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 13
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
$1.00
Midwest Fertilizer reaffirms commitment to Posey By Lois Mittino Gray “I have good news to share with the community. We have successfully resolved the IRS issue on our bonds and we are now free to go full force on negotiations with contractors to build the fertilizer plant,” announced Les Wright, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of Midwest Fertilizer Company LLC. In a Monday morning phone interview,
Wright explained that the technical tax question raised in Washington put a stymie on everything concerning construction of the plant. “We thought it might be resolved by last fall, but with the government shutdown and slow processes, everything was on hold. We found out in March that the bonds are fully tax-exempt, so we are restarting contract negotiations and discussions right now and should have details
worked out in time so we can give the county more information.” The executive wished to express the gratitude his company has for the patience and support of several county groups, including the Posey County Commissioners, Posey County Economic Development Partnership, local businessmen, and state legislators. “We do keep in touch with them and are pleased with our good
relationships.” He added that the Fatima Group, primary owners and principal sponsor and developer of the project, are extremely grateful for the county’s patience. Patience is the word as county residents first heard about the plans for the state-of-theart two billion dollar plus production plant in
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Local man buys New Harmony School building By Lois Mittino Gray It’s finally sold. Members of the New Harmony Town Council voted 5-0 at its March 19, morning meeting to accept Erik Arneberg’s offer of $125,000 for the former New Harmony School property. Council President Alvin Blaylock opened the vote discussion by explaining that Arneberg’s bid was the highest of the six received at the February meeting for the school site that closed its doors in 2012. At the February meeting, there was a question as to how Arneberg planned to use the old school, so a vote was tabled at that time. He delivered his answer in a letter to the council one week before the March meeting. Arneberg primarily would like to stabilize the structure and save the building to explore possible redevelopment uses to meet community needs, perhaps as a trade school or craft school. Classrooms as artist’s studios, gymnasium use, and agricultural production where practical on surrounding land will be considered. His plan is very similar to the one first proposed by the town’s Workingmen’s Institute group several years ago. The town voted to give the WMI the property free of charge for the plan, until it was abandoned by WMI as unfeasible at the time. “I personally looked at the bid he submitted and its basically the same thing the library wanted to do with the same people involved in helping Erik, local people,” noted Councilman Gary Watson in making the motion to accept. President Blaylock asked for a second and all was quiet, so he seconded it himself. The action was met with a robust round of handclapping from the audience. “I would have a hard time rejecting a $125,000 offer for the same thing we were going to give away for free two years ago.” In discussion, Councilman David Flanders inquired about legal issues involved if other bidders could not modify their bids as well. Town Attorney Erin Bauer clarified that Arneberg did not modify his original bid opened in February, he just was asked to explain usage plans. Councilwoman Virginia Alsop said that, since she did not get a chance to talk to Arneberg, she wondered if he would be sole owner of the building. President Blaylock said yes, he plans to establish it under Erik Arneberg, LLC as sole owner. “I’m totally convinced we made the proper decision today. The bottom line is that he wants to save the building and that’s what we all want,” President Blaylock concluded. He congratulated the new owner, who was in the audience, who graciously accepted and told Councilwoman Alsop he was available to talk more at any time. As an act of good faith, Arneberg’s attorney Chris Wischer tendered a check for ten percent to the town, even though it was not required. “A great
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Mount Vernon man dies in another bypass wreck Special to the News Posey County Sheriff Tom Latham said on March 21, 2019 Posey County Deputies responded to a crash on the William Keck Bypass, north of Mount Vernon. When deputies arrived, they observed a red Chevrolet pick-up truck with severe front-end damage and a semi-tractor and trailer laying on its passenger side across both lanes of the by-pass. Preliminary investigation indicates the red pick-up truck driv-
en by 72 year-old Ronald Ricketts, of Mount Vernon, Ind., was traveling NW on the bypass and crossed the center line, striking the semi which was traveling SE and driven by 51-year-old Todd Woodruff, of Plainville Ind. Ricketts was killed in the crash while Woodruff refused medical treatment. The Posey County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation is ongoing. The Indiana State Police is assisting with the investigation.
County fathers approve new EMS ambulance By Lois Mittino Gray Posey County Emergency Medical Services is getting a brand new ambulance for its runs and Chuck Thompson, the EMS Director, is extremely pleased with the action taken by the Posey County Council at its March 12, morning meeting at the Hovey House. The council appropriated $43,129.00 to purchase the emergency vehicle. The 2019 model has been ordered from Alexis Fire Equipment of Alexis, Illinois and should arrive in a few weeks. It will replace an older unit currently in the fleet. An EMS employee commented that, “these vehicles can really get a lot of miles built up on them and a new one will be welcomed.”
Under other new business appropriations, council members voted to set rates to remunerate members who serve on local government boards. While some board positions do still remain unpaid, others were set at $50 to $60 per meeting, depending on the board involved. In other council action: • An appropriation request for $1600 from the Health Department was tabled to give a little more time to figure out balances in the line items involved. An employee quit and money needed to be paid out for sick days and holidays.
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Paul Roberts, store manager in Fairview Heights, Ill.; Tracy Killpack, store manager in Omaha, Neb.; Misty Reese, Mount Vernon store manager; Amanda Schmitzer, Mount Vernon assistant store manager; Randy Owens, Director of Southwest Indiana Chamber, Mount Vernon office; and Southwest Indiana Chamber members Nancy Denning and Brian Williams welcome Gordmans during grand opening ceremonies on Thursday in Mount Vernon. Photo by Theresa Bratcher
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure Former Posey sheriff Carl Dick shows he is multi-dimensional By Pam Robinson Soon enough, Carl branched out from yard birds to produce welcome signs. Cats, dogs, pigs, and swans may be cut out of Former Posey County Sheriff Carl Dick has a talent for tun- airplanes, butterflies, cats, dogs—a variety of art to match the small LP gas tanks to fashion a flower pot. Indiana state wall ing junk iron—all kinds of whirligigs and whatchamacallits— alphabet in length, if not in every letter. art appears from shaped wire filled with nuts and bolts. A spiinto jubilant yard art. Carl’s creations draw out so many der walks on nail legs, its body shaped from a ball head smiles, the neighboring farmers on Caborn Road save hammer. their scrap metal for him. Carl heads out junking for the “You use a little of everything,” Carl says. Additional rest at yard sales and flea markets and the like. The parts junk iron yard art includes flowers from mismatched cutfuel his imagination to design everything from the sacred lery and a wiener dog from a dislodged coil. Owls, ‘posto the secular, from awe-inspiring crosses to zany birds. sums, squirrels, and turtles—all these critters have capThe 75-year-old Posey County native got his start in tured Carl’s imagination as well. junk iron yard art last fall when a friend asked if he could Carl’s daughter snaps photos at auctions and flea marput her yard bird back together again. Carl drew on his kets to spark Carl’s imagination to try new art designs. skill learned from a 17-year career with B & M Plastics as The rest, he comes up with on his own. a welder, his job once he retired from the Posey County “You can make anything. It’s just your imagination,” Sheriff’s Department in 1986. Not only did Carl resurrect Carl states. “It’s a lot of fun. You start something and you his friend’s yard bird, but he turned out his own flock of don’t like it, you change it. You weld something else on birds, no two alike. there.” Neighbors started bringing old bikes, old farm parts off Individuals pay between $25 to $75 for Carl’s junk of plows and such, and old farm implements such as hay iron yard art. Carl can keep prices reasonable since scrap rakes. Carl put them together into a Big Bird with an attimetal is often given to him and he hunts for bargains. He tude. One bird featured a vegetable steamer turned upside must still recover costs, though, for gas to weld and a little down for a hat and two large round bolts to form bug eyes. Former Posey County sheriff Carl Dick shows off some of the artistic something for his labor of love. A sickle bar mower guard formed the beak; a yard rake, metal and steel items he has made and has for sale. Photo by Dave Pearce “It takes a lot of gas,” he explains. “A small bottle is the wings; and a shovel head, the body. $74 now.” “Anything laying around, you can use,” Carl says. “People Each piece is unique. The airplane is held together with spark The Antique Emporium in New Harmony, carries a selection call me and say, ‘Can you use this?’ Well, I can use anything. I plugs and table knives. Horseshoes from Ellis Park are transContinued on Page A9 may have to rework it, but I can use anything.” formed into butterflies along with crosses and popular USA and
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