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SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Volume 137 Edition 12
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
Familiar doctors come to Poseyville Medical Center
Joseph Julian and Alyssa Juncker gave splendid performances in the MV Senior High School Fine Arts Academy version of “The Secret Garden” on Saturday evening, March 18, 2017. Photo by Theresa Bratcher
Chase begins in Posey Special to the News A vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed Friday night was observed by a Posey County Deputy Sheriff just before 10 p.m., and the end result was the arrest of Peter Vellis. Posey County Sheriff Greg Oeth said that Deputy Matt Henrich was patrolling State Road 62, near the St. Philip Road intersection, when an eastbound vehicle was observed traveling at a speed of 79 miles per hour. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle as the car was crossing
Peter A. Vellis into Vanderburgh County. The
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By Valerie Werkmeister Thanks, in part to the mild winter and the tireless efforts of ECI, the contractor for the construction of the new Regional Medical Center on Fletchall Street in Poseyville has occurred at a dizzying pace. The office is on track to open July 1. The new medical center is made possible through the Poseyville Medical Foundation Inc., a non-profit classified as a 501-C3 charity that was formed in 2015. Through private donations and a grant from the Regional Cities and Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, the medical center will serve the North Posey and South Gibson communities. The total cost for the project that included razing the house and outbuilding previously occupying the property is $700,000. The foundation officers and directors recently announced Dr. Chester Burkett and his daughter, Dr. Julie Burkett will serve as the physicians for the medical center. Dr. Chester Burkett’s office has been between the Towns of Poseyville and Cynthiana for 34 years, but this is the first time in over 50 years that Poseyville has seen the construction of a new physician’s office. Dr. Chester Burkett is from Griffin and a 1972 graduate of North Posey High School. He completed his undergraduate work at Indiana State University Evansville in 1976 and
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Dr. Chester Burkett
Dr. Julie Burkett
More parking soon at North By Valerie Werkmeister MSD of North Posey School Board members hope to purchase property that recently came on the market directly south of North Elementary School in Poseyville. Superintendent Dr. Todd Camp asked the board to approve the offering price of $79,900 that is contingent upon the fair market price determined by an appraisal of the property at 56 W. Fletchall Street. The school district will not pay more than the fair market price. If the deal goes through, the house will be razed and a clear view of the school will be visible from Main Street. Additional parking in front of the elementary school will certainly be a welcome option for many who try to park and get stuck inside the “horseshoe.” Town Council President Bruce Baker said the
town will cooperate with the school on the project and plans to upgrade the sewer line and replace the sidewalk and curb in front of the property. Angled parking spaces along the east side of the property will serve for the new Regional Medical Center that is currently under construction. The board approved the bid from Empire Contractors to construct new weight and wrestling rooms at the high school this summer. The total cost of the project is $609,100. Dr. Camp had estimated the project cost would be $750,000. He was very pleased the project bid was well under the estimated cost. The board will also purchase $75,000 worth of new weight room equipment. Construction on the project will begin as soon as possible.
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Singer joins MV Council By Lois Mittino Gray A new face was making motions at the March 16 Mount Vernon Common Council meeting. Fourth District Councilman Mark Clements, recently chosen by Democratic Party caucus, took his seat at
Briefly New Harmony: Town-wide Yard Sale April 1, 7 a.m. New Harmony, IN MV Bicentennial Committee: Time Capsule Closing April 1, 9 a.m. - Noon Police and Fire Meeting Room, MV
the table, replacing Brittany Johnson. He was introduced by Mayor Bill Curtis and welcomed by his fellow council members. Clements is married to wife Christine, and they are parents to Dalton Riordan, 22, and Brady Clements, 19. He is employed at Kenco Logistics and has quite a reputation as a great karaoke singer. Councilman Larry Williams teased him before the meeting about the time he sang onstage with Shania Twain. “That was about twenty years ago,” Clements laughed. Want to get a free bicentennial tee shirt? Councilwoman-atLarge Becky Higgins announced that anyone attending the official bicentennial time capsule closing
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St. Paul’s UMC: Musical Performance, Carry-In Dinner to follow March 31, 5:30 p.m. St. Philips Road, MV
Weather:
MV Elks 277: Fundraiser March 24-25, Lunch Elks Lodge, MV Events of Harmony: Ladies Night March 21, 6 p.m. New Harmony, IN MVJHS: Musical April 7, 7 p.m. Mount Vernon, IN Town of Cynthiana: Special Meeting March 22, 5 p.m. Town Hall, Cynthiana More information on these and other events inside today’s Posey County News
$1.00
(USPS SPS SP S 439 4 439-500) 39 500 5 00
Thursday afternoon, March 16, the students, parishioners, and friends of the Saint Wendel community came together to break ground on thier new Early Childhood Center which will allow room to educate more students. The project is planned to be completed for the next school year. Seen here with shovel in hand are (l to r) Dr. Daryl Hagan, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Evansville; Mrs. Jennifer Gries, Lead PreK/PreSchool Teacher; Mrs. Hallie Scheu, Principal; Adleigh Spahn, PreK Student; Grant Martin, eighth grader who was in the first PreK class at Saint Wendel; Father Ed Schnur, Pastor of Saint Wendel Catholic School; Charline Buente, Architect for Buente and Buente; and Danny Bateman, President of ARC Construction. Photo by Michelle Gibson
Cabella, two-year-old daughter of North Elementary first grade teacher Cassie Williamson was decked out for “Family Fun Night” held friday evening at the school. Photo by Theresa Bratcher
Late winter puts freeze on early blooming fruit
By Pam Robinson “There may be a 100 percent kill,” reported Dennis Blackburn, owner of Farview Orchards in Posey County. “There is considerable damage on anything in bloom with early plums and peaches hit the worst.” In addition to adversely affecting Blackburn, Old Man Winter’s blast will affect consumers as well. Few, if any, local plums and peaches will appear on grocery store shelves here. Another local orchard owner, Rob Voegel, told Posey County News publisher, David Pearce, “I think we lost them all,” regarding his early peach crop at Voegel Orchards. St. Philip Peach couldn’t be reached for comment by press time. As late as Saturday, Farview’s Blackburn was cutting the blooms on late peaches as well to assess the damage of the below-freezing temperatures last week. Only time will tell if the late peaches will be spared complete destruction, but Blackburn said it
doesn’t look good for them now. “The more they [fruits] advance, the less cold they can take,” he said. “When the temps drop down to 25 to 27 degrees, and they are in bloom, it means about a 90 percent kill. When the temps drop below that, you can expect a 100 percent kill. And we’ve been down to 18 degrees.” Likewise, Purdue University Extension Service sums up the effects of a cold m an artisnap in a quote from The excle on its website. “The tent of the damage will, ith of course, vary with the plant species,, stage of development and actual low ell temperatures, as well raas the length of time the low temper tempera-
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