March 4. The work ethic program, offered by Warsaw Area Career Center and INwork, offered through Purdue Extension, work in conjunction with each other. There are currently 44 students …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — Although research has proven that smoking is harmful to a baby’s health, both before and after birth, in Kosciusko County 14.3 percent of pregnant women continue to smoke during their pregnancies. Studies have shown smoking increases the risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In an …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition has a new director. Heidi Blake has been named the new director effective April 2 to replace Dan Gray, who has announced his retirement from the organization. Gray began his tenure in the position in 2011. Blake joined the coalition Jan. 15, 2015, as the program coordinator. She …read more.