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“OUR LIBERTIES WE PRIZE, AND OUR RIGHTS WE WILL MAINTAIN.” Posey County’s ONLY Locally Owned Newspaper.
Briefly MV Elks to hold Relay fundraiser The Mount Vernon Elks Lodge 277 will have a fundraiser to benefit Relay for Life on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Carry out lunches of Fish Filet or Pork Chop and Potato Salad, Oven Baked Beans, Pickle, Onion and Bread will be available for $8.50 per lunch. Canned drinks will also be available for sale. Call 812-8383361 to reserve your lunches. Delivery is available for large orders. Call on Friday or Saturday to check availability of extra lunches.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
MSDMV tucks funds away for ‘Rainy Day’ By Lois Mittino Gray Good news was the order of the day for the Mount Vernon School Board meeting of February 15. Board members learned they saved a good chunk of money for a rainy day, made a great decision in hiring the new Band Director Joe Stone this year and had a good turnout for the first Kindergarten Roundup with 89 already signed up for next year. Betsy Campbell, representing the Mount Vernon Band Boosters, asked to speak to the board
during citizen comments on behalf of the other parents at the meeting and in the organization. “We want you to know you hit it out of the ball park when you hired Mr. Stone to direct the music program this summer. He had to jump right in and start band camp and he has earned the respect of the students and parents with his hard work. The kids say he makes them work smarter, not harder,” she said. “He started a Band Buddies program to recruit from the junior high and he has made learning fun for the 16
who participated.” School Superintendent Tom Kopatich was thrilled to hear the kudos for Mr. Stone “It’s great to hear good news like that,” he said and thanked the parents for attending. Due to fiscal frugality this past year, the board adopted a resolution to transfer surplus funds into the Rainy Day Fund. $500,000 will be moved from the Capital Project Fund, $200,000
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Weeds are main topic of Council
The Southwest Indiana Chamber is now accepting nominations for the 2016 Posey County Awards: Posey County Business of the Year; Posey County Teacher/Administrator of the Year; and Posey County Young Professional of the Year. Completed nomination forms received by Friday, March 4, 2016 will be reviewed by an impartial selection committee. Nominees will be evaluated based on their efforts of leadership, community service, business accomplishments, and other achievements. The recipients of the 2016 Posey County Awards will be announced at the Annual Report to the Posey County Business Community Dinner on Wednesday, April 6. Nominate today.
Producers who chose coverage from the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) or the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can visit FSA county offices through August 1, 2016, to sign contracts to enroll in coverage for 2016. Although the choice between ARC and PLC is completed and remains in effect through 2018, producers must still enroll their farm by signing a contract each year to receive coverage. Producers are encouraged to contact their local FSA office to schedule an appointment to enroll. If a farm is not enrolled during the 2016 enrollment period, producers on that farm will not be eligible for financial assistance from the ARC or PLC programs should crop prices or farm revenues fall below the historical price or revenue benchmarks established by the program. Please contact the Posey County FSA Office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Their phone number is (812) 838-4191, ext. 2.
Harmonie State Park Campground cleanup day set Harmonie State Park Campground cleanup day will be held March 19, 2016 at 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Meet at the overflow parking lot at the campground gate, lunch will be provided. Come help an hour or all day, what ever fits your schedule. This year our continued park cleanup with go until April 24. Free camping for those who would like to stay and work a minimum of 20 hours per week per campsite. For more information contact Sherri Allen by March 13 in a private message on her Facebook page if you plan to help, if you are wanting to stay and camp, or to get on the Harmonie Events email list. Do not call the Park.
PCPP needs your help Due to the recent dog hoarding situation, PC Pound Puppies is greatly in need of donations. These dogs have required extensive medical care, and even the smallest donation will be greatly appreciated. They were found in unspeakable condition, and are being given a second chance. If anyone suspects other cases of abuse and neglect, please call animal control before things reach this level of cruelty. Please send your donations to: PC Pound Puppies, PO Box 295, Mount Vernon, Indiana 47620.
(USPS S4 439-500) 39 500)) Volume 136 Edition 9
Chamber accepting nominations for 2016 PC Awards
Enrollment period for 2016 USDA Safety Net Coverage ends Aug. 1
$1.00
ers entered the residence they observed drug paraphernalia in plain view on a table. After retrieving a search warrant for the property, troopers found small amounts of meth, synthetic marijuana, drug paraphernalia and hypodermic needles. The tenants, Candice Harris David Curtis Candice Harris, 33, and Ethan Pund, 25, were arrested and taken to the
By Lois Mittino Gray With spring cleaning of yards and lawns approaching, members of the Mount Vernon Common Council worked on details of the city weed ordinance at the February 18 meeting. Amanda Green-Adams, City Code Enforcement Officer, approached the podium and submitted a report to council members. She said last year she received 167 complaints on weed properties and sent letters to all property owners via certified mail. The problem with sending the letters via certified mail is that postage is costing the city $6.74 per letter and it takes quite a bit of her time preparing the certified letters. The city paid over $2,000 last year in postage alone. The letters are sent certified to make sure the property owner has to sign for the letter. If they are not at the property for delivery, he/she has 20 days to come sign for the letter or it will be returned to city hall. When the letter is signed for, the property owner has five extra days to mow. “The city is giving owners roughly 25 days to cut their grass. If the letter comes back as undeliverable, I then issue a work order for the street department to come and mow the property,” she explained. “A problem results because by the time the city arrives to mow the grass, the grass has grown tremendously which in turn causes extra wear and tear on the city’s equipment.” City Attorney Beth McFadin Higgins presented the first reading of an amendment to the weed ordinance which will address this issue and other details. The amendment will save time by eliminating making the certified letters for each offense. The current ordinance states that letters have to be sent to the property owner’s address which is listed on the property card. In some cases, the owner’s address listed on the card is incorrect or they have moved and left no forwarding address and Green-Adams knows this. The city is still required to send a certified letter to the address on the property card, and wait for the letter to return, causing wasted time and
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Having fun at the Photo Booth during the South Terrace PTO Fourth Annual Carnival Saturday, February 27, 2016 are front row left to right: Taylor Reich, and Raelynn Carrier. In back left to right are: Brennon Reich, Braeden Harp and Sullivan Harp. See page A8 for more photos and information on the event. Photo by Theresa Bratcher
Commissioners hear dog tales By Valerie Werkmeister The question of whether a dog deemed vicious enough by county officials to be euthanized will now lie in the hands of the court. Roger Lee Stallings’ plea to get his dog released from the county’s kennel after it was picked up by Posey County Animal Control Officer Chuck Mobley was denied by Posey County Commissioners during their meeting last Tuesday, February 16. Stallings and his father had appeared before the commissioners during their previous meeting on February 2, to request permission to get the dog out of
impoundment. He stated he wanted to take the dog to Evansville to live with his girlfriend. At that time, commissioners requested more information and decided to table any decision until their February 16, meeting. Stallings’ dog was impounded after an alleged incident with the death of a neighbor’s cat. He stated he didn’t believe the dog was trying to kill the cat, instead he felt the dog was being rough at play. He expressed remorse regarding the cats’ death saying he
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Four will face variety of charges Special to the News Indiana State Police received a tip on February 24, 2016 that Michael Hayes, 20, of Mount Vernon, was at a residence located in Southwind apartments in Mount Vernon. A felony arrest warrant had been issued for Hayes out Michael W. Hayes Ethan Pund of Vanderburgh County for failing to appear for a gun violation. At approximately 9:25 p.m., troopers found Hayes at an apartment located at 1012 Vine Street. When troop-
Doing life together has been earmark of Baiers By Lois Mittino Gray 1979 on what Elizabeth reminisced was a ‘perfect day.’ Both had passed On April Fool’s Day, Donald and Elizabeth Baier don’t plan to get up at bar exams in February, so they ventured down to Southern Indiana to open 6 a.m. and that’s no joke. It will be the first day of their retirement and they the law office in August of 1979 and remained there until present time. plan to spend it sleeping later, looking They chose Mount Vernon because out the window at the gardens of their Donald considered it his hometown. lovely home on Tenth Street, and playBorn in Alliance, Ohio; his family ing with Rocky the cat. moved to town in 1963 to work starting “My retired friends tell me the best up Babcock and Wilcox. Donald gradupart is no more Sunday night preparaated from Mount Vernon High School tion and worries getting ready to start in 1968 and went on to get his underthe work week,” Donald said with a graduate degree from Purdue Universmile. “It’s time. We’re looking forsity in Education in 1972. After a three ward to it,” Elizabeth added. year stint in the US Army, he then went After 37 years at the same location, to the IU Law School. the duo will be ‘taking down their shinElizabeth was born and raised in gle’ at their shared law office at 123 northern Indiana and graduated from Third Street in Mount Vernon on March Chesterton High School in 1972. She 31. “It was wonderful working together. went to Indiana University-Northwest With our offices on different sides of in Gary and then went on to the Bloomthe hallway, sometimes we didn’t see ington campus for law school. each other until lunch or dinner. But Donald has primarily worked with we could talk with each other at the end criminal and trial law, especially juDonald and Elizabeth Baier. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray of the day about cases and business,” venile cases. He served as the Posey Elizabeth said. County Superior Court Judge from 1982 until 2002 and now is a defense The pair met on the first day of law school at Indiana University and attorney. “He may seem like a quiet, reserved guy,” Elizabeth commented talked with each other. They became engaged on a blizzardy day about Continued on Page A10 half way through their studies and then married after graduation in June
Bus/Ag .................A10 Classifieds ........ B 8 - 9 Community...........A4 Church...................A7
Deaths .................... A3 Legals .. .........B3-4, 7 Opinion ................A11 Retrospective........A5
School ..................A8 Social .....................A6 Sports ...... .........B1-2 TV Guide...........B5-6