SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
SEE OUR VETERANS SECTION INSIDE Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Volume 136 Edition 45
Bids received to help rid Posey County of unsightly properties By Valerie Werkmeister Posey County continues with its quest to be rid of unsightly and abandoned homes beyond repair as commissioners opened sealed bids detailing costs to raze the structures during their meeting on November 1. Funds received from the state help support the project known as the Blight Elimination Program (BEP). Five companies sent in bids that were read by commissioner president Carl Schmitz. The company with the lowest bids was submitted by Naas and Sons with a total of $119,479. Other bids are as follows: Freedom First - $167,803; Complete Demolition Services - $183,228; EWM Services - $292,643 and Cooper Rail Services - $337,855. Debra Bennett-Stearsman of the Economic Development Coalition and the administrator for the BEP, recommended the commissioners take the bids under advisement until the next meeting. Time is needed to review the bid packages submitted by each company. Bennett will provide a recommendation on which company the county should hire during their next meeting on November 15. Commissioners briefly discussed how to pay for a new sound system needed in the Posey County Circuit Court. They agreed it would be necessary to request an additional appropriation. However, it is still not clear what fund could be used to pay for the new system. They agreed to continue their research to deNew Harmony resident Jim Wiley makes a contribution during the termine which line item in the budget should be used. flag retirement ceremony held Sundat afternoon at Murphy Park in Commissioner Jim Alsop presented the health and New Harmony. Photo by Dave Pearce vision insurance contract for county employees. The
employees will see a slight 2.6 percent increase on their monthly premiums. Dental insurance premiums will not increase. Alsop also announced clinic hours that will be available to county employees at both the Wadesville and Mount Vernon facilities. During the first 60 days, county employees are expected to schedule and complete health assessments at the clinics. The use of the clinic will hopefully provide care that will keep employees healthy and ultimately keep health insurance premiums low. The sale of the bonds for the jail renovation and expansion project resulted in a $723,016 reimbursement to the county’s cumulative capital fund. Schmitz stated individual citizens can also invest in Posey County through the purchase of the bonds. The expansion project is well underway and Sheriff Greg Oeth reported the work is approximately two weeks ahead of schedule. Commissioners granted approval for several road closures during an approximate one-hour period in St. Wendel for their second annual golf cart parade. Proceeds from the parade will be donated to the American Cancer Society. The October animal control report included a total of 39 complaints, 13 animals were picked up and one bite report was taken. The animal control officer turned in $120 to the auditor’s office. The next commissioner’s meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 15, at 9 a.m. in the Hovey House in Mount Vernon.
Posey woman charged Mother-daughter duo are Iron
Special to the news ter a warrant for theft of more than A Mount Vernon, $10,000 but less than Indiana woman has $100,000 was issued turned herself into for her arrest. Paris is the White County accused of the theft Sheriff’s Department from her employer, following an investiRoyal Cantrell Drillgation into a theft in ing, where she was Crossville. employed as a bookShelley Paris, 45 keeper. years old, surrendered Paris was processed at the Sheriff’s Deat the White County Shelley Paris partment at 4:40 p.m., Jail, and released after on Monday, October 24, 2016, af- posting a $5,000 bond.
Briefly Veterans Breakfast, Program set for November 12 The Wadesville General Baptist Church will host a breakfast and program for all veterans on Saturday, November 12 at 9 a.m. at the W.G.B.C Fellowship Center on Joest Road in Wadesville. The breakfast is free for all veterans and their families. Please join us for a delicious breakfast and wonderful program honoring those who served our country. Marrs School to hold Veterans Day Program Marrs School will be having its Veterans Day program on Friday at 2 p.m. in the gym. All are welcome. NH American Legion sets Veterans Day Program The New Harmony American Legion will hold a Veterans Day Program on Friday, November 11 at New Harmonie Healthcare beginning at 10 a.m. Vectren to replace steel static wire at AB Brown plant Vectren is set to begin work this week to replace an existing steel static wire running along a transmission line at the Mount Vernon A.B. Brown plant. This project is designed to expand communication between existing electric substations and improve data collection and system performance. There will be a helicopter suspending a two man crew in the air to complete the transmission line work. By installing new fiber optic static cables it’s designed to prompt, efficient communication between substations when electric service lines are out or malfunctioning. It is also designed to provide real time two way communication back to Vectren’s control centers. This project is expected to last through mid-November. Zion Lippe to hold Thanksgiving Fish Fry Zion Lippe United Church of Christ at Ford and Copperline Roads, Mount Vernon, is having a Thanksgiving Fish Fry Sunday, November 13, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Donations will be taken with all proceeds being divided between God’s Store House (St. Peter UCC), and Salem Huesler’s Food Pantry. Come enjoy a wonderful fish dinner and show your support. If questions, call Zion at 812-985-2437 or Carl at 812-483-1629. Red Kettle Campaign seeks volunteers It’s time for the Red Kettle Campaign, and we need volunteers to ring the bells. We will be ringing on Saturday, November 25, and December 3, 10, and 17 at three locations in Mount Vernon and one in Poseyville. When you’re a bell ringer for The Salvation Army you’re helping to collect donations for the people in need within your community. Red Kettle funds provide everything from food and shelter for the homeless and victims of disaster, to after-school care and programs for underprivileged children. We hope you will consider volunteering for a shift as a bell ringer. You can sign up now to ring by yourself or with a group. Simply go to the website – www. registertoring.org – and find the location and time that works for you. The website also has lots of information about the history of the Red Kettle Campaign and how funds are used in the community. Wilkinson retirement open house scheduled for November 20 There will be a retirement open house on November 20, 2016 from 2-4 p.m. at the Rapp Owen Granary for Rose Wilkinson. No gifts please, just good wishes.
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By Pam Robinson “The Ironman has been on my bucket list for many years. To be honest, I had some health issues in my early 40s, and really I just marked it off. I thought, there’s no way I can do that and make that kind of commitment,” admits Jackie Maier, a dedicated runner and long-time MVHS track and cross country coach. The 46-year-old continued to underrate her fitness for the 2016 Louisville Ironman held October 9 in spite of coaxing last summer from a willing partner—her daughter, Maggie, a senior human biology major at Indiana University, preparing for medical school. When Maggie announced, “OK, Mom, I hope you’ll help me and support me. I’m going to do it, with you or without you,” and Maier still wouldn’t sign-up for the Ironman, Maier’s husband Paul intervened. The MVHS head football coach asked, “Are you sure? Are you sure, Jackie? When does a 21-yearold daughter ask her mother to train and compete?” The question pierced the heart of the devoted mother. “My decision just to have that experience with my
daughter was certainly worth the journey,” Maier states. “It was certainly a special journey for us.” Since its start in 2007, the Louisville Ironman Triathlon has drawn professional and amateur athletes from all over the world. Affiliated with the Tampabased World Triathlon Company, the Louisville event, like all Ironman events, is a grueling test of endurance in long-distance swimming, biking and running. The 2016 Louisville Ironman Facebook page outlines the October 9 race: ‘Athletes will begin the day with a 2.4-mile swim in the Ohio River. Next is a 112mile bike course headed out River Road, and into Oldham County and through the city of LaGrange. The day ends with a 26.2 mile run course in downtown Louisville.’ This description would cause anyone to understand Maier’s hesitation about competing. Finishing the event requires months of daily preparation. Maier said she and her daughter spent a year training for the Ironman. Their previous enthusiasm
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Sandmann to face federal charges By Dave Pearce thiana. According to information provided by Posey County The bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Sheriff Greg Oeth, the alleged robber of a Posey County Corporation and the indictment claims that Sandmann enBank will soon be moving into Federal Custody. tered the bank and ordered a teller to give him the bank’s According to Oeth, his department was money. The indictment claims Sandmann able to secure a Federal Indictment against took some $7,243 from the bank. Patrick Leo Sandmann, the man who is alCount 2 of the Grand Jury Indictment leged to have robbed the Community State claims that on or about June 8, 2016, SandBank in Cynthiana and then returned to mann returned to Posey County and entered Posey County with plans to rob the St. Wenthe Community State Bank branch located at del branch of the same bank. 4800 St. Wendel-Cynthiana Road with the According to the Indictment issued by intent to commit the felony of bank robbery the United States District Court’s Evansville in violation of 18 U.S.C.-2113(a), entering Division, a grand jury has charged that on the bank with a note announcing a robbery or about Sept. 24, 2015, in Posey County, with the intent to take the bank’s money from Patrick Sandmann Sandmann, the defendant, by force, violence an employee of the bank. or intimidation, did take from the person or presence of Sandmann was apprehended when he left the bank and another money belonging to and in the care, custody, con- was followed by an employee of the bank. With assistance trol, management, and possession of Community State from 911 and local law enforcement agencies, he was arBank branch located at 10352 Evansville Street in Cyn- rested and has since been housed in the Posey County Jail.
Pride factor in regilding of gates By Lois Mittino Gray It took three weeks for Luke Randall to apply 5,500 sheets of highest quality thin gold leaf from Italy to regild the gates of New Harmony’s Roofless Church. The Rhode Island artist worked tirelessly, up to ten hours a day, wearing a circlet of Vaseline on his wrist to prevent any perspiration from getting to his fingers while in an encapsulation tent to prevent any air currents. The result of this grueling, tedious work was celebrated as the gates shone brilliantly during a re-dedication ceremony held in the late afternoon on Thursday, November 3. The multi-talented Randall spoke at the rededication and read a poem he composed entitled, ‘Eagles in the Cottonwood.’ He penned the poem about his total experience in New Harmony and included references to the St. Francis sculpture, the Madonna and child, the eagles he did not get to see, and the church itself. “This town has a wonderful sense of its history and people let me into their lives here,” he remarked. He stayed in the gatehouse while working on the project and often
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Luke Randall describes what the gate regilding project meant to him as he reads his original poem, Eagles in the Cottonwood. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray