T
P C N SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 138 Edition 44
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
$1.00
Jury convicts Posey County man of child molesting By Dave Pearce A Posey County man is behind bars and faces sentencing after he was convicted by a jury this week of child molesting, a Level Four Felony. Gary Wiltshire, 47, of Mount Vernon was arrested and convicted of the charges following an investigation led by Posey County Sheriff’s Detective Jeremy Fortune. According to a probable Cause Affidavit, on July 18, 2018, Fortune observed an interview at Holly’s House in Evansville where an 11-year-old claimed Gary Wiltshire that Wiltshire had touched her inappropriately. The victim told officials at Holly’s house that she was at the home of her cousin in Mount Vernon. According to the interview, Wiltshire had been drinking and was sitting at a kitchen table talking about how much he missed the victim’s deceased mother. The child said she was sitting on Wilshire’s knee when he moved her off his knee and inappropriately touched the child. The victim indicated she pushed Wiltshire away and went into another room and told relatives what had happened. She told police that Wiltshire tried to get her to come back to where he was sitting but she refused. The victim told interviewers that “Gary looks 60 and should not do this to a little girl.” Posey County prosecutor Travis Clowers indicated that the victim’s testimony was paramount in the trial. Clowers said the jury obviously believed what the young victim had said. The jury was comprised of 10 women and two men. Clowers praised the work of Fortune as well as the staff at Holly’s House for building a strong case, resulting in the conviction.
NPSB OKs employee salary increase
A familiar fixture at the Saint Francis Trunk-or-Treat in Poseyville are, left to right, Park Peach, Charlier Peach, Julep Peach, and Mary Peach. Photo by Dave Pearce Snow White, a.k.a. Sue Rose, the Activities Director at Mount Vernon Nursing and Rehab, poses for a photo with Kegan Bey, dressed as the classic Operation game and his brother, Colton Bey, dressed as a jellyfish. Trickor-treaters participated in the annual Batwalk at the nursing and rehab facility Friday afternoon. Photo by Sally Denning
By Dave Pearce Funds were low but morale should be better for employees of the North Posey School Corporation. At the Monday, October 9 meeting of the North Posey School Board, School Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp asked the Board to approve salary increases, stipends, and insurance reprieve (insurance holiday). The board complied and as a result, an additional $70,000 general stipend will be distributed equally to all teachers and certified staff who qualify. “We sat down with the association and looked at new money available and we both agreed that it wasn’t enough,” Camp said of the increases. “But the association and the board was too good to work with during this bad financial time and were able to come to an agreement that we feel was good and fair for everyone.” As per the master teacher contract, the teachers will receive 67 percent of the new money in the funding formula (approximately $54,562.12) to be distributed to the qualified teachers using the performance compensation model outlined the in contract. Non-Certified Staff should also be seeing an increase on their paychecks as approximately $34,647 (which equals $0.40 per hour) is to be added to the non-certified salary schedule. A stipend, gross amount of $823, for each non-certified employee, was also awarded. Administrators will also see a raise of $800 per year to each applicable administrator as well as a stipend of $823 to each administrator.
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BMV extending hours to issue IDs New Harmony council discusses base flood evaluation letters
The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) announced that BMV branches will extend hours of operation on Monday, November 5 and Tuesday, November 6 to issue ID cards and driver’s licenses to be used for identification at a polling place. Branches will be open on Monday, November 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Tuesday, November 6, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. As required by state law, branches will only process new, amended, or replacement ID cards, and renewed, amended, or replacement driver’s licenses and learner permits. New driver’s licenses
INSIDE TODAY Check out our special Posey County Fall Agricultural section for local photos, FFA information and stories — including an in-depth look at the progress being made on Avery’s Place at Riverbend Park.
Briefly Fall Property Taxes The Fall Deadline for 2018 Property Taxes is, Tuesday November 13. You can pay your property taxes at any Old National Banking center in Posey or Vanderburgh County. You may also pay your taxes in person, by mail, online at www.poseycountytax.com or via the drop box located at the corner of Third and Walnut Street.
More information on other events inside today’s Posey County News (USPS 439-500)
and learner permits will be processed provided the customer has previously completed all required testing. Customers who are required to take a knowledge or driving skills exam to obtain or renew a license may choose to apply for a free ID card to use for voting purposes. Individuals who hold a driver’s license or ID card that expired after the last general election may use the expired card as proof of identification for voting purposes. All branches will resume regular business hours on Wednesday, November 7.
By Lois Mittino Gray The October 16, monthly meeting of the New Harmony Town Council focused on the annual budget, the old school property, the base flood elevation and an appointment to the New Harmony Bridge Authority. It also included many announcements and the usual dissension among the quintet of councilmen.
Councilman David Flanders presented a draft letter he prepared and asked that council approve sending it to State Senator Jim Tomes and House Representative Wendy McNamara regarding the base flood elevation in New Harmony. Councilman Flanders noted it has been three years
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Anchored in love Mount Vernon couple’s lives have taken them full circle By Pam Robinson David and Judy Whitten of Mount Vernon use even their voicemail to remind callers to consider God’s daily blessings. During their courtship and 56year marriage, the couple’s common Christian faith has formed the tie that binds them to one another. David speaks for the two of them in discussing their reliance on God and their faith. “From very early in the time the two of us met, it was very evident we shared a common faith. We have seen how that faith over the years has brought us through a lot of things,” he says. “It’s kept us together because it has taught us primarily that God comes first. We would certainly be remiss if we did not look at that one particular factor and say that’s where our contentment comes from. When things are right with God and the faith that’s in your life, everything else falls into place.” David and Judy Whitten were originally born rivals. A Westsider, David was born on August 21, 1940, at the original St.
The Golden Years Mary’s Hospital on First Avenue in Evansville to Vern and Bertha Whitten. He joined his only sibling, a sister, seven years older. Later, he walked the line as a proud graduate of the Reitz Class of 1958. Judy’s parents, Francis and Mary Martha Ranes, welcomed Judy in a home delivery to their Ranebo Fruit Farm, about seven miles northwest of Mount Vernon, on January 26, 1941. She was the first of their three daughters her own grandpa, Dr. John Ranes, delivered as he did scores of babies during his practice in Mount Vernon from 1915 to around 1950. She grew into a loyal graduate of the MVHS Class of 1959. The “star-crossed lovers” defeated their rivalry with romance once they met at Oakland City College, now Oakland City
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David and Judy Whitten