Barbara Gingerich’s front yard has become the talk of the town. Whether you’re walking, running, biking or driving down Eighth Street, you won’t miss her colorful operation. A small white sign in the grass reads “FREE MASKS.” Meanwhile, a homespun clothesline hangs between two trees — and on it, over a dozen handmade masks sway in the wind. The initial recommendation for face coverings to combat COVID-19 came in March of 2020, and since then, Gingerich has been supplying the community with different patterned masks. “It was at a time when there was a shortage of commercial masks,” Gingerich said....

By Graysen Cockerham • April 9, 2021 • Features

For the third year in a row, Goshen College’s FiveCore Media has delayed the release of its documentary film, “Vital Passage.”  While the first delays were due to production complications, COVID-19 has halted filming this year. “We are anxiously hoping that we can premiere [“Vital Passage”] in the new version of the theater,” said Kyle Hufford, associate professor of communication and general manager of FiveCore Media. “Our plans got put on hold a little bit to premiere it there…now that everything’s been delayed.”  “Vital Passage,” which began as a Maple Scholars research project in 2017, is devoted to learning more...

By Anna Smucker • October 15, 2020 • Arts

The Goshen Farmers Market is creating new ways to stay open in unconventional times.  “We had to adjust our operations during the [stay-at-home] order,” said Jo Ellen Davis, Goshen Farmers Market manager. “But being a food-based business, we were allowed to stay open under the governor’s mandate.”  In the first weeks of the stay-at-home order, only food vendors were allowed to sell produce at market. “So there was probably about half the number of vendors at that time of year that would normally be there, but we were able to remain open every week,” she said. Additional changes were made...

By Record • September 17, 2020 • Features

Death lives across the street from Goshen College, in a white, double-door garage on the corner of South Main Street and River Vista Drive.  Once owned by Anabaptist scholar and former GC academic dean Harold S. Bender, the house is now rented out by Yoder-Culp Funeral Home. But the garage? In 2006, it was picked up, spun around to face south and licensed to house a crematory. Now, eight to ten bodies are cremated there each month, estimates funeral director Tim Yoder. Yoder was only three years old when the funeral home first opened in 1955, and 3,000 community members...

By Mackenzie Miller • February 21, 2020 • Features

A group of almost 40 protesters, including Goshen College students and faculty, gathered in front of the Elkhart County Courthouse on Saturday to hold a vigil for peace amongst rising tensions between the governments of Iran and the U.S.  “We wanted to do some sort of action that gave people hope that there was something they could do about the situation to increase the chances of peace between the two countries,” Said  Bruce Bishop, a local activist and Goshen College graduate of the class of 1980, who organized the vigil along with Susan Mark Landis, a former Mennonite minister. Keith...

By Emily Bennett • January 31, 2020 • News

Tuesday, Nov. 5 was a night of firsts for Gilberto Perez Jr. and the city of Goshen. Perez, the vice president for Student Life at Goshen College, was elected to a four-year term on the Goshen City Council, becoming the first Goshen College employee and the first Latino to hold that office in the city. “...this is going to end up being the most diverse City Council that Goshen has ever seen,” Mayor Jeremy Stutsman said. “And this is a board that I can’t diversify. It has to be the public, so I think it’s a good step to see...

By Mackenzie Miller • November 6, 2019 • News

American Electric Power (AEP) is replacing its 95-year-old power grid transmission lines running from Albion all the way to Goshen.  The project started about two years ago, but the work in Goshen only began in late summer, with plans for the new towers in Goshen to be up and be feeding electricity to the city by December.  As owners of the nation’s largest electricity transmission system, AEP delivers electricity to nearly 5.4 million customers in 11 different states. AEP’s utility units in Indiana operate as Indiana Michigan Power (I&M). The current power line was created in 1925. To ensure power...

By Nasim Rasoulipour • November 1, 2019 • News

After graduating from Goshen College in 2003, Amanda Sensenig was sure of one thing: She didn’t want to live in Goshen.  But nearly 20 years later, Goshen is exactly where Amanda and her husband, Jesse, a 2001 graduate of GC, have chosen to settle down, find jobs and invest in community.  “When we graduated from college,” Amanda said, “We did not want to live here. I mean, there was nothing to do here. And then a few years later, it was totally different. We love living here now… people are really working hard to make this a good place to...

By Mackenzie Miller • November 1, 2019 • Features

In a recent study coming out of Tufts University, schools across the nation nearly doubled their voting turnout among students between the 2014 and 2018 midterm elections. And on Sep. 19, GC found out they were no exception.  The data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed spikes among all demographics, but none quite as drastic as that of college students. “It’s really a stunning comparison between college students and the rest of the United States populations,” Nancy Thomas, director of Tufts Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, was quoted saying in an article published by The Washington Post on Sep....

By Nick Yutzy • October 2, 2019 • News

On Tuesday, Nov. 5th, elections will be held for all Goshen government officials.  The Goshen City Council is made up of seven common council members, five of which represent districts and two of which are members at large. Currently, three out of the five district members are Republicans and two are Democrats.  At-large members include Julia King, Democrat, and Brett Weddle, Republican, both running for re-election. The council is governed by Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman. Each member of the council is elected for a four-year term, the current term concluding Dec. 31, 2019.  City government works on the local level,...

By Greta Lapp Klassen • October 2, 2019 • News

As November draws closer, so does the City of Goshen municipal election.  But if you’re planning to head out to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, you must be registered to vote.  In Indiana, you must register to vote at least 29 days before the next election. In order to vote in the upcoming municipal election, you must register by Monday, Oct. 7.  Even if you happen to submit your voter registration after Monday, Oct. 7, you may still be able to vote, but only if you were previously registered in Indiana, according to IndianaVoters.in.gov.  If you’re planning on voting...

By Abby King • October 2, 2019 • News

In January of 2016, Goshen Mayor Jeremy Stutsman started his mission to improve relations between the local Latinx community and the city government by implementing a Latino Advisory Committee. The committee, accompanied by Stutsman, Goshen Police Chief Jose Miller and Assistant Chief Shawn Turner furthered their goal last Thursday evening as they held a community meeting in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church to address a broad range of issues. Richard Aguirre, member of the Latino Advisory Committee and community impact coordinator at Goshen College, organized the meeting for the 200 people in attendance. According to Aguirre, the goal of...

By Nick Yutzy • September 21, 2019 • News

It’s a new school year, you’re in a new place, and you have some free time. What is there to do? Goshen is no Chicago, but an afternoon off campus is worthwhile if you know where to go. Here’s a quick guide to some of the best spots for eats, art, and activity in the Maple City. Hungry? Maple Indian Cuisine is a Goshen classic. On Main Street, satisfy your flavor needs with traditional North Indian recipes. Check out the buffet on Saturdays for the full experience. But be careful. With food this good, you can expect to eat too...

By Record • September 5, 2019 • Features

Gilberto Pérez Jr., Goshen College dean of students, announced his bid recently for Goshen City Council. He is seeking the Democratic nomination for District 5, which includes Goshen College, in the May 7 primary election.   Pérez has been a Goshen resident since 2001. He joined Goshen College as an associate professor of social work in 2012.   In 2014, Pérez served as senior director of intercultural development and educational partnerships through Goshen College’s Center for Intercultural and International Education (CIIE) until he was appointed dean of students in July 2017. Pérez is also a member of President Rebecca Stoltzfus’...

By Megan Bower • January 25, 2019 • News

Editor’s Note: Duane Stoltzfus’ Writing for Media class attended a Goshen City Council meeting Nov. 20. The assignment called for reporting on the event with a midnight deadline. The class voted on the top four articles, which were then submitted for print. The Goshen City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday, Nov. 20 to pass an amended proposition for the $87 million expansion of Goshen Hospital. The amendment, which calls for reducing the geographic footprint of the hospital’s original plan, was proposed by councilman Adam Scharf and was the center of the discussion. Mayor Jeremy Stutsman also proposed a plan for city...

By Kristin Troyer • November 28, 2018 • News