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P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 139 Edition 40
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
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United Way kicks off campaign with United Day of Caring
Celebrating their first year of contributing to the United Way of Posey County is the group from GAF. Pictured are, in front, Susanne Renshaw, Wendy Collins, Vanessa Mayer, Donna Weimer and Joe Crissup, United Way First Vice President and Campaign Chair. In back are Chad Tennyson, Jeanne McGennis, Ben Kueber, Collin O’Donnell, Sean Marren, Sean Markwell, Justin Nobles, Mark Jochim and United Way Director Rod Clark. GAF raised $8,000 to kick things off. Photo by Lois Mitino Gray More photos on B10
By Lois Mittino Gray Some 39 projects involving 360 volunteers were completed during the fourth annual Posey County “United Way Day of Caring” on Friday, September 27. This is about the same number of projects as last year, but with 50 more volunteers and several new businesses participating, according to Dan Ritter, Event Chairman. New businesses this year include GAF, Evansville Western Railway, CGB Enterprises, and the USI Nurses Group. Before setting out to work at their projects all around the county, volunteers were treated to an early morning 2019 Campaign Kickoff Breakfast at the Posey County Fairgrounds Community Center Friday morning to send them on their way well-fed. This year’s campaign goal is $675,000. This figure is set at $25,000 above last year’s goal of $650,000, which was successfully raised, and distributed to the 18 local agencies the United Way sponsors. Rod Clark, United Way Director, welcomed the workers and thanked SABIC of Mount Ver-
non for underwriting the cost of the food and participant tee shirts. “No donation money was used for this event, thanks to them,” he told the group. He noted SABIC had 16 teams volunteer this year with 156 volunteers working at many locations, including Brittlebank Park, the Posey County Council on Aging, the Mount Vernon Homeless Shelter and the 4H Community Center. Director Clark and Joe Crissup, this year’s fundraising campaign chairman, also recognized GAF as the pacesetter industry for the 2019 campaign and presented representatives with a “Pacesetter Award.” The GAF team already raised $8,000 and worked with the American Red Cross installing smoke alarms in county residences for the “Day of Caring.” Other sites worked on during the special volunteer day included Brittlebank Pool and Dog Park, At the Cross Mission, Children’s Learning Center, New Harmony’s Playtopia, Poseyville
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Child molesting charges filed
Wildcat band enjoys success, higher numbers By Dave Pearce One of the best kept secrets in Posey County could just be in Mount Vernon. The Mount Vernon Marching Wildcats, following a seventh place finish at the Indiana State Music Association last year, are trying to make their way back to state again. And if early indications mean Isaac Morton leads this year’s anything, the band might just be headed that Marching Wildcats. way again. “We are doing alright,” Mount Vernon Band Director Joe Stone said. “On Sept. 7, at Central High School, we came in third place out of four at that contest and we had the best drum major in our class. Then we recently got back from Evansville North where we came in first in our class and got best percussion in our class.” This year the band is under the leadership of Isaac Morton. He is assisted by Commanding Officer Hagan Hollinger. Between the two of them, they are put into a position of organizing and helping students do what they need get done and if a student needs more help on an individual level, they see that it is provided. That’s not bad, considering the Marching Wildcats lost a good number of seniors to graduation, especially in the color guard. Seven of the 12 members of last year’s color guard graduated but Stone seemed unphased. This year, the guard is made up of 18 members, 13 of which are in their first year.
Special to the News A Mount Vernon man has been arrested and faces charges of child molesting. Indiana State Police initiated a criminal investigation in September after receiving information a female under the age of 16 had been sexually molested by a 33-year-old Mount Vernon man. During the investigation, Indiana State Police Detective Wes Kuykendall revealed Curtis Mosby, 33, of Mount Ver-
Curtis Mosby
Man accused of infant harm
Special to the News A former Poseyville man and new father is being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail on battery and child neglect charges. The 21-yearold Veldon Huck was booked Wednesday afternoon. According a police affidavit, officers were called to the Emergency Room because a one-month-old child had sevContinued on Page A9 eral bruises and bone fractures. Police say doctors told them the child had a broken arm, two broken legs, a broken foot, and a torn lower frenulum, which By Lois Mittino Gray alarm within the community,” Dr. Thompson is the muscle that connects the With the nation’s attention focused on remarked. school safety issues, Mount Vernon residents The city police and sheriff’s department may wonder what policies and practices are will participate in the drills. “Both agencies in place in the local district to ensure student have been great partners to the schools and safety. The District School Board was pre- very helpful in preparing for disasters,” the Special to the News Posey County Sheriff Tom sented an update of the “Safe Schools - Cur- superintendent noted. rent Practices and Future Plans” report preSet dates are October 2 at West Elementary Latham said on the evening pared by David Frye, Director of Buildings School, October 9 at Mount Vernon Junior of September 26, 2019, Posey and Grounds. High School, October 16 at Mount Vernon County Deputies were called to As part of the discussion, School Superin- High School, October 23 at Marrs Elemen- a residence in Posey County in tendent Matt Thompson announced that ac- tary School, and October 24 at Farmersville reference to an adult male who had met with a juvenile female. tive shooter drills will be held at all school Elementary School. sites in October. Staff only will participate in The drill is to familiarize staff members Deputies responded and afthese simulations and neighbors and parents with the plan and procedures and look for ter speaking with some of the will be notified of the dates for each property. weak links that may be improved upon with people involved, they notified “Shooting noises will be heard to familiarize tweaking. Staff members are provided a Crisis Detective Justin Rutledge. Detective Rutledge went to staff with the sound and there will be police Management Plan and have one located near vehicles all over. We don’t want to create any each classroom door. All administrators and the home for further investigation. Detective Rutledge spoke Continued on Page A9 with 21-year-old male, Zach-
School safety drills set here
non, had allegedly molested the under the age of 16 female in January 2019. The investigation continued at the Indiana State Police Post in Evansville, which resulted in the arrest of Mosby. He was taken to the Posey County Jail where he is currently being held on bond. Arrested and Charge: Curtis Mosby, 33, Mount Vernon, Ind. Child Molestation, Level 1 Felony. Investigating Officer: Detective Wes Kuykendall, Indiana State Police.
tongue to the lower part of the mouth. Doctors believed the injuries were older and were in the process of healing. They say they also found bruises on the baby’s jaw, forehead, wrist, and back. According to police, the child’s parents brought him in for a fever, but the child didn’t have a fever. Police say Huck admitted to forcing a pacifier in the baby’s mouth, which likely caused the frenulum injury. They say Huck also admitted to holding down the child’s arms and legs.
Veldon Huck Officer say Huck told them has Intermittent Explosive Disorder, but isn’t taking any medication for it.
Gibson man faces charges here ary Lane Novinger, of Fort Branch, Indiana. Novinger told Detective Rutledge he met the 14-year-old female through the Snap Chat application, and he thought she was 15. Through the investigation it was discovered the two had met and sexual contact was made between the two and Novinger had provided the victim with gifts. Detective Rutledge arrested Novinger on September 27 around 1 a.m. on two counts of Sexual Misconduct with a Minor, both Level 4 felonies.
Zachary Lane Novinger Sheriff Latham said Novinger was booked into the Posey County Jail where he remains on a $30,000 cash bond.
The fabric of our lives New Harmony woman takes talents, individuals to a higher level By Lois Mittino Gray Docey Lewis, a local artisan and entrepreneur, is truly a “citizen of the world.” With her endless energy and unlimited vision, she has worked for 40 years in over 45 countries as a designer and sourcing consultant for commercial companies, governments, and international organizations. She has varied experiences dealing with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the Philippines, discovered the delicate beauty of a double cocoon spun by a wild Madagascar moth, and walked spiritual paths high up in the Himalayas in Nepal. Throughout her decades of work and travel, elevating people and their textile projects to new personal levels of production are foremost in her mind. “It’s all about the people, peaceful hardworking people and what they can create,” she noted. Docey’s stunning textile creations are on display in an exhibit entitled “Threading My Way” at the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art until October 4. In her Artist Local artist Docey Lewis’ exhibit “Threading My Way” will Statement, Docey explained how the exhibit’s title came to be on display in New Harmony until October 4. Photo courtesy be. “As a Robert Owen descendent who chose to live in New Harmony sixteen years ago (2003), I continue to be inspired Zach Straw Photography
(USPS 439-500)
by the many accomplishments of his sons who settled in the United States. In fact, I have borrowed my great-grand uncle Robert Dale Owen’s biography title, Threading My Way, for the title of my show. It was in part his work as a young man at his father’s New Lanark Mill in Scotland, now a World Heritage Site, which inspired his use of that textile metaphor.” The exhibit’s body of work includes pieces created in collaboration with artists in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Madagascar, spanning several years, as well as new work recently made in her extensive second floor studio above Sara’s Harmonie Way, often working well into the night. These newer creations are made from recycled scrap materials and selvage, rejected designs, and items she eloquently calls “studio detritus.” All of the artworks are done in breathtaking colors and patterns, especially the large pieces of cloth hanging in the gallery windows fashioned from the double cocoons of the wild moth. This is her third show. She had one in 2016 in New York and one last year in Walla Walla, Washington.
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