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POSEYVILLE AUTUMNFEST PHOTOS.
Since 1882 ~ Successor to The Poseyville News and The New Harmony Times • New Harmony, IN
“Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.” Posey County’s locally-owned newspaper
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
$1.00
(USPS PS 4 439-500) 39 500)
Volume 133 Edition 40
North Posey School Board seeks input on changes Special to the News The Metropolitan School District of North Posey is required by Indiana law to reorganize the voting districts for school board elections because of the annexation of Consolidated School Town of New Harmony and Harmony Township in 2011. Since the inception of the MSD of North Posey, the five (5) member board was elected from three (3) voting districts, with no more than two (2) board members from each district. Now, the school board is requesting public input on its proposal to reorganize the
elected members into two (2) voting districts. The districts would be divided along the elementary school lines. District 1 is North Elementary, and District 2 is South Terrace Elementary. Two (2) members from each district and one (1) at large member shall be elected to the five (5) member board. The next board election is scheduled for November 2014 and all five (5) board seats shall stand for election. Voters will be allowed to vote for candidates from both districts. The candidates from each district receiving the highest number of votes in their
district shall have the option to be seated for a two (2) or four (4) year term. The candidates from each district with the second highest number of votes in their district shall be seated for the other term in their district. The remaining candidate with the highest number of votes from both districts shall be seated as the at large member with a two (2) year term. The seats from each district with the two (2) year term and the at large seat shall stand for election in November 2016 for four (4) year terms. Thereafter, all members will be elected to four (4) year terms.
The reason for the proposed conversion from three (3) districts to two (2) districts is fairness and simplicity. No township within the school district will be split except for Center Township. The board hopes this will simplify election district boundaries and the voting ballot. The board will discuss this proposal and is seeking public input at its next meeting on October 14, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. at the administration office. Members of the public are invited to attend and comment on this issue without being named on the agenda.
Final ‘Heat Wave’ drug dealer faces 20-year term Special to the News According to information provided by Posey County Prosecutor Travis Clowers, Anthony D. Gadson, pled guilty on Sept. 23, 2013, to Dealing Cocaine in the Posey County Circuit Court and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Gadson was arrested on September 30, 2011, and remained in the Posey County Anthony Gadson Jail on a $25,000 cash bond while his case was pending. Gadson was arrested with approximately 20 other persons charged with various drug offenses as part of the Posey County Narcotic’s Unit drug raid identified at the time as ‘Operation Heat Wave.’ The undercover operation targeted individuals who were selling illegal narcotics in Posey County and Gadson was the last defendant from ‘Operation Heat Wave’ to be sentenced. According to police records, Gadson delivered over 23 grams of Cocaine to a confidential informant. Travis Clowers, Posey County Prosecutor, stated, “My office will continue to seek lengthy prison sentences for serious offenders such as Gadsen.” Clowers went on to say that the arrest was the result of ‘numerous agencies’ working together including the Posey County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Task Force, Mount Vernon Police, Indiana State Police and Federal law enforcement.
Members of the North Posey football homecoming court are, in front, Veronica Inkenbradt, Madeline Pfister, Taylor Franklin, Lizzie Watzlavik, Queen Emma Werry, Ali Lupfer, Hannah Hostettler, Celeste Hill, and Taylor Perry. In back are Ethan Morlock,
Cale O’Risky, Bo Cox, Cody Ungetheim, King Michael Helfert, Trey Staples, Janis Heipmann, Jake O’Risky, and Isaac Mayer. The Vikings celebrated with a 50-10 victory over Forest Park in the football game. Photo by Dave Pearce
Successful Autumnfest ends on rainy note By Dave Pearce The Poseyville Autumnfest went off without a hitch this weekend as the third festival in three weekends ended Sunday evening in Poseyville. Sunday’s crowd was excellent and despite a steady mist, the Autumnfest Parade was again a hit as 101-year-old John Goedde was the Grand Marshal. Winners of individual awards included - Grand Marshal’s Award -- North Posey High School Band; Most Creative/Extra Effort -- Community State Bank; Best Marching -- Cub Scouts; Best Antique Vehicle -- Mike Rogers; Best Performance/ Dance -- Next Step; Best Antique Equipment -- Bob Wassmer; and Best Business/Organization -- Red Wagon. The Posey County News expresses a hearty ‘Thank You’ to anyone and everyone who had anything to do with the success of the Poseyville Autumnfest this year.
Elle Jo Johnson, age six, and Dennis Wright III, age four, were chosen as the Poseyville Autumnfest Little Miss and Little Mr. Elle is the daughter of Kent and Chelsea Johnson of Wadesville. Dennis is the son of Dennis and Cindy Wright of New Harmony. The contest is sponsored by the Women’s Club of Posey County. Photo by Valerie Werkmeister
Enrollment down slightly in Mount Vernon, Taylor honored By Lois Mittino Gray A moment of silence in memory of Carl E. Culiver opened a very busy meeting of the Mount Vernon School Board on September 16. Culiver worked for 41 years for MSD of Mount Vernon as a teacher, high school principal and assistant superintendent. School Superintendent Tom Kopatich fondly referred to him as “my mentor when I first came here, who did wonderful things for our corporation and will be deeply missed.” Kopatich told the Board that the official enrollment count day to determine state funding for the district was Friday, September 13. The count was 2,199 enrolled students on October 1 of last year and now it is 2,170. This is a decrease of 29 students which Kopatich did not feel was too bad as “we graduated 209 last year and only had 162 in kindergarten.” The district actually picked up several new kindergarten transfer students this year. The state ADM count pays the district’s General Fund for each student in grades 1-12 and each kindergarten student counts as one half student. Assistant Superintendent Loren Evans explained that
every kindergarten student does get some money into the General Fund, but “kindergarten is not 100 percent fully funded by the state.” If a home-schooled student attends a class or two at the school, the district gets funds based on the percent of the day in attendance. A policy for home-schoolers who want to play sports was discussed as Kopatich reviewed the guidelines. All the requirements follow the IHSAA rulings, with two extra added in by the district. A student must have been home-schooled for three consecutive years before applying to be on a team, take at least one full credit class at the school, take all standardized tests that other students take, and be present in class on the day of play. “It was our choice to offer this or not as long as we include the IHSAA rulings,” the superintendent noted. “For example, Warrick County has declined to offer it.”
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In other board action: • ISTEP scores will come out within the week and then they are embargoed for review by Jody Pfister before public release. Kopatich felt the scores will be overall pleasing with one group of third grade student scores low in math. It will be determined if that group of students was one that had trouble with computers during the testing. •The district received a $10,000 grant from Montsanto with the help of some local farmers. The farmers involved and local administrators will be presented with one of those ‘very large oversized checks’ at the October 11 Homecoming Game. It will be used to purchase IPADS for junior high STEM students. • A district debit rewards card will be offered by the Evansville Teachers Credit Union. Its use will generate funds for the school district. •Kopatich proudly announced
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that Dana Taylor, MVHS Vocal Music Director and Technical Theatre Instructor, will be presented the Distinguished Achievement Award for Education from the US Institute for Theatre Technology in March at Fort Worth, Texas. He will be the first high school teacher ever so honored. •Donna Gregory was hired as a teacher assistant/computer lab aide at West Elementary school. Keely Hoehn was hired at West as an elementary teacher and as assistant coach for junior high volleyball and junior high girls’ basketball teams. •Wage and benefit packages for food service, secretaries, teacher assistants, information systems, maintenance foreman, management and non-unit personnel were approved. Loren Evans said “it was good that we can give those raises and something positive as we get back in good financial standing. We appreciate their patience with us.”
Sports .......................B1-5 Bus/Ag ........................A 9 Opinion ....................A10 www.poseycountynews.com
Board President Kathy Weinzapfel added, “On behalf of the Board, we know they all voluntarily took cuts in the past and we admire their loyalty through the years.” Kopatich said his salary must be discussed at a public meeting and that will be done later. •Sixteen staff members were granted permission to travel to educational conferences. •Leasing agreements were signed with Expressway Ministries, Faith Fellowship Church, Wolfgang Orchestra and Chorus and PAWS (Parents Advocating Wrestling) for one year to use sections of Hedges School beginning October 1. •Evans announced dental insurance single plan monthly premiums will be lower with HRI Dental through December, 2016. • he next meeting and budget hearing is slated for Monday, October 7 at 5:45 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Junior High School.