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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 43
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
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Early voting numbers very high in Indiana, Posey County By Trisha L. Lopez Posey County Clerk Kay Kilgore said that in-person early voting numbers and the number of absentee mail-in ballots that have been requested have been much higher than she anticipated. Kilgore said that in 2016’s general election Posey County had 4,083 early in-person and mail-in ballots cast. She said 12,776 total votes were cast. She said that, as of Friday afternoon, 2,779 voters had cast early ballots at the Posey County Courthouse since the early voting began on October 6. She said they’ve averaged more than 225 voters per day. Friday, Oct. 16 Under the shadow of Old Glory, Poseyville voters waited in line to vote on Saturday at the was their busiest day, with 259 votes cast. If Community Center. Early voting will happen again Saturday 9-5. Photo by Connie Pearce the daily average remains consistent, Posey
World of ATMs makes its way into MSDMV By Lois Mittino Gray Cash may no longer be a problem for students in the two secondary schools in Mount Vernon soon. ATM machines are coming to the schools. The board approved an agreement with J&J Ventures Amusements for placement of two Automatic Teller Machines for a period of five years from October 20, 2020 to October 19, 2025, with automatic one-year renewal terms. The school district will get half of the proceeds from ATM use and must provide a well-lit area, with multiple cameras to lessen vandalism, although the school has no liability for them. One will be placed in the high school in the Circle Drive athletic foyer, and one will at the junior high near the pool area. It was thought they may be installed by the winter sports season. “We talked to several vendors and J&J works best for us,” said Director of Business Loren Evans. “It
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County could top 4,354 early voters going into Election Day on Tuesday. “Voters are very appreciative of the opportunity to come in early to vote in person,” Kilgore said. “Some of them have concerns of long lines on election day and others just want to get it out of the way. They have enjoyed the streamlined and quick process it is to vote early.” Early voter turnout has been high throughout the state and across the country as well. According to the Indiana Secretary of State’s office, the department that spearheads elections, Indiana currently has 4,753,473 registered voters statewide. The U.S. Elections Proj-
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North Posey School Board approves pay for week of Sept. 18 By Lynda Baker At last week’s North Posey School Board meeting, the Board agreed to pay all teachers their fulltime salary for the week prior to fall break. While the hours worked by teachers and other employees varied, none of them took time off for the week of September 28, 2020, which was a COVID-19 learning week. The teachers were required to prepare lessons for in-school students and students who were ill, as well as online learning students. The Board felt the teachers were deserving of fulltime pay. The Board also approved an ordinance for the coming school year providing for tax rate appropriations, the replacement of buses, capital projects, a transfer of funds plan between previously approved funds, budget hearings regarding any necessary changes, rainy day fund matters, and a special transfer of $1,404,000 from the education fund to the operations fund. This will be the third year for the education/operations fund transfer authorization; however, Dr. Todd Camp indicated that it had never been necessary to transfer the full amount. Another publication of the ordinance will be forthcoming. The Teacher Appreciation Grant was approved for the 2020-2021 school year. Enjoying a recent afternoon of fun while carving pumpkins are TJ Davis, Autumn Johnson. Ryan Daugherty, Miranda Johnson and Bre Phelps. Photo submitted
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Fall Taxes due Nov. 10 The Fall Deadline for 2020 Property Taxes is Tuesday, November 10. The county offices are open to the public, however due to the increase in Covid cases in the county, the public is encouraged to use one of the following options to pay your fall property taxes: • Send your tax payment in the mail to 126 East Third Street, Room 211, Mount Vernon, Ind., 47620.
The treasurer does accept your payment as on time with a postmark of November 10. • Drop box located in front of the Coliseum Building at 126 East Third Street. • Pay online at poseycountytax. com. • United Fidelity Bank in Mount Vernon, and the West Side and Saint Joseph Avenue locations in Evansville.
Berkley Rose Will, daughter of Chris and Natalie Will, enjoyed having her picture taken with fall scenery and pumpkins over the weekend. Photo submitted
Posey schools...worth the drive Ft. Branch resident Mallory Day enjoys South Terrace By Lois Mittino Gray When her day begins, Mallory Day and her husband, Ryan, say goodbye to Hank and leave Fort Branch heading out in opposite directions to differing states to start their workday. Ryan goes to Mount Carmel, Illinois and Mallory heads for South Terrace Elementary School, where she is a first-
(USPS 439-500)
year face in the Wadesville school building. Although she concedes it is quite a commute every morning, she says “It’s worth it, since being there is like being in heaven. My class of 20 students is amazing, and so is our staff and principal, Erin Koester,” Mallory enthused. The young teacher said she enjoys thinking about lesson plans and listening to her favorite country tunes, by stars like Thomas Rhett and Luke Coomes, to pass the time as she wends her way to work. Although Mallory is new to South Terrace, it is her fifth year of teaching on the frontlines of education. Originally from Rockford, Ill., Mallory earned her Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Ill. It is located
about 18 miles from St. Louis. Her first teaching assignment was in the town of Redbud, about 45 minutes from Edwardsville. She taught third grade there for two years. Mallory and Ryan decided to move to this area three years ago from Southern Illinois to try new employment ventures. She was hired to teach fifth grade for two years at Stringtown Elementary School for the Evansville School Corporation. “I had been teaching for four years already before this, but I was thrilled to get this fifth grade position at South Terrace. Everyone makes the job so pleasant and the students work so hard,” she gushed. A major activity her students are working on right now is learning to express themselves through writing. “We are working on using text evidence from reading, when they
do their their writing. My students now are going to be given a writing prompt and develop a fictional piece of their own. I look forward to reading them.” Mallory and Ryan have no children at present, but they do have Hank waiting for them when they get home. Hank is a German Shorthair Pointer. Mallory says she might continue her studies in Elementary Education and earn a Master’s Degree in the future, but is unsure about it at this time. As for the COVID crisis, surely a new challenge to any educator, she feels very safe at South Terrace. “The kids are very respectful about socially distancing and wearing masks. It’s almost getting to be second nature to them. They are great and considerate of each other,” she observed. “I am happy to be here.”
Mallory Day