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SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times
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P C N Tuesday, January 25, 2022
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Volume 142 Edition 4
Dog gone: Eleventh hour crime puts court order on hold By Lois Mittino Gray Jager, the eight-year-old boxer dog at the heart of the longrunning court controversy between the city of Mount Vernon and owner May Robinson, won’t be “going to the train station” after all this week. The court order to euthanize the dog was upheld when the Indiana Supreme Court denied on January 20 to take the case, but the next day, the kennel where he was being housed was broken into during the night and Jager was spirited away to parts unknown. The breaking and entering is currently being investigated by Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham. Mount Vernon Mayor Bill Curtis issued a press release Saturday afternoon announcing the incident. It read, “On January 20,2022, the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously denied the request to accept transfer of the case involving the dog attack which occurred in Mount Vernon. This ruling exhausted the legal appeal process and the Order to euthanize the dog was to be carried out.” “The City of Mount Vernon has always taken the position that
the legal process was the appropriate forum to address this horrific incident. The facts have been presented at the trial court level and have now been reviewed by the Indiana Court of Appeals, as well as the Indiana Supreme Court. At all levels the order to euthanize the dog has been determined, by unanimous decisions, to be in accordance with the City’s ordinance, in the interest of public safety, and proper considering the facts,” the Mayor wrote. “Last night the kennel where the dog was housed was broken into and the animal removed. The fact that one or more citizens are not only unable to accept the decision of our local trial court, Indiana Court of Appeals and Indiana Supreme Court, but chose to take matters into their own hands to violate Court Orders, saddens me, embarrasses me, and angers me. To disagree with the court’s decision is every citizen’s right. To take the law into their own hands is the act of a vigilante,” he continued. “Whoever took the animal from the kennel trespassed on a private citizen’s property, broke into their building, and removed
something that had been placed in their care. It demonstrates a flagrant disregard for the rule of law that our founders so carefully incorporated into our Constitution and Bill of Rights.” The Mayor said the Sheriff is checking camera footage and interviewing those involved as part of the investigation into the break-in at the kennel. In a letter from Loretta H. Rush, Chief Justice of Indiana, she states that, “The Court has reviewed the decision of the Court of Appeals, the submitted record on appeal, all briefs filed in the Court of Appeals, and all materials filed in connection with the request to transfer jurisdiction have been made available to the Court for review. Each participating member has had the opportunity to voice that Justice’s views on the case in conference with the other Justices, and each participating member of the Court has voted on the petition. Being duly advised, the Court DENIES the
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Posey Solar Lewis is BPW Woman of the Year to present scaled back plan for here By Trisha L. Lopez Richard Kincade and several landowners committed to leasing ground to developer Tenaska for inclusion in the Posey Solar Project learned late last week that their portion of the project would no longer be needed. Siting supply chain woes, project officials called impacted landowners and told them that their involvement in the proposed industrial solar project, a journey which has often pitted them against neighbors, family members and friends, was coming to an end. The promised income that would accompany it, reported to be between $800 and $1,100 an acre by some industry sources, would go with it. Why? Not all is sunny in solar at the moment. According to a Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) report published in September, 56 percent of all new electricity capacity installed in the first half of 2021 in the United States was said to be solar. Projections for the future were high. Despite the impact of the pandemic, the U.S. market set a new annual record with 19.2 GW of solar energy installed in 2020. SEIA projections show 348 GW likely installed over the next 10 years, more than three times the amount installed up to 2020. Industry insiders say the industrial solar boom has taken a massive hit on several fronts during the past six months. Covid-19 shut downs have limited production of parts needed for solar cells. A January report published in Solar Power World says import tariffs, alleged human rights violations in manufacturing nations and trade regulations are “preventing the import of widely produced solar modules.” The article goes on to say that the “squeeze on the supply chain” is expected to “remain indefinitely.” A combination of high demand and product shortages have driven up prices, completely wiping out the 12 percent cost cuts that experts say made the renewable energy option so attractive. In it’s December 2021 U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, SEIA reported a 25 percent reduction from the solar industry’s original 2022 forecast. What that means for Posey County was somewhat outlined in a statement released by Tenaska and its development partners on Friday. The project, submitted in its initial permit request with the Posey County Area Plan Commission as a 300MW up to 3,000 acre development with leases secured from 65
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Special to the News Members of the Mount Vernon Business and Professional Women’s Club were thrilled when they successfully pulled off a special surprise at their regular meeting on Thursday, January 13 at the Western Hills Country Club. Carolyn Lewis, a 23-year member of the club, was stunned to learn she was named the 2022 “BPW Woman of the Year.” “I ride in with the Vice-President and everyone was at the Country Club early. I was so surprised to walk in and find out I won the award,” she recounted. In addition to a framed wall plaque with the recognition certificate, she received a bouquet of flowers at the table and a complimentary Pictured from left to right: Nominator Cindy Reagan, winner gift from the club. Her son, Marc, and his wife, Ju- Carolyn Lewis and Kathryn Coleman, BPW President. Carolyn was nominated by her Year. Carolyn is a very hard worklia, were unable to attend the surprise event, as they reside out of good friend and club member, er and has a heart of gold. She will town in Indianapolis. “I was dis- Cindy Reagan. In an excerpt from do anything for anyone and if you appointed they could not be there Cindy’s nomination letter, she needed a good friend, she would to see it, but they live just too far wrote, “I would like to nominate Continued on Page A7 Carolyn Lewis for Woman of the away,” the honoree noted.
Local man faces myriad of drug charges Special to the News A Mount Vernon man has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies in Posey County, including dealing in methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon. On January 19, 2022, Robert E. McCarty, age 36, was arrested by the Indiana State Police for possession of approximately 190 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal narcotics. According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, while law enforcement with the Indiana State Police were executing a search warrant on McCarty’s residence and vehicle, they located the suspected methamphetamine and over $7,000 in cash. During the search of McCarty’s residence, officers also discovered and seized a Hi-Point .45 caliber rifle. According to court records, McCarty is unable to lawfully possess firearms due to being classified as a serious violent felon as a result
Robert E. McCarty of a prior conviction for dealing in methamphetamine. As a result of the investigation conducted by the Indiana State Police and the Posey County Drug Task Force, McCarty now faces criminal charges of Count 1: Dealing in Methamphetamine, a Level
Friends and family of Greg Newman were on hand last week when Posey County GOP Chair Newman filed for candidacy for Posey County Commissioner. Left to right are Kay Kilgore, Meagan Greenwell, Sydney
2 Felony; Count 2: Possession of Methamphetamine, a Level 3 Felony; Count 3: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, a Level 4 Felony; Count 4: Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Level 6 Felony; and Count 5: Maintaining a Common Nuisance – Controlled Substances, a Level 6 Felony. If convicted as charged, McCarty faces 10 to 30 years in prison under Indiana law, plus a fine up to $10,000. Posey County Prosecutor Thomas Clowers also charged McCarty with the Habitual Offender Enhancement, which is based on McCarty’s prior criminal history and could add an additional six to 20 years to any sentence. McCarty is currently held in the Posey County Jail on a $500,000 surety or $50,000 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in Posey Circuit Court on January 24, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. for an initial hearing.
MSDMV to keep monies in local banks By Lois Mittino Gray Mount Vernon School Superintendent Matt Thompson called the annual meeting of the District Board of Finance together to begin the January 17, school board meeting. After he conducted the election of Greg Oeth as Finance Board President by acclamation, Oeth handily took over and conducted the election of Joe Rutledge as Secretary and ran through annual fiscal business. The Mount Vernon School Board of Trustees is required by law to organize as a Board of Finance after the first Monday and before the last day in January. The Board of Finance reviewed and acknowledged the 2021 investment officer’s yearly report and reviewed the district’s overall investment policy which had no changes and is reviewed in depth every four years. Investments in the Education Fund on the checking account generated $65,694.83 in interest. This was considerably down from last year’s figure of $98, 312.72 in annual interest. The eight Scholarship Funds generated interest on the 24 month deposits at a rate of .75 percent. All investments are with United Fidelity Bank. The board accepted the list of five local depositories that can be used for investments throughout the year as recommended. Five are located in or have branches within the MSD of Mount Vernon’s boundaries. They are: United Fidelity Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Old National Bank, First National Bank of Carmi, and Crane Credit Union. The third annual action is to review the 2020 fiscal indicators report of the school corporation’s overall financial condition as required. It is provided by the Distressed Unit Appeals Board (DUAB). The 2020-
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Flowers, Jacob Newman, Rachel Newman, Theresa Newman, Greg Newman, Thomas Clowers, Don Mattingly Nancy Hoehn, Vicki Peerman, Hanz Schmitz, Brenda Goff, and Bryan Schorr. Photo submitted