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Tuesday, April 15, 2014
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(USPS S4 439-500) 39 5 0 0) Volume 134 Edition 15
Armstead guilty of felonies Habitual Offender charge in judge’s hands By Dave Pearce in a Vanderburgh County Court in 1990. That conOnce the trial of Derrick Demarco Armstead finally viction was overturned and on February 12, 1992, got underway this week, it didn’t take a jury of eight he was convicted of voluntary manslaughter. He was women and four men very long to find sentenced on February 27, 1992, in the man guilty of attempted murder, Vanderburgh County Circuit Court, aggravated battery, and battery with of a felony charge of Voluntary Mana deadly weapon. The trial had been slaughter, a Class A Felony, which was postponed because of a technicality committed on or about 1990. about six weeks ago. Armstead was convicted and senArmstead was arrested on July 29, tenced on April 14, 2009, in the Van2013, as the result of altercations at derburgh County Circuit Court, of a Twin Lakes Mobile Home Park. ArmFelony charge of Operating a Motor stead was facing the above charges as Vehicle while intoxicated on or about well as the charge of being an Habitual December 6, 2008. Offender. According to Posey County Originally, on Monday, July 29, Deputy Prosecutor Jonathan Parkhurst, 2013, at approximately 7:56 p.m., Armstead the jury convicted Armstead of all the Posey County Dispatch Center recharges against him and the Habitual Offender charge ceived a call requesting emergency assistance at Twin was taken under advisement by Judge Brent Almon in Lake Mobile Home Park, in rural southeastern Posey Posey Superior Court. A decision was expected to be County. First responders arrived at approximately handed down at 1:30 p.m. on Monday on that charge. 8:11 p.m., and found the two injured men at a resiOn July 29, the Posey County Sheriff’s Department dence on Cougar Drive. The injured men were identiinvestigated altercations which ultimately led to two fied as Chris Bradshaw (age 29) and Larry Bradshaw men being transported to the hospital suffering inju- (age 66). ries on July 29. The injuries were alleged to have been Following the conclusion of the trial, the jury delibinflicted by a knife at the hand of Armstead. erated less than an hour-and-a-half (including time to Derrick Demarco Armstead faces sentences in this eat their lunch) before finding Armstead guilty. incident but even more seriously, now faces the pos“An interesting twist about this case was that when sibility of being charged as being a Habitual Offend- the defendant was arrested, the police couldn’t shut Adam Hoehn and Taylor Pharr were crowned king and queen er. Armstead has accumulated at least two (2) prior him up,” Parkhurst relayed. “Deputy Jim Hirsch, was at Mount Vernon High School’s Prom Saturday evening. Photo by Felony convictions unrelated to the felonies charged Continued on Page A3 Zach Straw in these Counts. Armstead was convicted of Murder
Water, water everywhere... By Valerie Werkmeister Water woes, in one form or another, were the topic of conversation at last Wednesday evening’s Poseyville Town Council meeting. Recent heavy rains produced nearly five inches of water and lots of headaches for one Poseyville resident, according to town employee, Ken Gorbett. Despite renovation work on the
Briefly Poseyville Town Wide Yard Sale date set Poseyville Town-wide Yard Sale - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. It’s time again for the annual Poseyville Town-wide Yard Sale sponsored by the St. Francis Relay for Life team and friends. This year’s sale will be Saturday, May 10. Most sales will run from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m., but each sale will set their own hours. Get your name on the map for only $4. Payment must be made in advance by Monday, May 5. Call 449-7445 or 457-0469 to get your address on the list. Maps will be available at local businesses.
Keck Gonnerman to hold special meeting April 17 On Thursday April 17 at 7 p.m. in the old dining hall at the Posey County fairgrounds there will be a meeting of the KeckGonnerman group to discuss the possibility of having a multipurpose building constructed at the fairgrounds to the west of the current sawmill building. The proposed building would be an asset to the community and not just for our club. All members are encouraged to attend. Also, don’t forget about our spring tractor drive on Sat., April 26 with a rain date scheduled for May 3. We will meet in Harmonie State Park at the parking lot next to the swimming pool. Driver’s meeting at 9 a.m.. Lunch will be fried chicken with sides. Cost will be $5 and please bring a dessert.
Early voting has begun Early voting began at the Courthouse in Mount Vernon on Tuesday April 8. The Courthouse is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, Monday thru Friday. Also, Saturday April 26 and May 3, the Courthouse will be open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for your convenience. Due to many uncontested Primary races, there will be no satellite sites available this spring. Questions, contact Posey County Clerk Betty Postletheweight at 812-838-1306, or betty.poseyclerk@yahoo.com
city’s storm sewer pipes in the South Sharp Street area, the heavy downpour deluged Jimmy Stoneberger’s property in that area. Improvements made within the past year hoped to relieve some of the flooding issues in that area. While Gorbett felt that it had helped relieve the problem for some, the rain fell at such a fast rate that the storm sewer drains could not keep up. Sometimes, Mother Nature will always have the upper hand. Council members queried Gorbett to see if there were other solutions that might solve the problem. He suggested the water flow from South Cale Street and South Sharp Street needs to be diverted to the south side of Old Railroad Street. Council president Bruce Baker stated the board and Gorbett would continue to discuss the matter to try to determine a resolution. In a matter unrelated to the rainfall, Tony Shell addressed the council regarding water pressure problems at his house on South St. Francis Street. He stated he contacted town employees to assess the situation. They replaced the water meter on two different occasions,
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Posey County resident David Lueder escaped serious injuries during this accident which happened near the railroad tracks on North Main Street in Mount Vernon. A medical condition led to the accident. He was treated and released. Photo by Michelle Gibson
Cameras installed in Mount Vernon buses By Lois Mittino Gray An innovative safety project adopted by the Mount Vernon School Board at its April 7 meeting will turn 49 buses into traveling technological transports. The board awarded a contract to REI Technologies, Inc. for Transportation Technology Systems valued at $177, 534.10. The contract will put five cameras on every bus that will operate when the bus is rolling from all camera angles, even from the back, to show what is happening in real time on the bus. In addition, all buses will have GPS technology and its location can be found at any given time if there is a problem or a parent inquires. This includes school-owned and contract buses, spare buses, mini-buses and the player bus.
School Superintendent Tom Kopatich explained that three buses have been trying out the system already to test it and the results have been impressive and effective. “Three companies put in bids and each one sent us a demo so we could try things out. We went with REI due to better quality of its video picture.” Kopatich told the board that the money comes from a Safe Schools Grant and Mount Vernon is the only school in the state using it for transportation technology. Other schools awarded the grant use it for a school safety officer. Kopatich said that was not necessary for the district because each
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‘First Brush of Spring’ brings array of artists By Lois Mittino Gray Easels and outdoor tripods seem to be in every nook and cranny around New Harmony as participants in the 16th annual New Harmony Paint-Out respond to their inner muse and create works of art. Residents may wonder where do they all come from? What are they painting and where do they all stay while here? Robin Roberts, a first time participant from Ashland, Ohio, painted a watercolor of the Harmonist Home on the corner of West and Church St, the longtime office of Dr. David Rice. “I just love this town and the scenery is great. I found the people here remarkably friendly and helpful.” Roberts had a cabin reserved at
Retrospective ...... A 4 Legals ...................B 5 Classifieds ........ B 7 - 8 Community ......... A 5
Harmonie State Park, but due to the road flooding, it was closed. Local people found a place for him to stay with a man “I just know as Robert,” he said gratefully. Veteran attendee Leanor Papai has participated in the paintouts for ten years, but did not come last year when it rained so hard. She finished an oil painting of the colorful umbrellas and magnolia in full bloom on the patio of the Red Geranium Restaurant, but also works in water color and pastels. “Everything is so lovely here and I think the local volunteers are just great for all they do.” Praise for the volunteers is a common comment from all the painters.
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Deaths .............. ...A3 Church ................ A 7 Social .................. A 6 School ................. A 8
Rex Erbaugh, Dayton, Ohio, visits New Harmony during the First Brush of Spring, sponsored by the Indiana Plein Air Painters and Hoosier Salon, this past Wednesday through Saturday. Photo by Dave Pearce
Sports ............... B 1 - 4 Bus/Ag ...............A 1 1 Opinion ............. A 1 2 TV Guide.......... A 7 - 8