The 6-year-old ran all the way home from his first day of school and tore through the newspaper until he found the comics page. He scanned it expectantly for a moment or two then burst into tears.
    He still couldn’t make sense of the words in the balloons over the characters’ heads, even though he had been told that when he went to school, he’d be able to read the comics.
    Family legend?
    Perhaps. According to my mother, I was that little boy. Although I don’t remember it, I suspect there may be some truth to the story since I remain such a fan of the comics to this day. I may skim over some other parts of the paper, but I always read the comics.
    If you are also a fan of the “funny papers,” then you too will be amazed to learn that six nationally syndicated cartoonists once called Nappanee home. They all graduated from Nappanee High School and worked on the yearbook staff during their school days.
    It’s our center story in this month’s edition of Elkhart County Living, but as always, there’s much, much more.
    • Local chef and baker Rachel Shenk extols the benefits of eating fresh, locally grown foods and includes three of her favorite recipes that use local food.
    • If you’ve had a house on the market for a while, or are thinking of listing but worry about the current state of the real estate market, Dean Slabach, a Realtor with ReMax, offers tips on how to improve your chances of selling.
    • Our regular Living Green feature focuses on how to achieve and maintain a beautiful, green lawn using alternatives to chemical fertilizers.
    • Local students studying fashion at Ball State are also featured. Kipp Elliott and Molly Dragoo have exciting adventures planned in the fashion world this summer, following a year of fashion shows and education during the school year.
    In addition to all these special articles, you’ll find our regular features like the calendar of events, The Scene and Fourth of July recipes in this month’s issue of Elkhart County Living.
   
    ~ Publisher Jim Kroemer