T
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 6
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
$1.00
Southwind celebrates big success, looks for growth
Several members of the Poseyville Volunteer Fire Department took their Saturday to learn how to use some of the new stabilization equipment, purchased from funds received during last year’s donation drive. Pictured are Asst. Chief Jordan Klostermann, John Pace, P&L Rescue, Captain Carl Mason, Deputy Chief Jeff Droege, Chief Sam Martin, and firefighter Brandon Tepool. Photo by Dave Pearce
Special to the News Seeking future growth should be no problem for the Port of Indiana-Mount Vernon as it comes off its most successful year in its 42year history. In 2018, the port recorded the greatest volume of cargo through its docks since it opened in 1976. Over the course of last year, the port authorities said they handled 9.6 million tons of products—a 41 percent increase over shipments it handled in 2017—and according to Port Director Phil Wilzbacher, the port has enough existing capacity to handle significantly more tonnage. “We celebrate this landmark achievement,” said Wilzbacher. “And we gratefully acknowledge the dedicated efforts from our port companies that helped us etch 2018 into the history books. Clearly, our port’s success
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MSDMV back in black
MV city workers take cold in stride By Lois Mittino Gray The recent polar vortex did not have a great impact on operations for the city of Mount Vernon. Heads of the city departments and the Mayor discussed the bitter cold and its effects at the January 31, meeting of the Mount Vernon Board of Works Thursday afternoon. Utilities Superintendent Chuck Gray reported things are running as well as can be expected at this time. Luckily, there have been no major water leaks or burst mains up to the meeting time, knock on unfrozen pipe. Mayor Bill Curtis noted that “the pipe problem often occurs when things start to warm up, so we are all anxiously waiting to see what happens.” Since there would be no Water Utility Board meeting that night, Gray reported that he and his employees, staying inside during the cold, stripped down filter number two and did some maintenance work on it. They took it down to the bare metal and then will re-coat it with epoxy. Street Commissioner Max Dieterle was asked by the Mayor if the barricades down by the river were being blown over or if people were taking them down to go around them. Dieterle replied they were being blown down by the strong winds and his workers were putting them back up. However, he has seen people go around the high water barriers. Curtis expressed his appreciation to all city employees who worked outdoors through this cold freeze and to all the public safety officers who answered calls at all hours in this weather. Police Chief Tony Alldredge reported his department answered 181 calls since the last meeting two weeks ago. Fire Department Chief Wes Dixon reported 29 calls in that time and noted it was “somewhat slow.” In other board action: • Dixon was given permission to use the city credit card and vehicle for four employees to travel to Indianapolis for the Fire Department Inspectors Conference on April 1213. The credit card will be used for meals and two hotel rooms for one overnight stay. • Updating information on the new equipment approved at the January 17 meeting, Chief Alldredge said his three new police cars are ordered and should arrive in six to eight weeks. Commissioner Dieterle expects to receive his new salt spreader in the next week, while Superintendent Gray said the thousand new water meters order should be expected in three to four
is a tribute to the continuing commitment of the people who work in this strong agricultural, energy and industrial port complex. It’s where opportunities for business partnerships, the multimodal connections of river, road and rail and the added benefit of yearround access to worldwide markets through the inland waterways system allow businesses to grow, move their products efficiently and meet their market demands.” Wilzbacher said the impetus behind this record tonnage movement at Mount Vernon is the increase in coal, soy products, ethanol, dried distillers’ grain (DDG) and minerals. “Handling this record tonnage involved 4,700 loaded barges, more than 60,000 rail cars and more than 200,000 semi-trucks,” he
Four-year-old Karter Schnautz, son of David and Alyssa Schnautz, enjoys himself at the Saint Matthews recent Kindergarten and Tri-State Diocese open house last Thursday. Photo by Peg Heckman
By Lois Mittino Gray The Mount Vernon School Board held its annual Board of Finance meeting to start its January 21, meeting agenda. Mark Isaac was elected President and Beth McFadin Higgins was elected Secretary of the Board of Finance. President Isaac conducted the remainder of the special money meeting. The Board of Finance reviewed and acknowledged the 2018 investment report as presented by Director of Business Loren Evans. The trust funds and scholarship funds are at Old National Bank and the General Fund and Construction Fund monies are primarily at United Fidelity Bank, where the school corporation has its checking account. Interest accrued in the General Fund this year was $123,741.83 and the Construction Fund interest totaled $119,013.51. Evans feels all school investment are doing very well, bringing in over $10,000 a month in interest income. The board accepted the state-approved list of the five local depositories that can be used for investments throughout the year. Credit unions are not approved for the list. The Finance Board meeting was then adjourned. Money matters discussed during the regular board meeting were very upbeat, especially after it was announced the corporation finished the year with $200,000 in the black column. Only 99.72 percent of the General Fund and 85 percent of the Transportation Fund were expended. The report will be filed for audit, with the state exit interview slated for February. “This is a great place to be,” Evans enthused, after many years of operating with a several million dollar deficit. Six million dollars in red ink occurred when state funding rules and formulas changed and were taken out of local control. The turnabout was pulled off due to sacrifices by teachers and staff of five percent salary cuts, over 60 early retirement buyouts, sound money management and pursestring tightening. The board adopted the transfer of funds certificates and resolutions for routine account transfers to balance the 2018 fund budgets. Many of these were to cover utility costs.
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Caper’s Emporium brings bakery back to NH By Lois Mittino Gray The yummy smell is what hits you first when you enter the store. Then, walking to the rear of New Harmony’s Capers Emporium, your eyes pop when you see the reason for the sweet scent. There are tiered cloches full of cupcakes swirled in pastel icings, baskets of brownies, cookies and key lime bars, crispy-crusty loaves of Italian bread, and hot cinnamon rolls fresh from the ovens on the back wall. It is pure “eye candy.” Capers Emporium Bakery launched on Sunday, January 27 at noon and in four hours everything made by baker Martha Wilkinson was sold out. Owner Mary Beth Guard thanked customers for the overwhelmingly positive response to her
dream-become-reality. “In case you’re curious why we were stunned that we sold out so quickly, here is what flew off the shelves on our first day,” she wrote on the store’s Facebook Page. “We sold 65 individual cookies, 10 six-packs, four 9-packs, and four 12-packs of cookies. We sold 41 individual cupcakes and 43 four-packs of cupcakes. Sales included ten loaves of bread, two dozen rappite rolls and 31 dessert bars (brownies and key lime squares). More than two dozen enormous cinnamon rolls, including 12 with pecans were purchased. Who knew this area was so hungry for more bakery items?” New Harmony native Martha Wilkinson
always dreamed she would have the chance to open a bakery to stave off the local sweet tooth. She learned to bake working alongside her mother making Christmas cookies and family favorites. Dorita Logan, owner of the longclosed New Harmony Bakery, taught her how to make French bread and rolls. She loves to make cookies and baked goods for her co-workers at the Toyota Assembly Plant, where she has been employed full-time for almost 17 years. Learning that Mary Beth wanted to install a bakery in Capers, Martha approached her and made a bid for baker. “We had a conversation
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The Face of the Center Founding CLC employee retires after 23 years By Lois Mittino Gray The Center’s “number-cruncher” didn’t just sit behind the desk with On Monday February 4, Yvonne Lawrence walked out the door of the her calculator, though. She helped in the classrooms with the teachers Children’s Learning Center as an and children in any way that they employee there for the last time and needed her. “One of the things I will entered the world of retired life. She miss the most are moments with was at the same door on the first the children. They sing songs for day the brand-new center opened 23 you and give you hugs, and say the years ago, February 19, 1996. The sweetest things. I can walk in their longtime employee of the daycare room down and they lift me right center will be sorely missed. She up,” Yvonne commented wistfully. was feted by coworkers, parents, Yvonne has seen many of the and board members with a retirechildren there in the early days ment party on Friday afternoon at grow up and bring their own chilthe Mount Vernon center on Highdren back to the center. “I loved way 62. watching them grow and change Yvonne started as the face behind and learn new things. Now I have the front desk at the center greeting second generation children to hug parents, scheduling visits, and manand welcome for the day.” aging the office. Around 2000, she The new retiree says that her was promoted to Assistant Director family is number one and spending Long-time Children’s Learning Center of Posey County employee more time with them is her main and in that capacity, she did payroll, financial business and “just about Yvonne Lawrence looks forward to her retirement. Lawrence was reason for retiring. She and her husanything the board asked me to do employed at the Center at its inception and has been a 23-year emContinued on Page A9 ployee. Photo by Lois Gray with numbers.”