R E M E M B E R TO S P R I N G F O RWA R D O N S U N D AY SINCE 1882 Successor to The Poseyville News & New Harmony Times POSEY COUNTY’S ONLY LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED NEWSPAPER
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Volume 137 Edition 10
‘Overall, we were very lucky’ Posey County residents still reeling after tornado By Dave Pearce It’s amazing that more people were not injured or killed. That was the sentiment expressed by most individuals who woke up on Wednesday morning to see the devastation caused by a tornado that made its way through the area. According to the National Weather Service, the EF-3 tornado had peak winds of 152 miles per hour as in carved a path beginning north of Carmi, Ill., and traveling nearly 45 miles through parts of White County, Ill., and the counties of Gibson and Posey in Indiana. The approximate start time was 9:54 p.m. and the peak width of the funnel cloud was approximately 440 yards (over four football fields in width).
New Harmony resident Dennis Wright was thankful that his home and immediate community had been spared the brunt of Tuesday night’s storm. However, the building where he stored four hydroplane boats just northeast of Poseyville wasn’t as fortunate. “I had been renting this shop for about six or seven years,” Wright explained. “I have been racing 2.5 liter stock hydroplanes since 2005. We got out a few years ago when my son was born but with all the recent talk of the hydroplanes coming back to the area, it has peaked the interest again.” The Evansville Hydrofest announcement inspired Wright and his 7-year-old son to get back into
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An Indiana State Policeman and a Gibson County Deputy talk with residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged by Tuesday evening’s tornado near the Posey-Gibson County line. Police officers were lending a hand as some onlookers were taking things illegally from the storm site. Photo by Dave Pearce
Community reviews designs for Main Street renovations
Former councilman Steve Fuelling looks at a feature on the project design sketch pointed out to him by Building Commissioner Sherry Willis at Tuesday night’s public meeting. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
Briefly Kiwanis: Irish Stew March 7, 5 p.m. Community Center, NH Trinity UCC: Rummage Sale March 11, 8 a.m. 505 Mulberry Street, MV New Harmony: Wedding Show March 12, 10 a.m. New Harmony, Ind. Mount Vernon Senior High School: “The Secret Garden” Play March 16-18, 7 p.m. MVSHS Auditorium, MV NH Business Associates: Fourth Annual Spring Fling March 18-19, 9 a.m. Ribeyre Gymnasium, NH Big Brothers Big Sister: Bowling for Kids Sake March 19, 11 a.m. Posey Lanes, MV NP Relay For Life: Annual Card Party March 19, 11 a.m. St. Francis Xavier Cafeteria, PV New Harmony: Town-wide Yard Sale April 1, 7 a.m. New Harmony, Ind. More information on these and other events inside today’s Posey County News
March 12, 2017
By Lois Mittino Gray The eyesore retaining wall next to the sidewalk on the west side of the county court house will be removed and replaced by an attractive water feature, if all goes according to design on the Main Street Renovation Project. Dwayne Sanders, Project Manager, representing the Lochmueller Engineering Group, explained the wall change, pocket parks, walking and bicycle paths, and lighting
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Council votes on ‘Bark Park’ fund By Lois Mittino Gray In just a few weeks, the “hot place to hang out” in Mount Vernon may be the new Bark Park opening up on the south end of Brittlebank Park. The one acre site will feature two separate fenced areas for canine frolics, one for big dogs and one for smaller dogs. Members of the Mount Vernon Common Council passed City Ordinance 17.4 at its regular meeting on Thursday, March 2 establishing a “Bark Park” Fund. All registration fees collected for entry into the park will be deposited in this fund to be used for operation and maintenance. Michael Harshbarger, Director of the Mount Vernon-Black Township Park and Recreation Department, said any person may register up to four dogs for an annual membership in the play park. The first dog is a ten dollar fee annually, with the others being five dollars each. When paid, a user receives a code to punch in that will
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Mayor Bill Curtis explains the engineer designs for the Main Street Renovation Project to scouts who attended the common council meeting to work on listening skills for two merit badges. From left, Hagan Hollinger, Curtis, Ryan Parmenter, and Scott Russell. Photo by Lois Mittino Gray
City prepares to sell parcels Jett retires from Posey County Extension post of real estate
Saying her farewells
By Lois Mittino Gray After doing her last educational program at North Elementary School on Tuesday February 28, Jane Jett was planning to close the door of her office one last time and walk quietly out of it into her retirement life. She was surprised, though, to a have an ice cream cake brought in by her supervisor Cheven May and a little retirement hoopla from her office mates. “We just couldn’t let someone as valuable as her go off quietly,” May observed. Jett is retiring from her position as Posey County Extension Educator in Home and Human Sciences. She has been at this job for six and a half years. Jett also
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for the multi-million dollar project at a public meeting held on Tuesday, February 28 in the junior high school cafeteria. Mayor Bill Curtis welcomed everyone to the preliminary meeting showing designs for the project to garner citizen input. “This is a continuation of the work we have done at the riverfront. We planned this next phase as part of the
By Lois Mittino Gray Due to the intense efforts of the city’s Blight Elimination Program (BEP), Mount Vernon will have around 30 parcels of real estate for sale very soon. Mayor Bill Curtis made this announcement at the March 2 meeting of the Board of Public Works. “I would like to see these parcels sold and put back on the tax rolls. With some TLC, they can be made to look good again,” he said. “For now, there are certain procedures that have to be followed for this to happen, based on how the land was obtained and its assessed value, etc.” Jane Jett, center, stands with fellow quilters, Wilma JaMayor Curtis asked Town Attorcobs and Glenda Higgins, on Jett’s last day of work at the Continued on Page A11 Posey County Extension Office. Photo submitted