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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 140 Edition 42
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
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Surprise insurance savings means more road deputies By Trisha Lopez Posey Council Council approved the addition of two new sheriff’s department patrol officers and one new 911 dispatcher position at Tuesday’s meeting at Hovey House in Mount Vernon. The additional sheriff’s department jobs, touted by Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham as helpful in providing shift relief from county police officers working swing shift hours that have left them physically and mentally overloaded, were made possible by $200,000 in funds saved on county employee insurance costs. According to members of the council, the county’s insur-
ance provider negotiated better rates with insurance companies to hold insurance costs steady with last year. The recent budget had allowed for a 10 percent increase in insurance costs.. The county was expecting a $200,000 increase to its insurance costs going into the next fiscal year. The council had already earmarked those funds for the anticipated increase, making them now available for the council to use for the county’s benefit. Posey County Council President Heather Allyn said the increase will allow the county to have three officers on the road most of the time. Posey County currently has only two officers on the road most of the time, she said.
“As a council this year, we felt like we had a lot of (budget) cuts. We felt like we were doing our best to hold steady, but our goal...I think I can speak for everyone... is the safety of our county,” Allyn said. She said when she learned of the extra money, adding the extra officers seemed like the best use of those funds. “To be able to have more officers on the road and to help our officers is a tremendous benefit both to the county and law enforcement officers,” Allyn said. Latham thanked the council and said his officers especially
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Amanda Muensterman Keegan Lee Davidson Larry Lynn Robling Scott Allen Wilson
Four face drug, theft charges
New Harmony residents Martha Wilkinson and her son Nicholas enjoy the fruits of their gardening labor outside their home. Photo by Dave Pearce
Poseyville sees 30% rate hikes By Lynda Baker Last week’s Poseyville Town Council meeting was chaired by Councilman Mike Baehl, due to the extended illness of Council President Bruce Baker. After 33 years on the Council, this will be Baker’s last 4-year term. Over the next year or so, he wants to share as much information as he can with his fellow Council Members, as well as Clerk/Treasurer Christy Foster, regarding the management of the town and its employees, along with the day-to-day operations of the town’s three utility corporations: water, sewer and gas. He would like to particularly focus on the grant application process, as Baker, with the assistance of office personnel, has been able to
obtain over $4,000,000 in grant funds for the town during his years of service. These funds have been used to build the community center, update and remodel the library, build a new town hall, update streets, construct the sewer treatment plant, construct the water treatment plant, and many other beneficial town projects. An ordinance to increase sewer rates and an ordinance to increase water rates by 30 percent (based upon each customer’s usage) on both utilities over the next 18 months were presented to the council for final approval, following the recent publication of the same. The Council approved both ordinances by a 2:1
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Special to the News Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham has reported that on October 12, 2020, the Posey County Sheriff’s Office was notified of suspicious circumstances occurring at the abandoned residence on Boberg Road in eastern Posey County. The complainant stated he observed drag marks leading from the property to the area of Country Homes Drive, at which time Posey Detective Dustin Seitz continued following the marks to a home on Ramsey Court. Detective Seitz subsequently located a stolen 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle at a Ramsey Court address. Detectives located surveillance footage from neighboring homes and observed a white pickup truck pulling a stolen vehicle to the Ramsey Court address. On October 13, 2020, after further investigation, Posey County Sheriff’s Office Detectives placed wireless cameras around the Boberg Road property. Around 11:15 p.m., Posey County Deputies were notified by a concerned citizen who stated there were people on the property. Posey County Deputies arrived and located four people on the property who appeared to be stealing a 1970s model Chevrolet Corvette. Deputies took all four individuals into custody at which time the investigation continued. During the investigation, Detectives
and Deputies located Marijuana, 3.5 grams of Methamphetamine, and a syringe containing Methamphetamine. After questioning by Posey County Sheriff’s Office Detectives, it was determined that Keegan Davidson, Amanda Muensterman, and Scott Wilson took part in the auto theft on October 12, 2020, from the Boberg Road property. As a result of the investigation all four individuals were arrested and charged as follows: Thirty-four-year-old Keegan Lee Davidson 34 of Evansville, Ind., was arrested and faces the following charges: Possession of Methamphetamine Level 6 Felony, Attempted Auto Theft Level 6 Felony, Auto Theft Level 6 Felony, Trespassing Class “B” Misdemeanor, and Warrant-Petition to Revoke. Amanda Lynn Muensterman, 36, also of Evansville, was arrested and races the following charges: Possession of Methamphetamine Level 6 Felony, Attempted Auto Theft Level 5 Felony, Auto Theft Level 5 Felony, and Trespassing, a Class “B” Misdemeanor. Scott Allen Wilson, 57, also of Evansville, was arrested and faces charges of Possession of Methamphetamine , a Level 6 Felony, Attempted Auto Theft, a Level 5 Felony, Auto Theft, a Level 5 Felony, and Trespassing,
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Kits to assist officers, some children By Lois Mittino Gray One mother’s scary experience will lead to another one’s meaningful moment. Posey County native Kelsey Schapker founded a not-for-profit organization, as a result of a close call in traffic, by developing CAMSE kits for children with autism to play with while police officers are conducting accident investigations. Posey Count Sheriff Tom Latham purchased and distributed these comforting kits to 25 county officers to put in their vehicles. “Last July, we were almost involved in a serious car accident. It was so close. We were shaking and it scared us so much, including my four-year-old son, Camden. Camden was just identified this past summer as being on the Autism Disorder Spectrum. I started to think about what would’ve happened to him if I had been Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham is pictured with Kelsey Schap- hurt and taken away or had to talk with police investigators. How would he have reacted?” she explained. “He ker and 25 Cames Kits.
would struggle to communicate his needs in the event of an accident.” That thought created her idea to develop sensory equipment kits to keep in police vehicles to give special needs children in stressful situations. The kit, known as a CAMSE Kit, is designed to keep kids with autism and other sensory challenges, calm while an officer works the accident. The term CAMSE (short for Cam’s Sensory Equipment) was coined by Camden’s grandfather, Michael Wheatcroft. “He adores his papa and this made it so special, as the two are tight beyond belief,” the devoted mother said. Kelsey approached Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham who loved the idea. “Sheriff Latham deserves a lot of credit for getting this done. He could’ve said no. He’s a solid guy who just stepped up and helped us
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West-sider Mitchell fits right in St. Wendel teacher enjoys the best of both worlds By Lois Mittino Gray Madison Mitchell is the fresh new face walking the halls of Saint Wendel School this year. “I just love being at this school with this staff and these students. I get more excited about being here with them every week. I look forward to what’s to come as the school year goes by” the enthusiastic teacher said. Madison considers her present
(USPS 439-500)
work assignment to be the “best of both worlds.” She teaches preschool part-time five days a week and then assists her husband, Dustin Mitchell, with his business, afterwards. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; she teaches three- and four-year-olds from 7 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. The other two days, she remains until 2:30 p.m. for children needing extended care. She has her students all five days, except for two who attend only three days. The novice educator loves to decorate her classroom with seasonal themes and artwork. Right now, autumn decorations abound with pictures to help teach the letters of the alphabet they are currently studying. “We do each letter and I show pictures of things that start with it and we do sounds and the sign language for it. A is for alligator, right?”
Madison’s students are required to wear protective masks to enter and exit the school building. Even at their young age, she feels they are doing a great job of it. “Oh, I have to occasionally reinforce the idea of wearing it, but that’s to be expected. They don’t have to wear a mask inside all day like I do. We wear them in class in circle center time and other occasions,” she explained. Madison is a native of Evansville’s West Side, around the Saint Joseph area. She attended Reitz High School and was graduated in 2011. She earned an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education from Ivy Tech Community College in Evansville in 2014. Other work experiences with young children include as a Head Start teacher for three years and as an employee of Saint Vincent Early Learning Center for three years.
After those stints with children, Madison worked with her husband at Mitchell Trucking. The couple was married a year ago, after ten years of dating. “I met him through a mutual friend and feel like I’ve known him forever. I’m not sure if I am going to go back to school anymore for a while to get a Bachelor’s Degree. We’re thinking about having our own children and deciding on that for now, while setting up our household.” They presently live where Dustin is originally from in the Saint Wendel area. He attended North Elementary School. Madison is working hard to think of new lesson plans each week. She is considering a possible 50 days in school celebration, and maybe even a 100 days one. She continues to get good materials for her lessons on letters of the alphabet. Her class has completed letters A through F. Next
is G. Can you say “Go-getter?” A great description of Mitchell.
Madison Mitchell